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HomeMy WebLinkAbout020420 Minutes HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES Date: Feb. 4, 2020 Time: 3:00 pm Location: City Hall Conference Rm. #3 Members Present: Richard Berg (Chair), Craig Britton (Vice-chair) George Randels, Cate Comerford, Kathleen Croston, Charlie Paul Members Absent: None Staff Present: Senior Planner John McDonagh, City Councilmembers Monica Mick-Hager & Ariel Speser Topic Motions/Recommendation/Action Approval of Minutes Minutes for the following meetings were reviewed and unanimously approved:  Dec. 2, 2019 Regular meeting minutes (5-0);  Dec. 19, 2019 Sub-committee meeting minutes (2-0); and,  Jan. 21, 2020 Regular meeting minutes (5-0). Approval of the Agenda The Feb. 4, 2020 meeting Agenda was approved unanimously (6-0). Public Comment (for any non-Agenda items) No public comment was offered. Councilmember Mick-Hager introduced herself as the City Council liaison to HPC who would be attending meetings and participating in the board’s work. Councilmember Speser introduced herself as Chair of the City Council’s Rules Committee which would be examining the role of all City Advisory Board’s during the upcoming year. Both Councilmembers acknowledged and thanked the HPC for their service to the community. Chair Berg then opened the floor to HPC member Charlie Paul, who announced his retirement from the committee effective the end of the current (Feb. 4) meeting. Councilmembers present, staff, and fellow HPC members each acknowledged Charlies years of quality community service (14), including many as HPC Chair. Other Business (Part I) A. Election of Chair & Vice-Chair Richard Berg was nominated to continue as HPC chair (C. Britton, G. Randels). Motion was approved unanimously (6-0). Craig Britton was nominated to continue as HPC Vice-chair (G. Randels, C. Comerford). Motions was approved unanimously (6-0). New Business A. HPC20-003, 1820 Jefferson St. (JC Gordon Ramstrom, Architectural Projects Planner with Jefferson County Public Works Courthouse) Courthouse window presented for the owner & applicant. Staff described how this project’s Scope of Work (SOW) – to remove, rehab and re-install 50 historic Courthouse windows – is normally exempt from rehabilitation project design review (per City code as an “ordinary repair & maintenance” activity). For exempt Topic Motions/Recommendation/Action A. HPC20-003 (cont.) actions, no HPC review & recommendation is required. However, the applicant (G. Ramstrom) confirmed project grant funding stipulates they still secure local preservation review board (HPC) approval for the work. After questions from those present (RE; glass preservation, use of storm windows), HPC unanimously found the project consistent, as presented, with the Secretary’s Standards for Rehabilitation with staff to prepare any City approvals necessary for grant compliance (6-0). B. HPC20-004, 621 Tyler St. (JC Community Amanda Milholland, JC Farmer’s Market Director and Lauren Ehnebuske of Inhabit presented Center) Jeff. Co. Farmer’s Market bandstand as applicants. Property owner (Jeff. Co. via the Parks Dept.) has authorized the Farmer’s project Market to pursue funding for construction of a community bandstand as conceptually shown in their application. Intentions are to minimally grade the site, pour concrete base (<30” in height) with flat work dance area out front (west off) of a steel post open bandstand. Bandstand base to be surrounded with pipe railing with ADA-compliant ramp access to the stage, all covered by a scalloped/fanned roof made of Core10 steel (sample presented). No public was in attendance, so no public comment was made on the application. Questions/comments from HPC, councilmembers and staff ranged from:  Bandstand location. Too far back from Taylor? Back of vendors will be to the bandstand? Angle/orientation appropriate for the Taylor/Lawrence intersection? Or towards Pan de Amore?  Wind impacts?  Unscheduled uses? Unsheltered persons haven?  Will noise be an issue for surrounding & nearby residential uses?  Scalloped roof design seems inappropriate for a Victorian setting.  Design and location for this specific purpose building is appropriate. Existing intersection buildings at Lawrence/Taylor are not strictly Victorian.  Is there a permanent need for this here? Is JC Farmer’s Market making commitment to this location? Verbal responses by the applicants, including clarifications/additions that were previously unspecified by the submitted plans, include:  A diseased tree grouping on site will be removed where bandstand would be built. This vegetation removal is acceptable to JC Parks. It will also aid in minimizing grade issues and for incorporating the existing diagonal concrete walkway that extends from the NW site corner.  Removeable canvas walls are planned as a wind deterrent. Topic Motions/Recommendation/Action B. HPC20-004 (cont.)  Electrical service including upward facing low wattage (i.e. LED) lighting is planned as deterrent to use by unsheltered persons. This project element is a requirement of JC Parks. Informal, unscheduled use of the bandstand during daylight hours is both anticipated and encouraged, akin to use of the bandstand at Chetzemoka Park; however, use of electrical service would be locked to avoid unauthorized users.  Painting of steel columns & handrail is planned (sample provided; Benjamin Moore “Black Horizon”).  JC Farmer’s Market has no current plans to relocate; “It’s hard to see us moving…” Members and staff discussed adopted City design guidelines (GL’s) most appliable to the application. Several members noted the work was not merely a structure but also in the “family” of art with some comparing some design elements as seen in Paris. The bandstand designer (L. Ehnebuske) suggested an Art Nouveau inspiration. Ultimately, it is still a structure subject to the City’s adopted preservation design guidelines. Staff recommended the project be found consistent with the adopted “Design Guidelines, Overall” especially” Subsections C – Civic Spaces” and “D – New Buildings.” Staff also noted a need to thoughtfully consider the lighting design to ensure upper floor residential uses nearby are not impacted and to minimize, overall, lighting intensity (i.e. K values of the LED fixtures). One member suggested the City’s “Uptown Commercial Guidelines” as being also appropriate to the project. While instinctive to look at the “Uptown…” GL’s for direction, staff noted those provisions apply only to sites zoned “Commercial (C-III), and not “Public Infrastructure” (P-I) which underlies the Jeff. Co. Community Center site. In either case, staff and most members believed there was ample support in the GL’s for conditional approval of the structure as conceptually shown. HPC moved (G. Randels; C. Comerford) to approve the application as conceptually presented, with the staff authorized to review and approve final details prior to construction. Motion was approved (5-1; K. Croston voting nay). As with all Historic Design Review applications, staff may require future project revisions to undergo further HPC review & recommendation. Topic Motions/Recommendation/Action Other Business (Part II): A. HPC18-009, Jefferson St. sidewalk Interim Public Works Director Dave Peterson returned with further updates on efforts to repair the top of Haller Fountain steps. Previous discussions outlined the removal and replacement Haller Fountain steps, sidewalk & railing options of concrete panels (estimated at 8 in all) once additional grading is done to replace the top Dave Peterson, Interim Public Works Director steps & match the replaced sidewalk elevation with a code compliant slope. Railing placement and designs were still being evaluated, based on safety needs and applicable code requirements. This was only an update on the matter; no recommendation was sought from HPC on the matter. Announcements: A.Craig Britton announced he would be unable to attend the March 3, 2020 HPC meeting. Next Scheduled Meeting: March 3, 2020 Adjourn: The meeting was adjourned at 5 p.m.