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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-28-05 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 June 28, 2005 7:00 P.M. CITY COUNCIL CONFERENCE ROOM 1. Call to order 2. Approval of agenda 3. Approval of minutes of April 26, 2005 regular meeting 4. Public Hearings - none 5. Reports - none 6. Unfinished Business a. Update - CLG grant b. Preserve America Application 7. New Business a. National Trust for Historic Preservation Conference 2007 b. Exchange Bank c. Ham Clay House 8. Miscellaneous a. Preservation Month Review 9. Adjourn " HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES April 26, 2005 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Preece called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Present: Bev Preece, Edgar Samuelson, Tim Burke, John Robertson Absent: None Also Present: Robert Vogel, Consultant; Lisa Shadick, Administrative Services Director; Cynthia Muller, Executive Assistant 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Item 7b) Exchange Bank Building Bicycle Rack was moved forward to accommodate the audience. Consultant Vogel added item 6c) CLG Annual Report. MOTION by Burke, second by Samuelson to approve the agenda. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION by Burke, second by Samuelson to approve the February 24, 2005 minutes. Voting for: Preece, Burke, Samuelson. Abstain: Robertson. MOTION CARRIED. 4. PUBLIC HEARINGS - None 7. NEW BUSINESS b) Exchange Bank Building - Bicycle Rack Ms. Stacy Schultz, owner ofBugaloo's Ice Cream Shoppe approached the City regarding placing a bike rack in front of the Exchange Bank building. The Lion's Club will assist them with the cost. Ms. Schultz approached the City last year with this request, but it did not go forward. She would also like another park bench in front of the building. Customers are standing and sitting on the curb as the one bench that is there is always fulL They are requesting the City's approval to do this. Kids are leaning bikes against the building or laying them on the sidewalk:. They would also like a rack for skateboards as they are not allowed in the store. She brought this to the HPC because the building is designated a historic landmark and for the aesthetics. This would not necessarily require a Certificate of Appropriateness, but the HPC could issue one to help them through the process. The standards to receive this certificate are: 1. Do no harm to a historic building. 2. Only do things that are reversible. The owners want a simple bike rack. If it is fastened to the sidewalk: it would not affect the historic preservation of the building. The City Planner would have regulations regarding sidewalk furniture. The same rack could be used for skateboards. Ms. Schultz noted last year they needed to prove the need for the bike rack. Consultant Vogel explained that is to prevent everyone from wanting bike racks. MOTION by Burke, second by Samuelson to grant a Certificate of Appropriateness. The HPC had no objections. Consultant Vogel will provide staff with the text for the certificate. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. " HPC Minutes (Regular) April 26, 2005 Page 2 5. REPORTS a. Mural on Otten Building '" Consultant Vogel noted the mural will not be on a historic building so there is no harm to any historic resources. b. Middle Creek Historic Cemetery - Park Trail Link and Historic Site Improvements The HPC planted shrubs last year to mark the boundary of the cemetery along the homes. If something encroaches into the cemetery then comer markers would be helpful. For now, they are not necessary. Consultant Vogel recommended Parks solicit quotes for the markers. Then the HPC can talk with Parks regarding funding, perhaps from park dedication fees when the area is developed. The cemetery is designed to be low maintenance. Staff will check the minutes regarding whether markers were selected. Consultant Vogel felt a developer would want a fence to set offthe cemetery from any development. MOTION by Burke, second by Robertson to table this until the next meeting. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. Billy Samuelson was working on improvements to the cemetery for his Eagle Scout Award. He still needs to install a bench, but otherwise the project is done. He provided pictures showing his completed project and he did an excellent job. Member Burke requested Billy send the commission a letter listing everyone who helped him with the work and those who donated. At the May 16, 2005 Council Meeting Billy Samuelson will receive the 2005 Historic Preservation Award. His entire troop is invited to attend the Council Meeting. Parks and Recreation will supply the directional sign where the paved trail meets the natural trail. MOTION by Samuelson, second by Burke to request a sign at the trail head in addition to the directional sign. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. c. Certified Local Government Grant This will be on the May 2, 2005 Council agenda for Council to accept the grant. This will provide funds to designate five historic landmarks. The HPC will not hold a meeting with owners discussed previously. The commission will have to decide how many designations to do. The earliest start date is June 1,2005. d. Powerline Update Great River Energy wants to install a powerline through the City. Usually powerlines are placed in less populated areas, not through a City. The City has opposed the route. It would have a major impact on historic sites if the powerlines are within view of these sites. 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Revised 2005 Goals and Objectives List 2005 Goals and Objectives: 1. Reorganize the HPC as a 5-member advisory commission. 2. Present the annual preservation award during Historic Preservation Month (May). 3. Become a "Preserve America" community. 4. Nominate historic properties for designation as Farmington Heritage Landmarks. HPC Minutes (Regular) April 26, 2005 Page 3 5. Improve the Historic preservation content of the city's website and post the HPC articles from the city newsletter. 6. Organize a walking tour of downtown or one of the older residential neighborhoods. 7. Host an open house to show off a building that has been recently restored and/or hold a workshop for historic property owners at a historic property that is in need of rehabilitation. 8. Develop a program for placing signs or markers at historic places in the city. 9. Apply for CLG grant funding for preparation of Farmington Heritage Landmark nomination studies. 1 O. Work with the Farmington Area Historical Society and others to coordinate the trolley tours and other Rambling River Day events. 11. Work with the Planning Commission to ensure that historic properties are taken into consideration whenever development occurs. 12. Submit articles about the work of the HPC in the city newsletter. Regarding goa11 0, CEEF requested Dakota City do the trolley tour this year for Rambling River days. It will be an agricultural tour. Therefore, the HPC will not do a trolley tour this year. Chair Preece suggested combining goals 6 and 7. There could be a walk through downtown and stop at a building such as Heikke1a's Studio as that has just been remodeled. MOTION by Samuelson, second by Burke to approve the 2005 goals. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. Staff will bring the Preserve America application to the next meeting. b. Preservation Month - Plans for Downtown Walking Tour (May 24) The downtown walking tour will be held Tuesday, May 24, 6:30 -8:30 p.m. The tour is open to the public and Council and senior staff will be invited. The tour will start at City Hall. c. Annual Report Consultant Vogel provided a letter from the National Park Service and the report for CLG's. 7. NEW BUSINESS a. Historical Markers and Signs Consultant Vogel provided information on Eden Prairie's historical site recognition program. Anyone can make a plausible case that a structure is historic and the city contributes to a marker. In Farmington there would be several historic sites downtown and some scattered throughout the city. Markers can also be placed at sites that are no longer there. There would need to be someone in charge ofthe program and have it perpetual. The signs would need to be maintained. The commission should agree to do one marker/year. These would be placed in the public right-of-way or in parks. New technology signs are porcelain and last forever. They come in 4x6 panels and are very expensive - $l,OOO/sheet. Coffee table height, angled signs are $5,000 - $7,000. It would be a good idea to number the plaques. The list could be placed on the website. Staff should make a request in June when the budget process starts to provide funds for these plaques. Member Burke stated the point of historic preservation is to educate. He would like to see interpretive signs in places such as the cemetery, HPC Minutes (Regular) April 26, 2005 Page 4 the railroad, etc. and not have signs all over the city. He suggested doing historic plaques and do one interpretive sign a year. If the commission uses signs like Eden Prairie, let that person pay for the sign and the City can give them recognition. It won't affect the budget and gives the HPC time to come up with a program and to put it in the budget for next year. The commission should think about where they want signs and ideas on what they want the sign to say. There is an interpretive sign at Kuchera Entrance to Rambling River Park. c. Minnesota Historic Structure and Community Re-Investment Tax Credit Information on this proposed legislation was received from the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota. This legislation would provide a tax break for historic rehabilitation. This is still at the legislature. If it passes it will revolutionize the way the HPC does business. Property owners will want historic landmark designation. Chair Preece suggested sending a letter to Rep. Garofalo urging him to support this. Consultant Vogel suggested members e-mail him. Staffwill check with City Administrator Urbia if Council approval is needed to send him a letter. 8. MISCELLANEOUS Member Robertson mentioned his travel schedule makes it difficult for him to be on the HPc. As there is already one vacant seat, staff recommended he come when he is available. Chair Preece has prepared a letter to the editor. It will be divided up into separate articles as it contains historic information. These will run in the Independent during Preservation Month. It was decided to move the meetings to the 4th Tuesday of every other month at 7:00 p.m. The next meeting will be June 28,2005, at 7:00 p.m. 9. ADJOURN MOTION by Robertson, second by Burke to adjourn at 8:55 p.m. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. Respectfully submitted, ~;b?~ Cynthia Muller Executive Assistant