HomeMy WebLinkAbout10282015 Historic Preservation Minutes City of Seward,Alaska Historic Preservation Commission Minutes
October 28, 2015 Volume 3,Page 32
Call to Order
The October 28, 2015 regular meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission was
called to order at 6:38 p.m. by Chair Linda Lasota.
Opening Ceremony
Commissioner Roach' led the pledge of allegiance to the flag.
Roll Call
There were present:
Linda Lasota presiding, and
John French Wolfgang Kurtz
Wadeen Hepworth Laura Erickson - Telephonic
Fred Woelkers Sandie Roach'
comprising a quorum of the Commission; and
Valarie Kingsland, Library Museum Director
Heather McClain, Library Museum Staff
Absent—None
Special Reports - None
City Administration Report, Library Museum Director Valarie Kingsland said SCLM
was still short staffed and that she would be interviewing for potential applicants for the Program
Coordinator soon.
Kingsland asked who brought up the Historic Preservation files to Jim Hunt. Chair Lasota said
that she had asked for clarification about the status of getting access to the files. She also said
that she would be meeting with Jim on Tuesday, November 3 to talk about a University of
Alaska Fairbanks project and about obtaining a filing cabinet for Historic Preservation.
Other Reports,Announcements and Presentations
Hepworth, Friends of the Jesse Lee Home and Iditarod Trail Blazers — No update on
Friends of the Jesse Lee Home. Kurtz said a report from Friends of Jesse Lee Home was given to
Council on Monday October 26 and audio was available through City Clerks Office on City of
Seward website. Hepworth said that the mural list was updated by Seward Mural Society via
Seward Arts Council. She said that the owner of Eureka Pizza wanted to meet with the
Commission. Hepworth also spoke with Carol Griswold about making and updating a tree report.
French, Resurrection Bay Historical Society (RBHS) — No update on RBHS. The next
regular business meeting for RBHS was November 19 at 7:00p at the Seward Community
Library and Museum.
City of Seward,Alaska Historic Preservation Commission Minutes
October 28, 2015 Volume 3,Page 33
Citizens' comments on agenda items not scheduled for public hearing and other items not
included on the agenda.
None
Approval of Agenda and Consent Agenda
Motion (French, Roach) Approve the Agenda and Consent
Agenda
Motion Passed Unanimous
Public Hearings -None
Unfinished Business
Plan how to address request from SPRD regarding evaluating historic value of parts
of Two Lakes, and Forest Acres.
French spoke with Judith Bittner from State Historic Preservation Office about Fort Raymond
survey. Further research needed to be done to determine if a Section 106 has been done on the
property and was on record. If there is a record, it would be with Community Development.
Kingsland said she would contact Donna Glentz about records regarding Section 106 reports
previously done on Fort Raymond, Two Lakes and waterfront parks. Fort Raymond was priority.
Item was left on agenda for future December meeting.
Motion 0 No action taken.
Motion
Coordinate with State Historic Preservation Office regarding obtaining assistance
surveying historic value of properties
Woelkers asked that Alaska Railroad project be added. Kingsland said she would inquire about
past surveys of Alaska Railroad property, specifically in the boundaries given by the Alaska
Railroad representative.
Motion 0 No action taken.
Motion
City of Seward,Alaska Historic Preservation Commission Minutes
October 28, 2015 Volume 3,Page 34
Election of Seward Historic Preservation Commission Officers
Moved to agenda in May meeting.
Motion No action taken.
Motion
New Business
Approve minutes from May 14, 2015 and September 16, 2015 meetings.
Motion (French, Hepworth) Approved minutes from May 14,
2015 and September 16, 2015
meetings.
Motion Passed Unanimous
Presentation from Patty Murphy from the Alaska Railroad Corporation
Rosetta Alcantra presented on upcoming Alaska Railroad project, which she said was currently
in planning phases. Studies were being conducted and compiled, and Alcantra said that a project
schedule and master plan would be created by end of November 2016. Alcantra said that the
Alaska Railroad would be checking in at milestones to make sure that studies are in alignment
with plan. Within master plan there would be specific sections regarding freight traffic plan,
passenger traffic plan, transportation connectivity plan. During this process, Alcantra and her
team would be identifying needs, infrastructure, patterns, collecting data, environmental impact,
etc., and were asking stakeholders 4 sets of evaluation questions.
Chair Lasota asked if Alaska Railroad project team would be surveying passenger docks.
Alcantra said she was not sure but that the assessment was to determine where the Railroad
would invest resources.
Alcantra asked if the Commission has any concerns. Kurtz asked if Seward was the only port the
Railroad was considering. Hepworth asked why the push now. Alcantra said Railroad is looking
to identify assets and what needs to be updated, refurbished, or constructed.
Roach' said she was encouraged that Railroad was interested in investing in Seward. Railroad
depot in Seward could use restructuring, maintenance, and expansion due to high traffic in the
summer, May to September, and accommodate more passengers. She also recommended that the
Railroad include more historic interpretation. Mix of passengers, baggage, and vehicles. Alcantra
said passenger traffic and transportation connectivity plans would address those concerns. Chair
Lasota suggested looking at Talkeetna Depot as a model.
Woelkers asked what the deadline was to get concerns included in the plan, for example he
suggested that the World War II structures south of airport needed to be surveyed. Alcantra said
by January. Literature review first, anything in State Historic Preservation Office database.
Contact information for Alcantra: ralcantra@e3alaska.com
City of Seward,Alaska Historic Preservation Commission Minutes
October 28, 2015 Volume 3,Page 35
Motion 0 No Action Taken
Motion Approved
Discuss resolution for Jim Herbert's property
Discussion on whether or not to approve both nomination for the 2015 Seward Historic
Preservation Award. Commission decided that it had been done in the past and could be done
again. Chair Lasota found resolutions regarding designation of historic properties. Item was
moved to next meeting agenda, November 18, once resolution had been written and reviewed.
Motion 0 No Action Taken
Motion Approved
Discuss resolution for Historic Preservation Award
Found Resolution 99-02, Seward Historic Preservation Award from 1999, which would be used
as format for 2015 Award nominations. Chair Lasota volunteered to write and present to Library
Museum Director Kingsland for review. Item was moved to next meeting agenda, November 18.
Motion 0 No action taken.
Motion
Discussion of Historic Preservation Commission Notebook
Commissioner French found his copy of the Historic Preservation Commission Notebook.
Administration said they would review the materials and figure out what to do next. Kingsland
asked for clarification on whether or not the Commission would like copies of the documents on
the flash drive. Chair Lasota said yes.
Motion 0 No action taken.
Motion
Discussion on updating the History and Accomplishments of the Seward Historic
Preservation Commission
Commissioners agreed that the list presented in the meeting packets needed to reflect all past
accomplishments and could be updated as the Commission works on current and future projects.
French requested that the Commission organize a website to upload and share documents that
they find useful or are working on for the Commission. Roach' recommended Commission
review document to determine which projects have been completed and which are still in
progress or never finished.
Kingsland stated that there is a backlog of work especially around the time when the
Commission was transferred from Community Development to the Library Museum. Wanted to
City of Seward,Alaska Historic Preservation Commission Minutes
October 28, 2015 Volume 3,Page 36
reiterate that the Seward Historic Preservation Plan is not finished and wanted to know what the
Commission's focus and direction is with the Plan.
Motion 0 No action taken.
Motion
Informational Items and Reports (No action required)
2015 Historic Preservation Conference Attendee Report
Chair Lasota said that all of the conference materials pertaining to Historic Preservation Plans
and documents from other communities would be available online, as well as powerpoint
presentations and notes from the conference. She recommended that Commissioners do research
before the next work session so that the Commission can move forward on continuing to work on
the Seward Historic Preservation Plan.
Commission Comments
Hepworth—Requested that meetings need to be more conscise. She would like to invite Heather
McClain to explain what it is she does at the Museum at some point during a future meeting or
work session.
Erickon—Agreed with Hepworth that meetings should be more conscise.
French — Suggestion to do further research on early Alaska Native peoples and presence in the
Resurrection Bay area.
Roach' - Suggested that Administration move minutes to consent agenda on the next meeting
agenda.
Worlkers — Said he would walk the uplands area before the next meeting. He said he was
interested in Old Alaska Nellie tapes but that they are missing.
Chair Lasota — Judith Bittner was coming to Seward Wednesday, November 4 at the Library
Museum. Asked Kingsland if a work session could be set up. Kingsland said she would follow-
up and figure out a time/place for a work session. Topics for future work sessions were to
continue working on Seward Historic Preservation Plan and to research resources for historic
and archaeological surveys.
November regular meeting was set for November 18 to be immediately followed by a work
session to work on the Plan. December regular meeting was set for December 16 to be
immediately followed by a work session to work on the Plan.
Kingsland — Thanked Chair Lasota for volunteering to work on the resolutions and the
Commission for their patience and support.
Citizens' Comments - None
City of Seward,Alaska Historic Preservation Commission Minutes
October 28, 2015 Volume 3,Page 37
Commission & Administration Response to Citizens' Comments - None
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 9:19 p.m.
Heather McClain Linda Lasota, Chair
ATTEST:
Johanna Kinney, CMC
City Clerk
(City Seal)