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Grand Forks Historic Preservation Commission
1405 First Avenue North
Grand Forks, ND 58203
701-772-8756
Meeting Minutes
March 27, 2007
7:00 p.m.
City Hall

Present: Marsha Gunderson, Chair, Chuck Flemmer, Gordon Iseminger, Ted Jelliff, Melinda Leach, Cory Lien, Dale Sickels, Sandy Slater, Dave Vorland
Others: Kevin Severson, Red River Valley Community Action; Peg O’Leary

The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m.; a quorum was present.
Motion: to approve the minutes of the March 13, 2007 meeting. (Iseminger, Sickels)
Motion carries.

Red River Community Action Agency – Kevin Severson
  601 Cherry Street, built 1906 – The 1994 survey of the area says this property would contribute to a historic district. The owner is requesting a federally subsidized loan to replace fourteen (14) original wood windows with vinyl replacements, replace the original wood/glass front door with a steel door, install a new metal storm door on the front entrance, install new metal gutters and downspouts, install a concrete driveway, install new concrete sidewalks, and to complete assorted interior projects. Commissioners expressed concern that virtually all the historic fabric of the house would be lost in this renovation. Severson said the owner intends to keep the wood storm windows even though the new windows would not require storms; this would keep the look that the house currently has. He said the windows are in poor condition, having mildew, mold and rot. The front door is in good condition.
Cory Lien arrived at this time.
Gunderson wondered what the incentive would be, down the road, for the owner to keep putting on and removing storm windows if they are not needed for functionality. If the storms are not on the windows, the look of the house will be significantly altered.
Motion: to require wood replacement windows, configured to match existing windows in size and style, and retention the existing storm windows. (Slater, Sickels)
Motion carries.
Motion: to stipulate that the loan may not be used to replace the front door and to recommend weatherization measures to retain the historic door. (Iseminger, Leach)
Motion carries.
Motion: to stipulate that the loan may not be used to replace the front storm door and to recommend that weatherization measures to retain the historic storm door. (Slater, Flemmer)
Discussion: This type of storm is appropriate to the house, shows off the historic door, and can be weatherized to do a good job.
Motion carries.

Motion: to approve replacement of gutters and downspouts as delineated in the request. (Flemmer, Sickels)
Motion Carries.
  1129 Chestnut Street, built 1930 – The house is in the Near Southside Historic District but does not contribute to the district. The owner is requesting a federally subsidized loan to vinyl side the house, replace twenty-one (21) windows with vinyl windows, replace gutters and downspouts, install a vinyl egress window on the north façade, add a metal handrail to the front entry, and complete assorted interior projects. Severson said the window condition is deteriorated but not rotted; the house currently has aluminum storms.
Motion: to require wood replacement windows, configured to match existing windows in size and style. (Slater, Leach)
Discussion: The house is in the district and the three-over-one windows are typical of the area and add to the feel of the neighborhood.
Motion carries.
Motion: to approve triple-three vinyl siding, starting under the string course below the gables. (Sickels, Slater)
Discussion: The Masonite siding is seriously deteriorated. Triple-three siding is as appropriate to the neighborhood as the wide Masonite and suitable for the house.
Motion carries.
Motion: to approve a vinyl basement egress window on the north side of the house and an openwork metal handrail for the front entrance. (Flemmer, Sickels)
Discussion: The entry stoop is attractive and original but RRVCA must address safety issues when it works on a house and the lack of a railing is a safety issue. The work is allowable since the house is not actually on the Register and the addition of a handrail is not detrimental to the District.
Motion carries.
Jelliff noted that the building behind this house was once Cal’s Grocery, one of the many small neighborhood grocery stores serving the Near Southside neighborhood.
  714 Cottonwood Street – Hold for April 10, 2007.

Office of Urban Development
O’Leary announced that the OUD items would be held for the next meeting. Mr. Siewert is unable to present the material at this time.

Chair Report – None

Coordinator Report – Peg O’Leary
  National Register Certificates – The State Historical Society has developed a certificate, suitable for framing that they will provide to owners of National Register listed district properties free of charge. The Commission will be responsible for getting the word out that the certificates are available and for providing respondents’ names to the state. Members reviewed the proposed certificates and were very pleased with the Near Southside piece. They suggested that the graphic on the Downtown District piece might be more effective as a watermark than in the current configuration.
  Exchange Club – O’Leary spoke at Exchange Club on March 27 and enjoyed it very much. She provided a PowerPoint presentation on current HPC projects.
  Northern Pacific Depot, 202 N. 3rd Street – Dan Schenkein, president of the Chamber of Commerce, has requested and been provided information about grants to help with exterior (primarily cosmetic) work on the Depot.
  Qwest Cable Boring Project – The SHPO has asked for comment on a boring project that will begin in the old Central Park area on the wet side of the dike and continue under the river. The project is being reviewed for compliance with state law. Members agreed that comment regarding protection of the Dobmeier Brewery archaeological site would be sufficient.
  Web Site Member Identification – O’Leary suggested that email addresses for the commissioners be included in the HPC web site. Commissioners agreed.
  City Owned Lots – O’Leary distributed maps that show the locations of lots being readied for sale. These lots are the result of buyouts following the 1997 flood and have been held pending the completion of the flood protection project. It was suggested that the commission develop a proposal with regard to how the development of these lots will be handled by the city. Members will review the areas under consideration and devote part of the next meeting to this topic.
  Reconciling With The Recent Past – O’Leary provided a short handout describing the activity at a national conference where the topic was dealing with the recent past.

Other Business
  Phoenix (AZ) Historic Neighborhoods – Jelliff passed around several brochures from various historic districts in Phoenix and described his visit there.
  Gunderson noted that she and O’Leary had each received flowers from an unknown person. They expressed their gratitude.

Meeting adjourned. 8:45 p.m.
The next regular meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, April 10, 2007, in room A101, City Hall.

Respectfully submitted,



Peg O’Leary
Coordinator