HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-01-09 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, January 9, 2024, at 12:34 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, and Chair John Vuksic.
Absent: Commissioner James Edward Blakeley and Vice Chair Jim McIntosh.
City Staff
Present: Richard Cannone, Development Services Director, Nick Melloni, Principal Planner;
Carlos Flores, Senior Planner; Lucero Leyva, Project Manager; and Melinda
Gonzalez, Recording Secretary, were present at Roll Call.
*Commissioner Colvard joined the meeting at 12.33 p.m. and participated from a remote
location in accordance with the Brown Act.
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 and video 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
January 9, 2024
12:30 p.m.
Regular Meeting
Architectural Review Commission Minutes January 9, 2024
City of Palm Desert Page 2
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MCAULIFFE, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LATKOVIC,
CARRIED 5-0 (COMMISSIONER BLAKELEY and VICE CHAIR MCINTOSH ABSENT), to
approve the Consent Calendar.
A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MCAULIFFE, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER
LATKOVIC, CARRIED 5-0 (COMMISSIONER BLAKELEY and VICE CHAIR MCINTOSH
ABSENT), to approve the Architectural Review Commission Regular Meeting minutes of
December 12, 2023.
CONSENT ITEMS HELD OVER: Items removed from the Consent Calendar for separate
discussion will be considered at this time.
None
5. ACTION CALENDAR
Associated documentation and video 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
Principal Planner, Nick Melloni, addressed Chair Vuksic and requested item 5A(2) be
reviewed first to accommodate the attending applicants request due to scheduling.
Chair Vuksic was in agreeance with this request and item 5A(2) was reviewed first.
1. CASE NO: DR 23-0011
NATURE OF PROJECT/APPROVAL SOUGHT: Consideration to approve a Design
Review (DR) for a proposed Precise Plan (PP), Conditional Use Permit (CUP) and
Environmental Assessment (EA) to construct a new, 11,380 square foot (SF) fire
station on a 2.66-acre parcel located at 75665 Gerald Ford Drive (Assessor’s
Parcel Number 694-160-015).
APPLICANT AND ADDRESS: PBK, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
LOCATION: 75665 Gerald Ford Drive (Assessor’s Parcel Number 694-160-015)
ZONE: Public Institution (P)
Senior Planner, Carlos Flores, narrated a PowerPoint presentation on the item and
responded to Commission inquiries. Mike Beverlin, Fire Chief with the Riverside
County Fire Department, Bernie Wassink with PBK, Applicant, and Jeff Kim,
Landscape Architect were present.
Chair Vuksic opened the public comment period and invited the applicants to speak.
Bernie Wassink with PBK, Applicant, and Jeff Kim, Landscape Architect, introduced
themselves and answered questions from the Commission. 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.
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City of Palm Desert Page 3
Following discussion, MOTION BY CHAIR VUKSIC, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER
LATKOVIC, CARRIED 5-0 (COMMISSIONER BLAKELEY and VICE CHAIR
MCINTOSH ABSENT); to approve Case Nos. DR23-0011 as presented.
2. CASE NO: MISC23-0043 (Continued from November 14, 2023)
NATURE OF PROJECT/APPROVAL SOUGHT: Consideration to approve a
Design Review for a freestanding shade structure for a new walk-up U.S. Bank
automatic teller machine in the parking lot at 34500 Monterey Avenue (APN 694-
090-012)
APPLICANT AND ADDRESS: Kimley-Horn, Orange, CA 92868
LOCATION: 34500 Monterey Avenue
ZONE: Regional Commercial Center (PC-3), Freeway Commercial Overlay Zone
(FCOZ)
Principal Planner, Nick Melloni, narrated a PowerPoint presentation on the item and
responded to Commission inquiries. DeAngelo Rios and Janis Sedita, with Flite Bank
Centers, Applicant Representatives, were present.
Chair Vuksic opened the public comment period and invited the applicants to speak.
DeAngelo Rios and Janis Sedita, with Flite Bank Centers, Applicant Representatives,
introduced themselves and answered questions from the Commission. 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 (COMMISSIONER BLAKELEY and VICE CHAIR
MCINTOSH ABSENT); to approve Case No. MISC23-0043 with the following
conditions:
1. Applicant shall use select structural grade lumber that is free of knots.
2. Hardware shall be painted to match lumber.
3. The applicant shall submit a final lighting plan demonstrating compliance with
applicable State regulations and local ordinance, for review by staff.
4. The applicant shall submit a final landscaping plan for review by city staff and
require an inspection to ensure the boulder placement fits within the landscape
planter.
At the conclusion of this item, the Commission reviewed the first case on the action
calendar, under Final Drawings, item 5A(1), Case No. DR 23-0011.
6. NON-ACTION ITEMS
None
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7. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS & COMMENTS
A. ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMISSIONERS
None
B. CITY STAFF
Principal Planner Melloni provided the following updates:
A special meeting for the Planning Commission was held on January 4, 2024, to conduct
public hearings related to a request for revocation and a request for modification to prior
Conditional Use Permit approvals for Cannabis businesses.
The draft Objective Design Standards document will be presented to the Planning
Commission for adoption at the meeting scheduled for January 16, 2024. The draft ODS
document is available on the City’s Engage Palm Desert website.
Staff is working on an update to the University Neighborhood Specific Plan to master plan
the vacant 170 acres.
Director of Development Services, Richard Cannone provided the following updates:
There have been some staffing changes including the addition of an Associate Planner
who will start on January 29, 2024, interviews for a Planning Technician, recruitment for a
GIS Analyst, and a promotion for Senior Administrative Secretary, Melinda Gonzalez, to
Executive Administrative Assistant.
The Objective Design Standards will not apply to the Downtown zoning. The Downtown
zoning area will have its own development standards.
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 1:37 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Melinda Gonzalez
Melinda Gonzalez, Senior Administrative Assistant
Recording Secretary
ATTEST:
Nick Melloni
Nick Melloni, Principal Planner
Secretary
APPROVED BY ARC: 1/9/2024