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Home My WebLink About2023-10-10 ARC Regular Meeting Minutes City of Palm Desert Page 1 ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMISSION CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA MINUTES (HYBRID MEETING) Pursuant to Assembly Bill 2449, this meeting may be conducted as a hybrid meeting allowing public access via teleconference or in person. 1. CALL TO ORDER A Regular Meeting of the Architectural Review Commission (ARC) was called to order by Chair Vuksic on Tuesday, October 10, 2023, at 12:30 p.m. in the Development Services Conference Room, City Hall, located at 73510 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert, California. 2. ROLL CALL Present: Commissioners Dean Wallace Colvard, Nicholas Latkovic, Michael McAuliffe, Francisco Sanchez, Vice Chair Jim McIntosh, and Chair John Vuksic. Commissioner Sanchez left the meeting at 1:12 p.m. due to a conflicting obligation. Absent: Commissioner James Edward Blakeley City Staff Present: Richard Cannone, Director of Development Services; Nick Melloni, Principal Planner; Carlos Flores, Senior Planner; and Melinda Gonzalez, Recording Secretary, were present at Roll Call. 3. NON-AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENT Chair Vuksic opened and closed the non-agenda public comment period. No public comments were provided. 4. CONSENT CALENDAR Associated documentation on the following item can be viewed on the Architectural Review Commission Information webpage at, https://www.palmdesert.gov/our-city/committees-and- commissions/commission-information. Chair Vuksic opened and closed the public comment period for the Consent Calendar. No public comments were provided. Tuesday October 10, 2023 12:30 p.m. Regular Meeting Architectural Review Commission Minutes October 10, 2023 City of Palm Desert Page 2 MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MCAULIFFE, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LATKOVIC, CARRIED 6-0 (COMMISSIONER BLAKELEY ABSENT), to approve the Consent Calendar. A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MCAULIFFE, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LATKOVIC, CARRIED 6-0 (COMMISSIONER BLAKELEY ABSENT), to approve the Architectural Review Commission Regular Meeting minutes of September 12, 2023. 5. ACTION CALENDAR Associated documents on the following items can be viewed on the Architectural Review Commission Information webpage at, https://www.palmdesert.gov/our-city/committees-and- commissions/commission-information. A. FINAL DRAWINGS 1. CASE NO: SARC23-0009 NATURE OF PROJECT/APPROVAL SOUGHT: Consideration to approve a Sign Design Review for one (1) new freestanding monument sign, two (2) new wall signs, and one (1) new directional sign on an existing hotel project site located at 74700 Highway 111. APPLICANT AND ADDRESS: Embassy Suites, Palm Desert, CA 92260 LOCATION: 74700 Highway 111 ZONE: Resort Commercial Center (PC-4) and Planned Residential, 5 units per acre (PR-5) Senior Planner, Carlos Flores, narrated a PowerPoint presentation on the item and responded to Commission inquiries. Glenn Davis with Signarama, Applicant Representative, was present and answered questions from the Commission. Chair Vuksic opened and closed the public comment period. No public comments were provided. Discussion on the item ensued with Commissioners providing comments for the project. Following discussion, MOTION BY VICE CHAIR MCINTOSH, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COLVARD, CARRIED 6-0 (COMMISSIONER BLAKELEY ABSENT); to continue Case No. SARC23-0009 with the following comments: 1. Applicant shall submit drawings which provide accurate details, scaling, and locations of proposed signs. 2. CASE NO: DR23-0005 NATURE OF PROJECT/APPROVAL SOUGHT: Consideration to approve a Design Review related to a Precise Plan (PP) to develop a 384-unit apartment development comprised of 15 two- and three-story buildings at the southeast corner of Dick Kelly Drive and Gateway Drive (Assessor’s Parcel Number 694-130-016, 694-130-021). APPLICANT AND ADDRESS: Highpointe Palm Desert, LLC., Irvine CA 92618 Architectural Review Commission Minutes October 10, 2023 City of Palm Desert Page 3 LOCATION: Southeast corner of Dick Kelly Drive and Gateway Drive (Assessor’s Parcel Number 694-130-016, 694-130-021) ZONE: MCP Palm Desert Specific Plan / Planned Residential, 22 units per acre (PR- 22) & Housing Overlay District (HOD) Senior Planner, Carlos Flores, narrated a PowerPoint presentation on the item and responded to Commission inquiries. Steve Vliss, President of Highpointe Palm Desert, LLC, Applicant, and Applicant’s team were present and answered questions from the Commission. Chair Vuksic opened the public comment period. Chris Chambers, (Chambers Development), Member of the Public, voiced his support for the project. With no other members of the public wishing to comment, Chair Vuksic closed the public comment period. Discussion on the item ensued with Commissioners providing comments for the project. Following discussion, MOTION BY CHAIR VUKSIC, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MCAULIFFE, CARRIED 5-0 (COMMISSIONERS BLAKELEY AND SANCHEZ ABSENT); to approve Case No. DR23-0005 with the following condition: 1. Wherever adjacent parapet heights differ at twelve (12) inches or less, the higher parapet shall be returned at least six (6) feet back from the lower adjacent parapet. Wherever adjacent parapet heights differ at over 12 inches, the higher parapet shall be returned at least 10 feet back from the lower adjacent parapet. This condition is not required for areas where this would interfere with solar zone. 6. NON-ACTION ITEMS None 7. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS & COMMENTS A. ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMISSIONERS Commissioner Colvard provided an update on the Cultural Arts Committee including the appointment of a Poet Laureat for the City, the decommissioning of an art sculpture currently located in the lobby of the Palm Desert Community Center, and discussion for potential landscaping standards for the roundabouts throughout the City. In response to inquiry, Principal Planner Melloni stated the cell tower located off Highway 111, near Del Taco is being expanded. The request was reviewed by staff and found to be compliant with the original approval for this cell tower. B. CITY STAFF Principal Planner Melloni provided the following updates: • There is a new timeline for the Objective Design Standards (ODS). The ODS is scheduled to go before the Planning Commission in November 2023, to City Architectural Review Commission Minutes October 10, 2023 City of Palm Desert Page 4 Council for adoption in December 2023, and again to City Council for a second reading in January 2024. •Two items went before the Planning Commission at their meeting held October 3, 2023, including a zoning ordinance amendment which modified specific standards for self-storages, golf carts sales on Highway 111, and expansion of permitted areas for veterinarian clinics, as well as the Cardiff project, both of which were approved. An amendment to one of the University Park Tract maps to adjust lot lines and pad heights will be presented to Planning Commission at their next meeting. •The University Medical Office Park project and an analysis of the 111 Development Code for potential amendments will be presented to City Council at the next regular meeting. •DSRT Surf is working on securing their permits with an anticipated date to break ground in November 2023. The Surf Center and Lagoon will be returning for ARC subcommittee review to confirm conformance with the original ARC approval. It was noted that assigned commissioners for upcoming ARC subcommittee reviews may be out of town. Vice Chair McIntosh volunteered to be an alternate for the ARC subcommittees established for DSRT Surf and West Coast Self Storage. C.ATTENDANCE REPORT The attendance report was provided with the agenda materials. The Commission took no action on this matter. 8.ADJOURNMENT The Architectural Review Commission adjourned at 2:09 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Melinda Gonzalez, Senior Administrative Assistant Recording Secretary ATTEST: Nick Melloni, Principal Planner Secretary APPROVED BY ARC: 10/24/2023