Agenda packet — Palm Springs City Council, October 22, 2025 (part 5 of 6)

September 2, 2025
criteria:

1. Criteria and Findings for Designation of Historic Districts. The proposed district and contributing resources located therein exhibit exceptional historic significance and meet one or more of the criteria listed below:

The report determines that the site conveys exceptional historic significance and maintains enough integrity to be re-classified from its Class 3 status as a potentially eligible site to a historic district as defined in the PSMC 8.05.020. The site is considered an early example of condominium living using a distinctive style of architecture proliferated by Architect Charles Du Bois during the post-war period in Palm Springs. (Criterion a) Is associated with events that have made a meaningful contribution to the nation, state or community;
No information was provided indicating any significant event was directly associated with this site. The site does not qualify under Criterion a. (Criterion b) Is associated with the lives of persons who made a meaningful contribution to national, state or local history;
Based on the research conducted in the report, no individuals associated with this site were identified as having made significant contributions to national, state, or local history.

Criterion b is not met.
(Criterion c) Reflects or exemplifies a particular period of national, state or local history;
Completed during the post-World War II period, this multi-family residential development was not only an indicator of a rising middle class, but it also confirms Palm Springs as a desirable tourist destination for individuals seeking a seasonal destination. Identified in the report as one of the earliest condominium properties in Palm Springs, Desert Lanai I was an innovative residential typology for seasonal tourists. Architecturally, Desert Lanai I combined mid-century Modern design elements like the horizontal massing, flat roofs and deep overhangs with tropical design influences from the Pacific that was gaining popularity. The Polynesian /"Tiki" style of design became a trademark style for Charles Du Bois, and this site retains many design characteristics that reflect his style. HSPB finds the site qualifies as a historic resource under Criterion c by reflecting the local history of residential development and architectural styles of the period. (Criterion d) Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period or method of construction;
Unlike the National Register criterion concerning construction, the Palm Springs evaluation of construction addresses the type (of construction), the period (of construction) and the method (of construction). Conventional post and beam Item 2A - Page 134
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construction methods were used to construct this development; therefore, HSPB does not find the project qualifies for this criterion. (Criterion e) Presents the work of a master builder, designer, artist, or architect whose individual genius influenced his age, or that possesses high artistic value;
According to the research, developer Joseph Dunas and renowned architect Charels Du Bois worked together to complete this first phase of development. Du Bois was particularly influential in defining Polynesian/ "Tiki" architecture as an aesthetic for residential projects with his signature A-frame gable feature. His work is seen throughout the Coachella Valley from the 1950s-1970s and range from single-family homes to multi-family residential projects. Desert Lanai I was a celebrated project after its completion and identified in the report as the only known multi-family project in Palm Springs by Charles Du Bois, giving it additional significance. Based on these findings, HSPB finds the property meets criterion e. (Criterion f) Represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may Jack individual distinction, as used in evaluating applications for designation of historic districts, for parcels on which more than one entity exists; or
The site consists of seven distinct structures sited around a central courtyard and a detached cover parking structure for residents. While some of the buildings, like the pool house and the porte-cochere demonstrate Polynesian/ "Tiki" inspired design qualities, these structures do not independently possess sufficient distinction to merit individual recognition. The site as a whole exemplifies the use of architectural design to promote an experimental residential pattern that is best understood as a collection. The proposed district reflects distinct quality of Palm Springs' post-war period. Thus, the proposed district qualifies under Criterion f. (Criterion g) Has yielded or may be likely to yield information important to national, state or local history or prehistory.

No information has been provided on any pre-historic significance of the site.

SECTION 2: PART "C" ANALYSIS OF HISTORIC INTEGRITY.

Analysis of Integrity. (PSMC 8.05.090 (C,2). The site, structure, building or object retains one or more of the following aspects of integrity, as established in the Secretary of the Interior's Standards: integrity of design, materials, workmanship, location, setting, feeling, or association. "Desert Lanai I" is evaluated as a historic district in terms of its historic integrity as follows:

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Location.

Desert Lanai I occupies the corner where E. Tachevah Dr. and N. Sunrise Way meet.

Since its completion, none of the original structures were moved and the project continues to occupy the site in the same manner as when it was first constructed. The proposed district retains its integrity of location.

Design.

The Polynesian/ "Tiki" style A-frame buildings create an architectural identity starting at the main entrance to the complex. The rooflines of the development are mostly flat apart from the two structures on the north and south side of the lot. These two buildings contain three residential units each, but the form of the buildings has a larger presence on the site because of its scale and the A-frame roofline integrated into the center units. The "Tiki" style roof was also used for the pool house structure. The architectural detailing for each unit includes post-and-beam construction, deep overhangs with exposed wood beams, and private patio spaces. Rock and masonry walls and planters are used throughout the site. These features help create privacy for patios and entrances, as well as provide material diversity for visual interest. Many of the wooden details have either been modified or removed over time due to deterioration.

The common courtyard is mostly lawn with various planting material concentrated along the edges of the lawn. The plants help soften the boundary lines between private spaces versus public areas. The report did not identify an official landscape design, but the layout of the building clusters creates small pockets of space at each corner where olive trees were planted. The lawn and plantings on the site are extremely well-maintained and complement the existing layout of the structures. Vehicular access and parking is located along the periphery of the site and the pedestrian access points are all gated.

The building forms and the site design are critical components of the design that largely remain; therefore, HSPB finds the design integrity is intact.

Setting.

When the development was completed in 1961, a vast majority of the surrounding areas were undeveloped. The only area that remains undeveloped is the lot directly south of the site, adjacent to the covered residential parking. The configuration of the individual structures on the site and the common area in the center remains intact but the setting of the site as it relates to its larger setting has changed.

Materials.

The building materials consist of stucco walls, rock and block walls, post-and-beam construction and aluminum or steel framed fenestration. The original concrete walkways have smooth exposed aggregate detailing and the use of wood on doors, vertical screening and extended beams is seen throughout the site. The original wood shake shingles, narrow vertical siding, and the horizontal facia covers have been removed or replaced with contemporary materials due to deterioration. The loss of the wood detailing is unfortunate, but a majority of the units appear to have the original fenestration and masonry details intact. The overall integrity of materials remains extant.

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Workmanship.

Conventional construction methods and building materials were used to build this development but there is a level of detail in features like the A-frame structures and the masonry walls that require a higher level of skill to execute. The site retains many of its original features, and HSPB finds the integrity of workmanship remains intact.

Feeling.

The design focuses on promoting resort-style living and leisure. The common courtyard space with the swimming pool and the well-maintained open space supports this intent.

Additionally, each individual unit offers a balance between private and communal space.

With the design, materials, and location remaining largely intact, the site retains its integrity of feeling.

Association.

Although some original architectural detailing has been modified, the property retains a recognizable association with post-World War II development of Palm Springs. The Polynesian/ "Tiki" design as an aesthetic is closely tied to the work of architect Charles Du Bois and the site's integrity of association remains largely intact to both the period and the architect.

SECTION 3: DEFINING HISTORIC CHARACTERISTICS
In considering a recommendation for historic district designation it is important to distinguish those physical elements that are original or from the period of significance that contribute to the resource's historic significance from alterations, additions or features that were added at a later time that may be sympathetic to the original character, but which may create a false sense of historicity. Distinguishing original character-defining features from non-original elements aids the HSPB when it is tasked with evaluating future alterations to the historic resource.

Character-defining features listed below and more clearly referenced in Exhibit A:
• Site design and building cluster configurations on the lot around common courtyard area and communal swimming pool.
• Internal network of pedestrian pathways, including concrete and exposed stone aggregate pedestrian walkways
• Location and uniquely shaped swimming pool
• Semi-circular driveway through the porte-cochere off N. Sunrise Way • "Sunrise Lanai I" sign at the northwest corner of the complex and its orientation • Parking and vehicular circulation regulated to the perimeter of the property, including a circular drive situated on the property's west, two parking lots on its north, and covered residential parking on the south
• Pedestrian entries limited to six symmetrical pathways located on all sides of the complex
• A-frame design of entry porte-cochere with extended eaves and wood post-andbeam construction • All eight structures on the site are contributors to the district:

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• Buildings 6 and 3 (as identified on page 5 of the historic resources report), is a one-and-a-half story building with rectangular footprint that has a tall Aframe front gable roofline in the center with deep eaves on the gable ends.

Flat roofline areas have broad overhanging eaves and exposed beams. • Buildings 1, 2, 5 and 4 (as identified on page 5 of the historic resources report), are one-story structures with an irregular, slightly LI-shaped footprint and a flat roofline with broad overhanging eaves and exposed beams. • Pool house structure with an intersecting gabled A-frame roofline and asymmetrical eave heights where the northernmost portion extends into the ground.
• Covered residential parking structure: flat roof structure with eleven bays and a total of 22 spaces. Each bay is divided with equal areas of enclosed storage space.
• Unadorned, smooth stucco finish on exterior walls
• Private patios for each residential unit, enclosed with masonry walls • Intermittent use of shadow blocks as a decorative element for units with walls on the west side of the property
• A series of cylindrical steel posts and vertically slatted wood walls that create decorative privacy screening
• Wood front doors for each unit
• Flush mounted aluminum or steel sash fenestration
• Fieldstone walls at courtyard facing entrances
• Masonry planters
• Decorative metal handrails
Non-contributing elements:
• Metal security gates at various entry points to the site • Replacement cementitious roofing material
• Flood lights attached to the covered parking structure • Metal security doors on individual units
• Replacement patio pavers
SECTION 4: ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
The proposed historic district designation is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical changes to the environment, directly or indirectly.

SECTION 5: CONDITIONS THAT APPLY TO HISTORIC DISTRICTS.

According to Section 8.05 of the Municipal Code, the following General Conditions shall apply to Historic Districts :

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1. It shall meet the definition of a historic district as outlined in Municipal Code Section

8.05.020.

2. An archival file on the property shall be maintained by the City.

3. It may be qualified as 'historic' at the federal, state, and/or county level.

4. The structure/site may not be modified nor objects removed without following the procedures outlined in Municipal Code Section 8.05.120 "Demolition or Alteration or New Construction within a Historic District- Certificate of Appropriateness".

5. A marker explaining the historic nature of the site may be installed at the site in a location viewable from the public way.

6. Compliance with all rules and regulations for Historic Sites and Historic Districts under Chapter 8.05 of the Municipal Code shall be required.

7. The site shall not be further subdivided.

8. The City Clerk shall submit the Council Resolution to the County recorder for recordation within 90 days of the effective date of the Council's resolution.

The following Specific Conditions of Approval shall apply to the Desert Lanai I Historic District:

1. Design Guidelines. The property owners in the proposed historic district shall finalize the design guidelines as outlined in Section 8.05 for review and approval by the City's HPO prior to the City Council public hearing.

2. Review of future Certificates of Appropriateness ("C of A"). Alterations to buildings, structure, objects, and other character-defining and contributing resources within the historic district and described in Sections 2 and 3 are to be evaluated pursuant to PSMC Section 8.05.120 (E), including consistency with the Design Guidelines.

Based upon the foregoing, the Historic Site Preservation Board recommends that the City Council designate "Desert Lanai I" located at 1701-1749 E. Tachevah Drive, a Historic District HSPB #164 / HD-12.

ADOPTED THIS SECOND DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2025.

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:

ABSTAIN:

ATTEST:

Bachman, Herr, Maschka Hitchcock, Moruzzi, Mccready, Paonessa.

None.

Hansen.

None.

CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA
Christopher Hadwin
Director of Planning Services

HISTORIC SITE PRESERVATION BOARD

STAFF REPORT
DATE: September 2, 2025 PUBLIC HEARING
SUBJECT: AN APPLICATION BY SUNRISE LANAI COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION FOR HISTORIC DISTRICT DESIGNATION OF THE “DESERT LANAI I” LOCATED AT 1701-1749 EAST TACHEVAH DRIVE, HSPB #164 / HD-12, APN: 507-310-001 to 007, 507-310-0031 to 0038, 507-310-0040 to 0047 (SY).

FROM: Department of Planning Services

SUMMARY
The Sunrise Lanai Community Association is seeking historic district designation for a residential condominium complex known as Desert Lanai I completed in 1961.

If designated as a historic district, the property would be subject to the regulations outlined in Section 8.05 of the Palm Springs Municipal Code.

RECOMMENDATION:

1. Open the public hearing and receive public testimony.

2. Close the public hearing and adopt Resolution HSPB #164, “A RESOLUTION OF

THE HISTORIC SITE PRESERVATION BOARD OF THE CITY OF PALM

SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL DESIGNATE “DESERT LANAI I” LOCATED AT 1701-1749 E. TACHEVAH DR., AS A HISTORIC DISTRICT, HSPB#164 / HD-12, SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS, APN 507-310-001 to 007, 507-310-0031 to 0038, 507-310-0040 to 0047.” BACKGROUND AND SETTING:

Completed in 1961, Desert Lanai I was the first phase of a multi-family residential development known as the Sunrise Lanai Development. The subdivision was constructed by developer Joseph Dunas and designed by architect Charles Du Bois during the postWorld War II period. The development emphasized resort-style living in the desert and integrated Polynesian/ “Tiki” style features to the buildings like the A-frame roof forms, Item 2A - Page 139
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flared ridge beams and outriggers. The use of rock walls and tropical landscaping were also some defining features of the style.1
Proposed District Boundaries: The report provides a site plan on page 2 that defines the existing property line as the boundaries for the proposed historic district. The site is at the southeast corner of E. Tachevah Drive and N. Sunrise Way. The property consists of seven detached buildings and a covered parking structure along the southern edge of the lot. The buildings are arranged around an open central courtyard that is landscaped with a lawn, mature olive trees and a communal swimming pool. Parking and vehicular circulation is limited to the north and south perimeters of the complex.

AERIAL VIEW OF THE SITE. COURTYARD, SWIMMING POOL AND CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES.

MAIN ENTRANCE ALONG S. SUNRISE WAY.
1 City of Palm Springs Historic Context Statement, “Architectural Styles and Local Practitioners.” Page 367.

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Related Relevant City Actions by HSPB, Planning, Fire, Building, etc.

November 18, 2023
January 17, 2024
February 5, 2024
Three Community meetings conducted remotely with
property owners within the proposed HD and City Staff
pursuant PSMC 8.05.090(B)(1)
August, 2025 Site inspection by members of the HSPB and City Staff.

List of potentially contributing resources, APN’s and Unit Numbers: The report identifies six detached buildings containing a total of 22 individual units with unique APN’s. The parcel also has two ancillary structures that have been identified as contributing. Below is a site map from the historic resources report (HRR):

Property Owner Support: The application includes the ballot count supporting the historic district nomination. Of the 22 units, 18 voted in favor of the nomination which is 82% of owner support. This meets the Historic Preservation Ordinance requirements pursuant to Section 8.050.090(A)(3)(c).

Period of Significance: According to the Citywide historic context statement and survey findings, this development would be categorized in the post-World War II Palm Springs (1945-1969) period. During this period, economic prosperity brought more people to the desert as seasonal residents, leading to a shift in residential development. The introduction of condominium development reflects lifestyle changes that prioritize Item 2A - Page 141
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amenities. Desert Lanai I was marketed as co-op living where individual units were owned but common areas were subject to collective ownership. This led to the establishment of community associations to maintain common areas at a monthly cost.2 The district’s period of significance is identified as 1960-1961.

Proposed Historic District Design Guidelines: Historic District design guidelines are required to include, but are not limited to, development standards, aesthetic standards, and approval criteria in preserving the character of the district and contributing structures therein. As part of this application, the applicant submitted a draft set of design guidelines to address exterior changes. If recommended for designation, the draft may need to be updated with clarifying information including instructions on how to submit for a Certificate of Appropriateness for the City’s Historic Preservation Officer to review.

ANALYSIS:

A historic resources report prepared by Architectural Resources Group dated January 29, 2025 (“the report”) and a site visit by staff and members of the HSPB are the basis of this staff report.

Historic Preservation activities in Palm Springs are regulated under Municipal Code Section 8.05 (“Historic Preservation”). The purpose of the Historic Preservation Ordinance is:
“…to stabilize and improve buildings, structures or areas which are considered to be of historical, architectural, archaeological or ecological value, to foster civic beauty, to strengthen the local economy and to promote the use of historic resources for the education and welfare of the citizens.” Standard Conditions that apply to Historic Districts:

1. It shall meet the definition of a historic district as outlined in Municipal Code Section 8.05.020.

2. An archival file shall be maintained on the property by the City.

3. It may be qualified as ‘historic’ at the federal, state, and/or county level.

4. A marker explaining the historic nature of the site may be installed in a location viewable from the public way.

5. Compliance with all rules and regulations for Historic Resources and Historic Districts under Chapter 8.05 of the Municipal Code.

6. If designated, the findings in support of designation shall be stated in a resolution of the City Council that shall be recorded with the County Recorders’ office within 90 days of the effective date of the Council’s resolution. 2 City of Palm Springs Cityside Historic Context Statement and Survey Findings, “Condominium Development,”

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Evaluation of the Application. Pursuant to Municipal Code Section 8.05.090 (C), “In considering an application for designation of a historic district, the HSPB and City Council shall evaluate the application and make findings for conformance with the following criteria and a district may be designated provided the following findings are met:

PSMC 8.05.090 (C, 1) Analysis of Eligibility: The proposed district and the contributing resources located therein exhibit exceptional historic significance and meet one or more of the criteria listed below:

Criterion b is not met.
(Criterion c) Reflects or exemplifies a particular period of national, state or local history;
Completed during the post-World War II period, this multi-family residential development was not only an indicator of a rising middle class, but it also confirms Palm Springs as a desirable tourist destination for individuals seeking a seasonal destination. Identified in the report as one of the earliest condominium properties in Palm Springs, Desert Lanai I was an innovative residential typology for seasonal tourists. Architecturally, Desert Lanai I combined mid-century Modern design elements like the horizontal massing, flat roofs and deep overhangs with tropical design influences from the Pacific that was gaining popularity. The Polynesia /“Tiki” style of design became a trademark style for Charles Du Bois, and this site retains many design characteristics that reflect his style. Staff finds the site qualifies as a historic resource under Criterion c by reflecting the local history of residential development and architectural styles of the period.

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(Criterion d) Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period or method of construction;
Unlike the National Register criterion concerning construction, the Palm Springs evaluation of construction addresses the type (of construction), the period (of construction) and the method (of construction). Conventional post and beam construction methods were used to construct this development; therefore, staff does not find the project qualifies for this criterion.
(Criterion e) Presents the work of a master builder, designer, artist, or architect whose individual genius influenced his age, or that possesses high artistic value;
According to the research, developer Joseph Dunas and renowned architect Charels Du Bois worked together to complete this first phase of development. Du Bois was particularly influential in defining Polynesian/ “Tiki” architecture as an aesthetic for residential projects with his signature A-frame gable feature. His work is seen throughout the Coachella Valley from the 1950s-1970s and range from single-family homes to multifamily residential projects. Desert Lanai I was a celebrated project after its completion and identified in the report as the only known multi-family project in Palm Springs by Charles Du Bois, giving it additional significance. Based on these findings, staff finds that the property meets criterion e.
(Criterion f) Represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction, as used in evaluating applications for designation of historic districts, for parcels on which more than one entity exists; or
The site consists of seven distinct structures sited around a central courtyard and a detached cover parking structure for residents. While some of the buildings, like the pool house and the porte-cochere demonstrate Polynesian/ “Tiki” inspired design qualities, these structures do not independently possess sufficient distinction to merit individual recognition. The site as a whole exemplifies the use of architectural design to promote an experimental residential pattern that is best understood as a collection. The proposed district reflects a distinctive quality of Palm Springs’ post-war period. Thus, the proposed district qualifies under Criterion f.
(Criterion g) Has yielded or may be likely to yield information important to national, state or local history or prehistory.

No information has been provided on any pre-historic significance of the site.

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Analysis of Integrity. (PSMC 8.05.090 (C,2). The site, structure, building or object retains one or more of the following aspects of integrity, as established in the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards: integrity of design, materials, workmanship, location, setting, feeling, or association.
“Desert Lanai I” is evaluated as a historic district in terms of its historic integrity as follows:

Location.

Desert Lanai I occupies the corner where E. Tachevah Dr. and N. Sunrise Way meet.

Design.

The Polynesian/ “Tiki” style A-frame buildings create an architectural identity starting at the main entrance to the complex. The rooflines of the development are mostly flat apart from the two structures on the north and south side of the lot. These two buildings contain three residential units each, but the form of the buildings has a larger presence on the site because of its scale and the A-frame roofline integrated into the center units. The “Tiki” style roof was also used for the pool house structure. The architectural detailing for each unit includes post-and-beam construction, deep overhangs with exposed wood beams, and private patio spaces. Rock and masonry walls and planters are used throughout the site. These features help create privacy for patios and entrances, as well as provide material diversity for visual interest. Many of the wooden details have either been modified or removed over time due to deterioration.

The building forms and the site design are critical components of the design that largely remain; therefore, staff finds the design integrity is intact.

Setting.

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Materials.

Workmanship.

Conventional construction methods and building materials were used to build this development but there is a level of detail in features like the A-frame structures and the masonry walls that require a higher level of skill to execute. The site retains many of its original features, and staff finds the integrity of workmanship remains intact.

Feeling.

The design focuses on promoting resort-style living and leisure. The common courtyard space with the swimming pool and the well-maintained open space supports this intent.

Additionally, each individual unit offers a balance between private and communal space.

With the design, materials, and location remaining largely intact, the site retains its integrity of feeling.

Association.

Although some original architectural detailing has been modified, the property retains a recognizable association with post-World War II development of Palm Springs. The Polynesian/ “Tiki” design as an aesthetic is closely tied to the work of architect Charles Du Bois and the site’s integrity of association remains largely intact to both the period and the architect.

DEFINING HISTORIC CHARACTERISTICS
In considering a recommendation for historic district designation it is important to distinguish those physical elements that are original or from the period of significance that contribute to the resource’s historic significance from alterations, additions or features that were added at a later time that may be sympathetic to the original character, but which may create a false sense of historicity. Distinguishing original character-defining features from non-original elements aids the HSPB when it is tasked with evaluating future alterations to the historic district.

On page 52, the report identifies character-defining historic features of this site. In conjunction with the list in the report, Staff compiled the following list of character-defining features for consideration by the HSPB.

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• Site design and building cluster configurations on the lot around common courtyard area and communal swimming pool.
• Internal network of pedestrian pathways, including concrete and exposed stone aggregate pedestrian walkways
• Location and uniquely shaped swimming pool
• Semi-circular driveway through the porte-cochere off N. Sunrise Way • “Sunrise Lanai I” sign at the northwest corner of the complex and its orientation • Parking and vehicular circulation regulated to the perimeter of the property, including a circular drive situated on the property’s west, two parking lots on its north, and covered residential parking on the south
• Pedestrian entries limited to six symmetrical pathways located on all sides of the complex
• A-frame design of entry porte-cochere with extended eaves and wood post-andbeam construction • All eight structures on the site are contributors to the district:
• Buildings 6 and 3 (as identified on page 5 of the historic resources report), is a one-and-a-half story building with rectangular footprint that has a tall Aframe front gable roofline in the center with deep eaves on the gable ends.

Flat roofline areas have broad overhanging eaves and exposed beams. • Buildings 1, 2, 5 and 4 (as identified on page 5 of the historic resources report), are one-story structures with an irregular, slightly U-shaped footprint and a flat roofline with broad overhanging eaves and exposed beams. • Pool house structure with an intersecting gabled A-frame roofline and asymmetrical eave heights where the northernmost portion extends into the ground.
• Covered residential parking structure: flat roof structure with eleven bays and a total of 22 spaces. Each bay is divided with equal areas of enclosed storage space.
• Unadorned, smooth stucco finish on exterior walls
• Private patios for each residential unit, enclosed with masonry walls • Intermittent use of shadow blocks as a decorative element for units with walls on the west side of the property
• A series of cylindrical steel posts and vertically slatted wood walls that create decorative privacy screening
• Wood front doors for each unit
• Flush mounted aluminum or steel sash fenestration
• Fieldstone walls at courtyard facing entrances
• Masonry planters
• Decorative metal handrails
Non-contributing elements:
• Metal security gates at various entry points to the site • Replacement cementitious roofing material
• Flood lights attached to the covered parking structure Item 2A - Page 147
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• Metal security doors on individual units
• Replacement patio pavers

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
The proposed historic resource designation is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical changes to the environment, directly or indirectly.

NOTIFICATION
Pursuant to section 8.05.140 of the Municipal Code of Palm Springs, all residents within five hundred (500) feet of the subject property have been notified and notice was published in a newspaper of general circulation.

CONCLUSION:

Desert Lanai I meets the definition of a historic district based on Criteria c, e and f and meets the integrity findings of the Palm Springs Historic Preservation Ordinance; therefore, staff recommends that the site be designated as a historic district.

PREPARED BY: Sarah Yoon, Associate Planner/Historic Preservation Officer REVIEWED BY: Anthony Riederer, Assistant Director of Planning ATTACHMENTS:

A. Vicinity Map
B. Draft Resolution
C. Application, related background materials, photos.

D. Architectural Design Guidelines for Desert Lanai I
E. Public Comment
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EXCERPTS OF MINUTES
At the Historic Site Preservation Board meeting of the City of Palm Springs, held September 2, 2025, the Historic Site Preservation Board took the following action:

2.A. APPLICATION BY SUNRISE LANAI COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION,

REPRESENTED BY ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES GROUP, FOR
HISTORIC DISTRICT DESIGNATION OF “DESERT LANAI I” LOCATED AT 1701-1749 E. TACHEVAH DRIVE, (APN 507-310-047) CASE: HSPB #164 / HD-12 (SY).

Historic Preservation Officer Yoon presented the staff report and answered questions of the board.

Brannon Smithwick, applicant representative, commented on the project and answered questions of the board.

Motion by Member McCready, seconded by Member Moruzzi to adopt the findings and recommend that the City Council designate Desert Lanai I as a historic district.

Pursuant to CEQA action is not a project.

AYES: Bachman, Herr, Moruzzi, Maschka Hitchcock, Paonessa, McCready.

NOES: None.

ABSENT: Hansen.

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CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
DATE: OCTOBER 22, 2025 PUBLIC HEARING
SUBJECT: AN APPLICATION BY Z-LIST REVOCABLE TRUST 5/28/2015 FOR HISTORIC SITE DESIGNATION OF “THE ROBINSON RESIDENCE”
LOCATED AT 999 NORTH PATENCIO ROAD (APN 505-251-005), CASE HSPB #169 (SY)
FROM: Scott C. Stiles, City Manager
BY: Department of Planning Services
SUMMARY:

The property at 999 N. Patencio Road is a custom-built single-family home designed by influential architects A. Quincy Jones and Frederick Emmons in 1957. This home is an exceptional representation of Mid-century Modern design that reflects economic prosperity, as well as the sophisticated design awareness of Palm Springs during this time. After discussing potential alterations to the site with city staff, the owners decided to pursue historic designation given the significance of the site. If designated as a historic resource, the property would be subject to the regulations outlined in Section 8.05 of the Palm Springs Municipal Code (PSMC).

The Historic Site Preservation Board (HSPB) and staff evaluated the application in accordance with the historic designation ordinance and applicable state/federal regulations, and determined it qualifies as a Class 1 (Landmark) historic site.

RECOMMENDATION:
1) Open the public hearing and receive public testimony. 2) Close the public hearing and adopt Resolution No. _____, “A RESOLUTION OF

THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, DESIGNATING THE ROBINSON RESIDENCE LOCATED AT 999 NORTH PATENCIO ROAD, AS A CLASS 1 (LANDMARK) HISTORIC RESOURCE, HSPB #169, SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS (APN 505-251-005).

BACKGROUND AND SETTING:

The attached historic resources report, prepared by Jade Thomas Nelson (“the report”), and site visits are the basis of this staff report.

Item 2B - Page 1
City Council Staff Report
October 22, 2025 – Page 2
Historic Designation – The Robinson Residence
Related Relevant City Actions by HSPB, Planning, Fire, Building, etc.

October, 2025 Site inspection by members of the HSPB and City Staff.

October 7, 2025 HSPB considered the application for designation at a public hearing recommending Class 1 designation.

Ownership Status
January, 2025 Purchased by current owners.

SOUTH FACING ELEVATION (REAR OF THE HOME) VIEWED FROM THE BACKYARD, 2025.

SUNFLAP, EXPOSED I-BEAM AND EXPANSIVE GLASS DETAILS OF THE HOME, 2025.

Item 2B - Page 2
City Council Staff Report
October 22, 2025 – Page 3
Historic Designation – The Robinson Residence
The historic designation request has been submitted by the owners after discussions with staff and the historic resources report supports the reclassification of the site as a Class 1 landmark. Staff and the HSPB made the findings to recommend Class 1 designation.

ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS:

The analysis of the application relative to the criteria for the designation of historic resources is detailed in the attached HSPB resolution and staff report dated October 7, 2025. In order to be designated an historic landmark, a resource must exhibit exceptional historic significance and meet one or more of the criteria listed in PSMC Section

8.05.070.C.1.a. The Board made findings in support of Class 1 (Landmark) designation based on the following criteria:

PSMC 8.05.070, (C,1,Part a). The site, structure, building, or object exhibits exceptional historic significance and meets one or more of the criteria listed below:
(Criterion iii) The resource reflects or exemplifies a particular period of national, state, or local history;
(Criterion v) The resource presents the work of a master builder, designer, artist, or architect whose individual genius influenced his age, or that possesses high artistic value;
Pursuant to PSMC 8.05.070, (5,C,1,Part b) “Historic Integrity”, the HSPB made findings that the Robinson Residence possesses sufficient historic integrity to qualify as a Class 1 (Landmark) historic site.

During the October 7, 2025 HSPB meeting, the Board expressed their unanimous support of the application for Class 1 designation based on the exceptional design qualities of the home and its association with the architects A. Quincy Jones and Fredrick Emmons.

CONCLUSION:

The Robinson Residence meets the definition of a historic resource based on Criterion 3 and 5 of the Palm Springs Historic Preservation Ordinance. The property possesses integrity to qualify as a Class 1 (Landmark) site. The HSPB recommendation to the City Council reflects these findings which are outlined in the attached draft City Council resolution.

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:

The proposed historic resource designation is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, Item 2B - Page 3
City Council Staff Report
October 22, 2025 – Page 4
Historic Designation – The Robinson Residence
California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical changes to the environment, directly or indirectly.

NOTIFICATION:

Pursuant to Section 94.09.00 (Public Hearing) of the Palm Springs Zoning Code, notice has been mailed to all property owners and residents within five hundred (500) feet of the subject property and notice was published in a newspaper of general circulation.

FISCAL IMPACT:

None.

REVIEWED BY:

Department Director: Christopher Hadwin
Assistant City Manager: Flinn Fagg
City Manager: Scott Stiles
ATTACHMENTS:

A. Vicinity Map.

B. Draft Resolution.

C. Application, related background materials, photos.

D. HSPB resolution, staff report, minute excerpt.

Item 2B - Page 4

ATTACHMENT B
Item 2B - Page 5
RESOLUTION NO._____

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM

SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, DESIGNATING THE ROBINSON
RESIDENCE, LOCATED AT 999 NORTH PATENCIO ROAD, AS A
CLASS 1 (LANDMARK) HISTORIC RESOURCE HSPB #169,
SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS (APN 505-251-005).

THE CITY COUNCIL FINDS AND DETERMINES AS FOLLOWS:

A. WHEREAS, Chapter 8.05 of the Palm Springs Municipal Code allows for the designation of historic sites and districts; and
B. WHEREAS, Z-LIST Revocable Trust 5/28/2015 submitted an application seeking historic district site of the Robinson Residence located at 999 North Patencio Road; and C. WHEREAS, on October 6, 2025, members of the Historic Site Preservation Board (HSPB) and City staff conducted site inspections of the proposed historic resource; and D. WHEREAS, on October 7, 2025, a noticed public hearing of the Palm Springs Historic Site Preservation Board to consider Case HSPB #169 was held in accordance with applicable law; and
E. WHEREAS, at said hearing, the HSPB carefully reviewed and considered all the evidence presented in connection with the hearing on the project, including, but not limited to, the staff report and all written and oral testimony and voted unanimously to recommend that the Council designate The Robinson Residence a Class 1 (Landmark) historic resource; and F. WHEREAS, on October 22, 2025, a noticed public hearing of the Palm Springs City Council to consider Case HSPB #169 was held in accordance with applicable law; and G. WHEREAS, at the said hearing, the City Council carefully reviewed and considered all the evidence presented in connection with the hearing on the project, including, but not limited to the staff report and all written and oral testimony.

THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS RESOLVES:

SECTION 1: FINDINGS – PART “A”, CRITERIA FOR HISTORIC RESOURCES.

Evaluation of the Application. Pursuant to Municipal Code Section 8.05.070 (C,1,a), the City Council shall evaluate the application and make findings in conformance with the following criteria:

Item 2B - Page 6
Resolution No.____

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October 22, 2025
999 N. Patencio Road is a single-family home constructed in the Mid-century Modern style with an asymmetrical floor plan that is centrally located on the lot. The home features a horizontal rhythm across the site using a combination of natural stone, stucco and glazing. The following is an analysis of the criteria and integrity findings for historic designation. (Criterion i) The resource is associated with events that have made a meaningful contribution to the nation, state, or community;
No meaningful event is associated with this site, thus does not qualify under Criterion i. (Criterion ii) The resource is associated with the lives of persons who made a meaningful contribution to national, state or local history; Jerome J. Robinson was the original owner who commissioned the architecture firm Jones & Emmons to design this home. The property was in the Robinson family’s possession until the mid-1970s and then changes hands in 1988, 2016 and 2025. Based on the extensive research provided in the report, the past owners do not qualify under this criterion. (Criterion iii) The resource reflects or exemplifies a particular period of national, state, or local history;
The wealth and design awareness that emerged in Palm Springs during the post-World War II period was evident in the buildings that were constructed during this time. Mid-century Modern design was derived from early Modernist ideas. Enthusiastic designers and architects embraced these concepts and produced buildings with features that emphasized horizontality, flat rooflines, simple geometry, minimal ornamentation, smooth concrete/stucco finishes and expansive glazing. The Robinson residence at 999 N. Patencio incorporates these details and utilizes deep roof overhangs to mitigate the desert climate. As an architecturally significant example of Midcentury Modern residential design, the property reflects both local and international trends of the period. HSPB finds Criterion iii is met.
(Criterion iv) The resource embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction;
Unlike the National Register criterion concerning construction, the Palm Springs evaluation of construction addresses the type (of construction), the period (of construction) and the method (of construction). The home was constructed using conventional methods and no new building materials or technology was specifically identified. Criterion iv is not met.
(Criterion v) The resource presents the work of a master builder, designer, artist, or architect whose individual genius influenced his age, or that possesses high artistic value;
The Los Angeles-based architecture firm Jones & Emmons is well-known and admired by the profession for their prolific work throughout California. A. Quincy Jones and Frederick Emmons designed nearly 5,000 Eichler homes in a 24-year period and was commissioned by the Item 2B - Page 7
Resolution No.____

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October 22, 2025
Annenberg family to design the Annenberg Estate (Sunnylands) in Rancho Mirage, California.

The Robinson home is the only known single-family residence by the firm in Palm Springs. The design of the home itself is valued for its exceptional qualities as a Mid-century Modern home, and it is associated with master architects that influenced the field, as well as the next generation of designers. HSPB finds Criterion v for historic significance is met. (Criterion vi) The resource represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction, as used in evaluating applications for designation of historic districts, for parcels on which more than one entity exists; or
The resource is not within a historic district and does not qualify under Criterion vi. (Criterion vii) The resource has yielded or may be likely to yield information important to national, state or local history or prehistory.

No information has been provided on any pre-historic significance of the site.

SECTION 2: PART “B” ANALYSIS OF HISTORIC INTEGRITY.

Analysis of Integrity. (PSMC 8.05.070 (C,1,b). The site, structure, building, or object retains one or more of the following aspects of integrity, as established in the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards: integrity of design, materials, workmanship, location, setting, feeling, or association.

The report provides an evaluation of the site relative to the seven aspects or qualities of historic integrity, as recognized by the National Register of Historic Places. The seven aspects or qualities include location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association. The report concludes that the site retains a high degree of integrity and is further analyzed below:

1. Location:

The home is in its original location on the lot; therefore, the integrity of location is met.

2. Design:

The Robinson residence has an irregular plan sited centrally on the lot. The main entrance to the home is accentuated with the porte-cochere and covered walkway leading to the front door.

The overall building mass emphasizes horizontality with a flat roofline that articulates higher around the common area within the home. Exposed steel columns and metal framed windows are integrated into the façade with fenestration that spans the full height of the building. The sliding glass doors and fixed windows are shielded from the elements with deep overhangs and horizontal datum lines track through the home as a discrete, yet elegant detail seen on the sunflaps and the underside of the overhangs. Clerestory windows and projecting roof planes allow light to reflect inside and the irregularly cut and stacked stone walls are seen throughout the home. The uniquely shaped swimming pool is situated on the far southwest side of the lot with thick square terrazzo tiles around the pool. The landscape consists of matures plantings Item 2B - Page 8
Resolution No.____

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October 22, 2025
and the report identifies two small additions that were made to the original floor plan in 1970 by Jones & Emmons. The integrity of design remains intact.

3. Setting:

The original setting of the home seen in the tract map from 1946 remains the same. The area was intended for residential development, and the size of the lot remains consistent with the original site plan. The home, pool and surrounding landscaping remain in its original configuration. The integrity of setting is retained.

4. Materials:

Based on the findings in the report, the original building materials such as the Palos Verdes exterior stone, steel columns, floor-to-ceiling glazing, terrazzo flooring, circular concrete pads and smooth stucco finish remain extant. The integrity of material is met.

5. Workmanship:

As a custom-built residence, each element of the home was a thoughtful response to the site and needs of the client. The materials used are high quality and attention to detail was critical to achieve the subtle inside to outside transitions. The stonework and continuous reveal of the datum lines require a higher level of craft to execute with precision. The integrity of workmanship remains intact.

6. Feeling:

The surrounding context remains a residential neighborhood and the home remains an exceptional example of Mid-century modern architecture that represents Palm Springs in the postwar period. The integrity of feeling remains unchanged.

7. Association:

The design of the home, which remains intact, reflects the work of architects Jones & Emmons and maintains a strong association with the period of Palm Springs that embraced the Modern movement; thus, the integrity of association is met.

SECTION 3: DEFINING HISTORIC CHARACTERISTICS
In considering a recommendation for historic resource designation it is important to distinguish those physical elements that are original or from the period of significance that contribute to the resource’s historic significance from alterations, additions or features that were added at a later time that may be sympathetic to the original character, but which may create a false sense of historicity. Distinguishing original character-defining features from non-original elements aids the HSPB when it is tasked with evaluating future alterations to the historic resource.

The following is a list of character-defining features identified by the City Council:

Item 2B - Page 9
Resolution No.____

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October 22, 2025
Character-defining features of the resource are as follows:
• Location at northwestern terminus of N. Patencio Road and Via Lola • Position of the home on the one-acre lot
• Long L-shaped driveway
• Primary facades facing east and south
• Single-story building with vertical articulation to height starting at the entry • Irregular L-shaped plan
• A.Q. Jones’ signature porte-cochere and long covered entry walkway canopy with cutouts • Original front door
• Staggered concrete walkway with exposed aggregate leading to the front door • Simple rectilinear and geometric forms
• Flat roof with flat parapet and clean datum lines track through the house seen on the underside of the sunflaps and exterior overhangs
• Exposed and painted steel beam columns
• Recessed, circle canned lights under the extended overhangs • Floor‐to‐ceiling fixed windows and sliding door fenestration with clear glazing and transom window
• Exposed I-beam columns
• Integrated concrete block planters outdoors
• Integrated terrazzo floors from inside to outside
• Original “Palos Verdes” stone walls throughout the exterior of the home • Entire floor-to-ceiling fireplace and incorporated indoor/outdoor granite bench • Indoor roof skylight along north wall of dining and living areas • Circular “bubble” concrete pads in garden
• Swimming pool shape and location on the site
Non-contributing elements:
• Ficus hedge around the property perimeter
• Existing driveway gate and wall
• CMU walls added in 1988
• Addition to the maid’s quarters from 1970 (east facing sunflap was removed for addition) SECTION 4: ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
The proposed historic resource designation is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical changes to the environment, directly or indirectly.

SECTION 5: CONDITIONS THAT APPLY TO HISTORIC SITES:

According to Section 8.05 of the Municipal Code, the following shall apply to a Class 1 Historic Resource:

Item 2B - Page 10
Resolution No.____

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October 22, 2025

1. It shall meet the definition of a Class 1 historic site as outlined in Municipal Code Section

8.05.020.

2. An archival file on the property shall be maintained by the City.

3. It may be qualified as ‘historic’ at the federal, state, and/or county level.

4. The structure/site may not be modified, nor objects removed without following the procedures outlined in Municipal Code Section 8.05.110 “Demolition or Alteration of Class 1 and Class 2 Historic Resources – Certificate of Appropriateness”.

5. A marker explaining the historic nature of the site may be installed at the site in a location viewable from the public way.

6. Compliance with all rules and regulations for Historic Sites and Historic Districts under Chapter 8.05 of the Municipal Code shall be required.

7. The site shall not be further subdivided.

8. The City Clerk shall submit the Council Resolution to the County recorder for recordation within 90 days of the effective date of the Council’s resolution.

Based upon the foregoing, the City Council hereby designates The Robinson Residence located at 999 N. Patencio Road, a Class 1 (Landmark) Historic Resource (Case HSPB #169).

ADOPTED THIS TWENTY-SECOND DAY OF OCTOBER, 2025.

SCOTT STILES

CITY MANAGER
ATTEST:

BRENDA PREE, MMC

CITY CLERK
Item 2B - Page 11
Resolution No.____

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October 22, 2025

CERTIFICATION

STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE ) ss.

CITY OF PALM SPRINGS )
I, BRENDA PREE, City Clerk of the City of Palm Springs, hereby certify that Resolution No. ____ 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 _______________________, by the following vote:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:

ABSTAIN:

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of the City of Palm Springs, California, this ______ day of ______________, _________.

BRENDA PREE, MMC

CITY CLERK
Item 2B - Page 12

ATTACHMENT C
Item 2B - Page 13
999 North Patencio Road
Palm Springs, CA
Historic Resource
Designation Nomination
PREPARED BY: Jade Thomas Nelson
Robinson Residence
Archibald Quincy Jones Jr., FAIA
Frederick Earl Emmons Jr., AIA
1956—1959, 1970
for Jerome J. and Rose Robinson
Item 2B - Page 14
1 Table of Contents

1. Introduction .............................................................................................................................2

2. Architectural Description.........................................................................................................3

2.1 Site and Setting.........................................................................................................3

2.2 Building ...................................................................................................................5

2.3 Existing Conditions Photographs.............................................................................6

3. Permit History; Chronology of Development and Alterations……………………………….9

4. Historic Contexts ...................................................................................................................10

4.1 Post‐World War II Development in Palm Springs ................................................10

4.2 Historic Resources Summary ................................................................................ 12 Chain of Title.....................................................................................................14

4.3 Architectural Style ‘Mid-century Modern’.............................................................55

5. Regulations and Criteria for Evaluation ................................................................................56

5.1 City of Palm Springs Historic Resources and Historic Districts .........................................56

6. Evaluation of Significance.....................................................................................................59

6.1 Previous Surveys and Designations .......................................................................59

6.2 Contexts, Themes, and Registration Requirements ...............................................59

6.3 City of Palm Springs Class 1 Historic Resource ....................................................60

6.4 Integrity Assessment……………………………………………………………...63

6.5 Character‐Defining Features.................................................................................. 66

7. Conclusion..............................................................................................................................66

8. Bibliogrpahy...........................................................................................................................67 Appendix A. 2016 Property Data Form……………………………………………………….69 Appendix B. Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Land Status Map, April 2024………..71 Appendix C. Historical photos and archival drawings………………………………………...72 Special Thanks………………………………………………………………………………...81
Cover design by Gary Wexler
Item 2B - Page 15
2 Front of 999 N. Patencio Rd. shortly after completion, 1957.

1. Introduction
At the request of MWDArch, representative for the owners of 999 North Patencio Road (known as the “Robinson Residence”), historian and former chair of the City of Palm Springs Historic Site Preservation Board, Jade Thomas Nelson, was engaged in June 2025 to prepare this Historic Resource Designation Nomination for an intact custom-built 66 year-old residence west of downtown Palm Springs, CA at the western end of Via Lola and the northern end of Patencio Road where both streets converge and each terminates. Much of the residence was designed and constructed over a yearlong period from 1956-1957 with later designs and additions by the original architect in 1970. The Citywide Historic Resources Inventory (2016) identified it as locally eligible (status code 5S3) and “significant as an example of Mid-Century modern residential architecture designed by the prominent architectural firm Jones & Emmons…”1
Completion of this assessment involved a site visit with the owner and visual inspection of the building by Jade Thomas Nelson (the author of this nomination) on March 19, 2025; compilation and review of historic building permits and project documents obtained from the Palm Springs Department of Planning Services; primary and secondary source research conducted through various local and online repositories, including the Palm Springs Historical Society archives, newpapers.com, ancestry.com, UCLA research library; development of applicable historic contexts and themes (using those in the City’s Historic Context Statement); evaluation of the property’s individual eligibility under City of Palm Springs Class 1 and Class 2 historic resource criteria; and evaluation of historic integrity. This nomination report provides a contextual basis for analysis and detailed discussion of how the determination was reached.

In summary, Mr. Nelson finds that the property at 999 North Patencio Road meets City of Palm Springs Class 1 eligibility Criteria iii and v. As the property also clearly retains sufficient integrity to convey its significance, it appears eligible for listing as a Class 1 (landmark) historic resource. 1 City of Palm Springs Department of Planning Services, Citywide Historic Resource Inventory Item 2B - Page 16
3 2. Architectural Description

2.1 Site and Setting
The subject property, 999 N. Patencio Road, is located about a half mile west of North Palm Canyon Drive and consists of a residential parcel (APN: 505251005) at the northernmost terminus of North Patencio Road. The land lies within Section 10 of the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation and is classified as a fee allotment.2 Development in the adjacent neighborhood consists of low‐scale residential properties, reflecting a range of construction eras and styles that spans from the 1920’s to the 2000’s. The city block of the subject property location is in the housing tract known as “Merito Vista No. 2” within what is today known as the “Old Las Palmas Neighborhood” and contains singlelevel residences directly to the north, east and south. The surrounding street grid was fashioned to curve away from Palm Canyon Drive so as not to adhere to a perfectly rectilinear plan and thus discouraging main street traffic to make shortcuts through the vicinity.

The topography on three sides of the parcel is flat but approximately three quarters of a mile to the west are the Mount San Jacinto foothills which provide a scenic backdrop to the subject residence. The parcel is square in shape with a circular notch at its southeastern corner (following the curve of the street at the property’s front elevation) and measures 43,124 square feet (.990 acres); its western half runs alongside Via Monte Vista, the north-south dividing line between “Old Las Palmas” and “Vista Las Palmas.” The legal description of the parcel is “LOT 5 MB 021/002 MERITO VISTA 2.” 3 2 Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians GIS Portal, accessed July 2025, https://www.aguacaliente.org/gis.

See also Appendix B, Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Land Status Map, July 2025. 3 Parcel dimensions obtained from the Riverside County Assessor‐County Clerk‐Recorder, June 2025.

Item 2B - Page 17
4 Current aerial image 999 N. Patencio Rd. (which curves up from the south and into Via Lola to the east, at bottom right of image). Via Monte Vista is to the west (left) and Camino Sur is to the north.

The bulk of the L-shaped residential structure sits near the northern portion of the site with its primary bedroom wing jutting out to the south. The front elevation is highlighted by the dramatic east/west perforated porte-cochère canopy set back from the streetside curve and which juts out from the Lshaped building plan. The immediate surroundings of the residence are developed with original concrete driveways and pads studded with black river rock, grass lawns, walls and planters constructed of square CMU blocks, pool with terrazzo decking, circle “bubble” concrete pads, various shade trees and palm trees. Along the site’s northern perimeter wall on the immediate northern neighbor’s side is a long row of Mexican fan palms. Near the site’s southeastern property line corner is an unroofed, recessed open trash area with concrete block walls and unoriginal metal fence with both driveway and pedestrian gates. The primary façade of the residence faces east, towards the neighboring homes to the east of which there are six residences before the block (Via Lola) is intersected by Mission Road. Prior to some portions of unoriginal block wall and hedging, the primary façade elevations would have been more visible from the public right-of-way.

Item 2B - Page 18
5 Current site survey map provided by MWDArch

2.2 Building
The subject property contains a one‐story mid-century modern residence, now vacant but originally a custom-built home for prominent Chicagoans Rose and Jerome J. Robinson. Completed in 1959, with additions in 1970, the building has an irregular almost L-shaped footprint and a concrete foundation.

The building has a flat roof with a flat parapet. The building’s fenestration is mostly single, floor‐to‐ ceiling un-tinted glazing, both fixed and sliding.
“Jones’s signature canopy welcomes visitors to the house and (also) serves as a porte-cochère. The rugged honey-colored Palos Verdes stone that Jones employed at the Cooper House is used much more liberally here, both inside and out….The open plan of the public wing accommodates living and dining areas as well as interior plantings, a step-down boomerang shaped bar (similar to the one designed for the Hathaway and Golan Houses), and an indoor barbecue. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls with sliding doors face the pool and gardens and are punctuated only by a sculptural fireplace of Palos Verdes stone and a granite bench – both of which continue outside as if the house was built around the fireplace. A roof overhang [sunflap], a device Jones used in many buildings, shades the outdoor living room and the master bedroom.”
- Cory Buckner, author of Phaidon monograph, A. Quincy Jones, Building for Better Living, 2007 According to MWDArch, the current (2025) owner’s architecture firm retained for a pending restoration and refresh: “The modernist style of the house is punctuated by generous, wide overhangs (for sun shading). The house expresses itself significantly in section, with long, horizontal datum lines tracking through the house, and defining areas in plan. Large expanses of glazing and the incorporation of clerestory windows at the entertaining spaces allow roof planes to appear as though they float, while the mentioned sunshades create a respite from the harsh desert sun. The house demonstrates a simple material palette we will continue, comprised of steel, glass, stucco, cut rock mass walls, and masonry unit blocks. Landscape elements like the exposed river rock driveway and 'bubble' concrete pads incorporate unique visual and textural patterns, while the use of terrazzo on both the interior and exterior walking surfaces create an early example of indoor-outdoor spatial continuity.” Know what's
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6 2.3 Existing Conditions Photographs – July 2025
999 N. Patencio Rd., streetside elevation and driveway, views northwest. 999 N. Patencio Rd., entrance porte-cochere of primary elevation, view northwest.

Item 2B - Page 20
7 999 N. Patencio Rd., east-facing elevation, formers servant’s wing, view southwest. 999 N. Patencio Rd., south-facing elevation, swimming pool and “rear” yard, view northeast.

Item 2B - Page 21
8 999 N. Patencio Rd., main entry at east elevation. Note the original front doors and walkway. 999 N. Patencio Rd., Southeast-facing primary façade, view northwest.

Item 2B - Page 22
9 3. Permit History; Chronology of Development and Alterations The author has compiled this chronological list of historical building permits based on City of Palm Springs official records for 999 North Patencio Road (referred to early as 580 Via Lola):

Date Owner Permit Type Description/Vendor
10/1/56 Robinson Building permit no. 9019/ 9-room
dwelling, steel frame,
stucco & wood
construction. Compo
roof. 3 car garage. Ray
Dill, Gen. Contractor
10/9/56 Robinson Electrical permit no. 7709/ Keenan
and Stafford
11/9/56 Robinson Plumbing permit no. 8887/ H.A.

Simsarian
11/13/56 Robinson Electrical Installation permit no. 7847/ Keenan and Stafford
12/14/56 Robinson Swimming Pool permit no. 9282/
HOAMS
1/3/57 Robinson Pool Steel and
Setback
permit no. 9282/
HOAMS
4/3/57 Robinson Plumbing permit no. 9510/ H.L.

Watkins
1/27/70 Robinson Building permit no. B 1346/
enlarge 2 existing maid’s
rooms, add bathroom
between. Frame &
stucco, compo roof. Win
Miner, contractor
1/29/70 Robinson Plumbing permit no. P 647/ Palmer
Plumbing
2/6/70 Robinson Electrical permit no. A 03724/
Bentsen Electric
3/13/70 Robinson Building permit no. B 1346
4/6/70 Robinson Building permit no. B 1518/
Enlarge Master B.R.,
match exist. frame &
stucco. Win Miner,
contractor
4/10/70 Robinson Mechanical permit no. M 522/ Lake
A.C.

Item 2B - Page 23
10 Date Owner Permit Type Description/Vendor
4/28/70 Robinson Electric permit no. A 03842/
Bentsen Electric, outlets
& fixtures
5/13/75 Robinson Sewer permit no. A3367/ Keith
Dewar Const., connect to
sewer, install plumbing
fixtures
10/17/88 Strnad Building permit no. B 13974/
repair 42’ of 4’8” wall,
replace old pilasters with
new at front entry
10/18/88 Strnad Building permit no. B 139895/
Construct concrete block
wall
12/2/88 Strnad Building permit no. B 14308/
construct 51 linear feet of
4’ high concrete block
wall on Via Monte Vista
frontage
8/22/2016 Shea Re-Roof permit no. 2016-3092/
Gravel sweep, new edge,
metal primer. Replace
damaged plywood and
dry-rot as needed.

Replace 26”x26”
skylight. Install new
polyurethane foam roof
system/ FoamBond Corp.

Summary
As evidenced by the permit history, documented alterations made to original dwelling are as follows:
• Primary (Master) Bedroom enlarged to the west, adding 410 s.f.,1970 • Maid’s quarters (NE corner of dwelling) enlarged/bathroom added between the two rooms,1970 (all above designed by original architect)
• Air conditioning updated to accommodate additional interior square footage, 1970 • Street-facing gate/driveway entry renovated with new walls and gate, 1988 • 4’ high block wall, 51 feet long constructed on Via Monte Vista, 1988 • Roof replaced/ material change from composition to polyurethane foam, 2016 • Primary bath skylight replaced, 2016
Item 2B - Page 24
11 The diagram below shows the 1970 additions (also designed by Jones & Emmons but not within the period of significance) highlighted in blue. On the left side, at the southwest quadrant of the property, is the primary bedroom addition which added a 410 square foot seating area and fireplace. On the right side, at the northeast quadrant of the property, is the maid’s quarters addition which was enlarged to allow for a second bathroom. Both additions extend out to what were the original 1957 A.Q. Jones signature sun flaps at the edge of the roofline.

Via Monte Vista
Via Lola
N. Patencio Road
Item 2B - Page 25
m
12 4. Historic Contexts and Historic Resources Summary
Historic contexts or significant historical themes provide the relevant framework within which to evaluate significance of the subject property. The subject property falls under the following historic contexts, themes and subthemes as identified in the Palm Springs Citywide Historic Context Statement (2018):

Context: Post‐World War II Palm Springs (1945‐1969)
Theme: Post World War II Single-Family Residential Development (1945‐1969) Context: Architectural Styles & Local Practitioners
Theme: Modern Styles of the Post‐World War II Era
Sub‐theme: Mid-century Modern
Registration requirements for each theme are listed and used in Section 6, Evaluation of Significance.

Additional historic context relevant to the understanding of 999 N. Patencio Road is provided below.

4.1 Post-World War II Development in Palm Springs
Prior to World War II (WWII), the first subdivisions in what would become Palm Springs were built in the 1920’s, mostly surrounding the early resorts and shops. That decade and the next saw steady growth until the 1938 incorporation of the village to the City of Palm Springs. Given the initial developmental infrastructure put in place was primarily built to sustain early tourism and support services, the next ten years saw a rather clairvoyant and necessary development of utilities and services to pave the way for increased demand beginning in the mid 1940’s. “Shortly after the end of World War II in September 1945, Palm Springs experienced a population boom much like the rest of Southern California. The City resumed annexation efforts in the late 1940s to expand its footprint and prevent encroachment from nearby cities.4 By the early 1950s, air conditioning became more and more common in the average home, turning Palm Springs into a feasible, year‐round place of residence (though seasonal population fluctuations continued as well).5 Opportunistic custom and tract home developers took advantage of newly incorporated undeveloped land to build…”
-paraphrased from Historic Resources Group, City of Palm Springs Citywide Historic Context Statement & Survey Findings, prepared for the City of Palm Springs Department of Planning Services, December 2018, 142. 4 “P.S. Township To Be Extended,” The Desert Sun, August 6, 1948, 1. 5 City of Palm Springs Citywide Historic Context Statement & Survey Findings, 181.

Item 2B - Page 26
13 4.2 Historic Resources Summary
999 North Patencio Road
(initially 560/580 Via Lola; Lot 5, Merito Vista No. 2) Researched and authored by: Jade Thomas Nelson, April 2025, Revised August 2025 Merito Vista History (for context)
1925: Prescott T. Stevens subdivides/creates Merito Vista, Palm Springs’ sixth official housing tract. Boundary: N Via Monte Vista to the north, parcels to the north of N. Palm Canyon Drive to the south, east side of W. Crescent Drive to the west, and the westerly side of W. Via Lola to the east.

DEVELOPMENT

HISTORY
Prescott Thresher Stevens (1846-1932) was Palm Springs’ largest pre-World War II residential real estate developer. Stevens, a successful Colorado cattle rancher, relocated with his wife Frances to California in 1912 to seek refuge from her respiratory problems. They first settled in Hollywood, where he invested in Hollywood real estate, then moved to Palm Springs for the cleaner air quality. By 1920, Stevens had purchased a large amount of land north of what is now downtown Palm Springs. He also bought several thousand acres from the Southern Pacific Railroad to the east and the north of the then “Palm Village” to ensure a steady supply of water for his holdings. He bought shares in the original Palm Valley Water Company and then coformed the Whitewater Mutual Water Company and the Palm Springs Water Company. With his colleague Alvah Hicks, a carpenter and nascent homebuilder, they subdivided many of Palm Springs’ earliest developments: the Merito Vista tract (1925), Las Palmas Estates (1926), and Palm Springs Estates (1927). Recognizing an ideal way to sell homes was through tourism, Stevens, Hicks and other developers built the legendary El Mirador Hotel in 1927 to attract wealthy mid-west/east coast elites looking to escape harsh winters. Before long, Stevens was convincing tourists to trade up to home ownership.

Prescott T. Stevens
Merito Vista was advertised for its “natural beauty,” its status as a playground for the wealthy, and its subdivision into “small estate parcels” for those who “...do not necessarily care to erect pretentious homes here.”6 Indeed the parcel sizes for the 125 lots in Merito Vista are narrow and deep. However, the design of the subdivision deviates from a basic grid pattern to include curving and rounded streets evocative of the suburban residential community plans of Frederick Law Olmsted.7 Merito Vista was a success as it reportedly “...practically sold out during the first season.”8 Sanborn maps from 1929 reveal that sales may have been brisk, but building was far slower; just twelve parcels in the development had structures associated with them by 1929.9 Homes in Merito Vista were chiefly Spanish Colonial Revival, or early iterations of the California Ranch style. More than twenty of them were reportedly built by carpenter turned general contractor, Alvah Hicks, who developed a reputation for quality building. Often these houses were built on speculation, then quickly sold.10Often, homeowners purchased multiple parcels for their estates, contributing to relatively low- density development. Even as late as 1952, aerial photographs show significant numbers of undeveloped parcels within the tract. 6 “Display Ad 109,” Los Angeles Times, February 7, 1926. 7 Olmsted was America’s pre-eminent landscape designer in the late 19th century. He designed the Columbian Exposition of 1893, New York’s Central Park and the improvements to the White House grounds of 1902. 8 “Desert Acres Jump to $1500,” Los Angeles Times, April 25, 1926, E7. 9 Sanborn Maps online Los Angeles Public Library Database, Palm Springs Feb 1929, Sheet 8-9. 10 Greg Niemann, Palm Springs Legends (San Diego, CA: Sunbelt Publications, 2006), 130.

Source: City of Palm Springs, Citywide Historic Context Statement & Survey Findings, Historic Resources Group Item 2B - Page 27
14 Chain of Title based on earliest available records (courtesy Rob Severe, Lawyers Title) 1946, October 23: W.E. Hoover ET AL to California Electric Power Co. SUBDIVISION RIGHT OF WAY
“W. E. HOOVER and MARGUERITE H. HOOVER, and R. H. FLEET Grantors, owning all those certain lands situated in the County of Riverside, State of California and subdivided into blocks, lots, streets, alleys, highways and public places, all as described in and shown on Map or Plat entitled MERITO VISTA NO. 2, a subdivision of the N ½ of the NW ¼ of the NW ¼ of the SE ¼ of Section 10, T. 4 S . , R. 4 E., S. B. B. , & M. and recorded in Map Book No. 21 at Page 2, Records of said County, desire to have a supply of electric energy transmitted to and distributed in said subdivision by the Grantee.”
1956, February 28: Reuben H. Fleet and Eva May Fleet, husband and wife, grant to Jerome J.

Robinson and Rose Dee Robinson, husband and wife, the real property in the City of Palm Springs, County of Riverside, State of California, described as follows: Lot 5 of MERITO VISTA NO. 2 as shown by map on file in Book 21, page 2 of Maps, Records of Riverside County, California. 1956, March 6: Jerome J. Robinson and Rose Dee Robinson, husband and wife, grant to Duncan Parking Meter Corporation (co-owned by J.J. Robinson).
1957, August 29: Duncan Parking Meter Corporation grants to Title Insurance and Trust Company (aka Trust Services of America, Inc.), a California corporation. 1988, April 26: Trust Services of America, Inc., a California corporation, Trustee, successor to Title Insurance and Trust Company, grants to Rudy Strnad and Louise Strnad, husband and wife. 1990, January 2: Rudy Strnad and Louise Strnad, husband and wife, grant to George Shea, a single man and Gordon Locksley, a single man, as joint tenants. 2017, January 30: Wayne Tyler Boek, the Personal Representative of the Estate of Gordon Allen Locksley, does hereby remise, release and forever quitclaim, to Perry Silverman, as Trustee of the Marital Trust under the Gordon Allen Locksley Revocable Living Trust, all of the estates 50% interest in and to Lot 5 of MERITO VISTA NO. 2 as shown by map on file in Book 21, page 2 of Maps, Records of Riverside County, California.
2021, November 3: Perry Silverman, as Trustee of the Marital Trust under the Gordon Allen Locksley Revocable Living Trust, grants to George Shea, a married man, as his sole and separate property all the grantor’s 50% right, title and interest.
2024, September 10: Patrick Payne, administrator of the estate of George Tyson Shea, deceased (“Grantor”) grants to Patrick Joseph Payne, as trustee of the George Shea Revocable Trust, all the Grantor’s right, title and interest.
2024, November 1: Patrick Joseph Payne, as trustee of the George Shea Revocable Trust, grants to Trustees of The Z-List Revocable Trust, the real property known as 999 N. Patencio Road. ###
Item 2B - Page 28
15 The Landowners based on earliest available records
1946: Landowners ‘Al’ E. Hoover (realtor), Reuben H. Fleet and Eva May Fleet create the tract known as Merito Vista No. 2.

Hoover and the Fleets partnered with pioneer real estate developer Culver Nichols to sell and develop lots in the tract. Hoover lived at 987 North Patencio Road (“White Picketts” built 1933 for Jose Ramon Somavia), a dead-end street until 1956, when, with the financial help of Maj.

Reuben Fleet, Hoover and Nichols connected North Patencio Road with Via Lola. The tract of ten lots sold out in ten days, with Fleet and his wife keeping the two largest lots (5 and 6) closest to their home.

Boundary: Last four lots on the north and south sides of western Via Lola and the two west side lots at the northern end of North Patencio Road.

Merito Vista No. 2 Tract Map from 1946
Palm Springs Limelight-News
14 March 1946
Note: When Merito Vista No. 1 was developed in 1925, what is now North Patencio Road was originally West Avenue. The street name changed prior to the 1946 development of Merito Vista No. 2; it was re-named for the Cahuilla Indian and Palm Springs pioneer Francisco Patencio (who had an adobe home nearby) and his family:
wife Dolores, and son Alejo - both of whom were the namesake for other streets in Palm Springs. Before being sold to the modern day “Landowners” referenced in this report, the land was part of the reservation of the Aqua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.

Item 2B - Page 29
,---------------------------',?//.,,
MERI TO VISTA NO. 2
SOLD OUT io 10 Doy,! Mooy Thoob
~l VIA LOLA

CULVER NICHOLS
_.,.c:-1),t,,o
--- • hL'llr.f'...,._ta!\
,t .U.[
-........
...... ...,,,.
16 The Landowners

Adalbert Elder
‘Al. E.’ Hoover Jr.
b. 13 April 1890
Hagerstown, Maryland
d. 15 April 1974 (aged 84)
San Diego, California Marguerite (Hyde)
Nobbs Hoover
b. 14 November 1892
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
d. 18 December 1979 (aged 88)
San Diego, California
Adalbert Elder Hoover Jr. was born in 1890 in Hagerstown, MD. By 1910, Hoover was living in Los Angeles. Sometime thereafter, he settled in Woodland, CA where he was an auto sales expert at Main Street Garage. He married his first wife Elizabeth Lillias Ussher in 1914. ‘Al’ entered military service in 1918 and was a Sergeant 1st class in the US Army during which time he had a serious accident in an aviation camp, losing sight in his right eye.

Al E. Hoover WWI Draft Registration
ancestry.com
In June 1920, he married Jane V. Hunt and they
had one daughter, Dulcie Jayne, born in
December 1927. Meanwhile Al became a
rancher, orchardist and vineyardist in
Woodland, CA on the eastern half of the 112-
acre Yolo Orchard Company. Elected district
advisor to the CA Vineyardists Association in
1927, Al was the director of Yolo County
Central Committee in 1928. In 1932 he sold 50
acres of his Yolo County vineyards and moved
to Menlo Park, CA where he was a member and
committeeman of Peninsula Chapter 47 of the
Disabled Veterans of the World War. By the
early 1940’s, Al was living in Palo Alto and
working for the US Treasury Department in
San Francisco.

Al E. Hoover WWII Registration, 1942
Item 2B - Page 30
17 The Landowners
In 1941, at age 40, Al married his third wife
Marguerite followed by a honeymoon at
The Desert Inn at Palm Springs, CA. ®
Peninsula Times Tribune
4 February 1941

The Desert Sun
16 April 1974
Al and Marguerite Hoover settled in Palo Alto
at 944 Boyce Street but, by 1944, Al was a
realtor in the office of Culver Nichols and
living at 987 North Patencio Road in Palm
Springs. In 1946, Al subdivided the tract
Merito Vista No. 2 with his wife and Major
Reuben Hollis Fleet. In addition to their second
home in Palo Alto, the Hoover’s Southern
California summer home was “The Oaks at
Mesa Mira Villa” in Cherry Valley, CA. As a
republican, he headed up the non-partisan
Eisenhower-Nixon Club in Palm Springs
during the 1952 election year. ‘Al’ E. Hoover
died in 1974 and his ashes were scattered at sea.
ancestry.com
newspapers.com

Item 2B - Page 31
Hoover
\\'ore! h,h ht•t•n rt'l'l'II l'd herl'
or tht• lll'ath or ,\ dallll'rt E
I lrn11 t•r. 4. Hanl'iw Bt•ruardo.
11!111 for :!t y1•,1r, had bt•t•n a
Palm Sprmg, n•,11knt
lltHl\t'r d11•d ~lunda~ ~t h1
n·~1d('n1·1·
\\'h1l1· a Palm Spnng, n•,1-
dent ht• had bc•t•n t'mployt•d
II ith lht• Iota I l'l'a l t•,tatr firm
of C'ullt•r N1d10l,
Ht• b un 11 eel h) 111, 111do11.
~l argucnlt• 1luo1t•r: 111 0 daughter~. Euilt·e and .Jant' Sll'plwn- , on. and a ·on. \\'1llard Lee•
Stephcn,un
Pm ate ~en ICC and ('r(' IIHI•
tton 111II be fo llowed by burtal
at 't1u
ll001e·r 11 a, a I l'teran of
\\'urld ll'ar I. hal'ln • .w,ed 111
the . •. Arm~ .
:>krklcy- ~l1lchell )'lorluary
of San D1cg11 1s m charge of
arranl(l'llll'nt •.
i'-C, FEBRUARY 4, 1941
Brookes to host
dinner party
this evening
Ttn frl•ndl have been Invited
u ~::. "G,~1~~.:;,w:c1:r:k: dinner party at which tho1 "111 be ho.ti lh!J evonlns at their homo u 525 co1ertC11e avtnue. Capt. and In. Brook, will be ll°"ta u anolhtr dlnntr party on Saturday evenlns. when they will tntortaln 20 guest.I.

San Franciscan
becomes bride
of A. E. Hoover Jr.
llonoymoonlng l<)(la1 at the
~al~~ni.•t~:; ~~.rl~f•p~: Alto and hll bride. the former Mrs. largutrlto obbs of San f'rancbco, who "ere married on Sunday •vonln1 al 5 o'clock al lh• bride's home on T•l•graph IIJII, San Francisco Jud11e Tom Fol y o!tlclatod at the WtCldlftl, at ,.hlch M, .. Nobbs was attended by Mrs. P'rank 8. DI via or p lo Alto. The bride ,.-ore an a!IAernoon frock of navy blu• ntt, "1th ll&hler blue acces- 10rl••· and a corsage or orchids. Mr,. Davia Hs In brown, with ~arl acctamrlu and a corsa,e or cameutaa. Arthur Nobbs wu bf I mt.n for his future rather-In-law. Other 1111•sto at the weddlnJ "ere the brldesroom'a daughter. Duky, and eon, Willard, and Mr. Davi.. The bride also hu a daughter, J•an. who Is a student at the Unlvrrally of California at Los AnKelo,.

A 1'edcllnJ supper al Monaco's followtd the ctrcmony. The newlywed> expect to rt• turn In about two weeks to ... tabll h a homo In Palo Alto. 18 The Landowners
Major Reuben Hollis Fleet
b. 6 March 1887
Montesano, Washington
d. 29 October 1975 (aged 88)
San Diego, California
Reuben H. Fleet was a son of David Wacker Fleet and Lillian Florence Adell (Waite) Fleet.

A graduate of Culver Military Academy (CMA) (private boarding school in Indiana), class of 1906, Reuben attended for 4 years and attained the rank of cadet captain commanding an infantry company.

He was editor-in-chief of the student newspaper "Vedette"; captain of the debate team; fullback on the football team; and the center on the basketball team.

On April 29, 1908, Reuben married his first wife Elizabeth Clarkson (Girton). A couple years later they had their first child, a daughter named Phyllis. By the 1910 census, at the age of 23, he was working in real estate and living in West Montesano, Chehalis, WA where his first son, David Girton, was born.

During World War I, Reuben served as a Major in the US Army Air Service from 1917-22, commanding 34 flying fields as executive officer for flight training in the United States. He earned the distinction of being named "Air Mail Pilot Number One" for the US Army Signal Corps when he was appointed officer in charge of the first air mail flights between New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. (until he was transferred to CA). This distinction was given at a special inauguration on May 15, 1918 with President Woodrow Wilson in attendance.

Fleet was the founding president of Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation (Convair) in 1923 (where he remained affiliated until 1946) which later became the Convair Division of General Dynamics Corporation.

Item 2B - Page 32
19 The Landowners
By1932 Fleet married Dorothy Carolyn (Mitchell) and they went on to have three children:

Preston Mitchell, Dorthy Lillian, and Nancy.

In 1936, Fleet moved his airplane factory and
1500 employees from Buffalo, NY to San
Diego, CA. Shortly thereafter Reuben and
Dorothy visited Palm Springs and stayed at El
Mirador.

They divorced in 1945, making her one of the
famous early millionaire widows of Southern
California.
newspapers.com
findagrave.com
ancestry.com
Reuben Fleet’s WWII Registration Card
Los Angeles Times, 15 March 1936
Fleet began spending more time in Palm Springs and, on May 30th, 1947, he married his longtime secretary Eva May Van Denburgh (Vandenburgh) in Fort Worth, Texas.

Fort Worth Star Telegram, 4 June 1947
Item 2B - Page 33
IECtSTUTJO!'f WD---{Mt1 ... • • afltr ,.;I 21, 1871 .. • • W. FMIIJ Ii, ._ ,._ ,..:.... 111on
Ii $o...1&__
BAyvi•w 'fi:.2.3 .,,_,
20 The Landowners
Eva May (Van Denburgh) Fleet
b. 22 November 1905
San Diego, California
d. 2 July 1987 (aged 81)
San Diego, California
Eva May Fleet was born in San Diego, CA. Reuben H. Fleet’s longtime secretary, they married in 1947 and settled in San Diego but stayed at The Desert Inn before buying a winter home in Palm Springs at 221 Merito Place. In 1950, Reuben was an investor in the 18-hole golf course created by his buddy Johnny Dawson at a struggling dude ranch named Thunderbird in Rancho Mirage. (Thunderbird Country Club became a renown enclave for the elite, even inspiring the Ford vehicle of the same name.) The Fleets dining at the Racquet Club
The Desert Sun, 25 April 1956
In 1983, the athletic field at the Bishop’s Schools in La Jolla, California was dedicated to Eva May.

Eva May Fleet died in 1987 at the age of 81.

Item 2B - Page 34
T1,o 0-S. ~"""'•· ·•·· 25 1,s, __ ·---!Te, .. ....,-... _ Dinner is ::.=-::::-
in Honor of __ ..
..... Jib ... lt.n. ........... . ....._.TIIA.._••••...._111, ... 'Mnc..-.. ._ ... .._ .. ,,_,....,..a.,.,11,-.11n.L ••• IC, ._., .._.c.,. "" ••••uw.....-,.il .,.....,.,,. ,.. w,-~_,. _,..,._,..t,w.WW,_,._. -.11,MIIII • .......... w..-.u,..,.. .. , ... ltr,,.
..,,__ ....... llda,,IDW,111,lr(r .... '-1,o
I .. Iii... .. ... llfrt. W
"-................ - L ,._.

THE OUTSTANDING NEW
DfVfLOPMEHT IN
'
21 The Landowners
Reuben Fleet served two terms as president of the Culver Military Academy (CMA) Alumni organization and was a life member. He was on the Board of Directors of Culver Educational Foundation from 1948 until his retirement in 1966. Two of his sons and two grandsons are CMA alumni: David G. Fleet, ’29; Preston M. Fleet, ’52; David F. Fleet, ’54; and Allen M. Fleet, ’74.

Fleet’s family gave 14,000+ books to Culver Memorial Library and Reuben personally donated the Academy chapel organ to honor his uncle Col. A.F. Fleet, CMA’s third superintendent. In 1965, Reuben was awarded honorary life membership in the International AeroSpace Hall of Fame. Fleet Space Theater and Reuben H. Fleet Science Center in San Diego were named for him in 1973 and CMA’s airfield, Fleet Field, was named for his family. For his numerous contributions to CMA, Reuben was posthumously presented with the CMA Distinguished Service Award Sabre. findagrave.com Timeline of R.H. Fleet, Dorothy Fleet and Eva May Fleet in Palm Springs according to The Desert Sun (TDS) and Palm Springs Telephone Directory (PSTD): *PSTD records end in 1964 TDS
March 1936: stays at El Mirador Hotel with second wife Dorothy PSTD
1938: “Fleet RH Major h494 Hermosa Place” (NE corner Patencio (rented from Zaddie Bunker) 1941: “Fleet RH Major (non-res) h494 Hermosa Place”
1944: “Fleet Dorothy Mrs. h457 Hermosa Place”
1951-
*1964: “Fleet Reuben H. (Eva May) h221 Merito Pl” (now vacant at SW corner Belardo) (Fleet bought from Klinger who built the house in 1948)
1955-
1959 : “Belardo Rd – North - 655 RH Fleet guest hse” (same parcel as 221 Merito Place w/ separate entrance) Fleet and his son Preston developed a 40-acre
area of Escondido (near San Diego, CA) with
homes and Montesano Road therein was named
for Fleet’s birthplace.

Major Reuben H. Fleet died in 1975 at the age
of 88 and was laid to rest in Fort Rosecrans
National Cemetery at Point Loma, San Diego.

Daily Times Advocate, Escondido
30 October 1975
Item 2B - Page 35
= Services set for
aviation pioneer SA ' DIEGO - A ~rvict
for Reuben H Fleet, IRI. wbo
founded Consolidated Airtrafl
: Coll' In 1911 in &ffalo. N.Y.,
aDd later moved It to San
Diego and r,nimed it Convair
ColJ)., will be held at t p m
Nov 3 at 8Qnham 8rothtrs
Mortuary.

Mr fleet died Oct 23 al Mercy Hosp1llll
He was born Marth 6. tS17
i n Montesano , Wash .

Moatesano Road in S0111htm
Esaxidulo Is named for bis b1rthplact
Mr Fleet and h11 son. Preston. assi led In dev,loplng mucb of lht to acr,s he once owned in the area into residtnllal pr(Jpf'rtln.

He 1H • former owner or the home 1n Quiel Hills bwlt
by Harold 0.11 Wri1~1. a ooted
author or hi.s day.

Mr. t~lcct and bis son
• isled with the development
ol Via Rancbo Partway, a
throoghlare whicl> connects I·
I~ and the Del Oios Highway.

A ft"' yean ago Fleet gave
!800.000 to cmte the space
lheater In San Diego·• Balboa
Park which burs his name.

Survivinl are his wife.. Eva:

REUIEN H, FLEET
two sons; •nd aix d,.ughten.

Mr. Fleet will be buried al
Fort Rosecrns National
Cemewy on Point Loma. Tho
family has suggested that
those who ca~ to do so, in heu
of nowers, may make con·
tribtltion, lO lilt Reuben H
Fleet Space Thtat<r andJ
Science Ctnter in san Diep nr to a. r.woru,- t'l\:lritv 22 The Original Homeowners
(builders of 999 N. Patencio Rd.)
The Robinsons @ the home of Don Duncan, 1950’s The Desert Sun, 3 January 1962 Jerome J. Robinson
b. 21 September 1907
Chicago, Illinois
d. 31 March 1986 (aged 78)
Palm Springs, California
m. 28 January 1930 Rose (Dee) Robinson
b. 28 June 1908
Chicago, Illinois
d. 27 August 1989 (aged 81)
Chicago, Illinois
Jerome J. ‘Jerry’ Robinson was one of four children born to parents Rose (Golding) Robinson and Abraham H. Robinson, both of whom died a month apart in the summer of 1956. Jerry graduated Chicago High School in 1925 and married Rose Dee in 1930.

Chicago Tribune, 3 November 1929
Jerome J. Robinson WW2 Registration
ancestry.com
Item 2B - Page 36
AMONG THE CELEBR.\NTS al the New Yeu's Ev, p• y 1t
Tennis Club were Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Robinson .He i &
• director of ht club.
-----------
11 ..... -...... ---
fl ' '~=- --"~- ·-- _ ,_,.. JAVE
~ - --c;~A ~'-
•"'.~:;;;;:::"•-•=-..•=
- N
~
23 The Original Homeowners
(builders of 999 N. Patencio Rd.)
Jerome and Rose had two daughters:

Marilyn Robinson (no records)
Jacqueline “Jackie” R. Fern
b. 18 July 1935
d. 2 January 2021
m. Gil B. Fern
Jackie and Gil had two children, one of whom,
Robin Dee Fern, the granddaughter of Jerome
and Rose, lives in Palm Springs today.

Jerome and Rose (right rear) on chaises in the backyard of their home @ 999 N. Patencio Rd. Jacqueline is pictured here in foreground with her husband Gil Fern and holding their daughter Robin Dee.

In the late 1940’s, Jerry became an officer of the Duncan Parking Meter Corporation and was instrumental in selling the city of Chicago its parking meters. In 1952, Jerry and Rose came to Palm Springs as houseguests of his boss, Donald F. Duncan Sr., owner/founder of the Duncan Parking Meter Corporation and founder of the Duncan Toys company, staying at Duncan’s home on Hermosa Place.

Duncan also held a dinner party in their honor at The Racquet Club.

Item 2B - Page 37
24 The Original Homeowners
(builders of 999 N. Patencio Rd.)
The Robinson’s began spending winters at the Duncan home, 457 W. Hermosa Place, and celebrated their 24th anniversary at the Racquet Club in 1954.

The Desert Sun, 1954
Jerome J. Robinson and Donald F. Duncan
courtesy Robin Dee Fern
At the beginning of the 1955 season, Jerry and Rose bought the Palm Springs house of Theodora and Thomas Fleming (fellow Chicagoans) at 555 Via Lola. In February 1956, the Robinsons purchased the land (from R.H. Fleet and Marguerite and Al E. Hoover) across the street for their new house.

Item 2B - Page 38
Anniversary \
A Racqu t !uh
brat d th 2 lh w
era ry of M .r. and
J. Robin n , ho
th Donald a
Bouqu Jr
d c ra n
aroun hi e
th Le r
(they li 1
house) Mr. and
etz, wh are ding a tor .· night at th R t lub . . .
y, . H'nr Kai - Kunin , Philip Ta ,. f
ale Im lark . . . f
Englch r , Mari I 'n
25 The Original Homeowners
(builders of 999 N. Patencio Rd.)
Shortly thereafter, the Robinsons engaged the services of Los Angeles architect A. Quincy Jones of the firm Jones & Emmons to design the residence they would build at “580 Via Lola” and pulled a permit that October to build a $120,000 9-room residence.

Original Building Permit (below) ¯
Building Permit, 1 October 1956 (note the 580 Via Lola address) The Desert Sun, 12 October 1956 Item 2B - Page 39
• • ;~ DING PIIM ~
Cityef Pahns,.r-p
The Detert S1111 Fri4ey, Oct. 11, 1956 9 ,
Around Town ....... Cnwfenl
In all the merry monlh'of October ... 1h11 week I one
of the saye t . . . as lllagers clreulate around town
from one openln& to another . .. There ,.,re o many
place that stayed open all summer
... arid 10 many others that opentd
their doors last month ... that you
can't call this our Openln& Week ...
but everyone who w11 In the crowd
that rotated between t.. Paz, Howard
Manor and De ert Inn Wednellday
night ... Don the &achcomber, the
Oasis and the Dunes la t night ... and plan t o make
El Mirador and the Racquet Cluh tonight .. . can l tll
)'OU that this Is so ... Palm prln11 Is open ... and a
busy, exciting place to be ...
f.1uoor and Htnry Reid wlll to--E-u-rope --. -.. - olld--•-.,-.-11-h_tt_el4 arrh-e at their Smolle Ttt• Ranch frll'IICb ... aod numerou, Palm home !ho f,rit of the ., k ••• Spr .,. .. . oiler mm<rin1 Ill thtfr Golden The J1111t1 8 Talmans ind Hor"' Ranch In E tes Park • , • d h Chriatln, f p aim o,, their W1IJ' to Palm Sprin • lh 5•~ '" Ill\•..._ niu, 0and Pott Reich ... 01 1oend • r.., daJs In P • ~ ''. Dl1blo. alllornu, Un1 the Towruend. 11 • in,ton • , • '" Junior Rtld · ... and 1<1tln1 I C- va< K>nl nc la llio Island• ••• boa qu1inW with their fourth vane!- bl\'t ~rluen 1"""5 lhat tboy H· child Gr, ory Palmer Reid, who P«1 to bo here nut wttk •.. I« wu 1n Aurust . . . lhe "inL« • • •
~• !rem Suttle lrt th .... ;r~~~l;til~ i!=. ~ long-tlmo winter ruldenu, the ca ' typoi In -• stori ... ud Burt lcGovtr • • • They are wrong ldtotillc:alion, In picture sta1ln1 ~11!1 lhrir d111~httr ind 1 · . . must 111,e bttn chort11n1 0<« JOn•ln•law the b Whi 1'kt:n on a rfff:nt Hploit whtn lht:r Can1"11 Place • • and II be htr• man.,Nl to Juol·e • the namn 1 until l11e l)fcomber when thty wl!l Warner Glbnort and Lloid pu, 10 north for the Chrutmu hoh• t11u In I pltwr, cu1lln• ... ~ di)•, • • • tvtt)-0 ollould know that Llo)d
A new addition to the ntart 11 tho - wlllt the clee\>ttt ud Via Lola dutrlct ... wlU be the moil dltrilhtd tan on tho WIii ' J. J Robln,on rHktent• ... The coatl ... end Wimer la &he • bulldlog pmnlt rail for a 1120.• with dlstl.111111hed allvery hair .. . , mrw• room hoUlf' . . . 1t 58G but aome tne tldn 't . . . nd • Via Lola ... Th• former Chica• one but I aranll• could be ham aoan■ boucht the Thoma n.mtni about It . .. Lloyd"• o!I to Nn houM on V 11 Lota Jul Jtor • York and probaMy doean'I "'" but ,old It lattt In the "'"°"• know about ~ ... and •• hopo pl1nnln1 to build I loraor home .. Wamtr'a frltlldllafp will NDd lbe Whta Bertine Trut came down 1lr■ n for I day or .. . . brJ>usht - wilh her three ~•nch poodles In ~,b;:~ .;c ~ .. -::::-~ ~~ ~~ Choose Fa e....tme couldn't II ltr ... 1 there 11 100 much '°"'' on In t,i,•n . . . bul ,xpecu to be back in a week or 1.-0 ... In ttme for If you wont to Choo the Costello ranch party ind the
:•:_ _::: !~ •. : : wblc:11 ar• rics ond in floor co,;, Vll'l!nla rLaudllin called me
;1::',.:h•M:,~~110 ,!:~. °:,. .. 1 6201. Our station , rummage ule l It It.art.I tomorrow , • •• and I round out ahe has been sultant with color so back for thr • tt ... She bad • wonderful aummer up norUi .• rontod the Stanley loor1·1 Pied•
moal boU,1,t, -.h lhtJ •en &Ont
26 The Original Homeowners
(builders of 999 N. Patencio Rd.)
In 1958, Jerry bought out the Duncan family’s interest in the Duncan Parking Meter Corporation but kept the maintenance portion of the company, spinning it off as Duncan Parking Meter Service Company and adding the Duncan Traffic Equipment Company. Careful to keep his name from being too visibly attached to the business, Jerry oversaw a controversial chapter, weathering bribery accusations and an arrest. He became known as “Mr. Parking Meter” whereby he controlled the inspection, maintenance and coin-collecting of the city of Chicago’s 13,000+ parking meters over more than three decades, amassing millions of dollars in revenue each year.

By 1962, Jerry was vice president of The Tennis Club, then owned by Harry Chaddick (another fellow Chicagoan) and founded/built by early Palm Springs pioneer Pearl McCallum McManus. The Robinson’s became quite philanthropic in their adopted hometown, giving money to Eisenhower Medical Center, Desert Hospital and Angel View Crippled Children’s Foundation.

In 1970, the Robinsons fancied a master bedroom enlargement (to the west) as well as a maid’s room expansion. Both additions were designed by A. Quincy Jones to match the original look of the home.

The master bedroom added 410 sq. feet, while the maid’s room addition, consisting of 2 rooms and interconnecting baths, added another 230 sq. ft.

In 1980, the Robinson’s attended a benefit cocktail party at the Tamarisk CC home of Harold Hirsh co-hosted by Tamarisk Friends of Desert Hospital and Frank Sinatra to benefit the expansion of Desert Hospital, toward which they donated $50,000 of the $550,000 raised by Sinatra’s subsequent gala benefit at the Canyon Hotel in Palm Springs.

Meanwhile, in Chicago, Rose was active in the women’s auxiliary of the Louis A. Weiss Memorial Hospital.

Jerry Robinson and his ‘friend’ Frank Sinatra
The Desert Sun, 26 January 1980
Item 2B - Page 40
ROBINSON AND FRIEND - Jerome Robinson (left)
discusses the $50,000 contribution he and Mrs.

Robinson are making to Desert Hospital through
Sinatra's Feb. 15 benefit.
27 The Original Homeowners
(builders of 999 N. Patencio Rd.)
Chicago Tribune, 2 April 1986
Death Notice, Chicago Tribune, 2 April 1986
Jerome ‘Jerry’ J. Robinson passed away at his Palm Springs home (not at Desert Hospital, according to his granddaughter) the last day of March 1986 at the age of 78. Before Rose’s death three years later, the family made the decision to sell the house fully furnished in April 1988 to Louise and Rudy Strnad.

Rose D. Robinson, devoted wife, mother, and grandmother, passed away in August 1989 at the age of 81.

Chicago Tribune, 28 August 1989
The Robinson’s daughter Marilyn preceded her mother Rose in death and their younger daughter Jacqueline died in 2021.

Item 2B - Page 41
Former meter mogul
Jerome Robinson, 78
Graveside services for Jerome J. Robinson, 78, Chicago' controversial "Mr. Parking Meler" for more than 30 years, will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Westlawn Cemetery, 7801 W. Montrose Ave., orridae. Mr. Robinson died Monday in De en Hospital, Palm Sprin&s, lif., where he had been living in retirement.

For decades, Mr. Robinson's
finns collcc1ed million of dollars a year from the city for in talling, rcpairin& and collecting coins from the city's I 3,000 parking meters. The s tem ended in 1984 when Mayor Harold Wiuhinaton a ig- ncd most of the work to city crews. Mr. Robinson' association with the city bcpn in 1951, when he w an officer m Duncan Parkin& Meter Corp., which sold the city its fil'Sl parking meters. In 1958, Mr. Robinson bought the company from the Duncan family. He later sold it to a conglomerate, but kept control of a separate firm, Duncan Parking Meter Maintenance Co., which wa paid to in pcct and maintain Chicago's meters. Mr. Robinson OIP.llized a series
of finns, most wnh Duncan in
their name , to upply the city with parking m ter services. The firms frequently were criticized by refonners.

In 1979, for example, allegation were raised that one finn wa bil- ling the city for work it never did.' In a two-month period; the city was billed for meter work, even though the meters were burie<li under a record nowfall the critics!
said. Other criticism focused on the number of meters not working. But four city admini trationsthose of Mayors Manin Kennelly, Richard Daley, Michael Biland,c and Jane Byrne- remained loyal
to Mr. Robinson. He, in wrn, was a gencrou con- tributor to local political fi&ures and the Cook County Democratic
organization. Survivors include his wife, Rose· a daughter, Jacqueline Fern; and two grandchildren.

ROBINSON

ROBINSON
J rome J. RoblnHn, 1t Palm
Sprints, CA., beloved husblnd of
Ros , ne Dee; lovlne father of
Jackie ( GIi) F rn and th late
Merilyn Robinson; d voted
grandfather of Robin Doe and John
D. Ftrn. S rvl e Friday ll a.m. t
th family tot, Ea t Lak ctlon,
Westlawn C m terv, 7800 W. Monirose. Mr. Robin on was • consist nt suPPOrter and contributor of m nv char1teb1 or11n1zet1ons. In
lleu of flow rs, m morfels to the
Louis A. Weiss M morl1f Hospltal, would be 1pprecl1ted. Info. ,_., W.......,n Menorah Chapel, 561- 1890.
28 2nd Owners of 999 N. Patencio Rd.

Rudolph ‘Rudy’ A. Strnad Jr.
b. 11 October 1937
Euclid, Ohio
Louise R. (Federico) Strnad
b. ? October 1939
Lake, Ohio
Rudolph ‘Rudy’Anthony Strnad Jr. is the oldest of three children born to Rudolph A. Strnad, Sr. and Frances A. (Sirk) in Euclid, Ohio. He attended Euclid Senior High School until 1955 where he met and later married his high school sweetheart Louise R. Federico (who had contracted the polio virus in 1950 but recovered). They settled in Cleveland where Rudy attended Cleveland Trade School from 1955-58, focusing on carpentry and building construction. By the 1960’s they were living in Los Angeles County with their three children and where, in 1966, Rudy built a quick-stop market in Temple City. In 1972, the Strnads moved to San Marino, CA.

In 1977, Rudy became the founder and president of Flame Control Systems based in both Pasadena, CA and Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia. The company designed, engineered, manufactured, installed (in refineries, chemical and nuclear plants, pipelines, pump stations and off-shore platforms) and maintained long term fire-protection insulation blanket systems globally. He operated the company for nearly twelve years before immediately starting his next venture which he still oversees. -LinkedIn.com
Louise Strnad is one of three children born to Frank Federico (an Italian immigrant) and Fay Loretta (Parenti) in Lake, Ohio. Louise has devoted herself to being a wife, mother, grandmother and business partner to her husband. A self-described “volunteer-at-large” since 1977, Louise has also immersed herself into charity work and philanthropy.

The Los Angeles Times, 24 April 1985
Item 2B - Page 42
The 21st birthday of the Pasadena Junior Philharmonic
Committee' s Showcase House of Design called for a celebration by most of tho Showcase chairmen since 1966. Front, from left, ere Mmes. Davis Pillsbury, Lawrence W. Jones, James B. Fox Ill. lloo An11t1eo <llimeo
EU.,£.~ JA~KOI
F. Jack Liebau. Rudolph Strnad (presont chairman), Allen Mathias and Hugh M. Grant. Back row, from left. ore Mmes.

Howard Cantwell, Kalman L. Benuska, Richard Siefert. James P.

Kennedy. John C. Cushman, J. Terry Maxwell. Malcolm McColl. 29 2nd Owners of 999 N. Patencio Rd.

South Pasadena Review
30 January 1985
¬
The Strnads bought 999 N. Patencio Rd. in
1988 and lived there just two years before
moving to Rancho Mirage and selling the house
in 1990 to Gordon A. Locksley and George T.

Shea as joint tenants.

According to Rudy Strnad’s April 2025
LinkedIn profile: In 1989, Rudy founded and
still presides over New Generation Fuel Tec+,
(designing, engineering, and patenting a semi
and fully automated system for all types of
cryogenic or compressed liquid and gaseous
fuels), which he operates from the Greater Palm
Springs, CA area. R. Strnad Enterprises LLC
received US patent no. 6,640,846 for
“Automatic Fueling System and components
therefor” in 2003.

As of 2025, the Strnads live in La Quinta, CA.

Item 2B - Page 43

LOUISE STRNAD CHAIRMAN
'85 Showcase House
Eng. Tudor Mansion
M . Rudolph trnad. Jr. i an
appropriat.e choi a ben fit
chairtn11J1 of the Pa.,adena Junior
ho
H
the
V
3 or
and l(J'andmother of one,
• ed inn
ciVlC l president of
the PMk Women ' • • • fOf' I.his
Club P1' A bout'
al otio
uruor High and
in San
night
e;iil
Rafeel Bridge.
fluil an I 29 by Paul R. w·.
30 3rd Owners of 999 N. Patencio Rd.

George T. Shea & Gordon A. Locksley
Gordon Allen Locksley
b. 27 August 1930
Chicago, Illinois
d. 1 February 2014 (aged 83)
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Gordon Allen Locksley was born in Chicago in 1930. He moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1954 where soon after he met George Tyson Shea, an assistant professor in Japanese language and literature at the University of Minnesota. Being of entrepreneurial spirit and each already cognizant of the local art scene, together they opened the Red Carpet Beauty School which, in essence, also became a salon for displaying/selling art as encouraged by mutual friend Jan Van der Mark who would serve as chief curator at Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, 1962-67. As word caught on and their reputation grew, the couple’s art collection outgrew the salon and they opened Locksley Shea Gallery in their Minneapolis mansion residence on Mt. Curve Avenue, which fast became a leading gallery of the Mid-West.

Locksley & Shea in front of their mansion
Star Tribune via Getty Images
Item 2B - Page 44
31 3rd Owners of 999 N. Patencio Rd.

The Locksley Shea mansion became ground zero for THE art and culture world of 1960’s/70’s Minneapolis as their gallery mounted exhibits by groundbreaking artists such as Ellsworth Kelly, Frank Stella, and, among others, Andy Warhol (who partied there with his "superstar" pals Viva and Paul Morrissey). Warhol even made a painting in 1975 of Locksley and Shea (based on Polacolor Type 10 photos he had taken of them).

Andy Warhol, artist, 1975
Parties at the gallery were legendary including one in 1967 where the artist Christo wrapped live models in clear cellophane to live music! Locksley also co-owned a local gay bar, Sutton Place, one of the area’s first, and he was a staunch advocate for equality.

After much success, Gordon and George rewarded themselves with a trip to Rome in 1976. They fell in love with Italy and stayed for two years, selling their Minneapolis mansion, and then moving to France - first to Cannes - then to Paris. Meanwhile they continued to amass extraordinary holdings of contemporary art. They returned to the US in 1990 to buy the Robinson Residence from Louise and Rudy Strnad in Palm Springs before settling down in 1994 and splitting their time between Southern California and Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

After nearly forty years together, Locksley and Shea had grown apart as a couple but remained steadfast friends, each retaining a 50% share in the Robinson Residence. They continued their business partnership and maintained joint ownership of their valuable art collection.

In 1998, Locksley met Wayne Tyler Boeck and they became partners, living together at 999 N.

Patencio Road while also splitting their time between the Southern California and the east coast. In 2001, they opened the Robinson Residence to film producer Jerry Weintraub for filming and the house was used as a location backdrop in the major motion picture Ocean’s 11, a popular 2001 remake of the 1960 “Rat Pack” original.

Item 2B - Page 45
32 3rd Owners of 999 N. Patencio Rd.

According to the film’s production notes, director Steven Soderbergh and production designer Jim Messina were looking for a house to represent the home of Reuben Tishkoff, the role played by actor Elliott Gould:
“We looked for sweeping, low-line, mid-century homes in Las Vegas,” said Messina, “and discovered that that architecture doesn’t exist there anymore.” So, they began searching in Palm Springs and found the perfect home. According to the film’s IMDB page, the producers paid the homeowners an impressive $200,000 for the right to film at the Robinson Residence. George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts, Andy Garcia and Don Cheadle were the major stars of this Ocean’s 11 remake.

The Desert Sun, 11 March 2001
Item 2B - Page 46
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DESERT
PfOPlf --0i-.~- ,~ .... ,,.,._.
•-~c ..,
Waves of stars hit valley
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~;~~~crbcrgh stamp l4'l-l (~ -. ~
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Continued from El
Jack Libcnnan, who worlts for
the owners of the house, private
art dealers Gordon Locksley and
George T. Shea, said the location
scouts found it in the book of
unique loal architecture, "l¼ilm
Springs Modem." Libcnnan said
the 7 ,000-squart•fool home was
built on 1.1 acres of land in 1957
by Quincy Jones.

The estate is surrounded by ole•
ander bushes with dozens of pabn
trees towering over them. The
driveway inside a black iron pie
leads to a post-modem overhang
with rectangular holes, or perhaps
ponals, 10 Stt the sky. Tre-es and
plan1 life adorn both sides of the
stone walkway 10 the house .

Weinmub said his crew com•
pletely redecorated the imerior
and pool area to gel 1he look
Soderbcrgh w.uued. Paintings of
naked women were hung on the
s1one walls of the compartmen1alizcd living area, and s1a1ucs were placed around the pool. ■ ■ ■
The scene shot Friday nigh1 was
the one in which Octan was C:X·
plaining the caper 10 his cohorts at
1he Las Vegas home of the financier, Reuben 1ishkotr, played by Gould.
h wu a Kme tha1 had 10 be
ttShot doz.ens of times, no matter
how good the pctformancn, so
SodcrberJ;h could SCI hls master
shot and then rclichl the scene
each time for the mdMdual lhots
of all 11 robbcn.

In between shots, uand•ins
wttt placed where the stan wttt
goina to be filmed and Soder·
bcrih unnacd each shot 10 hit
likina. The man who helped
bunched lbc American indcpcn·
dent filmrnaltinc movement with his •scz, lies ond Yidcollpc" In I 989 also ii lbc dirfflor of photoanphy of •Oaan'1 Eleven.• He opcnlCI the •A• camen ao
mcticu.lou&ly I h,c UICI I tape met·
IW't to tnSW't the discancc: be·
"'-.en his camcn ond aubica wil
"'lbc proper - ollipl. The ICIOR 6nd various IICtfflo tie1 to pau the time between shoo. My 1tx11 IOd lhcir friend,
13--y<IM>ld Dwelle Diacr, al:
1960 'Ocean's 11' PTOductNllrlctor: lewis Milestone Scl'Hfl'Mfttn; Harry Brown and Charles Lederer (from a story by
George Clayton Johnson and Jack
Golden Russell)
Dann, Ocean: Frank Smatra
Sa■ HanlCNI: Dean MartJn
Jost. Ntwanl: Sammy Davis Jr.

JI-, Fflter: Peter Lawford
a..tttco 0...0: Aile, Did<ensoo
At,tltootyllor.-.,1: Ridla!dCO<lte
ouu Sutoa: cesa, Romero
Mela Elutrl : Patrice Wymore
.....,, o·- Joeyeishop
S,,,O.AcMol: AkimTam1roff
•• Conlul: Henr, Silva
- Normanfdl C- Red Skelton, Shl11ey
Maclame, Georgl! Rall
Damon if they can wa1ch him and
Re iner play ba ckga mmon .
"Sure," replies Damon, wearing
an olive jacke1, khaki pams and a
horizon1ally striped shirt. "Warch
me beat him." .. He bca1 me IWO OUI of three, ..
says Reiner, looking scruffy m
wha1 looked like a beige fishing
h:u. •11·saircatpme. Ge1abook
and learn it. It's addictive."
My kid• were initialty intimidated by Damon, whom they had last seen in "The Talented Mr. Ripley," bu1 Danielle persuaded them 10 wander in his d.irecrion. • AJ. linl I wu ml ol lClltd bc- c,usc - 'Thc Tllemcd Mr. Ripley? Psycho &UYI" aid my I~
,on, Part.tr. "But it turns out he wasTolcntcd Mr. Nice Guy." So wttt the other WI on the set. When Danielle fim nw
Ck>oney standinc a few fctt IWIJ
from her, kmina drop-dead pgtOUS in a blK'k coat and a wtute, opcn-<Ollaml shirt, UIC lei out I
shriek. But Wein1nub had
colChcd her SO cft"c:ctiYdy 00 beIna quid on the Kl, it WU just a quiet shriek. My 12-ycar•old aon, Clay, thoupu Clooncy looktd younau
in person than he mntmbcnd him in lilml sud, II "Tht Pufcct Storm• or the 1V show, •ER.• •But he probably ju,( bid I bladt
boir-<iy< job,. he coc,jcauml.

E,ayooc - swpritcd II bow toll Pin lool:td. He'1 ~ thin ond_....,.,lipl...., ... - 2001 'Ocean's Eleven' 1
Prodltetr: Jerry Wemtraub
Dlllctor: St..,..Soderl>eli,i
Scrttnwrtttr. TedGnffin
Danny Ocean: George Cloooey
Ruoty Ryan: Brad ~It
U1111,: Man Damon
Htny ltMdlct Alldy Ga1cia
lallltr. Don Chfadte
Ttu:JutiaRoberts
Fruit Cattan: Bemie Mac
R-lhlll<oll: Elllo<t Goo~ 111111 llllllr, Scott Caan
~ lllllor- Casey Affleck
Sol...._:ca~Reiner
l.Mlpton DtH: Eddie Jemison
Ytn: Quin Shaobo
fit 10 complement his bleached
hair. The consensus was he
looked almosl lanky. Bui, when
he walked by the kids, he made
eye co n1ac1 and gave rhem a
knowing smile. h produced a
more mdelible memory than he
could have produced v,•i1h a
speech.

The only suslaincd COO\'tl'SatJOn
v,ith a l iar V,'U v,~th Gould, the leg•
cndary siar of "M•A-S•H." He
saw my bds being chapcroncd by
their mother and ailid her who
they were. My wife, Jane, said lhcy
were lncnds of jcny Wcimraub's
and suddenly, they wen: friends of Gould's, too .

He was weanng a mokin& jack•
ct with aokj and satin embroidery,
an 11co1 and ovenizcd glasses.

Jane mentioned she htd just
wa1ched the ori&intl .. Ocun's
11,. on video and she eskcd if he
was goina to have tome funny lints hkt the chanctcr hls part wn oppumtly modeled ofter.

HelUfflcdromyl~ond
opa,ed hi, ll!lll II if 10 model I,;,
oudit. "Parm," he 111d, ·do you
thinl; I look humorouol"
Bednzlcd ia how the kida
looked. We oaly hid on hour oo
lhc oct, but it prov.led "'°""' stir power to llsl the kids a lift:- - -
--lolhlpooplt,'
--oflhlo-t
SUn.-: 778-422
33 3rd Owners of 999 N. Patencio Rd.

Wayne Boeck (left) and Gordon Locksley in the living room of the Robinson Residence “He (Locksley) was huge in this community for generating excitement about contemporary art,” said Liz Armstrong, former curator at the Minneapolis Institute of Art (MIA), and longtime friend of his.

In 2006, a new display of important twentieth-century painting and sculpture was on view at MIA.

Located in the contemporary painting and sculpture galleries in the museum’s then new Target Wing, all ten works were on extended loan from the Locksley Shea collection. The installation included works by modern and contemporary masters such as Donald Judd, Agnes Martin, Claes Oldenburg, Ellsworth Kelly, Carl Andre, John Chamberlain, Brice Marden, Andy Warhol, Louise Nevelson, and Roy Lichtenstein. Ongoing loans from the collection enabled MIA to start a contemporary art department in 2009 with at least 50 pieces on loan until autumn 2013 when Locksley’s health began to deteriorate.

Locksley and Wayne Boeck married November 20th, 2013, and settled permanently in Fort Lauderdale.

Gordon Allen Locksley died in 2014 at the age of 83 and his 50% interest in 999 N. Patencio Road went to Boeck who later deeded it to Shea as Shea’s sole and separate property in 2021.

Item 2B - Page 47
34 3rd Owners of 999 N. Patencio Rd.

George T. Shea, photographed by Andy Warhol, 1975
Dr. George Tyson Shea
b. 16 September 1924
Glendale, California
d. summer 2023 (aged 98)
Palm Springs, California
George Tyson Shea was born to Karmel (Knox) and John M. Shea in Glendale, CA, the younger of two sons. By the late 1930’s he was living with his family in Berkeley, CA where he attended high school. George registered for WW2 when living in Seattle, WA, and he enlisted in 1943. Less than a year later he was stationed in Palm Springs, CA while serving in the US army intelligence division.

George Shea’s WW2 Registration Card
In 1946 he briefly attended Stanford and later enrolled at Michigan University (UMich), Ann Arbor, where he worked as a cataloguer in the University library and was a Fullbright Scholar, spending a year in Japan. In 1956 and 1959, respectively, as partial fulfillment for the requirements of his doctoral degree at UMich, Shea published two dissertations; The Japanese proletarian literary movement, theory and fiction, 1921-1934; and Leftwing literature in Japan, a brief history of the proletarian literary movement.

Item 2B - Page 48
·c::r.. ....... (Mm ... 11111 • afur .lurlJ 1, 1124. and.,.• W-.i ~11, lti,t) ===c.:;:==.::.:;;;:;;;;:;;t; ..,,.:.!:· •!!. )
35 3rd Owners of 999 N. Patencio Rd.

In the early 1950’s, Shea was working as an assistant professor in Japanese Language and Literature at the University of Minnesota. He met Gordon Locksley in Minneapolis in 1954 and together they founded the Red Carpet Beauty School and Locksley Shea Gallery, becoming serious collectors and promoters of modern contemporary art. They were life partners for thirty years, remaining close friends after their separation and continuing to grow and share their art collection until Gordon’s death.

George also remained close to his only brother John “Jack” Martin Shea who, too, was an avid collector of modern American art, having served two decades as trustee/president of Newport Harbor Museum of Art. Jack had made his fortune as an oilman turned investor who owned carwashes and commercial buildings; he and his wife Marion had a home in Palm Springs.

From 1993-95, George resided at 1500 E. Palm Tree Drive and maintained this address until at least 2010, living again at 999 N. Patencio Road from at least 2013 until 2023.

In June 2013 Patrick Joseph Payne was made a trustee of the George Shea revocable trust.

George Tyson Shea died in the summer of 2023 at the age of 98.

In July 2024, Bonhams & Butterfields Auctioneers held an online-only auction containing 30 items of The Collection of Gordon Locksley & George T. Shea.

Page 9 ends

The Collection of Gordon Locksley & George T. Shea
Item 2B - Page 49
"Art plays a part in everyone's life, even if one
doesn't realize it. All art is good. If we cannot agree to that then we have nothing else to say to each other.

All art is good. It refreshes the soul."
---
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ard0..V-ShN. prdoDY.lcml-utad
36 The Project: Residence for ‘Mr. and Mrs. J.J. Robinson’ 1956-1957, 1970 Early concept rendering of 999 North Patencio Road, Summer 1956 Close up rendering of perimeter wall
(Note the original address: 560 Via Lola)
According to author Adèle Cygelman in her
1999 book Palm Springs Modern: “Jerome
Robinson, owner of a parking meter company
in Chicago, and his wife hired A. Quincy Jones
to design their winter retreat after seeing his
house for their friend Louis Golan.”
Golan had been chairman of the board of
Lenfield Co. and a director of City National
Bank and was a trustee of both Cedars-Sinai
Medical Center (Los Angeles) and Eisenhower
Medical Center (Rancho Mirage).

The Golan House ¯ was built in 1955 at 1010 North Rexford drive in Beverly Hills, CA. As of the date of this report, that Jones & Emmons design is listed for sale for $34,900,000.

Louis and Sylvia Golan House: Note design similarities - from the elevations and front porte-cochere – to the block walls and stonework like that used at 999 N. Patencio Rd.

Item 2B - Page 50
37 “Preliminary Study - Landscape Plan” (1956) for Robinson Residence The Project Team
Jones and Emmons
(and Associates)
Archibald ‘Archie’ Quincy Jones, partner
Frederick ‘Fred’ E. Emmons, partner
Emiel Becsky, associate
Harry Saunders, associate
Kazuo ‘Kaz’ Nomura, associate/draftsman
Contractors (partial list)
Raymond ‘Ray’ Dill, general contractor
‘Win’ Miner, contractor, 1970 addition
Frank Thome, landscape contractor
Florentine Tile and Terrazzo
Item 2B - Page 51
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38 The Architects and their team
A.Q. Jones with one of his architectural models Jones at his drafting table Archibald ‘Archie’ Quincy Jones Jr., F.A.I.A.
b. 29 April 1913
Kansas City, Missouri
d. 3 August 1979 (aged 66)
Los Angeles, California
‘Archie’ Quincy Jones Jr. was born April 29, 1913, the youngest of three children, to Floye M. (Osburn) and Archibald Quincy Jones Sr. in Kansas City, Missouri. By 1920, Archie’s family was living in Pueblo, Colorado where his father owned the real estate brokerage Jones Sales Company.

Shortly thereafter, the family moved to Los Angeles, settling in Gardena. Prior to 1935 Archie was living with his first wife and fellow student Ruth (Schneider) in Seattle, Washington where he earned his bachelor’s degree of Architecture at University of Washington in 1936. They then returned to Los Angeles where, over the next three years, he worked with and was inspired by the modernist architects Douglas Honnold, George Vernon Russell and Burton A. Schutt. In the 1940 census, Jones is listed as “architectural designer” and Ruth as a “draftsman,” both in the office of Allied Engineers with Paul R.

Williams (the first licensed African American architect in the U.S.). Allied is where Jones would also meet his future business partner Frederick E. Emmons.
1942 was a busy year for Jones: he earned his
California architect certification; divorced
Ruth; and became a lieutenant commander in
the US Navy on the aircraft carrier USS
Lexington which served in the Pacific Theater
of World War 2.

Archie’s WW2 Registration Card
Item 2B - Page 52
)I
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.
.

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- l -•-h.&11 .. n\_,t. ___ .,_'nlotl,..l nra,
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39 The Architects and their team
After his discharge from the Navy in 1945, Jones started his in-home architectural practice and partnered with Paul R. Willams on a few well-known projects including the Palm Springs Tennis Club (1947) and the Town & Country restaurant (1948). Jones notably also participated around this time in the fortuitous Case Study House program created by the editor of Arts & Architecture, John Entenza. “In 1948, Quincy Jones experimented with prototypical house designs when he designed the 1,000-sqare-foot single-family post-and-beam house in San Diego for the merchant builder, A.C. Hvistendahl. In 1950, that house earned Jones an American Institute of Architects First Honor Award. The publication…in the December issue of the magazine Architectural Forum was the same issue that recognized Joe Eichler with ‘Subdivision of the Year’ honors.” - eichlerX-100.com
As a direct result of their concurrent accolades in the press, Jones then met developer Joseph Eichler who commissioned Jones to design many of the renown ‘Eichler’ homes; it was this large commission that led to the formation of Jones and Emmons in 1950 - whose designs are reflected in nearly 5,000 Eichler homes built over 24 years until Eichler’s death in 1974. Remarkably, the protype for the Eichler Steel X-100 houses foreshadowed the design cues that Jones & Emmons would use in Palm Springs for the Robinson Residence.

Front and back of The Eichler Steel X-100 House Prototype in San Mateo, CA.

Item 2B - Page 53
40 The Architects and their team
A working color model of the X-100 designed by Jones & Emmons, circa 1956.

Note the obvious similarities to 999 N. Patencio Road, designed the same year.

By 1954, Jones and Emmons designed and built their own office building at 12248 Santa Monica Boulevard - now a Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument (LACHM) occupied by the Frederick Fisher & Partners architectural firm. Ironically, in 2014, that firm was commissioned to design a retreat pavilion at the Jones & Emmons – designed Sunnylands in Rancho Mirage.

Jones & Emmons Office Entrance LAHCM Marker
Meanwhile, around the time of the Eichler commission, Jones began teaching as a professor at the University of Southern California (USC) School of Architecture. Within his first decade there, he was designing buildings on the campus as well as larger office buildings, including the later 1963 IBM Aerospace Headquarters. Several University of California campuses also feature significant examples of Jones' work.

Item 2B - Page 54
41 The Architects and their team
On June 26, 1962, Jones married his second wife Elaine (Sewell) in Corvallis, Oregon.

Marriage Certificate, filed 29 October 1962
In 1969, Jones and Emmons were awarded the national AIA Architectural Firm Award of the year and Emmons retired from the practice which then became known as A. Quincy Jones and Associates, Architects.

Los Angeles Times, 13 June 1969
Item 2B - Page 55
CC ~ PART II
FRIOAV,JUNE 13, 1969

ART SEIDENBAUM
Architects
Take Bow
A little chest-beating music
please, as some California form
givers finally gain lnt.ematlonal
recogn!Uon.

For decades, West Coast ar•
chitccturo h'3 enjoyed about as
much prestl1e as the privy-the
little house behind the big house.

The famous California shapes were
in bathln~ suits and the distinguished buildings were underlooked In favor of roadside stucco hot dogs.

RECORD ~ MARRIAGE STAT& Of" OftE:OOH .... TA.TC: 9QMO Of" N&AL.nt VTTAl.ffA~~ ....... - • 82~
- --
For 62 years,
the American Ins tit u t e of Architects has presented an annual Gold Medal
Award for e."<reptional work in design, the highest
honor offered by
t h e professional
society.

Only once before has any architect west of
Chicago won the Gold Medal
(Bernard Maybeck In 1951). The
1969 award, to be presented at the
AIA's convention in Chicago later
this month, goes to William\\ ilson
Wurster of San Francisco.

Amends are being made. The
firm of Wurste1·, Bernardi and
Emmons has been making California a more habitable place for more than a quarter-century. William Wurster has been improving the landscape for 47 years. His
residences and his public buildings
wear beautifully-so good they
never had to be fashionable.

Another important AI.A honor is
c a 11 e d the Architectural Finn
Award. This year, it belongs to
Jones and Emmons, an outfit that
lives here in Los Angeles.

The northern and southern Em- mon es are related: ·A. Quincy Jones' partner Frederick Emmons
is the brother of Wurster's partner
Don Emmons. The other quallty
both firms have in common is a
consistent humanl m.

In 1945, Quincy Jones began
drawing a di!C.rent kind of tract
hOUS<!--One (lcslgncd to satisfy a
family rather than a nnance
company. For nearly 20 years, in
partnership with Emmons, Jones
hu framed some extraordinary
homes In our generally funny.
faced community. You can find
them in such high-rent districts u
Trousdale E5tates. You can see
them clll!glng to the gdes of mid•
die cl canyons. They nre recognizable by glass and wood and rcstrainL
Jones and Emmons has also done some fine churches (see SL Michael's in Coldwater Canyon. for one example) and some c~ highrise apartment h~ (see Shorecliff Tower In Santa Monica).

The !inn's work on campll'leS has
become Important In the last !ow
years. Jones and Emmons designed
the new Stale College al Domin•
gucz Hills; the !Inn ls the coordinating architect for UC San Diego; and the firm did UCLA's award-
\\1nnln& resean:h library.

The pertnera are as refined as their outpuL I happen to be a friend of Jones so my claUon <>Yer the award Involves a peraonal
pleasure Quincy h ~ of th01e
rare creatura without any kind of
contrived facade, as open to the
world u his own designs.

A local nonarchltect also receiv an award from the AlA convenllon. Jull111 Shulman ls a photographtt who speclallzt't In transu o . II work hu been In the bet:ttt
and the eood m111e111111,
'l"1e archl~ ue aolnl to live
h • for It and ll'I
hl'I not ootlnt:
u1man 11 of tffl
nd IL
42 The Architects and their team
In 1975 Jones became the much beloved dean of the USC School of Architecture for three years until his retirement in 1978, ending a 27-year affiliation with the university. The praise for his impact on the University was endless…
Los Angeles Times, 18 June 1978
…just over one year after his retirement from USC, Archibald Quincy Jones Jr. died on the 3rd of August 1979 at the age of just 66.

In May 2013, a major exhibition on the life and work of architect A. Quincy Jones opened at Los Angeles’ Hammer Museum honoring a man whose life and career ‘had as much, if not more, influence on Southern California architecture before his death…than many contemporaries who have since become icons of the era.’
“Jones was part of the reform movement seeking to change obsolete building codes and to relax restrictions, which kept floor planning from keeping pace with the changes in lifestyles. He offered more than talent; he eased the path from the old to the new for all architects who followed.” -Esther McCoy, Architectural Historian, 1980
Item 2B - Page 56
I

THREE -YEAR TENURE PRAISED
Jones to Leave USC Dean's Position
A.~--
-·--1n ...chllacbn - I ,-lod ol lime." J- _ ._ __ IIMln 'JV ;:.'""Allllllt-·t-insrora
"TOU--1 bave -In my ---.... --.- :-:.r= ... ~~
-~:.i:::--= ~ci::: =-~"'!i·~~~~·::e-;::

DEAN JONES TO LEAVE ='-~~IOClunl
education. lhe flCIIIIY - fflCOUf• qod10brtn,....-, ... ofudlll«• lunlolbeclaaroom,= andt'-Yto • ~NU..aprd- uehli«- ~'::: -~ n: ~J'::
undenloodand~allofv- chll«lun. Ht allond 1111117 ldtu to ..... fonru,I..

J- allo btlped 11-tublllh Ibo tchool'a -uona with tht v- Clll- -..1111ty b7 llldudlnl udl!IOCltln._endNIOdlla!Kl prd....al flmcllaa, II USC. " fft'1 I waldorflll 111111," 111d John R. H~ PNlidtnl of USC. "Ht"t I ~ prdMioall and a ,...., b11m111
He - lhe ochool lo ill rf,t, plaoe In lhe mhllOClunl COIIUlllllllty," Jona blill I lllppOf\ lfOllP called Ibo Al<blltclurll Guild from a lllhff =~:=:Su~
lllppOf\ for .... ~· of If•
chllOClun, Under Jona' ltodmhlp Ille num- ber of tltctlTt ccuntf In mhiltCllllt WM - TIit dtpen.,ntnl of line w ... tuffllllltned bl' tn• eourq1na tht hirinl of IOOd people and b7 lncrtatlna ""'ltCl with lbe off • .._ art communl\y (lrlloto came lo .._, flCllllJ' mtmbt!I
lectured In lhe -..unl\y),
,_ ....... lntlNMtlltl In blr1,w llle 11111 -· -'tie deln tht ~ of fine 11N bail bad In u yean. Tbe new admuutntor, •'--willbo-lhortly, II apecled to IITt Ille depirlnMnl - ldmlnltUlll .. elOUt and lffl. pnn,t Ibo ourncullllll.

Jone( lkJIII _,., bt)'Olld bit
tchool ti USC. Ht dealt --.Jy and ::r=,."t,. with llle unlnnl\y ad , "Dtan Jana bu made a prdOWld
.... - to .... tChool,. 111d Paul It Hadle7, '1co PNlidtnl for tel· ~ aflalrt. "Wt art'°"" to mlM
One June !O, J..,. will bocomt a
far U.. &o ftw ,-. --- I lllouplaoyllol-bo-.ito
lbo-Allo,lloaudlorwanlto
........... todowttlllbe-
.... ==.: _ . =r ..::'.:!~to '1;
.--...i1o.io-..
~-..iaft ... ,-
lllllt,_.~~~,;
..-.---- ;:::a:.~...=: -----•-- __ .,_ ___ u--. ......... ,_...,. ........ ,_,__,..,__ Fllll,..-..m Oneollbolew __ llllon _
.,,_lolllalbe_ .. __
:1"'~ = =' .::r.-...;:i:. riculu.ndld- ... lbe-lt
-Janee came IO USC It a -. .......... -...._, cld __ .... ...,.,._.,., _ -ln--'nNft-
,,_,. ___ _
ca1_.-. ~-==::=-
Thi new dMD acalilral..t a tnad _,__...,ilcallon.,,_,., ___ •-ol faalll1 IDd lludont at•
__
,..Qulnel'
.., ............... ---•-11.Cel.4
CONulltnl and ~-tnltrillll ti USC. Hit admlnlttnUvt dutlel will bo UIUIMd bJ Ulllltnl d<on Vi.Jlnlt IIINln,tr. ~bll!\y for currfuc. larllluetwlllfalltolllecllalnnanof tht mhtleelun CM!>VIIMnl and the ChalrwOIDlll of Ille deponmml of fine trll.

And a ttatth -.nllltt will bes1n .... ~ difflc:ult job of ... placina ,._ Quincy Jone, u - of ille Scnool of Al<hl1«1un and Fine AN, 32-Unit Apartment
Project Under Way
lltlo Enltrprtttt 11U lllrltd ...,. llnlCllon of a 32-unlL 11.9,mlllion - bufldlnl ti 14560 Clarll St. Van Nuy,, with.,_-t<Mdllltd lo, January. lffi. Tht ..... !Inn rettntly "'"'pltltd an IS•uniL l100.000 tplrlmtnl bulk!• ~ 11271 OIMto SI. North Holly-
43 The Architects and their team
Frederick “Fred” Earl Emmons Jr., A.I.A.
b.19 December 1907
Olean, New York
d. 23 August 1999 (aged 91)
Marin, California
Frederick “Fred” E. Emmons Jr., the oldest of three sons, was born in Olean, NY to Frederick Earl “Pops” Emmons Sr. and Mary (Fogarty). He attended Battin High School in Elizabeth, NJ where he began to study architecture and graduated Cornell University in 1929 with a degree in architecture.

Afterward, he returned to his hometown and went to work as a draftsman for the next two years (1930- 32) for the seminal New York City architectural firm McKim, Mead and White.

Fred spent a year working for architect William Wurster in Berkeley, CA before moving to Los Angeles where he designed an early solo project, a house for Hugh Lockhart on Park Avenue in Hermosa Beach. He worked at Allied Engineers from 1940 - 42 with Paul R. Williams; it was there that Fred met Archie Jones. Emmons married his one and only wife, Cynthia Fay (Clarke), in October 1940. They were married 50 years and had one daughter, Carolyn (Emmons) Jones.

Los Angeles Times
31 October 1940
In 1942 Fred enlisted in the US Navy, where he
served as commanding officer of an attack
transport ship. In 1943, he applied for and was
approved as a member of the California Society
of The Sons of the American Revolution.

Fred Emmons Jr. WW2 Registration
Item 2B - Page 57
Marriage
News Comes
as Surprise
\ nnn11n1 f'm"r t r" I it: re
N' -.cd l<'ll1m: ~ f .. ,. marrbt:C' or \h ('\ nlhM C'Jtiit i,., 1Uuih1,r n( \Ir. amt \Ir I dan I. l Lu 1,,,. ,,r . •. O· lr.J!P Pr , ,. t•, •· 1,,..ff r < k Jo:

Emmon Jr nn llf nr and ~fr
The ,w,, c in ev ~ a 111111 ~e
lo m rn~· n! 1hr1r fr tnt1 I wa~
an lntnrmal rtrtm<'\nv In I Salt•
uro.a, In tht• 'haJ)<'I f!( \\"ii hlr
~I thodl t f-:111 -0111I Mlu1th Y.hh
HP, \\ I t \I.ti Lin nft al 1n1r
~Ir and \lrs. 1-:mn in wt\l be
at homr ln Hr.l•mdo B~J< h.

Tht> br,.1 .. att1 tu.1( .. 1 :\l.arlbor•
otlJfh •nd ... lln a the mrml "'of
th \ , n,~ l.f" ,ut" \Ir, Em,
mon~ J,. a irartu tt t,f rorntll rnhn h·
.. --.. . .,.
"1 - ·=-- -,_,.:, ::: ..
44 The Architects and their team
The Van Nuys News & Valley Green Sheet
27 February 1950
¬ Meanwhile, in 1946, ‘Commander’
Emmons began his solo architectural practice
before retiring from his naval service four years
later. (Emmons pictured on the far left)
In 1950, he partnered with Jones at the firm
Jones & Emmons. Two of their early projects
were the Sascha Brastoff Ceramics Factory in
Los Angeles and Romanoff’s on the Rocks, a
fine dining restaurant on the eastern limits of
Palm Springs, CA; both of which set the tone
for their early work.
¯
Sascha Brastoff Ceramics Factory Romanoff’s on the Rocks In 1954, Emmons designed and built his own
modern house out of stucco and glass around
seven live oaks and facing a central glassed
courtyard in Pacific Palisades, CA for which he
won numerous awards. ®
ãJ. Paul Getty Trust, The Getty Research Institute
Item 2B - Page 58
RfflRl!S FROM SERVICE-LL Comdr. 1'r$I wn.o,,, -,,cl trmi rllht. Nodl hla Traw.or
onion btfcn
Ceater ullat.d at La11rtl ptNOlllltl CallyOII
l1tlrlu
111d Victory him u Bl
commandl-.
with Lt.
offlctr
Comdr
of llaft!
. .Arthw- ~ 8. Btrry, MCOnd from Iott. u hla •-· ComdJ:. rr.dericlt E. Emmot>a Ir. atal>da 1$ ltft, while on rlrht la Capt. T. O. Culllna, otllcv In clwn of Nani JleNno facDl~ who otndat..i at (upactlon, Follow!n, -Joa, Comdr. WU- wa, "pfpod uhon In btat NafJ' trtdltlon. . ... .,._ - ::=. .. ___ <:::_ .. .:::-:...;::;:.,.:.,,..J-•"' ... _____ ... __ ----- ·- 45 The Architects and their team
Together, and with associates Harry Saunders and Kaz Nomura, Jones and Emmons designed the following Greater Palm Springs Projects:
1950: Romanoff’s on the Rocks, a restaurant (altered)
1957: Mr. and Mrs. J.J. Robinson Residence
1965: Country Club Estates, a 30-unit condominium development (now a Historic District) 1966: Sunnylands, the 200-acre (2.6 km2) estate and 32,000 square foot (3,000 m2) home of Walter Annenberg in Rancho Mirage. Lead architect Harry Saunders.

Whether solo, with Jones, or with other architects or associates; Emmons designed thousands of structures in his 25-year architectural career including homes, commercial buildings, apartment buildings, campus buildings, a hospital and a church.

A handful of the more notable Jones and Emmons commissions included:
• St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, Pacific Palisades,1954 (destroyed by arson in 1978) • West Wilshire Swimming Pool, Los Angeles, 1955
• Shorecliff Tower Apartments (now Oceanaire), 535 Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica, 1963 • Charles E. Young Research Library, U.C.L.A., 1964
• 901 Airole Way (currently Jennifer Aniston Residence), Bel Air, 1965 (altered) Frederick “Fred” Earl Emmons Jr. died on the 23rd of August 1999 at the age of 91.

Los Angeles Times, 28 August 1999
Item 2B - Page 59
NA/SATURDAY,AUGUST28, tm A13

OBITUARIES
Frederick E. Emmons; Retired L.A. Architect
By DIA E HAllHMAN TIMES Sf AfP WRrml
Frederick E. Emmons, a retired Los Angeles
architect best known for his award·winning
partnership with A. Quincy Jones Jr. in design·
ing tract homes for Joseph Eich·
ler's modern, air-conditioned housing develop·
ments in the 1950s, died at his Belvedere,
Calif., home Monday after a short illness. He
was 91.

The firm of Jones & Emmons, formed in
1950, designed numerous commercial and in·
stitulional facilities, including major buildings on five University of California campuses.

Still, Emmons and the late Jones, who served
as dean of USC's School of Architecture from
1975 to 1978, were most celebrated for their
work with the more modest Eichler homes.

Eichler is credited with integrating California's suburban housing; homes in his Balboa Hills development in Granada Hills were the
first in the San Fernando Valley outside Pa·
coima to be open to African American buyers.

Friends and relatives describe Emmons as the less flamboyant but equally important partner in the firm.
"I think he was probably better with the cli·
ents; he was more even-tempered," said his
daughter, Carolyn Jones, in a telephone con· versation from Emmons' Belvedere home. (Her husband, Owen Jones, is no relation to A. Quincy Jones.) "Quincy had more of an artistic temperament."
She added that her father gained recogni·
tion in his own right in 1954, when he built
their family home in Pacific Palisades, a stucco
structure with inside walls of glass, facing a courtyard built around seven live oaks. "It won all sorts of awards," she said.

Emmons, who retired from architecture in
the early 1970s, moved to Belvedere in 1973,
where he spent 13 years as chairman of the
city Planning Commission and was selected as
Citizen of the Year in 1985. Besides becoming
a community activist, he launched a new ca· reer, writing books about passenger ships and ocean liners.
"I have a feeling that most people didn't re·
alize that there were two separate parts to his
life," his daughter said. "People in L.A. know
him as an architect; here, they knew him as a
Belvedere resident and the man who loved
cruises."
Born in Olean, N.Y., in 1907, Emmons gradu·
ated from Cornell University's College of
Architecture, Art and Planning in 1929. After
two years in the New York office of McKim,
Mead & White, he moved to Los Angeles in
1932. Emmons' resume also incluued a year
with William Wurster in San Francisco. Em·
mons' late brother Donn eventually became a
partner in the firm that is now Wurster, Bernardi & Emmons.

During World War II, Frederick Emmons
spent four years in the Navy, including 30
months as commanding officer of the attack
transport ship Feland. He and Jones met when
they both began to carve out architecture ca·
reers in Los Angeles. They founded Jones &
Emmons in 1950.

Emmons' wife of 50 years, Cynthia, died in
1991. In addition to his daughter, he is survived by grandchildren Trevor Jones and Lindsay Caruso.

No services are planned. Donations may be
made to the Alzheimer's Assn., 4340 Redwood
Highway, San Rafael, CA 94903.
46 The Architects and their teasm
Emiel Becsky
b. 18 December 1909
Budapest, Hungary
d. 7 October 1999 (aged 89)
Los Angeles, California
Emiel Becsky was born in 1909 to Louis and Sara Becsky in Budapest, Hungary. By 1913, when he was just three years old, his family emigrated to the United States and the 1920 census shows them living in Detroit, Michigan. In 1932 Becsky graduated from the University of Michigan and by 1940 his family was still living in Detroit where he worked with architect Frank Wiedmaier. Within a couple years Becsky enlisted in the United States Navy where he was part of U.S. Naval Construction Battalion #26. In 1947, he became affiliated with A.Q. Jones but within two years Becsky was sharing an office with then builder/designer Craig Ellwood; together they designed and built the 1950 Zimmerman Residence in Brentwood, CA (demolished in 2024 by actor Chris Pratt). In 1951, Becsky became an official associate of Jones and Emmons and shortly thereafter would visit the Coachella Valley, where his father Louis had a home in Desert Hot Springs, CA, and was active in the Jewish Community Group there. By the 1960’s Becsky was actively teaching architecture at UCLA.

Emiel Becsky died in 1999 at the age of 89.

Becsky’s WW2 Draft Card
Item 2B - Page 60
8 1Dtl.AL N UMBIUI I. av• 1""410
47 The Architects and their team
In 1956, after being with the firm ‘several’ years, Harry W. Saunders and Kazuo Nomura were made Associates of Jones & Emmons.

Los Angeles Times, 15 April 1956
Harry William Saunders Jr., A.I.A.
b. 8 April 1923
Athens, Georgia
d. 27 May 2013 (aged 90)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Harry W. Saunders Jr. was born in Athens,
GA in 1923 to Harry W. Saunders Sr. and
Marian T. (Alexander). He was raised in and
attended high school in Abilene, Texas. He
graduated Texas A & M University where he
was an officer in the architectural society. A
captain in the US military, Harry was awarded
the Purple Heart in WWII. In 1946, at age 24,
Harry married Maxine Elizabeth (Jones).

Evening World-Herald, 21 August 1944
Item 2B - Page 61
the J Iba 1951 ,
·-
O"IY fat11e,-..and•eon combination te rnpond for ■ pkture call Monday at tht- A merl"n Lc9lon c:onventlon wat Harry • · ••un• d ien . SO, and Harry W. 8aundert.. 24, of U\• Valley poet, Th• father, a private lri the Sh,ty•thlrd en9ln"" In the , .. , war, I• a pa,t Le9lon commander and "ow treatUNI' of the DIM1bled Am..-t- ou, Veten,n•. Post No. 5, here. Th• .. ,, wae a NCond lleut.ftant In army ordn.ance and Mrved over-M.._ He also I• a mc,mber of DAV, No. S.
48 The Architects and their team
¬ Valley Times, 7 November 1953
After the war, Harry moved to Los Angeles
and, by 1953, he was supervisor of the
education housing section for senior high
schools; three years later he was assistant
director of education housing for the board of
education.

About the same time, Saundersjoined Jones & Emmons where he worked on drawings for the Robinson Residence (1956) and was assigned lead architect on Sunnylands (1966), working side-by-side with A.

Quincy Jones to design the estate of Leonore and Walter Annenberg in Rancho Mirage, CA.

In August 1959, he married Nancy J. Mann, but they divorced less than five years later, and he soon befriended a male companion (name unavailable) with whom he would remain for nearly 45 years.

By the early 70’s, Saunders was director of the school planning building division for Los Angeles City School District (LACSD).

Later, in private practice, Saunders was the
architect on many projects with internationally
renowned interior designers William ‘Billy’
Haines and Ted Graber. During the Reagan
Administration, Saunders was commissioned
to design inlaid wood floors for the Oval Office
and the Trellis Room in the West Wing of The
White House. Harry W. Saunders, Jr. died in
2013 at the age of 90.

Los Angeles Times
23 June 2013
Item 2B - Page 62
GlOWING PAINS - Problems of providing odequote
school housing for the constantly 1ncreos1ng Volley population 1s explolntd by Horry Sounders, city super. visor of school housing for senior h,gh schools, to Lon Price, junior worden of the North Holly-.ood Mosonoc
Lodge. Sounders addressed the Mesons ot the Temple.

SAUNDERS, Harry W. (!923-2013)
Pa ssed awall"
May 271h al Penn
Hospice in Phil - adelphia. Born In
Athens, Georgia, raised l11
Abile11 c, Texas, educuted a TMxas A &. M. USA Captain
Saunders was awarded the,
Purple Henri in WWII. He lor.n lcd in Los Angeles amt
joined 1hr. arr.hllr.ctural firm of
A. Quincy Jones. lie wa~ as
signed le~d ~rc hlt cn on Sunnyland•, tho estate of Wal lcr A11nen b1Jt e in Rancho Mi
rnge, CAiifornia Lat er In p,·I
11atr. nradke hr. was architect
oo many p, oJecls Wilh loter- notionally renown d Interior designers William Halno., anrl
Ted Graber , Ourl11g the Rea11a11
Administra tion he was ce lledl
u~u11 lo design an inlaid wooll
noor lor the Oval Office and
the Trellis Room in the WesL
Wing of the White House. He is survived by his comua11io11 of 45 years and two, naphr w<. 49 The Architects and their team
Kazuo “Kaz” Nomura
b. 24 September 1921
Long Beach, California
d.17 November 1978 (aged 57)
Los Angeles, California
Kazuo ‘Kaz’ Nomura was born in Long Beach, CA as one of four children to Harunosuke ‘Harry’ Nomura and Ko (Yasuda) on September 24, 1921. He attended Manual Arts High School in the late 1930’s (as seen in his 1939 yearbook photo above). By 1942, Kazuo was taken to a Japanese confinement camp in Granada, Colorado and released in March 1943. He later attended USC School of Architecture (as noted on his WW2 registration card), graduating in 1951. Shortly after, he was employed by Jones & Emmons, working on the Robinson House drawings in 1956. He married Ruby Nomura, and they had two sons, Ronald and Don. Kazuo Nomura died in November 1978 at the age of 57 and little public records exist for him.

Kazuo Nomura WW2 Registration Card
Kazuo Nomura Obituary
Item 2B - Page 63
NOMURA, Kazuol.b('loved hue and
or Mrs. Rubl Nomura, fnlh r or
Ron I and Don omura, 11011 or
Mrs. Harunosul; Nomura, brolh • er or O orge Nomura, Mrs. Michl. ko Shlmazu and Mrs. Haru Ya - sunnga.

Vlsllallon W dnesday, Nov mer 22 from 2 ~s.m, ol th Ch11pcl or Shi •ttu •••• & KublllA
Mortuary 9d V nlc Blvd. M morlnl service Wcdnc 1dny, No, mb r 22 L 7,30 p.m. t Lo Angclc11 Holln •ss Church, 3660 . Gramercy Pl. The family r qucsto kindly omlltln,t or flow r . bl 1al111, 01ata " Kubota Molluary, dlr • tor .
50 The Architects and their team
The Structural Engineer
Kenneth Setsuo Iwata
b. 21 December 1921
Stanislaus County, California
d. 13 November 1960 (aged 38)
Contra Costa County, California
Kenneth S. Iwata attended Turlock High
School in Modesto. In 1940, at age 18, he was
a laborer on his family’s farm. A year later he
enrolled at UC Berkeley but his time there was
cut short as he enlisted in the US Army in 1943.

By the fall of 1946, Iwata was a student at
Modesto Junior College along with his sister
Mitsue. He was one of 4100 students in the
School of Engineering at Washington
University in St. Louis Summer School, St.

Louis, Missouri where he earned his Bachelor
of Science in Mechanical Engineering in
August 1947. A couple months later, on
October 28, 1947, he married Eiko Egashira.

Iwata earned his Master’s Degree in Engineering from USC in 1950 and began working for a public utility company. He and Eiko had one daughter, Susan, born that year, and they lived at 2801 S.

Normandie Street. Iwata joined Jones & Emmons in 1951 and was the structural engineer that worked on the Robinson Residence. In 1956, he started his own practice with a partner (info unavailable):

Iwata & Jenkins, Civil and Structural Engineers located at 431 S. Western in Los Angeles - two of their projects included: Culver City Medical Bldg., 1956 and Bank of Tokyo, Gardena, 1956.

Iwata had at least two other projects in Palm
Springs aside from the Robinson Residence:
1) In 1958 Iwata worked with architect Howard
Lapham to design a new home inspired by a
Japanese-styled farmhouse or minka for Lenore
and Ernest Alschuler at 425 Via Lola.
¬
Item 2B - Page 64
51 The Architects and their team
2) In 1959, Iwata had been retained by Palm Springs architect Hugh Kaptur to map the structural design for the Robert A. Leaver Residence (demolished) at Palisades Drive in Palm Springs. ¯ The Desert Sun, 15 September 1959
Near the end of 1960, Iwata participated in the Cortez Japanese-American Citizens League Fishing Derby when tragedy struck his crew’s boat, and he didn’t survive.

Kenneth Iwata died November 1960 at the age of 38.

Turlock Journal, 15 November 1960 Los Angeles Times, 16 November 1960 Item 2B - Page 65
NATIONAL HOME WEEK SUrPLEM[NT
the ~edelu
f.,f'ry "' k l1 • hnme • ttk" In J'alm s:
"htrll aomt tf th 01llo11 mo.t bffutlfuJly d
h0l1M c1a(tl mountain land...,_· c
ll"f fflt" S'h or "'hit Vil! •
to ull "lhln ., Thftt ll'f mo 1
and a \\Ide v ln lhl rec-111 ~•Ion U\ll
dtlllil the hnta, n homt1 In th~ area.

Funeral Services Thursday
For Victim Of Boat Mishap
• fu11n De: C1'1Cn F.a,ar.M ..-v lot l or Southms CAlifo,... ~k=
td ~ • ?
- p.m, pfl ~~~- I nral 'f n.
- ~lornlMy. on Lhltd ~ u • me.mblr o(
0 Mb. W t Ad- (1,uldt d L .. Ar,.
! e SourwrAI ErL1t• o1 Soulhen, C•J.
1vtd by _,dow,
An&olu, Illa ........ lkl he- ~ntered ctlt t1i • $a\t.tro twata nt Arm 11.Ptel' ~ 1 ..... 1.a
d~ d • bf'ftlhar. B\kldY
tbe . •nd UarT• , u,teni, lfli" ~• ln, or Cavtaa.. Ch•t'loctt .,,._. Jr;tdu ,au ' 0( Arcadia &:Id 11111 ol Li , .... "
Lit Taylor Sufferi"g
From Virus Meni"gism
LO~ -(UPI)- FIim boou,:y
El .. T• • docto. wd ft>
chy duic a. • a1ft_ f from •
D1\1\11 Unnuni putet
t d•ms CMl.lU&a
offlti1lt1 • ~ ,e,,._ 11t v,111 ~ u, forut n•I Park. l.qa AZ> getff ln,ntm•nt
,taln Uut lhl ld1
•nt rl"f'1~~
1<'bem tt('fl to t
d<> K '" U. 1 .. 1
IWATA~- Kenneth S., belov husb nd of
Elko, father of Susan, son of Mr. and
Mrs. S, Iwata of Turlock, broth r of
8uddY T., Mmes. Fumlt Yahlro, Ch r- iot Yamaguchi and Mllsu Taka• hashl.
emorl1I services I o.m. November
19 h at the West Adams Christi n Church 362S est Adams Boulevard. FU U rY. director 52 The Contractor, 1956-1959
Raymond Lee Dill
b. 12 February 1907
Sullivan, Missouri
d. 23 August 1998 (aged 91)
Banning, California
m. July 1930
Lura Iva (Williams)
d. 1931 (in labor)
Banning, California
m. 22 August 1935
Alma Eileen (Wilcox)
b. 6 May 1913
Perry, Illinois
d. 16 January 2000 (aged 86)
Hemet, California
Raymond ‘Ray’ Lee Dill was one of nine children born 1907 in Sullivan, Missouri to Thomas Benton Dill and Laura Esther (McCune). As a young man in Missouri, Ray worked as a carpenter. His first wife, Lura, (and their unborn child) died while in labor in 1930 and five years later he married Alma (Wilcox) with whom he had four children: Marilyn, Eugene, David and Phyllis. By 1940, Dill and his family were living full time in Banning, CA and, by the early1940’s, he worked for O.L. Carpenter, a construction company based in San Diego. (Carpenter oversaw work at Palm Springs’ El Mirador Hotel in the late 1930’s and built the WW2 barracks for 150 female war workers when the site was converted to Torney General Hospital under supervision of the US Federal Public Housing Authority.) Ray Dill WW2 Registration Card
Item 2B - Page 66
,.___, 1111'uu
- - -~~· --'-'-=- --~~ol
~~ :-~-... x;;;a~- __ 1)_Lb_k._ -ltWJi_;i:_
:_::•-==__ SvL J._/1" {)_
~.[i:'JQT.uo- -fiv,..... u. -·--·.. --~~- -----------
........... -.. ,,;
53 The Contractor, 1956-1959
For a period spanning at least seven years, Dill worked with fellow Banning, CA resident George Washington Robinson (formerly of the Los Angeles Building Co.) (no relation to Jerome J. Robinson) who co-founded Desert Construction Co. (a high desert business) in 1947. Together, Dill and Robinson built the Banning Fire Station and oversaw its later remodel - as well as the expansion of the Banning Prison Camp in 1954.

Meanwhile, Dill was also a partner with Thomas Halliwell Sr. in D and H Builders until dissolving the partnership in 1960. (Daily Record, 19 July 1960)
Dill’s building projects include: the Joan Hayes Building, Yucca Valley; Bryson Amos Residence at 649 Indian Trail, Palm Springs (P.S.), 1945; Hernandez Residence at 2481 Junipero, P.S., 1949; Glenn P. Miller Residence, 1000 Palms, 1955; J.J. Robinson Residence, P.S., 1957; Charney House at Tamarisk Country Club, 1958; Desert Hot Springs Jewish Community Center, 1958; Silver Top Apartments, P.S., 63-521 Las Vegas Road; Auto garage and showroom (name unknown), Foothill Blvd.

Sometime in the 1970’s, Dill moved to Palm Springs, CA. In 1987, he moved nearby to Palm Desert but kept a home in Banning. Ray Dill died in 1998 at the age of 91.

Advertisement showcasing one of Dill’s projects.

The Desert Sun
Item 2B - Page 67
-------·---- _________ ,... __ --·---
CONGIAHlATIONI . .

SILVER TOP

APARTMENTS
MOW IEAS/1/G FIOM S7S.0] MONTHLY
.._ NNI ITAlffllNi IAI. MIIIIIAIY tht
~ ....... ,_~---- cw.c--. .. _ __ ,..,...,_ ........... ..._ .... ..... ...-,L..., _ .............. ~·- -'- y - .................. _..,M ....... ..- .. _ ............ _

RAY DILL

GENERAL CONTRACTOR
u.1. au•1u• co• ~••Y ._ wi,..,,._.,_._
~.._.,.,-· ~~""-•
------,.,_
te~<:cr.:-'..J"""'
--- • n-
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54 The Landscape Contractor
Val Smith Nursery
licensed landscape contractor/supplier
Johann “Frank” Thome
Val Smith Nursery associate, self-employed
contractor
The Desert Sun
15 December 1966
The Contractor, 1970
Win Miner WW2 Registration Card
Winfred ‘Win’ Ray Miner
b. 27 November 1911
Pratt, Kansas
d. 11 January 1983 (aged 71)
San Diego, CA
m. 21 December 1933
Eleanor Shipman
Winfred ‘Win’ Ray Miner was one of six children
born to Everest Charles Miner and Worthia Moore
(Eubank). He married Eleanor Shipman in Oklahoma
City, OK where they had their first son, L. Brooks.

Sometime in the late 1930’s, they moved to
Northridge, Los Angeles where Win worked as a
carpenter at Universal Studios and where their second
son Noel was born. In July 1955, Win received a
permit to build a dwelling for $16,000 at 165 Camino
Descanso that would become the home of he and his
wife in The Mesa neighborhood of Palm Springs. In
1970 he was hired to construct the addition to the
Robinson Residence.

Ancestry.com
The Desert Sun
Item 2B - Page 68
. ' .,. __ _
' ,. -- ~---~ , ,._ .. , ... , ...... -·-- __,.,._ ....... ....... _ , - ,._ Johann F. Thome
PALM DE ERT - Funeral
servt will be condu t d Ft1·
day for Johann Frank Thome,
44-709 San J , who died Tues•
day following a short illn • lie
was 64. A native of Gennany, he lived
here and In alllornia for 20
year , and wa a ell-employed
landscape contractor.

He I ur lved by th widow,
1 Mrs. Loul e f. Thorn of Palm
De rt, and a brother, Loui.

Thome of Miami, Fla.

Funeral servires "111 he at
9:30 a.m. Friday in w, r I. and
Son Mortuary chapel, Palm
prlng. , with Rev. Micl1ael 'oland of t. Th ri>. a' \ thollc hurch !lici ting.

Burial will be in D rt M •
mortal Park. I
55 4.3 Architectural Style “Mid-century Modern”
Mid-century Modern is a term used to describe the post-World War II iteration of various Modern styles in both residential and commercial design, including such hallmarks of International Style architecture as geometric forms, smooth wall surfaces, and an absence of exterior decoration. Midcentury Modern represents the adaptation of these elements to the local climate, to new building technologies (such as modular materials and structural systems), and to the postwar need for efficiently built, moderately priced homes; in Palm Springs, this typically meant the use of wood post-and-beam construction. Often characterized by clear expression of structure and materials, large expanses of glass, and open interior plans, Mid-century Modern was further adapted to Palm Springs using various forms of screening walls or ‘brise soleil’ made from wood, concrete, or metal to help shield against the intense desert sun while allowing for air flow.

The roots of the style are traced to early Modernists like Frank Lloyd Wright, Richard Neutra and Rudolph Schindler, whose work inspired “second generation” Modern architects like Gregory Ain, Craig Ellwood, and Harwell Hamilton Harris, to name a few. Mid-century Modernism was adapted to Palm Springs by prominent local postwar architects including John Porter Clark, William Cody, Albert Frey, Donald Wexler, and E. Stewart Williams, as well as Los Angeles architects William Krisel and Dan Palmer, all of whom helped develop an indigenous “Desert Modernism” that was born from International Style Modernism but matured into a fundamentally regional style, fostered in part by Art and Architecture magazine’s pivotal Case Study Program (1945-1966), along with specific local conditions. The style gained popularity due in part to its use of standardized, prefabricated materials that permitted quick and economical construction. As a result, Mid-century Modern became a predominant architectural style in Palm Springs in the postwar years, represented in almost every property type, from single-family residences to commercial buildings to gas stations.

Common Mid-century Modern character-defining features include:
• One or two-story configuration
• Horizontal massing (for smaller-scale buildings)
• Simple geometric forms
• Screening made from concrete block, wood, or
metal
• Little or no exterior decorative detailing
• Unadorned wall surfaces
• Post-and-beam construction, in wood or steel
• Flat roof or low-pitched gable roof with wide
overhanging eaves and cantilevered canopies; some
examples have folded plate roofs
• Wood, glass, plaster, concrete, steel, brick or stone used as exterior wall panels or accent materials
• Flush-mounted metal frame fixed windows and
sliding doors, and clerestory windows
Expressionistic/Organic subtype features: sculptural forms and geometric shapes, including butterfly, A-frame, folded plate or barrel vault roofs
-Paraphrased from City of Palm Springs Historic Context statement, pg. 361 Notable examples of Mid-century Modern in Palm Springs include:

Del Marcos Hotel, William F. Cody, 1947, Class 1HR
Coachella Valley Savings and Loan #1, E. Stewart Williams, 1955, Class 1HR Ocotillo Lodge, Palmer and Krisel, 1956, Class 1HR
Leff/Florsheim House, Don Wexler, 1957
Santa Fe Federal Savings and Loan, E. Stewart Williams, 1960, Class 1HR Item 2B - Page 69
56 5. Regulations and Criteria for Evaluation

5.1 City of Palm Springs Historic Resources and Historic Districts The City of Palm Springs administers a local designation program in which significant individual sites or concentrations of properties within a site can be designated as historic resources or historic districts.

The designation of such properties is governed by Title 8, Chapter 8.05 (Historic Preservation) of the Palm Springs Municipal Code (as amended in 2019 and 2020 ordinances) – referred to hereafter as “the Ordinance.”
The Ordinance establishes and authorizes a seven‐member Palm Springs Historic Site Preservation Board (HSPB) to issue decisions regarding applications to alter or demolish designated or potentially eligible resources and for new construction in historic districts; make recommendations to City Council regarding designation of historic resources; advise the City Council and/or Planning Commission in all matters concerning historic preservation; and educate and inform the community on historic preservation matters.11 To facilitate this process, the Ordinance establishes requirements that a property or properties must meet in order to qualify for designation as a historic resource or historic district.12
The City of Palm Springs classifies individual historic resources and potential historic resources into four different categories, as defined in Article I of the Ordinance (General Provisions)13:

Landmark/Class 1 historic resource - Any site, structure, building or object not located on Tribal Trust or Allotted Trust Land designated by resolution of the City Council as having historic, architectural, archaeological, cultural or aesthetic significance that contributes to an understanding and awareness of the community’s history. A Class 1 historic resource may include a structure, building or object on the site, or may include all or a portion of the site itself. Class 1 historic resources are eligible for the execution of a Mills Act historic property preservation agreement, as determined by the City Council.

Historic Merit/Class 2 historic resource - A site, structure, building or object not located on Tribal Trust or Allotted Trust Land that does not qualify for Class 1 historic resource designation under this chapter, but is otherwise deserving of official recognition as having historic, architectural, archaeological, cultural or aesthetic significance and is designated as a Class 2 historic resource by resolution of the City Council. A Class 2 historic resource may lack some aspects of historic integrity, or may include a site where the structure, building or object of historic significance has been lost, damaged or removed. Class 2 sites on which the historic resource still exists are eligible for the execution of a Mills Act historic property preservation agreement, as determined by the City Council.

Potentially Eligible/Class 3 building - Any building which is not a Class 1 or Class 2 historic resource but is identified in a City historic resources survey as eligible for designation as a historic resource. A building may be a Class 3 building regardless of the construction date or the improvements thereon.

Class 3 sites are not eligible for the execution of a Mills Act historic property preservation agreement. 11 City of Palm Springs Municipal Code, 8.05.030.
12 The City of Palm Springs is also a designated Certified Local Government (CLG), which is a preservation partnership between the National Park Service (NPS), the State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs) and local communities with a goal to create local commitments to historic preservation.
13 City of Palm Springs Municipal Code, 8.05.020.

Item 2B - Page 70
57 Class 4 building - Any building which is not a Class 1 or Class 2 historic resource or a Class 3 building, and on which the building or improvements thereon were constructed before January 1, 1978, or whose age cannot be determined. The City Council shall review this date and update it as it deems appropriate through amendment to this chapter.

Class 1 and Class 2 Historic Resource Eligibility Criteria Article III of the Ordinance (Procedures for Designation of Historic Resources and Historic Districts) defines the following criteria for designating Historic Resources (Class 1 and Class 2 historic resources) in the City14:

1. Class 1 Historic Resources. A site, structure, building or object may be designated as a Class 1 historic resource, provided one or more of the following criteria in subsections “a” and “b” are met:
a. The site, structure, building or object exhibits exceptional historic significance and meets one or more of the criteria listed below:
i. The resource is associated with events that have made a meaningful contribution to the nation, state or community; or
ii. The resource is associated with the lives of persons who made a meaningful contribution to national, state or local history; or
iii. The resource reflects or exemplifies a particular period of national, state or local history; or iv. The resource embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period or method of construction; or
v. The resource presents the work of a master builder, designer, artist, or architect whose individual genius influenced his or her age, or that possesses high artistic value; or vi. The resource represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction, as used in evaluated applications for designation of historic districts, for parcels on which more than one entity exists; or
vii. The resource has yielded or may be likely to yield information important to national, state or local history or prehistory.
b. The site, structure, building or object shall be evaluated for integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association according to the United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service’s National Register Bulletin titled: “How to apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation” as revised from time to time.
14 City of Palm Springs Municipal Code, 8.05.070.

Item 2B - Page 71
58 2. Class 2 Historic Resources. A site, structure, building or object may be designated as a Class 2 historic resource, provided the site, structure, building or object exhibits significance and meets one or more of the criteria listed above. A Class 2 historic resource shall not be required to meet the findings for integrity as described above.

As noted above, for a property to qualify as a City of Palm Springs Class 1 Historic Resource, it must not only be significant under one or more of the above evaluative criteria but also retain integrity, which the National Park Service defines as “the ability of a property to convey its significance.”15 The National Register has identified seven aspects of integrity as follows; to convey historic integrity, a property will possess several, if not most, of these aspects.16 :

1. Location - the place where the historic property was constructed or the place where the historic event occurred.

2. Design - the combination of elements that create the form, plan, space, structure, and style of a property.

3. Setting - the physical environment of a historic property.

4. Materials - the physical elements that were combined or deposited during a particular period and in a particular pattern or configuration to form a historic property.

5. Workmanship - the physical evidence of the crafts of a particular culture or people during any given period in history or prehistory.

6. Feeling - a property’s expression of the aesthetic or historic sense of a particular period.

7. Association - the direct link between an important historic event or person and a historic property.

Class 3 and Class 4 Buildings
As noted above, the City of Palm Springs defines Class 3 buildings as those previously identified as eligible in a historic resources survey, and Class 4 buildings as those that are not Class 1 or Class 2 historic resources or a Class 3 building, but were constructed before January 1, 1978 or whose age cannot be determined. The Ordinance does not provide separate eligibility criteria for Class 3 and Class 4 buildings but notes any Class 3 or 4 building may be designated as a Class 1 or Class 2 historic resource if they meet the Class 1 or Class 2 eligibility criteria as listed above.17 15 National Park Service, National Register Bulletin #15: How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation (Washington D.C.: U.S. Department of Interior, 1990), 44. 16 National Park Service, National Register Bulletin #15, 44. 17 City of Palm Springs Municipal Code, 8.05.080.

Item 2B - Page 72
59 6. Evaluation of Significance

6.1 Previous Surveys and Designations
The Palm Springs citywide historic context statement and historic resources survey of 2015 identified 999 N. Patencio Road as an eligible resource, both in the Architectural Resources Group Reconnaissance Survey of 2003 and the assignment of status code 5S3 (appears eligible for local listing or designation through survey evaluation) for the 2015 City of Palm Springs Historic Resources Survey. The 2016 Citywide Historic Resources Inventory property data form for 999 N. Patencio Road states the property is “significant as an excellent example of Mid‐century Modern residential architecture designed by the prominent architectural firm Jones & Emmons. Although it is not fully visible from the public right‐of‐way, no major alterations are evident.” 18

6.2 Contexts, Themes, and Registration Requirements
The subject property is evaluated using the following registration requirements for the two relevant themes as defined in the 2018 Historic Context Statement: Post World War II Single-Family Residential Development (1945‐1969) and Modern Styles of the Post‐World War II Era: Mid-century Modern.

Context: Post‐World War II Palm Springs (1945‐1969)
Theme: Post World War II Single-Family Residential Development (1945‐1969) Registration Requirements: To be eligible under this theme, a property must:
• Date from the period of significance; and
• Reflect important single-family residential development from the period; or • Represent an excellent example of an architectural style or property type; and • Display most of the character‐defining features of the property type or style; and • Retain the essential aspects of historic integrity.

Sub-Context: Architectural Styles & Local Practitioners Theme: Modern styles of the post‐World War II era Sub‐theme: Mid-century Modern Registration Requirements: To be eligible under this theme as an excellent example of its architectural style, a property must:
• Retain most – though not necessarily all – of the character‐defining features of the style, and continue to exhibit its historic appearance
• If important for illustrating a particular architectural style or construction technique, must retain most of the physical features that constitute that style or technique.19 18 City of Palm Springs Department of Planning Services, Citywide Historic Resource Inventory, Eligible - as of October 2023 https://www.palmspringsca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/64260/638088476736030000 19 Palm Springs Citywide Historic Context Statement 2018, 300.

Item 2B - Page 73
60 6.3 City of Palm Springs Class 1 Historic Resource
As outlined in the 2018 Historic Context Statement, an individual single-family residence from this period may be eligible for historic designation under one or more of the following criteria:20 The subject property is evaluated against City of Palm Springs Class 1 eligibility criteria, including an assessment of integrity, as follows:

This property appears eligible for local designation under three City of Palm Springs Class 1 Criterion:
iii, iv, and v. Furthermore, the property exhibits exceptional historic significance and retains sufficient integrity to convey its significance.21 The property’s period of significance is 1956-1959, corresponding with its original construction period. Evaluation under each of the City’s seven eligibility criteria and an integrity assessment follows.

Criterion i: (The resource) is associated with events that have made a meaningful contribution to the nation, state or community.

The property at 999 N. Patencio Road is not associated with a singular event that has made a meaningful contribution to the nation, state, or community. Research did not indicate that any such significant events occurred at the subject property, nor did it reveal that the property’s construction occurred because of any one event; rather, the subject property reflects Post‐World War II custom single-family residential development patterns as utilities infrastructure expanded to meet the needs of the growing population, both permanent and seasonally. The author does not find the subject property eligible as a Class 1 historic resource under City of Palm Springs Criterion i. 20 The current City interpretation for Criteria iii and iv holds that an architectural style is considered a trend or pattern of development and is evaluated using Criterion iii. Criterion iv is evaluated under the topic of architecture looking specifically at construction type, period and methods. Palm Springs Citywide Historic Context Statement 2018, 244. 21 The author’s evaluation of this resource under City of Palm Springs Class 1 eligibility criteria means to follow the current City interpretation of Criteria iii and iv as above.

Item 2B - Page 74

CRITERIA REASON
8/2/2 (Person)•s• For its association with a significant person. Significant persons within this theme include members of the community who may have been influential in the development of Palm Sprin~, or who gained significance within their profession. Homes associated with people in the entertainment industry are evaluated under a separate context. Properties eligible under this criterion are those associated with a person's productive life, reflecting the time period when he or she achieved significance.

C/3/4,5 As an excellent example of an architectural style or method of construction (Architecture) from the period, or as the work of a master builder, designer, artist, or architect. Additional information about architectural styles from each period and their associated character-defining features are outlined in the Architectural Styles section.
61 Criterion ii: (The resource) is associated with lives of persons who made meaningful contributions to national, state or local history.

The property at 999 N. Patencio Road does not appear to be associated with persons who have made meaningful contributions to national, state or local history. While the original owner Jerome Robinson was a well-known businessman professionally in his home state of Illinois, and the original architects Jones & Emmons helped revolutionize the way American single-family modern homes were built (especially in California), it does not appear that they or, any persons associated with the property, would rise to the level of significant within the context of national, state, or local history. The property does not appear eligible as a Class 1 historic resource under City of Palm Springs Criterion ii.

Criterion iii: (The resource) reflects or exemplifies a particular period of national, state or local history.

The Robinson Residence, built in 1957, exhibits stylistic markers which place it directly within the historic context of the “Post-World War II Palm Springs” period. The 1950s were an especially crucial period in the residential development of Palm Springs, reflecting the postwar boom of growth, the accompanying infrastructure of which resulted in a proliferation of tract homes in the latter part of the decade. However, the immediate neighborhood for this property did not have a singular developer thus allowing the resultant handfuls of custom homes from the late 1920’s to the 1960’s nearby - and throughout the city. Furthermore, the custom-designed Robinson Residence represents a prime example of significant Mid-century Modern postwar architecture for which Palm Springs is now internationally known. 999 N. Patencio Road is the only single-family residence designed and built by the seminal architecture firm Jones & Emmons within Palm Springs city limits. Designed by a master team of architects and designers, the home was built collaboratively by equally skilled craftsmen working for wealthy and cultured owners receptive to the design team’s sophisticated ideas. A convergence of such talent and collaboration produced a masterpiece of residential architectural design in the Coachella Valley that still stands wholly intact. As such, the Robinson Residence may be viewed as an essential component of the historical trends that have come to define Palm Springs’ image as a center of notable Mid-century Modern architecture, i.e., a historical movement that exemplifies a particular period of the national, state, or local history. As the property is associated with historic patterns of single-family residential development in Palm Springs in the postwar period and is an excellent example of the “Mid-century Modern” architectural style popular from the late 1940s to mid 1960s, it appears eligible as a Class 1 historic resource under City of Palm Springs Criterion iii.

Criterion iv: (The resource) embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period or method of construction.

Typically the review of architectural styles of potential historic resources in Palm Springs has been evaluated under Criterion iii while Criterion iv focuses more so on distinctive construction and physical features. The property at 999 N. Patencio Road truly exhibits and embraces the defining characteristics of excellent Mid-century Modern architecture dating to the postwar period as discussed above and, as such, embodies a significant type, period, or method of construction. The Robinson Residence has eligibility under the theme of Modern architecture because it possesses distinct though not unique features and methods of construction that exemplify the quintessential Mid-century Modern style such as its low single-story configuration, wood and steel post-and-beam construction, unadorned smooth wall surfaces, continuous inside/outside terrazzo flooring and simple yet smartly executed geometric and rectilinear forms. Constructed in 1957, the subject property reflects and emphasizes important character-defining features of Mid-century Modern construction including horizontality, a flat roof, and floor-to-ceiling glass as well as a livable yet luxurious plan that maximizes the spectacular setting Item 2B - Page 75
62 around the pool and garden and frames the views. Widely considered masters of California Modernism, most of the Jones & Emmons custom single-family residences are among the finest examples of midcentury modern residential architecture in Southern California. “Jones has come to be appreciated as an innovator who constantly sought out and experimented with new materials and new methods of construction. He always looked for ways to improve efficiency and save costs, but not merely to improve a bottom line. For Jones, the true goal was to create a better quality of living…”22
While the City of Palm Springs interpretation of this criterion maintains that there must be a “specific quality or method of construction that was unique or newly utilized for this property,” the author maintains that the superb quality of original construction at the Robinson Residence is among the best of the period. Unfortunately, the City of Palm Springs Historic Preservation Ordinance, as written, does not allow for the eligibility of this particular property under Criterion iv.

Criterion v: (The resource) represents the work of a master builder, designer, artist, or architect whose individual genius influenced his age; or it possesses high artistic value. 999 N. Patencio Road was designed by notable and prolific Los Angeles-based architects A. Quincy Jones and Frederick E. Emmons and was their only single-family residential commission within Palm Springs city limits. The firm Jones & Emmons is well-known for their other documented masterful work in the Coachella Valley and beyond, designing ultimately for the setting and maximizing views from their buildings. They “developed a distinctly Californian expression of modernism characterized by simple post‐and‐beam construction, warm woods and other natural materials, integrated systems and inviting scale. The firm utilized new building technologies and structural innovations, including lightweight post‐and‐beam construction with pre‐assembled parts, which decreased costs and production time. The firm is estimated to have designed thousands of homes, ranging from modest tract houses to lavish custom residences such as Sunnylands, the 32,000‐square‐foot estate of Ambassador and Mrs. Walter Annenberg in Rancho Mirage. Jones and Emmons designed office, restaurant, and factory buildings throughout California as well as prominent civic and institutional projects, including numerous buildings on the University of California campuses at Irvine, Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Diego.” 23 Based on research and analysis into the original architects and their body of work, the property at 999 N. Patencio Road appears eligible under City of Palm Springs Criterion v.

Criterion vi: (The resource) represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction.

As 999 N. Patencio Road is not a district or part of a district, it does not represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction. Therefore, it is not eligible as a Class 1 historic resource under City of Palm Springs Criterion vi.

Criterion vii: (The resource) has yielded or may be likely to yield information important to national, state, or local history or prehistory.

Being that an archaeological assessment was not conducted as part of this project, 999 N. Patencio Road is left unevaluated under Criterion vii.
22 Architectural Historian Steve Vaught, Robinson Residence sales brochure, 2024 23 City of Palm Springs Department of Planning Services, Citywide Historic Resource Inventory, Property Data Forms, 276.

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63 6.4 Integrity Assessment (using U.S. Secretary of Interior Standards) As per the 2018 City of Palm Springs Citywide Historic Context Statement, each property type depends on certain real aspects of integrity to express its historic significance. Determining which of the integrity aspects is most important to a particular property type requires an understanding of the property’s significance and its essential physical features. The rarity of the property type should also be considered when assessing its physical integrity. To be eligible for listing at the federal, state, or local levels, a property must retain sufficient integrity to convey its historic significance under this theme.

To be eligible as a Class 1 Historic Resource, a property must also retain sufficient integrity to convey historic significance. A property either retains its integrity, the physical and visual characteristics necessary to convey its significance, or it does not. Evaluation of integrity is founded on “an understanding of a property’s physical features and how they relate to its significance.” The seven aspects of integrity are:

Location, Design, Setting, Materials, Workmanship, Feeling, and Association.

National Register Bulletin #15 “How to Apply National Register Criteria for Evaluation” states that “[to] retain historic integrity, a property will always possess several, and usually most, of the aspects.”

1.Location
Location is the place where a historic property was constructed or the place where a historic event occurred. The relationship between the structure and its location is often important to understand why the property was created. The dwelling at 999 N. Patencio Road was constructed at its current location and has not been moved. Thus, the Robinson Residence retains integrity of location.

2.Design
Design is the confluence of elements which create the total form, plan, space, structure and style of a property. Informed by conscious decisions made during conception and planning of a property, the scope of design applies to activities such as architecture, engineering and landscape architecture. Also included are the following elements: materials, ornamentation, proportion, scale, technology, and the organization of space. A historic property’s design reflects historic functions and technologies as well as aesthetics and encompasses vital considerations such as textures and colors of surfaces; amount, type and style of ornamental detailing (or, in certain cases, the express lack thereof); the. structural system; massing; and the intentional arrangement of spaces. Based on review of historic documentation and the site visit to 999 N. Patencio Road on March 19, 2025, the subject property appears to largely reflect its appearance from its initial construction in 1957. Original fenestration at the east and south primary or street-facing elevations is still intact as well as the building’s low horizontal massing, flat roofline, and its mainly L-shaped footprint. Other characterdefining features are still evident at the subject property, including steel-frame fixed and sliding windows. Original materials and workmanship are also extant to express the pure design of architectural firm Jones & Emmons. Altered front walls and driveway gate do not detract from the historic character of the property. The Robinson Residence retains integrity of design.

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64 3.Setting
Setting is the physical environment of a historic property. Whereas location refers to the specific place where a property was built or an historic event occurred, setting refers to the character of the place in which the property played its historical role. The essence of setting often involves how, not just where, the property is situated and its relationship to surrounding features, open space, and natural landmarks (such as mountains). Setting not only reflects basic physical conditions under which a property is built but also the functions the property was intended for.

The Robinson Residence was constructed in 1957 in a small housing tract intended primarily for the development of custom single-family residences, with most of the immediately adjacent properties along Via Lola constructed throughout the 1950s and including master architects Wexler & Harrison’s pair of 1954 houses by builder Bob Higgins for hotelier Robert “Bob” S. Howard (whose millionaire family owned the famous racehorse Seabiscuit and made their fortune selling new Buicks). One of those houses is the renown Kirk and Anne (nee Buydens) Douglas Residence (a Class One site), he being the famous Hollywood actor and she being nicknamed “the Mayor of Via Lola.” Next door, architect Hugh Kaptur designed and built his own residence in 1963. Many of the lots were highly desirable for their convenient location and incredible views, appealing traits to the earliest wealthy owners, hence earning Via Lola the moniker “Millionaire’s Row.” The subject property continues to be mainly surrounded by custom single-family residences that generally depict characteristics of mid-century modern inspired design. The Robinson Residence retains integrity of setting.

4.Materials
Materials are the physical elements combined and put in place during a certain period and in a particular manner to form a historic property. The choice and combination of materials reveals the preferences of those who created the property and indicates the availability of material types and technologies. Much of the original materials at the Robinson Residence are still extant, including the Palos Verdes stone exterior/interior walls and floor-to-ceiling fireplace, steelframe fixed and sliding windows, integrated CMU planters, terrazzo flooring, indoor/outdoor custom granite bench, black lacquered entry doors, circular “bubble” concrete pads, and black river rock-embedded concrete driveway/entry pathway. The Robinson Residence retains integrity of materials.

5.Workmanship
Workmanship is the physical evidence of the labor of artisans, people or a culture during any given period in history or prehistory, particularly the craft and skill in the construction and/or alteration of a building, structure, object or site. Workmanship can apply to a property as a whole or to its individual components and can be expressed in vernacular methods of construction using plain finishes based on common traditions or in sophisticated configurations using ornamental detailing based on innovative period techniques. Workmanship is important because it often provides evidential proof of the technology of a particular craft; illustrates aesthetic principles of a period; and reveals individual, local, regional, or national applications of both technological practices and aesthetic principles. Examples of workmanship at historic properties may include but are not limited to: carving, graining, joinery, painting, tooling and turning. The Robinson Residence continues to reflect its quality of workmanship, particularly in its use of simple but effective low rectilinear building forms, floor-to-ceiling fenestration, and integrated inside-outside elements such as concrete block planters, stone walls, and custom terrazzo flooring/decking. The Robinson Residence retains integrity of workmanship.

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65 6.Feeling
Feeling is a property’s expression of the aesthetic or historic sense of a particular period, resulting from the presence of physical features that, take altogether, convey a property’s historic character. i.e. – A rural historic district retaining original aspects of integrity will convey the feeling of agrarian/farm life in the 19th century. The Robinson Residence was constructed as a single-family residence in a residential neighborhood and has continuously functioned as such. The property continues to reflect the Mid-century Modern style that reached its popularity in Palm Springs in the Post-World War II period. The Robinson Residence retains integrity of feeling.

7.Association
Association is the direct link between an important historic person (including an architectural firm), or event and a historic property. A site and its property retain association if in fact it is the place where the event or activity occurred and is sufficiently intact to convey such relationship to an observer. Similarly to feeling, Association requires the presence of physical/built features which convey a property’s historicity. The Robinson Residence continues to depict the express intent and design of architects Jones & Emmons in its construction, materials, and workmanship. The subject property holds strong association with its period of significance – the construction year of 1957. Therefore, the Robinson Residence retains integrity of association.

Integrity Summary
This assessment confirms that the site and property of the Robinson Residence still possess all seven aspects of integrity.

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66 6.5 Character-Defining Features
The author recommends the following as character‐defining features of 999 N. Patencio Road:
• Location at northwestern terminus of N. Patencio Road and Via Lola • Long L-shaped driveway
• Primary façades facing east and south
• Low (single story) scale
• Irregular L-shaped plan
• A.Q. Jones’ signature porte-cochere and long covered entry walkway canopy with cut-outs • Simple rectilinear and geometric forms
• Flat roof with flat parapet
• Floor‐to‐ceiling fixed and sliding fenestration with clear glazing • Integrated concrete block planters outdoors
• Integrated indoor planters
• Integrated terrazzo floors from inside to outside
• Original ‘Palos Verdes stone’ walls
• Entire floor-to-ceiling fireplace and incorporated indoor/outdoor granite bench • Indoor roof skylight along north wall of dining and living areas • Circular “bubble” concrete pads in garden
• Pool shape and location
The following elements do not contribute to the property’s significance:
• Ficus hedging
• Current driveway gate and wall
• CMU walls added in 1988
• 1970 maid’s quarters addition (which removed original east-facing sunflap)

7. Conclusion
Based on documentary and archival research, site analysis, the development of historic contexts, and evaluations against local eligibility criteria, the subject property at 999 N. Patencio Road appears to meet City of Palm Springs Class 1 eligibility Criteria iii, iv, and v. As the property also retains sufficient integrity to convey its significance, it is eligible for listing as a City of Palm Springs Class 1 Historic Resource.

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67 8. Bibliography
Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians GIS Portal
Ancestry.com, various records
Bonhams Auctioneers catalogue for The Collection of Gordon Locksley & George T. Shea Buckner, Cory. A. Quincy Jones, Building for Better Living, 2007. Phaidon monograph.

Chicago Tribune, various dates.

City of Palm Springs Department of Planning Services. “Citywide Historic Resource Inventory – Eligible.” January 5, 2023.
https://www.palmspringsca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/64260/63808847673603000 0 City of Palm Springs Municipal Code, 8.05– Historic Preservation.

Cygelman, Adèle. Palm Springs Modern, 1999.

Daily Times Advocate, 30 October 1975.

The Desert Sun, various dates.
eichlerX-100.com
Evening World-Herald, 21 August 1944.

Findagrave.com, various records.

Fort Worth Star Telegram, 4 June 1947.

Getty Images
Historic Resources Group. City of Palm Springs Citywide Historic Context Statement & Survey Findings. Prepared for the City of Palm Springs: Department of Planning Services, December 2018.

J. Paul Getty Trust, The Getty Research Institute.

The Los Angeles Times, various dates.

National Park Service. National Register Bulletin 15: How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, rev. 1991.

Newspapers.com, various dates.

Palm Springs Historical Society, various collections.

Item 2B - Page 81
68 Bibliography continued…
Peninsula Times Tribune, 4 February 1941.

Robin Dee Fern, various records.

Riverside County Assessor‐County Clerk‐Recorder
South Pasadena Review, 30 January 1985.

Star Tribune, various records.

Turlock Journal, 15 November 1960.

The Van Nuys News & Valley Green Sheet, 27 February 1950 UCLA Library Special Collections
Valley Times, 7 November 1953
Vaught, Steve. Robinson Residence Brochure, 2024.

Item 2B - Page 82
69 Appendix A.
2016 Property Data Form
Number Parcel Assessor
505251005
Rd Suffix Patencio Street Direction 999 Address
1959 Assessor Tax from Date

ones Ƭ Emmons Architect
Builder

INFORMATION CONSTRUCTION
Source Date
Owner Original

INFORMATION RESOURCE
Name Historic
Name Common
Robinson Residence
HP2. Single family property Attribute Resource
1 Stories Single‐family residence Use Original
Single‐family residence Use Current
Prefix
Location
Style Additional

ALTERATIONS CUSTOM
Large estate lot; attached carport
Mid‐century Modern Style Architectural

FEATURES DEFINING CHARACTER
5S3
District
Research from Date
Located in a District?
Merito ista Tract/Neighborhood
Owner(s) Other
Robinson,
.
. and Edward
Source Architect
PHOTO FIELD 2016
Code Status 2016
ne‐story configuration with simple geometric forms
Horizontal massing
lat roof with wide overhanging eaves and cantilevered canopies nadorned wall surfaces with no decorative detailing
Stone veneer exterior walls
lush‐mounted metal frame windows
ot fully visible from public right‐of‐way but appears to have no maor alterations

ALTERATIONS GENERAL
o maor alterations
APNs Additional
Item 2B - Page 83
7 □
7 7
7 70
Appendix A.
2016 Property Data Form (continued)
Architectural Styles Ƭ Local Practitioners Context
1959 Significance of Period
Significance of Statement
oric resources (Citywide Historic This property was re‐evaluated during the 2015 survey as part of an update to the City of Palm Springs’ list of potential hist rominent architectural firm
ones f Mid‐century Modern residential architecture designed by the p Resource Database). It is significant as an excellent example o t‐of‐way, no maor alterations are evident. Ƭ Emmons. Although it is not fully visible from the public righ Post‐World War II Modernism Theme
Mid‐century Modern theme ‐ Sub
Information Notes/Additional
Springs’ seasonal and permanent ise of the car culture contributed to a rapid increase in Palm st‐World War II years and the r The growing prosperity of the po g that afforded architects mass‐produced and custom housin This created a demand for both pea of Modernism’s popularity. population, coinciding with the ophisticated global design nge of architectural types and ideas, sometimes influenced by s and developers the opportunity to explore and develop a wide ra later came to be identified as development of an exceptional group of Modern buildings which trends. These conditions and the architects̵ talents led to the e in architecture in 1929, E. Emmons,
r. graduated from Cornell niversity with a degre Palm Springs School.̶ rederic ̶Palm Springs Modernism̶ or ̶The n they were both employed re he met A. uincy
ones whe moved to Los Angeles in 1932. The and after woring for the ew Yor firm of Mcim, Mead Ƭ White, nd wored for a number of s in 1936 after graduating from the niversity of Washington, a . ones had moved to Los Angele at Allied Engineers in San Pedro after serving in the .S. Paul R. Williams. oth Emmons and ones returned to Los Angeles including Douglas Honnold and prominent Los Angeles architects architecture in Southern Ƭ Emmons, a partnership which was among the masters of Modern avy during World War II, and in 1951 founded the firm of ones
eloped a distinctly continued until Emmons’ retirement in 1969. ones Ƭ Emmons dev f of the 20th century and which California during the second hal t‐and‐beam construction, warm woods and other natural materials, integrated systems and Californian expression of modernism characterized by simple pos nstruction with pre‐assembled structural innovations, including lightweight post‐and‐beam co inviting scale. The firm utilized new building technologies and st tract houses to lavish stimated to have designed thousands of homes, ranging from mode production time. The firm is e parts, which decreased costs and

ones and Emmons tate of Ambassador and Mrs. Walter Annenberg in Rancho Mirage. custom residences such as Sunnylands, the 32,000‐suare‐foot es nal proects, including numerous alifornia as well as a number of prominent civic and institutio factory buildings throughout C designed office, restaurant, and ors and awards,
ones Ƭ iego. Among the firm’s many hon buildings on the niversity of California campuses at Irvine, Los Angeles, Riverside, and San D irm of the Year in 1969. Emmons was named AIA
C/3/Ͷ, 5 Criterion
No. HSPB
Context
Significance of Period
Theme
theme ‐ Sub
Criterion
Context
Significance of Period
Theme
theme ‐ Sub
Criterion
EVALUATION 2016

EVALUATION SURVEY PREVIOUS
5S3 Code Status 2016
7R Code Status 2003 Code HRI Yes Database Resources Historic City 5S3 Local Register California Register National
Item 2B - Page 84
7 L
C-7
71 Appendix B.

Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Land Status Map, July 2025 Red dot denotes the resource

Item 2B - Page 85
18 17 16
19 20 21
30 29 28
31 32 33
.-
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19 20
30 29 28
31 32 33
10 15
27 34 ---
23 28
35 ---·. ---
12 13
25 36
CAUE:NTE: INDIAN Rfi€1NATION

IVERSIDE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
LAND STATUS AS OF JULY 202S
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72 Appendix C.

Historic Photos and Drawings of 999 N. Patencio Rd.

Under Construction, 1957, view looking west toward Dry Falls canyon.

Under Construction, 1957, view looking southeast toward Santa Rosa mountains.

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73 HOAMS pool construction, 1957, view looking south toward hillside of O’Donnell Golf Club.

Tall Italian cypress trees in distance denote the home of Robinson’s boss Don Duncan.

Under Construction, 1957, view looking southeast toward Santa Rosa mountains.

Item 2B - Page 87
,-..

Ac"" ·'\,.-..,._ ... .... -~ .
74 Under Construction, 1957, view looking northwest toward Mt. San Jacinto foothills.

Under Construction, 1957, view looking east toward neighboring house @ 550 Via Lola.

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75 Street-facing elevation after completion. Note the address sign on the orginal gate (since removed).

Street-facing elevation to east of driveway, circa late 1950’s. The boulder and wall remain.

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76 South and west-facing elevations, L to R: rear of public wing, primary bedroom, covered outdoor living room.

Primary east-facing entry on the left and rear south-facing elevations and pool area on the right.

View looking northeast, primary bedroom wing on right, pool in foreground.

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77 Original 1956 archival rendering by Jones & Emmons of primary elevation, 999 N. Patencio Rd.

Archival plot plan by Jones & Emmons, 999 N. Patencio Rd.

Item 2B - Page 91
7 ,,
··----,
78 Original landscape lighting plan/schedule. Most likely done by Emiel Becsky, associate, Jones & Emmons.

Proposed unbuilt southeastern addition to 999 N. Patencio Rd. designed by Jones & Emmons.

Item 2B - Page 92
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79 Historic view looking north at east facing front elevation. (Note the Palos Verdes Stone and opaque glass garden walls) Historic view looking northeast at south facing rear elevation. (Note the A.Q. Jones signature sunflap)
Item 2B - Page 93
80 Historic view looking northwest toward south-facing rear elevation. (Planters of only petunias were considered de rigueur for the period) Historic view looking northwest toward south-facing and west-facing rear elevations.

Historic northwest elevation facing south and west of
outdoor covered living room.

Item 2B - Page 94
81 Historic night-time view of south-facing rear elevation and pool, 999 N. Patencio Road.

Special Thanks
MWDArch
Gary Johns
Sarah Yoon
Simon Elliott
Steve Vaught
Mark Daniels
Robin Dee Fern
Thomas Crowley
Gary Wexler Design
Mark W. Daniels, AIA

City of Palm Springs
Yagulyan Homeowners
Architectural Resources Group
Palm Springs Historical Society
UCLA Library Special Collections
Item 2B - Page 95

ATTACHMENT D
Item 2B - Page 96
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l
L
RESOLUTION NO. HSPB #169

A RESOLUTION OF THE HISTORIC SITE PRESERVATION

BOARD OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA,

RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL DESIGNATE
THE ROBINSON RESIDENCE LOCATED AT 999 NORTH
PATENCIO ROAD, A CLASS 1 HISTORIC SITE (HSPB
#169), APN #505-251-005.

THE HISTORIC SITE PRESERVATION BOARD ("HSPB") FINDS AND DETERMINES AS FOLLOWS:

A. WHEREAS, Chapter 8.05 of the Palm Springs Municipal Code allows for the designation of historic sites and districts; and
B. WHEREAS, The City of Palm Springs filed an application pursuant to Article Ill, Section 8.05.070 (Procedure and Criteria for Designation of Historic Resources) of the Palm Springs Municipal Code requesting historic resources designation for "The Robinson Residence" located at 999 N. Patencio Road. The application included a historic resources report ("the report").

C. WHEREAS, on October 6, 2025, members of the Historic Site Preservation Board (HSPB) conducted site inspections of the proposed historic resource, accompanied by City staff; and
D. WHEREAS, on October 7, 2025, a noticed public hearing of the Palm Springs Historic Site Preservation Board ("HSPB") to consider Case HSPB #169 was held in accordance with applicable law; and
E. WHEREAS, the HSPB carefully reviewed and considered all of the evidence presented in connection with the hearing on the project, including, but not limited to, the staff report and all written and oral testimony presented.

THE HISTORIC SITE PRESERVATION BOARD OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS RESOLVES:

SECTION 1: FINDINGS-PART "1". CRITERIA FOR HISTORIC RESOURCES.

Evaluation of the Application. Pursuant to Municipal Code Section 8.05.070 (C, 1,a), the HSPB shall evaluate the application and make findings in conformance with the following criteria:

1. Criteria for the Designation of Class 1 Historic Resources. A site, structure, building or object may be designated as a Class 1 historic resource, provided both of the following findings ("a" and "b'') are met:

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a. The site, structure, building, or object exhibits exceptional historic significance and meets one or more of the criteria listed below:
999 N. Patencio Road is a single-family home constructed in the Mid-century Modern style with an asymmetrical floor plan that is centrally located on the lot. The home features a horizontal rhythm across the site using a combination of natural stone, stucco and glazing. The following is an analysis of the criteria and integrity findings for historic designation.
(Criterion i) The resource is associated with events that have made a meaningful contribution to the nation, state or community; No meaningful event is associated with this site, thus does not qualify under Criterion i. (Criterion ii) The resource is associated with the lives of persons who made a meaningful contribution to national, state or local history; Jerome J. Robinson was the original owner who commissioned the architecture firm Jones & Emmons to design this home. The property was in the Robinson family's possession until the mid-1970s and then changes hands in 1988, 2016 and 2025. Based on the extensive research provided in the report, the past owners do not qualify under this criterion.
(Criterion iii) The resource reflects or exemplifies a particular period of national, state or local history;
The wealth and design awareness that emerged in Palm Springs during the post-World War II period was evident in the buildings that were constructed during this time. Midcentury Modern design was derived from early Modernist ideas. Enthusiastic designers and architects embraced these concepts and produced buildings with features that emphasized horizontality, flat rooflines, simple geometry, minimal ornamentation, smooth concrete/stucco finishes and expansive glazing. The Robinson residence at 999 N.

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(Criterion v) The resource presents the work of a master builder, designer, artist, or architect whose individual genius influenced his age, or that possesses high artistic value;
The Los Angeles-based architecture firm Jones & Emmons is well-known and admired by the profession for their prolific work throughout California. A Quincy Jones and Frederick Emmons designed nearly 5,000 Eichler homes in a 24-year period and was commissioned by the Annenberg family to design the Annenberg Estate (Sunnylands) in Rancho Mirage, California. The Robinson home is the only known single-family residence by the firm in Palm Springs. The design of the home itself is valued for its exceptional qualities as a Mid-century Modern home, and it is associated with master architects that influenced the field, as well as the next generation of designers. HSPB finds Criterion v for historic significance is met.
(Criterion vi) The resource represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction, as used in evaluating applications for designation of historic districts, for parcels on which more than one entity exists; or
The resource is not within a historic district and does not qualify under Criterion vi. (Criterion vii) The resource has yielded or may be likely to yield information important to national, state or local history or prehistory.

No information is available on any pre-historic significance of the site.

SECTION 2: PART "B" ANALYSIS OF HISTORIC INTEGRITY.

Analysis of Integrity. (PSMC 8.05.070 (C, 1,b). The site, structure, building or object retains one or more of the following aspects of integrity, as established in the Secretary of the Interiors Standards: integrity of design, materials, workmanship, location, setting, feeling, or association.

The Robinson Residence is evaluated based on the following topics of integrity based on the Secretary of the Interior's Standards:

Location.

The home is in its original location on the lot; therefore, the integrity of location is met.

Design.

The Robinson residence has an irregular plan sited centrally on the lot. The main entrance to the home is accentuated with the porte-cochere and covered walkway leading to the front door. The overall building mass emphasizes horizontality with a flat roofline that articulates higher around the common area within the home. Exposed steel columns and metal framed windows are integrated into the fac;ade with fenestration that spans the full height of the building. The sliding glass doors and fixed windows are shielded from the Item 2B - Page 100
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elements with deep overhangs and horizontal datum lines track through the home as a discrete, yet elegant detail seen on the sunflaps and the underside of the overhangs.

Clerestory windows and projecting roof planes allow light to reflect inside and the irregularly cut and stacked stone walls are seen throughout the home. The uniquely shaped swimming pool is situated on the far southwest side of the lot with thick square terrazzo tiles around the pool. The landscape consists of matures plantings and the report identifies two small additions that were made to the original floor plan in 1970 by Jones & Emmons. The integrity of design remains intact.

Setting.

Materials.

Workmanship.

Feeling.

Association.

SECTION 3: DEFINING HISTORIC CHARACTERISTICS
When evaluating a property for historic designation, it is important to identify the original elements that contribute to its historic significance from later additions or alterations.

While these changes may be sympathetic to the original design, it can create a false sense of historicity. Distinguishing original character-defining features from non-original elements will aid the HSPB when it is tasked with evaluating future alterations to the historic resource.

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October 7, 2025
Character-defining features of the resource are as follows:
• Location at northwestern terminus of N. Patencio Road and Via Lola • Position of the home on the one-acre lot
• Long L-shaped driveway
• Primary facades facing east and south
• Single-story building with vertical articulation to height starting at the entry • Irregular L-shaped plan
• A.O. Jones' signature porte-cochere and long covered entry walkway canopy with cut-outs
• Original front door
• Staggered concrete walkway with exposed aggregate leading to the front door • Simple rectilinear and geometric forms
• Flat roof with flat parapet and clean datum lines track through the house seen on the underside of the sunflaps and exterior overhangs
• Exposed and painted steel beam columns
• Recessed, circle canned lights under the extended overhangs • Floor-to-ceiling fixed windows and sliding door fenestration with clear glazing and transom window
• Exposed I-beam columns
• Integrated concrete block planters outdoors
• Integrated terrazzo floors from inside to outside
• Original "Palos Verdes" stone walls throughout the exterior of the home • Entire floor-to-ceiling fireplace and incorporated indoor/outdoor granite bench • Indoor roof skylight along north wall of dining and living areas • Circular "bubble" concrete pads in garden
• Swimming pool shape and location on the site
Non-contributing elements:
• Ficus hedge around the property perimeter
• Existing driveway gate and wall
• CMU walls added in 1988
• Addition to the maid's quarters from 1970 (east facing sunflap was removed for addition)
SECTION 4: ENVI RO NM ENT AL ASSESSMENT
The proposed historic resource designation is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical changes to the environment, directly or indirectly.

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Resolution No. HSPB #169 - The Robinson Residence
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SECTION 5: CONDITIONS THAT APPLY TO CLASS 1 HISTORIC SITES.

According to Section 8.05 of the Municipal Code, the following shall apply to a Class 1 Historic Resource:

1. It shall meet the definition of a Class 1 historic site as outlined in Municipal Code Section 8.05.020.

2. An archival file on the property shall be maintained by the City.

3. It may be qualified as 'historic' at the federal, state, and/or county level.

4. The structure/site may not be modified nor objects removed without following the procedures outlined in Municipal Code Section 8.05.110 "Demolition or Alteration of Class 1 and Class 2 Historic Resources - Certificate of Appropriateness".

5. A marker explaining the historic nature of the site may be installed at the site in a location viewable from the public way.

6. Compliance with all rules and regulations for Historic Sites and Historic Districts under Chapter 8.05 of the Municipal Code shall be required.

7. The site shall not be further subdivided.

8. The City Clerk shall submit the Council Resolution to the County recorder for recordation within 90 days of the effective date of the Council's resolution.

Based upon the foregoing, the Historic Site Preservation Board recommends that the City Council designate The Robinson Residence located at 999 N. Patencio Road, a Class 1 Historic Resource (HSPB #169).

ADOPTED THIS SEVENTH DAY OF OCTOBER 2025.

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:

ABSTAIN:

ATTEST:
rul
Hansen, Bachman, Maschka Hitchcock, Moruzzi, Mccready, Paonessa.

None.

Herr.

None.

CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA
Christopher Hadwin
Director of Planning Services

HISTORIC SITE PRESERVATION BOARD

STAFF REPORT
DATE: October 7, 2025 PUBLIC HEARING
SUBJECT: APPLICATION BY Z-LIST REVOCABLE TRUST 5/28/2015 FOR HISTORIC SITE DESIGNATION OF “THE ROBINSON RESIDENCE”
LOCATED AT 999 NORTH PATENCIO ROAD, (APN 505-251-005) CASE:

HSPB #169 (SY)
FROM: Department of Planning Services

SUMMARY
This request for Class 1 historic designation is an application submitted by the current owners of the property following staff discussions regarding a proposed scope of work for the property. The site was identified as a Class 3 site designed by architects A. Quincy Jones and Frederick Emmons. The period of significance is 1957.

If designated as a historic resource, the property would be subject to the regulations outlined in Section 8.05 of the Palm Springs Municipal Code.

RECOMMENDATION:

1. Open the public hearing and receive public testimony.

2. Close the public hearing and adopt Resolution HSPB #169, “A RESOLUTION OF

THE HISTORIC SITE PRESERVATION BOARD OF THE CITY OF PALM

SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL DESIGNATE “THE ROBINSON RESIDENCE” LOCATED AT 999 NORTH PATENCIO ROAD, AS A CLASS 1 (LANDMARK) HISTORIC RESOURCE, HSPB #169, SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS (APN #505-251-005).”
BACKGROUND AND SETTING:

Located in the Old Las Palmas neighborhood, 999 N. Patencio Road is approximately one acre in size. The L-shaped lot creates a condition where the property abuts two separate streets but the front elevation is oriented towards North Patencio Road. The Merito Vista No. 2 tract map from 1946 shows the existing lot with no changes to size or configuration. The perimeter of the lot is defined by a block wall and a continuous ficus hedge that was added later, and there is one vehicular access point from Patencio Road.

Since the completion of the home in 1957, two minor additions were made to the existing building.

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AERIAL VIEW OF THE SUBJECT PARCEL.

SOUTH FACING (REAR) ELEVATION OF 999 NORTH PATENCIO ROAD, 2025.

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Related Relevant City Actions by HSPB, Planning, Fire, Building, etc.

October, 2025 Site inspection by members of the HSPB and City Staff.

Ownership Status
January, 2025 Purchased by the current owner.

Historic Context Statement “Post-World War II (1945-1969)” The 1950s in Palm Springs was a time of growth and design experimentation. The use of materials like steel and expansive glazing combined with rising client interest in Modern design redefined the architectural landscape, especially for custom designed homes.

Prominent architects like Neutra, Frey, and Wexler blended Modernist principles with the desert environment to create a distinctive architectural expression. 1 The Robinson residence exemplifies this period.

Context: Post-World War II Palm Springs (1945-1969)
Theme: Post World War II Single-Family Residential Development (1945-1969) Registration Requirements: To be eligible under this theme, a property must:
 Date from the period of significance; and
 Represent an excellent example of an architectural style or method of construction; or be associated with a significant architect or designer; and  Display most of the character-defining features of the property type or style; and
 Retain the essential aspects of historic integrity.

Context: Architectural Styles & Local Practitioners
Theme: Modern Styles of the Post-World War II Era
Sub-theme: Mid-century Modern
Registration Requirements: To be eligible under this theme as an excellent example of its architectural style, a property must:
 Retain most – though not necessarily all – of the character-defining features of the style, and continue to exhibit its historic appearance  If important for illustrating a particular architectural style or construction technique, must retain most of the physical features that constitute that style or technique.

ANALYSIS:

A historic resources report (“the report”), site visit, and city documents and forms are the basis of this staff report. Designed by Jones and Emmons, the Jerome J. Robinson residence is an excellent representation of the Mid-century Modern style of architecture.

The report calls attention to the character-defining features of the property as well as the alteration made to the site in subsequent years.
1 City of Palm Springs Citywide Historic Context Statement “Post-World War II Palm Springs (1945-1969)”, 170.

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Historic Preservation activities in Palm Springs are regulated under Municipal Code Section 8.05 (“Historic Preservation”). The purpose of the Historic Preservation Ordinance is:
“…to stabilize and improve buildings, structures or areas which are considered to be of historical, architectural, archaeological or ecological value, to foster civic beauty, to strengthen the local economy and to promote the use of historic resources for the education and welfare of the citizens.” Conditions that apply to Class 1 historic sites or resources:

1. It shall meet the definition of a historic site as outlined in Municipal Code Section

8.05.020.

2. An archival file shall be maintained on the property by the City.

3. It may be qualified as ‘historic’ at the federal, state, and/or county level.

4. A marker explaining the historic nature of the site may be installed in a location viewable from the public way.

5. Compliance with all rules and regulations for Historic Resources and Historic Districts under Chapter 8.05 of the Municipal Code.

Evaluation of the Application. Pursuant to Municipal Code Section 8.05.070 (C,1,a), the HSPB shall evaluate the application and make findings in conformance with the following criteria:

Criteria for the Designation of Class 1 Historic Resources. A site, structure, building or object may be designated as a Class 1 historic resource, provided both of the following findings (“a” and “b”) are met:
a. The site, structure, building or object exhibits exceptional historic significance and meets one or more of the criteria listed below:
999 N. Patencio Road is a single-family home constructed in the Mid-century Modern style with an asymmetrical floor plan that is centrally located on the lot. The home features a horizontal rhythm across the site using a combination of natural stone, stucco and glazing. The following is an analysis of the criteria and integrity findings for historic designation.
(Criterion i) The resource is associated with events that have made a meaningful contribution to the nation, state or community; No meaningful event is associated with this site, thus does not qualify under Criterion i.

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(Criterion ii) The resource is associated with the lives of persons who made a meaningful contribution to national, state or local history; Jerome J. Robinson was the original owner who commissioned the architecture firm Jones & Emmons to design this home. The property was in the Robinson family’s possession until the mid-1970s and then changes hands in 1988, 2016 and 2025. Based on the extensive research provided in the report, the past owners do not qualify under this criterion.
(Criterion iii) The resource reflects or exemplifies a particular period of national, state or local history;
The wealth and design awareness that emerged in Palm Springs during the post-World War II period was evident in the buildings that were constructed during this time. Midcentury Modern design was derived from early Modernist ideas. Enthusiastic designers and architects embraced these concepts and produced buildings with features that emphasized horizontality, flat rooflines, simple geometry, minimal ornamentation, smooth concrete/stucco finishes and expansive glazing. The Robinson residence at 999 N.

Patencio incorporates these details and utilizes deep roof overhangs to mitigate the desert climate. As an architecturally significant example of Mid-century Modern residential design, the property reflects both local and international trends of the period. Staff finds Criterion iii is met.
(Criterion iv) The resource embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period or method of construction;
Unlike the National Register criterion concerning construction, the Palm Springs evaluation of construction addresses the type (of construction), the period (of construction) and the method (of construction). The home was constructed using conventional methods and no new building materials or technology was specifically identified. Criterion iv is not met.
(Criterion v) The resource presents the work of a master builder, designer, artist, or architect whose individual genius influenced his age, or that possesses high artistic value;
The Los Angeles-based architecture firm Jones & Emmons is well-known and admired by the profession for their prolific work throughout California. A. Quincy Jones and Frederick Emmons designed nearly 5,000 Eichler homes in a 24-year period and was commissioned by the Annenberg family to design the Annenberg Estate (Sunnylands) in Rancho Mirage, California. The Robinson home is the only known single-family residence by the firm in Palm Springs. The design of the home itself is valued for its exceptional qualities as a Mid-century Modern home, and it is associated with master architects that influenced the field, as well as the next generation of designers. Staff finds Criterion v for historic significance is met.

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(Criterion vi) The resource represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction, as used in evaluating applications for designation of historic districts, for parcels on which more than one entity exists; or
The resource is not within a historic district and does not qualify under Criterion vi. (Criterion vii) The resource has yielded or may be likely to yield information important to national, state or local history or prehistory.

No information is available on any pre-historic significance of the site.

Analysis of Integrity. (PSMC 8.05.070 (C,1,b). The site, structure, building or object retains one or more of the following aspects of integrity, as established in the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards: integrity of design, materials, workmanship, location, setting, feeling, or association.

The Robinson residence is evaluated based on the following topics of integrity based on the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards:

Location.

The home is in its original location on the lot; therefore, the integrity of location is met.

Design.

The Robinson residence has an irregular plan sited centrally on the lot. The main entrance to the home is accentuated with the porte-cochere and covered walkway leading to the front door. The overall building mass emphasizes horizontality with a flat roofline that articulates higher around the common area within the home. Exposed steel columns and metal framed windows are integrated into the façade with fenestration that spans the full height of the building. The sliding glass doors and fixed windows are shielded from the elements with deep overhangs and horizontal datum lines track through the home as a discrete, yet elegant detail seen on the sunflaps and the underside of the overhangs.

Setting.

Materials.

Based on the findings in the report, the original building materials such as the Palos Item 2B - Page 108
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Verdes exterior stone, steel columns, floor-to-ceiling glazing, terrazzo flooring, circular concrete pads and smooth stucco finish remain extant. The integrity of material is met.

Workmanship.

Feeling.

Association.

DEFINING HISTORIC CHARACTERISTICS:

When evaluating a property for historic designation, it is important to identify the original elements that contribute to its historic significance from later additions or alterations.

Character-defining features on page 66 of the historic resources report and the staff analysis of important features are listed as follows:
• Location at northwestern terminus of N. Patencio Road and Via Lola • Long L-shaped driveway
• Primary facades facing east and south
• Single-story building with vertical articulation to height starting at the entry • Irregular L-shaped plan
• A.Q. Jones’ signature porte-cochere and long covered entry walkway canopy with cut-outs
• Staggered concrete walkway with exposed aggregate leading to the front door • Simple rectilinear and geometric forms
• Flat roof with flat parapet and clean datum lines track through the house seen on the underside of the sunflaps and exterior overhangs
• Exposed and painted steel beam columns
• Recessed, circle canned lights under the extended overhangs • Floor‐to‐ceiling fixed windows and sliding door fenestration with clear glazing and transom window
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• Integrated concrete block planters outdoors
• Integrated terrazzo floors from inside to outside
• Original “Palos Verdes” stone walls throughout the exterior of the home • Entire floor-to-ceiling fireplace and incorporated indoor/outdoor granite bench • Indoor roof skylight along north wall of dining and living areas • Circular “bubble” concrete pads in garden
• Swimming pool shape and location on the site
Non-contributing elements:
• Ficus hedge around the property perimeter
• Existing driveway gate and wall
• CMU walls added in 1988
• Addition to the maid’s quarters from 1970 (east facing sunflap was removed for addition)
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:

The proposed historic resource designation is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical changes to the environment, directly or indirectly.

NOTIFICATION:

Pursuant to section 8.05.140 of the Municipal Code of Palm Springs, all residents within five hundred (500) feet of the subject property have been notified and notice was published in a newspaper of general circulation.

CONCLUSION:

The Robinson residence meets the definition of a historic resource based on Criterion 3 and 5 of the Palm Springs Historic Preservation Ordinance and meets the necessary integrity findings to support its historic significance; therefore, staff recommends Class 1 Designation as a historic landmark property.

PREPARED BY: Sarah Yoon, Associate Planner/Historic Preservation Officer REVIEWED BY: Anthony Riederer, Assistant Director of Planning Services Attachments:

A. Vicinity Map
B. Draft Resolution
C. Application, related background materials, photos.

Item 2B - Page 110

EXCERPTS OF MINUTES
At the Historic Site Preservation Board meeting of the City of Palm Springs, held October 7, 2025, the Historic Site Preservation Board took the following action:

2.C. APPLICATION BY Z-LIST REVOCABLE TRUST 5/28/2015 FOR HISTORIC SITE DESIGNATION OF “THE ROBINSON RESIDENCE”
LOCATED AT 999 NORTH PATENCIO ROAD, (APN 505-251-005)
CASE: HSPB #169, (SY).

Historic Preservation Officer Yoon presented the staff report and answered questions of the board.

Mark Daniels, applicant representative, commented on the request for historic designation application on behalf of the applicant.

Motion by Member Paonessa, seconded by Member Bachman to adopt the findings and recommend that the City Council designate the Robinson Residence as a historic site. Pursuant to CEQA action is not a project.

AYES: Hansen, Bachman, Moruzzi, Maschka Hitchcock, Paonessa, McCready.

NOES: None.

ABSENT: Herr.

Item 2B - Page 111

CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
DATE: OCTOBER 22, 2025 PUBLIC HEARING
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION OF NECESSITY OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF

PALM SPRINGS FOR THE ACQUISITION BY EMINENT DOMAIN OF A

TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT INTEREST IN A PORTION

OF CERTAIN REAL PROPERTY LOCATED IN CATHEDRAL CITY,

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA AND MORE PARTICULARLY
DESCRIBED AS ASSESSOR PARCEL NO. 678-210-041 FOR THE
RAMON ROAD BRIDGE WIDENING PROJECT, CITY PROJECT NO. 08- 25, FEDERAL-AID PROJECT NO. BHLS-5282 (40)
FROM: Scott C. Stiles, City Manager
BY: Jeffrey S. Ballinger, City Attorney
SUMMARY:

This public hearing item will allow the City Council to consider acquiring, by eminent domain, a temporary construction easement interest in a portion of certain real property identified by Assessor Parcel Number (APN) 678-210-041 (the “Property”), owned by Marwan Jizrawi, a married man, as his sole and separate property, for the Ramon Road Bridge Widening Project (the “Project”).

RECOMMENDATION:
1) Conduct a public hearing to consider the adoption of a resolution of necessity, including providing all parties interested in the affected Property and their attorneys, or their representatives, an opportunity to be heard on the issues relevant to the Resolution of Necessity;
2) Make the following findings as hereinafter described in this report:
a) The public interest and necessity require the proposed Project; b) The Project is planned or located in a manner that will be most compatible with the greatest public good and the least private injury; c) The real Property to be acquired is necessary for the Project; and d) The offer of just compensation has been made to the Property owner. 3) Adopt Resolution No. _____, “A RESOLUTION OF NECESSITY OF THE CITY

COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS FOR THE ACQUISITION BY Item 2C - Page 1
City Council Staff Report
October 22, 2025 -- Page 2
Resolution of Necessity Public Hearing for APN 678-210-041, City Project 08-25

EMINENT DOMAIN OF A TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT INTEREST

IN A PORTION OF CERTAIN REAL PROPERTY LOCATED IN CATHEDRAL CITY,

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA AND MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED AS ASSESSOR PARCEL NO. 678-210-041 FOR THE RAMON ROAD BRIDGE WIDENING PROJECT”.

BACKGROUND:

On August 19, 2019, the City purchased a five-year Temporary Construction Easement (“TCE”) from the owner of the Property. This TCE expired on June 30, 2024, without the City having utilized the TCE or having been able to construct the Project. Thus, the City through its representatives reached out to the owner to acquire a new TCE, which is the subject of this proposed Resolution of Necessity.

Since the expiration of the previous TCE, acquisition of the property interests by the City has been the subject of negotiations with the owner of the Property; however, the parties have been unable to reach an agreement. The City and its contractors spoke with the property owner, who indicated his disagreement with the project and compensation being offered on several occasions. After meeting and speaking to the property owner several times, the property owner has not indicated a willingness to negotiate any further regarding the acquisition of the property until additional compensation is negotiated.

Efforts will continue to negotiate with the owner to acquire the property rights; however, authority is needed now to undertake eminent domain proceedings to acquire the property rights and obtain possession of the property interests to timely commence and complete the Project.

The City obtained an appraisal prepared by Beth Finestone, MAI, AI-GRS, FRICS, CRE and Stephanie Kavanaugh of CBRE, Inc. to establish the fair market value of the interest the City is seeking to acquire. An offer of just compensation, pursuant to California Government Code section 7267.2, was made to the Property Owner for the acquisition of the interest necessary for the Project. Following standard public records and due diligence searches for ownership information, a Notice of the Resolution of Necessity Hearing set for October 22, 2025, was mailed to the Property owner: Marwan Jizrawi.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPERTY & PROJECT:

1. Property Owner: Marwan Jizrawi
A. A 60-month, 1,228 square foot Temporary Construction Easement from Assessor Parcel Number 678-210-041.

B. The proposed Project is identified as the Ramon Road Widening between San Luis Rey Drive and Landau Boulevard including the widening of the Whitewater River Bridge. The project is contained Item 2C - Page 2
City Council Staff Report
October 22, 2025 -- Page 3
Resolution of Necessity Public Hearing for APN 678-210-041, City Project 08-25 within the eastern portion of the City of Palm Springs and City of Cathedral City’s western limits.

C. The proposed Project will result in the widening of Ramon Road from a 4-lane arterial to a 6-lane arterial (3 lanes in each direction) between San Luis Rey Drive and Landau Boulevard, including the widening and seismic retrofitting of the Ramon Road Bridge over the Whitewater River.

D. The owner’s property consists of .51 acres located on Ramon Road, in Cathedral City. The Property is improved with a 1,560 square foot service station and convenience store, which are not impacted by the Project.

E. While the Property is located in Cathedral City, the City of Palm Springs is the lead agency on the Project and able to acquire the TCE pursuant to that certain Cooperative Agreement between Cathedral City and the City of Palm Springs, dated September 23, 2019.

STAFF ANALYSIS:

Hearing and Required Findings
California eminent domain law provides that a public entity may not commence an eminent domain proceeding until its body has adopted a Resolution of Necessity, which resolution may only be adopted after the governing body has given each party with an interest in the affected property or the representatives a reasonable opportunity to appear and be heard on the following matters:

1. The public interest and necessity require the proposed property.

2. The project has been planned and located in a manner most compatible with the greatest public good and the least private injury.

3. The real property to be acquired is necessary for the project.

4. The offer of just compensation has been made to the property owner.

A notice of the hearing was mailed on September 23, 2025, by first class to the property owner in accordance with California Code of Civil Procedure section 1245.235.

The four required findings referenced above are addressed herein.

Eminent Domain Action
The public project relating to the proposed eminent domain action is identified as the Ramon Road Bridge Widening Project (“Project”). The Project will widen Ramon Road Item 2C - Page 3
City Council Staff Report
October 22, 2025 -- Page 4
Resolution of Necessity Public Hearing for APN 678-210-041, City Project 08-25 from a 4-lane arterial to a 6-lane arterial (3 lanes in each direction) between San Luis Rey Drive and Landau Boulevard, including widening and seismic retrofitting of the Ramon Road Bridge over the Whitewater River Storm Channel.

The City obtained an appraisal of the affected property from CBRE, Inc. An offer of just compensation was then made to the property owner for the acquisition pursuant to California Government Code section 7267.2.

A litigation guarantee was ordered to determine and confirm the identity of the record owner. Following a standard public records and due diligence search for ownership information, a notice of this public hearing was mailed to the affected property owner.

The power of eminent domain is used by the City only as a last resort to obtain interests necessary for projects after 1) negotiations have stalled; or 2) the owner has requested that the City proceed directly to eminent domain for tax or other advantages; or 3) the eminent domain process is necessary to clear title to the property. In this case, an offer of just compensation was made to the owner for the full Fair Market Value as determined by an independent appraisal. California’s definition of Fair Market Value is one of the most inclusive definitions in the United States and requires the appraiser to consider the highest and best use of the property and to consider the highest price a willing buyer and seller would agree to. The City’s appraisal must use this definition of Fair Market Value.

Since an agreement has not yet been reached with the property owner, it is necessary to proceed with the eminent domain process to meet critical project deadlines. Pursuant to Section 1245.235 of the California Code of Civil Procedures, a notice of this hearing was sent by first class mail on July 1, 2025 to the record owner and stated the City’s intent to consider the adoption of a resolution, the right of the property owner to appear and be heard, and notice that failure to file a written request to appear may result in a waiver of the right to appear and be heard.

City staff and legal counsel will continue with efforts to negotiate a voluntary acquisition with the owner.

Description of Property to be Acquired
The affected property is located at 68010 Ramon Road, Cathedral City, CA 9234 and is described as Riverside County Assessor Parcel Number 678-210-041 (the “Property”).

The site consists of 0.51 acres and is improved with a 1,560 square foot Chevron service station and convenience store.

The City intends to acquire an L-Shaped Temporary Construction Easement Interest in the Property along Ramon Road and Landau Boulevard ranging from 5 to 10 feet in width, totaling 1,228 square feet for a duration of 60 months (December 31, 2024 through December 31, 2029).

Item 2C - Page 4
City Council Staff Report
October 22, 2025 -- Page 5
Resolution of Necessity Public Hearing for APN 678-210-041, City Project 08-25 The Property is currently owned by Marwan Jizrawi, a married man as his sole and separate property.

Hearings and Required Findings
The recommended actions of the City Council pertain to the acquisition of a temporary construction easement interest in the Property. A true and correct legal definition, legal description and depiction of the Property sought to be acquired is attached to the Resolution of Necessity as Exhibit A.

The above-described four required findings for the adoption of a resolution of necessity are addressed as follows:

1. The Public Interest and Necessity Require the Proposed Project Approval of the Resolution of Necessity to acquire the temporary construction easement serves the public interest and is necessary for completion of the Project. The Project is identified as the Ramon Road Widening between San Luis Rey Drive and Landau Boulevard including the widening of the Whitewater River Bridge (Bridge No. 56CO287).

The project is contained within the eastern portion of the City of Palm Springs and Cathedral City's western limits.

The proposed project will result in the widening of Ramon Road from a 4-lane arterial to a 6-lane arterial (3 lanes in each direction) between San Luis Rey Drive and Landau Boulevard, including the widening and seismic retrofitting of the Ramon Road Bridge over the Whitewater River. In addition to bridge widening, the project includes new guardrails, extension of bridge supports within the Whitewater River Channel, installation of a median, reconstruction of gutters, curbs, and driveways, restriping of travel lanes and crosswalks, roadway pavement rehabilitation, utilities relocation, drainage improvements, landscaping, and all appurtenant work. The pedestrian improvements include a 5-foot wide sidewalk on the north side of the bridge and a 10-foot wide multi-purpose trail, protected by a physical concrete barrier from vehicular traffic which accommodates bicyclists as well, across the south side of the bridge.

In addition to the roadway and bridge improvements, the project includes the construction of scour countermeasures in the channel bottom to protect the bridge pier foundations during major flood events. Temporary dirt channel access ramps will be constructed at the southwest and southeast corners of Ramon Road and the Whitewater River Channel and will be removed once construction is completed. Additional temporary access into the channel may occur at the northeast and northwest corners.

2. The Project is Planned or Located in a Manner That Will be Most Compatible With the Greatest Public Good and the Least Private Injury The Project has been designed to minimize property impacts. The Project proposes adjustments of eastbound and westbound travel lanes to allow for bridge approach Item 2C - Page 5
City Council Staff Report
October 22, 2025 -- Page 6
Resolution of Necessity Public Hearing for APN 678-210-041, City Project 08-25 widening. Westbound adjustments include construction of a variable width median island up to 24 feet wide and 300-foot long exclusive dual left turn pocket east of Crossley Road.

At the intersection of Ramon Road and Landau Boulevard, a 270-foot long westbound right turn pocket is proposed. Eastbound adjustments include a 500-foot long lane transition and a 380-foot long exclusive dual left turn pocket. A reconstructed raised median is proposed within Ramon Road just east of Landau Blvd.

The proposed roadway improvements include a new eastbound SunLine bus stop turnout at the southeast corner of Ramon Road and Crossley Road. In addition, the existing westbound bus stop turnout at the northeast corner of Ramon Road and Landau Boulevard will be relocated immediately west of Landau Boulevard. The existing eastbound bus stop at the southeast corner of Ramon Road and Landau Boulevard will be upgraded with a turnout. Landau Boulevard will be extended south of Ramon Road to provide a new access drive into the adjoining bowling alley for compensating the loss of the bowling alley's existing access drive on Ramon Road and immediately east of Landau Boulevard. Traffic controllers and signals will be upgraded to accommodate the roadway expansion. The Project will construct curbs, ramps, and sidewalks along the segment of Ramon Road per current Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards.

Existing Ramon Road adjacent to the project limits is a 6-lane (3 lanes in each direction) arterial that meets the ultimate width as required by the Palm Springs and Cathedral City's long-range General Plans. The Project will result in a gap closure by providing a continuous 6-lane arterial to correct a bottleneck that occurs due to the narrowing of lanes across the bridge. The project is intended to enhance traffic flows and safety, and augment pedestrian and bicycle access.

3. The Real Property to be Acquired is Necessary for the Proposed Project An extensive analysis of alternatives was completed before arriving at the proposed alignment and Project footprint. Staff has evaluated multiple alternatives, with costs and constructability analyzed for each alternative. With the alternative chosen, the subject property in the after condition will appear generally similar to its before condition. The subject temporary construction easement to be acquired, on APN 678-210-041, lies in the path of the project area and City staff has worked with City consultants to ensure that no more property is being acquired from this parcel than what is necessary.

4. The Offer of Just Compensation Has Been Made
An appraisal was prepared by CBRE, Inc. to establish the fair market value of the temporary construction easement interest that the City is seeking to acquire. As discussed above, an offer of just compensation was made to the property owner to purchase the temporary construction easement interest as established by the approved appraisal and as required by Section 7267.2 of the California Government Code.

Although a negotiated settlement may still be possible for the property, it would be appropriate to commence the procedure to acquire the property through eminent domain, Item 2C - Page 6
City Council Staff Report
October 22, 2025 -- Page 7
Resolution of Necessity Public Hearing for APN 678-210-041, City Project 08-25 to ensure that the City has possession of the real property, which is necessary in order for the City to continue construction of the project.

The assessor parcel number, the party to whom the offer was made, and the date of the offer is provided in the following table:

APN Record Owner Date of Offer
678-210-041 Marwan Jizrawi 01/14/2025
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:

Section 21084 of the California Public Resources Code requires Guidelines for Implementation of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”). In accordance with the CEQA Guidelines, the City acting as “Lead Agency” pursuant to CEQA, previously completed an environmental analysis of the potential impacts resulting from construction of the Project. On May 7, 2014, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 23544, adopting and ordering the filing of a Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Project. Subsequently, on May 14, 2014, Staff filed a Notice of Determination with the Riverside County Clerk and State Clearinghouse.

The Project is funded, in part, by federal funds, requiring local oversight by Caltrans. As a federally funded project, the Project is subject to environmental review pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”). On June 9, 2014, Caltrans, acting as the lead agency pursuant to NEPA, made an environmental determination that the Project does not individually or cumulatively have a significant impact on the environment as defined by NEPA and is excluded from the requirements to prepare an Environmental Assessment (“EA”) or Environmental Impact Statement (“EIS”), and that it qualifies for a Categorical Exclusion in accordance with 23 USC 327. Subsequently, on January 21, 2016, Caltrans completed a NEPA re-validation of the Project, confirming that the prior NEPA determination for the Project remains valid, and approved the City proceeding with the right-of-way acquisition phase.

ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PLANNING:

This item aligns with City Council’s Strategic Plan Broad Goal of Infrastructure and Facilities.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The City has existing agreements with the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) and the City of Cathedral City for the acquisition of the rights of way necessary for the completion of the Ramon Road Bridge Project. These agreements provide that CVAG will fund 75% of the right-of-way acquisition costs and Cathedral City will fund 100% of the remaining share of acquisition costs within the Cathedral City jurisdiction.

Since the parcel is within the Cathedral City jurisdiction, all costs associated with this Item 2C - Page 7
City Council Staff Report
October 22, 2025 -- Page 8
Resolution of Necessity Public Hearing for APN 678-210-041, City Project 08-25 action will be paid for by CVAG and Cathedral City. While this action was not originally considered in the total amount of the agreement, Staff is closely monitoring the agreement budgets and will request budget increases as necessary before the start of construction.

REVIEWED BY:

Department Director: Joel Montalvo
City Attorney: Jeffrey Ballinger
City Manager: Scott Stiles
ATTACHMENTS:

A. Resolution of Necessity No. ________
Item 2C - Page 8

ATTACHMENT A
Item 2C - Page 9
RESOLUTION NO. _______

RESOLUTION OF NECESSITY OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY

OF PALM SPRINGS FOR THE ACQUISITION BY EMINENT DOMAIN OF

A TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT INTEREST IN A

PORTION OF CERTAIN REAL PROPERTY LOCATED IN CATHEDRAL

CITY, RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA AND MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED AS ASSESSOR PARCEL NO. 678-210-041, FOR THE
RAMON ROAD BRIDGE WIDENING PROJECT, CITY PROJECT NO. 08- 25, FEDERAL-AID PROJECT NO. BHLS-5282 (040)
WHEREAS, the City of Palm Springs (“City”) proposes to acquire a temporary construction easement interest in a portion of certain real property located in the City of Cathedral City (“Cathedral City”), Riverside County, California, more particularly identified as Assessor Parcel No. 678-210-041, for the Ramon Road Bridge Widening Project (“Project”), pursuant to the authority granted to the City by Sections 37350.5 and 40404 of the California Government Code and sections 1240.010,1240.020 and 1240.030 of the California Code of Civil Procedure and the Cooperative Agreement between the City and Cathedral City dated September 23, 2019, granting the City the right to acquire this property for the Ramon Road Bridge Widening Project; and WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 1245.235 of the California Code of Civil Procedure, the City scheduled a public hearing for July 21, 2025 at 5:30 p.m., in the City of Palm Springs City Council Chamber, located at 3200 East Tahquitz Canyon Way, in Palm Springs, California, and gave to each person whose property is to be acquired and whose name and address appears on the last equalized county assessment roll, notice and a reasonable opportunity to appear at said hearing and be heard on the matters referred to in Section 1240.030 of the California Code of Civil Procedure; and WHEREAS, said hearing has been held by the City and each person whose property is to be acquired by eminent domain was afforded the opportunity to be heard on said matters; and
WHEREAS, Section 1240.140 of the Code of Civil Procedure provides that by agreement, members of a joint powers authority created under Government Code 6500 et seq. may jointly exercise their respective powers of eminent domain; and WHEREAS, the City of Palm Springs and Cathedral City, both having the power of eminent domain under Government Code Sections 37350.5 and 40404, have created a joint powers authority pursuant to that certain Cooperative Agreement between the City of Palm Springs and the City of Cathedral City dated September 23, 2019, wherein the City of Palm Springs was designated as the lead agency; and
Item 2C - Page 10
Resolution No. ____

Page 2 ends

WHEREAS, the City may now adopt a resolution of necessity pursuant to Section 1240.040 of the California Code of Civil Procedure.

NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1. Compliance with California Code of Civil Procedure and California Environmental Quality Act. There has been compliance by the City with the requirements of Section 1245.235 of the California Code of Civil Procedure and the California Environmental Quality Act.

SECTION 2. Public Use. The public use for which the real property interest is to be acquired is for public right-of-way purposes and the widening of Ramona Road for the Ramon Road Bridge Widening Project, in portions of Cathedral City and the City of Palm Springs, California. Sections 37350.5 and 40404 of the California Government Code authorize the City to acquire by eminent domain real property necessary for such purposes.

SECTION 3. Description of Property. Attached and marked as Exhibit A are the legal definition, legal description and depiction of the real property to be acquired by the City, which describes the general location and extent of the property to be acquired with sufficient detail for reasonable identification.

SECTION 4. Findings. The City hereby finds and determines each of the following:
(a) The public interest and necessity require the proposed Project; (b) The proposed Project is planned or located in the manner that will be most compatible with the greatest public good and least private injury;
(c) The easement interest described in Exhibit A is necessary for the proposed Project;
(d) The offer required by section 7267.2 of the California Government Code was made.

SECTION 5. Use Not Unreasonably Interfering with Existing Public Use. Some or all of the real property to be acquired may be subject to easements and rights-of-way appropriated to existing public uses. The legal descriptions of these easements and rights-of-way are on file with the City and describe the general location and extent of the easements and rights-of-way with sufficient detail for reasonable identification. In the event the herein described use or uses will not unreasonably interfere with or impair the continuance of the public use as it now exists or may reasonably be expected to exist in the future, counsel for the City is authorized to acquire the easement interest subject to such existing public uses pursuant to section 1240.510 of the California Code of Civil Procedure.

Item 2C - Page 11
Resolution No. ____

Page 3 ends

SECTION 6. More Necessary Public Use. Some or all of the real property to be acquired may be subject to easements and rights-of-way appropriated to existing public uses. To the extent that the herein described use or uses will unreasonably interfere with or impair the continuance of the public use as it now exists or may reasonably be expected to exist in the future, the City finds and determines that the herein described use or uses are more necessary than said existing public use. Counsel for the City is authorized to acquire the real property appropriated to such existing public uses pursuant to section 1240.610 of the California Code of Civil Procedure. Staff is further authorized to make such improvements to the real property being acquired that it determines is reasonably necessary to mitigate any adverse impact upon the existing public use.

SECTION 7. Further Activities. Counsel for the City is hereby authorized to file legal proceedings necessary to acquire the hereinabove described real property in the name of and on behalf of the City by eminent domain, and counsel is authorized to institute and prosecute such legal proceedings as may be required in connection therewith.

Legal counsel is further authorized to take such steps as may be authorized and required by law, and to make such security deposits as may be required by order of court, to permit the City to take possession of and use said real property at the earliest possible time. Counsel is further authorized to correct any errors or to make or agree to non-material changes in the legal description of the real property that are deemed necessary for the conduct of the condemnation action or other proceedings or transactions required to acquire the subject real property. Counsel is further authorized to take any steps necessary to legally reduce the extent of the interests or property to be acquired where necessary and as requested by the City.

SECTION 8. Effective Date. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon adoption.

ADOPTED THIS 21st day of July, 2025.

SCOTT STILES, CITY MANAGER
ATTEST:

BRENDA PREE, MMC, CERA

CITY CLERK
Item 2C - Page 12
Resolution No. ____

Page 4 ends

CERTIFICATION

STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE ) ss.

CITY OF PALM SPRINGS )
I, Brenda Pree, MMC, CERA City Clerk of the City of Palm Springs, hereby certify that Resolution No. ___________ 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 July 21, 2025 by the following vote:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:

ABSTAIN:

Brenda Pree, MMC, CERA, City Clerk
City of Palm Springs, California
(SEAL)
Item 2C - Page 13
EXHIBIT “A”
[TO BE INSERTED ON FOLLOWING PAGE]
Item 2C - Page 14

EXHIBIT A
Item 2C - Page 15
55575.10107\43934071.1
Legal Definition of Property to be Acquired
Ramon Road Bridge Widening Project
APN 678-210-041
"Temporary Construction Easement" or "TCE" grants to the City of Palm Springs (“City”), its contractors, successors, and assigns, the non-exclusive right to access the TCE area to engage in construction and related activities related to the Ramon Road Bridge Widening Project.

Permitted Activities by Property Owners:

Prior to termination of this TCE, property owners shall not erect or construct, or permit to be erected or constructed, any building, structure or improvement on, over or under any portion of the easement, nor shall property owners plant any tree or trees or plant any other vegetation or flora on any portion of the easement except at the written consent of the City, its successors and assigns.

Non-Permitted Activities by Property Owners:

No other easement or easements shall be granted on, under, or over this easement without obtaining the prior written consent of City of Palm Springs, its successors and assigns.

Permitted Activities by Condemning City:

The City of Palm Springs shall be entitled to the right to enter upon and to pass and repass over and along the TCE Area, and to deposit tools, implements and other materials thereon by City, or its successors and assigns, its officers, agents and employees, and by persons or entities under contract with City, its successors and assigns, wherever and whenever necessary for the purpose of completing the Project in accordance with applicable laws. The City’s activities may involve surveying, staking, excavation, grading, and other related uses that are reasonably required to construct the Project. City agrees not to damage property owner’s property in the process of performing such activities. At all times during the term of this TCE (and during construction of the Project), Owner’s Property will remain accessible for Owner’s ingress and egress. The City shall have the right to trim, cut, or clear away any trees, brush, or other vegetation or flora from time to time as plaintiff determines in its sole discretion without payment of any additional compensation to the property owner.

The City or the City’s contractor will provide property owner with thirty (30) day advance notice prior to the commencement of construction activities on the Property. The City shall not be deemed to have control of the Property nor duty to maintain the Property in a safe condition prior to the time the City or the City's contractor commences construction activities on the Property.

Prior to the time of termination of the period of use of owner’s property, the City will remove all debris on the TCE area, and if applicable, grade the surface of the TCE area, leaving the TCE area in a neat condition. The TCE will expire on December 31, 2029.

Item 2C - Page 16
55575.10107\43934071.1
Property Owner shall not cause, directly, indirectly or negligently, any interference with or harm to the rights conveyed hereunder.

Item 2C - Page 17
Item 2C - Page 18
EXHIBIT "A"

LEGAL DESCRIPTION
APN 678-210-041 MARWAN JIZRAWI

TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT
TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT AREA:

IN THE CITY OF CATHEDRAL CITY, COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE, STATE OF CALIFORNIA, DESCRIBED IN GRANT DEED, RECORDED MARCH 22, 2019 AS DOCUMENT NO. 2019-0097825, OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY RECORDS, LOCATED IN THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF SECTION 16, TOWNSHIP 4 SOUTH, RANGE 5

EAST, SAN BERNARDINO MERIDIAN, MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS:

COMMENCING AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF SAID SECTION 16, SAID POINT

ALSO BEING THE CENTERLINE INTERSECTION OF LANDAU BOULEVARD AND RAMON ROAD;
THENCE NORTH 89°55'50" EAST, ALONG THE SOUTHERLY LINE OF SAID SECTION 16 AND THE CENTERLINE OF SAID RAMON ROAD, A DISTANCE OF 200.00 FEET;
THENCE NORTH 00 08'52" EAST, A DISTANCE OF 55.00 FEET TO THE TRUE POINT OF BEGINNING;
THENCE SOUTH 89°55'50" WEST, A DISTANCE OF 11.47 FEET;
THENCE NORTH 86°38'04" WEST, A DISTANCE OF 8.35 FEET;
THENCE SOUTH 89°55'50" WEST, A DISTANCE OF 30.76 FEET;
THENCE SOUTH 86°29'43" WEST, A DISTANCE OF 8.34 FEET;
THENCE SOUTH 89°55'50" WEST, A DISTANCE OF 66.02 FEET TO THE

BEGINNING OF A TANGENT CURVE, CONCAVE NORTHEASTERLY, HAVING A RADIUS OF 25.00 FEET;

THENCE NORTHWESTERLY ALONG THE ARC OF SAID CURVE, THROUGH A CENTRAL ANGLE OF 90°13'02", AN ARC DISTANCE OF 39.36 FEET; THENCE NORTH 00°08'52" EAST, A DISTANCE OF 13.29 FEET;
THENCE SOUTH 89°51'08" EAST, A DISTANCE OF 10.00 FEET;
THENCE SOUTH 00°08'52" WEST, A DISTANCE OF 23. 77 FEET; 1 OF 2
Item 2C - Page 19
EXHIBIT "A"

LEGAL DESCRIPTION
APN 678-210-041 MARWAN JIZRAWI

TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT
THENCE SOUTH 45°36'10" EAST, A DISTANCE OF 13.66 FEET;
THENCE NORTH 89°55'50" EAST, A DISTANCE OF 79.63 FEET;
THENCE NORTH 00°04'10" WEST, A DISTANCE OF 5.00 FEET;
THENCE NORTH 89°55'50" EAST, A DISTANCE OF 50.62 FEET;
THENCE SOUTH 00°15'23" WEST, A DISTANCE OF 10.00 FEET, TO THE TRUE POINT OF BEGINNING;
SUBJECT TO EXISTING EASEMENTS, COVENANTS, RIGHTS AND RIGHTS-OFWAY OF RECORD.

CONTAINING 1,228 SQUARE FEET OR 0.028 ACRES MORE OR LESS.

AS DEPICTED ON EXHIBIT "B" ATTACHED HERETO AND MADE A PART HEREOF.

PREPARED BY OR UNDER THE DIRECTION OF:

P.L.S. 8223
2 OF 2
Item 2C - Page 20
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TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT
APN 678-210-041 JIZRAWI
SEC. 16, T.4S., R.5E., SBM

MARWAN JIZRAWI
PER DOC. # 2019-0097825
REC. 03/ 22/ 2019, O.R.

APN : 678-210-041

SEE DETAIL

TCE AREA BELOW
1,228 SQ. FT.

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SEC 1 20 21 I I
N 89'55'50" E 200.00' _..,,

LINE DATA
NO. BEARING
L1 N 00'08'52" E
L2 S 89'55'50" W
L3 N 86'38'04" W
L4 S 59·55'50" W
L5 S 86'29' 43" W
L6 S 89'55'50" W
L7 N 00'08'52" E
L8 S 89' 51 '08" E
L9 S 00'08'52" W
L10 S 45'36'1 O" E
L 11 N 89'55'50" E
L12 N 00'04'10" W -®-
~ CURVE DATA
NO. I DELTA I RADIUS
L13 N 89'55'50" E
L14 s oo· 15•23" w
LENGTH

55.00'

11.47'

8.35'

30.76'

8.34'

66.02'

13.29'

10.00'

23.77'

13.66'

79.63'

5.00'

50.62'

10.00'

I LENGTH
DETAIL "A"

NOT TO SCALE
o· 50' 100' C1 I 90'13'02"1 25.00'1 39 .36'
SCALE 1 "=50'
ffi R/ W PER SEPARATE DOCUMENT
PROJECT NAME: RAMON ROAD
CITY PROJECT NO. 08-25
"THIS PLAT IS AN AID IN LOCATING THE PARCEL(S)
DESCRIBED IN THE PRECEDING DOCUMENT. ALL PRIMARY
CALLS ARE LOCATED IN THE WRITTEN DESCRIPTION".

TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT
W//M
MSA CONSULTING, INC.
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PLANNING • CIVIL ENGINEERING

LAND SURVEYING
J.N. 1963 SHEET 1 OF 1

CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
DATE: OCTOBER 22, 2025 BUSINESS & LEGISLATIVE
SUBJECT: INTRODUCTION OF AN ORDINANCE REGARDING THE ANNUAL CAP

ON THE NUMBER OF VACATION RENTALS THAT CAN OCCUR ON

RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY WITHIN THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS,

DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE DIRECTION REGARDING OTHER
ASPECTS OF THE CITY’S VACATION RENTAL ORDINANCE
FROM: Scott C. Stiles, City Manager
BY: Department of Special Program Compliance
SUMMARY:

At the June 25 and September 10, 2025, City Council meetings, the City Council directed staff to bring back, for Council’s consideration, an ordinance removing the impending reduction of the annual cap for vacation rentals, as well as a discussion of recommendations from the City’s Administrative Appeals Board (AAB) and the Vacation Rental Owners and Neighbors (VRON).

This agenda item provides the City Council with the opportunity to consider and conduct a first reading (introduction) of an ordinance that removes the impending reduction of the annual cap, and returns the annual cap for all vacation rentals to the number that existed prior to November 2022. This agenda item also provides the City Council with the opportunity to discuss and possibly provide direction to City staff with regard to other possible changes to the City’s Vacation Rental ordinance, based on recommendations from the AAB and VRON.

RECOMMENDATION:

1. Waive the reading of text in its entirety, read by title only, and introduce for first reading Ordinance No. _____, “AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING SECTIONS 5.25.070(b) AND 5.25.030 OF THE CITY’S VACATION RENTAL ORDINANCE, REGARDING THE

ANNUAL CAP ON THE NUMBER OF VACATION RENTALS THAT CAN

OCCUR ON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY WITHIN THE CITY OF PALM
SPRINGS” (Attachment A); and

2. Consider the recommendations of the AAB and VRON, and provide direction to City staff accordingly.

Item 3A - Page 1
City Council Staff Report
October 22, 2025 -- Page 2
Amending Ch. 5.25 - Vacation Rentals
BACKGROUND:

At the November 28, 2022, City Council Meeting, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 2075, amending and restating Chapter 5.25 (Vacation Rentals). The amendments included various provisions to address the impact of vacation rentals in the City of Palm Springs. Prior to Council’s adoption of Ordinance 2075, the City’s Municipal Code provided for a cap on the number of short term rentals that could lawfully be conducted per year, originally setting that number at thirty two (32) rentals in any calendar year, plus up to an additional four (4) rentals occurring entirely during the third quarter of a year.

With regard to annual caps, Ordinance No. 2075 did two things:
• For new permittees1, Ordinance No. 2075 established an annual cap of twenty six (26) short term rentals per year.
• For existing permittees2, Ordinance No. 2075 kept the prior annual cap (32 + 4) in place until December 31, 2025. On and after January 1, 2026, Ordinance No. 2075 provides that the 32 + 4 cap would be automatically lowered to twenty six (26).

Ordinance No. 2075 also included a Council commitment to review and consider the regulations in Ordinance No. 2075, including potential further regulations. As January 1, 2026, approaches, the vacation rental industry has requested that the reduction of contract stays be reevaluated, and the Council directed staff to bring back an ordinance for the Council’s consideration.

In addition to the issue of annual caps, City staff has received feedback from stakeholders, specifically VRON and the AAB3, on several other proposed changes to the City’s Vacation Rental regulations. Some of those changes can be accomplished administratively, pending Council direction, and others would require an ordinance to be brought back and adopted by the City Council.

STAFF ANALYSIS:

Annual Cap on Short Term Rentals
Under the City Council’s 2017 Vacation Rental Ordinance (Ordinance No. 1918), Vacation Rental Certificate holders were permitted to rent their respective property thirty two (32) times in a calendar year. Certificate holders were also allowed to rent their respective property an additional four (4) times in the third quarter (July, August and 1 I.e., a property for which a complete application for a vacation rental registration certificate was filed with the City after October 17, 2022. 2
I.e., a property for which a vacation rental registration certificate had already been issued, or for which a complete application had been filed with the City, on or before October 17, 2022. 3 Palm Springs Municipal Code provides that, in any matter in which the AAB believes legislative changes are appropriate, the AAB may submit to the City Council and appropriate administrative officer any recommendations that the law be changed. (PSMC, § 2.50.100(b).)
Item 3A - Page 2
City Council Staff Report
October 22, 2025 -- Page 3
Amending Ch. 5.25 - Vacation Rentals
September), which, if used, provided the opportunity to rent their property a maximum thirty six (36) times in a calendar year.

Ordinance No. 2075 amended and restated this requirement. Specifically:

• For new permittees – on and after the effective date of ordinance 2075, no more than 26 contracts for vacation rental use of a property shall be allowed or provided in any calendar year. Note that this cap removed the distinction between third quarter rentals for new permittees.
• For existing permittees – no more than 32 contracts for vacation rental use of a property shall be allowed or provided in any calendar year; however, up to four additional contracts shall be allowed or provided for the third quarter of a calendar year so long as the entire term of each such contract occurs during such third quarter, subject to reduction to 26 on and after January 1, 2026. Note that this kept the distinction for third quarter rentals, but only until December 31, 2025.

Thereafter, the distinction would go away.

Staff recommend the following:
• Remove the impending January 1, 2026 reduction in annual short term rentals for existing permittees.
• Removal of the third quarter distinction.
• Set the maximum annual contracts to thirty six (36) per calendar year for all Vacation Rental Certificate Holders (Excluding Junior Rentals and Homeshares).

Stakeholder recommendations – VRON
VRON presented thirteen recommendations to be considered. (Attachment B) These recommendations can be summarized as follows:
• Make consistent the definitions and expected response times of the property’s “local contact person”
• Revise parking requirements, to: (1) allow for an additional two (2) vehicles during the daytime occupancy hours; (2) not make it a strike against a permit for any citation issued to a guest; and (3) not count Vacation Rental owners’ vehicles toward the vehicle cap.
• Remove the requirement that the Responsible Person provide a list of all guests’ vehicles, including license plate information.
• Remove the current obligation of the Vacation Rental Owner to maintain every contract for four (4) years, and replace with an obligation of the Owner to retain a copy of the guest’s ID for 24 hours after the end of the guest’s stay.

Item 3A - Page 3
City Council Staff Report
October 22, 2025 -- Page 4
Amending Ch. 5.25 - Vacation Rentals
• Remove the possibility of a strike based on a citation for a trash violation. • With regard to home repairs, garden, yard and pool maintenance, apply same requirements as apply to non-short term rental properties. • Remove the obligation to obtain the signature of the Responsible Person and all adult guests as having read the statement of rules and regulations, and replace with an obligation to obtain the signature of just the Responsible Person. • Remove obligation of owner to post a copy of the registration certificate and City rules on the inside of the front door and the primary door to the backyard (or in a conspicuous location near each such door).
• For Estate Houses, reduce the current twenty four (24) month period within which three (3) violations can result in revocation of an Estate House permit to twelve (12) months.
• For administrative citations, extend the current ten (10) day appeal period to thirty (30) days.
• Compile all existing administrative regulations (Attachment C) into the City’s Vacation Rental Ordinance (Palm Springs Municipal Code, Chapter 5.25.) • Provide more discretion to the City’s AAB.
• Consider a modification of the Vacation Rental Ordinance that would allow for accommodating evacuees during declared emergencies/evacuations, such that these bookings would not count toward the annual cap.

Administrative Appeals Board Recommendations
The AAB drafted a report outlining its recommendations for amending the City’s Vacation Rental regulations. (Attachment D) The recommendations are primarily related to administrative policies/procedures, as opposed to ordinance revisions. In August 2025, staff presented to the AAB an overview of the current policies and procedures that are in place. City staff believes that adjustments to current procedures would address AAB’s Topic 1 concerns, as outlined below.

AAB Topic 1
Ask escrow and title companies to add a document to the buyer’s closing package titled “WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON RENTING YOUR PROPERTY”. The document would list the two types of rentals.

Staff has reviewed the above recommendation and finds that the current Administrative Regulation dated June 29, 2022 supports this recommendation.

Staff has reviewed the following recommendations and finds that they do not require a code amendment. Rather, they can and will be addressed administratively.

Item 3A - Page 4
City Council Staff Report
October 22, 2025 -- Page 5
Amending Ch. 5.25 - Vacation Rentals
AAB Topic 2
The City will do an outreach program at the local Realtor’ s MLS meetings – titled “Short Term Rental Requirements” how to be a better agent to your investors who are thinking of purchasing a property as a rental. There will be mention of the two types of rentals and their requirements; long-term 28 nights or more with no rental certificate required or short term, less than 28 nights requiring a short-term vacation rental certificate.

AAB Topic 3
Every quarter the City conducts a public announcement regarding “ IS YOUR SHORTTERM RENTAL PROPERTY LEGAL”. Suggestions for handling announcements:

• Newspaper ads that explain how to register your property with the City and the requirements for Vacation Rentals. Invite the reader to visit the City’s website. • TV Ads.
• Seminars held at PS library or City Hall.

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:

This Ordinance is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (Public Resources Code Section 21000 et seq.) pursuant to Section 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the State Guidelines, because the Ordinance will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment and is not a "project," as that term is defined in Section 15378 of the State Guidelines. In addition, the City Council also determines this Ordinance consists of regulations intended to ensure that the incidental short term rental use of residential property remains an ancillary and secondary use of residential property in the City and thereby preserve the residential character of the City's single family and multi-family neighborhoods as identified in the City's adopted General Plan, and its concomitant Environmental Impact Report. Thus, to the extent there is any environmental impact from the adoption of this Ordinance, the City Council finds that the Environmental Impact Report for the adopted General Plan is the controlling environmental document.

ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PLANNING:

The proposed ordinance supports the City Council’s broad goal of Economic Development, specifically supporting a vibrant economy, including tourism, and new and existing businesses.

FISCAL IMPACT:

Staff does not anticipate any significant financial impacts to the City arising from the adoption of the proposed ordinance.

Item 3A - Page 5
City Council Staff Report
October 22, 2025 -- Page 6
Amending Ch. 5.25 - Vacation Rentals
REVIEWED BY:

Department Director: Veronica Goedhart
Assistant City Manager: Teresa Gallavan
City Manager: Scott Stiles
ATTACHMENTS:

A. Draft Ordinance
B. VRON Recommendations
C. Current Vacation Rental Administrative Regulations
D. AAB Recommendations
Item 3A - Page 6

ATTACHMENT A

Item 3A - Page 7
55575.18195\44301915.1
ORDINANCE NO. ____

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS,
CALIFORNIA, AMENDING SECTIONS 5.25.070(b) AND

5.25.030 OF THE CITY’S VACATION RENTAL

ORDINANCE, REGARDING THE ANNUAL CAP ON THE

NUMBER OF VACATION RENTALS THAT CAN OCCUR ON

RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY WITHIN THE CITY OF PALM

SPRINGS
City Attorney’s Summary
This ordinance removes an upcoming reduction in the annual number of short term rentals of residential property, which would otherwise go into effect on January 1, 2026. This ordinance also applies the same annual cap to those holders of vacation rental certificates who obtained vacation rental certificates after November of 2022.

WHEREAS, on March 15, 2017, the City Council of the City of Palm Springs adopted Ordinance No. 1918, which comprehensively and strictly regulated the short term rentals of residential properties within the City; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 1918 was primarily codified as Chapter 5.25 of the Palm Springs Municipal Code, with some provisions also being codified as Section

93.23.16 of the Palm Springs Municipal (Zoning) Code; and WHEREAS, among other regulations, Section 5.25.070(b) provided for a cap on the number of short term rentals that could lawfully be conducted per year, originally setting that number at thirty two (32) rentals in any calendar year, plus up to an additional four (4) rentals occurring entirely during the third quarter of a year; and WHEREAS, on November 28, 2022, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 2075, amending Section 5.25.070(b), setting the annual cap at twenty six (26) for “New Permittees”, thirty six (36) (32 + 4) for “Existing Permittees”, and providing that said thirty six (36) cap for Existing Permittees would automatically go down to twenty six (26) on January 1, 2026.

THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1. Section 5.25.070, subdivision (b) of the Palm Springs Municipal Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
“§ 5.25.070 Operational Requirements and Standard Conditions. ***
(b) For new permittees, on and after the effective date of this Item 3A - Page 8
55575.18195\44301915.1
Ordinance No. _____

Page 2 ends

Palm Springs City CouncilOctober 22, 2025

Palm Springs City Council
October 22, 2025