Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-02-04 - Historic Landmarks Commission Meeting Memo MEMORANDUM DATE: January 29, 2013 TO: Historic Landmarks Commission FROM: Cynthia Smidt, Associate Planner MEETING: February 4, 2013 RE: Historic Landmarks Commission Meeting / Overview This memorandum discusses the Historic Landmarks Commission (HLC) agenda items scheduled for the February 4 meeting. A. General Updates General updates include the following: 1. Field Trips. The HLC conducted their second field trip to the Deedon Homestead and Paulina Prairie Cemetery in south Deschutes County. The commission should discuss how future field trips occur. 2. Historic Preservation Month. Included with this memo is a list of Preservation Month ideas provided by the Oregon State Heritage Program for the month of May (Attachment 1). Staff suggests the HLC discuss how it wants to participate. Staff contacted the Cities of Bend and Redmond to explore joint opportunities to highlight local historic properties or sites. At the time, Redmond had not considered Preservation Month, while Bend’s HLC expressed interest in working with the County. A date in May has not been set for either committees or the Deschutes Historical Society. Since the next HLC meeting is not until May, staff suggests that the HLC establish a subcommittee to explore this opportunity and report back to staff for any follow-up coordination. 3. Historical Preservation Website / Mobile Application. Zach Wnek, a graduate student in the History Department at Eastern Washington University and Associate Professor Larry Cebula approached Chair Stenman and County staff to see if there was interest in developing a website and mobile smart phone application that interprets historic and cultural sites in Deschutes County. Initial outreach to the Cities of Bend and Redmond revealed that the earliest this could be explored is during the next Certified Local Government (CLG) grant cycle (2015/2016). Funding was a major impediment to undertaking this project any sooner. The City of Bend is still not recognized as a CLG, limiting vital cost sharing opportunities. Another challenge was Mr. Wnek’s heightened timeline. He was hoping this project could be completed prior to his graduation in June. -2- Ideally, in 2013, all HLCs in Deschutes County will become CLGs, allowing for a regional discussion on future projects like this one that can be pursued to benefit the entire county. B. Photo Project One of the proposed 2013 CLG grant projects is to photograph all the nationally and locally designated historic properties and structures in rural Deschutes County and the city of Sisters. The updated photos will improve county records. Furthermore, it will enable staff to create an online interactive map. Chair Stenman and staff have been in contact with Mary Alice Wilson, President of the Cascade Camera Club. Although the club will not be an official sponsor, some members are interested in independently assisting the HLC with this project. The purpose of this agenda item is to meet Ms. Wilson and other photographers prior to its initiation. Their involvement would be as volunteers. C. Sisters WPA Stamp Relocation In 1941, the Work Projects Administration (WPA) helped construct sidewalks in the city of Sisters. The Cascade Avenue Streetscape project will remove the WPA stamps and therefore, the stamps will need to be salvaged and relocated. Pauline Hardie, Sisters Community Development Director, is requesting input regarding how and where to preserve the WPA stamps. Please refer to the staff report and Certificate of Approval (Attachment 2). D. CLG Grant Application Review and Approval At their November 5, 2012 meeting, the HLC helped staff identify a list of projects for CLG funding based on an anticipated allocation of $14,500 to each CLG in 2013. Since that time, the State Historic Preservation Office reduced the funding allocation to $13,000. Based on this information, staff modified the initial proposal. Additionally, due to new county policies pertaining to grant requests, staff will present the following recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners on January 30 2013 for their formal support. On February 4, staff will coordinate with the HLC to seek their formal approval as well. The grant deadline is February 22, 2013. 2013-2014 CLG Grant Project List Project Title Project Summary Estimated Cost Eligibility 1. Grant Administration Project coordination, tracking, reporting, staffing HLC, and reimbursement requests $1,500 Project Administration 2. Preservation Month National Preservation Month activities $1,000 Public Education 3. Historic photographs and website Photograph all national and locally designated properties and post on CDD’s website. Develop presentations for public use, etc. This is a carryover from 2011- 2012 grant to allow the City of Sisters use funding to complement their downtown streetscape project $2,000 Public Education -3- 2013-2014 CLG Grant Project List Project Title Project Summary Estimated Cost Eligibility 4. Deschutes County’s Recreational Heritage (Phase 1) Deschutes County’s reputation as an outdoor and recreational destination builds upon a rich history of Oregonians and visitors experiencing the extraordinary amenities of Central Oregon. This project inventories historic properties that have historical recreational significance. Inventorying historic recreational sites allows the County to: • Identify those that may be worthy of further recognition • Develop a public outreach campaign that highlights the County’s historic recreational areas and potentially weaves them into tourism promotion using maps and interactive websites Phase 1 involves hiring a consultant who can reach out to property owners to perform a reconnaissance level survey of historic recreational sites and properties on public and private land. Examples include inventorying sites along the upper Deschutes River, Mt. Bachelor, Cascade Lakes, state parks, Newberry National Monument, and historic resorts of Sunriver and Black Butte. $7,500 Reconnaissance Level Surveys 5. Training HLC Member trainings $1,000 Other Preservation Activities E. Petersen Rock Garden Nomination Review The State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation will be reviewing the Petersen Rock Garden National Register Nomination at their February 15 meeting in Beaverton. The committee is requesting review by the HLC prior to their meeting. Consolidated comments should address integrity, description, significance and context, facts, sources, and supporting documents used in the nomination (Attachment 3). Staff suggests the HLC discuss and provide comments for submittal to the state. Attachments 1. SHPO Preservation Month Ideas 2. Sisters WPA Stamp Certificate of Approval 3. Petersen Rock Garden Nomination