Agenda - Council - 11/24/1987 - Laserfiche WebLink

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I I I I I I I I I I I I I I i i I I MEMO November 10, 1987 TO: Anne Norris, Comm. Development Director L~-/ Pete Raatikka, city Engineer FROM: Merland Otto SUBJECT: River's Bend Plaza RE: Amy Dreher, Dreher & Associates Complaint re: Tree/Signage Conflict Ms. Dreher (835-3844) expressed her desire to remove the three trees planted in the walkway due to tenant complaints about blocking their store signs. She would like to see them replaced with small trees or bushes. I indicated I would look at the trees prior to making a recommenda- tion, but that the trees were on the construction drawings. Further, that I had discussed this very item months ago with a representative of Weiss Development. I also pointed out that smaller trees would be inappropriate due to the scale of the building and that with growth, their height would block signage even more. Also, that trees screening signs have not presented problems witness Anoka downtown, Nicollet Ma!l, 50th & France, G!encoe downtown and numerous other "revitalized" downtown areas. I visited the site after our discussions. It is my opinion that there is no inherent problem with either the location or the type of tree specified. The variety (Shademaster Locust) is relatively fast growing, is a fine textured tree which does not create a dense visual block, and will attain a maximum height of around 50'. Lower branches will have to be ~rimmed from time to time under routine maintenance to~ Drovlde ade~ruate ~=~ ~ ~ ' o c .... an_e for Dedestrlans (say approximately 7 to 8'). This could nc5 be done with small ornamental trees. Further the size of the buid!ing re,aires large trees in order to put the building and parking lot on human scale. With respect to the screening of signs on the building fascia, it depends on the line of sight that you have. No more than two signs would be screened at any one time from a particular vantage point. It should also be understood that the tree grates cost approximately $!,000 each and are designed to accomoda~e trees, not bushes. Also, the city has paid for the trees with City TIF funds.