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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHeritage Preservation - 10/19/2015 APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2015 7:00 P.M., CITY CENTER Prairie Rooms A & B 8080 Mitchell Road COMMISSION MEMBERS: Steve Olson (Chair), Ed Muehlberg (Vice Chair), Cindy Cofer Evert, Pamela Spera, Mark Freiberg, Tara Kalar, Paul Thorp STAFF: Robert Vogel, Pathfinder CRM, LLC Lori Creamer, Staff Liaison Heidi Wojahn, Recording Secretary STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES: Zeinab Hussen, Alexander Modeas, Natalie Higgins GUESTS: Students from Eden Prairie High School: Glen Birman, Becky Copper, Ricky Gutierrez, David Torgerson L CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chair Olson called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. Vogel, Muehlberg, and Student Representative Hussen were absent. Introductions took place. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Creamer added Item VI. E., Cofer Evert added Item VI. F. and Freiberg added Item. VII. A. to the agenda. MOTION: Cofer Evert moved, seconded by Freiberg, to approve the agenda as amended. Motion carried 6-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION: Spera moved, seconded by Thorp, to approve the September 21, 2015 minutes. Motion carried 6-0. IV. PUBLIC HEARING—DORENKEMPER HOUSE LOCAL SITE NOMINATION Creamer stated she received feedback from the Heritage Preservation Department(HPD) of the Minnesota Historical Society concurring the Dorenkemper House (DK)is a good candidate for local designation. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES October 19, 2015 Page 2 Chair Olson announced the opening of the public hearing and asked if anyone would like to address the Commission. There were no comments. MOTION: Freiberg moved, seconded by Cofer Evert, to close the public hearing. Motion carried 6-0. MOTION: Kalar moved, seconded by Spera, to recommend to the City Council the Dorenkemper House located on the Riley-Jacques Farmstead property be designated as a Heritage Preservation Site. Motion carried 6-0. Creamer said the recommendation will go before the City Council with a public hearing at the November 17, 2015 meeting. She will follow up regarding commissioner attendance at the council meeting. V. REPORTS OF COMMISSION AND STAFF VI. OLD BUSINESS A. INVENTORY LIST STATUS UPDATE — Thorp Thorp tabled the item pending receipt of additional information. B. GLEN LAKE CHILDREN'S CAMP (GLCC) PLAN REVIEW Creamer reported Randy Boser of True Friends along with his architect and engineer recently met with city staff for a proposed project at GLCC. The plan Creamer sent to commissioners was preliminary but entails tearing down the Boulay building and constructing a two-story walk-out respite center for clientele in its place. The building would include a sprinkler system, elevator, sleeping quarters, kitchen, three-season porch, health office, and exam rooms. One of two garages on site is part of a historic district. Updated plans will be reviewed by HPD, UPC, the Planning Commission, and City Council. Cofer Evert pointed out the narrative's inconsistency when compared to the plan and asked what the Commission's response should be in terms of carefully moving one historic garage. The narrative states intentions to remove the non- contributing garage and move the historic garage to its location. The plan does not reflect this. Creamer noted the narrative was not originally included with the plan. She expects new plans in the next month and will send them out to the UPC upon receipt. Olson mentioned the proposed parking addressed in the narrative was also not reflected in the plan. Thorp said there is nothing to react to yet without the updated plan. Cofer Evert sought an explanation for how the building would serve as a retaining wall, as stated in the narrative. Thorp said four basswood trees would be removed. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES October 19, 2015 Page 3 The grading would make the structure look like a one-story building from one side, but would be a walkout on the opposite side which could act as a wall. Thorp asked what Planning thinks about the proposed ten-foot setback from the railroad. Creamer said the setback issue will be addressed at an upcoming Planning Commission meeting. Olson clarified the Commission will wait for an updated and consistent plan prior to formulating a response. He asked if the playground equipment had come in. Creamer said she will check and report back. C. 2016 WORK PLAN Creamer said rather than creating a draft of the 2016 work plan, she preferred to review the 2015 plan and celebrate the Commission's accomplishments and then see if there are items the UPC wants to continue or add. She noted most items on the plan were completed. The one area that was not a focus in 2015 was updating the website. Creamer will work with Communications on this. Freiberg announced EPHS's upcoming Ghost Walk on October 24. Admission is free. Cofer Evert suggested adding the historical photo display in the City Center's atrium to the first two quarters of next year. Kalar requested commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act be added. Cofer Evert also said to list funding for additional panels as part of the Riley-Jacques interpretive project. Creamer noted she had recently received information on another grant source which she will look into in 2016. Thorp asked if a representative from the parks department could be expected to attend the Commission's next meeting regarding the Lookout site. Creamer said she put in a request for Jay Lotthammer to attend in November. Cofer Evert asked that tours of Flying Cloud Airport's historic hangars be added to the second quarter of next year's work plan. Thorp said he has two items to add to the work plan: 1)the historic town of Hennepin which is on land owned by the City's parks department, and 2) Murphy's Ferry. Hennepin was a planned town plotted into 1200 parcels that was never built. There are existing artifacts in the area, however, in need of preservation. He showed a contour map, a digital scan of the location taken from an aerial view and pointed out various features of historical interest: an initial warehouse site dating back to 1853, the Minnesota Valley Trail - an old oxcart trail, a road, and the foundation of a wagon shop from the 1850s. Murphy's Ferry sits across from Murphy's Landing in Shakopee and was the site of the Battle of Shakopee. It is undisturbed woodland currently on private property. Creamer said she will include in this year's work plan grants for which she has applied. If received, she will add items those grants will fund to next year's plan. A draft of the 2016 work plan will be ready for next month's meeting. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES October 19, 2015 Page 4 D. OLD CITY STREET SIGNS—FUNDRAISER- Creamer Creamer said Public Works has a list of street signs they have replaced which the UPC can use as an inventory for selling the old signs as a fundraiser, but program logistics still need to be determined. Cofer Evert asked if signs are removed on a percentage basis. Creamer said there are no solid numbers; Public Works does the replacements as time permits. She estimated a couple hundred have already been replaced which includes multiples of some street names. Cofer Evert recommended holding off on selling until more signs are available. Freiberg suggested proceeds be split evenly between the UPC and EPHS. Spera asked if the City would expect a portion of the proceeds. Creamer said she inquired and was told Public Works probably makes $1000 on scrap metal which may be regarded as a negligible amount. Creamer asked the students if they were interested in developing a draft proposal. Cofer Evert proposed awarding part of the proceeds to one of the student volunteers in the form of a scholarship and also suggested this might be a good potential project for members of DECA, a business club for students. She recommended advertising the initiative on the UPC website and hanging onto the signs until a plan of action is determined. Modeas and Higgins said they would try to formulate a plan in the next month or two. Cofer Evert requested it be added as a 2016 work plan item. E. EDEN PRAIRIE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION (EPCF) GRANT— INTERPRETIVE SIGN Creamer said Bluestem Heritage Group (BHG) has been contracted to work on one of eleven signs planned as part of the Riley-Jacques Interpretive Project. The sign is being funded via a $3500 EPCF grant which covers research, writing, graphics, and production costs. BHG is proposing the sign be either the one covering Riley Lake tourism from 1917-1950 or the Riley-Jacques farm house from 1881 to present day. Riley Lake was once a vacation destination for city residents, and the tourism sign would likely go on the lake path near the beach. The other sign would be located by the lake path on the back side of the house and cover families who have lived there and their farming practices. Boundaries would need to be clarified since the home is currently used as a private residence. Creamer asked for commissioner feedback on choosing between these two or proposing a different one altogether. Cofer Evert said she was in favor of the tourism sign. Existing signs in the area have already addressed family life and farming, and people don't know about the aspects of Riley Lake tourism such as the hotel, resort, boat rentals, and dance club. In addition, the lake location is appealing as there are no signs by the lake yet. Thorp mentioned possible park improvements planned in the south area. Creamer said she will check on this and the proposed location of the tourism sign. Spera agreed with Cofer Evert saying she thought the tourism sign would spark HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES October 19, 2015 Page 5 interest or provide a connection for more people. Creamer stated installation would likely occur next spring. F. BYERLY'S UPDATE Cofer Evert reported she received an email from the director of marketing for Byerly's/Lunds grocery stores thanking her for her interest and efforts in pursuing a historical photo display at the new Byerly's in Eden Prairie. The letter stated the store reflects their most current design approach and as a result, they are not interested in historical photos at this time. VIL NEW BUSINESS VIIL FYI ITEMS A. DORENKEMPER HOUSE SHADES Freiberg reported Kathie Case from EPHS has not heard anything from the City following up on shades for DK. Concerns about damage to the furnishings from sun glare are increasing, especially with winter approaching. Creamer shared updated information that city staff would follow up with EPHS regarding styles and estimates. Timing for installation of the window coverings is dependent on when funds are available. IX. FUTURE MEETINGS/EVENTS The next UPC meeting will be Monday, November 16, 2015, 7 p.m. at City Center, Prairie Rooms A& B. X. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Freiberg moved, seconded by Thorp, to adjourn. Motion carried 6-0. Chair Olson adjourned the meeting at 8:36 p.m.