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CHC Minutes-2007-04-24I ITI1 :4 MRI9_1 IZTPiI TO: Dave Adams, City Manager Steven Apple, Planning Director FROM: Teri Delcamp, Historic Preservation ManagerC Cultural Heritage Commission Secretary SUBJECT: Cultural Heritage Commission Actions of April 24, 2007 June 4, 2007 This memorandum summarizes the actions taken by the Cultural Heritage Commission at their Tuesday, April 24 meeting. No action is required unless the City Council wishes to hold special review of an item.. CALL TO ORDER Chair Porter called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. R01 1 CA1 1 Present: Lorie Porter, Chair David Belardes Jess Andrews Janet Siegel Don Tryon Absent: Tony Forster, Vice -Chair (excused) Ed Nunez (excused) Staff: Teri Delcamp, Cultural Heritage Commission Secretary Steven Apple, AICP, Planning Director David Contreras, Associate Planner ORAL COMMUNICATIONS None. OLD BUSINESS None. NEW BUSINESS 1. Worksession: Consideration of Historic Depiction Program (HDP) for the Los Rios Park and Parking Lot (CIP 465) located within the Los Rios Historic District (Applicant: City of San Juan Capistrano) David Contreras, Project Manager, made the staff Dave Adams, City Manager 2 June 4, 2007 presentation and recommendation that the Commission discuss and provide input regarding the proposed concept for the Los Rios Park HDP. The concept includes embedding historic photographs transferred onto a durable material into the proposed sedimentary concrete wall between the Montanez plaza and the adjacent Rios property. Staff seeks input regarding the design concept as well as themes for the historic photographs. There are three categories of subjects: buildings, persons and landscape. The subjects could be specific to Los Rios, or could be themed on the town's agricultural history. A wall elevation exhibit was displayed as well as a scaled example of a hypothetical historic photograph. Gary Vasquez, David Volz Design, described the project area and the HDP concept, and answered Commissioners' questions. There will be a walkway between the landscape and the wall so people can see and touch the wall and photos. As proposed, there are spaces for 13 photos periodically down the length of the wall. The wall will be reinforced, formed concrete poured in sections and made to look sedimentary. Stones and shells can be incorporated into the wall to enhance the sedimentary character. He showed photographs of the type of wall proposed, indicating however that this wall will have more of an undulating top and look "deconstructed", and be of the darker of the two earthtone colors shown. The wall will be a minimum of 5 feet and up to 7 feet in height. Commissioner Andrews liked the concept of the "deconstructed" look if it is successfully constructed to look that way. However, she does not feel that the proposed height is necessary. She would prefer to see the height reduced to between 4 and 6 feet maximum. She would also like to see the historic photographs closer together instead of spread out along the wall. She commented that the pilasters at the wall are high -style Craftsman in appearance and not appropriate for the Los Rios area. She suggested removing the top portion to leave just the cobble rock. Commissioner Tryon and Chair Porter agreed that the height should be reduced to that suggested by Commissioner Andrews. Commissioner Siegel asked if the wall would be graffiti -coated to which Mr. Vasquez responded in the affirmative to be included in the specifications. Staff described the wood board and batten exterior cladding on the proposed new concrete block public park restroom. Chair Porter voiced several concerns regarding maintaining visibility into the area. Walking tours are often in the area, and people sit at the tables next to the old jail all the time. She will not support a wall that cuts_ off views from Los Rios Street into the plaza and park. She provided input not to use the dying out wall and pilaster as designed between Los Rios and the plaza; refine the height and the wall alignment Dave Adams, City Manager 3 June 4, 2007 to reduce the height and ensure an open streetscape. She also commented that the wall looked too modern in the elevation and the photographs and should look like deconstructed on the exhibits if that is the intent. Commissioner Belardes asked if Stephen Rios had been consulted, to which David replied that he was consulted early on in the project process. The consensus of the Commission was that the subjects for the HDP should focus on Los Rios Street specifically and not the broader agricultural history of the town. Photographs of persons and buildings should be utilized. Suggestions were made to include Polonia Montanez, Delphina Olivares, the Lobo House, and historic photos of Los Rios showing some of the adobes that are no longer extant. Commissioner Belardes commented that he has some photos although did not necessarily want to grant permission for their use. Staff will also work with the Historical Society and other individuals to identify appropriate historic photographs. Staff will return to the Commission at a future date with a revised and more refined HDP concept and copies of the specific photographs proposed for use. 2. Consideration of Artist Jon Seri, aka Jerry Palmer, Display at the Montanez Adobe (Applicant: City of San Juan Capistrano) Teri Delcamp, Project Manager, presented the staff report. The City has received the donation of a painting by artist Jon Seri, also known as Jerry Palmer, from artist Nicolai. The express intent of the donation is for the painting to be displayed in the Montanez Adobe. Staff is requesting input from the Commission regarding concurrence with the approach and whether staff should work with the San Juan Capistrano Historical Society regarding appropriate photographs and text to complement the Seri painting display. Commissioner Siegel stated she does not support the idea of the Seri painting display in the Montanez. It would not be an appropriate exhibit in the adobe because it is not from the adobe's historic period of interpretation. Chair Porter felt that one of the adobe's two rooms is interpreted to the historic period, whereas the other smaller room is used for artifact display. She feels that having displays on Polonia Montanez and Jon Seri in the display room would be appropriate. Commissioner Tryon said that both the historic interpretation and the painting could co -exist inside the adobe. Suggestions were made regarding sources of photos for the informational display about Seri, including photos of his window wall which provided light when he painted and that Ms. Hawk may have some photos of the adobe and Seri from the period when he lived there. Dave Adams, City Manager 4 June 4, 2007 The consensus of the Commission was for staff to work with the Historical Society and other individuals to produce appropriate photographs and text to complement the Serl painting display, and return to the Commission with more detailed information. Staff indicated that once the Commission makes a recommendation on the display, staff will take the recommendation to the City Council. 3. Election of Commission Chair and Vice -Chair Given the absence of two members, and the City Council's pending action on deeming Commissioner Belardes to have vacated his position, staff recommended continuing this item to the next meeting. The Commission concurred. INFORMATION ITEM COMMISSION/STAFF COMMENTS Commissioner Siegel announced that the Sierra Club recently brought a group to town for a City Guides docent -led walking tour that was very successful, and lasted much longer than usual. Commissioner Tryon commented that the historic jail that is currently in the area of the Montanez Plaza in the proposed Los Rios Park is owned by Tony Forster, and is intended to be relocated in the near future to the Historical Society's O'Neill Museum. ADJOURNMENT Chair Porter adjourned the meeting at 6:25 p.m. cc: Bill Huber, Assistant City Manager Teri Delcamp, Historic Preservation Manager David Contreras, Associate Planner Christina Gomez, Administrative Secretary CHC Members CHC Minutes File Douglas Dumhart, Economic Development Manager