Russellville Historic District Commission

RUSSELLVILLE HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION MINUTES Regular Meeting – Thursday, January 25, 2018 City Hall – Council Chamber Commissioners Present: Suzanne Alford-Hodges – Vice Chair Judy Galloway – Secretary Linda Carnahan Steve Newby Beverly Hooten Polly Hardin Commissioners Absent: Greg Barborek, Kathy Price City Council Liaison Absent: Phyllis Carruth Staff Present: Kurt Jones - City Engineer / HPO Advisors Present: Betsy McGuire Advisors Absent: Brian Holstein - Director City Development, Kirk Sloan – Fire Chief, Trey Smith – City Attorney Call to Order & Welcome @ 5:00PM: Ms. Alford called the January 28, 2018 meeting of the Russellville Historic District Commission to order at 5:03PM and a quorum was established. Approval of Minutes: Ms. Alford asked if everyone had read the minutes of the December 28, 2017 regular meeting. Motion was made by Mr. Newby to accept the minutes as written. Ms. Carnahan made the second and the minutes were approved unanimously by voice vote. Staff Report: None Agenda: The first item on the agenda was review of a COA for the building at 112 N. Commerce, owned by the Leonard Family and Jim Hassell. The request was for approval of reinforcement of the north wall of the building. The adjacent building was lost, the exposed wall was not constructed to withstand the outside exposure and is beginning to buckle. Engineer, Larry E. Schmalz, has recommended construction of four steel reinforced RUSSELLVILLE HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION Meeting January 25, 2018 Page 2 concrete block pilasters at intervals along the wall anchored to the existing wall by steel bars and epoxy grout. The pilasters and entire exposed old wall will be covered by new brick and flashed at the roof line with metal flashing. No brick sample was provided. The pilasters are on land owned by someone other than those requesting the COA approval. There were questions asked by commissioners regarding brick color and type of flashing. Mr. Jones pointed out that there would have to be a legal agreement executed between the owners of 112 N. Commerce and the adjacent property owners before a building permit could be issued. The contractor said he would provide several brick samples for the commission to look at and would leave them at the construction site. Contingent on matching the existing brick and the legal agreement between property owners, Mr. Newby made the motion to accept the proposed work. Ms. Carnahan seconded the motion. The COA was approved by a voice vote. The second item on the agenda was a request by Ms. Galloway that the commissioners received the COA application as soon as Mr. Jones receives them so that we can have more time to review and ask questions before our meetings. He agreed to the proposal. Old Business:  A short letter to businesses in the Historic District reminding them that all signs must have a COA approved by the commission. Ms. Alford said that she had misunderstood her task and had reworked the “Important Information, Reminders and 2018 Updates” rather than writing the letter. The commission decided to ask the newspaper to publish the updates in an article in The Courier. The short letter will be completed and sent out on City letterhead either by mail or e-mail.  Ms. Hardin wanted to discuss the hanging sign at the tattoo parlor. She was not on the commission and did not understand that this sign had been approved because the applicant was simply changing the lenses in an existing sign. At this point Mr. Jones said that he did not think that the design guidelines were specific enough about signs to allow the COA applicant to understand the requirements and to allow enforcement. Commissioners were encouraged to consult regulations adopted by other cities to see if the current Russellville guidelines could be improved.  An updated Excel spreadsheet of property owners and tenants was discussed. Ms. Galloway volunteered to work on the update. Mr. Jones wanted to know who was going to maintain this list. His opinion is that this type project is not the responsibility of the Historic District Commission and that it will be very difficult to maintain. New Business:  Ms. Alford noted that the HDC portion of the City website needed to be updated. Mr. Jones said that he had recently taken care of that and that our agendas and minutes would also be added.  Mr. Jones indicated that the Mayor was asking for commission recommendations for the additional commissioner. Ms. Alford said she had given him several names but that no one had agreed to take the position. Ms. McGuire said that she had had a property owner/merchant in the historic district ask why they were not represented on the commission. So far the commission has not been able to find an interested merchant. Ms. Alford is currently on the commission and owns a property on West “C” Street.  Ms. Alford pointed out to the commissioners the importance of an article in the Fall 2018 Alliance Review about the importance of Historic District Commissions and Planning Commissions working together and thought this would be a progressive move for the city of Russellville. She suggested that we ask the Mayor appoint someone from the Planning Commission to be on the HDC. RUSSELLVILLE HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION Meeting January 25, 2018 Page 3 Adjournment: Ms. Galloway made the motion to adjourn at 5:43PM. Ms. Carnahan made the second. Motion approved by a voice vote. Suzanne Alford, Vice-Chair Date