Historic District Commission

MANISTEE CITY HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION Special Meeting of Wednesday, July 27th, 2021 This meeting will be held in the City Council Chambers. AGENDA I Call to Order II Roll Call III Approval of Agenda At this time, the Historic District Commission can take action to approve the July 27, 2021, Agenda. IV Approval of Minutes At this time Historic District Commission can take action to approve the July 7, 2021, Meeting Minutes. V Public Comment on Agenda Related items At this time, the Chair will ask if there are any public comments. VI New Business • Jeff Gordon 411 River St • Jeff Gordon 347/349 River St VII Old Business Permit Review VIII Public Comments and Communications concerning items not on the agenda. At this time, the Chair will ask if there are any public comments. IX Correspondence X Reports DDA Executive & Economic Development Director Museum Curator Museum Director Planning & Zoning Administrator XI Members Discussion At this time, the Chair will ask members of the Historic District Commission if they have any items they want to discuss. XII Adjournment 1  HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION 70 Maple Street Manistee, MI 49660 MEETING MINUTES July 7, 2021 A meeting of the 2021 Historic District Commission was held on Wednesday, July 7, 2021 at 4:00 pm, Manistee, Michigan. The meeting was called to order at 4:01 by Chair Trucks. Members Present: Shelly Memberto, William Connor, Ron Helmboldt, Dennis Otto, Thad Taylor, and Lee Trucks Members Absent: Nick Hawkins Others: Zach Sompels (City Zoning /Planner 1), and Nancy Baker (Recording Secretary) APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION by Commissioner Taylor, seconded by Commissioner Connor to approve the agenda as printed. Motion passed with a voice vote. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION by Commissioner Otto, seconded by Commissioner Helmboldt to approve the June 29, 2021 Special Meeting Minutes as presented. Motion passed with a voice vote. PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA RELATED ITEMS None NEW BUSINESS Jeff Gordon, 411 River Mr. Sompels stated Mr. Gordon has received COA’s in the past with multiple extensions. Mr. Gordon comments: • Returning façade to original window/door sizing and look • Corbels were made to match old existing style • Reconstructing the framework • Replaced upper arch windows and rebuilt ledge • Timeframe: framing to be completed by Summer 2021, entrance by Spring 2022 Ms. Memberto entered the room at 4:09 pm. City of Manstee 2020 Historic District Commision July 7, 2021 Page 1 HDC comments for 411 River:  COA’s are good for a year  Mr. Gordon’s project has been ongoing for 15 years  Mr. Gordon’s COA has not been completed in 15 years  Inside is not part of COA  Applicant informed the HDC, year before Covid, this project would be complete  Blight has been issued for the building  Contact will be made to the city attorney to be sure if COA is issued there will be no conflict with the blight MOTION by Commissioner Taylor, seconded by Commissioner Helmboldt to table this until the next meeting pending the response from the city attorney/city police regarding the blight and reviews. Commissioner Taylor amended his motion. MOTION by Commissioner Taylor, seconded by Commissioner Helmboldt to table this until the next meeting, or until a special meeting needs to occur after a court decision is made. Mr. Fedder stated the museum has been working with Mr. Gordon since the beginning of the project. Some of the project has been accomplished. When completed it will be one of the best- preserved store fronts on River Street. The issue is the time frame of completing the project. Many complaints have come in regarding this unfinished project. Chair Trucks stated the HDC does not, and has not, objected to the plan but rather the long length of time the project has taken and is still not completed. Motion was reread. Motion passed with a voice vote. Jeff Gordon, 347/349 River Mr. Gordon reviewed the project’s details that have been completed to this point. Everything on the store fronts will match the original look. The current working process is to start at the top of the buildings and work his way down the building. Building permits for the inside work are through the State and will be inspected by the State. Mr. Sompels will contact the city building inspector to confirm the State is doing the inspections. Mr. Gordon confirmed his buildings are in blight. Chair Trucks stated the previous HDC, 411 River, comments apply to this project. City of Manstee 2020 Historic District Commision July 7, 2021 Page 2 MOTION by Commissioner Taylor, seconded by Commissioner Connor, the 411 River Street motion be the same for 347/349 River Street, to table this until the next meeting, or until a special meeting needs to occur after a court decision is made. Motion passed with a voice vote. OLD BUSINESS None Permit Review Mr. Sompels stated the system still will not enable him to get into the program to generate the permit information into a list. COMMENTS AND COMMUNICATIONS CONCERNING ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA None CORRESPONDENCE None REPORTS DDA Executive & Economic Development No one in attendance to submit a report. Museum Curator/Director None Planning & Zoning Administrator Mr. Sompels welcomed Mr. Taylor to the HDC. He supplied HDC Guideline tools for all the members, as a reference, for any possible future items. MEMBERS DISCUSSION Commissioner Connor inquired on what would occur if the COA is not approved for the River Street situation or any future situations that may occur with this type of issue. It is understood the HDC does not have the authority to deny a COA application if it meets HDC application requirements. He inquired if the blight process requires a project to be completed by a certain timeframe. Mr. Sompels stated tabling the River Street situations is fair however, if an application is completed the HDC may not have an option except to approve the COA. Work cannot commence on a project until the proper permits have been issued. The HDC will be contacted once the city attorney informs the department of the outcome for the River Street COA’s. HDC has authority for the façade of buildings within the Historic District and any buildings outlined on the Historic Register. Commissioner Memberto would like to see the project move forward and not be stalled. City of Manstee 2020 Historic District Commision July 7, 2021 Page 3 Mr. Sompels stated Mr. Mathenson has been contacted regarding the outcome of the meeting regarding the window situation at 435 River. Discussion ensued with the following comments.  Per Lisa Rozmarek Historic Consultant, a violation on a building can be attached to the building by the present owner or any new owners.  A COA must be in place to receive a building permit.  A violation can be connected to a building with a new owner having to address the violation issues before any new improvements/changes can be done on a building  The ability for HDC to avoid any future issues, such as the situations currently at hand  The length a project can go on before being required to be completed and the HDC having the authority to move a project forward within a timeframe  Language that allows the HDC to state a citation goes with a building/property and the possible fining for such situations  Concerns were raised with possible new buyers being deterred due to a nearby building having COA or blight issues  Impact on residents/visitors looking at the buildings in the blight/unfinished condition ADJOURNMENT MOTION by Commissioner Connor, seconded by Commissioner Memberto to adjourn the meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 4:54 pm. _______________________________ Nancy Baker, Recording Secretary City of Manstee 2020 Historic District Commision July 7, 2021 Page 4