Committee Minutes
Grand Forks Historic Preservation Commission
1405 First Avenue North
Grand Forks, ND 58203
701-772-8756
Minutes
7:00 p.m.
September 14, 2004
City Hall
Present: Marsha Gunderson (Chair), Dave Beach, Gordon Iseminger, Ted Jelliff, Melinda Leach, Randy Lee, Ken Polovitz, Sandy Slater
Others: David Eisenbrey, Kathleen Kyper, John Riske and Kevin Severson (Red River Valley Community Action), Peg O’Leary
Motion:
to approve the minutes of August 10, 2004, as distributed. (Polovitz, Slater)
Motion carries.
Red River Valley Community Action
– John Riske, Kevin Severson
806 Oak Street – Rehab of the property would include replacing 2 basement windows, 8 double-hung windows, 2 steel insulated exterior doors (rear), a storm door, and a gutter/drain system. Review of the site form (32GF2578) revealed that the house has virtually no remaining architectural integrity. Members reasoned that if no integrity remains, RRVCA could use vinyl double-hung windows if they choose to do so.
Motion:
to concur that no historic properties are affected by the work described, including vinyl windows, at 806 Oak Street. (Lee, Polovitz)
Motion carries.
418 Cottonwood – Rehab of property would include replacing 4 windows with wood double insulated windows of the same type as currently in the house, replacing a storm door and installing a steel insulated exterior door. Review of the site form (32GF1875) revealed the house to be in largely original condition.
Motion:
to concur that no adverse effect will result from the work described at 418 Cottonwood. (Polovitz, Slater)
Motion carries.
(Agenda suspended pending arrival of Kyper and Eisenbrey.)
Chair Report
– Marsha Gunderson
Grand Forks County Courthouse – The rededication of the Courthouse was impressive and the Courthouse looks very nice. The HPC meeting of Oct. 12 has been tentatively scheduled at the Courthouse and to include a tour. It was determined that many members would be unable to attend that meeting; O’Leary will seek out another date for the tour.
CLG FY04 Budget – Gunderson noted that the budget included a salary increase for the Coordinator; since the budget has been approved by the State, the increase will now go into effect unless concerns or questions are raised by the members. There were none. Gunderson also noted that a performance review would be appropriate and requested that Vice Chair Slater and 2nd Vice Chair Lee perform the review. They agreed. It was determined that O’Leary would complete a position assessment as a basis for the evaluation.
521 S. 6th St.
– Kathleen Kyper, David Eisenbrey
The prospective owners of this covenanted property were present to answer questions remaining from the previous review (8/10/04). Items 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, and 9 were held over for clarification.
Item 1 – The existing roof is to be removed down to the tarpaper. Home will be shingled with 30-year Timberline or Certainteed, shake-like asphalt shingles.
Item 2 – The contractor believes that a 1 ½” slope will be adequate to solve the puddling problem on the roof.
Item 3 – The requested slope change would take place where the chimney meets the roof at the top of the slope. The chimney brick will be retained.
Item 6 – The request to tile the roof deck was withdrawn at this time.
Item 8 – The “unoriginal material” to be removed is residual tar (or other material) which was not removed from the stucco when the back porch was taken off the building prior to the move. The plan is to remove this material, re-stucco as needed and paint.
Item 9 – The request to change out storm windows was withdrawn at this time. The question arose as to whether new brick at the base of the chimney is full brick or brick faced. O’Leary will consult Curt Siewert.
Motion:
to approve work as described in items 1, 2, 3, 8, and 9 (except new storm windows). (Slater, Polovitz)
Motion carries.
Coordinator Report
– Peg O’Leary
1119 Almonte Avenue – Following the August 10, 2004, HPC meeting, Brad Kouba requested that they be allowed to remove the paint from the chimney bricks. Since the next HPC meeting was five weeks away, the Chair decided to poll the members by email. The question: do you or do you not concur that Koubas should be allowed to remove the paint from the chimney using an acceptable method? Beach, Gunderson, Jelliff, Leach, Lee, Ottum, and Sickels (7 members) concurred that appropriately removing the paint was acceptable. No negative votes were recorded. The Koubas were notified that they could remove the paint, thereby returning the chimney to its original condition.
28 Conklin – This house has appraised out at $121,000. It will be put up for sale by sealed bid; minimum bid of 95% of the appraised value. The tar on the west side of the house (where the roof of the garage attached to the house) will be removed prior to closing the sale.
Central Business District Nomination – We expect an initial draft of the nomination later this week so we’re back on track to meet our budget expenditure deadlines.
2003 CLG Budget – The 2003 CLG budget included $1,500 for travel to a national conference. In light of recent goal reprioritization, O’Leary suggested that these funds be reappropriated for the purchase of a laptop computer and projector to be used for community education purposes. The State Historical Society has stated that this would be an acceptable use of the funds. If the Commission approves, O’Leary will formally request the budget change. There are small balances in other line items which could also be redirected for this use.
Motion:
to approve redirecting funds for the purchase of a laptop computer and projector. (Polovitz, Lee)
Motion carries.
Campbell House Update – O’Leary reported that Leach had reviewed the Archaeological Report; Leach said it was impressive to note that the same site showed evidence of prehistoric as well as historic development. Jelliff noted that all the buildings, except the Campbell House, have been moved. The Post Office showed serious wood rot on the bottom logs and those will be replaced while they have Milbank Movers on site. The foundation for the house is being poured this week.
Donated Time Reports – Reports were completed by members.
Duane Klinner Visit to Grand Forks – O’Leary reported that Klinner, Review and Compliance Officer for the SHPO, was in town on August 25. He toured several on-going projects including St. Michael’s Hospital and Nurses’ Residence, granitoid and trolley tracks, Campbell House, Sorlie Bridge, and RRVCA rehab projects.
Promenade Development Renderings – This new housing development is composed primarily of single family and twin homes having the look of an older neighborhood. Renderings of the proposed housing were passed around.
16th Annual Governor’s Conference on ND History – This conference will be held in Bismarck on November 12 and 13, 2004
GF Renaissance Zone – The City is evaluating the expansion of the Renaissance Zone. Three areas are being considered for expansion: south of downtown into the NSS Historic District, north of downtown to approximately 6th Ave. N., and west of downtown to North Washington. Gunderson and O’Leary reviewed each area and identified homes having the potential to benefit from the Zone. These numbers were then provided to the Office of Urban Development.
1610 Lewis Boulevard – At the July 13, 2004, HPC meeting, Easter Seals Goodwill of ND requested approval for the removal of original wood shingles to be replaced with asphalt. At that time the Commission requested that Easter Seals provide proof that the wood shingles could not be repaired and that the roof could not be insured in its present state. Easter Seals has provided a statement from a contractor that “because of the age and deterioration of the cedar shakes we are not able to patch the existing roof,” and their insurer’s letter states that the condition of the current roof would prevent insurance coverage.
Consensus:
to allow the replacement of the existing cedar shakes with 30-year Certainteed or Timberline asphalt shingles which mimic cedar shakes.
Sorlie Bridge Lighting – East Grand Forks is proposing to light the Sorlie Bridge, using the design which evolved from ND SHPO, ND DOT and GFHPC comments in the fall of 2002. In informal conversations that O’Leary has had with Floan Sanders (EGF engineering contractor) and the ND SHPO, they have inquired whether GFHPC still finds that plan to be acceptable. Plans and computer synthesized pictures of the proposed lighting were reviewed by the members. Members expressed varying opinions of the proposed lighting and concern was expressed for ambient light escaping into the night sky.
Consensus:
that any merely decorative lighting, having no function of safety or showing off historic structure, should be removed from the plan.
NPRR Bridge Interpretive Panels – The first proof for the three proposed interpretive panels has been provided to HPC by the Corps of Engineers contractor. Gunderson, Iseminger, Jelliff, Slater and O’Leary will review for factual errors and for general composition. Anyone else is welcome to comment.
Other Business
Fort Lincoln Trolley – Ottum had provided brochures that O’Leary passed around.
Shelter for the Homeless (420 Division) – Iseminger asked whether the landscaping they had proposed is in place; several members noted that it appears to be in progress.
GF Healthcare Memorial – Iseminger asked if there has been progress with the healthcare memorial at Altru; Jelliff said he obtained a letter from Fr. Wm. McDermott, former Associate Pastor at St. Michael’s Church, stating that the cross from the former St. Michael’s Hospital (North Columbia Road) should be used for the healthcare memorial. This has seemed to clarify the disputed ownership of the cross and Jelliff is working with the hospital board to plan the memorial.
Electric Construction Company – Beach said he recently visited with Phyllis Haugen Loder and she is very pleased with the plaque for the Electric Construction Company.
Downtown Design & Review Board – Beach (HPC representative on DDRB) read a memo that stated that Gate City has requested that DDRB reconsider its denial of two illuminated reader board signs for its DeMers Avenue location. It was noted that DDRB guidelines has very specific language denying such signs and HPC members supported the original action taken by DDRB.
In-fill Housing – Lee noted that an in-fill house on the corner of 6th and Cherry is for sale. He wondered if that is an indication that the in-fill houses are not selling as quickly as they originally did. O’Leary will find out who is the contractor for that lot.
Motion:
to adjourn. (Polovitz, Slater)
Motion carries.
Meeting adjourned. 8:30 p.m.
The next regular meeting will be at 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 28, in room A101 City Hall.
Respectfully submitted,
Peg O’Leary
Coordinator