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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHeritage Preservation - 05/19/1997 APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MONDAY, MAY 19, 1997 7:00 p.m. Prairie Rooms A & B 8080 Mitchell Road COMMISSION MEMBERS: Jane Hession, Chair, Kathie Case, Tim Colliton, John Hensrud, James Mason, Nathalie Rabuse, James Wilson STUDENT MEMBER: John Katzung COMMISSION STAFF: John Gertz, Historic Preservation Specialist, Barbara Anderson, City Recorder 1. ROLL CALL Chair Hession called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Commissioner Mason was absent. Commissioners Rabuse and Hensrud arrived at 7:15 p.m. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Hession requested to add the Glen Lake Dining Hall under Old Business, Item D. MOTION: Case moved, Wilson seconded, to approve the Agenda as amended. Motion carried 4-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - APRIL 21, 1997 Case noted a correction on page three,last paragraph,which should reflect she would contact Marshall=s regarding the apple trees instead of the perennials. MOTION: Case moved, seconded by Wilson,to approve the Minutes of the April 21, 1997 meeting of the Eden Prairie Heritage Preservation Commission as corrected. Motion carried 4-0. IV. REQUESTS - EDEN PRAIRIE HISTORICAL SOCIETY Case noted that the Eden Prairie Historical Society will be holding their Annual Meeting on May 22, 1997 at 7:00 p.m. in the Museum at the City Center and Ron Case will be presenting. The Eden Prairie High School will be selling an afghan with historical sites on it for about$35-40 and hope to get orders for about 75 of them. V. REPORTS OF COMMISSION AND STAFF A. Update on Heritage Site Survey Gertz stated that proposed sites for heritage site designation need legal descriptions drawn before they go to the City Council. The surveys have not been budgeted for, HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION April 19, 1997 Page 2 and are quite expensive,and he will approach the Engineering Department to inquire if City surveying crews might be used to do the surveying work which would be less cost to the City. The Cummins-Grill property would be done next week and he will talk with the Engineering Department to see if they can work something out using City survey crews. Because the Cummins Grill house is part of a park and they had to create a new legal description because they are taking part of this area out and designating it as a historical site. Hession asked when this would go to the City Council and Gertz responded that he did not know until he had all the surveys done. Wilson asked if City surveyors could do the drawings and Gertz responded affirmatively. He had also been talking to Don Uram in the Finance Department to see if there were some other funds available that could be used for the surveys. If they spend the money for the surveys and the City Council does not approve the designations then they would be out the funds. The HPC needs to find out if the City Council can designate the sites as historical without a legal description. Gertz commented that Cottage Grove uses resolution rather than ordinance to designate land use,but Eden Prairie uses ordinances. Gertz stated it would be simpler to use resolutions. He indicated he would research the possibility of the City Council amending the Ordinance to allow land designations to be enacted via resolution rather than ordinance and the legal ramifications of such an action. Hensrud and Rabuse will look into this and report to the HPC in June. B. Report on the Minnesota Historical Society Annual Conference Gertz stated it was a good conference and there was a speaker at the luncheon who discussed landscape preservation and how to evaluate sites. The most interesting session was on development history curriculum, which cited the Oak Point archaeology program, and there was one in Faribault which is similar to Eden Prairie=s program. Shirley Olson, the Historical Director of Murphy=s Landing asked if the HPC would spearhead a project regarding the old ferry landing site. She would host a meeting at Murphy=s Landing if HPC was willing to put it together. There is the potential for grants to be obtained with this concept as well. Colliton commented the keynote address was interesting and he discussed legal strategies for controlling urban sprawl. He pointed out that it needs to be a regional approach which is orchestrated by Metropolitan Council for it to work. C. Report on the Oak Point Student Archaeology Program and Kick-off Event Colliton commented he attended this event and thought it was very impressive. There were several speakers there, and the City, School Board, and the Historical Society were all represented and in addition Jim Ramstad also spoke. He commented that the weather caused a few incidents, but overall the event went extremely well. The dig will continue until June 20th and then the archaeological people will finish it up, completing this by July 31st. We will receive the technical report after this, and will receive a report from the Oak Point students as well. The kids are all over the site until about 2:00 p.m. and he noted that there was a web site at which all finds were documented and the web site address was: www.edenpr.kl2.mm.us/dig/arch.html. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION April 19, 1997 Page 3 D. Report on the Senior Awareness Week Event Case commented that Ron Case had made a presentation at this event which was attended by about 30 people, and they seemed to be very interested in Eden Prairie history, and asked many questions. VI. OLD BUSINESS A. Discuss Omanizins!a Historic Sites Committee Until the Historic Sites Committee is officially formed,Gertz stated it would be nice to get a small group together that did nothing more than work on small projects. Hession commented that the peony garden at the Cummins-Grill house was something that needed to be completed and there was a core group of people that would like to be involved in this project. Wilson stated the Cummins-Grill house was filthy and needed to be cleaned up thoroughly. Gertz commented he would like to organize a small group that would work at the Cummins-Grill house to get some of these things taken care of. The HPC have a list of projects that need to be accomplished. Rabuse commented that she thought they should put something in the Eden Prairie paper which listed the projects and asked for volunteers. Case and Wilson stated they would also help with this project. Rabuse suggested perhaps using kids that need to perform community service for some labor intensive work on the sites. It would have to be coordinated through Hennepin County,but she believed it may be a possibility. She volunteered to look into it and report back to the Commission. Hession inquired if the HPC would have to provide someone to supervise the kids, and Rabuse responded she would have to find out what would be required if the proposal was to be actualized. With regard to the Historic Sites Committee, the City, the HPC, and the Eden Prairie High School need to clarify certain issues and identify who will be responsible for what. Roles need to be defined clearly and whether this group would be a sub-committee of a commission needs to be established. She did not believe this was something that would be resolved quickly. Case stated she believed they should continue with the peony garden project because about $500 worth of plants have been donated to plant around the Cummins-Grill house. She requested Gertz to order the dirt and remove the sod around the house so the planting could take place. Hession commented they would try to generate a pool of volunteers that will report to Gertz and Colliton stated he would help with this. Hession commented she believed they should find one person to head up the peony garden volunteers who would report to Gertz. B. Cummins-Grill House Gertz commented this was one of the other projects he would like to see completed this year. They need to come up with a final design, get costs finalized, and get the interpretive materials together. Hession inquired if there was someone who could HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION April 19, 1997 Page 4 work with him on this project and Gertz responded that he would go to some exhibit vendors in the area to get pricing, such as Display Masters,although he believed they were a bit expensive. Discussion ensued regarding who could do something for the HPC for this project. Hession commented they could advertise for bids for carpenters to construct the kiosk and Gertz responded that he would like to come up with a standard type of structure that they could put in other areas as well, such as Miller Park by the Miller Store site with little change in design. Discussion ensued regarding the problem with pests at the Cummins-Grill house. Gertz commented that there was no building maintenance budget in existence for either painting or pest control at the Cummins-Grill house. C. Riley-Jacques Farm Granary Gertz stated they were using Elaine Jacques= donation to re-roof the granary and they need to obtain an estimate of cost to stabilize and restore the building. Gertz will call contractors to get bids or estimates on the work. If estimates exceed the donation amount, then the HPC could ask the City Council to approve additional funding. D. Glen Lake Dining Hall Hession wanted to be sure the building was not demolished before it is determined whether the City can use it or move it. The City owns the building but it is being leased to Friendship Ventures. VII. NEW BUSINESS A. Eames Archeology Site Preliminary Report Jack Brandt,representative of the proposed AVillas at Mitchell Lake—development was present. Gertz commented during initial development meetings with the HPC and developer only one Eames archaeology site was known. Subsequently,Christina Harrison of Archaeological Research Services identified two more sites. Site three has been so impacted that it no longer has any historical significance. Site one has potential for consideration for the National Historic Register and site two could be preserved for historical significance. Sites one and two are within the conservation easement and are therefore protected. Brandt stated they have revised the site plan and the pond is now gone. They have separated the building development from archaeological sites one and two. They have a full report which has been submitted to their attorneys Larkin Hoffman,Daly & Lindgren, which will be submitted to Mike Franzen in the Planning Department tomorrow. Case asked about the future of the Eames existing house on the site and Brandt responded that it would be removed if the development proceeds. They have modified the plans to preserve trees and there are many improvements to the project. It is going to be a single family development with a Homeowner=s Association which provides maintenance services. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION April 19, 1997 Page 5 Gertz asked if within the Homeowner=s Association document they could include the preservation agreement to protect the Eames archaeology site(s) from future impact.Brandt responded they could. Hession requested that Christina Harrison be present during site grading to ensure that Eames site one and two not be disturbed or impacted, and that the site be flagged to prevent this. MOTION: Case moved, seconded by Wilson, that the Heritage Preservation Commission would like to follow the recommendations of Christina Harrison, Archeological Research Services, for the AVillas at Mitchell Lake— development with respect to Eames Sites 1, 2, and 3, and should the pond development occur, Eames Site 2 will be flagged to prevent disturbance. Motion carried 6-0. B. Discuss with Eden Prairie Arts Commission Representative the Use of Available Space at the Eden Prairie Shopping Center Laurie Helling, Manager of Recreation Services, reviewed the Arts Center Task Force search for a site for an Arts Center. The Staring Lake Arts Board dissolved and the City Council has appointed a task force to continue to develop the concept for an Arts Center. Within the new plans for Eden Prairie Mall redevelopment the City has about 5,000 sq.ft reserved for community use,possibly an arts or cultural center. A service center may be included which would generate some revenue for the City. The Arts Commission meets tomorrow and she will take any ideas from the Historic Preservation Commission back to that meeting. The Arts Commission is looking at what their needs will be and also what else could be included to make this a focal point for the community. A historical aspect would be welcome and it would give the downtown area a focus. They would like to have a representative from the Historic Preservation Commission work with the Arts Commission and the Architect to bring this idea into fruition. Staff members John Gertz, Laurie Helling, Chris Enger,and Bob Lambert,along with representatives from the Historical Society,the Historic Preservation Commission, the Arts Commission and the Arts Task Force would be the people involved with General Growth discussion. With regard to the larger mall,Case commented the idea was to have a marketplace theme as Eden Prairie was a farming community and the EPHS thought artifacts could be distributed throughout the Mall. The EPHS could have certain areas where the artifacts were displayed and the Historic Preservation Commission would help with the interpretation of these. Helling stated the mall developers want the Art and Cultural Center to attract people. Possibly a performing theater and rotating exhibits and displays on Eden Prairie would be included. The City would be paying $5,000 per year for the space for twenty years and they would pay for the maintenance and upkeep of this area. Gertz commented he did not know how they would determine the division of the area for all the arts that would be using it and where the satellite areas would be located. Also,who will program these areas and what the Historical Society needs would be or what they would want to do with the area. He did not see the Historic HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION April 19, 1997 Page 6 Preservation Commission actually setting up exhibits. Hession stated she felt that the Historic Preservation Commission should be a part of this and an equal partner with the Historical Society and the Arts Commission. It was a wonderful opportunity and they should be able to use some space as they have ideas or information to impart to the public. Wilson commented he did not believe this mall would work out and the City should not spend the money on this project,but he thought it was a good effort. Gertz stated the whole interior plan for the mall may be extended beyond the existing mall area and it would be very exciting if it becomes a reality. There may be a farmers market eventually and this really reflects the City=s history. There are no other farmers markets around to compete, and he believed there would be many vendors that would come and sell their wares. Hession stated that the Historic Preservation Commission would be interested in working with other agencies in a partnership arrangement to accomplish this concept. Case stated that the Historical Society meeting was being held at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday evening in the museum and Helling responded that she would attend to explain the proposal. She requested the HPC to appoint a representative to this group and an alternate, who could attend if the representative was not able to be there. Wilson volunteered and Hession stated she would be the alternate representative. Helling stated she would let the HPC know what the meeting schedule of this group would be when it was established. VIII. ADJOURNMENT MOTION:Case moved, seconded by Colliton,to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried 5-0. The meeting was adjourned at 9:20 p.m.