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Heritage Preservation - 10/16/2000 APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION Monday, October 16, 2000 7:00 p.m. City Center Prairie Rooms A and B Commission Members: Jan Mosman, Chairperson; Deborah Barkley, Jennie Brown, Lori Peterson-Benike, Kati Simons, Art Weeks, Mike Wroblewski Commission Staff: John Gertz, Historic Preservation Specialist; Peggy Rasmussen, Recording Secretary I. ROLL CALL Chair Mosman called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. Commissioner Peterson-Benike was absent. Gertz explained that the Parks and Recreation staff were not able to attend as planned, to assist in program planning for the Cummins House. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Simons asked to include a discussion on the draft letter she prepared with regard to Overlook Park, under V. Reports of Commission and Staff. Mosman asked to add a recommendation for Historic Preservation Specialist's hours, under VII. New Business. MOTION: Weeks moved, seconded by Barkley, to approve the agenda as published and amended. Motion carried 6-0. Mosman asked to add an item D. under VIL, a statement of procedure for designated properties. MOTION: Weeks moved, seconded by Brown, to approve a second amendment to the agenda. Motion carried 6-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES — SEPTEMBER 18, 2000 Mosman said that on page 2, under C., the event mentioned will now be held in April rather than February. On page 3, the last paragraph, the name "Miller" should be deleted from the first sentence and hyphenated in the second sentence. On page 4, the third paragraph under C.1., Weeks and Gertz added "Weeks asked if it would be appropriate for the Commission to review RFP's before they go out. Gertz responded that the HPC should review any RFPs that go out relating to the HPC." MOTION: Weeks moved, seconded by Barkley, to approve the minutes as published and amended. Motion carried 6-0. IV. REPORTS AND REQUESTS HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES October 16, 2000 Page 2 V. REPORTS OF COMMISSION AND STAFF A. Draft Letter to Staff and Students Rmardins! Vandalism at Lookout Park Simons distributed the draft of a letter she wrote on behalf of the HPC regarding the vandalism at Lookout Park, to be sent to staff and students at Eden Prairie High School. Several changes were suggested, and Simons will send the revised version to John Gertz. Gertz said it should be shown to Chris Enger and let him decide if the City Council should review it before sending it. MOTION: Weeks moved, seconded by Wroblewski, that the Heritage Preservation Commission adopt the letter written by Commissioner Simons, as amended, and that it be published under the name of the Commission and distributed accordingly. Motion carried 6-0. B. 21St Annual Minnesota Historic Preservation Conference Brown gave a report on the conference held September 28 and 29 in Winona. She was the only commissioner who attended. She attended sessions about byways and what the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Department of Tourism are doing to beautify roadways. The State gets $500,000 to $600,000 per year to spend on byways. Brown took a tour of the old flour mill outside Winona. The State had paid half the cost of restoring it and private contributions paid for the rest. It is six stories high and made mostly of wood without using nails in its construction. The original millstone was made in France and a new one was ordered from France. The group also toured an apple orchard, built on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi. The road to it travels along the bluff also; an example of how State money can be used to show the natural beauty of an area. Gertz said he plans to contact MnDOT about obtaining funds for restoration of Lookout Park; perhaps enough to pay for architectural and design work. Brown said the Department of Tourism also has funds available. VI. OLD BUSINESS A. CLG Grant Gertz said the work on 10 interpretative panels is still in design phase. He sent some 8-1/2" x 11" versions to SHPO and met with their approval. At the next HPC meeting he will show commissioners the full-scale versions. Gertz just received specifications for re-roofing Eden Wood Camp. He showed them to the commissioners. The bid package will be released this week, and bids will be opened on November 1. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES October 16, 2000 Page 3 B. HPC Meeting Scheduled Chance for November, December, 2000 The City Council discussed the City Council's action with regard to granting permission for the HPC to hold meetings at the Cummins House. Mosman said she was at the Council meeting and answered some questions. The Council did not approve meeting there at this time, but asked the HPC to submit a meeting location schedule for next year for the Council to approve in January, which would be published in order to give notification to the public. Meetings will be held at the City Center through the end of this year. The schedule of meeting locations for next year will be discussed after City staff has checked the Cummins House to determine ADA accessibility. There is a ramp that would allow wheelchair access to the first floor. However, the bathroom doorway is less than the required 32" to meet the ADA standard. Gertz said the doorway could be widened, and the ADA allows a little flexibility regarding historic places, so there may be a way to accommodate its requirements. For example, removable handrails could be put up in the bathroom whenever meetings are going to be held, and put away at other times. Gertz said he would follow up on this with a staff person. There was a request by Wroblewski to have another tour of the historic houses, as he was unable to take the previous tour. Gertz said he could make tour arrangements through Stuart Fox. Although both the Smith House and the Riley farmhouse are rented, a time could be selected when the farmhouse resident is at work, and the resident of the Smith House has been willing to allow the HPC to come into the house, with advance notice. The commissioners selected Wednesday, November 1, at 3 p.m., for the tour, meeting at the Smith House. VII. NEW BUSINESS A. Recommendation for Historic Preservation Specialist's Hours Mosman said she and Gertz have been going over all the projects he is working on for the HPC. There appears to be more to do than Gertz can get done in the 30 hours a week he is paid to work for the City. For example, he hasn't had time to assist with programming of the Cummins House or Riley Farm. Mosman proposed that the HPC recommend to the City Manager that Gertz be hired as a full-time employee. Mosman has written a list of what the HPC has been trying to accomplish and a memo that would be sent to the City Manager. Gertz said that he applied for full-time employment a number of months ago, but has had no response despite repeated inquiries. The commissioners said it was unfair to Gertz not to respond to his request. Weeks said he would like a list of the work to be done for the HPC so the commissioners can prioritize it. Gertz said he would provide that for the next HPC meeting. MOTION: Wroblewski moved, seconded by Brown, that the Heritage Preservation Commission approve correspondence to support John Gertz's request to become a full-time employee because the commissioners recognize the HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES October 16, 2000 Page 4 overall general need. Weeks added the amendment "subject to review of the list of work at next month's meeting." Motion carried 6-0. Gertz said projects are usually prioritized at the end of the year for the next year. Weeks pointed out there isn't enough money to do all the restoration work so that should be prioritized. Gertz said requests for funding have generally been denied. He would like to bring the budget to the HPC for review so commissioners can see how much money there is to spend next year. Next spring the City begins work on the next two-year budget. It is broken down into line items. It is hoped the budget for the historic sites will be increased. The amount designated in recent years for maintaining historic houses has been $14,000-$15,000 per year. Gertz said the HPC submitted a budget request last year but it wasn't approved. The June adaptive reuse report listed the costs of restoration for each historic site. B. Program Planning for Cummins House and Riley Farm Gertz referenced memos from Laurie Obiazor, dated February 8, 2000, and from Bob Lambert, dated July 20, 2000. Both deal with uses and programming of the three historic sites. Gertz also read an e-mail from Obiazor he recently received, stating that she needs to have the HPC select programs and/or events for the Cummins House, one for each of the months of January, February, and March 2001, beginning with a Christmas program in December. She needs this information to include in the winter brochure of City programs, currently being finalized for printing and going to the public November 6. All programs need to cover direct costs. Gertz recommended the HPC work with the Eden Prairie Historical Society on programs and events that would be appropriate for the Cummins House, reflecting its historic nature. Parks and Recreation staff would implement the plans. They will also develop recreation programs for the Riley Farm, as they would be mostly outdoor events. Obiazor's e-mail also asked if any HPC members wished to volunteer to work on a historic committee, which would work with Parks and Recreation to more fully develop programs. Mosman indicated she would be willing to at a later time. Gertz said the HPC used to hold a Christmas event at the Cummins House, co- sponsored by the Historical Society. A discussion took place on what to include in the "Cummins House Christmas" event this year, such as letting children make old-fashioned Christmas cards and tree decorations, and having a tree they could hang the decorations on. At previous events, horse-drawn carriage rides were offered, and possibly could be this time. Area crafters could be hired for a fee to demonstrate how to make crafts. An antique model train, dolls and toys might be obtained to have on display. Music played by students from the high school was suggested. Light refreshments would be offered. Gertz said not to worry about making money; however, a number of ideas were suggested, including selling a miniature ceramic model of the house with a light inside, similar to Department 56 miniatures; however there may not be time this year to have these made. Simple, old-fashioned gift items could be sold. Other ideas were to contact a local company about making a cut-out of the house to sell, HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES October 16, 2000 Page 5 and another about making puzzles from a drawing of the house. The Garden Club makes natural tree ornaments for the Arboretum and may be willing to make some to sell at the Cummins House. An admission fee could be charged, and have an extra charge for the carriage ride. It was suggested that the house be open from 5-8 p.m. Suggestions for a January or March program were various types of workshops, such as chess, quilting and candle-making, or other family-type programs of about two hours. A mystery "murder"party was another suggestion. Gertz said the Cummins House could be a stop on the "winter night" program in January that has participants stop at various locations around Staring Lake. They could tour the house and have refreshments. It was agreed that the event for February should be a "Victorian Sweetheart Dinner" that would be catered. Small tables would be set up in several rooms on the main floor. The charge would depend on the cost of hiring the caterer. In addition to the above it was suggested renting out the house for group meetings, sponsoring a biking tour that would leave from the Cummins House, using the grounds for a farmers' market, an Art Fair, ice cream socials, horse shoe contests and croquet. The house could be used for an antique fair, or have a group interested in antiques take a tour of the house and then tour antique shops in the area by bus. "Midwest Living" magazine may be interested in doing a story on the Cummins House. John Gertz said he would give the above list of suggestions to Laurie Obiazor. C. Restoration Planning for Cummins House This item was postponed to the next meeting due to time constraints. D. Statement of Procedure for Desisnated Properties This item was postponed to the next meeting due to time constraints. VIII. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Barkley moved, seconded by Simons, to adjourn the meeting. Chair Mosman adjourned the meeting at 9:50 p.m.