HomeMy WebLinkAboutHPC Packet 05-20-2025HASTINGS HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Agenda for Meeting of May 20, 2025
Regular business at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall in the Volunteer Room
I. Call to Order and Quorum
II. Minutes:
A. April 15, 2025
III. Certificate of Approval Review
A. 113 2nd Street E #101 – New sign - Tabled
B. 309 5th Street E – New fencing
IV. OHDS – Original Hastings Design Standards Review
V. Business and Information
VI. Adjourn
The next regularly scheduled meeting will be held on June 17, 2025 at Hastings City Hall
HASTINGS HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Minutes of the Meeting of April 15, 2025
Held at 7:04 p.m. at City Hall, Volunteer Room
I. Call to Order and Quorum
Commissioners present: Bremer, Toppin, Smith, Peterson, Schilts-Johnson, and Alitz
Edell (7:07); Absent: Borchardt, Simacek, and McCoy; Staff: Fortney
Chair Bremer called the meeting to order.
II. Add Items to the Agenda
A. 306 2nd Street W – New greenhouse
B. 615 3rd Street W – Mini-split AC
Motion by Commissioner Toppin to add the items to the agenda, seconded by Commissioner
Schilts-Johnson. Approved 5-0
III. Minutes:
A. March 19, 2025 Approved by Chair Bremer
IV. Certificate of Approval Review
A. 413 2nd Street W – Move garage to property
Fortney presented the staff report. The commission asked questions about the difference between
the approved proposal and this one. Fred Weiland, applicant, said the building is slightly
narrower, longer, and 200 more square feet in size. He added that it would be even with the front
of the house. The commission asked what will be done to the structure as it is moved to the
property. The applicant said the siding will be repaired and painted, the windows will be double
hung like the main house, and the front of the building will be converted to an open porch for
continuity with the district. He said the garage doors will be installed at the back of it facing
south.
Motion by Commissioner Alitz Edell to approve the proposal with the following conditions,
seconded by Commissioner Smith. Approved 5-0
• The exterior of the structure is made in good repair, painted, and in line with the
information included in the April 15, 2025 staff report.
• The setbacks in city code or as approved by the Hastings Board of Zoning Adjustment and
Appeals are appropriate.
B. 301 2nd Street W – Repairs, windows, porch, porch railings, and foundation
Fortney presented the staff report. John and Lorena Phelps, applicants, explained they removed
the siding because the foundation and beam needed replacement. They added that they will
replace it with the same dimensioned wood cedar siding. They explained that they replaced the
front steps without HPC or Building Department approval because the old steps failed. The
current steps were made for a different location on the property and were not meant to be
permanent. They added that the steps will be wider like the former steps with a similar railing
including 2x2 inch square spindles rounded in the middle as they have seen in photographs. The
applicants said the damaged windows will all be repaired as-is except an original window on the
top floor will be reinstalled in place of a vinyl window.
Motion by Commissioner Alitz Edell to approve the proposal as presented, seconded by
Commissioner Smith. Approved 5-0
C. 113 2nd Street E – New sign
Fortney explained the applicant was unable to obtain some information from the sign company.
Commissioner Alitz Edell said they would need additional information regarding the sign and
hanger components so they would know what they are approving.
Motion by Commissioner Smith to table the proposal for information on the appearance
and materials of the sign and hanger, seconded by Commissioner Alitz Edell. Approved 5-0
D. 306 2nd Street W – New greenhouse
Fortney explained that the applicant has presented a concept plan in the past showing the
proposed greenhouse in this location. He added that the location is at the back of the property. He
said the greenhouse construction is cedar wood and polycarbonate panels, which gives the
structure a more traditional appearance, compared to other kits made from plastic or aluminum
framing.
Motion by Commissioner Alitz Edell to approve the proposal as presented, seconded by
Commissioner Peterson. Approved 5-0
E. 615 3rd Street W – Mini-split AC
Fortney explained that the equipment and lines are proposed in the rear of the home and are not
visible from any street.
Motion by Commissioner Smith to approve the proposal as presented, seconded by
Commissioner Schilts-Johnson. Approved 5-0
V. OHDS – Original Hastings Design Standards Review
VI. Business and Information
A. Preservation Awards
Fortney presented the 8 homes turning 100-years old this year. He said they will hold a Facebook
contest again for the community’s favorite.
Commissioners Toppin and Schilts-Johnson presented the candidates for preservation awards.
Commissioners voted for the properties they felt best exemplified the award categories. Fortney
said the HPC will present the awards at the May 19 City Council meeting.
VII. Adjourn
Motion by Commissioner Schilts-Johnson to adjourn at 8:34 pm, seconded by
Commissioner Smith. Approved 5-0
Respectfully Submitted - Justin Fortney
CERTIFICATE APPLICATION 4-2025
113 2nd Street E #101 Jill Ragan-Scully – New sign
Ca. 1863, East 2nd Street Historic District- Contributing, NR
Request:
The applicant has been seeking approval of a hanging sign. The sign is 30” long by 24”
tall and will hang from a metal arm attached to wood on the building. The sign material
was metal. Most of the vinyl window graphics will be removed.
The request was tabled because there were too many unknown details about the sign.
The applicant has provided further details below but is still waiting on information from
the contractor. Hopefully the additional information can be provided before the meeting
to remove the item from the table.
Justin,
Doug Larimer is still working on modeling it to scale to get a proper size for the weird
sized logo I have. (should be around 12" x 24" or 18" x 24"). I dropped the ball, thinking
we had until the end of the week to submit.
My sign will be made of steel, painted black with gold lettering. The bracket system is
also powder coated steel painted black, custom designed by Doug as well because we are
trying not to drill into the brick or mortar of the building. There is not a manufacturer out
there that sells what I need. I will send you that drawing as well when he has it ready. I
have attached a rough drawing to this email for you in case this is adequate.
Jill
See new drawing attached
Still need a drawing of the proposed bracket
Ordinance, Guidelines
1. Sign
Design Guidelines (Page 39) 5: Historic Commercial Buildings: General Guidelines
8. Signs, Awnings, and Lighting
• a. Signs and awnings should follow regulations subject to provisions of the city’s zoning
ordinance.
• Wherever possible, signs should be placed in traditional sign locations…
• Signs should be appropriately sized… traditional materials such as wood and metal.
• Signs should not conceal architectural details or features and materials should be
compatible with the materials of the building to which they are attached.
• No part of the historic facade should be irreversibly damaged or altered in the installation
of signs and awnings. Limit drilling new holes into masonry. Sign hardware should be
attached to the building with holes drilled into mortar joints, if possible.
Zoning Code § 155.08 SIGNS
7. Projecting signs must conform to the following.
a. Minimum height above grade is 8 feet. Maximum height above grade is 11 feet
for the sign, and 12 feet for the bracket.
b. Sign may not project more than 2 and 1/2 feet from the face of the building.
c. Total sign face may not exceed 6 square feet.
d. Materials must be wood and/or metal. Plastic signs are not permitted.
e. Projecting signs may not be lit, internally or externally.
f. Plans must be submitted to show how the sign will be anchored to the building
and masonry.
g. Only 1 projecting sign permitted per business.
h. Signs must be advertising a specific business name, not a generic product
i. The sign area of the projecting sign comes off the total signage allowed for the
building under these requirements.
Staff findings:
The proposed projecting sign is an allowable size and mounted height. If a drawing of the
mounting bracket is presented by the meeting, staff recommends removal of the item
from the table.
Staff rendering from April
New graphic May 20, 2025
Application information from April:
CERTIFICATE APPLICATION May 2025
309 5th Street E. Replace fencing. William & Emily Mellingen
Ca. 1870, Old Hasting Historic District-
Request:
The applicant is proposing to replace 53’ of white picket fence with 24’ of black
ornamental metal fence towards the front and 29’ of wood privacy fence towards the rear.
The wood fence will be made of cedar and match the existing rear side fence. The metal
fence will match the existing front fence except it will include finials.
Ordinance, Guidelines
Residential Guideline 11: Fences and Walls
2. New Fences
New fences should be compatible with the architectural character, materials, and scale of
the principal building and surrounding streetscape. Fences enclosing the front yard should
be semi-transparent. Appropriate materials include wrought iron and painted wooden
pickets. In general, complete enclosure by opaque fences is not appropriate.
3. Fences that allow some visual penetration of front yard space are preferable to
complete enclosure. Chain link fences should not be used to enclose front yards or the
front half of side yards.
Staff Findings
Both wood pickets and metal fencing can be appropriate. It may look better if the two
types were not both used, especially considering a cedar privacy fence is also used
towards the rear. The proposed metal fence is the same as the existing along the front and
east side except it will have finials extending beyond the current top. The Design
Guidelines allow a 6-foot-tall privacy fence up to the middle of the side yard.
The adjacent property is intensively used compared to a typical residential property. The
white picket fence likely belongs to the neighbor. According to the applicant, it is on the
property line or slightly over. The neighbor has given permission for it to be replaced as
proposed.
Fences that extend beyond the house’s front setback are limited to 42” (3.5’). Staff allows
some decorations like post caps to extend slightly past height limits, but not fencing
panels. If every picket extends past 42”, the fence is likely too tall.
Proposed