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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBHPCMinutes_2013_05_16 Brookings Historic Preservation Commission May 16, 2013 A meeting of the Brookings Historic Preservation Commission was held on Thursday, May 16, 2013 at 4:00 p.m. in City Hall. Members present: Janet Gritzner, Dennis Willert, Mary Bibby, Les Rowland and Pam Merchant. Tom Agostini was absent. Shari Thornes, City Clerk, was also present. Chairperson Bibby called the meeting to order at 4:04 p.m. Election of a vice chairman was added to the agenda. A motion was made by Willert, seconded by Merchant, to approve the agenda as amended. All present voted yes, motion carried. A motion was made by Merchant, seconded by Rowland, to approve the April minutes. All present voted yes; motion carried. NEW BUSINESS Proposed Ordinance Amendments. Pat Fishback, former BHPC Chairman, provided historical background on the 2003 ordinance amendment process and comments regarding the current proposed amendments. General Overview: She said initial meetings on amendments to the Brookings preservation ordinance began in November 2001. By January 2003 the proposed amendments were presented to the city council at its January 7th meeting. The BHPC first presented the amendments to the city council and then planned to provide the document to citizen reviewers, providing them the document and then receiving their feedback on the proposed amendments. In addition, members of the BHPC were asked approximately 40 questions about the amendments by city council members at two of their meetings. The BHPC responded to those questions in writing and also offered to meet individually with council members to discuss the ordinance amendments. Suggestions were made by council members, citizen reviewers and the city attorney and those in keeping with state law were incorporated into the document. Meetings with council members, the city attorney and citizen reviewers and telephone conferences with Frank Gilbert, attorney for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, took place between January and April. On April 22, 2003, the City Council adopted the proposed amendments with a couple of last minute changes which they proposed. The following letter was provided to the City Council on December 4, 2002 and provides a good explanation of the project. DATE: December 4, 2002 TO: Brookings City Council RE: Brookings Historic Preservation Commission Ordinance Review Project FROM: Brookings Historic Preservation Commission The Brookings Historic Preservation Commission (BHPC) has been working with city officials to clarify language in the preservation ordinance to ensure that the commission can perform its legal obligations in a clear, efficient, and effective manner. The City Council will soon be presented with the proposed amended ordinance. This memo outlines the background of the commission’s work to date. Purpose of the Ordinance Review Project: This clarification has been a state-initiated and state-funded ordinance review project. The City of Aberdeen/Brown County and Codington and Clay counties also have participated. The intent of the review in Brookings is to clarify language in the current ordinance and to bring all sections of the ordinance in compliance with State Law. We undertook the review in cooperation with the State Historic Preservation Office with consultation provided by Frank Gilbert, a senior field representative for the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Clarifying the Brookings Historic Preservation Ordinance will enable the preservation commission to perform its legal obligations in a more clear, efficient and effective manner. Timeline of the Project. After the ordinance review project was initiated in July 2001, Frank Gilbert met with BHPC members, the city manager, and the city attorney in October 2001 and August 2002. Prior to his initial visit to Brookings, Gilbert, BHPC members, the city manager and the city attorney reviewed the ordinance provisions and all ordinance-related correspondence. (This communication included, but was not limited to, correspondence from: Julia Miller, editor, The Preservation Law Reporter; Robert Nieweg, Regional Attorney, National Trust for Historic Preservation; Alan F. Glover, former Brookings City Attorney; Jay D. Vogt, State Historic Preservation Officer; and Betty Anne Bierle, Consultant for the Brookings Community Preservation Plan). During monthly BHPC meetings, commission members have discussed each section of the current ordinance. In addition, a subcommittee met, discussed each ordinance section and possible amendments, and then subsequently made recommendations to the BHPC for members' consideration. In a teleconference on Tuesday, December 3, involving Frank Gilbert, the city attorney, the BHPC chairman and vice chairman and city staff, additional discussion took place. The BHPC will meet on December 5 and a report of the teleconference and further discussion about the ordinance revisions will continue. The amended ordinance will be provided for the City Council at its January 7th planning meeting. Legal Basis for Historic Preservation in Brookings: • Local, State, and Federal law support BHPC activities. Each layer of government oversight intends to assign the greatest authority and responsibility for safeguarding historic resources to the local level, in a local citizen board, making decisions about local matters. • The National Historic Preservation Act established a nationwide program of financial and technical assistance to preserve historic properties--buildings, structures, neighborhoods, and other places of importance in the historic and cultural life of the nation. • A local government can participate directly in this program when the State Historic Preservation Officer certifies that the local government has established its own historic preservation commission and program meeting Federal and State standards thus becoming a Certified Local Government (CLG). • The BHPC became a member of South Dakota's CLG program in August 1985 and is the official representative for the City of Brookings in the National Park Service's CLG program. • A major benefit of the CLG program is the pool of grant funds State Historic Preservation Offices set aside to fund local historic preservation projects. CLGs are the only eligible applicants for these funds. • These funds are designed to supplement city programs, not sustain them. • In FY 2001 the Brookings Historic Preservation Program received $6,700 in federal money and $3,500 from the City general fund. • On May 16, 1989, the Brookings City Commission adopted Article VI, Historic Preservation Chapters 10-90 through 10-109 and adopted the Historic Preservation Ordinance. (South Dakota Certified Local Governments used similar models available at the time). • The ordinance was amended in 1999 to incorporate language which was appropriate to the new form of city government and to allow conformity with other city boards, commissions and committees. • BHPC members, city officials and consultants have reviewed the ordinance over the past six to seven years and recommended that the preservation commission work to clarify its ordinance. And, in order to establish necessary legal consistency between South Dakota statute and the Brookings ordinance, it has been suggested that amending the ordinance relating to notice and recordation requirements, criteria for designation, and limits on the commission authority to waive the 180-day delay would be important. • Over the years the BHPC had asked for assistance from the SHPO in clarifying our ordinance and we have appreciated the opportunity to work on this project with local city officials, the state preservation office and the consultant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Fishback provided the following comments regarding the currently proposed amendments: • Page 1 – Agreed with adding cultural landscape to the list of asset types • Page 2 – Agreed with a new Certificate of Appropriateness definition, but shorter • Page 3 – Need definition for Local Individually Listed Historic Resource • Page 3 – Need definition for National Register Individually Listed Historic Resource • Page 3 – Agreed with Historic Resources definition • Page 5 – Recommended leaving membership as is without amendment • Page 7 – Section 10-97 – Is there any notification for properties adjacent to district or historic resources? Need something in writing from SHPO stating adjacent properties are reviewable under 11.1 review. • Page 8 –Section 10-100 - agreed with correction • Page 9 – Section 10-102- Retain first 4 criteria, add “and in addition”, and retain criteria 5-9 • Page 10- Insert “Local” whenever Register is referenced in the Local Register sections • Page 10 – List all historic asset types rather than historic resources • Page 11 – 10-107 & 108 – Agreed with changes • Page 15 – 10-116 & 117 – Agreed with changes • Page 16 – 10-119 - Recommended deleted the Council’s ability to exempt owner-occupied properties. • Page 16 – 10-121 – What does this mean? • Page 16 – 10-22 – Local District Commission could be comprised of the BHPC Other comments: She noted that the previous amendments were defined as “clarifying language” to the ordinance. She reminded the Commission that citizens drive the local register nomination process and not the Commission. Frank Gilbert, the National Trust attorney who worked on the model ordinance project, has now retired. She cautioned about making changes to the ordinance unless absolutely necessary, citing it took three years and to make the ordinance amendments. She suggested having the city attorney review the ordinance and incorporate basic clean-up language in the City’s Ordinance recodification process. UPDATES/REPORTS Membership.  Father Ryan Hall and his family are moving to Nebraska, so he has tendered his resignation effective immediately. The position is currently being advertised. The Mayor will review applications and make an appointment recommendation to the City Council in June.  Pam Merchant stepped down as vice chair and is also resigning from the Commission as soon as a replacement could be found. Vice Chair. A motion was made by Willert, seconded by Merchant, to nominate Les Rowland as vice chair. All present voted yes; motion carried. National Historic Preservation Month (May) Activities  Newspaper article. Willert submitted an article and it was published last week. He has another article ready to go. Rowland is also working on an article.  Solicit nominations for the 2013 Mayor’s Awards for Historic Preservation. The press release was issued on May 1st. Nomination deadline is May 31st. The Commission will make award selections at the June 6th meeting.  Mayoral Proclamation. Mayor Reed read the proclamation at the May 14th City Council meeting  Coordinate with Brookings County Historical Society. Bibby spoke with Chuck Cecil and he said the main activity they have planned for May is the May 27 Memorial Day opening of the Museum in Volga.  YouTube video by Dave Jones promoting historic restoration projects. No report. Willert has not made contact yet.  Official “release” of the new Commercial Historic District Walking Tour Brochure. Chuck Cecil graciously agreed to feature the new brochure release in his column on May 13th.  Preserve America Sign Installation. Thornes met with Mayor Reed regarding the BHPC’s request to have the signs installed during Preservation Month. Mayor Reed will contact SDSU officials regarding the request. Bibby also mentioned it during the Volunteer Coffee with the Mayor.  BHPC Brookings Register Feature. The first feature ran last week, but the font size was too small and in a bad location. South Campus Neighborhood District Plan. On April 4th, the BHPC voted in support of the overlay district, but recommended additional design and landscape requirements. Bibby and Thornes worked with SHPO on proposed language and Bibby attended the April 9th Council meeting. SHPO provided the following suggested additions the requirements. Architectural: • To provide better transition into University Residential Historic District, limit building height to two stories on west end of overlay district and grade up to taller structures to the east and north. • Recommend lighter brick colors. Variations of cream and tan coloring would reflect well on the buildings. Dark brick is more imposing on the landscape. • Recommend variations in brick finishes and texture including other stone materials (i.e. cast stone) to provide more visual interest and aesthetic appeal. Some glazed brick especially at entrances really punches up the visual impression of the building. Some heavier textures of brick would be good in the field areas of the buildings. Cast stone cut into veneer panels is also a great way to add a lot of color and texture. Recommend use of reds and browns for the cast stone and do that below a water table, with brick above. It would give the taller buildings a more horizontal appeal to the architecture. Also if the mortar joints on the horizontal brick are somewhat recessed, that will also give the building a more horizontal appearance. • Do not allow dryvit or other simulated stucco material because it is not a durable material, especially in humid climates. The stucco finish on the face helps trap the moisture in the panels. Eventually black mold and green moss start to grow. Then as the panel becomes saturated with moisture, the facing material begins to sluff off. Dryvit has a lifespan of about 8 years, so it is not a good, durable material. • Recommend projecting and recessed bays on street facing elevation to help break up the massing of the building, especially on buildings that are three stories or higher. Also adds architectural interest to the design of the building. The plane changes also give an opportunity to change facing materials to give more visual interest to the buildings. • Incorporate architectural details at entrances such as variation in materials to make more visually appealing. Greenscape: • Strengthen landscaping requirements to increase green space and the number of mature plantings and trees. • Increase minimum trees diameter to provide for more mature trees. Bibby and Gritzner attended the April 9th City Council meeting and presented the following statement: “Thank you for this opportunity to speak on behalf of the Brookings Historic Preservation Commission. My name is Mary Bibby and I am serving as the Commission’s chairman this year. With me is Dr. Janet Gritzner, also a member of the Commission. The Brookings Historic Preservation Commission wishes to go on record in support of your proposed SDSU Campus Edge Neighborhood Design Review Overlay District and we encourage its enactment. We believe it will be a valuable tool to be used as this area expands and changes in years ahead. We do have some concerns and I am not sure where it is appropriate to address them--whether in the ordinance itself or in later issuance of building permits or merely as guidelines to be presented to potential developers as plans progress. We have sought assistance from Paul Porter of the State Historic Preservation Office to help us in formulating our suggestions but in the interest of time and not wanting to get bogged down in details at this point, let me just mention a few items for your consideration. Landscaping will be of critical importance and in that regard we suggest more green space and the planting of more mature trees to give the area an established appearance from the outset and to cut the negative visual impact of clustered brick/stone buildings. Perhaps one way to achieve this goal would be to specify a minimum tree diameter. Another suggestion would be to limit building height to two stories on the west end of the overlay district and grade up to taller structures to the east and north. Variations in brick finishes, texture, and color would also provide more visual interest and aesthetic appeal. Projecting and recessed bays on the street side would help break up the massing of the buildings, especially on those that are three stories or higher. Incorporating architectural details at entrances is also recommended. We on the Commission are very happy that the City Council is taking steps to improve and protect this neighborhood. We offer our assistance and cooperation in any way we can be of help. Many thanks for your good work.” Brookings Gallery (Art) Alley Project. On April 4th, members of a Leadership Brookings class presented a proposal for mural-type art and/or temporary art displays on the backs of buildings in the alleys on Brookings Main Street. The BHPC voted in support of the project, but strongly advised the Team seek guidance from Paul Porter, SHPO Restoration Specialist, on mounting and materials. Paul Porter reviewed the revised plan and submitted the following statement. “I looked through the proposed products to be used for this project. After reading about the Quickrete mortar repair on Lowe’s website, I wouldn’t use it for two reasons. 1) It does not come in a variety of colors to match the existing mortar on the buildings and 2) It is a cement, which may not work well especially if the surrounding mortar is softer, such as an O type mortar. Cement mixes can eventually cause spalling of brick, as they do not expand and contract with the surrounding brick. I would use a mortar that matches each of the buildings, and that also matches the strength of the existing mortar type. Most brick buildings are going to have an N type mortar in their construction. Unglazed soft fired brick would require an O type mortar so that spalling of the brick does not occur. Also the holes to be drilled should only be through the mortar joints, and NOT the brick itself. I would allow for at least an inch of space between the panel and the building to allow enough air to move through to dry out any moisture. Also, unless the plywood panels are painted with a good oil based primer on the front, back and sides, I would take them down during the winter to avoid decay. Exposed plywood does not weather well. Also a cap on the top edge (sides a good idea too) of the plywood panels would also help keep out unwanted moisture from seeping in and delaminating the plywood panels.” The Leadership Brookings Team is modifying its installation procedures. Volunteer Leadership Coffee with the Mayor – May 16 & 30. Bibby attended the Mayor’s Volunteer Leadership Coffee held on May 16th. She reported on the Preserve America sign installation on campus, last year’s accredited real estate commission workshop, current vacancies on the Commission and the 6th Street project. Rowland will be invited to attend the May 30th session. Preservation Partner Reports SHPO Update:  SHPO is holding “Art Of Place” in Pierre this weekend, which is a series of workshops on drawing/photography/walking tours with artwork of historic places later displayed at local Oahe Days festival.  June 3-5 SHPO staff will be out of office; in the field leading kids in archaeology camp at Ft. Galpin site.  Paul Porter continues his post hip surgery medical leave. But he is doing some work at home during his second week of recovery. He may be reached on an office cell phone.  They are still waiting for our HPF funds from NPS. The Federal funding cycle is behind this year and that it is delaying us in writing up our grants and contracts. Historic Properties Reports Pending 11.1 Review – 605 Sixth Street / University District. David and Sara Kneip, owners of 605 Sixth Street, have applied for a demolition permit for a house and garage located at 605 Sixth Street. The house is a contributing property and the garage is a non-contributing property in the Brookings University Residential Historic District. The Kneip’s own a real estate company located adjacent to 605 Sixth Street. They wish to remove the house and garage for a 28’ x 40’ addition and additional parking. The State Historic Preservation Office sent a letter on April 15th requiring an abbreviated case report be completed on the proposed project. Thornes contacted the applicant on April 22nd and April 27th requesting a meeting to respond to the questions. She has not received a response to date. Announcements/Correspondence/Communications/Calendar May National Historic Preservation Month May 16 & 30 Volunteer Leadership Coffee with Mayor October 1st Deadwood Grant Deadline Oct 29-Nov 2 National Trust Conference – Indianapolis November 1st State Property Tax Moratorium Application Deadline Meeting adjourned at 5:35 p.m. Submitted by Shari Thornes