City Council
MEETING DATE: 8/26/2015
TITLE:
Title
Designate an Ex-officio Member of the Architectural Review Subcommittee
End
FROM:
Tracey Martinez, CMC, Deputy City Clerk
Pat Milos, Community and Development Director
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Appoint Raymond Lopez as an Ex-officio Member of the Architectural Review Subcommittee
Body
BACKGROUND:
Chapter 2.29.020 of the Cathedral City Municipal Code states the following:
The Planning Commission shall be authorized to appoint and fix the membership of such number of standing and temporary committees as it may find expedient for the performance of its duties. At a minimum, the Planning Commission shall maintain the following subcommittee:
A. Architectural Review Subcommittee. The subcommittee shall include three members of the Planning Commission and consist of a licensed architect and landscape architect. The subcommittee shall meet when necessary to perform the duties identified in the Cathedral City Development Code. The meetings of the subcommittee are subject to the Brown Act. The subcommittee shall review projects for compliance with the applicable provisions of the Development Code and submit a recommendation to the full Planning Commission. The Architectural Review Subcommittee will ensure the following:
1. That all projects will create an image with a high degree of quality that improves the built environment, and incorporates quality amenities with regard to architecture, landscaping, and the streetscape.
2. That effective design guidelines are created and to assist in the formulation of policy and code amendments related to architectural design and landscaping.
3. That recommendations are forwarded to the Planning Commission regarding the architectural design and landscaping for all development projects.
The Architectural Review Subcommittee is authorized to take final action on architectural design and landscaping for administrative design reviews and modifications to conditional use permits where appropriate.
During the recent recruitment process to fill vacancies on City Commissions, Committees and Boards, the one licensed landscape architect that was on the Planning Commission and Architectural Review Subcommittee (Commissioner Purnel) did not seek reappointment to the Planning Commission, therefore, leaving a vacancy on the Planning Commission and the Architectural Review Subcommittee. Neither of the new appointments to the Planning Commission or the existing Commissioners are licensed landscape architects nor were any of the applicants, which created a challenge fulfilling the Municipal Code requirements.
DISCUSSION:
On July 15, 2015, the Planning Commission appointed three members of the Commission (Commissioners Holt, Jaquess and Rivera) to the Architectural Review Subcommittee. Commissioners Holt and Rivera are both licensed architects. With the exception of the licensed landscape architect requirement, this fulfills the other requirements of the Municipal Code for the Architectural Review Subcommittee.
Staff has reached out to a number of landscape architects. Raymond Lopez, who is a licensed landscape architect, and a former member of the City’s Architectural Review Committee (ARC), has expressed an interest in assisting the City as an ex-officio member of the Architectural Review Subcommittee. Attached for your information is his application outlining his qualifications.
As an ex-officio member, Mr. Lopez would be an advisory member of the Architectural Review Subcommittee, but not of the Planning Commission, thus, only attending meetings of the Architectural Review Subcommittee and allowing the subcommittee members to take advantage of his expertise. It is Staff's recommendation to appoint Mr. Lopez as an ex-officio member of the Architectural Review Subcommittee until such time as a vacancy exists on the Planning Commission and a licensed landscape architect applies and is appointed.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact with this action
ATTACHMENTS:
None