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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHeritage Preservation - 06/18/2019APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 2019 8:00 P.M. CITY CENTER 8080 MITCHELL RD HPC COMMISSION MEMBERS: Steve Olson-Chair; Tara Kalar-Vice Chair; Pamela Spera; Valerie Ross; Paul Thorp; Shanti Shah; Cheryl Kessler COMMISSION STAFF: Lori Creamer, Staff Liaison Kristin Harley, Recording Secretary I. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chair Olson called the meeting to order at 7:52 p.m. Absent were commission members Spera and Kalar. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Shah moved, seconded by Ross to approve the agenda. Motion carried 5-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION: Thorp moved, seconded by Kessler to approve the minutes of the joint meeting held May 6, 2019 with the change on page three that Spera, not Ross, “and Lotthammer responded the Schwartz family’s only expectations were to publicly display the sign.” Motion carried 5-0. IV. NEW BUSINESS A. YORKVILLE/BLOOMINGTON ROAD LOCAL DESINGATION DISCUSSION Thorp stated he met with Kathie Case and the new owners of the house on Riverview Road. Thorp displayed the location of the foundation of the house built in 1859 (since demolished) to the north and the location of the blacksmith shop to the south on a projected PDF. Creamer stated this was Heuler property that was subdivided into three lots. The new owner of the property on the Bluffs West Second Addition was a concern. Thorp stated the owners were aware and concerned with preserving what was there. She and Thorp explained the location of the storm line. Olson asked the identification of a square on the map near the blacksmith shop and Thorp stated it was a concrete foundation. The two-story house was built in EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION June 18, 2019 Page 2 1917 and was not on the commission’s inventory. Thorp showed the location of the proposed new driveway and added the owner seemed willing to preserve as much as possible including the trees. Thorp stated lot three of the town of Hennepin saw a lot of activity in terms of deeds, including between Lewis and Bickford who were proprietors of the town of Minneapolis. Thorp stated his conclusion was the commission did not need permission to list this 1917 house on the inventory. Olson agreed, saying it was not a legal document. Creamer stated the commission’s list would be viewed by consultants and these properties should be discussed. Thorp stated the house on Scenic Heights Road was built in 1900 and was also not on the inventory. Olson asked if the blacksmith shop could be rolled into the site’s local designation, and Thorp agreed it could be. Discussion followed on the history of the Georgiana Lee House. Thorp compared the location of the Ox Cart Trail with the plat. Creamer stated Bob Mack would move forward on local designation with the information Creamer gave him and could have it done within a month. Ross asked if the 1859 foundation could be preserved. Thorp replied the owner contacted the Historical Society and seemed enthusiastic to preserve the area. Kessler asked if the Historical Society could at least document it, and Thorp replied it had been documented, although it would be cheaper for the owner to build around it than to demolish it and build through it. Thorp read from a journal entry he found that referenced the blacksmith shop. B. CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS – LION’S DEN AT THE GLEN LAKE CHILDREN’S CAMP Thorp noted and Creamer agreed SHPO’s comments were in line with the commission members’ conclusions. The public hearing would be held in August, and Connor McGrath at True Friends would come before the commission to present. Olson asked if McGrath could be prepared to field certain questions regarding the kitchen and other elements that were issues. Creamer stated this could happen, and she had met with Lotthammer at the camp to take stock of where this project was in the process. Progress had been made on the old dining hall, and a bid was received for the chimney. SHPO also had a roster of vendors. One shed was in serious disrepair and nothing had yet been done with this. All these and other maintenance issues would be discussed at the City Council workshop prior to the public hearing. Thorp asked if the dining hall would be used, and Creamer said it would for recreation and other indoor space. Creamer stated the new facilities manager Rick Clark also visited and would be involved in the process. C. PEOPLEFEST UPDATE EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION June 18, 2019 Page 3 Shah stated the committee met on June 12 and would meet one more time in July to finalize entertainment and exhibitions. Events were still being planned but most of the schedule was set for August 4 through August 14. The City will take residents around by bus to different houses of worship of various denominations. There would be art activities, a Somali dance troupe, and a youth camp. D. HARVEST CELEBRATION Ross announced it would be held on October 8, 2019 from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. There would be a photo booth, horse-drawn carriage rides, pumpkin decoration and other art projects, and Eden Prairie Library would hold a “story stroll” that would lead to the Dorenkemper House. The Historical Society would then hold a “history hunt” that would make use of the interpretive signs for the answers to the questions given the participants. Ross asked for volunteers from the commission to assist at the event, and also to come up with questions. VI. REPORTS OF STUDENTS VII. REPORTS OF COMMISSION AND STAFF A. HENNEPIN COUNTY HISTORY MEMBERSHIP Creamer announced one member of the commission should be a member of the Hennepin County History Center and Thorp volunteered to join. B. POSSIBLE FARM IMPLEMENT DONATION Creamer read from the correspondence. Thorp stated the main reason for Case not accepting this donation on behalf of the Historical Society was liability; also, transportation was an issue for the Society but not the City. He noted there was equipment displayed at the Cummins Phipps Grill House. Creamer stated since the majority of historic properties were on the parks, it made sense to donate this to the HPC. Discussion followed on whether or not to accept the donation. Thorp recommended accepting the steel wheeled corn planter, the John Deere mower, and the dump rake. MOTION: Shah moved, seconded by Ross, to accept the three items recommended by Thorp. Motion carried 5-0. VII. REPORTS OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY Ross stated the picnic would be held the next day (June 19) Ghost Walk on October 12, with Santa and the Sharing Tree planned for the holidays. Creamer stated she, Case and DeSanctis attended the Grants Open House and received direction, and Creamer has EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION June 18, 2019 Page 4 begun the grant preapplication due in July. Thorp announced the Society now had a storefront display at Eden Prairie Mall. VIII. FYI ITEMS IX NEXT MEETING The next HPC meeting will be held on Monday, July 15 at 7:00 p.m. in Prairie Rooms A & B. X. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Shah moved, seconded by Kessler to adjourn. Motion carried 5-0. The meeting was adjourned at 9:21 p.m.