Historic Preservation Commission

City of Fresno City Hall 2600 Fresno Street Fresno, CA 93721 Meeting Minutes - Final Monday, December 16, 2019 6:00 PM Regular Meeting Fresno City Hall, Second Floor Room 2165N (Conference Room A) Historic Preservation Commission Chair Patrick Boyd Vice Chair Jason Hatwig, LEED, AP, BD+C Commissioners: Robin Goldbeck; Paul Halajian, AIA; Ron McNary; C. Kristina Roper, M.A.; Don Simmons, Ph.D. Staff: Daniel Zack, AICP Assistant Director; Laura Groves van Onna, Historic Preservation Specialist; Harkiran Kaur, Services Aide, Recording Secretary; Rina Gonzales, Deputy City Attorney III Historic Preservation Meeting Minutes - Final December 16, 2019 Commission I. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL Present 4 - Chair Patrick Boyd, Vice Chair Jason Hatwig, Commissioner Robin Goldbeck, and Commissioner Don Simmons Absent 3 - Commissioner Paul Halajian, Commissioner C. Kristina Roper, and Commissioner Ron McNary II. APPROVE MEETING MINUTES A. ID20-00011 Approve Minutes for October 28, 2019. 2 Attachments: HPC_Minutes_Oct_28_2019.pdf The minutes for October 28, 2019 were approved 4-0 with a motion by Chair Boyd and a second by Vice Chair Hatwig. III. APPROVE AGENDA The agenda with was approved 4-0 with a motion by Commissioner Goldbeck and a second by Chair Boyd. IV. CONSENT CALENDAR A. None. V. CONTINUED MATTERS A. None. VI. COMMISSION ITEMS A. ID20-00011 CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF REQUEST BY THE 3 PROPERTY OWNER TO RECOMMEND TO THE CITY COUNCIL THE DESIGNATION OF THE FOLLOWING PROPERTY TO THE LOCAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC RESOURCES AND ADOPTION OF FINDINGS NECESSARY TO SUPPORT RECOMMENDATION PURSUANT TO FMC 12-1609: 1. The Ridge Electric Motor Company Building Located at 1235 City of Fresno Page 2 Historic Preservation Meeting Minutes - Final December 16, 2019 Commission G Street. Staff Recommendation: Approve and forward to the City Council Attachments: Local Register nomination Attachment.pdf Historic Preservation Specialist Laura Groves van Onna introduced the new City Attorney representative, Rina Gonzales and the new Recording Secretary, Harkiran Kaur. She presented the staff report on the application by the owner to put the Ridge Electric Motor Company Building, 1235 G St, on the Local Register of Historic Resources. The property consists of a one-story commercial building, constructed in the Free-form/Mid-Century Modern architectural style in Downtown Fresno. It was constructed in 1968 of concrete masonry units clad in smooth stucco ornamented by an eclectic array of sculptural shapes consisting of brilliant blue tiles. The property is greater than 50 years of age and possesses integrity of location, design, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association, and is significant under Local Register Criterion iii because it represents the work of two masters, architect Robin Gay McCline and ceramics sculptor Stan Bitters. Because the Ridge Electric Motor Company Building appears to be eligible for the Local Register of Historic Resources, staff recommends that the Commission approve the request for designation and forward to City Council. Chair Patrick Boyd: Are we considering just the front façade … or is it the whole building? Groves van Onna: We are considering the whole building. Boyd: Okay. Are there any comments from staff? The property owner? The general public? Okay, let’s bring it back to commission. Vice Chair Jason Hatwig: It’s nice to see something artistic here. This is exactly what preservation is all about. It’s not just because something is old, it’s got a lot of character and is a shining example. I’m all for this project and the kind of unique… Boyd: Love seeing a more modern… City of Fresno Page 3 Historic Preservation Meeting Minutes - Final December 16, 2019 Commission Commissioner Robin Goldbeck: Exciting. Commissioner Don Simmons: I’m sure somewhere in the archives is an interview with… Goldbeck: Cool. Boyd: I have not seen that. No Public Comment Staff recommendation was approved 4-0 on a motion by Vice Chair Hatwig and a second by Commissioner Goldbeck. B. ID20-00011 REVIEW AND COMMENT ON THE PROPOSED RELOCATION 4 PLAN FOR THE VAN NESS ENTRANCE GATE (CR; FCL; HP #082) LOCATED AT 2208 S VAN NESS AVENUE FROM THE CALIFORNIA HIGH-SPEED RAIL AUTHORITY PURSUANT TO FMC 12-1606(b)(6). Attachments: Van Ness Gate Relocation Attachments.pdf Historic Preservation Specialist Laura Groves van Onna introduced the item regarding the proposed relocation plan for the Van Ness Entrance Gate (CR; FCL; HP #082) located at 2208 S Van Ness Avenue from the California High-Speed Rail Authority and the presenter for this item, Robert Ramirez of the California High-Speed Rail Authority. Boyd: Absolutely, come on up. For the record, please state your name and address. Robert Ramirez, High-Speed Rail Authority (1501 Fulton Avenue): Because of this project [High-Speed Rail], this portion of Van Ness Avenue is going to be cul-de-sac’d, … since it’s served as an entrance … part of our mitigation is to relocate it. Boyd: It’s been a while. City of Fresno Page 4 Historic Preservation Meeting Minutes - Final December 16, 2019 Commission Ramirez: Mariposa Street was the alternative for it. We’ve been working on a plan from where it is now. We touched on it at the December 14, 2015 HPC meeting. What we will discuss here is the logistics behind the relocation itself. Before we did anything with regard to any moving, we retained the sign that’s … The results of the assessment is the existing support columns didn’t have enough structural integrity to reuse at the new location. That was the biggest issue that was noted in terms of conditions. … The light fixtures at the top of the columns could be reused at … Boyd: And when you talk about that, sorry, it’s just moving that because of the columns’ age – it’s moving it that makes the integrity … Ramirez: The integrity … would not survive. Boyd: Mhm, gotcha. Ramirez: What you’re looking at here is the red outline that is the part that would likely not be able to be moved to the new location. The green, depending on further assessment, may be able to be moved. The light fixtures could be moved to the new location. The span itself would be cut free and transported and then reinstalled. What you see spanning the roadway, as far as we can tell at the moment, it does contain enough integrity… And then it’s kind of what I just said here. It’s placed on a flatbed and … that’s a pretty significant section. So in terms of the condition of the existing structure, that’s what we’re looking at. Boyd: Are there steel poles in the middle of those concrete columns? Is that how it is? Ramirez: It’s steel beams, right? (asking representatives of moving company in audience) Arlen Tanielian, CNI: Actually, those fluted columns are filled with concrete. The belief is that the beams must go from the top. There’s really… (inaudible) City of Fresno Page 5 Historic Preservation Meeting Minutes - Final December 16, 2019 Commission Ramirez: And then you have the base. Jim Williams (1235 G Street): Are you going to leave the name on it? Ramirez: That would be discussion between the City and High-Speed Rail, in terms of signage that’s retained. Obviously, that would be a further point of consultation as we get closer to the moving of this sign and the reattachment of it at the new location. So, at the relocation site, again, prior to the relocation, looking to build the columns prior to the installation of the actual archway and whatever logical work in footing work will occur at the location. Obviously, the City will obtain the proper permits. Boyd: Sure. Ramirez: General estimate is that it will take four full working days to accomplish this. Any issue that may come up with structural integrity … If work does … In order to get it to meet whatever requirements with whatever the city has in regards to structures. And a point of further discussion would be just maintenance issues. Our mitigation measures did not specifically discuss restoration or anything like that. Our mitigations just discussed the relocation of it. I’m just following the guidelines with regards to mitigation. But overall, that’s what I wanted to present to you all so that you’re aware of the logistics behind the move. The [High-Speed Rail] Authority is aware of the possible realignment of the street. I don’t know if that’s still in the off … I know Randall Morrison [Assistant Director of Public Works] would like to see the sign … Boyd: Mhm. Ramirez: So if you have your own redevelopment schedule, then we can work within the … Boyd: Um, because we’re essentially scratching the post completely, I would assume that while the look will be as close as we can get it to the original, the structural technique and structural abilities will be different. … City of Fresno Page 6 Historic Preservation Meeting Minutes - Final December 16, 2019 Commission Have you… Ramirez: Yeah, that’s what we would work with CNI is the fabric replacement of it. … Is this a specific type you can find off the shelf? Would you be able to find at least something as close as possible to what already exists? Williams: Is the street that’s existing pretty close? Ramirez: Any proposed realignment… Boyd: Realignment is out of our league … Assistant Director Dan Zack: I can speak to that a little bit. The long-term … when that stretch of Mariposa Mall was opened, … it’s probably going to stay on a little. Ramirez: (inaudible) Goldbeck: And to that point, I had a question. Is there a footprint… Hatwig: Right-of-way width. Zack: Yeah, the rights-of-way ought to both be the standard 80-foot rights-of-way … Now in terms of the curb-to-curb width, … I think there are parking lanes in that… Goldbeck: Mhm. Boyd: (inaudible) Goldbeck: I guess I’m just wondering if that span … Zack: You’re clearing two lanes of traffic here. Julie Reith, TPZP: And we had surveyed that area of the … They also City of Fresno Page 7 Historic Preservation Meeting Minutes - Final December 16, 2019 Commission brought the diagrams from the meeting that Robert was referencing and it talks about the current Mariposa. Goldbeck: Thank you. Boyd: Any changes to the height? Ramirez: We would basically be able to … I don’t think there’s even a light post. We should be in a good place in terms of maintaining the same height. Boyd: Laura, is this going to maintain … ? Ramirez: We will remember to address them… Jeff Long, CNI: One of our core values is the preservation of signage. As collected signs and projects like this have occurred and we maintain them, our shop is a beautiful example of this sign, so a concept for us to be able to work on something like this is … We’ve now learned that something like this is … We want it to look exactly the same. It would be a new material in the columns, but our goal is to make it look the same. Boyd: Awesome. Hatwig: One question, … is going to be inclusive in that as well? Long: There is no goal at this point to do any restoration work. Hatwig: Mhm. Long: But yeah, the goal is to pick up the thing, take it and drop it, right as it is right now. I think that ultimately the goal is that we are taking valuable resources… Boyd: Mhm, so I would assume that with restoration in the back of your mind, that when we put it there, electrical and all of that stuff, it’s ready to be essentially restored and there’s no major redo stuff. City of Fresno Page 8 Historic Preservation Meeting Minutes - Final December 16, 2019 Commission Ramirez: Again, and that aspect of it will be between City of Fresno and High-Speed Rail Authority, since our mitigation did not factor that in. Monte Kim, High-Speed Rail Authority: Just to add, when the treatment plan for this gate was established with the Authority back in 2015 or so, one of the things we wanted to stress was that the moving and relocation would follow the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards. In this case, the design integrity of the structure is maintained. So with these gates, the fluted columns, the shape of the base, the height, all of those things were considered as part of the mitigation, and so our intent was to maintain the design as closely as possible to the existing form and the materials we know that there have been improvements in, like concrete and metal. According to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards, you can use like materials, so if there’s a type of concrete that is stronger than the type used in the 20s when this was created, that would be acceptable, and likewise with metal. The other thing that the treatment plan called for was that once the gate was moved, that there would be another conditional assessment. So there would be a pre-conditional assessment before the gate was moved and another once it was moved. Boyd: Excellent, thank you very much. Kim: All we have are photos; we don’t have any structure-like drawings. Boyd: Would that be a part of the process? Long: All the dimensions have been taken already. Boyd: Beautiful, thank you. I’d like to open it up to the general public, if there are any comments. No Additional Public Comment Goldbeck: Seems it’s still in process but they’re well on their way to paying attention to the details … City of Fresno Page 9 Historic Preservation Meeting Minutes - Final December 16, 2019 Commission Hatwig: Looking forward to the finalized version. Groves van Onna: Is there any guidance? Hatwig: I think it’s been documented, agreeing with Patrick, making sure there’s a record. Goldbeck: Seeing that dimensions are taken… Boyd: Actual final product’s going to be… Groves van Onna: So far, so good. They’ll be returning to discuss the proposed replacement of the columns. Boyd: Very good, thank you. Appreciate it. Item Closed C. ID20-00011 REVIEW AND ADOPT CITY’S CLG 2018-2019 ANNUAL 5 REPORT PURSUANT TO FMC 12-1606(b)(16). Attachments: CLG 2018-2019 Annual Report.pdf Historic Preservation Specialist Laura Groves van Onna presented the City of Fresno’s 2018-2019 Certified Local Government (CLG) Annual Report. Goldbeck: I was surprised to read, Laura, that we surveyed like 350 properties. Groves van Onna: So that was actually in regard to reviews… Goldbeck: Oh, okay. Groves van Onna: So just any review that I did… Goldbeck: I figured it was … City of Fresno Page 10 Historic Preservation Meeting Minutes - Final December 16, 2019 Commission Groves van Onna: Hopefully impressive nonetheless. Simmons, Boyd, Hatwig: (laugh and agree) Zack: Very impressive. Groves van Onna: Thank you. Boyd: Excellent. Any comments from the general public? Additional comments, Council? No Public Comment The City of Fresno’s CLG 2018-2019 Annual Report was adopted 4-0 on a motion by Vice Chair Hatwig and a second by Commissioner Simmons. D. ID20-00011 ADOPT 2020 HPC MEETING SCHEDULE. 6 Attachments: 2020 HPC MEETING SCHEDULE CALENDAR Historic Preservation Specialist Laura Groves van Onna presented the proposed 2020 HPC Meeting Schedule. Boyd: Thank you, good call. Jot it in your calendars now. No Public Comment The 2020 HPC Meeting Schedule was approved 4-0 on a motion by Commissioner Goldbeck and a second by Chair Boyd. VII. CHAIRPERSON'S REPORT 1. None. VIII. UNSCHEDULED ITEMS A. Members of the Commission City of Fresno Page 11 Historic Preservation Meeting Minutes - Final December 16, 2019 Commission 1. California Preservation Foundation (CPF) Workshop Commissioner Simmons announced that the California Preservation Foundation is holding an advanced topics workshop on January 31 from 9 to 3 on F St. The topic is adaptive reuse of historic properties and affordable housing and it is a reprise workshop that they did in San Francisco last year. This is the first workshop that they will offer with simultaneous translation in Spanish as well. Here in Fresno we hope that some elected officials or at least representatives of elected officials will attend … will talk about some best practices that are available. That workshop information is available on the California Preservation Foundation. They’re using the tagline, “Because you can’t build your way out of the affordable housing crisis.” Boyd: Perfect, especially with the conservation that’s going on now. Simmons: And by the way, I chair the higher education commission of the CPF and so we’re looking to involve college students … Boyd: Oh boy, here we go. Anything else? 2. New Security Measures at City Hall Vice Chair Hatwig called attention to the important notice Laura handed out. Groves van Onna: Oh, that’s just for commission members. But yes, City Hall is undergoing some improvements security wise. Boyd: Okay, staff – unscheduled items? B. Staff 1. Economic Incentive Programs Staff informed the Commission that contracts for the eight participants in the 2019 Mills Act Program had been recorded with the County and that $35,000.00 in reimbursement grant awards was still available through the Historic Preservation Mitigation Program. City of Fresno Page 12 Historic Preservation Meeting Minutes - Final December 16, 2019 Commission Deputy City Attorney Rina Gonzales: I was just kind of going to mention what Laura said, that there is money available, so yes anyone … Boyd: Are we looking at having people apply or are we in combination with actually choosing projects, or is it all application based? Groves van Onna: So it’s application based, goes through me, and it’s a reimbursement grant program. So, once people’s projects have received initial approval… upon project completion, they can receive a maximum of $7500 or 40% of project costs, whichever is less… Boyd: So we couldn’t use it for sign restoration? Zack: Right, and it’s not – there’s no competitive process … Boyd: Right. Zack: Anyone who’s applied and is eligible … Boyd: (inaudible) Zack: Yeah, Laura and I are looking at working at promotional opportunities… Right now it’s just been word of mouth. I’m looking at ways to reach out to those folks and make them aware. Boyd: Any unscheduled items from the general public? C. General Public 1. None. IX. NEXT MEETING: January 27, 2020, 6 PM Conference Room A, City Hall. X. ADJOURNMENT Chair Boyd adjourned the meeting at 6:52 PM. City of Fresno Page 13 Historic Preservation Meeting Minutes - Final December 16, 2019 Commission Respectfully submitted: Laura Groves van Onna, Historic Preservation Specialist Harkiran Kaur, Recording Secretary City of Fresno Page 14