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1997 10 16 HPC Minutes HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING A regular meeting held at the La Quinta City Hall Session Room 78-495 Calle Tampico, La Quinta, California OCTOBER 16,1997 This meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission was called to order by Chairman Millis at 3:29 p.m. who led the flag salute. Chairman Millis asked for the roll call: I. CALL TO ORDER: A. Present: Commissioners DeMersman, Irwin, Puente, Wright, and Chairman Millis. B. Staff Present: Associate Planner Leslie Mouriquand and Secretary Carolyn Walker. II. PUBLIC COMMENT: None. III. CONFIRI\1ATION OF THE AGENDA: Confirmed. IV. CONSENT CALENDAR: A. It was moved and seconded by Commissioners WrightJDeMersman to approve the Minutes of July 17, 1997, as submitted. Unanimously approved. B. It was moved and seconded by Commissioners DeMersrnanJPuente to approve the Minutes of September 18,1997, as submitted. Unanimously approved. V. BUSINESS ITEMS: A. Final Report of the Historic Survey: a review prepared by Mellon and Associates. I. A staff report was presented by Associate Planner Leslie Mouriquand. 2. Staff informed the Commission that they had only received the text of the report in their packets and not the appendices, due to its size. She stated the City had met its obligation, financial documents had been sent to Sacramento, and all deadlines were met. The project had been completed until such time as the Commission determined the survey should be updated. HPC 1 0-16-97 Historic Preservation Commission October 16. 1997 3. Chairman Millis stated that Mellon and Associates had prepared an excellent report and an outstanding job compiling the information. They were not only on time, but submitted a very thorough report. 4. Commissioner Wright commented that he too wished to thank staff for their efforts in completing the report on time. 5. Commissioner Puente asked when staff expected to hear comments from the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) on the report. 6. Staff stated they were not sure what the next step would be, but expected to hear something soon. 7. Chairman Millis asked if any part of the report would be included in the SHPO's web site. 8. Staff stated it was being discussed with SHPO. 9. Chairman Millis reiterated that this joint effort between the City staff and outside consultants was very successful. B. Archaeolol.!ical Assessment of a 40-acre Parcel in La Ouinta bv Archaeological Resource Manal.!ement COI:poration. a Phase I Archaeolol.!ical Survey I. A staff report was presented by Associate Planner Leslie Mouriquand, a copy of which is on file in the Community Development Department. 2. Staff commented on the prehistoric sites found in the project area, as well as plans and testing for any future sites that may be found. The report included a research design that is very detailed and especially noteworthy for this kind of report. Staff was recommending approval and acceptance of the report with the understanding there will be monitoring of any grading of the site that cannot be preserved. 3. Chairman Millis asked if there were any comments from the Commission. 4. Commissioner Irwin commented that she enjoyed the report. 5. There being no other discussion, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners PuentelIrwin to accept the report as submitted. Unanimously approved. HPCIO-16-97 Historic Preserva[ion Commission October 16, 1997 C. Cultural Resources Assessment for the Royal Palm Plaza; located at the northeast corner of Washington Street and Fred Waring Drive by Archaeological Advisory Group. I. A staff report was presented by Associate Planner Leslie Mouriquand, a copy of which is on file in the Community Development Department. She then introduced Mr. Jim Brock of Archaeological Advisory Group who conducted the survey. 2. Staff stated this project was proposed to be a small commercial shopping center and the site showed no cultural resources observed in the survey. She mention the property was part of a larger homestead owned by lona McKenzie. 3. Mr. Brock commented that Ms. McKenzie's name appears on several properties in the area. He had tried to identify her through the Coachella Valley Historical Society, but had been unsuccessful. 4. Staff recommended monitoring of the rough grading and trenching for both on- and off-site improvements. With these conditions, staff recommended approval of the report. 5. Chairman Millis asked Mr. Brock ifhe had any comments on the report. 6. Mr. Brock stated the survey was negative because the site was quite a distance from prehistoric water sources. He had monitored the Snellenberger project, which was in close proximity, and no findings had been found. Therefore, he had not anticipated any findings at this site, but there is always a possibility of buried deposits. 7. Associate Planner Leslie Mouriquand commented that the site was important enough to have the project monitored. Staff in consulting with the project archaeologist, had always encouraged and allowed the archaeologists to use their professional judgement as to the intensity of the monitoring and whether or not it needed to be spot-checked or fully monitored. 8. There being no further discussion, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners DeMersmanlPuente to accept the report as submitted. Unanimously approved. HPC 10-16-97 Historic Preservation Commission October J 6. 1997 D. A Cultural Resources Assessment ono lots in the La Guinta Cove area of the Citv (Self Help Groups 3. 4. and 5), by Archaeolollical Advisory Group. I. A staff report was presented by Associate Planner Leslie Mouriquand. a copy of which is on file in the Community Development Department. Staff informed the Commission that Item D and Item E on the Agenda were related but were being discussed separately due to their funding sources. 2. Staff invited Mr. Brock, archaeologist on the project, to make a presentation. 3. Mr. Brock stated he was surprised that there were cultural resources found in this area of the subdivision. He surmised that the light grading techniques used in the 1930's resulted in the preservation of the sites. 4. Comments were made by Chairman Millis and Associate Planner Leslie Mouriquand about the movement of artifacts through the alluvial fan and flood zones, as well as known prehistoric sites. 5. Staff stated they were recommending approval of the project as submitted. 6. There being no further discussion, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners DeMersmanlPuente to approve the project as submitted. Unanimously approved. E. A Cultural Resourc'C Assessment 01'30 lots in the La Guinta Cove area of the City (Self Help Groups E.. 7. and 8), bv Archaeolo~ical Advisory Group. I. A staff report was presented by Associate Planner Leslie Mouriquand, a copy of which is on file in the Community Development Department. 2. Staff stated that this item and Item D were related projects, but due to their separate funding sources, they had to be considered separately. 3. Staff advised the Commission that sites had been discovered on three lots in this project. Staff was therefore, recommending that a condition be added requiring City staff to inspect the trenches of the project lots. 4. Mr. Jim Brock, Archaeological Advisory Group, inteIjected that the three lots would be tested and he was in negotiations with the property owner regarding the testing. He had been told that these lots would be eliminated from the current project and developed at a later date as a separate development. Mr. HPC I 0.16-97 Historic Preservation Commission October 16, 1997 Brock and staff discussed who would do the monitoring. Following the discussion, it was determined that staff would conduct the monitoring unless the applicant expressed concerns. 5. There being no further discussion, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners WrightlDeMersman to approve the report as submitted. Unanimously approved. F. A Reoorton the Archaeological Resources Assessment ofa40+ Acre Site - Tentative Tract 25953 bv L & L Environmental. Inc. I. A staff report was presented by Associate Planner Leslie Mouriquand, a copy of which is on file in the Community Development Department. 2. Staff stated there were two reports; one that accompanied the staff report and a revised report written in the Archaeological Resources Management Report Format (ARMR) that was submitted on October 14, 1997, by the archaeologist. 3. Robert and Laurie White, archaeologists for the project, stated that the basic content of the report had not changed, only the format. 4. Chairman Millis asked for an explanation of the ARMR format. 5. Staff explained that the ARMR format is the recommended SHPO guideline format. The City has used this format for three years and has formally required it for the last year and a half. It is a very thorough guideline as to the exact contact and organization of these reports. She then went on to explain the procedures followed in a report that is not completed in the ARMR format. Following this explanation, staff stated that after reviewing the revised report, it was found to be complete and was recommending its approval to the Commission. 6. Chairman Millis stated the Commission had not reviewed the revised report, but had reviewed the first report, and asked if there were any questions. 7. . Mr. Robert White, archaeologist for the project, gave an overview of the project. He mentioned that the site had been previously surveyed in 1984 which resulted in a negative report. It was his opinion that if nothing was found during the initial grubbing, or brushing phase, then it was unlikely anything of significance would be found. HPC 1 0-16-97 Historic Preservation Commission October 16. 1997 8. There being no further discussion, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners DeMersmanlPuente to approve the report as submitted. Unanimously approved. VI. CORRESPONDENCE AND WRITTEN MATERIAL A. Staff informed the Commission they were researching training opportunities for the Commission. She noted that UCR was having a Data Sharing Meeting on Saturday, October 18th and it was approved by SHPO for training credit. She also suggested a training session on October 25th on ASA Symposium at the San Bernardino County Museum which has a registration fee. Further training may be available in early December in the form of a lecture at the Annenberg Theater. Information will be given to the Commission as it becomes available. VII COMMISSIONER ITEMS: None. VIII. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners DeMersman/Puente to adjoum this regular meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission to a regular meeting ofthe Historic Preservation Commission on November 20, 1997. This meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission was adjourned at 4:08 p.m. Unanimously approved. HPC 10-16-97