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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDesign Review Meeting 9.09.21 - 20-00277 - SITE PLAN - Madison High School Field HouseDesign Review Committee Meeting (20-00277) MHS Field House – 2300 University Blvd September 9, 2021- 11:00 AM Attendees Presiding: Planning and Zoning Chairman, Rory Kunz Those in attendance: Planning and Zoning Chairman Rory Kunz, City Councilman Jordan Busby, Mayor Jerry Merrill, City Councilman Chris Mann, Planning & Zoning Administrator Alan Parkinson, Brent McFarland with JRW. City Staff: Natalie Powell Purpose: This meeting is being held at the request of the Madison School District; it is a follow up meeting from the Design Review Meeting held May 14, 2020. Chairman Rory Kunz stated that in the last Design Review Meeting the school had initially asked for some design exceptions to the fieldhouse. Items discussed were the roofline, the 3D dimensions and the material use. They did a good job; it looks nice. The meeting today is because they are asking for further exceptions relating to the requirements that they have a landscaping berm with trees planted every 30 feet alternating with two rows to be located on the east side of the project. Jordan Busby representing Madison School District: Overhead maps were reviewed and the location of the Madison Field House was identified along with the required berm location. Per the requirements of the May 14, 2020 Design Committee minutes, the landscaping berm was to contain a double row of evergreen or deciduous trees planted at intervals of fifteen feet on center. Jordan went on to explain a couple of things have been changed from the original site plan. For an example, there was going to be sod but they went with a rock scape partially because they wanted to protect the tennis courts. They didn’t want to have that grass out on the tennis courts every time it was mowed. On the other side there is still some bollard boulders that sit in the landscape to protect the field house. Attention was brought back to the berm in question. There is dirt on site right now but we have the future road that will be going in hopefully sooner rather than later to help alleviate the traffic flow. That road will come out right on Burton and exit out onto 1000 South. The property right in front is where the school district is looking at a number of different things that could possibly develop in this area. They have had several people contact them about building there. The Fire Department has been in communication and wants to put a station there. Mayor Merrill mentioned there was also a proposal by ECIPDA to work with Eastern Idaho Technical College. Jordan confirmed there are several developers that have expressed interest in this area. Jordan Busby’s concern is that by putting the berm where it is located on the existing site plan then possibly when development takes place they would have to take the berm back out or the trees would have to be moved. There are a lot of utilities in play here too. Currently, there isn’t any catch basins but they would be required if we go to city standards. Jordan pointed out that all the other roads have been built to city standards. He just doesn’t want to build something just to have to take it out in a year or two. Jordan stated what they would like to do is clean off the area so that it is level and it would allow drainage from the tennis courts coming off so it has some type of settling there and until something develops there just keep the weeds mowed down to ground level. Jordan stated they have met all the other requirements of the Design Review other than the berm. He stated they are prepared to go forward with the berm however he is just trying to be responsible with tax payer dollars too. Chairman Rory Kunz asked Planning & Zoning Administrator Alan Parkinson if they had met all their other requirements. Alan confirmed that they have met all other requirements, other than the berm. Rory’s concern is how long before development happens? It’s hard to put a time frame on it. Jordan Busby stated he spoke to Superintendent Lords who stated development was to take place in the next three to five years. Chairman Rory Kunz stated the purpose of the berm was to shield the massive length of the field house from public view and create some depth due to the fact that they were granted exceptions to the design standards and built a long flat building. The intent of the berm was to soften that area. Mayor Merrill responded to the comment of shielding the massiveness of the building. If we followed through with the requirement to plant the spruce trees along there, those will get big enough in time that you won’t even be able to see the building. He said he’s unsure if that’s what we want. He feels it is good to have that building seen and just try to soften the lines of it with some other plantings. Jordan Busby reminded the group that the current requirement is a six foot high berm plus the height of the evergreen trees; the landscaping berm was to contain a double row of evergreen or deciduous trees planted at intervals of fifteen feet on center. That is a pretty massive wall of green, unless your purpose is to make a wind break. Mayor Merrill stated that is okay in some situations however when you have a building that has turned out to be a nice as the fieldhouse he doesn’t want to totally shield it rather just accent it with some plantings that help bring it into scale. He doesn’t want the nice big sign on the building to be completely blocked from view either. He would like people to be able to see it and know where to go, especially those coming in from out of town. Jordan Busby referred back to the site plan pointing out from back of sidewalk to back of sidewalk is 80 feet. When you are doing the construction you are going to have to tear out the berm unless we push the berm further back. Jordan just wants to know if in fact there are still going to be required to put the berm in, he just wants to know exactly where it needs to be located so it can stay permanent. Planning & Zoning Administrator Alan Parkinson asked Jordan if the road is eventually planned to be turned over to the City. Discussion took place concerning the road being required to be built to city standards. Alan suggested Jordan visit with Public Works Director Keith Davidson to get the exact widths and specs. Brent McFarland with JRW stated that all roads have been built to city standards thus far and all future roads will be also. The biggest concern is that we would like to see that future road go in sooner rather than later. If Madison School District puts that berm in now Rory asked about timeline of development. Jordan responded the road would go in first and that will open up other things. People are more likely to want to build there. Planning & Zoning Administrator Alan Parkinson stated if we decided to stay with the required berm then they will need to get those distances from Public Works Director Keith Davidson so that the berm will not have to be taken out or moved. Jordan’s concern is that it might lessen the property value on the other side because it will take at least 20 feet into that property. Chairman Rory Kunz stated he thinks they did a great job on the building, it’s not ugly however beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Part of the reason the Design Review Committee required that shielding, and specifically the shielding, was because the standard at the time was that developers are required to build to the standards of the neighborhood. This neighborhood was brick. The only thing there is the schools and the stadium. He stated he hasn’t had any complaints on how the field house looks. He doesn’t have a problem changing the berm requirements but said we need to come up with some kind of idea to create some dimension. Keep in mind future development may be five years or more out still. It needs to look good and meet the intent of the code. Jordan Busby representing Madison School District made a proposal that they plant a tree line of sorts 10’ to 12’ in height along the east side but not on a berm so that in five years the trees can be relocated easily if needed. City Councilman Chris Mann has concerns that it may take up to five years for future development to take place. If it is a possibility that it will take that long then he feels there does need to be green landscaping buffer installed now. In five years the school district could sell off those trees at a profit and future development can occur in that area. Jordan Busby mentioned berms are very hard to maintain. If you drive over to the south side you’ll see all the weeds coming up around those trees. His intention is to put rock scape there around those trees to help keep the weeds out. Hopefully, it will be easier to maintain in the future. Chris Mann stated the City of Rexburg has standards throughout Rexburg that people are required to follow and if we start making exceptions then the next person will come in and say they just want to do what the school was allowed to do. We must be careful. Brent McFarland with JRW understands it is hard to allow a precedence to be set and then reinforce it later. Jordan Busby feels he can plant 20 trees, even in that staggered pattern, in the area in question, flat on the ground and then any rain that comes off the tennis courts would go straight to those trees. Chris Mann agreed there needs to be some sort of break between all that asphalt. Brent McFarland with JRW mentioned there will be a future boulevard strip on the tennis court side that will also help. Planning & Zoning Administrator Alan Parkinson summed up what was being said. If the school district could just get rid of that six foot berm and still have the buffer of evergreen or deciduous trees planted in a double row at intervals of fifteen feet on center they would make that happen in the next few weeks. Discussion took place concerning what type of trees to use and location. Brent McFarland with JRW stated he would put a landscaping plan together and email it to the group next week for final approval. Chairman Rory Kunz asked for the committee’s final thoughts. Everyone agreed it would be okay to get rid of the berm but maintain the trees to create depth. It needs to be a well-defined space. CONCLUSION: The school district will be allowed to get rid of the six foot berm but will be required to still have the buffer of evergreen or deciduous trees planted in a double row at intervals of fifteen feet on center. They will be required to plant within the next couple of weeks. Brent McFarland with JRW will put a landscaping plan together showing type of trees and location. He will email it to the group next week for final approval.