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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-18-2020 HPC PacketHASTINGS HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION Agenda for the Meeting of August 18, 2020 Regular meeting at 7:00 p.m. conducted solely by telephone or other electronic means as provided in Minnesota Statutes § 13D.021 and no in-person meeting will be conducted at City Hall. I. Call to Order and Quorum II. Minutes: A. July 21, 2020 III. Certificate of Approval Review A. 319 2nd St W –New Second Story Porch Windows IV. Business and Information V. Adjourn The next regularly scheduled meeting will be held on September 15, 2020 HASTINGS HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION Minutes of the Regular Meeting of July 21, 2020 Held at 7:00 p.m. and conducted solely by telephone or other electronic means as provided in Minnesota Statutes § 13D.021 and no in-person meeting was conducted at City Hall. I. Quorum: Smith, Toppin, Ragan-Scully, Sovik-Siemens, Johnson, Borchardt, and Douglas. Absent: Simacek, and Youngren Staff Present: Dan Wietecha, City Administrator and Justin Fortney, City Planner Chair Smith called the meeting to order at 7:06. II. Minutes: June 16, 2020 Reagan-Scully advised of one correction to minutes. Address for item II should be 113 2nd Street East (not West). Motion by Toppin for approval with the minor correction, seconded by Sovik-Siemens - motion approved 7-0 by rollcall. III. Certificate of Approval Review A. 319 2nd Street West - Two replacement windows and windows in second floor porch 1. Window Replacements - Chair Smith presented the staff report. Trevor Johnson, applicant indicated that window replacements would be Anderson 2 over 2, a change from proposed. Commissioners asked the applicant a few questions about the proposed window replacements. Motion by Douglas for approval as amended, seconded by Ragan-Scully; motion approved 7-0 by rollcall. 2. Porch Enclosure - Chair Smith reviewed staff findings. Commissioners Johnson and Borchardt indicated that proposed windows change the look too much, difference in mass from the full screens. Discussion of casement windows vs. double hung windows. Discussion of possible 1 over 1 double hung. Commissioner Toppin proposed enclosing the screens with plastic for winterizing which keeps snow/rain out and reduces drafts; that has worked well for them on their screened front porch. Commissioner Johnson suggested storm windows. Trevor Johnson said that plastic would not be practical on the second story and for keeping out the rain in the warmer seasons. Motion by Douglas for approval as presented with the following condition, seconded by Sovik-Siemens; motion Failed 2-5 by rollcall. (Opposed: Smith, Toppin, Ragan-Scully, Johnson, Borchardt) - No muntin grids The commissioners made suggestions for a new application including an ilistration showing what the proposed windows would look like in the opengings. V. Business A. Conferences Fortney updated the Commission on upcomming remote conference opportunities. VI. Adjourn Motion by Borchardt second by Toppin to adjourn the meeting at 7:45 pm; motion approved 7-0 by rollcall. Respectfully Submitted Commissioner Toppin/Justin Fortney CERTIFICATE APPLICATION 8-2020 319 2nd Street W. Trevor Johnson –windows in second floor side porch Ca. 1888, Old Hastings Historic District- Contributing and National Register District Requests: The applicants are proposing to install 9 double hung windows in the second story of the screened porch on the side of the home. They state that the second story porch takes in too much moisture from rain and snow. They believe this will lead to problems with rotting the wood floor, floor joists and ceiling below. They also have issues keeping the two adjoining bedrooms as warm as the rest of the house in the winter. This is due to the historic uninsulated doors and windows into the porch. Enclosing the space would keep the temperature higher and reduce drafts, but allow the top of the windows to be opened for ventilation, even if rain is expected. They are proposing to replace the nine screen sections with nine double hung 1 over 1 windows, as some Commissioners stated a preference for those versus the 2 over 2 previously proposed at the July meeting. Porch: Design Guidelines (Page 21) 7:Porches and steps 5. Enclosure Unenclosed front porches should not be permanently enclosed. Staff findings: The applicant believes this porch is not original to the home, due to old mortar lines that outline a past porch connected to the home in the same location. The sanborn Fire Insurance maps show that there was a single-story porch in this location, until it was replaced with this two-story porch between 1911 and 1924. Sleeping porches were popular after 1900, up until electric fans became readily available. The National Register’s category of significance was architecture. Since the homes of the district were completed by 1890, the era of significance for the district is 1800-1899. The district likely has additional significance to the region and city, due to the individuals that lived in the homes and their contributions to the development of the region. The Guidelines state front porches should not be enclosed. This porch is not in the front or even front half. If approved, the windows need not replicate the historic window pattern as they are not original window locations. In fact, they should not replicate historic windows exactly. However, the stucco porch and modern windows will still be discernable from the original. Guideline interpretation In the past the HPC has allowed the installation of windows in porches that are not in the front of the home. 4-2014 314 5th Street East. Approved replacement of screens with windows. Ca. 1885, Old Hastings Historic District- Contributing There have been several approvals for replacement windows in both front and side porches that were previously enclosed. Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps National Register Form page relating to significance (Complete Form) HPC Request for 319 2nd St. W. Submitted by: Trevor and Christi Johnson (owners) Date: 8/15/2020 Description of Request: We are requesting permission to install windows in our 2nd story porch, which is located on the East side of our home. Currently that porch is enclosed with screens, and we would like to replace the screens with windows of similar size and shape. The primary reason for replacing the screens with windows is PRESERVATION OF THE STRUCTURE. A significant amount of water blows in year-round as both rain and snow. It soaks into indoor/outdoor carpeting, which is laid directly over the old wood flooring. We are concerned that the moisture will cause rot and mold in the historic wood floor, joists, and porch ceiling below it. It seems to still be pretty solid to this point, but exposing it directly to water will eventually result in rot and irreparable damage. In order to adequately protect the wood structure from year-round precipitation, the windows need to remain in place year-round. Temporary or seasonal solutions such as plastic will not provide year-round protection. In addition, any glass that is installed will need to be operational (opens and closes) in order to provide adequate airflow and temperature regulation to make this space usable as a sleeping porch. Ease of operation is also a consideration, as this is on the second story, so regular installation or removal of barriers is not feasible. A side benefit of this will be improved livability and comfort of the bedrooms that adjoin the porch, as they are subject to cold and draftiness in winter months. This is desirable, although it is very much secondary to the preservation of the structure. The proposed windows are Andersen 200 series double hung in a sandtone exterior, with no grilles per the recommendation of the HPC from our previous submission in July. These will match the color of the original windows in the rest of the home, and the double hung style matches the style of the home’s original windows as well as conforms to the standards set forth in the Residential Design Guidelines. Section 7 of the design guidelines is dedicated to recommendations regarding porches. Item 5 specifically addresses enclosure of porches and clearly states that front porches shall not be enclosed. It makes no such mention of porches located in the side or back of the home. It is also worth noting that this portion of the structure is both already enclosed with screens and is not visible from the front of the house or the side street. It is slightly visible seasonally when standing in front of the neighbor’s house (Octagon House) if you position yourself between trees to obtain a direct line of site. A map and images of the porch location, as well as images of the porch with it’s existing screens, the proposed window type, and a rendering of the windows installed in the porch (courtesy of Karen Douglas – thank you, Karen!) are displayed on the following pages. Location of the Porch in Relation to the Home and the Adjoining Streets Photos of the home and the 2nd story porch being remodeled are shown below. One window will be located in each screen opening (banks of 3, totaling 6 windows on the east side and 3 on the south). 2nd St. W Back Alley A sh lan Spring Primary Visibility Front of Street Views of the home are shown on the following pages to clarify the location of the porch, as it is on the back half of the home, hidden from both the front of the home (2nd St. W) and the side street (Ashland). Corner of 2nd and Ashland – NW corner of Home (Effected Porch Not Visible) 2nd Street – Front of Home (Effected Porch Not Visible) Corner of 2nd and Spring – NW Corner of Intersection (Effected Openings Seasonally Visible In Rear Portion of House; Leaves Obstruct Most of Year) Corner of 2nd and Spring – Front Walk of Octagon House (Effected Openings Seasonally Visible In Rear Portion of House; Leaves Obstruct Most of Year) Proposed Windows to be Installed Andersen 200 Series Double Hung Window – Sandtone Exterior Renderings to Simulate Approximate Completed Installation Are on Following Pages (Special Thanks to Karen!)