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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-06-01 PACKET 07.C. Cottage J Grove ��er� Pride and Qro�P�rity Me�t Clt�/ COUI'1CII CONSENTAGENDA Acfion Request Form �'c' Meeting Date 6/1/2016 Department Community Development Title of Request Accept Minutes of the 2/9/16 Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation Staff Recommendation Accept the minutes from the February 9, 2016, meeting of the Advisory Committee on H istoric Preservation ATTACH MENTS: Description Type Upload Date 2/9/16ACHP Minutes Backup Material 5/24/2016 ��orrA� ���������o� � HISTpRIC LANDMARK MINUTES CITY OF COTTAGE GROVE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON HISTORIC PRESERVATION February 9, 2016 SPECIAL MEETING Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, a special meeting of the Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation was duly held at the Cottage Grove City Hall, 12800 Ravine Parkway South, Cottage Grove, Minnesota, on the 9th day of February, 2016. Chair Herb Japs called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. Roll Call MEMBERS PRESENT: Herb Japs, Jan Japs, Beverly Gross, Verlyn Lindemann, Herb Reckinger, Corinne Marz, Melinda Miller MEMBERS ABSENT: Jon Raverty OTHERS PRESENT.� Myron Bailey, Mayor Jen Peterson, Councilmember Charlene Stevens, City Administrator John M. Burbank, Senior Planner Jennifer Levitt, Community Development Director/City Engineer Dominium: Claire Vanderevic and Patrick Ostrum Preservation Alliance of Minnesota, Anne Ketz and Erin Hanafin Berg Michael Van Heel, Anchor Bank Mathew Nugent, BVK Group APROVAL OF THE AGENDA Jan Japs made a motion to approve the agenda as distributed. Marz seconded. The agenda was unanimously approved. OPEN FORUM No one spoke. ACTION ITEMS A. 7003/7007 East Point Douglas Road (Hill-Gibson House) Burbank provided a PowerPoint presentation on the applications for the delisting and demolition of 7003/7007 East Point Douglas Road South from the City's Historic Register of Historic Sites and Landmarks from Anchor Bank, who is the current property owner. The ACHP discussed Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation Minutes February 9, 2016 Page 2 of 4 some of the background material for the property that was included in the staff report and held a brief discussion on the topic. Erin Hanafin-Berg of the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota (PAM) introduced Anne Ketz and stated the concerns of their group over the delisting of the property and potential demolition. She stated that PAM has extensive experience in saving and or relocating historic structures and offered to help in that process for this property. Anne Ketz stated that in addition to focusing on the history of structures, a new mission of PAM is to help keep structures as repurposed sustainable housing or other viable use opportunities for people. Patrick Ostrum spoke on the proposal and how it related to the planned site plan and subse- quent senior housing. He identified that they are working to save trees on the site, remnants of the house, and to include historic interpretive information in the design of the new interior spaces of the project. He would like to continue to have dialogue on the requested actions and the final conditions related to the request, as it was important to keep the history alive. He noted that the preliminary plans call for a historic interpretive garden. Burbank noted that there were opportunities for architectural design education referring to the simi- larities between the existing gabled ell design and the examples that were submitted. Michael Van Heel of Anchor Bank stated that the bank is a short-term owner of the property, having acquired it through foreclosure three years ago, and that all viable sale options included the contin- gency for delisting the property from the Register. Gross noted that the history currently is not being told on the site and that what is being proposed seems to be that opportunity. Herb Japs restated his concerns that given this delisting request was the first since the adoption of Ordinance No. 953, he wanted to make sure that the ACHP had all the appropriate information in which to base a decision, that it not set a precedent, and that it only be done in relation to hardships and exceptional issues. Japs went on to list the findings for delisting the property as he views it. Those findings are as follows: • That the previous owner of the property in 1998 did extensive restoration on the property, and the 1998 registration request met the criteria for registration at the time. • That the property was sold in 2000 to a different owner than the bank. • That the historic property was turned into a rental property, and that during that time the re- cession hit, there was neglect to the exterior of the property, and the City had numerous issues with the renters of the property. • That the bank took ownership in 2013, and they do not do historic preservation as a portion of operations. • That Washington County currently has the structures on the property classified as salvage for a tax purpose. Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation Minutes February 9, 2016 Page 3 of 4 • That the property owner that listed the property on the register did not take the responsibility to live up to the needs of a historically registered property. • That the bank's acquisition of a property encumbered with a historic designation was a hardship. Lindemann asked if the City were to lose its Certified Local Government status what would it mean to owners of other registered properties. Burbank responded that there are limited financial assistance opportunities for historic properties, and that grants through the CLG for private property owners are nonexistent, so the impact would be negligible. He also noted that he would anticipate that the City historic preservation program would carry on independent of being a CLG as Cottage Grove has a very strong local program. Reckinger noted that people need to have a desire to maintain their historic properties, and to be penalized for requesting a delisting from the Register seems like a hardship. Miller noted that the property could continue to fall into disrepair and be turned into something like a Burger King. Jan Japs stated that an action of approval should include specific conditions of approval. Burbank noted that the demolition permit and final council actions would include specific language related to how elements of the existing structures should be documented, repurposed, or saved. Marz stated that Dominium seems to be a willing partner in the alternative historic education and preservation planning. Reckinger noted that currently only a handful of people can see the structure. Lindemann noted that the idea of repurposing some of the unique lumber elements sounded like a positive course of action. Miller noted that Dominium has successfully completed other historic preservation projects. Ketz explained more about PAM and restated her concerns over the delisting of historic regis- tered properties and that the City should follow the Secretary of Interior standards more closely. Hanafin Berg stated she was glad to hear of the historic education component and that reloca- tion could be an option over demolition. She requested that relocation be the option over demoli- tion and offered that Pam would work with the bank and Dominium to make that a reality. She gave some examples of previously successful relocations that PAM helped coordinate in St. Paul. Herb Japs asked if PAM had funding to acquire the property. Hanafin Berg responded no, but that they would help find entities that may have funding. Ostrum stated that Dominium desires to explore all feasible options through the site redevelop- ment process. Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation Minutes February 9, 2016 Page 4 of 4 Herb Japs made a motion to recommend that the City Council approve a certificate of ap- propriateness to allow for the delisting of 7003/7007 East Point Douglas Road South from the City's Historic Register of Historic Sites and Landmarks and additionally for the demo- lition or relocation of the structures from the property, subject to conditions including those listed in the statf report and that demolition not occur for at /east 60 days. Gross seconded the motion. Hanafin Berg stated she wished they could get more time to prepare a plan as they are a strug- gling non-profit. Reckinger stated that the timeframe seemed reasonable as proposed. Herb Japs called for the vote and the motion passed unanimously 8-0. B. Comprehensive Plan Update Steering Committee Burbank reported that the Community Development Department is seeking two nominees to serve on the 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update Steering Committee. After a general discussion, Chair Japs and Committee Member Marz volunteered to represent the ACHP. Burbank noted that he would forward the information to the City Council. No additional action was taken. PROJECT UPDATES None APROVAL OF MINUTES A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes of the January 12, 2016, meeting of the Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation. The minutes were unanimously approved. HISTORIC INQUIRIES AND RESEARCH INFORMATION None COUNCIL LIASON COMMENTS None COMMITTEE COMMENTS None STAFF COMMENTS None ADJOURNMENT Lindemann made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Miller seconded. Motion passed unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 9:07 p.m.