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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 4/2/2002 - Landmark Commission / / THE CITY OF MCHENRY LANDMARK COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES APRIL 2, 2002 THE MEETING WAS CALLED TO ORDER AT 7:19 PM BY CHAIRPERSON GREG LOFGREN AT THE MCHENRY MUNICIPAL CENTER. MEMBERS PRESENT INCLUDED: JUDY FRANKS, KAREN JAMES, DAWN JOHNSON, SUZANNE KOTOMSKI, GREG LOFGREN, PAT SCHAFER, GRETCHEN THOMAS, SHELLY TROST, AND LORI WILHELM. MEMBERS ABSENT: MERLE JANSSEN AND ILENE WIEDEMANN. GUEST PRESENT: SUE HENDRICKSON AND MARYA DIXON. GREG PASSED OUT THE MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 12 MEETING. DAWN JOHNSON MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE MARCH 12, 2002 MEETING. PAT SCHAFER SECONDED THE MOTION. THERE WAS NO DISCUSSION. THE MOTION PASSED. GREG LOFGREN SHOWED THE DISPLAY BOARDS PURCHASED FOR THE OPEN HOUSE AND FUTURE COMMISSION USE. HE NOTED THERE ARE TO BE ADDITIONAL EXPENSES FOR THE OPEN HOUSE. GRETCHEN THOMAS MOVED THAT THE COMMISSION PAY ALL EXPENSES FOR ITEMS PURCHASED IN CONNECTIONS WITH THE OPEN HOUSE. JUDY FRANKS SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION PASSED. GREG NOTED THE BUDGET REPORT SHOWED A SECOND PAYMENT OF $50.00 TO THE LPCI. THIS PAYMENT SHOULD BE TO IAHPC. GREG WILL TALK TO CITY STAFF(IAHPC CONFIRMED THAT THEY RECEIVED PAYMENT,APRIL 30,2002)THE BALANCE IN THE GENERAL FUND STANDS AT $918.42. THE FACADE GRANT BUDGET STANDS AT $12,800.00. SHELLY TROST MOVED TO ACCEPT THE BUDGET REPORT, GRETCHEN THOMAS SECONDED THE MOTION, AND THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. A GENERAL DISCUSSION ON THE BACKHAUS SALVAGE BEGAN. GREG REPORTED THAT THE CITY WILL TAKE CARE OF STORAGE AND INSURANCE. GREG REVIEWED THE LETTER FROM MR. BACKHAUS. THE LETTER DETAILED VARIOUS STIPULATIONS REGARDING THE BACKHAUS PROPERTY. THE LETTER ALSO DETAILED VARIOUS DATES WHEN PORTIONS OF THE HOUSE WOULD BE EMPTY AND THE COMMISSION COULD GET IN THE HOUSE TO BEGIN SALVAGE. GREG ALSO CALLED ATTENTION TO THE ATTACHED LETTER FROM THE ILLINOIS HISTORIC PRESERVATION AGENCY STATING THAT SINCE NO STATE FUNDS WOULD BE USED NO ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY WOULD BE NEEDED. THE LETTER FURTHER STATED THAT IF ANY FEDERAL FUNDS OR OTHER FEDERAL INVOLVEMENT WAS BEING USED THAT THE PROJECT MAY HAVE TO BE REVIEWED UNDER THE NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION ACT OF 1966. DISCUSSION CONTINUED CONCERNING DATES FOR THE COMMISSION TO GET INTO THE HOUSE. THE WEEKEND OF APRIL 27,2002 WAS PICKED, MEMBERS WILL BE CALLED WITH FORMAL NOTIFICATION. GREG SUGGESTED THAT POSSIBLY ONLY ONE DAY OF WALKING TOURS BE CONDUCTED DURING FIESTA DAYS SINCE MEMBERS WILL BE INVOLVED WITH THE SALE OF SALVAGED ITEMS ON SATURDAY, JULY 20th, 2002. LORI WILLHELM MOVED THAT THE WALKING TOURS BE POSTPONED TO THE FALL, A DATE TO BE DETERMINED. GRETCHEN THOMAS SECONDED THE MOTION. DISCUSSION CONTINUED. IDEAS BROUGHT UP CONCERNED POSSIBLY DOING WALKS IN CONJUNCTION WITH A FARMER'S MARKET OR THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE'S FALL EVENT,POSSIBLY A HORSE DRAWN WAGON TOUR COULD BE CONDUCTED. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. GREG PASSED OUT THE LETTER FOR NANCY FIKE TO THE MAYOR. IT DETAILED THE HISTORY OF THE ABANDONMENT OF DOWNTOWN AREAS,AND IDEAS TO BRING ECONOMIC INTEREST BACK TO THESE AREAS. NANCY ALSO SUGGESTED THAT THE AREAS HAVE A DESIGNATED ARCHITECTURAL THEME TO USE WHEN NEW BUILDINGS IN THE AREA ARE BUILT. THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT PRESENT HISTORIC STRUCTURES WILL BE TAKEN DOWN TO CREATE THIS NEW THEME,RATHER IT IS ENCOURAGED THAT THE PRESENT HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT ARCHITECTURE STAY INTACT. THE NEXT TOPIC DISCUSSED WAS THE BOOTH FOR THE SALVAGE SALE ON SATURDAY, JULY 20, 2002 DURING FIESTA DAYS. LORI WILHELM STATED THAT A 10x10 FOOT SPACE WAS $75.00. SHE STATED SPACES IN THE NORTHWEST AREA OF THE PARK USUALLY OFFERED MORE SPACE TO SPREAD OUT. EXHIBITORS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PARK AROUND THE PARK SO EXTRA ITEMS WOULD BE OFF SITE, AND BUYERS WOULD HAVE TO GO THERE TO PICK ITEMS UP. OTHER SUGGESTIONS FOR SITES WERE ON RIVERSIDE DRIVE, GREEN STREET BETWEEN BOLGER'S DRUG AND THE CHAMBER BUILDING(FOR STORING ITEMS OFF THE STREET),NEWMAN PARK,AND THE PARK AT THE CORNER OF GREEN AND ELM STREETS(WITH CITY CONSENT). MORE DISCUSSION WILL CONTINUE AT THE MAY MEETING. GREG BROUGHT OUT SOME OF THE PHOTOS OF STRUCTURES TAKEN IN THE PROPOSED TIF DISTRICT. THESE ARE PHOTOS THE COMMISSION HAD VOTED NOT TO SAVE. NANCY FIKE HAD BEEN ASKED TO REVIEW THE "NO"PHOTOS TO BE SURE THE COMMISSION HAD NOT MISSED SOMETHING. GREG REVIEWED THE PHOTOS AND NANCY'S SUGGESTIONS. THE PHOTOS AND NANCY'S NOTATIONS WILL BE FILED FOR FUTURE REFERENCE. IT WAS MENTIONED THAT THE VOTE WAS SOMEWHAT NON-BINDING AS THE COMMISSION STILL HAS THE REVIEW POWER WHEN THE DEMOLITION NOTICE COMES BEFORE THE COMMISSION. GREG MENTIONED THAT IF THE NEW POLICY IS ENACTED THE COMMISSION WILL ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO WORK WITH OWNERS CONCERNING THE STRUCTURE'S FUTURE. MEMBERS THAT ATTENDED THE APRIL 1,2002 PROPOSED TIF DISTRICT MEETING REPORTED ON THE PUBLIC'S COMMENTS. ONE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WAS CONFUSED BETWEEN THE TIF PROPOSAL AND THE HISTORIC DISTRICT PROPOSAL. GREG ASKED MEMBERS IF THERE WERE ANY QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE PRESERVATION ORDINANCE. GREG MENTIONED THAT THE COMMISSION IS FULL SO SUE HENDRICKSON'S APPLICATION CANNOT BE CONSIDERED AT THIS TIME. GREG DID CALL HER AND APOLOGIZE FOR NOT BEING FULLY AWARE OF THE NUMBERS. SHELLY ASKED HOW THE PERCENT OF CONSENT WITHIN THE DISTRICT WOULD BE DETERMINED. GREG STATED DOUG MARTIN WOULD HAVE SOME MECHANICS ON THE CERTIFIED LETTER TO OWNERS TO VOTE"YES"OR'NO"TO THE NOMINATION. DISCUSSION CONTINUED AROUND THE NOTIFICATION OF OWNERS. GREG STATED THAT IT WOULD BE OWNERS OF RECORD AND THAT DOUG HAD STATED THERE ARE STILL A FEW IN QUESTION DUE TO TRUST SITUATIONS. GRETCHEN STATED THE SHE AND KATHY(COUNT'S HOUSE)HAD RECEIVED THE OPEN HOUSE LETTER AND THEIR PROPERTIES ARE IN TRUST. THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION WITH MEMBER'S COPIES OF THE ORDINANCE. SOME HAD DIFFERENT PAGE NUMBERS. NEW COPIES WERE MADE SO ALL COULD BE ON THE SAME PAGE. SHELLY SPOKE ON THE TAX ADVANTAGES IN THE PROPOSED DISTRICT. THERE ARE TWO PROGRAMS, ONE FOR OWNER OCCUPIED AND ONE FOR MULTI-FAMILY AND COMMERCIAL. THERE IS A STRICT PROGRAM TO FOLLOW AND THE STRUCTURES MUST BE IN A DESIGNATED HISTORIC DISTRICT. OWNER OCCUPIED HAS AN 8 YEAR TAX FREEZE AND THEN 4 YEARS OF GRADUATED INCREASES TO BRING THE TAX LEVEL BACK THE NORMAL TAX RATE. COMMERCIAL AND MULTI-FAMILY GET A 20%TAX BREAK . SHELLY PASSED OUT INFORMATION ON TAX ADVANTAGES SO MEMBERS CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS. GRETCHEN THOMAS STATED THE COMMISSION MEMBERS SHOULD BE PRO-ACTIVE AND ASK OWNERS TO GIVE HISTORIES AND OTHER INFORMATION ON THEIR PROPERTIES, LOOK AT THE SURVEYS, GET THEM INVOLVED. GREG WENT OVER THE HISTORIC DISTRICT NOMINATION FORM. GREG STATED MANY STEPS WOULD BE FULLY FILLED IN BY CITY STAFF AS THEY HAVE ADDRESSES,ETC. THE FORM NEEDS TO BE BRIEF BUT MENTION WHERE THE INFORMATION CAN BE OBTAINED. THE COMMISSION WILL WRITE THE HISTORY AND MENTION THAT THE COMMISSION HAS THE SURVEYS AND LIST SEVERAL ARCHITECTURAL STYLES. THE COMMISSION ALSO HAS PHOTOS. GREG STATED THAT THE LIST OF PLAQUED STRUCTURES,MINUS THOSE NOT IN THE PROPOSED DISTRICT, WILL BE USED FOR PREVIOUSLY RECOGNIZED STRUCTURES. GREG ALSO MENTIONED SOME DOCUMENTATION ON THE COUNT'S HOUSE WILL BE NEEDED AS IT IS ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER. GREG WILL TURN IN THE NOMINATION FORM SOME TIME AFTER THE OPEN HOUSE ON APRIL 4, 2002. GREG WENT OVER THE LETTER FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY CONSIDERING OWNERS OF RECORD, LANDSCAPING,FIXTURES,ETC. GRETCHEN THOMAS ASKED ABOUT THE CERTIFICATE OF ECONOMIC HARDSHIP. SHE STATED THE PROCESS SEEMS CUMBERSOME AND ONEROUS. GREG STATED THAT HE THOUGHT THIS LANGUAGE CAME FROM A SUPREME COURT CASE ON "TAKINGS."GREG STATED LEGAL QUESTIONS AT THE OPEN HOUSE WOULD BE HANDLED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY. GREG WENT OVER THE FORMAT FOR THE OPEN HOUSE, WHO WOULD BE SPEAKING AND WHAT TOPICS THEY WOULD BE DISCUSSING. GREG SHOWED THE LIST OF FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS CONCERNING PROCESS. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WOULD BE SENSITIVE TO ORDINANCES AND TRY TO DIRECT OWNERS TOWARD KEEPING THE HISTORIC LOOK WITH ITEMS NOT COVERED UNDER THE PRESERVATION ORDINANCE. GREG WENT OVER HIS OPEN HOUSE PROPOSED OPENING REMARKS WITH THE MEMBERS. GRETCHEN THOMAS NOTED THAT THE SURVEY DATE SHOULD BE 1985 NOT 1988. GREG STATED A BRIEF HISTORY WOULD BE PASSED OUT TO THE PUBLIC �-- ATTENDING THE OPEN HOUSE. GRETCHEN ASKED IF MEMBERS ARE GOING TO BE ANSWERING QUESTIONS. GREG STATED DOUG AND JOE WILL BE ANSWERING QUESTIONS. IT WAS STATED THE COMMISSION WILL REVIEW FACADES,ALL 4 ELEVATIONS. PAINT COULD BE A CONSIDERATION FOR REVIEW. GREG STATED OWNERS WOULD HAVE TO COME IN FOR A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS. GREG STATED THAT THE COMMISSION IS THE REVIEW BODY, BUT THE COUNCIL HAD THE FINAL APPROVAL. THE COMMISSION MUST TRY TO KEEP THE CHARACTER OF THE ARCHITECTURAL STYLE. MEMBERS AGAIN EMPHASIZED THAT THE DESIGNATION IS TO KEEP THE CHARACTER OF THE DISTRICT INTACT. THE COMMISSION IS THERE TO HELP OWNERS KEEP THIS HISTORIC CHARACTER. THE COMMISSION IS A RESOURCE. THE DISTRICT SHOULD PROTECT FROM INAPPROPRIATE DEVELOPMENT. THE COMMISSION IS NOT GOING TO FORCE OWNERS TO PUT THEIR STRUCTURES BACK TO THE ORIGINAL. SHELLY MENTIONED THERE IS A GOOD, BETTER, BEST GRADE IN HISTORIC RESTORATION MATERIALS. PEOPLE OF MCHENRY MUST REMEMBER WHAT STILL EXISTS IN MCHENRY IS REPRESENTATIVE OF WHAT MCHENRY WAS AND IS TO THIS DAY. GREG STATED HE WOULD BE AT CITY HALL BY 6:30 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2002 TO SET UP FOR THE OPEN HOUSE IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER. GREG STATED THAT MEMBERS SHOULD HELP OUT WITH ANSWERING QUESTION CONCERNING THE SURVEYS AND GETTING INFORMATION. MEMBERS SHOULD WEAR THEIR BADGES. THURSDAY,APRIL 4, 2002 GREG PLANS ON BEING THERE AT 6:00 PM DISCUSSION CONTINUED ON SETTING UP FOR THE OPEN HOUSE. FOOD WILL BE PROVIDED BY THE CITY. DAWN JOHNSON ASKED THE MEMBERS TO REVIEW THE E-MAILS CONCERNING INTERVIEWS WHICH SHE SENT OUT. LORI WILHELM MOVED FOR ADJOURNMENT AT 9:57 PM, KAREN JAMES SECONDED THE MOTION, AND THE MOTION CARRIED.