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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHistoric Preservation Commission - MINUTES - 06/18/20256/18/25 – MINUTES Historic Preservation Commission REGULAR MEETING June 18, 2025 – 5:30 PM Council Chambers, City Hall 300 Laporte Ave Also via Zoom • CALL TO ORDER Chair Gibson called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. • ROLL CALL o Commission Members Present –  Bonnie Gibson (Chair)  Margo Carlock (Vice Chair)  Chris Conway  Jeff Gaines  Aaron Hull  Jim Rose  David Woodlee o Commission Members Absent –  Jenna Edwards o Staff Members Present –  Maren Bzdek, Historic Preservation Division Manager  Jim Bertolini, Senior Historic Preservation Planner  Heather Jarvis, Assistant City Attorney  Melissa Matsunaka, HPC Admin o Guest(s) –  None • AGENDA REVIEW Maren Bzdek, Historic Preservation Manager, reviewed the published agenda. • COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION ON ITEMS ON OR NOT ON THE AGENDA None. • CONSENT AGENDA REVIEW No items were pulled from consent. 6/18/25 – MINUTES • CONSENT AGENDA 1. CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF MAY 21, 2025. The purpose of this item is to approve the minutes from the May 21, 2025 regular meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission. Vice Chair Carlock moved, seconded by Commissioner Rose, to approve the Consent Agenda. Yeas: Carlock, Conway, Gaines, Hull, Rose, Woodlee, and Gibson. Nays: none. THE MOTION CARRIED. • STAFF REPORTS ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA None. • COMMISSIONER REPORTS ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA None. • CONSENT AGENDA FOLLOW UP None. • DISCUSSION AGENDA 2. 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). Jim Bertolini, Senior Historic Preservation Planner, stated staff hosted a table at the Fort Collins Pride celebration on June 1st and were in attendance for the Pride Proclamation at Council on June 3rd. Additionally, the Big Splash event was held at the Water Works building on June 14th and there are many events and programming forthcoming for Juneteenth. He provided a reminder about the Historic Preservation newsletter. 3. LAND USE CODE UPDATES – THE FUTURE OF COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS AND CENTERS Building on the foundation of the City’s first round of Land Use Code updates, which were adopted by the City Council in May 2024 and focused on housing-related updates, The Future of Commercial Corridors and Centers project is exploring a broader range of topics focused on commercial areas. These updates are focused on commercial zone districts, corridors and development standards to ensure they align with current city policies and community needs, specifically. STAFF: Megan Keith, Senior City Planner Sylvia Tatman-Burruss, Policy and Project Manager 6/18/25 – MINUTES STAFF PRESENTATION Sylvia Tatman-Burress, Policy and Project Manager, noted the first phase of the Land Use Code updates focused on housing and this second phase is focused on commercial corridors and centers in terms of advancing the City’s 15-minute city goals, aligning with adopted policy plans, balancing desired outcomes, and adding clarity to the Development Review Process. She outlined the timeline for the project and discussed the community engagement activity that has been conducted to date. She provided the specific Council priorities that are being used as guidance for the updates, including operationalizing resources toward affordable housing, 15-minute city goals, an intentional approach to economic health, and accelerating active modes. Megan Keith, Senior City Planner, discussed the Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Overlay zone which modifies the underlying zone districts to encourage land uses and densities that enhance and support transit, particularly near the MAX line. She noted there are currently many auto-centric uses allowed in the TOD overlay zone. She outlined the recommended Land Use Code changes for the TOD overlay zone, including allowing 5-story residential buildings, limiting some auto-centric uses through proximity standards or additional form and design standards, segmenting the overlay zone to include more context responsive standards, and eliminating parking minimums and retaining surface parking maximums. Keith stated the second area of Code updates relates to the Harmony Corridor and Employment Zones, and the guiding principle for those changes is about creating resilient commercial and employment centers that are adaptable to future needs. She noted there is currently a 75/25 land use split requiring 75% of uses to be primary uses such as offices, medical centers, and light industrial, and 25% of uses to be secondary uses such as residential, childcare, and restaurants. She stated recommended Land Use Code changes for this area include adjusting the primary and secondary use ratio to 50/50, introducing additional flexibility in the zones, codifying how to calculate primary and secondary uses, and incentivizing more housing by allowing stand-alone secondary uses to be developed if they are replacing an existing surface parking lot. Keith outlined the third area of Code updates for Building Types and Design Standards to help create clear building and site design standards that are supportive of transit use, walking, and rolling in corridors with frequent bus service. She stated recommended Land Use Code changes include refining the mixed-use building type and developing new non-residential building types, and consolidating, clarifying, and updating building standards to include more user-friendly illustrations and tables. Keith outlined the fourth area of Code updates related to the Change of Use Process. She stated the guiding principle for this section relates to improving predictability of the Land Use Code, particularly to support small business owners. She stated businesses are currently often required to comply with the Land Use Code completely with only a few exceptions, which has felt burdensome when it comes to site upgrades. She stated recommended Land Use Code changes include eliminating the concept of a separate change of use and considering whether site or building changes are proposed. She noted fire code and life safety upgrades would still apply. Additionally, it is recommended that the Code include requirements for specific site improvements based on the level of review required. Keith stated next steps in this process include distribution of the draft Code, a work session with Council on July 8th, visits to Boards and Commissions over the summer, and ultimate adoption in the fall. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION None. COMMISSION QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION Commissioner Conway asked if staff has considered eliminating commercial parking minimums altogether. Keith replied that conversation has occurred and staff will likely present to Council a recommendation for at least eliminating parking minimums in the TOD overlay with the option to make that change city-wide. Commissioner Gaines asked for additional information on the plan for segmenting the TOD overlay zone and what kinds of things might vary between segments. Keith replied the focus will be on the area south of Prospect and the segments may be north and south of Swallow Road potentially with the northern area having slightly stronger guidelines around design and uses. She noted there are many differing opinions among the groups from which feedback has been sought. 6/18/25 – MINUTES Commissioner Conway asked about the rationale for having a ratio between primary and secondary uses in the employment corridors and whether there has been consideration given to eliminating that ratio altogether. Tatman-Burruss replied that has been considered, particularly given the need for housing across the city. She stated there has been a desire to keep some of the employment land available, though changes could also be made in the future to allow for more residential uses. She stated staff is attempting to balance allowing other uses while still honoring the existing Harmony Corridor Plan. Chair Gibson asked how sufficient parking is going to be ensured for those who are auto centric. Keith replied recent State regulations prevent municipalities from being able to require parking in multi-family developments; however, staff has heard from the development community that parking is often determined by lenders, and projects do not often get built if there isn’t enough parking provided. Chair Gibson asked if some of the more auto centric uses would be expected to phase out. Tatman- Burruss replied existing uses would be allowed to remain as non-conforming should proximity standards be put in place; however, redevelopment would then necessitate the business type change. Commissioner Conway asked why the proposed TOD changes are not proposed to be expanded to the rest of the city given the 15-minute city goals. Keith noted that question has also been posed by Council and staff is working to understand the associated State legislation as to whether the TOD boundary will need to be extended in the future. Tatman-Burruss also noted the Land Use Code is a living document and changes can be made over time as more information comes in from the State and as additional bus rapid transit lines are added. Chair Gibson noted a letter has been drafted regarding eliminating parking minimums and asked the Commissioners if they would like to vote to send that on to Council. Commissioner Conway summarized a Commission conversation about the Laurel and College historic survey and associated discussion about the impact that commercial parking minimums had on the vibrancy of commercial corridors and in terms of forcing the destruction of historic properties. As a result, staff looked into some of the historic buildings that were demolished in the mid-20th century to make way for parking. He stated the draft letter discusses the importance of flexibility in the Land Use Code that commercial parking minimums do not provide. Commissioner Gaines stated creativity and adaptation, as outlined in the letter, are important considerations. He stated parking can be somewhat self-regulating and associated standards often lag behind trends or cause unwanted trends. Commissioner Rose commended the proposed Land Use Code language related to the TOD overlay zone. He stated the Commission is suggesting something a bit more specific as it has seen what has happened as a consequence of those decisions made at a different time with different points of view. He stated there is the potential to mitigate future building losses. Chair Gibson concurred and stated the elimination of parking minimums will benefit climate goals and housing goals. Commissioner Conway moved, seconded by Commissioner Rose, that the Historic Preservation Commission send a letter to Council recommending the proposed changes to the Land Use Code to end commercial parking minimums city-wide in order to promote creativity and adaptation, prevent the destruction of historic properties, and further the preservation, rehabilitation, and adaptive reuse of historic properties across the city. Yeas: Carlock, Conway, Gaines, Hull, Rose, Woodlee, and Gibson. Nays: none. THE MOTION CARRIED. 6/18/25 – MINUTES 4. THE LINDEN, 360 LINDEN STREET – CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT REVIEW DESCRIPTION: the larger of which will be mixed-use. The project includes approximately 2,500ft2 of commercial space and a total of 160 housing units. Of those 160 units, a submitted affidavit indicates 20%, or 32 units, will be affordable. OWNER/ APPLICANT: STAFF: Realty Capital Residential (Spencer Long, representing) 909 Lake Carolyn Parkway, Ste 150 Irving, TX 75039 Jim Bertolini, Senior Historic Preservation Planner STAFF PRESENTATION Jim Bertolini, Senior Historic Preservation Planner, stated this is a Conceptual Development Review for a project at 360 Linden Street. He noted staff is not requesting a final recommendation to the decision maker, which in this case is the Community Development Director given the affordable housing component of the project. Bertolini stated the project proposes two 5-story mixed housing and commercial buildings with a first-floor commercial tenant and 160 residential units, 34 of which will be designated as affordable at 80% AMI. He noted the property is in the Downtown (D) Zone District and he outlined the 200-foot area of adjacency that will be considered for design compatibility. He stated abutting historic buildings include the Union Pacific Railroad Freight Depot and the Harmony Mill. Other significant buildings in the area include the Lindell Mill, the Godinez Block, and the Ginger and Baker building. Bertolini provided renderings of the current proposed site plan and noted there are likely to be changes made based on City staff review. He also provided elevation renderings and conceptual images and summarized staff’s analysis of the Code requirements for design compatibility in terms of width and massing, stepbacks, the use of durable materials, dominant materials, windows and fenestration, horizontal/vertical alignment, and visibility. Bertolini discussed the specific River District guidelines and outlined the main concerns of Planning staff, including the use of cement fiber panel siding, the white stucco color, the 3D cornice treatment, primary entrances, and building variation. He noted there are four interpretive signs installed by the City in the area, though discussions have occurred about updating the content and design. Additionally, he noted an archeological monitor will be required during site excavation. Bertolini outlined some potential discussion questions for the Commission. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION None. APPLICANT PRESENTATION Lupe Cantu, Davis Partnership Architects, commented on the importance of contextual preservation and noted that is why the lap siding was included in the material palette. He also stated the primary façades were pulled back beyond the masonry to allow the masonry to be read three-dimensionally. He discussed other components of the building façades, windows, and primary entry. Additionally, he commented on the relationship between the Depot and Harmony Mill building and the new building. COMMISSION QUESTIONS Chair Gibson requested clarification on the building cornices. Cantu replied cornices are provided in areas where there is a stepback with no activated balcony or deck, per applicable Land Use Code standards. Chair Gibson asked if there has been any thought about paying homage to the fact that the site is that of the original Fort. Cantu replied in the negative. Commissioner Rose asked about the decision to move the central entry point to mid-block rather than the corner. Cantu offered an explanation of the mid-block chamfered entrance and stated the primary entry is actually at the corner of Willow and Linden. Commissioner Rose commended the overall design, but stated there may be an opportunity to do a bit more with the corner in terms of prominence. Cantu concurred that could be examined. 6/18/25 – MINUTES Commissioner Gaines commended the creation of the second prominent corner between this building and the Depot building; however, he concurred with Commissioner Rose that the entrance hierarchy appears backwards. Cantu noted design is not limited just to the building’s form and stated landscape, ground treatment, and other considerations can be used to accentuate the primary corner. Commissioner Gaines asked about plans for landscaping and streetscaping. Russell Lee, Ripley Design, replied the plan is for an enhanced streetscape, particularly on Willow. He stated planting pockets will be created with a 10-foot-wide meandering sidewalk. On Linden, Lee stated the landscaping will be more hardscape as it is difficult to get plantings to grow on that elevation. Commissioner Gaines encouraged activating Chestnut as much as possible if it is extended through to Willow. Lee replied they are not able to get a pure pass through on Chestnut, per City staff, and there have been talks of doing something with the architecture to highlight where the Chestnut right-of-way would go. Additionally, he noted there will be an enhanced pedestrian mid- block crossing. Commissioner Gaines commended the way the building has been broken up in terms of massing, but stated there is a strong checkerboard effect with the white stucco and suggested there be reinforcement of the stepbacks with various different materials. Cantu replied that could be considered but noted he does not want to create an elevational village. Commissioner Gaines suggested the fin feature seems a bit out of place with the context and concurred with comments regarding creating more verticality with windows. He also noted the back side of the building will be quite visible and is currently very blank compared to the front side of the building. He suggested carrying brick around the back. Vice Chair Carlock concurred with Commissioner Gaines’ comments, particularly as related to the back side of the building. She noted that will be the most visible component of the building from the downtown area. She asked about the design considerations and decision-making with the white stucco and navy material. Cantu replied it was included to contextually react to the Godinez Building at 404 Linden. He noted the colors could be altered to be richer and less stark. (**Secretary’s Note: The Commission took a brief recess at this point in the meeting.) COMMISSION DISCUSSION Chair Gibson suggested comments should begin with massing and building articulation. Commissioner Rose stated the two historic structures that must be considered are of such a different scale. He stated the articulation does a good job of keeping the scale relevant to the historic resources. He concurred with Commissioner Gaines’ comment about the material palette and stated the massing component is achieved by virtue of the fact that the buildings have components that match the scale of the historic resources. Commissioner Gaines stated the brick mass that is adjacent to the Depot does a decent job of scaling down that chunk of the building. In terms of building materials, Chair Gibson stated she concurs with Planning staff’s discussion on page 42 of the packet regarding the lap siding. She stated she would have liked to have seen a reference to agriculture or the warehouse district rather than the checkerboard design that is currently pictured. She stated the white stucco is an appropriate material, particularly given the white used across the street at Ginger and Baker. Vice Chair Carlock disagreed stating the proposed design includes too much white and will be extremely visible from downtown. She suggested the amount of white could be toned down. Commissioner Gaines stated the building design is positive from a massing perspective, but stated the materials are falling short of potential and should better align with River District standards. Regarding design details, Commissioner Gaines stated there is a great deal to take in with the size of the building. He also noted the design is at a conceptual stage. He stated one of the details that stands out as being incompatible is the thin wing on the corner. Chair Gibson stated she would like to see the treatment of the entryway on the corner be a bit more developed. Commissioner Gaines commented on the upper story treatment at the chamfered corner and stated it seems a bit awkward as it gets above the street level mass. 6/18/25 – MINUTES Vice Chair Carlock commended the deck design feature on the building’s corner. Regarding visibility of historic features, Chair Gibson concurred with the staff assessment that the new building does not obscure them. 5. CLAY FAMILY HISTORY PRESENTATION – IN HONOR OF JUNETEENTH Juneteenth is a federal, state, and local holiday that commemorates June 19, 1865, when Major General Gordon Granger led Union soldiers into Galveston, Texas, bringing news that slavery in the United States had ended by executive decree. In 2025, the City of Fort Collins will recognize the Juneteenth holiday on Thursday, June 19 by closing all City offices. The free community Juneteenth celebration will take place at the Foothills Mall on Friday, June 20 and Saturday, June 21 at Foothills Mall. The event is presented by the Black Professionals Network, in collaboration with the Foothills Mall, the City of Fort Collins, and United Way of Larimer County. Event information is at https://www.focojuneteenth.com/. In honor of Juneteenth, Meg Dunn, Vice President of Historic Larimer County, will present her research on a formerly enslaved early Fort Collins resident, Charlie Clay, and his family. Clay was an early Northern Colorado pioneer and the first African American to settle in what became Larimer County. His story is full of adventure, tribulations, and an entrepreneurial spirit. Meg Dunn has been fascinated by Charlie’s story ever since she first heard of him, and she is eager to share his tales of daring do, brushes with fame, and his all-around congenial spirit. STAFF: Maren Bzdek, Historic Preservation Manager Meg Dunn, Historic Larimer County Vice President and Fort Collins Historical Society President, provided a history of Charlie Clay, a formerly enslaved early Fort Collins resident. She discussed his work as a cook in various Denver area and Blackhawk hotels. Additionally, she commented on Clay and another individual opening one of Larimer County’s first craft breweries in Laporte, which served a meal to General Grant after the close of the Civil War. Clay also became the County’s first barber when he lived in Laporte. Dunn discussed Clay’s marriage and children and noted he ran for a trustee position when he was likely the only Black man in the County. She noted his obituary explained that Clay cooked in several of Fort Collins’ early hotels, including the Windsor Hotel which is where Clothes Pony exists today. Clay and his family moved to Fort Collins, near Shields and Laporte, around 1876. Dunn discussed the growing African American community in Fort Collins in the late 1870’s and commented on Clay’s various side jobs. She stated the Clay’s house caught fire in 1882 and everything was destroyed, including their barn. She noted his wife was pregnant at the time and they had four small children. In October of 1882, the Clay’s purchased the Tony House, a hotel which was right next to the train depot. Clay renamed the property the Bonanza Restaurant and took in boarders on the second floor; however, Dunn noted most white clientele would not stay in a Black owned hotel and therefore the business only lasted about a year. After that time, the Clay’s moved to 317 Maple Street. Dunn stated Clay’s last child was born in 1882, and in 1885, Charlie Clay was found passed out in the street and the associated newspaper article indicated he may have had his hands and/or feet amputated due to frostbite. In 1888, Clay was hired as the city scavenger, essentially a one- man garbage service, a job which he maintained until his death in 1910. In April of 1890, Clay ran for mayor and received only one vote. In 1892, Charlie Clay’s wife, Anna, passed away. Dunn went on to discuss Clay’s children and their involvement in local events. One of the children was the only African American to appear on ‘I Love Lucy.’ Dunn noted the children were 6/18/25 – MINUTES popular local performers as well. In March of 1908, it was announced that a mission church was being set up in Fort Collins, some of the land for which was donated by some of Clay’s daughters. Dunn noted all of the pallbearers for Clay’s funeral in 1910 were City Council members. His biography had been published in the newspaper in 1904, 1909, after his death, 1920, 1923, 1930, and 1931. Dunn noted his importance to the community was made clear by Pioneer Association skits which occurred after his death, a portrait taken by a noted Fort Collins photographer, and he was included in the biographies in Ansel Watrous’ History of Larimer County. Dunn suggested Clay’s story should be memorialized with some type of monument, perhaps by changing the name of Washington Park to Charlie Clay Park as his home was located right next to the park. Commissioners commended Dunn on the presentation and research. Bzdek noted Clay’s name has been part of regular conversations around civic center campus planning, including recognizing the Clay family and area in general with some type of interpretation or memorial. Commissioner Rose stated the way Clay was treated by the Fort Collins community gives him faith we are on the right track in terms of civility. Dunn noted there were some negative articles about Clay in the early 1900’s. • OTHER BUSINESS Bzdek shared a video entitled ‘Buried But Not Forgotten: A Juneteenth Reflection.’ • ADJOURNMENT Chair Gibson adjourned the meeting at 8:37 p.m. Minutes prepared by and respectfully submitted by Melissa Matsunaka.