HomeMy WebLinkAboutLandmark Preservation Commission - Minutes - 01/25/2006LANDMARK PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Regular Meeting
January 25, 2006 Minutes
Council Liaison: David Roy (407-7393)
Staff Liaison: Joe Frank (221-6376)
Commission Chairperson: Angie Aguilera. (377-4217)
SUMMARY OF MEETING: The LPC approved the State Tax Credit Application for
612 S. College Ave. The LPC approved the final landscape plans for 425 Tenth St.
1530 Remington St., 816 Laporte Ave., 718 W. Mountain Ave., and PFA 1953 GMC
Fire Engine were recommended for local landmark designation.
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL: Commission called to order by Acting
Chairwoman Angie Aguilera, with a quorum present at 5-30 p.m. at 281 N. College Ave.,
Fort Collins, Colorado. Alyson McGee, Earen Russell, Ian Shuff and Alan Ballou were
present. Agnes Dix and Heather Donahue were excused. Carol Tunner and Karen
McWilliams represented City staff.
GUESTS: Judith Reid, owner, for 612 S. College Ave.; John Gascoyne, owner, for 718
W. Mountain Ave.; Tom Boardman, Betty Aragon, and Katherine Woods, for the
Romero House, 425 Tenth St.; Ed Yonker, for 1953 Fire Engine; Tom Trumbower,
owner, for 816 Laporte Ave.
AGENDA REVIEW: None.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: None submitted for approval.
PUBLIC COMMENT: Acting Chairwoman Aguilera asked if anyone present wished to
address items within the purview of the Commission that were not on the agenda.
There were no comments.
STAFF REPORTS: Staff and the Commission discussed travel arrangements for the
upcoming Saving Places conference.
COMMISSION MEMBER REPORTS: None.
PUBLIC INPUT: None.
CURRENT REVIEW:
1. 612 S. College Ave., Darrah House —State Tax Credit Application —Judith
Reid, owner, introduced by Carol Tunner.
Ms. Reid presented her application for State Tax Credit for rehabilitation work on
the property's gutters, soffits, molding, fascia, roof, exterior painting, staining of
the decks and stairs, wood and foundation work, window rehabilitation and
addition of storm windows. The estimated completion date has been pushed
forward, but still falls within the two year limit.
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January 25, 2006 Meeting Minutes
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Ms. Tunner gave a brief explanation of the State Tax Credit program. Applicants
have two years in which to complete approved work. The State Tax Credit
allows an applicant to take up to 20% of the credit off state income taxes (for
example, $20,000 in work is equivalent to a $4,000 tax credit). The credit can be
used for interior or exterior work and rolls over for up to 10 years.
Over the last few years, Ms. Reid has repaired the gutters, soffits, and molding;
replaced the wood roof; and repainted the exterior with historic colors (approved
administratively). Remaining work includes staining the redwood rear deck and
stairs with an oil based stain. The wood trim and foundation will be repaired. In
addition, the windows will be rehabilitated by Empire Carpentry and storms
added. Staff recommends the work as presented under Standard (6).
The Commission asked Ms. Reid if she had given any thought to replacing the
current A/C window units with smaller, less obtrusive units. Ms. Reid replied that
installing central or wall units is cost prohibitive at this point. Mr. Ballou
suggested she research smaller Japanese window units. Ms. Aguilera
recommended Ms. Reid visit the Armstrong Hotel for other A/C window unit
examples. Ian Shuff moved to approve the proposal for the State Tax Credit
for the Darrah House, 612 S. College Avenue; Earen Russell seconded;
motion passed unanimously, 5-0.
Public Input: None.
2. 425 Tenth St., Romero House —Landscape Plan, New Fence, Exterior
Painting for Conceptual/Final Review —Katherine Woods, Poudre Landmarks
Foundation, for the Museo de las Tres Colonias.
Earen Russell recused herself from the proceedings due to her involvement with
the Romero House project as volunteer landscape architect for the project.
Alyson McGee disclosed her potential conflict due to the project's State Historic
Fund grant. The landscaping is not funded by the grant, however, so she did not
recuse herself from the proceedings.
The Romero House, 425 Tenth St. is being restored as a Hispanic Museum. The
house was built in the early 1920s by John and Inez Romero. Katherine Woods
presented photographs of the work done to the house so far. The Poudre
Landmarks Foundation has recovered the exterior in a mud coating left natural
color, and with green wood trim and white sashes/doors.
The landscape will be an interpretation of a typical 1930s beet farmer's yard, and
will include an herb garden, an animal husbandry area, an interpretive
nonfunctioning outhouse, stone walks, a picket fence, and a vegetable garden.
The building's newer additions have been removed, but the south addition's
foundation wall will remain for interpretation. Archeological items on the property
will not be disturbed.
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January 25, 2006 Meeting Minutes
Page 3
Ms. Russell presented the proposed fence design, which is a recreation from the
fence present in a 1950s photo of the property. The fence will be made of
untreated cedar pickets and rails of varying heights. Staff recommends
approving the landscape work, as the project will protect archeological resources.
Alyson McGee moved to approve the plans for final conceptual review for
the Romero House, 425 Tenth Street, as presented. Ian Shuff seconded;
motion passed unanimously, 4-0.
Public Input: None.
DESIGNATIONS
1. 1530 Remington Street, the Lee House —David and Rita Merck, owners,
represented by Karen McWilliams.
The Lee house is an unaltered, Moderne-influenced Ranch style home from the
early 1950s designed by Dr. Robert Lee. The house features a flat red clay tile
roof and exterior walls of narrow horizontal buff colored brick know as "Miami
brick." The front entry door is made of wood veneer with a circular window.
Windows include horizontal fixed pane with casement and glass block. Ms.
McWilliams mentioned the interior of the home was intact as well.
Staff recommends approval of the request for designation under Standard (2),
due to its association with Dr. Lee and under Standard (3), as an attractive
example of Moderne-influenced Ranch style architecture.
Ian Shuff moved the LPC recommend Council approve the designation of
the Lee House, 1530 Remington Street. Alan Ballou seconded; motion
passed unanimously, 5-0.
Public Input: None.
2. 816 Laporte Avenue, the Kirby/Wade House and Historic Garage —Tom
Trumbower, owner.
The Kirby/Wade house is a single story, five room framed cottage on a
sandstone foundation built in 1905. The exterior is painted horizontal
weatherboard siding with red corner trim. The roof is a moderately pitched
hipped roof with an intersecting gable. The front porch features Tuscan columns
supporting a low pitched hipped roof. The rear porch was enlarged in 1941. The
property has a historic rectangular garage with matching weatherboard siding
built around 1927. The property also has a noncontributing, non -historic side
gable garage built approximately 15 years ago.
Alyson McGee asked about the 1996 survey which listed the property as
contributing to a district, but not individually eligible. Ms. McWilliams replied that
the survey was done by a CSU graduate student, and staff does not rely
exclusively on the surveys for information.
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January 25, 2006 Meeting Minutes
Page 4
Staff recommends approval of the request for designation under Standards (1)
and (3). The home has very good architectural integrity, and has been a part of
the West Side neighborhood for over 100 years.
Alyson McGee moved the LPC recommend Council approve the
designation of the KirbyMade House and Historic Garage, 816 Laporte
Avenue. Ian Shuff seconded; motion passed unanimously, 5-0.
Public Input: None.
3. 718 West Mountain Avenue, the J. M. Morrison House and Carriage
House —John Gascoyne, owner.
The J.M. Morrison House was built in 1904 by J.M. Morrison in the Edwardian
Residential Architecture style. The carriage house was completed in 1905. The
one and one half story home is on a coursed sandstone foundation. The siding
is narrow horizontal wood lap siding with corner boards. The roof is a steeply
pitched hipped roof, with intersecting gables. Sash and transom windows include
leaded upper panel glass. An original lap -sided mud porch with a shallow hipped
roof is located on the northeast corner of the building. The nonhistoric enclosed
front porch replaced an original recessed front porch that featured Tuscan
columns.
Ms. McGee asked when the front porch was enclosed. Ms. McWilliams replied
that it was open before 1948, and believes it was enclosed earlier rather than
later. She added that if the porch is older than 50 years, then it could become i
part of the history of the house.
The carriage house has a very unusually high level of integrity. Features include
horizontal weatherboard siding, a hayloft door, a sliding carriage door, and all the
original architectural components. The carriage house could possibly qualify for
landmark designation on its own due to the level of integrity.
Staff recommends approval of the request for designation of the house and
carriage house under Standards (1) and (3). The home is a good example of the
Edwardian style. In addition, the property has been a fixture in its neighborhood
for over 100 years, and contributes as an example of Fort Collins' growth and
development patterns.
Earen Russell moved the LPC recommend Council approve the designation
of the J. M. Morrison house and carriage house, 718 W Mountain Avenue.
Ian Shuff seconded, motion passed unanimously, 5-0.
Public Input: None.
4. Poudre Valley Fire Protection District 1953 G. M. C. Fire Engine —Retired
PFA Chief Ed Yonker.
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January 25, 2006 Meeting Minutes
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Ms. McWilliams introduced Ed Yonker, who is working to create a local fire
museum. The fire truck, which would be part of the museum's collection, is a
1953 GMC 500 GPM (gallon per minute) Front Mount Pumper, which was
custom ordered so that it could be used while the truck was in motion to help
fight wildfires. The truck was in operation in three different fire districts from 1953
through 2003. Staff recommends approval for the request to designate the fire
engine as individually eligible under Standards (1) and (3).
Mr. Shuff asked if the truck will be restored back to its original condition. Mr.
Yonker replied he is restoring the engine, and is applying for a grant later in the
year to help fund the restoration.
Ian Shuff moved to recommend Council approve the designation of the
1953 GMC Fire Engine owned by Poudre Fire Authority. Earen Russell
seconded. Motion passed unanimously, 5-0.
Public Input: None.
OTHER BUSINESS:
Election of Officers —The Commission nominated and elected new officers at the
January 25, 2006 meeting.
Ian Shuff nominated Angie Aguilera as Chair. Alyson McGee nominated Ian Shuff as
Vice Chair. Earen Russell moved to elect Angie Aguilera and Ian Shuff as Chair
and Vice Chair, respectively, as nominated; Alyson McGee seconded; motion
passed unanimously, 5-0.
The LPC's DDA representative will rotate. Representatives will pick up their packets at
the DDA meeting.
Meeting adjourned at 7:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by
Stephanie Sydorko, Secretary
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