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Landscape Beautification Advisory Board Meeting of October 4, 2007
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APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The Sept. 6, 2007 minutes were approved after striking the statement “Other projects were discussed by the committee, but it was decided to go forward with the one on Old Cutler Rd.” It was felt that the statement gave the impression that the Board approved of the project.
DOWNTOWN STREETSCAPE MASTER PLAN: Dan Keys advised he will work on getting the necessary information together for creation of the desired streetscape map project. Joanna Lombard mentioned that to help visualize these projects, there is a 3D version of Google-Earth that may be downloaded and used as the base. Developers would provide a 3D file of their project to be plugged into the base showing it with the surrounding area. Mr. Keys advised he would investigate these suggestions.
WEBSITE CONTENT: Dan Keys handed out an information sheet on the Ponce de Leon Blvd. project that he will be using for the website content. Joanna Lombard told the board about a presentation she heard by Rick Hall regarding the designing of traffic lanes and medians. Mr. Keys advised that he would locate the articles about Frank Button that were mentioned at an earlier meeting.
GREENING OF THE GABLES: Maricris Longo stated that the 100 block of Giralda Ave. might be a good location to make an impact by implementing the Landscape Master Plan. Dan Keys stated he had brought that location before the Greening of the Gables committee at which time they decided the project was too large. There is now a group of merchants on the street that are working with the BID to do an interim upgrade of the street landscaping.
Board discussion regarding Greening of the Gables projects concluded that a list of five locations should be defined to be recommended to the Greening of the Gables committee. Three locations were brought up. They are, Giralda Ave. between Galiano St. and Ponce de Leon Blvd., Aragon Ave. between Ponce de Leon Blvd. and Salzedo Street, and Salzedo Street from Coral Way Northward to the residential area.
Dan Keys brought forward two proposals of the Coral Gables Community Foundation, Greening of the Gables Committee, to plant Date palms in the Western half of the median of the 300 block of Alhambra Cir. and their proposal for a planting on Old Cutler Rd. at Saldano Street. Discussion was held regarding the 300 block of Alhambra Circle landscape plan. George Blet made a motion stating that “The Landscape Beautification Advisory Board does not advocate permanent or interim plantings of palms or shade trees in the median of the 300 block of Alhambra Circle according to the Perez plan and supports a focused study of how Alhambra Circle can become a pedestrian boulevard.” The motion was adopted unanimously.
Members agreed that the Old Cutler Road landscape project is a beautiful plan, but could think of other areas within Coral Gables that would have more impact on the overall public.
ANNUAL REPORT: The draft Annual Report for the Landscape Beautification Advisory Board was approved unanimously.