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Heritage Preservation - 03/15/2021APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION TUESDAY, MARCH 15, 2021 7:00 P.M. (Virtual Meeting) 8080 MITCHELL RD HPC COMMISSION MEMBERS: Steve Olson-Chair; Tara Kalar-Vice Chair; Pamela Spera; Valerie Ross; Paul Thorp; Rod Fisher, COMMISSION STAFF: Beth Novak-Krebs, Staff Liaison Kristin Harley, Recording Secretary STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES Devyn Stanton, Aarav Subbaiah, Anna Patten, Finn Bloch, Maia Chevez, Sarthak Agrawal I. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chair Olson called the meeting to order at 7:18 p.m. Absent was student representative Stanton. Alex and Ann Schuster of Smith Coffee & Cafe joined the meeting. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Kalar moved, seconded by Thorp to approve the agenda. Motion carried 6- 0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION: Fisher moved, seconded by Ross to approve the minutes of the December 21, 2020 meeting amended to correct who was speaking in Item IV E and changes provided by Thorp. Motion carried 7-0. MOTION: Thorp moved, seconded by Ross to approve the minutes of the February 1, 2021 meeting. Motion carried 5-0 with one abstention (Kalar). IV. NEW BUSINESS A. FAREWELL TO COMMISSION MEMBERS OLSON AND KALAR Novak-Krebs thanked Olson and Kalar for their service on the commission, and the commission members wished them well. Olson and Kalar thanked the EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION March 15, 2021 Page 2 commission and bid everyone farewell. There would be three new commission members starting April 2021. B. COA FOR FENCING AT THE SMITH DOUGLAS MORE HOUSE (NOVAK-KREBS) Novak-Krebs explained the proposed fence at the Smith Douglas More House. Staff has found this was consistent with the ordinance as presented in the staff report provided to the Commission. Alex Schuster explained the project would install four-foot-high iron fencing around the back yard area with a locking iron gate near the parking area. Six-foot cedar screening fence would replace the four-foot screening fence that encloses the mechanical equipment at the north side of the property. The existing wood screening fence sections along the parking lot and along the north property line would remain in place and the iron fence would connect to it. Thorp asked for and received clarification that the blue line indicated in the staff report showed the proposed fence location. Olson asked for and received clarification that the new fence would connect with the existing fence sections. There was no other iron fencing on the property. Kalar asked for and received confirmation the fencing would not obscure windows. Ross asked who was funding the fence, and Alex Schuster stated Smith Coffee & Café would. Fisher asked if there were concerns regarding wildlife intrusion. Alex Schuster replied he had not considered that, but he did not picture deer in the area. In 15 years it saw only turkeys and geese, and the area was no longer such a passage for wildlife. Spera asked where alcohol would be allowed . Alex Schuster replied at present the café could serve alcohol out front and the fence would allow the cafe to serve alcohol in the fenced backyard. Discussion followed on the fence and the scope of the commissioner’s assessment of the COA. Olson displayed the best practices document for the Smith Douglas More House and discussion followed on various bullet points that might be pertinent and determined the proposal was consistent with the document. Ross asked for and received confirmation that the top of the fence would be flat, as in the photographs. The commission members found the proposed fencing to be in keeping with the practices. The commission found that the COA request met the general preservation standards and the Criteria for Alteration of Historic Preservation Sites and Criteria for Certificate of Appropriateness in Section 11.05 Subd. 8 in the City Code. Novak-Krebs explained that with an approval by the Commission, the COA will go to the City Council for final approval. If approved, the proposal will go to the Council on April 6, 2021. MOTION: Fisher moved, seconded by Thorp to approve the COA and recommend that the City Council approve the COA. MOTION CARRIED 6-0. V. OLD BUSINESS EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION March 15, 2021 Page 3 A. YORKVILLE AND BLOOMINGTON ROAD PRESERVATION PLAN (NOVAK-KREBS) Novak-Krebs stated she had distributed a draft of the preservation plan to the commission, which was briefly discussed it at the February meeting. She invited additional comments and corrections, if any. Thorp stated the report went above and beyond what the commission needed to do and supplied a lot of good information. He suggested recording a conservation easement, which he had drafted, but he did not envision the area being used by the public. Novak-Krebs stated a long-term maintenance plan was also needed, and Matt Bourne was involved in this. Discussion followed on what a maintenance plan would look like in the context of lack of any public use. Thorp noted there was the potential for harm due to utilities being installed, for example, so the primary function of a plan was to make everyone aware of the road’s existence. Olson stated he was looking for a more tangible description of what to maintain: dimensions, ditches, culverts, et cetera. Thorp replied there were no ditches or culverts, and the road was now eight feet wide, down from the original 14 feet. Discussion followed on the lack of specifications of the area in the preservation plan. Fisher suggested having markers installed, even if only for City staff. Thorp reminded Fisher of their walk along it; the area was overgrown and the soil sandy. Fisher asked if four poles marking the length of the easement with minimal signage would be beneficial, and Thorp agreed it might be a possibility. Olson noted the preservation plan included removing invasive species, but the commission members seemed to take a more passive approach. Discussion followed on possible wording of the plan and the effects of plant growth in the area. Thorp stated the growth of trees in the roadbed might hold the road together. Ross noted the plan called for periodic inspections of the road. She suggested broad recommendations for now and sending it over to the Parks and Recreation Department. Thorp stated that department has seen the plan, and Novak-Krebs agreed. Novak-Krebs added the plan did not have to be approved tonight; the commission could continue to discuss this and bring in feedback from the Parks and Recreation Department. Kalar stated she found the plan to be comprehensive. Spera stated she would like to continue to discuss the plan with the Parks and Recreation Department. Ross agreed, saying it was important for Parks and Recreation to know the extent of what the HPC was asking. Novak-Krebs agreed to arrange to have Matt Bourne attend a future HPC meeting. B. NEW COMMISSIONER TRAINING PRESENTATION Novak-Krebs stated she had made the recommended changes. New members would start in April, and she found it important for them to attend one meeting first, and then give the presentation at 6:30 p.m. before the regular May meeting. EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION March 15, 2021 Page 4 C. STUDENT ASSIGNMENT PRESENTATIONS Novak-Krebs stated the schedule was a bit thrown off in 2021. Maia Chavez agreed to give her presentation in April. Olson stated Bloch also needed to give a presentation. VI. REPORTS OF COMMISSION AND STAFF Thorp stated once he was able to return to the house he would retrieve the specifications for the Cummins Phipps Grill House for the upcoming roof replacement. He estimated the roof to be 25 years old, but not in bad shape. However, it was due for a replacement. VII. REPORTS OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY Thorp stated there was not much activity. Ross stated the Society was accepting donations but was in a holding pattern for now. The latest donation was a cabbage shredder for the kitchen. The Vintage Sale was still not certain for May. The Board would meet Thursday. Fisher asked if there were any indigenous artifacts in the collection. Thorp replied there were not, but there were some historical documents. Kalar added any indigenous items would probably be held by the Minnesota Historical Society. VIII. FYI ITEMS Fisher reported on his meeting with the Mdewakantonwan community. Stanton stated he was on the Eden Prairie Remembers Facebook page and there was a single-family home development planned in the Town of Hennepin, near the Sever Peterson home. Novak-Krebs stated this was the Standal property, where 50 single-family homes are proposed. Stanton lamented the last barn in Eden Prairie would be torn down. Fisher noted there was a group seeking to preserve the land more aggressively that he could contact. Ross thanked Stanton for his article in Eden Prairie Remembers. IX NEXT MEETING The next HPC meeting will be held on Monday, April 19, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. online. X. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: The commission members Kalar made a motion to adjourn. Seconded by Olson. Motion carried 6-0. The meeting was adjourned at 8:23 p.m.