Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutminutes.hpc.20190109 1 REGULAR MEETING HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION JANUARY 09, 2019 Commissioners in attendance: Gretchen Greenwood, Nora Berko, Roger Moyer, Bob Blaich, Richard Lai, Scott Kendrick. Absent were Willis Pember, Jeffrey Halferty and Sheri Sanzone. Staff present: Nicole Henning, Deputy City Clerk Andrea Bryan, Assistant City Attorney Amy Simon, Historic Preservation Officer Sarah Yoon, Historic Preservation Planner APPROVAL OF MINUTES: None. PUBLIC COMMENT: Jake Vickery Mr. Vickery said he has a request of the board to think about a couple of new concepts for the benefits of small properties. He passed out a handout to the board with a letter and a diagram. He said he owns 202 W. Main, which is a Victorian across from where the bakery used to be. He has owned it for almost 20 years. He has come up with some ideas and said these would be exemptions from FAR, but not for space or volume, but just for deck areas and lightwells. He directed the board to look at the diagram. This idea is to develop a connection with the alley to make it more human and interesting with an “elosia” space. The second item is regarding light wells. The third item is regarding those 3000 sq. ft lots, which are really challenged in a lot of ways. There is very little private outdoor space. He is proposing a roof top deck, which would not be visible from the front or back. He is trying to get an exemption from having a cap on FAR for small properties. Mr. Moyer said these are great ideas. Ms. Greenwood asked him to explain the “elosia” space. Mr. Vickery said this is an open space below an actual space above. It’s a two-sided space, which is transitional activity space. It’s like a rear front porch. Ms. Greenwood said these would be little additional bonuses. Ms. Simon said that’s correct. Mr. Moyer said this goes back to the messy vitality concept and he totally understands the dilemma. Ms. Simon said here in the next few months we will go back to council to formally discuss the code benefits, so they will come back to the board one more time prior. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS: Ms. Berko mentioned a presentation by Harry Teague, Dick Carter and Ann at the Wheeler at 7:30 p.m. on the Bauhaus. Ms. Simon said it’s at the Limelight. Ms. Greenwood mentioned a screen that is always down on the building across the street from the Sardy house. She asked if that is allowed and said it doesn’t feel right. She said it is an outside wooden screen. Ms. Simon said she will look into it. STAFF COMMENTS: Ms. Simon announced that Mr. Pember has submitted his resignation as his house has sold and he will be between Aspen and Boulder from here on out. She said that he has been on HPC for years so there should be a get together at some point to wish him well. Ms. Simon also mentioned that Ms. Sanzone and Mr. Halferty both reported that they could not attend tonight. She said the next meeting will be 2 REGULAR MEETING HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION JANUARY 09, 2019 canceled because there are no agenda items. She said there is currently a project on small cell towers being installed within the city so that is coming up. She needs to follow up with Mr. Moyer and Mr. Lai to get them registered for Colorado Preservation Inc. and to see if anyone else wants to go to that conference in Denver the first week of February. Ms. Greenwood asked when council is going to make a decision on 517 E. Hopkins and Ms. Simon said she doesn’t know for sure if this is going in front of council. DISCLOSURES OF CONFLICT: None. PROJECT MONITORING: None. CERTIFICATE OF NO NEGATIVE EFFECT: None. PUBLIC NOTICE: Ms. Simon said this is not actually a public hearing, but just a referral comment. CALL UPS: None. APPLICANT PRESENTATION: 506 E Main Patrick Rawley of Stan Clauson Associates, Jodi Smith of Pitkin County and Andy Duckett-Emke of Anderson Hallas Architects Mr. Rawley mentioned the site visit to view the improvements to be done to the courthouse. Those are for ADA accessibility and security issues to support the essential public facility. Ms. Simon said she will run through the staff memo very quickly. She said this is an unusual process since it’s a referral comment to Jessica Garrow, who will make an administrative decision. This falls into a public project review process. This will have reduced review criteria and a faster review process. Because all of the changes have to do with accessibility and life safety, it will require Ms. Garrow’s approval. The board walked around the site and staff is recommending approval. Potential staff and monitor items include: what the material would be for the new pathway that leads to the new accessible entry, clarify any lighting required above the doorway, signage that might be directing people to this entrance, railings, details, etc. We discussed the lilac along the front steps, which needs to be removed. She looked back at historic photos and the lilacs did not appear until the 1980’s, so they are not heritage shrubs. There is a drywell proposed to deal with drainage. There would be a two-foot- wide manhole cover. We would like to see if it can be relocated or if there is another drainage technique that can be applied. Engineering has allowed a sod lid, so it looks like grass, so we need more discussion about this. Regarding the fire escape on the rear, it will detach at the base of the doorway threshold and we want to make sure there is no further damage caused to the rear of the historic building. We would like to have HPC discuss this in regard to the resolution. Mr. Rawley said regarding condition #1, their preference is to use grey concrete, but they would also entertain a paving material the city has used in Galena plaza. Concerning removing the lilac, we haven’t really discussed, but we could relocate or remove them. The drywell could be handled with engineering discussions and the fire escape can be addressed by Mr. Duckett-Emke. Mr. Moyer said the lilac bush should come out so there is symmetry on both sides. He asked if they can have them detail the conduit and to the left of the rear porch, there is that hole in the wall with all of 3 REGULAR MEETING HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION JANUARY 09, 2019 the ugly black wrapping. He said it should be removed or hidden and a fifth condition should be added for this. Mr. Blaich seconded that. He mentioned the conduit on the site and he agreed with Mr. Moyer’s other comments. Ms. Greenwood agreed on adding another condition and said they would never allow that. Mr. Kendrick said he agrees with Mr. Moyer. He would like to see the lilacs gone as they block too much of the building. Ms. Greenwood agreed. Ms. Berko asked about the coloring and if it is more appropriate to have it in the same color as the west side, as opposed to grey. Ms. Greenwood said that using the same material seems right to her. Ms. Smith said they will go with grey concrete when it all needs to be replaced. Mr. Lai said he may be blowing in the wind. He understands the necessity for these changes, as accessibility is vital, and the fire escape is there for public safety, but he’s not happy with these necessities. When he looks at page 46, we have this wonderful historic building. The change with the door is a drastic change in his mind to the symmetry of this building. He would like to be reassured that every other option has been explored regarding the south façade. Regarding the north side fire escape, he has the same feeling especially if there is a garden back there. One suggestion would be to move the fire escape to the space between the court house and the newer annex where there is a cover which already disrupts the integrity of both buildings. Another solution would be if the fire escape could be separated from the building. Personally, we would be remiss as a committee if we didn’t look more at other possibilities to preserve both facades. Ms. Berko asked if the lift has been explored on the east side. Ms. Simon said there can only be one entry for the public. Right now, the accessible entrance is on the north and they could stick with that and then everyone has to go to the back door. Ms. Smith said we did explore every option. Security wise, it didn’t work on the inside of the building and would have back logged people. They would have had to do more extensive changes to the interior building. We looked at north entrance, which creates a back log. We went to the board of county commissioners and vetted every possible way. Mr. Moyer asked if the fire escape is attached to the building and Mr. Duckett-Emke said the intent is that the majority of the structure will be independent of the building. We will have a little bit of contact where the steel landing touches the brick, but the support itself will stand on its own. It’s about 36 inches right now from the main stair structure and back to the building. Mr. Lai said he appreciates the applicant’s comments and he appreciates that the county has a great interest in historic preservation just as we do. Ms. Smith addressed Mr. Lai’s comment about a garden on the north side and she said our goal is to not have people back there. It will not be a place of gathering. We are keeping this in mind while doing the landscaping plan. MOTION: Mr. Moyer moved to approve with condition #5, addressing the conduit and the black wires, Mr. Blaich seconded. Roll call vote: Ms. Berko, yes; Mr. Blaich, yes; Mr. Moyer, yes; Ms. Greenwood, yes; Mr. Kendrick, yes; Mr. Lai, no. 5-1, motion carried. 4 REGULAR MEETING HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION JANUARY 09, 2019 The work session commenced: 2018 End of Year Review Election of chair and vice chair. Ms. Greenwood volunteered for chair and Mr. Blaich volunteered for vice chair. MOTION: Mr. Moyer motioned to approve Ms. Greenwood as chair and Mr. Blaich as vice chair, Ms. Berko seconded. All in favor, motion carried. MOTION: Mr. Kendrick motioned to adjourn, Mr. Moyer seconded. All in favor, motion carried. ______________________________ Nicole Henning, Deputy City Clerk