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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLandmark Preservation Commission - Minutes - 08/10/2005LANDMARK PRESERVATION COMMISSION Regular Meeting August 10, 2005 Minutes City Council Liaison: David Roy (970) 407-7393 Staff Liaison: Joe Frank (970) 221-6376 Commission Chair: W.J. "Bud" Frick, Jr. (970) 484-1467 SUMMARY OF MEETING: LPC approved the porch rehabilitation of 115 Riverside Avenue, First School and Catholic Church, as presented including a proposed stairstep railing to be built per code. The motion included that the applicant move the wrought iron fencing with mailbox off the porch so it is not attached to the house. The LPC approved the rear addition to 930 West Mountain Avenue provided the west side, long, high, horizontal window be divided into at least two windows with simulated weight pocket between. Bud Frick presented an educational slide training session of historic preservation of National Park lodges and historic resources in Montana. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL: Commission called to order by Chairman Bud Frick at 5:30 p.m. at 281 North College Avenue, Fort Collins, Colorado. Commission members Angie Aguilera, Agnes Dix, Heather Donahue, Alyson McGee, Earen Russell, and Ian Shuff were present. Carol Tunner represented City staff. GUESTS: Bianca Katz and Mike Braskich, owners, Kevin Murray, Empire Carpentry, for 115 Riverside. Bruce and Margie Wagner, owners for 930 W. Mountain. AGENDA REVIEW: Carol Tunner added a training session under Other Business. PUBLIC INPUT: Frick asked if anyone present wished to address items within the purview of the Commission that were not on the agenda. There were no comments. MINUTES: No changes were made to the May 25, 2005 minutes and the minutes were approved. STAFF REPORTS: Tunner thanked commission members Shuff, Dix, and Russell for attending the Romero House adobe brick restoration presentation. The contractor from New Mexico did not complete the job but will return and another educational opportunity may arise. Tunner commented that the north wall of the house was in worse condition than previously thought and the contractor decide to tear down the entire wall rather than do patchwork. Tunner addressed some concerns regarding the sidewalk, curb, and gutter work performed at the Romero House. There was a discussion held regarding the roof. Tunner received a call from Ken Frazier, a local developer, pertaining to houses that needed to be moved. Frazier wanted the Historic Preservation's office input. Tunner discouraged the relocation of properties unless there was no other option except Landmark Preservation Commission August 10, 2005 Meeting Minutes Page 2 demolition. She cited the Historic Resources Preservation Program Plan for this policy. Frick asked if Frazier would seek designation of the properties. Tunner replied that wasn't discussed. Tunner brought pictures of the recently moved Ross House and passed them around to the Commission members. She described the relocation of the house. Tunner introduced new Commission member Earen Russell and gave a brief description of her background. COMMISSION MEMBER REPORTS: Aguilera attended the DDA meeting. The DDA discussed the Urban Living Lofts project at 210-212 West Magnolia as well as funding for the project. According to Aguilera, Arts Alive requested $6500 to update a 2001 Arts and Economic Prosperity Study. A member of the National Development Council spoke and a retainer contract was discussed. The retainer contract would assist in prioritizing projects. Frick had concerns regarding the National Development Council only promoting big projects. There was a discussion held regarding the bond recommendation that will go to City Council. Aguilera commented that downtown sales tax revenue has increased and a contributing factor was the Armstrong Hotel rehabilitation. CURRENT REVIEW 115 Riverside Avenue, First Schoolhouse and First Catholic Church — Rehabilitate Front Porch— Conceptual and Final Review — presented by Bianca Katz and Mike Braskich and introduced by Carol Tunner. Bianca Katz and Mike Braskich are the owners of 115 Riverside Avenue and are seeking to rehabilitate the front porch. The contractor for the design of the project is Kevin Murray of Empire Carpentry, using the Design Assistance Program. Braskich will do the work himself. The property is currently used as a residence and a home business. Tunner recommended that they apply for a Zero -Interest Loan from the city. Tunner commented that the applicants intend to utilize original building materials as much as possible in order to maintain the historical accuracy, including the following: the beveled porch posts, and decorative trim. Tunner recommended that the application be approved because they intend to preserve the examples of craftsmanship. Braskich said that he relied on Kevin Murray's expertise for the design. Katz commented that the project was fairly straight forward and that the porch needed a lot of structural repair, particularly the lower portion. Katz said a lot of the original building material would be used and that she would like to maintain the historic nature. A board member asked if the posts were older than the railing half -walls. Braskich replied that the walls were not an original component and he wanted the porch to be Landmark Preservation Commission August 10, 2005 Meeting Minutes Page 3 open as it was originally. There was a discussion held regarding any safety issues. Building Code does not require walls or a railing because the porch is less than 30" high. Braskich stated that there are stairs to the porch but not a railing. He intends to put on a simple wood hand rail on one side for safety since the door and the steps are not centered on each other. McGee asked about the mailbox and sign on a black railing mounted on the porch. Braskich replied that a large mailbox was needed for his home business and he wanted a provision made in order to maintain the location of the sign and mailbox. They placed it on a black railing on the porch so people wouldn't come out the door and fall off the porch because they were expecting the stairs to be in line. Frick inquired if he could have a door mail slot. Braskich responded that it was a solid storm door mimicked in the regular door and a mail slot was not possible. There was a discussion held regarding the placement of the mailbox with reference to the railing and the porch. It was suggested that if the porch was opened up then the mailbox should be relocated down in front of the porch and the applicant could incorporate it into the new stair handrail if desired. Katz said she would compromise on the black railing and mailbox by taking them off the porch to stand alone in front of it. Tunner introduced Kevin Murray of Empire Carpentry who designed the restoration plan. Murray discussed his plan, research, and assessment of the structure. He said the foundation is covered with stucco, and the porch has sagged causing decorative brackets to be broken from the stress of the roof pulling on them. The porch railing wall was put in at a later date according to historic photos. They will keep the beveled posts, repair the brackets, add new steps, and make the porch structurally sound underneath. Frick asked if there was evidence of how the porch lattice skirting was done. Murray replied that the lattice will be framed with one inch redwood. Shuff made a motion to approve the proposal as presented by the applicants with the following conditions: that the existing wrought iron rail/mailbox be removed and placed in front of the porch, extend the height to an appropriate height for a mailbox, and incorporate a new hand rail for the stair. McGee seconded the motion. Frick asked Shuff if the black railing should be tied to the new handrail. Shuff replied it could be. Frick commented that the Commission was considering that separately so the black handrail could stay. Shuff amended his motion to state that the new hand rail could be independent of the mailbox but as per code. McGee approved the amended motion. The motion passed unanimously, 7-0. PUBLIC INPUT: None. 930 West Mountain Avenue, Sarchet House — Rear Addition — Conceptual and Final Review — Tunner introduced Bruce and Margie Wagner, the property owners of Landmark Preservation Commission August 10, 2005 Meeting Minutes Page 4 930 West Mountain Avenue. Tunner said the Wagners would like to replace the non - historic addition on the back of the property with a new gable roofed addition to match the porch front of the house. The homeowners are planning on adding a basement art room under the addition and would like to be able to access it from the interior. Currently they have to go outside to get to the basement. Bruce Wagner gave a brief background of the property. Tunner noted that the homeowners planned to use the same gable and pitch of the current roof as well as the eaves and lap siding. The proposed foundation for the new addition would be cultured stone. The stone pattern was taken from historic stone foundations on W. Mountain Avenue. The windows on the addition will complement the existing double -hung windows. Tunner noted that Margie Wagner's family has been the owner of the property for decades. Bruce Wagner addressed the Commission and informed them that the current porch was not worth saving because it was sinking with no foundation. He felt that the existing back porch did not match the property due to the shed roof and it was not nicely trimmed. Wagner wanted the house to be consistent in style specifically the bird's mouth rafter tails. McGee asked Mr. Wagner if he knew when the current porch was added to the property. He did not know but thought it might have been in the 1940s due to the full dimension lumber. Margie Wagner noted that she intended to retain the original stone steps using them to the new porch, and add a stone entry step to the basement. She said the new basement will connect to the old basement. Frick asked how the foundations would be connected. Mr. Wagner said that the new foundation will be poured in such a way that the integrity of the existing structure will not be compromised. A small gap will exist between the foundation of the house and the proposed addition. Frick told Wagner he might consider the foundation being poured in four foot sections. McGee had concerns regarding whether or not the existing porch had acquired its own significance, but felt that it was a secondary facade and did not impact the public view. Shuff agreed. Frick suggested that instead of one long window on the West elevation that it be split into two square components. He said that the way it is proposed now it looks like a 1950s long high window. Mr. Wagner said he wanted to match the transom of the picture window on the east side. There was a discussion held regarding the options for the west elevation window. Bruce and Margie Wagner agreed about the 1950s look. There was a discussion held regarding the bird's mouth rafter tails. It was noted that technically it was impossible to go from an open soffit to rafter detail. The Commission and Bruce Wagner came to the conclusion that the bird's mouth rafter tails were actually detail trim work which was added onto the soffits. McGee made a motion to approve the proposal as submitted with the condition that the horizontal window (west elevation) be divided into at least two windows Landmark Preservation Commission August 10, 2005 Meeting Minutes Page 5 with simulated weight pockets. Donahue seconded the motion. There was no public input. The motion passed unanimously 7-0. OTHER BUSINESS Bud Frick presented an educational slide training session of historic preservation of National Park lodges and historic resources in Montana. Meeting adjourned at 7:20 p.m. Respectfully submitted by Connie Barnett, Recorder Stacie Soriano, Minutes September 5, 2005