2008 05 15 HPC MinutesMINUTES
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MEETING
A Regular meeting held in the Study Session Room
at the La Quinta City Hall
78-495 Calle Tampico, La Quinta, CA
May 15, 2008
This meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission was called to order by Commissioner
Puente at 3:02 p.m. who asked for the roll call.
CALL TO ORDER
A. Roll Call.
Present: Commissioners Puente, Redmon, Sharp, Wright, and
Chairman Wilbur
Absent: None
Staff
Present: Planning Manager David Sawyer, Principal Planner Stan
Sawa, Associate Planner Jay Wuu, and Secretary Monika
Radeva.
II. PUBLIC COMMENT: None
III. CONFIRMATION OF THE AGENDA: Confirmed
IV. CONSENT CALENDAR:
A. It was moved and seconded by Commissioners Redmon/Sharp to approve the
minutes of April 17, 2008, as submitted. Unanimously approved.
V. BUSINESS ITEMS:
A. Archaeological Testing and Evaluation Report Of Site CA-RIV-8835 (33-
16950)
Applicant: Sobel Enterprises (Brad Sobel)
Archaeological
Consultant: CRM TECH (Michael Hogan, Principal)
Location: Northeast Corner of Highway 1 1 1 and Dune Palms Road.
Principal Planner Stan Sawa presented the information contained in the staff
report, a copy of which is on file in the Planning Department.
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Historic Preservation Commission
May 15, 2008
Applicant Brad Sobel and Consultant Michael Hobel were introduced.
Commissioner Redmon referred to the Management Summary section of the
Interim Cultural Resources Report: "the final evaluation of the site cannot be
fully determined without the results of the laboratory analyses of the artifacts
and ecofacts recovered..." and asked how long the results of the analyses
would take because based on the staff report the results were immediately
connected to the issuance of the first building permit.
Consultant Michael Hogan replied CRM TECH would be completing the
analysis this week and would begin working on the final report, which would
be completed within a month or less.
Principal Planner Stan Sawa stated the Planning Department was currently
processing the application and would be ready to present it to the Planning
Commission and City Council no sooner than a month.
Commissioner Sharp asked if the age of the recovered cremation had been
determined.
Mr. Hogan stated that the cremation found on the site was not intact. In fact
it had been previously disturbed and the remains had been scattered.
Commissioner Wright asked if the tribe had been notified that a cremation had
been found. Staff said the tribe had been informed.
Mr. Hogan specified the tribe had a monitor on-site while his team was
removing the remains.
Commissioner Wright asked if the consultant was recommending additional
testing on the site. Mr. Hogan replied he would not recommend any more
testing.
Commissioner Wright commented on the valuable expertise Mr. Hogan has in
this area and stated he would be in favor of moving forward with the project
with monitoring as recommended by staff.
Commissioner Puente asked if the remains were found on the surface or if
they were buried. Mr. Hogan replied the remains were found mostly on the
surface within the first 20 centimeters.
Commissioner Puente asked for clarification on the type of remains found.
Mr. Hogan clarified that it was a cremation pit with a possible turtle shell
artifact used as a rattle.
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Historic Preservation Commission
May 15, 2008
Commissioner Puente asked if the recovered artifacts would be located at the
new museum or somewhere else in Riverside. Staff replied the artifacts, other
than any human remains, would be curated at the La Quinta museum.
There being no further comments it was moved and seconded by
Commissioners Wright/Redmon to approve Minute Motion 2008-002
accepting the interim Archaeological Testing and Evaluation Report of Site CA-
RIV-8835 (33-16950) as submitted. Unanimously approved.
B. City Historic Context Statement Review
Applicant: City of La Quinta
Consultant: City Staff
Location: City-wide
Principal Planner Stan Sawa presented the information contained in the staff
report, a copy of which is on file in the Planning Department.
Commissioner Puente inquired about the schedule of completion for the
Historic Context Statement. Staff replied that the schedule would be followed
as closely as possible and the City Historic Context Statement Review would
be presented to the Commission for review and approval in parts based on its
structure. The first part of the review was the Introduction and Prehistory
and Early Settlement. The Resort Industry and Village and Cove Development
contexts would follow.
VI. CORRESPONDENCE AND WRITTEN MATERIAL: None
VII. COMMISSIONER ITEMS:
Commissioner Wright mentioned that the Commission always goes dark one month
during the summer, but it hasn't been determined yet, which month.
Planning Manager David Sawyer stated the City Council would be dark the second
meeting in August.
Commissioner Wright said he would be out of town during the month of July.
Planning Manager David Sawyer talked about the new regulations adopted by City
Council regarding Commission attendance, which allowed only two absences per
fiscal year. A third absence would automatically remove a Commissioner from
his/her Commission position by order of the City Ordinance 446. He mentioned a
memo was being drafted for all the Commissions as a reminder of the ordnance.
Commissioner Wright commented these regulations were in line with those adopted
by other Commissions he has been on. He suggested an attendance update be
included in the monthly packets to help keep track of absences.
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Historic Preservation Commission
May 15, 2008
Discussion the summer schedule followed. It was unanimously decided to go dark
the month of July.
Commissioner Puente inquired about the scheduled meeting dates for June and
August.
Staff replied the dates were June 195h and August 2155
Commissioner Puente stated she would
because she would be out of the country,
August.
not be attending the meeting in June
but she would be back for the meeting in
There being no further business, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners
Redmon/Sharp to adjourn this Meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission to
the next Regular Meeting to be held on June 19, 2008. This meeting of the Historic
Preservation Commission was adjourned at 2:23 p.m.
It was moved and seconded by Commissioner Redmon/Wright to rescind the motion
to adjourn as the Commission failed to discuss the Historic Preservation Conference
in Napa.
Commissioner Redmon commented on the classes and workshops offered, which
she found to be very interesting and resourceful.
Planning Manager Sawyer stated for the record Chairman Wilbur had arrived at the
meeting.
Commissioner Wright said he found the Conference to be very he-pful as well. He
mentioned that the Conference next year would be in Palm Springs, which would
eliminate any travel expenses and would allow them to attend a lot more workshops.
Commissioner Wright added that one of the most important events during these
conferences is the final networking event, which the Commission is normally not a
part of. He would like to ask Council for permission to attend that final event next
year as that would be the perfect place to try to promote the historical district in the
Cove and get some excellent ideas as to what would be the best way to approach
that.
Commissioner Wright mentioned that he and Commissioner Redmon had spoken
with Cindy Heitzman, Executive Director of the California Preservation Foundation,
at the Conference. She plans to visit the Coachella Valley in a few weeks and they
plan to give her a tour of the historic places in La Quinta. He said he had spoken to
a lot of people who showed interest in the La Quinta Resort and the Traditions
development.
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Historic Preservation Commission
May 15, 2008
Commissioner Redmon said the people she spoke to were aware of the historic
public buildings in Palm Springs, but knew nothing of the historic significance of the
rest of the Coachella Valley.
Commissioner Wright commented on the Grand Opening of the new La Quinta
Museum scheduled for Saturday, May 24`h from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. and
emphasized the importance of the Commissioners' attendance.
VIII. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners
Wright/Puente to adjourn this Meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission to
the next Regular Meeting to be held on June 19, 2008. This meeting of the Historic
Preservation Commission was adjourned at 3:35 p.m. Unanimously approved.
Submit ed by•
Monika R eva
Secretary
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