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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/04/1998 - Regular Minutes - Historic Preservation Committee HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING COLLEGE STATION CONFERENCE CENTER 1300 GEORGE BUSH DRIVE WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 1998 -- 5:15 P.M. HISTORIC COMMITTEE Bill Lancaster, Chairman; Elton Abbott; Rebecca Berry; MEMBERS PRESENT: Dennis Maloney; Jeannie Miller; Shawn Carlson; Sharon Menn MEMBERS ABSENT: Deborah Jasek, Co -Chair STAFF PRESENT: David Gerling, Special Facilities Superintendent; Pamela Einkauf, Senior Secretary VISITORS PRESENT: Mike Luther I. CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order at 5:15 p.m. by Bill Lancaster, Chairman. David submitted Carol Wagner's resignation to Bill, stating that he had notified the City Council office. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The minutes were approved as written. 3. HEAR VISITORS: Mike Luther had nothing to present. 4. , • :_ . •: =••► _►ID 11_. D •► •► .• :• David said the HPC needed to decide if it wanted Mr. Jeff Carroll to do the book. He said the City's Legal Department was drawing up a contract. David said once he gets it back from Legal, he will meet with Mr. Carroll to see if an agreement can be reached. The HPC agreed that they wanted Mr. Carroll to do the book. Shawn asked how much money he would actually be paid. David said $600 a month for twelve months, or $7,200.00. He said at the last meeting he'd stated that the HPC had $10,000 to spend, however there was $15,000 available. Bill asked if money would need to be available to have the book typed. David said he would check on that when he met with Mr. Carroll, but he felt sure Mr. Carroll composed on the computer. David said he'd made a few calls and the City's Print /Mail Department could get the book camera ready at no cost. He also talked to an editor with University Press, who told him that he'd need to send a query letter explaining what the book was about, and a sample of how it would be written. They will then review it and agree Historic Preservation Committee Page 2 to publish the book if it fits into one of their categories. Since the book will be historical, they will probably accept it. Dennis suggested getting the author to help compose the query letter. David was told that the process, from the time the query letter was received until they would be ready to go to print, would take about a year, and that the book would probably go back and forth several times for editing before it met with University Press' approval. Once approved, they would print it and market it. They only print 1,000 books at a time. When they run out they print 1,000 more. David said by mid - summer the HPC should know whether they will accept the project or not. He was also told that if the HPC wanted the book printed sooner and possibly cheaper, to get it typed up, camera ready, and then either take it to a local printer or go to the Literary Marketplace to find a publisher. Dennis explained that the Literary Marketplace was a list of subsidiary publishers who, for a set fee, would package a product, market it, and ship the volumes to you. He said the HPC could get a good deal that way depending on how many volumes were ordered. He explained that printing only 1,000 volumes was really cost prohibitive, and the more you had printed, the better deal you got. He thought the HPC might want to consider printing 5,000 the first time. David said when he called around, everyone he talked to wanted specifics such as how many books would be printed, paperback or hardback, and if paperback, what type of cover and binding. He asked Dennis if he would go with him when he talked to the publishers. Dennis agreed, and Elton volunteered to go along as well, since he knew about the graphics side. David said he'd set up a meeting and get back with Dennis and Elton. He said he would also contact Mr. Carroll to let him know the HPC had chosen him to do the book. Dennis said there needed to be a clause in the contract compensating Mr. Carroll for any editing that the publisher might want done. Dennis made a motion to hire Jeff Carroll to carry out the task of writing the Oral Histories book. The motion was seconded, and passed with no opposition. 5. REVIEW AND DISCUSSION OF HISTORIC HOME APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED: An application for 1000 Munson, owned by Mary Louise Moore, was approved as historic home #42. There were no other applications submitted. 6. OTHER COMMITTEE CONCERNS: Bill said that one of the concerns of the HPC was direction, and that there had been past discussion of channeling the HPC's efforts down to a smaller area. He wanted to know the members' thoughts on which direction to take after the book has been taken care of. Dennis said Elton had suggested creating a statement to be given to Council stating the HPC's goals. He said the statement should include something about encouraging rejuvenation in the Southside and Eastgate neighborhoods. Dennis said that would coincide with work Mike Luther had previously done for the older neighborhoods while on a committee. He said Mike's committee had made recommendations to City Council that there be projects and interest on the part of the city which encouraged renovation and home ownership. Dennis added that construction or rebuilding in those neighborhoods should follow the architectural motif of the homes that are there. David asked Dennis if he was talking about an overlay Historic Preservation Committee Page 3 district, and Dennis said just overall guidelines. He said the report Mike Luther had done had been very thorough, with recommendations on streets, lighting, housing, etc. He suggested the HPC read over the report and endorse it as well, adding that they could make notations on anything they had reservations on. Dennis nominated Elton to write a draft, and to talk to Mike Luther. Elton said he'd like to look at other cities the size of College Station that have districts with historical overtones, so he's not reinventing what's already been done. He said his idea is to provide guidance in the form of a pamphlet for anyone considering renovating or buying property in those neighborhoods. It would describe the benefits and positive things that could be done when renovating property to maintain historical integrity. Jeannie said the government has pamphlets with guidelines for renovating just about anything from an historical aspect. Elton said the HPC needed an incentive program that it could sponsor or create, and suggested generating an historical foundation. The foundation wouldn't be able to grant tax incentives, but there could be a grant program to help people fund their investments. Dennis asked where the funds would come from. Elton said he didn't know yet. Dennis said there may be something at the federal government level. Becky suggested forming a homeowner's association in those areas. Shawn said a neighborhood association would be better since there was so much rental property in the area. Dennis said the HPC needed to present an overall philosophy and attitude that it wished the City to take towards the area. Once that attitude was accepted, the HPC could go on to the next step. Bill asked Elton if he minded taking on the task of writing the statement. Elton said he'd do it and enlist support as needed. Mike Luther said he would get Elton a copy of the report his committee had done, along with minutes from the meetings, if needed. David said at a previous meeting he'd told the HPC that the building housing the City's Community Development offices was an historic building. He said Pam had done a little research. She found out that the building wasn't owned by the City but was still in the Walton family, with the City renting from them. Thomas Walton and Mary Lou Epps were the people to contact. David said the HPC could write up the application and send it to them for their approval, or let them fill it out. Bill asked if they'd expressed any interest in getting a marker. David said no, they didn't know it was being discussed. Pam explained that she was waiting on information about the building that had been collected by the Community Development office. If there wasn't much, Mr. Walton or Ms. Epps may have to fill out the application. David said either way he would send a letter. Dennis said if the HPC did the leg work it would be sure to get done. Dennis said the HPC's statement needed to include something about having the antique lights installed on all the streets in the old neighborhoods. David said the City's Electric Department had received a few calls from people wanting to know how to get a light installed in front of their house. David said that at one time, there had been talk of doing a dedication booklet showing different items that could be purchased and dedicated to someone, but the project never went anywhere. Dennis asked what needed to be done to get the project going. David said the HPC would have to come up with a booklet showing items that could be Historic Preservation Committee Page 4 purchased, and then present it to City Council for approval. Dennis had a suggestion that the HPC just offer the lights and call it the College Station Historical Lighting Project. David said the biggest struggle would be working with the Electric Department as to where the lights were needed. Dennis said the locations for the lights needed to be predetermined by the HPC, and then let the donor choose from one of the predetermined sites. He suggested installing the lamps where the Southside Historic signs are and having the signs hang off the Tamp. 7. ADJOURN: The meeting adjourned at 6:00 p.m.