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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHeritage Preservation - 08/20/2018 APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MONDAY,AUGUST 20, 2018 7:00 P.M. CITY CENTER 8080 MITCHELL RD HPC COMMISSION MEMBERS: Steve Olson-Chair; Tara Kalar-Vice Chair; Pamela Spera; Valerie Ross; Paul Thorp; Richard Smith; 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 7:05 p.m. Absent was commission member Kalar. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Shah moved, seconded by Ross to approve the agenda. Motion carried 6-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION: Thorp moved, seconded by Shah to approve the minutes. Motion carried 6- 0. IV. NEW BUSINESS A. COA—CAMP EDENWOOD Creamer explained staff from Camp Edenwood contacted her to say they wanted to move forward on the Birch Hall dining hall fireplace and chimney restoration and sent her the COA application. The recommendations from MacDonald and Mack were attached in the commission members' packets. Creamer directed Camp Edenwood staff to the MNHS website for contractor contact information. She asked for commission members' comments. Thorp observed the fireplace was pulling away from the building. Discussion followed on the chimney's condition as indicated by the photographs. Olson asked if painting would be included, and Creamer replied the focus would be the chimney. Discussion followed on the specific proposals in the assessment. Smith suggested the Lions Club could donate money, and Creamer suggested the Camp Edenwood staff might be pursuing grant monies as well. This would be considered "minor work" in the City code. Ross asked if there would be EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION August 20, 2018 Page 2 recommendations needed from the commission for the brick, and Smith replied there would be best practices to match it. Discussion followed on the wording in the COA. Olson stated he saw no red flags and agreed it was minor, maintenance work, so he suggested encouraging Camp Edenwood staff to continue with MacDonald & Mack's recommendations. Smith asked if a motion was needed by the commission, and Creamer replied it was not necessary. Olson asked if Paul Sticha could do a site visit, and Creamer replied staff had recommended Sticha or Kevin Schmieg as well. Olson suggested the response from the commission be that city staff review the project prior to completion and provide staff with the contractor(s) selected for the brick and the glass work. B. FLYING RED HORSE RESTORATION Thorp sent around some photocopied articles and stated restoration discussions were underway, and he had researched the history of the sign. He was unable to find documentation in City Council minutes of the sign being designated as a historic landmark,but this was reported in various news articles. The sign, dated from 1933, was at present in the Parks and Recreation Department's facility, having been donated by Jesse Schwartz, Jr and family. Round Lake Park was suggested as a possible site for the restored flying red horse, since Jesse Schwartz Sr., the father of Mr. Schwartz, was a locally-known baseball player and had played at the site. Creamer asked if the commission members had any objection to using the commission's sign proceeds to help pay for this restoration. It was considered a valuable piece of history, which had great meaning to many people. The 2014 estimate for restoration was $41,800.00 not including the 100 AMP service. This restoration would obviously be expensive, though the City was committed to the project. Creamer asked for suggestions on additional fundraising ideas for this project. Thorp stated Kathie Case seemed confident donors could be found. The City could apply for a grant from the Eden Prairie Foundation. Olson stated it would be preferable to find the actual paperwork of the designation. Creamer replied she was able to search some minutes electronically,but could only locate a resolution for the donation. Thorp displayed a headline with"landmark" in quotes in the title, and Smith noted this could be a figure of speech rather than a formal landmark. Thorp replied some articles explicitly stated the sign was designated a landmark. Discussion followed on the content of the photocopied articles. Ross stated using the commission's sign money would be appropriate for this project. The Historical Society could also have a part in this for its 50th anniversary. Smith replied he would think someone inside Exxon-Mobile was in charge of artifacts and could also contribute. Shah suggested there was also Go Fund Me as a fundraising possibility. Thorp volunteered to look into contacting Exxon-Mobile. The corporation spent a great deal of money restoring the sign on its headquarters. Olson stated there needed a story to go with the sign's being EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION August 20, 2018 Page 3 displayed at the park. Creamer stated she had reviewed the State grants to see if there was an appropriate category in which to apply for funds for restoration, however did not see an appropriate category for this project. None of the commission members disagreed with using the sign proceeds to help pay for the restoration of the sign. Thorp stated another possibility was leaving the sign unrestored,but this was a reinforced sheet metal sign mounted on wood, which was rotting. Ross asked if there was any Mobile station in Eden Prairie, and Thorp and Creamer replied there was not. Thorp stated there was one in Edina. Ross asked if other gas stations would object to this apparent promotion of Mobile by Eden Prairie. Discussion followed on this possibility. Ross replied she was enthusiastic about the project but wanted to cover all bases in advance. Olson asked if it was Thorp's concept the sign needed to be on park property, and Thorp agreed. The City had already built a"Welcome to Eden Prairie" sign so the Flying Horse sign was not an entry sign. There had also been the suggestion of locating it at the light rail station,but it might not be as visible there. Shah noted public art on light rail stations in Minneapolis required a lot of restoration due to vandalism. Discussion followed on the nostalgic nature of the sign, apart from its corporate name. Creamer suggested the commission could suggest location sites,but the decision was ultimately up to the City. Ross stated the Historical Society could meet on this project. Thorp suggested since the next HPC meeting was after the Historic Society's meeting, he and Ross could report back then. Thorp passed around the photograph of the original location of the sign and gas station. V. OLD BUSINESS A. ANNUAL HERITAGE PRESERVATION CONFERENCE Creamer announced she and Shah would be attending the annual conference in Winona, Minnesota on September 12-14. The conference will be prior to the next HPC meeting, so both could report on the particular sessions attended. B. CITY WIDE OPEN HOUSE AND FALL HARVEST—OCTOBER 6, 2018 Creamer stated both events were being held on the same day; the Open House would be held 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at City Hall, and the Fall Harvest from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Riley Barn. The commission members could use iPads to sell signs. Creamer took a list of volunteers for both events. Shah suggested asking the new student members to help with both events, and Creamer agreed. Discussion followed on possible games the commission could sponsor. Thorp suggested the commission could simply attend this year and come up with ideas for next year. Ross stated her priority was to have people stop by and see the EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION August 20, 2018 Page 4 Dorenkemper House, and she urged the commission members to stop by and visit as well. C. NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH—NOVEMBER This discussion item was tabled until Creamer could get more information from the 106 Group. D. YORKVILLE AND BLOOMINGTON ROAD —NEXT STEPS Creamer spoke with the City Manager regarding next steps for the City on a possible designation of the Yorkville and Bloomington Road findings. The City Manager suggested the commission members attend the City Council Workshop on the historic properties inventory on September 18, 2018 (dinner at 5:00 p.m., workshop at 5:30 p.m.). This would be one of the topics for discussion with the council members on how to move forward. Creamer spoke with two folks from SHPO to clarify if a National Register listing could be for the part of the road on City property. It was clear; the listing would need to include the entire boundary (public and private properties). If 51 percent of landowners objected the commission could not move forward with the national listing, but the property would remain eligible. If in the future some property owners changed their minds, the designation could move forward,but the property had to be designated as a whole; it could not be designated in parcels. The property had already been determined to be eligible by Two Pines Resource Group. Thorp suggested the property could be locally designated instead of going immediately for the national designation;he suggested informing the City Council, and Creamer agreed. Thorp offered to give a presentation at the September 18 workshop. Olson, Spera, Smith, Ross and Shah offered to attend as well. VI. REPORTS OF COMMISSION AND STAFF A. HUMANS ON EDEN PRAIRIE VIDEO CLIP FEEDBACK Olson described seeing the clip the previous Friday (the screening of"Coco" on August 10 had been rained out). He stated the video could have used an introduction instead of being shown abruptly after the county-western band,but the video was well received by the audience. Smith asked if the clips would be on the website. Creamer asked for commission members' thoughts. Olson suggested a follow-up with any participants who may not have understood the video would be on the website in addition to the screenings; a lot of work had gone into this project and it would be a shame not to highlight it more. Shah replied she had no EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION August 20, 2018 Page 5 concerns from anyone she had signed up for the videos. Spera asked for and received clarification the first small group (of three or four people) was the only group to be asked to sign to give permission for the video screening and not subsequent uses. Spera stated following up with these people would solve the issue; contacting anyone else would be merely a courtesy. Discussion followed on possible ways to notify participants on the clips being on the website. Olson suggested showing these clips at the workshop on September 18. Creamer stated this would be more appropriately shared in the annual report. B. STONE MONUMENT UPDATE AT CAMP EDENWOOD Thorp stated and Creamer had made the proposal to SHPO, which gave permission to use the materials. Thorp had the materials and would complete the work himself when the weather was cooler. C. ASPIRE 2040 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE Creamer stated she had sent the commission members the link to the Aspire 2040 document, and to the specific chapters touching on HPC issues. She urged commission members to send her any comments this week. Planning Commission and City Council will hold public hearings on the plan in September/October. VII. REPORTS OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY Ross reported the Cummins House would have a tree lighting ceremony during Santa's appointments. Santa would be present, and non-profits or religious organizations could contribute their own ornaments to the tree,but this event would be open to the public. The Historical Society was still ironing out the details and a date. VIII. FYI ITEMS IX NEXT MEETING The next meeting will be held Monday, September 17, 2018, at 7:00 p.m. in Prairie Rooms A & B. X. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Shah moved, seconded by Ross to adjourn. Motion carried 6-0. The meeting was adjourned at 9:05 p.m.