Heritage Preservation Commission Meetings and Work Sessions

City of Excelsior Hennepin County, Minnesota Minutes Heritage Preservation Commission Monday, October 16, 2018 1. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chair Macpherson called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. Commissioners Present: Caron, Chair Macpherson, Finch, Bolles Commissioners Absent: Salita, Brabec, Reece Also Present: Planning Consultant Richards and City Planner Becker 2. AGENDA APPROVAL Commissioner Caron moved, Commissioner Finch seconded, to approve agenda. Motion carried 4/0. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a) September 18, 2018 - Commissioner Caron moved, Commissioner Finch seconded, to approve minutes. Motion carried 4/0. b) October 8, 2018 – Commissioner Caron moved, Commissioner Finch seconded, to approve minutes. Motion carried 3/0 with Commissioner Bolles abstaining. 4. PUBLIC HEARING – 242 First Street a) Landmark Designation – 242 First Street (HPC No. 18-15) Becker presented the request for a landmark designation for the property located at 242 First Street. Chair Macpherson opened the public hearing at 7:06 p.m. No one from the public spoke and there was no written communication. Macpherson closed the public hearing at 7:07 p.m. Caron stated that the property meets the standards for landmark designation. The planning commission agrees as does SHPO. Motion by Caron, seconded by Bolles to recommend landmark designation for the property located at 424 First Street. 5. DISCUSSION ITEMS a) 464 Second Street – Site Alteration Permit for Window Replacement (HPC No. 18-17) Minutes Heritage Preservation Commission 10/16/2018 Page 2 of 3 Planner Becker presented the report. Todd Kendall of Andersen Windows, representing the applicant, spoke. He contended that windows have been replaced in several downtown locations. He provided supplemental materials to the Commission including a historic property on 2nd Street and also claimed that because the windows are located on the south and east side of the building, they are non-contributing. Pointed out that the owner has significantly improved the appearance of the building. The windows are non- functioning, and tenants have complained about the draft that the windows produce. Replacement of the windows would drastically improve energy costs by around $500-$700/year. The grills on the downstairs of the building would be difficult to preserve when replacing the windows, and so the grills would likely need to be replaced. Bolles stated that the building does not necessarily have a front and a back, as the side of the building to which the applicant refers is the back is called Union Place. Caron commented that many of the examples that the applicant provided are in fact new construction and do not have the same requirements as a remodel would. He iterated that a historic preservation specialist would need to evaluate the windows to determine if they are beyond repair, the historical significance, and what the feasible alternatives are for repair. There was consensus that Staff should set up for a historic preservationist to visit the property and make a determination on the practicability of fixing the windows. A list is available on the SHPO site, and there is no cost. Motion by Caron, seconded by Finch, to have an inspection of the windows set up with SHPO and bring back to a future meeting. If the review can be done sooner, the Commission is willing to call a special meeting to make a determination. Motion carried 4/0. b) Water Street Crosswalk Recommendation (HPC 18-16) Consulting Planner Richards presented the report. The Commission felt that the crosswalk may have an adverse effect, and there was concern that the design is reducing the four lanes down to two. Caron brought up that the Heritage Preservation Design Manual indicates that streetscape improvements should be consistent with the look and feel of the historic character of the downtown area and follow traditional designs. The Commission was also concerned how the proposed designs would be repaired, as it would be difficult to repair with mill and overlay. The Commission preferred the first design option. The Commission did not feel that the last design was historic. Generally, curb extensions should be minimized, striping should be simple, and some sort of streetscaping (including landscaping) should be included. Minutes Heritage Preservation Commission 10/16/2018 Page 3 of 3 c) Administrative Approvals Work Session Future Meeting Date Chair Macpherson explained the two dates that were considered for the Workshop. The Commission set the work session for the paint and the mechanical policy for October 22 at 8:00 a.m. d) By-Law Amendment – Regular Meeting Start Time Motion by Chair Macpherson, seconded by Commissioner Finch, to amend the by-laws to change the start time of the HPC meetings to 6:30 p.m. Motion carried 4/0. 6. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Commissioner Finch, seconded by Commissioner Bolles, to adjourn at adjourned at 9:05 p.m. Motion carried 4/0. Respectfully submitted, Emily Becker City Planner