ASHLAND HISTORIC COMMISSION

Meeting Minutes

March 3, 2010

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

CALL TO ORDER – REGULAR MEETING, 5:00 pm

Historic Commissioners Present: Dale Shostrom, Terry Skibby, Sam Whitford, Alex Krach, James Watkins, Henry Baker, Tom Giordano, Keith Swink

Commission Members Absent: Allison Renwick

Council Liaison: Russ Sibilger

High School Liaison: None Appointed
SOU Liaison: None Appointed
Staff Present: Planner: Derek Severson; Clerk: Billie Boswell

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Mr. Whitford moved to approve the February 3, 2010 minutes as presented and the motion was seconded by Mr. Krach.   Mr. Swink abstained due to being absent.   The minutes were approved unanimously by the remaining Commissioners.

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

NEW BUSINESS: 

A.  Common Housing Type Survey – Pat Acklin, from SOU, invited any Historic Commissioners who were interested in mentoring or participating with SOU students to study housing styles and remodel approaches to contact her through Mr. Severson.  She was arranging a tour to identify several clusters of houses around Ashland for Saturday, April 2^nd at 10 am.

B.  Banner Poles on Main Street – Jim Olson explained that building owners did not want to continue to maintain the bolts mounted on their buildings to hold banners strung over Main Street.  Public Works recommends a pair of banner poles installed in line and with the same Sternberg base design as the existing light standards.   Mr. Skibby made a motion to approve the design and installation of the banner poles. Mr. Watkins seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

PUBLIC HEARING:

PLANNING ACTIONS:       2010-00069                         

SUBJECT PROPERTY:     163 and 175 North Pioneer Street

APPLICANT:                      Sichel’s Delicatessen, LLC  (Terrill, Douglas & Leslie)

DESCRIPTION:  A request for a Site Review approval to renovate the existing building at 175 North Pioneer Street into a delicatessen, and a modification of previously approved Planning Action #2009-01520 which granted Site Review approval for a coffee shop with on-site coffee roaster for the adjacent property located at 163 North Pioneer Street.  

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION:  Commercial; ZONING: C-1; ASSESSOR’S MAP #: 39 1E 09 BB; TAX LOT: 12500 and 12600

Mr. Sibilger recused himself due to it being a quasi-judicial hearing.

Chairman Shostrom confirmed there were no ex parte contacts or any conflicts of interest.

Mr. Severson explained that the use would be a delicatessen and café. The old garage in back would be demolished to install parking.  The existing concrete block porch pillars would be replaced with historically compatible wood pillars. He also said the bike parking would be moved to front and may not need to be covered. 

The owners, Douglas and Leslie Terrell, said they planned on using cobblestone to cover most of the front and the area between the buildings, using pots for plantings.  Chairman Shostrom said he would like to see more landscaped area.  He also would like to see the T-111 siding removed and the original siding underneath restored.  Mr. Watkins asked about the porch pillar design.  Mr. Terrell hadn’t decided for sure on the design yet. 

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

Mr. Skibby and Mr. Watkins felt the driveway should be defined and the rest landscaped rather than all hard surface.  Mr. Skibby thought he had a historic photo that would show the original porch design.  The Commissioners agreed that the restoration details should be drawn from the original. 

Mr. Skibby made a motion to recommend approval with the following recommendations:

1)            That the amount of paving, including areas surfaced in cobblestones, should be limited to the minimum necessary to accommodate parking and vehicular circulation on-site.  The driveway should be the only paved area in front of the buildings.

2)            That a landscaping plan be provided that includes identification of planting materials and their placement in a manner consistent with the historic residential character of these two buildings.

3)            If seasonal outdoor seating is to be installed, the seating areas should be clearly delineated on the site plan.  Seating, if used, should be near the buildings and defined through surface treatment and landscaping such as low hedges.

4)            That, if possible, bicycle parking be placed on the front porches of both units.  No covered bike parking should be placed between the building and the street, and if porch placement proves problematic it would be preferable to place any covered bicycle parking to the side of the building.  Any covering of the bike parking should match the roof pitch and materials of the existing building.  Details of proposed bike parking to be provided with the building permit submittal for review by the HC Review Board.

5)            That in terms of the building exterior and the applicants proposal to restore it based on a historic photo in their possession (no photo provided) the following items should be considered:

• That the existing T-111 siding should be removed and the original horizontal siding underneath restored as proposed by the applicants.
• The windows and window trim should be period appropriate in size, type and material.
• Color should be period appropriate.
• Columns on the front porch of 175 Pioneer should be period appropriate and of a size proportional to the historic building.  Columns should be turned (round) or box pillars as appropriate to the historic period of development.
• Building permit drawings shall include color and material details as required for Site Review, and shall be provided for the review of the Historic Commission’s Review Board prior to permit issuance.

6)            That the applicants should provide a copy of the historic photo being used as the basis for their restoration plan with the building permit submittal.

7)            That the Historic Commission’s Review Board shall review the building permit and sign permit applications prior to issuance.

Mr. Terrell asked to discuss the cobblestone requirement.  The Commissioners agreed to reopen the Public Hearing.  Mr. Terrell wanted to pave an area with cobblestones in front of the building for outdoor seating.  The Commissioners agreed.

The Public Hearing was closed.

Mr. Skibby revised his motion to include the outdoor seating in the hardscape.  Mr. Giordano seconded the motion and it was approved unanimously.

OLD BUSINESS:   

A.  Historic Preservation Week (“Old is the New Green” May 9-15^th) – Selection of Award Winners:

The Commissioners agreed on the follow winners of the Historic Preservation Awards and who would write up the blurb:

138 Fifth Street – Historically Compatible New Accessory Structure (Dale Shostrom)

11 First Street – Historically Compatible New Commercial  (Sam Whitford)

Ashland School District #5 – Civic Award  (Alex Krach)

Joe Peterson – Individual Award  (Terry Skibby & Allison Renwick)

Amy Richard – Individual Award  (Terry Skibby & Allison Renwick)

Kathleen Leary – Individual Award  (Terry Skibby & Allison Renwick)

Ms. Boswell will mail letters regarding the Open House event to property owners by the end of the month.  Mr. Krach agreed to look into a keynote speaker.

B.  Review Board Schedule

C.  Project Assignments for Planning Actions – No project assignments were made.

DISCUSSION ITEMS:   

A.  Mr. Swink said the 5:00 pm meeting time did not work well with his work schedule.  The Commissioners agreed to change the meeting time to 6:00 pm for the April meeting and would discuss the subject with all the Commissioners again at that meeting.

B.  Mr. Severson informed the Commissioners of a demo application for 289 Liberty that was approved because it was deemed a dangerous building.

C.  Mr. Severson told the Commissioners of the 2010 CLG Workshop on April 21^st in Jacksonville.  A grant was received to pay for up to six commissioners to attend.  If interested, contact Mr. Severson.

ADJOURNMENT

It was the unanimous decision of the Commission to adjourn the meeting at 7:30 p.m.