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Town of Normal, Illinois. Committed to Service Excellence.

MINUTES
TOWN OF NORMAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
CONFERENCE ROOM C, CITY HALL
100 EAST PHOENIX AVENUE
NORMAL, ILLINOIS
REGULAR MEETING
September 9, 2003
7 p.m.

Members Present

Anne Matter, Kathy Burgess, Tammy Griffard, Kathy Smith Whitman, Bob Ward,
Bruce Warloe

Members Absent

None

Others Present

Mercy Davison, Town Attorney; Judy Scott, 501 N. Oak; Sandy and Tony Zayes, 402 E. Cherry; Jim Armstrong, 307 N. Walnut; Mike Millett, 607 N. Main

Call to Order

Ms. Matter called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. and noted a quorum was present.

Minutes

Mr. Ward moved to approve the minutes of the special meeting of August 7, 2003, and Ms. Griffard seconded. The motion carried 5-0. (Ms. Smith Whitman was not present for this vote.)

Ms. Matter requested that Town staff correct the minutes of the regular meeting of August 12, 2003, to state that the proposed demolitions in downtown Normal include some structures that are essentially not within the commission’s jurisdiction due to their construction after 1945. Mr. Warloe moved to approve the August 12, 2003 minutes with Ms. Matter’s correction, and Ms. Matter seconded. The motion carried 5-0. (Ms. Smith Whitman was not present for this vote.)

Nomination and Resolution to Designate Fell Park as a Landmark

(Note that the commissioners discussed the Fell Park issue prior to the 607 N. Main issue because the owner of 607 N. Main was unable to attend the meeting until 7:30 p.m.) Ms. Matter opened the floor to comment on the Fell Park nomination, as several neighbors of the park were in attendance. Ms. Scott stated that many people in the area had thought the park was already designated due to the historical markers on the side of the water tower. She believes it deserves designation due to the unique water tower and its status as Normal’s first park. She also noted that the trees planted along Willow Street were planted in honor of Adlai Stevenson.

Ms. Matter clarified that the nomination covers the entire park, not just the water tower. The commissioners agreed that the report and recommendation needs to clarify that fact and the following:

  1. Protection extends to the brick sidewalks.
  2. The historic trees must be preserved within reason. The commissioners understand that sometimes diseased or dying trees must be removed, and they recommend that any such removal or trimming be reviewed by the Town arborist. If any trees require removal, the Town must plant at least one significant tree of at least 3 caliper inches and of a comparable species (long-lived and large) in its place or elsewhere within the Park.
  3. Maintain green space around the water tower and the vista of the tower from all directions.
  4. Maintain the current proportion of open space.
  5. The commissioners do not want to require historic commission approval on certain alterations to the park, including the following:
    1. Updating the existing playground equipment, picnic tables, and other appurtenances, as long as the new equipment does not decrease the proportion of open space.
    2. Tree trimming or removal as long as the Town arborist reviews and approves of such trimming or removal in advance.
    3. Non-tree-related landscaping changes, such as the removal of shrubs or planting of flowers.

Mr. Ward moved to approve the report and recommendation in support of designating Fell Park as an historic landmark with the above changes added to the report and recommendation. Ms. Burgess seconded. The motion carried 6-0. Ms. Davison will forward the amended report and recommendation to the Planning Commission, which will likely hold a public hearing on the park designation in October.

Ms. Scott then reminded the commissioners of the upcoming “Fell Park Festival,” to be held in the park on Saturday, September 20, 2003. Ms. Davison will take a display to the festival and will include information on the potential designation of the park.

Bone Grant Application, BG-03-08-11, 607 N. Main Street

The commissioners reviewed a revised Bone Grant application submitted by the Milletts, the owners of 607 N. Main. As the minutes from the August 12, 2003 meeting reflect, the commissioners requested that the Milletts resubmit a proposal focusing on the preservation aspect of the project, namely wood replacement. The August 12 minutes also reflect the commissioners’ concern about funding paint, as painting has in the past been considered an ineligible maintenance project.

The Milletts’ resubmission broke down the estimates into the following:

Woodwork (replacement of rotten wood and replacement of plyboard with wood siding) -- $5,430 (D.J.’s Painting) or $5,000 (O’Neal Builders)

Painting with only one color -- $8,000 (D.J.’s) or $10,500 (Ludwig Painting)

Painting with five colors -- $17,500 (D.J.’s) or $15,000 (Ludwig)

The commissioners spent a significant amount of time discussing the positive and negative aspects of approving any part of the painting project. All agreed that some amount of painting, such as using one color for the entire house, constitutes an ineligible maintenance expense. They then discussed the possibility of funding the difference in cost between one color and an historically appropriate, multi-color project. The also discussed ways to narrowly apply grant funds to such multi-color projects. Suggestions included limiting grant money for multi-color projects to “highly visible” structures, which tend to be the landmark structures not located among numerous other historic structures.

By the end of the discussion the commissioners agreed that the negative implications outweighed the positives. They were not sure that they could adequately limit the application of grant funds for painting – who would determine if the structure was “highly visible”? Who would approve the historic appropriateness of the colors? What if the structure was originally all one color, and how would the commission know? The commissioners also noted that the commission has no jurisdiction over the painting of previously painted surfaces. As a result, the commission could fund a multi-color painting project, the owner could sell the project, and the new owner could repaint without any approval. The commissioners also expressed concern over how approval of painting could be extended to other maintenance activities, such as the installation of an asphalt shingle roof designed to look like an historic material.

The commissioners agreed that the replacement of rotten wood and replacement of plyboard with wood siding is eligible for grant funds. They also agreed that priming of the new wood would constitute preservation as opposed to maintenance. They requested that the selected contractor break out the cost of priming from the cost of painting. They could then apply grant money to the priming cost.

Mr. Warloe moved to approve the Milletts grant request in an amount not to exceed $4,000.00, which funds could only cover the cost of new wood siding that replaces rotten siding or plyboard and the cost of priming the new wood. Ms. Griffard seconded. The motion carried 6-0.

Other Business

  1. Ms. Matter announced the resignation of Ms. Ryburn-LaMonte, who had indicated in an email that she did not have enough free time to devote to the commission. Ms. Matter suggested that the commissioners email suggestions for a new commisisoner to Ms. Davison.
  2. Ms. Matter noted that the Town Council designated the Old North Normal Historic District at its September 2, 2003 meeting. A discussion ensued on the potential for more designations.
  3. Ms. Matter further noted that, with the addition of 138 new properties, the commission will have to function even more efficiently. Commissioners should avoid committing to special meetings except in very rare circumstances. Ms. Smith Whitman recommended a policy change in which all application materials must be submitted to Ms. Davison at least two weeks before upcoming meetings. Commissioners would like to receive all meeting materials at least one week prior to meetings.
  4. The commissioners agreed that they need a clearer procedure in place for new construction. In particular, they want applications for new construction to go through a slower process in which the commissioners have adequate time to review plans and make suggestions. Ms. Davison agreed to send a letter to Tom Gerschick, a property owner planning to build a new home in the Highland District. The letter should inform Mr. Gerschick that the approval process for new construction will take at least six months and that he should submit a concept plan as soon as possible. The commission wants to avoid any perceived “negotiation” process in which a property owner submits substantially completed plans that “can’t be changed” without significant hardship.
  5. The commissioners asked Ms. Davison to coordinate new text for the Old North Normal Historic District sign. She agreed to obtain a first draft from resident Bill Morgan. Ms. Matter and Ms. Smith Whitman will review the first draft. The commissioners reviewed the proposed illustration for the new sign and provided feedback for the artist.

No other business was discussed.

Adjournment

There being no further business, Ms. Smith Whitman moved that the meeting be adjourned at approximately 8:35 p.m. Mr. Warloe seconded. The motion passed 6-0.
 

Respectfully submitted,
 

Mercy Davison
Town of Normal Staff

This page last modified 05/14/08.