The Italian Village Commission continued consideration of a landscaping and bollard proposal at 779 Hamlet (COA2501268), asking the applicant to provide clearer evidence of property lines, construction detail and justification for bollards in the sidewalk/alley edge.

Staff placed the application on the agenda because the proposed bollards appear to sit at or near the right-of-way; staff recommended continuation and cited city code (31613 a) and the Italian Village guidelines. Commissioners raised technical concerns about the drawings (missing concrete depth/subbase, how bollards would be anchored, and whether a turn-down slab is shown), questioned the purpose of the bollards, and suggested less intrusive alternatives such as stone, plantings or compressed gravel that would be cheaper and more in keeping with the block’s character.

Applicant Derek Bonar described repeated safety and sanitation issues at the property (people camping and using the area as a restroom, vandalism) and said he prefers transparent storefront approaches for security; commissioners said they were sympathetic but needed a clearer rationale and a property-edge study or survey before proceeding.

The commission voted to continue COA2501268 to the next regular meeting to allow the applicant to provide a survey or a clearer estimate of the property edge, additional site details, and rationale for concrete and bollards (continuation recorded by voice vote; transcript does not include a numeric roll-call tally).