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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes CAB 090706COMMUNITY AESTHETICS BOARD September 7, 2006 Minutes The Community Aesthetics Board met on September 7, 2006. The meeting was called to order by chair Donna Wisneski at 5:35 p.m. in the Council Chambers Conference Room of the Municipal Complex located at 10500 North Military Trail, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and was opened with the Pledge of Allegiance. I. ROLL CALL Members Present: Donna Wisneski — Chairperson William Olsen — Vice Chairperson Gail Vastola Bettie Marks Sherry Levy Members Absent: Carolyn Waters Vacancies: 1 regular member 2 alternate members Also present: Vice Mayor and Council Liaison, Jody Barnett City Forester and Staff Liaison, Mark Hendrickson H. APPROVAL OF MINUTES The Board approved the minutes from the June 6, 2006 meeting. III. BOARD MEMBERSHIP UPDATE Mark Hendrickson informed the Board that the City Clerk's Office and Growth Management Office have gathered applications for the vacant membership positions so the City Council can appoint persons at their meeting in October. Of the three persons up for reappointment, two asked to be continued. Applications, resumes and attendance records along with a review by the Staff Liaison will be submitted for the Council's review. IV. DOWNTOWN AT THE GARDENS PRESENTATION Mark Hendrickson presented a history of the Downtown at the Gardens. He distributed some of the artist's renderings to the Board for review. Mark stated that his PowerPoint presentation accurately represented what has been approved and what is presently in the field. There has been some disparity between the artist renderings and what is actually in the Downtown at the Gardens area. This development was initially approved by the City Council on June 5, 2003 and amended in December 18, 2003. The latest major amendment by the Council was approved on September 29, 2005. Downtown at the Gardens is different from other projects in the City. It did get some landscape waivers to allow less than 75% of the preferred species down the perimeter of the mall so they could Community Aesthetics Board Meeting Minutes 090706 Page 1 use plant change outs during the year. The plants are not exotics from the preferred species, but there are more plants than required. The waivers were justified specifically for the middle of the open aired mall and they do exceed code. The developer wanted flexibility to change out the landscaping, and in exchange the City got more landscaping around the perimeter for that. That perimeter landscaping does exceed the Code. Mark stated that people are used to developers doing so much more than code expects that when a developer just meets minimum code it leaves a gap. Mark said he could show the points where they went over code, but it wouldn't mean much when comparing to a development that are well over code. All native plants to North Palm Beach County are on the preferred species list. Other plants that may be used have to be wind tolerant, cold tolerant, drought tolerant and flood tolerant as possible. Mark will try and get a revised species list to the Board during the next few months. The availability of plants enters into what developers can choose from. It was suggested by Bettie Marks that the predominant trees in this project look scruffy. Mark stated the 55 -foot buffer has to use native plants and what is there was already there. He added that all of our parkways have almost a native interior plant pallet. As you move closer to the interior of a project then other taller plants with height can then be added. The drawings depicted more colorful plants than what were actually put in place. All colors are approved by the City. Although there is not a color pallet, paint swabs are approved by the planning commission. Mark has met with the developer and some changes are being implemented. The development across the street is putting pressure on the Downtown developer because of the higher use of colorful plants being used. Bettie Marks stated that this was initially supposed to be a park -like area where people could take a stroll and enjoy themselves. The Downtown in the Gardens environment was presented differently from what has turned out. Mark stated that the park -like setting is still in progress and will include the lake area. Only half of the lake area is finished, and presently only four areas are ready for use. When the lake area is completed it will include a bridge and three other public areas for the people to stroll around. In addition, an amphitheater site near the Cheesecake Factory will be constructed for public use. Mark continued, aesthetically speaking the surface on the second floor has been stained and looks dingy. The surface is being retreated and a new surface installed so that these areas will not show these stains. Outside areas will have roll -downs installed to hide some of the beer kegs and trash areas. Bettie Marks stated that handicapped access and the elevator being too far from the movie house had been discussed with the developer, and he was not aware of some of the Board's concerns. No actions had been taken on his part until articles began appearing. Jody Barnett stated that she knew the developer had been aware that handicapped persons had access issues and that there were concerns such as switching out the freight and public elevators. Mark Hendrickson stated that this entire project is a work in progress and future amendments for aesthetics and function will be strived for. A temporary parking area for service personnel will be set up while a second parking facility is built per approved plans. Mark stated that PGA Boulevard is the place to be, whether it is at the Mall, Midtown, Downtown, Legacy or the Commons. These different areas meet the needs of different Community Aesthetics Board Meeting Minutes 090706 Page 2 clientele. Once the lake area is completed it will be the largest community gathering place in Palm Beach Gardens. Donna Wisneski said the Board should stay on top of this development to see that it evolves into its planned function. Mark Hendrickson related that the parking areas have more trees than other developments. As a matter of fact, Mark stated that during the next few years as these trees grow they will become so large that the business owners will be upset because of business visibility. Donna Wisneski asked Jody Barnett if she had taken comments back to the City Council as promised during the June meeting of the Board. Jody related that she had, everyone on the Council agreed with the comments and that was the first article in the hometown news. As a result, the developer was surprised to find that everyone felt that it could have been a better project than it is, it is a good project, but it could have been better. Donna stated that our code is allowing buildings to be larger and the bar needs to be raised for the future. The green buffers that we had years ago provided a different aesthetic feel, and although the present use of smaller landscaping in new buffers will grow in time, they are not providing the look the Board seeks. Noting that we are approaching build -out and the heights and density need to be reconsidered where landscaping is concerned, minimums should be raised and codes should be changed to include not only numbers but quality and density of plants. Developers should be informed of what our City expects. Mark stated that while this is true, the open space percentages have to be raised before landscaping expectations can be changed. These are areas that need to be pursued with the City Council. V. FRENCHMAN'S RESERVE From Hood Road to Prosperity Farms Road the upkeep has fallen down. Mark will bring this to the attention of the people responsible and will see that it is corrected. VL NEXT MEETING Items for the Agenda for the next meeting will include: An update on the Sandhill Crane Park, procedural direction on landscaping, increasing the code requirements for landscaping, suggestions for Hood Road and an update on the City Hall complex improvements. Community Aesthetics Board Meeting Minutes 090706 Page 3 VII. ADJOURNMENT With no further business to discuss the meeting adjourned at 6:40 p.m. Approval: onna Wisneski, Chairperson Sherry Levy, B94 Memb Bettie Marks, Board Member William Olsen, Board Member (Dn� - —\� \'n — ai stola, Board Member Carolyn Waters, Alternate Board Member Attest: --A fa- Foy( IVLA D C K/),/G uesda Craig Munici al Services Coordinator Note: These summary minutes are prepared in compliance with 286.011 F.S. and are not verbatim transcripts of the meeting. A verbatim audio record is available from the Office of the City Clerk. Community Aesthetics Board Meeting Minutes 090706 Page 4