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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLandmark Preservation Commission - Minutes - 09/09/1998LANDMARK PRESERVATION COMMISSION Regular Meeting September 9, 1998 Council Liaison: Scott Mason Staff Liaison: Joe Frank (221-6376) Commission Chairperson: Per Hogestad (303) 292-1875 ARY OF MEETING: Timothy Wilder, City Planner, reviewed the U lark Rehabilitation Grant Program. The LPC designated 1400 West Oak, e Wolfer House, as a local landmark. The LPC recommended the Is ge plan for the Preston Farm, with the re -location of the turkey house. ission discussed the impact of widening the intersection of Timberline on the Rigden Farm. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL: Mr. Hogestad called the meeting to order 5:34 p.m. at 281 North College Avenue. Commission members Janet Ore, Angie Aguilera, Angela Milewski, James Tanner and Rands Pouppirt were present. George Lyons was absent. Joe Frank, Carol Tunner, Karen McWilliams and Timothy Wilder represented staff. GUESTS: Charles Frost and Nguyen Thuy, CSU students; Bud Frick, citizen; Scott Griffin, Wheeler Commercial, for the Rigden Farm; Stan Whitaker, Western Property Advisors, Peter Kast, Realtor, and Eldon Ward, Cityscape, for the Preston Farm Project; Leanne Harter, City Planner, for the intersection expansion at Timberline and Drake and its impact on the Rigden Farm. AGENDA REVIEW: Ms. Tunner postponed the discussion of a support letter for proposed work for St. Joseph's Church. She added that applicants would also be seeking letters of support at the next meeting for projects on the Northern Hotel and the First Baptist Church at 328 Remington. STAFF REPORTS: Ms. McWilliams provided a copy of Historic Fort Collins Development Corporations's nomination of Preston Farm as one of Colorado's most endangered historic places. Ms. Tunner said the National Trust will have their Historic Preservation Conference in Savannah, Georgia. Ms. McWilliams also announced the Colorado Preservation Incorporated annual meeting in Fort Collins on September 26. COMMISSION MEMBERS' REPORTS: Ms. Milewski, Downtown Development Authority liaison, said the DDA discussed that they were considering the sale of the Mason Street parking lot for development. But, they would not sell the property until the future City parking structure was completed. She added that the DDA also awarded the owners of the First Baptist Church at 328 Remington a grant to redevelop the building as a performing arts center and dance school. Landmark Preservation Commission September 9, 1998 Meeting Minutes Page 2 APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The July 22, 1998 LPC meeting minutes was accepted as submitted. ELECTION OF OFFICERS: Mr. Hogestad asked if anyone had any nominations. Mr. Tanner nominated Mr. Hogestad for Commission Chairperson. Ms. Milewski seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. (5-0) Mr. Tanner nominated Ms. Milewski for Co -Chairperson. Ms. Ore seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. (5-0) Rande Pouppirt arrived 5:45 p.m. TRAINING: Mr. Timothy Wilder, City Planner, provided training on the Local Landmark Rehabilitation Grant Program and grant application and information packets. The program developed from Historic Preservation Policy Planning. Up to twenty thousand dollars are awarded per year, which was made permanent in 1996. Sometimes they have had extra money left over from the previous year. Up to $2,500 may be awarded for residential and up to $5,000 for commercial projects. Only locally designated properties are eligible and the work must be exterior. He explained that in the past they have addressed the issue of repair work versus maintenance work. The applicants should work to restore the historic part of the structure as much as possible. He added that the matching funds must equal the applicant's expense. Ms. Ore asked if the matching work needed to be reviewed by the LPC, for instance, plumbing work. Mr. Wilder said that it would come through design review. Mr. Hogestad said that they would review the documentation. Mr. Pouppirt asked if the grant could apply to an interior structural feature. Mr. Wilder said yes and discussed the issue of plaster repair versus structural damage repair as an example. He also explained that this was a reimbursement program and they do not provide the money until the work is completed. Mr. Wilder reviewed the criteria for ranking projects: how well does the project foster rehabilitation, what is the degree of threat to the structure, and what is the significance of that resource, which the staff researches. The weights of the matching funds are also considered and are the objective part of the ranking. He explained that staff was looking into a loan program for the future, because the amount of available funding would probably not increase and the demand seems to be higher than what they could provide. Mr. Pouppirt asked about different types of loan programs. He also asked if the program was a real incentive to get people to designate their homes. Mr. Wilder Landmark Preservation Commission September 9, 1998 Meeting Minutes Page 3 said that was their original intent, but they don't only get applications for newly designated homes. Mr. Wilder added where design review fits into the process. He said that staff looks initially at the design elements very closely in order to make the design review process go smoother. LOCAL LANDMARK DESIGNATION: 1400 West Oak, George Wolfer House and Garages (Thomas Burkot and Patricia Graves, owner) The property was proposed for designation for its architectural and historical significance and the house and garages are excellent examples of the Craftsman style architecture. They are also significant for their association with George Wolfer. The house and garages, one attached and one detached, were built in 1923. One porch was remodeled in 1924 to create a sun parlor. Ms. McWilliams said that the only recent alteration was the asphalt roof. Ms. Ore moved to approve staff's recommendation to approve this request for local landmark designation of the George Wolfer House and Garages at 1400 West Oak. Ms. Aguilera seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. (6-0) DISCUSSION ITEMS: Preston Farm — Drainage Plan Mr. Whitaker showed the latest plans and said they will sell the historic site to the Lawsers. He reviewed the drainage plan that they presented the last time. It was reported that when Mark Wolfe came out to the site to discuss State Historical Society funds, staff discovered that what was described as a machine shop was really a milk barn. That building would be very desirable to preserve. Mr. Whitaker said that they are very willing to work to save the building. The engineers are re -visiting the re- location of the turkey house again to create a drainage plan, which would save the milk barn and create a smoother slope towards the granary. He explained that they would like to seek approval to move the turkey house. Mr. Kast said that they would propose moving the turkey house near the pump house and hog house. Mr. Hogestad asked about the development of the western portion of the site. That portion already has approval. They will start contouring the Preston Farm land minimally for the drainage around Timberwood drive. The Commission instructed them to leave space to avoid damage to the buildings. Mr. Whitaker explained that the piping around the granary would provide good protection. They added that two newer cylindrical silos would be taken down and were not depicted on the map. Mr. Tanner supports allowing the Landmark Preservation Commission September 9, 1998 Meeting Minutes Page 4 turkey house to be moved in order to keep the milk barn, and said that the change in the slope around the house was more natural. Mr. Pouppirt moved to support the new drainage plan as submitted with the re- location of the turkey house, and to pass that information on to the Planning and Zoning Board. Mr. Tanner seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. (6- 0) Mr. Pouppirt moved to amend the motion to include that the machine shop (milk barn) is eligible for designation and should be preserved. Mr. Tanner accepted the amendment, which passed unanimously. (6-0) Leanne Harter is the planner on the project. The Commission discussed the widening of Timberline and Drake and how it would affect the Johnson property at 2600 Timberline Road. This transportation plan was adopted fifteen years ago, which planned for Timberline to become a six -lane road. Transportation had originally planned a road that would run right through the house, but it could be shifted slightly, so that the house would be right next to the road. Another option was to move the house and other buildings to a new location. The property was surveyed and determined eligible and is significant for its architecture and historical association with the Johnson Family and with agriculture. There are two additional significant properties in close proximity which are associated with the Johnsons. One has the only bank barn in the entire UGA. Another residence is an 1800s, tall masonry, gabled farmhouse near Timberline and Prospect. The one being discussed tonight is a bungalow with two-tone brickwork. This property has a chicken coop, which there are only about fourteen in the urban growth area, and a barn that serves as a garage. When the road is widened, the windbreak and pine trees around the house will also have to go. Mr. Tanner asked if the road could curve around the house to the west. Ms. McWilliams explained that there was an existing housing development to the south. Ms. Milewski said that it looks like the road leans more towards the historic house. Ms. Harter said that it would be very expensive to replace or move an out fall system pipe on the west side of Timberline. Mr. Tanner requested more information on the house and farmstead. Ms. McWilliams explained that the information was from the 1994 survey. It stated that the house was highly significant and very eligible. The house was significant for its architecture and the property for its association with agricultural history as well as with the Johnson family, who were prominent in the agrarian and water history of Fort Collins. He asked how many intact farm properties there are in the urban growth area. Ms. McWilliams said very few. The Commission agreed that this sort of issue would continue to happen to other farms through the years. y Landmark Preservation Commission September 9, 1998 Meeting Minutes Page 5 Mr. Frank asked who would move the house. Ms. Harter explained that the site was expected to be developed. Ms. Milewski asked what the developer's intentions were for the site. Ms. Harter said that Scott Griffin would address that. The Commission discussed whether the character of the building would change if it were located right up against the road. Mr. Frank said that it would fit in with City Plan and the new development code. Mr. Hogestad asked about the trees. Ms. Harter said that any trees that were destroyed would need to be replaced. Ms. McWilliams showed pictures of the property and explained that it was one of the best preserved and most intact properties in Fort Collins and that farmhouses were rarely built of brick. The barn is one of only a few existing in the urban growth area. She added that there were one hundred properties surveyed in 1994. Mr. Frank asked how many were complexes, of which there were eighteen. Mr. Tanner wanted to better understand the scope of the threat to the property and asked Ms. Harter to describe the development plans. She explained that there were two hundred twenty acres, with neighborhood, commercial, office and civil uses. The area was zoned from twelve to five dwellings per acre. Mr. Griffin explained that the development plans were conceptual, at best. He said that they needed to keep their options open. He felt that preserving the house on site would not be beneficial to the house in the long-term. They discussed planted trees in the median of the road, but he said that would widen the road too much to keep the house in its current location. That corner would serve as an eleven -acre block with a supermarket and a pharmacy. He said that the farmstead would be the theme for the entire development. The developers would like to re-create the farmstead in the center of the community of 1100 families. The farmhouse would be used as a community center. He added that the hayloft in the barn is gone and it may not be structurally sound to move. Mr. Griffin described the community center as off of the main drag, closer to the housing. Ms. Harter discussed what step in the process the plans are in right now. Mr. Tanner stated that many people might be just as bothered by the trees around the farmhouse being removed. Ms. McWilliams explained that in the long term the trees would ultimately have to be removed to fully widen the road. Mr. Hogestad said that he would like to see the farm stay, intact. Mr. Griffin said that they now have an opportunity to save the house by moving it, because first the trees would be removed and than eventually the road would be widened again. Mr. Hogestad discussed whether it would still look like -a farm. He explained that the connection of the house to the other outbuildings was important, and once the buildings are moved they would lose their integrity. Mr. Pouppirt said the house might lose its integrity because of the closeness to the road. Mr. Hogestad said that the trees would still be on the outside and it could convey what it is. Mr. Pouppirt asked if they could move the house back a little bit. Ms. Ore asked if it were moved would it still be eligible for local designation and the National Register. Mr. Tanner would also like to see it remain intact. Ms. Ore commented that people might be very supportive of the efforts to preserve a symbol of a farm in this Landmark Preservation Commission September 9, 1998 Meeting Minutes Page 6 community, where growth is an important issue, as well as its agricultural heritage. Mr. Frank told the Commission to think about it and staff will return with more information. Mr. Tanner requested the precise number of intact farm sites and their locations. Ms. Harter explained that the Transportation and Engineering Departments really were very flexible and looked at different alternatives, but there are some real constraints to altering the proposed plans for widening the road including the existing housing to the west. OTHER BUSINESS: Mr. Frank provided a copy of a memo from Paul Eckman, which regarded the possible amendment to Section 3.4.7 of the Land Use Code (Historic and Cultural Resources). He asked the Commission to look at the proposed changes and clarification of the language. The Design Review Sub -Committee was scheduled to discuss 308 South Howes with the developer and architect on Friday at 2:30p.m. The meeting adjourned 7:38 p.m. Submitted by Nicole Sneider, Secretary