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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019 Historic District Commission MinutesMinutes Lansing Historic District Commission Local History Room, Capital Area District Library 5:30-7:00 p.m. Monday, January 14, 2019 (Downtown Branch) Lower Level, 401 S. Capitol Avenue. Lansing MI 48933 CALL TO ORDER — Ms. Nelson opened the meeting at 5:30 p.m. A. Introductions and Roll Call: Present: James Bell, Paul Connors, Heather Goupil, Cassandra Nelson, Cynthia Redman, Carol Skillings, Curtis Sonnenberg, Jaclyn Lillis -Warwick Absent: None Staff Present: Bill Rieske Also Present: Lucas AI-Zoughbi re: HDC -1-2019, Aaron King from Precision Roofing Services re: HDC -1-2018 No other member of the public was present. 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA — Mr. Sonnenberg said that Mr. AI-Zoughbi would be a few minutes late, so 306 E. Lenawee was moved up on the agenda. The revised agenda was approved by unanimous consent. 3. HDC -1-18 — 306 E. Lenawee St. reconsideration Mr. Rieske reported on the materials in the meeting packet regarding this case. Essentially, on July 23, 2018, the applicant, Tim Rowden, applied for, and the Commission approved, a proposal for a roof replacement at 306 E. Lenawee with soffit and ridge vents. For the building permit, Mr. Rowden's contractor, Precision Roofing, submitted a proposed work scope which included dome vents instead of soffit and ridge vents, due to the open soffit design of the house. Mr. Rieske reported that the revised work scope was not approvable by staff, and required Commission approval. A discussion ensued during which Mr. Connors requested clarification on what latitude staff has to approve variations from the Commission -approved work scope. Mr. Rieske said that in this case, he could probably have approved edge vents, which would have minimal impact on the historic character of the building, especially compared to dome vents. Mr. Rowden sent materials, included in the packet, stating his objection to edge vents, citing the increased costs, the proliferation of dome vents in the Cherry Hill neighborhood, and his difficulty in attracting contractors to bid on the work. Mr. Bell pointed out that edge vents don't work in cases in which walls extend up to the roof decking, with no space below the decking for air flow. Ms. Nelson stated that dome vent have less of a visual impact if they are installed on the rear of the roof, rather than the front. Of course, on a T-shaped building with two gables, keeping the venting from being visible from the street may be more difficult. Dome vents may still be the best alternative. Ms. Skillings reported that she has dome vents on her roof facing the back yard. It was moved by Mr. Sonnenberg, seconded by Ms. Goupil, and approved unanimously, to permit the reroofing of 306 E. Lenawee, installation of 9-B-144 dome vents, cutting back siding to properly flash and install 1" X 4" cedar, and removal of existing brick chimney below the roof deck, provided that the vents are installed on the rear of the building, and the color of the vents match the shingles as much as possible. Just before the meeting ended, Aaron King from Precision Roofing arrived, and briefly discussed this case with the Commission. 4. HDC -1-2019 — 534 Cherry St. — Roof Replacement. a. Public Hearing. Mr. AI-Zoubi elaborated on his proposal, which just consisted of a building permit application for'tear-off and re -roof'. Mr. AI-Zoubi said he wanted to remove the existing solar panels, re -roof the house and maybe install dormers and skylights. Mr. Rieske stated that he believed that the building had soffits, so soffit and ridge venting appeared to be possible. Ms. Skillings said that dormers and skylights could be considered separately, but not at this time. b. Commission action. It was moved by Ms. Goupil, seconded by Ms. Redman, and CARRIED unanimously, to approve the removal and replacement of shingles and any deteriorated decking, removal of solar panels, and installation of soffit and ridge vents. Dormers and skylights were not approved. 5. MINUTES FOR APPROVAL— December 10, 2018 meeting. The December 10, 2018 minutes were approved by consensus. 6. UPDATES ON: • ReoTown Intensive Level Survey — Ms. Nelson reported that she and Mr. Rieske met with three MSU students and discussed the project. • Cherry Hill Historic District, incl. Cherry Hill School — Mr. Sonnenberg reported that he met with the Cherry Hill Neighborhood Association. They are likely to form a separate subcommittee to deal with Cherry Hill Park matters. The old school may be up for sale soon. • Cooley Haze House — Ms. Nelson reported that Mr. Vitale is awaiting the completion of the substation before beginning renovation on the house. • Preservation Lansing — No report. 7. PUBLIC COMMENTS — None. 8. COMMUNICATIONS — Mr, Rieske distributed "CLG News" about free HDC training on March 15 in Ypsilanti and March 23 in Kalamazoo. Ms. Redman. Ms. Skillings, and Mr. Sonnenberg said they were interested in attending the March 23 session. 9. STAFF AND COMMISSION MEMBER COMMENTS • 221 E. Hillsdale — Mr. Rieske reported that the Code Compliance Manager spoke with the owner 221 E. Hillsdale, and she said that work would resume on the house, with completion expected in March. • Certified Local Government Evaluation — Mr. Rieske said that the SHPO conducted the first evaluation in the 20 years that Lansing has been a CLG, and found some items that need to be addressed. The will be an agenda item in the February meeting. 10. PRESENTATIONS — None. 11. OTHER BUSINESS — None. 12. PENDING ITEMS — Continuing work on guidelines. 13. ADJOURNMENT was at 6:48 p.m. Next Meeting: 5:30 p.m. Monday, February 11, 2019, in the CADL Local History Room, Lower Level, 401 S. Capitol Ave. 3 Minutes Lansing Historic District Commission Local History Room, Capital Area District Library 5:30-7:00 p.m. Monday, February 11, 2019 (Downtown Branch) Lower Level, 401 S. Capitol Avenue. Lansing Ml 48933 1. CALL TO ORDER — Ms. Nelson opened the meeting at 5:30 p.m. A. Introductions and Roll Call: Present: James Bell, Paul Connors, Heather Goupil, Cassandra Nelson, Jaclyn Lillis -Warwick Excused Absences: Cynthia Redman, Carol Skillings, and Curtis Sonnenberg Staff Present: Bill Rieske Also Present: Rob Gibb 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA—The agenda was approved by unanimous consent. 3. MINUTES FOR APPROVAL — January 14, 2019 meeting. The January 14, 2019 minutes were approved by consensus. 4. PUBLIC HEARINGS — None. 5. CLG Evaluation Response — Mr. Rieske presented "CLG Evaluation Follow-up" covering 2015-2018, and requested comments from the Commission. Mr. Bell suggested changing the word impossible to "difficult". Mr. Rieske said he would make that change, and update the report to reflect the addition of Mr. Gibb to the Commission roster. a b 1*11WNIA • ReoTown Intensive Level Survey — Ms. Nelson reported that she and Mr. Rieske met and discussed the project with three MSU students and Katie Kolokithas from the SHPO. Additional meetings will take place as the survey progresses. • Cherry Hill Historic District, incl. Cherry Hill School — Mr. Sonnenberg was absent from this meeting and therefore had no report. • Cooley Haze House — Ms. Nelson reported that she had no update. • Preservation Lansing— No report. 7. PUBLIC COMMENTS — None. 8. COMMUNICATIONS — None. 1 STAFF AND COMMISSION MEMBER COMMENTS — Mr. Bell reported that he toured the Cherry Hill district since the last meeting. Ms. Nelson said she found the comparison between the more modern apartments on the east side of the neighborhood and the older housing on the west side to be interesting. 10. PRESENTATIONS — None. 11. OTHER BUSINESS — None. 12. PENDING ITEMS — Continuing work on guidelines. 13. ADJOURNMENT was at 6:00 p.m. Next Meeting: 5:30 p.m. Monday, March 11, 2019, in the CADL Local History Room, Lower Level, 401 S. Capitol Ave. Minutes Lansing Historic District Commission Local History Room, Capital Area District Library 5:30-7:00 p.m. Monday, December 10, 2018 (Downtown Branch) Lower Level, 401 S. Capitol Avenue. Lansing MI 48933 CALL TO ORDER — Ms. Nelson opened the meeting at 5:30 p.m. A. Introductions and Roll Call: Present: James Bell, Paul Connors, Heather Goupil, Cassandra Nelson, Cynthia Redman, Carol Skillings, Curtis Sonnenberg, Jaclyn Lillis -Warwick Absent: None Staff Present: Bill Rieske Also Present: Rob Gibbs, prospective HDC member APPROVAL OF AGENDA —The agenda was approved by unanimous consent. 3. DISCUSSION/ACTION A. Minutes for approval — November 19, 2018 meeting. One correction ("bike rake") was noted, and the minutes were approved by consensus as corrected. B. Design Standards and Guidelines — Doors and windows The Commission review and discussed the City of Kalamazoo's guidelines for windows (https://www.kalamazoocitV.org/hdcstandards/113-historic- preservation-standards-guidelines-windows/file) and doors (https://www.kalamazoocity.org/hdcstandards/96-historic-preservation- standards-guidelines-doors/file). It was noted that no guidelines for storm doors are included. A discussion ensued about the Commission's approach to guidelines. Ms. Nelson said that clear guidelines on the most common problems, such as residential windows, doors, roofs, siding, porches, and paint colors might be more useful than an exhaustive set of guidelines. Most of the properties are residential, and they generate the majority of permit reviews. Mr. Sonnenberg said he would work on a letter to the Cherry Hill neighborhood about HDC, its guidelines and procedures. Ms. Skillings said she would start drafting something about windows. Ms. Nelson said the next topic should be siding. C. Updates on: • Mr. Rieske had forwarded the link the article "Paving the Way" (https://lansingcitypulse.com/article-16766-The-road-not-taken.htm1) regarding the history of 1-496. • He also forwarded Ward History project links. • https://lansingneiqhborhoods.info/CivicAlerts.aspx?CID=9 • https://Iansingneighborhoods.info/CivicAlerts.aspx?CID=10 • https://lansingneiqhborhoods.info/CivicAlerts.aspx?CID=11 • https://lansingneiqhborhoods.info/CivicA]erts.aspx?CID=12 • ReoTown Intensive Level Survey — Mr. Rieske reported that he had submitted a proposal to MSU for the assistance of a practicum class to complete an intensive level survey of ReoTown. • Cherry Hill Historic District, incl. Cherry Hill School — Mr. Sonnenberg reported that a neighborhood meeting will be held on December 13, and that Matt McNeil was recently elected chair of the Cherry Hill Neighborhood Association. • Cooley Haze House — Ms. Nelson reported that Joe Vitale wants more clarity on the timeline for the LBWL substation before proceeding with work on the Cooley - Haze house. • Preservation Lansing — No report. 4. PUBLIC COMMENTS — None. 5. COMMUNICATIONS — None. 6. STAFF AND COMMISSION MEMBER COMMENTS — None. 7. PRESENTATIONS — None. 8. OTHER BUSINESS — None. 9. PENDING ITEMS — Continuing work on guidelines. 10. ADJOURNMENT was at 6:12 p.m. Next Meeting: 5:30 p.m. Monday, January 14, 2019, in the CADL Local History Room, Lower Level, 401 S. Capitol Ave. Minutes Lansing Historic District Commission Local History Room, Capital Area District Library 5:30-7:00 p.m. Monday, March 11, 2019 (Downtown Branch) Lower Level, 401 S. Capitol Avenue. Lansing Ml 48933 CALL TO ORDER — Ms. Nelson opened the meeting at 5:30 p.m. A. Introductions and Roll Call: Present: Paul Connors, Rob Gibb, Heather Goupil, Cassandra Nelson, Carol Skillings, and Curtis Sonnenberg Absences: James Bell, Cynthia Redman, and Jaclyn Lillis -Warwick (excused) Staff Present: Bill Rieske Also Present: Chris Ventsias, representing Lucas AI-Zoughbi 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA—The agenda was approved as corrected by unanimous consent. MINUTES FOR APPROVAL— February 11, 2019 meeting. The February 11, 2019 minutes as corrected were approved by consensus. 4. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. HDC -2-2019, 534 Cherry St., Skylights a. Public Hearing Chris Ventsias was present on behalf of the applicant, Lucas AI-Zoughbi. No other member of the public was present at the meeting. Mr. AI-Zoughbi had appeared at the January 14 meeting regarding HDC -1-2019, a roof replacement. He had verbally request skylights, but those were not approved with the roof replacement as part of HDC -1-2019. HDC -2-2019 is about the addition of the skylights. Mr. AI-Zoughbi proposed five skylights —three on the north side, one on the south side (facing Hillsdale), one on the west side (doubling as an egress window), and none on the east side facing Cherry Street. A discussion ensued with Ventsias representing the applicant. Ms. Skillings voiced a concern about moisture. Skylights are holes in the roof into which moisture can seep. She noted the potential for ice damming, and asked about venting. Mr. Gibb said that the attic was never intended to be inhabited, and making the room habitable also introduces moisture. Mr. Ventsias said that plans are for eight baffles from the soffit vents to the ridge vent. The baffles could be wide, because the rafters are 24" on center. The ridge vent would be 16' long. Mr. Sonnenberg asked about the vents on the north side. Mr. Ventsias said they are for light. The skylights would protrude approximately 3%" above the surface of the roof. They would have a minimal effect on the historic character of the building because the north side does not face the street. Ms. Nelson said the skylights are certainly an improvement over the solar panels that are there currently. She asked commission members their opinions on the skylight facing Hillsdale Street. Members were split on this issue. Mr. Ventsias said the house across Hillsdale has a skylight. Mr. Gibb said that from the west, that skylight is behind the chimney, and from the north (Hillsdale side), which is the front of the house, that skylight is not very obtrusive. The proposed skylight would be more obtrusive. It would face Hillsdale and conflict with the dormer on that side. When asked about color, Mr. Ventsias said the skylight frames would be painted gray to fit in with the color of the roof. b. Commission action. It was moved by Mr, Sonnenberg, seconded by Ms. Goupil, and CARRIED unanimously (5- 0) to approve two skylights on the north side, and one on the west side, doubling as an egress window. Ms. Skilling reiterated her cautionary statement about ice damming. 5. 2018 CLG Annual Report Mr. Rieske requested comments on the CLG Annual Report he has to turn in to the SHPO. Ms. Nelson suggested adding something about preservation guidelines as one of the HDC goals. A discussion ensued about Basic Requirement #2, the qualifications of professional and lay Commissioners, and the distinction between the two. Mr. Sonnenberg said that the HDC Membership table should reflect his membership from 2002-2006. 6. UPDATES ON: • ReoTown Intensive Level Survey — Mr. Rieske reported that Katie Kolokithas from the SHPO, Ms. Nelson, and he had reviewed the MSU student draft and returned comments on behalf of the City. They were setting up a meeting with the students to go over the draft and the comments. Ms. Goupil suggested that the students check CADL's Local History Room for additional information. • Design standards - Ms. Skillings reported that she completed a draft of guidelines for windows for discussion at the next meeting. • Cherry Hill Historic District, incl. Cherry Hill School — Mr, Sonnenberg reported that the neighborhood association had met, but with nothing of significance to the Commission. • Cooley Haze House — No report. • Preservation Lansing — Ms. Nelson said the group had met and is planning Preservation Awards for October. 7. PUBLIC COMMENTS — None. 8. COMMUNICATIONS — None. 9. STAFF AND COMMISSION MEMBER COMMENTS • Ms. Nelson said she will be absent from the next meeting, and Ms. Skillings will chair the meeting in her absence. • Ms. Skillings said there was a presentation on William Durant at the R.E. Olds Museum at 7:00 p.m. 10. PRESENTATIONS — None. 11. OTHER BUSINESS — None. 12. PENDING ITEMS — Continuing work on guidelines. 13. ADJOURNMENT was at 6:00 p.m. Next Meeting: 5:30 p.m. Monday, April 8, 2019, in the CADL Local History Room, Lower Level, 401 S. Capitol Ave. 3 Minutes Lansing Historic District Commission Local History Room, Capital Area District Library 5:30-7:00 p.m. Monday, April 8, 2019 (Downtown Branch) Lower Level, 401 S. Capitol Avenue. Lansing MI 48933 1. CALL TO ORDER — Ms. Skillings opened the meeting at 5:30 p.m. A. Introductions and Roll Call: Present: James Bell, Paul Connors, Rob Gibb, Heather Goupil, Carol Skillings, and Curtis Sonnenberg Excused Absences: Cassandra Nelson, Cynthia Redman, and Jaclyn Lillis -Warwick Staff Present: Bill Rieske Also Present: None. 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA —The agenda was approved by unanimous consent. 3. MINUTES FOR APPROVAL— March 11, 2019 meeting. The March 11, 2019 minutes, as corrected, were approved by consensus. 4. North Lansing Historic Commercial District (Additional Documentation and Boundary Increase). Mr. Rieske reported that the report was sent by the SHPO to the City for comment and recommendation. Mr. Connors asked for clarification on the HDC's role in this district, since it is not an HDC project or a local historic district. Mr. Rieske report that because Lansing is a certified local government (CLG), its HDC is charged with the review of proposed National Register districts. A discussion ensued about the Digby Hotel, which later became Buck & Mary's Hotel, and is now home to a Thai restaurant. Members agreed that although adding the current names to the buildings would be helpful, the report is quite thorough. It was moved by Mr. Sonnenberg, seconded by Ms. Goupil, and APPROVED unanimously (6-0) to recommend approval of the North Lansing historic Commercial District (Additional Documentation and Boundary Increase) proposal. 5. Design Standards and Guidelines — Windows Ms. Skillings introduce her draft of guidelines for windows. A discussion ensued about format (bullets vs. prose), other examples (besides East Lansing's), and other approaches. Mr. Rieske noted that a former intern's earlier work on guidelines for windows was enclosed in the meeting packet. Mr. Gibb noted that several examples were on display at the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions (NAPC) training in Kalamazoo. Mr. Gibb volunteered to gather some examples for discussion by the Commission. 1 A discussion ensued about how to focus Commission efforts on completing guidelines. It was agreed by consensus to start by scheduling a work session after the May 13 HDC meeting for the purpose of focusing on guidelines. 6. UPDATES ON: • ReoTown Intensive Level Survey — Mr. Rieske reported that work is ongoing with the MSU students, Katie Kolokithas from the SHPO, Ms. Nelson. They will be presenting to the REO Town Commercial Association. Their final presentation is on April 26. • Cherry Hill Historic District, incl. Cherry Hill School — Mr. Sonnenberg reported that the neighborhood association had met on March 21. They are planning a park cleanup, and have other ideas including getting some goats to help keep the park mowed, having bike polo on the tennis courts, and art in the park. Mr. Sonnenberg also reported that JIMHO is interested in selling the Cherry Hill School building. • Cooley Haze House — Mr. Rieske said the purchase agreement is being revised by the City Attorney's Office to include rezoning the property to "F" Commercial as requested by Mr. Vitale • Preservation Lansing— No report. • NAPC Training — Mr. Gibb, Ms. Skillings, and Mr. Sonnenberg reported on the March 23 training in Kalamazoo. The session on preservation guidelines may prove useful to the Commission, along with the format for motions by Commission members. 7. PUBLIC COMMENTS — None. 8. COMMUNICATIONS— Mr. Rieske mentioned an East Lansing Info newsletter, sent to Commission members by Mr. Sonnenberg, regarding the possible elimination of historic districts in East Lansing. 9. STAFF AND COMMISSION MEMBER COMMENTS • Mr. Bell said that he would not be able to attend the May 13 HDC meeting. 10. PRESENTATIONS — None. 11. OTHER BUSINESS—None. 12. PENDING ITEMS — Continuing work on guidelines, 13. ADJOURNMENT was at 6:38 p.m. Next Meeting: 5:30 p.m. Monday, May 13, 2019, in the CADL Local History Room, Lower Level, 4015. Capitol Ave. NOTE: A work session, during which no official action will be taken, is scheduled for 7:00 p. m., or immediately following the meeting. 2 Minutes Lansing Historic District Commission Local History Room, Capital Area District Library 5:30-7:00 p.m. Monday, May 13, 2019 (Downtown Branch) Lower Level, 401 S. Capitol Avenue. Lansing Ml 48933 1. CALL TO ORDER — Ms. Skillings opened the meeting at 5:30 p.m. A. Introductions and Roll Call: Present: Cassandra Nelson, Paul Connors, Cynthia Redman, Carol Skillings, and Curtis Sonnenberg, and Jaclyn Lillis -Warwick Excused Absences: James Bell, Rob Gibb, Heather Goupil Staff Present: Bill Rieske Also Present: None. 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA —The agenda was approved by unanimous consent. 3. MINUTES FOR APPROVAL — April 8, 2019 meeting. The April 8 minutes, as corrected, were approved by consensus. 4. Design Standards and Guidelines — Windows The Commission reviewed standards from several communities, including Ann Arbor; Grand Rapids; Old Salem, NC; Ripon. WI; and Chestertown, MD; using A-V equipment courtesy of CADL. In discussing the attributes of each, several items were noted: • Old Salem's discussion of what makes a building significant; • Ann Arbor's diagram of historic window parts, and its ccontrasting of the appropriate vs. the not appropriate; • Grand Rapids' coverage of windows, porches, additions and skylights; • The merits of historic preservation, and historic districts within the City should be considered for part of an introductory chapter; • Chestertown's discussion of lead paint; • The influence of technology on preservation, and the substitution of materials should be covered. No action was taken on this item. 5. UPDATES ON: • ReoTown Intensive Level Survey — Mr. Rieske reported that work is completed on the REO Town survey. The next step is to discuss it with REO Town representatives, and possibly the REO Town Commercial Association. The students' on April 26 went well. https://www lansingmi.gov/DocumentCenter/View/7796/REO-Town-Historic-Survey 1 • HDC -1 & 2-2019, 534 Cherry St., Reroofing and skylights - Mr. Rieske reported that roof work was ongoing, but Wolmanized porch steps were installed. Since no permit is required for steps, it is not a violation, and no enforcement action can be taken. • Cherry Hill Historic District, incl. Cherry Hill School — Mr. Sonnenberg reported that the neighborhood association did the a park cleanup, and is still working toward a bike path, art in the park, and pickle ball. building. • Cooley Haze House — No report. • Preservation Lansing — Ms. Nelson said that there would be a meeting Thursday, and they will be doing preservation awards this fall. PUBLIC COMMENTS — None. COMMUNICATIONS — None. 8. STAFF AND COMMISSION MEMBER COMMENTS — Mr. Connors reported that this was his last meeting due to his appointment to the Board of Review. 10. PRESENTATIONS — None. 11. OTHER BUSINESS—None. 12. PENDING ITEMS — Continuing work on guidelines. 13. ADJOURNMENT was at 6:38 p.m. Minutes Lansing Historic District Commission Local History Room, Capital Area District Library 5:30-7:00 p.m. Monday, June 10, 2019 (Downtown Branch) Lower Level, 401 S. Capitol Avenue. Lansing MI 48933 CALL TO ORDER — Ms. Nelson opened the meeting at 5:33 p.m. A. Introductions and Roll Call: Present: James Bell, Rob Gibb, Heather Goupil, Cassandra Nelson, and Carol Skillings, Excused Absences: Cynthia Redman, Curtis Sonnenberg, and Jaclyn Lillis -Warwick Staff Present: Bill Rieske Also Present: None. APPROVAL OF AGENDA—The agenda as amended was approved by unanimous consent. PUBLIC HEARINGS (None) 4. MINUTES FOR APPROVAL— April 8, 2019 meeting. The April 8 minutes, as corrected, were approved by consensus. UPDATES ON: • ReoTown Intensive Level Survey— Mr. Rieske that he has a meeting at LBWL offices regarding the REO Town report and the prospect of a National Register district. • North Lansing Historic Commercial District (Additional Documentation and Boundary Increase) — Mr. Rieske reported that on May 31, the Michigan State Historic Preservation Review Board approved this nomination. • Cherry Hill Historic District, incl. Cherry Hill School — Mr. Rieske said that based on windshield survey he did that afternoon, 3 houses out of 23 in the Cherry Hill Historic District (13%) had vinyl siding. • Cooley Haze House — Mr. Rieske reported that the Planning Board re commended approval of the rezoning request for the property, ant that recommendation goes to the Mayor this week for City Council action. • Preservation Lansing — Ms. Nelson said that there would be a meeting Thursday, and they will be doing preservation awards this fall. She reported that she, Dale Schrader, Bill Castenier, Brian McGrain, and Mr. Rieske walked the site with Eric Schertzing of the Land Bank and Judy Putnam of LSJ. She said that although it has nice window trim that is basically intact, the rest of the building is in rough shape and barely salvageable. • Lansing Eastern High School — Mr. Rieske referred to the City Pulse article about Lansing Eastern, and a discussion ensued about a possible role for Preservation Lansing in encouraging the preservation of the building, possibly in conjunction with the alumni association and other stakeholders. 6. Design Guidelines — Commission members continued their discussion of design guidelines. Ms. Skillings had emailed a proposed table of contents to the members, Mr. Rieske brought a compilation of those sections favored for inclusion at the last meeting, completed by Rachel Wilke, who works part time in the Economic Development and Planning Department. He also mentioned Development Office specifications for vinyl siding, for cases in which buildings won't hold paint. Mr. Bell cited his experience as a painter, and said that buildings will hold paint unless there's an underlying problem such as excessive moisture. Ms. Goupil suggested the use of Google docs for the group to work on the document. Mr. Rieske said he will post the document after completing more work in-house. Ms. Goupil had provided A- V equipment for the meeting. No action was taken on this item. 7. PUBLIC COMMENTS — None. 8. COMMUNICATIONS — None. 9. STAFF AND COMMISSION MEMBER COMMENTS — None. 10. PRESENTATIONS — None. 11. OTHER BUSINESS — None. 12. PENDING ITEMS — Continuing work on guidelines. 13. ADJOURNMENT was at 6:45 p.m. Next Regular Meeting: 5:30 p.m. Monday, August 12, 2019, Local History Room, CADL 2 Minutes Lansing Historic District Commission Local History Room, Capital Area District Library 5:30-7:00 p.m. Monday, October 14, 2019 (Downtown Branch) Lower Level, 401 S. Capitol Avenue. Lansing Ml 48933 1. CALL TO ORDER — Ms. Nelson opened the meeting at 5:33 p.m. A. Introductions and Roll Call: Present: James Bell, Rob Gibb, Cassandra Nelson, Cynthia Redman, Carol Skillings, Curtis Sonnenberg, and Jaclyn Lillis -Warwick Excused Absences: Heather Goupil Staff Present: Bill Rieske Also Present: Angela Bailey, from The Christman Company; and Dawn Connor, from Visual Entities 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA —The agenda as amended was approved by unanimous consent. 3. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. HDC -3-2019, 208 N. Capitol Ave., Sign on Christman Building (Mutual Building Historic District) • Public Hearing Mr. Rieske introduced the sign proposal. The proposed sign is approx. 84.5 SF, well within the limits according to the sign ordinance. It is proposed for near the top of the building without affecting any architectural features. The letters are approx. 47" tall, opaque, and backlit with 'halo' lighting. Ms. Connor said the measurements are approximate at this time because the letters will be anchored to the wall through the mortar joints, and those exact dimensions haven't been determined as yet. The letters will be lightweight aluminum, with LED light diffusers behind each letter, with wiring inside the fasteners. The fasteners will be covered in silicone to protect them and the building from the elements. Ms. Bailey said that Christman's record on preservation is a point of pride for the company, and the purpose of the sign is to make the corporate headquarters more visible without compromising the historical significance of the building. 1 No member of the public attended the meeting to speak on this matter. • Commission Action It was moved by Ms. Skillings, seconded by Mr. Bell, to approve the proposed sign as presented. Mr. Gibb said he wanted to look at the plans first, and the motion was amended to: Preliminary approval at this meeting, final action at the next meeting (November 18). On a voice vote, the motion CARRIED unanimously (7-0). The Commission based its decision on: o the relatively small footprint of the proposed sign; o the building's distinctive features are being preserved; o the sign is differentiated from the original building and is compatible with its massing, size, scale, and architectural features; o the sign will be installed in such a manner that if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the building would be unimpaired. 4. MINUTES FOR APPROVAL—June 10, 2019 meeting. The June 10 minutes, as corrected, were approved by consensus. 5. UPDATES ON: • Cherry Hill Development - Mr. Rieske said he was not very familiar with the project. It is proposed for just outside of the Cherry Hill Historic District. (NOTE: The project can be summarized as follows: The development is proposed for the current site of 613 and 621 Cherry Street and 309-321 E. St. Joe. It consists of 52 units many of them efficiency apartments), with associated parking, on a 1.13 acre site fronting on St. Joe, It is zoned "DM -4" Multiple Family Residential District, which allows up to 87 units per acre and buildings of up to 100 feet in height, The proposed building is 3.4 stories (approx.. 45') in height, with a proposed setback of 15 feet (including the porches) .It is the subject of a zoning variance of building setback and front yard parking for one car.) Ms. Skillings asked if a rendering was submitted with the site plan. Mr. Rieske said that there probably was, but he hasn't had the chance to review it. • REO Town Intensive Level Survey — Mr. Rieske said there was little interest on the part of the REO Town Commercial Association to pursue a National Register district at this time. • Cooley Haze House — Ms. Nelson reported that title to this property has not transferred to Joe Vitale as yet. • Preservation Lansing— Ms. Nelson reported that Mr. Vitale has assumed leadership on a temporary basis due to the injuries to Dale Schrader. She reported that the Land Bank had sold two houses (one the Darius Moon), with the condition that they be renovated to the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation. Lansing Eastern High School — Ms. Nelson said she went to a meeting hosted by Joan Nelson regarding the reuse of Eastern High School, which becomes Sparrow property in another year. Future meetings are anticipated. Cherry Hill Historic District, incl. Cherry Hill School. Mr. Rieske raised the possibility of another Planning Practicum class doing an inventory of the Cherry Hill Historic District, to provide more in-depth and up-to-date information. He cautioned that the current Study Committee report is substandard under today's criteria, and the updated report could result in a recommendation to affirm or repeal the current local district. In the ensuing discussion, Commission members were supportive of the proposal. A. Design Guidelines — Mr. Rieske reported that work on the guidelines is stalled again because the people working on the guidelines were diverted to other projects. 6. PUBLIC COMMENTS — None. COMMUNICATIONS — None. 8. STAFF AND COMMISSION MEMBER COMMENTS: Ms. Lillis -Warwick noted that Saturday, October 19, is Michigan Archaeology Day, and archaeologist Dean Anderson will be giving a presentation at the Michigan Historical Center. Mr. Gibb questioned the legality of guidelines that are not codified in the Historic Districts Ordinance. In the ensuing discussion, the general consensus was that the guidelines, as currently conceived, will be based on the Secretary's Standards, to clarify and apply the Secretary's Standards in various situations, and will not be over -reach by the HDC. 9. PRESENTATIONS — None. 10. OTHER BUSINESS — None. 11. PENDING ITEMS — Continuing work on guidelines. 12. ADJOURNMENT was at 6:45 p.m. Next Regular Meeting: 5:30 p.m. Monday, November 18, 2019, Local History Room, CADL M in utes -Approved Lansing Historic District Commission Local History Room, Capital Area District Library 5:30-7:00 p.m. Monday, December 9, 2019 (Downtown Branch) Lower Level, 401 S. Capitol Avenue. Lansing MI 48933 1. CALL TO ORDER — Ms. Nelson opened the meeting at 5:33 p.m. A. Introductions and Roll Call: Present: James Bell, Rob Gibb, Heather Goupil, Cassandra Nelson, Cynthia Redman, Carol Skillings, Curtis Sonnenberg, and Jaclyn Lillis -Warwick Absences: None. Staff Present: Bill Rieske, Asst. Planning Manager; Andy Fedewa, Planner Also Present: None. 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA—The agenda was approved by unanimous consent. 3. PUBLIC HEARINGS— None. 4. DISCUSSION/ACTION A. MINUTES FOR APPROVAL— October 14, 2019 meeting. Approved by consensus. B. HDC -3-2019, 208 N. Capitol Ave., Sign on Christman Building (Mutual Building Historic District) • The Commission held a duly noticed public hearing at its October 14 meeting. At that meeting, the Commission voted unanimously to approve the proposed sign as presented on a preliminary basis. After reviewing the plans at this meeting, it was moved Ms. Skillings, seconded by Mr. Gibb to approve the proposal as presented. On a voice vote, the motion CARRIED unanimously (8-0). The Commission based its decision on: o the relatively small footprint of the proposed sign; o the building's distinctive features are being preserved; o the sign is differentiated from the original building and is compatible with its massing, size, scale, and architectural features; o the sign will be installed in such a manner that if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the building would be unimpaired. C. HDC 2020 Meeting Schedule. Several corrections were noted. The Commission, by consensus, approved a corrected schedule, with meetings at 5:30 p.m. on the second Monday of each month, in the Local History Room of the CADL downtown branch. D. UPDATES ON: • Cherry Hill - Mr. Rieske and Mr. Fedewa introduced a reconnaissance survey, which was 1 drafted by Mr. Fedewa. Ms. Nelson added that because of the weakness of the original report, this survey is intended to make the case for either reinforcing the district or eliminating it altogether. There are 63 buildings in the Cherry Hill neighborhood, but only 22 in the historic district. The district makes up only about a third of the neighborhood, and the distinction between the district and the balance of the neighborhood is not always apparent. A discussion ensued about whether or not the district helps to stave off undesirable development. Mr. Sonnenberg stated that he can no longer serve as a liaison for the Cherry Hill Neighborhood group and he will let the group know they are welcome to provide updates to the HDC when they would like. • Design Guidelines — Ms. Nelson said that because Cherry Hill is the primary residential historic district, it makes the most sense to draw conclusions about the report before getting into guidelines in detail. Mr. Rieske added that the report also contains some guidelines for review. • Cherry Hill School. Mr. Sonnenberg said he had no update at this time. • Cooley Haze House — Ms. Nelson reported that title to this property has not transferred to Joe Vitale as yet. • Preservation Lansing— Ms. Nelson reported that Dale Schrader had met with Ingham County Treasurer Eric Schertzing regarding the potential for a salvage facility for historical artifacts. Mr. Sonnenberg and Ms. Redman mentioned that such facilities were located in Kalamazoo and Ypsilanti, respectively. • Lansing Eastern High School — No progress to report. 5. PUBLIC COMMENTS — None. 6. COMMUNICATIONS — None. STAFF AND COMMISSION MEMBER COMMENTS: Ms. Nelson discussed the closing of the Moores Park pool. Renovation costs will total $1.5 million, according to estimates by the Lansing Public Service Department. It is leaking water, and operating costs are expected to reach $100,000 annually if the leaks are not fixed. Ms. Nelson said she and Veronica Gracia-Wing of the Park Board, are looking into potential funding sources. The pool is on the National Register of Historic Places. PRESENTATIONS — None. OTHER BUSINESS— None. 10. PENDING ITEMS— Continuing work on Cherry Hill report and guidelines. 11. ADJOURNMENT was at 6:40 p.m. Next Regular Meeting: 5:30 p.m. Monday, January 13, 2020, Local History Room, CADL