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05-21-1998 "'-' ....", CITY OF EDGEWATER BEAUTIFICATION , TREE COHMITTEE SPECIAL MEETING KAY 21, 1998 7:00 P.M. CITY CLERK'S DEPARTMENT MINUTES CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chairman visconti called the Special Meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. in the City Clerk's Department. Members present were: Michael Visconti, Michael Tanksley, Patrick Conway and Rose Hoffman. Not present was Eleanor German. Also present were Parks and Recreation Director Jack Corder, Recording Secretary Lisa Kruckmeyer, and Councilman Gary Roberts who left at 7:12 p.m. MEETING PURPOSE The purpose of the special Meeting was to review the final plans for the medians at the north end of the City and decide on the Beautification Award Choice for June. Councilman Roberts feels the Committee needs to beautify the two lead islands coming in from the north and south end of the city. He suggested the Committee come up with a plan and get figures to go with it. To this date, no one has come before Council with numbers. Councilman Roberts spoke about Glen Herbert doing the design of the medians in New Smyrna Beach. He has been meaning to get in touch with him to get some input from him. Councilman Roberts encouraged the Committee to come up with a two island project to start. Realistically, they could probably get money to get started like that. He also mentioned the Adopt-a- Tree Program where local businesses could fill in the rest of the medians. He spoke about commercial projects that look like they are going to start within the next year, one being a major medical facility. Councilman Roberts would like to see all the dumpy places on u.S. #1 bulldozed down and nice professional offices put up. He talked about the landscape requirements when a new business is built. Mr. Tanksley informed Councilman Roberts that city Manager Grace has asked them to start at the north end of the City. Councilman Roberts feels the north end is more pertinent because everyone comes out of New Smyrna Beach. Mr. Corder stated we are looking at the first two medians on the north end. They are getting ready to come to Council about budgeting for the south end for next year's budget. ~ """'" Mr. Tanksley expressed concern about there not being reclaimed water at the north end. Councilman Roberts said he wouldn't worry about reclaimed water. If there is domestic water available, tap into it. The amount of gallons you will go through as opposed to getting reclaimed water at the north end, there is no comparison. This is stuff they talked about on the Economic Development Board a year ago. Ms. Hoffman asked if there is a person on Council that used to write grants. Councilman Roberts stated Lynne Plaskett has a bit of experience in that area. He feels she knows zoning and government procedure. He suggested the Committee speak to her. He also suggested contacting some of the people that served on the Community Redevelopment Agency in New Smyrna. Councilman Roberts left at 7:12 p.m. Mr. Tanksley explained the drawings he made for the first two medians at the north end of the City. He and Mr. Corder feel they should push for sod as opposed to just a mulched island. Mr. Corder spoke about the sod being easier to maintain than mulched islands due to the weeds that would need to be picked over time. Mr. Tanksley went on to explain the plans for the second median. Mr. Corder feels instead of having a seasonal flower bed they should look at perennials. Seasonal flowers would have to be changed out three or four times a year. Mr. Tanksley stated he hoped once they got the reuse water lines, they could start the Garden Club. Mr. Corder informed him they wouldn't be getting reuse water up that far for a while. He suggested they could go with the perennials to start with and when the Garden Club starts up they could always transplant them. Mr. Conway asked about the trees being bunched up together. Mr. Corder informed the Committee the bottle brush trees are very susceptible to freeze. Mr. Conway stated he noticed riding around that a lot of the trees are staggered and not clustered together. Mr. Tanksley suggested using the East Palatka Holly as an alternative to the bottle brush. Mr. Tanksley informed him after their discussions tonight, he is going to take the drawings with him and do elevations. Mr. visconti asked if the sign is big enough where they are going to put it. Mr. Corder feels it would fit perfectly. The Committee continued to discuss the plans for the medians. Mr. Conway again stated he has in mind where the trees would be lined up. Mr. visconti stated they are going to try and simplify it for the maintenance. Mr. Tanksley stated they can do whatever the Committee wants to do. Page -2- Beautification & Tree Committee May 21, 1998 ~ ...", Mr. Corder passed out and explained estimates he received on the plants and trees to be put in the medians and examples of some signs. The Committee discussed the cost estimates. Ms. Hoffman questioned the trees being $100. Mr. Corder explained the estimate he received is planted. Mr. Tanksley commented on the price difference between going with the mulch or the sod. Mr. Corder informed him he doesn't think there is going to be that great a difference in the cost factor. Ms. Hoffman expressed concern with the weeds if they were to go with the mulch. Mr. Tanksley expressed concern about the cigarette butts in the medians. Mr. Corder spoke about the mulch being washed out, blown away and the replacement cost. Mr. Corder explained it is unbelievable the amount of trash they pick up on the highway in a week's time. Ms. Hoffman spoke about community service workers doing maintenance in the medians. Mr. Corder explained we do have some community service people but they can't be put out there by themselves. Mr. Conway stated he got the impression from Mr. Grace that he wanted to have the maintenance contracted out. Mr. Corder explained they discussed the Parks Department handling the maintenance and subcontracting it out at a later date. There was a discussion regarding some of the African Irises being transplanted and spread out more. Mr. Visconti suggested discussing one drawing at a time and either approve it or make changes and agree on it so they can get this rolling. The Committee decided not to go with the bottle brush trees. Mr. Tanksley explained the ligustrum trees look so much better pruned together as one species. The Committee members pointed out some changes to the plants and trees in the medians, which were documented on the drawings for Mr. Tanksley's final drawings, which will be presented to Council. There was some discussion regarding the concrete strips at the ends of the medians and if the Committee could either paint them green or knock them out. The Committee went on to discuss what they would put in the seasonal flower beds. Page -3- Beautification & Tree Committee May 21, 1998 ....... ,...", There was a brief discussion regarding when the budget hearings will be and if the Beautification & Tree Committee should have a line item which could fall under the Parks and Recreation Department budget. Mr. Corder suggested running this by Mr. Grace and getting his feelings on it. Mr. visconti feels they should have a budget for a master plan the Committee is working on. The Committee further discussed the seasonal flower beds. Mr. Corder informed the Committee he is looking at this from the maintenance side. Ms. Hoffman stated the Committee would like to start an Adopt a Median program. The Committee is in agreement with the plans for the first median strip at the north end of the City. The Committee went on to discuss changes to the plants and trees to be placed in the second median strip. There was a brief discussion regarding trees and flower beds in the medians being hit or run over and the person responsible paying for the damage. The Committee continued their discussion regarding changes to the second median strip. The Committee discussed a completion date and would like to see the two medians at the north end of the City beautified by Thanksgiving. The Committee would like to be on the Council agenda for the first meeting in June. Mr. Visconti will be gone for most of June and will return the first part of July. Mr. Tanksley agreed to have the changes done by tomorrow and would start the elevations. He agreed to have everything ready by Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. There was a brief discussion regarding what to include in the packets to give to Council. Mr. Tanksley presented a drawing to the Committee of what the sign could look like. He showed the Committee examples of materials and how the posts on the ends of the signs could be topped off. There was further discussion regarding different ideas of how the sign could look. Mr. Tanksley suggested having a session with Mr. Grace to explain the plans to him for his presentation before Council. Page -4- Beautification & Tree Committee May 21, 1998 '-' ...., The Committee went on to discuss the size of the sign to be placed in the median. A sign design was agreed on by the Committee. Beautification Award Choices The Committee decided to give the beautification award to 238 N. Riverside Drive for District 1 and Nationwide Medical, 2018 S. Ridgewood Avenue, for a business. Mr. Conway informed the secretary he would not be present at the June meeting. Mr. Conway asked about giving more than one award in one month. The secretary informed him they would be discussing changing the criteria in the by-laws for the awards at the next meeting. Mr. Corder recommended the Committee vote on making a recommendation to Council on the proposed beautification project. Mr. Conway made a motion to present to Council the plans for the two medians at the north end of the City and to support the concept of these plans, second by Mr. Tanksley. The motion CARRIED 4-0. Mr. visconti asked if the sign is going to be lighted. Mr. Corder stated he plans on it. He is looking at solar spotlights. There was further discussion regarding conduit being put in the ground for electric to be installed at a later date. Mr. Corder agreed to work out a cost factor for the electric. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to discuss, Mr. Conway made a motion to adjourn, second by Mr. Tanksley. The meeting adjourned at 8:31 p.m. Minutes submitted by Lisa Kruckmeyer Page -5- Beautification & Tree Committee May 21, 1998