2019-08-02 Wiatrak, James - 55075 Monroe Unpermitted Work1
From:James Wiatrak
Sent:Friday, August 2, 2019 8:10 AM
To:Kevin Meredith
Cc:Martha Mendez;Danny Castro;Cheri Flores;Carlos Flores;Wayne Campbell
Subject:RE: Morrow Ranch (55075 Monroe St.) update
TrackingTracking:Recipient Read
Kevin Meredith
Martha Mendez
Danny Castro Read: 8/2/2019 11:24 AM
Cheri Flores
Carlos Flores Read: 8/2/2019 8:22 AM
Wayne Campbell Read: 8/2/2019 8:14 AM
Good morning Kevin,
We will continue to work with the Morrow’s with respect to approving plans and issuing permits
for all unpermitted work, or even any new work proposed there. If they stall out, we’ll have
another discussion about how we then take further action at that time. I want to give them
some room to deal with this legal process to see where it take them.
The only real change at this time is that we will revoke occupancy on the main dwelling (not the
garage) until they submit plans and we issue a permit and perform inspections there. There are
simply too many questions there to allow continued use and occupancy.
I’ll copy you with the letter I am sending to the Morrow’s.
Regards,
From: Kevin Meredith
<Kmeredith@laquintaca.gov>
Sent: Friday, August 2, 2019 7:58 AM
To: James Wiatrak <jwiatrak@laquintaca.gov>; Wayne Campbell <Wcampbell@laquintaca.gov>
Cc: AJ Ortega <Aortega@laquintaca.gov>; Bryan McKinney <Bmckinney@laquintaca.gov>; Cheri Flores
<clflores@laquintaca.gov>; Monika Radeva <mradeva@laquintaca.gov>; Tommi Sanchez <Tsanchez@laquintaca.gov>;
Martha Mendez <mmendez@laquintaca.gov>
Subject: RE: Morrow Ranch (55075 Monroe St.) update
James “JW” Wiatrak, CBO, CASp
Building Official ◦ ADA Coordinator
Design & Development Department
City of La Quinta
78495 Calle Tampico ◦ La Quinta, CA 92253
Ph. 760.777.7023
www.laquintaca.gov
www.playinlaquinta.com
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Thank you for the update JW. We further discussed the ongoing issues at the Morrow properties
in our weekly Code meeting that included Carlos. We will halt citations regarding building codes
related to the main dwelling while the legal process works itself out. We will continue to work
with Building and Mr. Morrow on the trailer/manufactured dwelling on the adjacent parcel as well
as the building code issue on the separate barn/dwelling? Please continue to communicate with
us regarding Mr. Morrow’s progress on those two issues.
Thank you for all the coordination and communication on this property (s).
Kevin
Kevin Meredith | Animal Control/Code
Compliance Supervisor
City of La Quinta
78495 Calle Tampico
La Quinta, CA 92253
760-777-7034
www.laquintaca.gov
www.playinlaquinta.com
From: James Wiatrak <jwiatrak@laquintaca.gov>
Sent: Wednesday, July 31, 2019 11:54 AM
To: Kevin Meredith <Kmeredith@laquintaca.gov>; Wayne Campbell <Wcampbell@laquintaca.gov>
Cc: AJ Ortega <Aortega@laquintaca.gov>; Bryan McKinney <Bmckinney@laquintaca.gov>; Cheri Flores
<clflores@laquintaca.gov>; Monika Radeva <mradeva@laquintaca.gov>; Tommi Sanchez <Tsanchez@laquintaca.gov>
Subject: Morrow Ranch (55075 Monroe St.) update
Good morning Kevin and Wayne,
I spoke at some length yesterday with Greg Sanders, attorney for the Morrow’s, regarding the
many issues facing them as they progress towards compliance and obtain permits for the
various buildings and additions throughout their property.
According to their attorney, the Morrow’s are suing the former owners, the selling broker and
filing a claim against the title insurance company. To make matters worse, they apparently
found out recently that the house sits atop a Bureau of Reclamation easement and there is likely
a situation where the house cannot be where it is currently located unless the easement is
vacated, if that is even possible. As they work with the CVWD on the easement problem and
sort out the other legal issues, the attorney has asked that we not issue any further citations as
they are working in good faith to correct the many permit and approval deficiencies. I stated
that we would have no objection to halting the citations as long as they provided us with regular
status reports on the project and demonstrated that they are diligently moving forward with the
permitting process. Do you have any objections to my agreement on this?
In another matter, given that the main residence has apparently had several additions and
conversions and is a compilation of manufactured and site-built construction for which there are
no permits and approvals, I have decided that it is in the best interest of the owners and any
occupants to revoke our approval to occupy until they submit plans, obtain inspections and
receive approvals. We simply do not know to what extent the structure and MEP’s may be
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deficient, and perhaps hazardous, and we need be confident that this dwelling meets the
minimum health and safety codes before we continue to allow people to live there.
I will draft a letter regarding this occupancy revocation and copy you and the City Clerk in the
next few days.
Regards,
James “JW” Wiatrak, CBO, CASp
Building Official ◦ ADA Coordinator
Design & Development Department
City of La Quinta
78495 Calle Tampico ◦ La Quinta, CA 92253
Ph. 760.777.7023
www.laquintaca.gov
www.playinlaquinta.com