HomeMy WebLinkAboutBHPCMinutes_2011_02_10Brookings Historic Preservation Commission
February 10, 2011
A meeting of the Brookings Historic Preservation Commission was held on Thursday, February 10, 2011
at 4:30 p.m. in City Hall. Members present: Ryan Hall, Tom Agostini, Janet Gritzner, Dennis Willert,
Mary Bibby, Les Rowland and Pam Merchant. Shari Thornes, City Clerk, was also present.
Chairperson Willert called the meeting to order at 4:30 p.m. (Bibby/Hall) Motion to approve January
minutes. All present voted yes; motion carried. (Merchant/Hall) Motion to approve the agenda. All
present voted yes; motion carried.
Next Meeting: Thursday, March 17th @ 4:30 p.m.
New Business
Annual University Week for Women Annual Porch Tour . The BHPC has sponsored a “Historic
Porch Tour” in conjunction with the SDSU University Week for Women for the last four years. Last
year Merchant and Gritzner led the full class on a tour of an eclectic variety of fine period home
porches including vernacular, Mediterranean, Colonial, Federal, Italianate, Queen Anne, and
Victorian styles. The tour concluded at the home of Dave and Diane Kosbau at 824 Fifth Street for
refreshments on their front porch.
No word from University officials regarding this year’s event. Merchant will coordinate again if
there is a request.
Legislative Updates (at the time of the meeting).
HB1099 – Adding definitions to 1-19B – Passed the House unanimously, has been referred to
Senate Local Government committee but has not been scheduled for a hearing yet.
HB1195 – The bill would have given County Commissions the power to decide if a conservation
easement was in the best interests of the county or not, taking that right away from the private
property owner. Defeated in committee.
HB1248 – Tourism tax bill – This bill directly impacts the operations of the State Historical
Society and is critical for SHPO to pass. While historic preservation will face a cut in general
funds, this should have minimal impact on operations. It will likely come from travel and
supplies budget, which can make up with federal funds. Without HB1248, however; historic
preservation could face a larger general funds cut or be forced to shift more of our federal funds
to personal services and away from projects like surveys, nominations, historic contexts, or
training workshops.
The House State Affairs committee is scheduled to hear HB 1248 on Monday, February 14 at
7:45 am. HB 1248 removes the sunset clause on the one-half percent increase to the gross
receipts tax (aka Tourism Tax) imposed on visitor-related businesses, essentially making it
permanent.
For the last two years, the archaeology program has received a pro rata share of the funds,
replacing their general funds when the program and research center was threatened with
closure two years ago. Under Governor’s proposed FY 2012 budget, the museum's staff will also
be funded from this revenue source. Further, the gross receipts tax imposed on visitor-related
businesses (including our stores), funds the arts and tourism's promotions challenge programs.
Without the gross receipts tax imposed on visitor-related businesses, archaeology and museum
will face closure.
Overall, the proposed budget cuts the Society's general funds by almost $350,000 or 17%, but
the addition of $210,000 in other funds authority (tourism promotion tax) helps mitigate the
cut. The new other funds in promotion tax revenue will be used to replace general funds for the
personal services of the museum staff. Nevertheless, SHPO will still be taking the only cut in the
department with an actual cut of $141,024 in operating funds, impacting archives, historic
preservation, and the museum. This is not quite a crippling cut, but SHPO would not have
interns in archives and the museum and the Board of Trustees will meet three times annually
instead of four. The cuts will impact collecting, temporary exhibitions, the Indian Archives
project, and advertising and marketing at the minimum. Fortunately, no staff reductions are
proposed.
However, with the added dependency on the tourism promotion tax, passage of HB 1248, an act
to repeal the sunset of the one-half percent increase in the gross receipts tax imposed on
visitor-related businesses, is essential. Without the extension of the one-half percent increase,
archaeology and the museum would probably be shut down, truly crippling the effectiveness of
the State Historical Society. SHPO has heard significant support for extending the tax. The
hearing for HB 1248 will be held Monday, February 14 in the House State Affairs Committee.
Project & Issues Updates/Reports:
Review and prioritization of 2011/2012 grant projects (March 31st deadline). Funding for grants to
Certified Local Governments comes from the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF), a Federal grants program
appropriated by the U.S. Congress and administered by the National Park Service (NPS), which provides
financial support to State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs) and the National Trust for Historic
Preservation. Under the provisions of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended,
SHPOs are required to award at least 10% of their annual HPF monies to CLGs in their state. As a
certified local government, Brookings is eligible to compete with other local governments for a portion
of the state's preservation fund share on a matching basis. These funds are designed to supplement city
programs, not sustain them.
Funding Categories:
1) $2000 Basic Funding. Basic funding is the predetermined amount of $2000 and staff will prepare
the application for those items, which include preservation week, mayor’s award, memberships, and
public workshop.
2) Supplemental Funding. The Commission gives prioritized direction on projects for staff to prepare
the supplemental grant application. Members reviewed the Preservation Plan Action Plan, 2008
Retreat Goals, Local District Action Plan, and State 2011-2015 Goals & Objectives to identify other
projects and priorities.
The Commission also considers the following factors when prioritizing the projects: 1) current
schedule of pending/open projects, 2) Commission member involvement needed in project, 3) Staff
time needed for project(s) & availability, and 4) State funding availability.
BHPC Project Categories. Annual programs and activities of the Brookings Historic Preservation
Commission are generated from the following four project categories: 1) Historic Resources
Recordation and Preservation, 2) Historic Resources Promotion, Public Education and Advocacy, 3)
Technical and Funding Resources, and 4) Board Development/Training. Various projects are dependent
on the availability of National Park Service’s funds and other state funding allocations.
The following projects ideas were discussed in each category:
A. Historic Resources Recordation and Preservation
o National Register Listings?
o Develop new or update existing historic contexts
o Update City Preservation Plan – big project!
B. Historic Resources Promotion, Public Education and Advocacy
o Other Workshops?
o Downloadable APP on City of Brookings Website
C. Technical and Funding Resources
o Local Register/District – Next Steps: Statutory authority to create a Local Register was a
new provision in Brookings Ordinance No. 09-03, adopted by the Brookings City Council in
2003. In 2009 Brookings Historic Preservation Commission, with the assistance of Frank
Gilbert, Attorney for the National Trust of Historic Preservation, completed the first phase of
the Local Register project by developing all the legal processes and forms necessary to list
property on the Brookings Local Register of Historic Places. A Local Register will afford
considerably more legal protection to Brookings’ historic resources than previously
provided. The Commission then identified the following next steps to successfully
implement the Brookings Local Register.
1) Design Guideline Development
a. Develop a Request for Proposals
b. Secretary of Interior Standards for Rehabilitation are not specific enough for COA
decision making. This document will be the key to help district commission
determine those decisions. District specifics on character defining features as
districts are established will be inserted into this document.
c. Hire professional consultant.
Not ready
2) Develop Commission Handbook/Rules of Procedure
Rules of procedures must be developed to include protocols, meeting standards, and
consistent application of the rules. Rules must be consistent with authority granted by
ordinance. Decisions must be based on criteria and standards set by ordinance and in
writing. (In process)
3) Staff & Member Training
a. Board retreat & training (scheduled)
b. Develop overall strategy for immediate and long term training (scheduled)
c. Membership development – seek professional members (ongoing)
d. Seek professional guidance / consultant for training (scheduled)
e. Immediate training for fledgling board/staff (scheduled)
f. Develop annual training program (potential)
4) Determination of Internal Processes / Policy Decisions (no funding required)
a. Staff review (determine what, if any, decisions staff can make on general
applications)
b. Committee Review (determine if the Commission wants to establish a review
committee)
c. Boundary Determinations
5) Local Support / Public Informational Materials & Events
a. BHPC host neighborhood meetings (not ready)
b. Presentations to service organizations & other interested parties (not ready)
c. Develop website and other public education materials (maybe)
6) Identify Administrative Issues (no funding required)
a. Identify all staff involved in Local Register process.
b. Develop timeline and checklists for all actions to ensure timely responses to
applicants.
c. Identify all other city government partners in the process and work towards clear
communication with all parties (City Manager, Community Development, Director of
Equalization).
D. Board Development Training **
1) State secure a national level trainer for Statewide or Regional CLG Commission member
training – (i.e. Esther Hall, Better Boards)
2) 2011 National Trust Conference – Buffalo, NY, Oct. 19-22, 2011)
http://www.preservationnation.org/resources/training/npc/
3) 2011 PLT - Preservation Leadership Training - Alexandria, VA (June 11-18, 2011)
i. Merchant & Rowland expressed interest
ii. Application deadline: March 15th
4) 2012 PLT – June 2012 – Location Pending
5) Nat’l Alliance of Preservation Commissions-Norfolk, VA (July 19-22, 2012)
This conference is only offered in EVEN years. BHPC has attended all these conferences
EXCEPT in 2008 & 2010. http://www.uga.edu/napc/programs/napc/forum.htm
The Commission agreed this year’s application emphasis should be on training, continued development
of the local register/district program, development of a public education campaign, and future
development of an annual preservation summit.
History & Garden Festival Co-Sponsorship, April 29-30. Event organizer Patty Kratochvil recommended
the Commission co-sponsor a workshop by a restorer of stained glass. She specifically suggested Patty
and Claude Hacker. The Commission thought it was a great idea.
Continued discussion regarding dates and format for Facilitated Goal Setting Retreat and Local District
Training. The Commission requested two separate events, suggesting the local district training in June
and the facilitated retreat in early November. Thornes will contact the consultant.
2011 Goals & Objectives. The Commission reviewed and approved proposed revisions to the 2011
Goals & Objectives for inclusion in annual report.
Preserve America Signage. All final changes had been made and SHPO has ordered the signs.
National Register Properties & Districts:
Brookings Commercial Historic District
11.1 Review - Front Street Realignment – SHPO issued a letter of no adverse effect. No further
review is needed on this project.
Central Residential Historic District
Contributing status re-evaluation of post-modern structures in existing districts.
State staff was in Brookings on February 9th to review the 1940s and 1950s structures in the Central
Residential District. The next step in the process will be to figure out whether the National Park
Service will extend the Period of Significance for the Brookings Central Residential Historic District so
that 922 5th Street would change from a non-contributing to a contributing building. If it is changed
to a contributing building, then 922 5th Street will be eligible to apply for the State Property Tax
Moratorium. The other goal is to find out whether 922 5th Street would qualify to apply for the
moratorium by May/June. The moratorium applications are due November 1st, and the final
decision on the moratoriums is made in December at the State Historical Society Board of Trustees
meeting.
University Residential Historic District
Meeting with University Officials. Bibby offered to arrange a meeting with university personnel to
discuss the impact of the University’s proposed master plan on the neighboring historic district.
Announcements/Correspondence/Communications/Calendar
Feb. 15th City Annual Report Deadline
March 15th PLT Application Deadline
March 31st National Park Service Grant Deadline
May 20-21 150th Anniversary of Dakota Territory
June 11-18 Basic PLT at Woodlawn in Alexandria, VA
Draft March Agenda: Grant Application, Preservation Month Activities, Mayor’s Award
Meeting adjourned at 6:20 p.m.
Submitted by Shari Thornes