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Home My WebLink About2007-10-09- HSPB minutes CITY OF PALM SPRINGS HISTORIC SITE PRESERVATION BOARD MEETING Minutes of Meeting -Tuesday, October 9, 2007 Large Conference Room, City Hall, 3200 East Tahquitz Canyon Way Palm Springs, California 92262 BOARD MEMBERS Present This Meeting Present Year-to-Date FY 2007-2008 Excused Absences To-Date Sidney Williams, Chair X 3 1 Jade Nelson, Vice Chair X 3 1 John Williams X 4 0 Harold “Bud” Riley X 3 1 Brian Strahl Sheila Grattan Shelly Saunders X X X 4 4 4 0 0 0 STAFF PRESENT: Craig Ewing, Director of Planning Ken Lyon, Associate Planner Loretta Moffett, Administrative Assistant * * * * * 1. The HSPB regularly scheduled meeting was called to order at 8:15 a.m. on Tuesday, October 9, 2007 by Chair Sidney Williams. 2. ROLL CALL: Present: J. Nelson, B. Strahl, J. Williams, S. Grattan, S. Saunders, B. Riley, and S. Williams. 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, October 4, 2007. 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. 4. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Frank Tysen, 175 South Cahuilla, Palm Springs, spoke about the pending Historic Class 1 Site application for the Casa Cody Inn and requested the Board to review the September meeting comments related to additional units so that it will be economically viable for the next owner to operate at a profit. There are two locations where units could be added and still maintain the historic value and he asked that to be part of the approval when processing the application. 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES:. M/S/C (Riley/Nelson) to approve Minutes of the September 11, 2007 HSPB Meeting as presented – 6 Yes, 0 No, 0 Absent, 1 Abstention – (Chair Williams was not at September meeting). 6. REPORT FROM THE CHAIR: Chair S. Williams reminded the Board of the November 8-10, 2007 State Historical Commission meeting here in Palm Springs. The National Trust from Washington DC will be here the same weekend. Both groups will be touring historic sites in and around Palm Springs. 7. PUBLIC HEARINGS: N O N E Historic Site Preservation Board Page 2 of 4 Minutes from the October 9, 2007 Meeting 8. CERTIFICATES OF APPROVAL: A. Azul at 369 North Palm Canyon Drive (GTE Building Historic Site #26) Case 3.1277 - Application for Patio Bar Modifications Staff member Scott Taschner described the modifications being applied for and indicated that staff feels this does not change the historic elements of the building; and therefore, staff recommends the application be approved by the Board. After brief discussion by the Board, staff, and Azul’s representative, Board member J. Williams moved to approve the application as presented. Vice Chair Nelson seconded and the vote was unanimous with 7 Yes, 0 No, 0 Absent, 0 Abstention. Staff member Lyon advised that Azul will be coming before the Board again next month with additional modifications for the second floor. B. Palm Canyon Theater, 538 North Palm Canyon Drive (Frances Stevens School, California Register of Historic Sites & HSPB Site #7) Application for Restroom Improvements & Misc. Maintenance Items. Staff described modifications being applied for by the City for improvements to the Palm Canyon Theater. This is a Class 1 Historic Site and the City’s only California registered historic site. It is a publicly owned building; therefore, the interiors and exteriors come under the purview of HSPB. Staff recommends a Certificate of Approval by the Board on this project application. After brief discussion of colors, materials, actual improvements, and maintenance items, Board member Saunders moved to approve the application on the City-owned Palm Canyon Theater (Frances Stevens School). Board member Riley seconded the motion and the vote was unanimous with 7 yes, 0 No, 0 Absent, 0 Abstention. 9. OTHER BUSINESS: N O N E 10. COMMITTEE REPORTS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS: A. Subcommittee Report of Historic Districts – J. Williams, B. Riley, and S. Williams No report. B. Subcommittee Report on Public Outreach – J. Nelson, B. Strahl, and S. Grattan No report. C. Palm Springs Preservation Foundation – Jade Nelson The “Palm Springs Re-imagined” event has been re-scheduled to February during “Modernism Week”. Members Reception at The Willows was well attended. More information can be found at their web site www.pspf.net. D. Palm Springs Modern Committee – John Williams Historic Site Preservation Board Page 3 of 4 Minutes from the October 9, 2007 Meeting The Annual Awards Luncheon will be Saturday, October 13 at the Canyon Country Club at 12 noon, tickets are available at www.psmodcom.com. A Lifetime Achievement Award will honor Architect Donald Wexler. E. Palm Springs Historical Society – Sidney Williams The Annual Pioneer Picnic will be November 11 (Veterans Day) from noon to 3 p.m. at the O’Donnell Golf Club at 301 North Belardo Road. Tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for children under 12 and can be purchased at PalmSpringsHistory@ aol.com or the Historical Society at 760-323-8297. F. Architecture and Design Council – Sidney Williams First lecture is November 17 by award winning Jonathan Segal, an Architect/Developer from San Diego who specializes in using socially and ecologically progressive designs. The Julius Shulman kick-off reception will be November 3 at the Elrod house for ADC members and their guests. The Shulman Photographic Exhibition will be in February 2008. Information is online at www.psmuseum.org. G. Budget & Work Program Priorities 2007/2008 – Staff From Board member input, the next six properties to be considered for Class 1 Historic designation are: (1) Horizon Hotel (5 votes), 1050 East Palm Canyon Drive; originally designed by William Cody; (2) Willard/Moorten House (4 votes), 1735 South Palm Canyon Drive, built by Palm Springs pioneer builder Alva Hicks, original home of Steven Willard, a landscape and architectural photographer and current home to the Moorten Botanical Gardens; (3) Cary Grant House (4 votes), 928 North Avenida Palmas, built 1929-30, original home of Dr. Baldwin and family and home to Cary Grant for 18 in the Movie Colony area; (4) Kocher-Samson Building (3 votes), 766 North Palm Canyon Drive, designed and built in 1934-35 by Albert Frey with partner Lawrence Kocher; (5) Elrod House (3 votes), 2175 Southridge Drive, designed in 1968 by architect John Lautner for owner Arthur Elrod, an interior designer in Palm Springs; (6) Fire Station #4 (2 votes), 1300 LaVerne Way, designed in 1971 by architect Hugh Kaptur; (7) Robinsons Department Store (currently The Alley) (2 votes), 333 South Palm Canyon Drive, designed by architects William L. Pereira and Charles Luckman in 1953; and (8) Elvis’ House of Tomorrow (Elvis’ Honeymoon Hideaway) (2 votes), 1350 Ladera Circle in Las Palmas, designed by architects William Krisel and Dan Palmer, and built in 1962 by Robert Alexander. These properties are listed in the 2004 Historic Resources Survey and copies are attached. Historic Site Preservation Board Page 4 of 4 Minutes from the October 9, 2007 Meeting Board member J. Williams moved that the HSPB identify the first six properties listed above as the six target properties for the Class 1 designation process during this work year. Board member Strahl seconded the motion and it unanimously carried with 7 Yes votes, 0 No, 0 Absent, 0 Abstentions. 12. STAFF & OTHER REPORTS: Staff submitted information about Board training. The City has arranged for a three-hour comprehensive citywide architectural tour of Palm Springs. Staff asked if the Board would like to delegate some of the reviews and decision-making to staff when an application for modifications to a Class 1 Historic building(s) comes in that has no impact to the historic defining characteristics – similar to the Azul (GTE Building) and the Palm Canyon Theater (Frances Stevens School). This would save the applicant a lot of time on a project not having to wait a month for HSPB to meet. If the Board is agreeable, staff can prepare a special Resolution that would define the boundaries of what staff can review and approve. Staff will review with the HSPB Chair before issuing approval. Board members agreed by consensus to approve staff preparing a defining Resolution and bringing it back to the Board. A Subcommittee was suggested. Director Ewing suggested that the Board be specific in describing what is being designated historic for each property designation that is submitted to Council. This will define what and how future modifications can or will be reviewed by HSPB. Staff member Lyon explained that the General Plan Update will automatically impose density issues on the Casa Cody Inn now pending historic designation. There is no need for the fourth Resolution that was discussed at the September HSPB meeting. A clarifying memo has been sent to the Board. 13. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS: N O N E 14. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business it was moved and seconded to adjourn the HSPB meeting at 9:07 a.m. The next regular meeting of HSPB will be Tuesday, November 13, 2007 at 8:15 a.m. Respectfully submitted, Ken Lyon, Associate Planner Attachments: 1. 2004 Survey Information for properties being considered for designation.