HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/06/2008 Z�f; 0
B A K E R S F I E L D
Rhonda Smiley, Zack Scrivner, Chair
Assistant to the City Manager/P.I.O. Harold Hanson
For: Alan Tandy, City Manager Ken Weir
Rick Kirkwood, Management Assistant
AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT
REGULAR MEETING OF THE
PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
Thursday, March 6, 2008 — 1:00 p.m.
City Manager's Conference Room — Suite 201
1501 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield CA
The meeting was called to order at 1:07:46 PM.
• ROLL CALL
Present: Councilmember Zack Scrivner, Chair
Councilmembers Harold Hanson and Ken Weir
Staff present: John W. Stinson, Assistant City Manager; Rhonda Smiley,
Assistant to the City Manager / P.1.O; Rick Kirkwood,
Management Assistant; Steven Teglia, Administrative Analyst
III; Ginny Gennaro, City Attorney; Bob Sherfy, Deputy City
Attorney; Jefferson Billingsley, Associate Attorney; Dianne
Hoover, Recreation and Parks Director; Steve Hollingsworth,
General Services Superintendent; Jim Movius, Planning
Director; Marian Shaw, Civil Engineer IV; Ken Trone,
Park Construction and Facilities Planner
Others present: Jeanette Richardson, Arts Council of Kern; Cassie Daniel,
HBA of Kern County; Elbert Cox, Caltrans; Cal Rossi,
McMillin Land Development
2. ADOPT THE FEBRUARY 7, 2008 AGENDA SUMMARY
Adopted as submitted.
3. PUBLIC STATEMENTS
None
Planning and Development Committee
March 6, 2008
Page 2
4. NEW BUSINESS
A• Update on Block Walls Along Freeways — Rojas/ Movius
Planning Director Jim Movius presented to the Committee a slide show
Presentation and memorandum of three proposed options for installation
and maintenance of the block walls. Option A is a highly textured wall with
a ten foot access way in front of the wall for City crews to provide
maintenance and cleanup. Option B is a texture concrete wall with climbing
vines, which over time would protect against graffiti. This option would
require a maintenance access way in front for a drip irrigation system, weed
control and trash removal, and interim graffiti removal until vine coverage is
obtained. Options A and B will require moderate maintenance costs.
Option C would be a more substantial improvement with a decorative wall,
an eight foot landscape area with trees and shrubbery, and a ten foot
maintenance access way. The maintenance cost for option C would be
significantly higher. All options would require maintenance district formation
or other source to pay for maintenance. Committee members are to
determine if they would prefer a basic list of standards, or to select a theme
requiring specific materials and look.
Cassie Daniels of HBA of Kern County stated that her Board of Directors
are in agreement with staff's recommendations. Ms. Daniels asked the
Committee if developers would be forced to place the walls up to the right-
of-way zones. City Civil Engineer Marian Shaw responded that the staff
recommended ten foot maintenance access way would be behind the
Caltrans right-of-way line itself, usually marked behind barbwire fencing,
which is behind the access lane. The walls would be behind the area
Caltrans maintains. Committee member Ken Weir asked how this plan will
affect Hwy 178 and the walls that are currently being built. Ms. Shaw stated
that she has not seen any landscape enhancement plans for the area. Ms.
Shaw will consult with the project manager regarding plans for wall
landscaping and report back to the Committee.
Committee members and staff agreed that Option B would be the best
choice for freeway block walls due to the landscaping component and
maintenance costs. Recreation and Parks Director Dianne Hoover added
that climbing vines on block walls (next to residential areas) can attract
rodents. Committee chair Zack Scrivner asked staff to look into some
alternatives for vector control. Cal Rossi of McMillan Land Development
thanked staff and Committee for their attention to this issue. Mr. Rossi is
willing to work together with the City, Caltrans, and Cal Water to address
concerns regarding water accessibility issues along block walls.
The Public Works staff researched various issues pertaining to
maintenance of freeway walls. Staff met with the Manager of the South
Region Caltrans District 6 Maintenance Division to discuss the SR 99 sound
Planning and Development Committee
March 6, 2008
Page 3
walls at five different locations. General Services Superintendent Steve
Hollingsworth provided an overview of the service agreement initiated with
Caltrans for the graffiti maintenance of block walls, encroachment permits
for developer walls, and walls that will be maintained by Caltrans.
Staff will report back to the Committee with an update on the progression of
the existing block walls, recommended development standards for private
walls, and more information on the feasibility of landscaping next to the new
walls on Hwy 178, and the Westside Parkway and West Beltway.
Jeanette Richardson of the Arts Council of Kern researched Richmond and
San Bernardino mural projects. Both cities use aluminum panels that
adhere to the block walls and can be removed for cleaning. San
Bernardino uses a polyurethane paint that makes graffiti removal easier.
Ms. Richardson suggests that mural designs should be simplistic for
maintenance and safety reasons. Ms. Richardson added that in order to
determine the cost of the murals, the space of the wall would have to be
determined.
5. COMMITTEE COMMENTS
None
6. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 2:02:49 PM.
cc: Honorable Mayor and City Council members