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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLandmark Preservation Commission - Minutes - 05/25/2005LANDMARK PRESERVATION COMMISSION Regular Meeting May 25, 2005 Minutes City Council Liaison: David Roy (407-7393) Staff Liaison: Joe Frank (221-6376) Commission Chair: W. J. `Bud" Frick, Jr. (484-1467) SUMMARY OF MEETING: LPC approved plans for rehabilitation of the porch at 1006 W. Mountain Ave. with minor modifications, and instructed staff to communicate its support for reconstruction of a historic sign in Trimble Court, which will need to go through the formal design review process. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL: Commission called to order with a quorum present by Chairman Bud Frick at 5:30 p.m. at 281 N. College Ave., Fort Collins, Colorado. Angie Aguilera, Agnes Dix, Heather Donahue, Alyson McGee and Ian Shuff were present. Carol Tunner represented City staff. No City Council members were present. GUESTS: Jack Jennings, Clawhammer Construction, for 1006 W. Mountain Ave. AGENDA REVIEW: Carol Tunner added discussion of a Trimble Court sign to Other Business. PUBLIC COMMENT: Chairman Bud Frick asked if anyone present wished to address items within the purview of the Commission, whether or not the item appeared on the agenda. There were no comments. MINUTES: Minutes from March 23, 2005, were corrected as follows: On Page 4, Atkinson -Nolen is changed to Atkinson -Noland On page 4 and 5, the spelling of Chris Koziol was corrected. On page 5, under Discussion Items, 207 now reads 2007. Agnes Dix moved that the minutes be accepted as corrected, Alyson McGee seconded and the motion carried unanimously, 6-0. STAFF REPORTS: Carol Tunner distributed copies of the Alliance Review article about signs and signage. She also announced that she will be approving administratively new colors and new awning for the Food Co-op on Mountain Avenue, because they are all from the Sherwin- Williams historic palette and it is a recovering of the existing frame. Ms. Tunner also highly recommended the latest publication from Colorado Preservation Inc., which features coverage of the February convention in Denver and Fort Collins representatives receiving the Preserve America Award. COMMISSION MEMBER REPORTS: Angie Aguilera went to the scheduled DDA meeting, but no one was there. She and Carol Tunner will follow up with the DDA to receive notice of future meeting cancellations or relocations. CURRENT REVIEW 1006 W. Mountain Ave., Judge Claude C. Coffin House — Rehab Front Porch Using No - Interest Loan Program, Conceptual and Final Approval — presented by Jack Jennings, Clawhammer Construction, introduced by Carol Tunner. (Due to another commitment, Heather Donahue participated in the discussion but left the meeting before the vote was taken.) Landmark Preservation Commission May 25, 2005, Meeting Minutes Page 2 The applicant wants to demolish a non -historic east side entry deck to the front porch, close up that entry and re-establish the center porch entry similar to that shown in a 1927 photo. The project received a 2005 No -Interest Loan. The contractor has found physical evidence that the front porch opening was once wider than shown in the historic picture. He feels it was narrowed when the porch was enclosed and a door added. Now they would like to open it up from pillar to pillar where the original opening seems to be and reconstruct steps with stair handrails and balusters on both sides. The new handrails make the project a rehab, but the safety factor is important. The owner would like two rails to echo the symmetrical appearance of the rest of the house. The porch masonite composite siding is not historic, and it will be replaced with redwood taper sawn 6-inch siding with exposure to match the house siding. The existing plastic lattice porch skirting will be replaced with Ply -Bead plywood beadboard with diamond -shaped holes cut in and backed with screening to keep bees out while still providing ventilation. The porch deck and steps would be sanded and clear -finished. Staff recommended the porch rehabilitation. Jack Jennings said he thinks the original opening was about 5 feet wide, but there's no way to know what they will find until they complete the demolition. Bud Frick asked about the use of Ply -Bead. Mr. Jennings pointed out that its use had been approved on a previous historic project, and provided documentation. Mr. Frick was concerned that the plans would have the Ply -Bead in contact with the ground, which is not a recommended use according to the specifications presented. Ian Shuff agreed, and asked if the Ply -Bead would be sitting on existing concrete or pressure -treated sills to avoid rot. Mr. Jennings said that issue had not been resolved yet, but that raising the Ply -Bead off the ground with pressure - treated wood or a metal footing would be a possibility. He said on another project, the Ply -Bead was held up by J-metal flashing. Mr. Shuff said that as long as it's enclosed by a metal flashing it would work. He also suggested a transitional material, such as a raised concrete curb, as an alternative. Mr. Jennings pointed out the additional cost involved in pouring concrete, and that his intention is to "float" the Ply -Bead on a redwood framework and build off the concrete Tooter that goes all the way around the porch. Mr. Frick suggested if there are areas without the curb, stacked redwood 2x4s and 2x6s sunk into the ground could be used. Alyson McGee asked about the design of the skirting. Mr. Jennings said since no historic photos exist, he used similar houses in the neighborhood to develop the diamond -shaped cutouts. Mr. Jennings also confirmed that the handrails will be attached only to the stairs and not to the columns, and that corner details of the porch opening will duplicate existing corners. After extended discussion, Commission members suggested that instead of immediately staining or painting, the redwood porch floor should be allowed to weather to a gray color for a few months then use a water seal product to preserve it. If redwood is used on the stairs, it should also be allowed to weather to match. Ms. McGee felt that the stairs and risers should be made entirely of golden fir, as was specified in the loan application. Mr. Jennings said they had wanted to use golden fir for the tread and Landmark Preservation Commission May 25, 2005, Meeting Minutes Page 3 redwood for the rise, but the owners have decided to go entirely with redwood. The Commission and Mr. Jennings agreed that using Douglas fir throughout would be acceptable. There will need to be a different material like redwood between the steps and the ground that could be skirted or clad to match the steps. Mr. Frick provided Mr. Jennings a rough sketch of a suggested solution. Public input: None. Alyson McGee moved the LPC approve plans for the rehabilitation of the porch at 1006 W. Mountain Ave. as presented, with the requirements that the stair risers and treads be constructed of fir as opposed to redwood, and beadboard skirting have flashing at the bottom to protect against ground moisture. Ian Shuff seconded, and the motion carried unanimously, 5-0. OTHER BUSINESS Trimble Court Sign — introduced by Carol Tunner. Ms. Tunner reported that Diane Findley from the Trimble Court Artisans Co-op contacted her about reconstructing the historic Trimble Court arch sign from historic photos as part of the Old Town alley enhancement project, which is currently on hold because of a lack of bidders on the project. Ms. Findley wanted to know if the LPC would be in favor of such a project. With the positive consensus of the Commission, Ms. Tunner will tell Ms. Findley that the LPC is in favor of the reconstruction, but the project needs to go through the formal design review process. Meeting adjourned at 6:45 p.m. Respectfully submitted by Kate Jeracki, Recorder June 29, 2005