HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-12-10 ARC Regular Meeting MinutesARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMISSION
CITY OF PALM DESERT
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
December 10, 2024, 12:30 p.m.
Present: Commissioner James Blakeley, Commissioner Dean Wallace
Colvard, Commissioner Michael McAuliffe, Commissioner James
McIntosh, Commissioner Francisco Sanchez, Chair John Vuksic
Absent: Commissioner Nicholas Latkovic
Staff Present: Principal Planner Carlos Flores, Principal Planner Nick Melloni,
Associate Planner Kenny Taylor, Recording Secretary Melinda
Gonzalez
1. CALL TO ORDER
A Regular Meeting of the Architectural Review Commission was called to order by Chair
Vuksic on December 10, 2024, at 12:30 p.m. in the Development Services Conference
Room, City Hall, located at 73-510 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert, California.
2. ROLL CALL
3. NON-AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENT
Chair Vuksic opened and closed the public comment period for Non -Agenda public
comment. No public comments were provided.
4. CONSENT CALENDAR
Motion by: Commissioner McAuliffe
Seconded by: Commissioner Blakeley
The Consent Calendar was approved as presented.
Motion Carried (6 to 0)
4.a APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The Architectural Review Commission (ARC) regular meeting minutes of
November 12, 2024, were approved as presented.
5. CONSENT ITEMS HELD OVER
None
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December 10, 2024
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6. ACTION CALENDAR
6.a CONSIDERATION TO APPROVE A DESIGN REVIEW FOR A NEW ROVE
ELECTRIC VEHICLE STATION WITH A 4,500 SQUARE FOOT MARKET
WITHIN THE MONTEREY CROSSINGS SPECIFIC PLAN (CONTINUED FROM
NOVEMBER 12, 2024)
Principal Planner, Carlos Flores, narrated a PowerPoint presentation on the item
and responded to Commission inquiries. Max Levenstein and Terry Casey with
Rove Charging, Applicant Representatives; Ramon Galvez- Arango and Pooja
Tharur with Ware Malcomb, Architectural Firm, were present via Zoom.
Chair Vuksic opened the public comment period and invited the applicant to
speak. Max Levenstein with Rove Charging, Applicant Representative, and
Ramon Galvez- Arango with Ware Malcomb, 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.
Motion by: Chair Vuksic
Seconded by: Commissioner McAuliffe
Motion carried to approve Case No. DR24-0006 as presented, subject to the
following conditions:
1. The Applicant shall provide a final photometric plan with renderings, that
prove conformance with Palm Desert Municipal Code Section 24.16.035
2. All equipment shall be screened from public view.
3. The Applicant shall comply with all conditions of approval provided by the
City’s Land Development Division.
Motion Carried (6 to 0)
6.b CONSIDERATION OF DESIGN REVIEW FOR A FAÇADE MODIFICATION TO
EXISTING STOREFRONT FOR O’REILLY AUTO PARTS LOCATED AT 72875
HIGHWAY 111.
Associate Planner, Kenny Taylor, narrated a PowerPoint presentation on the item
and responded to Commission inquiries. Elysia Joslin and Alexis Roth with
O’Reilly’s Auto Parts, Applicant Representatives, and Aga Bachelder, Project
Manager, were present via Zoom.
Chair Vuksic opened the public comment period and invited the applicant to
speak. Elysia Joslin, Applicant Representative, and Aga Bachelder, Project
Manager, 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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December 10, 2024
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Motion by: Commissioner McAuliffe
Seconded by: Commissioner McIntosh
Motion carried to continue Case No. MISC24-0017 to a date uncertain, subject to
the following comments:
1. Remove red paint from the entry element, instead using a rectangular
metal, powder coated field that the O'Reilly's signage would be mounted
to. Details including proportions should be provided on revised exhibits.
2. Existing notch on entry parapet should remain.
3. The size of the signage should be studied by the applicant to see what
best fits with the notch remaining.
4. The colors proposed for the field of the building should be color matched
to the existing buildings or restudied based on Commissioners comme nts
provided during discussion.
5. The signage proposed at the rear of the building should also be mounted
on a rectangular metal, powder coated field. The rectangular metal field
should be reduced in size from the full height and depth of the parapet to
allow a border around it.
Motion Carried (6 to 0)
6.c CONSIDERATION TO APPROVE A DESIGN REVIEW TO DEVELOP A 146-
UNIT RESIDENTIAL DETACHED DEVELOPMENT WITHIN UNIVERSITY
PARK
Commissioner Sanchez advised the need to recuse himself from the item as his
firm is the Landscape Architect on record for the project and left the conference
room.
Principal Planner, Carlos Flores, narrated a PowerPoint presentation on the item
and responded to Commission inquiries. Efrem Joelson, Applicant
Representative, and Jose Estrada, Landscape Architect, were present in person.
Kevin Crook, Architect, joined the meeting via Zoom.
Chair Vuksic opened the public comment period and invited the applicant to
speak. Efrem Joelson, Applicant Representative, Jose Estrada, Landscape
Architect, and Kevin Crook, 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.
Motion by: Chair Vuksic
Seconded by: Commissioner McIntosh
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December 10, 2024
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Motion carried to continue Case No. MISC24-0049 to a date uncertain, subject to
the following comments:
1. The proposed Palo Verde trees be revisited, including placemen t of trees,
taller trees should be planted closer to the street and away from the house
and shorter plant species be closer to the house.
2. Applicant should provide solar layouts as examples on front elevations,
including information on how vents will be gro uped on the roof.
3. Walls should be furred a minimum of 18 inches at garage door openings
and 12 inches at windows on front elevations, unless a good design
reason is provided as to why it is different.
4. Exposed sides should be enhanced to an acceptable level, especially two-
story homes.
5. Wraparound elements should be restudied to ensure they are terminated
in a manner that continues a sense of quality.
6. The geometry that has been incorporated to give a modern feel be
restudied to ensure they have a natural look and flow (Plan 4521 "C"
given as a reference).
7. Restudy brick elements over garages.
RECUSED (1): Commissioner Sanchez
Motion Carried (5 to 0)
Commissioner Sanchez returned to the meeting at the conclusion of the item .
7. REPORTS & REMARKS
7.a ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMISSIONERS
Commissioner Colvard provided the following updates for the Cultural Arts
Committee meeting held on November 13, 2024.
The art piece entitled Grand Piano, located on the corner of San Pablo
and Fred Waring in the courtyard of the City Hall complex will be
decommissioned due to excessive cost to maintain the piece.
There are six new crosswalks on El Paseo. A request for proposals (RFP)
has been put out for a design to paint them. It is uncertain if they will be
painted in one design or in a different design for each crosswalk.
7.b CITY STAFF
Principal Planner Flores provided the following updates and reports to
Commissioners:
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December 10, 2024
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A community meeting will be held today which will provide an update to
the City's Historic Survey in the Council Chamber at 5 p.m. and also via
Zoom.
There will be an in person AB1234 Ethics training Commissioners can
attend in January 2025. An email has been sent to Commissioners with
the details for the training.
There are four commissioners who are up for reappointment in 2025.
Principal Planner Flores, encourage commissioners to turn in their
application by April 2025 to be considered for reappointmen t. Upon
inquiry, he confirmed commissioners will be reinterviewed for
reappointment.
A request for volunteers for an ARC subcommittee to review construction
drawings for the Pulte Homes project was requested. Commissioners
McAuliffe and Sanchez volunteered to be on the subcommittee.
7.c ATTENDANCE REPORT
The attendance report was provided with the agenda materials. The Commission
took no action on this item.
8. ADJOURNMENT
The Architectural Review Commission adjourned at 2:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Melinda Gonzalez
Melinda Gonzalez, Executive Administrative Assistant
Recording Secretary
ATTEST:
Carlos Flores
Carlos Flores, Principal Planner
Secretary
APPROVED BY ARC: 01/28/2024