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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-03-27 Downtown Beautification Improvement Ad Hoc Committee Minutes9/17/24, 4:16 PM Downtown Beautification Improvement ad hoc Committee - Downtown Beautification Improvement ad hoc Committee - City of Ashl... Learn about the City's plan to construct and move the water treatment plant - Clean drinking water is an essential right Agendas and Minutes City of Ashland Downtown Beautification Improvement ad hoc Committee (view All) Downtown Beautification Improvement ad hoc Committee Agenda Thursday, March 27, 2014 Minutes View Agenda � Attachments "� Downtown Beautification Improvement ad hoc Committee March 27, 2014 Gresham Room, Ashland Public Library 7:30 a.m. Attendance Dawkins, Hammond, Jensen, Friend, Seffinger, Thompson, Beam, Lemhouse (Council liaison), Seltzer (staff liaison). Robertson (park liaison) Absent: Kencairn, David Guest Dave Kanner (City Administrator) Call to Order Vice Chair Thompson called the meeting to order at 7:35 am. Approval of Minutes Motion was made by Friend to approve the minutes and seconded by Hammond: All approved. v https://old.ashland.or.us/Agendas.asp?AMID=5626&Display=Minutes 1/5 9/17/24, 4:16 PM Downtown Beautification Improvement ad hoc Committee - Downtown Beautification Improvement ad hoc Committee - City of Ashl... Public Input Neil Stewart passed around a list of Plaza enhancement suggestions. He also presented a model of the Plaza and addressed each enhancement. He recommends replacing the existing trees with London Plane Sycamore trees. He recommends expanding the pavement along the businesses of North Main across from the Plaza to 12 feet. He suggests adding a fountain to the center of the Plaza. He recommends free standing planters and circular seats around each tree. He suggests removing the concrete seat walls and replace the area with groundcover and bushes. He also recommends building a stage four feet off the ground. He volunteers to design and build the improvements and the city would just pay for materials and labor. David Sherr distributed material he would like included in the record. He then explained his proposal for a slight redesign to the fountain in front of the Black Swan which include sealing the stone per Jim Oleson, raising the water basin and planting flowers in the center. Staff update on short list projects Seltzer referred to the information she provided to the committee for each of the short list projects: 1)Remove the asphalt on Lithia Way between Pioneer Street and Oak Street. Motion by Hammond: Move approval to recommend to the City Council to remove the asphalt, install irrigation, install top soil, order tree grates and wait to plant the tree until October, plant annuals or some other temporary plants to provide color during the summer months. Second by Dawkins, all in favor. Motion passes. Robertson explained the best time to plant trees is in the fall. The committee will want input from the Tree Commission on the type of trees to plant. Dawkins suggested the committee should consider trees in large planter boxes vs planting in ground. 2)Welcome Signs Motion by Dawkins: Move to recommend to the City Council to move forward with three Welcome to Ashland signs to be placed at three locations: RR trestle, Ashland Street and Siskiyou Boulevard at Tolman Creek Road. Seconded by Beam. Motion passes. Friend clarified that these signs are "temporary" with the idea that in the near future more artistic styled signs will be installed. The Public Art Commission could have a request for proposals prepared by September, a decision on an artist by March and installation possibly by June of 2015. It was noted that the charge of the committee was to focus on the downtown area and the signs are not downtown. The committee feels that the signs are the "front door" to the downtown and should be included. 3)Lighting at pathway from New Theater to Main Street https://old.ashland.or.us/Agendas.asp?AMID=5626&Display=Minutes 2/5 9/17/24, 4:16 PM Downtown Beautification Improvement ad hoc Committee - Downtown Beautification Improvement ad hoc Committee - City of Ashl... Motion by Dawkins: Move to recommend to the City Council to install a second Sternberg light. Seconded by Jensen. Motion passes. The committee asked staff to connect with the property owner of Earthly Goods to begin discussion about possibly adding LED lights to the building and the possibility of a mural or other decorative element to the wall. 4)lmprove right of way at the corner of Lithia Way and Pioneer in front of Stop and Shop. No action. Staff will get a survey of the area. Kencairn offered to provide sketches of what could be done to that area. Comments were made about providing seating in front of a business would not necessarily be welcomed by the business. Staff explained there is a need for a retaining wall because of elevation changes but it doesn't have to be a seat wall. 5)lmprove landscape maintenance at city parking lots. Robertson explained with the Park Commission ban on the use of urbicide, it is very difficult to maintain those areas. It was suggested that new and denser plants be installed, soil amended to inprove plant growth and crowd out weeds. Also suggested was contracting with outside service to do the maintenance. They can spray. Also suggested was sending a communication from the committee to Parks Commission to consider lifting the urbicide ban in some locations including the median along Siskiyou Boulevard and city lot landscaping. Criteria Time constraints did not allow for a full discussion about criteria. Committee members were supportive of the draft criteria put forward by Stef Seffinger. Next meeting agenda 15 minutes for public input 15 minutes for discussion about criteria 60 minutes to discuss Plaza projects Meeting adjourned at 9:00 am. https://old.ashland.or.us/Agendas.asp?AMID=5626&Display=Minutes 3/5 9/17/24, 4:16 PM Downtown Beautification Improvement ad hoc Committee - Downtown Beautification Improvement ad hoc Committee - City of Ashl... Online City Services Email Updates Sign up to receive local important News & Events. A """ Unsubscribe Subscribe Home Water Advisory Mayor/Council Taxes Departments Codes Commissions Archived City Records Web Links https://old.ashland.or.us/Agendas.asp?AMID=5626&Display=Minutes 4/5 9/17/24, 4:16 PM Downtown Beautification Improvement ad hoc Committee - Downtown Beautification Improvement ad hoc Committee - City of Ashl... Emergency Contact Info Police & Fire, Water, Electric, Red Cross, Jackson County Health, Recology Ashland Sanitary... 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