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Presentation of the recommendation made by the Landscape Beautification Advisory Board at the October 4, 2007 meeting:
"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."
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At the October 4, 2007 meeting of the Landscape Beautification Advisory Board, a presentation was made of a proposal of the Greening of the Gables committee of the Coral Gables Community Foundation to begin the implementation of the Albert Perez Alhambra Circle landscape plan by planting Date palms in the Western half of the 300 block of Alhambra Circle median. The Board passed the above motion as there was a sentiment that the area should be studied further particularly with the idea of creating a wide pedestrian median for the street.
In 2000, the Public Works Department contracted with Albert Perez for a landscape plan for the 200 and 300 blocks of Alhambra Circle. A plan was produced which called for a Date palm lined median, a wider shade tree lined sidewalk area, angle parking and two lanes of traffic in each direction (reduced from 3). This plan was presented to the then seated Commission and permission to order a special taxing district for the project was approved. The special taxing district initiative failed for lack of participant support. In 2002, the Coral Gables Charrette process took place. This process outlined, as a future initiative, the idea of a wide median for Alhambra Circle to be called the Alhambra Rambla. However, due to the lack of funding for the implementation of any plan, there has been no formal evaluation or subsequent presentation to the Commission or any City board as to the feasibility of this idea.
In light of the recent proposal by the Greening of the Gables Committee, a formal process should now take place as to what the long term development of the Alhambra corridor should be. The Administration intends to begin this process with a presentation to the Landscape Beautification Advisory Board at their November 1, 2007 meeting.
While this thoughtful evaluation takes place, the Administration proposes that the Greening of the Gables Date palm planting be permitted to move forward. This planting need not necessarily be seen as being permanent as the palms could be transplanted and utilized in a different manner should an alternate to the Perez plan be the final result of the study process. The issue of funding for full implementation of any landscape plan still remains a hindrance to development and it is doubtful that funding will be available for comprehensive project in the near future. As such, an interim improvement in the aesthetics of the Alhambra Circle corridor could be brought about by starting to plant palms at this time.