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1993 01 06 DRB Minutes MINUTES DESIGN REVIEW BOARD CITY OF LA QUINT A A regular meeting held at the La Quinta City Hall 78-105 Calle Estado, La Quinta, California January 6, 1993 5:30 P.M. I. CALL TO ORDER A. Chairman Harbison brought the meeting to order at 5:32 P.M. and led the flag salute. n. ROLL CALL A. Present: Boardmembers Fred Rice, Paul Anderson, John Curtis, Randall Wright, James Campbell, Planning Commission Representative Adolph, and Chairman Harbison. B. Staff present: Planning Director Jerry Herman, Associate Planners Wallace Nesbit, Greg Trousdell, and Leslie Blodgett, and Department Secretary Betty Anthony. m. BUSINESS SESSION A. Tentative Tract 23269; a request of Century Homes for review of architectural elevations for a proposed new Unit #5 to be constructed on II lots in Phase 5. 1. Associate Planner Leslie Blodgett presented the information contained in the Staff report, a copy of which is on file in the Planning and Development Department. 2. Boardmember Curtis asked Staff to clarify whether any of the units would be made into models. Staff deferred to Mr. Bob Diehl, the applicant who answered questions concerning models, square footage of the house/garage. 3. Boardmember Harbison asked if this style and size of house was what the market was buying. Mr. Diehl replied they were having a favorable response to the house. Discussion followed regarding the cost of the unit. DRBl-6 1 Design Review Board Minutes January 6, 1993 4. Boardmember Adolph asked if downspouts and gutters were to be installed. Mr. Diehl stated they were using gutter diverters only to hold their housing costs down. 5. There being no further discussion, it was moved by Boardmember Rice and seconded by Boardmember Anderson to recommend approval to the Planning Commission of Unit #5 for Tentative Tract 23269 for the 11 lots in Phase 5. Following the motion, Chairman Harbison asked the applicant if there were plans to add more shading to the south and west elevations. Mr. Diehl stated that on some of the units which had extensive sun exposure they were adding the pop-outs, but again their objective was to reduce their housing costs. Chairman Harbison asked if patio covers were being offered. Mr. Diehl stated they were not offering this feature. Following the discussion, the motion carried unanimously. q3-tbl B. Plot Plan 92-494; a request of the Lube Shope for approval of a plot plan application. DRBl-6 1. Associate Planner Greg Trousdell presented the information contained in the Staff report, a copy of which is on fIle in the Planning and Development Department. 2. Boardmembers asked what the land use was on the pad to the south. Staff stated there were no approval for this space at the present time. The only project approved was the Shell station. Questions followed relative to the Shell station being built at the northwest comer of Highway III and Adams Street. 3. Boardmember Curtis stated the Board would need to see the sign program for this project at some point. 4. Mr. Gary Knutson, architect for the project, stated he had no objections to Staff's recommendations. He stated he was working with a landscape architect to address the recommendation of Staff as noted in the Staff report. 5. Boardmember Curtis asked the applicant to explain the length of the north block wall as it related to the trash enclosure. Discussion followed resulting in a continued block wall with an architectural feature at the end of the wall. 2 Design Review Board Minutes January 6, 1993 6. Commissioner Adolph asked if the north end of the building encroached into the setback area. Mr. Knutson stated it did and they had applied for a variance for the setback. Commissioner Adolph asked if the applicant was planning to use pepper trees near the sidewalk area. Mr. Knutson stated he would refer the matter to the landscape architect. 7. Commissioner Adolph asked the applicant if the bays would have hoists. Mr. Knutson stated there were no hoists and there would be no major automobile repair work done at the site. Commissioner Adolph also asked if the tree at the entrance to the car wash area would create a nuisance. Mr. Knutson stated he wanted the tree to soften the amount of concrete in this area. Discussion followed as to the actual processing of cars through the car wash. 8. Commissioner Adolph asked if the applicant had any environmental problems. Mr. Knutson stated they did not and explained their recycling program. 9. Commissioner Adolph asked if there would be roll-up doors. Mr. Knutson stated the bays would have a metal roll-up door painted to match the split face concrete block. 10. Boardmember Campbell inquired about the thickness of the arches and suggested that the tower needed to stand out more. Mr. Knutson stated he would add more bright colors to the tower if the Board wanted him to. 11. There being no further questions, Boardmember Anderson moved and Boardmember Campbell seconded a motion to recommend approval to the Planning Commission for Plot Plan 92-494 subject to the sign program returning to the Design Review Board review. Unanimously approved. ( ( C. Sign Approval 92-190; a request of Simon Motors for approval of a freestanding sign on Highway Ill. 1. Associate Planner Greg Trousdell presented the information contained in the Staff report, a copy of which is on fIle in the Planning and Development Department. 2. Boardmember Wright asked how many existing signs there were. Staff stated they were not certain but believed there to be nine. DRBl-6 3 Design Review Board Minutes January 6, 1993 3. Mr. Mark Simon, Ollner, stated his reasons for his request and that they would be willing to give up some of their present wall signage to gain the larger freestanding sign. He further made a correction on one of the logo sign colors. 4. Boardmember Rice gzve a history of the car dealership for the Board. 5. Boardmember Wright asked the applicant to explain how the future Simon Plaza building would hide their signs. Discussion followed regarding the location and view of the different signs. 6. Boardmember Curtis asked if the applicant had tried to build a sign within the Code requirements. Mr. Skip Berg, DOl Graphics, stated this was impossible because the sign graphics would be reduced to a size that could not be seen. Discussim followed regarding the height of the sign and the concern for setting a precedent for other developers on Highway III. 7. Boardmember WrigJu stated that the future Simon Plaza sign was so similar in letter style that motorist would tie the two projects together. Mr. Simon stated he did not agree. Discussion followed regarding the present signage. 8. Boardmember Anders:m stated he could not support a 29-foot high sign. He felt the applicant Should submit to the Board justification that provided the sign needed to be 29-feet to be seen. 9. Mr. Berg stated that the 12-foot high Code requirement should only be a guideline, as all develllpments would not be able to meet that requirement. 10. Boardmembers discuS5ed with the applicant how the future Simon Plaza building would block Simon Motors signs. Following the discussion, it was moved by Board:nember Anderson and seconded by Boardmember Curtis to continue the Sign Approval to the next meeting to give the applicant time to submit line of sight graphics, graphics showing the existing signage, and giving examples of what the different height signs would look like. Unmimouslyapproved. c,:r :>'.~ D. Specific Plan 92-022 and PIa: Plan 92-490; a request of E.F.P. Corporation (Ed Carnes) for approval of deveropment standards for a future shopping center and approval to develop a + 251 ,m square foot commercial shopping center located at the northwest comer of Jefferson Street and Highway Ill. 1. Associate Planner Greg Trousdell presented the information contained in DRBl-6 4 Design Review Board Minutes January 6, 1993 the Staff report, a copy of which is on file in the Planning and Development Department. 2. Boardmember stated their concern that the applicant was not present. Discussion followed regarding the lack of the necessary information needed by the Board to make a decision about. The plans again did not show complete elevations as they should relate to the site plan and in addition they were not consistent. 3. Following the discussion, it was moved by Boardmember Curtis and seconded by Boardmember Rice to continue the matter in order to have the applicant present. Before the vote was taken, the applicant arrived and Boardmembers Curtis and Rice withdrew their motion. 4. Michael Hurst, architect for the project, stated he would answer any questions the Board may have. Boardmember Anderson explained the need to have elevations that were complete and showed their relation to the site plan. Mr. Hurst stated he had submitted these plans in that manner. Lengthy discussion followed regarding what the Board was looking for and examples were cited. 5. Following the discussion, it was moved by Boardmember Anderson and seconded by Boardmember Curtis to continue the matter to a special meeting on January 13, 1993, at 5:30 P.M. Unanimously approved. Boardmember Anderson stipulated that the plans must have complete elevations that relate to the site plan with all colors and materials called out succinctly. E. La Ouinta 66-Acre Master Plan; a request of the City for review of alternative plans for the City owned property located northeast of the intersection of 48th Avenue and Jefferson Street. 1. Planning Director Jerry Herman presented the information contained in the Staff report, a copy of which is on file in the Planning and Development Department. 2. Boardmember Curtis suggested that the commercial site be moved to the front of the comer of Jefferson Street. 3. Boardmember Wright expressed his concern for a night-lighted golf course in close proximity to senior housing. DRBl-6 5 Design Review Board Minutes January 6, 1993 4. Boardmember Curtis inquired the width of the driving range. Staff stated it was 400 feet. 5. Boardmember Anderson asked if there was a different grade between the school facility and the City maintenance yard. Staff stated that if the school facility and City maintenace yard were located side by side so they could use common facilities, the garde between the two would be the same. Otherwise there may be some differences depending on the location. 6. Boardmember Curtis felt the post office should be placed closer to the senior housing. 7. Discussion followed regarding moving the well site between the fire station and the City maintenance yard, the view corridor for the senior housing, and whether Jefferson Street would be signalized. 8. Following the discussion, it was moved by Boardmember Curtis and seconded by Boardmember Anderson to recommend approval of the Master Plan utilizing the following changes: a. Using the north side of the Wash of Alternative #1; and b. Using the south side of the Wash of Alternative #2; and c. Relocating the post office on Alternative #2 and the well site; and. d. Put the commercial closer to Jefferson Street. Unanimously approved. Q-]_C)()l\ F. Approval of Landscape Desi~n for Center Medians; a request of the City for review of landscape designs for center median on Washington Street between Singing Palms Drive and 48th A venue. 1. Mr. Tom Doczi, TKO, presented the information contained in the Staff report, a copy of which is on file in the Planning and Development Department. 2. Boardmembers discussed the variety of plants/trees to be used as well as those in nearby developments. Following the discussion, Boardmembers expressed their desire to have the date palms used as much as possible. 3. Boardmember Anderson inquired if lighting would be used. Mr. Doczi explained the type of lighting that was proposed. DRBl-6 6 Design Review Board Minutes January 6, 1993 4. Following the discussion, it was moved by Commissioner Adolph and seconded by Boardmember Ander.;on to recommend approval of the median design subject to the use of 20-foot Date Palms. Unanimously approved. IV. CONSENT CALENDAR Boardmember Curtis asked that the Minutes of October 7, 1992, be amended to show the month that Boardmembers were excused from. In addition, the Minutes of December 2, 1992, be amended to show on the roll call that Chairwoman Barrows attended not Planning Commissioner Marrs. Chairman Harbison asked that the Minutes also be amended on Page 2, Item #3 to read "40-foot maximum Palms". There being no further correction, it was moved by Boardmember Curtis and seconded by Boardmember Anderson to approve the Minutes of October 7, 1992, November 18, 1992, and December 2, 1992, as amended. Unanimously approved. V. OTHER A. Planning Director Jerry Herman presented to the Board an example of a City entry sign designed by Mr. Ron Nawrocki, La Quinta Lettering. I. Boardmember Anderson asked for clarification as to what type of sign it was. 2. Boardmember Wright expressed his concern whether the sign could be integrated with the Simon Plaza sign which they conditioned to be combined. Discussion followed. 3. Boardmember Rice stated his disapproval of the letter style. He would submit different sample of letter styles. 4. Following the discussion, Planning Director Jerry Herman summarized the Members concern: a. The letter style be changed. b. The location may be limited. c. All the signs have the potential to be different due to the granite piece. VI. ADJOURNMENT It was moved by Boardmember Anderson and seconded by Boardmember Rice to adjourn to a special meeting of the Design Review Board on January 13, 1993, at 5:30 P.M. This meeting of the La Quinta Design Review Board was adjourned at 8:44 P.M., January 6, 1993. DRBl-6 7