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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHeritage Preservation - 03/17/2008 APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2008 7:00 P.M. Prairie Rooms A & B 8080 Mitchell Road COMMISSION MEMBERS Betsy Adams, Chairperson; Ann Higgins, Vice Chairperson; Richard Akerlund, Nina Mackay, Mark McPherson,Ed Muehlberg, Jane Plaza STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES: Claire Lukens, Mark Muston,Alexandra Shea COMMISSION STAFF John Gertz, Historic Preservation Specialist Peggy Rasmussen, Recorder I. ROLL CALL Adams called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. All Commission members were present. Student Representative Lukens arrived later in the meeting. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Adams requested moving Item B. under Old Business, Historic Preservation Code Draft Review, to the end of the agenda. MOTION: Mackay moved, seconded by Akerlund, to approve the agenda as published and amended. Motion carried 7-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES —FEBRUARY 25, 2008 Plaza made a correction on page 1, under Board and Commission Interviews, replacing the name of Akerlund with Muehlberg. Adams made a correction on page 3, the fourth paragraph, replacing the Eden Prairie Center with the Mall of America. Higgins made a correction on page 5, the fourth sentence in the first paragraph under Parking Plans for Dunn Bros. Coffee Store, which should read " . . . especially the cupola on the shed." MOTION: Higgins moved, seconded by Plaza, to approve the minutes of the meeting of the Heritage Preservation Commission held on February 25, 2008, as corrected. Motion carried 7-0. IV. REPORTS OF COMMISSION AND STAFF A. STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION CONFERENCE Adams announced that the 2008 Minnesota Historic Preservation Conference is set for Friday and Saturday, September 19 and 20, in Northfield, Minnesota. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES March 17,2008 Page 2 B. APPOINTMENTS TO COMMISSION Gertz reported that Mackay and Muehlberg were reappointed to the Commission. Adams was reappointed as Chair and Higgins as Vice Chair. A new member, Kathy Veurink, will begin her term on the Commission at the April meeting, following orientation on March 26. C. PARKING PLAN FOR DUNN BROS. COFFEE AT SMITH HOUSE Gertz showed the Commissioners a proposed parking plan. He said initial comments back from the Planning staff were to use two-way traffic and double- stack the spaces to provide the maximum number of stalls. Gertz will count the number of seats inside as well as the outdoor seating at the store, and calculate the number of stalls required, which depends on whether it is a type 1, 2 or 3 restaurant. Dunn Bros. is a type 1, which requires one stall for every 2-1/2 seats. The learning center will also be considered. The sidewalk will either have to be widened or removed. Gertz said he has not yet determined whether the rain garden could be dug deeper. A pervious parking lot might still be considered, although it might drive up the cost. Muehlberg said the location of handicapped parking should be considered in counting the spaces needed. V. OLD BUSINESS A. SESQUICENTENNIAL PLANNING Gertz reported that the Eden Prairie Library has agreed to be involved in celebrating the sesquicentennial. They will provide space for exhibits. One of the City's interns, Jessica Broveak, is coordinating those plans with the library. Gertz said another meeting on the sesquicentennial is scheduled for Thursday, March 20, at 1:00 p.m. at the City Center. Jan Mosman will be attending from the Historical Society. Joyce Lorenz, communications manager for the City, will be present to give an update about the design of the logo. Adams said the Historical Society has changed the date for tours of historic sites from May 10 to May 3. Members will be at all of the locations previously listed in the minutes. Adams will be doing a series of articles in the Eden Prairie News. In addition, the sesquicentennial will be mentioned often in the newspaper. Akerlund said he would look for photographs of the trains that came to Eden Prairie in the past. Adams said there might be some photos of trains on the Web site of the late Ernie Shuldhiess. Gertz said there is a painting of the train depot in the Historical Society's museum. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES March 17,2008 Page 3 A theme for the sesquicentennial was discussed. Gertz suggested "150 Years of Community Service." "150 Years of Working Together", "150 Years of Community", and "150 Years of Serving the Community" were also suggested. MOTION: Higgins moved, seconded by Muehlberg, that "150 Years of Community" be adopted as the theme for the sesquicentennial. Motion carried 7-0. B. HISTORIC PRESERVATION CODE DRAFT REVIEW Commissioners reviewed a draft of the Eden Prairie Historic Preservation Code prepared by Gertz. He would like to complete the changes by April. Gertz said there were no changes to subdivisions 13, 14 and 15. He asked for input on Subd. 10, Temporary Restraint of Demolition, and Subd. 11, Demolition or Moving of Structures. Gertz recommended adding something to the code on these subdivisions. Gertz has to sign off on applications for demolition or moving of structures that are on designated sites, which comes through the City's Building Department. The request comes back to the HPC for approval, or a temporary restraint could be placed on demolition. Gertz recommended including language in the code that would say the property is "designated" or "eligible for designation." Once a building becomes eligible, it comes under the same protections as designated sites. Muehlberg pointed out that deconstructing in order to construct elsewhere had not been defined. Gertz said he would add that. Regarding Subd. 12, Economic Hardship, Gertz asked if the Commissioners thought it necessary to include that item. It is a way for an owner of a historic property to come before the HPC to say the requirements of maintaining this building as a historic property far exceed his return on the business being operated out of the building. The owner would have to provide that information and the HPC could approve that request. The Commissioners agreed to include this subdivision. Subdivision 2, Definitions, Gertz noted that a lot of definitions had been added, including archaeological site and archaeological resources. Under Subd. 4, Additional Procedures for Designating Heritage Preservation Sites, item 5, Adams noted that the existing code shows one public hearing. She noted several listed in the revised code. Gertz said the Planning Commission does not have to hold a public hearing. This could be changed to say the Planning Commission will be reviewing the designation. Item 1 states a notice shall be sent to all property owners within three hundred fifty feet of the boundary of the area to be rezoned HP. If the City has changed it to five hundred feet for public hearings, Gertz will change that number in the code. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES March 17,2008 Page 4 Gertz noted that Subd. 7, Historic Preservation Plan, is a very important new element. It provides a tool to ensure there is a plan for preservation. Certain standards are developed. Gertz said he would work with the City to develop those plans. A property owner can go to the City Council if they do not think this plan will work for them. The Council's decision is final. Subd. 8, Development of Historic Resources. Item A. includes a site-alteration process. Muehlberg questioned using the word "permanent" before "sign." Gertz said he would look into whether that should be amended to just"signage." Subd. 9, Review of Permits and Standards. Item A. Muehlberg asked about including a time frame for review, what needs to be submitted and how soon. If a property owner wants to bring something to the Commission, it has to be submitted a certain number of days ahead of the Commission meeting. That information should be stated clearly. Gertz said a lot of this information should be on the permit application form. That will be developed along with the revised code so the document with the timeline and checklist of items can be referred to. The City would give out that document ahead of time. Item F. Gertz explained that if someone were to come in and wanted to do something on their building, and a Certificate of No Effect was not issued, it does not mean they can do whatever they want. By default, the HPC would look at it and make a determination about whether it has no effect, and a Certificate of Appropriateness from the HPC would be required. The consensus of the Commission was to include this item. The City Council Workshop is on April 15, and one of the items on the agenda is the revised Historic Preservation Code. Gertz said it would be a good opportunity to let the Council know that revising the code is something the HPC is recommending. He plans to inform the Council the code is outdated in ways that are important and the need to update it. He will also talk about the status of the Cummins House Adaptive Use Study and will point out some of the impacts to the property that the highway project is going to have. Gertz said the majority of the time should be spent on the Adaptive Use Study. The Workshop begins at 5:30 p.m. and ends at 6:30. Adams recommended giving the Council an update on plans for the sesquicentennial at the beginning of the Workshop, allocating 15 minutes to the code revisions, and then having Robert Vogel talk about the Adaptive Use Study. There should also be time for the Council to ask questions. Gertz said he would send information to the HPC a week ahead of the Workshop. Gertz said the draft code would be reviewed in detail by the City Attorney, as well as by other department staff and the City Council. He plans to get it to the City Attorney later in the week for his initial review. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES March 17,2008 Page 5 VI. NEW BUSINESS A. SJOSTRAND BARN UPDATE Gertz reported that the MnDOT Cultural Resources Unit made a determination that the Sjostrand barn on Pioneer Trail is National Register eligible, but not the rest of the farmstead. That decision is contrary to the recommendations of the Section 106 group, which determined that the barn was not eligible. That information was given to the SHPO office for Dennis Gimmestad's review. Gertz said MnDOT is required to investigate the barn further. Liz Abel is looking closely at the barn to determine if it meets the Secretary of the Interior's requirements for National Register eligibility, which is based on the style of the barn and its construction. This focus on the barn and its eligibility requires all parties involved to enter into consultation with SHPO and MnDOT to determine the impact of the road construction on the barn and how to mitigate that. A retaining pond is planned for the area where the barn is located. A meeting is being held on April 4 to discuss the barn and the Cummins project, which Gertz plans to attend. Liz Abel from MnDOT and a representative from Hennepin County's Department of Transportation will also be at the meeting, as well as Al Gray from the City's Engineering Department and Dennis Gimmestad. Gertz said this would be the first meeting held to start discussing the mitigation process, which will end up in a Memorandum of Agreement. Gertz said this doesn't necessarily mean the barn will be saved. MnDOT might just document it prior to demolition. As the HPC is a signatory to the agreement for the Cummins property, it might also be a signatory for the MOA on the barn. Gertz said he has met with the Parks and Recreation Department regarding parking at the Cummins site. They are entertaining the idea of converting one- third of the parking area to grass so it would look more like an open field. VII. ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Plaza was thanked for her work on the Commission during the past three years. MOTION: Akerlund moved, seconded by Higgins, to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried 7-0. Adams adjourned the meeting at 9:10 p.m.