HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Historic Preservation Committee 07/25/2005CITY OF PALM DESERT
BUILDING & SAFETY DEPARTMENT
INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
To: Rachelle Klassen, City Clerk
From: Mary Clark, d inistrative Secretary
Date: September 12, 2005
Subject: Submission of Approved Minutes for the Historic Preservation
Committee Meeting of July 25, 2005
Attached is a copy of the July 25, 2005 minutes of the Historic Preservation Committee
approved by the Committee on August 29, 2005. Please include on the next City
Council agenda.
Thank you
Attachment
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CITY OF PALM DESERT
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE
MINUTES
JULY 25, 2005
Administrative Conference Room
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:
Jan Holmlund Bonnie Bowie - Excused
Kent Routh Rhonda Rockwell
Kim Housken Bob Pitchford - Excused
Jim West
Also Present:
Amir Hamidzadeh, Director of Building and Safety
Richard Twedt, Public Arts Manager
Hal Rover, President Historical Society
Mary Clark, Recording Secretary
III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Committee Member Kent Routh moved to approve the minutes of the June 27,
2005 meeting with a correction to Page 2, Item 6, Chair Report — change the
wording ...had been meeting with Carlos Campos, City Attorney... to ...had met
once with Carlos Campos, City Attorney.... It was seconded by Committee
Member Jim West and unanimously approved 4-0.
IV. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
A. CHAIR REPORT
1. Chair Jan Holmlund said that Committee Member Rhonda Rockwell has
taken three teaching jobs and therefore will be resigning as a committee
member.
2. Amir Hamidzadeh, Director of Building and Safety, indicated that Chair
Jan Holmlund approached him regarding the purchase of books from the
National Trust for Historic Preservation that would benefit the Committee.
Action: Committee Member Kent Routh moved that the books identified
by Chair Jan Holmlund be ordered from the National Trust for Historic
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HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE
Minutes JULY 25, 2005
Preservation. Committee Member Kim Housken seconded the motion. It
was unanimously approved 4-0.
B. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS — Jim West
1. Committee Member Jim West said that the film crew for "Visions of
Utopia" came back approximately two weeks ago and went to the
Historical Society and saw all of the materials that are there that they
could use to add a cultural realness to the film. Mr. West indicated that
there is a good chance that the City of Palm Desert, as well as the
Historical Society, is going to get a credit on the film which is going to be
shown on PBS and will premiere in February 2006 in the Desert. In
addition, Committee Member Kim Housken opened her parent's property
to the film crew because they own a Schindler home.
2. Committee Member Jim West provided the Committee with an updated
copy of the Unofficial Current Investiaation Site Listina, which replaces
any previous lists. Mr. West explained the two new columns on the right
hand side of the list Palm Desert (PD) and Book. In addition, Mr. West
reviewed the first ten (10) sites because they had changed from previous
lists, as follows:
Bergan Ranch and House — 43301 Portola
Randall Henderson Apartments — 71455 El Paseo
William Boyd House — 73495 Joshua Tree Street
Odell Ranch House — 43500 Monterey Avenue
Former Mon Wallgreen House — 73510 Pinyon Street
Palm Desert Community Church — 45630 Portola
Library — 45480 Portola
Walter White Designed House — 73199 Pinyon Street
Marian E. Toole — 44870 Cabrillo Ave
Desert Magazine Building — 74221-74225 Hwy. 111
3. Amir Hamidzadeh, Director of Building and Safety, indicated that he would
send the updated "unofficial" site listing to the Planning Department and
Redevelopment Agency.
4. Committee Member Jim West said that he will be working with Richard
Twedt, Art in Public Places Manager and Karen Oppenheim on the self -
guided walking tour book that will have a section for historic sites, and
include photos, a map, and narratives.
5. Richard Twedt, Public Arts Manager, said that when the Public Arts
Department moves to the new Palm Desert Visitor's Center the North wing
gallery will be dedicated to historical photos and the Historic Preservation
Committee could select the photos. Chair Jan Holmlund indicated she
would like to work with Richard Twedt on this project.
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HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE
Minutes JULY 25, 2005
C. INDIVIDUAL COMMITTEE REPORTS
1. Committee Member Kim Housken said she would like more information on
the Casuelas Cafe on Highway 111 that is being considered for remodel.
She wondered if it is a building that the Committee should be discussing.
Amir Hamidzadeh, Director of Building and Safety, thought that this item
had gone to the Planning Commission, and the Committee could contact
the Planning Department for more information.
V. OLD BUSINESS
A. Ordinance Review — Chair Jan Holmlund said that she and Bonnie Bowie
worked on the old ordinance after last month's meeting and concluded that
the ordinance needs to be redone. However, they need to sit down with City
Staff and others. She said she has ordinances from other cities that she is
reviewing. Ms. Holmlund provided some examples to be copied for the
Committee. Ms. Holmlund has invited Erin Gettis, Historic Preservation
Officer, Riverside County and Janet Hansen, Historic Preservation Officer,
City of Riverside to the next Historic Preservation Committee meeting to
discuss their ordinances. She reminded the Committee that they needed to
use the current Ordinance and become familiar with it. After the August
meeting, the Ordinance Subcommittee will move forward on the ordinance
project. Committee Member Kent Routh indicated he would like to work on
the Ordinance Subcommittee.
VI. NEW BUSINESS
A. Excused Absences — Chair Jan Holmlund provided each Committee member
with a copy of the Palm Desert Municipal Code regarding excused absences.
She said that she met with Rachelle Klassen, City Clerk, suggesting that the
Mayor grant a special exemption to the Historic Preservation Committee. The
Clerk provided some suggestions i.e. changing to evening or weekend
meetings or change the meeting day and/or time.
Committee Member Jim West commented that the Committee needs to think
very hard about each agenda item and decide if it could be better handled in
its own subcommittee or outside of the meeting, and only have issues that
grow out of those meetings brought as an agenda item to the full committee
especially since they are in the development stage. Mr. West also suggested
that each agenda item be defined with the outcome and allotted time to be
spent, which could result in streamlining the meeting.
Committee Member Kim Housken commented that each committee knows
that the meetings are the last Monday of the month, and that she was not
necessarily comfortable asking for an exception for the entire Committee.
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HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE
Minutes JULY 25, 2005
Committee Member Kent Routh indicated that the Committee might want to
look at whether or not to hold summer meetings because attendance did not
seem to be a problem until the summer months.
After discussion, Chair Jan Holmlund said that they would look at attendance
exceptions when requested by an individual Committee member.
VII. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA
1. Hal Rover, President Historical Society, suggested that there should possibly
be a member of the Committee who attends the Planning Commission
meetings. Amir Hamidzadeh, Director of Building and Safety, suggested they
contact the Planning Department and be added to the agenda mailing list. In
addition, the agendas are posted on the City of Palm Desert web site. The
Committee asked that they be notified when a Planning Commission meeting
is scheduled by emailing an agenda to them. If there are items of interest,
then either Jan Holmlund, Kim Housken, or Hal Rover will attend the Planning
Commission meeting.
VIII. CONFIRM NEXT MEETING DATE AND ADJOURN
The Historic Preservation Committee's next meeting is Monday, August 29, 2005,
10:00 a.m. in the City of Palm Desert Administrative Conference Room.
Chair Jan Holmlund adjourned the meeting at 11:30 a.m.
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