Agenda - Planning Commission - 11/02/1998

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CASE MODIFICATIONS TO LANDSCAPE PLAN FOR DIAMONDS SPORTS BAR; CASE OF GARY GRUBER By: Zoning Administrator Sylvia Frolik Background: Last month the owners of the Diamonds Sports Bar & Grill, Inc. approached the City with a request for some modifications to their landscape plan. The first modification consisted of reducing the number of trees to be planted along their north or Hwy. #10 side from 30 to 18. The Planning Commission recommended Council approval of the reduction in tree numbers in lieu of the number of trees preserved during construction. However, the Planning Commission recommended that these 18 trees be transferred to the west property line of the Diamonds site to intensify screening the facility from Alpaca Estates to the west. The Council accepted the recommendation and approved a landscape modification of no additional trees along Hwy. #10 and planting 18 conifers along the west property line. The second part of the landscape modification proposed by the owners consisted of eliminating the vining on the security fence along the'west and south property lines. The Planning Commission tabled action on the vining issue and requested that the owner present an amended landscape plan at their next meeting for further review and discussion. Observations: Staff viewed the site from both Alpaca Street and Armstrong Blvd. in Alpaca Estates and then physically walked the Diamonds site with the owner. Eighteen 18 conifers have been planted on the west property line, south of the detention pond. During the site visit, Staff was informed that Mr. Gruber's surveyors indicate that the ballfields are 7 to 9 feet lower in elevation than the Alpaca Estates neighborhood. Other significant observations made by Staff include a substantial stand of trees and earth berm along the residential portion of the east boundary of Alpaca Estates and a significant amount of tree growth on the County park land south of the Diamonds. Recommendation: As a result of the site visit and observations, Staff is recommending eliminating the requirement for vining on both the south and west fence lines. Vining the south side adjacent to the park serves no purpose other than to screen the ballfields from existing trees. As for the west fence line, Staff doesn't believe vines will provide any more benefit than the 18 conifers on the Diamonds west property line and the earth and tree screen existing along the east property line of Alpaca Estates. Additionally, we can expect development to occur on the vacant lot between The Diamonds and Alpaca Estates which will most likely totally obscure view of The Diamonds from Alpaca Estates. Also, development that occurs on the vacant lot will have to provide a 40 foot wide landscaped buffer along the common property line with Alpaca Estates.