HomeMy WebLinkAboutA008 - Letter dated April 23, 1985 requesting waiver of tree requirement o D
COMPLETE BUILDING AND REAL ESTATE SERVICES• SIXTH AND DUFF AVE.• P.O. BOX 725 • AMES, IOWA 50010 • 515/232-6175
April 23, 1985 ;along
IF A7P
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
City of Ames, Iowa
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Re: Request to waive the tree requirement for the par aree
streets in the P.U.D. Change requested for Spring Valley Subdivision.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We hope that you fully understand our request that this is absolutely not a
suggestion that we are against planting trees. No, we simply feel that the
ordinance as it is presently stated on the books needs to be changed to offer
the best options for planning and working good principals of Landscape
Architecture for the owners.
In Spring Valley we are asking for the change from a combined single family,
townhouse, and apartment planned unit development to a 100% single family area
with only a very few zero lot line sites. In doing so, we and those single
family owners already living there, believe that their property values will be
enhanced by the elimination of the apartments and townhouses. The following
is a list of problems resulting from the tree planting requirements:
A. No one knows where the driveways would be for homes yet to be built,
so we could be in trouble by planting trees in the wrong place.
B. Most city engineers would agree that trees should not be planted in
the parking where public utilities are located. I think even a few
years ago it was suggested that all trees be planted on the Owner's
lot away from such utilities.
C. A developer must provide a bond for the planting of these trees. This
causes extra expense for the developer which raises the price of the
lot for the home owner. Council has indicated that they want to help
reduce develepment costs--not raise them.
D. We believe most all home buyers wish to employ their own landscape
architects to inhance their homes with proper landscape design. Many
buyers do not want trees in the parking.
E. The developer would have a tough time in watering the trees planted in
the parking because there wouldn't be any hose connections. We would
have to use some kind of a watering truck or something.
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April 23, 1985
F. If we wait until homes are built to plant trees this means we have to
keep the bond in effect. It could be there for five years or more,
thus extra expense for the developer--in the end the lot purchaser.
G. It could be very possible that trees planted before a home was
built could someday be a problem giving it shade when the home needs
sunshine for solar heating.
H. City Maintenance!? Triming for buses, etc.
These are a few reasons why we (Friedrich's) feel that the ordinance should be
re-written to permit the home owner to plant the trees as he and his landscape
architect see fit and so that the trees will be taken care of properly--by the
home owner! We kindly ask that you waive this requirement until such time as
a different ordinance on trees be implemented.
Your consideration will be most appreciated.
Sincerely,
R. FRIEDRICH AND SONS, INC.
By:
Robert K. Friedrich
President
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