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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHIST PRESV CMTE - 04/24/07 � � � �"'�`� CITY OF PALM DESERT � � BUILDING & SAFETY DEPARTMENT INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM To: Rachelle Klassen, City Clerk � From: Suzanne Cicc�Administrative Secretary Date: May 29, 2007 Subject: Submission of Approved Minutes for the Historic Preservation Committee Meeting April 24, 2007 Attached is a copy of April 24, 2007 minutes of the Historic Preservation Committee approved by the Committee on May 29, 2007. Please include on the next City Council agenda. Thank you Attachment CITY COUNCIL ACTION: APPRO��D DENIED __ RECSIVED� OTHSR MEBTING DATE � AYE S: ( ' _ .� _'I ct'r L�. iVOES: � �BSENT: t�1'lL- ::�BSTAIN: 6 VERIFIED BY: �riginal on File w h City Clerk's Office� G:\BldgSfty\Suzanne Cicchini\Word Files\Historic Preservation Committee\Memo-City Clerk-Minutes.doc CITY OF PALM DESERT �-�--� � � HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE MINUTES APRIL 24, 2007 Administrative Conference Room I. CALL TO ORDER Chair Kim Housken called the meeting of the Historic Preservation Committee to order at 10:06 a.m. II. ROLL CALL Present: Absent: Bonnie Bowie —Arrived 10:11 a.m. None Gale Broeker Kim Housken Jan Holmlund Bob Pitchford Kent Routh Vera Handley Don Graybill, Alternate Also Present: Amir Hamidzadeh, Director of Building and Safety Suzanne Cicchini, Recording Secretary K Kaufman, Reporter, The Desert Sun Note: Additional Individual Committee Member comments were included with Committee concurrence. Please see Individual Committee Member Reports, Agenda Item IV for information on these inclusions. No action was taken on these items. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Committee Member Kent Routh moved to approve the minutes of the March 27, 2007, as written. Committee Member, Vera Handley seconded the motion. It received unanimous approval 7-0. IV. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS A. CHAIR REPORT 1. Chair Kim Housken announced that a National Historic Preservation Conference would take place in Minnesota this summer. She has the information if anyone is interested. G:\BldgSfty\Suzanne Cicchini\Word Files\Historic PreservaGon Committee\Minutes042407.doc 1 HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE Minutes April 24, 2007 2. Chair Kim Housken received a brochure from Jim West entitled "Class One, Palm Springs Preservation Foundation." They are independent of the preservation group that the City of Palm Springs has. Chair Kim Housken noted that we don't have sites at this time but when we do it might be nice to produce a brochure. 3. Chair Kim Housken announced that registration for the California Preservation Conference in Hollywood, California is still available at the conference. The Roosevelt Hotel is sold out, but other nearby hotels might still be available. She was hoping someone might be able to attend. She read an article that noted that West Hollywood was named a Distinctive Destination by The National Trust for Historic Preservation. Palm Springs received this designation in March, 2006. B. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS 1. Amir Hamidzadeh, Director of Building and Safety provided an update on the meeting with Casey Tibbet of LSA Consultants regarding the Ordinance/Mills Act. He indicated that they went over the corrections and that The City Attorney is reviewing the ordinance again and it should be finalized soon. He anticipates this ordinance will go to the City Council in May, 2007. Committee Member Jan Holmlund commented that she hopes that if the City Attorney looks at it again he will understand the difference between the need for commission and committee. She indicated that this is very important to her and she believes it will be important to The City of Palm Desert in the future. Director of Building and Safety, Amir Hamidzadeh indicated that The City Attorney was indeed looking at that and Committee Member Jan Holmlund expressed her thanks. C. INDIVIDUAL COMMITTEE MEMBER REPORTS 1. No update is available from Committee Member Kent Routh this month, however, Committee Member Vera Handley reported that she learned that the 100-Year-Old Tree at College of the Desert was chopped down. The cottonwood tree that was planted at around the same time is also gone. Committee Member Vera Handley spoke with Rick Leach, the head of the landscaping department at College of the Desert and learned there is a silk fir tree of undetermined age. A discussion commenced about determining the age of a tree and Committee Member Jan Holmlund mentioned that there is a Tree Ring Laboratory located at University of Arizona in Tucson. A sample can be taken without destroying the tree. G:1BIdgSftylSuzanne CicchinlWord Files\Historic Preservation Committee\Minutes042407.doc. 2 HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE Minutes April 24, 2007 2. Committee Member Kent Routh provided an update regarding the informative CEQA Conference held in Palm Springs. There were many interesting points of view from people from other parts of Southern California. It was wonderful and he was glad he attended. Much information was learned about the legal aspects related to historic resources. It was very technical in nature. Committee Member Gale Broeker offered her CD for use by anyone unable to attend. Director of Building and Safety, Amir Hamidzadeh expressed his desire to obtain a copy of the CD to pass along to The City of Palm Desert Planning Department. He notified them about this conference. Director of Building and Safety, Amir Hamidzadeh noted that this conference was more applicable to planners, but he believes every bit of information is helpful. Committee Member Kent Routh mentioned that Casey Tibbet of LSA Consultants was also there. Committee Member Jan Holmlund commented that these are held once a year. It's aimed at Professional Historic Preservation Officers, Planning Departments and people who have to handle CEQA regularly. They provided a mitigation packet at a previous conference she attended and everyone should have received a copy of it. Committee Member ,lan Holmlund provided an example of a hypothetical case that was presented at the conference. Attendees were to decide whether or not CEQA review would be indicated. Good cases that puzzled even the experts in attendance were presented. Committee Member Gale Broeker noted that very recent cases were discussed. Discussion commenced about the sample cases and how in some instances, CEQA could do nothing to prevent demolitions. Also discussed was whether or not demolitions should be tied to a future project. Committee Member Gale Broeker pointed out that it should be tied to a future project because if it isn't, there is no recourse, no oversight. Chair Kim Housken noted an example where demolition occurred and only an unattractive vacant lot remained. Director of Building and Safety, Amir Hamidzadeh understands the benefit of tieing demolition to the next project but at the same time it might be difficult to force an owner to build something within a certain time frame. The owner may not have the funds to start a new development or may be uncertain of what to develop on the site. Further discussion commenced regarding various scenarios. Chair Kim Housken requested a copy of Committee Member Jan Holmlund's notes. Recording Secretary, Suzanne Cicchini will attempt to secure additional packets and CD's from the CEQA Conference. G:161dgSfty\Suzanne CicchinilWord FileslHistoric Preservation Committee\Minutes042407.doc. 3 HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE Minutes April 24, 2007 3. Committee Member Kent Routh traveled to Las Vegas recently. The public was invited to see the 1959 Antonio Morelli House, a mid-century modern. The house was donated to the Junior League by hotel owner, Steve Wynn. He passed an article in Architecture Las Vegas Magazine regarding this home written by Allan Hess, a keynote speaker who will be at the Holiywood Conference. 500 guests and dignitaries attended this event. After the tour of the house about 300 guests attended a lecture by Allan Hess. There were two references to Palm Springs; a Frey house and a Schindler house. The lecture covered the various styles of architecture. The house is going to be used as a venue for fund raising and a historic repository. There was quite a lot of enthusiasm about this project. Committee Member Kent Routh also obtained an article about the house and the event that appeared in the Las Vegas Review-Journal dated Tuesday, April 10, 2007. Committee Member Kent Routh was impressed with the reuse of the structure and a discussion commenced about his impressions. 4. Committee Member Jan Holmlund announced that she revised some information on the bus tour handouts and had some last minute thoughts for preparation for the bus tour. She also had an interesting handout from a luncheon at The Palm Desert Country Club that details the history of it. Recording Secretary Suzanne Cicchini will provide copies for everyone. Committee Member Jan Holmlund also obtained a Palm Desert Country Club Association Community Monthly Newsletter for March, 2007 to be included in the archives. Committee Member Jan Holmlund attended the Indian Wells 40th Birthday Party. She mentioned Lil Phillips and the scrap books she had donated from the Erawan Garden Hotel. She also attended the Historic Preservation Commission Meeting in Rancho Mirage and provided a report about it. She mentioned a professional survey was done previously, but it needed updating. They wanted to know if there was a provision to bring new homes individually to the City Council for acceptance into a new updated surve. There was a provision for this. She arranged to receive information about their meetings/agendas in the future. They have plaqued 24 homes. Their ordinance has been in place since 2003. They are reviewing their ordinance and how it is working for them. Committee Member Gale Broeker noted that the group in Rancho Mirage is a commission. Committee Member Jan Holmlund complimented the Rancho Mirage Historic Preservation Commission on how well they are educating people about the subject of Historic Preservation. G:\BldgSfty�Suzanne Cicchini\Word Files�Historic Preservation Committee\Minutes042407.doc. 4 HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE Minutes April 24, 2007 5. Committee Member Bob Pitchford shared his impressive, original sketches of the plaque under consideration for The City of Palm Desert Potential Historical Sites. These sketches will be on display during the luncheon after the Bus Trip. 6. Committee Member pon Graybill has been working at the Cliff Henderson House. Everything is in the gallery including the aviation memorabilia and the house is empty. Chair Kim Housken noted the goal was to get the items to the Historical Society. If anyone wants hands on experience there is a phenomenal amount of material to sort through. Committee Member Kent Routh offered his assistance. Committee Member Jan Holmlund emphasized the importance of obtaining 3 copies when possible of archived materials. 1) for educational purposes, 1) as a back up copy, and 1) for exhibit purposes. Committee Member Jan Holmlund suggested an interview with Cliff Henderson's daughter. Committee Member Vera Handley suggested that Edith Morre be interviewed also. Committee Member Jan Holmlund has the interview forms if someone wants to conduct an interview. 7. Committee Member Bonnie Bowie inquired about the dues for The National Trust for Historic Preservation. Recording Secretary Suzanne Cicchini submitted the invoice to The City of Palm Desert Finance Department for payment. Committee Member Bob Pitchford noted that he paid his own dues. Director or Building and Safety, Amir Hamidzadeh suggested that since his dues have been paid by the City of Palm Desert perhaps he could seek a refund from The National Trust for Historic Preservation for the dues he paid individually. 8. Committee Member Bonnie Bowie announced that Hal Rover was selected for Palm Desert for the Senior Inspiration Awards. It was a great recognition. She provided a program from the event for the archives. She also announced that she will be absent for the next meeting on May 29, 2007. Director of Building and Safety, Amir Hamidzadeh mentioned that only two meetings out of a calendar year could be missed. 9. Chair Kim Housken requested that if anyone has anything to add to agendas or if there is anything they would like to discuss to please let her know. V. OLD BUSINESS None VI. NEW BUSINESS None G:�BIdgSfty�Suzanne Cicchini\Word Files�Historic Preservation Committee�Minutes042407.doc. 5 HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE Minutes April 24, 2007 VI. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA K Kaufman, Reporter for The Desert Sun announced that early in May, 2007, The Desert Sun will be launching their new, redesigned website. The web address is: www.thedesertsun.com. IYs going to be super interactive. They are seeking bloggers and journalists and there will be forums. If anyone is interested, please give her a call at (760) 778-4622 at The Desert Sun. VII. CONFIRM NEXT MEETING DATES AND ADJOURN The Workshop Meeting is scheduled for Friday, May 18, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. Council Chambers Conference Room. The Regular Meeting is Tuesday, May 29, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. Administrative Conference Room. Chair Kim Housken adjourned the meeting at 11:17 a.m. G:IBIdgSftylSuzanne CicchinilWord Files�Historic Preservation CommitteelMinutes042407.doc. 6