Heritage Preservation Commission Meetings and Work Sessions

City of Excelsior Hennepin County, Minnesota Minutes Heritage Preservation Commission Tuesday, March 16, 2021 1. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chair Macpherson called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. Commissioners Present: Macpherson, Bolles, Caron, Finch, Salita, Tyler Commissioners Absent: Brabec Also Present: City Planner Becker 2. AGENDA APPROVAL Motion by Caron, seconded by Bolles to approve the agenda as amended. Motion carried 5/0 with Finch not yet present. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a) February 23, 2021 Commissioner Caron moved, Commissioner Bolles seconded, to approve the minutes for the February 23, 2021 meeting. Motion carried 5/0 with Finch abstaining. 4. CITIZEN COMMENTS OR REPORTS Peter Hartwich, 186 George Street, spoke saying that he hopes that the applicant for 173 Second Street will designate the property. He also asked if the cottages on First Street were looked at to be designated, and Caron said that historic surveyors had suggested that the site may be appropriate for designation, but the owner was opposed. 5. DISCUSSION ITEMS Minutes Heritage Preservation Commission 3/16/2021 Page 2 of 4 a) 221 Water Street Sign Site Alteration Permit (HPC No. 21-05) Macpherson asked if the sign was going to be mounted or glued, and Becker stated that the applicant indicated the letters would be mounted. Caron would recommend that the lettering be placed on to some sort of backing board or material and that that be anchored into the mortar joints. Macpherson suggested that they be mounted to two strips of metal. Finch wanted to ensure that the backing would be painted the same color as the building. He offered to talk to the sign company to see how the sign was going to be affixed to the building. Motion by Caron, seconded by Finch to approve the Site Alteration Permit with the conditions that the individual letters be mounted to some kind of material and that that backing be anchored only into the mortar joints and that the exact manner of attachment be worked out between Commissioner Finch and the sign company. Motion carried 6-0. b) 344 Water Street Sign Site Alteration Permit (HPC No. 21-06) Bolles felt that Knapp was an iconic person in the community. Bolles felt that a few comments should be added to the application: the sign is being added to honor an iconic figure within the community and that there was a similar sign on the building previously. Finch explained that the ‘B’ on the sign would align with the top of the parapet. Bolles wanted to add the condition that the sign remain as is and not change. Motion by Salita to approve the Site Alteration Permit with the conditions that the sign’s design does not change, and that the red be a historic red. Seconded by Bolles. Finch wanted to add that the upper sign should be a building identification sign and not change and the lower portion is a business sign and may change so as to differentiate the two signs. Motion carried 5-0 with Caron recusing himself. c) 810 Excelsior Boulevard Fencing (HPC No. 21-07) Caron felt that the first three styles of fence were more appropriate for a cemetery and asked if the plan was to fence the entire cemetery. It was explained that there aren’t plans in Minutes Heritage Preservation Commission 3/16/2021 Page 3 of 4 the foreseeable future to fence the entire cemetery and that was not what was being proposed at this time. Salita felt that it was important to consider safety. Macpherson recommended that the fence be more ornate with a rounded finial. In general, the Commission asked that the fence be ornate, safe, black, and steel. They recommended that the first fence shown in the packet with a more rounded detail be chosen. d) Annual Meeting Elect Chair and Vice-Chair Motion by Caron to reappoint all existing officers, seconded by Bolles. Macpherson wanted to note that he may be moving but would agree to be chair until that happens for this term. Review By-Laws No By-Laws were changed. Goals and Objectives for 2021 Macpherson asked that the Commission review goals and objectives for 2021 and put the item back on the agenda for the next meeting. Preservation Award Becker stated that the 2020 Preservation Awards still need to be given out. Bolles said that Bruce Noll has not yet received an award for his home and should. Macpherson wanted to add 234 Water Street. Macpherson wanted to add it to the agenda for May under project updates to not let it slip. 6. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Salita, seconded by Bolles, to adjourn at 8:10 p.m. Motion carried 6-0. Respectfully submitted, Minutes Heritage Preservation Commission 3/16/2021 Page 4 of 4 Emily Becker City Planner