1999 09 15 HPC Minutes
MINUTES
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MEETING
A regular meeting held at the La Quinta City Hall Session Room
78-495 Calle Tampico, La Quinta, CA
September 15, 1999
This meeting of the Historic .preservation Commission was called to order by Chairman Robert
Wright at 3:08 p.m. who led the flag salute and asked for the roll call.
I. CALL TO ORDER
A. Pledge of Allegiance.
B. Roll Call.
Present:
Commissioners Barbara Irwin, Mike Mitchell, Maria Puente, and Chairman
Robert Wright.
Staff Present: Planning Manager Christine di Iorio and Executive Secretary Betty Sawyer.
II. PUBLIC COMMENT: None.
III. CONFIRMATION OF THE AGENDA: Confirmed.
IV. CONSENT CALENDAR:
A. Commissioner 'puente asked that staff check the spelling of Marc "Benitiz" and on
Page 6, Item 6, she is noted as making the second to a motion and she was absent.
There being no further corrections, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners
PuenteIMitchell to approve the Minutes of August 19, 1999, as corrected.
Unanimously approved.
V. BUSINESS ITEMS
A. Environmental Assessment 98- 383: Phase III Archaeolo!!ical Assessment of Specific
Plan 99-036 located northwest of the intersection of Highway 111 and Dune Palms
Road. Applicant: Troll-Woodpark Company. Archaeological Consultant: CRM
Tech, Bruce Love.
1. Planning Manager Christine di Iorio presented the staff report, a copy of
which is on file in the Community Development Department.
2. Commissioner Irwin stated it was interesting to fmd out the age on the carbon
dating being 1650. She asked if any other sites had been found that were that
dated back to this time.
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3. Commissioner Puente asked about the fmal report. Staff stated the consultant
would be preparing a final report summarizing what is found and its
significance.
4. Commissioner Puente asked staff to explain what a motor grader was and
would the use of it destroy any archaeological resources. Staff stated the
consultant had completed a surface recovery to determine what level they
could safely dig. If they needed to go further they felt safe in using the
grader. In any case, they will be monitored until they get to the level of hand
excavation.
5. Commissioner Mitchell stated he had a concern about 100% excavation but
felt it had been resolved. His other concern was the grading of the top 55
centimeters of the site. To wipe off the top 55 centimeters is wiping offhe
youngest segments of the site. It is nice to know how things evolved.
Unless this is fill. Can this be changed. Staff stated it could be changed.
Commissioner Mitchell suggested a requirement be added requiring a two
meter by two meter area be hand excavated to give a profile over the two
sensitive areas.
6. Commissioner Irwin asked if a depth of 55 meters was deeper than what was
normally required. Commissioner Mitchell stated it is deep for this area.
Commissioner Irwin asked if the Commission should be requiring them to go
deeper. Commissioner Mitchell stated they usually go two ten centimeters
below the archaeological midden.
7. There being no further discussion, it was moved and seconded by
Commissioners PuentelIrwin to adopt Minute Motion 99-024 accepting the
Archaeological Data Recovery Plan for the La Quinta Corporate Centre, with
the following modification:
a. The Data Recovery Program shall be modified as follows: two of the
most sensitive areas identified in the Phase II Study shall be
excavated to a depth of 2 X 2 meters prior to excavation.
Unanimously approved.
B. Guidelines for Curation of Archaeolo~icaI Collection: a recommendation to the City
Council for the allocation of funds in an amount not to exceed $10,000 to hire a
cultural resources consultant to prepare Guidelines for the Curation of
Archaeological Collections.
I. Planning Manager Christine di Iorio stated that since the last meeting and
submitting temporary guidelines for temporary storage of materials, staff did
further research and found that it might be more beneficial to hire a qualified
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Historic Preservation Commission Minutes
September 15, 1999
cultural resource specialist to prepare a more complete package dealing with
not only the immediate storage of material, but also look at possible locations
for a repository in the Valley and possible funding mechanisms. In addition,
information could be prepared on how to prepare, manage, and preserve the
collection, consider educational programs, and display possibilities. With
this in mind, staff is submitting to the Commission an outline for a Request
for Sencices proposal to be distributed to qualified consultants.
2. Commissioner Irwin stated she would like to see the City construct a local
repository as the information the City is losing is too valuable. Once it leaves
the Valley it is gone forever.
3. Commissioners Puente and Mitchell agreed and stated they were proud of La
Quinta for its efforts.
4. Chairman Wright thanked staff for their work in preparing the necessary
documents as he thought it was a very exciting process to be involved in.
5. There being no further discussion, it was moved and seconded by
Commissioners PuenteIMitchell to adopt Minute Motion 99-025
recommending to the City Council the allocation of funds, not to exceed
$ 10,000 to hire a cultural resources consultant to prepare Guidelines for
Curation of Archeological Collections. Unanimously approved.
VI. CORRESPONDENCE AND WRITTEN MATERIAL
VII. COMMISSIONER ITEMS: None
VIII. ADIOURNMENT
There being no further business, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners Irwin/Mitchell to
adjourn this meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission to the next regularly scheduled
meeting of the Historical Preservation Commission on October 21, 1999. This meeting of the
Historical Preservation Commission was adjoumed at 3:28 p.m. September 15, 1999. Unanimously
approved.
Submitted by:
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Exec~:cretary
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