CHC Minutes-2007-12-11MEMORANDUM January 17, 2008
TO: Dave Adams, City Manager
Steven Apple, Planning Director
FROM: Teri Delcamp, Historic Preservation Manager-r1b
Cultural Heritage Commission Secretary
SUBJECT: Cultural Heritage Commission Actions of December 11, 2007
This memorandum summarizes the actions taken by the Cultural Heritage Commission at
their Tuesday, December 11, 2007, adjourned regular meeting. No action is required
unless the City Council wishes to hold special review of an item.
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Tryon called the meeting to order at 5:05 p.m.
Present: Don Tryon, Chair
Jess Andrews
Nathan Banda
Alana Jolley
Lorie Porter
Janet Siegel
Absent: Ed Nunez, Vice -Chair
Staff: Teri Delcamp, Cultural Heritage Commission Secretary;
Grant Taylor, Assistant Planning Director
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.
OLD BUSINESS
None.
NEW BUSINESS
1. Consideration of Archaeological and Paleontological reports for Architectural
Control (AC) 07-001, Tentative Parcel Map (TPM) 07-002, Grading Plan
Modification (GPM) 07-008, Ventanas Business Park (Applicant: Centra Realty) Grant
Taylor made the staff presentation and recommendation that the Commission
Dave Adams, City Manager 2 January 17, 2008
consider the Ventanas Business Center project reports regarding cultural resources
assessment, archaeological testing, and paleontological assessment and
recommend that the Planning Commission approve the reports as part of the
Environmental Impact Report. The project consists of eleven (11) multi -tenant
office -industrial buildings with a total of approximately 236,329 square feet of
building area on a parcel totaling 20.33 gross acres (13.83 net acres) located at the
west terminus of Calle Arroyo bordering. Interstate 1-5 to the west and San Juan
Creek to the south. The reports address an archaeological field survey that
identified an isolated site; follow-up archaeological testing which discovered a small
number of isolated artifacts in what appears to be imported .fill; and a
paleontological records search. While the archaeological site is not culturally
significant, the archaeologist's recommendations, in conjunction with input from
Native American representatives, are that archaeological and Native American
monitoring should be required. In addition., based on the high potential for the area
to yield fossil artifacts, paleontological monitoring should be required.
Steve Sandland, Centra Realty, discussed the project and responded to
Commissioner's questions.
Chair Tryon and Commissioner Porter asked about the project location relative to
the bike trail and whether the trail would be public. Staff responded that the trail
traverses the project site, but the project will relocate the trail to an area still on
private property but within a trail easement.
Commissioners Siegel, Porter and Jolley asked about the number of monitors,
frequency of monitoring, and procedures if artifacts or fossils are discovered. Staff
responded that the monitors would not only be required on three of the five work
days, but every day that there is ground -disturbing activity. In addition, all three
monitors have to be on site because they each have their expertise and
responsibility. The applicant responded that the City had brought a large amount of
fill onto the site in 1999 and although some of it was removed the rest was spread
over the site so there may be six to 14 feet of fill; he feels it is unlikely that resources
will be found. Staff responded that the City and state laws set forth procedures for
the event that resources are discovered, that work would be temporarily stopped in
that area, and that determinations would be made based on the significance of the
resource. State law requires, among other tasks, notification of the coroner and
appointment of a Most Likely Descendant by the Native American Heritage
Commission in the event potential Native American remains are encountered.
Commissioners commended the applicant and commented that they appreciated
receiving the reports.
After due consideration, Commissioner Andrews moved, and Commissioner Siegel
seconded, staff's recommendation. The motion was approved by a vote of 6-0.
Dave Adams, City Manager 3 January 17, 2008
INFORMATION ITEM
Discussion and input from Cultural Heritage Commission on the City's 2008-2015
Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). Teri Delcamp made the staff presentation and
recommendation that the Commission provide input to the City's Capital
Improvement Program Committee on projects relating to cultural resources for
inclusion in the 2008-2015 CIP. Staff summarized the current CIP projects for the
City's historic sites and stated a new CIP for the Congdon Water Tower will be
proposed by staff for the upcoming cycle. Staff also raised the issue of street lights
in the Los Rios District as they are still in an outlying year of the CIP program.
Commissioner Andrews asked staff to follow up on whether or not the re -painted
stencils in the courtyard of the library were the right proportion/size and colors, and
asked if a future repair project or the expansion could include re -painting them.
The Commission discussed street lighting in the Los Rios District. In spite of the
recent violent crime incident on Los Rios Street, the Commissioners felt that adding
street lighting to the District would not be a compatible change. They questioned
whether any owners or residents in the District want the lighting, and asked if there
are any preliminary designs. Staff replied that no work has begun on the project
since it is not budgeted in the current fiscal year and is still in an outlying budget
year. In addition, there will be some required lighting associated with the Los Rios
Park project and it may be wise to assess the need for street lighting after the Park
project is complete.
After due consideration, Commissioner Porter moved, and Commissioner Siegel
seconded, to recommend the addition of the Congdon Water Tower to the proposed
CIP for the next fiscal year and to completely strike the Los Rios Street Historic
Lighting project from the overall CIP program for FY 2008-1015. The motion was
approved by a vote of 6-0.
COMMISSION/STAFF COMMENTS
Chair Tryon mentioned that the owner of the San Juan Law Center project has been
working with the Historical Society on a theme and should be submitting a proposed
Historic Depiction Program (HDP) in the. near future. In addition, the Distrito La Novia
project proponents have also started working on concepts for that project's HDP.
Commissioner Porter reported that the Montanez Adobe was open again for the City's tree
lighting event this month, and a lot of people visited and toured the adobe that evening. In
addition, there were over 200 participants at the Los Rios Ghost Walk event.
Commissioner Andrews additionally reported that there many visitors to the Blas Aguilar .
Adobe which was also open for the tree lighting event.
Dave Adams, City Manager 4 January 17, 2008
Commissioner Siegel announced that she still has historic San Juan Capistrano calendars
for purchase. She also displayed a new book that has been published, The Most Beautiful
Villages and Towns of California, and announced that the author will becoming to a book -
signing event at the Library on February 13 from 6 — 8 p.m. San Juan Capistrano is the
only Orange County town featured in the book.
Teri Delcamp made the following staff announcements:
• The schedule for new City Council appointments to the Cultural Heritage Commission.
The annual California Preservation Foundation historic preservation conference in
Napa in April 2008. Commissioners should notify her of their interest in attending as
some money is budgeted for two Commissioners to attend.
ADJOURNMENT
Chair Tryon adjourned the meeting at 6:20 p.m.
cc: Cindy Russell, Assistant City Manager
Grant Taylor, Assistant Planning Director
Teri Delcamp, Historic Preservation Manager
Christina Gomez, Administrative Specialist
CHC Members
CHC Minutes File
Douglas Dumhart, Economic Development Manager