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1994 10 20 HPCT, OF I HISTORICAL PRESERVATION COMMISSION An Regular Meeting to be Held in the Session Room at the La Quinta City Hall, 78-495 Calle Tampico La Quinta, California October 20, 1994 3:30 P.M. CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL PUBLIC COMMENT This is the time set aside for citizens to address the Historical Preservation Commission on matters relating to historic resources within the City of La Quinta which are not Agenda items. When addressing the Historical Commission, please state your name and address. When addressing the Commission on matters pertaining to prehistoric sites, do not disclose the exact location of the site(s) for their protection. CONSENT CALENDAR Approval of the Minutes of the Historical Preservation meeting of September 15, 1994. BUSINESS ITEMS 1. City Survey OTHER ADJOURNMENT HPC/AGENDA .Bev U U 0 0 1 MINUTES HISTORICAL PRESERVATION COMMISSION - CITY OF LA QUINTA A regular meeting held at the La Quinta City Hall 78-495 Calle Tampico, La Quinta, California September 15, 1994 CALL TO ORDER A. The meeting was called to order at 3:30 P.M. by Chairman Ned Millis 11. ROLL CALL A. Chairman Millis requested the roll call. Present: Commission Members Henderson, Pallette, Puente, Wright, and Chairman Millis. B. Staff Present: Planning Director Jerry Herman, Associate Planner Leslie Mouriquand-Cherry, and Department Secretary Betty Sawyer. 111. PUBLIC COMMENT - None IV. CONSENT CALENDAR A. Chairman Millis asked if there were any corrections to the minutes. Commissioner Henderson asked that the time adjourned be amended to read 4:45 P.M. There being no further corrections, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners Henderson/Puente to approve the minutes of July 21, 1994, as corrected. Unanimously approved. V. BUSINESS ITEMS A. Hacienda del Gato: a continued discussion regarding the condition, disposition, and possible historical site. HPC9-15 I Leslie Mouriquand-Cherry presented the information contained in the staff report, a copy of which is on file in the Community Development Department. 2. Chairman Millis asked if the members had any comments regarding the letter received from Mr. John Gamlin of Landmark Land Company. I 002 Historical Preservation Commission Minutes September 15, 1994 3. Commissioner Pallette stated he felt the Commission, in the future, might want to initiate conversations with potential property owners with a phone call and follow-up with a letter in order to start with a softer approach. 4. Commissioner Henderson stated she disagreed. She felt the Commission's letter did not warrant such a response and she took offense to Mr. Gamlin's letter. Commissioner Wright agreed. 5. Staff related the information that had been obtained during a phone call with Mr. Gamlin prior to the letter being written. 6. Commissioners suggested that staff find out who the new owners are and proceed with contacting them regarding registering the property in the National Registry. 7. Commissioner Pallette asked staff what authority the Conunission had if the property owner did not want to register the property. Planning Director Jerry Herman stated basically the Commission had no authority to force a property owner to register their property. Discussion followed regarding the Commission's authority and the condition of the Hacienda del Gato. 8. Commissioner Pallette stated the Commission needed to inform the property owners of the benefits of registering their property in order to gain support. 9. Following the discussion, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners Pallette/Wright to continue the matter to the next meeting of the Commission and give staff time to contact the new owners. Unanimously approved. B. Rules and Procedures I Staff discussed with the Commission the rules and procedures the Commission would operate under. 2. Following the discussion, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners. Henderson/Wright to recommend to the City Council acceptance of the Rules and Procedures as drafted. Unanimously approved. C. Rules of Conduct for a Public Hearing I Staff reviewed the rules for conducting a public hearing with the Commission. HPC9-15 2 0. 1 003 Historical Preservation Commission Minutes September 1S, 1994 D. California Local Government (CLG) Application 1. Staff reviewed the application with the Commission and asked if there were any questions or changes. 2. Commissioner Henderson stated that the address listed for the "Real Estate Office" was incorrect. It should be 77-885 Calle Estado. 3. Following the discussion, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners Henderson/Pallette to recommend to the City Council approval of the application and authorize staff to send the application to the State for certification. E. Mills Act HPC9-15 1. Staff explained the Act to the Commission and asked if there were any questions. 2. Commissioner Puente stated this was a document that would be beneficial to get to the prospective property owners. 3. Commissioner Pallette asked how the Commission would find out if any potential property was going to be altered, destroy, etc. Staff stated they would have to apply for a building permit and the Community Development Department would be informed at that time. 4. Commissioner Henderson asked what a property owner would do if once they were in the program and they wanted to get out. Staff stated that the program was set up to retain the property for a ten year period in order to gain the government credits. After the ten years it is renewed automatically for a one year period. Should a property owner wish to get out of the program before the ten years they would be subject to a 121/2% penalty. 5. Commissioner Pallette stated he felt the program was a strong incentive to encourage property owners to register their property. 6. There being no further discussion, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners Puente/Henderson to recommend to the City Council that the Mills Act be implemented by the City. Unanimously approved. 91 9- 1 004 Historical Preservation Commission Minutes September 15, 1994 F. Historic Preservation Element Format - La Quinta General Plan 1 Staff informed the Commission of the need to have a Historic Element in the General Plan and the process through which the Commission would have to go through to initiate such a Element. 2. Following discussion, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners Henderson/Wright to recommend to the City Council that they authorize the Commission and staff to prepare a Historic Preservation Element for adoption into the La Quinta General Plan. Unanimously approved. VI. OTHER A. Members of the Commission and staff informed each other of different functions and activities that were to take place in the Valley and elsewhere. VII. ADJOURNMENT A motion was made and seconded by Commissioners Henderson/Puente to adjourn this regular meeting of the Historical Preservation Commission to a regular meeting on October 20, 1994, in the La Quinta. City Hall Study Session Room. This meeting of the La Quinta Historical Preservation Commission was adjourned at 4:27 P.M., September 15, 1994. HPC9-lS N 005 STAFF REPORT HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MEETING DATE: OCTOBER 20, 1994 ITEM: CITY HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY BACKGROUND: Ordinance 238 - Historical Preservation requires that a survey for historic resources be conducted in La Quinta. Staff has conducted research in preparation for a discussion of several issues associated with such a survey. Literature from the Interagency Resources Division of the National Park Service states that "a historic properties survey is a study designed to identify and evaluate properties in an area such as a community, a neighborhood, a rural area, or the area of a proposed land --use project". "Historic properties" are defined by the national historic preservation program as properties significant in American history, prehistory, architecture, engineering, archaeology, or culture, including properties significant to the nation, a particular state or region, or at the local level. Why do a Survey? 0 To know where historic properties are located for planning and preservation purposes. 0 To increase public understanding of and interest in, the City's history and resources. 0 To identify historic properties that may be eligible for various kinds of federal, state, and local assistance. 0 To provide data for research. Who has done a survWJ In the publication titled, Survey of Surveys: A SuminaU of California's Historical and Architectural Resource Surveys (1989) prepared by the Office of Historic Preservation, it was tabulated that there had been 151 historical surveys conducted in various cities and counties throughout California. The majority of cities and counties conducted their own surveys using their staff, with consultant involvement to some degree in 141 of the surveys. Information that is produced from a sunLey A survey will produce written reports, files or photographs, perhaps videotapes or audio tapes, maps showing areas surveyed at different levels of intensity, drawings, plans, and bibliographic information on background data. Based on these data, and an evaluation of the properties recorded, an organized inventory can be produced listing properties that have been evaluated and found to be historic, together with a list of properties found not to be historic. HPCSTF.003 006 Kinds of Survey There are six different kinds of basic surveys. The kind of survey that is done depends on the kinds of properties that must be dealt with, and the purposes to be served. Some examples are: "Predictive" survey, usually applied to large areas (a whole community, a large rural area), in which predictions are made about where historic properties of different kinds will be found, based on background research, and then these predictions are tested through the inspection of sample blocks or tracts of land. "Windshield" survey, which means literally driving the streets or roads looking for buildings, structures, or groups of buildings and structures that may be historic. Intensive architectural survey, which means a very detailed survey, but one that concentrates only on standing buildings and structures. Thematic survey, which means a detailed survey concentrating on specific property types (e.g. apartment buildings, school houses). Intensive archaeological survey, which concentrates on identifying archaeological sites and may involve detailed inspection of land surfaces coupled with small-scale excavations to find buried sites. Oral historical survey, which involves the extensive use of interviews with people who are knowledgeable about local history or about the cultural patterns (e.g. the traditions of an ethnic neighborhood) that may give significance to an area. There are other kinds of surveys as well, and all of the above can be combined in different ways, depending on the purpose of the survey and what background research tells you about the kinds of historic properties that are likely to be present. Background research A good understanding of the area's history, prehistory, traditional and contemporary land use patterns and social groups, and so on, must be first developed before a survey can begin. Lacking such understanding, you may miss significant properties, or evaluate properties incorrectly, or literally not know what you're looking at. Every good survey begins with a background study of written sources on the area - not only published local histories, but sources of primary data such as tax maps, unpublished journals and historical, archaeological, or ethnographic data held by universities, colleges, museums,, historical or archaeological societies, and other institutions. It is usually appropriate to continue such research as the field survey itself gets underway, because the field survey is likely to raise questions that can be answered only through further background research. HPCSTF.003 1111 007 Public participation Surveys should be designed and overseen by experienced people, generally with professional training in history, archaeology, architectural history and other pertinent fields, or at least consultation with such people. Actual background research and field survey can be carried out by staff, volunteers, students, community groups, and other members of the public interested in participating. Organization of survey data, or of systems and standards for the maintenance of such data, should be supervised by professionals. It may be possible to have volunteers from the City's Volunteer Program participating. Funding Funds may be available from the Office of Historic Preservation. The National Park Service provides matching grants-in-aid for surveys from the Historic Preservation Fund, which can be subgranted by SHPO to CLG's to carry out survey projects. These grants require that the CLG provide a match in the form of money or staff time, supplies, and other expenses. The next grant application deadline is April 30, 1995. The City should be certified under the CLG program this fall which should leave time to prepare a grant proposal. Use of survey result One of the most important ways to use information from a survey is in local land -use and development planning. The following are a few ways that survey information can be integrated into planning. Comprehensive planning: The State of California requires that local governments develop comprehensive or general plans to guide their growth and development, and assist them in developing such plans. Among the basic functions of a general plan is to identify opportunities for and constraints on development. Historic properties may present both opportunities and constraints - opportunities for rehabilitation, for enhancing the quality of life, for public participation, and constraints on development that would destroy them or be insensitive to their important qualities. Based on survey data, areas within comprehensive plans, and the kinds of opportunities and constraints associated with each property or type of property can be identified. This information can then be factored into future decisions about specific development and land use prcjects. Zoning: It is vital to try to minimize conflict between a community's historic preservation system and its zoning system. Otherwise zoning within historic districts or in areas where historic properties exist may permit uses that will destroy or diminish their historical, architectural, or archaeological values. Where permitted by local and state law, survey data can be used to define a historic preservation zoning classification. If this is not possible, a historic preservation overlay can be created on the basis of survey data. When superimposed on zoning maps, the overlay identifies areas in which architectural design or modification of existing structures or land must be subjected to historic preservation review. HPCSTF.003 008 0 Ordinances: By demonstrating the fact that historic properties exist within a community, the results of a survey can be used to convince local lawmakers of the need for various kinds of protective ordinances. Moreover, survey data can be used to "fine-tune" local ordinances to ensure that they are effective and reasonable. Incomplete surveys A survey does not need to be complete to be useful. A survey that has covered only part of a community will be useful to planning in those areas that have been covered, even if it is not helpful elsewhere. A survey that has addressed only standing structures and districts will be useful in deciding where design review of additions or demolitions should be required, even though it cannot be used to determine where archaeological surveys and data recovery should or should no', be required. - Ideally, a survey is conducted in stages of greater and greater detail and intensity. That is, initial work may involve only background research and small-scale field reconnaissance, such as "windshield" survey, or "spot-check" of areas thought to be archaeologically important. Subsequent stages may involve more intensive survey of sample neighborhoods, streets, or pieces of land. Ultimately, very detailed intensive surveys may be conducted of areas where previous work indicates that particular kinds of properties are likely to exist, with fieldwork, keyed to the kinds of properties expected. At each stage in such a phased survey, the information created can be useful to planning. Early background research and reconnaissance can at least identify broad areas in which historic properties of different kinds are likely to occur, alerting local officials that developers should be required to conduct more detailed surveys of areas they propose to modify, so that they can consider historic properties in development planning. As more detailed information becomes available, more detailed input can be provided to planning decisions. Officials will need to require fewer surveys by developers, and will be able to provide developers with more information, earlier, to guide them in their planning. Conclusion Staff concludes that a City wide survey be done to fulfill the requirements of' the Historic Preservation Ordinance, the Certified Local Government (CLG) program, and to satisfy those reasons identified in this report. The type of survey that should be done for the City is a comprehensive survey including both historic and prehistoric resources. An archival and literature search should be conducted first to develop the historical foundation and overview of the City. There are several good documents and publications to draw from to prepare such an overview. HPCSTF.003 Following the preparation of the overview, a combination of survey methods should be employed, consisting of windshield survey, intensive archaeological survey, oral history, and architectural survey to locate additional resources as well as gain additional information about known resources. As each resource is identified it will be properly recorded to meet the state recordation requirements. Any determinations of National Historical Register eligibility should also be made. Actual nominations to the Register can be done at a later date, as separate projects. The end products of the survey should include a brochure -type listing of historical resources that could be used for a self -guided tour, planning documents (maps and information), and other public information type items. RECOMMENDATION: Move to recommend to the City Council that a historic resources survey be prepared by staff, volunteers, and the Historic Preservation Commission. HPCSTF.003