Egret Timeline
Engineering: 1-1/2 months (June 30 - August 14, 2015)
Grant awarded and Lakes of Tempe Artist Selection Panel commissions Lyle London to do the project. Within three weeks, Lyle hires structural engineer Nick McLain to prepare drawings for the permit application.
Tempe Municipal Arts Commission: 2 months (August 17 - October 14, 2015)
Lyle prepares for Tempe Municipal Arts Commission review October 9; meeting postponed to October 14.
Permit Application: 5-1/2 months (October 16, 2015 - March 30, 2016)
Lyle makes eight permit application submissions, including with the help of Civil Engineer Russell Moore. Permit granted March 1.
Additional Requirements - a race to the June 30, 2016 deadline
After issuing the permit, City Planning office informs Lyle he must hire a Class A contractor to lead the project. City Planning Office will not release the permit to Lyle or the civil engineer.
Installation of the Egret Sculpture (January to March 2017)
Engineering - 1-1/2 months (June 30 - August 14, 2015)
June 30, 2015 - Maryanne Corder Neighborhood Grant awarded.
July 2, 2015 - Lakes of Tempe Artist Selection Panel deliberates on which artist to choose (the grant application included two artist's portfolios).
July 18, 2015 - Representatives of the Artist Selection Panel meet with Lyle London at the LCA clubhouse.
July 21, 2015 - Artist Selection Panel asks Lyle to do the project.
July 22, 2015 - Nori notifies Maja Aurora, Shauna Warner, and Greg Kent that the Panel has selected an artist. Shauna tells Nori to prepare to present the project to the Tempe Municipal Arts Commission and simultaneously prepare to apply for the permit. Shauna provides an Addendum (verifying receipt of the grant), which Nori signs and turns in. Lyle begins to look for a structural engineer.
August 2015 - Lyle has sculpture plans ready for engineering analysis.
August 1, 2015 - Lyle tries to contact Julian Dresang, Sr. Civil Engineer, Tempe Public Works, to get guidance on what to include in the application. Unable to reach Julian Dresang, he talks to Gregg Kent again for guidance on the structural analysis and parameters the City needs.
August 14, 2015 - Lyle hires structural engineer Nick McLain to render engineering plans for permit application, $1,000.
Tempe Municipal Arts Commission - 2 months (August 17 - October 14, 2015)
August 17, 2015 - Lyle prepares all paperwork for September 9 Commission meeting.
September 3, 2015 - Maja calls Nori to postpone meeting with the Commission until the next meeting, October 14.
September 8, 2015 - Nori contacts Shauna to ask for more information on how to apply for permits. Shauna instructs Nori to go to the City Hall Planning Office and ask for an assigned Planner to see us through the process.
September 21, 2015 - Shauna sends an email to Nori with instructions for submitting permit applications, reiterating telephone conversation of September 8.
September 21, 2015 - Lyle asks Nick to have stamped drawings of engineering analysis ready before the October 14 meeting.
September 28, 2015 - Lyle, Nori, and two members of the Artist Selection Panel go to the Planning Office and meet Dean Miller. Dean Miller agrees to be the contact for the project.
September 29, 2015 - Dean Miller writes to Nori and questions whether we need to submit an application for a preliminary review first.
October 1, 2105 - Maja instructs us to work with Steve Abrahamson instead of Dean Miller. Steve Abrahamson says we don't need a preliminary site review because we did one during the grant application process (SPR #15067).
Maja confirms the project is on the agenda for the October 14 Commission meeting, and incudes a list of items to prepare for the meeting. One item is a narrative description of the project.
Narrative Description of the Project
Three homeowners associations in The Lakes of Tempe came together to apply for a Maryanne Corder Neighborhood Grant for public art. The purpose of the artwork is to celebrate The Lakes as a community, and Arnold Dahlberg as the founder.
Public artist Lyle London plans to build a sculpture that will capture the essence of The Lakes: a great blue heron taking flight. His piece will stand on the median in front of the Lakes Community Association clubhouse.
A plaque on the sculpture will show Arnold Dahlberg's name, along with the artist's name and name of the piece, and thus guarantee future residents will remember the man who founded The Lakes.
Not only will the artwork create a sense of identity for Lakes residents, but anyone who drives down Lakeshore Drive will see the artwork and recognize The Lakes as a unique community.
October 3, 2015 - Lyle emails all requested items to Maja in time to add to the Commission packet.
October 9, 2015 - Maja sends agenda for Commission meeting.
October 14, 2015 - Lyle and Nori appear before the Commission to present the Egret sculpture.
Permit Application - 4-1/2 months (October 16, 2015 - March 1, 2016)
October 16, 2015 - Maja tells Nori the Commission members were favorably impressed with the project. She encourages us to contact Steve Abrahamson to move forward with the permits. Lyle submits the permit application immediately after the meeting.
Nori writes a letter with the results of the Commission meeting, and sends it to:
Shauna Warner, Maja Aurora, Joy Higgins, and Gregg Kent
LCA President Dave Kemper
LCA Property Manager Christine Baldanza
LCA Architectural Committee Director Stella Calvert
Lakes Founder, Arnold Dahlberg
Lakes Historian, Pam Rector
The Lakes Artist Selection Panel: Linda Artac, Julia & Tommy
McDonnell, Linda Whatley, Janet Horvath, and Morgan Cox
October 20, 2015 - Nori calls Planning to get the name of the person handling the permit application and tracking number. The tracking number is DS #150891. To find out the agent, Nori must leave a message for Steve Abrahamson.
October 21, 2015 - Steve Abrahamson contacts Nori. The planner is Karen Stovall, and her review should be ready by October 23.
October 22, 2015 - Karen Stovall sends Nori the site plan review, SPR #15188, and contact information for George Krall from the Engineering Department. George Krall says the project will need additional paving permits.
October 23, 2015 - Nori calls Karen Stovall for clarification about the paving permits, but she is out of the office for the day. Nori speaks to Suparna Dasgupta, Planning Division, who emails back stating there is not a separate application for paving permits. Lyle resubmits the application.
October 26, 2015 - Karen Stovall confirms that we turned in the correct forms.
November 2, 2015 - After application is turned back to Lyle for corrections, he resubmits it with the requested changes.
November 6, 2015 - Nori meets with Christine Baldanza, LCA property manager and member of the Artist Selection Panel, to discuss progress on the sculpture.
November 12, 2015 - Nori calls Planning about the status of the permit. George Krall calls back and says the application was forwarded to him, but he needs drawings to show all the measurements and how the sculpture relates to the median. George Krall says we need an engineering permit, not a building permit.
November 20, 2015 - Lyle resubmits the application and tells Nori the City will contact him within thirty-six hours if the application is incomplete, but it could take up to three weeks to review.
November 25, 2015 - Nori emails an update to Shauna and cc's Maja.
Dear Shauna,
This is a progress report on the egret sculpture by Lyle London for The Lakes of Tempe.
Preliminary site permit - done
Development plan review - done
Engineering permit - currently on 3rd submittal
If the planners accept the application this time, then the engineering permit will be granted.
The engineering permit is the final permit we need from the City to move forward with the project. . . .
Sincerely,
Nori
December 1, 2015 - Nori discusses the project with Shauna by telephone.
December 11, 2015 - Three weeks after submitting the application, Nori calls the City. No word yet.
December 2015 - Nori and Lyle decide to consider other locations for the sculpture and meet to look at the sites.
December 15, 2015 - Sharlene McNeil has engineering redlines ready for pickup, needs corrections, requests a $925.48 fee. After several phone calls and emails, the fee is waived.
December 17, 2015 - Nori requests 811 blue stakes survey for three possible locations for the sculpture. Once the sites are marked, Nori and Lyle meet to determine the best site for the sculpture. They choose the median in front of 5502 S. Lakeshore Drive (instead of the median in front of 5510 S. Lakeshore Drive), because it has more room for the sculpture.
December 22, 2015 - Lyle hires Russ Moore, civil engineer, $2,000.
December 23, 2015 - Lyle sends plans and information to Russ.
December 26, 2015 - Nori and a member of the Artist Selection Panel (Tommy McDonnell) meet Russ at the median to examine blue stakes markings. An SRP line runs across the median, but Russ says it would probably be okay, so he will arrange a meeting with SRP to look at it.
December 28, 2015 - Lyle and Russ meet to discuss how to situate the sculpture over SRP lines. Lyle sends additional drawings to Russ.
January 3 & 8, 2016 - Nori meets Russ at the median again.
January 13, 2016 - Russ and Nori meet SRP representatives Jeremy Lippens, and Robert, his assistant, at the median. They say it looks fine, and to contact them again after obtaining the permit.
January 19, 2016 - Russ talks to the Planning Office twice to schedule a meeting to review the checklist before resubmitting the application.
January 21, 2016 - Russ and Lyle meet to discuss the project.
January 23, 2016 - Russ meets with City Planners for a review before resubmitting application. He takes note of all changes they request, so his draftsman can make necessary changes before turning it in.
January 30, 2016 - Draftsman has all new drawings ready.
February 4, 2016 - Russ meets with City Planners to find out if the new drawings look good. Russ sends the following update to Lyle:
I met with the City today with the drawing. They had some minor comments, which I have already addressed and am waiting to get it back from my draftsman. They want to see your same drawings submitted with mine as the new cover sheet, replacing yours. So I have added the sheet index to it and some of the title block info. They says I could email it to them in pdf for one final look before making the permit submittal.
I will send you a pdf of what I've done as soon as we have it ready. - Russ
February 10, 2016 - Russ resubmits the application with new drawings.
February 19, 2016 - The City calls Lyle asking for corrections, and a $1,000 fee.
February 25, 2016 - Nori speaks with Shauna about the fee. Shauna emails Steve Abrahamson to remind him to waive the fee.
March 1, 2016 - Russ contacts Lyle and Nori. Everything is approved and the permits are ready for pick-up, but the City needs three more duplicate sets of the plans.
Additional Requirements - a race to the June 30, 2016 deadline
March 3, 2016 - City Planning tells Lyle they will only release the permit to a Class A contractor with $1m bonds.
March 5-16, 2016 - Russ and Lyle interview more than five A Class contracting firms, but none are interested in the job. They usually only work on multi-million dollar projects.
March 7, 2016 - Shauna has a check for $10,000 on her desk for the first half of the grant money. She can release the check after recieving a copy of the permit. Nori schedules a meeting with Maja, Shauna, and Lyle to discuss the timeline.
March 19, 2016 - Nori emails Tempe Principal Civil Engineer Gregg Kent to request a waiver from the A Class contractor requirement.
March 23, 2016 - The deadline is June 30, 2016, but since the City has not granted the permit, there's too much left to do to meet the deadline.
• finalize the location and get a blue stakes reportMaja, Shauna, Lyle, and Nori meet at Maja's office in the Tempe Library building to discuss the timeline going forward. Everyone wants to see the project completed, so we brainstormed what to do about it. Here are the ideas discussed. It will probably take a combination of several of the points below to make it happen.
• work with City Planning, SRP, and other utilities as needed
• obtain the permit
• raise $2,000 to offset civil engineering costs
• order the materials and build the sculpture (est. 250 hours)
• clear the site and install the sculpture
1. Maja and Shauna will request an extension on the deadline.March 28, 2016 - Lyle contacts the Planning Office and learns the Planning had already granted an exemption to the Class A requirement on March 1, but neglected to tell the front desk personnel. Over the entire month of March, the front desk people barred Lyle from picking up the permit, insisting a Class A contractor was required with no exception.
2. Maja and Shauna will request a waiver from the Class A contractor requirement.
3. Maja and Shauna will request an exemption from the the matching funds requirement if the sculpture is installed on HOA property. This would simply the permit process and eliminate the Class A contractor requirement. Possible locations on Lakeshore Drive (adjacent to the median noted in the permit application): in front of the Lakes Community Association, in front of Sandcastle.
4. Lyle and Nori need to raise $2,000 to pay the civil engineer. Nori will request the HOAs to donate to the project once there's a clear path to completing it this year.
5. If all else fails, Nori will apply for another grant next year.
As it turned out, March 28, 2016 we find out the City of Tempe Planning Office granted the engineering permit for the Egret sculpture.
March 29, 2016 - Nori and Lyle start a fundraising drive to pay for the engineers we hired. The Sandcastle board pledges $200 to the project.
March 30, 2016 - Lakes resident pledges to support the project after a presentation at the Lakes Community Association board meeting.
April 26, 2016 - Lyle and Nori meet at City Hall with officials, including Maja, Shauna, Dave Nakagawara (Community Development Director), and Martin Perez (Community Development Deputy Director). The City grants an extension of the deadline to complete the Egret sculpture.
Installation of the Egret Sculpture - four months (January to March 2017)
January - first week of 2017 - Lyle London contacts SRP, the City of Tempe, Russell Moore, PE, Moore Civil Engineering, hires Hurricane Holes to dig the footings for the sculpture, and requests a Blue Stakes report on the median.
January 13 - Lyle writes to Shauna Warner with an update on the sculpture and a request her to remind the Building Department to waive $198.36 in inspection fees for engineering permit #EN150153. Lyle states that he hopes to have the sculpture installed within a month.
January 14 - Lyle and Nori meet on the median to consider the exact positioning for the sculpture.
January 15 - Nori appraises LCA Property Manager Christine Baldanza of progress on the sculpture.
January 17 - Lyle writes to Tempe City Manager Andrew Ching to request the City's assistance with traffic control and installation of the sculpture in the median. Lyle and Nori request a meeting with Shauna Warner and Maja Aurora to discuss the sculpture and installation process. A meeting is set for Monday January 23.
January 20 - Lyle writes to Shauna Warner listing the approximate order of tasks required to prepare and install the Egret sculpture in the median. He asks for the City's help with the process.
January 23 - meeting postponed to wait for news from Shauna on whether the City can help with traffic control and installation of the sculpture.
January 24 - Nori meets with Christine Baldanza and head landscaper Walter to discuss preparation of the median, where to shut off irrigation, etc.
January 25 - LCA landscapers scrape the median, remove two pine trees, and shut off irrigation around the sculpture area. Nori orders a new Blue Stakes report. Nori attends LCA board meeting to report to The Lakes community on progress of the sculpture.
January 31 - Lyle places the Egret sculpture in front of his office to begin the weatherization process. Also, Lyle and Nori meet City senior engineering Associate Derik Winkle at the median, regarding the inspection process.
February 2 - Shauna writes to Lyle: "I went over and spoke to one of our traffic engineering staff. Their permit fees are waived as part of building permit fees. The city doesn't provide physical traffic control barriers, they also hire it out so they can't help with that piece as it would be additional money. He'd like to meet onsite with us so he can help come up with a plan that would use minimal barricades."
February 3 - Lyle researches companies that manage traffic control, and gets costs from Trafficade. He writes to Shauna Warner to request a meeting with City officials. The meeting is set for February 8 but then postponed to February 16.
February 6 - Lyle and associates bring template to median to determine placement of the sculpture.
February 7 - Lyle sends out a photo of the completed and patinaed sculpture (dedication plaques will be attached at installation).
February 13 - Lyle compiles a spreadsheet showing cost overruns on the sculpture.
February 16 - City officials meet with Lyle on the median, including Public Art Project Manager Rebecca Rothman, Neighborhood Services Director Shauna Warner, City Traffic Engineer Julian Dresang (Ramon Mata could not attend), and others.
Results of the meeting:
The week of March 6-10 is the best time to do the work. School is out, which will reduce the amount of traffic to and from the three grade schools just south of The Lakes.
If trucks are there less than an hour and leave fifteen feet of space on the road, no permit is required.
If Trafficade can supply appropriate signs, including truck signs, that is all that's needed.
February 22 - Lyle and Nori discuss plans to install the sculpture the week of March 6. Lyle will set up appointments with Hurricane Holes and Trafficade, and inform Nori of the date for digging holes. Nori will contact Christine Baldanza and head of Redwood landscaping, Walter, who both want to be present when the digging takes place.
Public artist Lyle London (center) and his crew after completing the installation. Photo by Nori Muster, March 28, 2017.
I relied on email and phone records to compile this timeline, and have made it as accurate as possible. These are the most important events, although there were many more emails and phone calls. - Nori