Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Cultural Resources Prevention Committee March 29, 2011CITY OF PALM DESERT BUILDING & SAFETY DEPARTMENT INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM To: Rachelle Klassen, City Clerk From: Suzanne Cicchini, Administrative Secretary A42", Date: September 27, 2011 Subject: Submission of Approved Minutes for the Cultural Resources Preservation Committee Meeting held on March 29, 2011 Attached is a copy of the March 29, 2011 Minutes of the Cultural Resources Preservation Committee Meeting approved by the Committee on September 27, 2011. Please include on the next City Council agenda. Thank you Attachment CITY COUNCIL ACTION APPROVED DENIED RECEIVED I E(L OTHER MEETING DATE I0-13 -,SDI AYES: F�ntr� y c�rni k,, ct�on er i bef)sun NODES: N 00C ABSENT: N O L ABSTAIN- E0I1F VERIFIED I3Y: K()K Original on File with City Clerk's 61,fice G:\BldgSfty\Suzanne Cicchini\Word Files\Cultural Resources Preservation Committee\Meeting ItemsWemo-City Clerk -Minutes 09-27-11.doc CITY OF PALM DESERT CULTURAL RESOURCES PRESERVATION COMMITTEE Minutes March 29, 2011 Administrative Conference Room I. CALL TO ORDER Committee Chair Don Graybill called the meeting of the Cultural Resources Preservation Committee to order at 10:05 a.m. II. ROLL CALL Present: Ricki Brodie Gale Broeker Don Graybill Kim Housken Bob Pitchford Kent Routh Absent: Arthur Davis Also Present: Russell Grance, Director of Building and Safety Art Montoya, Palm Desert Resident and Former Palm Desert Postmaster Suzanne Cicchini, Recording Secretary III. SWEARING IN OF NEW COMMITTEE MEMBER New Committee Member, Arthur Davis was absent; to be rescheduled. IV. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS None V. CONSENT CALENDAR A. MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF FEBRUARY 22, 2011 Director of Building and Safety Russell Grance had a correction on Page 3, paragraph 1, line 11. The word "initial" will be changed to "initiation" Committee Member Kent Routh moved to approve the Minutes as corrected. Motion was seconded by Committee Member Ricki Brodie. Motion passed unanimously. CULTURAL RESOURCES PRESERVATION COMMITTEE MINUTES MARCH 29, 2011 VI. CONSENT ITEMS HELD OVER None VII. NEW BUSINESS A. INTRODUCTION: OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS New Committee Member, Arthur Davis was absent; to be rescheduled. B. DISCUSS: PUBLIC EDUCATION IDEAS FOR 3 CULTURAL RESOURCE DESIGNATIONS. Committee Member Gale Broeker suggested utilizing brochure racks at hotels to distribute brochures. She and Committee Member Kent Routh volunteered to check with some hotels. Russell Grance, Director of Building and Safety recommended stopping by each business and asking if they would allow brochures be placed in their racks. Committee Chair Don Graybill suggested contacting people in each Committee Member's sphere of influence. The Committee discussed various methods of display and businesses that might be interested. Committee Member Kim Housken recommended referencing a website on the brochure that leads to more information on the internet. The Historical Society website could have a link back to the City site. Tying in with the Historical Society and getting the message into the schools are good ideas. Committee Chair Don Graybill suggested using a website roadmap to direct users to the information on our website. Committee Member Gale Broeker suggested distributing some brochures to Boy Scout Troop Leaders and Merit Badge Counselors. Merit badges are awarded for knowledge about the community. The brochures can provide information about cultural resources. Ms. Broeker is enthusiastic about having historical information and a map on placemats in restaurants. Committee Member Kent Routh would like to have newspaper or radio coverage. A local talk show might provide coverage also. C. DISCUSS: BROCHURES CREATED FOR CULTURAL RESOURCE DESIGNATIONS. Committee Chair Don Graybill complimented Director of Building and Safety Russell Grance on the brochures he created. Mr. Grance commented that the brochure content could be changed if desired. The look of the brochures could be improved by using brochure paper stock. It's heavier and more durable and has perforations so it folds easier. Committee Member Gale Broeker suggested the cheaper paper stock be used in view of the recession. Committee Member Kim Housken suggested having brochures at each of the sites and the Visitors Center. She inquired about incorporating all three sites into one brochure. Mr. Grance confirmed that it could be done. The information would have to be condensed. Ms. Housken suggested a map be used that G:\BldgSfty\Suzanne Cicchini\Word Files\Cultural Resources Preservation Committee\Minutes 2011\03-29-11 Minutes. docx Page 2 CULTURAL RESOURCES PRESERVATION COMMITTEE MINUTES MARCH 29, 2011 pinpoints each site. Committee Member Kent Routh noted that idea would not work for ten sites. Mr. Routh advocated continued use of individual brochures so as not to slight any one site. A booklet might be considered. Committee Chair Don Graybill concurred with Mr. Routh. VIII. CONTINUED BUSINESS A. DISCUSS: OTHER "FIRST" SITES TO CONSIDER FOR CULTURAL RESOURCE DESIGNATIONS. Committee Chair Don Graybill invited Art Montoya, former Postmaster for Palm Desert to address the Committee. Mr. Montoya had comments about the Shadow Mountain Golf Club brochure. Mon "Walgreen" should be changed to "Walgren." The wording should be changed to read: "it was the first championship golf course" because there was a golf course around Shadow Mountain that was the first course, prior to the championship course. Mr. Montoya discussed the history of the Palm Desert Post Office. He spoke about the various buildings and locations. He brought a number of items relating to the Post Office that will be discussed at a future work shop. Mr. Montoya suggested checking the Coachella Valley Submarine, as a good source of information. Copies can be found at the library. Committee Chair Don Graybill asked if Mr. Montoya had any suggestions about how to best honor the Post Office. Mr. Montoya suggested that the first time city delivery was available might be noted and the first $100,000.00 the Post Office made was quite a milestone. He will think about how to best honor the Palm Desert Post Office and get back in touch with the Committee. The Committee discussed which post office location to recognize first. Tying a designation in with an upcoming anniversary appealed to Committee Member Gale Broeker. Committee Member Kim Housken mentioned that the role of this Committee is to educate people. It may not matter whether something gets recognized with a marker or not. Mr. Montoya reminisced about the valley's history. He mentioned the Butterfield Stage and the history of Highway 74 and Highway 111. Committee Member Bob Pitchford recalled the ruin of a farm/homestead located behind his property and asked Mr. Montoya about it. Mr. Montoya acknowledged that there was activity in that area. Committee Chair Don Graybill thanked Mr. Montoya. IX. OLD BUSINESS A. UPDATE: MILLS ACT FEES. Russell Grance Director of Building and Safety updated the Committee on the status of the Mills Act Fees. The Mills Act Application fee is $318.00. The Mills Act is only available to those properties on a local, state or federal list. Only one of the three current designated properties is eligible because the other two are City owned and pay no property tax. A property owner could potentially receive up to 50% of property tax relief. Therefore, $318.00 is a reasonable G:\BldgSfty\Suzanne Cicchini\Word Files\Cultural Resources Preservation Committee\Minutes 2011\03-29-11 Minutes.docx Page 3 CULTURAL RESOURCES PRESERVATION COMMITTEE MINUTES MARCH 29, 2011 application fee when you balance that with the potential savings. There are some cities that charge an annual fee for the maintenance and inspections for the program. The City of Palm Desert does not charge for those services. The $318.00 represents a 2 hour minimum of the Building and Safety Director's time. There is no basis of what the actual contract phase will cost, hence the $1,000.00 deposit for the contract initiation fee. The average for the contract initiation fee was $1,325.00 per the survey. Staff time involved will become known over time and fees can be adjusted accordingly. An average of $1,274.00 for the application fee was charged based on the survey. Our $318 application fee was well below that. Our fee does not distinguish between Residential and Commercial. Mr. Grance noted we go live with the fee on April 10, 2011. There is a thirty day waiting period. Committee Member Gale Broeker mentioned a rumor that homeowners lose rights if they participate in the Mills Act. Mr. Grance informed that is where the misconception comes in. Historic preservation is approached differently from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Council has agreed to make it voluntary. Property owners are coming into this knowing all the conditions. If the property owner already maintains the property, the value of those savings has to be evaluated. Committee Chair Don Graybill suggested obtaining testimonials of people about the Mills Act. Mr. Graybill spoke with the owner of the church property and she seemed more interested in a designation. Committee Member Kent Routh concurred that a personal explanation would be more effective. Mr. Grance suggested that letters be modified to include an invitation to attend a meeting. The Mills Act is a big incentive for those who want to participate. X. REPORTS AND REMARKS Committee Member Gale Broeker mentioned a property located on Mountain View. There was discussion about the home built in 1957. Ms. Broeker would like it added to the potential list and will provide details for the Committee at a later date. Committee Member Kim Housken noted that April is Desertscapes Month. For more information, please see the website: www.desertscapes.net. The Historical Society will be having an Appraisal Day on Saturday, April 9, 2011. One appraisal of a painting or Southwest items is free per member. The cost is $10.00 for nonmembers per item. It's from 10.00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The Historical Society is having an exhibit featuring Norton Allen. A number of his maps will be on display. His maps appeared in the Desert Magazine. It opens April 1st and runs all month. Committee Member Gale Broeker announced the North Shore Yacht Club Museum is having an exhibit all month long. It features ten artists from the Salton Sea area and the reception is on April 3, 2011. Committee Member Bob Pitchford mentioned a slab dance floor that was built for Juliet Prowse in the desert for a Frank Sinatra live television special. It was G:\BldgSfty\Suzanne Cicchini\Word Files\Cultural Resources Preservation Committee\Minutes 2011\03-29-11 Minutes. docx Page 4 CULTURAL RESOURCES PRESERVATION COMMITTEE MINUTES MARCH 29, 2011 beautiful and as shiny as a mirror. He has apiece of that slab. He was doing work for Frank Sinatra at the time. The show aired in December, 1959. A Work Shop will be scheduled for Tuesday, April 26, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. in the Administrative Conference Room at City of Palm Desert. This replaces the regular meeting scheduled for the same day. XI. ADJOURNMENT Committee Chair Don Graybill adjourned the meeting at 11:57 a.m. skl'kn r�.k- &J"i Suzanne Cicchini, Recording Secretary G:\BldgSfty\Suzanne Cicchini\Word Files\Cultural Resources Preservation Comm ittee\M inutes 2011\03-29-11 Minutes.docx Page 5