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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1991-04-03 Historic MINASHLAND HISTORIC COMMISSION Minutes April 3, 1991 CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Jim Lewis at 7:38 p.m. Members present were Jim Lewis, Terry Skibby, Thomas Hunt, Susan Reynolds, Keith Chambers, Jean MacKenzie, Lorraine Whitten and Deane Bradshaw. Also present were Senior Planner John McLaughlin and Secretary Sonja Akerman. Commission member Mark Reitinger was absent. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Skibby moved and Hunt seconded to approve the Minutes of the March 6, 1991 meeting as mailed. Motion passed unanimously. STAFF REPORTS PA 91-044 Conditional Use Permit 34 Union Street G.K. and Doris Schrock McLaughlin stated the applicants would like to structurally alter the garage which is located on the property line of the alley, and convert it to living space. The building will be upgraded and considered a single family structure. Staff is recommending approval. G.K. Schrock, when questioned about the elevations, stated the existing two garage doors will be removed and replaced with 22 x 54 inch windows to match the house. Doris Schrock said the remodel will be similar, except for the windows, to what had previously been proposed and approved. The same siding will be used and the garage will keep the same roof pitch. A door will be placed on each end of the alley side for mechanical access. Whitten moved to recommend approval of this application with the proviso the Historic Commission review the plans when submitted. Chambers seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved. PA 91-047 Conditional Use Permit 174 North Main Street Marilyn Krichman McLaughlin reminded the Commission of recent approvals on this piece of property and added the applicant wants to get approval for a traveller's accommodation prior to building the new unit, which will be constructed in another year. She is also proposing one of the parking spaces not be paved now to allow for the construction of the new unit. This space Ashland Historic Commission Minutes April 3, 1991 will have a 3/4 minus surface in the interim. Parking will accommodate the two unit traveller's accommodation. Staff is recommending approval. Skibby moved and Whitten seconded to recommend approval of this application to the Planning Commission. Motion was unanimously passed. BUILDING PERMITS Permits reviewed by members of the Historic Commission and issued during the month of March follow: Dale Rooklyn Rick Klimeck Lloyd Haines Erik Wallbank Beulah Smith Jim Duncan Jim Duncan Nick Wise Philip Lang/Ruth Miller Susan Beryhill/Phil Miller Oregon Shakespeare Festival Daniel/Nelwyn Maloney G.K. Schrock Chateaulin Selections Blooksbury Books 137 7th St. Addition 500 Iowa St. SFR 31-B Water St. Deck Addition 300 Pioneer St. Office Bldg. 159 2nd St. Remodel 692 "B" St. Garage/Studio 692 "B" St. Remodel 248 8th St. Solarium 758 "B" St. Demo. Interior/Porch 129 S. Laurel Remodel 15 S. Pioneer Remodel/Addn Restrooms 44 Morton St. Garage 549 Allison St. Garage Addition 240 E. Main St. Sign 52 E. Main St. Sign 290 E. Main St. Sign OLD BUSINESS Review Board Following is the schedule (until the next meeting) for the Review Board, which meets every Thursday from 3:00 to 3:30 p.m. in the Planning Department: April 4 April 11 April 18 April 25 May 2 Skibby, Hunt, Reynolds and Bradshaw Skibby, Hunt, Chambers, Whitten and MacKenzie Skibby, Hunt, Bradshaw, Chambers and Lewis Skibby, Hunt, Bradshaw and Lewis Skibby, Hunt, Whitten and Chambers Ashland Historic Commission Minutes April 3, 1991 National Historic Preservation Week Hunt will correlate with the Chamber of Commerce on newspaper articles. Awards will be presented on May 17. Skibby stated he will make information available to the Tidings on City Hall's 100th birthday. He added Heritage Sunday will also focus on this event. Senate Bill 750 All members should write letters regarding this bill, with copies to the Planning Office. NEW BUSINESS Railroad District Committee Lewis stated since the proposed siting of the substation the committee is concerned with is located outside the Historic District, there was really nothing official the Commission could do. There is a potential for the Railroad District to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places, in which case Historic Commission input would be more viable, especially under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. The depot on the corner of 5th and "A" Streets is the closest property which is on the National Register. The proposed park on "A" Street between 7th and 8th Streets, although also outside the Historic District, may be of some concern to the Commission. He continued to say the Mayor has set up a committee to study such issues as health, so although the Commission may have certain concerns regarding these issues, other committees have been established as authorities. Skibby stated the proposed location is very near the Golden Spike, then he read a legal description of that point (the legal description is hereby made a part of the minutes and attached at the end). He also presented the old yard map and stated he and one of the City Engineers had pinpointed the placement of the golden spike at the bottom of "A" Street. Bradshaw commented she feels the substation would be out of character visually and added the driving of the Golden Spike was of national significance. Whitten interjected the PNB antenna was fought because of visual and health problems and believes there are similarities between it and the substation. Betsy Anderson, member of the Railroad District Committee, stated she feels there would be an adverse effect on the Historic District. Betty Camner, also a member, stated distribution lines will go up 7th Street. Lewis added he was informed the existing lines in the alley between "A" and "B" Streets will be upgraded to accommodate the increased electric load. Ashland Historic Commission Minutes April 3, 1991 Ron Thurner, a spokesperson for the Committee, stated the burden of informing the substation location to City and relevant commissions rests with those seeking the change - - BPA, PP&L and the City. He added it was disturbing to him the Railroad District Committee had to bring it to the Historic Commission rather than the City. Camner said the site between Mountain Avenue and "A" Street is the preferred site. The Railroad Committee is not opposed to a new substation, and agrees the need exists. This site, however, is located too close to homes, schools and the proposed park. Committee members would like to move in a positive direction. Phil Clark stated he is a member of the committee the Mayor appointed regarding the substation. He said it seems funny the Historic District does not include the railroad lines and believes that even though the site in question is located outside the Historic District, it would have a negative effect on the district. Whitten remarked the Commission members have individual concerns, however, it cannot comment as a Commission. Lewis added if there are health concerns, the whole city would be affected, not just the Historic District. Hunt is especially troubled about the location adjacent to the proposed park area. Cate Hartzell stated she has been to all meetings regarding the location of a new substation and has learned that transients seem to be a specific problem in conjunction with substations. People do not reside for long periods of time in these areas. Restoring older homes takes money and loving care, which probably would not be the case if the substation were located so near to the Historic District. David Sebrell related if the Historic Commission had any concerns, they should be stated now because there is a 15 day process to confirm the site. He feels safety and property values are the most important issues. Camner added BPA will take concerns of commissions, individuals, etc. in its Environmental Assessment. BPA officials have already expressed their concerns with two houses that will be under extremely hot lines. She maintained the whole picture has to do with the quality of life in the area. Thurner stated he has done land use consulting for three years now. It is important to understand by the time you are getting a permit, you have already gone through the site review process, so he feels input is necessary as early as possible. He asked the Commission to review this site because it is adjoining the Historic District. With regard to the 106 process, he reiterated the actual burden to bring this before the Historic Commission falls upon the applicants. Since the location "may" have an adverse impact on the Historic District, he would like the Commission to send a letter or statement to the State Historic Preservation Office and to other relevant people. Ashland Historic Commission Minutes April 3, 1991 It was the consensus of the Commission its main concerns with the location of Site 6 are the close proximity of the proposed park, streetscape, and visual effect of wires, including lines of alley, because what affects "A" Street affects the entire Historic Railroad District. Reynolds and Bradshaw volunteered to write a letter noting Historic Commission concerns and send copies to the Mayor and City Council, Planning Commission, SHPO and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. Camner informed all present she has the Southern Pacific report and DEQ report telling SP to clean up the contaminated soil under the round house and they are available for viewing. Letter From Ken Mickelsen A letter to the Historic Commission from Ken Mickelsen, Director of Ashland Parks and Recreation Department, was discussed. He had received a letter from Edith Montgomery who suggested a marker be erected by the Lincoln Statue relating its unique story. Chambers stated there is something pure and dean about the statue so he would be a little apprehensive about a sign sticking up and detracting from the statue itself. Lewis suggested the story be made a part of walking tours. It was decided, however, the proposal should be researched, since the concept sounds interesting as long as it not be distracting. Because of its small budget, the Commission wondered who would pay for such a sign. ADJOURNMENT With a motion by Skibby and second by Chambers, it was the unanimous decision of the Historic Commission to adjourn the meeting at 9:25 p.m. OREGON GEOGRAPHIC NAMES Lewis A. McArthur SISKIYOU the name Siskiyou as applied to a post office did not appear until April, 1895, well over a half a century after Hudson's Bay Company trappers had named the pass through the Siskiyou Mountains. The compiler does not know the exact location of the first Siskiyou post office, which was in charge of Alice E. Ager, but for many years this office was near the Southern Pacific Company station Siskiyou at the northeast end of the Siskiyou tunnel and very close to the Pacific Highway. This post office was closed October 31, 1932. The compiler has been asked about where the golden spike was driven on completion of the Siskiyou line of the Southern Pacific Company. In March, 1947, G.H. Kilborn, superintendent of the Southern Pacific Company's Shasta Division at Dunsmuir had a search made of the old records and reported that the golden spike was driven on December 17, 1887, at about 5:04 P.M. on the east side of the track at the south end of the Ashland yard at mileage 428:8. The spike was driven at survey station 1154+05. The driving of this spike completed the Siskiyou line of the Southern Pacific.