RES 86211 - Laserfiche WebLink

The applicant is proposing a series of seven London plane trees within the 10 ft. wide setback area that would be complemented with a slightly mounded sod area and accent shrubs against the building. In addition, the applicant would be responsible for installing a minimum of a 5 ft. wide sidewalk, outside of this 10 ft. setback area5 to the specifications of the City Engineer. The applicant is also proposing to install a 2 ft. landscape strip along the eastern property line, inside of the proposed wall. This area would be planted with English ivy and Boston vine ivy. There would also be two Canary Island Pines and some ground cover installed in the northeast corner of the site, adjacent to the trash enclosure. Staff feels that it is essential to provide additional landscaping to the rear of the building for purposes of breaking up the east side of the building. As a result, staff recommends that the 2 ft. wide planter be increased to 5 ft. in width and fern pine (podocarpus gracilyor) type trees be installed with the ivy ground cover. The number and exact location of these trees should be determined by City staff. Such an increase in the planter area would still maintain the necessary driveway width for fire access purposes. This is the type of tree that was recommended to the rear of the adjacent mini-storage project proposal. Staff feels that this landscaping would greatly enhance the view of the site from the east. GRADING As previously stated, the project site is located within a low area along the east side of Old Santa Rita Road that makes it very difficult to utilize the existing storm drain in the roadway as well as get any overload surface drainage off the site without filling the site by upwards of 5 ft. of material. Staff and the applicant have been working on this hydraulic situation for the last month and have proposed a preliminary design that would create a storm drainage easement running along the west side of the Trammell-Crow property that would serve those lower properties along the east side of Old Santa Rita Road as well as the rear portions of the Trammell-Crow parcels, west of Rosewood Avenue. The storm drain system would be run along the western edge of the Trammell-Crow property until reaching the 20 ft. wide PT&T easement. At this point it would parallel the PT&T easement due east and connect with the existing storm drain system within Rosewood Avenue. - 5 -