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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLandmark Preservation Commission - Minutes - 09/08/2004LANDMARK PRESERVATION COMMISSION Regular Meeting September 8, 2004 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 replacing siding, windows and skylights on the rear addition at 1608 Shealy Dr., the Arthur Shealy House, and continued discussion of proposed code changes. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL: Commission called to order with a quorum present by Chairman Bud Frick at 5:40 p.m. at 281 N. College Ave., Fort Collins, Colorado. Angie Aguilera, Agnes Dix, Per Hogestad, Janet Ore and Ian Shuff were present. Joe Frank, Karen McWilliams and Carol Tunner represented City staff. GUESTS: Debra and Jack Applin, owners, for 1608 Sheely Dr., Arthur Sheely House. AGENDA REVIEW: No changes. MINUTES: Minutes of July 14, 2004, were accepted as presented. Minutes of July 28 were amended. On page 3, paragraph 3, second sentence now reads: "He added that the owner wants to bring the interior back to its historic condition, leaving the front unchanged but remodeling the back apartments." These minutes were accepted as amended on a motion by Angie Aguilera seconded by Agnes Dix; the motion passed unanimously, 6-0. STAFF REPORTS: Carol Tunner announced Fort Collins has received designation as a Preserve America Community, a national award sponsored by the White House. Commission members suggested publicizing this honor as widely as possible. She also announced the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions' Preservation Camp, co- sponsored by the City of Littleton Historical Preservation Board, on Sept. 23 in Littleton. Ms. Tunner distributed a draft brochure from the National Park Service showing the Cache la Poudre National Heritage Area and asked for comments or input via e-mail. Ms. Tunner and Joe Frank will appear before the Downtown Development Authority on Sept. 9 to request a $10,000 grant funding match for the brickwork along the trolley tracks on East Mountain Avenue. Ian Shuff will also attend the DDA meeting as LPC liaison, and Ms. Tunner will prepare a schedule for other Commission members to sign up to attend future DDA meetings. COMMISSION MEMBER REPORTS: Agnes Dix shared an article from The Coloradoan about preserving the history of the West — in Ketchum, Idaho. Bud Frick suggested staff send out a press report every time a new building is designated in Fort Collins, highlighting the benefits both to the community and to the homeowners who chose to designate their property, as part of the Commission's public educational outreach. Landmark Preservation Commission September 8, 2004, Meeting Minutes Page 2 CURRENT REVIEW 1608 Sheely Drive, the Arthur Sheely House — Replace Siding, Windows and Skylights on Rear Addition, Conceptual and Final Review — Debra and Jack Applin, owners; introduced by Carol Tunner. The owners would like to replace damaged T 1-11 siding on the non -historic rear addition with horizontal clapboard - 9-inch painted redwood to match the house. They would also like to remove five windows and fill one in on the addition; they would replace the other four with aluminum -clad wood double -hung windows to match the existing windows on the house. Finally, they want to replace the two leaky bubble skylights with solar tubes. All the changes are proposed on the non -historic addition on the rear, and staff recommends the proposed changes. Ms. Tunner will approve the colors administratively, although Debra Applin indicated they had chosen the Shady Willow/Nesting Dove/Red Bluff combination. The owners weren't sure of the exact year the home was built, but it was between 1954- 56. The addition is thought to be pre-1981. Janet Ore felt the property was significant, especially since it was the home of Arthur Sheely, the builder for whom the Sheely District was named. Agnes Dix asked what had caused the water damage that is necessitating the proposed repairs on the addition, and Mrs. Applin indicated that the addition was poorly constructed from the beginning. She added they will do it right this time. Angie Aguilera moved that the LPC approve replacing siding, windows and skylights on the rear addition at 1608 Sheely Drive, the Arthur Sheely House, as proposed. Agnes Dix seconded; Janet Ore offered a friendly amendment that the addition continue to be differentiated from the original house by a vertical trimband. Ms. Dix accepted the amendment, and the motion passed unanimously, 6-0. Per Hogestad recommended the owners double-check the 50-year-old requirements for state tax credits before starting the work. Mrs. Applin said she would look it up, and they can wait if necessary. DISCUSSION ITEM Code Changes —presented by Karen McWilliams. Karen McWiliams distributed a summary of concerns about the proposed changes forwarded to City Council. Bud Frick felt strongly that by exempting single family dwellings that are remaining single family dwellings from historic review, the LPC would be opening the door to allowing even those individually eligible for the National Register or Fort Collins Landmark to be demolished and replaced with new construction. He estimated that under the current design review process, the Commission has managed Landmark Preservation Commission September B, 2004, Meeting Minutes Page 3 to turn 65 to 70 percent of the inappropriate additions/remodels around to preserve the historic integrity of the property. He did not want to lose the chance to educate homeowners early in the process, before the damage was done. Per Hogestad felt it is important to make any such review voluntary, since the mandatory approach has resulted in a lot of angry, resentful homeowners appearing before the LPC. He thought emphasizing the availability of free assistance with their projects could bring more people in willingly. Ms. McWilliams summarized the feeling that the Commission members would like to see a requirement for single-family dwellings take the middle ground between no review at all and the current demolition/alteration review process that makes applicants jump through a series of bureaucratic hoops before letting them do what they first proposed. Seeing plans and ideas early in the process is key to making such a process work. Commission members agreed that good incentives -- for example, free design assistance before homeowners spend money on having plans drawn -- could be used to create the desire to designate eligible buildings, or at least maintain the eligibility, which can result in financial assistance. It is vitally important to let homeowners know that such incentives are available. Ms. McWilliams felt that if staff was not reviewing each and every 50-year-old building that pulls a permit, there would be more time available to help homeowners through the process of applying for and using state historic and other grants. Dr. Ore felt it is important to have a system to identify buildings turning 50 well before the permit process begins, to start the educational effort. Ms. McWilliams suggested offering a complimentary review to all individually eligible buildings. Angie Aguilera reminded the Commission that the informal nature of the Design Review Subcommittee had more success than the current mandatory process and she would like to see the code changed to include such assistance in the scope of the LPC's functions. Carol Tunner pointed out that the Commission will be seating two new members in January, to fill the current vacancy and Mr. Hogestad's reaching his term limit, and suggested recruiting a preservation architecture. Mr. Hogestad suggested recruiting a developer. The LPC also discussed the implications of eliminating the requirement for fully approved plans for the demolition/alteration delay process. Dr. Ore recalled that the original purpose of the delay was to allow neighbors to be informed of the plans and to raise a hue and cry if necessary. Joe Frank pointed out that in recent years, the only neighborhood input on projects going through the review process has been in support. Dr. Ore also felt historic preservation in Fort Collins needs an active advocacy organization to conduct massive public outreach to build a constituency for preservation. She said she felt uncomfortable acting as an advocate under the current system that requires the LPC to act as a regulatory body. Ms. McWilliams suggested Dr. Ore tap into her available base of CSU history students through a class in advocacy or professional practices. The final item of discussion involved redeveloping a single-family dwelling as a multi- family or commercial project. Normally, the plans affecting these buildings, if individually Landmark Preservation Commission September 8, 2004, Meeting Minutes Page 4 eligible, would be reviewed for compliance with Section 3.4.7 of the Land Use Code. In most situations, the developer would need to create a compatible development retaining the historic structure. However, a developer can submit an application to Building and Zoning to tear down the historic house and replace it with a cheap modular, bypassing all historic preservation review. After the historic building is gone, the modular can be converted to a construction trailer for the commercial redevelopment. Mr. Frank said staff is trying to close this loophole in the Land Use Code, adding that the devil is in the details. Mr. Frick thought that adding individually eligible single-family dwellings to the structures covered by LPC review would help plug this loophole. Mr. Frank reminded members that City Council's Sept. 28 study session will include examination of the rules and responsibilities of the LPC, at which time staff will discuss both the proposed code changes already submitted for Council's consideration and the modifications discussed tonight. He urged all Commission members to attend and be available to answer questions from Council. OTHER BUSINESS Karen McWilliams announced that at the upcoming Sept. 22 LPC meeting, Adam Thomas of Historitecture LLC will discuss the Poudre School District Survey and possible school building historic designations. Meeting adjourned at 7:25 p.m. Respectfully submitted by Kate Jeracki, Recorder September 24, 2004