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Home My WebLink About1999-09-14 ACHP Minutes . � CITY OF COTTAGE GROVE � ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON HISTORIC PRESERVATION REGULAR MEETING TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1999 7:00 P.M. Agenda I. Call to Order II. Roll Call III. Approval of Minutes of March 9, 1999, Regular Meeting IV. Appraval of Agenda V. Staff Reports A. Update on Historic Sites Survey B. Historic Preservation Webpage VI. Unfinished Business A. Town Hall Reuse Study � B. Heritage Tree Project VII. New Business A. Heritage Resources of Grey Cloud Island VIII. Other New Business IX. City Council Report X. Adjournment ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON HISTORIC PRESERVATION City of Cottage Grove, Minnesota MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING SEPTEMBER 14, 1999 CALL TO ORDER Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the annual meeting of the Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation (ACHP) was held at City Hall, 7516 80th St. So., on the 14th of September, 1999. Chairperson Golusky called the meeting to order at 7:10 p.m. ROLL CALL The following members were present: Keith Kleinsasser, Kip Sundgaard, Gary Golusky (chair), Herb Japs (Planning Commission representative), and Robert Vogel (CHPO). Also present was City Council Member Cheryl Kohls. MINUTES OF March 9, 1999 MEETING The Committee reviewed the minutes of the March 9, 1999, regular meeting. There being no changes, Chairperson Golusky approved the minutes as mailed. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Chairperson Golusky approved the agenda as mailed. HISTORIC SITES SURVEY CHPO Vogel presented the Committee with a brief oral report on the results of the intensive survey of nine historic sites. The project, which was financed with a Certified Local Government grant, was completed in July 1999. HISTORIC PRESERVATION WEBPAGE Chairperson Golusky and CHPO Vogel reported that they had met with the intern who had been working on the City's webpage. The historic preservation material was not placed on the city's webpage. 1 There was discussion about the need to include historic preservation program information on the Internet. There was general dissatisfaction with the existing Cottage Grove webpage. Council member Kohls informed the Committee that she intended to propose to the City Council that the City retain a professional webpage consultant. TOWN HALL REUSE STUDY The Committee reviewed the Town Hall historic site reuse proposal prepared by CHPO Vogel and by consensus approved the findings of the reuse study committee. The City Council is expected to act on the reuse study in October. The ACHP expressed its thanks to the members of the reuse study committee: City Administrator Ryan Schroeder, Public Works Director Les Burshten, Building Official Bob LaBrosse, Associate Planner John Burbank, and Eden Prairie historic preservation planner John Gertz. HERITAGE TREE PROGRAM The ACHP reviewed the work of the Historic Tree Preservation Committee. CHPO Vogel reported that the staff committee had reached consensus that the City should propagate European larch trees at the golf course nursery site, but no action has been taken. Vogel also informed the Committee that the proposed 2000 budget includes funds for hiring a landscape architect to prepare city park plans, which would include the Old People's Cemetery, Atkinson Cemetery, and the Town Hall Heritage Park. HERITAGE RESOURCES OF GREY CLOUD ISLAND The Committee discussed the preservation, protection, and future use of significant historical and archeological resources located on Lower Grey Cloud Island. CHPO Vogel asked the Committee to sponsor a symposium on the resources of the Grey Cloud locality that would allow scientists who had worked on the island to present the results of their research. Because much of the scientific data about Grey Cloud has never been published, the public discussion over the future of the island has been based to a considerable extent on biased or incomplete information. Symposium participants would include historians, archeologists, biologists, geologists, and ecologists and would focus on the natural and cultural resources themselves, rather than on policy issues. There was a strong consensus in favor of the symposium, which Committee members felt should be televised. Council Member Kohls volunteered to serve as moderator. Staff was directed to assemble the symposium participants as soon as possible. 2 i � , . � , I I • � , CURRY MOUNDS � CHPO Vogel briefly updated the Committee on the status of the Curry Mound Group, a cluster of prehistoric Native American burial mounds along 113th Street. The mounds were discovered by Theodore Lewis in the 1880's but were destroyed by urban development in the 1960's. Although the mounds have been completely obliterated during home construction, the City has treated information about the site's location as confidential out of respect for its sacred status as a site potentially important to Native Americans for cultural and religious reasons. � Vogel advised the Committee that he intends to ask the City Council to make the information about the Curry Mounds public. He stated that during recent conversations with Native American religious leaders and cultural resource managers, it became apparent that there is no longer any consensus for keeping burial site information from the general public. The Historic Preservation Division is also concerned that homeowner projects such as landscaping, septic system installation, and construction of building additions may uncover disturbed remains of the mounds. If human remains or artifacts were to be discovered, they would need to be treated with sensitivity, but property owners probably have little or no idea of their land's prehistoric use. Therefore, treating the site data as confidential is no longer in the public interest because (a) withholding the locational information no longer serves a resource management purpose, (b) the homeowners have a right to know that their property occupies a former burial site, and (c) Native Americans now tend to favor making burial site information public if that information does not endanger sacred sites. CHEMOLITE PLANT BUILDINGS Council member Kohls informed the Committee that the Planning Commission has recommended removing references to the 3M Chemolite plant from the Historic Preservation element of the comprehensive plan. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Robert C. Vogel City Historic Preservation Officer 3 . . 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