HomeMy WebLinkAboutC26960 - Lndscaping/Screening of PD Mobile Estates 10-25-2007 ���,� CITY OF PALM DESERT
� � DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
STAFF REPORT
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REQUEST: Consideration of an agreement for the landscaping/screening of
Palm Desert Mobile Estates (Contract No. C26960).
SUBMITTED BY: H. Spencer Knight ����y� C�� �� �,��-�,
Landscape Manager �,,/
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DATE: October 25, 2007 ❑ p{�ggF�TO 2pJD �;E�iDiUu �
Recommendation:
By Minute Motion, that the City Council:
1. Direct staff to solicit competitive bids to install 15-foot high chain link fencing with
screen cloth plus appropriate landscaping;
2. Appropriate necessary funds for the project in an amount not to exceed
$100,000 to Account No. 400-4614-433-4001;
3. Submit application for a Conditional Use Permit for the subject chain link fencing;
and
4. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate agreements for cost sharing of
installation and maintenance of the fencing and landscaping befinreen the City of
Palm Desert, the Coachella Valley Water District, Chaparral Homeowners
Association; and the Palm Desert Mobile Estates.
Background:
Residents of the Chaparral Country Club have complained that CVWD's removal of
tamarisk trees on the south side of the Palm Valley Storm Channel has exposed an
unsightly storage yard to view. The storage yard is an RV storage rental facility that is
within the boundaries of the Palm Desert Mobile Estates mobile home park. In
response to a request from City Council members, staff investigated two options that
would provide landscaped screening of the storage area. The two options used different
size plant material and were estimated to cost $85,000 and $250,000.
Staff Report
Palm Desert Mobile Estates Landscaping/Screening Agreement (Contract No. C26960)
Page 2
October 25, 2007
The amount of time required for the plant material to provide adequate screening was
unacceptable to Chaparral Country Club representatives and they advanced a proposal
to use a chain link fence with screening material (similar to that used around tennis
courts). At its 27 September 2007 meeting, the City Council directed staff to look into
this option, and to provide input regarding potential costs and the required public
hearing and approval process.
Cost:
The Chaparral Country Club representatives requested a fifteen foot high fence.
Screen material comes in standard sizes that do not include a fifteen foot width.
Therefore, the cost estimates that staff received and that are presented here are based
upon a fifteen-foot high chain link fence with finrelve feet of material screening. The
screening material is considered to provide 100 % obscurity and is beige in color. The
estimates are as follows: Sam's Fence - $61,836; Allen Fence - $44,620; Griffith's
Fence - $61,000.
Hearing and Approval Process:
In Palm Desert, a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) is required in order to construct chain
link fences in lieu of walls. The CUP requires that a public hearing be held in front of
the Planning Commission. However, exceptions to this requirement of the municipal
code (25.56.195.D.5) can be granted by the Architectural Review Commission (ARC) if
the ARC finds that unusual circumstances exist making the "literal
requirements impractical or contrary to the purpose of the ordinance". For an
exception, the ARC must also find that the exception will not result in damage to
adjacent properties. For either a CUP or an exception, nearby property owners must be
informed of the application in advance of the meeting so that they have a chance to
make their concerns known.
Because of the expanse of wall needed to screen the RV storage area and the cost
associated with that wall, staff could recommend to the ARC that an exception be
granted to the wall requirement in this instance. However, staff believes that the visual
appearance of the screened fence would deteriorate dramatically over time, and would
not recommend approval as a permanent solution to the ARC unless landscaping were
added, and the fence were required to be removed when the landscape material filled
in.
Regardless of whether a CUP from the Planning Commission or an exception from the
Architectural Review Commission is sought, the completed application will take
approximately four to six weeks to process, including notification and appeals periods.
Worddocs/tm/citycouncilstaffreports/PalmDesertMobileEstates
Staff Report
Palm Desert Mobile Estates Landscaping/Screening Agreement (Contract No. C26960)
Page 3
October 25, 2007
Recommended Solution:
As stated above, staff is of the opinion that the chain link fence will deteriorate
significantly over the short term due to climatic conditions (wind and UV exposure) and
will not provide an economically sustainable long-term solution. To obtain the level of
screening desired by the residents of Chaparral Country Club, it is staff's opinion that the
combined use of chain link fence and plant material will provide for both short-term
screening (chain link fence) and long-term screening (plant material), provided that the
screening is removed in approximately five years when the landscaping fills in.
If a CUP is approved by the Planning Commission, a screened fifteen foot chain link
fence can be constructed within the following budget estimate:
Chain link fence with 15' screening material $ 65,000
Plant Material (150 — 5 gallon plants, installed) $ 3,000
I�fl9atlOfl SyStetll (does not include water meter—CVWD to provide) $ 8,000
Permits, soft costs, and contingency 24 000
Total $100,000
Cost Sharing:
Council members suggested that the expense for this screening be shared four ways by
Palm Desert Mobile Estates, Chaparral Country Club, the Coachella Valley Water District
and the City of Palm Desert.
The manager for the mobile home park has responded to a past request for screening
with an agreement to provide one gallon plants at a cost of $3,000. Any additional costs,
including continued maintenance of the plant material, would be in the form of capital
improvement to be passed on to the residents.
Staff contacted Mr. Chuck Autterson representing the Chaparral Country Club HOA, and
he indicated that the HOA would be willing to contribute 25% of costs up to a total project
cost of $50,000. If the project costs are greater than $50,000, additional approval is
required from the HOA board.
In conversations with the City Manger, the Manager/Chief Engineer of the Coachella
Valley Water District (CVWD) indicated that he would recommend to CVWD's board a
cost share of $25,000 and provide and install the water meter for the recommended
solution.
Worddocs/tm/citycouncilstaffreports/PalmDesertMobileEstates
Staff Report
Palm Desert Mobile Estates Landscaping/Screening Agreement (Contract No. C26960)
Page 4
October 25, 2007
In consideration of the forgoing, staff requests authorization to finalize a cost sharing
agreement between parties, appropriate funding, submit application for a Conditional Use
Permit, and solicit competitive bids for the fencing and landscaping. Staff will return for
approval of the cost sharing agreements and award of bid after the agreements are
finalized.
Submitted By: Depa m t ead:
H Sp nc ght Mark Gree wood
L ds ape ager Director of Public Works
Approval: Approval:
Homer L. Croy Paul Gibson
ACM for Development Services Director of Finance
Approval:
Carlos L. Ort a
City Manager
Worddocs/tm/citycouncilstaffreports/PalmDesertMobileEstates