HomeMy WebLinkAbout22357 - RESOLUTIONS - 10/15/2008 RESOLUTION NO. 22357
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, DESIGNATING THE
ORIGINAL ADOBE WALLS AND WOOD SHUTTERS OF
THE ADOBE HOUSE AT 300 WEST ARENAS ROAD AS
CLASS ONE HISTORIC SITE 59C, AND DESIGNATING
THE SOUTH PORTION OF THE. EL RINCON HOTEL AND
APARTMENT BUILDINGS AS A CLASS TWO HISTORIC
SITE.
WHEREAS, Chapter 8.05 of the Palm Springs Municipal Code allows for the
designation of historic sites; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Frank Tysen, owner of The Casa Cody Hotel filed an application for
Historic Site Designation of the three parcels that comprise The Casa Cody Hotel; and
WHEREAS, the three parcels that comprise The Casa Cody Hotel are 141 South
Cahuilla Road (APN 513 141 005-0), 175 South Cahuilla Road, (APN 513 141 016),
and 300 West Arenas Road (APN 516 141 015-9), and
WHEREAS, notice of a public hearing of the Historic Site Preservation Board of the City
of Palm Springs to consider designation of The Casa Cody Hotel as a Class 1 historic
site was issued in accordance with applicable law; and
WHEREAS, on September 11, 2007, the Historic Site Preservation Board conducted a
public hearing in accordance with applicable law to consider designation of The Casa
Cody Hotel as a Class 1 historic site; and
WHEREAS, at said hearing, the HSPB adopted Resolution #59C to recommend to City
Council designation of the building at 300 West Arenas Road as a Class 1 historic site;
and
WHEREAS, the designation of The Casa Cody Hotel shall further the purpose and
intent of Chapter 8.05; and
WHEREAS, the designation of The Casa Cody Hotel shall promote the sensitive
preservation of said site; and
WHEREAS, notice of a public hearing of the City Council of the City of Palm Springs to
consider designation of 300 West Arenas Road, as a Class 1 historic site was issued in
accordance with applicable law; and
WHEREAS, on October 15, 2008 the City Council conducted a public hearing in
accordance with applicable law to consider designation of 300 West Arenas Road as a
Class 1 historic site; and
Resolution No. 22357
Page 2
WHEREAS, the City Council has carefully reviewed and considered all of the evidence
in connection with the designation, including but not limited to the staff report,
application and historical research, all written and oral testimony presented, and notes
the following:
1. The Casa Cody Hotel is a small resort hotel comprised of several buildings of
varying architectural styles and ancillary structures built over several decades on
three lots in the Historic Tennis Club Neighborhood.
2. The structures on the three lots at the Casa Cody site have been identified as
follows and evaluated individually against the findings of Chapter 8.05 of the City
of Palm Springs Municipal Code:
3. The structures located at 300 West Arenas Road include: Object 7: The El
Rincon Apartments, Object 8: The 1940's Cottage, Object 9: The Adobe House,
Object 10: The McCallum era irrigation ditch, and Object 11: The 1940's east
wall of the El Rincon Apartments.
4. Separate resolutions will be made for 141 South Cahuilla Road and 175 South
Cahuilla Road.
THE CITY COUNCIL DOES HEREBY RESOLVE:
Section 1: The Adobe House meets the definition of a Class 1 historic site in the
following ways:
(a) A historic site is any real property such as: a building; a structure,
including but not limited to archways, tiled areas and similar
architectural elements; an archaeological excavation or object that
is unique or significant because of its location, design, setting,
materials, workmanship or aesthetic effect.
The adobe house is historically significant because it is a unique and surviving example
of a vernacular adobe structure. The estimated date of construction of around 1910 or
1916 makes this one of the earliest structures built in Palm Springs that is still standing.
(b) That reflects or exemplifies a particular period of the national, state
or local history.
The adobe house was constructed using local labor prior to the period when Palm
Springs experienced its first boom years as a resort destination in the 1920's and
1930's. At the time of its construction, Palm Springs was still a very small desert village
comprised mostly of early settlers who pursued agricultural pursuits or fledgling
businesses related to the mineral springs and the provision of treatment of visitors
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Page 3
seeking relief from illnesses such as tuberculosis. The adobe house is historically
significant because it reflects or exemplifies a building type from the earliest period of
Palm Springs non-Indian settlement.
(c) That embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period or
method of construction.
The adobe house embodies the distinctive characteristics of the adobe method of
construction, using sun-dried clay masonry units laid up in thick walls by hand in an un-
reinforced manner. Adobe construction, now rare, was a common construction method
for early settlers through the southeastern United States in the late 1800's and early
1900's. The defining characteristics of the Adobe House are the exterior walls and
wood shutters. The clay tile roof, wood timbers and steel porch columns are not from
the historic period and are not considered defining characteristics of the Adobe House.
Section 2: The McCallum era stone-lined irrigation ditch meets the definition of a Class
1 site in the following ways:
(a) That is associated with lives of persons who made meaningful
contribution to national, state or local history.
This section of stone lined Irrigation ditch is a remnant of a large network of irrigation
channels and ditches built under the direction of Palm Springs first non-Indian settler,
Judge John G. McCallum.
(b) That embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period or
method of construction.
Throughout Palm Springs history, the conveyance and availability of water from either
mountain streams or underground aquifers has been an important part of the
development of the City. This stone-lined ditch represents the earliest example of man-
made redirection of water flow from the adjacent mountains into the valley floor for
irrigation of newly planted agricultural fields. Later systems of steel pipes and storage
tanks would replace this early form of water conveyance.
(c) That reflects or exemplifies a particular period of the national, state
or local history.
The irrigation channels such as this one constructed by local labor for Judge John G.
McCallum reflect the earliest efforts of non-Indian settlers to capitalize on the natural
resources of the Palm Springs area for purposes of development. Judge McCallum's
vision was of Palm Springs as the center of a vast agricultural center that would supply
early produce to the growing population of Los Angeles. His enterprise was dependent
on a reliable water source feeding the valley floor through stone lined channels and
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Page 4
ditches such as this one. McCallum's dream was ruined by torrential rains in 1893 that
washed out most of the channels and ditches followed by a ten year drought that forced
most of the settlers to abandon Palm Springs.
Section 3: The El Rincon Apartments meet the definition of a Class 2 site in the
following ways:
The El Rincon Apartments are said to have been designed by John Porter Clark. No
evidence has been provided to support this assertion. The El Rincon Apartments were
built by Francis Crocker. Francis Crocker is recognized locally as one of the driving
forces behind the development of the Palm Springs Tram, however the El Rincon
Apartments do not have any relationship to Mr. Crocker's involvement with the Tram,
thus while he was the owner of the property when it was built, this association is not
sufficient to merit higher historic classification.
Section 4: The 1940's cottage does not meet the definition of a historic site. It is
defined as a "non-contributing" object on the site and no historic classification is
assigned this structure.
Section 5: The 1940's era east brick wall of the El Rincon Apartments does not meet
the definition of a historic site. It is defined as a "non-contributing' object on the site and
no historic classification is assigned this structure.
Section 6: based upon the foregoing, the City Council designates 300 West Arenas
Road Class 1 Historic Site 59C subject to the following conditions;
1. The property owner shall permit the City to demark the sites with historic markers
of the City's choosing. The historic markers shall be placed in a location visible
from the public right-of-way. The owner shall maintain the historic markers in the
location installed and pay for the replacement cost if the markers are lost, stolen,
or otherwise removed from the property.
2. All future exterior modifications to the site including but not limited to building,
lighting, walls, and fences shall require review and approval by the Historic Site
Preservation Board pursuant Municipal Code Ordinance 8.05.180.
3. No permit for the alteration of the exterior, including any and all of the defining
elements and characteristics shall be issued without prior approval by the
Historic Site Preservation Board.
4. That the City Clerk submit the Council Resolution to the County recorder for
recordation within 90 days of the effective date of this resolution.
5. All existing or previously approved alterations shall be considered acceptable.
6. Only designate the original adobe walls and wood shutters.
7. Designate the south portion of the El Rincon Hotel and Apartments as a Class 2
site.
Resolution No- 22357
Page 5
ADOPTED THIS 15th day of October, 2008.
David H. Ready, Gr anager
- ATTEST:
,arfies Thompson, City Clerk
CERTIFICATION
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE ) ss.
CITY OF PALM SPRINGS )
I, JAMES THOMPSON, City Clerk of the City of Palm Springs, hereby certify that
Resolution No. 22357 is a full, true and correct copy, and was duly adopted at a regular
meeting of the City Council of the City of Palm Springs on the 15th day of October,
2008, by the following vote:
AYES: Councilmember Hutcheson, Councilmember Mills, Councilmember
Weigel, Mayor Pro Tern Foat, and Mayor Pougnet.
NOES: None.
ABSENT: None.
ABSTAIN: None. _
9 es Thompson, City Clerk
ity of Palm Springs, California c�f tdD�