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Home My WebLink About2009-10-12- ARC MinutesCITY OF PALM SPRINGS ARCHITECTURAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES OF OCTOBER 12, 2009 Council Chamber, City Hall 3200 East Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262 CALL TO ORDER: Chair Sahlin called the meeting to order at 3:03 p.m. ATTENDANCE: Present: Absent: YTD Attendance: Paul Ortega, Chair X 15 Will Kleindienst, Vice Chair X 2 Chris Sahlin X 17 Lance O’Donnell X 18 Michael King X 17 Robert Parker X 13 Patrick McGrew X 2 Donald Wexler X 0 Anna Maria Escalante X 1 (Roll Call record is from January 2009 thru meeting of October 12, 2009) Planning Commission Members Present: Commissioner Cohen APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Approval of Minutes for meeting of September 21, 2009. ACTION: M/S/C (Kleindienst/ O’Donnell, 5-0, 1 absent/King) To approve, the minutes of September 21, 2009. REVISIONS TO AGENDA: None PUBLIC COMMENTS: Three (3) minute time limit per person on matters within the jurisdiction of the Architectural Advisory Committee. Chair Ortega opened Public Comments: Robert Imber made mention of a letter that was sent to the City on the transparency of the AAC meetings. He suggested that the City should pursue all opportunities for community outreach such as televising the AAC meetings, utilizing email notifications and publishing of meeting minutes. He welcomed the new AAC members. Chair Ortega closed public comments. AGENDA ITEM # 2: Case 09-095 Holiday Inn A request by the Holiday Inn Corporation to remove and replace one monument sign equaling 45.6 square feet located at 1800 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Zone R-3, APN 502-310-033. (GM) Staff presentation was made by Assistant Planner, Glenn Mlaker. He stated that the AAC reviewed this project at their August 24, 2009 meeting for two large wall signs. Since that time the applicant reduced the size of the wall signs to a square footage amount less than 50 allowing for staff approval. Architectural Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes of October 12, 2009 2 The Holiday Inn Corporation is requesting a new type of monument sign located at the intersection of East Palm Canyon Drive and South Sunrise Way. This new sign will equal 45.6 square feet and be placed on top of an existing stone base. A representative from Swain Signs was available to answer any questions. ACTION: M/S/C (Kleindienst/Sahlin, 6-0, 1 absent/King) To recommend approval as presented. Chair Ortega welcomed and invited to the dais Alternate AAC member Anna Maria Escalante. AGENDA ITEM # 3: Case 5.1228 CUP Del Taco Del Taco, LLC to construct a 2,163 square restaurant building with a drive through at 6620 North Indian Canyon Drive, Zone HC, Section 14. (DN) Staff presentation was made by Associate Planner, David A. Newell, who stated that the item was restudied at the previous AAC meeting. Mr. Newell described the revisions made by the applicant. A presentation was made by Desmond Wong, Construction Manager for Del Taco. AAC members offered the following comments and recommendations: 3.a Overhangs should extend to a minimum of four to five feet from the building. 3.b Parapet should be six inches above highest point of mechanical equipment on roof. 3.c Plant spacing on final landscape plan needs to be looked at carefully. 3.d Alternate plant should be considered for Pittosporum Tobira. 3.e Provide wall or landscaping to mitigate wind at service door. ACTION: M/S/C (Sahlin/McGrew, 7-0, Escalante voted in King’s absence) To recommend approval subject to the above noted comments. AGENDA ITEM # 4: Case 3.1964 Auto Club A request by the Shane Richardson of Dinyari Inc, to re-roof the Auto Club building located at 300 South Farrell Drive, Zone P. (ST) Staff presentation was made by Assistant Planner, Scott Taschner. He stated that staff had previously approved the re-roof with standing seam treatments and in a darker color, but now the client would like to re-submit without the standing seam treatment and in a lighter color. Staff stated concerns over the roof being to light in color and also that the roof (without the standing seam treatment) would be okay for flat portions of the roof, but pitched roofs should have more interests and should provide some dimensionality. AAC members offered the following comments and recommendations: 4.a Consider using a metal plantation style roof which has a horizontal orientation, or 4.b. Provide highly detailed drawings/renderings for the single-ply roofing. 4.c The applicant should also look into other roofs they have done in the area and consider submitting some of those options ACTION: M/S/C (O’Donnell/McGrew, 7-0) To restudy the project with comments. Architectural Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes of October 12, 2009 3 CHAIRMAN / COMMITTEE / STAFF COMMENTS: Chair Ortega on behalf of the entire AAC, welcomed the new alternate member Anna Mara Escalante and looks forward to working with her. Member Escalante thanked the Chair and the other members of the AAC for the warm welcome and mentioned that she previously sat on the AAC from 1998 to 2003. She is glad to be back and looks forward to working with staff and AAC members. Member Sahlin asked the Chair to give clarification on interaction between AAC members and applicants. Principal Planner Robertson responded by stating that the City Attorney recently met with members of the Planning Commission at a scheduled study session to discuss interaction with applicants. The City Attorney stated that Planning Commission members can only receive testimony at a public meeting and interaction with applicants is discouraged. In the future, Mr. Robertson will be scheduling a discussion between the City Attorney and the AAC on this issue. Member Kleindienst stated that the use of a sub-committee to discuss particular projects with staff and applicants should be utilized. A discussion on televising the AAC meetings ensued. Member Kleindienst stated that he sees no problem in televising the meetings other than a potential conflict with other broadcast City committee meetings taking place at the same time as the AAC. Member Sahlin stated that he would not be in support of televising AAC meetings. Member McGrew stated that transparency in meetings is important and would support televising meetings. He also mentioned that an increase presence of the AAC on the City web site would be useful. Currently it appears to be difficult to find agendas, staff memos, and minutes. Member O’Donnell stated the he would consider televising meetings. The fact that the AAC receives a staff memo and accompanying case exhibits has greatly enhanced the AAC’s ability to review and comment on projects. Member Parker supports televising meetings and reiterated Mr. McGrew’s point of having agendas, and staff memos available to the public on the City web site. Assistant Planner Taschner gave a brief overview of the Planning Departments efforts in supplying web content. All Planning Commission and AAC agendas along with staff reports, exhibits and minutes are available on the City web site. The Planning Department is working with other City departments to standardize the design and location of web items. Member Escalante stated that transparency is good and would support televised meetings. Chair Ortega mentioned that plans presented before the AAC are often the first time that the public can view a project and having the meetings televised would allow them as a bigger part of the review process. Mr. Ortega requested that staff investigate and report back at a meeting in the near future the process to have the AAC meetings televised. Architectural Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes of October 12, 2009 4 Member Kleindienst asked that this item be placed on the agenda for discussion at an upcoming meeting. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further comments, the Architectural Advisory Committee meeting adjourned at 4:50 p.m. ____________________________ Edward O. Robertson Principal Planner