Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutLandmark Preservation Commission - Minutes - 07/10/2002LANDMARK PRESERVATION COMMISSION Regular Meeting July 10, 2002 Minutes Council Liaison: Eric Hamrick (225-2343) Staff Liaison: Joe Frank (221-6376) Commission Chairperson: Per Hogestad (416-7285) Summary: The LPC approved the roof venting for 1745 Hoffman Mill Road, Nix West Farmhouse, viewed a training video on additions to historic properties, and moved to establish new criteria and guidelines for applicants to the Design Assistance Program list of pre -qualified consultants. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL: Called to order at 5:45 p.m. at 281 N. College Avenue. Commission members Per Hogestad, Carole Stansfield, Myrna Watrous, Agnes Dix, Angie Aguilera, Janet Ore, and Bud Frick in attendance. Carol Tunner and Karen McWilliams represented staff. GUESTS: Steve White, City Operations Services Project Manager, for 1745 Hoffman Mill Road, Nix Farm. AGENDA REVIEW: Addition to agenda of 1745 Hoffman Mill Road, Nix Farm, for design review of roof venting. STAFF REPORTS: Ms. Tunner had several announcements: 1) There will be an adobe workshop held at the Romero House, with discussion and a workshop on the use of adobe as a building material. This will be held by the Architectural Preservation Institute, CSU, and Cornerstone Community Partnerships. They would like to take a little of the old adobe off of the Romero House to test it. They will be coming in to ask the LPC for permission to do this. 2) Members' terms — the City Council is going to be considering an ordinance to change membership provisions, Commission members will have 3-year terms, and will be limited to two consecutive terms. This is a change from the current 4-year terms. 3) If any of the LPC members would like articles from the Forum Journal, please let Ms. Tunner know. 4) The Harmony store went out for public bid in early July. The bid was won by Ft. Fun Amusement Park. They are intending to move the building to their property where it will become part of the amusement park complex. 5) A handout was included in the packet regarding teardowns in historic neighborhoods. COMMISSION MEMBERS' REPORTS: Ms. Watrous informed the Commission that the DDA meetings may be moved to Wednesday mornings, and if this is the case she won't be able to make it to the meetings and another LPC member will need to attend. The Linden Street Plan will be discussed at the next DDA meeting, as will the Avery Building sidewalk repair, which may be of future concern to the LPC. + Landmark Preservation Commis* • July 10, 2002 Meeting Minutes Page 2 APPROVAL OF MINUTES: No changes to the May 8th minutes. In the June 12th minutes, change "Armory Block" to "Avery Block". Mr. Frick moved to approve the June 12th minutes as amended. Seconded by Ms. Stansfield. Approved unanimously, 7-0. DESIGN REVIEW: 1745 Hoffman Mill Road, Nix Farm West Farmhouse - Roof Venting (Steve White, Project Manager for the Nix Farm project). The applicant has submitted plans for the roof venting on the West Farmhouse. The vents are proposed as follows: 1) Roof caps — air intake mechanical vents for the bathroom. 2) Roof vents — Attic vent air intakes. 3) Ridge vents — continuous Cobra attic exhaust vents for the roof ridge. 4) Furnace flues — 7" diameter, 4' high flue to exhaust the furnaces. There are four furnaces, three of which are proposed to be exhausted through the chimneys. One exhaust is proposed to exit from the front northwest corner roof because there is not enough attic clearance for the run to exhaust this vent from the chimney. This vent has been located based on where they positioned that particular furnace, which can't be moved. 5) Plumbing vents — bathroom exhaust vents. They will use the same holes as originally used. Mr. White has met with Ms. Tunner and understood that the vent in the front might not be acceptable to the LPC. At that point, the applicant looked at other options. Mr. White said that they now have decided to use a "power vent" which will go through the attic and up through an existing chimney on the north. Two of the furnaces will be vented to one of the chimneys. The other will tie into the existing flue with the power vent into the northwest chimney. The metal flue that sticks up out of the chimney should be shortened as much as possible. Mr. White said that the users of the property are putting a new entrance door on the east side of the house. They would like to build a deck in back with cantilevered railing. A flagstone patio had previously been proposed for in front of the east door. They would now like to put a deck in front of that door, moving the flagstone patio to the north front of the house. They would like to put wood benches on the inside edges of the deck. This is a change to the plan that already received final approval. Both the final landscape plan and the deck detailing will have to come back before the LPC. Ms. Watrous asked if the deck will be attached to the house. She was informed that it would not be attached, just close. Motion: Mr. Frick moved that the LPC approve the roof venting as proposed to 1745 Hoffman Mill Road, Nix West Farmhouse, with the change that the northwest corner flue be changed to the powervent, running through the existing north fireplace chimney and that the termination cap of the furnace flues be as low as possible to the top of the chimneys. Seconded by Ms. Ore and approved unanimously, 7-0. TRAINING: The LPC viewed the Design Assistance Program Consultant Training Video, describing the setup of the program and also including James Stratis' (Colorado Historical Society) presentation on additions to historic buildings. Landmark Preservation Commis • July 10, 2002 Meeting Minutes Page 3 DISCUSSION ITEM: Design Assistance Program — Examination of the Criteria for Pre -Qualified Consultants. Ms. Aguilera has noticed that some of the Design Assistance Program, Pre -qualified Consultants, have very little historic preservation knowledge. She said that it would be preferable if, on applying, the applicants show some relevant evidence of their work in historic preservation. She added that the Pre -qualified Consultants should also have some qualifications other than just having seen the training video. Is it possible that the LPC draw up a list of qualifications, and ask everyone on the list of pre -qualified consultants to re -apply. People currently on the list could be written to and asked if they are still interested in being on it. If so, they could be asked to send in recent examples of their work with historic buildings. Ms. Ore agreed that there ought to be a more firmly established application process. In the past, Ms. Tunner has asked them to submit a letter of interest, a resume and watch the video. Ms. Ore said that they should also be asked to submit a portfolio that includes work they've done with historic properties and includes examples of their other work as well. If they have not yet done any work of this nature they could submit an example of a historic building and how they might put on an addition, while adhering to the Secretary's Standards. The question was brought up if each of the people on the list would be required to re- apply. Mr. Hogestad answered that if one person must re -apply, they all should. He was asked if the consultants who have recently applied would need to re -apply. This would mean they have to submit twice in the same year. Mr. Frick asked if current consultants could be grandfathered in, and only new applicants would need to go through the more stringent selection process. Ms. Tunner expressed the concern that requiring current pre -approved consultants to re -apply might cause the busier ones, who have been very valuable to the LPC in the past, to simply drop out of the program. Ms. Aguilera said that the issue in this case is if the LPC should risk losing some good consultants to get some of the less qualified ones off of the list. Ms. Ore responded that the cleanest way to go about implementing change is to start fresh. The belief was expressed that the LPC should not make concessions for just a few individuals on the list. Criteria should be established for new people coming in, and also a way to re- evaluate those people who consistently ignore the Secretary of Interior's Standards in demolition/alteration projects. Ms. Aguilera added that the different professions would need to satisfy different criteria. For example, structural engineers must know that they shouldn't remove historic foundation material. It was suggested that the applicants demonstrate what they've done and possibly include a list of properties they have worked on that the LPC members could drive by and evaluate. They could also submit photographs and slides. • Landmark Preservation Commis July 10, 2002 Meeting Minutes Page 4 Mr. Hogestad asked the LPC members to consider whether or not they want to continue the Design Assistance Program. If so, the LPC should not be sending people to firms that they do not trust. Ms. Aguilera asked about the implications of just getting rid of the Pre -qualified Consultants list altogether. Maybe property owners could just find people who would do the work and then the LPC could approve them if they're knowledgeable. She would hate to lose consultants that staff uses. Motion: Ms. Ore moved that the LPC 1) establish new criteria and guidelines that new applicants for the DAP must meet to be accepted on the list, and 2) everyone on the list must reapply following the new guidelines. Seconded by Ms. Dix. Vote taken by roll call and passed, 5-2 with Mr. Frick and Ms. Aguilera dissenting. Ms. Ore and Ms. Aguilera volunteered to be on the committee to draw up the new criteria and guidelines, which will be brought back before the Commission for further discussion. OTHER BUSINESS: Ms. Watrous informed the LPC that the Empire hotel is under contract to a company out of Longmont, called Cola Investments, Inc. They are currently debating uses for the building. It will almost certainly include a restaurant/bar on the first floor, and second floor office space. This information was included in the DDA agenda. Meeting adjourned: 7:36 p.m. Minutes submitted by