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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-05-10; Historic Preservation Commission; Minutes( ( Approved: .-. 1-1 ;t _-, I MEETING OF: DATE OF MEETING: TIME OF MEETING: PLACE OF MEETING: CALL TO ORDER: MINU TES HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MAY 10, 1999 5:30 PM City Council Conference Room Chairman Bizieff ca lled th e meeting to order at 5:31 PM. ROLL CALL: Present: Absent: Also Present Were: Commiss ioners Bizieff, Christiansen, Muth, and Trejo. Commissioner Jones Ass istant Library Director, Geoff Armour Council Member Ra mona Finnila Planning Commission Liaison, Ann L'Heureux Library Media Speci ali st, Bill Richmond Mark Wisniewski APPROVAL OF MI NUTES: Th e minutes of th e meeting held April 12, 1999 were approved as corrected. LIBRARY MEDIA SERVICES PRESENTATION: Assistant Library Director Armour introduced Library Media Specialist Bill Richmond who gave a brief history of the collection they were about to preview. Th ere are over 2,500 photographs which have been scanned into the data base. Many of the photographs in the data base were collected by local historian and author, Marge Howard-Jones, when she was doing research for her book. She donated them to the library in the 1980's and she and Ann L'Heureux helped to build and organize the collection. In the 1990's they set up a process to catalog the collection and in 1997 the software and hardware were purchased to develop the web access. Richmond further explained HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION Minutes of May 10, 1999 Page 2 that the data base was developed with the assistance of volunteers and it is an ongoing ( process to update and refine it. The actu al demonstration of th e temporary web site was then brought up on the screen. It was explained that this data base will be available through the City's web site once it has been developed, and th at it may take on a different look at th at time. The data base contains photographs datin g from the 1800's to the current date, and users will be able to print copies or order prints directly from the web page. The Media Division plans to develop a brochure which will describe the collection and explain the process for ordering the photographs in add ition to the information availab le via the Internet. The Media Department also has a co ll ection of over 10,000 slides of the City dating from the early 1970's and they are in the process now of creating a data base for that co llection . In conclusion, Richmond explained about a possible grant available thro ugh the State of Ca liforni a in co njunction with their project called, "Shades of Ca lifornia". This proj ect would involve collecting photograph s and family hi stories from the loca l community and creating a data base of that materi al. Although it would be very labor intensive, he continued, they are loo kin g forward to participating in th e program. HISTORIC TREE INVENTORY: Mr. Mark Wisniewski outlined his proposed project to identify and inventory the historic trees in the old part of the City of Carlsbad. Mr. Wisniewski said that he had already completed similar projects for the cities of Solana Beach and Coronado. He explained that for many years historic preservation was limited to structures but that trees in a community represent detailed and accurate recorded history of an area. Mr. Wisniewski continued that the trees contain an accurate historical record of climate and weather. As most trees along city streets were purposely planted to mark the street, they are permanent historical records. Mr. Wisniewski said that the City of Carlsbad has the highest number of street trees in San Diego County. He has already identified that some of the City trees are habitat for wildlife. His proposal is to inventory the trees for both cultural and historical significance and then to write a tree management plan. He plans to work closely with the City Arborists to carry out guidelines for extending the life of the trees. Commissioner Muth commented that she found the concept very interesting and that she was in favor of the Historical Commission taking this on as a project immediately. Commissioner Christiansen asked if Mr. Wisniewski would identify those trees with any problems or diseases. HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION Minutes of May 10, 1999 Page 3 Mr. Wisn iewski sa id that as part of hi s report he wou ld report on the co ndition of the trees in general but should he run into anything significant he would notify the City. He continu ed th at th e City does a more detailed survey for th e general care of th e trees. Council Member Finnila told the commission that currently th e City employs two tree specialists and has a tree manage ment program for all the trees on City property. They also have a landscape program for planting within the city. Th is proposed inventory project would be supplemental to the exist ing program. Chair Gordon Bizieff asked if the Comm ission wou ld agree to table any decision on this project in order for Mr. Wi sniewski to amend his origina l proposal and cost estimate. The comm ission ag reed and Mr. Wisniewski was as ked to provi de the revi sed proposal in time for the next Comm ission meeting in Ju ly. Cha ir Bizieff asked for information on the process should the commission decide to recommend the project. Assistant Li brary Director Armour explained that the re port would be primarily for hi storical significance and the commission would ask fo r City Council approv al. The enti re process would ta ke from two to three months. Chair Bizieff suggested that if they go forward with the project, the Historical Commission place a article in the papers asking for information from the local citizens ( about historical trees in the area . ( Assistant Library Director Armour agreed that would be a good method to collect information and perhaps a brochure could then be printed with information about the historical trees in Carlsbad similar to the one we have about the historical structures in our City. Ultimately the inventory and information on the trees and structures would be held in the library as a resource for local history. TH IRD GRADE ART CONTEST: Assistant Library Director Armour reported that we are asking the City Council to declare the week of June 8th as Carlsbad Historical Preservation Week in conjunction with the art contest. The schools have the information packets and the judges have been selected for the entries. Commissioner Jones will represent this commission as one of the judges. Ann L'Heureux reported that the Historical Society has already conducted historical tours for five classrooms with another five scheduled for next week. ANNOUN CE MENTS/COMMITTEE REPORTS: Chair Bizieff asked for an update on the needed repairs to Magee House. HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION Minutes of May 10, 1999 Page 4 Assistant Library Director Armour reported that during the weekend of the Street Faire someone threw the "No Parking" sign through the front door of the house and that damage is being repaired. Currently Facilities Maintenance is working on repairing the porch and installing lighting on the barn. He sa id the Historical Society is interested in hiring a consultant to assist them in assessing the best methods for preserving the building. The Society would cover the cost of an architectural analysis of the building and will ask the City Council to fund th e construction ph ase. Commissioner Muth asked for an update on the Highway 101 sign project and Chair Bizief asked if we had intended to plan any ceremony around the installation of the signs. Assistant Library Director Armour said that the signs had been ordered but we had no firm installation date at this time. In reference to the questions about a ceremony, he replied that we would not plan anything official to mark the installation. PUBLIC COMMENTS: NONE ITEM FOR NEXT AGENDA: Cha ir Bizieff asked for any items for the next agenda other than the revised proposal from Mr. Wisniewski. There were no others . ADJOURNMENT: By proper motion, the meeting was adjourned at 6:55 p.m. ubmitted, Cissie exton Administrative Secretary