HomeMy WebLinkAboutHeritage Preservation - 10/20/2025Agenda
Eden Prairie Heritage Preservation Commission Meeting
7 p.m. Monday, October 20, 2025
City Center, Heritage Rooms
Eden Prairie, MN 55344
ATTENDEES
Heritage Preservation Commission Members: Steven Schumacher-Chair; Paul Thorp-Vice Chair,
George Maxwell, Robert Bowes, Rod Fisher, Andy Ludowese, Catherine Lau, Lisa Rude, Prima Sisinni
Students Members: Annika Rice, Fiona Rohde, Jaya Agrawal, Kadie Crider, Nico Allen, Saloni
Siddavatam, Tatum Hesby
City Staff: Beth Novak-Krebs, Staff Liaison; Kristin Harley, Recording Secretary
MEETING AGENDA
I. Call the Meeting to Order / Roll Call
II. Reading of Land Acknowledgement Statement
III. Approval of Agenda
IV. Minutes
A. Heritage Preservation Commission meeting held Monday, September 15, 2025.
V. New Business
A. Update on Birch Hall Project at Camp Eden Wood
B. Discuss Smith Douglas More House Interpretive Panel
C. Update on PreserveMN conference in New Ulm (Bob & Beth)
VI. Old Business
A. Cultural Resource Inventory
B. Update on Book Project
VII. Reports from Subcommittees
A. Native American History / Outreach
HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MEETING AGENDA
October 20, 2025
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B. New Heritage Preservation Site Designations
C. Renovation / Maintenance / Development
D. Documentation / Historical Records / Outreach
VIII. Reports of Commission and Staff
IX. Update on Student Project
X. Reports on Historical Society
A. General Update (Paul/Bob)
XI. FYI Items
XII. Next Meeting
A. Monday, November 17, 2025
XIII. Adjournment
UNAPPROVED MINUTES
EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2025 7:00 P.M. Meeting
City Center, 8080 Mitchell Road
HPC COMMISSION MEMBERS: Steve Schumacher (Chair); Paul Thorp
(Vice-Chair); Rod Fisher; George Maxwell;
Robert Bowes; Andy Ludowese; Catherine
Lau, Prima Sisinni, Lisa Rude
COMMISSION STAFF: Beth Novak-Krebs, Staff Liaison
Kristin Harley, Recording Secretary
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES Annika Rice, Fiona Rohde, Jaya Agrawal,
Kadie Crider, Nico Allen, Saloni
Siddavatam, Tatum Hesby
I. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL
Chair Thorp called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Commission members Fisher,
Bowes and Lau and student representative Siddavatam were absent.
II. READING OF LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT STATEMENT
Allen read the land acknowledgement statement.
III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
MOTION: Maxwell moved, seconded by Rude to approve the agenda. Motion carried
6-0.
IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
MOTION: Thorp moved, seconded by Rude to approve the minutes of the August 18,
2025 meeting. Motion carried 6-0.
V. NEW BUSINESS
A. WELCOME NEW STUDENTS AND INTRODUCTIONS
Schumacher welcomed the new student representatives and had the commission
members introduce themselves.
EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION
September 15, 2025
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DISCUSS STUDENT PROJECT
Schumacher described the student project for the new student representatives and
suggested Camp Edenwood as a possible project. He also suggested the students
continue the process of meeting onsite at approximately 6:30 pm before the
formal meeting to plan the project. Novak-Krebs displayed the Smith Coffee
House video and discussion followed on 2025 events and HPC projects/concerns.
Discussion followed on the student project.
Schumacher also summarized the next steps for the Dorenkemper House for the
students. Thorp suggested filming Ginny Dorenkemper giving a tour of the
house. Discussion followed on this idea. The students seemed to think they would
be able to film the Dorenkemper House. Thorp stated there was a lot of
information on both Camp Edenwood and on the Dorenkemper House.
Novak-Krebs offered to send out the write-up for the national nomination for
Camp Edenwood to the student representatives. Schumacher added that
Commission member Lau was a resource for the students on planning and
implementing their project.
VI. OLD BUSINESS
CULTURAL RESOURCE INVENTORY
Novak-Krebs displayed part of the inventory on a PowerPoint slide, and
Schumacher explained his vision of using the updated version as the master
document/list of existing historic structures in Eden Prairie. Novak-Krebs
explained all the buildings were identified with a cultural resources inventory
number. Discussion followed on next steps. Thorp stated Kathie Case would work
on plaques and signs, and he would take over the list after the properties were
identified.
UPDATE ON BOOK PROJECT
Novak-Krebs summarized the book project for the student representatives. She
explained it was being conducted in three phases: research phase, manuscript
writing, and book design. Thorp stated Peter DeCarlo’s book on Fort Snelling
would be the model. Schumacher explained the necessity of three phases in the
grant application process. Novak-Krebs added the authors’ writing plan was to
submit one chapter a month, to be reviewed by the HPC.
Schumacher asked when the HPC would hear about the grant, and Novak-Krebs
replied it would be before December, 2025. She added the Eden Prairie City
Council enthusiastically supported the project.
EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION
September 15, 2025
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Maxwell asked for and received confirmation that Piccha Farms was on the
inventory. It was not locally designated.
VII. REPORTS OF SUBCOMMITTEES
A. NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY OUTREACH
B. NEW HERITAGE PRESERVATION SITE DESIGNATIONS
C. RENOVATION/MAINTENANCE DEVELOPMENT
D. DOCUMENTATION/HISTORICAL RECORDINGS/OUTREACH
IX. REPORTS OF COMMISSION AND STAFF
X. REPORTS OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Thorp announced the Harvest to Halloween event would be held October 11 at
the Dorenkemper Barn from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.
VIII.. FYI ITEMS
Novak-Krebs announced the Citywide Open House would be held October 4 from 11:00
a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
She added the improvements to Birch Hall involved, as a first step, assessment of the
structure, and as a second step to make construction drawings from the recommendations.
John LeBlanc has the funding for a portion of the cost to do the drawings and Novak-
Krebs was submitting an application for a $20,000.00 grant.
IX. NEXT MEETING
The next HPC meeting will be held on Monday, October 20, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. at the
Heritage Rooms, City Hall.
X. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION: Thorp moved, seconded by Schumacher to adjourn. Motion carried 6-0. The
meeting was adjourned at 7:51 p.m.