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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Landscape Beautification Committee 09/21/201127,-- "J 3 CITY OF PALM DESERT PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM TO: Rachelle D. Klassen, City Clerk FROM: Bertha A. Gonzalez, Senior Office Assistant DATE: January 18, 2012 SUBJECT: Submission of Minutes for the Landscape Beautification Committee Attached for your records are the approved minutes for the Landscape Beautification Committee Meeting of September 21, 2011. Please let me know if you have any questions or need additional information. Thank you. Attachment (as noted) CITY COUNCIL ACTION APPROVED DENIED RECEIVED 0' Rile- OTHER MEET G DATE AYES: 1j0? 0 Finer-Iv.i sn' ft7alen,���ie�l NOES: N one ABSENT: NDAL _ ABSTAIN: I Ue-- VERIFIED BY: BID 16 rg______ Original on File with City Cierk's's )mice CITY OF PALM DESERT MINUTES LANDSCAPE BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING Wednesday, September 21, 2011 — 11:30 a.m. Administrative Conference Room — Palm Desert Civic Center 73-510 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert, California 92260 CALL TO ORDER Chairman Knight convened the meeting at 11:32 a.m. II. ROLL CALL Present Chairman H. Spencer Knight Vice -Chairman Lauri Aylaian Member Martin Alvarez Member Cindy Finerty Member Mark Greenwood Member Connor Limont Member Bob Spiegel Absent: Member John M. Wohlmuth Also Present: Diane Hollinger, Landscape Specialist Pedro Rodriguez, Senior Code Officer Beth Longman, Acting Recording Secretary ORAL COMMUNICATIONS • Member Spiegel noted that at the last meeting there was discussion about adding a landscape architect to the committee. He thinks that it would be good to have a member with that background because of the types of items that the committee reviews. Member Spiegel asked about the status of the McCallum Theatre Parking Lot Landscape Retrofit project. Chairman Knight stated that bids were opened on September 20, and the low bid came in from Horizon Professional Landscape at just under $40,000. Other bids received were approximately $55,000, $61,000, and $104,000. The pre -bid estimate for the landscape work was more than $150,000. Recommendation to award the contract is going to City Council at the September 29 meeting. Actual work is expected to start at the beginning of November with completion within 30 days. LANDSCAPE BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE APPROVED MINUTES September 21, 2011 IV. CONSENT CALENDAR A. MINUTES of the Regular Landscape Beautification Committee Meeting of Wednesday, July 20, 2011. Approve as presented. Member Aylaian stated that her recollection of the discussion regarding the New Business item, Palm Desert Mobile Home Estates' South Wall Beautification, was that staff has previously attempted to purchase the vacant lot off of Portola Avenue, but the owner is not willing to sell. Upon a motion by Member Spiegel, second by Member Finerty, and a 7-0-0 vote of the Committee Board, the Consent Calendar was approved with the noted clarification. V. NEW BUSINESS A. Proposed Landscape Stabilization Project for Underfunded LLDs Chairman Knight stated that there are three underfunded Landscape and Lighting Districts (LLDs). Those LLDs are Palm Gate, located on Deep Canyon; the Hovley Collection, located east of Monterey Avenue on the south side of Hovley Lane West; and Hovley Court West, located on the south east corner of Hovley Lane West and Monterey Avenue. When the LLDs were last re -balloted the residents of these three LLDs chose not to increase their levy. This has resulted in the decline of the landscaped areas in these locations, and numerous complaints from the residents themselves. Chairman Knight further stated that there have been previous discussions with the Committee regarding the option of stripping down the landscape in these three locations so that they can be maintained using only the funds that are being levied. That is what is being presented to the Committee at this time. The plan for Palm Gate is to remove all plant material except the palm trees, cap off the irrigation except to the palm trees, and clean up the area at a cost of $1,400. The levied funds would then be sufficient to provide water for the trees, and pruning out of only the flower stalks on the palm trees on an annual basis. The palm frond skirts would remain on the trunks. Member Finerty asked if the reduction in the amount of water would result in a decrease in the number of weeds. Chairman Knight stated there would still be weeds due to irrigation run off and rain. Members Finerty and Aylaian noted that the reserve funds are already negative in this account, and will only become more so if the retrofit is LANDSCAPE BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE APPROVED MINUTES September 21, 2011 approved. Chairman Knight explained that the law allows maintaining a six-month reserve for operating purposes because the county only passes through the assessed levies on a semi-annual basis. This underfunded LLD has used those reserve funds for on -going operating costs and is already operating in the red. Therefore, even the minimal $1,400 cost of this proposed landscape retrofit will result in a further deficit situation. Member Spiegel asked if it would catch up at any point, and Chairman Knight stated that technically it will through the reduced maintenance expense. Currently the contract for maintenance of all of the LLDs is bid as a lump sum rather than individually, but the next bidding process will require that the cost for individual LLDs be shown separately so that each LLD will stay within its allotted funds. Hovley Court West is a better -funded and more visible LLD with frontage on Monterey Avenue. The proposed changes are to remove dead or dying plants, re-establish the grade, and modify the irrigation system to include new emitters at the remaining and new plant locations. Seven new plants will be installed to cover the bare wall along Monterey Avenue. Member Finerty asked if the new plants would be Mexican Birds of Paradise to match those already there. Chairman Knight stated that while the existing Mexican Birds of Paradise will remain, plants with a lower level of maintenance will be used to infill the bare wall areas. The cost for the Hovley Court West modifications is $1,125. Reserve funds are available to cover the cost. Hovley Collection is a two -street assessment district with thirty-two lots and requires the most extensive work because the plant material is old and overgrown. It is recommended to remove three trees and several stumps, prune the remaining trees, and improve the irrigation system including installation of a new valve and drip irrigation to replace the old spaghetti tubes. The proposal is to install thirty-six new five -gallon plants comprised of a mixture of Leucaphyllum (Texas Rangers) and Nandina (Heavenly Bamboo). All existing plant material in the roadside planters will be removed leaving only native soil. The plants in the raised planters at the two street entrances will remain giving the entries a more dressed up appearance. Work in the retention basin will be limited to clean-up only. The cost for this retrofit is estimated at $5,450. The estimated cost for all three of the underfunded LLD retrofits is $7,975. Because Palm Gate lacks reserve funds to cover its cost, a source for the $1,400 will need to be determined. Upon a motion by Member Spiegel, second by Member Limont, and a 7-0-0 vote of the Committee Board, staff was directed to obtain bids for the proposed work. 3 LANDSCAPE BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE APPROVED MINUTES September 21, 2011 VI. CONTINUED BUSINESS None VII. OLD BUSINESS A. New Monterey Medians Landscape Improvements Phase I Chairman Knight discussed the landscape improvements that are proposed for the 2.6 miles on Monterey Avenue from Country Club Drive to Gerald Ford Drive. A small portion north of Gerald Ford Drive between A Street and Dick Kelly Drive will also be included. Treatment Two, which is the recommended option, has an estimated cost of $394,728 with the cost allotted one-third to Palm Desert ($122,176.50) and two-thirds to Rancho Mirage ($272,551.50). Bruce Harry, Director of Public Works for Rancho Mirage, has been advised of the plan and has indicated that he received tentative approval from some of the Rancho Mirage Council members. Staff has designed the landscape for Treatment Two in accordance with the City's master landscape plan with the exception of the area just south of Gerald Ford where the existing landscape, which will remain in place, was installed before the master plan was enacted. The plan includes the installation of sixty-five trees, irrigation to support the trees, and one -inch thick decomposed granite. Member Spiegel asked if recycled rubber mulch had been considered. Chairman Knight stated that it was considered; however, because of the concern of it blowing away in the wind, decomposed granite was selected. Three species of trees are proposed: Sonoran Palo Verde, Southern Live Oaks, and Washingtonia x hybrid palms. The trees will be spaced to provide enough room for additional plant material in the event a more extensive landscape design is desired in the future. Member Spiegel asked about the cost options shown on the spreadsheet handout. Chairman Knight noted that there were three designs considered, but because neither Rancho Mirage nor Palm Desert have extensive funds available for the project, Treatment Two is being recommended. Upon a motion by Member Finerty, second by Member Spiegel, and a 7-0-0 vote of the Committee Board, staff was directed to proceed with Treatment Two. 11 LANDSCAPE BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE APPROVED MINUTES VIII. REPORTS AND REMARKS None IX. ADJOURNMENT ATTEST: September 21, 2011 With no further business or discussion, and Landscape Beautification Committee Board concurrence, the meeting was adjourned at 12:01 p.m. Beth Longman, A ing Recording Secretary 5