Historic District Commission

CITY OF BATTLE CREEK HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION 10 North Division, Battle Creek, MI 49014 Minutes for Monday, September 12, 2022 MEETING CALLED TO ORDER: By Chairperson Newman at 4:00 p.m. This meeting was held in-person. ATTENDANCE: Comm. Newman asked that attendance be noted. A roll call was taken: Comm. Drozdowski, Present Comm. Newman, Present Comm. Simpson, Present Comm. Reid, Present Comm. Davis, Present Commissioners Excused: Comm. Sallee Staff Present: Travis Sullivan, Planner; Crystal Bax, Customer Serv. Rep. II and Marcel Stoetzel, Deputy City Attorney ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS TO AGENDA: None PUBLIC COMMENTS: None APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Previous meeting minutes will be submitted for approval for June 13, 2022 meeting during the next regularly scheduled meeting. CORRESPONDENCE: None. OLD BUSINESS: None. PUBLIC HEARINGS/DELIBERATIONS: A. H-12-22: (10 Division St N) Katie Norton, Facilities Manager located at 10 Division St N, petition for a certificate of appropriateness to demolish and rebuild the retaining wall surrounding the building of City Hall. The wall will be replaced in kind with the historic “S” shape for property located at 10 Division St N. Parcel #2620-01-001-0 Staff presentation: Staff recommends approval of the subject petition at 10 Division St. N as the proposed retaining wall replacement meets the standards. The building serves as a significant historical resource, and consists of a brick and masonry façade of various projections, arched windows on the first floor, and prominent column structures along three sides of the building, all representative of classical characteristics of the Beaux Arts Classicism style which was popular during the late 19th and early 20th century. Surrounding the building on three of its four sides (along Division St., John W Patterson Way, and abutting the First United Methodist Church site to the south) is the original concrete retaining wall, which is shaped in a unique “S” pattern. 1 Applicant Presentation: Katie Norton, Facilities Manager located at 10 Division St N, stated that she concurred with the staff presentation, and that if anyone had any questions, she and her contractor will be happy to answer them. Comments from commission members: None. MOTION MADE BY COMM. DROZDOWSKI SECONDED BY COMM. REID A roll call vote was taken: ALL IN FAVOR, MOTION APPROVED. B. H-13-22: (117 W Michigan Ave) Restore (269), 117 West Michigan Ave., petition for a certificate of appropriateness to build a new sign to be added to the tenant space, and will match the design elements of the sign at 115 W Michigan Ave, for property located at 117 W Michigan Ave. Parcel #0601-46-000-4 Staff presentation: The applicant has filed the subject HDC Certificate of Appropriateness application proposing the placement of a new blade sign at 117 W Michigan Ave. in order to identify the commercial establishments on the first floor of the building (Restore 269 and Driven Design). The proposed placement of the blade sign is intended to preserve the historical features and integrity of the façade of the building and also to match the existing sign at 115 W Michigan Ave. The sign is proposed to be placed above the entryway to the first floor of 117 W Michigan Ave. The proposed blade sign consist of a pair of two-sided panels, with each panel measuring 2’ in width by 1’-4” in height. The panels are proposed to be set one on top of the other and framed by ¾” by ¾” black steel trim around the perimeter. The panels will be constructed out of PVC material, with a Restore (269) logo printed on the top panel and a Driven Design logo printed on the bottom panel. The sign is proposed to be anchored to the wall by a 2” by 2” black steel tube, welded to a 3/8” steel plate with ¾” lag bolts securing the sign structure into the masonry façade. The sign panels and frame will be attached to the connecting steel tube by black chains. Additionally, the proposed sign meets all requirements of Chapter 1263 (Signs) of the Zoning Ordinance. Applicant presentation: Cody Newman explained the plans and a little background on why the new sign will be put in place. Comments from commission members: None. MOTION MADE BY COMM. DROZDOWSKI SECONDED BY COMM. REID A Roll call vote was taken: ALL IN FAVOR, MOTION APPROVED C. H-14-22: (117 W Michigan Ave. / 11 Carlyle St) Restore (269), 117 West Michigan Ave., petition for a certificate of appropriateness to replace the existing fence on the rear side of the property, in addition a few screening fences with automatic entry will be provided at the entry of 11 Carlyle St for property located at 11 Carlyle St. Parcel #0601-46- 000-5 Staff Presentation: The applicant has filed the subject HDC Certificate of Appropriateness application proposing the placement of new fencing at the rear of the property owned and controlled by the Riverfront Condominium’s Development, of which the applicant (Mr. Cody Newman of Restore (269)) is the sole owner 2 and member of the board of directors. The proposal includes the placement of a six-foot tall privacy fence at the property line along the southwestern end of the development, and a four-foot tall fence with 50% opacity at the northwestern property line (abutting Carlyle St.). The fences are intended to create a barrier to prevent trespassers from entering the property from the City-owned parking lot and the Carlyle St. right-of-way. As a side note, the Historic District Commission may remember that Mr. Newman received approval from the commission during the month of May for the construction of a garage along the southwestern property line (between the building located at 15 Carlyle St. and the garage at the rear of 103 W Michigan Ave.). Due to access easement related complications, Mr. Newman elected to shift the location of the garage to now abut the southeastern property line (against the wall of the building at 103 W Michigan Ave)., leaving open the area of his property which abuts the City-owned parking lot to the south. As no other alterations were made to the building (size, building material, etc.), and as the parking area itself is not identified as an historical resource, staff determined that no further Historic District approval was necessary. Mr. Newman is now back before the commission as the relocation of the garage has necessitated the construction of a fence in order to prevent unpermitted access to the property. Applicant Presentation: They took down the privacy fence that was there initially before the build of the garage that was put in place to replace a chain link fence. They are just requesting that a new fence be put in place with the changes of the easement of the garage. Comments from commission members: None. MOTION MADE BY COMM. DROZDOWSKI SECONDED BY COMM. REID. A Roll call vote was taken: ALL IN FAVOR, MOTION APPROVED D. 2022 Second Quarter Minor Class of Work Report Staff presentation: Section 1470.10 of the City of Battle Creek Code of Ordinances requires that the Historic Commission review, on at least a quarterly basis, the certificates of appropriateness, if any, issued for work by the authorities delegated pursuant to Section 1470.10 to determine whether or not the delegated responsibility should be continued. Given this requirement, staff has provided in this packet an inventory of each certificate of appropriateness issued for a minor class as specified by resolution of the Commission adopted on April 18, 2019. Such certificates were issued during the second quarter of the year 2022. 1. 58 EE Michigan Ave. – Approval to replace existing membranous-style flat roofing with a similar material which will result in no change to the appearance. 2. 62 E Michigan Ave. – Approval to replace existing membranous-style flat roofing with a similar material which will result in no change to the appearance. 3. 3. 62 E Michigan Ave. – Approval to relocate an air conditioning condenser unit currently located on the garage roof at the back of the building to allocation behind a fence of the new deck that is being installed and will not be visible from the parking lot/road/ground. The relocation will not destroy any historical features of the building. 3 Comments from Public: None. Comments from commission members: None. COMMENTS FROM COMMISSION MEMBERS: None. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC: None. COMMENTS FROM COMMISSION MEMBERS AND STAFF: None. ADJOURNMENT: Commissioner Simpson adjourned the meeting at 4:17 p.m. Submitted by: Crystal Bax, CSR II, Planning and Zoning M:\Planning Files\Planning Dept\1. Historic District\2.Minutes\Year 2022\HDC Minutes 9.12.22 DRAFT.docx 4