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HomeMy Public PortalAboutHHC 12 04 1997ROY -FISHER ASSOCIATES, INC. Gulf Stream/AlA Landscaping Public Meeting Minutes December 4, 1997 The purpose of this meeting was for community input for the conceptual landscape plan for the State Road A I A Landscape Project. The purpose of the project is to preserve and enhance the historic landscape along Ocean Boulevard from Sea Road on the North to Pelican Lane on the South. We expect the project to be funded almost entirely through a grant from the Department of Transportation. The Historic Highway listed ten project goals. The most important, and the purpose of this meeting and additional meetings on January 28th and February 13th, is to ensure that community input is part of the project. In March, an additional public meeting will be held that will be important for groundskeepers to attend. It will cover the mechanics of installation and continuing maintenance. A brief summary of the design concept was presented: creating a picture, making spaces and orchestrating a variety of rhythms as one moves from space to space. The pictures are located at the end of axes or in spots that you naturally look as you drive down the road. Spaces consist of a ceiling or canopy of plant material and vegetative walls. Movement through these spaces creates the third experience. The opportunities and constraints ofthe project were presented. The seeds of what the final landscape should look like exist along the historic Highway right now. There are areas of beautiful mature canopy of both Australian Pine and leafy trees that will be preserved, enhanced and complemented. The largest constraint is the overhead wires. A variety of other utilities occupy part of the Right of Way and will have to be worked around. FDOT has requirements on where we can and can not plant. The two areas that are restricted are called clear zones and safe sight triangles. Clear Zones are The presentation began with a summary of results of the survey mailed out this summer. All of the landscaped properties that responded currently 381 DRIVE maintain maintain the right of way area in front of their lot. Over 95% are willing to TEQUESTA, FL continue this maintenance once they are aware of what the new landscaping 33469 would involve. tel 561.747.3462 fax561.747.0281 There were requests to maintain the current canopy effect of the trees, maintain privacy on individual lots, and six specific requests to maintain and rejuvenate the Australian Pine Canopy. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE & Two respondents requested power line burial. One questioned the LAND PLANNING, numerous bus stop signs that have been recently installed. ENVIRONMENTAL A brief summary of the design concept was presented: creating a picture, making spaces and orchestrating a variety of rhythms as one moves from space to space. The pictures are located at the end of axes or in spots that you naturally look as you drive down the road. Spaces consist of a ceiling or canopy of plant material and vegetative walls. Movement through these spaces creates the third experience. The opportunities and constraints ofthe project were presented. The seeds of what the final landscape should look like exist along the historic Highway right now. There are areas of beautiful mature canopy of both Australian Pine and leafy trees that will be preserved, enhanced and complemented. The largest constraint is the overhead wires. A variety of other utilities occupy part of the Right of Way and will have to be worked around. FDOT has requirements on where we can and can not plant. The two areas that are restricted are called clear zones and safe sight triangles. Clear Zones are areas 10' wide that must be kept clear of all vegetation except for grass and ground covers in order to allow an area for a car to pull off the roadway in C an emergency. Safe sight triangles are triangular areas of vision that must be left relatively clear of obstruction between 30" and 7'. There can be tree trunks in this area. There are currently a number of violations to these criteria including power poles and plant materials. A series of prototypical spaces that describe the predominant feeling or character of different areas of the roadway were developed with the goal of strengthening spatial forms, not competing or imposing a new character. The design applications concentrate mostly on trees because when one is driving trees will make the most visual impact. Trees in appropriate places require less maintenance and water than masses of shrubbery. The northernmost end begins with a Mixed Palm Treatment from Sea Road to Banyon Road. As a response to the overhead wires, curved and straight Sabals are used to break up the continuous line of overhead wires. Sabals are used because they can be planted the closest of any type of tree to the power lines and the heads won't grow into the lines. Thatch palms will be planted as understory that won't grow into the wires and coconuts can be used on the eastern side of the roadway where there are not wires. The ceiling of f this section will be open ended skyward, as it will be defined with palms. The next section of road from Banyan to Lakeview becomes a little denser and better defined as scattered clumps of existing Australian Pines help to define a ceiling. This area is the Palm/Australian Pine Restoration treatment. Palms will be used on the wire side of the roadway with Australian Pines reinforced on the eastern side. This is reflected in a canopy that is a little more closed that the previous section. A variety of ground covers will be used in this section. Way Hoyt, the forester that is currently consulting with the town says a lot of damage is done to the pines by weed whackers and lawn chemicals. By planting groundcovers like rheo and liriope, the Australian Pines will be protected. The next section from Lakeview to Golfview has a variety of layers. There is a nice existing canopy of Australian Pine that is not solid but is interrupted by canopies of Coconuts, Ficus, Seagrape and Gumbo Limbo. The canopy will be reinforced, filled in where it isn't dense and layers of vegetation will be added. The next section from Golfview to the end of the Condominiums presents a rare opportunity to create a narrow canopy of Australian Pines in an almost tunnel like setting. This area has a fully developed Australian Pine canopy on the western side of the road. The sporadic canopy on the eastern side will be supplemented. This area would be followed by a short gateway of very dense Gumbo Limbos and curved Sabals that will create an interesting contrast to the next space, the open clubhouse area that will maintain the open feeling it has Cnow. This is followed by a short but intense Sabal/Gumbo Limbo treatment. The next area should be developed as a wide Australian Pine Canopy where there is Golf Course on both sides of the road. Existing Australian pines in this area should be preserved. The pines should be supplemented to replace existing ones as they decline. The golf club should be encouraged to start a maintenance program on these trees. Overhead wires should be buried along this section for several reasons: Currently the canopy is being hacked to avoid the wires. The mature Australian Pines can quickly give the canopy we are looking for and it is an area that doesn't benefit a single homeowner but all of Gulf Stream as they travel up and down the road. It will be less expensive to bury the wires because there are no lateral feeds. Vines of different colors that can tolerate shade and salt will be used in this area to mimic early postcard pictures of Gulf Stream. There may be a temptation to plant ground covers in this area but a simple treatment may better portray historical Gulf Stream as shown in several pictures around Town Hall. These show a simple canopy with no underplantings. The next area is a Leafy Canopy Tunnel. This tunnel exists along much of this section already and will be reinforced by planting small canopy trees on the west side and large canopy trees on the east side that can hang over the road to create a ceiling. The final area is again the Mixed Palm Treatment. Several alternatives have been presented to the Beach Club to remove some pavement along the roadway to accommodate plantings. There were three criteria for inclusion in the plant palette: Salt tolerance, historical use in Gulf Stream and low maintenance/low water requirements. A concept for town entry signage was presented. A simple town marker could be a polo player weather vane mounted on a stucco column. A directional sign with the town seal could also be mounted on a column for Town Hall and the Police Station. Budgets were reviewed as attached. Several handouts were distributed: the agenda, the objectives, the budget, a reduced version of the design concept and the plant palette. The following is a summary of comments by the public: A question was raised iwhelher trees world be removed as well as planted. The purpose of the plan is to work with existing material and enhance and complement it. We do not anticipate removing any trees with one exception. The Somerset Condominiums currently have Royal Palms in the Clear Zone. These interrupt a potential narrow Australian Pine Canopy, We have provided a sketch to the Somerset to show how the trees could be moved on site to new locations. A question was raised concerning the existing Australian Pines ill the Right of Wary regarding the liability of a serious accident. It was also asked what DOT's position on new planting in the right of way was. These plans have to be approved and permitted by DOT prior to installation. Typically DOT will require an 18' clear zone but because of existing structures and vegetation in the clear zone and because of the highway's historical designation we are allowed to work with a 10' clear zone. This is a DOT funded project so there will be several review meetings with them. Is low vegetation allowed in [he cleur zone? Yes, vegetation under 30" tall may be planted in the clear zone. The town's consulting forester recommends planting ground cover vegetation under the Australian Pines that are in the clear zone so that they don't get damaged by turf equipment and chemicals. The appearance of Sahals along the ocean was questioned. Sabals are one of the few trees that can live with heavy salt spray. Yes, the fronds can and do often turn brown in the winter because they are planted in the toughest of locations, Coconuts and ficus will also sustain salt damage during periods of heavy winds. A request was made to deTne the 10' clear zone. The 10' clear zone is measured from the driver's side of the edge paint line in the roadway. A comment was made where some vegetation should probably be removed North of the Golf Chrb thal was growing over the painted line. A question was asked if any nice existing material was going to come out of the 10' clear zone. FDOT says they will not remove anything at this time. The state statute that designates State Road AIA as an historic highway says only plant material that presents a hazard may be removed. This presents a two edged sword because at some time DOT could declare this material a hazard. It Cdoes not appear that they will at this time. A question was raised if hike lanes were part of this project. Because the Historic Highway designation prohibits widening the existing roadbed with state funds, it is physically impossible to build bike lanes because the existing roadbed cannot accommodate them. Will any trees be taken down? The most drastic situation is the Somerset Condominiums where we are requesting that the Royal Palms in the Clear Zone be relocated so that we can recreate the Australian Pine Canopy. Otherwise there is a concerted effort to work with the existing landscape to maintain a landscape that looks like Gulf Stream. Working with the existing landscape also helps with the budget. What if someone doesn't like what is planned in front of their home. Homeowners will have the opportunity to review the trees species planned in front of their property at the next meeting. It is a flexible design and we don't anticipate that we wouldn't be able to honor individual requests. r—', `—' Does this design favor native plants? Please star for the next meeting. The design uses a lot of native plants because typically they are low maintenance and have low water requirements Where will the new Australian Pines come from and how large will they be? Gulf Stream is in the Australian Pine growing business because the state has allowed you a dispensation from the law that makes growing Australian Pines illegal. Unfortunately we got a late start and we are not working with the optimal growing season for Australian Pines. How much do they grow a year? They can grow as much as 6-8' during the growing season. What will maintenance be like? Plants that are xeric, or have low water requirements were used. Plants were also selected for not needing trimming. Are homeowners responsible or alloived to trim Australian Pines? Currently there are two ways that the Australian Pines get trimmed in Gulf CStream. The town has an Arborist that inspects the trees and makes a yearly report and recommendations. Florida Power and Light also trims trees when they grow close to the overhead wires. The town manager is going to look into how, when and why individual homeowners might take on additional maintenance. Will seasonal plantings be encouraged or discouraged? This design mainly concentrates on tree plantings. Individual plantings of annuals would complement this plan. Hov much money is DOT pulling into this project? DOT is giving more than $300,000. This budget only works to $275,000 because the budget must include design fees, expenses in setting up the nursery and administrative costs. Several comments were made on corrlinual sod disturbance by the Gas Company. The design is being careful to work with utilities. The utilities are being marked to minimize conflicts. This might be a good opportunity to contact the utility companies and make sure they get any work done before we begin the landscaping. The mayor and town manager thanked every one for their participation.