WASHTENAW COUNTY HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION
MEETING AGENDA DATE: Thursday, January 4, 2017 TIME: 5:30 pm – 7:00pm PLACE: Eastern County Government Center Office of Community & Economic Development – 2nd Floor 415 W. Michigan Avenue, Ypsilanti, MI
Call to Order/Roll Call – Consent Agenda Approval of: • Minutes of November 2, 2017 • Agenda • Staff Report Public Comment Business: • Introductions and swearing in of Commissioners Snyder, Remensnyder, Ralph, and Cook by Edwin Peart, Washtenaw County Deputy Clerk • Commissioner Elections • Staffing Update • Local Historic Districts Updates o Existing Districts o Potential Designations . Thornoaks (Ann Arbor Township) • Current/Pending COAs o None at this time • Affidavit on Historic District Deeds o Update on Instrument . Adler signature notarized-12-5-17 . 8 of the 14 districts have affidavits filed with the County Clerk • Programming o Update on Current Legislation o Ongoing Heritage Tourism partnership with Convention & Visitors Bureau . Black Ypsi Storymap- Intern Tiffany worked with the Ypsilanti signage project to develop a story map from the content developed with a 2017 Michigan Humanities Council Grant. The signs are scheduled to be places in Spring 2018 http://washtenaw.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Shortlist/index.html?appid=43e7143e1fe7482aa82875 7fa2981bbd • Other Updates from Commissioners & Staff – All Adjournment Next Meeting: Thursday, March 1, 2017 Washtenaw County Eastern County Government Center Second Floor -- Above the 14A2 District Court, next to the Police Station 415 West Michigan Avenue, Ypsilanti, MI Attachments: Minutes of the November 2, 2017 Meeting Staff Report Thornoaks Neighborhood Incorporated Restrictions Lampkin Sawmill Correspondence
Washtenaw County Office of Community & Economic Development 415 W. Michigan Avenue, Suite 2200, Ypsilanti, MI 48197 Phone: (734) 544-2954 http://preservation.ewashtenaw.org Washtenaw County Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes
DATE: Thursday, November 2, 2017 TIME: 5:30 pm-7:00pm PLACE Eastern County Government Center Office of Community & Economic Development- 2nd floor 415 W. Michigan Ave, Ypsilanti, MI
Call to Order 5:37 PM
Roll Call Present: Cwik, Remensnyder, Mann, Snyder, Ledbetter, Darling Absent: Kelley, Ralph, Jerome Staff: Andrea Plevek, Teresa Gillotti, Tiffany Rakotz Consent Agenda Approval: Minutes of September 7, 2017 Agenda Additions/Deletions to tonight’s agenda:
Public Comment:
Business: Washtenaw County staffing update- Andrea Plevek, Director OCED: The county budget is being approved for a 1 year cycle instead of the normal 4 year cycle which has made staffing the HDC a challenge. Washtenaw county Parks & Recreation has been approached to discuss the possibility of providing staff while the budget is being arranged but was not receptive to the idea. The reason the HDC is under the umbrella of OCED is through the 2012 merger between two offices to decrease costs and continue work. The funding currently available for economic development is limited. The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners has not been able to identify a solution as of yet. Public deliberations for the next budget cycle (2019-2022) begin in two weeks and are scheduled to be approved by the December 6, 2017 BOC meeting. For now there is potential for temporary staff to support the HDC through 2018. New Commissioner Appointments and Renewal- Commissioners Darling, Snyder, Remensnyder, and Ralph terms end December 2017. At this time Commissioner Darling has decided to retire from the HDC. A resolution of appreciation has been introduced to acknowledge his contributions and 13 years of service to the HDC: “RESOLUTION of APPRECIATION Paul Darling November 2, 2017 WHEREAS, Paul Darling has served on the Washtenaw County Historic District Commission from 2004 to 2017; and WHEREAS, Paul Darling through his experience, knowledge, and interest in local history, has been able to contribute assistance to the members of the Commission and its staff on countless matters relating to local history and historic preservation; and NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the members of the Washtenaw County Historic District Commission and staff express their appreciation for the 13 years of active service and dedication rendered by Paul Darling.
Template 1 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the resolution be incorporated into the minutes of November, 2017 meeting of the Washtenaw County Historic District Commission held at the Washtenaw County Eastern County Government Center, Ypsilanti, Michigan.” Commissioner Mann motions to approve resolution, 2nd by Snyder, all in favor (Darling abstains) Currently Commissioners Snyder and Remensnyder have not decided if they will renew their appointment. Commissioner Cwik would like to be able to make a recommendation for candidates at the November 15th BOC meeting. Further discussion can be held via e-mail. 2018 meeting schedule- Snyder- motion to accept dates as proposed (see packet), 2nd by Ledbetter, all in favor.
Kramer-Kuebler-Adler Farm- since the last meeting the study committee report has been finalized and sent to the County Ways and Means Committee. On November 2, 2017 Ways & Means unanimously approved a resolution to accept the ordinance for designation. This ordinance will go before the WCBOC on November 15th for the creation of the Kramer-Kuebler-Adler Local Historic District, which if passed, will join Washtenaw County’s 13 other local historic districts. Thornoaks- Since the last HDC meeting the Thornoaks Local Historic District Study Committee Report has been finalized. Contract researched Blake Swihart was in attendance. Commissioner Ledbetter motions to support the prepared Resolution of Support for the Thornoaks Local Historic District, as prepared, 2nd by Darling. Discussion: If this district is accepted by the BOC it will add to the HDC workload, but it is significant and Blake Swihart did a great job researching. The report puts Ann Arbor in the forefront of Mid-Century Modern Architectural history and raises awareness. Commissioner Ledbetter- what about the possible annexation of the Township by the City? Cwik- there has been an informal agreement between the City, Township, and WCHDC to try to keep the proposed district under the control of the WCHDC. Gillott- the timeframe for annexation at the earliest is 3 years from now. Snyder- Joellen Vineyard’s name is misspelled in the report. The county now has until September 2018 to vote on an ordinance to designate the Thornoaks Neighborhood Local Historic District. Cwik- call to vote on acceptance of the proposed resolution of support (see Packet), all in favor. Historic District Affidavit on Designation update- currently we have seven affidavits ready to file. After the vote for the Kramer Kuebler Adler Farm we will file them all together. The remaining district which have not signed should be asked to during the yearly LHD audit. New Heritage Tourism Products- Rakotz- OCED has been working to distribute newly printed promotional post cards for all five of the 2017 new/re-launched heritage tours. The Ann Arbor CVB has will also be helping to distribute these cards. Historic Real Estate Education Workshop- The historic real estate education workshop registration has gone live and there are currently 20+ real estate agents registered. This workshop will take place on December 13th and will provide realtors with 2 continuing education credits per section. The response have been positive. This project is Tiffany Rakotz’s Masters Capstone project, and is being held in partnership with the Michigan Historic Preservation Network. See packet for additional details Endangered Resources- The survey of Augusta Township is complete and copies are currently available at the Augusta Town Hall and at OCED. Commissioner Remensnyder assisted in editing the final document. After completion of the survey local property owner David Savinski contacted OCED to discuss potential designation of the Lampkin Sawmill on Whittaker Rd, which is highlighted in the survey report. The WC HDC will correspond with Augusta Township encouraging them to make this survey available to the public. Roundtable- Ledbetter- request to acknowledge Melissa Milton-Pung for her service to the HDC over the past 15 years, motion to create a resolution of appreciation, 2nd by Cwik, all in favor, motion passed “ RESOLUTION of APPRECIATION Melissa Milton-Pung November 2, 2017 WHEREAS, Melissa Milton-Pung has served as staff to the Washtenaw County Historic District Commission for 15 years until 2017; and WHEREAS, Melissa Milton-Pung through her education, experience, knowledge, and interest in local history, has been able to contribute assistance to the members of the Commission on countless matters relating to local history and historic preservation; and
Template 2 NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the members of the Washtenaw County Historic District Commission and express their appreciation for the 15 years of active service and dedication rendered by Melissa Milton-Pung. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the resolution be incorporated into the minutes of November, 2017 meeting of the Washtenaw County Historic District Commission held at the Washtenaw County Eastern County Government Center, Ypsilanti, Michigan.”
Snyder- Will the Scio Township historic resources be added to the agenda for January? Researcher Scott, might attend the meeting and is very interested in designation. Cwik- will follow up with his request to discuss his interest and begin process with local government.
Mann- Highland Cemetery Lantern Tours will be brought back during Christmas and New Years. It will be $10 per person.
Cwik- The Salem Area Historical Society has installed the new sign approved by the HDC. He would also like to bring attention to the NPS Preservation Brief #20, which has not been updated since the 1970s. Maybe the commission can develop a letter to encourage them to update this document in the near future.
Darling- wished the commission the best. It has been a good board and it will be great to see what they accomplish in the future.
Staff Report: See packet Goals: Suggested agenda items for next meeting: January 2018- commissioner elections will be discussed and positions will be voted on in March.
Adjournment
Motion by Cwik 2nd by Motion carried by unanimous vote to adjourn at
The next HDC meeting is scheduled for Thursday January 4, 2018 at 5:30 p.m. at Eastern County Government Center Office of Community & Economic Development- 2nd floor 415 W. Michigan Ave, Ypsilanti, MI
Template 3
Washtenaw County Historic District Commission STAFF REPORT January 2018 o Current Legislation o State Level: Exciting News!! On December 13th, 2017 the Michigan State Historic Property Rehabilitation Tax Credit legislation was passed by the Senate (36 to 2) and is now being reviewed by the House. . According to the press release issued by the Michigan Historic Preservation Network on June 23, “[Senate Bill 469] offers a tax credit of up to 25 percent of qualified rehabilitation expenses for contributing commercial and residential properties located within a local historic district. As it did previously it offers a supplemental five percent credit to the 20 percent federal historic preservation credit for income producing properties, and is the only credit available for owner-occupied historic homes.” . Please take some time to review the Bill online and let Staff know if you have questions or concerns. SB 469 has been referred to Committee on Tax Policy. If you are inclined, reach out to your representative to voice your opinion on the bill. For more information, always check www.mhpn.org for the latest news on State legislation pertaining to historic preservation. o Federal Level: . Senate Bill 425/HR 1158 – The Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act – was introduced in February 2017 to address concerns over elimination of the Federal Historic Tax Credit. This bill hasn’t had any action since February 2017; however the 2017 Tax Reform Bill, passed by the House on 11/16/2017 and the Senate on 12/02/2017 includes language to retain the Federal Historic Tax Credit, but changed the way the credit can be claimed. https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th- congress/house-bill/1/text . For more information, always check www.preservationaction.org for the latest news on Federal legislation pertaining to historic preservation at the national level. o Certificates of Appropriateness o none o Historic Sites Monitored by Staff: o Gordon Hall- Gordon Hall submitted a CLG grant application in October requesting funds for interior rehabilitation. The due to a low number of applicants, the deadline has been extended to February 5, 2018. Staff is working with Gordon Hall and SHPO to support this grant in 2018. o Future Potential Designations o Adler Home (Freedom Township) Kramer-Kuebler-Adler Farm . An ordinance establishing the Kramer-Kuebler-Adler Farmstead was adopted by the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners on November 1, 2017. o Thornoaks— (Ann Arbor Township) . HDC passed the resolution for approval for the Thornoaks neighborhood Historic District at the November 2nd, 2017 meeting . New contractual staff – draft Thornoaks design guidelines to ensure consistency and streamline the COA approval process. With the addition of 30+ properties there will be an influx of questions and applications, design guidelines will help to ensure that property owners know what is acceptable, what requires approval, and what regular maintenance in necessary.
WCHDC Staff Report, Page 1 . The Thornoaks Neighborhood Association has a list of Incorporated Restrictions (see attached) that can be used to guide staff and the HDC in creating these design guidelines, specific to the Thornoaks Neighborhood. o Affidavit on Historic District Deeds o Affidavits have been prepared and distributed to 11 of the 14 district owners for review. . Two Local Historic Districts – the USS Washtenaw County and Delhi Bridge – do not have deeds associated with ownership and therefore are unable to participate in this process. . Esek Pray, Old Zion Parsonage, McMahon Springs, Jarvis Stone School, McCormick Farm, Geer School, Gordon Hall, and Kramer-Kuebler-Adler have been filed with the Clerk’s office. . The Milton & Kittie Geer House, Conant Farm, and Merriman Farm have expressed willingness to sign, but a representative has not been available . Popkins School is reviewing the document with their legal team o New Heritage Tourism Products/Re-launch o Heritage Foodways will be featured at the 2018 (10th annual) Food Summit . Jae Gerhart, with MSU Extension, contacted OCED to request more information and offer an opportunity to present on the heritage tour. Melinda Schmitt, former HDC intern, will present on the topic at the event. o Black Ypsilanti Story Map . OCED has partnered with EMU and a number of other local organizations to highlight Ypsilanti’s Black Heritage through the development of a StoryMap featuring the content and locations of interpretive signs located throughout the city of Ypsilanti. o All past and new Heritage Tours can be found at http://www.ewashtenaw.org/heritagetours. o Historic Real Estate Education Workshop o The Office of Community & Economic Development has partnered with the Michigan Historic Preservation Network to develop a pilot workshop to equip real estate professionals with tools that will help them market and sell older homes while enabling them to provide accurate information to their clientele about the value of owning a historic property. o The workshop was held on December 13th, 2017 at the Washtenaw County Learning Resource Center. Registration was filled and reopened to allow for more than 30 participants. o The day of the workshop a serious snowstorm closed many local businesses, and there were some last minute cancellations. Section 1 had 35 participants and Section 2 had 29. The participant feedback was extremely positive. MHPN plans to offer similar workshops in the future. o Endangered Resources o Augusta Township Supervisor, Brian Shelby, has requested assistance with historic preservation within Augusta Township.
o Lampkin Sawmill owner, David Savinski, has contacted the HDC regarding the designation of his 19th century sawmill in central Augusta Township. (See packet for correspondence) . The P. Lampkin & Son Saw & Feed Mill was built 1887 by P. J. Lamkin to manufacture broom handles. By 1895, the operation expanded to include hard and soft coal, lumber, milling, lime cement, and sewer tile. The Lamkin Sawmill is currently extant, and is under new ownership and being as an antique market. Historic designation
WCHDC Staff Report, Page 2 could help to retain the historic integrity of the building and help to support the new owners in their rehabilitation of the structure. . A member of the WCHDC or Staff should follow up with Mr. Savinski in the New Year.
Respectfully Submitted,
Tiffany Rakotz Historic Preservation Intern 415 W. Michigan Avenue, Suite 2200, Ypsilanti, MI 48197 Phone: (734) 544-6708 http://www.ewashtenaw.org/oced
And
Teresa Gillotti Housing & Infrastructure Manager Office of Community & Economic Development 415 West Michigan Avenue Ypsilanti, MI 48197 (734) 544-3042 Phone (734) 259-3074 Fax [email protected]
WCHDC Staff Report, Page 3