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Home My WebLink About2025-07-02 Historic MIN HPACCommittee Minutes July 2, 2025 MINUTES Chair Scharen called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. Scharen, Whitford, Emery, DeLaunay and Verner were present. Repp arrived late. Bonetti, Skibby, Dahle & Sage were absent. There were no attendees via Zoom. Chair Scharen read the land acknowledgment. APPROVAL OF AGENDA All present agreed to add discussion of the Ashland Springs Hotel’s 100 birthday to the agenda. th APPROVAL OF MINUTES Whitford/Repp m/s to approve the minutes of April 2, 2025. Voice vote: All AYES. Motion passed. PUBLIC FORUM None. LIASON REPORTS Council Liaison Jeff Dahle was absent. Staff Liaison Derek Severson provided brief updates on Pioneer Hall and the Community Center, the adoption of Climate Friendly Areas and a new Economic Opportunities Analysis (EOA), an upcoming hearing to adopt the SOU Master Plan, upcoming processes to update the Transportation System Plan and adopt a new Manufactured Home Park Zone Ordinance, and the unveiling of the second Playwright’s Walk plaque in the Railroad Park. He also noted that there was an article on the Ashland Springs Hotel in today’s Rogue Valley Times written by local historian George Kramer and distributed a copy. SERJAC Liaison Victoria Sage was absent. Planning Commission Chair Lisa Verner noted that with changes to the code relative to Committees & Commissions, there was no longer a defined role for the Planning Commission Chair as an Ex Officio member of this committee, and as such this would be her last meeting. DISCUSSION ITEMS Review Board Assignments. Members volunteered to serve on the Review Board in July and August. Historic Preservation Week De-brief. There was brief discussion the Preservation Week activities in May, noting that there was interest in continuing and expanding Tombstone Tales potentially beyond the cemetery next year. It was noted that planning for Preservation Week should begin in January. Page 1 of 3 HPACCommittee Minutes Discuss the Possibility of Quarterly Meetings. After brief discussion, there was general consensus to not meet in October or December of this year, and to revisit the number of annual meetings after the January 2026 meeting. Severson noted that there would be a land use action at the August meeting, and it was agreed that land use items and Review Board could be convened according to the regular schedule as needed. LAND USE ITEM REVIEW PLANNING ACTION: PA-T1-2025-00271 SUBJECT PROPERTY: 142 East Main Street OWNER/APPLICANT: Taylored Elements Construction/Allen Connolly DESCRIPTION: A request for Site Design Review approval to allow the construction of a coffee kiosk with a walk-up window for the property located at 142 East Main Street. The property is considered a primary contributing historic resource in the Ashland Downtown Historic District and is designated the McGee-Fortmiller Building. As proposed, the walk-up coffee kiosk would replace an ATM machine previously located on the building’s East Main Street façade. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION: Commercial Downtown; ZONING: C-1-D; ASSESSOR’S MAP: 39 1E 09BC; TAX LOT #:700 Severson presented a brief staff report and summarized the Review Boards comments from when the item was reviewed in May. The applicant team was not present. In brief discussion, it was noted that the business owner had done great work on historic buildings in the past, and that there was no question that equal care would be taken here. There was discussion of how the window would function and of how the kiosk related to the building internally, and what had been in the location historically, prior to the ATM. Whitford/Repp m/s to recommend approval of the application as presented. Voice vote: All AYES. Motion passed. DISCUSSION OF THE ASHLAND SPRINGS HOTEL’S 100 BIRTHDAY TH Severson distributed an article from today’s Rogue Valley Times. It was noted that the hotel would be conducting a “soiree” to celebrate in September. It was suggested that the committee present the hotel with a special award, outside of the regular Preservation Week awards scheduled for next May. Severson stated he would look into the options based on available funds and bring some options back to the next meeting for consideration. Severson also noted that he and Repp attended a webinar on preservation where a suggestion was to create coloring book pages for historic properties and that the Ashland Springs Hotel might be a good option to do something like this locally. REVIEW BOARD DISCUSSION Page 2 of 3 HPACCommittee Minutes 73 Granite Street/BD-R-2025-01325. Severson explained that this single-family residential building permit proposed a five-foot by nine-foot bathroom addition at the rear of the property, and while limited architectural detail was provided with the permit, the addition would not be visible from the street and would likely not be visually prominent from adjacent properties. After reviewing aerial photos and photos of other recent restoration work on-site, Review Board members indicated that they had no concerns with the proposal. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, Chair Scharen adjourned the meeting at 4:54 p.m. The next meeting will be on Wednesday, August 6 at 4:00 p.m. th Page 3 of 3