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12/02/1998BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE MEETING CITY OF CLEARWATER December 2, 1998 Present: Marcia Blakemore Chair William Baldwin Committee Member Delphine Pullar Committee Member departed 9:21 a.m. Robert Sudalnik Committee Member arrived 8:10 a.m. departed 9:21 a.m. Stephen Brown Committee Member Jean Stuart Committee Member (3) Vacant Seats Committee Member Also Present: Art Kader Parks & Recreation Department Director departed 8:55 a.m. Mark Roether Nursery Superintendent Patricia O. Sullivan Board Reporter The Chair called the meeting to order at 8:07 a.m. at the Municipal Services Building. To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. ITEM #2 - Approval of Minutes The minutes of November 4, 1998, will be considered January 5, 1999. ITEM #3 - Correspondence - None. ITEM #4 - Ongoing Business a) Update: Clearwater Beach Roundabout AND b) Update: Gulf to Bay Boulevard Project Public Works Administrator Rich Baier said consultants had designed the landscape for a prototype section of Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard on 2 mediums west of US 19N. Efforts are being made to complete the landscape before the holidays. FDOT (Florida Department of Transportation) must approve the maintenance plan to be developed by the Parks & Recreation Department. The plan will estimate the City’s costs to maintain the upgrades. Nursery Director Mark Roether expressed concern regarding the safety of workers tending to the medium. The City is considering 3 palms per medium plus ground cover and flowers. Trunks must be less than 18 inches in diameter. The project’s next phase will address hardscaping needs. Coquina boulders, 18-inches high, will be installed on the mediums, subject to FDOT approval. Staff suspected FDOT would not approve the proposed monuments due to safety concerns. The mediums average 15 feet in width. Concern was expressed this project will have little impact on residents or visitors. Mr. Roether said relandscaped mediums along Court Street are large enough to impress motorists. Mr. Roether reported staff has begun planting palm trees at the site of the former Atrium building on North Ft. Harrison Avenue. The landscape is designed to provide a large impact on vehicles at that City entrance. Mr. Baier said the City has applied for many FDOT permits related to the Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard mediums near US 19N. It is necessary to provide irrigation as xerioscaping is not an option in this climate if beautification is a goal. The City plans to paint the US 19N overpass with a direction sign and Clearwater logo in muted tones of green and blue to match new signature signs. Mr. Baier said beautification improvements pay attention to details such as those on new mast arms, back lit signs, pedestal lights with globe fixtures, and hibiscus decorated street signs. The design will provide continuity without being repetitive. The City wants Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard to stand out. To reduce future maintenance costs, all decorative additions are off the shelf instead of being custom made. In response to a question, he said the City Commission is undecided on spending $6-million to bury utilities underground along a portion of Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard east of Belcher Road. He supported the proposal. The goal is to upgrade Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard from the Welcome Center to Ft. Harrison and the entrance to the new bridge. A package of information with a time line will be distributed to the board. The lease for the Beach Diner has been terminated. Mr. Baier said the City will raze that structure and the Memorial Civic Center in January and begin road construction in March on the beach roundabout. Civic Center services are being relocated to Pelican Walk. Sites for a parking garage are under consideration. The roundabout is scheduled for completion in December 1999. Mr. Baier reviewed the advantages of a roundabout, stating $1.5-million is budgeted for the feature in the center. Local art associations have been contacted regarding this plan. Mr. Baier said the architectural renderings of planned pedestrian walkovers by the roundabout should be completed by mid December. He reviewed proposed designs that meet ADA (American Disability Act) requirements. He said views from the structures will be attractive. He reviewed plans to extend the Pinellas Trail to the beach. In response to a question regarding the allowable heights for beach buildings, Mr. Baier said the new Land Development Code proposes taller buildings. It was recommended the City trim the mangroves along the Memorial Causeway to improve the view and uncover a hidden asset. Mr. Baier said while mangroves are important to the ecosystem, plants along the causeway are out of control. State law has no provision permitting mangrove trimming except for residential views. He said the City Commission may look into the issue if public support is apparent. Member Brown moved for the Beautification Committee to mail a letter to the City Commission in support of trimming the mangroves on Memorial Causeway. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. c) Beautification Awards Program - None. d) Beautification Awards Display - None. ITEM #5 - Staff Reports The City Commission has passed on first reading an ordinance to reduce the size of the board to 7 members. ITEM #6 - New Business Member Baldwin was thanked for his 8 years of leadership of the Beautification Committee and his resulting accomplishments. ITEM #7 - Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 9:27 a.m.