they found its way to New York City this
afternoon
I guess that means there probably
weren't too many steps back at City Hall
yeah not the time that's I know well
here here we are we're excited to have
sunshine in central Ohio in February
so and then almost we do have mayor we
do have that want to view from
uh afar on YouTube so we wanted to make
sure that's up and running as well if we
can okay so we are now
we are live and okay there are a few a
few introductory remarks I'd like to say
then
um to
assure the videotape that we have a
quorum present
okay and we have called the meeting to
order and our agenda has been um
retailered to fits the moment
and so therefore the mayor's
presentation and the Bexley library's
presentation will be coming after the
presentation of 420 North Cassidy
so um
if if YouTube is up and running
and you tell me this right yes it is
um I can sign off one of our friends in
Florida and text the other one
okay
all right so
um all right we have to hear from Elena
first is where we're going next yeah
he's looking for that Ellen and Mary and
Bill Waterman
do those three I
haven't
um of course yeah it is it does appear
to be working okay okay
yeah he's gonna send a direct link Ellen
at least one viewers
okay okay
so you know even though we get
frustrated with computers to remember
the days we had slides and then the
slides would stick in the projector so
this can't can't be much worse or you
couldn't get them produced quick enough
for your meetings Okay
okay can I ask for two other PDFs to be
opened
um there's the one that Point
presentation
Nicole just let me know oh yeah and I
project yeah
the showing in green yes it is
but
oh it's green test test test
um
there we go okay maybe we should say it
again okay
so welcome
this is kind of like Groundhog Day right
before I did okay
well do I need more jokes or something
okay so let us just stay let's just
start with a clean slate you know we
have five commission members here and
I'm gonna just reconvene the meeting so
that they can say I that they are
present and that we can establish a
quorum again so we've called the meeting
to order and to call the role for those
present celest Williams Linda zubnick
Sheila Straub Jim Wilson Susan quintense
here in alternate Molly O'Donnell I'm an
ex-officio Molly O'Donnell yes so we
also have staff here of Jordan Caballero
Grant Archer Elena Andrews the mayor and
our city council liaison lorianne feible
so with um reconfigured agenda we are
now ready Elena first and then our
presentation of 420 North Cassidy so
repeating all that I said okay yeah so I
was born in Canada
so um so 420 this is we don't I don't
have an official review like we normally
will do when it actually comes for a
formal vote
um but uh this is a project that is
going up where the current Bexley Senior
Center is
um it is I'll let them kind of explain
it a little bit more but it's a mixed
use
um building it is taking up a you know
most of that space they have been
generous to meet with me one or two
times previously to talk about the
layout of the site get my feedback get
my initial kind of reviews and comments
and that is why they're here today
um not necessarily for us to vote yay or
nay but for us to be able to ask
questions about the landscape give our
thoughts ask a couple questions about
um plant choices nothing is actually
completely defined yet although they
have a palette that we can certainly
look at and comment
um but not on like what we had done for
the Ohio State Bank they are looking for
our preliminary feedback so they can
make sure that that they are attentive
to the tree commission's kind of desires
for this project in our community so
that when they do come forward
um that we can
have a good review basically
um and then as Jim mentioned previously
we're really not making any comment on
the the site layout
um the location of the building the
architecture all of that has been you
know approved by bzap and the ARB and so
our Focus really is on the landscape
today
thank you
Nicole Knight yes I swear that
everything I'm about to say is the truth
sorry I know a lot of these that's the
good news you don't have to be sworn in
the tree commission
um so thank you Anna for the
introduction
China
and thank you for letting us come today
and and do this informal discussion we
recognize that this site this
development is an opportunity when it
comes to the Redevelopment of the North
Cassidy Corridor it's the first of what
hopefully will be many more Parcels
along the corridor that will be
redeveloped to help the city complete or
act upon the vision that has been
discussed and so we are appreciative of
the patients that the ARB board has had
with us that staff has had with us and
hopefully the collaboration that we will
have with your team to be able to come
up with a really wonderful project that
all of us can look at in couple years
and 10 years and 20 years and say we're
really proud of it
um I wanted to just kind of share a
little bit of where where how we got
here and where we're at because I think
that this has been I don't think this
has been a very long process
um and not everybody has necessarily
been plugged in to when we started and
and how we came to where we're standing
today so the site plan that's up on the
um screen is the site plan that was
approved by the board of zoning and
planning
um in February of 2021
we for the funding that we are using for
this project we are required to have
evidence of zoning and compliance in
order to be able to get our funding we
have to show that we have zoning in
place and so this site plan was designed
in collaboration with City staff looking
at the Main Street guidelines looking at
the goals that were being discussed for
redevelopment and activation of the
North Cassidy Corridor and also looking
at how we could think about successful
small-scale mixed-use development with
residential and ground floor retail
space on it so that is why when you look
at this the building is pulled up to the
right-of-way to the zero lot line for
the Cassidy Corridor and why it's pulled
up to the Columbus Avenue
Frontage as well because we're really
trying to think about activating
activating the corridor and really
aligning with some of the goals of some
of the broader City plans and then
you'll see that in this plan that was
presented this is
um this was illustrative two years ago
um we were approaching the streetscaping
and we were approaching some of the
hardscaping in thinking about the Main
Street Corridor and what was a really
wonderful ahome moment was the first
conversation that we had with Eleanor
where she was like drive up and down
Cassidy this doesn't make sense to have
hardscaping go all the way out this
isn't Main Street we shouldn't have
trees that sit in Wells we should have
trees that are sitting in a green space
and a tree lawn because that's what the
Cassidy Corridor has and we're like ah
yes and then we started thinking about
and as our as my team from pod will
expand on we started thinking about how
can we bring a sense of residential feel
to a building that is of commercial
nature and so that's hopefully what as
we talk about today our goal is to
provide a building that everybody can
point to and say yes we like this but
also recognize that some of the the
requirements of our design the sighting
of the building for one will require us
to remove some trees on the site but
we're hoping that the goal of adding
additional tree canopy and the robust
number of new trees that we're planting
will hopefully offset some of these
trees that have to be taken down and
then the other thing if you could open
up the ARB
um
I know I'm sorry uh it's the yep that
one and if you go to the second pedia
yeah
um so this is fresh off the presses from
last Thursday so you will notice that in
um the the elevations that we have for
this commission
um they do not match up because ARB the
Architectural Review Board actually
voted approval
um for this elevation in this design
last Thursday this has been a labor of
love for our architect the architecture
review board and us to come up with a
design in a building and a facade that
we think is hopefully going to be really
wonderful and representative of what new
multi-family development can look like
in Bexley and what new mixed income
development and mixed use development
can look like so um I want to just call
to everyone's attention that there are
going to be differences in in the
elevations and in some of the contextual
drawings today but when we come back in
March or April whenever we see them as
appropriate it based on the
conversations today everything will be
matched up in terms of updated floor
plans update elevations but
um yeah when things are approved on
Thursday evening for documents that need
to get over on Monday it just wasn't
enough time to coordinate so with that
I'm actually going to ask our my
colleagues and partners from pod design
to come up and kind of talk a little bit
more about the concepts behind the the
landscaping and the plan for the site
good afternoon everyone my name is Todd
Foley I'm a principal with pod design
try not to knock this thing off
um if you'd be some kind of illustrative
cycling right there in the middle we can
start with that so
um very uh thankful to be here
um informally like this
um our kind of office practice really is
we we always want to come in and talk
with commissions and and groups that um
are you know so active in the
development of these type of things from
a city perspective
um while we like to think we have really
great ideas we want to make sure we're
always covering our bases and aligning
with divisions and goals that the
municipalities we're in
um have in place so we think this is a
great opportunity
um we've provided a fair amount of
detail at this stage
um but it's really more just to help try
to communicate
um you know the the intent the idea and
to provide you're not only kind of a
planned perspective but really these
cross sections of the streets how we see
from back of curb to the face of the
building kind of happening and as Nicole
mentioned we know that there's probably
a bigger overarching thought to this
Corridor
um of how these type of developments
come into place so
um you know we want to make sure that
um being a kind of a prominent Corner
type development that we're we're
representing what that vision is going
to be with with the um uh the space we
have to work with so
um you know as was mentioned you know
initially we we did look at this kind of
Frontage is more
um you know more pavement more kind of
Hardscape connecting all the way out to
the streets and stuff but I think the
discussions and spending time out
looking at the site itself seeing the
condition of the shade trees that are
right up against Cassidy Avenue you know
we felt like enhancing that streetscape
not only with the building
um having a consistent Street scare a
tree lawn that we're actually going to
probably be increasing a little bit from
what you may see out there right now
that's kind of what we're looking at
it's about six and a half feet that's
what we'd be proposing
um you know will allow us the ability to
maintain those trees
um the the
um you know the livability of those
trees the growth habits of those
existing trees long term I'm looking at
Columbus Avenue in that same context as
you travel that obviously it's it's kind
of devoid of trees right now with the
exception of one that is really not in
great condition so we see an opportunity
there to kind of continue that
streetscape and set that tone on that
you know kind of prominent Corner
intersection so
um you know we see that same kind of
tree-long condition
um kind of in keeping with the hierarchy
of the streets the sidewalk is um we're
proposing is about eight feet on Cassidy
the Columbus Avenue sidewalk scales down
to five feet
excuse me
um that will interface more with the
sidewalks as you go east to west on
Cassidy
um I think the the unique thing that
presents itself with this site plan
versus if we look at kind of where the
building is situated out there today is
by moving it forward we now have the
opportunity to replenish some landscape
area and tree canopy in the rear part of
the site so you'll you'll notice I mean
we have
um I I apologize I should know the
number specifically but we have a
significant increase of proposed trees
and opportunities to put
um trees and you know appropriate
planting areas that just doesn't exist
out there today so we think it's an
opportunity to set up a great precedent
about how a kind of an infill type of
site like this could be done
um and adding you know as we move in
from those sidewalks that eight foot and
that five foot sidewalk we're now going
to have what is not just a skinny
landscape bed we've actually got a
pretty generous planting area
that we'll be able to work with adjacent
to the building
um
it's any it varies given that the
administration of the facade of the
buildings but anywhere from eight down
to like five feet depending upon what
side we're we're in there so we think
there's a lot of opportunity to
um bring in more ornamental type trees
obviously those three existing shade
trees there that unfortunately we just
we don't feel confident that they're the
right decision to keep those with the
building placement you know the
construct the constructability of that
building is going to present some
challenges but we know that we can come
back in with maybe some more upright
um you know kind of kilometer type trees
that we can uh kind of add lower scale
canopy plantings perennials and uh
ornamental grasses shrubs those kind of
things up against the building so
there's a real nice transition from you
know the street up to the building uh
facade itself and the main entries of
the door uh into the buildings
um
so I mean I think and then as we
highlight the back part of the site
which you know is kind of uh the last
public part of it certainly it's still
visible and accessible from the alley
um you know we see a little bit larger
landscape areas we think we're going to
be able to interject
um some lawn areas
um some opportunity for the users of
this building to have
um you know those type of spaces to
interact with still large areas to bring
new plantings new tree plantings that
don't exist right now off the alley it's
going to be kind of a unique scenario
you don't typically see the ability to
infiltrate what could be larger shade
trees and an alley kind of condition
we've got to be mindful of the
electrical lines and things like that
and and so that's that's part of why you
don't see us selecting trees and shrubs
we've got a suggestive pallet in our
packet but we think there's
um there needs to be a more thoughtful
discussion about that to make sure we're
um you know taking all that into
consideration
um
so and then I know there were some other
uh cross sections that we provided I
don't know if you had an opportunity to
look through those or not but they kind
of represent what I was describing for
the um the front part of the building so
I ask you to kind of ignore the building
detail but the massing of the building
the height of the building
um in general will be
um you know commensurate with what will
end up bringing back to you um those
earlier elevations that
um that Nicole spoke about so
um so this would be the cast the
elevation we're looking North in this
particular scenario the addition of
parallel parking uh up against the curb
at six and a half foot tree lawn
um and then that eight foot pedestrian
walk and then the residual acreage or
excuse me the residual distance for that
landscape planting area so we think it's
just it's it's a nice combination it
kind of Blends the um you know the more
traditional kind of single family type
of front but it also allows us to start
to set a little bit of a urban infill
kind of tone with
um the building as well and and still
have a very comfortable sidewalk
experience for the pedestrians
um it's part of why we have we proposed
that eight foot sidewalk we think that
hierarchy might be a little bit more
appropriate for people traversing in
that way so
um
as I mentioned you know we uh we did
suggest have a kind of a suggestive
plant palette um I always love to have
discussions about plants because I don't
know that there's ever a wrong answer
um and it's great to really make sure
that we're
um in keeping with
um
what what uh would be appropriate in
this area but you know we're big on want
to make sure we're thinking about fall
color and and certainly with this kind
of more of an urban condition we'll be
we'll be interested in our impact um you
know below grade making sure we have
sustainable type of plant things in that
regard so
um so I will uh I'll stop talking I love
to be long-winded but I'm definitely
welcome and and are excited about any
feedback and discussion items so thanks
for the opportunity to present that
thank you
um do we have any one
um who wants to speak in opposition to
the plan
you don't see anyone do we have anyone
that wants to speak in support of the
plan
I don't see anyone so
um Elena do you have any further
comments you want to offer at this time
sorry we're trying to find the plants
because I know that you did have a page
of kind of what the plants were you know
exactly that sounds
um
actually can you Ben can you scroll
um the second page this one yeah okay so
so a couple of things um to call out on
this page
um one of the things that Todd alluded
to when one of our initial meetings were
they had created a much more of a rhythm
along Cassidy where there are a series
of existing trees along Cassidy there
are four existing between the sidewalk
and the curb and then behind the
sidewalk there were three and
um the original design and I and I know
again it was just you know kind of
preliminary was to potentially take all
those out and then have a new rhythm of
trees that you know were kind of like
matching and I understand that from you
know an architect and a design
perspective that's always nice when
things line up but they're healthy trees
they are mature trees and so we pushed
back and said well can we potentially
keep those and then add a couple you
know because they're fine and they're
the ones that you see here the three on
the inside of the sidewalk the um
they're proposing to take those down
simply because of the construction that
would need to happen so close to both
its root ball and then as well as having
to trim it in order to get scaffolding
um and talking with Grant really and and
Todd realistically those trees are are
not going to survive so um the thought
was to take those down and then there
were two other trees that were along
Columbus that are basically kind of junk
trees
um Grand drove by them as well and kind
of agreed even when I said hey we're
thinking about taking those down he's
like oh yeah those can go like those are
those should go down anyway so let's not
worry about that so those are also ones
that are coming down and that allows us
so I think there's a total and then
there's another one that's right by the
um where the garbage can is going to go
so they're taking down yeah
well the offending shrub in the
right-of-way be removed yes
so we're taking out five
that on rough counts they're adding 25
26 additional trees so you know there's
a net plus of plus 20 trees that are
added to the site which I think is
commendable I mean literally wherever
they were able to find spots to put
trees in they were definitely doing it
um and then Ben if we could go to back
to the plans
and then scroll down
um
okay if we could yeah and then keep
going so okay pause on this one so with
this one my my one comment and I'd like
to hear everyone else's you know kind of
thoughts on this is I understand Todd's
explanation of going to the from the
five foot to the eight foot sidewalk
along Cassidy because of um the kind of
the hierarchy that that's a that is a
larger route my my comment is I don't
know how necessary that is and I would
almost rather have the additional three
feet closer to a larger bed adjacent to
the building and keep a five foot
because it's five feet all the way you
know north and south and Bexley and so
for just that little small chunk of
change it seems a little awkward to then
just all of a sudden have it open up you
know so much and it feels a little more
um too commercial I don't think that the
that there's going to be enough
commercial activity here like there are
in some of the other you know kind of
shops along Main Street that it would
warrant that and instead I think it
might be an interesting opportunity if
it's a five foot sidewalk if they're
small little bump outs where we could
put a bench right so we have some
additional seating for people who are
walking around here or might want to
meet up or do something that they could
sit there I think and those are some you
know super minor minor tweaks in terms
of but that's something that I think is
warrant
um a little further study and then to
get everyone's you know
kind of plant material I don't know if
everyone had a chance to kind of look at
the plant material but it is all I mean
it's all a very good selection of you
know hardiness and
um flowering during different seasons
and perennials and um you know obviously
it's going to change a little bit but I
mean I think in terms of the first pass
a lot of these are some of my favorites
um so with that so I'd love to hear
people's thoughts about the sidewalk
right you just want to start with that
top yes
um well I guess
I I tend to agree with Elena about the
width of the sidewalk I might feel
differently if
if I was told that longer term
the sidewalk is going to be widened
throughout sort of that section down
from Bexley coffee shop till uh maybe
the the nut light down there but right
now it's part of my usual Saturday walk
and it seems like it it almost feels out
of place because at this point it's
surrounded other than you know right
below right south of it by more
residential feel and and so the width of
that sidewalk
it doesn't to me just in that little
segment change the the the Dynamics of
the neighborhood and you know everyone
on the commission knows I'd always
rather see more plantings than Hardscape
so that that's just my reaction
um
you agree with that and uh I I think
that the canopy being brought out on
both sides will help slow mentally slow
down the traffic and make it feel more
welcome and I don't think we needed
eight foot wide sidewalk for that
um the other thing I was noticing about
the plantings is the last point we come
back to this let's finish the anyone
else hun okay
I don't I don't want to throw a
curveball at this so mayor why don't we
do commission members
I know I know well thank you
Sheila Linda I think it's well done I
think it's uh softens
from the street I'm in agreement
Linda yeah I think so I think keeping it
five foot uniformity is fun
um I would I I look I think five foot
works today but I don't know what's
going to happen in the future and if it
goes to eight foot north of that or
south of that then it will be awkward I
I just I don't know the long term plans
and if there is a master plan for
Cassidy North
this should seem like a good time to
call on the mayor I don't know the chair
though maybe oh I'm sorry I'm calling
the chair
I agree with you yeah I agree with you
with Elena that it is the five foot
sidewalk feels residential we have it
most places I might feel differently if
the front entrance to the building for
the residence was was on Cassidy but I
my assumption is it's in the back and so
um it feels like it's I don't want to
you know like we have kind of the
largest sidewalk in the maybe the least
used area and
um of course I always think having Green
Space helps us add more trees so
something for consideration is there is
a residential entry off of Cassidy as
well as off the back of the building but
the main access for the ground floor
retail space is off of Cassidy
so it's towards the corner the Cassidy
and Columbus corner but the main access
for that ground floor
retail space that has not been
programming has not been finalized on
that one an open box okay
um but that is off of the Cassidy
elevation so let's just let's just
suggest that perhaps some organization
like the Baxley seniors would go into
that area yes or the Bexley Bloomers or
you know the Master Gardeners
hypothetically speaking yes
hypothetically speaking where is the
entrance is it is it the individual pod
the room or is it that Central entrance
if you pull up so the the entrance that
has primary commercial entrance is
actually the residential entry off of
um off of Cassidy so that's where the
residential entry is so that way
residents can access on either side and
then the main entry into the commercial
spaces up in that northwest corner yeah
which is being zoomed in on right now
thank you
can I call the mayor now I think that's
a great idea
first off thank you for all the thoughts
that's being put in this it's really
it's really great to see this coming
along to see the Landscaping uh being
presented
um it really it begs the question what
what are the Cassidy design guidelines
right so we've informally or actually
formally I think adopted Main Street
design guidelines as a Band-Aid but I
think having some specific guidelines to
Cassie would be super helpful
I am a I am actively in the process of
trying to support the concept of the
senior center space being in this
building because you guys probably know
and so there are a couple concerns that
are unique to that it might not be the
end user but I do think it's something
important to think about as we consider
this site plan one of those things is
that individuals with uh restricted
Mobility would benefit from a wider
sidewalk so you can imagine situations
where there's
um somebody with Mobility equipment and
someone walking a dog and it's just
helpful to have that extra breathing
room I think one of the challenges we
have on Main Street is our sidewalks are
generally too narrow we would really
benefit from wider sidewalks on Main
Street and as we envisioned Cassidy as a
commercial Community Hub uh down the
road it already is a community Hub as it
expands into that and has more activity
having that wider uh interface with the
sidewalk I think will be super helpful
to the higher density of walking
population that you would see the other
thing to think about is eight feet sets
the standard for the bare minimum from
multimodal sidewalks
um there's not really space in our
right-of-way for a dedicated bike lane
in that section of Cassidy and parking
and traffic there will be an eight to
ten foot multi-use path on Cassidy just
north of the railroad tracks as we know
as part of Columbus's plan
um so we might want to start thinking
about how we set that template and then
finally not to throw a wrench in these
works but
as we think about that on street parking
I love the idea of grass in the tree
lawn and I think that's I would what
vastly prefer the software interface I
think it is appropriate to Cassidy but
for people coming in and out of cars
that is less ideal than having some sort
of a hard surface to connect with
especially if we're if we're talking
about more elderly citizens so
um something to think about not to throw
not to throw a spanner in those works
and I know that we're only talking about
the front sidewalks I have some
questions about the back side yes so a
question would be since um you know
we're all thinking out loud
is it five feet or five feet or eight
feet are those really the only two uh
widths in sidewalk uh design
I mean I saw five and a half feet seven
and a half feet or is it five or eight
a sidewalk whatever size you want right
conference
there is an ADA minimum so five feet is
and five feet descent Republic right or
okay okay thanks that's helpful
so again we're just giving you feedback
and then you all go and multiple for
this around a conference table right
okay all right
I'd like I'd like to thank you I'd like
to add that if we I think it'd be
difficult to widen the sidewalks down
Cassidy toward Broad Street because
there are Hills up there little little
Hills so we would have to to uh support
some of the runoff that we keep that
from happening if we widened that
you mean it's like south of Maryland
yeah Jim um further south
in terms of the width of the sidewalk I
guess from my perspective I would be
more concerned with the mobility issues
that the mayor has identified in the
multi-modal issue because I think that
there's some level of conflict between
the idea that we're creating a friendly
space with people for people with
mobility issues and turning this into
multimodal so I just give that feedback
as you're thinking about what to do with
the
as I think about sidewalks and then the
Columbus side
um
thinking about parking for those that
may need handicapped access and
wondering if if all those were on the
Columbus Avenue side and it's not on the
Cassidy side perhaps we'd have less of
that conflict between the tree lawn and
the sidewalk and the trees and the grass
again just we're just brainstorming with
you you know so just something to think
about and may I add to that thought that
maybe there's a drop-off Zone as well
so people who are
who are elderly who who have assistance
with them can drop them off and then
they they quote privately I mean the
person themselves goes to the event
right and the other person come back and
pick them up later on because some
people may have problems parking at all
and so they say can you can you drop me
off can you give me a ride well who has
problems parallel parking no one right
absolutely let's go on let's go on to
some other do we have other areas that
folks want to comment on in the plan
I would just like to see up to say that
I think the green space in the tree
Landscaping that you've added is really
a huge enhancement to the project so
thank you for that great work thank you
I have a question I don't know if this
preliminary is there irrigation
considered in that and you talk about
the line the electric lines are there
things being buried is that
so
as of right now the electric lines are
not being buried if you go out you'll
see that it's overhead feed
um coming into the building and we've
walked the site with AEP to talk about
the load and how they anticipate
everything coming in we do anticipate
that on the south part of the site where
we have some trees shown around the
dumpster area that those trees will need
to be moved to accommodate where the
line is going to have to be run across
with some additional posts put into
support the the weight so we don't
anticipate burying the lines though just
because the size of the building doesn't
warrant that for the the service need
sorry if I missed it was is there going
to be irrigation yes okay
we don't have to give you our usual
warning about it if you don't irrigate
and your trees die you'll have to
replant them should we talk about plant
material then yeah or if folks are ready
to talk about plant material Ellen have
you said everything you want to say
about plant material or do you want to
add more I have I mean I think other
than I think that the the first pass at
what they're saying hey we think this is
the palette um it looks good
um they're not individually identified I
mean you can kind of guess like maybe
these are going to be boxwoods and these
are going to be shrubs um so I don't
know if we can comment directly on the
plan
um itself but I don't know if we want to
scroll back to the one page with all of
the different shrubs if people want to
put in their two cents on that
if if I could maybe before do that I can
kind of give you some context as to what
where we might think some of these might
exist
um obviously we have some zones where
we're going to have the convergence of
the building and the planting area and
and those kind of zones we see more of
an upright
um tree uh if I speak about the trees
first
um so we're really interested in those
growth habits so we're we've shown the
columnar sweet gum we've used that
um uh places uh City of Westerville
um their City Hall we when we redid that
we had that planted that's a nice fall
color it's a just very architectural
type of tree the the Princeton Century
Ginkgo those type of trees that have a
more columnar
um you know more focused type of canopy
we see representative of some of those
that we're showing um as symbols around
the building when we get out to the you
know the tree Lawns and the areas where
we have more kind of meaningful green
area spaces me Isa meaningful from the
standpoint of growth areas we might
consider you know certain varieties of
like the Elms or
um the maples and things like that so
um yeah and the hornbeam would be
another kind of upright kind of
consideration so just a starting point I
just want to offer that that feedback
them as you kind of think about that
from a tree perspective is the sweet gum
fruiting uh the variety that we're
showing there is not
um and you have a hundred percent
guarantee
I would not commit to 100 so we
technically speak them is on our City's
list of prohibited species
um and certainly we're gonna we're gonna
you know uh be looking at that closely
to answer your question specifically but
we've used it in Westerville and to the
best of my knowledge I don't think we've
run into issues there but we'll be
considering that as well it usually
doesn't there might be one year every
you know three or four that it actually
fruits but it is significantly less than
this weekends that we see in Bexley but
that was how it's marketed is that it
doesn't get the spiky balls
um just I mean apart from my personal
feelings across Sweden which this
commission is well aware of I mean it
does present a bit of a hazard for
particularly people with mobility issues
if it does fruit sure understood no it's
very comment thank you
Madam chair yes
um as as you heard we are an arboretum
and we like to take opportunities when
we can to expand the plan species in our
Arboretum and I do not think that there
are any new plants or any new trees or
shrubs in this plant so I'd suggest you
if you have an opportunity to try out
something that you know would expand
what we have we'd love to see it yeah
um I I think Eleanor probably my only
two has a complete list
um
or as complete as we have at the moment
of all the species both the shrubs and
the trees that we have in the city yeah
that'd be great if that's available
that'd be a great help yeah I can email
that to you awesome thank you
any other comments
it's last two uh I have a question about
maintenance I know that you
um
you have some nice selection of grasses
the one of the grasses I feel is a
litter collector which is the Japanese
Forest Grass but also what is a high
maintenance are day lilies because those
blooms only last one day
and then they're not attractive after
that and to me uh that's I would I would
tend to look for a different flower
that's more giving than asking to
overlook it and tend to it
I would agree with that one day lilies
is the council member that has the best
landscape yard and actually have any
comments I am not a fan of daylilies
thank you
should we put that on the list it's
Sweetgum
I thought last month we heard good
things about David Lewis but maybe I
love the hydrangeas thank you the mayor
knows that I have a real Green Thumb for
hydrangeas and they talk about giving
there
hydrangeas yes yes yes very giving yeah
we'll be able to use a couple different
varieties I think with the different
conditions we have with the buildings so
we have some shade conditions some sun
conversations I could see a couple
varieties working around the building
I think the street tree for that street
is Elm and yeah lace spark Elm Grant
right
so that might be something to include
on our street I mean on the trees list
so
uh Madam chair did you have some other
comments I just had some overall General
comments and maybe we can move to those
in Elena did other
um members of the tree commission email
you comments
um Larry Hellman did and it was I think
we've addressed some of it in terms of
the how it situates on the site with
kind of the walkability of the sidewalk
and how does it connect I mean I think
he's looking at it from a much larger
perspective of um what are we looking at
to the Future and I think that that is
something that you know we need to kind
of discuss of what do we want future
development to be okay
so um you know when the landscape goes
in it's going to be all new and really
fresh and your neighbors to the South
probably will be at a disadvantage
because their Landscaping won't be new
and fresh so I might make the suggestion
that you at least call on them and ask
at that intersection point you know how
you could uh integrate what you're doing
with what they're doing or not doing
um
I
I was just thinking about this the other
day
um of course we don't have any snow it's
you know 70 degrees and it's February
15th but one of the new um
I guess happenings that I see in
landscape is putting heating coils
underneath sidewalks so that there's no
snow you know that that they take it
takes care of the removal of snow and
thinking about you know again the
seniors and mobility issues I'm just
wondering if you have ever considered
that or done that in your other
buildings it really
you know frees up the I'll let her
comment on her but as a designer we've
not employed that type of treatment
um really quite candidly and and not
with the reference of the potential user
we might think about but
um we just we don't live in an
environment where it is really kind of
cost effective and we're in Colorado you
know places where lots of snow that
um so I suspect that that would be a a
somewhat of a financial challenge but I
don't know
yeah so I I think it's a you know it's a
great thought from that perspective now
well if you know yeah we're
brainstorming so that that's good and
then
um
I would suggest perhaps I think that
signage might fall under us and so I'd
be interested in if you're having
signage on the property what that would
look like only if it was Monument
signage not attached to the building
with the landscape around it so and I
don't I don't think that they're I don't
think that there is at the moment it's
all the signage that would be associated
with the project would be on the
building yeah there won't be any
ancillary Monument signage things like
that that are you know describing the
name of the building or anything like
that okay that's proposed okay I'm
always interested in how things
intersect so on the one uh building I
think it's on the um where the dumpster
is how that sits in relation to the
street uh we don't seem to have you know
maybe we don't have any chance to have
any sort of vegetation there
um
or do we they are showing a screen of
Evergreens that L which I assume would
be an upright Arbor by day or something
that would
sit down in here is this pretty long
then
yeah
yeah so that's the backup house if um I
don't know if you have any pictures of
that from the site yeah there actually
is one but so so there's there's a per
there's a perfect picture I think
highlights what you're describing
certain in Russia
um I go up towards the Top If you would
I think it's going to be one of the
first ones yeah right there so that's
the existing
Bill you're looking at the existing
building on our site that masonry CMU
wall is essentially right there on our
property line and then the fencing the
white fencing you see the left is
probably the beginnings of where the
dumpster would be located behind that so
the guy wires stay yes
but that stone that concrete block wall
goes right and is the fence did you
determine if it's yours or your
neighbors the white fence we have not
determined that yet okay
so student you're referencing it and the
opportunity for additional green space
but well I wondered that I mean first
when I looked at it first I thought oh
my goodness there is going to be a curve
there they're not going to drive
right parking places there and I see
that there is a group right through here
and this is
down here
I think that that's a great comment
um it's we're showing the existing wall
there that wall goes away and I think we
could we could look at we'll make sure
it's tolerant
um to sustain the activity that's going
to go on in that location but I think if
you're screening some of that peripheral
view as you're traversing North would be
pretty effective well maybe on the on
the North End too I wasn't well so
that's paved so you're saying directly
north of the dumpster uh no no no
okay they have that screened and they
they'll have to buy buy code they have
to screen the parking lot so they'll be
evergreen shrubs there
so and then are you going to do any up
lighting
that's not
no sight lighting
that might be all of my questions for
the moment but how about past lighting
then there's no plans presently no path
okay
even though there's an entrance to
Cassidy they'll be Lighting on the
building itself but no lighting is
planned presently or not even this
the first step out okay any other
questions from members of the commission
any questions from elected officials
I I do have another quick question and I
don't know maybe it's because I've been
looking at the site plan for so many
years Nicole that I'm like now that I'm
looking at this on here great because
it's been so long I know um so one of
the things to talk out of both sides of
my mouth having just like sold you on
Hardscape on the Frontage
um I'm just curious
the program with the sidewalks at the
back it feels like a lot of sidewalk and
maybe it needs to be a last sidewalk
um I'm just curious to do all of these
entrances need
to connect the way that they do is there
a way to reduce the overall sidewalk
space there so um
southernmost sidewalk where the cursor
is right now that is the direct entry
for all of the maintenance activities
for um not only this building but the
other building that's going to be built
in coordination so that's where the
maintenance shop is going to be and so
we want to make sure that's also
um it's one of the points of egress out
of the building
the middle pathway is the Primary
Residential entry off the rear of the
building and it's also where the bike
racks are the exterior bike rack parking
for the residential use and then the one
above is access to the rear of the
retail space and is part of the egress
for that space But we can look at those
sidewalks as we continue to refine the
end user or the retail space
specifically yeah
um and we can well these two doors right
here this is that a door there and a
door there is that why it does what it
does yeah
because if you go to black and white
books but if you look on the black and
white plane you'll see the orange we can
make sure
that helps that's the point emergency
and then I assume this sidewalk just to
the uh west of the parking blocks is
necessary
for people to be able to controversia
so
um mayor remind us are there street
lights in the alley
encyclopedic knowledge of each alley
segment I knew it no they're they're uh
they're they're not I don't think should
be and or can be I mean we have a alley
lighting program that's you know
building out in different areas of the
city
um so if there aren't
we can add them I think that they are
going to have
I would assume there's going to be some
form of parking lot lighting here
we're working on that yeah okay so but
in addition to yeah I mean when you said
there wasn't going to be any you know
lawn or uplighting it concerns me that
in the alley in the back not to have any
lighting
yeah
there are some lights on the east side
of the alley that exists today on the
photography that we provided okay
all right
well we can we can check that check that
out and then I guess my last comment was
going to be
um we don't we don't like litter in the
community but we're happy to pick up
litter but it would be helpful if we
didn't have to so if you expect some
receptacles there
um
some sort of waste that are recycling
would be great to see that
it seems to be the one thing that always
gets missed and then once the building
opens up
scrambling to bring them so thank you
for pointing that out and and then
um Street Furniture I mean I I saw that
patio area I don't know if you're uh
specking providing Street Furniture
congregating so
um the Community Builders we will not
own or have any control over who the end
user is that would have access to that
space so that would be controlled by the
cic or the city depending on who has
control of the retail space and so we
would ask that any furniture in that
area would be subject to coming back to
the appropriate commissions and boards
for approval
yep
anything further were you thinking a
ping pong table when you were talking
about Street Furniture I was I thought
that was yeah just checking um I think
we um
really appreciate your time and we look
forward to coming back and hearing from
you with the the final plan for approval
so thank you very much thank you so much
it's really exciting we appreciate your
diligence and the detail thank you so
much
so are we moving to the mayor now
so so mayor we had I wrote out some
things for you if you'd like to go over
those and then we'll go to the other Ben
in the city Mr director Heckman do you
still need to leave early
thank you thank you
thanks guys
um
so a couple uh updates for all uh you're
the parks
um projects are coming along well I
should really ask Elena to provide that
update because she's been working so
hard in lots of our different projects
we do have a public workshop on March
6th for the Commonwealth Park Columbia
Plaza interface which will be both a
public workshop for that Plaza as well
as update in General on the Columbia oh
sorry the Commonwealth Park improvements
that is at 6 30 p.m 6 p.m Ellen is going
to check that and we'll have a final
date on that again March 6th
um mksk and the Jones Studio we're
working on that plan at 6 PM we're
excited to uh have that meeting that'll
be here at Sydney Hall
um we've identified a possibility for a
skate slash bike playground
that's what this is called not exactly
skate park along the hard surfaced Trail
the asphalt Trail at Schneider Park
between essentially the trail and Bexley
Village Apartments there's about 80 feet
of city-owned property uh in depth and
then 150 feet in length I think
um and so Mike price is working with
some some planners to see if that is a
potential reality
um the dog park construction is coming
along nicely Grant has been hard at work
at that so kudos to you and your staff
uh the trail itself between the dog park
and Main Street
is progressing if you were to walk south
of the trailhead on Main Street you
would see the retaining walls are
starting to be put in that we've been
waiting on uh we have some additional
gravel going in and there's a
there's a uh a wonderfully
big-hearted Bridge made by an eagle
scout a little bit south of that that
didn't quite tie in properly with the
trail and we're reworking that section
so the bridge has been removed we're
putting it was a storm outflow from a
Capital University apartment we're
putting it underground and we're putting
we're storing it to a natural condition
so that section of the trail will no
longer have that uh essentially man-made
Culvert it'll now be it'll feel like the
rest of the trail so that that project
is underway right now you might see some
gravel out in the parking lot that's
associated with that and the rear chain
wall
um
there Havenwood Park installation the
hardscapes then so check that out if you
haven't looks great landscape will be
finished by the spring
um Jeffrey we're looking at natural
playground uh installations still
working on that Splash Pad at Schneider
we signed the contract that construction
is moving forward hopefully opening by
the heat of the summer hopefully I don't
want to promise Memorial Day it's
massive no just thank goodness it's not
massive it fits um within the green
space that is between
the fairy garden and the shelter Phoenix
shelter the shelter house 25 20. that's
a little a little bigger than that okay
it's the same manufacturer that
manufactured the playground is has the
splash pad equipment so it'll all match
coordinate a little bit it's a push
button based so it's not something
that's gonna be on all the time it's
going to be on demand
um
1876 Plaza we finally have the survey on
that we're working with easement with
capital
uh there's this little outdoor reading
room that we're talking about next to
the library uh which is really the best
clan I've ever seen and I can't wait to
see it approved through the tree and
public gardens commission uh are you
lobbying it's funny that is directly
inconsistent with the rules I'm sorry
um I have a yeah such a good point uh I
am uh part of the planning team for that
so I'll step aside whenever you guys are
discussing it I won't interject on
sidewalks or anything for that oh we
like your interjections
um I feel like there are other things
I'm forgetting to talk about the pond is
going to bid the pond the bid opened up
um yesterday so the bid is or started
yesterday we haven't opened the bids
they will be due um in three weeks and
um and so hopefully the the intent is
that um we can try to get that started
in late March early April it is probably
a three to four month process and then
after that we will come in with the
landscape and the Follies which is the
restroom and equipment housing Gateway
feature on the south side of Columbia or
South side of the park at Columbia is
going to bid hopefully in within a week
so we're waiting for the final MEP
drawings from the architect that should
be in this Friday and then we're hoping
that we can then put that out
um to bid next week
anything else that we forgot I'm sure
there is any questions on the other
parts
okay they are exciting it is super
exciting
um air it's also a lot
it starts out this whole year the
products idea thanks Susan yeah you're
welcome
guidelines at city council uh although
Susan reminds me it was supposed to be a
year of the trees that I totally
co-opted it and and yeah you made it
better erupted it with Parks
Architectural Review guidelines at city
council did pass so the design
guidelines are adopted and
um I know there's been some talk about
incorporating additional guidelines for
landscaping which is always an option
and we could talk about what that
process might look like
inspector consultant I was working with
Kathy yesterday on drafting the contract
slash sort of modus operandi for that
position
um we are uh Mark schieber has expressed
interest in doing that and I think that
we're planning on working with him as
our initial uh
landscape inspector so the inspection
would occur during different periods of
the installation and then
um
uh also some follow-up you know as the
years go by at least the one year later
follow up and then also some just
consistency I know that's been a long
thought role uh to have some consistent
uh revisit of plans that have been
approved we also probably need some
legislative action from city council to
make it clear that these plans once
adopted exist into perpetuity that you
know that the expectation is the
landscape material remains so that's
something we should probably talk about
um put on our legislative goals for the
year
along with 30 other literally 30 other
legislative goals here uh which one of
them is ordinance
um it is on the list for this year's
legislative goals
uh
mayor's goals for 23 I do have a list of
that did I not provide that to you you
did the last time but then you said
you're adding to it so I was wondering
if we're on page two or three it's uh
nothing nothing radical I mean there's
there have been some some tweaks
um however kind of inconsistent with
that our strategic Plan update our
current city strategic plan like we have
our umbrella strategic plan which was
last adopted in 2013. it was updated in
2020 with the Dei component but other
than that it's been updated de facto
with the joint Livingston Avenue plan
with Commonwealth with the updated
self-respective master plan and some of
those other strategies but the full
comprehensive relook is uh was delayed
by the pandemic a lot of our
workshopping had happened I think in
late 2018
uh we're working on a 2019 and then it
you know it just got totally derailed uh
during the pandemic so that is back on
the radar hoping to have a finished
draft by the end of this month
um it is substantially completed this at
this time and then we'll be going back
for more public workshopping so we'll
make sure that you guys are socialized
with what that looks like because it was
such a protracted process between a lot
of our initial engagement and where we
are today we're going to have a lot more
feedback as part of that first draft and
hope to have more ideas come out of that
so it's it's not going to be like a
here's the draft it's done and then a
final draft will be presented to council
we hope to have that passed by the
summer
um so some of the goals that I have for
this year are Incorporated in the
Strategic plan
um and there are other and it's but it's
more of a three to five year Horizon
North Cassidy updates have we talked
about North Cassidy enough is there uh
Columbus uh we we got word that the
engineering
firm has changed maybe on that is that
right I I think I think that Larry
indicated that Kevin Thomas who is the
project manager may be off that I tried
to Google that last night and I couldn't
couldn't figure it out so I have a
meeting coming up with whoever the new
person is okay great I know that so
that's the one update I have on that and
other I have no other updates but I'm
happy to answer any questions well we
just have a couple because we know that
you're gonna have to have to run but
um of course we're sorry to see Sam
Metcalf yeah and uh we're especially
sorry because you know Molly had spent a
lot of time working on the Arboretum
website updates and chill on the
landmark trees and so we've just kind of
wondering if there's any plan for moving
forward with the replacement or
intermediate uh Band-Aids so the
intermediate Band-Aids uh was you know
this were a week into knowing about this
which is like by the way Sam you know
has given so much to the city it's been
great to see him develop in his career
and I'm super excited that
it's all good right yes it is a success
story it was like
very Bittersweet when he uh when he let
me know about it so um
I think for the we're going to take a
pause
um we have a couple different things
going on in terms of like we're looking
at more of an HR function that's going
to be occurring in the city
um that in turn will alleviate some of
the obligations of some other staff
we have some Talent that's at City Hall
that that intersects with Communications
and design and so I think we're thinking
about do we try this a little bit as a
decentralized role not just one person
but a kind of a team so we're looking at
that and we're going to see how that
goes for a little bit before we
determine whether or not to replace Sam
with another position is my current take
on it right and that is an evolving
thought process I will be bringing a
more throaty sort of
concept to council for them just to be
aware of what we're thinking at our
Tuesday meeting okay
um do you do you feel knowing that so
much of the Arboretum and Arbor Day work
that we're doing is coming into fruition
in six weeks that it would be good if we
looked for an alternate person to help
us so I don't know that yet I know you
sent me a list of priorities I get yes I
missed the Super Bowl so I could do that
thank you so much so I need to I need to
take a deep dive on that and then get
back to you about that okay um and I'll
aim to do that before the end of the
week okay thank you I'm sorry you missed
the Super Bowl are you fourth quarter
was really worse so I hope you got that
but you know I read a great book so
that's good um
the only other thing that I wanted to
suggest to you is that
um at our planning agenda meeting last
Friday we talked about a role for the
tree Commission on the laundry strategy
committee and think that would be
appropriate if you felt so as well yeah
so land use strategy uh is being updated
where we've asked for uh community
volunteers and participation in it
um the 2011 Landing strategy is bound
and in the conference room if you want
to read it and take a look at it or it's
on our website it's it's of our of our
sub strategies I think it's personally
one of the ones I'm most passionate
about I think is incredibly formative
for our community it's an open box for
how we look at land use in the city
which really if you get to the bottom of
it really speaks to a lot of what we do
um and our aspirations for the future
and our vision for the future
uh I would love to have board
participation from the review Boards of
the city so if there's a member of the
street commission who uh is passionate
about planning and about the landing
strategy and people would like to be
involved then I would heartily uh uh
encourage that okay well we'll put we'll
put that request out on eBay and see
what we get back I promise it will
literally be the most fun planning
process that we have in the city so not
to oversell it yeah Mr Wilson
um and I reluctant to say this given
everything that you've reported is going
on but given the news about the Trinity
Apartments
um I know that time to time we've talked
about updating the Main Street
guidelines and I wonder whether having
them updated before a plan were
presented for that property would give
the city more control over what is
placed there
so uh and I think maybe Susan you raised
this question with me and I think the
challenge is that an applicant is vested
in the zoning at the time of their
application so that includes what is
what are the main street design
guidelines as of the time of application
in order to change the mainstream design
guidelines get them adopted by Council
and then 30-day wait to go into effect
before an application is filed that that
would that would mean they'd have to
have been ready last month probably
having said that that doesn't mean we
can't
change or work on that process and let
that at least inform our boards that
there's a working document to happen
with the ARB design guidelines this is a
working document it's something to think
about and it's helpful and especially if
there's something that you know of in
the mainstream design guidelines that
like really is the red flag I think one
of the advantages of the mainstream
design guidelines is it's a little bit
like a Rorschach test like what do you
want it to say right so if you wanted to
say that the building should be built
directly to the lot line
uh that is true it does say that but it
also says there should be space for
public amenities and so that we can we
do have some um you know staff has the
ability to assist the developer as
that's being interpreted and um it's
more flexible I think than maybe that
might actually be a bad thing but it has
some flexibility of interpretation so
long story short yes we can start down
that path I don't
uh I don't know how expedited it can
become and I certainly don't think it'll
be able to be in effect before it to
have the efficacy of zoning by the time
that it's applied for
I you know who knows yeah what
whoever buys the property will want to
do and how long it's going to take them
to get financing so it seems to me worth
I mean I know that there's a lot on the
city's plate but it does seem like
something worth moving forward
right I would say more than noted that's
a good point I also say that um we were
talking about the Center Council Retreat
this morning
any project there is going to require
pretty intense participation from the
city because they are going to want
access to that traffic light and we knew
that going into buying Bexley square and
and having site control long term as
opposed to turn it over back to the
development community
so we do have some levers
as a partner that we wouldn't
necessarily have as just a disinterest
entity so that's something else to
consider that if there's some if there's
some concerns with the development
proposal site planning Landscaping that
there's a little there's going to be
more participation I think
thank you yeah
so for the mayor or any questions for
the mayor because
if you have any other questions Ben
Heckman can answer them yeah
we
we're the best so we we do that it's
good so
um I think that's it mayor except I
should I should just warn you or just to
say that this is a potentially a a happy
circumstances at the agenda planning
meeting we talked about a three-year
plan to fill all the trees infill all
the trees and Baxley and all the
available spots
right so just so you know all right okay
all right
let's do it all right yeah let's do it
how does Grant feel about that
yeah
five years no three years
three years is great okay all right
mayor thank you so much for your and
thank you for your computer
yeah
okay
so um we're gonna move on to a review of
the landscape for the Bexley Public
Library the reading Garden
um someone once told me director Heckman
if you want to have something approved
put it at the end of the agenda because
people are so anxious to leave and get
home that you know they start to become
less involved so maybe it's a great
opportunity
but Mr Wilson needs to recuse himself I
understand so I don't even get to read
the rules right no but we I think we
only need to rules read the rules once
for me
my favorite part of the evening because
we're reading the rules yes yes so um
I think you should yes so as as you may
know Jim is on the library board and I
think he also chairs the
I chair the the building and ground
committee yes yes
so so he would be in direct conflict so
we've asked him to recuse himself so we
still have a notice we still have a
quorum with Mrs Williams Mrs subnet Mrs
Robin myself
so Eleanor would you like to move
forward and and
bring up the application and we'll kiss
chugging along yes okay so bear with me
we all know my technical abilities when
it comes to these things so
um we are talking this evening about
um the outdoor reading room
um and the Bexley public library and
congregation uh tour at a met so it's
important to know that this project
really is a joint project between the
city of Bexley the Bexley public library
and Toyota met and so we have been
working with all three of the entities
have been together in terms of trying to
figure out what can we do with the Dead
Space that has been here for years
between the library and the synagogue as
well as what can we do to improve
um the entrance to the library it is run
down it's a little bit dated it is not
100 accessible and the Bexley Public
Library will be 100 years next year and
so this is you know not only is this a
great opportunity for the year of the
parks it is a great opportunity to
really celebrate the library and try to
provide an amenity for the community
that not only helps the library but just
helps people you know kind of walking by
as well as helping the congregation
so um I am you know bear bear with me if
I can you know kind of open all of these
up and not I never know where I'm going
to find them
um existing photos
um so in terms of and then then are you
okay with me kind of going through this
okay okay
so
um this is just some existing photos
um this is the space that is in between
um the the library and the congregation
there are some drainage issues here
there's some grading issues here that
this project has an opportunity to um
correct there are also issues with some
you know kind of security and and people
being back here after hours that you
know this really has an opportunity to
solve some problems that have been going
on with here and also create a very
inviting space this is the driveway that
really anyone in the community can park
um but no one really does I think maybe
one or two people know that they can
park there but really it's just you know
it's a driveway to nowhere so you know
what what can we do to actually kind of
enliven this space a little bit more
looking at
um the majority of the landscape that is
currently around in front of the Bexley
Public Library is is probably at the end
of its useful life it's aged it's
overgrown you can't really see a lot of
um the fencing material the taxes have
kind of grown through the fences the
walls are in disarray
and just kind of continue moving through
not that all of you don't know the the
library just as a note these four
columns are actually original to the
center portion of the building and so
that was important for us to keep when
we were looking at the overall design
but then there are also some small
little interventions like this for you
know bike parking that really take away
from the internal Plaza to the library
and can we look at strategic ways to put
them in different areas the front entry
into the library is not necessarily very
welcoming it has a little bit of a pinch
Point here coming up and so that was
something that was brought up as can we
address basically kind of accessibility
from the sidewalk coming into the
library
as well as some pinch points with the
ramp going up
um the plaza kind of I'll call this the
plaza area here
um it has undulated over time just with
you know kind of the construction of the
the pavers and so it's a little bit
uneven
um again I I don't really see a lot of
people sitting here and using the space
occasionally and so that's really
something the library really wants to
activate it and be a community resource
for if you're going to Starbucks and you
get a cup of coffee and there's you know
all the tables and chairs are taken you
can come across the street to the
library and use that again just further
things you can see the size of some of
these taxes are just you know it's a
little bit of the wrong plant for the
wrong space
entrance into the auditorium
looking back
so we've got that so just to kind of
remind everyone what that is then let's
go back to the plan I know I'm opening
this up like 8 000 times
so
this is really then the focus of the
area that we're looking at this is an
existing site plan
um that kind of shows the the paths
coming in the parking lot is over here
then there's the entrance into the
library or you continue down the
sidewalk come up a couple of steps to
the front entry you also have this
little entry coming in through here and
then you have the driveway and the
asphalt area here for the side of the
library and then this is the lawn area
so in looking at The Hardscape this is
then the revision Hardscape I'm not
going to go into too much detail knowing
that um looking at time but to call out
a couple of highlights one we really
wanted to start to create this idea of
these outdoor rooms that the community
can actually sit in and use as well as
try to make this as welcoming to the
community as possible one of the the
main things that we're doing is through
the center area here where there used to
be three steps up we're actually
removing those steps and we're lowering
the entire Plaza that you see here
basically to the sidewalk level so we're
bringing it down about 18 inches so that
you're not going to have you know it's
basically you can just walk in straight
off of the street we're also looking to
then open up in between both of these
columns So currently these columns have
a fence or the gate or the grading and
then the steps and then the grading
we're going to remove those and try to
find some way to nicely either reuse
them in the project or display them in
the library but basically have a much
more wider welcoming air area coming
into the front Library we would also be
widening the entrance into the
auditorium coming in through here adding
some bike racks along this location then
the bike racks that were located here
were turning them on their side here
this is where that driveway used to be
side here for the bike racks and then an
entry then into then what we're calling
the outdoor reading room
the ramp is going to be reconfigured
because
um since we're lowering the elevation of
the plaza we need to have a longer run
of ramp in order for it to be accessible
so we now have a U-shaped ramp rather
than a straight Switchback so we have a
ramp that comes up to a landing at ramps
and it comes around and then now
actually the entrance to the library
this Landing which you know just to kind
of say the landing right now is only the
width of the door right so you come up
the steps and you go right to the door
and then the ramp ends right at the same
time and if you're ever there with
strollers it's like a game of like okay
how are we opening the door how are we
getting the strollers so the intent is
to actually completely rework this and
have a much wider entrance of a landing
that goes the entire width of that front
entry Portico with steps that come down
and Planters on either side so we can
still have some Greenery within that
space the outdoor reading rooms that we
have here we have a spot here and we
have a spot here this is the area that
we would like to relocate the sculpture
it's important for us to keep the
sculpture so it would be in this
location
then back around this side with the
synagogue they still wanted to have a
connection so we have a small sidewalk
connection into their entry the main
entry is a little bit further down Main
Street but they still are interested in
having a slight kind of a modest
connection to their Portico here so we
have some steppers off of the side then
creating a larger Gathering space here
with a raised tree well with a tree in
this location the thought is that we
could also have a water feature as well
and then creating almost a performance
stage back by that back entry and then
some wider steps coming down where there
can be reading time to go outside or you
know if there's a small band that
there's some kind of you know Library
event that you want to come out there so
it's important to have that and that
actually helps us with the the grade
change as well so this would be at the
existing grade that's there at the
library and then everything is going to
be lowered down
for the rear here that you see the
synagogue has requested that we include
um a nice black metal gate that will
actually close off their rear parking
lot and so we're working through there's
an access point here and some steppers
through a bed this is an existing
drainage gate
um we're working through still a couple
of those details there but so the the
thought is that people in a synagogue
could come out and use this space but in
general the public can't come back here
and then come back into the back parking
lot where the um where the synagogue is
landscape plan we have a variety of
trees and shrubs and perennials one of
the perennials I I know that you guys
are not going to like so we can make
make sure just based on our last meeting
that we just had
um so
I don't know maybe it was daylilies um
so one of the things to note here is
with with moving the bike rack over into
this location we actually can add in a
new Street tree a London plain that had
to be removed when we put those trees
back in so we can actually put in a new
tree here that is actually going to be
symmetrical over and I know I'm Dorking
out but with the center line of the
library here that we can actually flank
it on either side we are looking at
um some modest screening for um this
back here we want to make sure that we
have security and still have some
visibility so we're looking at upright
horn beams here with boxwoods along the
base and some perennials in this lower
location a a new tree here one of the
trees here that we're looking at is a
river bark Elm that would be in this
location in this location there is a
there has been some talk about
um needing to relocate an existing pear
tree that they planted
um and so this might change to a pear
tree or not so that's still a final
discussion we need to look at these
would be service berries the dashed
lines that you see up above are the cafe
lights that we have at like the um
kindest Park
so we have some lighting there these are
Red Buds with just a ground cover base
so we can have some because the the
dogwoods that are there now that are
really beautiful we want to make sure
that we still have that feeling of trees
that are flowering we have
um the uh red
um leafed Red Buds in this location and
then these are upright Regal Prince Oaks
which are a very tight columnar Oak that
has a leaf that's actually very similar
to the um the Bexley logo with a row of
evergreen trees here the bed along the
street we are looking to actually
rebuild this wall entirely so with that
stone wall ideally all of these that you
see here with these walls on the inside
are going to be seat walls with a
limestone capping and we're going to
have the same stone that matches the
library
um the brick that is used now is it
really doesn't have any context right so
there's a brick wall That's existing and
then the brick pavers don't really
relate to anything and so we want to use
the same stone veneer that's on the
library which has been basically just an
Indiana limestone
and then have a limestone coping and we
are looking at right now
um what we would have for the budget to
actually replicate that along the street
as well and then if not we'll probably
stay with the kind of the stacked stone
that they have but that's going to have
to be rebuilt and so that's something
that during the design phase or the
construction document phase that we're
going to be looking at a little more
clearly in order
successful no we would want to mortar
that if yeah in this direction yeah
um the in order to have um a decent
enough space here that is not shown we
are looking at Cafe tables bistro tables
Adirondack chairs a variety of different
you know kind of spaces for people to
sit
um and then a kind of a nice walkway
along and through here the beds are a
little more narrow and so um we're
looking at having a variety of
Evergreens where we would have a row of
boxwoods and then hydrangeas and then a
row of boxwoods so we still have that
kind of feeling of an evergreen but it's
interspersed with you know hydrangeas
and some flowering plants so that has a
rhythm that kind of goes down along the
area in through here
now um we don't have enough space one of
the the concerns that and criticisms
that I have of the current landscape is
that the plants just outgrew the space
and so I want to make sure that the beds
that we have and the size of the plants
materials once they get mature they're
okay we don't at some point have to come
back and be like you know this this you
know this taxes has gotten you know 80
feet tall and it is you know way too
wide so we're looking at a combination
of then the hydrangeas in the boxwoods
um Lenten rose to have a little bit of
kind of colors um Evergreen colors
underneath hydrangeas
um in the corner in upright Evergreen in
this location some hostas and then I do
have some perennials
um and the perennials we're trying to
keep all the perennials in some grasses
we're trying to keep things low
maintenance but also have a variety of
um things coming in and out of season
and I had chosen the happy returns
daylilies here they bloom continuously
they you know kind of go through the
season
I'm open for discussion
um so but the reason the reason for that
was um something that we can kind of
have it kind of continuously you know
kind of blooming during throughout the
summer and um once the bud falls out
then you know a new one kind of comes in
um and so but we can we can certainly
talk about that
um and then back along this side over
and through here we have um some little
bunny grasses which are soft and nice
for the kids the reason there's a blank
space here this is an air intake well
for the air conditioning system and so I
don't necessarily want to block it too
much but we're also looking at having
potentially like a nice water feature
there so we can have a little bit of
noise of water
um and so that would be something that
would be picked out a little bit later
within the season the lightning plan is
something that we are still working on
so it will be lit
um and but it's not going to be lit in
the same way that it's currently lit
which is basically just the entire front
of the building is a floodlight so we're
looking at lighting for under wall
lighting here up lights in some certain
areas of the buildings up light on some
of the trees and have a little bit more
of a dramatic effect rather than just
you know kind of a full white wash and
so that is going to be part of the
design process and then here are the
trees and some of the plant material
that we can go through
um so with that I know it's a lengthy
expression I would love to have Ben
Heckman who's the director of the
library come up and if he has any any
additional comments about kind of the
process and what we've done so far
and then yeah I would just say Eleanor
has been tremendous to work with uh
working with the synagogue and you know
the city has been really great there's a
lot of similar thoughts to see this
project get over the Finish Line
um we had had some conversations about
trash cans on the plan so uh Ellen I
actually spoke about that
um I had my maintenance guy take a look
at this to try to figure out what that's
going to look like so that we can make
sure that it's properly maintained as we
go through the process
um
and so yeah I'm very excited about this
project you did such a thorough job I
just leave right now with all of that so
um Dr Hackman I'm assuming that the
library board has endorsed this project
uh strongly uh yes I think the board is
interested to find out what this is
going to cost as I think all parties are
uh very interested in knowing that but I
think that not just the library board
but the synagogue executive team feels
very good about what this is going to
look like and we're having conversations
about moving the pear tree and having
them there be meaningful parts of this
park to represent
um I think Rabbi Zach said it best
people of the book and people who work
with books I think we were you know
talking about trying to find quotes or
do some other things that we can do down
the road to really have this be a
special place
and the synagogue is also endorses
correct
so let's should we take some comments on
the plans I have I have a quick comment
because I'm gonna have to leave quickly
but I I strongly think you should
reconsider the service very okay over
paved areas
um it interests a maintenance nightmare
I've been in projects where uh the
berries stain everything and it's just a
mess so ditto I I love service very soon
no and and birds come and squirrel sit
on them and break branches
so so that's the one thing I'm sure
there's another I love service berries
but not over adios okay that's my
comment
uh other comments on the plant material
there has I think he received some
comments from some commission members so
they're oh did I
um the I know that there was some
comment about
um the River Birch and that the River
Birch um weather so the river birch when
you look it up it talks about it's the
tree of knowledge and so it actually you
know so it does have some you know
interesting meaning to it the the
comments that we've actually received
from a number of people with the River
Birch is
um that they might be too messy of a
tree so the concern is that do they grow
too quickly are they not strong enough
they do tend to have a lot of litter
with small twigs and and so that that
was a comment you know so for me I'm
like oh they're so beautiful in you know
with their bark and I really love them
um but is it going to be a potential
maintenance Nightmare and is there a
different tree that could be you know
kind of considered
um and so I think that uh at this point
um one of the reasons why we wanted to
come to the the tree commission now and
we said the same thing to both um the
synagogue as well as the Mexico library
is we do want to come forward and start
with construction documents and some of
these things that were kind of tweaking
out some of the details most likely
we'll probably come back for an update
um just so let you know if things if
there have been any kind of major
changes in plant material and so
um and everyone has kind of understood
that that there might be one we do this
and we actually get a budget that you
know some of the stone material might
kind of change and in all of that so
it's almost like it's a conditional
approval just so that you know we can
move forward with you know hiring the
architect and the MEPS to kind of go
forward to you know make this a little
more realistic so I had received some
comments and my assumption was that you
had two but who who knows
there were comments about the River
Birch feeling it wasn't the right tree
um also some comments uh then that
because we're an arboretum I don't think
we have any new species there unless
that columnar focus is a new species I
don't think we have a Regal Prince Oak
do we
like that
so so and and so so these are these are
comments that I've heard and again since
uh it might be a conditional approval we
could suggest and that um one of our
commission members suggested that it be
not only reading Garden but a learning
garden and that in uh the library in
Dayton they have QRS codes on their
plant material so the kids could scan
those and find out that that the
formerly suggested River Birch is the
tree of knowledge and it's been replaced
it is now something else
and then you know there were some
against some thoughts about the fact
that the plant material the host and the
daily release and you know were maybe
too predictable that's something we've
used throughout and maybe this this
deserves a second look at something a
little
bit I don't want to say more creative
exotic or you know but we know all those
adjectives have to be grounded in Hardy
and maintenance so uh I think Elena as
you have a chance tonight to look or
tomorrow or Friday look through your
emails you may find some suggestions
about plant material that would be my
apologies no that would be different so
those are just a couple things to
consider
yeah no I would say the biggest surprise
I had of this whole project is the
knowledge that my board had about
landscaping and the plants and trees
they didn't think and then hearing you
guys know this stuff it's like this
knowledge right under the surface that I
don't know anything about so I'm
grateful for all of your input well you
know about books though right I know
about books I could tell you where to
get books about trees that are no good
for pavement but I can't put all that
together but even even some of my board
members came in with questions about
landscape and I'm like it's a green tree
I'm grateful for the knowledge the
collaborative effort well we have a lot
of passion under knowledge to read by
its bark 100 yeah
um you know a couple other things I
think maybe are just takeaways from our
last meeting you know trash receptacles
and you've talked about the fact that
uplighting I could talk about coils
underneath the surface so you don't have
to you know put the snow
I thought well I think that we're all
kind of on that same path especially as
it relates to maybe the stairs and the
ramp to the building
you know for us that cost versus being
out there and having it be dry year
round I think was something that we were
exploring and I like I think like Elena
said you're gonna see what the total
cost is and if you got to move some
pieces we might move some pieces but yes
I think it's great that these are all
coming from some different places on the
same page and signage too I know that
sometimes with additions you know it's a
different look than what was there
before but I would suggest that you're a
signage like in the parking lot doesn't
match a signage in front of the building
and it might be a time to make that
coherent we are Ben has said that he
loves the current sign and so it's
imperative that we reuse it and just
repurpose it the brown and the brown and
white one can be lit up at one point yes
so one of the things just to note is um
so the existing sign approximately is in
this location right one of the things
that we're looking at is
um in this area here where we have kind
of a new tree that we could have some
kind of very nice
Stone more of like a monument sign that
comes up that has Bexley Public Library
engraved in it that is maybe a little
more Regal than you know just kind of a
plastic metal sign
um and then actually saw cutting a bed
in front of here that we could then
uplight it and then we were just meeting
with a lighting consultant and talking
about you know there is Bexley public
library in letters up above the door and
are there different ways that we could
highlight that in some way
um and so yeah so we are definitely
looking at you know having to try to
have a signage that that fits with the
kind of the architectural design of the
building and isn't just kind of like you
know dropped in from outer space right
and I would I would suggest that maybe
um some tending of the signs in the beds
in the parking lot around there I call
them you know the galvanized metal you
know kind of like prison signs you're
right we have some different colors
there's some different things then we've
taped over some
good eye
and then my only other thought again is
thinking back to the 420 North Cassidy
is the furniture
perhaps you know perhaps the design the
design of both Furniture could be your
word Regal and
in my opinion Adirondack chairs are not
Regal and once you get in them you can't
get out so I you know I know they're
occurred bad but I would suggest
something smaller enough of the style of
the library would be a terrific addition
so of a of of a nature of sorts for site
Furnishings
um the the mayor and I just met this
week with a site for nursing consultant
who actually helped us with the ffne for
City Hall and to try to look at
um a site Furnishing package that we
could use at all of our installations
with the parks So currently right now we
have the teak benches
um that are used you know kind of
throughout Commonwealth and all of that
but we are interested in having you know
smaller bistro tables and chairs that
you know you can sit in and if we have a
handful of Adirondack chairs so it'll
only be a couple of them that we have a
variety of different types of seating
and that we would like to be able to use
them throughout the city right and so
the thought is that what we're looking
at holistically for the city we could do
the same thing here and that's certainly
something that we can kind of share with
you guys as it's and it's just I mean
it's just now we literally had the
meeting this week okay good uh my only
comment on that is uh Bryant Park in New
York City has really great Cafe tables
and chairs that are green and and Regal
looking and sturdy enough for my size
and very flexible so that's where I hope
we move together as far as City goes how
about Paley Park have you been there the
little pocket park with the waterfall in
the back that has the lower Cafe tables
I mean they you know the tables like
that they welcome you but they don't say
stay the entire day right
other comments Linda Sheila I love the
plan of bringing it down to sidewalk
level yes yeah
because it is tired out there now Sheila
it'll be very welcoming from the street
and it Embraces I think the quality of
that building
it's pretty exciting it was the last I
think it's opening and gives a great
fresh feeling to something that's been
overgrown
so um knowing that there will be
conditions on this I am thoughtful about
calling out those conditions and emotion
and how that might be done so that you
know we're clear that that the library
board Helena synagogue have the approval
to go ahead but that we have
expectations that there will be a return
visit or two
so
whoever would like to make that motion
to perhaps suggest or call out those
conditions I think would be helpful
yeah give it a shot I'm looking at my
notes and I'm trying to find where all
my conditions are
um well I I move that we approve this
plan with conditions of
uh do we get into The Hardscape with
this too no no I I I well one of the
ways that we could do it would be that
changes in the plan would come back to
us for approval yes right and that could
include Hardscape and or plant material
all right you know with it's a little
bit you know it's a little bit of a
challenge because Ellen is both the
designer and the staff consultant so
she's challenging herself yeah so and
you all know where to find me that's
right but I do think you know that
revisions from this are updates to it
for instance let's say some of the
Hardscape needs to be changed because
it's construction documents or that
um she finds some value in the comments
we made about plant material or
additions of signage QRS codes
receptacles all those so okay so I'll
give it a try give it a try I've never
been an actress I don't remember lines
but whatever you said sounded great
um so I I
um propose that we accept the design
based on any changes that need to be
identified and changed between Hardscape
sawscape electricity
uh water features
um pardon me material plant material
definitely plant material and any
changes with with major uh walkways and
elevations
is there a second to that second
okay is there any discussion on the
motion
that I'll take a vote on a celeste's
motion of approving the uh Bexley Public
Library updated landscape and
installation plan based on the
conditions so-called without an emotion
and ask for all those who approved to
say aye
aye any opposed
any abstentions motion approves
congratulations Mr welcome back welcome
back
so we are at six o'clock
and I know Linda that you have
that you need to run yeah
um
uh Linda has some some things that she
needs to tend to at home and it feels
like this is a good time to stop
um unless someone feels that they have
something that we need to talk about
right now Grant
okay you're okay with asplund you don't
need any help any backup for the AP
e
okay and Jim are you okay waiting
everything I have can wait until next
month okay or we can communicate by
email in between and I should say Sheila
is going to do start her Adventure our
Benchmark her Landmark tree tours on
Saturday looking for plans and Celeste
has the trunks delivered to her house to
start her sawing for the next
installation of the ferry Village yes
yeah Lori Ann yes do you have anything
to ask no thank you thank you I just
wanted to say if you really like the
library plan donations are accepted
you'll have a full plan so yeah yeah
that's right that's right there's gonna
there's so many ways to give right yeah
there's so many ways to get for for
grateful the way that people give of
their time in the community so we are
adjourned until March thank you for
coming
thank you