Greenbelt Improvements

(CIP 96-508)

Recommendation:

The Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission recommends:

1. The City Council approve the Greenbelt conceptual design.

Background:

The Greenbelt concept was first introduced to the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission at their April 1997 meeting. The concept included a separate jogging path along the right of way and a more formal look with some turf at the intersections. The Commission expressed concern regarding the formal look, palm trees, intersection hardscape, and tree removal. The consultant made several changes to the concept to the satisfaction of the Commission. At their May meeting the Commission approved the revised concept. Attached for your information is a listing of the issues raised by citizens who attended the Commission meeting (Attachment A).

Analysis:

The objectives for the Greenbelt are to improve safety, increase visibility into the Greenbelt, re-plant eroded areas, enhance aesthetic quality, improve access, and replace the current irrigation system. This is implemented by planting a new generation of trees, some tree pruning, transplanting some of the smaller trees located at the intersections and removal of dead, diseased or dying trees. There are several spots along the Greenbelt where new trees are needed in order to fill in large open spaces, including the area adjacent to Clark Field. To improve visibility and safety, the Acacias should be pruned and inter-planted with trees so that when the Acacias begin to die out the new trees will begin to fill in (Acacias have a low life expectancy). In addition, it is recommend that the existing Oleanders be removed from the area adjacent to the Greenbelt to improve visibility and safety. Along the trail there are several access points which have been created by people walking across the ground cover from adjacent intersections. It is recommended that these points should not be improved, but re-planted or covered with mulch where necessary. The exception to this is at the school where an ADA ramp should be put in place adjacent to the crosswalk. In addition, the existing par course is in poor condition and should be replaced.

The intersection at Pier Avenue is an important intersection and an opportunity to provide an entry statement to the business district. This concept creates a semi-formal pedestrian plaza and visual tie to the new downtown area. This tie is established by utilizing similar plant material, hardscape, and site furnishing. The space here is designed to make the pedestrian feel comfortable and encourage people to use the crosswalks by directing them with plant material, site furnishings, and hardscape.

At the other intersections, the goals are to improve access and safety, create an identity at each intersection, and enhance the existing "natural" feeling and aesthetic quality. This is accomplished by implementing a unique and identifiable planting plan at each intersection which directs pedestrians to the crosswalks by splitting the trail with low growing shrub masses and ground covers. The plant combinations are focused around physical and cultural plant associations of coastal plant communities. For each intersection, a dominant tree defines the canopy, an associated low growing shrub, or ground cover, defines the ground plane, and perennials and accent plants are massed for flower color effect. The plants chosen are selected based on their physical adaptability to the area, cultural identity, and aesthetic characteristics. At Gould Avenue and Thirtieth Street, tree height is a limiting factor due to view obstruction and therefore a maximum mature tree height of twenty-five (25) to forty (40) feet was established. Additionally, at all of the intersections ADA improvements will be made in order to comply with the latest standards.

This concept preserves the existing "natural" character of the Greenbelt, emphasizes "naturalness" and informality, and establishes a sense of place. Heimberger Hirsch & Associates Inc. has taken into consideration the concerns expressed by the Parks, Recreation, and Community Resources Advisory Commission and the community, and made every effort to incorporate those concerns into this concept.

Attachment B is a preliminary plant list which is intended to be a framework from which to select plant combinations. It is not a final list.

HERONDO STREET - Pinus radiata plant association - Monterey Pine

Tree:

Pinus radiata - Monteray Pine

Under story Shrubs and Ground Covers:

Ceanothus griseus var. horizontalis - Carmel Ceanothus

Mahonia repens - Creeping Mahonia

Accents & Perennials:

Eschscholzia californica - California Poppy

Heuchera hybrids - Coral Bells

Iris Douglasiana - Pacific Coast Iris

Sisyrinchium Bellum - California Blue Eyed Grass

Penstemon spectablis - Showy Penstemon

SECOND STREET - Platanus racemosa plant association - Western Sycamore

Tree:

Platanus racemosa - Western sycamore

Under story Shrubs and Ground Covers:

Ceanothus griseus var. horizontalis - Carmel Ceanothus

Mahonia repens - Creeping Mahonia

Accents & Perennials:

Eschscholzia californica - California Poppy

Heuchera hybrids - Coral Bells

Iris Douglasiana - Pacific Coast Iris

Sisyrinchium Bellum - California Blue Eyed Grass

Penstemon spectablis - Showy Penstemon

EIGHTH STREET - Eucalyptus ficifolia plant association - Red Flowering Gum

Tree:

Eucalyptus ficifolia - Red Flowering Gum

Under story Shrubs and Ground Covers:

Lantana montevidensis - Trailing Lantana

Sollya Heterophylla - Australian Bluebell Creeper

Gevillea 'Noellii' - NCN

Accents & Perennials:

Asteriscus sericeus - Asteriseus

Euroyops Pectinatus 'viidis' - Euryops

Dietes vegeta - Fortnight Lilly

Kniphofia uvaria - Red Hot Poker

Hemercallis hybrids - Daylilly

PIER AVENUE - Washingtonia hybrid - Southern California Fan Palm plant association

Tree:

Washingtonia hybrid - Hybrid Fan Palm

Under story Shrubs and Ground Covers:

Bougainvillea sp. - Bougainvillea

Strelitzia reginae - Bird-of-Paradise

Liriope muscari 'Gigantea' - Giant Liriope

Accents & Perennials:

Seasonal color (To Be Specified)

GOULD AVENUE - Schinus molle plant association - California Pepper Tree

Tree:

Schinus molle - California Pepper Tree

Under story Shrubs and Ground Covers:

Lonicera japonica 'Halliana' - Halls Japanese Honey Suckle

Rhaphilepis indica 'Clara' - Indian Hawthorn

Strelitzia reginae - Bird-of-Paradise

Accents & Perennials:

Gaillardia grandiflora - Indian Blanket Blower

Gazania sp. - Gazania

Hemercallis hybrids - Daylilly

Lavandula dentata - French Lavender

THIRTIETH STREET - Metrosideros excelsus plant association -New Zealand Christmas Tree

Tree:

Metrosideros Excelsus - New Zealand Christmas Tree

Under story Shrubs and Ground Covers:

Cistus Salviiflolius - Sageleaf Rockrose

Rosmarinus officianlus 'Collingwood Ingram" - Rosemary

Lavandula dentata - New Zealand Flax

Phorium tenax - New Zealand Flax

Accents & Perennials:

Achillea taygeta 'Moonshine' - Yarrow

Displacus longiflorus - Money Flower