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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1994-10-25 Historic District Board SummaryHISTORIC DISTRICT BOARD October 25, 1994 - 6:00 p.m. *Amended***AGEN DA*** Kenai CounCil Chambers Chair Dorothy Gray lw CALL TO ORDER APPROVAL OF AGENDA . APPROVAL OF MINUTES September 27, 1994 . PERSONS PRESENT SCHEDULED TO _13E HEARD . HISTORIC BOARD REVIEW w NEW BUSINESS a. Ornamental Lighting Poles - Old Town . OLD BUSINESS a. Outline Historic Preservation Plan *b. Mission Street Project- Archeological Survey *c. Grant *d. I STEA Funds of Beach Trail am REPORTS . BOARD QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS 10. INFORMATION ITEMS a. The Alaska Association for Historic Preservation Newsletter 11. ADJOURNMENT *a. Set Meeting Dates for November & December HISTORIC DISTRICT BOARD October 25, 1994 - 6:00 p.m. ***MINUTES*** Kenai Council Chambers Chair Dorothy Gray ,. CALL TO ORDER Members present: Jim Arness, Ethel Clausen, Dorothy Gray, Diane Rathman, Rose Ann Murphy, Alan Boraas, Karen Mahurin, Roger Meeks Members absent: Will Jahrig Staff present: Jack La Shot, City Engineer; Loretta Harvey, Administrative Assistant ,. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Additions to the agenda under Old Business were: b. Mission Street Project, c: Historic Preservation Grant; d. ISTEA Funds for Beach Trail' under Adjournment a. Set Meeting Dates for November/December. Agenda approved by unanimous consent. ., APPROVAL OF MINUTES September 27, 1994 Changes to the minutes were: Add Alan Boraas to members present; change reference to "remains of natives" on page three to "remaining natives"; Add Father before Nikolai on page three. MOTION AND VOTE: Diane Rathman moved approval of minutes as amended. Rose Ann Murphy seconded. Minutes passed as amended. 1 PERSONS PRESENT SCHEDULED TO _RI= HFARD HISTORIC BOARD REVIEW Historic Distdct Board October 25, 1994 Page 1 . NEW BUSINESS a. Ornamental Lighting Poles - Old Town Jack La Shot reported the Mayor and City Council had asked the Board to help in the selection of these lights. They were proposing 3 to 4 lights at this time. however, there has been discussion to light the streets from the Kenai Bicentennial Visitor and Cultural Center (KBVCC). The proiect may be started in the summer of .1995. Alan Boraas did not feel this would be an accurate historic development in Old Town as there were never any gas lamps in that area. The kind of lighting would give the zone a Hometown USA effect, which is not what Old Town was, or is. Karen Mahurin felt the area will be changed when the street is paved, and if there is lighting included in the project, it should be consistent with the history of the area. Jim Arness said the only lights he could ever recall in this area of the city were on the front of the houses. Arness thought the Board should take the whole proiect in context and have input on the entire project. The question is whether to create what looks good or what is historic. Arness felt it would be appropriate to recommend to not select this type of lighting. Alan Boraas felt in order to have a comprehensive plan for the area the city needed to establish what was there. Boraas showed a map which was believed to be the earliest map of the area, the native village was in the area now known as Old town, and also indicates that most of the Russian structures were also in that area. He believe there were dirt paths beneath where the pavement is. He felt an archeologist should do a survey under the area to be repaved, because there may be a lot of valuable information there. He was not against the lighting but thought it was premature to be choosing it, when there was more work to be done. Jim Arness informed the Board that a different street plan had been discussed which would have taken the road through the Fish and Wildlife property. One of the objections was that an historical survey would have to be accomplished before that could be done. Dorothy Gray said one of the reasons for the street repaving was the legal aspect that this is not a public street. At this point 50,000 tourists a year go onto private land, which makes the Church liable. The City and Church have an agreement and the City maintains the street. If the City obtained the easement the Church would no longer be liable. Gray had talked with the Architects at the National Park Service in Anchorage, they felt the street should be on the original pattern in order to preserve the historical character of the zone. Historic Distdct Board October 25, 1994 Page 2 Roger Meeks noted any areas in Kenai which have utilities have been excavated, without architectural studies. The only area that was disturbed was between the church and Fort Kenay which is where they installed the sewer line. This area, plus down to Arness's office and around to Bay View Arms, and the Fish & Wildlife property are probably the only undisturbed areas in Old Town. That's where most of the history would be. MOTION: ALAN BORAAS MOVED THAT THE LIGHT DISCUSSION BE POSTPONED UNTIL IT CAN BE INCORPORATED INTO THE BROADER PLAN FOR MISSION STREET. JIM ARNESS SECONDED. DISCUSSION: Karen Mahurin said she hated to not take advantage of lighting which would be incorporated in the street plan. She didn't feel there was a way to properly depict the lighting when there was no electricity. Lights help to define an area which is something the Board wishes to do. She wanted to clarify that the motion was to just postpone a selection of lighting before she would support it. Boraas said the intent was not to delete the lighting at this time, but to postpone the discussion regarding lighting until the project can be taken in context and the community can decide what they want in that area. Boraas felt that street lighting was important in that area, but did not want to get stuck with a decision too early in the process. Dorothy Gray asked for a vote on postponing the decision until the lighting can be included in the total plan. VOTE: MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. OLD BUSINESS a. Outline Historic Preservation Plan Chairperson Gray explained that the ordinance was in place but now the Board needed to establish a plan. This was the last criteria for the City to become a Certified Local Governement. The plan should be comprehensive and examines the many different historic aspects of the area, and also contain a statement of the goals and objectives. She asked the group to brainstorm ideas for the plan. Historic District Board October 25, 1994 Page 3 Items were' Goals & Objectives/Mission Statement Survey of the historical sites already identified Survey of the historic district according to the ordinance and Alaska State guidelines Survey of historic sites outside of the zone Archeological study Nominations for future historic sites Current and past preservation efforts Educating the community Acquisition of property Maps and current zoning Trails Develop Signage Development recommendations Roger Meeks said the archeological study should start before the paving project. That would include to Overland around, through the Church to Arness's office. That's the only area that could be studied now, since that's the only area the city has an agreement with the church to utilize. Alan Boraas added the survey should include a broad spectrum, including subsurface, old buildings, anything the area has of an historic nature. A lot of it is known, but a lot may not be known. Roger Meeks asked Gray what the Council's response was to the recommendation from the Board to begin the acquisition of property between Overland, Upland and Mission Street? Gray said they did not respond, but they had to follow meeting protocol and this was not a discussion item, Gray was just presenting the issue. Gray asked Loretta Harvey to get the list out to the Board as soon as posSible so they could consider it more closely for the next meeting. b. Mission Street Project Alan Boraas reiterated the importance of an archeological survey being performed before the Mission Street project is started. Chairperson Gray recommended Boraas contact Jim Childers, the head of the project from Anchorage, because he said there may be funds available for such a project. Boraas noted if this is a federally funded project the survey would be required. Gray said they had told the city a survey is not required on an already developed road. Historic Distdct Board October 25, 1994 Page 4 Rose Ann Murphy noted it had never been a dedicated road. Boraas felt it would be the State Preservation Office's responsibility to make sure a survey was completed. Gray said they had been informed of this. Jim Arness thought the Board should take the Mission Street project on as one of their duties. He thought the Board should review the project and pass on recommendations to the proper people. He felt it was important the Board be proactive not reactive. MOTION: KAREN MAHURIN MOVED THAT THE CHAIRMAN NOTIFY THE COUNCIL IN WRITING THAT AN ARCHEOLOGICAL SURVEY BE DONE BEFORE THE MISSION STREET PROJECT IS STARTED. ALAN BORI~S SECONDED. Jim Arness felt it was the Board's responsibility to take action on projects going on in this zone and thought the Board should be involved in the overall project. One of the recommendations regarding the project would be the archeological survey. Karen Mahurin said she was just concerned that the archeological survey be done in conjunction with Mission Street paving by the church. VOTE: YES=7 NO=I Jim Arness Chairperson Gray thought the Board desired to have input on this project since it would be a focal point of the district, and also make sure an archeological study be done in conjunction with he project. She asked Jack La Shot if he could give a comprehensive report on the Mission Street Project at the next meeting. La Shot said he would work on this. c. Grant Application Jack La Shot reported the grant was due by December 9th. Staff will be able to prepare most of the grant but the Board should help with certain items. For example, if the city hires someone to do the survey, resumes must be attached. Also, if private property will be entered, written permission must be attained. La Shot explained the grant will not be approved until the City has received CLG status so it is important to establish the Preservation Plan in conjunction with working on the grant. Historic District Board October 25, 1994 Page 5 8. REPORTS . BOARD QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS 10. INFORMATION ITEMS a. The Alaska Association for Historic Preservation Newsletter 11. ADJOURNMENT a. Rescheduling Meeting Dates Chairperson Gray asked that the November and December meetings be rescheduled due to conflicting holiday/vacation schedules. The Board agreed to reschedule the meetings to November 15th and December 15th. There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at approximately 8:20 p.m. Respectfully submitted, L~etta E. H~dm~ive Asst. Historic District Board October 25, 1994 Page 6