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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1986 11-25 HPB Meeting Minutes RegularA G E N D A EDINA HERITAGE PRESERVATION BOARD REGULAR MEETING TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1986, AT 7:30 P.M. EDINA CITY HALL MANAGER'S CONFERENCE ROOM I. Approval of the Minutes: September 30, 1986 II. Introduction of New Member: Mr. John Metil 4611 Casco III. Meeting with Council Member Fred Richards A. Country Club District B. Grange Hall IV. Historic Building Tour - 10/18/86 V. Documentation Program VI. Odd Fellows Hall 1918, 4388 France Avenue South VII. Resolution of Appreciation for John C. Childs VIII. Other Business: IX. Next Meeting Date: December 23, 1986 or postpone until January 27, 1987 X. Adjournment MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING EDINA HERITAGE PRESERVATION BOARD TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1986 AT 7:30 P.M. EDINA CITY HALL MANAGER'S CONFERENCE ROOM MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Gordon Stuart, Cy Stuppy, Tom Martinson, Lois Wilder, Gary Nyberg, John Metil, David Gepner STAFF PRESENT: Harold Sand OTHERS PRESENT: City Council Member Fred Richards I. Approval of Minutes: Mr. Nyberg moved approval of the September 30,1986 minutes. Mr. Stuppy seconded. All voted aye. Motion carried. II. Introduction of New Member: Mr. Stuart introduced Mr. John Metil, 4611 Casco Ave. as replacement for Mr. John Childs. III. Meeting With Councilmember Fred Richards: Mr. Martinson explained that the Board has some concerns about some general questions and some specific issues that they wished discuss with City Council member and HPB liaison Fred Richards. The general question is the Board has existed 11 years and we have done alot of stuff that the City Council thought was ok or at least went along with it. I'm looking down the line saying what do we do now? Most of the people in Country Club know that they live in a National Register District and that is nice and enhanses their property value. However, the National Register designation is really serious and important and the Country Club District is one of the largest districts in the state in terms of area. The Country Club District is very distinctive in and of itself. There are other similar districts in other parts of the country, but not identical. Over a period of years the district is likely to change. When you look at the changes since the early 1950's, there have been 2 or 3 peculiar buildings that have shown up but there are changes taking place continually, little by little every day. The idea of change is not a problem but managing it is the problem. We are concerned that we will wake up 10 or 15 years from now and realize that this is substantially different from the specialness of the Country Club that existed previously. In fact, it could be so different that it is no different than any other nice neighborhood in the metropolitan area. We have tons of nice neighborhoods and there is never any chance of them being special like the Country Club District. EDINA HPB MINUTES NOVEMBER 25, 1986 PAGE TWO The underlying question that we would like to have the City Council direct us on is: Do you believe the Country Club District is special? If so, what is to be done? It seems there are two logical answers to the question. First is: Oh forget it, people ought to be able to do what ever they want to the house. The second option is to treat it like a historic area. Many historic areas have very well set out guidelines. The second option, which is probably the appropriate thing to do, may mean meetings once a month or twice a month and an -immense amount of work for this Board. There is no point in imposing something on the neighborhood unless they favor the regulation. The community has to understand what the choices are, what it means and doesn't mean being designated and say yes we want this or no we don't. There is no point in fighting the battles if the neighborhood doesn't want it. The bottom line is that we need to lay out the issues about what the choices mean. The community can talk to the City Council and agree or disagree. We are not as useful to the community and the Council as we probably would have been 6 or 7 years ago. Now, we are at the point that lots of things are happening that should have some direction. Mr. Stuppy said that the main point is historically we have something here. It is at the point of being destroyed by additions and corrections that people are making when these properties change hands. Do we want to lose it or do we want to preserve it. Mr. Martinson said the underlying thing is not to stop change. You can have positive change instead of neutral or negative change. There are lots of ways of doing it; it is being done in other districts. We just have to get through to them. Mr. Richards said that he would like to think there is a way to handle the situation and the board has identified the choices. He does not know the answer any more than the Board knows. The City Council has a relatively conser- vative philosophy as it pertains to government. The City Council believes strongly in the private sector; letting the individuals in the community do what they want within a context of certain regulations. During the public hearings to establish the National Register District there was a statement that the designation will not affect individual property rights. In effect the people agreed to the desig- nation as long as it did not impose any restriction on individual property. He senses that the Board sees an effect on the concept or sense of the Country Club District EDINA HPB MINUTES NOVEMBER 25, 1986 PAGE THREE by changes to individual properties. However, imposition of design regulations may be counter to the impression people thought would occur by creating this National historic designation. He has not considered the issue however he hears a number of comments that we have too much government. If the Board feels strongly about the issue, the Board should get the facts, present them at public hearings and determine what the people might want. Then we should put the item on the agenda and make some findings. Find out what more could be done, what it means in terms of restrictions and curtailment of individual rights and ask the residents what they think about establishing an architectural committee. Mr. Stuart said the issue was triggered by the loss of Wooddale School which was a key building in the Country Club District planning. New housing should not be an.:issue because there are not many building sites remaining for development. Mr. Martinson said he could see alot of turn -around in the Fairway Section in the next few years. The area has 10 or 11 characteristics that make it good. It would be good to sit down with 8 to 10 leaders of the neighborhood in a no stress situation and discuss the issues. Mr. Gepner said that education about preservation issues is an important consideration; he gained an apprec- iation for the district after he became a member of the Board. Some of the residents in the district may need that education too. Mr. Richards said he would encourage an airing of the issues. The residents will not be opposed to regulation if they understand that the regulation is in their best economic interests. Mr. Metil said that he lives in the neighborhood and paid additional money for his house because of the special character in the neighborhood. He assumed that there were architectural controls and was shocked to find that there were no controls. Mr. Stuppy indicated that under the present regulations a neighbor could construct an addition in the rear of the dwelling that would diminish your property value without consideration for the design or impact on the neighborhood. Mr. Nyberg indicated that this problem occurs in all neighborhoods. EDINA HPB MINUTES NOVEMBER 25, 1986 1 PAGE FOUR 1 Mr. Richards asked if the Board couldsubstantiate the diminished value of neighbor's houses due to inappropriate additions. The City is controlled by represenative government and they want to hear from the people affected. He will bring the Board's concern to the attention of the City Council Monday night. They do read the Board's minutes. Mr. Nyberg said the blocks in Country Club are very active and the Board could contact one person in each segment to contact all the people. Mr. Martinson said the Board could do a small publication for the neighborhood meeting. Mr. Stuppy raised the issue about the recent repainting of the Grange Hall by the Edina Park Department. Mr. Stuart said the Board was concerned that the Grange Hall was repainted without the notification and approval of the Heritage Preservation Board. The painting contractor used sandblasting to remove the old paint and this is a destructive process that has eroded some of the original wood carving and ornamental wood trim. Mr. Stuppy added that the Board could have suggested appropriate alternatives that would be less destructive of the original element_: of t', -ie building. Mr. Richards said that the ordinance provides an approval process and he likes to see these systems utilized to their fullest. He hopes that the City has learned a lesson from this. Mr. Richards expressed his appreciation for the service to the community provided by the Heritage Preservation Board and left the meeting. Mr. Stuart suggested that the issue of how the Board communicates the message to the Country Club District should be continued until the next meeting. IV. Historic Building Tour: Mr. Stuart reported that Saturday, October 18,1986 Mr. Stuppy, Mr. Gepner, Mr. Sand and he went on a tour of historic buildings in Edina. They visited approximately 20 sites in northeast and northwest areas of the City. Mr. Stuppy said the tour was educational and worthwhile. The Board considered holding tours in other parts of the City. No further action taken. V. Documentation Program: Mr. Sand said that we frequently regret the lack of early records when doing historic research on buildings. However little consideration is given to current practices to avoid the same problems in the future. The Board could attempt to identify modern EDINA HPB MINUTES NOVEMBER 25, 1986 PAGE FIVE structures that maybe deemed significant in the future and start to assemble files with pertinent information. This could include structures like the MSAIA design awards. Other possible actions include review of City policies concerning records saved and microfilmed, collect City forms and publications, and conduct photo studies of the City on a periodic basis. Mrs. Wilder commented that the program involved trying to do a better job of collecting history now. Mr. Stuart mentioned problems he has encountered with destruction of historical records that are important to genealogical and historic research. Mr. Martinson said this is a logical concept that we should have done long ago. Mr. Gepner said the act of assembling this will help us understand and develop a greator appreciation for what we have. No further action taken. VI. Odd Fellows Hall: 1918, 4388 France Ave. S. Mr. Sand said the Golden Link Lodge No. 167 moved to a location in St. Louis Park approximately one year ago. The building was sold to the owner of Hillcrest Upholstery Co. which occupies the corner store location. Mr. Ken Durr, local builder and owner of the antique shop located in the north half of the building wishes to purchase the building and undertake substantial remodeling to convert the entire building to antique shop an upholstery service. The proposed changes will be considered by the Edina Board of Appeals and Adjustments in variance case no. B-86-47 on December 4, 1986. The proposal may be referred to the HPB as a result of this hearing but there is no formal request at this time. The structure is a utilitarian brick building with a red asphalt shingle hip roof. The ground floor is occupied by three small shops and the second floor is devotedto the lodge hall and ancillary rooms. Mr. Durr has remodeling plans prepared by Bruce W. Schmitt and Associates, architects. The plans close the corner commercial entrance and create a new entrance with a fan window, centered on the south elevation and replace the existing recessed lodge entrance on the east elevation with a flush entrance with a fan window above. All of the windows will be replaced and the interior substantially altered to replace the stair and open the second floor for display of merchandise. The remodeling includes restructuring the roof and reroofing. there will be a small addition on the second floor, north side of the building. EDINA HPB MINUTES NOVEMBER 25, 1986 PAGE SIX The Odd Fellows Hall is identified in History and Architecture of Edina Minnesota as a historic structure however it has not been zoned Heritage Preservation District. Mr. Martinson said that comparing the 1959 photo to the existing structure indicates the concept of storefront has changed dramatically and the lodge hall has moved. He could not support rezoning because the building has changed so much. No action taken. VII. Resolution of Appreciation: John C. Childs Mr. Sand presented the resolution for Mr. Child's service on the Board. Mr. Nyberg moved approval of the resolution. Mr. Gepner seconded. All voted aye. Motion carried. VIII.Other Business: A. Edina Centennial. Betty Hemstad has requested volunteers to help with historic tours of the City. B. History and Architecture of Edina, Minnesota. Mr. Sand inquired about the treatment of new structures discovered since the printing of the book. After some discussion, Mr. Martinson said the book is a finite thing that, should not be substantially changed. C. Historic Markers. The first historic marker was installed at the Baird House, 4400 West 50th St. in connection with the celebration of the centennial of the house this fall. IX. Next Meeting Date: Mr. Nyberg moved to cancel the December 23,1986 meeting and schedule the next meeting January 27, 1987 at 7:30 p.m. Mr. Stuppy seconded. All voted aye. Motion carried. X. Adjournment: 9:20 p.m. Respectfully Submitted Harold Sand