The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutLndscp Btfctn Cmte - 09/15/2010 � �----�--� CITY OF PALM DESERT � � PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM TO: Rachelle D. Klassen, City Clerk FROM: Bertha A. Gonzalez, Senior Office Assistant DATE: November 17, 2010 SUBJECT: Submission of Minutes for the Landscape Beautification Committee Attached for your records are the approved Minutes from the September 15, 2010,meeting of the Parks and Recreation Commission. Please let me know if you have any questions or need additional information. Thank you. Attachment (as noted) CITY COUNCILACTION A!'1'ROVF.D I��;NiF.D RT�;CI:IVED � �%��r OTF�CIl 1VlIF.I�:7'iN � DATE I � - `�--�_D l� AY F:�: /-i�nn�iI, �� i E'�� l c'�J��;/1 NOI:�: �''I��-- Af3SI�,NT: � � � ��' �' � AI�S'TAfii\': ' � V[:I2lI�l�:�) 13Y: ��-�� f?�•igina{ on File witli City Gerk'sY i'I7ce V CITY OF PALM DESERT ��-� � � MINUTES � - LANDSCAPE BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING .. . Wednesday, September 15, 2010 — 11:30 a.m. Community Services Conference Room - Palm Desert Civic Center 73-510 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert, California 92260 I. CALL TO ORDER Chairman Knight convened the meeting at 11:30 a.m. II. ROLL CALL Present: Absent: Chairman H. Spencer Knight Member Bob Spiegel (alt. Tony Bagato) Member Martin Alvarez Member Mark Greenwood Member Connor Limont Member John M. Wohlmuth Also Present: Diane Hollinger, Landscape Specialist Pedro Rodriguez, Senior Code Officer Bryce White, Redevelopment Agency Carol MacFarlane, FORMA Gina Tenorio, The Desert Sun Bertha A. Gonzalez, Recording Secretary III. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS NONE IV. CONSENT CALENDAR A. MINUTES of the Regular Landscape Beautification Committee Meeting of Wednesday, July 21, 2010. Approve as presented. Upon a motion by Chairman Knight, second by Member Limont, and 6-0 vote of the Committee Board, the Consent Calendar was approved as presented. � LANDSCAPE BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE APPROVED MINUTES September 15, 2010 V. CONSENT ITEMS HELD OVER NONE VI. NEW BUSINESS A. NEW SIGNAGE AND ASSOCIATED LANDSCAPE CHANGES ON EL PASEO Mr. Bryce White of the Redevelopment Agency informed the Committee that in the last City Council study session, City Councit recommended staff advertise for bids for the new signage on EI Paseo. He also stated that the Architectural Review Committee has reviewed and approved the plans. Therefore, staff is requesting the Committee's review and approval of the landscape improvements component of the project. Mr. White introduced the project manager, Carol MacFarlane with FORMA, who presented an overview of the plans as follows: • The plans include signage and landscape improvements along the two-mile stretch of EI Paseo, between Hwy 111 east and Hwy 111 west. • The phase includes installation of primary signage in the medians at the beginning and end of EI Paseo, secondary signage on the corners of Hwy 74 and San Pablo, and tertiary signage on the light poles. FORMA has received approval from Southern California Edison to install the tertiary signage on their light poles. Mr. White is also in search of a 1993 Agreement between the City of Palm Desert and Southern California that addressed banners on poles. • Improvements to the existing signage on the fountains off Hwy 74 and Portola will include the installation of steel pillars with granite faces that, according to Mrs. MacFarlane, will not fade. Surrounding the fountains will be decomposed granite and plant material that will enhance the signage; materials will be of natural colors. In addition, the light pole in front of the fountain off Hwy 74 will be removed. • Primary signage will be installed on the medians and will include flagstone. Flagstone will also be installed on the west side of EI Paseo, due to its narrow median. Mr. White informed the Committee that the EI Paseo Merchants have been informed of the changes and they have agreed to install their signs on the City's poles. Member Limont expressed her concerns with including too much signage and stated that the City needs to be careful to ensure the area is kept 2 � LANDSCAPE BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE APPROVED MINUTES September 15, 2010 clean and classy. Mr. White assured the Committee that the existing poles will only include one banner. In response to Member Wohlmuth's concern, staff assured the Committee that the plant material will not obstruct the signage at any point in time. Upon a motion from Staff Member Bagato, second by Member Limont and a 6-0 vote of the Committee, the landscape portion of the project was approved as presented. VII. CONTINUED BUSINESS A. NEW MONTEREY AVENUE MEDIANS LANDSCAPE UPDATE As requested at the previous meeting, Chairman Knight contacted Mr. Bruce Harry, Director of Public Works for the City of Rancho Mirage, to discuss their willingness to share the cost of the landscape improvements of the new Monterey medians. Mr. Harry was informed by their City Manager that the City of Rancho Mirage currently has no funds for median improvements in Fiscal Year 2010-11. Should the Committee opt to move forward with the improvements, the City of Rancho Mirage will be willing to discuss the item in April, when discussion of the budget for Fiscal Year 2011-12 commences. Due to blowsand concerns, Member Wohlmuth suggested staff refrain from installing a full landscape until the west side of the median is developed. He also suggested the Committee make a recommendation on which of the three scenarios previously presented should the City Council consider for funding purposes. Consequently, the same scenario could be presented to the City of Rancho Mirage for consideration. Due to concerns with the degree of infrastructure that needs to be included, Chairman Knight will make adjustments to the three scenarios in order to achieve a more accurate cost estimate. Upon a motion from Staff Member Bagato, second by Member Limont and a 6-0 vote of the Committee Board, the item was continued. B. MONTEREY/DINAH SHORE SLOPE LANDSCAPE DESIGN CRITERIA AND COSTS UPDATE As requested at the previous meeting, Mrs. Ruth Ann Moore and Chairman Knight met with Costco representatives to discuss their willingness to share the cost of the landscape installation and maintenance in the corner af Monterey and Dinah Shore. The representatives from Costco stated they will consider their options and inform staff of their decision at a later date; to this day, Costco has not informed staff of a decision. Although the option for City staff to do the 3 � LANDSCAPE BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE APPROVED MINUTES September 15, 2010 maintenance and invoice Costco was discussed, according to the City's Attorney, this could only be done under the terms of a Landscape and Lighting District (LLD). Staff could request Costco to maintain the landscape, but as previously mentioned, it would not be done per city standards. No motion; item was continued until staff is contacted by Costco. VIII. OLD BUSINESS NONE IX. REPORTS AND REMARKS Member Limont inquired on the following: • The signage on the bridge of Homme Adams Park needs to be replaced; Chairman Knight will ask Mr. Ryan Stendell to address. • Additional trees need to be added to Haystack, but because no funds are available for tree installations, the item needs to be added to the agenda for discussion. Therefore, Member Limont requested for the item to be added to the next meeting agenda as a formal item of discussion. • In conclusion, she stated that most of Hwy 74 is desertscape, yet from Deep Canyon Country Club to Mesa View, it is turf. Member Limont inquired if Deep Canyon Country Club is part of the Cooperative Landscape Water Management Program (CoLWMP}. Mrs. Diane Hollinger informed the Committee that they were, but they opted to participate in the nozzle exchange program only. On separate note, Member Limont asked staff to investigate who is responsible for the area from Homestead to Mesa View, due to safety concerns with the overwatering, which results in a continually wet sidewalk. Member Alvarez noted that the conversion of Silver Sands Country Club at the southeast corner of Portola and Country Club was very nice. He asked if they were part of the program and if more clubs were able to participate. Mrs. Hollinger stated that Silver Sands were part of CoLWMP, but there were no more funds available for other country clubs to participate. On a separate note, she stated that in an effort to promote desertscape and encourage turf conversion, before and after photos of some of the CoLWMP participants will be displayed during Garden Day. 4 � LANDSCAPE BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE APPROVED MINUTES September 15, 2010 Mr. Wohlmuth asked staff to work with the Reserve when they provide the changes to their plant palette. Staff will bring the item to the Committee for review when the Reserve provides the new plant palette. X. ADJOURNMENT With no further business or discussion, and Landscape Beautification Committee Board concurrence, the meeting was adjourned at 12:08 p.m. � � H.�pen er Kr�g , Landscape Manager ATTEST: , � �� ' � rtha A. G zalez, ecording cretary 5