ASHLAND HISTORIC COMMISSION

Minutes

March 2, 2005

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

Historic Commissioners Present: Dale Shostrom, Keith Swink, Rob Saladoff, Tom Giordano, Terry Skibby, Jay Leighton and Henry Baker
Absent Members: Alex Krach, Sam Whitford

Council Liaison: Jack Hardesty
High School Liaison: None Appointed
SOU Liaison: None Appointed
Staff Present: Maria Harris, Senior Planner; Billie Boswell, Administration

CALL TO ORDER

At 7:03 p.m., Chairman Dale Shostrom called the meeting to order. 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Leighton moved to approve the January 5, 2005 minutes. With a second by Swink, the motion was approved  unanimously.

PUBLIC HEARINGS

Planning Action 2005-00039

Conditional Use Permit

Applicant: Stan Potocki and Bruce McLean

150 N. Pioneer Street

Mr. Saladoff asked to be recused from the hearing due to a conflict of interest.   All commissioners made site visits. Mr. Skibby said he spoke to the applicant to gain entrance to the front porch area.

Chairman Shostrom explained the request for a Conditional Use Permit to construct a new residential unit, 1,172 square feet in size, at the rear of the with a proposed total floor area in excess of the Maximum Permitted Floor Area (MPFA) allowed by ordinance. The Maximum Permitted Floor Area for the parcel is 2,643 square feet.  The proposed new unit combined with the existing residence results in a total of 3,302 square feet, which is 25% greater than allowed by ordinance.  Site Review approval is requested for the construction of the second unit.   A Variance to the required driveway width is also requested for the existing mutual driveway serving the subject parcel and 162 N. Pioneer Street.

Ms. Harris explained the R-2 zoned, 8400 square foot parcel is just north of the City parking lot located on the corner of Lithia Way and Pioneer Street and is adjacent to C-1 Commercial zoning.  The location is a transitional area between commercial and residential areas.  The proposed second unit would maximize the full 25% allowance for exceeding the maximum permitted floor area. 

The Commissioners were concerned about the large parking area and lack of landscaping and screening between it and the houses.  There was also concern about the lack of detail of all exterior trim and materials, window sizes and designs, and the reclaimed porch design on the existing house. 

Applicant, Bruce McLean did not have additional information to answer the exterior detail questions.  Chairman Shostrom requested this information be brought back to the Historic Commission for further review.

Ms. Leighton questioned the applicant about why he felt a conditional use to exceed the maximum square footage was necessary for this particular property.  Mr. McLean said the property was bought in 1989, prior to the ordinance, with the plan to add a second unit.  Under the new ordinance, the second unit would be limited to a maximum of 300-500 square feet.  The second unit was designed to the maximum square footage allowed. He felt the size and style of the two homes were compatible with the existing neighborhood.

There being no further questions of the applicant and no one in the audience, the public meeting was closed.

Mr. Giordano and Ms. Leighton said they would have difficulty approving the proposal if it weren’t for the unique location next to the C-1 zoning.  Mr. Giordano does not like the idea of designing to the 25% maximum without very specific and compelling reasons.

Chairman Shostrom moved to approve the proposal only because it is adjacent to a C-1 zone and the scale and historic character of the structures would be compatible to the neighborhood, but with the following conditions:

1.      Submit all exterior building materials, colors, and design details to the full Historic Commission for review prior to issuance of the building permit.  This should window and door types, trim sizes, column sizes, siding type and size, and roofing material.

2.      Submit details and materials for second story deck of new unit for full Historic Commission review prior to issuance of a building permit.  Recommend using railings rather than stucco walls.

3.      Submit details and materials for porch redesign on existing house with design details to the full Historic Commission review prior to issuance of the building permit.

4.      To provide a landscape buffer between porch and parking area, explore moving a parking space to the north side of the new unit using a carport.  If the access easement prohibits this, then the Commission would support the approval of an Administrative Variance to allow surface parking adjacent to the north side of the new unit.

5.      Clarification of the exact location of the utility pole and the access easement agreement.

6.      Raising the windows on the north elevation to second-story header height.

7.      Line up the windows on the second floor of the south elevation to be compatible with the first story windows. Awning windows would be acceptable.

8.      Direct landing and stairs of the exterior rear porch of the existing house to orient to the north.

9.      Eliminate any plan for a second story deck on the existing house. (not shown on plans, but discussed in findings).

10.  Eliminate exterior staircase on the south side of the existing house if approved by Building and Fire Departments.

11.  Match roof pitch of the second unit to the existing house if not in conflict with solar setback requirements.

Mr. Skibby seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

OLD BUSINESS

A. Review Board  – Following is the month’s schedule for the Review Board, which meets every Thursday from 3:00 to at least 3:30 p.m. in the Planning Department:

B.  Project Assignments for Planning Actions

C.  National Historic Preservation Week, May 8-14, 2005   - Identified the following schedule of events:

Sunday, May 8^th, 2:00-3:30 PM – Ashland Cemetery Walking Tour, Host: Terry Skibby

Monday, May 9^th, 10:00 AM-4:30 PM - Ashland’s Old Gas Station Photo Display, Lobby of the Community Development & Engineering Building, Provided by Jay Leighton.

Tuesday, May 10^th, 10:00-11:30 AM – Railroad District Walking Tour, Host: Terry Skibby.

Wednesday, May 11^th, 8:00 AM-4:30 PM – Ashland Memorial Mausoleum, Open to Public

                                      7:00 PM – Ashland Historic Commission Meeting, Open to Public

Friday, May 13^th, 12:00 PM – Ashland Historic Preservation Awards Ceremony with Walking Tour to follow, (1^st choice is at Trinity Church with walking tour of Paddington Station, 2^nd choice is at Paddington Station with walking tour of Trinity Church)

Text for the brochure will be provided by:  Skibby for Ashland Cemetery Walking Tour and the Railroad Walking Tour; Leighton for the Old Gas Station Photo Display; Saladoff for Paddington Square; and Giordano for Trinity Church

A list of possible nominations were identified and divided up between Commissioners to do site visits and take pictures.  These will be reviewed at 5:00 PM before the April 6^th Historic Commission meeting for final selections.  Staff was asked to provide a list of the 2004 Nomination categories.

Leighton suggested that possible nominations be yellow highlighted in the Hearings Board notebook during the coming year as Hearings Board reviews are done.  This would provide better info for 2006 nominations.

D.  Co-Sponsorship with Conservation Commission for Fall Workshop – Mr. Saladoff has an appointment with Joanne Krippaehne. She will identify within the Conservation Commission their sub-committee and they will set up a meeting date.

E.  Lithia Springs National Register Nomination – Ms. Harris found out the Parks Commission is having a Joint Study session of the City Council on April 18^th at 7:00 PM at the Parks Office to discuss the Gun Club.  The Gun Club lease will expire in 2009.  This is a public meeting and is expected to be well attended.  Ms. Harris also contacted George Kramer who said the National Register status doesn’t preclude the use of the property as a Gun Club as long as there is a management plan to protect historically significant areas.  Ms. Harris will gather a packet of information to pass on the to Study Session participants.  The Commissioners asked that George Kramer, Nan Hannon, and Professor Mark Tveskov be present to speak.

F.  Multiple Listing Survey for National Register of Historic Places   - Maria is working on the administrative work needed to apply for the CLG grant and the RFP before the August 31^st deadline.

G. Single Family Residential Design Standards – Formation of a sub-committee to be led by Giordano and Swink. Commission asked that this Business item be combined with Conservation Commission Workshop as one project.  Mr. Swink wants to work on the actual standards during the summer.

NEW BUSINESS

A.      Historic Commission review of all commercial remodels in the Historic Districts – Ms. Harris said that Staff would administratively require all commercial addition projects in the Historic Districts be reviewed by the full Historic Commission.

(Ms. Leighton moved to extend the Historic Commission meeting to 10:18 PM. Mr. Skibby seconded the motion and it was approved unanimously)

B.     Commissions Open House – The Commissioners agreed to support the Open House in combination with the Volunteer Appreciation Open House.  The Old Armory was the preferred site.  Late afternoon was the preferred time.

COMMISSION ITEMS NOT ON AGENDA

Ms. Leighton explained the Ashland Historical Society received a grant to place Historic Interpretive Panels (2 4’x2’ panels) in the Plaza.  The Commissioners decided to recommend one feature the Pioneer/Prehistory information and the other the Lithia story.

Mr. Skibby informed the Commission that he had heard there may be some development across the street from the park at Hersey and Water Streets.   He recommended an Archeological survey be done prior to any development. 

Ms. Harris informed the Commissioners of a presentation of the proposed development at the old Copeland Lumber site which would be presented at the Planning Commission meeting, March 8^th.  She recommended the Commissioners be present or watch the meeting on TV or watch the streaming video on the City’s website.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The next Historic Commission meeting will be on April 6, 2005 at 7:00 pm in the Siskiyou Room.  The Commissioners will meet at 5:00 PM prior to the regular meeting in order to review the nominations for the Historic Preservation Awards.

ADJOURNMENT

With a motion by Saladoff and second by Baker, it was the unanimous decision of the Commission to adjourn the meeting at 10:18 p.m.