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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEMAIL & IMAGE - 07-00398 - Alpine Jewelers - Site Plan.�i 7� L �S � v► Ga a5 60 4� bl 4 � 4 0 D) APR 1 4 2008 = CITY OF REXI..J • 0 Gary Leikness From: Gary Leikness Sent: Tuesday, April 15, 2008 11:26 AM To: 'Tory Taylor' Cc: 'kpanter @yahoo.com'; Winston Dyer Subject: RE: Alpine Jewelers Landscaping Attachments: image001.jpg Tory, The DRC has provide feedback on the matter. Though they would've liked to have seen a streetscape plan before you started pouring cement, they want to help your project stay on track. They have requested that the following occur: 1) Applicant provides an additional tree well 2) Tree should be same species as the trees to the south. Minimum 2 -inch caliper (DBH) at planting. Applicant to plant (submit planting details, i.e. preparation soil, and methods). 3) Tree grates to be installed on all tree wells on site. This should be three trees. Grates should be consistent with those installed in front of Walgreens on Main Street. 4) Benches be installed as proposed (3 benches). These benches should be consistent with other benches used in the downtown. All items must be addressed prior to the final Certificate of Occupancy is issued. Please let me know if you have any questions. As a note, to maybe help explain something you mentioned in your below e-mail, the DRC is a committee that is able to look at proposals for the downtown and other commercial areas and determine if what is before them satisfies both the letter of ordinance as well as the intent of the ordinance. Yes, a degree of discretion is involved, but only "reasonable" discretion; which is a backbone concept to land use regulations and decisions. In addition, the DRC looks at how proposals in the Downtown meet the City's Downtown Blueprint, a document that is intended to help revitalize the heart and core of Rexburg. In fact, if the DRC had not used reasonable discretion and negotiate with you, your building may very well have different architectural elements incorporated. In addition, you mentioned that it has been "requested and requested" of you to design something around "Americas Family Community." I do agree with you that this is a very vague request, however, it was never a specific request made by the DRC. The DRC never uses this as a review criteria. This "family" identify of the City is broken down into what we call a comprehensive plan and further broken down into our development code. So, the theory is, this overarching concept of being a family community weaves itself through all of our ordinances, but is not something we bring up as actual design review criteria. Sincerely, Gary From: Tory Taylor [ mailto: tory@rjaytaylorconstruction.com] Sent: Monday, April 14, 2008 7:10 PM To: Gary Leikness; kpanter @yahoo.com Subject: Alpine Jewelers Landscaping Gary I assume that you received my sketch O Alpine on center Street. My thought is tha0 would add one tree well for an additional tree and add three additional park benches below each display panel. The additional tree well will need to be placed between the larger transom window and display panel closest to the cross walk on main street. This needs to be done to maintain the continuity of the trees along Center Street. You should know that the tree will be near a water meter and the growing roots could pose a problem down the road. Also, I will purchase the tree but I will leave it to the city to plant it and maintain the tree. The owners of Alpine will also require the city to trim the tree regularly so that their sign will not be obstructed from view. I reviewed my notes on our last meeting with the design committee. According to my notes the committee requested several improvements to the building (cornice molding, extra windows along Center Street, and additional wall displays) which have all been completed to spec. As far as the landscape requirement we spoke about adding some park benches and an additional tree well. The committee mentioned pavers and additional live landscape but were not specific as to what they wanted. The live landscape is not an option due to the need for irrigation either along the foundation or under the city sidewalk. Due to the risk of settling under the sidewalk or near the foundation I am not willing to negotiate for live landscape. I took some time to look at the pavers as an option but in the end it will be a very poor choice because it is expensive and it will make the corner look busy. If you look at the corner directly to the north of Alpine as an example the use of pavers looks like an after thought to say the least. You have requested and requested that we design something around "America's Family Community" which is a very vague request and subject to personal opinion. However, if your committee will take an honest look at what that corner looks like now in comparison with what it looked like last October I think we can all agree that we have set a new benchmark for improvements on Main Street Rexburg. With that said I respectfully request that your committee allow us to complete the exterior work on the corner of Center and Main. Thanks Tory Tory Taylor R.Jay Taylor Construction, Inc. 3968 E Sunnyside Rd unit 4B Ammon, ID 83406 Ph #208 - 523 -3202 Fax #208 - 523 -3375 torygrj aytaylorconstruction.com