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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBHPCMinutes_2007_12_12Brookings Historic Preservation Commission Wednesday, December 12, 2007 A meeting of the Brookings Historic Preservation Commission was held on Wednesday, December 12, 2007 at 4:00 p.m. in City Hall. Members present: Mary Bibby, Wayne Hexem, Jerry McCollough, Alice Pittman and Joanita Kant. Shari Thornes, City Clerk, was also present. Chairperson McCollough called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. Adoption of agenda. A motion was made by Bibby, seconded by Pittman, to approve the agenda. All present voted yes; motion carried. Approval of minutes. A motion was made by Kant, seconded by Pittman, to approve the October 17th minutes. All present voted yes; motion carried. Schedule next monthly meeting. Thursday, January 10th at 4:00 p.m. Annual Reports. - City Annual Report Deadline is February 15th to the City Clerk - State Annual Report Deadline is end of February Photo Inventory. McCollough brought forward an idea to conduct a photo inventory of all older parts of town to identify style, materials, and period as a potential Commission project for consideration. Kant commented that she had previously volunteered to take pictures if provided with a list of addresses. Better defining the scope, method and potential cost of the project was discussed. Thornes felt the preferred medium of the SHPO would be digital over film, but this would need to be confirmed. Hexem noted that former BHPC member Stephen Van Buren had suggested this project and had planned to use high school students and interns. McCollough will visit with Van Buren to see what he has done on the project. Thornes said the city was surveyed in 1985 and 1986 under old Park Service parameters and that information was not very useful and needs updating. Coordinating with the Director of Equalization on what information is available in their database was recommended. SDSU Master Plan Committee. McCollough was recently contacted to serve on an ad hoc master plan committee for SDSU. He has attended one meeting and found it very helpful and interesting to understand the University’s future plans. In that meeting, SDSU officials said they have no plans to expand west of 9th Street or south of 8th Street. Their focus is to the south and east behind the former Economart. Another issue is shifting the focus of traffic away from the 6th Street and Medary Avenue campus access and would like to see more traffic directed to the 22nd Avenue North and west to the Performing Arts Center. SDSU officials also 1 emphasized the importance of the campus history and adjacent historic neighborhoods. He noted that the Horse Barn is not on the plan. When this was pointed out, SDSU officials said it would be put into the plan to be reconditioned and maintained. There was a strong historic preservation emphasis and neighborhoods emphasis in the discussions. Officials are also interested in drawing the students back closer to the university. Additional meetings are planned. Riding trails linking the community were discussed. Additional married student housing is planned near Harding Hall. There are also efforts to retain the campus green space. No multi-level parking garages are planned. Formation of nominating committee for January election of officers. Bibby and Pittman agreed to serve as the nominating committee. Animated Sign Ordinance. The Commission reviewed the overlay district proposal presented to the Planning Commission as an alternative to Dick Peterson’s proposal, which was endorsed by both DBI and BHPC. McCollough was concerned that city planning staff had created an overlay zone for downtown to avoid the use of public hearings under the conditional use proposal of Mr. Peterson. Staff cited 30-45 days for that process was too much of a delay. Now a quasi-preservation design review has been drafted with an overlay district. Members questioned if the Planning Commission was the appropriate entity to make design review decisions on what is historically appropriate in the downtown. The DBI Design Committee would be a better fit. The BHPC reviewed the voluntary “Downtown Brookings Design and Maintenance Guidelines” and found them very vague and it would not provide an enforcement official with enough guidance to make informed decisions, rather discretionary review. The process appears to lie with one individual who makes all the decisions which may not to be best way. It seems to be an end run around the BHPC and McCollough has not seen it done this way in any other community. The BHPC must provide their input to the planning department by Dec. 21st in order to be included in the Planning Commission’s January 8th agenda packet. A special meeting was scheduled for Friday, December 14th at noon, for the purpose of preparing a position statement on the Planning Commission’s overlay district proposal. Boardinghouse Requests. The City Council recently overturned a boarding house request which was approved by the Planning Commission in a 6/1 vote. Council members presented their positions and they asked staff to draft an ordinance to eliminate boardinghouses. Any existing designations would continue as “non-conforming uses.” Preserve America. No report. Endangered Places Project. Thornes drafted an application, a process and a list of questions to review. Discussion on this topic was postponed for a later date. Commission Membership. Two new members will be joining the BHPC on January 1st: Pat Powers and Dennis Willert. 2 S.584-Community Restoration & Revitalization Act. McCollough received a letter from Senator Tim Johnson thanking the BHPC for contacting him on S.584 and he now has agreed to co-sponsor the bill. Central Residential Historic District—National Register District ƒ Central Elementary Museum – No report. ƒ Proposed Courthouse Addition – The County Commission has voted to move forward with a new building on the northwest corner of the Courthouse lawn. Thornes noted that this project will be reviewable under state law (11.1). ƒ Community Cultural Center (former Carnegie Library) – The Center is owned by the city and there is interest in installing historically appropriate storm windows and repairing the clay tile roof. Thornes will work with state and city staff to facilitate this project. Commercial District –National Register District ƒ Streetscape Project – The City Council voted to continue to move forward with the streetscape project. Council review and action of the final bids in February will be necessary to complete the project. ƒ DBI Report – Due to the change in meeting times, Pittman will no longer be able to attend the monthly DBI Directors meeting. Thornes noted that one of the new members is on the DBI board of directors and may be willing to keep the BHPC updated. Calendar - June 21-28, 2008 Preservation Leadership Training – Portland, Maine - July 9-11, 2008 University Week for Women (tours) - July 10-13, 2008 National Alliance of Preservation Commissions – New Orleans - Oct. 21-25, 2008 National Trust for Historic Preservation Annual Conference, Tulsa, OK - Oct. 13-17, 2009 National Trust for Historic Preservation Annual Conf – Nashville, TN - Oct. 26-30, 2010 National Trust for Historic Preservation Annual Conf – Austin, TX Correspondence/Communications - SD History Notes (fall/winter 07) - MainStreet News, Oct 07 - Forum News, Nov/Dec 07 “Threatened Treasures: Creating Lists of Endangered Historic Places” - New publications available to check out: “Preservation” Nov/Dec 07 “SD History” Summer 07 “Forum Journal” Fall 07 “The Politics of Historic Districts: A Primer for Grassroots Preservation” “A Self-Assessment Guide for Local Preservation Commissions” “Basic Preservation” “Reviewing New Construction Projects in Historic Areas” “Partners in Preservation: Institutions of Higher Education” “Share Your Heritage: Cultural Heritage Tourism Success Stories” “Stories Across America: Opportunities for Rural Tourism” 3 4 “Protecting Older Neighborhoods Through Conservation District Programs” “Building Codes and Historic Buildings” “Strategies for the Stewardship and Active Use of Older and Historic Religious Properties” Announcements: - Jeff Weldon, City Manager, started on December 12th. - The City Clerk’s office was funded to hire an additional staff person. That position will be filled in January. Tentative January Agenda Items: - Review of Grants & Annual Goal Setting - Election of Officers - Annual Reports - Training/Orientation - Housing Study Results - Courthouse Meeting adjourned at 7:00 p.m. Submitted by Shari Thornes