2002 04 18 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
April 18, 2002
This meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission was called to order by Chairman
Maria Puente at 3:01 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, Mitchell, Sharp, Wright, and Chairman
Puente.
Staff Present:
Principal Planner Stan Sawa, and Secretary Carolyn
Walker.
II.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
None.
III.
CONFIRMATION OF THE AGENDA:
Confirmed.
IV. CONSENT CALENDAR:
A. It was moved and seconded by Commissioners Wright/Sharp to approve
the Minutes of March 21, 2002 as submitted. Commissioners approved
with Commission Irwin abstaining.
V. BUSINESS ITEMS
A. Phase I Cultural Resources Assessment for Tentative Parcel Map 30550:
a request for approval of the Cultural Resources Assessment of an 80 +
acre parcel located at the northeast corner of Washington Street and Fred
Waring Drive.
Applicant: Dutch Parent N.V. (NAI Consulting)
Archaeological Consultant: Archaeological Advisory Group (James Brock,
RPA)
1. Principal Planner Stan Sawa presented the information contained
in the staff report, a copy of which is on file in the Community
Development Department.
P:\CAROL YN\HPC4-18-02.wpd
-1-
Historic Preservation Commission Minutes
April 18, 2002
2. Commissioner Mitchell concurred with staff's recommendations
and stated he was pleased to see the monitoring would be
required on this project since it was a sensitive area for cultural
resources.
3. Commissioner Wright agreed with staff's recommendations.
4. Commissioner Irwin also agreed with staff's recommendations, in
particular with the on-going monitoring. She informed the
commission she had been doing research on lona MacKenzie, who
was rumored to be an early postmistress in lndio, as well as
Raymond Darby. She would share her research with the
Commission when it is completed.
5. Commissioner Sharp concurred with the findings and stated he
was curious why no evidence of ancient habitation was found at
the site since it is in an area where items have previously been
found in great quantities.
6. Commissioner Mitchell stated he suspected there was a lot of
sand deposition there making the signs of habitation more difficult
to uncover. He also commented he was pleased to see there
would be monitoring during grading in an area considered to be
very sensitive.
7. Chairman Puente agreed with staff's recommendations.
8. Applicant's representative, Kris Schultz, asked if the Commission
had any issues or concerns with realigning Darby Road. The
Commission had no issues with realignment as it was not part of
their purview.
9. Commissioner Mitchell did comment that a good comprehensive
job of recordation of this type of a linear site usually exhausts the
research potential of a road of this nature.
10. Applicant's representative, Mike Rowe, had a couple of questions
regarding having the Phase II study completed before the
entitlements are completed. Since the applicant will have to
make presentations to the Planning Commission and the City
P:\CAROL YN\HPC4-18-02.wpd
-2-
Historic Preservation Commission Minutes
April 18, 2002
Council he asked if there was any way that the entitlements could
be done before recordation of the final map. He commented he
understood Phase II was necessary to gather information for a
plaque.
11. Commissioner Irwin stated the Phase II study involved more than
just placement and information for a plaque.
12. Applicant's representative, Mike Rowe asked if the Phase II report
could be submitted prior to the tract map for the property being
recorded, instead of before approval of theproject by the City..
13. Stan Sawa stated it could be done that way.
14. There was general discussion about the fact that lona C.
MacKenzie was a long name for a street. It was the general
consensus this was an issue for the Planning Commission. Staff
agreed.
15. Commissioner Mitchell asked a question about wells on the
property and historical materials that may be found in those wells.
16. Applicant's Representative Mike Rowe stated the depth of the
wells are usually several hundred feet and too deep to excavate
with a back hoe.
17. Staff recommended the condition be changed to require the Phase
II report be submitted to the City prior to recordation of a final
tract map, leaving plenty of time to approve the wording of a
plaque before the actual project is completed.
18. Commissioner Irwin stated she would like to see the Phase II
report since it concerns more than just the wording of a plaque.
19. Staff confirmed the Commission wanted to see the Phase II report
before the project was approved by City Council.
20. Commissioner Irwin replied that was correct since it was the
Commission's standard procedure.
21. Commissioner Wright concurred.
P:\CAROL YNIHPC4- t 8-02. wpd
-3-
Historic Preservation Commission Minutes
April 18, 2002
22, Commissioners Irwin and Wright did state the Commission would
change a meeting date to accommodate the developer,
23. Staff re-confirmed the conditions would be left as stated in the
staff report to which the Commissioners agreed.
24. There being no further discussion, it was moved and seconded by
Commissioners Wright/Irwin to adopt Minute Motion 2002-009
recommending approval of the Phase I Cultural Resources
Assessment for Tentative Parcel Map 30550. Unanimously
approved.
B. Review of Certified Local Government Annual Report: for review by
Commissioners.
1. Principal Planner Stan Sawa presented the information contained
in the Annual Report, a copy of which is on file in the Community
Development Department.
2. There was general discussion and corrections were given to staff
to update/correct the report.
VI. CORRESPONDENCE AND WRITTEN MATERIAL
VII. COMMISSIONER ITEMS
A. Commissioner Wright brought in a newspaper article about the Neutra
House which was recently demolished in the City of Rancho Mirage. He
was quite concerned this could happen to an internationally renowned
architecture, with the City's permission. He also stated he thought
somebody should contact the author of the article, Mr. Guzman, and let
him know the City of La Quinta has a Historical Preservation Commission
since the article only mentioned a Commission in Palm Springs.
B. Chairman Puente asked if the Commissioners had received all the
information about the upcoming Conference.
Staff replied all the reservations were completed and registration/ticket
packets were now available in the Community Development Department,
for all the Commissioners.
P:\CAROL YNIHPC4-18-02.wpd
-4-
Historic Preservation Commission Minutes
April 18, 2002
VIII. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners
Wright/Irwin to adjourn this meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission to the
next regularly scheduled meeting to be held on May 16, 2002. This meeting of the
Historical Preservation Commission was adjourned at 3:24 p.m. Unanimously
approved.
Submitted by:
I' , / I "J.
I (Lf-tUl:..) cUe. (!It~,v
Carolyn Walker
Secretary
-5-