Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1987 03-24 HPB Meeting Minutes RegularA G E N D A EDINA HERITAGE PRESERVATION BOARD REGULAR MEETING TUESDAY, MARCH 24,1987,AT 7:30 P.M. EDINA CITY HALL MANAGER'S CONFERENCE ROOM I. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES: NOVEMBER 25,1986 II. EDINA COUNTRY CLUB DISTRICT ELMS A. West 50th St. B. General III. COUNTRY CLUB DISTRICT: Sound Wall IV. 1885 U.S. CENSUS V. HISTORIC BUILDINGS A. Carson House, 6001 Pine Grove Rd. William G. Purcell, 1941 B. Trinity Chapel,(The Sheridan's) 4924 France Ave. S., 1872 VI. HISTORICAL ORGANIZATION MEETING Minnesota Historical Society Fort Snelling, April 3-4,1987 (Fri. -Sat.) VII. NATIONAL PRESERVATION WEEK National Trust for Historic Preservation May 6-10, 1987 VIII. OTHER BUSINESS Norway Tour and Festival IX. NEXT MEETING DATE: April 28,1987 AT 7:30 P.M. X. ADJOURNMENT MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING EDINA HERITAGE PRESERVATION BOARD TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 1987 AT :30 P.M. EDINA CITY HALL MANAGERS CONFERENCE ROOM MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Gordon Stuart, Tom Martinson, John Metil, Lois Wilder and David Gepner STAFF PRESENT: Harold Sand I. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES: Mr. Martinson moved approval of the November 25, 1986 minutes as submitted. Mr. Metil seconded the motion. All voted aye motion carried. II. EDINA COUNTRY CLUB DISTRICT ELMS: A. West i0th Street. Mr. Stuart explained the City Council approved a street reconstruction project that does not widen West 50 th Street. The street will be striped for left turn lanes. The project also includes removal of the boulevard elm trees on the north side of the street under the power lines. The Heritage Preservation Board went on record previously that the trees should be preserved. Mr. Sand said that the project extends from Edina Court on the west to Halifax Avenue on the East and includes total reconstruction of the streets, sidewalks and underground utilities. The existing 40 foot street width will be preserved. The overhead power line will be buried within the right-of-way north of the sidewalk and the north sidewalk moved north two feet to provide a larger tree boulevard between the curb and sidewalk. The south sidewalk and boulevard elms will be preserved. The north side elms will be removed and replaced with a heavy planting of large caliper (4 to 6 inch ) trees of an undetermined species. Mr. Metil asked the rationale for sawing down perfectly good trees. Mr. Sand explained there was a concern that the trees are susceptible to Dutch elm disease and may be lost in the future; that the trees were disfigured due to trimming over the years to clean the overhead power lines and that the root structure would be severely damaged due to excavation for the curb and storm sewer work on the south side and due to cutting for underground power and sidewalk construction on the north side, damaging the health of the trees and or leaving them susceptible to uprooting during wind storms. Mr. Martinson said that there is a mentality in engineering departments - that typical construction standards must be followed and any time anything else including trees get in the way the recommendation is to get rid of them. Almost always then the people object, however, the engineering department keeps returning until the objection dies down and they get their approvals. Removal of half the elms does not make sense because the point of elms is to make an arcade with similar trees on both sides -the board asked if the rationale for the 40 foot street width was to preserve the trees. Mr. Sand responded that part of the rational was to preserve the trees; there also was a concern that traffic volumes and speed may increase and the proximity would be a problem for adjacent dwellings. The existing trees are acclimated to the heavy traffic and salt conditions and that new trees may be difficult to establish. The new trees installed west of Wooddale Avenue were fortunate to have one of the mildest winters during the last 50 years. The Board discussed the notification of the neighbors and the lack of any serious objection. Mr. Martinson argued that the boulevard Elms on West 50th Street are a major community asset that transcends local consideration. However, the issue has been decided and cannot be changed at this times;. No further action taken. Mr. Sand said the West 50th Street project also includes the reconstruction of a stone retaining wall in front of the George W. Baird House at 4400 West 50th Street. This is a National Register of Historic Places property and is zoned Heritage Preservation District by the City, therefore, it is under the purview of the Heritage Preservation Board. He presented a copy of the 1926 Hennepin County right-of-way plan for West 50th Street construction indicating the retaining wall and entrance monuments were not in place prior to construction and the wall was probably installed to accommodate cuts made during that project. Jack and Marilyn Curtis, the owners of the Baird House indicated that "poppa Darr" constructed the wall from stones salvaged from the foundation of the sheep shed or other out buildings previously located in the area occupied by Edina Court. The wall is constructed of limestone and has some fieldstone exposed. The wall and stones are crumbling and require maintenance. Mr. Martinson said it would be appropriate to review more detail plans if the wall must be removed. The typical retaining walls constructed in the City do not have appropriate standards detailing such as cap stones lips or drips. Mr. Martinson moved that the Board remind the Engineering Department that the Baird House is a National Register Site and a HPD Zoned site and the Board is concerned about the removal and replacement of the corner piers and the wall. That the Board would like to review their general drawings, their wall sections specifications and material specifications prior to doing any work. Mrs. Wilder seconded the motion. All voted aye; motion carried. Mr. Stuart and Mr. Martinson said that the portion of West 50th Street west of Wooddale was improved substantially in its functional characteristics by the reconstruction project. B. General. Mr. Sand said that the Country Club District has lost a number of boulevard elms to Dutch elm disease and the owners in some cases are replacing those trees with a variety of tree types in an uncoordinated fashion. The Park Department has replaced two boulevard trees with 3" to 4" caliper hackberry at the southwest corner of Drexel Avenue and Sunnyside Road. The City Forester feels Hackberry is a wonderful species that is disease free at the present time and the scale, shape, color, texture and growth characteristic is very similar to the American Elm and thus represents an ideal replacement for missing elms. Mr. Sand expressed concern that Hackberry is not an elm and wide spread use of Hackberry and other varieties of boulevards trees will adversely affect the historic integrity and visual continuity of the Country Club District. He related contacts with Mr. Donald Willeke, chairman of the Minnesota State Shade Tree Conference who advocated the use of several varieties of disease resistant elm that have been recently developed. Two varieties,of disease resistant elm, the Regal Elm and the Sapporo Autumn Gold Elm are available from McKay Nursery Company is Waterloo, Wisconsin. Mr. Sand presented brochures illustrating the trees and scientific reports on the disease testing conducted by Dr. Smalley at the University of Wisconsin. The Regal Elm has an open branching characteristic and the sapporo Autumn Gold Elm has more dense foliage. The maximum size available at the present time is - 1-1/4" to 1-1/2" caliper which means they would have to be planted in the City nursery before placement in the boulevard. Both trees are new cultivars and the mature size and life span is subject to speculation; they are crosses between the Korean Elm and the Japanese Elm. Mr.Martinson said the key to a good replacement is not the leaf structure but the branching structure to replace the arching characteristic of the American Elm. In the East, they replaces elms with Silver Maple. He related the experience in Grundy Center, Iowa where all the elms were replaced with Chrimson King Maples and now, 25 years later, the mature trees have a low branch structure with heavy shade and the streets and sidewalks are very dark, the grass doesn't grow and you can't see houses anymore. The replacement trees should be oriented to species with arching branch structure over the street. The Board generally discussed different tree characteristics and potential courses of action. Mr. Sand said it would be desirable to have the neighborhood respond in an organized fashion and order similar trees in quantity rather than replacing trees in a piecemeal fashion. Mr. Metil indicated that the City could provide leadership with a quality discount so there was a financial incentive for the owners. Mrs. Wilder indicated the Regal Elm looked promising and she was familiar with McKay Nursery and the horticultural work done at the University of Wisconsin. This is an excellent idea. Mr. Sand recommended the Board attempt to develop support for the program from the neighborhood rather than trying to impose a solution from the City to the neighborhood. Perhaps members of the Board that live in the District could pursue the issue to gain support. No further action taken. III. COUNTRY CLUB DISTRICT -SOUND WALL Mr. Sand said this item was for information only at this time. The Board may receive a specific proposal for formal consideration at a later date. The property owners at the west end of Sunnyside Road, adjacent to Minnesota Trunk Highway 100 have requested construction of a sound wall extending from the creek to 44th Street. The Minnesota Highway Department requested comments from the Edina Engineering Department. There is no precise location or design specifications to review. The residents refer to existing sound walls constructed in the City and this may refer to the wall constructed north of the Crosstown Highway and west of Gleason Road in the Gleason Court Addition. The Board generally agreed that the Country Club District Dwellings would benefit from a sound wall. No further action taken IV. 1885 U.S. Census Mr. Sand presented portions of the data base he is developing from the 1885 U.S. Census. The study is attempting to locate residents from the census with property owners and houses illustrated on the 1886 county maps. The study may be useful for the celebration of the City Centennial in 1988. The data base can be sorted to gain demographic information about Edina residents of the period. V. Historic Buildings Mr. Sand presented a letter to Dr. and Mrs. Paul Carson proposing HPD Zoning of the Carson House (1941), 6001 Pine Grove Road. The last house designed by William Purcell. Dr. Carson has full documentation of the design as well as correspondence with the architect. However, Dr. Carson declined to consent to HPD Zoning at the present time. The Board generally agreed that this was a desirable approach that should be pursued with Trinity Chapel (18732), 4924 France Avenue South now known as Sheridan's Decorating Studio. No further action taken. VI. Historical Organization Meeting Mr. Sand said the Minnesota Historical Society is sponsoring a conference or with a section for Heritage Preservation Board. (April 3-4, 1987) The City will reimburse the registration fee of any members who wish to attend. VII. National Preservation Week May 6-10, 1987 Mr. Sand said the City could sponsor a program this year to generate interest in preservation and the forthcoming centennial celebration. No action taken. VIII.Other Business: A. Norway Tour and Festival -The Board received information about a festival in Bardu, Troms County Norway, seeking immigrants who wished to retrace their "roots" in Norway. B. Mission Statement. Mr. Stuart explained that he attended the recent meeting concerning the City's Mission Statement - Copies will be distributed to the Board. C. Peterson House, 312 Interlachen Bouelvard. Mr. Sand advised the Board that the HPD Zoning has been approved by the City Council and the City Attorney will file a copy of the Ordinance with Hennepin County Recorder's office. D. 4900 Arden Avenue Mr. Sand indicated this dwelling is constructed on two platted lots. Mr. Gustafson has indicated that he plans to purchase the property and attempt to construct a new dwelling similar to the house at 4528 Bruce Avenue. The existing house may be constructed too close to the common property line to permit a new dwelling. E. Edina Theatre, 3911 West 50th Street Mr. Sand indicated that Plitt Theatres, Owner of the Edina Theatre was acquired by Cineplex Odeon of Canada and they proposed to rebuild the theatre. The plans have not been submitted, however, they are discussing a significant increase in seating. F. Mayor's Award for Design Excellence. Mr. Sand presented draft of a concept for annual awards for projects that improve the quality of the built environment in Edina. The categories include: Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Engineering, Signage, Historic Preservation, Governmental and Rehabilitation IX. Next Meeting Date: April 28, 1987 at 7:30 p.m. X. Adjournment: Mr. Martinson moved adjournment at 9:35 p.m. Mr. Gepner seconded the motion. All voted aye; motion carried. Respectfully submitted,