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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHeritage Preservation - 07/19/2021APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION TUESDAY, JULY 19, 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 Vice Chair Ross called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m. Commissioner and Chair Spera was absent. II. READING OF LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT STATEMENT Maxwell read the land acknowledgement statement. III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Fisher moved, seconded by Maxwell to approve the agenda, amended to include Maxwell’s suggestion for history recognition under New Business. Motion carried 6-0. IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION: Maxwell moved, seconded by Schumacher to approve the minutes of the June 21, 2021 meeting. Motion carried 6-0. V. NEW BUSINESS A. PRESERVE MINNESOTA ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF PRESERVATION COMMISSIONS SHORT COURSE (NOVAK-KREBS) Novak-Krebs explained the annual conference was online this year, September 14-17, and had been free last year; however, there was no information on this year’s conference registration process or fees. She asked commission members who wished to attend let her know, and she would continue to check registration. Discussion followed on Thorp’s experience with the 2020 Zoom meeting. Maxwell offered to attend, depending on the schedule. EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION July 19, 2021 Page 2 Novak-Krebs stated the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions was August 24 and 25, online, and registration would open Wednesday. The fee was $80.00 but staff could apply for a scholarship to send commission members. Maxwell offered to attend this as well, and Thorp also volunteered. B. DISCUSS RESCHEDULING OCTOBER MEETING (NOVAK-KREBS) Novak-Krebs explained she would be absent during the scheduled meeting. Discussion followed on an appropriate date. Ross suggested holding the meeting before the joint meeting with the Historical Society on October 4, 2021 at the Cummins Phipps Grill House. Novak-Krebs stated she would still be absent. November 15 was another possibility. Novak-Krebs offered to work with Ross to see if the October 4 date would work. C. JOINT MEETING WITH EDEN PRAIRIE HISTORICAL SOCIETY (NOVAK-KREBS) This Item was discussed in Item VB. VI. OLD BUSINESS A. DISCUSS THE NOMINATION OF THE OLD DEPOT SITE AS A HISTORIC PRESERVATION SITE (NOVAK-KREBS) Novak-Krebs stated she sent an email to Three Rivers but had not heard back. She also printed out the Yorkville-Bloomington Road report as a sample and stated there was more than enough information to write a nomination. Discussion followed on the process. Thorp stated the commission would need to secure permission from Three Rivers before doing any work. Fisher asked for and received confirmation this designation would not include the trail. Novak-Krebs stated she would follow up with Three Rivers and Thorp offered to meet with them if they were interested. Maxwell asked for and received confirmation the designation site would include the old water tower. B. DISCUSS MAPPING OF HISTORIC INVENTORY SITES Novak-Krebs displayed a website, the EP City Map and showed how the records displayed nationally and locally designated historic sites. Potential sites would also be included on EP City Map. Maxwell asked if staff were seeking places to add to the inventory list. Thorp stated the City hired a consultant in the 1980s to generate the inventory, which was comprehensive. However, he had found many homes that should be on the list but were not and needed to be added. The Minnesota Historical Society had a four-page input form which was approved and then sent to the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). There were also EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION July 19, 2021 Page 3 properties listed that had been torn down, and newer buildings that were coming into eligibility. Discussion followed on the process of revising the inventory list. Novak-Krebs displayed a hard copy of the form, the Minnesota Inventory Property Form. Novak-Krebs stated the commission had to think about whether or not the inventory should be rolled out to the public. Perhaps on the heritage preservation map site these properties could be listed by description but not by address. Thorp replied landowners might still object. Schumacher suggested showing a pin on the map as a general geographic area without giving the address. Maxwell asked if the historical aerial photograph could be available on the website. Fisher asked if the commission could ask landowners what was appropriate to include on the map. Thorp replied all of this information was already public. Maxwell agreed the landowners should be asked and suggested some landowners would welcome the possibility of designation. Thorp stated this would at least be a good internal resource. Schumacher asked how the commission could get residents more interested in local history of Eden Prairie. Thorp replied that was the Historical Society’s mission. Novak-Krebs stated educating the public was one of the duties of the commission, and often happened during in-person events. She asked if this education was the goal of putting these properties on the map. Thorp stated for this commission it was to show possible new preservation resources. Novak- Krebs asked if the goal was to educate the homeowners whose homes might have historical significance. Ross stated many homeowners were leery of designation, fearing more regulation and intrusion. Maxwell suggested emphasizing the difference between local and national designation. Fisher added the decision of someone who refused would be respected by the commission. Maxwell suggested tours of these properties and Schumacher suggested talks at the sites, or a bike trip to different locations. Novak-Krebs replied there had been history tours in Eden Prairie, and these could be resumed. Maxwell suggested having the student representatives develop tours for other young people. Novak-Krebs mentioned the oral histories, which were being transcribed and offered online, would be added to the map. Ross stated there had been oral histories taken throughout the years, but the Historical Society had at least 22 in various stages of the transcription process. Even more people had been interviewed in the second round. Many of the oral histories were ready to be shown on the website. Novak-Krebs added Kathie Case was finding accompanying photographs for these. Maxwell offered to reach out to a colleague who could have immigrant oral histories. Maxwell suggested having the ability on the map to toggle between the 1940 Aerial Map and today’s. He also suggested the actual records be made EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION July 19, 2021 Page 4 available on the website, and Ross and Novak-Krebs stated the current plan was to include as much as possible. Novak-Krebs offered to continue this discussion at future commission meetings. She also offered to speak to the City Manager about sending letters to property owners. VII. REPORTS OF COMMISSION AND STAFF Novak-Krebs stated she was working on the pre-application grant for the Cummins Phipps Grill House roof which was due on Friday. VIII. REPORTS OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY Ross stated the Cummins Phipps Grill House would be open for tours on July 31 1:00-3:00 p.m. The Historical Society Annual Meeting would be held September 1, with Steve Cobbs of the Eden Prairie Theatre giving a presentation. It would be held at Camp Edenwood with appetizers and cash bar through the Lion’s Club, including nonalcoholic drinks. No time was set as yet, but there would be a flyer coming out. Santa would probably be at the Cummins Phipps Grill House; he would decide in next few weeks. Museum had been open; it was now closed for remodeling. IX. FYI ITEMS Fisher stated there was a good article in Minn Post about the Mill City Museum and the effort to preserve it amidst its structural problems. X NEXT MEETING The next HPC meeting will be held on Monday, August 16, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. in the Heritage Room. XI. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Fisher moved, seconded by Maxwell to adjourn. Motion carried 6-0. The meeting was adjourned at 8:21 p.m.