HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Packet - BC - 2010.02.04AGENDA
B URLINGAME BEAUTIFICATION COMMISSION
FEBRVAR Y 4, 2010 - 6: 00 PM
CITY HALL
501 PRIMROSE ROAD — Conference Room A
Burlingame, CA
I. ROLL CALL
H. MINUTES
III. CORRESPONDENCE
IV. FROM THE FLOOR (At this time, persons in the audience may speak on any item on the
agenda or any other matter. The Ralph M. Brown Act prohibits the Commission from acting on a
matter which is not on the agenda. Comments are limited to three minutes)
V. OLD BUSINESS
1. Adopt -a -Planters on Burlingame Avenue
a. Staff Update
b. Review 2°d draft letter to Council
�— 2. Landscape Award 2010
a. Committee Update
3. Community Garden
a. Staff Update
b. Commissioners McQuaide and Carney Report
4. Arbor Day —Burlingame Lions Hall, 990 Burlingame Avenue, March 4, 2010 @ 10:30 a.m.
VI. NEW BUSINESS
1. Water Conservation
a. Staff Report
VII. REPORTS
1. Staff
2. Chairperson
3. Commissioners
Next Regular Meeting:
Thursday, February 4, 2010— City Hall
NOTICE: Any attendees wishing accommodations for disabilities should contact the Parks & Recreation
Dept. at (650) 558-7323 at least 24 hours before the meeting. A copy of the agenda packet is available for
review at the Recreation Center, 850 Burlingame Avenue, during normal office hours. The agendas and
minutes are also available on the City's website: www.burlingame.org.
Any writings or documents provided to a majority of the Beautification Commission regarding any item on
this agenda will be made available for public inspection at 850 Burlingame Ave during normal business
hours.
BURLINGAME BEAUTIFICATION COMMISSION
CITY HALL-501 PRIMROSE ROAD
BURLINGAME, CALIFORNIA 94010
February 8, 2010
Burlingame City Council
501 Primrose Road
Burlingame, CA 94010
Mayor Baylock and Members of the City Council,
It has come to the attention of the Beautification Commission that the Adopt -a -Planter Program has
ceased to be self-sustaining since spring of 2009.
At that time, there was no money to plant more flowers, and there has been no money to pay anyone to
water during the past year. Thus, many plants have died, and The Avenue is no longer the source of pride
and delight that it has been.
A bid recently received from a local nonprofit organization is as follows:
1) Watering twice/wk. April -September $520/mo.
2) Watering once/wk. October -December $260/mo. $3,900/yr.
3) Upgrading, cleaning, amending soil, planting $2,400/yr.
4) Maintenance options: Clean, trim, rake, amend soil, and insure
proper plant health and soil conditions
Weekly service $705/mo. $8,460/yr.
Twice a month service $450/mo. $5,400/yr.
Once a month service $250/mo. $3,000/yr.
Overall costs could range from as little as $3,900/yr., just to water the planters, up to $9,300+/yr. to plant,
water, and maintain the planters --more if maintained on a weekly basis. However once planted, once a
month maintenance service may be sufficient.
According to City Business Licenses, there are approximately 160 businesses on Burlingame Avenue.
Based on the upper figure of $9,300/ yr., approximately $60/yr. per business would serve to maintain the
planters.
It is the recommendation of this Commission that businesses on Burlingame Avenue be assessed in order
to fund the maintenance of those planters.
Respectfully,
The Burlingame Beautification Commission
Enclosure: Burlingame Avenue Planters/Landscape (Chronological History)
BURLINGAME AVENUE PLANTERS/LANDSCAPE
1) There is no working irrigation in aggregate planters.
2) There is currently no irrigation in tree wells with the exception of newly developed projects
such as at Peet's Coffee, 1241 Burlingame Avenue, and Apple, 1301 Burlingame Avenue.
3) Several shops along the avenue have hose bibs located in front of the business.
4) Water access available near Rose Garden Planters; quick coupler made available to Downtown
Burlingame Business Association to fill water tank to conduct watering of aggregate
planters.
DOWNTOWN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITY
1) Plantings, maintenance, and watering (merchants assisting with hand watering during the
summer months) of all aggregate planters on Burlingame Avenue from California Drive to
El Camino Real.
2) Adopt -A -Planter Program.
PARKS DIVISION MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITY
1) Trees in planting wells on the avenue, side streets, and in parking lots.
2) Low brick planter fronting "The Gap".
3) Rose Garden at entrance to parking lot J off Park Road.
HISTORY
• 15 — 20 years ago the Parks Division planted drought resistant plants (Lantana) in aggregate
planters.
• In early 2000, Citizens.for a Better Burlingame implemented the 'Adopt -a -Planter' program for
�-' new plantings and maintenance of the aggregate planters; purchasing a watering tank to aid in
watering the planters.
At the August 5, 2004, Beautification Commission meeting, Stephen Hamilton of the CBB reported
that he would be recommending to the Downtown Burlingame Business Improvement District that
they own the Adopt -A -Planter program. He also reported that of the 20 planters on the avenue, 6
had been adopted, none of which had an operating irrigation system, and that merchants had agreed
to assist with hand watering throughout the summer months from hose bibs fronting some of the
businesses. At that time, cost for reinstalling irrigation to the 20 planters would be approximately
$60-80,000 and the lowest cost for watering approximately 55 times a year would be $10,000.
In 2004 control and management of the program was transferred to the Downtown Burlingame
Business Improvement District. The DBID also managed the watering contracts.
• In May 2006, the DBID disbanded due to the objections of many of the local merchants and
businesses. Since that time the newly formed Downtown Burlingame Business Association took
over the management of the planter program, obtained the watering tank from the CBB, and funded
and managed the watering of the aggregate planters.
• Currently, many of the planters that were "adopted" have been abandoned by the caregivers.
Watering and maintenance of most planters on Burlingame Avenue is not being done and existing
plants are dying. The DBBA currently has no funds to maintain watering and/or care of the
planters.
• Most recently, a bid received from a local non-profit, would charge the following if hired:
�-' 1)
Watering 2 x's each week from April -September ....
($520/mo.)
2)
Watering 1 x each week from October- December ....
($260/mo.)
$3,900/yearly
3)
Upgrading, cleaning, amending soil, planting
$2,400/yearly
4)
Monthly maintenance options: Clean, trim, rake, amend soil, and insure proper
Plant health and soil conditions:
Weekly Service:
($705/mo.)
$8,460/yearly
Twice a Month Service:
($450/mo.)
$5,400/yearly
*Once a Month Service:
($250/mo.)
$3,000/yearly
Overall costs could range from as little as $3.900/yr. (just to water the planters), up to $9 3. O04f
to plant, water, and maintain the planters the first year•, and more if maintained on a weekly basis.
But realistically, once planted, planters could be maintained on a monthly basis for an amount just
under $7.000/yr. (presuming no additional planting would be required).
According to City Business License, there are approximately 160 businesses on Burlingame
Avenue. Based on the upper figure of $9.300/yr. to maintain the planters in a reasonably good
condition, businesses on Burlingame Avenue would need to be assessed approximately $60/year.
Updated/Revised 1.5.2010
2
CITY C
B�iRLINGAME
A-U
DATE
FROM
SUBJECT
STAFF REPORT
January 26, 2010
Parks Supervisor
Water Conservation
SUBMITTED BY: Bob Disco
Background: Effective January 2010, A13 1881 mandates that all cities in California adopt their own
water efficient landscape ordinance, or a State model ordinance would be deemed effective. New state
regulations would also include changes to the Plumbing Code and the Green Building Code requiring
agencies to conserve water and impose new indoor and outdoor water efficiency standards. The purpose
of the new State standards is to effectively manage the limited water supply conditions in the State.
Currently, the Burlingame Municipal Ordinance 1476 "Irrigation Water Management Plans" is required
for all landscapes that exceed 2,500 square ft. but the existing ordinance does not include single family
homes unless constructed by a developer. The newly proposed ordinance would include Irrigation Water
Management Plans for single family homes (residential) if 1) a permit is required for a project, and 2) it'
the landscape exceeds 1000 square feet.
�- At the February I" Council meeting, the Public Works Department presented a Staff Report to Council
regarding the Water Conservation Ordinance. The ordinance will be taken to the Planning Commission
for their input and to Council for adaptation in the near future.
Increase in Water Rates: The City purchases water from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.
SF increased their rates last year by 15.7%, which the City absorbed. SF plans to continue increasing the
rates annually to pay for the upgrades to their system to withstand seismic events. The City has also been
involved in a long term program upgrading its water system: replacing aging pipelines, increasing water
storage: and improving pump stations. The proposed rate increases for each single family residential
customer will be approximately $5.00.
Official Street Tree List: The current Official Street Tree Lists have been approved by the Beautification
Commission and adopted by Council. The trees on each list are street trees suggested by the International
Society of Arboriculture and most are drought tolerant. Typically, every tree that is planted requires water
for the first two years, regardless if it is drought tolerant or not. Once established, most trees are able to
survive on their own without ancillary irrigation.
Impacts from Artificial Turf: Planning Department does not impose additional fees on property owners
if landscapes include artificial turf. Any installation of artificial turf should include a requirement that a.
filtered membrane be placed in order to allow water to penetrate into the soil and provide water to the
trees during the winter months. Installation of a temporary drip irrigation system might be something that
could be considered as a requirement for those properties where artificial turf is installed.
Attachment: Water/Sewer Rates Brochure