Historic Commissioners Present: Chair Dale Shostrom, Keith Swink, Tom Giordano, Alex Krach, Joanne Krippaehne, Jay Leighton, Rob Saladoff, Terry Skibby and Sam Whitford.
Absent Members: None
Council Liaison: John Morrison (absent)
High School Liaison: None
SOU Liaison: None
Staff Present: Associate Planner Mark Knox and Secretary Sonja Akerman

The Historic Commission met at 5:00 in order to discuss and vote on the nominations for awards that will be presented during National Historic Preservation Week, which is May 3-9 this year. Also discussed was the schedule of events. Since the Oregon Heritage Commission will be having its annual conference during this time period (May 6-8) in Ashland, the Commission talked about coordinating some of the events in order to get participation from the people that will be attending. Knox stated he will be talking with Kyle Jansson (Oregon Heritage Commission) next week about this. He also encouraged the Commissioners to attend as many sessions as possible. Among the walking tours that were suggested included the Skidmore-Academy District, the Railroad District, Brad Roupp's property on Oak Street, the new fire station, and the seismic upgrading/restoration projects at Paddington Station and the Lithia Springs Hotel. Awards will be presented at noon on Friday, May 7 at the new fire station.

Awards will be presented as follows: Civic - 455 Siskiyou Boulevard (new fire station); Commercial Restoration - 138 North Main Street; Historically Compatible New Commercial Construction - 322 Pioneer Street (new glass blowing building); Individual(s) - Hank Henry (posthumously) and Carol Barrett; Historically Compatible New Residential Construction - 385 Vista Street (Reitinger house); Residential Restoration - 117 Almond Street and 123 W. Hersey Street; Historically Compatible Residential Addition - 115 Nob Hill and 658 Siskiyou Boulevard; and Historically Compatible Accessory Building - 8 Beach Avenue and 180 Meade Street.

Skibby volunteered to conduct a walking tour of the Skidmore-Academy District on May 3^rd and 4^th, at 10:00 and 2:00 respectively. Krach suggested inviting people who will be attending the Oregon Heritage Commission to attend the next Historic Commission meeting on May 5^th if they arrive the day before.

At 6:50 p.m., Chairperson Dale Shostrom called the meeting to order.

PUBLIC HEARINGS

None.

Wes and Cindy Vail presented plans for a proposed building on the old railroad spur between VanNess and Central Avenues and Helman and Water Streets. The Review Board had met with them earlier and after receiving input, the Vails had made some modifications. They wanted to come before the full Commission to get further direction prior to submitting their application for Planning Commission approval. Knox stated the building will be similar to the one they recently built at 200 Helman Street.

Because the Review Board wanted more differences between the two buildings, the Vails are now proposing to use random hardi-shingles for siding. They explained the brackets were removed because the design no longer resembles the Italianate style that was used for the Helman Street building. They also incorporated an entrance off Central Avenue. The Vails passed around pictures of buildings they would like to emulate with brown shingles and dark trim.

Discussion of hardi-plank lap siding v. shingled siding ensued. Most members preferred hardi-plank plank siding to the hardi-shingle. If shingles are used on the proposed building, wood would be preferable. Since no windows will be integrated into the west elevation, all members concurred it should at least have texture built in. They also agreed the footprint and location are fine, as is the new entry.

Review Board - Following is the March schedule for the Review Board, which meets every Thursday from 3:00 to at least 3:30 p.m. in the Planning Department:

Carnegie Library Restoration - There was nothing new to report.

Possible National Register Nomination for Lithia Springs Property - Shostrom reported he, Krippaehne and Leighton had attended the February 23^rd Parks Commission meeting and offered input on the historic site. The Gun Club is requesting a lease extension in order to get a grant to build more buildings and berms. Shostrom said he and Krippaehne read prepared statements (these were included in the packet, along with the 1987 report entitled "An Inventory, Historic Documentation, and Assessment of Cultural Resources at Lithia Springs and Winburn Camp" by Nan Hannon and Clayton G. Lebow for the City of Ashland). He asked the Parks Commission to address the following: 1) How have the historic features, as documented in the 1987 study, been affected by the Gun Club's stewardship? 2) Target bunkers appear to have been increased from 2 to 10 since 1987. Has this massive redistribution of soils compromised or destroyed the archeological study potential? 3) What is the impact of lead and debris from gunshot activity? Is an environmental evaluation needed to determine the effects on soils and water quality? The City has some experience in this regard, after a cleanup was performed on the Reeder Pistol Range. 4) If there is an expensive environmental cleanup required, does the Gun Club have sufficient funds to pay the costs involved? and 5) Are there alternative sites for the Gun Club activities which would have less impact on the areas of concern as listed above?

The Parks Commission will be touring the Lithia Springs site in April. Gun Club representatives and the Historic Commission have also been invited.

Krippaehne stated she would like to let the Parks Commission know that there are others who are interested in the property also. Questions she would like answered include 1) What are the proposed developments for the property? 2) What is used as the baseline for what the property looked like back in 1969? 3) Who is responsible for protecting the site as a resource? 4) What is to prevent further development in the same manner as the development that has already happened in the past 35 years? 5) Who will be looking at the environmental impacts? Someone needs to do this. She also declared the Gun Club needs to provide an overlay map of development that has occurred on the property since 1969 because the lease states at its termination, the Gun Club would need to surrender the property "in as good order and condition as when received..." In addition, Shostrom stated the Parks Commission should know what the costs would be for clean up of the site. The Gun Club should be asked to respond to all the above concerns.

It was also noted the City has divided a five-acre parcel from the original site, creating a separate tax lot that is used for dumping rock and fill.

It was the unanimous decision of the Commission to adjourn the meeting at 9:10 p.m.