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Heritage Preservation - 01/27/2003 APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 2003 7:00 P.M. Prairie Rooms A & B 8080 Mitchell Road COMMISSION MEMBERS: Lori Peterson-Benike, Chairperson; Betsy Adams, Deborah Barkley,Jennie Brown, Elise Kist, Kati Simons STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES: John Buteyn, Mackenzie Epping, Ron Viland COMMISSION STAFF John Gertz, Historic Preservation Specialist; Peggy Rasmussen, Recorder I. ROLL CALL Vice Chairperson Adams called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m., in the absence of Peterson-Benike, who was excused. Commissioner Barkley was excused for the first part of the meeting and arrived at 7:45 p.m. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Adams requested that Item A. under VI. New Business, be moved to the top of the agenda, immediately after approval of the minutes. MOTION: Kist moved, seconded by Brown, to approve the agenda as published and amended. Motion carried 4-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES —DECEMBER 16, 2002 MOTION: Brown moved, seconded by Simons, to approve the minutes of the Heritage Preservation Commission meeting held on December 16, 2002, as published. Motion carried 4-0. VI. NEW BUSINESS A. Birch Island Woods Heritage Area—Jeff Strate Jeff Strate made a presentation on his concept of creating Birch Island Lake Area Heritage District. Last year 32 acres of land were protected from development because the City agreed to purchase Birch Island Woods from Hennepin County over a five-year period. The Heritage District would include Birch Island Woods Conservation Area, Eden Woods Center, Birch Island Lake, Birch Island Park, Glen Lake Children's Camp, and adjoining areas that include Picha Heritage Farm, owned by Terry Picha, and a neighborhood of post-World War II homes. The Birch Island Lake Area supports a variety of recreational, environmental, educational, agricultural and human service resources. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES January 27, 2003 Page 2 The Birch Island Conservation Area includes right of way for the Milwaukee Railroad, one of Minnesota's first rail lines, and is the main hiking trail through the woods. Terry Picha would like to turn his farm into a living history farm, and is interested in Strate's idea of creating a Heritage District. Strate had prepared a draft resolution and said he was asking the HPC to request that the City Council form a study committee to recommend a process for creating a Birch Island Lake Heritage District, and provide a model of such a district for approval by the Council. Brown asked if there would be a cost to the City to evaluate and provide a model of a heritage district. Strate said he presumed all study committees entail some cost. Gertz said he didn't know with regard to this site. However, if the City were to designate a heritage area, some oversight would be required, and there might be some costs related to that. Gertz asked Strate how he thought the process would proceed. Strate replied he envisioned creation of a study committee of citizens. He would then find out whether or not there is any support for the idea in the nearby neighborhood. The study committee would look at various models. The National Park Services provides a model. He just wanted to protect the district from development. Adams said the HPC probably needs to discuss this matter further and get a few answers before passing a resolution. Kist asked if the City could declare the area a National Heritage District. Strate said he is not looking for that;just for local designation. Gertz said a "heritage district" is a regulatory district. A "heritage area" does not have regulatory aspects to it and is defined by the resources within it. An agreement is developed that includes property owners involved in that area, and they have to assent to how the area will be managed. It continues to function just as it did without the designation of "heritage area." Everybody agrees to a set of rules,but there are no regulations. However, there are some legal aspects to it and certain parameters. The people who live in the post-World War II homes would have to agree to the rules if they are included in the heritage area. Simons asked if Strate would like City backing for forming this into a heritage area. Strate said if the City is interested it should participate. The Birch Island Woods Conservation Area will likely be enlarged over the next few years. The 5- acre parcel owned by the Picha family is across Birch Island Road from Terry and Albert Picha's farms. The City is interested in acquiring this land, and Strate expected that discussions would start soon. Gertz asked if Strate had met with the Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Commission. Strate said he had not because he was waiting for feedback from the HPC. He has recently talked to the Historical Society. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES January 27, 2003 Page 3 Gertz informed Strate that the HPC could not designate heritage preservation areas. Any recommendation from the HPC for designation comes with regulatory requirements, and that is not what Strate wants. The HPC could support the idea and could assist in putting together an area similar to a historic district, but without the regulatory part of it. Gertz said he believed Strate has more work to do in talking to the neighbors and discussing the kind of agreement that would be put together, and perhaps he could find out what are in the agreements other heritage areas have. Kist asked if there is a designated area Strate could look at. Gertz replied the Mississippi River Valley has something similar that includes many resources, and he also saw a site described on the Web. Gertz said he would give Strate that information. Strate said one value in having a heritage area is they could ask for funds from other organizations. Perhaps street signs could be put up showing it is a heritage area. Simons said street signs would give you a feeling of being in a special place. Gertz said having a heritage area benefits promotion of the area and gives it a sense of identity. Strate said the Metropolitan Council would be putting pressure on cities to open areas for development. Albert Picha has a small farm and there will be pressure in the future to sell that. Friends of Birch Island Woods believe in preserving a rural pocket in Eden Prairie. Having a heritage area would give it a higher profile over the next decade. Gertz explained that HPCs usually deal with regulatory matters. He believed that establishing a heritage area would be rather complicated. However, there could just be street signs put up or everybody agreeing to promote the area. Adams asked if they need to find out more about whether the HPC should be involved. Gertz replied the HPC can be involved in it, but cannot make a recommendation to the City Council for designation of the area. The HPC can help in terms of ideas and can support the concept. He would recommend Strate look at the boundaries again and talk to the property owners, which includes the City as one of the interested parties. Strate said his group wanted to get feedback from the HPC before calling the property owners together. He has talked to various people about this in an informal way, and they seemed to be open to the idea. Gertz asked who determines whether it becomes a heritage area? If property owners call it a heritage area, what does that mean? Strate replied he hoped to have the City call it a heritage area. Perhaps other areas in the City would also be formed into heritage districts. Gertz replied the City Council would have to amend the City Code to allow the HPC to look into this and recommend that it be called a heritage area. The criteria exist for determining a heritage area but the City would need the means to designate it. He believed it can be designated by a group of property owners, but it wouldn't have any binding designation. The people who live there could publicize it as a heritage area. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES January 27, 2003 Page 4 Adams asked if the HPC wanted to take any action or keep it on the agenda to revisit later. MOTION: Kist moved, seconded by Simons, to support the idea of Birch Island Lake Area Heritage Area, and the Heritage Preservation Commission is open to further discussion. Motion carried 4-0. Strate said perhaps he would consult with the City Council at a workshop and ask them how to proceed. He also intends to present the idea to the Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Commission. Adams said if each group supports the concept, then that would go a long way toward getting a task force in place. She thanked Jeff Strate for his presentation. IV. REPORTS OF COMMISSION AND STAFF V. OLD BUSINESS A. Follow-Up Points • Pleasant Hill Cemetery CLG Grant Proposal. • Barn Preservation Conference • Review of Current and Proposed Uses for City Heritage Sites B. Dorenkemper House Gertz reported that the concrete floor and crawl space are done; the underground electricity is connected and the gas for heat is operating. The basement has been weatherproofed. They are waiting for better weather to move the soil up against the house. The summer kitchen was brought up next to the house and will be connected and sealed up. Then they will wrap the house and wait for spring to continue work. At that time, the logs will be treated and the siding put on. Gertz talked to Dan Herbst about the siding issue, and Herbst has decided to continue with the plan to put siding on the building. Gertz attended the Historical Society Board meeting on January 22. He presented the same information he gave Board members at the December HPC meeting. They had a discussion and asked if Gertz wanted any action from the Board. He asked for their support in recommending that siding be replaced on the house, and all but one voted in favor of supporting the recommendation. Gertz said he believes there will be better communication between the groups from now on The Historical Society also wanted to know about overall plans for the historic buildings and sites in the City's parks. Tria Mann was there to answer their questions. They asked if someone from the Parks Department could attend the February 19 meeting of the Board, and Bob Lambert has agreed to do that. Tria Mann, Laurie Obiazor and John Gertz will also be there. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES January 27, 2003 Page 5 After the newspaper article about the house was published on January 23, the City Manager met with Gertz to discuss it. Gertz said the newspaper article was not as accurate as it should have been, giving the impression that Gertz said there were never any log cabins built in Eden Prairie. Gertz was asked by Kathie Case to meet with her and Councilmember Ron Case to go through the Dorenkemper House. Charlie Nelson and a member of the Historical Society Board will also be included. C. Anderson School The students at Northwest Technical Institute are producing the restoration plans of the school for the Historical Society. The students have done the measured drawings and are now beginning a set of drawings to show the school as it was. Gertz gave the teacher of the class all the information he had on the school's appearance. Gertz said the students should add 2-1/2 feet back to the height of the ceiling when they do the drawings for restoration. VI. NEW BUSINESS B. Eagle Scout Projects Gertz said he had a call from a Boy Scout troop leader, whose son wanted to find a project to work on for his Eagle Scout badge. Gertz invited the son to come with him to look at potential projects at the Cummins Grill House, and he decided his project would be to improve the wood-chip trail leading to the interpretive panel. The Scout leader said other boys from his troop would be contacting Gertz to look at projects. Commissioner Kist had also told Gertz that her son is interested in working on a project for his Eagle Scout badge. Gertz decided that the Scouts could come to the HPC February meeting and give a presentation about the projects they plan to do, and how the projects would fit in with the Cummins Grill house or the Riley Farm. Their plans would be reviewed by Bob Lambert and would also have to be approved by the City Council before Gertz could sign off on them. The HPC decided to give each Scout five minutes for their presentations. C. 2003 Capital Projects Gertz said he sent out the Request for Proposals for architectural services. There is $159,000 allocated for improvements to the J. R. Cummins House in 2003. Funds for the Riley-Jacques farm are divided between the house and the barn, with $131,000 for the house and $243,000 for the barn. Gertz said that is probably not adequate to do as much as they want to do at the barn, so they are asking for the work to be done in phases. Miller-Dunwiddie submitted a proposal and another is expected from MacDonald and Mack. Gertz and Bob Lambert will select the architect and then request City HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES January 27, 2003 Page 6 Council approval. Gertz and the architect will put together a bid packet that would go out this spring. D. Staring Lake Outdoor Center Repair Estimates Two estimates were received for repairs: one from Peter Edmonds for $14,000, and one from Terrasol for $14,900. However, the scope of work and services included in Terrasol's estimate is much more complete and therefore is the better of the two. Gertz will send both estimates to the Parks Department and discuss them with Bob Lambert. Gertz said this work is just part of general maintenance and repair; it is not restoration or historic preservation work. E. Eden Prairie Farmers Market Gertz said this subject came up at the Historical Society meeting on January 22. He has talked to Terry Picha about having a Farmers Market. He has also talked to Dave Lindahl, the City's economic development director. Lindahl believes it is a good idea, and began to talk about potential locations. He would be the best person for the HPC to work with in this regard. The HPC will need to get direction from the City Council to pursue development of a Farmers Market. Gertz recommended spending more time on this subject at the next HPC meeting. He will invite Dave Lindahl to attend, as well as the farmers who might be interested—Sever Peterson, Terry Picha, Mr. Marshall and Mr. Dvorak. F. Review of Current and Proposed Uses for City Heritage Sites Gertz reported that Councilmember Case has requested a Council Workshop to discuss uses of the historic buildings owned by the City. For example, he is wondering if adaptive reuse would be feasible for the Cummins-Grill House. Gertz asked the members to consider whether or not they think this is a good idea. HPC members will be invited to this meeting. The date has not been set. Gertz said he would come up with a written statement on the uses of the historic properties for the HPC to review and approve sometime prior to the Council Workshop, possibly on a Saturday. VII. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Barkley moved, seconded by Kist, to adjourn the meeting. Adams adjourned the meeting at 8:57 p.m.