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2000 01 06 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 JANUARY 6, 2000 This meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission was called to order by Chairman Robert Wright at 3: 13 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 Mitchell, Puente, and Chairman Wright. Commissioner Irwin was excused. 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 then moved and seconded by Commissioners PuenteIMitchell to approvl~ the Minutes of November 17, 1999, as submitted. Unanimously approved. V. BUSINESS ITEMS A. Phase I Archaeological Assessment for Environmental Assessment 99-38\Lfur General Plan Amendment 99-064, Zone Change 99-092, Specific Plan 99-040Jllli\ Tentative Tract 29323; located at the northwest corner of Jefferson Street and Fred Waring Drive. Applicant: Mr. Wade Ellis. Archaeological Consultant: Archaeological Associates. I. Principal Planner Stan Sawa presented the staff report, a copy of which is on file in the Community Development Department. 2. Commissioner Mitchell stated he was pleased with the report and complimented Archaeological Associates on the manner in which they performed their probes. 3. Commissioner Puente asked for a definition of "mano" to which Planning Manager di Iorio replied it was a Mayan pestle or hand tool. P:\CAROL YN\HPCI-6-00.wpd -1- Historic Preservation Connnission Minutes January 6, 2000 4. Chairman Wright commented the report was very thorough and to the point. 5. There being no further discussion, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners PuenteIMitchell to adopt Minute Motion 2000-001 approving Phase I Archaeological Assessment for Environmental Assessment 99-389 for General Plan Amendment 99-064, Zone Change 99-092, Specific Plan 99-040, and Tentative Tract 29323. Unanimously approved. B. Phase IT Archaeological Testing and Site Evaluation Report for Tentative Tract 29436; located on the north side of Eisenhower Drive, east of Coachella Drive. Applicant: US Home Corporation. Archaeological Consultant: CRM Tech (Bruce Love). I. Principal Planner Stan Sawa presented the staff report, a copy of which is on file in the Community Development Department. 2. Commissioner Mitchell commented on Site 33-8761, the Indian Trail, and stated this types of cultural resource normally was not eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. Recordation of these sites and their features normally exhaust their research potential. He asked for an explanation of why the trail was significant as it was not included as a DPR form. He also asked for clarification on Page 10 of the report, where standard testing was done by randomly placed excavation units and asked why shovel test probes had not been used. Also, Commissioner Mitchell asked for Dr, Love's definitions of pottery, such as buff, brown ware, etc. 3. Commissioner Puente commented on historic migration patterns from 1600 years ago and this site's significance. 4. Chairman Wright stated he had no problems with any of the recommendations of staff and invited Dr. Bruce Love to make comments on the report. 5. Mr. Marvin Roos, Mainiero, Smith Associates, corrected the location of the project as being west, not south, of Laguna de la Paz. 6. Commissioner Mitchell asked about Site 33-8761, the Indian Trail and the definition of wares. Dr. Love stated the Trail is more important than just a trail because of the religious purposes associated with the cupules on the boulder. And, it also appears that this was a trail that connected the Cavendish Site of Indian Wells with the La Quinta area because it goes through the saddle. It was the shortcut between Indian Wells and La Quinta so the Indians did not have to go all the way around Point Happy. And it would appear that it may be a territorial boundary of some sort between clan groups or Indian groups. With the bedrock mortar being situated in that P:\CAROL YN\HPCI-6-00.wpd -2- Historic Preservation Connnission Minutes January 6, 2000 strategic spot, it seemed like it had a little bit more significance than being just a trail, but only the base of the trail is actually on the property so there is a question as to how the City can protect the bedrock mortar. Dr. Love then made comparisons on the various testing systems. 7. Dr. Love went on to comment on the definition of the various pottery types; Buff Wares versus Brown Wares and stated he was having a problem with using the Colorado River typologies for Coachella Valley ceramics. He, therefore, uses more generalized terminology to accommodate the differences between the Colorado River versus Coachella Valley pottery. 8. Commissioner Mitchell agreed with Dr. Love's distinction between the two, but advised Dr. Love to clearly define the terminology in his future reports. Dr. Love agreed and went on to clarify his evaluation of the trail site. 9. Planning Manager di Iorio suggested the Commissioners look on Page: 52 which implies the significance is stated in Phase I Report. 10. Dr. Love affirmed that he probably should have included the information from the Phase I Survey into this one to be more precise. 11. There being no further discussion, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners Mitchell and Puente to adopt Minute Motion 2000-002 approving the Phase II Archaeological Testing and Site Evaluation Report for Tentative Tract 29436, subject to the staffs recommendations and the following conditions: a. Move information on the significance of the Trail from the Phase I report to the Phase II report. b. Include clarification of the definition of Buff Ware Unanimously approved. C. Phase III Archaeological Assessment of Site CA-RIV 2936 in Specific Plan 99.~ located northwest of the intersection of Highway III and Dune Palms Road and the north side of Highway Ill, 350 feet east of Adams Street. Applicant: Troll- Woodpark Company (Scott Gayner). Archaeological Consultant: CRM Tech (Bruce Love). 1. Principal Planner Stan Sawa presented the information contained in the report, a copy of which is on file in the Community Development Department. 2. Commissioner Mitchell stated he was looking forward to seeing the final report on this project, especially comparing the subsistence strategies relative to the number of bones or weight of bone at this location, as opposed to other P:\CAROL YNlHPCI-6-00.wpd -3- Historic Preservation Commission Minutes January 6, 2000 areas of the Valley or sites at other time periods. He complimented CRM Tech on the report. 3. Chairman Wright and Commissioner Puente concurred with his assessment. 4. Dr. Love stated Scott Gaynor, representing La Quinta Corporate Center, asked Dr. Love to clarify the statement, "before the issuance of the first building permit"; as it relates to the timing of Dr. Love's report. Planning Manager di Iorio stated this meant prior to the construction of the first building. Currently, there was,only one approval and that was for the gas station. The reference is to that building. Dr. Love asked if it was actually the buildings or the streets and curbing. Planning Manager di Iorio replied it did not refer to the street improvements or grading. Dr. Love thanked her for the clarification and advised he would report back to Mr. Gaynor. 5. There being no further discussion, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners PuenteIMitchell to adopt Minute Motion 2000-003 accepting the Phase III Archaeological Assessment of Site CA-RIV A 2936 in Specific Plan 99-036. Unanimously approved. D. Phase I Historicl Archaeological Assessment for Future Commercial Development located at the northwest corner of Highway 111 and Washington Street. Applicant: Madison Development (Ed Alderson). Archaeological Consultant: CRM Tech' (Bruce Love). 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. 2. Commissioner Mitchell questioned the lack of backhoe usage, but deferred the question to staff. He had no further questions on the report, but did state the report was interesting, thorough, and comprehensive. 3. Chairman Wright commented on the enormous amount of grading done by CalTrans and others, when Highway III was first constructed; it would have effectively destroyed anything of value. He concurred with Commissioner Mitchell on the report. 4. Commissioner Puente asked staff to clarify the "H" designation. Principal Planner Sawa stated it meant Historic designation. The applicant had indicated they found some sun colored amethyst glass pieces which are believed to be early 20th Century. 5. Commissioner Mitchell and Dr. Love discussed the advantages/disadvantages of surface collection versus backhoe trenching, and why they are collecting artifacts even if the site is not significant. Dr. Love replied he followed this practice as standard procedure. He could not justify P:\CAROL YNlHPC1.6.00.wpd -4- Historic Preservation Commission Minutes January 6, 2000 letting an artifact be destroyed because it was not significant per the criteria per the National Register. Commissioner Mitchell expressed his conc,:rn about the costs of curation of all artifacts found, especially if there's no provenance thereby not providing us with any information. Dr. Love commented that it was a rule of thumb, even though it was not mandatl~d, and when there is a site with a few artifacts that do not meet criteria for significance, you collect the artifacts rather than see them graded under. He told the Commissioners his work was mostly CEQA and very little Federal, and that was the procedure he used 6. There being no further discussion, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners PuenteIMitchell to adopt Minute Motion 2000-004 accepting the Phase I Historic/Archaeological Assessment for Future Commercial Development located at the northwest corner of Highway 111 and Washington Street, subject to conditions. Unanimously approved. VI. CORRESPONDENCE AND WRITTEN MATERIAL VII. COMMISSIONER ITEMS A. Planning Manager di Iorio told the Commission this meeting was scheduled as our January meeting due to the urgent requests on the agenda,. The Commission will resume their regular meeting schedule with the February meeting on February 17th. VIII. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners MitchelllPuente to adjourn this meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission to the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Historical Preservation Commission on February 17,2000. This meeting of the Historical Preservation Commission was adjourned at 3:45 p.m. January 6, 2000. Unanimously approved. Sljbmitted by: C/LU!!t-;/1L fL~ tlOeA-/ Carolyn Wklker Secretary P:\CAROL YNlHPC 1-6-00.wpd :5-