Agendas and Minutes

Historic Preservation Advisory Committee (View All)

Historic Commission Regular Meeting Minutes

Agenda
Wednesday, October 08, 2008

ASHLAND HISTORIC COMMISSION

DRAFT Meeting Minutes

October 8, 2008

 

Community Development/Engineering Services Building – 51 Winburn Way – Siskiyou Room

 

CALL TO ORDER – REGULAR MEETING

 

Due to the absence of Chairman Shostrom, Vice-Chairman Skibby agreed to run the meeting and at 7:06 pm, called the Historic Commission meeting to order.

 

Historic Commissioners Present: Terry Skibby, Allison Renwick, Keith Swink, James Watkins, Sam Whitford, Henry Baker, Tom Giordano

Absent  Commission Members:  Dale Shostrom, Alex Krach

Council Liaison: Eric Navickas, absent

High School Liaison: None Appointed
SOU Liaison: None Appointed
Staff Present: Planner: Angela Barry; Clerk: Billie Boswell

 

 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

 

Mr. Giordano moved to approve the minutes of the September 3, 2008 meeting as presented.  Mr. Whitford seconded the motion and they were approved unanimously with Mr. Swink and Ms. Renwick abstaining due to their absence from the meeting. 

 

PUBLIC FORUM:   There being no one wishing to speak, Vice-Chairman Skibby closed the Public Forum.

 

DISCUSSION ITEMS:  Paul Christensen provided an update on “The Imagine Project”, a video imaging project.  He stated they were in the process of producing 3 1-hour audio walking tours with brochure maps for the Historic Downtown and Railroad districts that would available for distribution by spring, 2009.  A fee is being considered and they are working on the logistics of what equipment would be used and how it would be rented out.  He thanked Chairman Shostrom and Mr. Krach for the letter of recommendation they wrote supporting his request for a funding grant.  Mr. Skibby requested that copies of the brochures and scripts be provided the Commissioners for review of content and accuracy.  Mr. Christensen agreed and Mr. Skibby offered to be the contact person.

 

PUBLIC HEARING:

 

PLANNING ACTION:  2008-01526

SUBJECT PROPERTY:    281 Fourth Street

APPLICANT:    Noble Coffee

DESCRIPTION:    Request for Site Review approval to locate a coffee shop/restaurant into the existing building at 281 Fourth Street and for a Variance to the required number of parking spaces to reduce the number of parking spaces from 12 to 5.

 

Mr. Giordano disclosed that he had previously worked on a project at this address that was unrelated to this current project and the applicant involved.  He did not feel it would affect his objectivity.  The other Commissioners agreed.

 

Ms. Barry explained that the applicants were requesting a change of use from light industrial to a retail coffee shop.  Exterior changes would be limited to exterior color changes, window replacement and changing the vehicle roll-up door to a glass bay with a glass door, similar to the door into the Standing Stone.   Staff is recommending a variance to the parking requirements.  Staff is also recommending the curb cut in front of the entry be removed and the side reconstructed to current City standards.  A permit for outside seating would be subject to Public Works approval.   There were no further questions of staff.

 

Mark Knox, Steve Sacks, Caleb Peterson and Jared Rennie spoke on behalf of Noble Coffee.  Mr. Sacks explained the concept and why they chose this location.  Mr. Knox reviewed the plans for the building.  He pointed out that the applicant preferred not eliminating the curb cut as recommended by staff because in doing so, the header for the entry door would have to be raised requiring a greater impact on the historic building.  Leaving as is would better retain the original character and use of the structure.

 

There followed a discussion of how the pedestrians and outside diners would be protected from a car rolling up onto the sidewalk if there were no curb.  Suggestions ranged from bike racks, trees, planters and wheel stops or combinations of those.  The applicants agreed to develop a design that would work.

 

Mr. Watkins expressed concern over the assumption that most of the coffee house customers would be walk-ins and said he felt the parking in the area was inadequate.  Mr. Rennie felt there would be and pointed out that many of the gallery owners in the area were anxious for other businesses such as this that would provide additional incentives to customers coming into the area.

 

There being no further questions of the applicants and no one in the audience wishing to speak, the public hearing was closed.

 

Mr. Watkins questioned why staff would recommend adding bike racks to an already standard size sidewalk.  He felt there may not be enough room for pedestrians, outdoor seating, and bikes.  Ms. Barry said the bike racks were planned for the park row.

 

Mr. Giordano stated he supported the plan, including leaving the curb cut, as long as there is some mitigation for the lack of a parking curb such as a bike rack, bollard, bench, etc. to stop cars from being able to travel up onto the sidewalk.  Vice-Chairman Skibby stated the building was not significant and non-contributing but leaving the framework of the original roll up door would retain the history.  He felt the new use would be an asset to the area.  Mr. Watkins and Ms. Renwick agreed.  Mr. Whitford added that because of all the B & B’s in the area, there would be many walkers that would utilize the coffee shop.

 

Mr. Baker made a motion to recommend approval of the application and to recommend allowing the existing curb cut to remain if some kind of visual and physical barrier could be provided to assure pedestrian and bicycle safety. Ms. Renwick seconded the motion and it was approved unanimously.

 

 

OLD BUSINESS

 

A.      Planning Action: 2007-01939, 175 Lithia Way – Review of proposed Building Plans     

Jerome White and Evan Archerd and Mark Knox discussed the changes they had made to the plans as recommended by the Historic Commission.  Vice-Chairman Skibby asked about the pedestrian cover on the North elevation that was asked for.  Mr. Knox said there were pedestrian covers on all three other sides of the building and they felt it just wasn’t needed on the fourth side.  Ms. Renwick felt the back of the building would be very exposed, especially to the residential area, and should be highlighted more.  Varying the color of center section would be sufficient to add additional interest.

 

Mr. Giordano made a motion to revise the original recommendation to allow the applicants to eliminate the pedestrian awning on the north elevation, but asked that they incorporate a color variation to the center section of the rear elevation.  Mr. Watkins seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

 

 

 

B.     Review Board Schedule

                                                                                           

October 9th

Terry, Keith, James

October 16th

Terry, Henry, Dale

October 23rd

Terry, Tom, Allison

October 30th

Terry, Sam, James

November 6th

Terry, Keith, Alex

 

 

C.     Project Assignments For Planning Actions

 

BD-2005-00092,93

234 Vista St (Deboer) Upper & Lower Poolhouse (under contruction)

Swink

BD-2007-00545

11 First St (Ron Yamaoka) (under construction)

Skibby

BD-2008-00275

125 Sherman Street (Russ Dale) {Under construction}

Shostrom

BD-2007-01764

160 Helman (Batzer-Comm Bldgs) {Permit ready to issue}

Shostrom/Giordano

BD-2007-00792

237 Almond Street (Don Sever – ARU) {Under Construction}

Whitford

PA-2007-01939

175 Lithia Wy (formerly 165 Lithia) Archerd & Dresner-Mixed Use Bldg –(No Permit yet)

Renwick

BD-2008-00627

542 A St (Gremmels/Delgado – Rebuild Shed  {Under construction}

Skibby

BD-2008-01083

872 B St. – 2nd story Addition  (Under construction)

Shostrom

PA#2008-00596

165 W Fork – New SFR on hillside (Ashley Jensen) (project on hold per appl)

Swink/Shostrom

PA#2008-01005

637/649 E Main – 2 Additional motel units (Runkel) Anne Hathaway Cottages

Renwick

PA#2008-01526

281 Fourth St – Noble Coffee Roaster

Whitford

 

 

D.     Single Family Residential Design Standards – Question was raised about whether or not to remove this item from Old Business on the agenda.  It was decided to leave it on and to develop a public information brochure regarding changing out windows in the Historic District.   Another brochure on general responsibilities for maintaining and remodeling homes within the Historic District was also suggested.

 

 

NEW BUSINESS – CLG Grant – Ms. Barry asked for suggestions on using the CLG grant monies.  It was decided to use the funds to produce the two brochures discussed for Window Change-outs and remodeling a Historic Home.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The next Historic Commission meeting will be on November 5, 2008 at 7:00 pm in the Siskiyou Room.

 

ADJOURNMENT

It was the unanimous decision of the Commission to adjourn the meeting at 8:35 p.m.

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