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Heritage Preservation - 03/21/2005 APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MONDAY, MARCH 21, 2005 7:00 P.M. Prairie Rooms A & B 8080 Mitchell Road COMMISSION MEMBERS Betsy Adams, Chairperson; Jennie Brown, Vice Chairperson; Bob Amell, Deborah Barkley, Molly Gilbertson, Elise Kist STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES Ben Costello, Katie Kunitz, Trevor Diddell COMMISSION STAFF John Gertz, Historic Preservation Specialist; Peggy Rasmussen, Recorder I. ROLL CALL Adams called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. Commissioner Barkley was excused. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Kist moved, seconded by Amell, to approve the agenda as published. Motion carried 5-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES —FEBRUARY 28, 2005 Kist made a correction on page 2, the last paragraph under Item B. The first sentence should read "Amell was asked if he had heard . . ." MOTION: Gilbertson moved, seconded by Amell, to approve the minutes of the Heritage Preservation Commission meeting held on February 28, 2005, as corrected. Motion carried 5-0. IV. REPORTS OF COMMISSION AND STAFF A. Minnesota Historic Structure and Community Re-Investment Tax Credit Gertz distributed information about bills that have been introduced in the Minnesota legislature that provide for a 25% state income tax credit for qualified rehabilitation of historic buildings, including private residences. This can be paired with the federal historic preservation 20% tax credit on commercial properties that are on the National Register. These tax credits would provide a major incentive for property owners to rehabilitate their buildings and homes using historically appropriate methods. Gertz said the bills were introduced on March 16 to the Minnesota legislature. No action has been taken yet. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES March 21, 2005 Page 2 A letter was received from Preservation Alliance of Minnesota, encouraging Heritage Preservation Commissions and other groups to support this legislation. A resolution was included to send to legislators. Gertz suggested putting this on the agenda for the April meeting and the Commissioners could decide then if they want to pass a resolution. B. Preserve America Awards Gertz reported that a letter addressed to Mayor Tyra-Lukens was mailed from the Governor's office asking that Minnesota cities apply for Preserve America Awards. Gertz was asked to prepare the nomination application for Eden Prairie to be recognized as a Preserve America city. C. 261h Annual Statewide Historic Preservation Conference Gertz reminded Commissioners that the conference is going to be in Duluth on September 15 and 16. Adams attended in 2004, and recommended that Commissioners go to it if they can. Gertz said he would check to make certain the City would pay for overnight expenses. Adams said at the last conference they were advised to make hotel reservations early because of other events being held that weekend. D. New HPC Members Gertz said three new members were appointed by the City Council on March 15. They were Nina Mackay, Ed Muehlberg and Jane Plaza. Their first meeting with the HPC will be on April 25. V. OLD BUSINESS A. Dorenkemper House Gertz reported that he will be meeting at the house on April 1 with Hennepin Technical College carpentry staff, to put together a complete materials list needed to finish the work for which the students are going to be responsible. Gertz is arranging to have the house cleaned out by Parks department staff so it will be ready for the students to begin work in April. One of the instructors was able to get someone in the drafting program at HTC to do the drawing for the accessible ramp/entry that the students will build. Gertz has been trying to find out what type of sink was in the kitchen originally. There is one historic photo from 1949 that appears to show a cast-iron, wall- mounted sink. Ginny Dorenkemper has offered to find out if any of her extended family recalls what type of sink used to be there. If she can't find out, Gertz will pick a period of significance and build whatever type of sink was typical for that period. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES March 21, 2005 Page 3 B. Cemetery Nomination Update Gertz had a meeting with Mike Rogers, manager of the Eden Prairie Cemetery, who had met recently with the cemetery board. After reviewing the nomination report, Rogers said the board expressed concerns regarding someone else having authority to make decisions about the cemetery. What they would prefer at this point is to wait a year or two before having the cemetery nominated for local designation as an historic site. That would give them more time to go through the nomination report, talk to the City about it, and possibly change some of the text in the report. Rogers said it would appear from his reading of the report that the City or the HPC could determine whether or not a particular monument could be used at a grave site. Gertz told him that was not the case; the HPC is not going to tell the board what kind of headstones could be used. The report deals with a treatment approach for the cemetery and how to take care of it. However, if a structure or mausoleum were built, that would require going through the HPC review process. Adams asked if it would help move the nomination process forward if Gertz arranged to attend a meeting of the Eden Prairie Cemetery board and explain the report. She did not like to see the nomination postponed for two years. It would probably be more efficient if the nominations for both cemeteries could be brought to the City Council at the same time. Gertz said he told Rogers that he would go to any board meetings and talk about the report, or if they have questions or concerns they could feel free to contact him. Gertz asked Rogers to write down his concerns regarding the way the report is written and he would address them. Gertz said the Pleasant Hill Cemetery nomination could move forward, however. He would recommend going ahead with it rather than waiting for approval from the Eden Prairie Cemetery board because he didn't believe the board would change its decision. C. Preservation Display Update Gertz reported that a member of the staff, who is working with him on the display, is putting together some design ideas. Gertz hopes to have something that the HPC could review at the next meeting. VI. NEW BUSINESS SITE ALTERATION PERMIT REVIEW 1. Riley-Jacques Farmhouse Permit Number 2005-02-0004 2. J.R. Cummins Farmhouse Permit Number 2005-01-0001 HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES March 21, 2005 Page 4 Gertz referenced the plans sent to the Commissioners prior to the meeting detailing the repair work to be done at the above properties. Because the work represents significant changes to existing conditions, Gertz asked the HPC to review the proposed work and approve the Site Alteration Permits. The plans and specifications appear complete and to meet the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Historic Preservation Projects. He recommended approving the two permits. Gertz said the Request For Proposals would be printed in the newspaper this week. The two houses are being packaged as one project because contractors will submit better bids if they can do both jobs. The drawings, along with the project manual containing all the specifications and agreements, will be mailed out to contractors that respond to the RFP. A few contractors that specialize in this type of work will also be contacted to submit bids. There will be a pre-bid meeting on site for a walk-through to address any questions the contractors have. The City hopes to have a number of bids. If only one bid is received, the City reserves the right to reject it. Gertz said the big question is whether there would be enough in the City's budget to do everything that is proposed, and they won't know the answer to that until the bids are received. However, Gertz said all the repairs are absolutely essential. Gertz said the City Council would be asked to approve the Site Alteration Permits at its April 12 meeting. MOTION: Brown moved, seconded by Kist, that the Heritage Preservation Commission approve the Riley-Jacques Farmhouse and J.R. Cummins Farmhouse Repair plans and specifications as submitted by Miller Dunwiddie Architects, and further recommends that the City Council approve Site Alteration Permits 2005- 02-0004 for the Riley-Jacques Farmhouse and 2005-01-0001 for the J.R. Cummins Farmhouse. Motion carried 5-0. VII. ADJOURNMENT This was the last meeting for Commissioners Brown and Kist. Gertz thanked them for serving on the HPC. Kist said she had enjoyed being on the Commission. Brown said her time on the Commission has been an education for her in the area of preservation and its significance. MOTION: Gilbertson moved, seconded by Amell, to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried 5-0. Adams adjourned the meeting at 8:05 p.m.