HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-01-1987 Planning Commission Minutes WRITIZN CC~4~3NICATIONS #2
CITY OF SARATOGA PLANNING COMMISSION
MINUTES
DATE: Tuesday, December 1, 1987 - 7:30 p.m.
PLACE: Community Center Arts & Crafts Room, 19655 Allendale Ave.
TYPE: Joint Committee-of-the-Whole - Heritage Preservation
The meeting was called to order at 7:35 p.m. Commissioners present
were Warren Heid, Susan Guch, Barbara Voester, Roy Cameron,
Elizabeth Ansnes, Janet Harris, Richard Siegfried, Sharon Landsness,
Norm Koepernik, John Kolstad, Ann Marie Burger and Harold Clay.
Absent were Karen Tucker and Richard Tyrrell. Staff members present
were Associate Planners Kathryn Caldwell and Valerie Young, and City
Attorney Hal Toppel.
I. ITEMS OF DISCUSSION
A. Review of each Commission's powers and responsibilities as
set forth in the City Code.
Planner Caldwell reviewed the Planning Commission's
responsibilities and Planner Young reviewed the Heritage
Commission's responsibilities. Commissioner Burger asked
for clarification on the "standards" discussed in item (c)
of the Heritage Commission's powers and duties. There was
consensus that these standards were ones that could apply
specifically to historic buildings, such as the State
Historic Building Code. and the U.S. Secretary of the
Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation.
Commissioner Burger also expressed a desire to receive
formal comments from the HPC when applications involved
designated resources. .Commissioner Ansnes replied that a
procedure for such comments was already in place in the
ordinance for designated=properties and that the concern was
more for structures that were on the inventory.
Commissioner Heid and Planner Young briefed the group on the
status of the inventory, reporting that it was near
completion. City Attorney Toppel discussed the procedure
that would be followed for adopting the inventory. He said
the HPC would adopt it by resolution, then forward it to the
Planning Commission, City Council and Planning Staff. He
said that many problems and complications could be avoided
if the HPC adopted it rather than sending it to the Council
for adoption. If it went to the Council, the public may get
the impression that there is some regulatory impact
associated with listing 'on the inventory, when that is not
really the case. He suggested the Commissions focus on the
administrative review procedures to be followed for
properties on the list.
Commissioner Heid expressed his concern that there needs to
be a commitment to preservation from all City decision-
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making bodies. He said that property owners will be
notified that they are on the inventory, to foster public
knowledge.
City Attorney Toppel suggested that the HPC could act as a
reviewing agency during the application review process, much
like the Fire or Water Districts. Their comments could then
be incorporated into the staff report for the Planning
Commission. It would not'create extra hearings or delay the
process.
Commissioner Ansnes expressed concern that if the project
met all the zoning standards but was not "historically
correct", there still was no legal strength to the Heritage
Commission's comments. Commissioner Koepernik concurred,
and said it was important, therefore, for the Planning
Commission and staff to. have a sensitivity to compatible
construction when heritage resources were concerned.
Commissioner Cameron said that the HPC can provide valuable
input in that regard to the Planning commission.
Planner Caldwell then recapped the administrative procedure
that would be used for properties on the inventory, and
encouraged the HPC to get it completed as soon as possible
so it could be made available to Council, staff and Planning
Commission.
B. Discuss possible changes to the City Code to encourage
preservation of heritage ,resources.
Commissioner Voester stated that often times the building
and zoning standards of.today don't fit buildings from the
past. Commissioner Heid said one place to start would be
encouraging the use of the State Historic Building Code for
designated resources; this code allows some relaxed
standards for older buildings. Planner Caldwell emphasized
that there was a difference between the building code and
the zoning code, and that the Planning Commission doesn't
get involved in building code questions.
Commissioner Ansnes asked if the variance procedure could be
used to allow variations to the zoning code for historic
buildings. City Attorney Toppel stated that the state law
regarding variance findings was very strict and applied to
physical hardships of the lot, not to historic value.
Planner Caldwell said that the staff and Planning Commission
could not usually support variances to parking, especially
in the Village. Commissioner Guch said the main problems
arise when historic residential structures are converted to
commercial uses and different standards then apply. Planner
Caldwell said the Planning Commission already has tools in
the Zoning code to allow for modifications to parking and
non-conforming setbacks. She also said that many types of
building permits such as remodels, new windows and
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demolitions are ministerial and are not even reviewed by the
Planning Commission.
Commissioner Voester expressed concern that there needs to
be policy support for preservation from the Council, and
that they need to hear that from the community.
Commissioner Ansnes said~that preservation activities were
getting better publicity now; she reported on the recent
presentation of bronze plaques for two designated heritage
resources. The group agreed that greater publicity and
public awareness were 2beneficial to preservation in
Saratoga.
C. Discuss Heritage ResourceInventory
This item was discussed under Item A.
II. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 p.m.
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