2000 06 15 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
June 15, 2000
This meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission was called to order by Chairman Robert
Wright at 3 :03 p.m. who led the flag salute and asked for the roll call.
1. CALL TO ORDER
A. Pledge of Allegiance.
B. Roll Call.
Present:
Commissioners Irwin, Puente, Mitchell, and Chairman Wright.
Staff Present: Planning Manager Christine di Iorio, 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 Puente/Mitchell to approve the
Minutes of May 18,2000, with the following correction:
I. Business Item A., #3 corrected to read as follows: "Commissioner Irwin
stated she agreed with Commissioner Mitchell's comments, but wondered
after reading the report, if the archaeological monitoring needed to be on the
entire property, or if it is only necessary to monitor the dune area under
discussion. "
V. BUSINESS ITEMS
A. Phase I Cultural Assessment of a 5 65 Acre Site, located on the southeast corner of
Washington Street and Highway Ill. Applicant: G. J. Murphy Construction -
Archaeological Consultant: Archaeological Advisory Group (James Brock).
1. Principal Planner Stan Sawa presented the staff report, a copy of which is on
file in the Community Development Department.
2. Commissioner Mitchell had no problem with the report or its findings.
Chairman Wright concurred.
3. Commissioner Irwin commented she was 100% in favor of continuing the
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monitoring during trenching but other than that the report was acceptable.
4. There being no further discussion, it was moved and seconded by
Commissioners MitchelIlIrwin to adopt Minute Motion 2000-014 accepting
the Phase I Cultural Assessment of 5.65 Acre Site.
Unanimously approved.
B. Phase I Cultural Assessment for Tract 29623; located at the northeast corner of Dune
Palms Road and Miles Avenue. Applicant: World Development - Archaeological
Consultant: Archaeological Associates (Robert & Laurie White).
I. Principal Planner Stan Sawa presented the staff report, a copy of which is on
file in the Community Development Department.
2. Commissioner Mitchell asked if they recommended monitoring of the
grading. Planning Manager di Iorio answered the information was in the
third paragraph under the Management Summary. She commented on the
projects that had been worked on near the site and nothing had been
recovered, including the project to the east, which had been trenched and was
also negative. As a result, the Archaeologists concluded monitoring deep
trenching was not warranted.
3. Commissioner Irwin was concerned because one of the reasons cited for not
monitoring was the cost involved which she felt should not be a reason for
discontinuing the monitoring. She contended it was very important to
continue the monitoring during trenching, since artifacts had been found on
the property at Dune Palms Road and Highway 1 I I with deep trenching.
4. Planning Manager di Iorio stated a condition could be added requiring the
trenching to be monitored.
5. Commissioner Puente agreed with Commissioner Irwin and asked if it could
be a policy that deep trenching be required on all sites so no archaeological
remains would be lost.
6. Chairman Wright agreed that a condition to require monitored trenching be
added and stated it may not be prudent to make any exceptions after the
Commission has worked so hard to have monitoring of trenching done
previously.
7. There being no further discussion, it was moved and seconded by
Commissioners IrwinlPuente to adopt Minute Motion 2000-015 accepting the
Phase I Cultural Assessment for Tract 29623 with addition of a condition to
monitor during trenching. Unanimously approved.
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C. Appointment to the Museum Expansion Committee.
I . Planning Manager di Iorio informed the Conunissioners that the City Council
would be forming a Conunittee to work on the Museum Expansion in the
very near future. The Conunittee's purpose is to prepared design criteria for
use by the proposed architect in plans for the expansion of the La Quinta
Historic Museum.
2. There being no further discussion, it was moved and seconded by Chairman
WrightlConunissioner Mitchell to appoint Commissioner Irwin as the
Historic Preservation Conunission' s representative. Unanimously approved.
VI. CORRESPONDENCE AND WRITTEN MATERIAL
VII. COMMISSIONER ITEMS
A. Chairman Wright introduced Mr. Archie Sharp, who was visiting as Council's
appointee to the Commission, and welcomed him to the Commission.
B. Principal Planner Stan Sawa passed out a letter received from Richard Starzak,
Senior Architectural Historian for Myra 1. Frank & Associates, regarding the future
clock/antennae structure at the Salon de Flores at the La Quinta Resort. This letter
was only to update the Commission as the applicant still has to file an application
and go through the normal approval and review process.
I. Commissioner Mitchell asked if the FCC had submitted Section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act report to State Office of Historic
Preservation (SHPO) since it is a Federally-licensed undertaking and requires
consultation with SHPO.
2. Planning Manager di Iorio replied the letter staff received was a copy of what
was sent to the SHPO. It is staffs understanding they have since received
a response from SHPO and we can request a response. Therefore, staff has
prepared a letter making such a request. However, even though they have
been talking with the State Office, they will still need to process a
Conditional Use Permit t\1rough the City. Also, they sent us a photograph
but it does not show what the proposed antenna will look like. It is a picture
of what is existing. Their proposal is to raise the tower twelve feet. That
means it will not only affect the historic aspect, because is also further away
from the historic portion of the hotel. Also the sensitivity of having a twelve
foot high antenna on Salon de Flores is a a concern not just to the
Commission, but to everyone else.
3. Conunissioner Mitchell inquired if the City would wait to hear from SHPO
before issuing a permit. Planning Manager di Iorio stated they already had
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and that was why staff was waiting for the letter.
C. Planning Manager di Iorio acknowledged an inquiry by Commissioner Irwin about
a Tourism Initiative through Riverside County and they were supposed to be setting
up a Committee. Staff had left messages at the number given, but had not received
any replies. She will try to obtain further information.
D. Commissioner Irwin asked if the Commission could have a Workshop at the July
meeting. Planning Manager di Iorio replied she would see who was available to
conduct the Workshop. As it was summer, it might be difficult to arrange.
E. It was moved and seconded by Commissioners IrwinlPuente to hold the next
regularly scheduled on July 27th to accommodate the Commissioner's summer
schedules. Unanimously approved.
VIII. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners IrwinlPuente to
adjourn this meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission to the next scheduled meeting of the
Historic Preservation Commission on July 27, 2000. This meeting of the Historic Preservation
Commission was adjourned at 3:20 p.m., June 15,2000. Unanimously approved.
Submitted by:
(!IIWJ~. ~
C;;;;~ia~er
Secretary
"
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