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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHeritage Preservation - 08/16/2021APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2021 7:00 P.M. 8080 MITCHELL RD HPC COMMISSION MEMBERS: Pamela Spera; Valerie Ross; Paul Thorp; Rod Fisher; George Maxwell; Steve Schumacher; Robert Bowes COMMISSION STAFF: Beth Novak-Krebs, Staff Liaison Kristin Harley, Recording Secretary I. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chair Spera called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m. Absent was Commissioner Fisher. II. READING OF LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT STATEMENT Bowes read the land acknowledgement statement. III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Ross moved, seconded by Bowes to approve the agenda. Motion carried 6- 0. IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION: Schumacher moved, seconded by Bowes to approve the minutes of the July 19, 2021 meeting amended to change the language about oral histories in Item VIB to “Ross and Novak-Krebs stated the current plan was to include as much as possible.” Motion carried 6-0. V. NEW BUSINESS A. DISCUSS CITY-WIDE OPEN HOUSE ON OCTOBER 9, 2021 (NOVAK- KREBS) Novak-Krebs announced October 9 was a Saturday and the event would run from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The Open House was an opportunity for residents to visit each department. There would be snacks and other hand outs. The Commission wants their table in the lower atrium near the museum. The Heritage: Preserving Eden Prairie’s Past books by Daniel Hoisington and the street signs would be sold. Discussion followed on how to facilitate the online ordering of both. Novak- EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION August 16, 2021 Page 2 Krebs suggested the commission members discuss a volunteer schedule in September. VI. OLD BUSINESS A. DISCUSS THE NOMINATION OF THE OLD DEPOT SITE AS A HERITAGE PRESERVATION SITE (NOVAK-KREBS) Novak-Krebs contacted the Hennepin County Rail Authority, which owns the Old Depot site to determine what approvals are needed to access the site and do some field work. Thorp asked for the progress on the Yorktown Road preservation plan. The Commission approved it, but there was a question about whether the Council needed to approve it, and Novak-Krebs offered to double-check.. B. DISCUSS MAPPING OF HISTORIC INVENTORY SITES (NOVAK- KREBS) Novak-Krebs stated the IT Department came up with a specific program to map all the sites for staff use which was not on the City’s public map program. She stated she had also found out the aerial photographs could not be added to the Heritage Preservation Sites map because it did not allow the public to turn layers on and off. However, the department could meet with the commission to come up with a specific program that would allow map layers. Discussion followed on offering a changing .gif showing a property over time instead of having the user click through the layers. Thorp explained the map layers Hennepin County offered for properties. The commission decided to invite the IT Department to a future commission meeting. Novak-Krebs offered to extend this invitation. Ross stated she would also like a more prominent link to the history of Eden Prairie. Novak-Krebs brought up again the possibility of sending a letter to private property owners on Eden Prairie heritage site inventory. She stated she had contacted the City Manager regarding this, who had forwarded it to the Council for their feedback. If the Council was supportive, the City Attorney would weigh in. Discussion followed on the issue of consent and whether or not showing a property on a map would be perceived as an advantage or a disadvantage. Maxwell stated once the designation, if any, was public, presumably any new owner would know this should the property be sold. Spera warned that showing a property on a map could eliminate a potential buyer, and Maxwell replied there were other buyers who would want a historic property. EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION August 16, 2021 Page 3 Thorp suggested the commission at a future meeting go through the inventory and pick out what is significant, with 15-20 homes as a goal. Novak-Krebs agreed, and stated the inventory was on laser-fiche. C. DISCUSS ORAL HISTORIES (NOVAK-KREBS) Novak-Krebs announced Amanda in Community Development has been editing the transcribed oral histories.12 out of 20 were edited, four of which were ready to go on the website with photographs provided by Kathie Case. Only eight videos were not edited. Covid-19 slowed down the process, but it was to be resumed soon. Maxwell asked if the oral histories could be linked to a historic location where applicable. Thorp replied there were no locations tied into the stories. Maxwell replied if there were ties to old family farms, many of which were now historic buildings owned by the City, these should be included. Discussion followed on if the Siever Peterson farm and the Lion’s Tap were possibilities. Spera stated residents had already been given consent to the oral history but not to include the property. Ross suggested the commission stick with what permission the residents gave the commission, since properties could be sold and have new owners. Novak-Krebs offered to follow up with the IT Department on placing these oral histories on the website with a written explanatory blurb and photographs. Ross suggested using discretionary funds to promote the page on social media. Novak- Krebs stated the Communications Division can promote this on social media. D. DISCUSS JOINT MEETING WITH HISTORICAL SOCIETY (NOVAK- KREBS) Novak-Krebs stated that the October meeting will be on Monday, October 4 at Cummins Phipps Grill House with light appetizers. Ross suggested other commission members bring potluck appetizers. The meeting would begin at 5:30 p.m. After some discussion, the commission members decided to revisit the start time at the next meeting. Discussion followed on the structure of the joint meeting agenda with the Historical Society. [Schumacher left at 7:57 p.m.] VII. REPORTS OF COMMISSION AND STAFF Novak-Krebs stated the Noble Hill project was approved on the Standel property, and the mayor suggested the commission photo-document the house and some outbuildings on the property. Thorp and she would do that this or next week. EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION August 16, 2021 Page 4 VIII. REPORTS OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY Ross stated the Historical Society Annual Meeting would be held September 1. Thorp added this was a good opportunity to look through Camp Edenwood during the daylight. Ross stated the Holiday Boutique would be held November 5 and 6. Ross announced Santa would probably be at the Cummins Phipps Grill House later in the year. IX. FYI ITEMS X NEXT MEETING The next HPC meeting will be held on Monday, September 20, 2021 at the Dorenkemper House at 7:00 p.m. XI. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Ross moved, seconded by Bowes to adjourn. Motion carried 5-0. The meeting was adjourned at 8:07 p.m.