1992 01 08 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 8, 1992
5:30 P.M.
I. CALL TO ORDER
A. Chainnan Llewellyn brought the meeting to order at 5:33 P.M. and Boardmember
Curtis led the flag salute. Chairman Llewellyn asked for a roll call.
II. ROLL CALL
A. Present: Boardmembers David Harbison, Paul Anderson, John Walling, John
Curtis, Fred Rice, Planning Commission Representative Kay Ladner, and
Chainnan Ted Llewellyn. Absent: None
ill. CONSEI'\o'T CALENDAR
A. Chainnan Llewellyn asked if there were any corrections to the Minutes of
December 4, 1991. Boardmember Llewellyn moved to approve the Minutes as
submitted. Boardmember Walling seconded the motion and it carried
unanimously.
IV. BUSINESS SESSION
A. LA OUlNTA CITY HALL PROJECT; a request of the City for review of
landscaping and irrigation plans for the City Hall project.
1.
Principal Planner Stan Sawa presented the information contained in the
Staff report, a copy of which is on file in the Planning and Development
Department.
2.
Boardmember Harbison expressed his disappointment that no local
landscape architect was selected to do the project. The plans submitted
were typical of what someone unfamiliar with the desert environment
would submit. He stated the plans called for high maintenance. The
plants were somewhat low water usage, although only a few could handle
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Design Review Board Minutes
January 8, 1992
the extreme weather ranges. The design style was incompatible with what
the City represents and requires of developers. The perimeter landscaping
needs to have the amount of lawn reduced (especially near the curbs) to
only where the public traffic would be. This should be replaced with
ground cover. The density of the shrub planting is extremely high. The
planting needs to be relaxed to allow the plants room to spread and take
form. The desert character is sparser on the perimeter and lush green up
close to the buildings. Annual color use should be minimal and used only
for accent. The elevated pots with annual color required too much
maintenance. The deciduous plants (i.e., vines) should be replaced as
they will go bare in the winter when the City should try to present an
attractive face. If not replaced totally, they should be mixed with some
evergreen plants.
3. Discussion followed among the Boardmembers relative to the above
statements. All members were in agreement and expressed their
disapproval of the plans.
4. It was noted that the Civic Center site is one of the coldest spots in La
Quinta and that the bougainvillea proposed would freeze. Nearby
homeowners have verified this fact. The 60" box Smoketree was felt to
be larger than needed or optimum for a native type tree and excessively
expensive.
5. Boardmember Curtis pointed out that the water source should be shown
as originating on Tampico not Washington Street.
6. Following additional discussion relative to the range in temperatures
throughout the Cove area and plants that are able to handle this type of
weather, it was moved by Chairman Llewellyn and seconded by Planning
Commission Representative Ladner to recommend to the City Council
denial of the plans and ask that the architects meet with the Board in order
to determine a plant pallet and design that would be compatible with our
desert environment. It was noted that if the plans were deleted from the
City Hall contract, they could be redesigned. Unanimously approved.
V. ADJOURNMENT
It was moved by Chairman Llewellyn and seconded by Boardmember Walling to adjourn to a
regular meeting of the Design Review Board on February 5, 1992, at 5:30 P.M. This meeting
of the La Quinta Design Review Board was adjourned at 5:58 P.M., January 8, 1992.
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