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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-04-13 PACKET 07.A.o�oorre� U� Ot1l HISTORIC LANDMARK MINUTES CITY OF COTTAGE GROVE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON HISTORIC PRESERVATION February 9, 2021 Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, a 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, 2021. I. CALL TO ORDER Reckinger called the meeting to order at 7.00 II. ROLL CALL Boike took the roll. MEMBERS PRESENT. Herb Reckinger, Joseph Gall, Marie Sumstine MEMBERS ABSENT: Corinne Marz, Verlyn Lindemann OTHERS PRESENT. Ben Boike, Community Development Director; Councilmember David Thiede III. APROVAL OF THE AGENDA Gall moved to accept the agenda. Reckinger seconded. The agenda was unanimously approved. IV. OPEN FORUM None V. ACTION ITEMS A. Remember Chair Japs and Elect New Chair The ACHP reminisced about Japs and expressed that he will be missed on the Committee. Boike stated that Reckinger was the Vice Chair of the ACHP and agreed to step into the Chair's position for the next year. The election of Officers will be held at the April ACHP meeting. B. Review 2021Review 2021 Meeting Reckinger noted that the meeting schedule has been changed from odd months to even months on the second Tuesday at 7.00 p.m. Gall made a motion to accept the 2021 meet- ing schedule. Sumstine seconded. Thiede noted that sometimes December meetings are Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation Minutes February 9, 2021 Page 2 of 5 canceled or rescheduled due to the holidays, depending on what items may be on the agenda. Motion passed unanimously. C. ACHP Term Extensions Boike explained that the City Council extended all Committee and Commission terms an extra year due to Covid. He stated that the terms for Gall, Marz, and Lindeman would have expired on February 28, 2021, but the expiration dates were extended another year to 2022. Reckinger and Sumstine's terms, which were slated to expire on February 28, 2022, will now expire in 2023. D. Hope Glen Farm HCUP Boike presented the proposal from the Bushillas, who own and operate Hope Glen Farm, to add a rental unit in the barn. He explained that they currently rent out the treehouse and the corncrib by the night. The wedding venue in the barn is their primary business. Based on low wedding rentals last year due to Covid, they have requested to be able to use the barn when it is not being utilized for a wedding as a third rental on the property. He pr- ovided pictures and layouts of the barn, which shows the location of the proposed rental area that would encompass the bridal suite, small kitchen area, and bathroom. Zoning ap- proval is required to amend their Historic Conditional Use Permit (HCUP) to allow this use; applications for an HCUP need to be reviewed by the ACHP. Boike noted that the proposed new use requires a fire rating between the two spaces to meet the fire code. Reckinger asked if the barn is insulated. Thiede responded that the area proposed for the rental unit is insulated. Reckinger wanted clarification on which areas would be utilized for the proposed rental unit. Thiede explained that the bedroom would be in the space currently used as the bridal suite, noting that they are not planning to add onto the barn. Boike stated that if they meet the building code requirements, the HCUP would go to the Planning Commission for review and then to the City Council for final ap- proval, noting that the ACHP would make a recommendation on the application prior to Planning Commission review. Boike noted that they would not be physically changing the barn, besides adding sheetrock, installing a door, and putting in another exit. Thiede stated that this proposal does not change the historic nature of the property. Sumstine stated that she was okay with the proposal, as they may have to shut down their operations without additional revenue coming in. Reckinger made a motion to approve the application, pending meeting the fire code requirements. Sumstine seconded. Motion passed unanimously. E. County Historical Society Liaison Appointment Boike reported that Herb Japs was the appointed liaison to the Washington County His- torical Society and asked if anyone wanted to take on that role. The Committee had ques- tions about time commitments and responsibilities for this position. Boike stated that he would research this and bring it back to the Committee at the next meeting. VI. PROJECT UPDATES A. Strategic Plan — Historic Preservation Chapter Boike stated that the ACHP worked on this report last year, Burbank finished it before he retired, and the City Council officially accepted the report. He noted that there is an ongo- Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation Minutes February 9, 2021 Page 3 of 5 ing list of about 230 priority properties in the City that the ACHP looks at, and the goal of the report was to narrow that down to the top 10 historical and top 10 archeological prop- erties and the top 5 districts. He summarized the contents of the historic properties report. The Committee discussed locations of buildings and roads in the Langdon area. Boike stated that one of the intentions of the report is for the ACHP to reevaluate the properties periodically to determine if a property should be registered instead of just being on the list. B. Park Naming: Summers Landing and Posavad Land Boike stated that at their last meeting the ACHP recommended names for the parks that will be in the Summers Landing and Posavad Pines neighborhoods. For the Posavad de- velopment, the name that was chosen was Still Ponds Park. Thiede explained that the orig- inal owners of the property were named William and Caroline Still. Boike then reported that the park in Summers Landing will be named Strawberry Fields Park. No action was taken. C. Dave Duus Project Boike presented a report that highlights the Thompson Grove neighborhood, which was prepared by Dave Duus, who was from the Thompson Grove neighborhood and is a his- torian, noting that he has been updating the information over a number of years. The Committee discussed various aspects of the report. No action was taken. D. 1881 Old Town Hall Rehabilitation Grant Boike explained that Zac Dockter, the City's Parks Director, is looking into grant opportu- nities to help with the Old Town Hall rehabilitation project. More information should be available for the April ACHP meeting. E. Cedarhurst Property Discussion Boike reported that the Cedarhurst property is for sale. Sumstine asked if Covid was the reason that the restaurant that had been proposed for Cedarhurst was not done. Thiede responded that may have been part of the reason. Boike stated that there is a group in- terested in buying Cedarhurst, based on the historical nature of the property. Their intent is to maintain the home, but to reutilize it with some living spaces on the upper level with common space on the main level, such as offices or some sort of public facility. They are also looking at developing the rest of the property, but have not yet presented any plans. Sumstine asked where the development would occur on the property. Boike pointed out the area that may be developed noting that they would leave the area around the mansion alone. There was a general discussion about the development that is occurring around the Cedarhurst property and the extension of Ravine Parkway to the east. Sumstine asked if they are planning to rent out the top floors as apartments. Thiede stated that he wanted this item added to the ACHP agenda so the Committee could suggest some guidelines to ensure the property maintains its historic character. The prop- erty is zoned commercial and high density residential with a historic overlay. They may have rooms available for rent like a hotel, still use the mansion for weddings, or add a res- taurant. He noted that the old barn on the property is not is good condition. Gall asked about the house facing 70th Street. Boike stated that property will be sold also. He noted that this is the niche for the company, Three Sixty Real Estate, and they restore historic properties. Sumstine expressed concern about having to add bathrooms and kitchens to accommodate apartments. Sumstine stated that she could see renting rooms as they are, noting that there is the bathtub that a president took a bath in and the room that he slept in. Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation Minutes February 9, 2021 Page 4 of 5 Thiede does not believe that they are looking to modify the main house; they are planning to remodel and restore it. He is looking for conditions for the rest of the property if it is de- veloped and to provide conditions such as requiring the same architecture as the house. Boike noted that staff is waiting for a concept plan from the company, which would be brought before the ACHP for comments. He stated that the Committee could provide feed- back prior to the development of the concept plan. Sumstine suggested a bed and break- fast instead of apartments. There was then discussion about the house on 70th Street, if it has historic significance, and if it was going to be torn down. Boike stated that when more information is available, it will be provided to the ACHP for review and comment. VII. APROVAL OF MINUTES A. November 10, 2020 Gall made a motion to approve the November 10, 2020 minutes. Reckinger seconded. The motion passed unanimously, and the minutes were approved as distributed. VIII. HISTORIC INQUIRIES, ARTICLES, AND RESEARCH INFORMATION A. Historical Whisperings — October 2020 The ACHP had no comments. IX. COMMITTEE COMMENTS / ITEMS OF INTEREST Sumstine asked if Cottage Grove could develop bigger parks. Thiede noted that there are var- ious sizes parks from smaller neighborhood parks like Hearthside Park to larger more regional parks such as Glacial Valley Park, which will serve the northern developments in the City. There was also discussion about trails. Boike stated that the Parks Director will be at the next meeting and the ACHP can address that with him. Reckinger asked if the second Hamlet ballfields have been named yet. He noted that he emailed the Parks Director about naming them after Bill Crocket who grew up in that area and is missing in action. Boike responded that he would ask about that. Gall asked about providing historical articles in the new Cottage Grove Journal. Staff will reach out to the Journal. Gall then asked if the City has received any information from the census. Boike responded not yet but it should be coming out soon. Gall wondered if the tree that fell in Atkinson Cemetery would be replaced. Sumstine sug- gested planting it on Arbor Day. Boike stated that he would ask the Parks Director about that. X. COUNCIL LIAISON COMMENTS None Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation Minutes February 9, 2021 Page 5 of 5 XI. STAFF COMMENTS None XII. ADJOURNMENT Gall made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Sumstine seconded. The meeting was adjourned at 8.25 p.m.