Heritage Preservation Commission Meetings and Work Sessions

City of Excelsior Hennepin County, Minnesota Minutes Heritage Preservation Commission Tuesday, May 22, 2018 1. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chair Macpherson called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. Commissioners Present: Bolles, Brabec, Finch, Chair Macpherson, Reece Commissioners Absent: Caron, Reece and Salita Also Present: Planning Director Smith 2. AGENDA APPROVAL Commissioner Brabec moved, Commissioner Finch seconded, to approve agenda adding the Annual Awards. Motion carried 4/0. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a) Heritage Preservation Commission Meeting of April 17, 2018 Commissioner Bolles moved, Commissioner Brabec seconded, to approve the Heritage Preservation Commission Minutes of April 17, 2018. Motion carried 4/0. b) Heritage Preservation Commission Meeting of May 3, 2018 Commissioner Bolles moved, Commissioner Brabec seconded, to approve the Heritage Preservation Commission Minutes of May 3, 2018. Motion carried 4/0. 4. CITIZEN REPORTS or COMMENTS None 5. DISCUSSION ITEMS a) Adopt a Tree Program Deb Rodgers, 101 George Street, Chair of Community for The Commons. Eric Snyder, 25 Center Street, member of Community for The Commons (C4C) addressed the Commission. C4C hired Bruce Chamberlain of Loam Consulting to help put together an execution plan. Chamberlain is suggesting the first projects be the boardwalk, the band shell and the great lawn as each was rated as a high priority by the community. Snyder expects a multi-year capital campaign (3 years) to raise funds to complete the first projects. Minutes Heritage Preservation Commission May 22, 2018 Page 2 of 4 Project #3 includes adding 13 parking spaces by the beach “drop-off” circle and 7 new spaces by W. Lake Street. Project will cost approximately $300,000. C4C would like to start an adopt-a-tree program. Some of the trees are older than the park. Sixteen trees are recommended for removal. Twenty-nine are Ash trees. City staff recommends C4C to work with an arborist to take care of the trees. Deb Rodgers stated that a tree removal plan would need to be approved by the HPC. Finch had concerns with C4C doing the maintenance of The Commons instead of staff. Commissioner Bolles moved, Commissioner Brabec seconded, to recommend the City Council approve the Adopt-a-Tree concept. Motion carried 4/0. b) Site Alteration Permit – 221 Water Street (HPC No. 18-11) Smith presented the staff report. The proposed sign is brought to the HPC because staff does not believe it meets the City’s Design Manual standards. Mike Crawford addressed the Commission. Bolles suggested the applicant talk to building owner to devise a sign plan for the building. Macpherson and Brabec suggests two separate signs for the different uses. One being a blade sign, limited in words, limited in colors, and should work with the other businesses in the building. Doris Crawford, applicant, addressed the Commission. Applicant withdrew the site alteration permit request. c) Site Alteration Permit – 6 Third Street (HPC No. 18-12) Smith presented the staff report. Dan Hannah, property owner, stated the rear additions were added in the 1970s. Dan Brattland, applicant, stated if the rear cannot be razed, he will not pursue the project. Will Skadsberg, former owner, addressed the Commission. Dan Brattland is asking if the Commission would allow razing the non-historic addition. Bolles supports the concept for the plans. Brabec supports the concept plans. Brabec motion, Bolles seconded, to support the general form of the plans. Brabec withdrew original motion. Brabec motioned, Finch seconded, to support the variance needed to add the second story over the screen porch. Motion carried 4/0. Brabec motion, Bolles seconded, to support razing the rear portion of the building, from the chimney chase back, preserving the chimney. Diagram Minutes Heritage Preservation Commission May 22, 2018 Page 3 of 4 below shows the areas to be preserved and razed, final plans need HPC approval. Motion failed 2/2. Finch motion, Bolles seconded, to support an attached garage. Motion carried 4/0. Bolles stated that the Commission has historically been more lenient on changes to the rear of the buildings. Brabec believes saving the house is more important than saving the rear portion of the building. Bolles requested that the applicants draft letter outlining the dates of the improvements to the house. Finch motioned, Brabec seconded, to support razing the rear portion of the building, from the chimney chase back, preserving the chimney and double gable portion on the west side. Diagram below shows the walls to be preserved, final plans need HPC approval. Motion carried 3/1 with Finch voting nay. Bolles motioned, Brabec seconded, to remove the brackets, redesign the porch pillars, lowering the roofline of the new addition and adding third-story windows o the sided of the house, not withstanding other necessary changes brought up during the formal Site Alteration Permit review. Motion carried 4/0. d) Downtown Tree Selection - Bolles recommended that the City water the trees. e) Site Alteration Permit Extension – 289 Water Street (HPC No. 15-15) Minutes Heritage Preservation Commission May 22, 2018 Page 4 of 4 Bolles motioned, Brabec seconded, to deny the extension because applicant has an unpaid escrow and the application was brought to the Commission after the year deadline. f) Annual Awards Finch moved, Brabec seconded, to nominate Lindsay Hannah and 350 Second Street for 2018 Preservation Awards. Motion carried 4/0. 6. COMMUNICATIONS and REPORTS a) Next City Council Meeting – June 4, 2018 b) Next HPC Meeting – Tuesday, June 19, 2018 c) Administrative SAP Approvals – 351 Second St. d) Recent City Council Actions e) Project Updates 7. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS a) Downtown Historic District Boundaries – including 426 Lake Street b) Report from staff regarding the list of properties on local register that have been recorded c) Conservation Districts d) Start comprehensive catalog of historic Single-Family homes e) Murals 8. ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Finch moved, Commissioner Bolles seconded, to adjourn the meeting at 10:43 p.m. Motion carried 4/0. Respectfully submitted, Patrick Smith Planning Director