HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-11-14- HSPB minutes CITY OF PALM SPRINGS
HISTORIC SITE PRESERVATION BOARD MEETING
CORRECTED - Minutes of Meeting -Tuesday, November 14, 2006 at 10:00 a.m.
Large Conference Room, City Hall, 3200 East Tahquitz Canyon Way
Palm Springs, California 92262
ROLL CALL
Present
This Meeting
Present
Year-to-Date
FY 2006-2007
Excused Absences
To-Date
Sidney Williams, Chairperson X 6 0
Jade Nelson, Vice Chair X 4 2
James Hayton X 5 1
John Williams X 6 0
Harold “Bud” Riley X 6 0
Brian Strahl X 4 0
STAFF PRESENT:
Craig Ewing, Director of Planning Loretta Moffett, Administrative Assistant
Ken Lyon, Associate Planner
* * * * *
1. The HSPB Special meeting was called to order at 8:17 am. on November 14,
2. ROLL CALL: Present: S. Williams, J. Williams, J. Nelson, B. Riley, B. Strahl, J. Hayton
Absent: None
3. REPORT OF POSTING OF AGENDA: This Agenda was available and posted in accordance with state and
local procedures for public access at the City Hall exterior bulletin board and the Department of Planning Services counter
by 4:00 p.m. Thursday, November 9, 2006.
NOTE: Audio Cassettes and DVDs of HSPB Meetings are available for review. Cassettes will be kept
for six months only. DVDs of the meetings will be kept indefinitely. Minutes format is more action related
than verbatim except where special interest or special meetings are involved.
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: October 10, 2006 - Chairperson Sidney Williams asked for page 5 of
the October 10, 2006 Special Meeting Minutes be corrected to read “friend raising” not “fundraising”
under Section 10, Item G, and page 6 the book was on Palm Desert Art and Architecture.
M/S/C (Hayton/Riley) that the October 10, 2006 Minutes be approved as corrected. (6 Yes,
0 No, 0 Absent, 0 Abstentions)
October 17, 2006 Adjourned Meeting Minutes - M/S/C (Riley/Hayton) to approve the October 17,
2006 Adjourned Meeting Minutes as presented. (6 Yes, 0 No, 0 Absent, 0 Abstentions)
5. PUBLIC COMMENTS: (3 minutes) :
Peter Moruzzi, Palm Springs Modern Committee, expressed concerns about the Gift Shop in the
lower Tramway Station. Researched definition of a “public building” and because the Tramway
System is under the authority of the San Jacinto Winter Park Authority appointed by the Country
Supervisor, City Council, and Governor of California, it is a public building. Therefore, HSPB
does have authority over the interior and any alterations or changes should come before the HSPB
for review. A final opinion from the City Attorney would be helpful. Feels it is incumbent on this
Board to write a letter to the Authority stating there is jurisdiction over the interior of the Tramway
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and invite them to speak about future plans and what can be done about the unsightly and poorly
designed gift shop.
Director Ewing offered to send a letter to the Winter Park Authority indicating it is the City’s opinion
that the Tramway Station is a public building and is subject to the Historic Ordinance both interior
and exterior and staff will share this with the Building, Planning, and Engineering departments.
Board member J. Williams expressed concerns that they may have not gotten permits.
Board member Bud Riley requested Staff and Board Comments be inserted on the next agenda
after “Staff and Other Reports”.
6. REPORT FROM THE CHAIR: Chairperson S. Williams asked if all Board members had attended
the Ethics orientation.
7. PUBLIC HEARINGS: NONE
8. CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL REQUESTS: NONE
9. OTHER BUSINESS:
A. Historic Preservation Ordinance 8.05 – Revisions and Recommendations:
(continued from Special meeting of October 17, 2006)
(1) Revision of Class 3 Definition
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Peter Moruzzi, ModCom, encouraged the Board to include looking at properties eligible at the
local level – not just for state or national designation as many properties in the Survey and the
list of 53 are eligible just for local designation, and he noted that some of the NRHP status codes
don’t correspond with the eligibility statements.
PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSED
Staff re-stated...”Class 3 is being revised to include those properties identified in any City
approved Survey as being eligible for designation at the local, state or national level and the
review by HSPB would be done for exterior modifications and/or demolitions. They would be
reviewed by this Board for an Architectural Certification Approval or motion to designate to a
higher level of historic classification, which would have to include a Stay.”
(2) Increased penalties and fines for non-permitted demolition or alteration of historic
Board directed penalties to be $50,000 for demolitions and $10,000 for permit infractions, and
a time frame of one to five years that the property cannot be built on.
(3) Modifications to the Plaque program for historic structures
Staff needs direction as to how the Board wants staff to proceed. It was suggested that if the
property owner initiates the historic designation, they pay for the plaque and installation. If the
City or a third party initiates the historic designation, the City pays for the plaque and
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installation. Staff will draft Board’s ideas for the new plaque policy and will bring back by the
next meeting.
(4) Requirements for all board members to visit sites for which historic designation is
being considered
Staff reported that the current practice is to create a sub-committee, they visit the site with staff
and the owner(s), evaluates the site in person, and brings back their findings and
recommendations to the Board as part of the review and consideration of the recommendation
to designate. This Item (3) would require all Board members to visit the site prior to a vote to
recommend for designation.
Board member B. Riley suggested this and stated he feels strongly that each Board member
needs to physically visit and view the site in order to be knowledgeable in their vote.
Director Ewing explained that the Council has empowered those appointed to this Board to
make the decisions and this requirement probably cannot be a mandate. The Board can
“recommend strongly” that each member visit the site before the vote.
Board member B. Riley suggested leaving it as it is and perhaps put in writing some kind of
procedure, such as Board members visit the site before voting. Board members agreed.
(5) Public noticing requirements
Staff recommended changing Ordinance from 300 feet to 400 feet to be consistent with other
public noticing requirements in the City. Board members agreed.
Board members decided that the following properties were most threatened:
1. Bank of America Building/City National Bank), 588 South Palm Canyon Drive (1959)
2. Washington Mutual Bank/Coachella Valley, 499 South Palm Canyon Drive (1961)
3. Town & Country Center, 174 North Palm Canyon Drive (1945)
4. Santa Fe Federal, 300 South Palm Canyon Drive (1957)
5. Oasis Commercial Building, 101-121 South Palm Canyon Drive (1952)
6. Invernada, 657 North Via Miraleste
Staff will start the historic designation process for these sites and notice these property owners
to let them know there will be an application with preliminary background. Board can officially
initiate the process for designation of these properties to a Class 1 Historic Site in December. In
January or February 2007 the Board can take testimony, review the information, and make
recommendation(s) to Council.
Board member J. Williams suggested that the notice to the property owners list all six properties
and mention that it is a “potential” designation...such as...”your property is one of six listed
below that has been identified as being considered for research and study toward a potential
designation to a Palm Springs Class 1 Historic Site...” of some such non-threatening language.
Board asked staff to copy all members with the letter being sent to the six property owners.
10. COMMITTEE REPORTS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS:
A. Media Outreach - John Williams
Staff asked Mr. Hayton and Mr. Williams to take the list and photos and roll on Channel
17’s non-programmed time and identify them so this project could get underway. Not all
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are historic sites.
B. Historic Site Plaques Update - Bud Riley (updated earlier in this meeting)
C. HSPB Brochure Project - Jade Nelson
Explained and passed around the proposed color brochure. Staff will work on edits,
generic language, and coordinate with Jade to finalize and print the first run before the
next meeting. (Board was agreeable)
D. P.S. Preservation Foundation - Jade Nelson
The annual PSPF event will be Sunday, November 19 – Walking Tour of Downtown Class
1 Sites, 1:30 p.m. starting at Our Lady of Solitude Church on Alejo and Belardo to Baristo
Road, the last site will be Community Church.
E. P.S. Historical Society - James Hayton
The annual Picnic ”An Old-Fashion Hoedown” is November 18 at the O’Donnell Golf Club.
F. P.S. Modern Committee - John Williams
The quarterly meeting will be Saturday, November 18 at 10 a.m. at Sheryl Hamlin’s home.
All members and interested parties are invited. info at www.psmodcom.com
G. Architecture & Design Council - Sidney Williams
A postcard has been produced for the lecture series for the year. First lecture was
November 11 with the Steven Erhlich, architect, exhibition, with about 450 people
attending. The next lecture will be in January.
11. STAFF & OTHER REPORTS:
Staff reported that an email had been sent to the Board about the 1915 Bungalow at the Orchid
Tree Inn site.
Board member J. Nelson commented that the exterior of some Class 1 sites have been
modified from the original – specifically Our Lady of Solitude with 2-1/2 feet of Spanish pavers
on the wall which are not original to the building. The Tramway Lower Station’s exterior has
been painted and other unappealing things done to it. When and how does this Board start
addressing these types of things and how to get them back to their original state/condition.
Staff explained that some exterior modifications to these buildings would have required a
building permit. Paint on exterior of the Tramway would not have required a building permit;
however modification to a Class 1 site should have been reviewed by the Board, letters could be
sent notifying owners. Staff stated that while the Tramway has been determined to be a public
building, it still has to be established under local authority and Ordinance. Staff will research
and report back.
12. ADJOURNMENT: With no further business to come before the Board, member Bud Riley
moved for adjournment at 10:47 a.m. The next regularly scheduled meeting will be Tuesday,
December 12, 2006 in the Large Conference Room at City Hall at 8:15 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Ken Lyon
Associate Planner