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2007 01 17 ALRC Minutes MINUTES ARCHITECTURE & LANDSCAPING REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING A Rescheduled meeting held at the La Quinta City Hall 78-495 Calle Tampico, La Quinta, CA January 17, 2007 10:00 a.m. I. CALL TO ORDER A. This meeting of the Architectural and Landscaping Review Committee was called to order at 2:04 a.m. by Planning Manager Les Johnson. B. Commititee Members present: Bill Bobbitt, Frank Christopher and Tracy Smith. C. Staff pnesent: Planning Manager Les Johnson, Principal Planner Fred Baker, and Executive Secretary Betty Sawyer. II. PUBLIC COMMENT: None. II. CONFIRMATION OF THE AGENDA: A. Staff noted the changes to the Agenda. It was moved and seconded by Committee Members Bobbitt/Christopher to approve the Agenda as corrected. IV. CONSENT CALENDAR: A. It was moved and seconded by Committee Members Bobbitt/Smith to approve the Minutes of December. 6, 2006 as submitted. Unanimously approved. V. BUSINESS ITEMS: A. Site Development Permit 2006-876; a request of Laing Luxury Homes for consideration of architectural and landscaping plans for prototypical residential plans for use in Tentative Tract 35060 for the property located on Washington Street and north of A venue 48 terminus. 1. Principal Planner Fred Baker presented the information contained in the staff report, a copy of which is on file in the Community Development Department. Staff introduced Josh Welty, representing Laing Luxury Homes, who gave a presentation on the project. Other project presenters were A. J. Jarvis and Ginny Kerr of Laing Luxury Homes, Mikael Evdokiou of Robert r.:.\wpnnr~\tll ~r\1_17.f)7 nnr Architecture am:i Landscaping Review Committee January 17. 2007 Hidey Architects, and Mark Lenning and Travis Ebbert of The Colabrative West 2. Committee Member Smith asked how much of the retaining wall that would be used for the mountain, would be visible from Washington Street. Staff stated you would not be able to see the wall. 3. Committee Member Christopher asked how this parcel would be affected by the parcel to the west in regard to access if that tract were to be developed. Staff stated the upper parcel was deed restricted "Open Space" in favor of the City. There have been preliminary discussions with the applicant in regard to what could be done. Ultimately, whatever is proposed for that parcel will be done in conjunction the City. At present there is no proposal. Planning Manager Les Johnson stated that should there be an allowance for development, there is potential for access through this tract. 4. Committee Member Smith asked if there would be any off-site grading into the higher parcel. Mr. Welty stated none. 5. Committee Member Christopher asked if there was a grade height between the front units and the units right behind them. Mr. Lenning stated no difference. Staff stated they were proposing mounding adjacent to Washington Street and staff was requesting it be no more than eight feet. In addition, the Public Works Department is requesting a 3:1 slope on the inside of the wall. 6. Committee Member Bobbitt asked when the traffic light would be installed. The applicant stated it was to be constructed with the tract. Staff stated it would probably be conditioned to be installed when a certain number of homes are completed. 7. Committee Member Christopher asked the pad height of the bungalows. Mr. Welty stated 28 feet at the peak. Mr. A. J. Jarvis explained the height and Image Corridor issues. Committee Member Christopher asked why they were not using a hip roof product. Mr. Evdokiou stated it was not indicative to the style. Hipped elements are straying from the style they wanted. They are also getting away from the rotundas as they are being overused. Committee Member Christopher stated he agrees with staff's recommendations. The perimeter wall is a Jot of wall mass. If the accents were added at the end of the r..'\W~t)nrC::\lJ.IRr\1_17.('17 r'lnr 2 Architecture and Landscaping Review Committee January 17, 2007 wall units, of termination points, to anchor the wall (randomly separated) it would help. If the final landscape plan includes everything that is shown on the elevation, it will help with the approval of the project. Mr. Welty stated there are a number of Palo Verde trees that are being preserved from the existing site. Some of those trees are in excess of 60-inch boxes so they are confident in the final look. 8. Committee Member Bobbitt stated what is going to be the most important to the citizens of La Quinta will be the streetscape. It is important that the final product look like what is being plfesented. Staff stated they were recommending more staggering on the openings along the perimeter wall. Committee Member Bobbitt asked if a study had ever been done regarding erosion of the mountains. Mr. Jarvis stated they do have a rock fall report being prepared. Mr. Welty stated the summary of the report does not have an exceeding risk of fall. Staff noted that usually the rock fall report will ask for a significant setback or even a rock fall fence. This project does have a significant setback and should not be affected. Committee Member Bobbitt asked what type of drainage or retention diversion is planned for the tract. Mr. Welty stated the watershed from the mountain will be caught and dropped into a V-ditch and ultimately empty into the storm drain system. Committee Member Bobbitt asked about the decomposed granite (OG) along the walking paths, will there be header boards. It has been found that the header boards or poly_ warp and the OG do not stay on the path and become unsightly. He would suggest the composite header boards be used and the screws used should be nut and bolted together with 18-inch stakes or concrete curb. When you are grading reduce the slope where the OG will be placed to keep it on the slope. Another issue is the use of wood garage door as they tend to deteriorate rapidly 9. Committee Member Christopher stated there are fiberglass doors that are fabricated to look like wood that would work a lot better. 10. Committee Member Bobbitt asked what the interior area of the bungalows will be. Mr. Welty stated it is a courtyard area and explained this will be landscaped by the homeowner. 11. Committee Member Christopher asked if landscape packages would be offered. Mr. Welty stated yes. r.:.\\^,pn(\rc::.\tr.t~r\1-'7J\7 one' 3 Architecture and Landscaping Review Committee January 17, 2007 12. Committee Member Bobbitt asked about guest parking as there does not appear to be a lot. Staff noted there is on-street parking to alleviate the problem. 13. Staff noted the landscape palette was selected from CVWD list and staff is concerned about two species: Afgan and Pepper trees. Committee Member Smith stated he is concerned that the Washington Street trees not all be deciduous, As far as the interior, it doesn't matter. Mr. Lenning stated he does not know how many they will have, but they do intend to use the existing Palo Verde trees. 14, Committee Member Bobbitt noted the trees that will not stand up to the wind. The applicant stated the evergreen tree will be mixed in to strengthen the streetscape. Ironwood and Shoestring Acacia are suggestions. They do intend to preserve 50 of the existing trees with the majority being transplanted to Washington Street. 15. Committee Member Christopher stated they have had discussions with Council that 36-inch boxes be the minimum size planted. 16. Committee Member Smith stated the olive tree should be the fruitless olive. 17. Staff noted the wall will not be undulating, but the top of the wall will remain at 12 feet. Mr. Jarvis explained how the wall would be constructed and made sure it was setback, undulated and meandering to ensure the homes would not be looking directly onto Washington Street. He ensured the Committee that the landscaping would be extensive to hide the wall, because it is a very sensitive issue to the development. The pads cannot be dropped any further and it is the only solution they have to protect the views from the homes. Staff stated they believe the units "are setback far enough that with the landscaping they will be screened. 18. Committee Member Christopher suggested it be staggered between 10 and 12. Staff stated they understand the applicant's position, but the City is sensitive to not create visual barriers or berms to accommodate their interests. Even though staff does not think this will be similar to past projects that have created issues, this will be the last wall along Washington Street. n.\\^/pnnr<::\.41 ~r\1_17_n7 ()f)(" 4 Architecture and landscaping Review Committee January 17, 2007 19. Committee Member Smith asked what the height would be if the slope were reduced to a 3: 1 on the inside. Mr. Jarvis stated it would move the wall out closer to Washington Street. It will also affect their retention area. They do not believe it will be a visual barrier and believe they can make it work with the 12 foot wall. Mr. Welty further stated the units along Washington Street have backyards that face Washington Street. Committee Member Smith stated the problem is protecting the view of the 10-15 homeowners versus the view for all the other citizens of La Guinta. Mr. Lenning stated it is a wide landscape area and will not be the dark, depressing feeling that the Committee believes it will be. Discussion followed regarding wall heights on other projects in the City. 20. There being no further questions, it was moved and seconded by Committee Members Christopher/Smith to adopt Minute Motion 2007-001 recommending approval of Site Development Permit 2006-876, as recommended. Modifying that the Washington Street perimeter wall undulate between 10 and 12 fe,et from curb height and random pilasters be placed with te,rmination points at end of wall with a material other than the finish wall. The wall and final landscaping plans will be approved by the ALRC. Unanimously approved. VI. CORRESPONDENCE AND WRITTEN MATERIAL: None VII. COMMITTEE MEMBER ITEMS: None VIII. ADJOURNMENlT: There being no further business, it was moved and seconded by Committee Members Christopher/Smith to adjourn this Rescheduled Meeting of the Architectural and Landscaping Review Committee to a Regular Meeting to be held on February 7, 2007'. This meeting was adjourned at 3:47 p.m. on January 17, 2007. Respectfully submitted, ~~~v (':.\\,vPO()('c;:I..... Rt"'\1_17_n7 oor' 5