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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHeritage Preservation - 07/16/2001 AS THERE WAS NOT A QUORUM, ONLY INFORMAL NOTES WERE TAKEN EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MONDAY,JULY 16, 2001 7:00 P.M. J. R. CUMMINS HOUSE 13600 Pioneer Trail COMMISSION MEMBERS: Lori Peterson-Benike, Chairperson; Betsy Adams, Deborah Barkley,Jennie Brown, Kati Simons,Art Weeks, Mike Wroblewski COMMISSION STAFF: John Gertz, Historic Preservation Specialist Peggy Rasmussen, Recorder I. ROLL CALL Peterson-Benike called the meeting to order at 7:20 p.m. Commissioners Barkley, Brown and Weeks had excused absences. Commissioner Wroblewski was also absent. As there was not a quorum, Peterson-Benike immediately adjourned the meeting. Following are notes on the informal discussion. Historic Properties CIP Budget John Gertz distributed copies of the revised, prioritized CIP budget for the three historic properties. Gertz said staff members Don Uram, Bob Lambert and Scott Kipp reviewed the Miller-Dunwiddie CIP Draft . They all recommended it be prioritized before it is sent to the City Council. Gertz said he and Peterson-Benike assigned each item an "A, B, or C" level of priority, with "A" being most urgent. They used Miller-Dunwiddie's recommendations for prioritizing some of the items. The "A" items are primarily exterior repairs to be done in 2002. All septic systems are listed as "C" items because they won't be replaced until it is determined what their capacity is and how much use they will have. Air conditioning for the Cummins house is being requested for 2004, but it should be made more energy efficient prior to that. The house will need a new roof in three years and that would be a good time to insulate it. A handicap-accessible bathroom is needed. This could be achieved with an addition to the back of the house. Some items were removed from the Miller-Dunwiddie list because volunteers could do them, such as wallpapering and painting. Tearing down outbuildings could be done by City crews. Removing those items, and others, brought the budget down to $1,396,000 for all three historic properties, a reduction of$2 million from the Miller-Dunwiddie budget. Gertz reported that he would be on vacation when the budget is presented to the Council on August 7. He will meet with staff and go over the budget so they can present it for him. Update on the Smith-Douglas-More House Gertz is soliciting estimates for painting the trim on the More house. Dunn Bros. Coffee has shown an interest in using the More house as a coffeehouse. Chris Eilers, its president, toured INFORMAL NOTES FOR HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION July 16, 2001 Page 2 the property with Gertz on June 28, but hasn't indicated yet if Dunn Bros. would be willing to make a proposal for buying or leasing it. Also, on July 17 a local realtor plans to tour the house, and may be interested in buying it. CLG Grant Projects Gertz reported on the Lookout Park nomination to the National Register. New photos and detailed construction drawings have been found. However, there is concern about the integrity of the site. Rolf Anderson said it will be difficult for him to take good black and white photos because of the amount of trash and vegetation, and SHPO would not be impressed by seeing that. Anderson will be finished with the preparation of the nomination by the end of July and the City will send it to SHPO. Members of the Native American community near Prior Lake has met with City staff about this site because it has significance to them. They are offering to work to restore the property and contribute toward doing that. If that happens, it would be out of the City's hands as far as playing a leadership role in restoration. The DNR and the Fish and Wildlife Service could be involved, but there would be a much broader interest than just the City. Lookout Park is unique because there are not many such sites left. The City won an Award of Excellence for the interpretive panels from the Minnesota Recreation and Parks Association. The Parks department asked Gertz to submit the draft drawings for nomination. The art work will be sent out to Pennsylvania in a week or two, and the stands for the panels are being made now. They should be in place around the City by the end of the summer. Sun Bonnet Days Simons suggested taking old-time photos at the Cummins House as part of the activities. Either there could be old-fashioned clothes for people to dress up in for the photo, or there could be a cut-out prop of a person in old-time clothes for people to look through. Tria Mann is the staff member in charge of Sun Bonnet Days. There will be further discussion at the next meeting of the HPC.