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1996 05 16 HPCNO AGENDA, MEETING ONLY MAY 167 1996 MINUTES HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MEETING A regular meeting held at the La Quinta City Hall Session Room 78-495 Calle Tampico, La Quinta, CA May 16, 1996 I. CALL TO ORDER A. This meeting of the Historical Preservation Commission was called to order at 3:06 P.M. by Chairman Millis. IL ROLL CALL A. Chairman Millis requested the roll call: Present: Commissioners DeMersman, Puente, Woodard Wright, Advisor Lauren Weiss -Bricker, and Chairman ]Millis. B. Staff present: Community Development Director Jerry Herman, Planning Manager Christine di Iorio, Associate Planner Leslie Mouriquand, and Executive Secretary Betty Sawyer. III. PUBLIC COMMENT: None IV. CONSENT CALENDAR - None V. BUSINESS ITEMS A. Historic Survey Project Consultant Selection Committee Report Planning Manager Christine di Iorio informed the Commission that staff had received 12 proposals. The Selection Committee had met and reviewed all 12. Their criteria for selecting four to be interviewed was based on their qualifications and according to what they could offer for the contract price. Friday, June 7th, had been selected by the Committee to interview those selected. The four to be interviewed are: a. CRM Tech, Bruce Love, Archaeologist, Tom Tang, Architectural Historian b. Leslie Heumann and Associates, Architectural Historian, Archaeologist Helen Wells C. Knox Mellon and Associates, Architectural History HPC5-I6 Historical Preservation Commission May 16. 1996 d. Brian F. Mooney & Associates, Richard Carrico Archaeologist, Susan Carrico Historian/Architectural Historian, Robert Case Archaeologist. 2. Commissioner Woodard asked how long the survey should take. Associate Planner Leslie Mouriquand stated approximately one year as the consultants would not be able to start the survey until October according to the guidelines of the Grant. The Grant allows eleven months to complete the survey. Staff continued to explain the process the consultant would be going through to conduct the survey as well as what the City expected to obtain :From the survey. B. Discussion with Staff Relative to the Commission Reviewing New Buildinnas with Historic Architectural. Community Development Director Jerry Herman explained that the City had a Design Review Board approximately 3-4 years ago and due to the time it took to process a project through all the commissions/boards for approval, the City Council decided to combine the Planning Commission and Design Review Board. It is now the responsibility of the Planning Commission to review all aspects of new construction including the architecture. 2. Commissioner Woodard stated that the Historic Preservation Commission is responsible for reviewing and making recommendations to the City Council concerning the retention of any historical structures in the City and he felt the review of any new buildings to be located in a historical portion of the City, should also be reviewed by the Commission to ensure the proposed architectural style is compatible. 3. Staff stated that Council had reduced the number of boards a developer goes through for approval and may not want to add the Historical Preservation Commission review to that process. 4. Commissioner Woodard stated his concern that the City would allow the "cutsie"type buildings rather than the authentic architecture of La Quinta's history. If the City is to have a "Village" atmosphere and does not have people on the Planning Commission with the knowledge to distinguish between the "cutsie" and the authentic, and with no policy in place to require it, the City will not be able to maintain the Village atmosphere. 5. Community Development Director Jerry Herman stated the City does not have any such policy for design criteria. The only document that has any guidelines is the Village Specific Plan. The Planning Commission currently prefers to retain the look of the architecture used at the La Quinta Hotel and HPC5-16 Historical Preservation Commission May 16. 1996 tries to approve projects based on that style of architecture, but there is no policy to require it. Any new development that occurs in the "Village" area is reviewed according to the Village Specific Plan. The City Council currently during an economic development meeting, has decided the; Village Specific Plan should be reviewed. C. City of La Ouinta Historic Context Statement - update Staff explained they anticipated having the Context Statement completed by the Commission's June meeting. Staff would still appreciate any information the Commissioners could volunteer. 2. Commissioner Woodard thanked staff for the quality of work that had been produced in the Context Statement. All Commissioners expressed the same opinion. 3. Commissioners discussed with staff the different items that would be included in the Statement. Staff felt their research had produced all the information that would be available to aid in the writing of the Survey. Once the Commission has approved the Statement, it will go to the City Council, probably late June or early July, for their approval. 4. Advisor Lauren Bricker stated the work completed by staff will greatly reduce the amount of time needed by the consultants to prepare the Survey. She further suggested staff consider grouping all the figures and pictures to be included in the Statement, at the end of the document rather than trying to integrate it into the text. It would serve the document better as an appendix. 5. Chairman Millis stated the Historical Society would be interested. in seeing that this information is published in some form. The information is worth having for generations to come. Staff suggested the City may want to apply for another grant next year to fund such a project. 6. Advisor Bricker suggested that in addition to what staff has provided, it might be worth the Commissioner's time to designate what criteria should be used to determine what structures should be placed on the historical list for the National Registry. Taking into consideration the history of the art and architecture, what is reasonable to expect. 7. Chairman Millis asked if the City's natural waterways would be included, i.e., the All American Canal. Staff stated they would be included in the that portion concerned with Cultural Landscape as well as the trails, roads, wagon HPC-16 Historical Preservation Commission May 16, 1996 roads, etc. that had been identified. These will be included along with the historical maps that shows the routes such as stage line routes, and Indian trails. Some of these trails have evolved into the City's major streets such as Highway 111. OTHER A. Commissioner Items Chairman Millis informed the Commission that the La Quinta Historical Society had submitted a letter to the Commission asking for their review and approval of having the historical street markers, the "obelisks", repaired and replaced throughout the City. Staff stated it would be on the Commission's agenda for June. Commissioners discussed with staff possible locations for the obelisks. 2. Commissioner Puente asked staff when the Metropolitan theaters would be starting construction. Staff stated they were trying to obtain their funding and were working with the developer to get started. 3. Associate Planner Leslie Mouriquand stated she had received a letter from Representative Boxer showing her support for the funding for the Historic Survey project. 4. Planning Manager Christine di Iorio stated that staff had been contacting different individuals to speak at the Commission meetings. This would enable the Commission to meet their State requirements rather than the Commission having to attend conferences. 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 a regular meeting of the Historical Preservation Commission on June 20, 1996. This meeting of the Historical Preservation Commission was adjourned at 3:57 P.M. Unanimously approved. HPC5-16