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Grand Forks Historic Preservation Commission
1405 First Avenue North
Grand Forks, ND 58203
701-772-8756

Minutes
7:00 p.m.
April 12, 2005
City Hall

Present: Marsha Gunderson, Chair, Chuck Flemmer, Gordon Iseminger, Melinda Leach,
Rolf Ottum, Ken Polovitz, Sandy Slater
Others: John Riske, Red River Valley Community Action Agency (RRVCA); Peg O’Leary

Motion: to approve the minutes of the March 22, 2005 meeting as presented. (Jelliff, Iseminger)
Motion carries.

Red River Valley Community Action Agency – John Riske
  413 Cottonwood, (built 1904) – RRVCA proposes exterior work to include reroofing, replacing fascia and crown molding, repairing soffit, installing six (6) same-size, wood double-hung windows to replace original windows on main and upper level, and replacing four (4) basement windows with new wood windows. An original request to repair the rear foundation wall was withdrawn due to lack of funds. This former Habitat for Humanity home has had some window replacement already and most of the interior trim has been removed. The foundation work and exterior painting will be done by the homeowner. Gunderson said she had difficulty in figuring out which window was which from the pictures; she suggested someone from HPC might look at the windows and report back to the Commission. Flemmer offered to take a look at the windows. Riske said there will be no size changes for the windows and the leaded glass window will not be touched.
Motion: to concur that no adverse effect will result from the proposed work, other than the window replacement, and stipulating that window replacement may be added to the motion pending on-site review and agreement by Commissioner Flemmer without further review by the full Commission. (Polovitz, Leach)
Motion carries.
  1802 8th Ave. N., (built 1948) – RRVCA proposes exterior work to include replacing two (2) basement windows, installing five (5) new wood storm windows, installing gutter and downspout, reroofing, venting bathroom fan through roof, and removing brick chimney. Riske said they would remove the chimney because it is no longer used and, since they are reroofing, removing it would reduce chances of leaking. Gunderson noted that the Sec’y of Interior standards do not recommend “stripping the roof of sound historic material.”
Motion: to concur that no adverse effect will result from the proposed work EXCEPT the removal of the historic chimney. (Polovitz, Slater)
Motion carries.


Chair Report – Marsha Gunderson
  Metropolitan Opera House – the matter of whether JLG could serve as its own tenant at the Met was tabled at City Council largely for two reasons: 1) because a Herald report misleadingly suggested that the option for UND to be gifted the property was still on the table, and 2) to allow the deadline for JLG to supply its financial report to pass before Council acts on the project. JLG is proposing to use 90% of the building for up-scale lofts and put retail in the storefront.
  CLG Conference – The CLG conference is on Friday, April 29, in Fargo. It is free to Commissioners, Staff and City government representatives; it is also required that HPC have a quorum present. Commissioners Polovitz, Leach, Iseminger, Slater and Gunderson will be going. Commissioners Ottum and Flemmer can not attend. Commissioners not present will be polled. O’Leary will send a group registration to Fargo.
  PND Conference – The PND conference is April 29, 30 and May 1 in Fargo. There is a registration fee; members wishing to attend should handle their own registration using the form they recently received.

Coordinator Report – Peg O’Leary
  City Budget Request FY06 – The GFHPC proposed budget request is for $25,791.80. This is a $475 reduction from FY05, reflecting cost saving measures in long distance phone charges, publication purchases, photography, and internet hook-up charges.
Motion: to adopt the FY06 budget proposal as presented. (Slater, Flemmer)
Motion carries. (See attached budget.)
  Riverside Survey – HPC received one very good proposal for conducting the Riverside Survey. Steve C. Martens proposes to complete the survey for not more than $13,967. This amount falls within the $14,000 budget set for the project. The State grants administrator and architectural historian agree that the proposal meets our needs.
Motion: to accept the Martens proposal for the Riverside Survey. (Polovitz, Slater)
Motion carries.
  M&H Gas Station – Planning and Zoning Commission approved two additional 4’x 8’ reader board signs to be mounted on the building.
  Downtown Nomination – The Public Hearing was held at 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 5 in City Hall Council Chambers. One member of the public spoke in support of the nomination; no one spoke against the nomination.
  812 Almonte Ave. – The owners came to the HPC office on Friday, April 1, to view the files pertaining to their house.

Other Business
  Downtown Design and Review Board – Meets Wednesday, April 13.
  Downtown Housing Task Force – Meets Thursday, April 28 to review proposals.
  Near Southside District Signs – Will be permanently placed now that the frost is out of the ground. Jelliff suggested a press release when the time comes; there is still come confusion among the neighbors about whether the district was approved and that would clarify the situation. Ottum agreed.
  Greenway – Iseminger said he has a student who could collect pictures and do a story about the area between 3rd Street and the river, as a corollary to the downtown nomination. Members agreed that this would be a good project.
  Mose Norman – Ottum is looking for a picture of the original Norman house that was in the 700 block of Reeves.
  Midwest KKK – Ottum said he has an article from the South Dakota Historical Society journal about the KKK in the upper mid-west that includes information about early Grand Forks Klan members.

Meeting adjourned. 8:00 p.m.
The next regular meeting will be at 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, April 26, in room A101 City Hall.

Respectfully submitted,



Peg O’Leary
Coordinator