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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLndscpe Btfctn Cmte - 03/18/09 CITY OF PALM DESERT ����� � � MINUTES - - LANDSCAPE BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING . Wednesday, March 18, 2009 — 11:30 a.m. Public Works Conference Room — Palm Desert Civic Center 73-510 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert, California 92260 I. Call to Order 11:30 a.m. 11. Roll Call Present: Absent: Chairman H. Spencer Knight Member Homer Croy Vice-Chairman Lauri Aylaian Member Martin Alvarez Member Mark Greenwood CITY COUI�CILACTION Member Richard S. Kelly APPROVf;D � _.DI;NIF,D Member Connor Limont RECEIVED � �� e- � O`I'Ill:lt � Member Jay Niemczak MEETING DATE ' - 9 Member Bob Spiegel AYF.S: e i � � Member John M. Wohlmuth NOEs: N�n� Ai3srn1T: .�(r1r1e. Also Present: ABSTAIN: John Boyd, Terra Vista Resident VERIFIED t3Y: � Carol MacFarlane, Forma Design Original on File with City Clerk s Oftice Tim Milauskas, Resident Diane Hollinger, Landscape Specialist Hart Ponder, Code Compliance Manager Ryan Stendell, Senior Management Analyst Bryce White, Project Administrator Bertha A. Gonzalez, Recording Secretary III. Oral Communications None IV. Consent Calendar A. MINUTES of the Regular Landscape Beautification Committee Meeting of Wednesday, February 18, 2009. APPROVED MINUTES LANDSCAPE BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE March 18, 2009 Approve as presented. Upon a motion by Chairman Knight, second by Member Spiegel, and 8-0 vote of the Committee Board with Member Wohlmuth absent, the Consent Calendar was approved as presented. V. Consent Items Held Over None VI. New Business A. EI Paseo Revitalization Proiect Bryce White, Project Administrator, introduced Carol MacFarlane of Forma Design who presented a PowerPoint that highlighted the EI Paseo Revitalization Project. The goals of the project were as follows: • Reinforce EI Paseo as a unique shopping, dining and strolling district • Enhance its unique character while thematically connecting it • Reinforce its reputation as one of the top five major art destinations in the country • Produce high efficiency and state of the art infrastructure systems • Create a coordinated and clearly indentified district • Fulfill its potential to be a premier destination The project would address and improve the following existing issues: • Lack of landmark and directional signage • Inconsistent public art pads • Insufficient and energy inefficient street lighting • Outdated irrigation systems • Uneven landscaping, which creates a visual barrier • Pedestrian ramps that are nonconforming to ADA Standards • No district design coordination • Minimal enhancements for seating and shade The estimated cost of the project is approximately $4.75 million, which can be distributed through a period of two or three years, beginning in the winter of 2009. After the presentation, the following comments and questions were addressed: 2 APPROVED MINUTES LANDSCAPE BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE March 18, 2009 • Why are pedestrian stop bulbs not being installed at Portola and EI Paseo intersection? Stop bulbs were not installed at Portola in an effort to not restrict the flow of traffic. Member Kelly expressed his belief that bulbs should be installed at this intersection. • Are the sidewalks being redone? No, the cost will be significant and there are too many ADA issues. • Staff believes that the lack of lighting on EI Paseo is affecting the night activity. Member Kelly believes that the incorporation of more active restaurants would address the lack of lighting and activity in this area. • The Visitor Center's main concern is the lack of visibility of EI Paseo; visitors tend to not be able to find it even when directions are given to them. • On a visual standpoint, Member Limont expressed her disapproval of the signage; she believes it to be too large and overstated. She wants to ensure that the City does not loose its understated elegance. Other committee members agreed. Member Wohlmuth was absent from the meeting after 11:55 a.m. Informational Item; no motion required. B. Eldorado Drive Median Landscape Renovation Chairman Knight informed the Committee of the ongoing issues with the Eldorado Median between Country Club Drive and Hovley Lane East as follows: • The plant material is inappropriate for the desert climate; it's overplanted and has deteriorated significantly. For this reason, City staff stripped the plant material with plans to replant. • The irrigation system is substandard. • Some of trees are infested with bores, while others are creating a line of sight issue. On May 28, 2008, the City Manager approved the contract award to Ron Gregory and Associates, Inc., for the design services of the aforementioned. The plan has been completed, but due to the economy decline, the project bidding process was put on hold. The large number of complaints regarding of the median's condition has made this project a priority. Chairman Knight asked for the Committee's direction on how to proceed. The four alternatives presented and their respective estimated costs were as follows: 3 APPROVED MINUTES LANDSCAPE BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE March 18, 2009 A. Install a temporary (3 years) irrigation system in the north median and leave the plant material as is ($8,000) B. Install new irrigation system in the north median and eliminate excess risers in the remaining medians; remove line-of-site issues; remove Acacia's; re-grade soil where needed and install new layer of decomposed granite ($67,500) C. Install new irrigation on both north and south medians; eliminate line-of-sight issues; remove Acacias; re-grade where needed; install a new layer of decomposed granite; clean out existing cobble and replace cobble on six noses ($158,150) D. Install all new irrigation system; install boulders, cobble, and river rock; cobble in noses will be mortared in place; re-grade develop mounds and swales; install new decomposed granite and plant material per the new landscape plans. ($320,000) In addition, the Committee was informed that alternatives A and B would be temporary, while alternatives C and D are transferrable. The current number of trees will not decrease due to the improvements. Member Spiegel and Member Kelly expressed their approval of the Magnesia Falls median landscape design and would like it to be considered for the Eldorado Median. They also asked if funds would be available from the Redevelopment Agency; Member Alvarez to inquiry. Two residents expressed their concerns to the Committee as follows: • John Boyd, a resident of Terra Vista on Eldorado, would like the Committee to direct staff to move forward with the project, preferably with alternative D. He informed the Committee that his association has invested a large amount of funds to make their community a high class community and the condition of the Eldorado median does not assist with the effort. Because he has not seen the landscape on the Magnesia Falls median, the Committee requested for him to see it and let staff know his opinion. • Resident Chris has seen the landscape on the Magnesia Falls median and believes that any type of improvement the Committee opts for would be acceptable. His only request is for the median to be upgraded to respectable conditions. Member Kelly expressed his regret for allowing the median remain in its current condition. Even with the current economic issues, he believes the City has an obligation to maintain its medians in a respectable condition; therefore, this issue needs to be addressed immediately. 4 APPROVED MINUTES LANDSCAPE BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE March 18, 2009 Staff was directed to present an estimate for the landscape improvements on the Eldorado median that will resemble the landscape on the Magnesia Falls median and present it to Council as soon as possible. In addition, the Committee recommends for Council to approve alternative D with the Redevelopment Agency's consideration to fund the project. No motion. VII. Continued Business A. Propertv Owner's Request for New Landscape and Liqhtinq District Following the City Council's direction, staff has no longer allowed the formation of Landscape and Lighting Districts (LLD's). Tim Milauskas, representing the residents of Corte Placitas on Hovley Lane, informed the Committee that their development has never effectively formed a Homeowners Association (HOA). Recently, the HOA hired a management company to assess the area, yet, half of the residents are willing contribute, while the other half is resisting. For this reason, the development requests that the City consider converting their community to a LLD. They believe this will ease the collection of fees for the maintenance of the common areas. The Committee informed Mr. Milauskas that the problem with Assessment Districts is that the City will initially collect fees for the landscape maintenance and provide the maintenance, but when prices rise and the City asks for additional funds, the residents resist, leaving the City with the responsibility. Mr. Milauskas asked what will happen if they don't address the conditions of the area and don't keep an HOA in place. Hart Ponder, Code Compliance Manager, informed him that the Code Department would identify each property owner and would give them an opportunity to comply. If they do not, the City will perform the maintenance at the cost of the owner. After three or four times of non-compliance, Code will put a lien on the property. Mr. Milauskas thanked the Committee for the information and informed them that he will forward it to the residents in effort to make a decision on how to proceed. Informational item; no motion required. 5 APPROVED MINUTES LANDSCAPE BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE March 18, 2009 VIII. Old Business A. Underfunded Landscape and Liqhtinq Districts (LLD's) As directed at a previous meeting, Ryan Stendell, Senior Management Analyst, presented the following survey results of the three underfunded Landscape and Lighting Districts: • Hovley West — only 28% of the parcels voted; Majority voted no on the levy increase • Hovley Collection — 82% of the parcels voted; Majority voted yes on the levy increase • Palm Gate — 51% of the parcels voted; Majority voted yes on the levy increase Staff informed the Committee that this is not an official ballot and the residents that voted yes have not yet seen an actual amount of increase. Therefore, should the Committee decide to officially re-ballot, which would cost approximately $10,000; there is no guarantee that all the residents would agree on the levy increase. In addition, Chairman Knight presented cost estimates for the reconstruction of the underfunded LLDs. The lowest estimate is approximately $25,000 for all three areas. This would include reducing the plant material and installing decomposed granite. Staff believes the reconstruction should be performed first and the re- ballot should be brought back a later date; staff does not recommend merging both projects. Member Kelly commented that because Hovley West is adjacent to Monterey Avenue, it becomes an arterial area and the City has an obligation to take care of arterial areas. He requested for staff to address the Monterey Avenue side of Hovley West as soon as possible. Upon a motion from Chairman Spiegel, second by Member Kelly and an 8-0 vote of the Committee board with Member Wohlmuth absent, staff was directed to take the reconstruction of the LLD's to Council with the recommendation for the City to take responsibility of the area of Monterey Avenue. IX. Reports and Remarks None 6 APPROVED MINUTES LANDSCAPE BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE March 18, 2009 X. Adjournment With no further business or discussion, and Landscape Beautification Committee Board concurrence, the meeting was adjourned at 12:50 p.m. , H. pe cer K i t, Landscape Manager ATTEST: �ertha A. o alez, Re rding cretary Landscape Beautification Com ittee 7