Minutes; Historic Preservation: January 2010

Evansville Historic Preservation Commission
Minutes
Wednesday, January 20, 2010 7:00 P.M.
2nd Floor, City Hall

Present: Rich Modaff, Betsy Ahner, Steve Culbertson, Dennis Wessels, Steve Christens and John Decker
Absent: Rick Schuch
Also Present: John Stockham, Sandy Decker

The meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM by chair Rich Modaff. Motion by Culbertson to waive the reading of the November 18, 2009 minutes and approve them as read. Second by Wessels. Motion carried.

Applications: There were no applications.

Old Business:

a. John Stockham was present to review and discuss the Evansville Historic Preservation Ordinances. He asked Commission members for their suggestions on items in the ordinance that needed updating. Items discussed include: 1) allow for a monthly meeting schedule, while making provisions for emergency situations. Currently the building inspector acts on emergency cases like roof repairs. 2) The ordinance should be clear and straightforward and should be examined from the applicant’s perspective. The clerk’s office is doing a better job of administering the program and alerting property owners to the requirements. The Commission has worked hard to build a spirit of cooperation and partnership with property owners, rather than an adversarial one. 3) The HPC doesn’t have an assigned staff person to work with property owners to help them assemble their info and educate them. The building inspector ends up acting as a policeman. 4) The ordinance has a maintenance component that requires property owners to maintain their property but it often ends up being used as a cheap rental and the ordinance is not enforced. 5) Procedures are needed to educate the public and get more information out to them. 6) The ordinance needs to fit the current practices.

John will review and update the ordinance and bring it back to the Commission for review. It will then go to the Unified Land Development Code Committee (ULDC) before going to the Planning Commission and City Council for a public hearing.

Administrative:

a. Grove Society – John and Steve are working to put up a picture rail in the museum room. That is the last of the woodwork to go up. They are waiting on the plumber to come in and connect the bathroom and the sink in the kitchenette area. The railing on the deck and ramp is finished. The building is almost ready for occupancy.
b. Nothing new to report on records management
c. Review of Open Meeting on 1/13/10 – Twenty-five people attended to hear the report on the work being done to create two new historical districts and place several buildings on the historic register. They asked a number of excellent questions but did express opposition to the new districts. Another public session will be held when Tim Heggland explains his work product. Then the nominations will go to the State Historical Society for approval. If they approve them and place the nominated properties on the State Register they will be forwarded to national for placement on the National Register. If a majority of property owners express opposition to the creation of districts it will not go forward but would remain classified as potentially eligible. Wessels expressed concern that Historic District property owners may not know that they have to comply with local ordinances.
d. Remembrance Day – the committee continues to work but it is still too far out to schedule the re-enactors.

Other Business:

Discover Wisconsin – the Design Committee has worked with them on the script and there will be a strong component in the show about historic Evansville. The show will air on June 11 and a premier party is being planned. It will be held in the park under a large tent and will be planned as a family friendly event. The committee is also working to develop a brochure because Discover Wisconsin goes to some trade shows and will take one piece of promotional material from Evansville. It will be a four-fold brochure with a map of a walking tour in the center.

Motion by Modaff to adjourn. Second by Wessels. Motion carried.

The minutes of the Evansville Historic Preservation Commission are not official until approved by the Commission.