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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHeritage Preservation - 06/19/2017 APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MONDAY,JUNE 19, 2017 7:00 P.M. MEETING CITY CENTER 8080 MITCHELL ROAD HPC COMMISSION MEMBERS: Steve Olson-Chair; Tara Kalar-Vice Chair; Pamela Spera; Valerie Ross; Paul Thorp; Meredith Anderson; Shanti Shah COMMISSION STAFF: Lori Creamer, Staff Liaison Kristin Harley, Recording Secretary I. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chair Olson called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. Commission member Shah was absent. A. SWEARING IN OF NEW MEMBER Commission member Meredith Anderson was sworn in by Chair Olson. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Thorp moved, seconded by Ross to approve the agenda with the addition of Creamer's report on the Sustainable Eden Prairie Awards under FYI Items. Motion carried 5-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. COMMISSION MEETING HELD APRIL 17, 2017 MOTION: Ross moved, seconded by Thorp, to approve the minutes with the spelling correction for the Dorenkemper House. Motion carried 5-0. IV. OLD BUSINESS A. HUELER PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL UPDATE LOCATION: 12300 RIVERVIEW RD Creamer announced the preliminary plat was approved at the City Council meeting and the development agreement is moving forward. She offered to send the commission the exact wording of the storm water treatment plan. Thorp stated the commission should track the developer's agreement. Creamer also offered to send that to the commission. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES June 19, 2017 Page 2 V. REPORTS A. REPORTS OF COMMISSION AND STAFF 1. City Council Workshop June 13, 2017 Creamer thanked the members who attended. At the workshop, a facilities member gave an update on the care of the property. The children's camp was the main concern, and it was in the lease agreement to maintain the property. McDonald & Mack was awarded the contract for the preliminary survey of all the buildings, which is not yet completed,but would be in the next couple weeks. Thorp asked if Miller Dunwoody was doing the work. Olson replied they had worked on this project in the past, and did the master plan. Creamer replied that McDonald & Mack would be checking thermal energy losses, etc. 2. Hennepin Town Site Grant Creamer stated the commission did receive the grant for the archeology site. The consultant chosen can start work July 1, 2017. 3. Minnesota Historical Society Legislative Update Olson announced due to recent legislation the State Historic Preservation Office would be moving from the Minnesota Historical Society to the Department of Administration at the State Capitol. Creamer stated this move would be completed March, 2018. Olson added in addition to the move, the State Auditor will audit SHPO as well. This report was slated for January, 2018. Discussion followed on the details of the decision for the move. Olson noted that the Department of Administration was in a direct chain of command under the Governor. Minnesota was one of only three states that had an Historical Society independent of state administration offices. Discussion followed on the possible consequences for the commission in light of this new governmental structure. 4. Foundations Found at Pioneer Trail and Purgatory Creek Thorp distributed a packet of the Eden Mill State Site Form and exhibits, and Creamer displayed maps and photographs of the site. Thorp said the owner pointed out some foundations found on the property. Thorp did research, and found the site was identified by the Eden Prairie Historic Preservation Commission as an historic property. Thorp went to the HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES June 19, 2017 Page 3 Minnesota Historical Society to get a copy of the 1993 HPC report. The historic preservation easement was filed in 2001. Thorp pointed out on the aerial photograph the compromise of the easement by the building of a pool on the owner's property, and urged the commission to protect the integrity of the foundations, perhaps by fencing them off. Creamer noted that a fence was built for some burial mounds and was termed a conservation easement. Thorp emphasized this also demonstrated the need to track developers' agreements and progress, as when the permits were pulled for the homeowner's pool, no one was alerted to the existence of this historic easement. Spera asked for and received clarification that the pool did not disturb the foundations,but encroached upon the easement. Ross noted that the actual foundations were not on the owner's property, and Thorp agreed that they were on city property. Olson noted the site was northwest of the Blacksmith Shop, perhaps a mile away. Creamer offered to check to see if the owner did get a permit for the pool. Olson replied this site might merit the same protection as a burial mound. Thorp urged that the foundations be fenced off, although a fence could attract curiosity seekers. Spera asked what the normal procedure was. Thorp replied protection of the foundations likely came in as an item on the developer's agreement, the easement was recorded,but when the owner pulled building permit for their home, no one checked the title and it did not show up. Spera asked if a fence would have helped. Kalar replied that a fence would help now that the easement has been encroached upon. Thorp noted that if the easement had been made a drainage and utility easement, the owner never would have obtained a permit for the pool. 5. Meeting with Eden Prairie School District Kalar summed up the meeting she and Creamer had with Connie Hytjian, the principal at Forest Hills, to discuss how field trips are chosen, and if the school would consider the historic sites in Eden Prairie as sites. She and Creamer learned field trips are chosen by a variety of criteria, and entire grades go on the same field trip. Money was not an issue, although she and Creamer mentioned offering transportation money or a grant to Hytjian. Children cannot pay the transportation cost, so the school would be looking for the cost of transportation to be covered. In some cases, transportation companies have pitched in. In addition, field trips must align with the core curriculum and state education standards, and Hytjian was willing to sit down with the commission to work that out. Some of the HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES June 19, 2017 Page 4 children go to Dodge or Lowry Nature Center, and there is a history trip for 5d graders to the Hennepin History Museum. Creamer added the 3rd graders do a three-day wilderness trip for which their parents paid. Kalar concluded the idea of funding field trips with the money raised was more complicated than it first seemed. She, Creamer, and Hytjian also incorporating history pieces for in-class presentations, such as a three- dimensional virtual tour, instead of taking the children somewhere. It could be that a field trip may not work, and other options could be explored. One possibility was to coordinate with the Parks & Recreation Department to create a curriculum at Outdoor Center. The commission could offer paid transportation, or a community education class for children interested in history. Creamer noted that this would require a committee to brainstorm and return to the commission with ideas; it could not be solved during commission meetings, and would require several people working together. To create a robust program, the commission would need to partner with other entities. Olson asked for and received clarification that these were the Minnesota Department of Education Standards. Kalar noted the Outdoor Center offers programs for children, especially Girl Scouts, and has lesson plans. Spera suggested putting together something extracurricular, like an after school program similar to the old YMCA programs, which would not have to conform to educational curricula and state standards. For example, Prairie View had a summer program to sign up for, and the commission could make its program free, allowing participation for children of parents who cannot usually afford activities. Creamer reminded the commission that nothing had been decided, and all ideas had to be taken back to the Planning Department for approval. Kalar offered to participate in a subcommittee to further develop this idea, and Spera and Anderson also volunteered. Ross asked for and received clarification that there was no deadline to use the funds. Olson suggested another use for the funds. He had received a list of dozens of burial mounds in Eden Prairie about which the commission knew little. He suggested that the commission bring in a speaker to present an hour- or two-hour seminar on how to care for these sites. Discussion HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES June 19, 2017 Page 5 followed on ways to build a relationship with tribal members in deference to their cultural norms. Kalar offered to be on a subcommittee to explore this idea and communicate with the commission and staff via email. Creamer agreed to forward the suggestion. VI. REPORTS OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY Ross announced Kathie Case made initial contact with Mary Krugerud who seems to be an expert on Glen Lake Children's Camp, has written a book called Interrupted Lives, giving a talk at Hennepin History Museum. Case would be meeting with Krugerud and Ross to build a relationship,perhaps give a talk to commission on how children with tuberculosis were treated. Ross gave an update: staff from MacDonald & Mack were working to get the Smith Douglas Moore House on the National Register. Creamer added the previous consultant had begun that work. Discussion followed on possible records in the City Center. Ross announced Kathie Case was talking about reinvigorating the plaque program: many years ago there had been a joint effort between the HPC and the Historical Society to have plaques and yard signs (at$25 each) announcing the building's historic status. Case was looking for someone from HPC to go through list and contact homeowners to find out if anyone needs a new sign/plaque. Creamer replied the commission did that three years ago, and received one response. Kalar suggesting standardizing this process, for example, going through the list every five years. Olson asked for and received clarification that residential homes also qualified for a Preservation Award. VII. NEW BUSINESS A. PHASE 1 ARCHEOLOGY SURVEY CONSULTANT SELECTION Creamer announced the commission received the $9960 grant. Discussion followed on the two consultant candidates. 1. TWO PINES RESOURCE GROUP, LLC 2. SIGRID ARNOW CONSULTING MOTION: Thorp moved, seconded by Kalar to direct staff to prepare Professional Services Agreement and recommend Two Pines to proceed with work related to the Phase 1 Archeology Survey. Motion carried 6-0. VIII. ONGOING TRAINING HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES June 19, 2017 Page 6 A. CHAPTER 2. LEGAL FOUNDATIONS This item was deferred. IX. FYI ITEMS A. NOMINATIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE EDEN PRAIRIE AWARD Creamer distributed the brochure and encouraged the commission to seek nominations. Creamer displayed a National Historic Preservation Act 50-year certificate sent to the Planning Department by the Department of the Interior. Ross announced a joint meeting with the Historical Society in September, perhaps a picnic at Cummins House, to be held a little earlier in the day than usual. X. NEXT MEETING The next Heritage Preservation Commission meeting will be held Monday, July 17, 2017 in Prairie Rooms A & B. XI. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Ross moved, seconded by Kalar to adjourn. Motion carried 6-0. The meeting was adjourned at 8:28 p.m.