Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutHPC Minutes 20090818 HASTINGS HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION Minutes of the Meeting of August 18, 2009 Held at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall I. Quorum : Goderstad, Dahl, Martin, Sovik-Siemens, LaBreck, Hellie, Simacek, and Wittgenstein present. Staff: Fortney; Chairman Goderstad called the meeting to order. II. Review of building permits or design proposals A.706 Vermillion St- Reside, new windows, new door, side addition Fortney presented the staff report. The applicants are proposing the following changes: Replace the modern steel north porch door, remove the vinyl and wood siding to reside the home with Hardiboard, replacement of all windows, and build a second story addition over the dinning room addition. Commissioner Martin said the proposed sketch shows a bay window on the dinning room. Mark Borchardt, applicant stated that they varied from the plan in that respect several years ago and installed new doors in the space rather than a bay window. A motion by Sovik-Siemens to approve the proposed porch door, seconded by Dahl with the following condition; motion carried. The door as proposed with the 3 over 1 glass design and internal and exterior simulated muntins. Mr.Borchardt said he has confirmed the original wood siding at least on the north and west sides are damaged by cracks and from the installation of the vinyl siding. He added the wood siding around the house has differing profiles from each other and from what he believes is the original wood sing inside the porch. Commissioner Sovik-Siemens said she likes Hardiboard as a product, but believes the community is letting go too easily of historic wood siding. Commissioner Wittgenstein said she knows first hand how much damage is done to wood siding when vinyl, aluminum, or steel siding is installed over it. She added that they are usually applied to wood siding that is already in very poor shape A motion by LaBreck to approve the residing, seconded by Wittgenstein with the following conditions; one opposed, motion carried. Hardiboard or equivalent, preserve and or replace all detail that is found under the vinyl or is otherwise documented. Commissioner Hellie said the replacement of the aluminum sliding windows on the north side would look best with the proposed 5-window pattern rather than switching the proposed center window with columns as that may through off the balance and there may not be enough room for them. Commissioners Dahl and Simacek agreed. Fortney asked if the light divisions were going to be located on the exterior. Mr.Borchardt said they would be on the exterior and internal. Dahl asked if they are going to replace the homes double hung windows as well. Mr.Borchardt said they were going to replace them also. Dahl asked if they were going to use Marvin tilt packs to replace just the sashes. Mr.Borchardt said they would be the 3 over one glass pattern that the home presently has and the windows would be clad. Hellie said if they replaced the windows with Marvin’s complete window replacement the window opening would be a little smaller. Mr.Borchardt said they would not likely do anything that would make the window area smaller. A motion by LaBreck to approve the replacement of all windows as proposed, seconded by Simacek with the following conditions; motion carried. The original exterior window trim must be maintained or replaced. Commissioner Martin said the proposed addition appears to meet the requirements of the guidelines. A motion by LaBreck to approve the proposed second floor addition, seconded by Hellie with the following conditions; motion carried. The exterior must have similar trim, windows and siding as the rest of the home. nd B.101 2 St E- New sign- Mississippi Belle Fortney presented the staff report. The sign was installed without HPC approval and without a permit. Dahl said the signboards should be larger and the signs should be separated more. Martin said the Guidelines say the signs should be appropriately sized. She added that the sign seems to look too small. Martin asked Fortney what the maximum allowable size of the sign is. Fortney replied that he wasn’t sure, but according to the staff report Grossman wrote, the large roof sign takes-up most of the allowable signage. Hellie said the Commission should table this application until staff can determine the exact amount of allowable signage. A motion by Hellie to table review of the proposed sign, seconded by LaBreck; motion carried. IV. Business A.Review proposed bridge area improvements Fortney updated the Commission on the planning of the Highway 61 bridge project and area improvements. The Highway 61 Visual Quality Team has put together some proposed improvements for the south bridge approach that the HPC should review and comment on. Some of the proposed aesthetic add-ons include downtown streetlights, pavers or colored concrete added to the sidewalks, relocation of the existing monument probably very near the existing location, concrete retaining walls could be tinted and/or textured. There is a probability that the demolition of the existing bridge would be “mitigated” with outdoor interpretive exhibits concerning Hastings ties to the river, past bridges, adjacent historic districts. One good question is whether the exhibits would be properly sited underneath the new bridge in that large open space. Some say it would be dark and dirty and not conducive to browsing through interpretive exhibits. Others say it would not be that bad, and would be a shady place in the summer. th The VQ Team was given some additional concepts to consider at the August 12 meeting. One idea was for photographs etched in the concrete of the bridge abutment, under the bridge. Chair Goderstad said there should be many lights in the area and on the bridge like the ones that are located downtown. Sovik-Siemens said trees are an important feature to have in the project. Commissioner Dahl and Martin commented that interruptive panels and the like should not be located under the bridge because of possible vandalism and that type of environment is not well suited for the use. Dahl said benches should be included near the interruptive panels. A motion by Martin to recommend to the Visual Quality Team approval of their proposal, seconded by LaBreck with the following conditions; motion carried. The following items are important features to be included in the final proposal: ? Lighting similar to downtown ? Many trees ? Interruptive panels and the like should not be located under the bridge ? Benches should be included near the interruptive panels B.Review proposed sign ordinance amendment Fortney presented the staff report. The Heritage Preservation Commission is asked to review the following amendment to Hastings City Code Chapter 155.08 – Portable Signage. The amendment would allow portable (sandwich board) signs up to 8 square feet in the downtown area. The existing City Code prohibits all portable signage in areas zoned DC – Downtown Core nd or within the East 2 Street Historic District even though sandwich boards are present. Martin said she supports the sandwich board signs because they are essential to the success of downtown businesses. Martin asked what would be the mechanism to enforce the proposed ordinance, specifically the following language: “Signage shall complement the historic nature of downtown.” Fortney said it would be the Planning staff. They would require the removal of exceptionally modern and distracting signs. A motion by Martin to approve the proposed sign ordinance amendment, seconded by Sovik-Siemens; motion carried. C.Seek a volunteer for HPC Conference 9-17,18-2009 (Chaska) Commissioner LaBreck volunteered to attend the HPC conference on behalf of the HPC. V.Information and Reports A.Report on the publication meeting Commissioners LaBreck and Wittgenstein reported that the meeting was a beneficial brainstorming session. B.Dakota County CDA Blight Demolition Program Fortney provided some background information. The Dakota County CDA (Community Development Agency) develops properties to provide lower income housing around the county including in the City of Hastings. They have obtained some federal stimulus money allocated for removing blighted properties. Their initiative is to buy blighted properties and demolish the homes. They would then hold the lot until a time when property values increase. They would then sell the lot for private development. Last month Fortney informed the HPC that the CDA th has purchased their first property for this program: 415 5 St W, Ca. 1880. They informed the City that they intend to demolish the home. Since the property is not designated the City cannot stop it, but staff can document the property before it is demolished. The HPC wished to send the CDA a letter with their concerns. Staff met with the CDA and explained the HPC’s concern with the demolition program. Staff visited the property and believe it is in disrepair and has many structural problems. The CDA said this will likely be the only house they will acquire for this program and they will work with the HPC to determine guidelines for the replacement home. Sovik-Siemens said the HPC should still be sending a letter to the CDA concerning its program. Fortney said he will put one together. V. Adjourn. Motion by Martin, second by Dahl to adjourn; motion carried. – 8:37 P.M.