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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCBC 04-06-2006LITTLE ROCK CITY BEAUTIFUL COMMISSION MEETING NOTICE The City Beautiful Commission will hold its regular meeting at 11:15 a.m. on Thursday, April 6'', 2006, in the Sister Cities Conference Room on the second floor of City Hall. AGENDA Call to Order: Jan Hicks, Vice -Chair Roll Call: Approval of the Minutes: March 2nd, 2006 Treasurer's Report: Ann Ivey Old Business: • 2006 LR Garden Show Update • Pocket Ashtrays Update • Upcoming 2006 Landscape Awards New Business: Informative meeting on upcoming landscape variance requests by city staff Adjournment: City Beautiful Commission ♦ 723 West Markham ♦ Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 ♦ (501) 371-4864 CITY BEAUTIFUL COM M IssIoN The City Beautiful Commission held its regular meeting Thursday, March 2nd, 2006, at 11:30 a.m. in the Sister Cities Conference Room on the second floor of City Hall. Chair Karol Zoeller called the meeting to order. MEMBERS PRESENT: Jan Hicks Cita Cobb Ann Ivey Troy Laha Lynn Warren Jan Baker Karol Zoeller John Beneke Ross Piazza ALSO PRESENT: Christy Marvel, Interim Plans Development Administrator, Department of Planning & Development, City of Little Rock Dave Roberts, Landscape Architect, Roberts & Williams Architects, agent for Children's Hospital. Ross McCain, Wilcox, agent for Children's Hospital OPEN PUBLIC MEETING: ITEM NO.1 C.B.C. 593-NEW MATTERS-Children's Hospital, Parking Deck STAFF REPORT: The site is currently being used as a lay down area for the construction of the new office building located at 8'h and Battery Streets. There are hospital and office facilities located to the east and south of the proposed site also owned by Arkansas Children's Hospital. There is a high-rise residential tower owned by the Housing Authority located to the southeast of the site. The streets are currently in place around the area some with sidewalk and some without. Curb and gutter is in place along most streets. The Schiller Street right-of-way has been abandoned and ACH owns the property on the west side of the former right-of-way. The applicant is proposing a four-story parking deck structure to accommodate 1,005 automobiles. The site plan indicates the proposed parking deck will be set at 3.11-feet from the southern property line at the southeast corner (adjacent to the surface parking lot) increasing to 4.92 feet at the southwest corner. Therefore, the remaining proposed landscape area does not meet the minimal perimeter landscape ordinance requirement of 6'-9" six foot nine inches. The landscape strip varies from 2.97 feet to 3.11 feet on the southern perimeter. The planning commission approved development of the parking deck through site plan review on February 16, 2006. The applicant has provided a landscape plan with details of how the massing of the proposed structure will be broken up by installation of large evergreen plantings. The landscape plan indicates the placement of the Southern Magnolia's along the western perimeter and the northern perimeter (Interstate 630) of the development. This species of trees typically grows 40-60 feet with a maturity height of 100-feet. The proposal includes the placement of Lacebark Elm trees along the Maryland Street, which are smaller shade trees. In addition, at the entrances to the parking structure, Crepe Myrtles will be used to provide additional plantings. Autumn Blaze Red Maples are proposed along Battery Street, the eastern perimeter of the site and Savannah Holly will be planted along the service drive and behind the office building currently under construction to break the massing when viewed from the Interstate. The landscape plan also indicates the placement of shrubs as required by the Landscape Ordinance. The proposed tree size at planting exceeds ordinance requirements. The green space and the plant quantity allocated along the southern perimeter exceed the amount required by ordinance; a portion of that green space will be located in the public right-of-way. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of this request subject to a franchise agreement being obtained for the proposed landscaping in the public right-of-way. COMMISSION ACTION: Landscape Architect, Dave Roberts, presented a color rendering of the proposed parking deck and the associated landscaping. Mr. Roberts noted that the landscaping was exceeding minimal landscape ordinance requirements. Concern was voiced that some of the proposed landscaping is shown within the City's public right-of-way. The applicant stated he understood the requirement of a franchise agreement with the City of Little Rock and has started this required paperwork. Mr. John Barr, with the City of Little Rock has reviewed the proposal and doesn't see any red flags. Vice -chair Hicks inquired whether or not any of the proposed trees were of an evergreen variety. Mr. Roberts, responded that currently there are none proposed; however, if the Commission would like to see an evergreen variety, it could be addressed. The reason for the choice of Crepe Myrtle was to match existing on -site vegetation. Mr. Roberts then inquired if `Lil Gem' Magnolias or Foster Holly trees were suitable for the entryway along the southern perimeter of the site. It was noted that the entrances along the south were of primary concern. Motion: Vice -chair Hicks made a motion to approve the variance, conditioned upon the trees at the entrances along the southern perimeter being of an evergreen variety. Second: Commissioner Warren seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Commissioner Baker inquired about the enforcement/follow-up of all the landscaping requirements in the City of Little Rock. Commissioner Baker would like to see more follow-up of the landscaping within the City. Staff noted the written information that was presented to the CBC during the month of November 2005 by Kenny Scott, Code Enforcement Coordinator, City of Little Rock. Commissioner Baker stated this should be an on -going report given to the CBC. Motion: Commissioner Warren made a motion to have a quarterly report generated from Kenny Scott, Code Enforcement Coordinator. Second: Commissioner Baker seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES: Motion: Troy Laha moved to approve the minutes from the February 2nd, meeting as submitted. Second: Jan Hicks seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. TREASURER'S REPORT: City staff noted the following per Ann Ivey: Little Rock City Beautiful Commission Treasurer's Report 03-02-2006 Beginning Balance as of February 2, 2006 $3,637.07 Credits Interest on Account .71 Total credits $0.71 $3,637. i8 Debits Signs Now (CBC Banner) 98.90 Total debits $98.90 $3,538.88 Ending Balance as of March 02, 2006 $3,538.88 OLD BUSINESS: Landscape Awards: Commissioner Warren_ Commissioner Warren had the 2006 landscape award applications printed at Southern Reprographics and has them ready for distribution at the 2006 Little Rock Garden Show. 2006 Garden Show: Ross Piazza Ross Piazza has most, if not all, of the major details worked out. Commissioner Beneke recommended setting up the CBC booth, this afternoon. Commissioner Piazza handed out an agenda/issues outstanding list. Check in is required with each entry. Commissioners were advised to please wear CBC nametags. Parking has been allocated at War Memorial Stadium with a shuttle bus for the LR Garden Show. Parking behind City Hall is also an option. It was decided that 500 of the pocket ashtrays should be taken to the 2006 LR Garden Show. Commissioner Warren noted each item and the quantity of each; that is to be given at the booth during the 2006 LR Garden Show. One ashtray per family should be given. The rough draft of the CBC Brochure is also available for handout. Commissioner Warren will have these available too. Lynn contacted Scott Carter about a press release on the current projects of the CBC and Mr. Carter stated it was no problem and he would handle them. Ross Piazza reminded individuals to please fill out the information booklet about the on- goings/success of the CBC participation in the 2006 LR Garden Show. NEW BUSINESS: Lynn Warren contacted Shayla Beebe and is in correspondence with the Mayor, City Manager, and the Board of Directors regarding the pocket ashtrays. Commissioner Warren noted the intention of presenting each with a pocket ashtray and the possibility of doing a public service announcement (PSA) of some sort in the near future. Staff noted the possibility of two landscape variances for next month. Neither of which has filed; however, today is the deadline. Adjournment: 12:25 p.m.