HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-12-03 Historic MIN
HPACCommittee Minutes
Note: Anyone who wishesto speak at any HPACmeeting is encouraged to do so. If you wish to speak, please rise and, after you have been
recognized by the Chair, give your name and complete address for the record. You will then be allowed to speak. Please note the public
testimony may be limited by the Chair. Times noted for each item are approximate…
December3,2025
Minutes
CALLTOORDER:Chair Scharen called the meeting to order at 4:01 p.m. Scharen, Whitford, Emery, Prest
and Delaunay were presentin person. Repp and Skibby were absent. Planning Commission Chair
Lisa Verner, acting as Planning Commission liaison, and Derek Severson, acting as the Community
Development staff liaison and secretary, were present.
READINGOFLANDACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Scharen read the land acknowledgement.
APPROVALOFAGENDA
It was agreed that because there were guests present in person to discuss several Review Board
items, these items would be discussed following “Public Forum.”
APPROVALOFMINUTES
Whitford/Emerym/stoapprovetheminutesofOctober8,2025,aspresented.Voicevote:AllAYES.
Motionpassed.
PUBLICFORUM
There was no one in the audience wishing to speak.
DISCUSSIONOFREVIEWBOARDITEMS
Planning Commission Liaison Verner exited the meeting to avoid potential ex parte contact on items
which might ultimately come before the Planning Commission.
Severson made clear that these were items scheduled for the Review Board that were not included on
the agenda or in the meeting packet andwere intended to be heard outside of the formal meeting.
The anticipated discussion was to provide informal feedback to the applicants’ design process and
was not intended to replace necessary land use or building permit reviews.
431NorthMainStreet/RoguePlanning – Amy Gunter explained the proposal to demolish the existing
structure, subdivide the property, construct three SFRs and a single room occupancy (SRO) building,
and noted that each building would be proposed under a Conditional Use Permit to exceed the
maximum permitted floor area. Severson briefly explained the MPFA rules and procedures. Gunter
noted she was looking at potential discrepancies in language between the building code’s treatment
of SRO’s and the land use ordinance regulations related to MPFA. Gunter discussed how the designs
had been tailored to the surrounding neighborhood, and that while no off-street parking was to be
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HPACCommittee Minutes
proposed for the SRO it would have ample bicycle parking and is located within walking distance of
downtown and is on a bus route. Commissioners generally indicated that they did not believe there
was much of the existing structure that merited saving.
581EastMainStreet/DezinFineHomes – Rick Anderson of Dezin Fine Homes explained the proposal,
noting that the intent is ultimately to have three rentals in the building. Committee members generally
indicated that their preference would be to retain the home’s existing front porch/façade and thus its
existing historic character, however there was recognition of the practical reasoning behind the
proposal. Committee members indicated that if the proposal were ultimately to be approved, it was
crucial that trim, siding and windows, and overall proportions be carefully selected to maintain the
historic character, and that new landscaping be incorporated to soften the proposed exterior changes.
161BStreet/DezinFineHomes – Cassandra del Nero of Dezin Fine Homes discussed proposed changes
to 161B Street, noting the street-facing façade was proposed to be retained but that there would be
substantial interior changes to both buildings. Building 1’s footprint would remain unchanged, and
Building 2 would add external stairs and reconfigure the interior to include upper-levelloft storage
space to be accessed via a ship’s ladder. This loft is not proposed to be conditioned habitable space.
Committee members urged that historic proportions be retained through the proposed replacement
windows and lap siding, suggesting a five-inch exposure was appropriate. Del Nero noted that they
would replace existing double-pane aluminum slider windows with similarly sized replacements as well
as new windows selected for energy efficiency. She concluded that the building needed improvement,
especially as it presented to B Street.
LIASONREPORTS
CouncilLiaisonJeff Dahlewas absentdue to a conflicting meeting and so no report was given.
CommunityDevelopmentStaffLiaisonDerek Seversonprovided a brief staff update, noting that while
it was not in one of the historic districts, an application had been submitted to create a new subdistrict
ordinance regulating the former Croman Mill site and to subdivide the property once environmental
clean-up has occurred.
ReviewBoardAssignments – Members volunteered for Review Board assignments in December and
January.
WorkplanDiscussion–Severson provided a brief summary to introduce this item. There was discussion
of concerns that the adoption and implementation of state laws in support of housing seem to be
devaluing preservation and lessening the relevance of preservation commissions. There was also
discussion of the need to explore options to raise awareness of individual historic properties and
historic districts which could include plaques, signage, specific streetlightstandards for each district,
and the creation of maps, GIS story maps and brochures. Chair Scharen indicated that she would be
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HPACCommittee Minutes
th
present at the Council even on December 15, as did Severson. Emery and DeLaunay indicated that
they would try to attend but were uncertain, and Prest noted that he had conflicts. DeLaunaynoted
that she would be out of town in January but would try to attend via Zoom. She exited the meeting.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 5:30p.m.
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