REGULAR MEETING - CALL TO ORDER 6:02p.m. – SISKIYOU ROOM in the Community Development/Engineering Services Building, located at 51 Winburn Way
Historic Commissioners Present:  Mr. Skibby, Mr. Swink, Ms. Kencairn, Ms. Renwick, Mr. Whitford, Mr. Emery, Mr. Ladygo, Mr. Giordano
Commission Members Absent:  Mr. Shostrom (E)
Council Liaison :  Carol Voisin
Staff Present: Staff Liaison: Mark Schexnayder & Maria Harris; Clerk: ReganTrapp
 
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
Ms. Renwick motioned to approve minutes from July 8, 2015.  Mr. Ladygo seconded.  Mr. Swink abstained due to absence.  No one opposed.

 PUBLIC FORUM:   

Michael Donovan, owner of the Camps building, residing at 406 Briscoe Place, Ashland, OR 97520 addressed the commission.  He spoke about the letter that he submitted regarding the application by Oregon Shakespeare Festival, for the temporary food cart in the Chautauqua Square Plaza. Mr. Donovan expressed his concern that the City would approve another commercial activity in the gateway plaza to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and the downtown center.  He urged the Historic Commission to deny the application and remand the issue back for further study.

COUNCIL LIAISON REPORT: 
Ms. Voisin gave the council liaison report.  Ms. Voisin reported that the Fire department has had an increased number of emergency calls by EMS.  She stated that a conversation was started regarding the possibility of combining with another fire station in the area.  Ms. Voisin also noted that the resolution on the Rogue Valley Summit climate change was completed.  Ms. Voisin went on to say, that the drought continues and the 86 TID customers that had their water turned off may be able to get their water back on for a month.  She pointed out that the reservoir is 96% full and residents are using around 4.5 million gallons of water a day. City council responded to an inquiry from Union Pacific railroad about removing a tank in the railroad district.  The proposal states that for 5 weeks, 25 dump trucks per day would use Oak Street to replace contaminated dirt. The City Council wants the Mayor to send a letter to the Department of Environmental Quality stating that they want the contaminated dirt sent by railroad and not by truck.  Ms. Voisin directed attention to some changes being made in the Plaza area by the Downtown Beautification Commission. She detailed the changes in her report and did state that the Council could move this decision to the September agenda if the Historic Commission felt it was needed.  She recognized that these were part of the original plans that Ms. Kencairn spoke about a few months ago but the plaza plans were excluded from that discussion. 

Ms. Kencairn stated for the record that she was only directed to present her pieces of the downtown design per Mr. Fluery’s direction.  The Plaza plan was in addition to the plans presented by Ms. Kencairn.

After much discussion, the Commission requested that staff write a letter asking the City Council to postpone the decision on the plans for the plaza until the Commission can review it.
 

Ms. Voisin finished her staff report by saying that Verde Village subdivision has had a second reading by the City Council.

Mr. Skibby read aloud the procedures for public hearings. 
 

PLANNING ACTION REVIEW:
 
PLANNING ACTION:   PA-2015-01115                          
SUBJECT PROPERTY:  34 S Pioneer Street     
OWNER/APPLICANT:  Oregon Shakespeare Festival
DESCRIPTION:   A request for a Conditional Use Permit to operate a temporary food vendor in the Chautauqua Square plaza. The applicant has yet to decide on a vendor and, therefore, signage and design of the food cart is in the conceptual design stages. The location of the proposed food vendor is in a prominent area of the Oregon Shakespeare Grounds and is in the Downtown Historic District.  COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION: Downtown; ZONING: C-1-D; ASSESSOR’S MAP: 39 1E 09BC; TAX LOT: 1100
 
    Mr. Schexnayder gave the staff report for PA-2015-01115. 
 
 Mr. Skibby opened the public hearing to the applicant.
 
Ted Delong general manager of Oregon Shakespeare Festival at 30 S. First Street, had no formal presentation but was happy to answer questions from the Commission. Mr. Delong clarified that Oregon Shakespeare festival would be responsible for picking the applicants and they would be looking to pick someone that would not try to compete, but also fit in well with other restaurants in the area.  He wanted to clarify that Oregon Shakespeare Festival is not being descriptive as of yet in their decision but would like it to compliment what is already existing in the downtown area. Mr. Delong went on to say that this is bringing positive use to downtown and about bringing life into an empty and unused space.  Mr. Delong added that this application is experimental in nature and won’t necessarily be a magnet for transients or homeless.    
 
Dylan Kistler, of 557 N. Mountain, Ashland addressed the Commission.  He asked the Commission about the table space in front of Mix being public or private. The Commission answered that they were public. He then stated that If tables drive the use of the space then they should be removed.  In his experience, he has never seen a food truck that has provided tables so why now?
 
Mr. Skibby opened to the Commission for comments and questions.
 
The Commission asked Mr. Delong if the footprint was sized for a food truck. The applicant said “he could guarantee that it would be a food cart.” He mentioned the cart being pushed by hand and a dimension of 8’ x 3’. The Commission made it clear that they thought a cart was appropriate, but a truck was not an appropriate scale for the plaza space.
 

Issues raised by the Commission were color, scale and design of the food cart, feasibility of a food cart in the downtown area and possible review of the Conditional Use Permit after a year. 
The Commission said that the concept is good to consider but would like clearer parameters on the cart itself and review time after a year.  The Commission discussed whether the number of tables and chairs may be excessive.  In particular, they discussed that the space is a public plaza and that there needs to be enough space to “coexist with the general public.” Some items discussed were that pedestrian ingress/egress/flow needs to work as well as having enough room for people who aren’t food cart patrons to use the public space. 
 
Mr. Giordano motioned to continue PA-2015-01115 until a later date, when items such as scale and color of the food cart can be addressed.  Ms. Renwick seconded.  No one opposed. 
 

A.  Kistler, Small & White presenting 209 Oak
B.  Review board schedule
C.  Project assignments for planning actions

Ray Kistler and Leslie Gore of Kistler, Small, and White, 66 Water Street Ashland presented the “Bricks on B Street project” to the Commission.  Mr. Kistler and Ms. Gore gave the general site overview of the project.  Mr. Kistler shared that The Mickelson-Chapman and the Smith-Elliot houses will be restored to historic integrity. He went on to say that the new brownstones and cottages they will build (in addition to restoring the homes) will look urban in nature.  Ms. Gore showed examples of urban neighborhoods in Oregon that would share this feel.  

Mr. Shostrom submitted his comments in an email due to his absence.   Mr. Kistler addressed Mr. Shostrom’s comments and agreed with not adding a park row at the curb and adding porch width on the brownstones. 
 
OLD BUSINESS: 
A.  Mr. Giordano- discussion on who will attend Rotary meeting in September regarding historic  preservation. 

Mr. Giordano stated that he still needs someone to speak at the Rotary meeting in  September.  Ms. Renwick said she would be happy to speak, but at a later date.  Ms. Renwick went on to say that she will speak to Mr. Hilton in regards to this issue.
 

DISCUSSION ITEMS:
A.  Staff follow up from July meeting:
 1.  Butler-Perozzi fountain-Ms. Harris reported that Parks staff will give an update to the    commission at the September meeting.
 2.  37 N. Main permit status – Ms. Harris reported that no permit has been submitted
B.  Exterior alteration standards project update and discussion –Ms. Harris stated that staff has been working with Matt Davis of the CLG and they have been studying several cities in the area and how they approach submittals in their Historic Districts.  Ms Harris went on to say that she would like to take some good and bad examples of work done in the Historic District to the CLG study.  Ms. Harris requested that the Commission email her specifically if they can think of any projects that may stand out either good or bad.  Ms. Harris stated that she would need the emails by August 14, 2015.  Ms. Harris would like the Commission to consider a short study session during the day over lunch, sometime before September 20, 2015.  She will put together some dates and get the process started.

COMMISSION ITEMS NOT ON AGENDA:
       Mr. Swink spoke in regards to window replacement at 60 Granite.