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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHeritage Preservation - 01/22/2007 APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MONDAY, JANUARY 22, 2007 7:00 P.M. Prairie Rooms A & B 8080 Mitchell Road COMMISSION MEMBERS Betsy Adams, Chairperson; Nina Mackay, Vice Chairperson, Richard Akerlund, Bob Amell,Ann Higgins, Ed Muehlberg, Jane Plaza STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES Kaitlin Robinson, Claire Lukens, Lauren Bentz COMMISSION STAFF John Gertz, Historic Preservation Specialist Peggy Rasmussen, Recorder I. ROLL CALL Adams called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m. Commissioner Amell was absent. Claire Lukens was welcomed as one of the two new student representatives. The other is Kaitlin Robinson, who was absent. Robert Vogel was also present to help with the discussion on the J.R. Cummins House reuse study. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Akerlund moved, seconded by Mackay, to approve the agenda as published. Motion carried 6-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES —DECEMBER 18, 2006 MOTION: Mackay moved, seconded by Muehlberg, to approve the minutes of the Heritage Preservation Commission meeting, held on December 18, 2006, as published. Motion carried 6-0. IV. REPORTS OF COMMISSION AND STAFF Adams showed Commissioners the new Historical Society brochure. V. OLD BUSINESS A. J.R. CUMMINS HOUSE REUSE STUDY Gertz said there are a number of reuse study items for the Commissioners to consider at this meeting, especially the need to set a schedule for public input. Adams inquired if the Commissioners would be part of the group brainstorming ideas for reuse of the property. Vogel replied the Commission would primarily be providing the forum for gathering ideas. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES January 22, 2007 Page 2 Vogel emphasized that this process needs to keep moving on a fast track. The door for submitting ideas will close in March, and then the Commission will be asked to evaluate a short list of the best ideas, based on the given criteria. It is important that the city provide opportunities for the general public to participate. Vogel recommended the HPC host a minimum of two open houses at the Cummins house. He suggested having one in the evening and another in the late afternoon. Mackay inquired if both of them could be held during daylight hours, so the whole property could be seen, and if one of them could be held on a weekend. She thought a Sunday afternoon would be best. Gertz said dates and times need to be finalized at this meeting and given to Pat Brink, the public relations person, who will put all the information on the City's Web site, as well as on Channel 16. Brink said he would shoot some video for that. Gertz will also have a simple form put on the City's Web site so people could send back their ideas that way. After discussion, the Commissioners selected Sunday, February 11, and Friday, February 16, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Most of them said they would be present during that time to assist in answering questions. Vogel said people with ideas would be asked to fill out a form. A sketch of the floor plan could be available for them to take home and then e-mail back to the city showing an outline of their reuse ideas; fully prepared proposals are not needed. Vogel will have flip charts to show people. Gertz said the Park Department would be asked to clear snow from the sidewalks and the outline of the peony garden. Vogel said they don't want to give the impression that a decision has already been made and the open house is just window-dressing. Good ideas for other projects he has been connected with have come from young people as well as business people. Adams asked if there should be some parameters set on ideas. Vogel said no, because institutional limits on this property are quite small. The biggest limitation is probably the lack of utility services,but that could be made to happen in the future. Specific people will be invited to come to the open houses, including members of the Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources Commission, staff from the Parks and Recreation Department, City Council members, and all of the management team. Adams said all the City's boards and commissions should be invited. The Commissioners were asked to submit names and addresses of people they believe should be invited to Gertz via e-mail by January 26, and he will make sure they receive invitations to both open houses. It was recommended that the Eden Prairie Historical Society also be invited. Gertz said he would e-mail Kathie Case, and she could distribute invitations to the members. Adams said the HPC meeting on February 26 would be another opportunity for the public to come and bring their ideas to the Commission. Gertz offered to HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES January 22, 2007 Page 3 reserve one of the Heritage Rooms on the lower level for the meeting. Vogel said he would bring the ideas that have been received to that meeting so they can be prioritized. February 26 will be the last date for soliciting ideas. Vogel pointed out the City has enough flexibility to accommodate almost any residential or commercial use at this site. Gertz and Vogel have discussed safety and fire code issues in depth with staff, who said there is nothing that would cause any problems. Gertz pointed out that the house is structurally sound. Vogel said he plans to give them the actual list of prioritized ideas at the April meeting, and the members could then start the process for selecting ones that would be worth pursuing. He suggested planning to have another open house in May, which is Historic Preservation month. Vogel pointed out it is imperative to engage the City Council in June with the possibilities for reuse of the property. When the project concludes at the end of July, the Council will be getting his report and should be ready to make a decision. That timing is good because it occurs in the middle of the 2008 budget process. Gertz said there has been a clear mandate to come up with an idea that is financially viable. Vogel said the Council will get the projected cost in May and June. He wants to be sure this is going to be a success and that we don't give the Council something they will never implement. B. HPC RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CITY COUNCIL/BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS INTERACTION Gertz said he has talked to staff about what other commissions plan to recommend, and was told they are making similar recommendations to the ones he listed in his memo to the HPC. After reviewing them, the Commissioners agreed to the following: • Annual workshop in January to discuss short- and long-term plans • City Council member attendance at the first Commission meeting of the year and a Council member would be welcome any time as a regular liaison at Commission meetings • Mid-year report in May to the City Council by HPC Chairperson • Council members taken on a tour of the City's historic sites • Submit an annual report at the end of the year that summarizes the activities of the Commission Gertz said he would send these recommendations to the Council through Scott Neal. C. GLEN LAKE CHILDREN'S CAMP LOCAL DESIGNATION UPDATE Gertz said local designation has been indefinitely stopped. The reason is that the City has some unresolved issues with the children's camp and, until these issues HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES January 22, 2007 Page 4 are resolved, the City is compelled to stop the process. Once they are resolved the Commission can proceed with designation. Gertz said he should know by the March meeting. Adams asked if they should start the process for designating one of the other properties instead. Gertz replied as far as his time is concerned, he would recommend waiting until the reuse study is further along and the situation at Glen Lake Children's Camp is clarified. He believed any designation going to the Council at this time would not be well received. D. PIONEER TRAIL (CSAH 1) EXPANSION/J. R. CUMMINS PROPERTY UPDATE Gertz said he attended a meeting at MnDOT in St. Paul on January 18, where they talked again about adverse effects of the highway expansion on the Cummins property. Two things came out of the discussion: 1. Hennepin County is considering asking MAC to relocate their parking access, which is currently directly across from one of the ball fields. MAC will be asked to move their access to the west, and that would free up four feet in front of the J.R. Cummins property. 2. The parking plan has not really changed, but SHPO said the current plan would occupy too many spaces north of the Cummins house, and they are asking the City to review this and give the Cummins house as much space as possible. SHPO suggested moving the parking west of the trees that stand to the west of the house. The other option would be to add screening from the parking north of the house. Vogel will be talking to SHPO and will discuss it again when he has that in concept form. Gertz said burying utilities in front of the property as part of mitigation is also being pursued. Regarding parking, he said the City needs sixty stalls for the two ball fields. Adding parking for the Cummins house would be needed to provide enough parking for reuse of the house, similar to the parking that was created for Dunn Bros. at the Smith-Douglas-More house. Gertz said there also needs to be parking for handicapped accessibility close to the house. Vogel pointed out that a garage might be required for certain reuse of the property, involving new construction on the site, but that would be a more desirable change to the site than the large amount of impervious material required for the parking area. However, none of these changes will take place until after the road is finished. Gertz is going with Scott Kipp tomorrow to look at the possibility of parking north of the canine training area, the archery area and off-leash park. He will keep the Commissioners informed about this. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES January 22, 2007 Page 5 Vogel said one of the design issues to look at is how to essentially buffer the house against having a highway so close. That might influence reuse of the site. It will probably be necessary to have a structural berm, which could take care of the visual impact on the house. Gertz said the City has asked the county to install a devise to monitor the amount of kinetic energy in the house, which they agreed to do before road construction begins. Vogel said that might be considered part of the mitigation measures the county will take. He would hope to prevent damaging the property through the vibrations of road traffic or through use of the house. When the road goes into its normal service life, Vogel said he would worry about human traffic. That needs to be worked out, at least in theory. VI. NEW BUSINESS A. EDINA HERITAGE PRESERVATION BOARD REQUEST Vogel reported that the City of Edina's Heritage Preservation Board would like to know if the Eden Prairie HPC would be interested in some kind of joint project. The Board would like to host the HPC at a meeting there. Adams said that would be a good idea, and asked what they might discuss. Vogel said Edina has an historic golf course it needs to trade, as well as other park areas, and they would like to discuss that with the HPC. VII. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Akerlund moved, seconded by Mackay, to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried 6-0. Adams adjourned the meeting at 9:05 p.m.