Heritage Commission

City Hall Meeting Minutes 601 4th Avenue E Olympia, WA 98501 Heritage Commission Contact: Michelle Sadlier 360.753.8031 Wednesday, March 25, 2015 6:30 PM Room 207 1. CALL TO ORDER Vice Chair Harkness called the meeting to order at 6:34 p.m. 1.A ROLL CALL Present: 6 - Vice Chair Dwayne Harkness, Commissioner Benjamin Helle, Commissioner Patricia McLain, Commissioner Garner Miller, Commissioner Mark Rentfrow, and Commissioner Nicholas Vann Excused: 3 - Chair Holly Davies, Commissioner Luke Howard, and Commissioner Rachel Newmann Absent: 1 - Commissioner Mary Coacher 1.B OTHERS PRESENT Community Planning & Development Historic Preservation Officer Michelle Sadlier Deputy Director Leonard Bauer Senior Planner Amy Buckler Mayor Pro Tem Nathaniel Jones Olympia Art Space Alliance President Ron Hinton Planning Commissioner Judy Bardin 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA The agenda was approved. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 3.A 15-0283 Approval of Olympia Heritage Commission January 28, 2015 and February 21, 2015 (Retreat) Meeting Minutes The minutes were approved. 4. PUBLIC COMMENT - None 5. ANNOUNCEMENTS Ms. Sadlier gave an update on the mid-century survey and announced the anticipated presentation by survey consultants for May 2015. She reviewed the background and history of the survey to inform Mayor Pro Tem Jones and announced receipt of City of Olympia Page 1 Heritage Commission Meeting Minutes March 25, 2015 additional funds from the City for a Phase 2 of the project to draft a historical context report on Olympia's residential development. She distributed preservation award nomination forms and announced a deadline of April 1, 2015. Commissioners discussed nominations being considered including the Pritchard Building. Ms. Sadlier noted the General Government Committee revised its proposed reduction in Heritage Commission member numbers and would recommend keeping the Commission at 11 members. As a result, applicants for the vacant Heritage Commission positions would be interviewed. Commissioner Bardin gave a Planning Commission report and discussed recent and upcoming informational briefings. Commissioner Bardin announced this would be her last meeting serving as Planning Commission liaison to the Heritage Commission as she did not reapply for a position on the Planning Commission. Mr. Bauer discussed the upcoming briefing on soil contamination. Mayor Pro Tem Jones discussed the new City position for Economic Development, recent and future roundtable discussions with developers, the Grow Olympia fund, and bike boulevards. He announced the use of surplus funds to purchase a new fire truck. 6. BUSINESS ITEMS 6.A 15-0287 Update on Olympia Art Space Alliance’s Activities Mr. Hinton gave a presentation about the efforts of the Olympia Artspace Alliance to bring an artist live/work facility to Olympia. He discussed the association between the Olympia Alliance and the national Artspace organization based in Minneapolis, and results of a 2009 Artspace survey of Olympia and 2011 survey of other municipalities. The discussion was completed. 6.B 15-0289 Briefing on Olympia’s Downtown Strategy Ms. Buckler briefed the Commission on the Downtown Strategy "Connecting Places & Spaces" for creating a downtown that is active, compact and attractive, and is walkable, bike-friendly, with vibrant retail, public spaces, landscaping and art. She discussed the upcoming Open House scheduled for April 2015, outlined the role of advisory committees, and encouraged Commissioners to be active participants and leaders in the process. Discussion: - How to engage all members of the community including citizens who have been disengaged in the past. - Design firm with urban design awareness to be tasked with aspects of project City of Olympia Page 2 Heritage Commission Meeting Minutes March 25, 2015 consulting. - Importance of clean sidewalks and the practice of sidewalk cleaning in other countries and municipalities. - Integration of greening strategies which have been established to be highly beneficial. The report was received. 6.C 15-0290 Discussion of Heritage Commission Subcommittees Ms. Sadlier discussed the City of Olympia's Committee Rules of Procedures, including the requirement of sub-committees having a chair and the provision to allow the inclusion of ad hoc committee members. She discussed quorum minimums and thresholds for the Commission and Committees, and the problem of large committee size creating a Heritage Commission quorum, which requires additional public noticing. Commissioners discussed what standing subcommittees they would like to see organized to help achieve the goals for the year. They reviewed the list of six 2014 subcommittees and will discuss at the next meeting how organization of new committees might best support work and deliverables outlined in the Heritage Commission's proposed 2015 Work Plan. Discussion: - Maintenance committee commitment to training and leveraging resources in the community. - Ad hoc members can bring skills to projects on an as needed basis. The discussion was completed. 6.D 15-0284 Approval of Heritage Review Committee March 2, 2015 and March 16, 2015 Meeting Minutes The minutes for March 16, 2015 and for March 2, 2015 were postponed until the next meeting. 7. REPORTS 7.A. Downtown Committee Commisioner Miller discussed doing a Historic Preservation Month presentation at the Olympia Downtown Association's May Downtown Academy. 7.B Heritage Review Committee - None Commissioner Miller discussed the State Theatre preservation proposal. 7.C Maintenance Committee - None City of Olympia Page 3 Heritage Commission Meeting Minutes March 25, 2015 7.D Outreach Committee Commissioner Helle discussed a meeting with the Downtown Ambassadors to curate a photo exhibition in their display windows at the new Welcome Center at corner of 4th Avenue and Franklin Street for Historic Preservation Month. Ms. Sadlier discussed cooperating with other partners and developing a related "birthday party" event for the historic buildings highlighted in the Welcome Center photo exhibit. 7.E Policy & Ordinance Committee - None 7.F Survey & Inventory Committee - None 7.G Staff Ms. Sadlier announced Commissioner Howard was unable to attend the meeting due to illness and that this would have been his last meeting with the Commission. Commissioners discussed the possibility of moving the Heritage Commission's meeting night due to some schedule conflicts. 8. OTHER TOPICS - None 9. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 9:13 p.m. Upcoming - Next OHC Meeting: April 22, 2015 @ 6:30 p.m. City of Olympia Page 4