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33 <br /> DRAFT EXCERPT <br /> 110 Statler Gilfillen: I'm not sure that it may or may not be covered in the language, but as I'm reading it, it's a little <br /> 111 confusing to me. <br /> 112 <br /> 113 Perdita Holtz: It's about having some bushes and shrubs, not having trees, in that 5-foot area. <br /> 114 <br /> 115 Charity Kirk: How would you change it, Statler? How would you suggest? <br /> 116 <br /> 117 Statler GiIfillen: I'm not sure at this point. That's the problem. I'm just sitting down and discussing. <br /> 118 <br /> 119 Beth Bronson: I mean,there's an exception. <br /> 120 <br /> 121 Statler GiIfillen: With perhaps a better use of the language. I can give you a specific example. At the location that <br /> 122 I'm at, the farmhouse, they planted Burford Hollies in the'40s, and they were planted very close to <br /> 123 the foundation of the porch and along with other plants right there. The amount of pruning and the <br /> 124 root system that goes down to the foundations is a problem around the building. <br /> 125 <br /> 126 Charity Kirk: Would you suggest a minimum distance away from the foundation? <br /> 127 <br /> 128 Adam Beeman The roots are going to chase to the building. That's the problem. <br /> 129 <br /> 130 Charity Kirk: I'm just trying to narrow down what the suggestion is. <br /> 131 <br /> 132 Statler GiIfillen: The issue I am raising is that the way the language is written, it's ambiguous. I'm not sure that 1 <br /> 133 have an exact solution to tell you tonight what that language should be. <br /> 134 <br /> 135 Beth Bronson: Are you specifically referring to a minimum of 5-foot landscape area? <br /> 136 <br /> 137 Statler GiIfillen: No. It could be wider,from my experience. <br /> 138 <br /> 139 Beth Bronson: I'm asking is that the verbiage. <br /> 140 <br /> 141 Statler GiIfillen: It's because it's up against the foundation. <br /> 142 <br /> 143 Adam Beeman: That's the whole problem. And I'm on the page of Statler. I completely don't like anything planted <br /> 144 up against the foundation because when you work on a house, and the place is buried in bushes, <br /> 145 and you're bringing insects and all those other things in,that's a whole different argument, like <br /> 146 completely get rid of it. But I'm not at that argument, but that's what I think Statler's trying to say is <br /> 147 that he's not for planting something up against the building. <br /> 148 <br /> 149 Perdita Holtz: The 5-foot-wide landscape is 5 foot from the building to let's just say the sidewalk for lack of a <br /> 150 better term. Now,you're getting into where a shrub should be planted within that 5 foot space, <br /> 151 because if somebody were to plant it 1 foot from the sidewalk, then it would be 4 feet from the <br /> 152 foundation. <br /> 153 <br /> 154 Statler GiIfillen: The 5 foot is fine, but it should start 2 feet out from the foundation. You should not be putting <br /> 155 plants immediately at the foundation, as this language seems to allow. That's the issue. <br /> 156 <br /> 157 Cy Stober: I suppose it could be interpreted in that very kind of heavy-handed way, but my interpretation and <br /> 158 what the intention is—and if it's unclear,we can clarify that—is that it can be 5 feet away from that <br /> 159 foundation. The intent is to screen it from view from the right of way. So, it can be 50 feet away, <br /> 160 theoretically. That's not going to be very useful, but I think,to your point, if the root zone is going <br /> 161 into the foundation,then the plantings will die, and we will then be able to issue a notice of <br /> 162 violation and require compliance with this landscaping requirement for non-residential structures. <br /> 163 So,we do have recourse should someone inappropriately plant them too close to the building. I <br /> 164 share your concern, but I believe that the intention of myself, at least—I can't speak for all the <br />