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1997 05 22 HPC Minutes MINUTES HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MEETING A regular meeting held at the La Quinta City Hall North Conference Room 78-495 Calle Tampico. La Quinta. CA May 22. 1997 3:30 P.M. 1. CALL TO ORDER A. This meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission was called to order at 3:30 P.M. by Chairman Millis. B. ROLL CALL 1. Chairman Millis requested the roll call: Present: Commissioners DeMersman. Puente. Wright and Chairman Millis. 2. Staff present: Planning Manager Christine di Iorio. Senior Engineer John Freeland. Associate Planner Leslie Mouriquand. and Executive Secretary Betty Sawyer. III. CONFIRMATION OF THE AGENDA: Confirmed. A. Planning Manager Christine di Iorio asked that the agenda be reordered to have Item 2 as Item 1 and Item 1 as Item 2. Unanimously approved. II. PUBLIC COMMENT: A. Nancy Carter stated she was attending the meeting to show her interest in becoming a lay member of the Commission and stated she had spent ten years with the City of Escondido. Of those ten years. six were with the Franchise Commission and four with the Community Services Commission where they identified items for the Historical Register. Previously, she assisted her husband who was in charge of the Historical Preservation and Restoration Committee for the AlA in the County of Orange for IA years. She attended Scripps College where she obtained her Bachelor's degree in the Humanities. B. Nancy Richards stated she too was interested in becoming a member of the Historic Preservation Commission. She was a native of Southern California and graduated from Palm Springs High school. She has a degree in American Literature from Harvard and attended Boston Architectural Center. HPC5-22 Historical Preservation Commission \-Iay 21. 1997 C. Barbara Irwin. Director of the La Quinta Historical Society Museum. stated she has lived in La Quinta for six years and is very interested in the history of La Quinta. She was attending the Commission meetings to show her interest in becoming a lay member of the Commission. IV. CONSENT CALENDAR: B. It was moved and seconded by Commissioners Wright/DeMersman to approve the Minutes of April 17. 1997 and February 20. 1997. as submitted. Unanimously approved. V BUSINESS ITEMS A. Specitic Plan 97-029 The Center at La Guinta; a request of ST AMKO Development Company for review and recommendation of the Cultural Resources Section of the Draft Environmental Impact Report for an 87 acre Auto Sales/Services Mall and Mixed Use Commercial Center on the south side of State Highway III between Adams Street and Dune Palms Road. I. A staff report was presented by Planning Manager Christine di Iorio. a copy of which is on file in the Community Development Department. 2. There being no questions of staff, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners Wright/Puente to recommend approval of the report as presented. Unanimously approved. B. Presentation bv Commission Maria Puente on Soanish Architectural 1. Chairman Millis introduced Commissioner Puente who gave a history background on Commissioner Puente regarding her areas of study. Staff explained that this would be an on-going event where each of the commissioners would be making a presentation on their areas of expertise. 2. During the course of a slide presentation, questions were asked of Commissioner Puente regarding the different types of architecture and the areas of Europe she had worked in. 3. Chairman Millis thanked Commissioner Puente for her presentation. HPC5-22 2 Historical Preservation Commission May 22. 1997 C. ~8th Avenue Extension/Adams Street Widenin[!; an archaeological investigation overvIew. HPC5-22 1. A staff report was given by Assistant Planner Leslie Mouriquand in conjunction with Senior Engineer John Freeland. A copy of the report is on file in the Community Development Department. 2. Mr. Jim Brock. Archaeological Advisory Group. stated he was hired by the City to investigate a section of Adams Street north of 48th A venue. 1000 ft corridor. 55-feet wide of a highly sensitive area as identified by the Archaeological Clearing House (EIC) of Riverside. This project includes a previously surveyed spot they wanted to widen. He was present at this meeting to present the draft of his report for the Commission's review. Basically this study is looking at a midden site that is a significant find. It is like looking at somebody' s trash. The site was buried into the top of the sanddune down approximately a meter. There is no way to not impact the site as the road will be widened. The site was originally recorded at the time the roiild was constructed. The beauty of the midden deposit is that it is a dense find. Most sites are mixed around in the sand and scattered. The soil helps to seal the site. This is the only midden site in La Quinta which affords such a unique opportunity. This site is related to one of the final fillings of the lake. They have theorized that there were four fillings of the lake within the last two millinea. This site is associated with one of those fillings. It could date anywhere in the last one thousand years and should have a large assortment of fish and animal bones. The Cahuilla Indians had terms in their language for agriculture. but today there is no sign of the agricultural activity. This is a perfect and unique site that has research potential. It is proposed that they move into phase three and save and recover as much of the site as possible and continue to monitor. -, ~) . Commissioner Wright stated it would be interesting to visit the site. Staff stated they would make arrangements for the Commissioners to visit the site. Commissioners discussed with staff the significance of the site. 4. Associate Planner Leslie Mouriquand asked ifMr. Brock would take pictures of the site to show to the Commission. Mr. Brock stated he normally does not take slides but will take pictures. This find would be worthy of a slide show. 3 Historical Preservation Commission May 22. 1997 5. Staff thanked Mr. Brock for his presentation and they look forward to a future presentation with pictures. VI. CORRESPONDENCE AND WRlTTEN MATERlAL: A. Staff reviewed the reading material included in their packet. VII COMMISSIONER ITEMS A. Staff reviewed future agenda items with the Commissioners. B. Commissioner Wright thanked staff for the Symposium. Discussed followed regarding the event. C. Commissioner DeMersman stated the Preservation Commission had met and determined that the 1999 conference would be held in Palm Springs. VIII. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business. it was moved and seconded by Commissioners DeMersman/Wright to adjourn this meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission to a regular meeting of the Historical Preservation Commission on June 19. 1997. lbis meeting of the Historical Preservation Commission was adjourned at 4:47 P.M. Unanimously approved. HPC5-22 4