Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995-06-05 HPC MINHERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION June 5, 1995 Present: Jeff Johnson, chairman Robert Kimbrel, Howard Lieberman (8:15), Jay Michels, Brent Peterson, and Roger Tomten Others: Steve Russell, community development director, Susan Fitzgerald, planning Absent: Katherine Francis, Todd Remington Mr. Johnson called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. Mr. Kimbrel, seconded by Mr. Peterson, moved to approve the minutes of the May 1, 1995, meeting. All in favor. Case No. DR195-9 Design Review permit for signs at 501 N. Main St. Robert Miller, applicant Robert Miller appeared regarding the request. Mr. Johnson noted that only one sign per business is allowed; two signs were shown. Mr. Miller said he could get by with just one sign. Mr. Johnson further noted the maximum allowable size of the signage is 25 square feet; 32 feet were shown on the proposed design drawings. Mr. Miller said he would stay within the 25 feet maximum. The coloring of the sign will be a light yellow background with red lettering. Mr. Kimbrel, seconded by Mr. Peterson, moved approval with the condition that the sign not exceed 25 square feet; all in favor. Mr. Johnson asked Mr. Miller to submit the final colors to staff for review. Qase No. ❑R19�-12. Design Review permit for wall sign at 501 N. Main St. (south building). Jeff Main, applicant. Mr. Main was not present. Mr. Russell told members the request is consistent with the already existing signage. Mr. Johnson noted the request is basically dealing with a name change. Mr. Tomten, seconded by Mr. Kimbrel, moved approval; all in favor. Ca,5u Igo. DR/25-11. Design Review permit for wall signs at 402 N. Main St. (Staples Mill). Moffat David Personnel Services, applicant. A representative of Presto Graphics, the firm that is doing the signage, appeared regarding the request. Moffat David is taking over the space previously occupied by Stonebridge Ballet. The request is for a 202 foot sign centered over the main doorway. Sample materials and layouts were provided. Mr. Johnson expressed his concern regarding the multiple tenants in the building and the possibility for requests for additional signage. Mr. Russell concurred with that concern, and suggested writing a letter to building owner Monty Brine regarding the concern for a potential problem. Mr. Johnson said the proposed signage would work fine for one tenant, but he reiterated his concern regarding multiple tenants. Mr. Peterson noted the request under consideration is for Moffat David, not for the building owner. Mr. Michels moved approval, with a letter to be sent to Mr. Brine asking him to attend the next HPC meeting to discuss the Commission's concern. Mr. Peterson seconded the motion; all in favor. Case No. ❑Rl2b-1 Q. Design Review permit for projecting sign at 221 E. Chestnut St. Charles and Yvonne Cabella, applicants. Mr. Russell said the request is within guidelines. The sign will be eight feet off the sidewalk and will not be lighted. Mr. Johnson, seconded by Mr. Tomten, moved approval; all in favor. Todd Newman, representing Andersen Corp., appeared regarding the request. Mr. Johnson noted the request is for a 300-square foot sign, which is still less than allowable. Mr. Newman said an address would be added to the sign; the sign will be lighted by three ground level spotlights. Mr. Johnson asked whether the existing awning on the building will be removed. Mr. Newman said it has not been decided whether to remove the awning or paint it. Mr. Peterson, seconded by Mr. Kimbrel, moved approval; all in favor. Mr. Newman briefly went over some new landscaping Andersen will be doing along the east property line. Upon questioning by Mr. Russell, he said the lights in the parking lot have not been removed at this time, but they will be turned off. Modificathan of -approval for pogcorn wagon logaion at Water n d Chestnut streets. Laura Eilkenborg, applicant. Ms. Eilkenborg appeared regarding the request. She said she has found since opening the business that the wagon needs to be moved forward on the site in order to be more visible from Main Street. Several members expressed concern about the closeness of the wagon to the sidewalk and the Water/Chestnut street intersection. There was a suggestion that a sandwich board be used to attract business, rather than moving the wagon. Ms. Eilkenborg agreed that would be preferable, but she said she would still like to move the wagon forward on the site for this season and then move it back next year when people are familiar with its existence. Ms. Eilkenborg said she would be willing to try the sandwich board for a week, but noted that moving the wagon forward on the lot will provide increased visibility for all sides, not just Main Street. An original motion of approval by Mr. Kimbrel, seconded by Mr. Michels, was amended to allow the wagon to be moved forward this season on a trial basis, with a review prior to next season. All in favor. Other items o Doug and Deb Thorsen, new owners of the Laurel Street Inn, appeared before the Commission. They said they plan to live in the home and operate it as a three suite bed and breakfast, as it has been in the past. They hope to be in business in July and have planned an open house for June 25. • North Hill Survey -- Mr. Johnson said the survey will be completed by the end of June. The final report will be available at the July meeting. Due to the July 4 holiday, the meeting was set for July 5. • Demolition ordinance -- Mr. Russell said he hoped to have a draft ordinance ready for the July 5 meeting. Mr. Kimbrel asked whether the Commission should suggest that the City Council impose a moratorium on building demolitions until an ordinance is enacted. Mr. Russell agreed that would be a good idea; he suggested rather than a complete moratorium, there be some type of review process. Mr. Tomten suggested a moratorium on demolitions without proper review. Staff will make that recommendation to the City Council on behalf of the Heritage Preservation Commission. • The City has been notified it is the recipient of a $4,500 Local Government Grant to conduct a South Hill survey in 1996. • The City also has been notified that the SHPO has determined the landscape in Lowell Park to be of historical significance. Mr. Russell said that determination may have some impact on how the Lowell Park Plan is implemented. Mr. Michels asked what changes might occur to the Lowell Park/levee wall project as a result of the finding. Mr. Russell said the tendency is to consider a lower profile as more in keeping with original designs. Mr. Johnson said he thought the finding would be advantageous. - Review of Lumber Baron's building plans Duane Hubbs, Charles Dougherty and John Berglund, owners. appeared to review the hotel plans. Mr. Russell said the owners had been asked to appear before the Commission as a number of changes have been made to plans HPC previously approved. Mr. Hubbs expressed his irritation at the suggestion that changes were made without HPC's knowledge. He said plans were submitted to Charles Nelson of the Minnesota Historical Society for review and whatever changes have been made were made in response to Mr. Nelson's comments. Mr. Hubbs said Mr. Nelson insisted on certain changes and Ann Pung-Terwedo was aware of those changes. Mr. Johnson noted the hotel has been reduced from 48 units previously approved to 42 rooms. Mr. Hubbs said the plan has not changed. The project is being done in phases; six more rooms will be added in phase 2, with an outside staircase shown in current plans becoming an inside staircase when the additional rooms are constructed. The additional rooms will be constructed based on a performance review once the first phase is occupied. Other changes include the removal of windows in the transitional building. Mr. Hubbs said Mr. Nelson did not want the new building to attempt to replicate the old building with its 3-over-3 windows. The transitional building will have 2-over-2 windows identical in scale to the old building. Air conditioning units in the new building will be wall units, mounted flush with the brick outside wall and painted a brick color. The railings will be used to screen the units, Mr. Hubbs said. The railings on the room patios will be wrought iron. A deck will run the entire length of the river side of the building. A recent plan is construct a railway -style deck covering so it will look like the old building. Mr. Michels asked whether the developers would provide some kind of commitment to enclose the open stairway if the occupancy rate doesn't allow for the expansion. Mr. Berglund said that would be agreeable to the developers. Later in the discussion, Mr. Johnson requested the developers to provide a date for the closure of the stairway. Mr. Berglund said they would like to do that as soon as possible, but said he would be hesitant to be pinned down to a specific date. He offered to come back to the HPC next May with the business projections. Mr. Michels said he was troubled by the use of the wrought iron railings. Mr. Johnson expressed his desire that something -- different coursing of brickwork, for example -- be done to break up the massiveness of the exterior wall. Mr. Hubbs said he would look into that. It was also suggested that transoms be added to the second and third story doors, if that is approved by Charles Nelson. In addition to those two conditions, Mr. Johnson reiterated that the air conditioning units must be flush with the exterior wall and painted to match the brick and that a wooden canopy be constructed over the old dockage. Mr. Peterson moved approval on the modifications to the approved plans, with the above comments noted. Mr. Lieberman seconded the motion; all in favor. Mr. Michels asked whether the developers would be open to having Mr. Johnson or Mr. Tomten act as a liaison on the project. Mr. Johnson volunteered to work with the developers and also meet with the developers and Charles Nelson to go over some of the HPC's concerns. Mr. Hubbs and Mr. Berglund said that was acceptable, but noted the project is moving along quickly and timing is important. Later, Mr. Kimbrel expressed his concern about the HPC's role in the development, the fact that the revised design is drastically different that the approved plans/designs, and that the project is proceeding regardless of what the HPC says. It was agreed that in future, a city staff person should be appointed to act as liaison on major projects. Mr. Johnson suggested that Mr. Hubbs had used Charles Nelson's review/comments to scale back the project. He said he would talk with Mr. Nelson and said he didn't think there would be any problem in getting HPC's most recent suggestions OK'd. Mr. Kimbrel, seconded by Mr. Tomten moved to adjourn the meeting at 9:15 p.m. All in favor. Respectfully submitted, Sharon Baker Recording Secretary