HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-11-16; City Council; 15500; I-5 Landscaping Adjacent to Car Country Carlsbad- -
CITY OF CARLSBAD - AGENDA BILL s’i
AB# 15,500 -* TITLE-
MTG. 1 l/l 6/99 I-5 Landscaping Adjacent to
DEPT. MGR. Car Country Carlsbad
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
DEPT. HD.
CITYATTY. ’
CITY MGRW
If Council wishes to modify the landscaping, staff recommends that Council select Option
4 and direct staff to prepare preliminary plans and cost estimates.
ITEM EXPLANATION:
Over the years, the Car Country Dealers’ Association has expressed concern with
landscaping on public property adjacent to Car Country. The Association has been
concerned that landscaping on the l-5 right-of-way and the City’s park on Paseo del None,
obscures the Car Country sign and the view into Car Country from motorists passing by on
l-5. As a result, the City periodically prunes the trees and vegetation in the park. The City
has also met with Caltrans and the Dealers’ Association to explore ways of addressing the
needs expressed by the Dealers’ Association.
In April, 1998, the City negotiated an agreement with Caltrans and the Dealers’ Association
to prune up to 30 trees in the l-5 right-of-way adjacent to Car Country. The City agreed to
obtain the required permits and go out to bid to obtain a contractor to perform the work.
The Car Dealers’ Association subsequently decided not to proceed with the work. The bid
was for $4,500. The Car Dealers’ Association felt the pruning would not significantly
improve the then existing conditions. The encroachment permit from Caltrans to allow the
work in the l-5 right-of-way is still in effect.
In response to a more recent request for assistance from the Dealers’ Association to
Council Member Nygaard, Mrs. Nygaard and City staff met with representatives from the
Dealers’ Association and Caltrans to discuss a plan for re-landscaping the l-5 right-of-way
adjacent to Car Country.
As a result of these meetings, City staff was asked to develop a concept plan. The plan
has been reviewed and approved conceptually by the Dealers’ Association and Caltrans
representatives. An outline of the conceptual plan that calls for the removal and replanting
of certain trees can be found in Exhibit #I to this Agenda Bill. The concept plan originally
called for a 20-year maintenance period. Caltrans has subsequently agreed to a 5-year
maintenance period, reducing the estimated cost to the City to $40,000. Council Member
Nygaard has asked this item be placed the agenda for Council consideration.
In January 1999, the City Council adopted an l-5 Corridor Master Plan. A Corridor
Landscape Theme was included as part of the Master Plan. A representative of Car
Country was included in the Project Advisory Committee to guide development of the
Master Plan. The section of the Corridor Landscape Theme adjacent to Car Country states:
“The right-of-way area north of Palomar Airport road, on the east side of l-5, has
some basic landscape elements that need to be enhanced and in-fill planted. The
existing trees (primarily California Pepper Trees) need to be headed up and trimmed.
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PAGE 2 OF AGENDA t3lLL NO. 15,500
In-fill groundcover needs to be added to create a window view into Car Country
Carlsbad. Groups of New Zealand Flax and natural boulders should be added to the
drainage ditch along the interstate to create a riparian theme. The existing chain link
fence should be replaced with a decorative metal fence to further enhance this area.”
There are basically four options available to the Council:
1. Do nothing and leave the trees and landscaping as is.
2. Prune the trees as per the April 1998 Agreement, at an estimated cost of $4,500.
3. Re-landscape as per the concept plan outlined in Exhibit 1 at an estimated cost
to the City of $40,000.
4. Direct staff to develop a concept plan consistent with the l-5 Corridor Master Plan
with cost estimates and return to Council for further direction.
Option 2 allows for trimming to Caltrans’ standards and approval. The amount of growth
removed would not be to the Car Country dealers’ expectation.
If Option 3 is approved, Caltrans will require maintenance of the new landscaping for 5
years rather than 20 years indicated in the original concept plan. The annual maintenance
cost is estimated to be $1,500 - $2,000.
If the Council determines that modifications to the existing landscaping are appropriate, it is
staffs recommendation that Option 4 be selected. Option 4 may not satisfy the needs
expressed by the Dealers’ Association, but would provide some improved visibility and
would be consistent with the l-5 Corridor Master Plan. Option 4 would avoid removing most
of the mature, indigenous California Pepper trees located in the l-5 right-of-way. The
estimated cost of Option 4 is unknown at this time
FISCAL IMPACT
Funds would need to be appropriated from the Contingency Fund to accomplish three of the
options. The estimated costs to the City for the four options:
1.
2.
3.
4.
No cost
Estimated at $4,500
Estimated at $40,000
Unknown pending development of preliminary plan and cost estimates. Plan and
estimate would be prepared by City Staff
Annual maintenance costs required by CALTRANS would need to be included in the City’s
budget.
EXHIBITS
1. Outline of conceptual plan for Car Country l-5 Landscaping.
a- July 26, 1999
A
EXHIBIT 1
TO: CITY MANAGER
From: Park Development Coordinator
CAR COUNTRY / l-5 LANDSCAPE
For years, Car Country has tried in vain to convince CALTRANS to remove and replace the
existing Pepper Trees along their freeway frontage with alternative trees that would allow
increased visibility into Car Country and an enhanced look. At the request of Jim Finney,
representing Car Country, and Councilwoman Nygaard, several meetings were held to once again
explore this issue. Attending the meetings were:
Councilwoman Nygaard
Jim Finney, Car Country
Jim Larson, Assistant to the Director of CALTRANS San Diego
Steve Alverez, Landscape Architect, CALTRANS
City Staff (Parks and Recreation)
At the last meeting, the focus was to discuss a Concept Plan prepared by City staff and to come
up with a strategy to implement the plan. The plan attempts to address the mutual goals of the
participating parties:
Car Country
l Greater visibility and aesthetics for Car Country
l Lower maintenance on their property (caused by messy Peppers)
CALTRANS
l Consistency with CALTRANS policies (tree removal and mitigation for removals)
l No increase in maintenance
CitJ!
l Consistency with City policies (e.g., the l-5 Corridor Master Plan, adopted by Council I/99)
l Assist Car Country to achieve dealership success (tax base)
To accomplish these goals, the proposed plan:
l Removes the majority of Pepper Trees
l Retains some of the Peppers (for consistency with the l-5 Corridor Master Plan)
l Mitigates removal of Peppers by replacing with trees (at a 3:l ratio) that are less view
obstructing and messy.
This plan was reviewed and approved conceptually by Car Country and CALTRANS
representatives.
.
L
Pg. 2; l-5 I Car Country
IMPLEMENTATION
The following chart shows an implementation outline, as proposed by Mr. Finney, with possible
assigned responsibilities. It is important to note that staff did not negotiate responsibilities with Mr.
Finney at this juncture, nor did staff represent that this proposal would be acceptable to the City,
but rather that we would submit this report the City Manager’s Office for processing.
ITEM TASK RESPONSIBILITY COST (estimate) I 1 Permit process (Environmental Review, Coastal City Staff time
Development Permit, Approvals)
2 Prepare Final Plans City (consultant) $8,000
3 CALTRANS approval CALTRANS none
4 Tree removal City (contract) $15,000
5 Irrigation installation City (contract) $5,000
6. Trees: Purchase Car Countrv $4.000 --
* a 20 yr. “Cooperative Agreement” for maintenance of the trees would be required by CALTRANS
(because the-existing landscape would be upgraded, and therefore, more maintenance). They felt the
agreement would be more appropriate with the City rather than Car Country, however, this is
negotiable.
Please let me know if you require more information.
Mark Steyaert
c: Assistant City Manager
Recreation Director
Public Works Director
Public Works Manager, Duncanson
Tree Supervisor