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NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING
WEST PHOENIX REVITALIZATION COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD LANDSCAPE
AND INTERSECTION SUBCOMMITTEE

Pursuant to A.R.S. Section 38-431.02, notice is hereby given to the members of the WEST PHOENIX REVITALIZATION COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD LANDSCAPE AND INTERSECTION SUBCOMMITTEE and to the general public, that the WEST PHOENIX REVITALIZATION COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD LANDSCAPE AND INTERSECTION SUBCOMMITTEE will hold a meeting open to the public on Thursday, January 8, 2009, at 10:00 a.m. located in Room 5 East, Phoenix City Hall Building, 200 West Washington, Phoenix, Arizona.

 

The agenda for the meeting is as follows:

 

1.	Call to Order	Teresa Brice & Jak Keyser, Co-Chairs
2.	Review and Approval of the December 12, 2008 Landscape Subcommittee Meeting Minutes
3.	Options for West Phoenix Streetscape Retrofit Program Funds   Subcommittee members will review options for programming 2010-2011 West Phoenix Streetscape Retrofit funds for a recommendation of areas to the full Board.  This item is for discussion and action.	Ms. Brice Mr. Keyser         Est. 15 min.
4.	Establish Future Meeting Schedule   Subcommittee will establish its schedule.  This item is for information and possible action.	Ms. Brice Mr. Keyser   Est. 5 min.
5.	Future Agenda Items   This item is scheduled to give Subcommittee members an opportunity to mention possible topics for future Subcommittee agendas or to request City staff to follow-up on Subcommittee issues.	Ms. Brice
6.	Call to the Public   Consideration, discussion and comments from the public; those wishing to address the Subcommittee need not request permission in advance.  Action taken as a result of public comment will be limited to directing staff to study the matter or rescheduling the matter for further consideration and decision at a later date.	Mr. Keyser
7.	Adjournment

 

For further information, please call Jennifer Emerson, Management Assistant, City Manager’s Office at 602-262-7684.

 

Persons paid to lobby on behalf of persons or organizations other than themselves shall register with the City Clerk prior to lobbying or within five business days thereafter, and must register annually to continue lobbying.  If you have any questions about registration or whether or not you must register, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at 602-262-6811.

 

For reasonable accommodations, call Jennifer Emerson, Management Assistant, City Manager’s Office at Voice/602-262-7684 or TTY/602-534-5500 as early as possible to coordinate needed arrangements.

 

Landscape and Intersection Subcommittee Members

Teresa Brice, Co-Chair

Jak Keyser, Co-Chair

Dwight Amery

Norman Balderrama

Paul Enniss

Jamie Johnson

Jim Rice

Suzanne Thraen

 

December 22, 2008

WEST PHOENIX REVITALIZATION COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD

LANDSCAPE AND INTERSECTION SUBCOMMITTEE

SUMMARY MINUTES

 

December 12, 2008

City Hall, Conference Room 12 East

 

Board Members Present	Board Members Absent
Teresa Brice, Co-Chair	Dwight Amery
Jak Keyser, Co-Chair	Paul Enniss
Jamie Johnson	Jim Rice
Suzanne Thraen
Norman Balderrama

 

Staff Members Present	Others Present
Ed Zuercher
Jennifer Emerson
Mark Landrith
Aaron Jensen
Skip Creighton
Jan Hatmaker
Joshua Bednarek
Blair Proctor
Ken Vonderscher

 

1.         CALL TO ORDER

 

Co-Chair Keyser called the meeting to order at 10:40 a.m.

 

2.         REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF THE SEPTEMBER 12, 2008 MEETING MINUTES

 

Co-Chair Teresa Brice made a motion to approve the September 12, 2008 minutes as written.  Board member Jamie Johnson seconded the motion.  The minutes were unanimously approved 5:0.

 

3.         UPDATE ON THE 67^TH AVENUE STREETSCAPE PROJECT

           

This item was for information and discussion.

 

Mark Landrith, Street Transportation Department, provided the Subcommittee with an update on streetscape activities in the 67^th Avenue focus area.  The project focuses on 67th Avenue between Thomas and Indian School Roads.   

 

Ed Zuercher, City Manager’s Office, reminded the group the recommendation had been to complete one mile of 67^th Avenue, from Thomas to Indian School Roads, to determine how much could be accomplished with $1 million in funding; however, through economical planning, it appears three miles can be constructed. 

 

Mr. Landrith stated the project is under budget, and since the Parks and Recreation Department has completed landscaping on 67^th Avenue, and a decision to plant low maintenance vegetation and install more hardscape elements was made, three miles of 67^th Avenue could now be completed.  Staff plans to plant trees for shade, and work with the Office of Arts and Culture to enhance bus shelters. 

 

Co-chair Brice asked which three miles on 67^th Avenue would be improved.  Mr. Landrith responded between McDowell and Camelback Roads. 

 

Co-chair Brice asked the location of the possible commercial projects on 67^th Avenue.   Mr. Landrith responded on the southwest corner of 67^th Avenue and Thomas Road, and the northwest corner of 67^th Avenue and Indian School.  

 

Mr. Landrith advised the group commercial projects require more time, particularly when involving rights of way.  He has also met with the principal of a charter school at 67^th Avenue and Indian School Road to discuss possible improvements to the corner, including a sidewalk, landscaping, and new fencing, which the principal seems enthusiastic to make.

 

Board member Thraen asked if improvements to the charter school’s fence were possible, could similar improvements be made elsewhere, for example, using trellises.  Mr. Landrith responded the Street Transportation and Neighborhood Services Departments would need to discuss maintenance of trellises on private walls.  He suggested it was possible a free-standing structure could be maintained by the office of Arts and Culture.   Ed Lebow, Public Art Program Director, advised the group regardless of the material, and whether or not the structure was free-standing, maintenance was an issue. 

 

Board member Thraen added removing graffiti remained a prime concern.  Board member Johnson agreed, and asked if painting walls to remove graffiti was considered maintenance. 

 

Mr. Zuercher responded the city’s efforts to remove graffiti considered as abatement, not maintenance.  He added Arts and Culture funding could be applied to enhancing bus shelters, and options on trellises could be kept open.  He reminded the group the Committee already allocated Neighborhood Services bond program funds to address fencing as a public safety issue, and staff will seek guidance from the Law Department in this area.  

 

Mr. Lebow stated Streets and Arts and Culture funding set aside for bus shelters could be stretched to create the maximum affect, and could include landscaping for bus shelters.  Additionally, there is a talented pool of exceptional Arizona artists available for such projects, and one representative from the Landscape & Intersection Subcommittee could be included in the artist selection process.        

 

This item was for information and discussion.

 

4.         OPTIONS FOR WEST PHOENIX STREETSCAPE RETROFIT PROGRAM FUNDS

 

Mr. Landrith shared plans for Camelback Road with the group, stating he would begin designs for those islands already in place on 72^nd Avenue.  Improvements have already been made on Camelback Road between 27^th and 29^th Avenues; designs will continue with the same theme, with the first project scheduled to begin early next fiscal year.  Plans were also shared for a project on Thomas Road between 43^rd and 51^st Avenues.

 

Board member Thraen stated while granite was attractive, given a choice, she would choose vegetation instead of granite.  Mr. Landrith responded Xeriscape elements could be used, and more shade trees included. 

 

Board member Johnson asked if there were concerns related to planting trees under power lines.  Ken Vonderscher, Deputy Parks and Recreation Director, responded there were a number of trees acceptable for planting under power conductors.

 

Co-Chair Brice asked if granite helped control dust.  Mr. Landrith stated granite is effective dust control measure.

 

Discussion on the project options ensued. 

 

Mr. Zuercher reminded the group they had already approved the expenditure of Streetscape Retrofit Program for 67^th Avenue from McDowell to Camelback Roads, 72^nd Avenue south of Camelback planters, and Camelback Road, 27^th to 43^rd Avenues.  The group’s next task was to make recommendations on allocating 2010-2011 bond funds to the full Board.  Also, there may be savings which can be re-allocated at a later date.

 

Co-chair Brice suggested the group consider recommendations made by the WPR CAB Ad Hoc Work Group on December 10 on options for allocating bond funds to potential Safe Route to School and Street Modernization/Improvement projects in the WPRA, and build on those areas. 

 

Subcommittee members discussed the proposed projects, including the advantages and disadvantages of each, and the projects’ potential to complement Light Rail.      

 

After considerable discussion, the Subcommittee deferred action on allocating 2010-2011 bond funds until January 8, 2009 to allow members to conduct a windshield survey of the following areas:

 

·        McDowell Road: 43^rd to 51^st Avenue

·        Indian School Road: 43^rd to 51^st Avenue

·        Thomas Road:  43^rd to 51^st Avenue

 

Mr. Zuercher stated staff will also provide maps of these areas at the January 8 meeting.  

 

5.         ESTABLISH FUTURE MEETING SCHEDULE

 

Subcommittee members agreed to hold the next meeting on January 8, 2009. 

 

Board member Thraen suggested Trevor Browne High School as a site for the March WPR CAB meeting.

 

6.         FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

           

Board members discussed the possibility of inviting Scott Nelson, Westcor vice president of development, to make a presentation to the full Board.  Subcommittee members agreed, and also suggested inviting developer Michael Pollack to address the group.

 

Mr. Zuercher proposed the group’s suggestion be forwarded to the Economic Development Initiative to work with the Community and Economic Development and Planning Departments to facilitate the event, perhaps for an even larger group.

           

7.         CALL TO THE PUBLIC

           

No public asked to speak.

 

8.         ADJOURNMENT

           

Co-Chair Keyser adjourned the meeting at 12:00 p.m.

 

Submitted,

 

Jennifer Emerson

Management Assistant

 

Streetscape Bond Expenditures Approved by

West Phoenix Revitalization Community Advisory Board

 

 

The following recommendations were presented to the Board for approval:

 

West Phoenix Streetscape Retrofit Program

Total Funds

$4,950,000

 

 

Projects	2008/09	2009/10	2010/11
67th Ave: McDowell to Thomas  (67th Ave Focus Area)	Construct $1,000,000	0	0
72nd Ave: south of Camelback planters (67th Ave Focus Area)	Construct $200,000	0	0
·    67th Ave: Thomas to Camelback  (67th Ave Focus Area) or ·    Indian School: 27th to 43rd (Canyon Corridor Focus Area) or ·    Camelback: 27th to 43rd (Canyon Corridor Focus Area) or ·    Alternate Project	Design $50,000	Construct $1,550,000	Construct $1,000,000
·    Thomas: 43rd to 51st (Maryvale Focus Area) or ·    Alternate project	0	Design $50,000	Construct $1,000,000
Contingency	$11,260	$31,520	$57,220
Total	$1,261,260	$1,631,550	2,057,220

The Board approved the expenditure of West Phoenix Streetscape Retrofit Program funds for 67^th Avenue: McDowell to Thomas  (67^th Ave Focus Area), 72^nd Avenue: south of Camelback planters (67^th Ave Focus Area), Camelback: 27^th to 43^rd Avenues.  No recommendation has been made for a 2010/11 construction project.