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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLandmark Preservation Commission - Minutes - 05/13/2015City of Fort Collins Page 1 May 13, 2015 Ron Sladek, Chair Doug Ernest, Vice Chair City Council Chambers Maren Bzdek City Hall West Meg Dunn 300 Laporte Avenue Kristin Gensmer Fort Collins, Colorado Per Hogestad Dave Lingle Cablecast on City Cable Channel 14 Alexandra Wallace on the Comcast cable system Belinda Zink Laurie Kadrich Karen McWilliams Josh Weinberg Gino Campana Staff Liaison, CDNS Director Preservation Planner Preservation Planner Council Liaison The City of Fort Collins will make reasonable accommodations for access to City services, programs, and activities and will make special communication arrangements for persons with disabilities. Please call 221-6515 (TDD 224- 6001) for assistance. Regular Meeting May 13, 2015 Minutes  CALL TO ORDER Chair Sladek called the meeting to order at 5:31 p.m.  ROLL CALL PRESENT: Dunn, Bzdek, Hogestad, Lingle, Ernest, Sladek ABSENT: Zink, Wallace, Gensmer (all excused) STAFF: McWilliams, Weinberg, Schiager  PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA None.  CONSENT AGENDA Chair Sladek explained the process for the Consent Agenda. Landmark Preservation Commission Approved by Commission at their June 10, 2015 meeting. City of Fort Collins Page 2 May 13, 2015 1. DESIGN REVIEW SUBCOMMITTEE FINAL REVIEW - FIRST BANK, 100 SOUTH COLLEGE AVENUE PROJECT DESCRIPTION: This item is to give final approval to the treatments for the metal finishes on the bank building at 100 South College Avenue, reviewed by the LPC Design Review Subcommittee at its April 22, 2015 Work Session APPLICANT: Don Bernholtz and Jim Cox, Architecture Plus Mr. Ernest moved that the Landmark Preservation Commission accept the Consent Agenda as presented at the May 13, 2015 regular meeting. Mr. Lingle seconded. Mr. Hogestad abstained, having not been present for all of the discussions about this item. Motion passed 5-0. [Timestamp: 5:37 p.m.]  PULLED FROM CONSENT None  DISCUSSION AGENDA 2. FORT COLLINS LANDMARK DESIGNATION OF THE MICHAUD HOUSE AT 404 WHEDBEE STREET PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Staff is pleased to present for your consideration the Michaud House located at 404 Whedbee Street. The property has significance to Fort Collins under Landmark Preservation Standard C. APPLICANT: Mark and Denise McFann Staff Report Mr. Weinberg presented the staff report. He explained that the house had been misidentified in the staff report and designation application as a Classic Cottage, when in fact it is more representative of a one-story Queen Anne Cottage. If the Commission determines the property is eligible as a Queen Anne Cottage, Staff will rewrite the statement of significance accordingly. Applicant Presentation Mr. McFann introduced himself, and offered to answer any questions, but did not make a presentation. Public Input None Commission Questions and Discussion Mr. Lingle asked about the reclassification of the architectural style. Chair Sladek detailed some of the features of the home that are more representative of Queen Anne than Classic Cottage style. Members would like to see the site form changed to reflect the correct style. Chair Sladek suggested the Commission approve the designation with the caveat that Staff would make the necessary changes to the form. A Member also noted that the form referred to the “six” aspects of integrity, which needs to be changed to seven. Members discussed that the motion should include a request for Staff to amend the document as discussed. Mr. Hogestad suggested that the language in the statement of significance and exterior integrity be amended to address the addition of the enclosed porch. Staff explained they found no building permits or historic photos to show when it may have been built, and the Applicant stated he didn’t know either. Several Members agreed that the enclosed porch would not have been part of the original home. City of Fort Collins Page 3 May 13, 2015 Commission Deliberation Mr. Ernest moved that the Landmark Preservation Commission recommend that City Council pass an ordinance designating the Michoud House at 404 Whedbee Street as a Fort Collins Landmark according to City Code Section 14-5, under Designation Standard C, pursuant also to the conversation of the Commission at the regular meeting of May 13, 2015. Ms. Dunn seconded. Motion passed 6-0. [Timestamp: 5:54 p.m.] 3. 215 MATHEWS STREET OFFICE BUILDING: REVIEW OF DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL PROJECT DESCRIPTION: This is a request for a Preliminary Design Review for a proposed 3 story, 9,060 square foot office building with the ground level serving primarily as covered parking. The existing 1,054 square foot single family home and small shed on the 7,000 square foot lot have been determined to not be individually eligible for Landmark designation, and would be demolished. The property is located in the N-C-B, Neighborhood Conservation, Buffer District zone. APPLICANT: Greg Fisher, Greg D. Fisher Architect Staff Report Ms. McWilliams presented the staff report. Applicant Presentation Mr. Fisher gave the Applicant presentation on behalf of the owners, Brad and Tracy Oldemeyer. He explained that they had participated in a Preliminary Design Review process and met with City Staff in recent weeks. A proposed driveway was removed from the design based on Staff recommendation. He discussed setback/step-back criteria and other variances in the area, and the relationship between the parking requirements and the setback. He mentioned that masonry and pitched roofs are elements used in the design to reflect the context. Mr. Oldemeyer spoke briefly about the project and his desire to redevelop in this part of town. Public Input None Commission Questions and Discussion Members discussed the fact that the Townhomes at Library Park were reviewed informally by the Commission as a courtesy. However, that review predated the Land Use Code updates enabling the Commission to provide formal comments to the decision maker on a development project. A Member asked whether the setback from the alley side could be moved back, and the Applicant explained that losing even a foot of space on the first floor would cause them to lose a parking spot. Losing a parking spot would, in turn, cause them to lose 1,000 square feet of the building. A suggestion was made to move a segment of the building to the west to allow the southeast corner to step-back a couple feet, creating a nicer view corridor transition to the Parkview building. Other Members also found the setback to be problematic, noting that both of the adjacent buildings are setback with lawns in front. Members would like to see a greater setback so the building is not so close to the sidewalk. A Member asked Staff if the Parkview building was designated. Staff said it had been evaluated in the past, and was found to be eligible, but has not been designated. Several Members expressed concerns about the mass and height of the building, as well as the scale and alignment of the windows. One Member referenced the “to the maximum extent feasible” language in the Land Use Code, and suggested that matching and aligning with residential buildings doesn’t work for commercial office use, and may be an unreasonable expectation to place on the owner. Some Members argued that there are alignment options that could be explored regardless of whether the buildings are residential or commercial. Members again emphasized the disparity in scale and proportion, and also expressed a desire to see some reference to the adjacent buildings in the design. City of Fort Collins Page 4 May 13, 2015 The Applicant asked for feedback on how strongly the Commission felt about the setback. A Member asked about the step-back requirement in the N-C-B zoning district, and the Applicant explained that Staff had supported what they were dong with step-back, but asked for more articulation and undulation on the side facades. One Member wondered about the economic viability of the Parkview Apartments if this development cuts off daylight to the apartments on the north side. A Member noted that Parkview was built in 1936, and he was only aware of three other apartment buildings constructed around that time – Scott, Long and Kensington – two of which are designated. This exemplified a change from boarding houses, rented rooms, and hotels to larger, purpose-built apartment buildings. Parkview, while not designated, is an important historic building, and any stylistic changes to highlight that should be encouraged. The Applicant asked if the Tudor elements were original or additions. No definitive answer was offered, but a Member noted that in 1936, it would have been a popular style. Chair Sladek summarized the Commission’s feedback, noting the concerns about setback in terms of the block face, and a need for linear expression to reflect the adjacent apartment building. The window pattern, scale and proportion were brought up again, as well as the step-back of the upper floors on the south side of the building. The Commission did not agree on the degree to which additional setback or step-back was needed, with some feeling a step-back on the southeast corner would be a sufficient transition, and others wanting to see the whole building setback further. [Timestamp: 6:49 p.m.]  OTHER BUSINESS Chair Sladek shared that Centennial Archeology had done some research on the concrete structure in the Poudre River, revealing that the structure had been a pumping platform for the sugar plant. The structure is going to be removed, and Chair Sladek asked whether Staff could request documentation on the dimensions, etc. of the structure. Ms. McWilliams said she would look into that. Chair Sladek said the City had hired him to oversee a structural assessment of the Great Western Sugar Company Bridge. He asked for any referrals for a structural engineer to evaluate the bridge. Mr. Hogestad recommended J-U-B Engineers, although he wasn’t certain whether they had any sensitivity to historic structures. Lastly, Chair Sladek said that the City’s Natural Areas Department had put him under contract to work on getting the Graves Camp at Soapstone Ranch on the National Register. Chair Sladek asked whether the Commission would have review authority over these buildings. Staff explained that while the Commission would have the ability to comment on any National Register nominations, the Commission may not have any purview over City-owned property outside the city limits.  ADJOURNMENT Chair Sladek adjourned the meeting at 7:01 p.m. Minutes respectfully submitted by Gretchen Schiager.