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Home My WebLink About2020-07-07- HSPB Minutes HISTORIC SITE PRESERVATION BOARD CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA Pursuant to Executive Order N-29-20 this meeting was conducted by teleconference and there was no in-person public access to the meeting location. www.palmspringsca.gov MINUTES CALL TO ORDER: The Chair called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. ROLL CALL: Chair Burkett, Vice-Chair Hough, Members Rosenow, Dixon, Nelson, Kiser. ABSENT: None. 2020 – Attendance Record for CLG ACCEPTANCE OF THE AGENDA: Motion by Burkett, seconded by Rosenow to accept the agenda as presented. AYES: Dixon, Rosenow, Hough, Nelson, Burkett, Kiser. NOES: None. PUBLIC COMMENT: There were no speakers during public comment. Name Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Dick Burkett ☒ ☐ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ Katherine Hough ☒ ☐ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ Jade Nelson ☒ ☐ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ Dan Kiser ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ Linda Dixon ☒ ☐ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ Erik Rosenow ☒ ☐ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ JULY 7, 2020 5:30 PM REGULAR MEETING Historic Site Preservation Board Minutes July 7, 2020 Page 2 of 6 1. CONSENT CALENDAR: 1.A. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES: MARCH 3, 2020 HSPB MEETING. Motion by Burkett, seconded by Hough to approve the minutes of March 3, 2020. AYES: Nelson, Burkett, Rosenow, Hough. NOES: None. ABSTAIN: Kiser, Dixon. 2. PUBLIC HEARINGS: 2.A. THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS FOR CLASS 1 HISTORIC SITE DESIGNATION OF THE LAS PALMAS LIQUOR STORE LOCATED AT 1595 NORTH PALM CANYON DRIVE, ZONE C-1, GENERAL PLAN: MIXED USE / MULTI-USE, CASE HSPB #127 (APN #505-165-010), (KL). Staff member Lyon summarized the staff report, noting two written letters and a phone call to the business were made but Staff has not received any communication from the building owner. Member Hough asked her fellow board members about the type face (font) of the “Las Palmas Liquors” sign and whether they felt it was an important element of the building. There was discussion about the significance of the sign and whether the Board could have staff contact and encourage the owner to restore / reinstall the Germain Brothers portion of the sign. (Staff member Lyon pointed out that if the building use and tenant was to change they would be entitled to p lace a new sign on the building. Thus the existing signs would not be retained and therefore advised that it should not be listed as a contributing feature of the building.) Member Nelson provided additional information about the Germain Brothers. The Chair opened the public hearing. Seeing no members of the public wishing to speak, the Chair closed the public hearing. Member Hough noted she had heard from individuals in the adjacent neighborhood about seeing Hollywood stars and other notable persons from the Los Palmas neighborhood who frequented the store in the past. Member Dixon encouraged the owner to mount photos in the store of those celebrities who often patronized the store. Member Kiser commented that there was excessive signage clutter on the windows of the building and the building owner or tenant should address the issue. Historic Site Preservation Board Minutes July 7, 2020 Page 3 of 6 Member Rosenow noted that the Googie architectural style was rather rare in Palm Springs. Motion by Rosenow seconded by Hough to recommend that the City Council designate the Las Palmas Liquors Building as a Class 1 historic site. AYES: Dixon, Rosenow, Hough, Nelson, Burkett, Kiser. NOES: None. 3. UNFINISHED BUSINESS: 3.A. CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST BY THE HISTORIC SITE PRESERVATION BOARD FOR A HISTORIC RESOURCES REPORT EVALUATING A DEMOLITION REQUEST OF THE FORMER ARENAS LODGE, A CLASS 4 HISTORIC SITE, LOCATED AT 239 WEST ARENAS ROAD, A PART OF AN APPLICATION BY NEW CHURCH II, LLC, OWNER, FOR REDEVELOPMENT OF THE SITE AS PART OF THE ORCHID TREE INN, A MIXED-USE HOTEL PROJECT. (CASE 5.1345 CUP, HSPB 23, HSPB 72 & 3.0678 MAJ). Staff member Lyon summarized the staff report. Member Hough asked whether it was known if the c lay roof tiles were original and if so could they be salvaged for use on another building. (Member Nelson pointed out that the historic resources report stated that there were no original tiles remaining on the buildings.) Director Fagg noted that pursuant to the ordinance, demolition permits would not be issued until building permits for a replacement structure have been issued. Member Nelson asked about what form of notification was made to the adjacent neighborhood organizations (Staff member Lyon clarified that e-mail notices are sent to neighborhood organizations within a one-mile radius of the project site.) Member Nelson disagreed with the report’s findings that the buildings on the site do not represent a notable example of a motor court from t he 1930’s and asked for staff’s clarification. (Staff member Lyon clarified that the report concluded that it was not a rare or excellent example of the building type.) Member Nelson inquired whether the entire Orchid Tree project had been reviewed by the City’s Architectural Advisory Committee. (Director Fagg noted yes, it has been through AAC, Planning Commission and been approved by City Council.) Historic Site Preservation Board Minutes July 7, 2020 Page 4 of 6 Chair Burkett inquired whether someone could apply seeking Class 1 historic site designation. (Staff member Lyon noted an application could be made but as seen in the historic resources report, the findings required to recommend Class 1 cannot be made. Member Nelson restated his opposition to the demolition noting its association with Henry Pierson who was also associated with Deepwell Ranch. He noted the stone pilings in the back yard were not analyzed sufficiently in the report and opined that removal of the structures on the site would change the association and feeling one has entering the Tennis Club neighborhood. Member Dixon made a motion to not demolish the buildings. The motion was s econded by Member Nelson. Staff member Lyon reminded the board that in order to make a motion contrary to the recommendation, affirmative findings would need to be made. Member Dixon asserted the site’s association with Henry Pierson, a person of significance, would constitute an affirmative finding. (Staff member Lyon reminded the board that to make findings based on a person of significance the property must be associated with the productive period of a person’s life for which he gained significance and the consultant was unable to make that finding.) Member Dixon withdrew her motion. Member Kiser moved, seconded by Member Hough to accept the recomm endation of the staff report to take no further action and allow the demolition of the buildings on the site. AYES: Dixon, Rosenow, Hough, Burkett, Kiser. NOES: Nelson. 4. NEW BUSINESS: 4.A. REVIEW OF PROPOSED TEXT AMENDMENTS TO MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 8.05 “HISTORIC PRESERVATION”. (FF) Member Nelson provided staff with several recommended text revisions for the ordinance. • Identification of significant architects for Class 4 sites when known. • Clarification of wording related to demolition (p. 19) (“the” v. “any”). • Consider adding a definition for “standard maintenance”. • P.20 keep the word “must” instead of “may”. • Clarification on “like for like”. • P. 26 denote all current owners of record. Historic Site Preservation Board Minutes July 7, 2020 Page 5 of 6 Chair Burkett provided staff with two recommended text revisions for the ordinance. • Consider dropping the numerical classifications and use just names (i.e. “Landmark”, “Historic Merit”, etc.) • Consider using a rolling date instead of the fixed date of 1978 for Class 4. Staff thanked the board and noted the proposed revisions will be prepared for consideration by the City Council DISCUSSIONS: 5.A. ANNUAL WORK PLAN – FY 20/21. Staff member Lyon summarized the process of developing the annual work plan for FY 20/21. It was noted that the FY 20/21 HSPB budget was significantly less than in years past and with staffing reductions in the Planning Department , the amount of projects and work initiatives that the department has capacity to support will be diminished. Staff member Lyon noted he will assemble the proposed list of candidate sites and send it to the board members to prioritize for their consideration at the September HSPB meeting. 5.B CONFERENCE PLANNING – “YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW” (DB) Chair Burkett summarized the initiative which was being spearheaded by a group of nine different architecture and preservation groups in the Coachella Valley called The Palm Springs Architectural Alliance. The goal of the conference would be to create a “matrix checklist”, the intent of which would be to provide prospective developers and applicants with guidelines and goals intended to promote high quality architecture for future development proposals. The conference planners would encourage participation by the City Council, the Architectural Advisory Committee, the Planning Commission, the HSPB, architects, developers and other interested citizens. The event is proposed to be produced by Richard and D ebra Hovel, who have collaborated in the past on the Board’s annual symposium. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS: Member Nelson commented that the Le Vallauris Restaurant in the George Roberson Residence (Class 1 site HSPB #21) is closing and expressed concern th at the building not fall into disrepair. Historic Site Preservation Board Minutes July 7, 2020 Page 6 of 6 He also noted that he had observed at the Bank of America Building (Class 1 site HSPB #52) that some of the ceramic tile had fallen off the building on the North Indian Canyon Drive façade and that there were paper fliers stuck to the blue south-facing ceramic tile. STAFF COMMENTS: Staff member Lyon noted that the City had commissioned an updated historic resources report on the Racquet Club assessing its historic significance relative to its current condition. ADJOURNMENT: The Historic Site Preservation Board adjourned at 8:00 p.m. to its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday September 1, 2020, at 5:30 P.M, in the Large Conference Room at City Hall. ________________________________________________ Flinn Fagg, AICP Director of Planning Services