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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBHPCMinutes_2012_11_08Brookings Historic Preservation Commission November 8, 2012 A meeting of the Brookings Historic Preservation Commission was held on Thursday, November 8, 2012 at 5:15 p.m. in City Hall. Members present: Tom Agostini, Dennis Willert, Mary Bibby, Janet Gritzner (left at 7:05 p.m.), Pam Merchant and Les Rowland. Father Ryan Hall was absent. Shari Thornes, City Clerk, was also present. Chairperson Rowland called the meeting to order at 5:25 p.m. Agenda: A motion was made by Merchant, seconded by Willert, to approve the agenda. All present voted yes, motion carried. Minutes: A motion was made by Bibby, seconded by Merchant, to approve the October minutes. All present voted yes; motion carried. Next Meeting: Proposed date – Tuesday, December 11th at 5:30 p.m. NEW BUSINESS National Trust Conference Reports. Observation Summary of National Preservation Conference – Spokane, Wa. Beyond Boundaries – October 31st – November 3rd; 2012. By Les Rowland; Acting Chair – Brookings Historic Preservation Commission Experiencing the City of Spokane This City is definitely an example of historic preservation at its best. Because of the history of Spokane, the presence of existing industrial and warehouse buildings has provided a base for commercial development that is rich in history, culture, and aesthetic. There is a definite attitude toward adaptive reuse of existing buildings in lieu of the mindset of demolition and building new. Notable restorations within the City are that of the Hotel Davenport with its neoclassical exterior detailing and its highly-articulated two-story lobby and banquet area, the Guthrie Theatre with its highly-ornamented Art Nouveau detailing, and that of the Steam Plant Building which has an unusual industrial aesthetic but of equal value as a great example of adaptive-reuse (housing several retail shops and offices as well as a five-star restaurant). In addition to these that are noted, everywhere one looks downtown there has been restoration. Many of the warehouse structures have been converted to retail on the ground floor and apartment/living units on top. Adaptive re-use has become the accepted norm of development so much that even those structures not so easily adapted, such as the unoccupied tall grain structures are being studied for how they can become loft housing or something similar. Of course there are challenges that often steer projects toward demolition in lieu of restoration in many Cities. The most obvious reason is the cost; restoration is expensive. Other common contributing reasons are lack of vision or community support. The conference focused on the challenges faced by preservationists and preservation organizations in the efforts of saving historical structures. Some of the sessions focused on successful examples of adaptive-reuse where both the preservation of a historic structure and the adaptation for a new use significantly benefitted the community. As with all conferences, some of the sessions attended were more thought-provoking and successful at presenting helpful/in-depth information than others. The following is a summation of each of the presentations/field sessions attended during the conference. Agriculture on Main This session presented two successful examples of how an abandoned historical building within the downtown district was redefined to provide the physical space for a small business incubator of which they called a “public” market. Both communities (one located in Olympia, Wa. and the other in Wynachie, Wa.) realized that their present farmers market could benefit from an established location. They also acknowledged however that the growing season did not extend over the entire year so designating a building for that of the sole use as a farmers market would not be feasible. As a result they developed what they called a public market where in addition to supporting the agricultural community, the market became an “incubator” space to support and grow a variety of other small business types. By extending the use of the building over the entire year the overall rent revenue generated by the building was larger and therefore made the payments to cover the cost of restoring the building possible. Both public markets have become destinations within their community. The Olympia Public Market (established in 1982; within a City of 40,000 in population) generates about $5 million dollars a year in revenue within the community and provides about 1,100 jobs a year. Both public market examples have helped develop, strengthen, and grow a locally-based self-reliant food economy. The public market has become an incubator for small agricultural businesses. There has also been strong business relationships created with local restaurants as a result of the enhanced agricultural production. These two are examples of a winning relationship between preservation, the community, and the City. An existing historical building has been restored through adaptive-reuse, the community has benefitted by having an additional space for the farmers market and unique community activities, and the municipality has benefitted from the increased sales and property tax revenues. By the Bootstraps: Revitalization in Three Commercial Districts Participated in a walking tour of three different commercial districts where they were in varying stages of development for establishing a commercial mainstreet district. The Phase I goal common to all three locations was to start establishing a visual identity to that of the district as well as establish a means to improve communication between the two sides of the street. For all three districts the initial step was to apply for a Community Development Block Grant to develop the infrastructure. The grant was used to provide items such as crosswalks, trash cans, stop lights, and sidewalk benches; items determined to be of importance in establishing a visual unity of the district and a visual separation from its surroundings. All districts also identified the type of district they wanted to represent so they established more defined ordinances (to be enforced by the City) to restrict the types of future business allowed within each district. It was understood by all three districts that change must be incremental and must happen over time. They all emphasized the importance for the district to have goals and identify the incremental steps necessary for achieving those goals. Since all three mainstreet commercial districts are divided by four lane traffic, a common future goal to each district is to reduce the four lanes to three (two lanes with a turning lane) with the main objective of slowing down traffic to provide for a more pedestrian-friendly sidewalk walking/shopping environment. Sparkling Masterpieces: Spokane’s Candlelight Tour of Historic Homes Not much to expand with this tour; but wow! Walking through historic homes of this stature makes one realize the importance of preserving historical structures such as these for all future generations. The characteristics and quality within these homes are just not replicated in today’s modern construction methods. Real Estate Learning Lab 1: Getting Started in Property Intervention Intervention is the process in preservation where a historical property is identified as being “threatened” and in need of assistance for the structure to be saved. The historical structure identified is often sitting empty and the physical stability and maintenance on the exterior of the building is often severely neglected. Real-estate intervention is often used to save these types of properties. Real-estate intervention of these types of properties is often accomplished with a non-profit organization established for the preservation of buildings and not for making profit. The goal of a non-profit preservation organization is much like that of a developer. The organization looks for a historical structure in need, establishes a potential use for the property, and then finds the investor to make it happen. Some States have laws where a historical property owned by a municipality can be directly sold to a non-profit which also can greatly help with keeping the overall costs for acquiring the property to a minimum. After several years of operation in the business of intervention, non-profits can gain momentum to eventually own their own properties which in turn generates money of which the non-profit can re-invest to save other properties. As they become more established these non-profits eventually hire full-time staff to work the cause. The remainder of this session briefly covered the process a non-profit will use in acquiring properties. The discussion covered the process of determining which properties to go after, the common acquisition agreements with the owner of the property, and the financial analysis process used to determine economic feasibility. Upon review of the process, they emphasized the importance of salesmanship for the project. There must be complete” buy-in” of the project by the potential investors since the overall process is so difficult and often comes with high financial risk. Depending on the complexity of the historical property, some non-profits have chosen to hire professional “story” writers to come up with the compelling sales pitch for the identified investors. Energizing America: Success Stories of Sustainable Preservation The discussion covered three case studies of projects that successfully merged sustainable energy practices with historical structures. Each example worked closely with their state historical preservation office (SHPO) and their local municipal preservation commission. First case study was the Levistan House (in Enfield, NH). The project was an extremely weathered, falling-down structure located on an original homestead. The new Owner decided to restore the historical house structure to its original condition thereby maintaining the original siding and exterior doors and windows where possible while providing a well insulated, energy-efficient building system. Some of the modern energy technologies they incorporated were strategically-placed solar collector panels and a below-ground heat-collector reservoir. The innovative process here was how modern energy-saving technologies could be incorporated into an historical home while not destroying or modifying the existing historical integrity of the house or homestead in physical appearance. The success of the project is that the house maintains its historical register status, the exterior building envelope has been reconstructed to achieve an efficient average R-40 insulation value while maintaining the original horizontal lap siding and double-hung windows, and the homestead is “off-grid” in terms of energy consumption since it does not require any electrical or gas provision from the local utility companies. Second case study was of a small historical commercial building; Holmberg and Johnson Blacksmith and Wagonshop, Lindsborg, Kansas. The incorporation of sustainable energy practices was not as extensive in this example as incorporated into the Levistan House but still equally successful at maintaining the overall original appearance while taking advantage of modern energy-saving technologies. The Owner again worked with the state SHPO office as well as the local historical commission to develop a low-profile solar panel system that was installed on the back roof (opposite the street-side view). The owner also increased the insulation value of the building while restoring the original brick masonry exterior. The result is the solar panel system provides for all electrical needs and (depending on the severity of the heating season) over two-thirds of the heating and cooling needs of the building throughout the year. The present business occupying the building is a popular coffee shop of the community. Third case study discussed was that of successfully merging modern-day energy technologies within mainstreet historic guidelines. Several success stories were discussed for how energy guidelines influenced the local municipality to create local energy tax incentives for the incorporation of energy saving strategies into existing building structures. The same presenter discussed how there are grants available for energy upgrades to historic buildings through the National Parks Service. These grants can apply to a variety of upgrades to historical buildings from installation of solar collector panels to that of installation of new exterior windows. Urbanism and Preservation – Creating Sustainable Design Guidelines for Older Neighborhoods Sustainability is more than just a phrase pertaining to the preservation of existing buildings; it also applies to that of urbanism and future development. A case study was presented about Mission Hills, Kansas (one of the country’s first planned communities; part of the J.C. Nichols Country Club Development). Challenged by the new construction that didn’t seem to “fit” in, the City’s traditional design review process wasn’t working. The City and the community realized that the timeless design, quality construction, and economic value of the original neighborhood were getting lost with the advent of new development. The City created a new style of design guidelines that addressed the main design principals of the original development including the relationship of buildings to the landscape and the public realm, patterns of lot development and building massing, as well as timeless qualities of style and construction. The format for these design guidelines was a good example of how to successfully meld urbanism and preservation into a model for achieving and maintaining sustainability in older neighborhoods. The presenter emphasized the importance of having well-written zoning ordinances that provide clarity and predictability for everyone; clarity for property owners, prospective buyers and realtors, architects, designers, developers, and neighborhood residents. He emphasized that clarity helps prevent/resolve all conflict. Attending a conference such as this as a representative of the City of Brookings is a great privilege. It is also expected as a representative of the City of Brookings to bring back information gained from a conference such as this and share it with preservation commission members and (where possible) determine how this information can be applied for the betterment of our community. Below are some initial thoughts for how some of the conference ideas can potentially apply to Brookings. Revise the DEDIF (Downtown Economic Development Investment Fund; low interest building improvement loan) requirements to encourage sustainable energy improvements such as window replacement, provision of solar panels or similar technologies, or means of providing additional exterior building insulation at the walls or roof. Can there be a City of Brookings energy tax incentive to encourage the incorporation of sustainability principals in historic buildings? Inform/educate historic building owners within Brookings of the different grants available for sustainable energy building improvements; such as a grant through the National Parks System. Identify those existing historic buildings which have great potential for renovation/adaptive-reuse within Brookings and define a strategic plan for how to get the process started. Is there a building that can serve as an incubator (a public market) for small businesses within our downtown core? Can this building be acquired? Can this building become a success story for preservation and create a strong relationship between our small business entrepreneurs, our community, and our City? What about the Sexauer Seed property; what should this become? Can a preservation mindset be re-established in those neighborhoods affected by the influx of student housing demands? Are there any tax incentives the City of Brookings can offer that encourage the preservation of historic structures? Does the zoning ordinance description of our historic districts properly define all requirements for the “exterior environs”? Should zoning ordinance provide additional architectural style-related requirements such as proportion (height to width), size of property in relation to the size of the house, massing size of the main house block in relation to that of an addition, etc.? Do the zoning ordinances provide appropriate clarity and predictability for everyone to prevent/resolve all conflict? As a preservation commission are we appropriately informing/educating all those which own/live in historic properties of the importance of maintaining the original integrity of the property? Is this information “tagged” with the property in the advent of any property resale? Is this information presented in a “positive” manner to emphasize how historic ordinance restrictions help preserve the integrity/character of the neighborhoods and therefore help preserve the value of their investment? How can our preservation commission have more impact on our community? Can we equate preservation to more than just preserving our heritage; to other tangible items such as economic-gain? Should our “marketing” of the importance of preservation be re-branded? National Preservation Conference: Beyond Boundaries - Spokane Washington – November 2012 – Dennis Willert Our Halloween trip to cemeteries through the Spokane area was an interesting way to start my adventures in the Spokane, WA area. Deterioration from natural forces such as weathering and uncontrolled vegetation and insensitive development threaten our cemeteries across the country. The involvement of individuals and organizations with an interest and commitment to saving local history and culture is critical to protecting and preserving historic cemeteries sites. Attached is a wonderful article about the history of Cemeteries and issues in preserving these cherished sites. – John Caskey ******************** Spokane overview tour was amazing! Many interesting facts shared including Spokane being the largest city between Seattle, WA and Minneapolis, MN. It is home to 4 major Universities. Its name was derived from the numerous Indian tribes of the region – Spokane: Children of the Sun. In 1889 Washington State became a state and the Great Fire of Spokane destroyed 32 blocks of downtown. More fun facts and photos are included in the attached the Spokane Overview Tour Booklet. ******************** Sustainability in Action focused around the ever growing and ever more popular public and private partnerships being formed to utilize the federal tax credit program. Fundamentally, an economic model for the next 20 years, utilizing the man hours, raw materials and infrastructure established by those years ago create a bridge for growth and preservation to flourish. The McKinstry Company took the dilapidated Spokane Inland Empire Railroad (SIERR) Building from rubble and ruin to an award winning LEED Gold Certified building, making it one in a million for design efficiency and functionality. Through discovery, Restoration, and beyond the enclosed booklet highlight the process and outcome. Additionally, the SIERR Building also houses an innovation center similar to our innovation campus. Personally, I think ours is better! See the separately attached flyer for additional info. ******************** Tax Credits at Work in Downtown Spokane demonstrated the feasibility of the public-private partnerships creating sustainability and the preservation effort. Enclosed you will find info about the ‘Pearl on Adams’. Formerly the housing unit for a metal fabrication factory from WWI mothballed and now resurrected into a (sustainable) low income housing unit for disabled veterans and mixed family living. An executive summary of Sustainability and Historic Preservation helps clear the path for creative utilization of every resource within our aging communities: ideas to improve energy efficiency, addition of alternative energy sources, reuse, repair, repurpose, renewal, salvage and recycling achieving that which matters most to future generations, a healthier environment. ******************** Spokane was an amazing experience. I feel well equipped to better serve our community and our state as we move forward with our own preservation locally. We only need look around the state to see the success of projects capitalizing on the public-private partnerships. For our own community, we have opportunities to improve our partnership, capitalize on the federal tax credits, and create greater economic growth through preservation and sustainable re-design of our precious historic resources! National Park Service & City of Brookings Annual Reports. The NPS report is due January 31st. The City report is due February 15th. Staff will prepare both reports for submittal. Initial Discussion of Goals and Objectives for 2013. The Commission had an initial discussion about possible goals and objectives for the 2013. The following list is a DRAFT outline of ideas to facilitate discussion. It will also serve as a guide for the 2013/2014 funding application. 1. Review of Current Grant Obligations 2. Historic Resource Recordation & Preservation: a. NR district updates, amendments b. New NR listings: Discuss a strategy and prioritization for future listings and surveys. c. Survey updates d. Continuation of Local Register program expansion e. Preservation Plan i. Review ii. Consider new plan f. Other 3. Historic Resources Promotion, Public Education & Advocacy (Review Public Education Strategy & Re-prioritize: Tie to economic development) a. Commercial District i. DBI Involvement/Main Street Program b. Walking Brochure Promotion c. Preservation Week Activities d. Festival of Lights Partnership i. Promote residential districts e. Website i. Back door on website for BHPC members f. Social Media i. FB - Willert g. Mayor’s Award for Historic Preservation i. Future nominee: ____ 8th Street ? h. Additional Signage: i. Pioneer Park Bandshell ii. District Signage iii. Other i. Threatened Properties “Places In Peril” Awareness j. Other i. Downtown Mobile App ii. Review NAPC conference notes iii. Display in City & County Government Center iv. Use of Google docs v. Picture This: Bibby volunteered to contact the newspaper. 4. Community Workshop(s) & Educational Opportunities: a. Public Education – Sponsor at least one “helpful” activity every year. i. Energy savings ii. Window tune-up workshop (Bob Yapp - http://www.bobyapp.com/) iii. Hold contest to select workshop house. iv. Local register designation workshop v. How to research my house vi. Creative ways to finance projects b. Realtors Workshop c. Sponsorship of speaker at 2013 History and Garden Festival d. Fostering Preservation Partnerships (PSD, DBI, SHPO, NT, Sustainability) i. Partner with Brookings City Sustainability Council & SDSU Environmental Stewardship & Sustainability Committee ii. Co-sponsor Film – “The Greenest Building” http://thegreenestbuildingmovie.com/The_Greenest_Building/Home.html iii. BHPC to view first. Follow-up with a public presentation in the Library. Good for a speaker bureau for local civic organizations, BUT it is an hour long and most groups need a 20-minute lunch speaker, for example. e. Regional training opportunities f. Update “Victories” List g. Update “Lost” List h. Consider reviving Porch Tour i. Tree heritage – 6th Street & 12th Avenue, Nels Hansen ties, related policies j. Other 5. Commission Development a. Ordinance Review b. Presentation on Federal Investment Tax Credit & State Property Tax Moratorium Programs by Paul Porter, SHPO c. Preserve South Dakota, Kate Nelson, Executive Director d. Iowa Main Street Program Director e. MN Annual Conference f. SHPO Support g. Statewide CLG Meetings h. Member Orientation Process i. Other 6. Initial Discussion of 2013/2014 Funding Priorities Gritzner left at 7:05 p.m. Discussion to be continued. DATES/REPORTS Proposed Ordinance Amending Conditional Use Permit Process. The Brookings City Council tabled action the proposed ordinance at their October 9 meeting. The City Council revisited this issue on October 23 and considered new amendments proposed by the city attorney. AMENDMENT: A motion was made by Reed, seconded by McClemans, to make an amendment to Section 94-226.5 Appeal with the City Attorney’s suggestion: “The decision rendered by the Planning Commission on a conditional use permit may be appealed to the City Council. To appeal the decision, the applicant or any person aggrieved by said decision shall file a written appeal with the Community Development within five (5) working days of the decision. An interested party includes any person having an interest in the decision of the Planning Commission, including any agency of government or member of the City Council.” Also at that time, Mary Bibby, representing BHPC, presented the following amendment recommendation the Brookings City Council: “Any application which modifies the exterior or environs of an historic property shall be shall be submitted to city council for final decision, in the same manner as provided for an appeal.” No action was taken. The City Council adopted the City Attorney’s amendment proposal; however, tabled action to the December 4th regular Council meeting. Please note the Council will discuss this issue at their November 20th Study Session. A motion was made by Bibby, seconded by Willert, to write a letter to the Brookings City Council thanking them for their attention to the BHPC’s concerns regarding the Conditional Use Permit Process. The concerns of the motion are as follows: 1) Lengthen or intensify public notice with at least two notices in the legals section of the newspaper; 2) Lengthen the appeal process beyond five (5) days; 3) Provide mandatory written notice to neighbors of conditional use applications; 4) Follow the mandate as set forth from the State Historic Preservation Office regarding SDCL 1-19B-11.1 review (see attached letter); and 5) Require any application which modifies the exterior or environs of an historic property to be submitted to the City Council for final decision, in the same manner as provided for in appeal. All present voted yes; motion carried. Preserve America Signs. No update. Proposed Legislation. Thornes emailed proposed legislation to other SD CLGs asking for input. Bibby volunteered to contact Pierre representatives for assistance. Preservation Partner Reports: DBI – Rowland announced that DBI had hired Kristin Heismeyer as the new DBI Director. Historic Properties Reports. New business owner that is locating in 402 Main Avenue contacted Thornes for technical assistance. She was referred to SHPO. Announcements/Correspondence/Communications/Calendar • Dec. 6th Mayor’s Holiday Party, McCrory Gardens Visitor Center, 5-7 p.m. • Draft December Agenda: Continued Discussion on 2013 Goals & Objectives, Membership Update, Annual Reports, Create Nominating Committee Meeting adjourned at 8:05 p.m. Submitted by Shari Thornes