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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20250819 - HPC Minutes HASTINGS HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION Minutes of the Meeting of August 19, 2025 Held at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall, Volunteer Room I. Call to Order and Quorum Commissioners present: Bremer, Schilts-Johnson, Simacek, Toppin, Smith, and McCoy Absent:, Alitz Edell, Peterson, and Borchardt Staff: Fortney Chair Bremer called the meeting to order. II. Minutes: A. July 15, 2025 Approved by Chair Bremer III. Certificate of Approval Review A. 114 6th Street E – New windows – Tabled Motion by Commissioner Simacek to remove the item from the table, seconded by Commissioner Smith. Approved 6-0 Fortney presented the staff report. Eric Perkins, applicant via Zoom Meeting stated they received a quote for window rehabilitation, which was significantly cheaper than new windows. He added that the preferred storm windows required are expensive, but retain the historic appearance they want, have longevity, and are very convenient. He said in total, rehabilitation with new storm windows would be 12,000 dollars cheaper than replacement but will not account for all the work necessary and will not repair the front modern windows that have failed, as they are not repairable. Commission Chair Bremer asked what would be done with the modern front windows on the second floor if the windows are rehabilitated. Perkins said they would be left as-is. Commissioner Schilts-Johnson said since the windows of the principal elevation that are held to a higher standard are no longer historic, there is more leeway in the Design Guidelines for replacement. Fortney said the front porch windows are usually good candidates for rehabilitation because they are protected from the elements. He added in this case, they are within an enclosed porch, which may technically take them out of the purview of the HPC. Motion by Commissioner Schilts-Johnson to approve the request for the replacement of 15 windows as presented, seconded by Commissioner McCoy. Approved 6-0 B. 120 2nd St E – New window Fortney presented the staff report. Ben Ubl, applicant said he spent a long time researching the building in the Pioneer Room and could not locate historic photos of the first-floor windows along Sibley Street. Fortney said he could not locate any either. Ubl said they want to build a steel framed window with 8 glass panels. Commissioner Toppin asked if the window would open. Ubl said the window opening is eight feet tall, and they will modify the dropped ceiling to use the entire window height. He said they would be concerned with security and window strength of a wood or an operable window of that size. He said they would like to install windows in all the enclosed openings someday, but the others may not look through to the store as it is configured with merchandise shelving. Fortney said we don’t know what the original windows looked like, but the one existing replacement window in that row is a double hung wood window, as are most of the downtown side street windows. Commissioners commented that as a bank, it might have had security needs for fixed windows. Ubl said the original store was not a bank. Fortney said the only steel windows he could find downtown were some upper windows in the armory and in the 1940’s addition to the former HD Hudson Manufacturing building. Fortney said operational windows were historically important for airflow. Commissioner Toppin stated concern with so many window opening treatments on that side of the building. Ubl said they plan to make the other shuttered openings match, and the upper windows are in very poor condition. He said they will eventually replace those in a way that will better match. Motion by Commissioner Smith to approve the request to replace the north shuttered window along Sibley Street with a custom eight panel steel framed window, seconded by Commissioner Schilts-Johnson. Approved 6-0 C. 623 Tyler St – New fence Fortney presented the staff report. Commissioner Toppin asked for clarification that the guidelines require the side fence to be ornamental for the first 15 to 20 feet of the front fence before transitioning to chain-link. Fortney said that is a technical interpretation, but the intention was likely to avoid chain-link fences in the front yards. He said the guidelines would allow the front ornamental fence as proposed or a chain-link fence but, only if held further back to the midpoint of the home. The commission commented that the proposed layout from the applicant is preferable to a visible chain-link fence facing the street, even if moved back further. Motion by Commissioner Toppin to install a fence as proposed, seconded by Commissioner Simacek. Approved 6-0 D. 221 Sibley St – New vents Fortney presented the staff report. He added that the proposed vent is an exhaust and intake in one. He added that it is required for a proposed nail station in the new salon. He said it will be in nonhistorical wood, replaceable, and paintable. Motion by Commissioner Toppin to install the proposed vent with the condition that it be painted to match the other vents, seconded by Commissioner Smith. Approved 6-0 IV. OHDS – Original Hastings Design Standards Review V. Business and Information A. 701 11th St – Century Home plaque request Fortney presented the staff report. He said the house meets the requirements of the program and the documentation proves it is over 100 years old. He added that the home appears to be in great condition. Commissioners were amazed at all the mid-19th century lawsuits concerning the property that were listed in the property abstract. Motion by Commissioner Smith to approve the sale of a century plaque to the applicants for meeting the program guidelines, seconded by Commissioner McCoy. Approved 6-0 VI. Adjourn Motion by Commissioner Schilts-Johnson to adjourn at 8:14 pm, seconded by Commissioner Smith. Approved 6-0 Respectfully Submitted - Justin Fortney