1 of 1 EVANSTON PRESERVATION COMMISSION Tuesday, July 19, 2016, 7:00 P.M. Lorraine H. Morton Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Avenue, Ro
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Owner/applicant or representative is required to attend the meeting EVANSTON PRESERVATION COMMISSION Tuesday, July 19, 2016, 7:00 P.M. Lorraine H. Morton Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Avenue, Room 2404 AGENDA 1. CALL TO ORDER / DECLARATION OF QUORUM 2. OLD BUSINESS A. 917 Edgemere Court (LSHD) – Elliot Flaws, applicant. Construction of a new 2-story, brick and stucco single-family residence with an attached 1-story, 3-car garage in front. Applicable standards: [Construction] 1- 13, and 16 B. 2623 Lincoln Street (L) – Consideration of Preservation Commission’s Report and Recommendation to City Council regarding David and Rebecca Kimbell application for rescission of landmark designation of their house at 2623 Lincoln Street – For action. 3. NEW BUSINESS No new business 4. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES of June 21, 2016. 5. COMMITTEE REPORTS (Working Groups) A. Preservation Ordinance Review Subcommittee - Update. 6. VOLUNTEER REPORTS A. Design Guidelines Volunteers - Update 7. STAFF REPORTS 9. DISCUSSION (No vote will be taken) 10. ADJOURNMENT Next Meeting: TUESDAY, August 16, 2016 at 7:00 P.M. 1 of 1 2. OLD BUSINESS A. 917 Edgemere Court (LSHD) – Elliot Flaws, applicant. Construction of a new 2-story, brick and stucco single- family residence with an attached 1-story, 3-car garage in front. Applicable standards: [Construction] 1- 13, and 16 917 Edgemere Court (LSHD) Joint Statement of Neighbors Joint Statement to the Evanston Preservation Commission July 19, 2016 Re: 917 Edgemere Court (Lakeshore Historic District)) On behalf of the following Edgemere Court Neighbors (* indicates within 250 feet of 917): 900--Crihfield* (Landmark) 901--Walchak/Rothenberg* (Landmark) 907--Floerchinger* 911--Contract Purchasers* (Landmark) 919--Lowrance* (Landmark) 920--Welin* 926--Wirtz* 929--Arrington* 930--Mintz* 932--Zulkey* (Landmark) 935--Lenzi* 938--Bless* 940--Goldstein 943--McGrath Legal Adviser: Jeffrey P. Smith, Esq., Law Offices of Jeff Smith, 708 Church St., Suite 232, Evanston, IL 602010, [email protected] Architectural and Preservation Adviser: Healy Rice, Healy M. Rice P.C., 934 Elmwood Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois 60091 847-853-0824, [email protected]. Contents I. Introductory Statement II. Joint Statement Thesis III. What is Edgemere Court? IV. How Was Edgemere Court Created and Developed? V. How Is Edgemere Court Managed and Maintained? VI. Edgemere Court Is Bounded by Public Ways VII. Position Statement of Edgemere Court Neighbors VIII. Walls of Continuity (Standards #6, #9 and #11) IX. Height (Standard #1) X. Rhythm of Spacing (Standards #4 and #5) XI. Scale of Construction (Standard #10) XII. Placement of Bulk of Construction (Standard # 10) XIII. Visual Compatibility (Standards #1, #4, #5, #6, #9, #10 and #11) XIV. Summary and Conclusion XV. Exhibits 1 917 Edgemere Court (LSHD) Joint Statement of Neighbors I. Introductory Statement Edgemere Court. Edgemere Court is a subdivision created in 1911 and consists of 16 parcels. Five such parcels (900, 901, 911, 919 and 932) have Landmark designations and five such Granacki Historic Consultants in its parcels (900, 911, 919, 929, and 932) were cited by 2012 study commissioned by the Evanston City Council, Architectural Resources in the Lakeshore Historic District . Please see Exhibit A. Edgemere Court is an important link in the Evanston Lakefront Trail between Clark Square Park and Sheridan Road on the south and Lee Street Beach and Lake Shore Boulevard on the north. Please see Exhibit B. Who Are the Edgemere Neighbors? Following the June meeting of the Preservation Commission, the owners/purchasers of 14 parcels in Edgemere Court signed a Position Statement addressed to the Preservation Commission regarding the proposed development of 917 Edgemere Court (the “Proposed 917 Development”). This signed Position Statement was separately submitted to the Preservation Commission and a copy is attached as Exhibit C. These 14 owners/purchasers are listed above and referred to in this Joint Statement as “the Edgemere Neighbors”. The owners of 917 and 925 declined to sign the Position Statement. The Owners of 925 submitted a separate letter to the Preservation Commission at the May meeting objecting to certain aspects of the Proposed 917 Development. Joint Statement. Subsequent to the June meeting, the Edgemere Neighbors retained legal counsel and an independent adviser on preservation matters and with the help of these advisers developed this Joint Statement. All of the Edgemere Neighbors endorse this Joint Statement and support the positions which it reflects. The owners of 917 and 925 (referred to as the “Nesbitt Properties”) are the the only owners/purchasers of property in Edgemere Court who have not joined in this Joint Statement. [For historical reference, the “Nesbitt Properties” have been the subject of continuous development and development efforts for over 10 years. Please see “History of Development” at Part IV.] The Edgemere Neighbors respectfully request that this Joint Statement be published by the Preservation Commission along with other materials relating to the Proposed 917 Development and that this Joint Statement be included in its entirety with the minutes of the July meeting. Context: Proposed 917 Development. This Joint Statement is submitted to the Preservation Commission in the context of proposed development of 917 Edgemere Court--but only in the context of proposals submitted at previous meetings and withdrawn. At the time of submission of this Joint Statement (one week prior to the July 19 meeting), there is no specific proposal to which this Joint Statement is addresses because a specific proposal, while expected, has not been furnished to the Edgemere Neighbors and is not expected to be published by the Preservation Commission until July 15, only 4 days prior to the July 19 meeting. The Edgemere Neighbors respectfully request that if a proposal is made regarding 917 which the Edgemere Neighbors regard as inconsistent with the position reflected in this Joint Statement, the Edgemere Neighbors request that consideration of any such proposal be 2 917 Edgemere Court (LSHD) Joint Statement of Neighbors continued until the next meeting to allow the Edgemere Neighbors and their professional representatives and advisers the opportunity to review the proposal properly and submit a formal commentary. Significance of this Matter: The Edgemere Neighbors respectfully request that the Preservation Commission consider carefully the historical information, preservation analysis, legal opinion, exhibits and related materials submitted with this Joint Statement. Of particular significance is the analysis of the walls of continuity, spatial relationships, and massing characteristics the proposed home on 917 in relation to the surrounding neighborhood with which it is inextricably linked. The decision of the Preservation Commission in this case will become a precedent for future projects on the Lake Michigan side of Edgemere Court. The Edgemere Neighbors sincerely believe that if a Certificate of Appropriateness is issued for the Proposed 917 Development, as reflected in materials previously submitted, the historical character, architecture quality, and community fabric of Edgemere Court that (with the sole exception of the Nesbitt Disruption described in Part V of this Joint Statement) has existed for over a century will not be preserved and will be precedent for, and even encourage, future development adverse to the historical values of which the Edgemere Neighbors are privileged to be the beneficiaries and feel duty bound to protect. The Edgemere Neighbors appreciate the time, attention and service of the members of the Preservation Commission to the important cause of preserving the unique and historical character of Evanston, the Historic Lakeshore District, and Edgemere Court in particular. II. Joint Statement Thesis The Edgemere Neighbors acknowledge that the owners of 917, the Sabows, appear to be a wonderful family and will be a welcomed addition to Edgemere Court. This Joint Statement is not about the Sabow family, nor is it about the owners of the properties adjacent to 917--the Lowrance family (919) and the purchasers of 911--who will be the most acutely affected by new construction on 917. This Joint Statement is not about people; it is not about an architect; it is not about the price paid for the 917 lot; it is not about objecting to construction on 917; and it is not about the dimensions of the 917 lot. Like all lots in Edgemere Court, the 917 lot is a defined parcel. Over half of the 16 lots in Edgemere Court are smaller in gross area than 917, and several have a relatively similar width. The owners of the 917 lot knew the width of the lot and its location within Edgemere Court and the Lakeshore Historic District when they purchased it, and they benefit immensely from these circumstances. This Joint Statement is solely about preservation and precedent: ● Preservation of the physical nature and character of Edgemere Court, ● Preservation of Edgemere Court as a social enterprise (a “commons”) and its social and cultural interaction, ● Preservation of Edgemere Court’s park-like environment linking Clark Square Park and Elliott Park (Lee Street Beach) along the Evanston Lakefront Trail, 3 917 Edgemere Court (LSHD) Joint Statement of Neighbors ● Preservation of Edgemere Court as an important part of the visualization of the City of Evanston when viewed both by day and night from Lake Michigan and the Lake Michigan shoreline