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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-25-06 < , ' City of Farmington 325 Oak Street Farmington, MN 55024 Mission Statement Through teamwork and cooperation, the City of Farmington provides quality services that preserve our proud past and foster a promisingfuture. AGENDA HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING April 25, 2006 7:00 P.M. CITY HALL CONFERENCE ROOM 1. Call to order 2. Approval of agenda 3. Approval of minutes of April 4, 2006 special meeting 4. Public Hearings - none 5. Reports - none 6. Unfinished Business -none a. Middle Creek Historic Cemetery/Swanson Acres Development Update 7. New Business a. State Bank Building Renovations b. Preservation Month Award Nominations c. Walking Tour d. Rambling River Days 8. Miscellaneous 9. Adjourn " MINUTES HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING April 4, 2006 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Preece called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. Present: Beverly Preece, Danielle Stuckle, Tim Burke, Edgar Samuelson Absent: None Also Present: Robert Vogel, Consultant; Lisa Shadick, Administrative Services Director; Lee Smick, City Planner; Chris Ockwig and Jamie Elvestad, Double E Development; Cynthia Muller, Executive Assistant 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION by Samuelson, second by Stuckle to approve the agenda. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION by Samuelson, second by Stuckle to approve the February 28, 2006 Minutes. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. 4. PUBLIC HEARINGS - None 5. REPORTS - None 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS - None 7. NEW BUSINESS a. Review of Swanson Acres Preliminary Plat Double E Development is proposing to build 7 lots on 3.5 acres along Akin Road. According to City Code, any application for a plat in relation to a significant historic property shall be reviewed by the HPC and their recommendation shall be forwarded to the Planning Commission for consideration in making their recommendation to the City Council. The Middle Creek Historic Cemetery, which has been designated a historic landmark, is located on the south side of the proposed development. All the trees within the proposed development area will be removed. The area has an 11 % slope, so the area can be developed. The area is zoned R-l and the developer meets the requirements of 10,000 sq. ft. lot minimum and ponding requirements. The existing house will be demolished and the developer has offered it to the Fire Department to bum it down for training purposes. This is scheduled to take place on April 29, 2006. There will be retaining walls on the west and south sides of the property. Mr. Ockwig informed the HPC that they will be cutting into the slope to build the homes. The cemetery is located at the top of the hill. There will be a 4 ft. retaining wall on the south side and around the comer the wall will be higher on the west side, approximately 10 ft. The developer noted staffwas concerned with HPC Minutes (Special) April 4, 2006 Page 2 ~ . the safety of the retaining walls and recommended a fence at the top of the walls. The developer asked for input from the HPC on the fence. They are proposing to build the walls out of boulders and sand. The top ofthe wall will be 10ft. from the surveyed property line of the cemetery. Consultant Vogel asked if there will be any grading done on the top. Mr. Ockwig noted there is no grading shown to be done at the top ofthe hill. Consultant Vogel wanted to ensure that no graves would be uncovered. He requested the developer inform him as to when the grading will be done so he can be present. It is a felony to disturb a burial site and if this occurs, it becomes a crime scene before it becomes an archeological site. Regarding the fence, the standard is to make the fence as unobtrusive as possible. The HPC recommended a vinyl, black, chain-link fence, 4 ft. tall. The post holes should be dug on the developer's property. There should be no access to the cemetery from the development. All work will have to remain on the developer's side of the property line. No signage will be needed. The area should be flagged off with silt fence. The least amount of construction work will be at the cemetery comer. Consultant Vogel requested there be at least a 10ft. buffer from the cemetery border and any construction work. The fence will be at the cemetery boundary, 1 ft. onto the developer's property. The 10ft. buffer from the cemetery to the top of the retaining wall will remain with wild vegetation. No Certificate of Appropriateness is needed. This preliminary plat will go to the Planning Commission on April 11 , 2006 and to the Council on April 17, 2006. Pending approval, grading will begin in May. Contingencies include: 1. The developer will notify Consultant Robert Vogel as to when grading will take place so he can be present during the grading to ensure the cemetery is protected and if any burial sites are uncovered, that grading is stopped immediately. 2. The cemetery area should be flagged to protect it from any construction work. 3. The fence should be vinyl, black, chain-link fencing, 4 ft. tall and installed on the developer's side of the property line. 4. There will be a 10ft. buffer from the cemetery to the top of the retaining wall and any construction work shall be done at least 10ft. from the cemetery boundary. MOTION by Burke, second by Stuckle to recommend approval of the plat with the above contingencies. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. b. State and Local Historic Preservation Designation There is a bill going through the legislature that is trying to tighten the rules for eminent domain and a provision has been added which would derme state and local historic preservation designation as a taking and require payment for damages resulting from the designation. When Farmington designates a historic property it is done with the owner's consent and the designation enhances the value of the property. This bill would only affect the designated property and not ~T HPC Minutes (Special) April 4, 2006 Page 3 the surrounding area. It would not prevent the HPC from designating properties. The bill says ifthe designation devalues the property, the owner should be compensated. The HPC would not want to see a fmal bill with this language regarding historic designation included. MOTION by Burke, second by Stuckle to request Council to communicate with the legislature the desire to have Section 7 [117.1845] deleted from the final version of the bill. Voting for: Preece, Stuckle, Samuelson. Voting against: Burke. MOTION CARRIED. 8. MISCELLANEOUS The HPC has the showcase at the library for May. It was suggested to highlight the houses on Oak Street which will be designated for heritage landmarks. Consultant Vogel will supply pictures and a paragraph as to why they qualify for designation. The next meeting will be April 25, 2006 at 7:00 p.m. 9. ADJOURN MOTION by Samuelson, second by Stuckle to adjourn at 6:25 p.m. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. Respectfully submitted, C~ /V7~ /7 tYnthia Muller Executive Assistant . . " ,- - -- \ \ t , I ;