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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCRP Cmte - 02/24/09 �►--��----�. CITY OF PALM DESERT � � ENT BUILDING & SAFETY DEPARTM , INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM To: Rachelle Klassen, City Clerk .��'i From: Suzanne Cicchini, Administrative Secretary Date: March 31, 2009 Subject: Submission of Approved Minutes for the Cultural Resources Preservation Committee Meeting held on February 24, 2009. Attached is a copy of the February 24, 2009 Minutes of the Cultural Resources Preservation Committee Meeting approved by the Committee on March 31, 2009. Please include on the next City Council agenda. Thank you Attachment CITY COUNCiLACTtON APPROV EI� i1F.NIED RECEIVF;D £ �i���' OTHrR MF,ETING DATE - � "� a��rrs: , �r-� n i � NOF,�: A��/J�'- - flBSENT: ,/�!���_ A13STAIN: " VEi21f II�,D uv� K-� l`ld Ori�;inal on rile with City Clerk's Of'fice G:\BldgSfty\Suzanne Cicchini\Word Files\Cultural Resources Preservation Committee\Meeting Nems\Memo-City Clerk-Minutes331-09.doc CITY OF PALM DESERT .►'-�•----�.. � � CULTURAL RESOURCES PRESERVATION COMMITTEE Minutes February 24, 2009 Administrative Conference Room I. CALL TO ORDER Committee Chair Gale Broeker called the meeting of the Cultural Resources Preservation Committee to order at 10:04 a.m. II. ROLL CALL Present: Absent: Gale Broeker Kent Routh Don Graybill Vera Handley Jan Holmlund — In at 10:06 a.m. Kim Housken Bob Pitchford — In at 10:14 a.m. Also Present: Russell Grance, Director of Building and Safety Renee Schrader, Associate Planner K Kaufmann, The Desert Sun Newspaper Suzanne Cicchini, Recording Secretary III. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS None IV. CONSENT CALENDAR A. MINUTES — OF THE MEETING OF JANUARY 27, 2009 Committee Member Kim Housken noted on Page 5, 2"d paragraph, first line, the word "Member" is to be inserted after the word "Committee". MOTION was made by Committee Member Kent Routh to accept the Minutes, as corrected. Committee Member Kim Housken seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. V. NEW BUSINESS None CULTURALRESOURCE PRESERVATION COMMITTEE FEBRUARY 24, 2009 VI. OLD BUSINESS Committee Chair Gale Broeker announced with Committee concurrence, Committee Member Vera Handley would be reporting on Item E. ahead on the Agenda. Please see VI. Old Business, Item E. Update of Booklet and Book for information regarding Ms. Handley's report. A. REVISED CULTURAL RESOURCES DESIGNATION APPLICATION Director of Building and Safety Russell Grance reported that the application _ was revised and updated on the website. B. UPDATE ON LETTERS TO HOMEOWNERS OF POTENTIAL CULTURAL RESOURCE PROPERTIES Director of Building and Safety Russell Grance updated the Committee on the status of the letters. Some requests for additional information have been received. A letter was sent to the owner of the Maryon Toole House and that owner is interested in participating. A packet was sent and we are waiting for it to be returned. Committee Member Jan Holmlund inquired whether anyone asked for help. Someone did ask for help, Mr. Grance answered their questions and he let them know that we currently do not have the Mills Act. As we move forward with the process of getting properties listed, and if there is an interest, we'll move forward to City Council to get consideration to implement that program. He was not aware of any money available for historic preservation through the Redevelopment Agency. Discussion commenced about the fact that parcel numbers for properties can change and Committee Chair Gale Broeker noted that the correct parcel number can be obtained by going to the Riverside County Assessor's Office. Committee Member Kim Housken added that this also could be accomplished at the Planning Department at the City of Palm Desert. Committee Chair Gale Broeker discovered that Building Permits dated prior to 1973, are still available through the County of Riverside, Transportation and Land Management Office. Committee Member pon Graybill inquired about considering the Library and the Fire House, owned by the City of Palm Desert. Director of Building and Safety Russell Grance indicated that a formal request through the City Manager's Office or the appropriate agency would be needed. Committee Chair Gale Broeker mentioned the Bates House is now City owned. Committee Member Kent Routh inquired if there was a way to plaque the new Visitor Center. Discussion commenced on the possibility of other sites and a workshop. Mr. Grance requested dates so that he could check staff and room availability. G:\BldgSfty\Suzanne Cicchini\Word Files\Cultural Resources Preservation Committee\Minutes 2009\022409 Minutes.docx Page 2 CULTURALRESOURCE PRESERVATION COMMITTEE FEBRUARY 24, 2009 C. DISCUSS PROGRESS OF SITE PLAQUES Director of Building and Safety Russell Grance reported that the design must be vetted through the Marketing Department of the City of Palm Desert. He is making contact with other jurisdictions to investigate vendors for the plaques. Committee Member Bob Pitchford knew of a company in Riverside, however, the computer generated sample provided was disappointing. D. UPDATE ON WEB PAGE Director of Building and Safety Russell Grance reported that the site is up and running. There are links to web pages and resources. Committee Member Kim Housken noted that it has a great link for training and workshops. Committee Member pon Graybill thought it was very good and there was a round of applause for Mr. Grance for his work on the web site. E. UPDATE ON BOOKLET AND BOOK Committee Member Vera Handley reported on her meeting with Judith Cook, the Professor of Art at the College of the Desert. Ms. Cook was receptive to the idea of the booklet and discussed it with her students. Ms. Handley provided a list of suggestions. Ms. Cook will contact Dr. Bert Bitanga, Head of the Architecture Department at College of the Desert to get his input. Ms. Cook will be calling Ms. Handley soon. Committee Member Jan Holmlund requested a workshop. Discussion commenced about the booklet, a potential workshop date and the prospect of Committee Member Bob Pitchford serving as a liaison between the Committee and the Art Department at the College of the Desert. Committee Chair Gale Broeker mentioned that Committee Member Bob Pitchford was elected to the committee for his architectural expertise. F. UPDATE ON CALIFORNIA PRESERVATION FOUNDATION CONFERENCE Committee Chair Gale Broeker announced that the cost for the conference in Palm Springs will be $230.00 each. Discussion commenced about the Conference. Committee Member pon Graybill announced that he had a volunteer sign-up sheet with him. Volunteers have until February 27, 2009 to sign up. Complimentary participation for certain events was offered in exchange for volunteering. Director of Building and Safety Russell Grance indicated that the line item for conferences and training for any additional items that haven't previously been signed up for can't be considered at this time. Committee Member Jan Holmlund expressed what a worthwhile conference she thought it was. Committee Member Kim Housken noted that next year's will be in Northern California. G:�BIdgSfty\Suzanne Cicchini\Word Files\Cultural Resources Preservation CommitteeUAinutes 2009\022409 Minutes.docx Page 3 CULTURALRESOURCE PRESERVATION COMMITTEE FEBRUARY 24, 2009 Committee Member Kim Housken emphasized that she found it embarrassing that the City of Palm Desert is not a sponsor of the conference. She noted that the cities of La Quinta, Palm Springs and Rancho Mirage are sponsoring and she reiterated that it was embarrassing that the City of Palm Desert wasn't sponsoring at some level. She didn't expect a large sponsorship, just some sponsorship. There are tours coming east of the valley and they are not going to La Quinta, yet that city found it important to provide some level of sponsorship. Committee Chair Gale Broeker noted that the City of La Quinta is a certified local government, and that was another step that we're behind. G. ADDITIONAL ITEMS NEEDED FOR PROPERTIES Discussion commenced about items needed for potential properties. Director of Building and Safety Russell Grance reported that the letter for the Desert Magazine property came back undeliverable; a new address was obtained and will be sent today. Committee Chair Gale Broeker inquired whether Mr. Grance had enough information to prepare a draft staff report. Mr. Grance noted that he will have to get a green light before anything is pursued. Of the seven, only one has responded wanting to participate. A packet was sent and we are still waiting for the packet to be returned. The packet will be reviewed for thoroughness of information. It will be brought before the committee and we'll have a public hearing as outlined in the ordinance, and move forward with a recommendation to the City Council. Committee Member pon Graybill inquired about the procedure for the two City owned sites. Mr. Grance offered to write an internal memo to the appropriate department head to get some feedback. He confirmed that the sites are the Library and the Fire Station. Committee Member Jan Holmlund added the Bates House on Santa Rosa Way. Mr. Grance reported that the pool on that site has been demolished and a lot line adjustment will be done to carry one lot all the way over to make it a larger lot. The three apartment units there will be demolished, but the house in the front will be saved. No purpose was indicated for the building as yet. Committee Member pon Graybill expressed that the apartments behind the house would make for wonderFul storage. Committee Member Jan Holmlund noted that it would be a wonderful meeting house for historic preservation and a library. Committee Chair Gale Broeker suggested a doctor's office or reception area for whatever will be on the lot. Committee Chair Gale Broeker reported that she attended an eight hour crash course on CEQA law and a speaker there stated that "all historic buildings are considered significant until proven otherwise." G:\BldgSfty\Suzanne Cicchini\Word Files\Cultural Resources Preservation CommitteeWlinutes 2009\022409 Minutes.docx Page 4 CULTURALRESOURCE PRESERVATION COMMITTEE FEBRUARY 24, 2009 VII. REPORT AND REMARKS A. COMMENTS AND COMMITTEE MEMBER REPORTS Committee Member Jan Holmlund announced that she was having trouble with her computer. Please mail any information via regular mail until further notice. Committee Chair Gale Broeker announced that the Historic Preservation Commission of the City of Rancho Mirage is presenting "A Young City Rich in History" tonight, February 24, 2009. Committee Member Jan Holmlund reported that no City of Rancho Mirage Preservation Commission Meeting would be held in view of the event. Coachella Valley Historical Society, Inc. of Indio is having a bus tour of Adobes on March 14, 2009. Committee Member Kim Housken mentioned the City of San Clemente is having free workshops. Beginning on 4/2/09, Donovan Rypkema will speak about preservation, sustainability and the economics of preservation. He was the phenomenal speaker Ms. Broeker and Ms. Housken went to see in Riverside. On February 27, 2009, Jonna Hoppes Doolittle, will present a lecture at the Portola Community Center, (formerly the library) titled: "The Life of Jimmy Doolittle". Her grandfather, Jimmy Doolittle went to High School with Cliff Henderson. Friday, March 6, 2009, The Historical Society of Palm Desert presents "Early Desert Artists: Longevity and Landscape" a celebration of three desert artists who are still painting at age 90 and up, Carl Bray, Bill Bender and Sally Ward. The opening reception is from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Historical Society of Palm Desert. An Art Show and Sale will continue from March 7 through March 14th. Handouts of both events were passed. Committee Member Kim Housken commented that with the City of Palm Desert's Set to Save Program, LEED Building and going green, it still baffles her how the City of Palm Desert can be so far behind with historic preservation when it's the ultimate in sustainability. Committee Chair Gale Broeker expressed that the City should have someone from Planning or Redevelopment there to hear ponovan Rypkema's lecture. At his speaking engagement last year there were people from Riverside Planning Department and other entities. The greenest building is the one already built. He is a national activist on preservation and adaptive reuse. Committee Member Vera Handley expressed her concern that the City of Palm Desert was not being represented at these major conferences. She wondered if a letter could be written to the Berger or Barker Foundations requesting monetary support. Discussion commenced about the letter; no action taken. Committee Member pon Graybill added that education will be part of the Committee's responsibility. He suggested power point presentations. Committee Member Jan Holmlund accentuated that people must understand that they can participate in historic preservation without harm to their property. She believes that power point presentations do not reach citizens, only people who already have an interest in historic preservation. The G:\BldgSfty\Suzanne Cicchini\Word Files\Cultural Resources Preservation CommitteeWlinutes 2009\022409 Minutes.docx Page 5 CULTURALRESOURCE PRESERVATION COMMITTEE FEBRUARY 24, 2009 Committee needs to be able to help people with questions they have about forms, maps, pictures and design qualifications. She recalled Ms. Housken's suggestion of historic preservation projects at the schools. Committee Member Vera Handley noted that Jerry Patton of College of the Desert is interested in this because of his new program "Bridges to Success" which encompasses 4t" grade to college to work environment. Committee Chair Gale Broeker suggested nefinrorking. This was covered in her recent training. There is a move among all historical societies and commissions and boards in the valley to form a preservation alliance. Committee Member Kent Routh requested feedback about Modernism Week in Palm Springs. Committee Member Kim Housken attended a tour and a symposium titled: "Possessed: the Obsession of Ownership." It was interesting. Committee Member Bob Pitchford commented on the status of the Carl Bray house in Indian Wells. The Committee discussed it. Committee Member Jan Holmlund reported information she had learned through her involvement with the City of Indian Wells Historic Preservation Foundation. Ms. Holmlund mentioned an upcoming event: "Achieving Sustainability by Preservation Partnership with Structural Engineers in California" to be held on February 25, 2009 in Riverside. Committee Member Jan Holmlund suggested that Committee Chair Gale Broeker and Vice Chair Kent Routh meet with Director of Building and Safety Russell Grance to discuss a budget for the Committee. Committee Member pon Graybill inquired if a Council Liaison would be available for the Committee. He also commented that he attended the book signing at the Visitor Center. He noted The City really supported the Visitor Center and the staff there was really nice. He believes the book, Imaqes of America Palm Desert is wonderFul and it will be a great thing for the City and preservation. The next meeting of the Cultural Resources Preservation Committee will be Tuesday, March 31, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. in the Administrative Conference Room at the City of Palm Desert. VIII. ADJOURNMENT With Committee Concurrence, the meeting was adjourned at 11:20 a.m. ,�u.�n►� �- . . Suzanne Cicchini, Recording Secretary G:\BldgSfty\Suzanne Cicchini\Word Files\Cultural Resources Preservation Committee\Minutes 2009\022409 Minutes.docx Page 6