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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHeritage Preservation - 04/25/2005 APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2005 7:00 P.M. Prairie Rooms A & B 8080 Mitchell Road COMMISSION MEMBERS Betsy Adams, Chairperson; Molly Gilbertson, Vice Chairperson; Bob Amell, Deborah Barkley, Nina Mackay, Ed Muehlberg,Jane Plaza STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES Ben Costello, Katie Kunitz, Trevor Diddell COMMISSION STAFF John Gertz, Historic Preservation Specialist; Peggy Rasmussen, Recorder I. ROLL CALL Adams called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Commissioner Amell was excused. Student Representatives Costello, Kunitz and Diddell were absent. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA The date on the agenda was corrected. Gertz removed Fredrick-Miller Spring from the agenda. Gilbertson noted the March 21 minutes showed that pending legislation regarding the Minnesota Historic Structure and Community Reinvestment Tax Credit would be on the agenda. Gertz said he had forgotten to include this item. He will mail the information and the resolution of support for the legislation to the Commissioners, so they can personally take action if they wish. MOTION: Gilbertson moved, seconded by Barkley, to approve the agenda of April 25, 2005, as amended. Motion carried 6-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES —MARCH 21, 2005 MOTION: Gilbertson moved, seconded by Adams, to approve the minutes of the Heritage Preservation Commission meeting held on March 21, 2005, as published. Motion carried 2-0. IV. REPORTS OF COMMISSION AND STAFF A. Welcome New HPC Members Adams welcomed the new members of the HPC. All the Commissioners introduced themselves, and gave information about their backgrounds and interest in Eden Prairie's history. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES April 25, 2005 Page 2 V. OLD BUSINESS A. Riley-Jacques and J.R. Cummins House Repairs Update Gertz reported that Site Alteration Permits for repairs to the Riley-Jacques house and J.R. Cummins house are on the agenda for approval by the City Council on April 26. It is expected that the contract will be awarded to the low bidder, Minnesota Construction Company, at the Council meeting on May 3. Six bids were received, ranging from $206,000 to $384,000. After awarding the contract, it will take approximately two weeks for the contract to be prepared and signed. Gertz said $206,000 would only cover three of the six add alternates, which will be prioritized based on how many can be done with the given budget. Gilbertson asked if Minnesota Construction Company has experience working on historic projects. Gertz said the company is working on the James J. Hill House now. However, experience with historic homes is not really necessary in this case because they are repair projects. Mackay asked how City staff decide which contractors will be invited to submit bids. Gertz said that they rely on the architectural firm, which has a list of contractors on the Builders' Exchange. It is also published under public notices in the local newspaper, directing contractors to the City or to the architect, Miller Dunwiddie. Adams explained to the new Commissioners that the plans, with the changes recommended by Miller Dunwiddie, were reviewed at the March meeting, and the HPC moved to approve them. Those plans could be made available to the new Commissioners if they are interested in looking at them. B. Dorenkemper House Update Gertz reported that a City crew worked throughout the week to clean the house and remove debris, bat droppings, etc., from the attic. EcoLab will deodorize the house and seal it up to keep out rodents. Students from Hennepin Technical College are expected to begin work on the building around the middle of May. They probably will not be able to accomplish as much as originally planned because they are currently working on other projects. Gertz talked to the instructor about prioritizing the work and asked him to start with the entry steps and ramp first and then work inside on finishing doors, windows and trim. C. CLG Grant Update Gertz explained the meaning of Certified Local Government and the grant program to the new Commissioners. The City of Eden Prairie is certified because the HPC went through the qualification process to become a CLG commission. Every year the City can apply for planning or educational grants that are related to preservation. Funds come from the federal government and go through the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), which awards the grants. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES April 25, 2005 Page 3 Gertz said that Eden Prairie has been applying for these grants for about 14 years. This year a grant has been awarded to have local designations prepared for three properties in Eden Prairie: the Consolidated School, the Staring Lake Outdoor Center and Glen Lake Children's Camp. The camp is on the National Register but should also be locally designated. The deadline for completing the grant is July 2006. An RFP will be sent out to obtain proposals from consultants who would prepare the documentation needed for designation. The HPC is required to hold a public hearing before requesting the City Council to designate the properties as historic sites. Gertz explained that last year the CLG grant was used to hire a consultant to prepare proposals for designation of the two cemeteries in Eden Prairie as historic properties. They are Pleasant Hill Cemetery and Eden Prairie Cemetery. He is working toward having one or both designated. Gertz stated that the Commissioners would be looking at RFP material at the next meeting, and eventually will be reviewing the proposals after they are submitted. Gilbertson asked if the Commissioners could go together to look over the three properties. Gertz said he would bring some dates to choose from to the next meeting. VI. NEW BUSINESS A. Pioneer Trail (CSAH 1) Expansion Impact on J.R. Cummins House Property The Commissioners reviewed two possible options for the new road and trail alignment along Pioneer Trail (CSAH 1), widening it to four lanes in 2006-07, which will impact the J.R. Cummins property. On one plan option, the trail meanders because the trail moves around three shagbark hickory trees. Gertz pointed out that they are rare and need to be preserved. The second plan option keeps the trail south of the trees. However, this plan does not have a right-turn lane into Staring Lake Park just west of the Cummins property, which the other plan option does. A turn lane would resolve issues of cars backing up when other cars are making the turn; however, that is contingent on the Metropolitan Airports Commission agreeing to relocate their entrance into Flying Cloud Airport across from the one into Staring Lake Park. The other plan shows access to the east of the Cummins property, along a driveway that is privately owned. An agreement to use it would have to be reached with the owner. Cars would then come into the back of the Cummins property. Gertz told Randy Newton, the City's contact with the County engineers on this project, that this would not be a good alternative. The access road to the west would be preferred as shown on the other plan. Gertz said the present driveway leading up to the house through a gate would be closed off. Gertz said the best scenario for the J.R. Cummins property is a combination of both plans that would include a straight trail past the property and access to the HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES April 25, 2005 Page 4 west, with MAC's entrance to Flying Cloud Airport relocated. Gertz said he would like a verbal agreement from the Commissioners to lobby for this scenario, which he would include in a memo to Newton. There was consensus among the Commissioners that Gertz should pursue this option with the City staff. B. Project Review of Proposed Deck and ADA Ramp at Glen Lake Children's Camp Dining Hall Building The Commissioners reviewed plans for an Eagle Scout project at Glen Lake Children's Camp, which includes a deck and ramp for the dining hall building and a new fire ring. The project is being partially funded by the Eden Prairie Lions Club, and the Scout has raised about $7,000 from family and friends. He has a crew lined up to help him do the work, and a local contractor will be supervising the project. Gertz said his concern is with the deck and the fire ring. The fire department said the new fire ring would be too close to the deck, which has to be 25 feet from the center of the ring. Gertz recommended keeping the fire ring in its current location and redesigning it for better accessibility. Access now is not good for people in wheelchairs. Gertz said the ramp has to be built to meet ADA requirements of a 1:25 grade, so it will have to be redesigned to meet the code. The ramp needs to be easily accessible to the user, which would mean having it on the north end of the deck, as it is now, rather than the south end as proposed. Steps can be put on either side of the ramp. The Scout will begin redesigning his plans after he receives comments from the HPC. Gertz would prefer the surface materials to be crushed rock or gravel rather than adding more bituminous to this historic property. He wants to keep the amount of bituminous to a minimum; just what is needed for ADA access. Crushed rock would meet ADA requirements if it were compacted. The existing trail could be connected to the fire ring, or they could provide access from all directions to the trail and then show a connection that would meet ADA requirements. Gertz said the HPC could give its own suggestions or could deny the project. Adams asked how large the present deck is compared with the proposed deck. Gertz replied that the deck is now 4' or 5' wide and about 6' long, and the one being proposed would be 12' wide x 24' long. The building historically has always been a recreation building so this Scout project doesn't change that. He said the deck itself is not a problem, but the size of it is the question. He has asked for a better idea of how it will look. Muehlberg noted that the ramp will be quite long, and might require a switch- back. That might be a reason to put it on the south end of the deck. Gertz replied it might be better to have the ramp placed on the front of the deck so it would not extend in front of the building but would be more incorporated with the deck. With regard to the design materials, pressure-treated wood will be used. Gertz said the color should be a sympathetic match to what is there,but not mimic it. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES April 25, 2005 Page 5 Adams said the HPC needs to see the revised plane before it could approve the project. She pointed out that the Scout has done a good job on the plan; it is well thought out. Gertz said he would put together some initial suggestions based on the Commission meeting, give them to the Scout and ask him to come to the May HPC meeting with a more finished plan. In the meantime, he will have the Scout talk with the City's building inspectors and staff from Parks and Recreation, get all the comments together and come to the next HPC meeting. Gertz said this is a good service project. He found out that the existing ramps do not meet ADA requirement so this will fix that problem. VII. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Mackay moved, seconded by Plaza, to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried 6-0. Adams adjourned the meeting at 8:30 p.m.