HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 6/4/1996 - Landmark Commission THE CITY OF MC11RY LANDMARK COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES
JUNE 4, 1996
The Landmark Commission regular June meeting was called to order at
7:21 p.m. by Acting Chairman Nancy Fike. One guest, Gloria Mack fran
the County Preservation Commission was present. Roll call was taken
with the following members present: Tan Bolger, Barb Byron, Nancy
Fike, Donnabelle Glosson, Greg Lofgren and Lori Wilhelm. Those absent
were: Stacy Bjorkn n, Marya Dixon, Adele Froehlich, Debbie Lane,
Carol Jean Smith.
The minutes were approved an a motion by Lori Wilhelm with a second by
Donnabelle Glosson. In the absence of the Treasurer, Acting Chairman
Fike read the Treasurer's report: Nothing spent since the last
meeting leaving a total in the account of $18,386.80. Barb Byron
moved accceptance of the Treasurer's report and Tan Bolger seconded.
Motion passed.
Acting Chairman Fike introduced Gloria Mack who spoke on the
activities of the County Preservation Commission. She described the
surveying being done on a continuous basis in the unincorporated areas
and that the County Board had been very supportive. She noted that
the two cities in the county that had preservation ordinances, Crystal
Lake and Woodstock had differing min reasons for enacting their
ordinances. Woodstock, for example, wanted to be a certified local
govenuw it whereas Crystal Lake's efforts were undertaken by private
citizens as strictly a preservation movement. Gloria recamnended that
our Commission involve the City Alderman early on in the process
before we go public with our efforts at a preservation ordinance.
Other activities undertaken on the county level include: sponsorship
of the Old House Support Group, working to get all the municipalities
to adopt ordinances and presenting preservation awards during May,
Preservation Month. The Commission decided to act quickly in McHenry.
Mrs Mack asked to be notified when our ordinance went before the City
Council.
Under Committee Reports: PRESERVATION ORDINANCE--Nancy Fike will have
it finalized by the August meeting. FIESTA DAYS TOURS--Greg Lofgren
reported on a subcommittee meeting with Lori Wilhelm and Nancy Fike.
Tour A and B (old parts of town) had been discussed and a list of
sites to be pointed out was presented by Greg. Still to be done will
be a tour hand-out, map and contacting individuals to help on the
tours. Barb Byron will head up the work on Tour C (Howard Barn).
Discussion followed. Lori Wilhelm and Tam Bolger seemed to have
plenty of information on Schaefer's (sp.?) Tavern that was on the site
before the barn was built in the mid to late 194O's. No other
committee reports were presented.
Under Old Business, Carol Jean Smith called Acting Chairman Fike with
information that she had written the owners of the old Peter Doherty
home on the corner of Green and Washington about a Commission
Recognition Certificate but had received no word back fran them.
Also, she had contacted the Diedrich's again about their property, no
response.
Under New Business, Acting Chairman Fike notified the Committee about
the letter received fran John Lobaito, Director of Building and
Zoning. It concerned a demolition permit applied for by Tonyan Real
Estate Partnership for property at 1404 South Route 31. Fike
reported that the farmhouse had historical significance having
belonged to early Irish settler, Thomas Phalin, who arrived in McHenry
County, section 10 of Nunda Twp in 1849. Up past 1862 a long cabin
sat on that site but in 1878 Phalin had the present house built by Mr.
McCauley, a carpenter, at a cost of $3,000.00. Sure changes had been
made to the kitchen and to a window an the north and west sides but
otherwise the structure was intact. Sometime recently the building
had been struck on the east side by a vehicle and part of that back
side was opened up, causing Mr. Lobaito to ask the owners to either
fix it up or seek a demolition permit. A motion was made by Tan
Bolger and seconded by Greg Lofgren that Nancy Fike write to Tanyans
asking them to delay their demolition application in light of the
historical significance of the structure and to urge restoration and
reuse of the building instead. A copy of that letter to be sent to
John Lobaito. Motion passed.
Continuing under new business, it was decided to postpone the election
of officers until the July meeting. No official action has been taken
by the Mayor an either the selection of a chairman or the appointment
of members. Greg Lofgren volunteered to be acting secretary.
A Facade Improvement Grant was submitted the evening of the June
meeting from four business owners on Riverside Drive (Harold Miller &
Robert Funk; Shirley Klapperich; Carol Bonzi; and Nancy Roozee) for
proposed new awnings (cost of project $4,707.00). Tan Bolger moved
and Greg Lofgren seconded that Acting Chairman Fike send the
petitioners a letter informing them that their application had been
`, received and inviting them to attend the July meeting to present
additional information that their proposal complies favorably with the
overall scheme of the Riverside Drive Plan and to answer questions
from the Commission. Motion carried. Included with the application
was a drawing of the proposal and a sample of the awning material.
For final discussion, the Commission discussed a set of 7 goals and
activities for the Commission for 1996-97. It was decided that
presentation of the Preservation Ordinance to the City should be
completed by September. The additional goals will be rediscussed at
the July meeting where deadlines can be set . A copy of those goals
will be included with the July packet.
No further business being brought before the Commission, Lori Wilhelm
moved for adjournment at 9:00p.m. and Barb Byron seconded. No
contest.
Respectfully submitted,