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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLandmarks Minutes 07-28-21CITY OF OSHKOSH LANDMARKS COMMISSION Minutes July 28th, 2021 PRESENT: Shirley Brabender Mattox, Steve Cummings, Gerald Jacklin, Andrew Smith, Nikki Stoll Olthoff, Kristopher Ulrich EXCUSED: None ABSENT: Elizabeth Hintz, Bill Miller STAFF AND OTHERS: Steven Wiley, Michelle Behnke (Human Resources Manager) 1. Call to Order Ms. Brabender Mattox called the meeting to order at 3:01 p.m. and a quorum was declared present. 2. Approval of June 23rd, 2021 Meeting Minutes Ms. Brabender Mattox asked the Commission if there were any revisions for the June meeting minutes. Mr. Cummings mentioned the line in Item 3 that stated, “Mr. Cummings recommended that the $5,000 he originally secured from Bill Heine for the project be returned to the Heine family.” Mr. Cummings stated that the correct spelling was Heaney and asked Mr. Wiley to revise the minutes accordingly. Ms. Brabender Mattox mentioned the line in Item 3 that stated, “She mentioned that she had a contact with Rebecca Comfort who was a tribal person and a connection between the twelve tribes and the historical society.” Ms. Brabender Mattox asked Mr. Wiley to add “with the Wisconsin Historical Society” after “Rebecca Comfort.” Ms. Stoll Olthoff asked Mr. Wiley to change the word “was” to “is” in the same sentence of the minutes. For Item 9 of the minutes in the last line, Ms. Brabender Mattox asked Mr. Wiley to revise the word “drawings” to “work packets.” She clarified that the Auler materials Mr. Laib had were work packets rather than drawings. For Item 12 of the minutes Ms. Brabender Mattox stated that Mr. Green’s name did not have an e at the end so she asked Mr. Wiley to amend the minutes accordingly. No one had any other revisions for the minutes so the Commission voted 6-0 to approve the minutes as amended (Cummings/Smith). 3. Election of Chair and Vice Chair - Action Mr. Wiley explained that the Commission needed to elect a Chairperson. He called for nominations three times. Mr. Ulrich nominated Ms. Brabender Mattox for the Chair position. No commissioners nominated any other commissioners so Mr. Wiley asked for a motion to close nominations and elect the only candidate nominated. The Commission voted 5-0-1 to elect Ms. Brabender Mattox as Chairperson. Mr. Wiley stated that the Commission then needed to elect a Vice Chair. He called for nominations three times. Mr. Ulrich nominated Mr. Cummings for the Vice Chair position. No commissioners nominated any other commissioners so Mr. Wiley asked for a motion to close nominations and elect the only candidate nominated. The Commission voted 5-0-1 to elect Mr. Cummings as Vice Chairperson. 4. 404 W New York Avenue – Local Landmarking - Discussion Ms. Brabender Mattox stated that Mr. Green was considering coming to Oshkosh within two to three weeks. She provided an explanation on the 404 W New York property. The home was noteworthy for its symmetry, design, and architectural details such as its Palladian windows. Ms. Brabender Mattox recalled how she had initially asked if there was a way to locally landmark the home years previously. At the time research had occurred and a consultant was hired but the previous owner went to Evergreen and there were fears of the property becoming a rental. Ms. Brabender Mattox had walked through the home with Rich Green and Terry Laib. She stated that if the property was landmarked under the current ordinance the commission had review authority over proposed modifications like with the Granary. The designer was Joseph Raycraft who was a noteworthy local carpenter/craftsman. Mr. Smith asked if Mr. Green had plans to live at the property. Ms. Brabender Mattox believed that Mr. Green planned to eventually live there. She stated that in many cases people left Oshkosh but still had roots in the area so they returned. She showed a photograph of the property that former commissioner Paul Arnold found from around 1915. She noted the houses and trees visible and that the house was built in 1902. The State Historical Society had a file on the property and the file mentioned the pedimented portico with its Ionic columns and lunette. The home had other features such as a dentiled frieze, gables, dormers, and Palladian windows. Ms. Brabender Mattox noted that Anderson Brothers had worked on the foundation to address water issues recently. She stated that the home was built for Frank L. Gates who was a Diamond Match Company executive and that Diamond Match was the largest match company in the world. According to the Wisconsin Historical Society the home’s portico was the best proportioned in Oshkosh. Mr. Ulrich asked what would happen if the commission landmarked the property. He asked if this would prevent it from becoming a rental. Ms. Stoll asked if once the property was landmarked the commission would issue a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) for work proposed for the property. Mr. Wiley answered that this was correct. Mr. Cummings stated that a COA was only for work that would impact the exterior of a landmarked property however. Ms. Brabender Mattox explained that her goal was to landmark at least one property per year. She stated that the 404 W New York item would remain on the agenda for the August Landmarks meeting. 5. Building Permit Review Mr. Ulrich mentioned the property at 426 Amherst Avenue which was on the list of building permits. He stated that he believed the fence was close to the neighboring property. Ms. Brabender Mattox stated that the 426 Amherst fence’s cedar construction was a positive. Mr. Jacklin asked how far the fence ran on the property. Ms. Brabender Mattox explained that city ordinances existed for fences. Mr. Wiley explained that ordinance prohibited 6 foot tall or solid fences between the front of the home and the sidewalk. Mr. Ulrich asked if the owner of 1301 Algoma Boulevard applied for tax credits and if the gas fireplace inserts included in the permit qualified for historic tax credits. Mr. Cummings answered that the work would not qualify for historic tax credits. Ms. Brabender Mattox asked if the property at 422 Church Avenue was owned by Marlo Ambas. Commissioners discussed and answered that Mr. Ambas was not the owner. Ms. Brabender Mattox explained that Mr. Ambas had two homes on Church Avenue and that one was for sale. For the property at 1369 Washington Avenue Mr. Ulrich asked if the Landmarks Commission could do anything to work with the owners. Ms. Brabender Mattox explained that she had contacted the owners previously when they did $80,000 of roofing work and they were not interested in tax credits. Mr. Ulrich asked if for 1361 Washington Avenue the fence included in the permit was only located in the rear yard or if it would run to the front yard. Ms. Stoll Olthoff replied that the fence would be located in the rear yard. Mr. Jacklin asked why property owners would select vinyl for the fencing material. Mr. Cummings explained that vinyl was a cheaper material than wood. Ms. Brabender Mattox mentioned that the owners of 1522 North Main Street were doing a large amount of work at the property and that she would still like to work on setting up a business to help people that owned historic homes. Ms. Brabender Mattox asked if any commissioners had any additional comments on the building permit review. No commissioners had additional comments so Ms. Brabender Mattox decided to move onto the next item. 6. Acanthus Awards - Update Ms. Brabender Mattox explained that the Acanthus Award nomination for the Waite Grass Carpet Company project was on her list and that she may get the Waite property nominated in August. She had to pre-record the presentation and was busy celebrating her birthday with relatives recently. 7. Historic Preservation Plan – Steven Wiley - Update Ms. Brabender Mattox asked Mr. Wiley for an update on the historic preservation plan. Mr. Wiley stated that he had provided a list of benefits of having an historic preservation plan to Anne Schaefer who had agreed to create a case statement explaining the plan to potential donors and other interested parties. He stated that he needed to follow up with Ms. Schaefer. 8. Historic Survey Ms. Brabender Mattox reminded the Commission that she had Mr. Wiley include some sections from the most recent historic survey in the June meeting packets. She asked commissioners to go through the survey and highlight properties that were eligible or potentially eligible for historic designations. Mr. Cummings stated that the area along Bay Shore Drive contained diverse architectural styles. Ms. Brabender Mattox mentioned that a guest (Ms. Behnke) was in attendance and that the Commission could switch to her item. Ms. Behnke said that the Commission could continue with its agenda. Ms. Brabender Mattox stated that the Commission could discuss the Chief Oshkosh project under Outstanding Issues. 9. Social Media – Discussion/Action Mr. Wiley updated the Commission and explained that he had done a post on Mr. Behnke’s plaque presentation which generated much activity on the page. Ms. Stoll Olthoff asked about the proposed tour for 907 Washington Avenue. Mr. Wiley explained that the owner of 907 Washington Avenue had applied for an historic plaque and that the tour could occur with a plaque presentation at the property. 10. Wisconsin Historical Society – Commissioner Training - Discussion Ms. Brabender Mattox explained that the Commissioner training chapter this month concentrated on factors in holding good Commission meetings. She asked if all the Commissioners received their packets. Mr. Ulrich answered that he did not recall receiving his packet. Mr. Smith and Mr. Wiley stated that the packet materials were also available online on the City website one week prior to the meeting. Ms. Brabender Mattox went through the Commissioner training chapter. She asked Mr. Wiley if Landmarks had bylaws. Mr. Wiley answered that the Commission only had the Municipal Code section laying out the Landmarks duties and functions but no bylaws beyond that section. Ms. Brabender Mattox moved to the section of the training that discussed work plans. She stated that Allen Davis had worked with Mr. Wiley on creating incentive programs for historic rehabilitation. She asked if these programs had progressed. Mr. Wiley answered that staff had created the historic rehabilitation program for designated properties. Ms. Brabender Mattox asked if the city had any historic design standards. Mr. Wiley answered that the only design standards were the general zoning standards and the special area design standards. There were no design standards for historic districts. Ms. Brabender Mattox asked the Commission to start thinking about historic design standards. Ms. Brabender Mattox mentioned that the training chapter suggested making informational materials available to the public. She stated that she would follow up with library staff on this and see what they had for the public and what Landmarks could add. Ms. Brabender Mattox mentioned the training suggestion about working with neighborhoods on educational efforts. She asked how many commissioners resided in recognized neighborhoods. All commissioners in attendance stated that they resided in neighborhoods. Mr. Cummings stated that Paul Porter of the Wisconsin Historical Society would like to do a workshop in Oshkosh on Historic incentives. He also noted for the section on designating historic landmarks and districts that designation does not always mean architecture and that people and events could lend significance to a property. Ms. Brabender Mattox stated that Oshkosh did not have conservation zones so she concluded discussion on the training. 11. Commissioner Statements a. 1321 Porter Plaque Presentation – Shirley Brabender Mattox Ms. Brabender Mattox stated that the Facebook response was all positive to the posting done for the 1321 Porter Avenue plaque presentation. Mr. Ulrich asked that staff place the new plaque application form and information on the Landmarks Commission webpage and remove the current application. He also suggested pushing the link to the new one on Facebook. He stated that he was interested in going through the historic plaque program. b. Historic Building Code Discussion – Steve Cummings Mr. Cummings did not have an update for this item and stated that the Commission could work with Paul Porter from the Wisconsin Historical Society to host a workshop. 12. Agenda Items for Next Meeting (August 11th, 2021: 3 PM in City Hall Room 203) Mr. Wiley mentioned that the Longfellow Lintel and 404 W New York landmarking projects would be back on the meeting agenda for August. 13. Outstanding Issues Ms. Brabender Mattox announced that the Commission had a guest in attendance to discuss the Chief Oshkosh signage project. The commissioners introduced themselves to Ms. Behnke. Ms. Behnke introduced herself as the city Human Resources Manager and staffperson for the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee. Ms. Brabender Mattox explained that Landmarks had been working on the project for five years and met twice with Tribal Chairman Douglas Cox and Tribal Historian David Grignon of the Menominee Nation. Mr. Cummings clarified that Landmarks had been working on the Chief Oshkosh project since 2015. Ms. Brabender Mattox stated that it was important for Ms. Behnke and the DEI committee to know where the project started. She explained that in some locations where historical markers were present visitors could take out their cellphones and scan QR codes which would take them to more information online. She wanted to have a narrative and explained that Menominee Nation Historian David Grignon could tell the story verbally in his own words. Ms. Brabender Mattox asked Ms. Behnke if she watched the previous night’s Council meeting. Ms. Behnke answered that she had not yet watched the meeting but planned to do so. Ms. Brabender Mattox explained that at the Tuesday Council meeting Council member Wojciechowski had pushed to get the project completed. Ms. Brabender Mattox stated that City Manager Rohloff had proposed a meeting between him, the Chairs of DEI and Landmarks, and the Mayor to determine how to move forward with the project. Ms. Behnke stated that the DEI committee did not know the project history and extent of Landmarks’ involvement. Ms. Brabender Mattox asked Ms. Stoll Olthoff her opinion on the proposed path forward recommended by the City Manager. Ms. Stoll Olthoff answered that she agreed with the recommended meeting between the City Manager, committee chairs, and Mayor. Ms. Stoll Olthoff left at 4:30 pm. Mr. Cummings provided background on the history of the Chief Oshkosh project. Bill Heaney had offered $5,000 towards the project early in the process. Mr. Cummings explained that the current drafts for the signage were too long and that the fifth plaque was controversial. He stated that he had told Dr. Manning a number of times that the text was too long and to tone down plaque five. Mr. Cummings stated that historic monuments such as the Chief Oshkosh statue should be controlled by Landmarks. He stated that Parks should be involved. Ms. Behnke replied that the Advisory Parks Board was discussing the Chief Oshkosh project at its August 9th meeting. Mr. Cummings stated that he had gone to a few foundations for funding and that they said no way when they saw the text for plaque five. Ms. Behnke stated that it was important to get the DEI committee and Landmarks together since DEI had only heard from Dr. Manning. Mr. Ulrich stated that the tribe was asking for plaques one through four and not plaque five. He stated that plaque five was an add-on by Dr. Manning. Ms. Behnke replied that the Menominee Nation had not come out against Dr. Manning. Mr. Smith replied to Mr. Cummings and stated that the author of the drafts was not rewriting history and that what was presented in the drafts was the Menominee history. Mr. Jacklin stated that the language on and near the statue should not be negative. Mr. Cummings explained that he did not disagree with what was said in the draft, but rather the tone. He stated that the Menominee were lukewarm in their reception of the proposed language from what he remembered. Mr. Cummings stated that when he met with the Menominee he told them to write their own plaques/history. Ms. Brabender Mattox explained that the Menominee Nation spoke rather than wrote their history and that she wished the group would have taped what was said in the meetings with the Menominee. She stated that it was unfortunate that DEI did not invite someone from the Landmarks Commission when initially discussing the project. Ms. Behnke stated that the DEI committee did not know the history. Ms. Brabender Mattox replied that the DEI committee should have known because she informed the Mayor and the board and commission chair meetings. Mr. Ulrich thanked Ms. Behnke for attending the Landmarks meeting. Mr. Cummings stated that he would contact the Heaney family. Ms. Behnke thanked the commission and left at 4:49 pm. 14. Adjournment Mr. Cummings made a motion to adjourn and Mr. Ulrich seconded. Meeting adjourned at 5:00 pm (5- 0). Recorded by: Steven Wiley, AICP, Associate Planner