Exh 9AAGENDA ITEM #9A
APRIL 9, 2001
MEMORANDUM
T0: Jim, Hanson, City Manager
FROM: George Worley, Community Development Director ~, ~~
DATE: Apri13, 2001
RE: Landscape Code issues
You requested information regarding two construction projects underway and their compliance
with the landscape code. Neither project triggered the landscape code requirements. As you
know the trigger level is 50% of the value of the current improvements on the site. The land
value is not included in this determination.
The renovation at 403 Atlantic Boulevard does not require compliance with the landscape code
because the work is primazily cosmetic and is valued at $28,000. The existing improvements are
valued at $256,000. However, some voluntary landscaping is proposed by the owner to improve
the site appearance.
The addition at 535 Atlantic Boulevazd also does not require landscaping. The addition is valued
at $280,000 and the existing at $850,000. The owner of this site has voluntarily decided to revise
the site landscaping as part of the project. He has hired an engineering fum to revise the
landscaping for both the front and back WA's. They have been provided with both a copy of the
landscape code and encouragement to comply with it if possible.
During the Zoning. Code revision process it may be appropriate for the City Commission to
consider the effectiveness of the landscape codes current 50% improvement trigger level. With
the revision of the codes underway and the identified strategic focus on Mayport Road, it is
possible to force more uniform compliance with the landscaping regulations along Mayport Road
by reducing the trigger level. Depending upon the level chosen, this could significantly broaden
the applicability of the regulations by including much smaller addition or remodel projects. The
50% level was originally chosen only because other codes and sections use 50% as a compliance
trigger level. There are no statutory limitations controlling such a regulation. For practical
reasons and, perhaps in fairness to small business owners, it may not be appropriate to set the
level too low. Possible options are setting the level to 35% or even 25%. The current code
clearly establishes the method of determining the current improvement value and the method of
determining the costs of construction.