HomeMy WebLinkAbout12102020 Historic Preservation Meeting Minutes City of Seward,Alaska Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes
December 10,2020 Volume 3,Page 247
CALL TO ORDER
The December 10,2020 regular meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission was called
to order at 6:01 p.m. by Vice Chair Sue Ward.
OPENING CEREMONY
Vice Chair Ward led the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.
ROLL CALL
There were present:
Cheryl presiding and
Sue Ward Tanguy Libbrecht(telephonically)
Mary Ann Benoit (telephonically) wed-Woelkkers
Sherry Dale Furlong(telephonically)
comprising a quorum of the Commission; and
Valerie Kingsland, Library Museum Director(telephonically)
Karen Corrigan, Acting Deputy City Clerk
Excused—Seese, Woelkers
Absent—None
Vacant—One
CITIZEN COMMENTS ON ANY SUBJECT EXCEPT THOSE ITEMS SCHEDULED FOR
PUBLIC HEARING
The City of Seward is currently experiencing a declared public health emergency due to Coronavirus
Disease 2019 (COVID-19), so alternate methods for providing Citizen Comments were created.
Unless otherwise noted, the following Citizen Comments were submitted in advance and read into
the record by the City Clerk:
Mary Lynn Barnwell said there was a Walking Tour Quest project she had run with Jenn
Haugh and students from the Seward Elementary and Middle School.They created a walking tour of
the city's murals in 2017. The school modeled the tour after the publication "Questing" by Delia
Clark. She would love to share their"Quest"with the commission and looked forward to working
with them on the project.
Jenn Haugh(telephonically)gave more details about the Quest project and that they took the
students around town to look at all the murals and discussed the information behind them. The
students created a poem for each mural. Some murals no longer existed, however, Haugh stated
City of Seward,Alaska Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes
December 10, 2020 Volume 3,Page 248
herself and Barnwell would love to offer it to the commission for the walking mural tour being
discussed.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA
Motion(Libbrecht/Furlong) Approval of Agenda and Consent Agenda
Motion Passed Unanimous
The clerk read the following approved consent agenda items:
Approve the October 8, 2020 Historic Preservation Commission Regular Meeting Minutes.
SPECIAL ORDERS,PRESENTATIONS AND REPORTS
Proclamations &Awards-None
City Administration Report. Valerie Kingsland reported that she received the grant work
hours for CLG Grant work and encouraged the commissioners to file their hours every month
through June,2021 and that she should be contacted if more forms were needed.Kingsland reminded
the commissioners to include her in any emails so she could be kept updated. She thanked Wolfgang
Kurtz for his service on the commission.
Chair Report.-None
Certified Local Government Grant.Tanguy Libbrecht stated there were additional items
tonight for discussion, but felt the commission made significant progress on the grant work. He
stated that currently he, Benoit, and Furlong had worked in tandem and were planning for future
outreach in radio and newspaper ads to advise the public on their progress and opportunity for
volunteer hours.They were currently in the identification stage and would refer to Beniot for further
updates. He thanked everyone for submitting their hours for the CLG Grant.
Historic Overlay District. Sue Ward reported that there was a joint work session with
Planning& Zoning Commission, who requested the new and approved standards and guidelines.
Ward stated she would bring that information forward.
Historic Preservation Facebook Page.Mary Ann Benoit reported she would finish a series
on the properties in Seward that were on the National Register of Historic Places.Benoit hoped that
the Facebook posts would help educate and encourage owners to get listed. Libbrecht and Ward
thanked Benoit for her work on Facebook.
Other Reports and Announcements -None
Presentations-None
City of Seward,Alaska Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes
December 10, 2020 Volume 3,Page 249
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Items Not Completed From Previous Agenda
Discuss walkable crosswalk murals in the historic district.
Benoit thanked Mary Lynn Barnwell and Jenn Haugh for their comments. She believed
walkable murals were acceptable to do in a historic district as long as they pertained to the history.
NEW BUSINESS
Other New Business Items
Set the meeting and work session schedule for 2021.
Furlong commented she would like the meetings continued as the second Thursday of the
month at 6:00 p.m.She suggested changing the meeting in November to November 4,2021,the first
Thursday,to avoid conflict with Veteran's Day on the November 11, 2021.
Benoit agreed with Furlong.
Ward stated the meetings were on the second Thursday of the month to not conflict with the
Pioneers, who met on the first Thursday, and Resurrection Bay Historical Society met on the third
Thursday. Ward noted several meeting dates that needed to be changed on the suggested calendar to
accommodate being on the second Thursday of the month.
Motion (Ward/Libbrecht) Historic Preservation Commission meet on
the second Thursday of every month at
6:00 p.m.
Motion Passed Unanimous
Kingsland pointed out that the change for November 11,2021 to November 4,2021 was not
included in the motion.
Motion (Ward/Libbrecht) Cancel the November 11,2021 meeting and
add a November 4,2021 meeting.
Motion Passed Unanimous
Discuss and revise annual priority list for approval in 2021.
Ward offered to gather a list together with Seese and would bring a draft to the commission
in January. There were no objections from the commissioners.
Review, discuss, approve, and plan Annual Report to Council.
City of Seward,Alaska Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes
December 10, 2020 Volume 3,Page 250
Ward suggested postponing so she could speak with Seese and recognized Libbrecht wanted
to work on the report. There were no objections from the commissioners.
Review and revise HP Award Nominations.
Kingsland stated the included information needed to be updated for 2021, along with the
return date.Kingsland stated the due date should be March 15,2021 so the commission could vote in
April and present awards in May.
Ward stated she would meet with Seese to have an updated form to present in January.Ward
suggested backing time up at March 1,2021 so that it could be brought forward in March's meeting
and then have April for discussion and finalization.The proclamation could be presented in May to
council. Ward explained the date change from last year, which was in June, would allow the
commission to complete selection an awardee in time for historic preservation month this year.
Benoit suggested doing a Facebook post in January.
Motion (Furlong/Benoit) Change the due date on the Seward
Historic Preservation Award Nomination
form to March 1,2021.
Motion Passed Unanimous
Discuss ideas for the old video store next to Hotel Seward as it relates to Seward's historic
character.
Benoit said there were several decades of building styles in the immediate area of the old
video store. A consistent look would be difficult,but believed it could be done.
Ward stated she would be happy to sit down with the owners and help them with how to fit
their new building into the historical district.
Furlong pointed out the photo of the Hotel Seward that was added as a laydown for reference
of an earlier look to the buildings in the area.
Discuss the November 3,2020 joint work session with Planning& Zoning Commission.
Ward stated she attended the work session meeting and Planning & Zoning (P&Z) was
interested in the historic district guidelines and requested an updated copy. Ward believed it was a
great starting point.
Libbrecht stated he felt the commissions made progress in education and working together.
Benoit believed it was a good work session to help each commission understand each other's
mission, and found the connections that existed between the two commissions.
City of Seward,Alaska Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes
December 10, 2020 Volume 3,Page 251
Furlong said the P&Z appeared confused as to why they had met. Furlong pointed out the
Community Development Director stressed that Historic Preservation should push to have items
placed into code and should be the foundation for joint work sessions.
Ward believed Historic Preservation should locate gaps in code for historic preservation and
where there were agreements on code with P&Z as a starting point.As the recognition of the historic
buildings was strengthened,there needed to be protections in place to preserve the historic aspect in
town.
Kingsland stated any work with historic properties would be included in the 2030
Comprehensive Plan and could be used to back up the Historic Preservation's work.
Discuss the progress, challenges, and plan for the "CLG Grant 20005 Seward Public
Education Signage" i.e. Walking Tour.
Benoit said that the city received grant money to install about 25 signs,and probably would
end up with 15-20 signs along with a paper walking tour map for all the locations. She pointed out
the committee created a preliminary list for properties for signage and the walking tour; being
considered were locations that were easy to walk to,along sidewalks and/or established trails,as well
as properties related to military history. Outreach letters were developed and would be reviewed
tonight. Benoit felt other historic properties should be placed on a list for future inclusion.
Kingsland reminded the commission that there was no extension and June 2021 was the
deadline. In response to Furlong, Kingsland stated 300 volunteer hours were required. The
commission would need to submit a sign permit for review to Community Development, which
could take two weeks for approval, and that all 25 properties could be on one request.
Review,edit and approve the letter to private property owners about participating in the CLG
Grant 20005 Seward Public Education Signage project,including the list of property owners.
Benoit noted to change the"submit by"date on the letter to January 20, 2021.
Furlong requested that the letter should be inclusive to owners interested in possibility of
being listed on the walking tour.
Motion (Ward/Benoit) Approve the CLG letter to private
properties owners with the changes of a
"submit by" date of January 20, 2021;
possibility of being listed on the walking
tour.
Motion Passed Unanimous
Discuss options for the Jesse Lee Home property.
City of Seward,Alaska Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes
December 10, 2020 Volume 3,Page 252
Furlong believed that the commission might have some say on the memorial if one was
installed. She wanted to see the area stay open and not filled with buildings. A dog park was more
appropriate on the edge of the property, not centered.
Libbrecht noted the Planning&Zoning Commission(P&Z)voted 4 to 1 to designate it as
Park Land,and the rezoning required approval by council. There was a chance that this zone could
be designated as R2—Residential.He suggested that they applaud P&Z's decision to designate Jesse
Lee Property as a park.
Benoit asked about the role the commission had in the process for how Jesse Lee Property
was designated. Libbrecht responded that the need for the commission was to pull together and
support the property designated as Park and to comment to council that the P&Z recommendation
should not get overturned at the council meeting. She agreed and believed the commission should
reinforce that there should be a historical aspect as a park.
Ward agreed with the comments and believed that the location should have a memorial to the
Jesse Lee Home. She requested this item remain on the agenda as it progressed through the Seward
City Council,because more opportunities could arise for the commission to have input.
Motion (Furlong/Benoit) Create a letter to the Planning & Zoning
Commission thanking them for their choice
to suggest to City Council that Jesse Lee
Property be zoned as Park.
Motion Passed Unanimous
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS AND REPORTS — None
CITIZEN COMMENTS—None
BOARD AND ADMINISTRATION COMMENTS & RESPONSE TO CITIZEN
COMMENTS
Benoit was excited about the citizen comments tonight and looked forward to working with
the schools on walking murals in the Historic District.
Libbrecht appreciated all the work from the commissioners and thanked the clerk,Ward,and
congratulated Deputy Clerk Stallard on the new addition to her family.He thanked Kingsland for her
direction and support.
Furlong appreciated the work and participation everyone had done. She noticed on page 12,
there was a 2021 Historic Preservation Commission Priorities and Schedule,and February had a note
to discuss and plan for Historic Preservation Month in May;she wanted to start planning in February.
The education sign project would be a great opportunity for everyone to see the signs in May at one
location before final installation.
City of Seward,Alaska Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes
December 10, 2020 Volume 3,Page 253
Ward echoed Benoit sentiments and would love to see something done in parallel with the
walkable murals with the school.She thanked Benoit,Libbrecht,and Furlong for their hard work on
the grant. She planned to meet with Seese about the letters and other items for final approval in
January. She thanked Kingsland for her advice and support.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 7:50 p.m.
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