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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-04-15 HPC MINillwater •NI IIN T%l IAt0 00 ]11 ONIIf IA HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION MEETING April 15, 2020 7:00 P.M. Chairwoman Mino called the meeting to order via Zoom at 7:06 p.m. Present: Chairwoman Mino, Commissioners Finwall, Larson, Steinwall, Thueson, Walls, Council Representative Junker Absent: Commissioner Krakowski Staff: City Planner Wittman, City Clerk Wolf APPROVAL OF MINUTES Possible approval of minutes of March 18, 2020 Meeting Motion by Commissioner Larson, seconded by Commissioner Steinwall, to approve the minutes of the March 18, 2020 meeting. Motion passed, 5-0-1 with Commissioner Finwall abstaining. OPEN FORUM There were no public comments. CONSENT AGENDA There were no items on the Consent Agenda. PUBLIC HEARING There were no public hearings. NEW BUSINESS Case No. 2020-12: Consideration of a Design Permit for rooft-olLinil2rovements for the property luatd at 125 Main St S in the Downtown Design Review District, Ross Larson, representing Nordic LUV LLC. property Owner. Commissioner Steinwall recused herself from the discussion and the vote. Ms. Wittman explained that in 2003, the former owner of 125 Main Street South received approval for "deckage" however, the City has no approval documentation from the Heritage Preservation Commission nor the City's Building Inspection division. An approximately 24' wide by 40' long deck is located on the rooftop. The deck is screened from Water Street with a 6' wood privacy fence rising approximately 4'-5 above the patio decking. Ross Larson of Nordic LUV LLC is requesting a Design Permit for a new rooftop patio to include: replacing the existing deck with a 25' long by 22.5' wide Ipe (Brazilian walnut) wood deck, with two raised planter boxes and a stepped hot tub surround with bench seating; installing new fall protection and screening on top of the framed patio deck, to include a 3'6" tall black metal and 1pe wood railing with vertical black rails located on the north and south sides of the new deck; and an 8'9" tall hardwood privacy screen on the eastern side of the building; installing new lighting to include exterior undermount LED strips under built-in seating and on stair treads and down -lit lights on the interior of the privacy screen. The rooftop improvement is intended to be used as outdoor living area. While the deck and railing are typical rooftop improvements visible from the street, the City has generally determined these to be conforming to the standards and guidelines in place because, if removed in the future, the alteration would not substantially alter the Heritage Preservation Commission Meeting April 15, 2020 original structure. However, the installation of the hot tub and its associated screening raise alarms as to whether or not the "design is compatible with the size, scale... character of the property." The hot tub should be screened from view of the public (including those directly across Water Street, at the Water Street Inn). However, the 8'9" tall screen does not keep with the size, scale nor the character of the building nor its surroundings. Staff finds reducing the screen to a maximum of 6' from the roof deck (not patio deck) would be more in conformance to the standards in place. Therefore, staff would recommend conditional approval with five conditions. Jennifer Noden, applicant, said to correct the staff report, the fence sits back three feet from the line of the building (the eastern property line). She does not think they would have a problem dropping the fence to 6'. The pre -made 5'10" wood screen panels could be attached to the roof rather than the deck itself which would bring them under 6'. They would keep the same footprint as currently there. Councilmember Junker congratulated Mr. Larson on the purchase of the building. Noel Molloy, general contractor, said the hot tub would be set back from the south ledge so it would be mostly hidden from Water Street south of Chestnut. Ross Larson, applicant, added that the existing handrail would be replaced but the visuals would not change. Commissioner Finwall asked about the materials for the C high fence. Ms. Noden said the product is made from recycled compressed hardwoods. It looks the same on both sides. Commissioner Larson asked if lighting will remain attached to the vertical supports of the screen wall. One of his concerns with the original design was glare source. Lighting could be a problem because what people see is the light source more than any screening. The lower the light sources, the better. He suggested bringing the light down to more or less the 42" rail height to reduce its visibility. Ms. Noden replied that would not be a problem at all. Motion by Commissioner Finwall, seconded by Commissioner Walls, to approve Case No. 2020-12, Design Permit for rooftop improvements for the property located at 125 Main St S, with the five staff - recommended conditions, changing Condition #2 to add: Lights shall not be placed higher than 42" off the deck, and changing Condition #3 to read: The height of the privacy screen shall not exceed the height of the existing screen. Motion passed, 5-0-1 with Commissioner Steinwall abstaining. Case No. 2020-13: Consideration of a Design Permit for faVide changes and new signage at the property located at 103 Main St tV in the Downto�l Design Review District. PAC Holdings LLC. property owner and Hamilton LLC applicant Ms. Wittman explained the case. In the 1980s the City approved construction of a gas station at 103 Main Street North with a free-standing sign. Since the time of Use Permit approvals, the sign has become nonconforming in height and sign size. In 1998 the HPC granted a Design Permit for exterior alterations which included changing the freestanding sign to permit a 20', 50 square foot sign to be erected onsite. In 2005 and again in 2010 the HPC approved Design Permits for exterior alterations and signage for the existing Lucky's gas station. Noteworthy conditions of those approvals included: cut off lighting shield to be installed at pylon lighting; only one logo shall be applied to the building along Water Street and Main Street; and any pylon sign shall be submitted for review and approved by the HPC prior to installation. The City does not have any record of HPC review/approval nor City issuance of an approved sign permit for the free-standing sign that exists today. The new owner would like to make changes to the building's fagade and signage. The applicant is requesting approval of a Design Permit to: paint all existing brick on the building and on the canopy columns white; paint the building's black sign band area to white, adding a red decal stripe at the bottom; change the Page 2 of 6 Heritage Preservation Commission Meeting April 15, 2020 existing "Lucky's Station" wall signs to new, 52" interior -lit signs to read "to go" in white lettering on red; change the gas pump canopies to either white or red with an orange stripe, white and blue with black channel letters to read "AMOCO" where the "Gulf' logo currently is; and change the existing, free-standing "Lucky's Station" sign to an approximately 64 square foot unlit sign to read "AMOCO." Since the staff report was done, two issues have been brought up by adjacent property owners; the absence of a trash enclosure, and cracking of the parking lot. Staff finds that with certain conditions the proposed project substantially conforms to the standards and guidelines and would recommend conditional approval with eight conditions. Commissioner Finwall asked if the canopy lights are drop down lights. Ms. Wittman answered no. They are all recessed up in the canopy. Councilmember Junker said he strongly recommends not painting the brick white as it would be out of character with the historic downtown. Also he noticed the Lucky's pole sign has a light shining on each side. City Planner Wittman said those lights were permitted by the City long ago. Staff maintains if there is lighting on the pylon sign, it should be external and shielded, not internal. Commissioner Larson agreed that white brick is not seen much downtown. He highly encourages the applicant to stick with a black canopy with contrasting signage to not overpower adjacent buildings. Chairwoman Mino agreed with Commissioner Larson. The building will stand out regardless of color, Councilmember Junker said prior to 1999, the building was attractively retrofitted to a 1950s look. He would like to see it look more like it did in 1998. Commissioner Thueson commented that the signage from 1998 is more in keeping with downtown design review standards and guidelines rather than white or blue and red designs. Ms. Wittman said the Commission could recommend approval with modifications that are more consistent with the 1998 design. Jim Hamilton, applicant, said he would prefer not to paint the brick but he will have to get Amoco approval for a darker canopy and building. He asked if the brand colors could be used for the pylon sign. Ms. Wittman said she doesn't see any reason the pylon sign cannot use the brand colors as proposed. Commissioner Steinwall asked if Mr. Hamilton needs to get Amoco approval for the installation of a trash enclosure as mentioned earlier. Mr. Hamilton said he would have to talk to Amoco about a trash enclosure. Commissioner Walls remarked that the client would probably see a reduction in trash hauling costs because a lot of people toss trash in the existing bin that is not enclosed. Ms. Wittman added that the screening of trash enclosures is in the guidelines for new projects but zoning code does not require it. City Clerk Wolf added that Washington County offers grants to businesses for trash enclosures. Commissioner Finwall said with this being the only gas station in downtown Stillwater, it's a great opportunity to create a retro-look gas station. Designing it to reflect the history of Stillwater rather than today's flashy colors would lend well to a business plan. Ms. Wittman stated Mr. Hamilton is the sign consultant but she can help convey that message to the owner. Mr. Hamilton said he will bring that up but there are some constraints with the branding. Page 3 of 6 Heritage Preservation Commission Meeting April 15, 2020 Commissioner Thueson said he would be willing to approve the application now if they would go back to the 1998 design. This is a key location downtown and it needs to be done right. Mr. Hamilton said he will go back to Amoco and see if it can be brought back to the previous look. He thinks he can make that happen. Motion by Chairwoman Mino, seconded by Commissioner Steinwall, to approve Case No. 2020-13, Design Permit for facade changes and new signage at the property located at 103 Main St N, with the eight conditions recommended by staff, changing Condition #3 to read: the pump canopies and the building band shall be similar in design to 1998 approvals. Commissioner Steinwall asked if a trash enclosure should be required as Condition #9. Ms. Wittman said a trash enclosure is tied to use. Staff can probably help get the enclosure constructed without tying it to this design permit. Commissioner Finwall said she would like to see the application brought back before the Commission with the suggested changes but she is willing to vote in favor. Motion passed, 6-0. UNFINISHED BUSINESS There was no unfinished business. OTHER DISCUSSION ITEMS HPC Ordinance Update && Guidol ine/Standards Discussion Ms. Wittman led discussion of a portion of an evaluation report of the City's preservation ordinances, submitted by the City's consulting firm HKGi and Landscape Research. The intent of this evaluation report section is to provide a description of the high-level ordinance improvement recommendations. The second section of the report, which will be used to guide new ordinance development, focuses on a detailed evaluation of all applicable current HPC/design review ordinances. A "should" is a guideline. A "shall" is codified, those are the rules that apply to every projects. She will start preparing comments to share with the consultant. She has heard feedback from some of the Commissioners and encourages additional feedback. Commissioner Larson commented that the Commission often deals with a building trying to be compatible in a historic sense. The standards should not eliminate the possibility of a well designed contemporary building that reflects its own time period, and should not encourage the creation of fake historic architecture. Chairwoman Mino agreed. Building designs that are compatible with their neighborhoods should be encouraged. Commissioner Finwall remarked that in her position as a planner for another city, they have ordinances and then they have standards which may be changed by staff, without council approval, to meet certain technical requirements. She is unclear about the language regarding guidelines versus standards. Ms. Wittman replied that is understandable. The intent of this update is to determine how to shape all the information into something that is reasonable and manageable. In the ordinance/code, there are some laws that apply to every project. There are also guidelines that help guide how to meet those standards. She appreciates all feedback so far. In the fall/winter the HPC will start looking at guidelines in detail. Commissioner Thueson asked if the end result will be a set of city-wide standards that are part of the ordinance, as well as particular standards for districts where they are needed. Ms. Wittman said the current process is looking at the "law" - "how we do things" - the criteria - the standards for design review. In the fall, the HPC will look at guidelines, and may get into specific guidelines for downtown. The idea is to clean up all the ordinances and laws because they are currently just too scattered. She invited Commissioners to continue to comment. Page 4 of 6 Heritage Preservation Commission Meeting 2020 Preservation Awards April 15, 2020 Ms. Wittman stated that traditionally the HPC chair presents preservation awards at a May City Council meeting because May is National Historic Preservation Month. Due to the extended Stay At Home Order, presentation of the awards may be scheduled for a later Council meeting. She reviewed a list of projects approved in the last two years to consider for awards. Commissioner Thueson asked if there are other opportunities to recognize people who are doing a good job caring for a historic property over a number of years as opposed to awards that are more project based. Ms. Wittman said the HPC has given lifetime achievement awards for people in the preservation field but she is not aware of any that have been given for preservation efforts of property owners over a number of years. A few years ago, the City started a postcard program to thank property owners for maintaining their structures. This has been difficult to administer in the past couple of years. Commissioner Finwall suggested making the preservation awards during the Preservation Conference. Commissioner Larson noted part of the reason for making the presentations at a Council meeting is that in addition to the awards, a summary is given to the Council of the work of the HPC over the past year. It reminds the Council of what the HPC is doing. Commissioner Steinwall asked if the restoration of the Lift Bridge and the trail should be recognized somehow. Ms. Wittman replied that project could receive an honorable mention award. She also thought about giving an award to the Council for enacting the demolition ordinance. Councilmember Junker stated the City Council loves to hear the summary of the HPC's work every May. To do it by Zoom would be less desirable. The before and after pictures are very much appreciated. Consensus of the Commission was to table the preservation awards until they can be given in person at a City Council meeting. Ms. Wittman invited the Commissioners to contact her further regarding candidates. FYI South Main Street Retaining Wall Ms. Wittman informed the Commission that the City's public works/engineering department filed an appeal but then withdrew the appeal. Staff is working with them to explore multiple design options. Something will come back before the Commission. It will most likely not be a flat -faced, concrete wall. 2020 Preserve MN Conference Ms. Wittman updated the Commission on the Conference. The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) staff is trying to decide whether to shift gears toward some sort of electronic conference, or postpone the conference to 2021. The State intends to decide by July 1. She has let them know that July 1 seems late for planning efforts to resume. She asked for feedback. Commissioner Steinwall remarked there is too much uncertainty and inability to plan. After stay at home orders expire there will still be a lot of nervousness among people to attend big events. She recommends postponing it for a year so it can still be held in downtown Stillwater. Chairwoman Mino, Commissioners Larson and Walls agreed. Chairwoman Mino suggested Ms. Wittman ask SHPO to move the decision deadline to June 1. Ms. Wittman added that the City has made commitments for some reservations. Some of those funds may be remitted by the State or Federal government. JX Event Center has been reserved for four hours on Thursday. Maybe a showing of the Runk documentary film could be done there, for instance, to at least use the space. ADJOURNMENT Page 5 of 6 Heritage Preservation Commission Meeting April 15, 2020 Motion by Commissioner Walls, seconded by Commissioner Steinwall, to adjourn. Motion passed, 6-0. The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 p.m. ATTEST Abbi Wittman, City Planner y Mysi0, Chairwoman Page 6 of 6