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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/10/2002AGENDA MAPLEWOOD COMMUNITY DESIGN REVIEW BOARD December 10, 2002 6:00 P.M. Maplewood City Hall Council Chambers t830 County Road B East 1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call 3. Approval of Agenda 4. Approval of the October 22, 2002 Minutes 5. Unfinished Business: None Scheduled Design Review: English Street - Frost Avenue Round About Landscape and Lighting Plan 7. Visitor Presentations 8. Board Presentations 9. Staff Presentations 10. Adjourn II. III. IV. VI. MINUTES OF THE MAPLEWOOD COMMUNITY DESIGN REVIEW BOARD 1830 COUNTY ROAD B EAST, MAPLEWOOD, MINNESOTA TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2002 CALL TO ORDER Chairperson Ledvina called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. ROLL CALL Matt Ledvina Craig Jorgenson Diana Longrie-Kline Linda Olson Ananth Shankar Present Present Present Absent Present Staff Present: Shann Finwall, Associate Planner Lisa Kroll, Recordin9 Secretary APPROVAL OF AGENDA Board member Jorgenson moved to approve the agenda. Board member Shankar seconded. The motion passed. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Approval of the CDRB minutes for October 22, 2002. Ayes- Jorgenson, Ledvina, Longrie- Kline, Shankar Board member Shankar moved approval of the minutes of October 22, 2002. Board member Longrie-Kline seconded. Ayes ---Jorgenson, Ledvina, Longrie-Kline, Shankar The motion passed. UNFINISHED BUSINESS None. DESIGN REVIEW a. English Street - Frost Avenue Roundabout Landscape and Lighting Plan Ms. Finwall said construction of the city's first roundabout at the intersection of English Street and Frost Avenue has been completed. She said a roundabout is a circular intersection that is designed to reduce traffic accidents and reduce driver delay at the intersections. Ms. Finwall said city staff has been working with Laurie McRostie, who is the Landscape Architect with Short Elliott Hendrickson, Inc., on developing a streetscape plan for the roundabout intersection. Community Design Review Board Minutes 12-10-2002 2 Ms. Finwall said the city council has directed staff to present the concept plan to the CDRB, Open Space Committee and the Historical Commission for feedback. She said a final plan should be complete this winter with installation of the streetscape accomplished next spring. Ms. Laurie McRostie, Landscape Architect for Short Elliott Hendrickson, Inc. in Vadnais Heights gave a presentation on the landscaping and lighting plan for the roundabout at English Street and Frost Avenue. Ms. McRostie said the landscape plan draws upon the existing glacial remnants found on the Minnesota landscape to include boulders, evergreens, honeysuckle, and red-twig dogwood within the roundabout; a simple planting pattern of red oaks, gro-low sumac, and miniature daylilies within the medians; and a mix of red maple, bur and white oaks within the boulevards. Ms. McRostie said the lighting plan calls for freestanding lights within the boulevards surrounding the roundabout. The exact number and to what distance the lights extend down each street will be dependent on the final budget. The light design is reminiscent of the railroad theme, of which the area has a long history, and the lights will be approximately 22 feet in height. The lights will also be similar to freestanding lights installed at the new fire station located on Clarence Street, a few blocks from the roundabout. Board member Longrie-Kline asked if the evergreen trees in the center will be planted at six-to- eight feet tall or is that how tall the trees will get? Ms. McRostie said that is how tall the trees will be when they are planted. Board member Longrie-Kline asked how tall the evergreen trees would get? She said she is concerned about the visibility with the height of the trees. Ms. McRostie said the trees would get ten-to-twelve feet tall within the roundabout. These types of trees can get up to 30 feet high in the wild. She said visibility is important but she does not think these trees will cause any problems because of the spacing and the fact that the evergreens will lose their lower branches. Board member Shankar asked if the roundabout has a sidewalk around it? Ms. McRostie said there is a four-foot wide concrete apron around the roundabout. It is for the trucks and their turning radius. Board member Shankar asked if the salt spray would kill the plantings in the roundabout? Ms. McRostie said hardy plant materials are going to be used that are salt tolerant but there is no guarantee with any plants. Board member Jorgenson said he thinks there should be an equal balance of plantings at all the corners not just the corner at Budget Towing. He asked about the tree scaping along Frost Avenue, it shows the trees planted a short distance to the east, will there be any more trees planted along the boulevard? Community Design Review Board Minutes 12-10-2002 3 Ms. McRostie said they haven't been given any direction regarding the distance to plant the trees along the roads. CDRB's feedback comments could be included. They would like direction on how far to go with the plantings but it would be very easy to add into the plan. Ms. Finwall said the limiting factor on the number of trees is the budget. She said any input on how far to go with the landscaping would be appreciated. She said it would also be dependent on the redevelopment in the area. Board member Shankar asked Ms. McRostie if roundabouts traditionally have bollard !ights on them? Ms. McRostie said bollard lights are not traditionally used, only streetlights. Chairperson Ledvina said he thinks the landscaping is beautiful overall and it's a very nice plan but he is not sure if the rainwater garden is necessary to infiltrate the groundwater. Ms. McRostie said she does not think this rainwater garden will work exactly like the other rainwater gardens that have been built in the city. She said it is really a small depression to help retain water from the roundabout for the plants within the roundabout. The other board members thought it was a nice plan as well. VII. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS No visitors present. VIII. BOARD PRESENTATIONS Board member Shankar represented the CDRB at the city council meeting on November 11, 2002. He reported the city council passed the Jiffy Lube proposal at the old Pizza Hut site and the CUP for Quality Restoration was extended for another five years. IX. STAFF PRESENTATIONS Ms. Finwall said the December 24, 2002, CDRB meeting has been cancelled. The next CDRB meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 7, 2003. X. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 6:45 p.m.