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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Historic Preservation Committee 10/25/2004To: From: Mary C Date: CITY OF PALM DESERT BUILDING & SAFETY DEPARTMENT INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM Rachelle Klassen, City Clerk ministrative Secretary December 2, 2004 Subject: Submission of Approved Minutes for the Historic Preservation. Committee Meeting of October 25, 2004 Attached is a copy of the October 25, 2004 minutes of the Historic Preservation Committee approved by the Committee on November 29, 2004. Please include on the next City Council agenda. Thank you for your assistance. Attachment G:\BldgSfty\Mary Clark\Word data\Historic Preservation Committee\Memo Minutes for City Council.dot CITY OF PALM DESERT HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE MINUTES OCTOBER 25, 2004 Administrative Conference Room 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Jan Holmlund called the meeting of the Historic Preservation Committee to order at 10:00 a.m. II. ROLL CALL Present: Absent: Kent Routh Bob Pitchford Jan Holmlund Jim West Minnie Surles Also Present: Frankie Riddle, Sr. Management Analyst Hal Rover, President Historical Society Edward V. Tavill, Prospective Committee Member Mary Clark, Recording Secretary III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Committee Member Minnie Surles moved to approve the minutes of the September 27, 2004 meeting as submitted. It was seconded by Committee Member Jim West and unanimously approved 4-0. IV. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS A. Frankie Riddle, Sr. Management Analyst, advised the Committee that Kay Young had resigned her position. Chair Jan Holmlund indicated that she had spoken with Kay Young, and Ms. Young had resigned because of family matters out-of-state. Chair Jan Holmlund asked if she would join the Committee as an ad -hoc member as time permits, and Ms. Young agreed to do that when she could. B. SWEARING IN OF NEW COMMITTEE MEMBERS Rachelle Klassen, Clerk & Recorder, swore in the Historic Preservation Committee members that were present. C. Chair Jan Holmlund introduced a prospective new member, Ed Tavill. Mr. Tavill said that he is a new resident to Palm Desert and has always been G:\BldgSfty\Mary Clark\Word data\Historic Preservation Committee\Minutes 102504.doc 1 HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE Minutes OCTOBER 25, 2004 active on various boards and committees in the cities he has lived in. He said that he has made application to various City of Palm Desert committees. Chair Jan Holmlund said she would get a copy of Mr. Tavill's application and notify him before the next meeting of his standing. D. CHAIR REPORT Chair Jan Holmlund said that she had been doing some reading and checking on Washington School, which will be torn down and removed in December. This school was the first school in Palm Desert and possibly first Charter school in California. Chair Jan Holmlund indicated that more research needed to be done by the Committee because of its interesting history. It was once the General Patton vehicle repair station. Hal Rover, President Historical Society, said that the school would be holding a carnival on Saturday, December 4, 2004 with a lot of activities, including historical presentations. Chair Jan Holmlund said that there are several matters that the Committee needs to attend to with regard to the Washington School. The City of Palm Desert purchased the fence, and there is a water fountain that was dedicated to a man who had donkeys for children to ride. She asked Committee Member Jim West to check with the Desert Sands School Board and the Principal of Washington School to see what their plans are. Chair Jan Holmlund indicated the Committee also needs copies of the new building permits for the school to assure that all environmental statutes have been looked at. Frankie Riddle said that she believed the School is State property so they would probably not have to submit plans to the City. Chair Jan Holmlund indicated that Ali wanted the Committee to know that he was not at the meeting because he was studying for and taking an examination for an Engineering degree this week. The Committee wished him the best. E. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS Committee Member Jim West, Chair Location List Sub -Committee, provided copies of their October 8 and 22, 2004 agendas, maps of historic preservation location lists, City of Rancho Mirage historic site listing, and the City of Palm Springs Historic Site Preservation Board information and application forms. Mr. West indicated that this Sub -Committee jumped right in and decided that they were going to get as much outside available help, outside of the Historic Preservation Committee. He pointed out that there is a lot of work to do and there are many people ready to help the Committee. Mr. West also pointed out that there is at least one historic plaque already in the City and thought there should be others. G:1BIdgSfty\Mary Clark\Word data\Historic Preservation Committee\Minutes 102504.doc HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE Minutes OCTOBER 25, 2004 Chair Jan Holmlund indicated that there are plaques at Washington School, the library, a church, and the firehouse, so there are four. Committee Member Kent Routh said that he is going to Shadow Mountain this week and will be taking photographs and interviewing people who actually grew up at Shadow Mountain. Chair Jan Holmlund provided him with the name of Gary Olesen as another contact person and indicated that there is a complete file at the Historical Society on Shadow Mountain. Committee Member Minnie Surles said that she had been out looking for the First Community Church, and she discovered that the Religious Science Church of the Desert is now in its place and that there is a plaque to the left of the sanctuary door, which she will take a picture of. In addition, she is investigating the Homme residence at Monterey Country Club and the College of the Desert President's house. Chair Jan Holmlund complimented the Sub -Committee on all of their hard work and was very pleased with all of the information provided. Frankie Riddle, Sr. Management Analyst, reviewed the following information provided to Committee members: • State Office of Historic Preservation brochure • The Smartest Address on the American Desert Palm Desert • Preservation Tax Incentives for Historic Buildings • Forging a Future With a Past Comprehensive Statewide Historic Preservation Plan for California — excerpts. • Instructions for Recording Historical Resources (copy and mail after meeting) • Historical Resource Registration Programs in California (copy and mail after meeting) Frankie Riddle also said that she found some listings of workshops that might be of interest to the Committee. Most have already passed; however, she said she will continue to look for some that are more recent, and the workshops are usually at no cost. F. INDIVIDUAL COMMITTEE MEMBER REPORTS/RESPONSE Chair Jan Holmlund indicated this section is to provide the Committee members with a place on the agenda, apart from Sub -Committee items, to share information of a general nature. Committee Member Minnie Surles indicated that Randall Henderson's daughter is back in town --Yvonne Riddell. She also mentioned a new book that is at the Historical Society. Chair Jan Holmlund said she had a CVAS Newsletter article that she wanted to give each Committee member. This article is regarding the planned G:\BldgSfty\Mary Clark\Word data\Historic Preservation Committee\Minutes 102504.doc 3 HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE Minutes OCTOBER 25, 2004 elimination of the State Historical Resources Commission and the article suggests writing a letter. V. OLD BUSINESS A. MISSION STATEMENT FORMAT Committee Member Jim West moved to approve the Mission Statement as written and Committee Member Minnie Surles seconded the motion. It passed unanimously 4-0. B. COORDINATION WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS Chair Jan Holmlund said that between now and the next meeting hopefully there will be a methodology developed with regard to how historic preservation sites are going to be tracked through the City. She asked that a meeting be set up between Ali, the City Attorney and herself the second week of November to discuss this item. Committee Member Jim West asked that the plaque related to the Doc Gurley house be discussed at the next meeting because there was a letter in 1993 to the City suggesting that there was an understanding that the City was going to pay for a plaque. Chair Jan Holmlund indicated that the City has not paid for a plaque since 1992 that she knew of, except for the original City Hall. Chair Jan Holmlund pointed out that plaguing must have regular wording, be numbered, and who plagued them. She said that this is another item that will require the City Attorney's authorization for that wording. Committee Member Jim West indicated he could get a copy of the wording from other cities. VI. NEW BUSINESS A. FUNDING RESOURCES As requested by the Committee, Frankie Riddle, Sr. Management Analyst, reported on the possibility of a budget for the Historic Preservation Committee. She said that committees and commissions do not usually have individual budgets; however, in the next budget year Ali could designate line items specific to the Historic Preservation Committee. Frankie Riddle indicated that specific projects could be brought to the City Council on a case -by -case basis. She pointed out that there is always the possibility of grants, which require Council approval and would probably be approved. Frankie mentioned the County program for historic preservation projects. She said she would check with the City of La Quinta to get more information. G:\BldgSfty\Mary Clark\Word data\Historic Preservation Committee\Minutes 102504.doc HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE Minutes OCTOBER 25, 2004 B. BUSINESS CARDS There was discussion that if the Historic Preservation Committee members had individual business cards, it would add credibility to the Committee when approaching individuals while researching historic sites. It was also suggested that the Committee's mission statement be printed on the back of the business cards. Frankie Riddle, Sr. Management Analyst, said that she would check into the possibility of ordering cards. VII. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA Hal Rover, President Historical Society, asked about the City's facade enhancement program and wanted to make sure that nothing historic is being taken away. Frankie Riddle, Sr. Management Analyst, said that the City staff person responsible for facade enhancement and the home improvement program is Bryce White of the Redevelopment Agency. Chair Jan Holmlund asked if Bryce White could be at the next meeting to make a presentation to the Historic Preservation Committee regarding the facade program. There was discussion regarding the fence and the water fountain at the Washington School. Hal Rover said that he would like for the Historical Society to be considered in discussions, with appropriate staff, regarding the fencing. Frankie Riddle said that Richard Twedt, Public Arts Manager, is the staffs contact person. VIII. CONFIRM NEXT MEETING DATE AND ADJOURN The Historic Preservation Committee's next meeting is Monday, November 29, 2004, 10:00 a.m. in the Administrative Conference Room. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 11:30 a.m. G:\BldgSfty\Mary Clark\Word data\Historic Preservation Committee\Minutes 102504.doc 5