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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHistoric Preservation Commission - MINUTES - 02/21/2024Page 1 Jim Rose, Chair Location: Bonnie Gibson, Vice Chair Council Chambers, 300 Laporte Margo Carlock And remotely via Zoom Jenna Edwards Anne Nelsen David Woodlee Tom Wilson Staff Liaison: Vacant Seat Maren Bzdek Vacant Seat Historic Preservation Manager Regular Meeting February 21, 2024 Minutes • CALL TO ORDER Chair Rose called the meeting to order at 5:31 p.m. • ROLL CALL PRESENT: Margo Carlock, Anne Nelsen Jim Rose, Tom Wilson, David Woodlee ABSENT: Bonnie Gibson STAFF: Maren Bzdek, Heather Jarvis, Yani Jones, Melissa Matsunaka • AGENDA REVIEW Ms. Bzdek stated there were changes to the published agenda, including a few items under Staff Reports Not on the Agenda and a discussion of Saving Places Conference in Other Business. • CONSENT AGENDA REVIEW No items were pulled from consent. • STAFF REPORTS ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA Ms. Bzdek provided updates on the new HPC appointments coming forward on March 19, 2024. The new commission members shall join the HPC for the April meetings. Ms. Bzdek asked the HPC regarding their interest in participating in the Super Issues Meeting on March 25, 2024. • COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA None. Historic Preservation Commission Page 2 • CONSENT AGENDA 1. CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF JANUARY 17, 2024. The purpose of this item is to approve the minutes from the January 17, 2024 regular meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission. 2. SF DEMOLITION NOTIFICATION – 1011 W MAGNOLIA The purpose of this item is to approve the Single-Family Demolition Notice for 1011 W Magnolia. Commissioner Carlock made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Nelsen, to approve the consent agenda for the February 21, 2024, meeting as presented. Yeas: Carlock, Nelsen, Wilson, Woodlee, and Rose. Nays: none. THE MOTION CARRIED. • DISCUSSION AGENDA 3. REPORT ON STAFF ACTIVITIES SINCE THE LAST MEETING Staff is tasked with an array of different responsibilities including code-required project review decisions on historic properties, support to other standing and special work groups across the City organization, and education & outreach programming. This report will provide highlights for the benefit of Commission members and the public, and for transparency regarding decisions made without the input of the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC). Yani Jones, Historic Preservation Planner, discussed some of the staff activities that have occurred since the last meeting, including a Design Review Highlight for 237 West St. (Sondburg House) that was awarded a Landmark Rehabilitation Loan for installation of two basement egress windows. She also discussed a Survey Highlight for the Lee Suniga Property, located at 818/818.5 Sycamore St. that is Landmark Eligible (818.5) for its notable association with Fort Collins figure Lee Suniga. Timestamp 5:45pm • CONSIDERATION OF CITIZEN-PULLED CONSENT ITEMS None. • OTHER BUSINESS The Commission discussed the Saving Places Conference held in Boulder, CO. Commissioner Nelsen noted that the conference might have been her favorite Saving Places conference she has attended and expressed her appreciation to the HPC for funding their continuing education toward the important work the HPC is involved in. The Commission discussed their favorite tours, including the NCAR Mesa Laboratory building. The Commission discussed the Conference’s focus on sustainability and felt it was timely. They wanted to highlight the carbon-avoided retrofit estimator (caretool.org) as a user-friendly way to evaluate the carbon impact of an existing building to compare against building reuse versus a new building. Page 3 The Commissioners noted that the speakers at the sessions were especially knowledgeable, and the sessions were very interesting. Commissioner Carlock mentioned that several speakers were willing to consider amending or modifying the Secretary of the Interior Standards, or applying them more leniently, to modernize the SOI Standards’ application or appropriateness. The Commissioners discussed the Relevancy Project and recognizing the opportunities for preservation to provide leadership on climate change issues and affordable housing. Ms. Bzdek noted that the City of Fort Collins will be modifying its solar policy this year to make the administrative process smoother to install solar panels. Ms. Jones mentioned a theme at the conference to leverage and build upon existing organizations, systems, and skills already existing in the community, such as preservation trades training. Heather Jarvis noted that it was a fantastic and fun conference. She brought up a session that discussed mobile homes as an affordable housing element of a city’s housing inventory and the stories that arise from the people within those structures. It was an interesting session that discussed the history of the mobile home parks and the planning aspects. Ms. Bzdek noted that the City did a Quonset Hut study on the temporary, pre-fabricated building type, called “Soldiers of the Sword, Soldiers of the Ploughshare: Quonset Huts,” located on the Preservation Webpage, under Local History heading, Architecture & Design. She discussed that it’s a great analog to the conversation about how to consider manufactured homes, including the preservation policy issues and how significance is defined for buildings that were designed to be moveable. The Commission agreed that the Saving Places Conference was an invaluable opportunity and thanked the City for supporting the HPC’s continuing education. • ADJOURNMENT Chair Rose adjourned the meeting at 6:45 p.m. Minutes prepared by and respectfully submitted by Melissa Matsunaka.