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1997 02 20 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 February 20,1997 3:30 P.M. I. CALL TO ORDER A. This meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission was called to order at 3:35 P.M. by Chairman Millis. B. ROLL CALL I. Chairman Millis requested the roll call: Present: Commissioners Puente, Wright, and Chairman Millis. Commissioner DeMersman arrived late. 2. Staff present: Planning Manager Christine di Iorio and Executive Secretary Betty Sawyer. II. PUBLIC COMMENT: A. Ms. Joyce Peiia stated she was interested in becoming a Historic Preservation Commission and was there to observe the meeting. B. Ms. Melanie Fesmeire stated she was from the Coachella Valley Historical Society and was attending to observe the meeting. III. CONFIRMATION OF THE AGENDA: A. Staff requested the Agenda be reorganized as follows: Item 2 -7, Item 3 - 8, Item4-6, ItemS -4, Item 6 - 3, Item 7 -2, Item 8 - 5. It was moved and seconded by Commissioners Wright/Puente to accept the reorganization as submitted. Unanimously approved. IV. CONSENT CALENDAR: None. V. BUSINESS ITEMS A. Environmentlli Assessment 96-333 - Tradition Club; a request of The Tradition Club Associates, LLC, for a report of Historic Documentation of the Old Avenue 52 by Paul G. Chace, Ph.D., The Keith Companies. HPC2-20 I Historical Preservation Commission February 20. 1997 HPC2-20 1. A staff report was presented by Planning Manager Christine di Iorio, a copy of which is on file in the Community Development Department. Staff stated that comments had been received from Advisor Lauren Bricker regarding this project. It was her concern that the Commission make a determination either to concur with the report that the linear feature (Old Avenue 52) has no significance, or ask that it be included in the report. Even though the feature has been removed, the issue is to determine whether it is significant and warrants some local significance to the planning and development of the community. Dr. Chace's decision to not include it in the report is based upon the lack of integrity of the resource. Ms. Bricker's felt this should not be the determining factor in making the decision as to its significance. 2. Chairman Millis asked which element does Mr. Chace believe is not valid. Staff stated it was their determination that Mr. Chace was making the determination based on the integrity of the feature as it is gone. Again, is the fact that it has been removed reason to make the determination about its significance and is this setting a precedent for future determinations? 3. Chairman Millis stated that in this case there has been a clear record of that piece of property and the linear feature which has been reflected in a number of documents that would allow the history to be recorded. The feature being gone does not change the fact that the documentation is in place. 4. Planning Manager Christine di Iorio stated a sentence could be added to the report stating its significance and documenting it in accordance with CEQA. Staff was asking the Commission whether or not Dr. Chace should be asked to make the change. 5. Chairman Millis stated that the significance of 52nd Avenue was still there. In fact, only a portion of the street had been removed and that removal does not erase the significance of the street. 6. Commissioner DeMersman clarified that staff was asking the Commission whether or not they wanted to require Dr. Chase to change the report to record the streets significance. Staff stated this was the question. 7. Chairman Millis stated that Item #3 under the Findings be changed to acknowledge the historical significance of the street, and note that it had been thoroughly documented. Staff was to notifY The Keith Companies of the Commission's request. 2 Historical Preservation Commission February 20. 1997 8. There being no further discussion, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners Wright/Puente to adopt Minute Motion 97-004, approving the Historical Documentation of a Segment of Old Avenue 52, with the change in the report to reflect the historical significance of 52nd A venue. Unanimously approved. B. Environmental Assessment 96-333 for Tentative Tract 28470; a request of Tradition Club Associates, LLC for approval of a Report on the Capping of CA-RIV -1179 by The Keith Companies for Tract 28470, south of Washington Street, east of Avenida Bermudas. I. Planning Manager Christine di Iorio presented the information contained in the staff report a copy of which is on file in the Community Development Department. 2. Chairman Millis stated that no action is required by the Commission. This is for their information only. It was noted that the developer had gone to a great deal of work to maintain the site. 3. There being no questions, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners DeMersman/Wright to adopt Minute Motion 97-005, to receive the report for file. Unanimously approved. C. Environmental Assessment 96-300 for Public Use Permit 95-015; a request of Desert Sands Unified School District for approval of the results of an archaeological monitoring program for the DSUSD Educational Services Center Project by Craig R. Lorenz and Associates/Brian F. Smith Associates for the property located at 47- 950 Dune Palms Road. I. Planning Manger Christine di Iorio presented the information contained in the staff report a copy of which is on file in the Community Development Department. 2. Chairman Millis asked where the items that were found were stored. Staff stated it was not noted in the report. 3. Commissioner Wright stated it would be nice to know where they are stored. The Commission needs to request this information from the applicant. Staff stated that it could be an item that staff could require of all future tract maps HPC2-20 3 Historical Preservation Commission February 20. 1997 during the processing of the applications. A condition could be placed on the tract that during the survey reports and required monitoring, if any artifacts are found, they be brought to the City and the City could find a location to store them. 4. Commissioner DeMersman noted in the report that all noted materials found would be curated at the Archaeological Laboratory ofEFSA in Pomona. Ms. Joyce Pella stated it was her opinion that these items are important and should be retained in the City. 5. Following discussion, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners Wright/Puente to adopt Minute Motion 97-006 recommending to the City Council that all artifacts found within the City, be taken to the Historical Commission before they are transferred anywhere. 6. There. being no further discussion, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners Wright/Puente to adopt Minute Motion 97-007, recommending to the City Council, approval of the Historic Survey Project Status Report to SHPO. Unanimously approved. D. Historic Survey Proiect Status Report L Planning Manager Christine di Iorio introduced Pam O'Conner and Vickie Stigemeyer who were conducting the Survey report. 2. Ms. O'Conner stated they were in the City to conduct field research to get a feel for the lay of the land and to gain background. They would then review again the Context Statement completed by staff in light of their on-site review. They are doing an overall review of the older buildings and getting an idea of how it fits into the Context Statement. Now they are moving into the systematic review of the City and hope to review findings with staff to be sure they are not overlooking or missing anything. 3. Commissioners suggested Ms. O'Conner review the aerial photos that are available. 4. Chairman Millis thanked Ms. O'Connor for her report. E. Svmposium on the Archaeolo!!ical of the Coachella Valley L Staff provided information regarding the upcoming symposium. A list of speakers is being prepared for the day long symposium. It will be held during La Quinta Heritage Week in May and is being sponsored by the Coachella HPC2-20 4 Historical Preservation Commission February 20. 1997 Valley Archaeological Society, the Society for California Archaeology, and the City La Quinta, and will be held at the La Quinta City Hall Council Chambers. Staff will see that an agenda is mailed to the Commission as soon as it is received. 2. Ms. Joyce Pefia stated that during research for a book she was working on, there was a dispute as to the exact boundaries of the Coachella Valley. She had gone to the different cities and the boundaries she was given were according to the school districts. She stated that if the word "Coachella V alley" is to be used that a definition be made as to the exact boundaries that make up the Valley. She volunteered to give staff a map that she had obtained that gave the boundaries she understood to be the Coachella Valley. 3. Chairman Millis thanked Ms. Pena for her offer and asked staff to obtain a copy of the map. F. Environmental Assessment 96-335 for Tentative Tract 28409; a request of A & M Builders for a Heritage Resources Assessment by Archaeological Advisory Group of the area north of A venida Montezuma, west of A venida Juarez, and southeast of the Bear Creek Channel for a subdivision of9.l5 acres 19 single family lots. They are requesting to not have a monitor on site as the CVWD has done a lot of grading work prior to any archaeological work being completed. The possibility of artifacts present on the project site could not be substantiated due to the disturbances that have taken place over an extended period of time. They are therefore recommending that a monitor not be required to be on site for grading. HPC2-20 1. Planning Manager Christine di Iorio presented the information contained in the staff report a copy of which is on file in the Community Development Department. 2. Commissioner Wright asked staff to clarifY the location of the project. Staff clarified that there were two projects proposed for this general area but, that this project is in an area that has been designated as residential and is at the north end of the ChanneL There are to be 19 residential units planned in a southwest design on lots sizes of 12-15,000 square feet. 3. Chairman Millis stated that as this area is at the bottom of the Bear Creek Channel and before the rechanneling the water that ran through there was so rapid that anything would have been washed away. 4. There being no questions, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners DeMersmanlPuente to adopt Minute Motion 97-008, approving the request to not have a monitor on site during grading. Unanimously approved. 5 Historical Preservation Commission February 20, 1997 G, 1996 Annual Certified Local Government Report to SHPO I. Planning Manager Christine di Iorio presented the information contained in the staff report, a copy of which is on file in the Community Development Department. 2, There being no questions/comments, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners to adopt Minute Motion 97-009, approving the 1996 Annual CLG Report to SHPO as submitted, Unanimously approved, VI. CORRESPONDENCE AND WRITTEN MA TERrAL: A, Chairman Millis noted the California Preservation Foundation Conference to be held in San Diego, March 13 - 15, 1997. Attendance to this conference would be in compliance with their educational requirements. B. Chairman Millis noted the letter received from Mr. Chace. VII COMMISSIONER ITEMS A. Staff asked Ms. Pam O'Conner to comment on the California Preservation Conference on emergency preparedness as she was one of the speakers to the conference, She stated it was important to have preservation documentation to assist in the repairs after a disaster. Should a disease occur, documentation helps to streamline the rebuilding process. The conference dealt with the her cities (Santa Monica) disaster as a case study. She went to state the processes and events that they went through following the earthquake they went through and the rebuilding process. She stated that being a city that has a Certified Local Government makes for a stronger reviewing body. Each city needs to have inventory in place, be able to respond, and yet be sensitive to realize that in a disaster, historic buildings are not the most important thing. The community is going through stress going to recover. Keep the rehabilitation in context to the communities needs, Going to lose some buildings and you need to be able to pick and chose which ones should have a priority, Commissioner Wright stated that the statistics quoted at the conference regarding how many buildings were destroyed and restored were incredible. Ms. Pam Connor stated that they only had to demolish three or five buildings. Commissioner Wright noted the difference in the attitude of the people in Santa Monica versus the attitude of those in San Francisco regarding the restoration of the buildings. The residents of Santa Monica wanted to restore their community compared to San Francisco who wanted to "punish" the buildings by tearing them down. Ms. O'Connor noted that experiences are learned after each of the disasters. HPC2-20 6 Historical Preservation Commission February 20, 1997 Ms. O'Connor noted that the next California Preservation Foundation Conference would be held in Pasadena. Commissioner DeMersman stated that CPF had been impressed with their job of putting on the conference and would be meeting with the group in Palm Springs to discuss the 1999 conference. VIII. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners Wright/Puente to adjourn this meeting of the H!storic Preservation Commission to a regular meeting of the Historical Preservation Commission on March 20, 1997. This meeting of the Historical Preservation Commission was adjourned at 4: 17 P.M. Unanimously approved. HPC2-20 7