HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-05-08 Historic MIN
ASHLAND HISTORIC COMMISSION
Minutes
May 8, 2002
DISCUSSION ON GOALS
The Historic Commission met at 6:00 p.m. in the Community Center to discuss the 2001-2002 goals. Knox
introduced Tom Giordano, who was recently appointed to the Commission. Giordano is an architect and has
served on the Ashland Planning Commission and Jackson County Planning Commission. He has also attended
several Historic Commission meetings over the years. Present were Terry Skibby, Dale Shostrom, Gary Foll, Jay
Leighton, Rob Saladoff, Joan Steele, Keith Chambers, Joanne Krippaehne and Tom Giordano. Also present were
Associate Planner Mark Knox and Secretary Sonja Akerman. No members were absent. Knox related that next
year he would like to have a screen saver of historic Ashland photos available to give to businesses. It would be
ideal to have this available by National Historic Preservation Week. He said this would be a good tool to promote
awareness of our historic resources. The members thought this would also be a good means for educating the
public. Also discussed was whether or not the Historic Commission should seek more authority. Pros and cons
regarding this were talked about; however, a decision was not made as to whether this should be pursued.
CALL TO ORDER
At 7:00 p.m., Chairperson Shostrom called the meeting to order. Also in attendance were Mayor Alan DeBoer
(who left the meeting at 7:05) and City Council liaison pro tem Kate Jackson. Mayor DeBoer stated the Historic
nd
Commission had the best turn out of all City volunteers during the City’s recognition party on May 2. Only one
person did not make it and DeBoer said he was in attendance to present Chambers his certificate and gift from the
City. DeBoer thanked the Commission for the long hours of hard work that the members give to the City every
month and said he appreciated what they do. He also stated he goes to meetings concerning the progression of
the library every week. During the meeting that day, the front retaining wall on the southeast side of the front steps
of the Carnegie Building was discussed. Evidently, the existing retaining wall is deteriorating and has no
foundation. The contractor would like to take out 40-50 feet, replace the wall and match it with the rest of the
original wall. Shostrom, Skibby and Foll agreed to meet at the library at 3:00 p.m. on May 9 in order to give the
contractors input on this.
SPECIAL PRESENTATION
Caroline Spear, high school Catalyst Program teacher, introduced Jasmine Eldridge, one of her students who has
worked on the Triangle Park walkway for the past two years. When asked about her perspective of the project,
Jasmine said it was a great coming together of not only the high school and middle school students, but also of the
community. The walkway will be here for a long time and she is very proud of it. Chambers thanked Jasmine for
coming to the meeting and asked her what she did on the walkway. She responded she was involved in the
planning, she cut tiles, helped in the glazing, and put the tiles on the boards. She said it was hard work but it was
fun. Spear shared with the Commission the invitation to the dedication ceremony (which will be at 10:00 on May
16) that will be sent out. When Leighton asked about the grant money that was acquired, Spear replied $1,700
came from the National Education Association, $1,500 from the local Carpenter Fund and about $200 from the
school district. Steele spoke for the Commission when she thanked Spear and Eldridge for all the work they put in
to the project.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Steele moved and Foll seconded to approve the minutes of the April 3, 2002 meeting as submitted. The motion
was unanimously passed.
Ashland Historic Commission Minutes 1
May 8, 2002
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Planning Action 2002-053
Conditional Use Permit
59 Manzanita Street
Vicki Capp
Knox explained this application is for the expansion of the owner’s unit of the Iris Inn Bed & Breakfast.
Construction of the 520 square foot addition will be on the rear of the house. All materials will match the existing
house. Knox declared the traveler’s accommodation is not expanding, only the owner’s living quarters will increase
in size. The only other change will be the addition of a new sidewalk that will tie in to the sidewalk recently installed
at the property on the corner of Manzanita and High Streets.
Owner Vicki Capp stated the roofline will match the existing house, as will the leaded windows, siding and trim.
Skibby asked about the sidewalk, noting the grades would have to line up. Capp said she has been working with
Assistant City Engineer Jim Olson and Associate Planner Maria Harris on this. The walk will be against the fence
and go around the fire hydrant she also has to install.
When asked by Shostrom about the existing shed roof, Capp stated it will disappear and the addition will have a
gable roof. She also said the existing skylight will disappear.
Skibby moved to recommend approval of this application to the Planning Commission and Steele seconded the
motion. It passed with a unanimous vote.
Planning Action 2002-055
Conditional Use Permit
142 North Main Street
Mary Nelke
This planning action has been postponed for one month.
Planning Action 2002-056
Conditional Use Permit
138 North Second Street
Joanie McGowan
Knox reported this application is for the transfer of ownership of the Second Street Cottages. There have been no
complaints filed against this property. He also related the new business owner has signed a document verifying
she understands all the conditions of the existing approval.
Chambers moved and Leighton seconded to recommend approval of this application to the Planning Commission
and the motion passed unanimously.
INTRODUCTION
Knox took this time to introduce Councilor Pro Tem Kate Jackson to the Commission. She will be taking over
Councilor Cameron Hanson’s position until he is either re-elected or his position expires.
NEW BUSINESS
Initial Plans for Building on Corner of “A” and Pioneer Streets – Knox then introduced architect Gary Caperna
(Batzer Construction), who presented initial plans for the building across from A Street Marketplace on the corner
of “A” and Pioneer Streets. Caperna explained that information for the pre-application conference will be turned in
Ashland Historic Commission Minutes 2
May 8, 2002
within the next few days but he wanted to run the plans by the Historic Commission first. This building is currently
used for storage. The idea is to retain the basic structure and fill in the sides, thus reusing the existing siding and
canopy. Galvanized siding will be used on the walls and a concrete lean-to will be added in the back. The same
industrial feel will be kept, which will match A Street Marketplace but not mimic it. The building will house glass
blowers.
The Commission did not feel it was necessary to have the grid work on this building similar to what was added to
the Marketplace across the street. Leighton suggested clumping some of the windows in order to give more of a
grid like appearance.
Shostrom remarked there is a lot of concrete on the corner and no planters. He asked why only trees are being
proposed as plantings. Knox responded the idea is to give the corner an urban feel, however, Shostrom said this is
almost emphasizing the urban feel too much and planters would be a good idea. Shostrom then asked if the roof
pitch of the lean-to would be different than the main building and Caperna said it would be different to make it clear
that portion of the building is an addition and not part of the original.
Revised Plans for Addition on 234 Vista Street – Sid and Karen DeBoer, along with their designer, Ted Fletscher,
presented revised plans for adding on to their home, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. The
DeBoers are proposing to add approximately 4,000 square feet on to their home, which is currently approximately
3,000 square feet. Sid DeBoer stated that he realizes there has been a lot of controversy over their proposal so he
wanted to give the reasons why the addition is necessary. Both he and Karen grew up in Ashland and they want to
continue living here. As his successful business is continuing to grow, they host many business-related events in
their home and they need a large space in order to do this. Therefore, it is valuable to his business to have a large
enough place to host events, and he stated the importance of doing this in his home. Secondly, their family is part
of the history of this town. There are 21 members locally and it is critically important to have a large place for them
to gather together. Thirdly, this is of value to the community. They are large donors of such entities as the Oregon
Shakespeare Festival, Ashland Community Hospital and the YMCA. As such, they host events for various
occasions but their existing house is not adequate. DeBoer said he and his wife love their house and don’t want to
move. He stated the latest design for the addition is one and a half stories high, is set back from the original house
and it meets code requirements. He also added that when they are gone, it will not go to their children but will pass
on to his foundation for educational purposes. It will be controlled by the Oregon Community Foundation.
DeBoer noted the original house will not be altered, nor will the landscaping. Also, he assured the Commission no
new walkways or rockwork will be done.
Considerable discussion followed the DeBoer presentation, with Commissioners expressing a variety of concerns
about the effects of the massive proposed addition to the National Register Frank Clark house. It was pointed out
that the addition would more than double the size of the house, extending its width along Vista in a manner that is
out of keeping with the neighborhood streetscape and the scale of this important historic structure.
Commissioners explored with the DeBoers and their designer alternative possibilities. These suggestions stressed
the need to maintain the integrity of the existing house by making any additions as unobtrusive as possible and
taking care not to allow the overall mass of the addition to overpower the Frank Clark house. Among suggestions
discussed were the construction of a separate (unconnected) pavilion for guests and entertaining, making the
connector between the existing house and proposed addition less prominent and single story, and setting back the
proposed addition more notably from the facade of the existing house.
The DeBoers said that a separate pavilion would not work, but they would consider the single story connector.
Giordano suggested constructing a walkway on the roof portion of the connector so there would be access on the
second floors also.
It was agreed that Fletscher would work with the DeBoers on revised concepts and drawings to bring to an
upcoming Review Board.
Ashland Historic Commission Minutes 3
May 8, 2002
With a motion by Skibby and second by Foll, it was the unanimous decision of the Commission to extend the
meeting past 10:00 p.m.
OLD BUSINESS
Review Board – Following is the May schedule for the Review Board, which meets every Thursday from 3:00 to at
least 3:30 p.m. in the Planning Department:
May 9 Skibby, Giordano and Leighton
May 16 Skibby, Saladoff and Steele
May 23 Skibby, Leighton and Foll
May 30 Skibby, Chambers and Krippaehne
Project Assignments for Planning Actions
PA #99-108 340 Oak Street (A Street Marketplace) Shostrom
PA #2000-039 410 Siskiyou Boulevard (library) Skibby
PA #2000-124 51 Winburn Way (Hillah Temple) Foll
PA #2000-120 485 “A” Street (Steve Hoxmeier) Shostrom
PA #2001-029 455 Siskiyou Boulevard (Fire Station) Skibby
PA #2001-047 269 Maple Street (Ashland Orthopedic Association) Saladoff
PA #2001-052 39 Fourth Street (Jean Moseley) Saladoff
PA #2001-064 237 North First Street (Ashland Comm. Food Store) Shostrom
PA #2001-059 50 Sixth Street (Qwest) Leighton
PA #2001-079 685 East Main Street (Talent Properties) Shostrom
PA #2001-075 348 Iowa Street (Eva Cooley) Maser
PA #2001-088 61 Nutley Street (William Machado & Denise Byron) Steele
PA #2002-002 472 Scenic Drive (Kirt Meyer & Vadim Agakhanov) Saladoff
PA #2002-010 103 S. Laurel Street (Laura Shrewsbury) Leighton
PA #2002-021 25 Granite Street (Carol Dutra) Foll
PA #2002-023 660 “B” Street (Susan Dempsay) Foll
OLD BUSINESS
National Historic Preservation Week May 12-18, 2002 – The members were reminded to attend the events if at
all possible, especially the award ceremony on May 17.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The next Historic Commission meeting will be on June 5, 2002.
ADJOURNMENT
It was the unanimous decision of the Commission to adjourn the meeting at 10:10 p.m.
Ashland Historic Commission Minutes 4
May 8, 2002