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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,