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Heritage Preservation - 12/16/2019APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2019 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; Shanti Shah; Cheryl Kessler COMMISSION STAFF: David Lindahl, Staff Liaison Kristin Harley, Recording Secretary STUDENT MEMBERS: Maia Chavez; Ellyse Ferlauto; Lilly Hyland; Aditya Nandhiyar I. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chair Olson called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m. Absent were commission members Shah and Spera. Eden Prairie resident Rod Fisher joined the meeting. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Ross moved, seconded by Kessler to approve the agenda with the addition of the FYI Item by Lindahl of the group photograph. Motion carried 5-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION: Thorp moved, seconded by Kessler to approve the minutes of the November 18, 2019 meeting, amended to reflect a meeting between Ross and the community foundation rather than the Communication Department, and the inclusion of Betsy Adams’s full name, both under Item VII, Reports of Historical Society. Motion carried 5-0. IV. NEW BUSINESS A. HPC FEEDBACK – SHPO PRESERVATION PLAN Olson stated Lindahl and Amanda Pellowski had sent out the questionnaire from SHPO, which was putting together its Master Plan. He asked the commission members before the January meeting to choose topics from the questionnaire to focus on for the commission’s upcoming preservation. The format would be two five-minute topics, a three-minute engagement exercise(s), and wrap-up. This item would be on the agenda for January and would be presented at the City Council’s January Workshop. EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION December 16, 2019 Page 2 B. 2019 ACCOMPLISHMENTS/2020 WORKPLAN PRESENTATION Lindahl displayed the draft presentation. The commission had raised $4,983.00 in 2019 for a total of $31,660.00. Discussion followed on whether or not to mention the use of the proceeds. Kessler suggested including Peoplefest and Thorp suggested including getting prints of the Heritage Book. Lindahl agreed to make the changes and send the latest draft to the commission members. V. OLD BUSINESS A. FLYING RED HORSE – SHORT UPDATE Lindahl stated he met with Jay Lotthammer and the Eden Prairie Mall manager and her staff, and there was no appropriate spot for the Flying Red Horse, not even with one side removed. Possibly suspending it from the ceiling was discussed but the Mall staff were not supportive due to safety concerns. It seemed the Mall was not an option for display. The Riley Barn was an option, but did not offer exposure, though it did offer protection. Thorp suggested removing the signs from the center support and mount each sign separately; the center was five feet wide and unattractive. The two sides could be framed out and mounted on a wall with electronics behind them. Lindahl added Lotthammer was searching for a consultant to do more work on the sign, to provide recommendations for restoration and the cost, and an analysis of historic preservation recommendations. He would provide more information at January’s meeting. B. YORKVILLE HERITAGE PLAN PROPOSAL - (MACK PROPOSAL LETTER) Olson stated McDonald & Mack responded with a proposal for interpretive options, but did not mention how a future commission should handle activity, care of the resource, or what a homeowner could/should do. He suggested there perhaps was a miscommunication about what the commission requested. The proposal was $9,500.00 and Lindahl would meet with Bob Mack again to clarify the request. Thorp noted the proposal only included City-owned property whereas it would be good for people to know it exists beyond Eden Prairie. Olson emphasized this would be a formal plan with options for private citizens provided only as information, and Lindahl added it would include a vegetation plan. C. HERITAGE BOOK – SHORT UPDATE Lindahl stated the project was complicated by copyright considerations but he did get a letter from Daniel Hoisington getting permission for copies. One hundred copies were being ordered. EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION December 16, 2019 Page 3 D. ORAL HISTORY PROJECT – SHORT UPDATE LAN Lindahl stated the Historical Society provided the transcribed interviews: three were edited, nine were to be edited, and eleven still needed to be transcribed. City staff Pellowski would reach out to a professional transcriber, who could be paid with funds by the City. Lindahl added he spoke with the IT Department to confirm that department would have time to help upload the audio and the transcriptions to the webpage to allow the user to hear and/or read the interviews and look at photographs. E. HERITAGE MAP – SHORT UPDATE Lindahl stated he looked through photographs with the IT Department and the resolution was not sufficient. City staff would check with the Communications Department for clearer photographs, and he also asked if the Historical Society would have some. Lindahl offered to get specific resolution guidelines. Thorp suggested he and Lindahl could retake photographs of current sites. VI. REPORTS OF COMMISSION AND STAFF A. CUMMINS RENOVATIONS UPDATE AND COA Thorp stated the commission could push ahead without a grant if the project was scaled down somewhat. The electrical and framing were completing and the fire sprinkler system was installed; all that remained was the painting plastering, and some window trim and door mounting, at a cost of not more than $10,000.00. Olson stated the question of a COA (Certificate of Appropriateness) came up due to the management process for the house. Discussion followed on the approval process for a locally designated property. Olson stated these interior improvements appeared to be below the threshold for requiring a COA. Discussion followed on which parts of the house would see work. Thorp stated they would not be in rooms open to the public. There were already fire sprinklers in the attic so if repairs were not made there would be not any great disadvantage. Kessler suggested going to the state for money for storage while the repairs were made if necessary. Olson noted a lot of work to Eden Prairie’s historic properties was routinely done by City maintenance staff which was below the threshold for a formal process. Kalar agreed these improvements were less of an issue than other work already done. B. RESERVOIR SITE INTERPRETIVE PANEL UPDATE Thorp passed around a map he found to incorporate in the interpretation, and also some photographs of the depot. Discussion followed on possible narrative content. Lindahl stated he was hoping for delivery by March, 2020 which was a EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION December 16, 2019 Page 4 tight timeline. The result would be a computer file. Kalar offered to join the subcommittee with Spera and Shah. VII. REPORTS OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY Thorp announced the tree lighting ceremony was very successful despite the snow and the cold. VIII. FYI ITEMS A. GROUP PHOTOGRAPH FOR WEBSITE The group photograph would be taken January 21, 2020 after the City Council Workshop. B. ROD FISHER Fisher stated he had an idea to mount historical aerial photographs and old maps at the new Fat Pants Brewery which he thought would make a great interpretive space. Thorp noted this was in the former Panini Brothers space. Fisher offered to obtain the maps and photographs and mount not one central display but have scattered photographs and maps as a permanent exhibit. Lindahl noted Don and Elizabeth Anderson had lived in Eden Prairie a long time and were history enthusiasts, having designed a table to look like Graffiti Bridge. Fisher estimated the cost at $120.00 to $600.00 total, and he was willing to contribute some funds. Kalar suggested he write up a specific proposal to bring to the commission to vote on and possibly fund. Lindahl stated he would approach the owners with this idea and Thorp invited Fisher to contact him. Kalar suggested he bring forward any other possible suggestions the owners have. IX NEXT MEETING The next HPC meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 21, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. in Prairie Rooms A & B. X. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Kalar moved, seconded by Kessler to adjourn. Motion carried 5-0. The meeting was adjourned at 7:56 p.m.