Committee Minutes
Grand Forks Historic Preservation Commission
1405 First Avenue North
Grand Forks, ND 58203
701-772-8756
Minutes
7:00 p.m.
March 22, 2005
City Hall
Present: Marsha Gunderson, Chair, Chuck Flemmer, Gordon Iseminger, Melinda Leach, Rolf Ottum, Ken Polovitz, Dale Sickels, Sandy Slater
Others: Al Franks, Karen Schelinder, Red River Valley Community Action Agency (RRVCA); Curt Siewert, Office of Urban Development; Peg O’Leary
Motion:
to approve the minutes of the February 22, 2005 meeting as presented. (Slater, Sickels)
Motion carries.
Agenda was suspended to accommodate representatives of RRVCA.
Red River Valley Community Action Agency
– Curt Siewert, Al Franks, Karen Schelinder
1017 North 5th Street (built 1889) – RRVCA proposes to demolish this house, combine the lot with an adjacent property and build permanent supportive housing. The new complex would provide three, three-bedroom single-level units for families with disabilities. A previous review of the project determined that adverse effect to an historic property would result from demolition of the house. Adverse effect requires that a Memorandum of Agreement be developed among the interested parties: RRVCA, the City (lead funding agency), HPC, and the State Historic Preservation Officer. Siewert requested a discussion of likely mitigation for the adverse effect. It was determined that a fair mitigation would be for RRVCA to hire an architect to design the new building in a style reflective of the residential nature of the neighborhood and compatible with area houses. The lot will end up being
80’ x 140’ and the area is zoned R4.
Motion:
to concur with a determination of adverse effect from the demolition of the house at 1017 N. 5th St., and to recommend that mitigation include loose design guidelines, that RRVCA hire an architect to design a compatible, appropriate housing unit, and that proposed designs be submitted to GFHPC for review prior to building. (Polovitz, Slater)
Motion carries.
1324 4th Avenue North (built 1909) – Only internal work is proposed for this house; RRVCA will paint, wallpaper, install flooring, drywall ceiling and install a GFI outlet in the kitchen.
Motion:
no adverse effect will result from the proposed work at 1324 4th Ave. N. (Slater, Leach)
Motion carries.
812 Almonte Avenue
O’Leary noted that the owners have changed out historic windows in the porch of the house, in violation of the historic covenant attached to the property. The owner has written a letter (attached) stating, essentially, that he does not believe the house is historic and asking for whatever information we have on the house and its attendant move from the previous location. City Attorney Howard Swanson had said that the covenant was legally attached to the property and applies. O’Leary read a letter she composed to respond to the owner (attached). She noted that the owner has refused invitations to discuss the covenant with the Commission.
Motion:
send the letter to
the owner of 812 Almonte Avenue. (Polovitz, Sickels)
Motion carries.
Resume agenda as published.
Chair Report
– Marsha Gunderson
HPC Appointments – Jelliff and Ottum have agreed to serve another term; Beach has not committed to another term yet. Gunderson said she had been strongly considering retiring from the Commission but the loss of Randy Lee caused her to reconsider and she decided she would also commit to another term. There was general discussion regarding a successor for Lee. It is very helpful, though not required, to have an able attorney on the Commission. It was considered desirable that the attorney appreciate the preservation goals of the Commission. Members also discussed who might fill the chair that would be left vacant if Beach decides not to reapply.
Metropolitan Opera House – Gunderson noted that she and O’Leary attended a meeting of the City Finance/Urban Development Committee at which Lonnie Laffen presented his proposal for the Met: to build up-scale, loft apartments in all but the storefront area of the building (basement will be parking). This proposal was approved at the committee level and will be carried to Council with an approval recommendation.
Downtown Design and Review Board – DDRB guidelines call for the HPC Chair or designee to serve on that board. Beach has been the appointed HPC representative on DDRB but Gunderson has been serving on DDRB when Beach is out of town. More and more DDRB meetings have been held when Beach is unavailable and Gunderson has been appointed to another committee closely related to DDRB. To streamline responsibility, Gunderson has chosen to resume Chair responsibility for serving on DDRB fulltime.
Grand Forks Downtown Housing Taskforce – This taskforce has been established to study housing possibilities in the downtown area. Gunderson has been asked to represent HPC and DDRB on that body.
Promenade Development – Gunderson and O’Leary recently attended the Open House for the new Promenade Housing Development in the west end. This GF Housing Authority development is designed to provide entry level housing in a pedestrian-friendly setting. The houses have the appearance of older homes, with sharply pitched roofs, front porches and rear garages.
Coordinator Report
– Peg O’Leary
Certified Local Government (CLG) Grants
FY04 – The Riverside Survey proposals are due March 29. O’Leary is reasonably sure HPC will receive at least one proposal.
FY05 – O’Leary presented a budget for FY05 (attached) that includes administration, travel, Riverside Nomination, and district brochure categories. The proposed match is approximately 53%, well in excess of the required 40%.
Motion:
to approve the request for $26,320.00, as delineated in the attached budget, for CLG Budget FY05. (Polovitz, Iseminger)
Motion carries.
M&H Gas Station – Management has removed the temporary signage in the area but still wants additional 4’ x 8’ movable letter boards on the building. The matter will be taken up at the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting on April 6, if an owner is present. O’Leary will attend.
UND Historic Space Subcommittee – UND has not responded to a letter asking how decisions are made to call meetings of this committee.
613 8th Ave. S. – This is the site of the proposed front-loaded duplex. Planning and Zoning approved the replatting at its March meeting.
Infill Program
Local – The Office of Urban Development has sent letters to Wally Rodgers regarding his resale of the house at 116 Conklin without rehabbing it and his request to sell the 25’ lot at 309 N. 7th Street without developing it. Rodgers is also the owner proposing the front-loaded duplex at 613 8th Ave. S.
O’Leary distributed articles from
The Alliance Review
pertaining to infill developments in other parts of the country.
Downtown Nomination – The Public Hearing on the Downtown Historic District Nomination is scheduled for 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, April 5 in Council Chambers. Ann Emmons, the writer, will make the presentation and answer questions. Mary Kate Ryan, state architectural historian, will try to attend. An ad will be placed in the
Grand Forks Herald
for six days running up to the hearing.
Other Business
Annual CLG Meeting – Fargo, Friday, April 29, 2005
Motion:
to adjourn. (Polovitz, Sickels)
Motion carries.
Meeting adjourned. 8:30 p.m.
The next regular meeting will be at 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, April 12, in room A101, City Hall.
Public Hearing on the Downtown Historic District Nomination
7:00 p.m., Tuesday, April 5, in Council Chambers, City Hall
Respectfully submitted,
Peg O’Leary
Coordinator