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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-03-05 Historic MINASHLAND HISTORIC COMMISSION Minutes March 5, 1997 CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at the Ashland Community Center by Chairperson Jim Lewis at 7:40 p.m. Members present were Jim Lewis, Terry Skibby, Joyce Cowan, Vava Bailey and Larry Cardinale. Also present was Associate Planner Mark Knox and Secretary Sonja Akerman. Members Curt Anderson, Cliff Llewellyn, Bill Harriff and Keith Chambers were absent. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Skibby clarified that on the top of page 3, the minutes should reflect he was referring to round river rock rather than any type of rock. He then moved to approve the February 5, 1997 minutes as clarified. The motion was unanimously passed. STAFF REPORTS Planning Action 96-143 Site Review 136 North Second Street Mary Nelke Knox explained this project has come before the Historic Commission twice and has been to the Review Board many times. The owner is requesting approval to construct a new residence in the rear of the property. The existing house in the from of the lot consists of 852 square feet. The proposed one and one-half story house will comprise 1,640 square feet. The Review Board has worked with the owner and as a result, a new design has been submitted. It will be 24¼ feet high. The design is Craftsman in style and is broken up with a single story from porch and dormers. The facade will have a strong sense of entry with a walkway from Second Street. The existing curb cut will be filled and replanted with grass, thus eliminating the driveway. Four parking spaces will be in the rear off the alley. These spaces will have landscaped fingers and shade trees. Overall, Knox went on to say, Staff believes the design, which has taken elements from the existing house and others in the area, is now compatible. Also, the general characteristics of massing and height criteria have been met. Thus, Staff is recommending approval with conditions. Skibby said he saw the design at the Review Board and felt it was compatible. Bailey stated she doesn't have any problems with the design and is pleased it has a lower presence. Cowan agreed. Knox said that although the house is only a foot shorter, the massing issue has been reduced because of design elements. Skibby added the shadow lines and stepped up front porch have helped also. In addition, he likes the band around the bottom. Lewis commented typical trim on a Craftsman home is 1 x 5, and recommended the 1 x 5 corner trim match the window trim. Under the sill could be 1 x 3. Don Greene, contractor for the project, said when he was hired he and the owner took a step back and started over. They recognized the location is in a Craftsmanlike neighborhood and designed the new structure by tying in with elements of the existing house. Shingles, he noted, will only be on the gables. He then explained they are trying to balance the trim with the existing house and with the material available today, which would make the trim 1 x 3½. Lewis questioned Greene about the size of the shingles, and Greene said there will be an eight or nine inch exposure. Lewis said typical exposure on Craftsman homes is five inches but understood why Greene would use a longer exposure. Greene noted the front house has a ten inch shingle spacing. He then related the owner has talked about changing the color of the front house. Both houses will be painted with compatible colors. The existing house will incorporate two colors and a third color will be added to the new house. He emphasized they don't want both houses to look the same. Greene then submitted a photo that was taken with poles and balloons depicting the height and location of the new house in relation to the existing house. Carlyle Stout, attorney for the owner, addressed the Commission stating he had reviewed the minutes, Turner's letter calling the action up for a public hearing, the drawings and the applicant's findings. He said if you look at all these things carefully, all concerns have been addressed. Technical concerns included height and massing and these have been addressed. He declared this is almost a textbook case. The overall effect is compatible with the neighborhood, and if considered as a whole, it has an outstanding design. He conceded there will be loss of privacy and that will always be a concern. However, he cautioned the Commission to look at the project as a whole when evaluating the proposal. Pam Burkholder, who is married to Garrison Turner (he called this action up for a public hearing), acknowledged the value of the design and said it was probably as good as it can get. She still feels the objections raised in her husband's letter are a problem. The issue also involves having a larger structure behind a smaller one. She asked the Commission to consider the infill in the Railroad District and the precedence this action could set. She reminded the Commission the new design is only one foot shorter than the previous one, and said even Greene stated it was a much larger structure than the existing one. She went on to say the applicant stresses the residential components of the proposal, while sometime in the near future, she will have a Conditional Use Permit application for a travellers' accommodation before the Commission. The potential business risk needs to be taken into account. While the Staff Report states the owner should not be penalized for having a small house, she has found the only structure with a business downstairs and living unit(s) upstairs on her side of the street is the building she and her husband own. She also said it would be nice to have a drawing showing the streetscape and how the new structure will look from Ashland Historic Commission Minutes March 5, 1997 Page 2 the street. She stressed the fact that she doesn't feel the business venture necessarily fits into the residential area. Cardinale asked Burkholder about the potential Conditional Use Permit application. She said she would rather have the owner speak to that. Lewis assured the Commission this would be a completely separate application. Cardinale said he just doesn't want the Commission to be put into a compromising position if that was the intent all along. Lewis said it would be allowed in an R-2 zone and the Planning Commission will comment on that. He added he does not think the Historic Commission would be obligated to approve a B & B in the future. Cardinale said he understood that, but just wanted it to be on the record approval of this planning action would in no way approve anything else. Skibby questioned the window trim size. Lewis said if it ends up to be 1 x 4 (which is actually 1 x 3~) it would look fine. It just shouldn't be any narrower. Cowan then moved to recommend approval of this action to the Planning Commission. Bailey seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved. Planning Action 97-018 Minor Land Partition/Variances 661 'B' Street Darrell A. Boldt Knox gave the Staff Report for this proposal, stating this request for a Minor Land Partition involves three Variances. Parcel one, with the existing house, would be wider than it is deep, thus the need for the Variance. The other two Variances involve setbacks for the existing house. The deck, which is considered a structure, would be five feet from the rear property line (ten feet is required). In addition, the side yard setback from the house to the east property line is proposed to be reduced from the required six feet to three feet. Knox stated the Historic Commission should only be concerned with the design of the proposed new structure on parcel two at this time because Staff is recommending denial of the application due to the Variances. Solar may also be a problem. Skibby stated the Review Board has only addressed design issues regarding this proposal, not the land use issues. He said that although the proposed house is one and one-half stories, the property slopes downward and not much will be visible from "B" Street. When asked about window trim size, Darrell Boldt said it will be 1 x 6 on the top and 1 x 4 on the sides. Boldt added he did not want to mimic the design of the existing house, but took a few design elements from it and houses in the area. Skibby noted if the application is approved, he would recommend the alley not be paved. Ashland Historic Commission Minutes March 5, 1997 Page 3 Bailey recommended the windows on the west and south elevations be double hung. Lewis and Skibby agreed. Boldt said in his opinion, you can get the same effect with small pane windows at the bottom, and added they wanted to get as much light as possible. Knox declared since the Variance and solar issues will be dealt with at the Planning Commission level, the Historic Commission needs to make a decision in the Review Board capacity only. The final design will come back to the Review Board and there may be design changes. Skibby moved to recommend approval of the basic design of the proposed new structure if the Planning Commission approves the Minor Land Partition and Variances, maintaining the issues on design, such as windows, can be worked out with the Review Board. Bailey seconded the motion. Skibby amended the motion to include the alley not be paved. Bailey seconded the amendment. The motion with the amendment passed unanimously. BUILDING PERMITS Permits reviewed by members of the Historic Commission and issued during the month of February follow: 142 East Main Street 219 Almond Street 101 Scenic Drive 317 North Main Street 317 North Main Street 152 Strawberry Lane 62-66 East Main Street 15 South Pioneer Street 281 Oak Street 164 Sixth Street 160 Central Avenue 102 South Pioneer Street Allen Connolly John and Sharon Javna Sechan/Messner Peter and Karen Cipes Peter and Karen Cipes Laura Dunbar Ed Bemis/Allan Sandler OSFA Brad Roupp Craig Loop Al & Virginia Silbowitz Ashland Imports/Lot 9 Addendum/Remodel Addendum/Remod/Addn Partial Demolition Swimming Pool Pool/Guest House Addition Addition/Remodel Reroof Replace Shed Remodel/Addition Porch~ Extension/Remod Sign Following is the schedule (until the next meeting) for the Review Board, which meets every Thursday from 3:00 to at least 3:30 p.m. in the Planning Department: March 6 March 13 March 20 March 27 Skibby, Cowan and Lewis Skibby and Cowan Skibby, Bailey and Lewis Skibby and Bailey Ashland Historic Commission Minutes March 5, 1997 Page 4 OLD BUSINESS Project Assignments for Planning Actions I PA # I Address Person(s) Assigned 96-063 62-66 East Main Street Terry Skibby 96-075 265 North Main Street Vava Bailey 96-071 248 Eighth Street Curt Anderson 96-058 264 Van Ness Avenue Jim Lewis 96-098 190 Oak Street Vava Bailey 96-086 685 "A" Street Curt Anderson/Jim Lewis 96-110 499 Iowa Street Joyce Cowan 96-112 249 "A" Street Jim Lewis 96-9139 545 "A" Street Terry Skibby 97-014 20 South First Street Joyce Cowan 96-143 136 North Second Street Terry Skibby 97-018 661 "B" Street Jim Lewis NEW BUSINESS National Historic Preservation Week- May 11 through May 18 The theme for National Historic Preservation Week this year is PRESERVATION BEGINS AT HOME. Included in the schedule of events discussed was an open house at the mausoleum, Ashland Cemetery walking tour on Sunday (May llth) - Skibby, Railroad District walking tour on Friday (May 16th) - Lewis, walking tour in the Skidmore/Academy District on Saturday (May 18th) - Bailey and Cowan. Staff will verify if any National Register houses will be having open houses that week. The awards will be given at noon on Friday (May 17th) - place to be announced later. Ashland Location for Southern Oregon Historical Society The members were not aware of any ideal location. Bailey commented she has had quite a bit of feedback from citizens who appreciated the displays in the Mark Antony. The members all agreed the best location would be in the downtown area. Ashland Historic Commission Minutes March 5, 1997 Page 5 Letter from Kay Atwood Kay Atwood's letter regarding the completion of the Multiple Resource nomination of the cemeteries to the National Register of Historic Places was discussed. Lewis and Skibby will contact her to determine the amount of funding necessary. Staff will then write a memo to the City Council. With a motion by Skibby and second by Cardinale, it was the unanimous decision of the Commission to adjourn the meeting at 10:10 p.m. Ashland Historic Commission Minutes March $, 1997 Page 6 ASI-H~AND HISTORIC COMMISSION Agenda March 5, 1997 I® CALL TO ORDER: 7:30 p.m. - ASHLAND COMMUNITY CENTER 59 Winburn Way H. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: February 5, 1997 ~I. STAFF REPORTS: PLANNING ACTION 96-143 is a request for a Site Review to construct a second residence at the rear of the property located at 136 North Second Street. Comprehensive Plan Designation: Low Density Multi-Family Residential; Zoning: R-2; Assessor's Map #: 39 1E 9BA; Tax Lot(s): 9100. APPLICANT: Mary Nelke PLANNING ACTION 9%018 is a request for a Minor Land Partition to divide the parcel located at 661 "B" Street into two lots, with the rear lot being accessed from the alley. A Variance is also being requested to create a lot (Parcel 1) wider than it is deep (92' x 71'). Yard Variances are requested to allow for a reduction in the side yard from 6 feet to 3 feet and in the rear yard from 10 feet to 5 feet. Comprehensive Plan Designation: Multi-Family Residential; Zoning: R-2; Assessor's Map #: 39 1E 9AB; Tax Lot(s): 3700. APPLICANT: Darrell A. Boldt, President, North Pacific Construction Co., Inc. IV. OLD BUSINESS: A. Review Board ~ appointments/volunteers B. Project Assignments for each Planning Action C. Other V. NEW BUSINESS A. National Historic Preservation Week ~, May 11-17 Theme is PRESERVATION BEGINS AT HOME B. New Ashland Location for Southern Oregon Historical Society (again) C. Letter from Kay Atwood regarding completion of cemetery nominations to National Register of Historic Places. D. Other VI. ADJOURNMENT