HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022 - Historic Preservation Commission - Annual ReportANNUAL REPORT
City of Fort Collins
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
2022 Annual Report
Commission Members:
Kurt Knierim, Chair (Historian; Educator)
Jim Rose, Vice Chair (Architectural historian; Architect)
Meg Dunn (Local historian; educator)
Anne Nelson (Architect)
William Dunn (Archeologist)
Jenna Edwards - New Member (Historian; Archivist)
Margo Carlock – New Member (Historian)
Eric Guenther – New Member (Business and Finance)
Bonnie Gibson – New Member (Archeologist)
78% (7 of 9 members) of the HPC was composed of credentialed preservation-related
professionals. A minimum of 40% is required by History Colorado.
The HPC was unable to make quorum on two occasions due to a combination of conflicts of
interest, absences, and being down two members for much of the year while waiting for new
appointments to the Commission.
To provide additional information for the work of the HPC, the City of Fort Collins relies on
preservation contractors for ongoing, ad hoc historic property survey work to support the City's
regulatory requirements. The Commission considers their documentation of properties that are
under consideration for landmark nominations, design review, demolition review, and adaptive
reuse for development projects.
Staff to HPC:
For most of this reporting period, staff operated with only 2 of 3 funded classified planner positions
filled as we experienced delays in hiring.
Commission training opportunities:
· PastForward 2022 Online Conference (National Trust for Historic Preservation) - full
commission
· Saving Places 2022 Conference (Colorado Preservation, Inc, Denver) - full commission
· HPC Work Session presentations/discussion on ADA issues, and use code and building
code revisions, floodplain regulations, interpreting the Standards in hearings, conference
debrief/recaps on Saving Places, Congreso, and Past/Forward, hearing procedural
guidance and rules, local LGBTQ+ history, local civil rights history
Public meetings:
Regular meetings (11):
1/19/2022
2/16/2022
3/16/2022
4/20/2022
5/18/2022
7/20/2022
8/17/2022
9/21/2022
10/19/2022
Work sessions (9):
1/12/2022
2/9/2022
3/8/2022
4/13/2022
5/11/2022
7/13/2022
8/10/2022
10/12/2022
12/7/2022
11/16/2022
12/14/2022
Local landmark design review:
There are 297 properties designated as local Fort Collins landmarks and protected by ordinance.
Related to those properties, 86 design review applications came forward in 2022. Six (6) were
brought to the HPC for decisions. The remainder were simple enough to be reviewed at the staff
level.
Of those 86 reviews, only one was contentious. An addition to a landmarked single-family
residence at 1306 W Mountain Avenue went through multiple discussions with staff and the
Commission and ultimately was approved, with the exception of alteration to one window, and the
denial of that feature was appealed to City Council (Council upheld the HPC decision).
Landmark eligibility determinations:
The HPC heard one appeal of a staff determinations of eligibility for 1802 N College, a commercial
restaurant property that is historically and culturally significant to our Latinx community. The HPC
upheld the determination and on subsequent appeal of that decision the City Council also upheld
the property's landmark eligibility, denying the appellant's claims that the HPC failed to properly
consider evidence and failed to conduct a fair hearing. A non-owner-initiated landmark nomination
is currently anticipated; the property is proposed for redevelopment as a drive-through restaurant
and the land use code does allow for approval of modification of standards relative to treatment of
historic resources that are not protected by local ordinance.
National Register of Historic Places and federal review:
The Scott Apartments, a local landmark property at 900 S College, was added to the National
Register of Historic Places, and was also followed by design review approval for revitalization of
that property's housing units, which supports existing/natural affordable housing in our Downtown.
Staff provides comment to History Colorado for any projects that have federal involvement (funding
or permitting) and require evaluation of potential adverse impacts on properties that are eligible for
or listed on the National Register. Those activities are presented the HPC for monthly review at
their monthly meetings. In 2022, there were 3:
HUD - Housing Authority project at 400 Impala Circle
HUD - Habitat for Humanity at 2851 Conquest Street
HUD - Savoy Project at corner of Cinquefoil Ln. and Precision Dr.
The HPC also provided complimentary design review for 1 property listed on the National Register;
staff provided review of 17 additional properties listed on the National Register.
Incentive programs:
Staff also provided monthly reports to the HPC on activities related to the City’s two financial
incentive programs for historic resources (Design Assistance mini-grants and Landmark
Rehabilitation Loans).
Friend of Preservation Awards:
2022 saw the post-pandemic revival of the HPC's annual Friend of Preservation Awards, which
recognized several preservation and local history leaders in the community and included a catered
outdoor reception in front of City Hall that included Commission members, family and friends of
awardees, City Council members, and staff.
Special projects:
Two historic context studies began in 2022 to provide important background information for the
ongoing work of the HPC and City staff: an architectural theme study detailing the work of noted
local mid-century architect William Robb, and a civil rights context study that will provide an
intersectional overview of civil rights themes in Fort Collins history, with associated significant
properties identified for future study. Both are funded by the State Historical Fund of History
Colorado.
Three are two formal historic survey projects in place in addition to the ongoing survey work that is
conducted in association with development review applications. They are the downtown Campus
North subdistrict area just north of the CSU campus; and the College Avenue Downtown survey
project of fifty (50) commercial properties between Mulberry Street and Laporte Avenue, which is
funded with a grant from the State Historical Fund of History Colorado.
2023 Forecast:
In addition to the usual flow of quasi-judicial items for decisions or recommendations, the 2023
HPC work plan includes 4 thematic activity areas in which the full Commission and individual
members will either contribute directly or work with staff and community members to support and
guide collaborative activities:
1) Support for building an equitable, affordable, and vibrant community
2) Grow a collaborative and inclusive network through improved public engagement
3) Strengthen connections to climate resilience work
4) Develop modernized and expanded tools for historic preservation