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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995-02-14 - AGENDA REPORTS - PALM TREES NEW DEVELOPMENTS (2)NEW BUSINESS DATE: SUBJECT: DEPARTMENT: BACKGROUND AGENDA REPORT AManager44Cal Item to be presented by: Ae Rich Henderson February 14, 1995 THE USE OF PALM TREES IN SITE :LANDSCAPING FOR NEW DEVELOPMENTS Community Development/Parks, Recreation and Community Services At the request of Mr. Ron Rasak, staff has placed this item on the agenda. Mr. Rasak, the developer of a shopping center at the southeast corner of Valencia Boulevard and Magic Mountain Parkway, is requesting to use palm trees in site landscaping for the project. Mr. Rasak will be available to answer any questions raised by the Council. In 1990, during hearings related to the Valencia Town Center, the Council required that the applicant reduce the number of palm trees proposed for the site, preferring that the tree's use be minimal. In requiring this, the Council stated that the trees are not native to the area, provide little shade and portray a desert type climate. The use of more native trees, such as oak and sycamore, was encouraged. Based upon this direction, staff has either significantly reduced or prohibited the use of palm trees in landscaping for new developments. Late last year Community Development Department staff approved a commercial center for a property located at the corner of Magic Mountain Parkway and Valencia Boulevard. Construction of this center has begun, One of the conditions of approval required the applicant to submit a landscape plan for review and approval by the Community Development and Parks and Recreation Departments. The submitted landscape plan included the planting of 23 palm trees within the parking area. Staff requested that the applicant eliminate these palm trees for two reasons: previous Council direction and the failure of palm trees to provide sufficient shading for the parking lot. In response to staffs concerns, the applicant reduced the number of palm trees to 13 and added more shade trees in the parking lot area. The applicant is indicating that this number of palm trees (13) is essential to the project's aesthetics and architecture. Staff still feels this number is unacceptable. The trees would be up to 75 feet in height and visible from most of the high points on the western side of the valley. The building height is staggered from 25 feet in height to 45 feet in height. There Continued To: g� Agenda Item:_. are currently no palm trees being used as amain design featurealong Valencia Boulevard or Magic Mountain Parkway, with the exception of the Toyota Dealership across from the site which incorporates approximately 15 trees, up to approximately 20 feet tall, as a main landscape feature. The City's approved Street Tree list does include the Date Palm. However, this is not a street tree issue but a site development issue. This is not the first time that this issue has been raised. Previous property owners have wanted to use palm trees in conjunction with their developments. Staff has consistently implemented City Council policy. Because of this, staff is requesting that the Council provide direction regarding this issue. If the Council determines that the use of palm trees is appropriate with new development, staff would request that the Council provide additional direction or guidelines concerning their use (e.g., not in parking areas, etc.). RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the Council receive the presentation and direct staff to continue implementing the City Council policy regarding the prohibition of palm trees as a dominant feature in single site landscaping plans. FLF: Attachment: Letter dated January 27, 1995 from RKR, Incorporated cdmmtl\agnpalmN January 27, 1995 City Counsel Members Santa Clarita City Hall Re: CREEKSIDE PLACE - Commercial Center Landscape At The Corner Of Valencia Blvd. And Magic Mountain Parkway Dear Counsel Members: We take great pride in our recent development, Creekside Place, a 47,000 square foot commercial retail center with such distinguished national and regional tenants as Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream, LA Cellular, Louise's Trattoria, Baja Fresh, Applebees Neighborhood Grill & Bar, Floral & Hardy, etc. Extensive time, money and effort have gone into every last detail of our center, The services of Jim Larson, a well known and extremely talented Landscape Architect; and The Nadel Partnership, an association of skillful and world renown architects, have been employed by our company to maximize the full potential of what we believe is the most predominate corner in the city of Santa Clarita. From the time of our initial site plan, the use of the date palm has been included in our landscape.: The date palm is unsurpassed by any other tree and is known for its beautiful, majestic, elegant and graceful characteristics that make this tree an irreplaceable and essential part of the overall architectural theme of Creekside Place. The date palm is a drought tolerant, hardy tree that is less susceptible to high and low temperature changes. The root structure of the date palm is relatively compact and thin reducing the chance of roots tearing up the pavement and making this an ideal tree selection. Each and every date palm that runs closest to the building was strategically placed in a direct line with each column of our building. This accent feature affords visibility, aesthetics and sign recognition that our national and regional tenants demand. Several of our tenants have already reviewed and approved our existing Landscape Plan. When it was recently brought to our attention that the city counsel may not be receptive to the use of the date palm tree, we requested Mr. Jim Larson and the P.O. Sox 19024, Encino, California 91416 Tel. 818.780.6700 Fax 818.780.6790 architects at The Nadel Partnership to advise us of suitable substitutes. Despite their experience and exhaustive efforts, no suitable substitute could be found as the date palm had unparalleled characteristics and retained a class all of its own. The cost of the date palm is approximately four times that of a mature tree. Therefore, replacing the date palm with a mature tree would reduce development costs and appear effective from a strictly monetary aspect. However, our research undoubtedly revealed that any substitution would compromise the architectural integrity of our center. In our effort to work with the city, we would agree to remove the entire front row of the date palms closest to Valencia Blvd. and replace these trees with mature trees that would meet sufficient shade requirements. However, the date palms near the building are an essential architectural element the removal of which would compromise the overall project. Although already approved, we would agree to change all of the small trees in the parking area planters that reach a maximum height of ten to twelve feet and replace them with more acceptable trees reaching a maximum height of eighteen to twenty feet. This alone will substantially increase the shade within the parking area. We remain confident that a compromise can be accomplished that is mutually beneficial to all parties concerned.. Please do not hesitate in notifying mein the event any additional information is needed. Thank you for your consideration in this matter. Very truly yours, Richard A. Rasak RAR/j d RKR, INCORPORATED TEL:818-780-6790 Feb 08.95 12:17 No.006 P.01 RKR_ INI;tl H P4 PA1lU February 8, 1995 Mr. Glenn Adamick City IIall Building Via Facsimile: (805) 259-8125 Re: CRLF.KSIDE PLACE Receive FEB 8 1995 COMMON y OEVELOGMENT SANT, CLARITA Dear Glenn: on February 6, 1995, we were advised that our landscape issue would be presented before the city counsel meeting on February 14, 1995. Although we attempted to coordinate this date with our architects, this particular date is Valentine's Day and our Building Architect and Landscape Architect have made prior commitments with their wives and are therefore unable to attend. Our architects' participation at this meeting is essential and our position would be substantially compromised should we be required to proceed in their absence. We are therefore left with no alternative but to request a continuance of the city counsel hearing regarding our landscape issue from February 14, 1995, to February 28, 1995. 1 trust that our request for a continuance will be granted as our common goal is to allow each side a fair and reasonable opportunity to fully present their case in order that city cowrsel members may make an informed decision. Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation. Ver truly yours, Richard A. Rasak RARljbd 4,Y.9Cn. h7nn rnx s i s•'280.0790