2003 03 20 HPC Minutes
MINUTES
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MEETING
A regular meeting held at the La Guinta City Hall Session Room
78-495 Calle Tampico, La Guinta, CA
March 20, 2003
This meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission was called to order by Chairman
Leslie Mouriquand at 3:03 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 Irwin, Puente, Sharp, Wright and Chairman
Mouriquand.
Staff Present: Principal Planner Stan Sawa, and Secretary Carolyn Walker.
II.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
None.
III.
CONFIRMATION OF THE AGENDA:
None.
IV. CONSENT CALENDAR:
A. It was moved and seconded by Commissioners Wright/Sharp to approve the Minutes
of February 20, 2003, as submitted. Unanimously approved.
B. It was moved and seconded by Commissioners Puente/Irwin to approve the Minutes
of March 6, 2003, as submitted. Unanimously approved.
V. BUSINESS ITEMS
A. Phase I Paleontological Results and Phase I and II Archaeological Testing and
Mitigation of Site CA-RIV-7013 for Tentative Tract 31123.
I. Principal Planner Stan Sawa presented the information contained in the staff
report, a copy of which is on file in the Community Development
Department.
2. Chairman Mouriquand stated she needed to abstain from these two items as
she had a potential conflict of interest as she had a personal connection with
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March 20, 2003
this property and asked Vice Chairman Sharp to conduct this portion of the
meeting.
3. Vice Chairman Sharp assumed the meeting and asked for comments.
4. Commissioner Wright commented he had no problems with the project as
long as the agreed forms of monitoring were observed and the offsite
trenching and grading were adhered to.
5. Commissioners Irwin and Puente concurred with staffs recommendations.
6. Vice Chairman Sharp had questions about shells and fish bones at the site.
Archaeological Consultant, Michael Hogan, CRM TECH, replied there were
no fish bones in the archaeological data recovery
7. Vice Chairman Sharp asked about dating of the pot sherds. Mr. Hogan
replied at the present time there was no way of dating them. That was one of
the things they were still looking into. There was no conclusion reached, at
the time of the interim report, because of the uniqueness of the site. There
was also a question as to why there was no evidence of fire hearths, or more
cremations.
8. Vice Chairman Sharp asked if the cremations were found in the process of
trenching and what information was gained from that site.
9. Commissioner Wright asked Chairman Mouriquand ifit could have been a
dump site.
10. Speaking as a historian, Ms. Mouriquand asked staff if she could answer
archaeological questions, on this property, and was advised she could. She
then explained that cremations often involved pots being broken and tossed
into the fire as grave offerings, especially if the deceased had high stature
within their society. Another site theory would be this could be some sort of
storage area due to the accumulation of a lot of ceramics.
II. Commissioner Irwin asked if anyone remembered what was found at the site
of the Greg Norman course.
12. Commissioner Wright recalled information about that site and commented
there were five remnants of fire hearths.
13. Ms. Mouriquand stated there may have been some hearths at that site.
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March 20, 2003
14. Commissioner Irwin stated we need to go back and look at what was found at
the Greg Norman site.
IS. Commissioner Wright stated it would be helpful to do an overview with a
guesstimation of the migration paths.
16. Ms. Mouriquand stated it was pretty well accepted that pottery didn't come
here until about 900 AD. The pottery sherds tell us that it's late prehistoric
period. If it was early you would expect no pottery and certain other kinds of
lithics and things, so this is a unique site.
17. Vice Chairman Sharp asked if there was going to be an archaeologist on site
or some type of monitoring.
18. Commissioner Wright replied a paleontological monitor would be on site
because bones were found and it's a sensitive area.
19. Applicant Matt Hladek asked when the La Quinta Polo Estates was done and
if it was on a monitoring plan.
20. Commissioner Wright replied that project was done prior to the formation of
this Commission and City annexation of the property.
21. Ms. Mouriquand stated monitoring has been required since 1970 with the
enactment of CEQA. She did not know if monitoring was required for that
project. She also asked if the Archaeological Consultant was going to do a
boring depth ceramic analysis.
22. Archaeologist Consultant Hogan replied he was currently working on that
analysis.
23. Ms. Mouriquand asked about methodology in analyzing the types of pottery
which were found at the site.
24. Archaeological Consultant Hogan explained the types of analyses he was
performing.
25. Ms. Mouriquand asked about the re-burial of the human bones; specifically,
were they going to be re-buried on site. If so, the remains would have to be
buried deep enough so there is no chance it would ever be dug up again
through some sort of maintenance, or pipe repair, as well as keeping the
location very confidential.
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26. Applicant, Matt H1adek, stated he had an area that could be designated where
people wouldn't bother the remains and would be suitable to show the proper
respect for the burial of those remains.
27. Discussion then followed regarding depth and placement of the cremains.
28. Commissioner Wright commented the Commission should recommend the
burial be in a common area and be placed at a depth of eight feet.
29. Ms. Mouriquand suggested the remains could be buried at four feet as long as
there is no utility pipe line on top of them as well as being placed in a
protected, sealed, metal box, possibly with an explanation of what it was in
case it were to be accidentally re-interred.
30. There being no further discussion, it was moved and seconded by
Commissioners Wright/Puente to adopt Minute Motion 2003-002
recommending acceptance of the Paleontological Resources Assessment
Report Parcel Map 14367 (now Tentative Tract 31123), as recommended by
staff. Unanimously approved with Chairman Mouriquand abstaining.
31. There being no further discussion, it was moved and seconded by
Commissioners Wright/Puente to adopt Minute Motion 2003-003
recommending acceptance of the Interim Cultural Resources Report _
Archaeological Survey and Testing at Site CA-RIV -7013 - Parcel Map 24367
(now Tentative Tract 31123), as recommended by staff. Ayes:
Commissioners Irwin, Puente, Sharp and Wright. Abstained: Chairman
Mouriquand.
B. Historic Preservation Commission 2003 Work Program
1. Following discussion, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners
IrwinlWright to continue discussion of the Work Program to a special
meeting date of April 3, 2003 to allow staff additional time to work on the
program. Unanimously approved.
VI. CORRESPONDENCE AND WRITTEN MATERIAL: None
VII. COMMISSIONER ITEMS
A. Staff issued an invitation to all Commissioners to the KSL Appreciation Luncheon to
be held March 21, 2003 in the Civic Center Courtyard from II :30 a.m. to I :30 p.m.
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VIII. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners PuentelWright to
adjourn this meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission to tbe Special Meeting to be held on
April 3, 2003. This meeting ofthe Historical Preservation Commission was adjourned at 3:25 p.m.
Unanimously approved.
Submitted by:
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Carol Walker
Secretary
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