HomeMy Public PortalAbout2020-08-11 minutesCity of Jefferson Historic Preservation Commission Minutes
Regular Meeting – Tuesday, August 11, 2020
Council Chambers – John G. Christy Municipal Building
320 E. McCarty Street
Commission Members Present Attendance Record
Mary Schantz, Chairperson 6 of 7
Gregory Bemboom 6 of 7
Alan Wheat 6 of 7
Michael Berendzen 4 of 7
Tiffany Patterson 3 of 4
Brad Schaefer 6 of 7
Steven Hoffman 6 of 7
Commission Members Absent Attendance Record
Donna Deetz, Vice Chairperson 6 of 7
Gail Jones 5 of 7
Council Liaison Present
Laura Ward, Via Telephone
Staff Present
Rachel Senzee, Neighborhood Services Supervisor
Anne Stratman, Neighborhood Services Specialist
Bryan Wolford, Associate City Attorney
Guests Present
John Dinkins
Alan Strope
Bryan Wolford
Fr. Richard Frank
Gary & Doris Schmutzler
Jeff Futhey
Pete Oetting
Herbert Turner
Stephen Meyer
Wayne Elliott
Call to Order
Ms. Schantz called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
Adoption of Agenda
Ms. Patterson moved and Mr. Wheat seconded to adopt the agenda as printed. The motion passed
unanimously.
Approval of Minutes
Mr. Wheat moved and Mr. Berendzen seconded to approve the minutes from the July 14, 2020
Regular Meeting as written. The motion passed unanimously.
Communication Received
Ms. Senzee explained that correspondence was received from EBI Consulting pertaining to an
invitation to comment on a proposed telecommunications facility installation at 909 Louisiana Avenue.
Since it is associated with the FCC they are required to go through the Section 106 Review process. The
proposed tower does not lie within any of the National Register Districts or local landmark areas. The
Commission has the ability to choose whether to comment or not. Staff recommendation would be to
send a notice saying that we decline comment at this time.
After additional discussion, the Commission chose to reserve comment on the proposed
telecommunications facility.
Demolition Review-Under 100 Years Old
A. 1560 Bald Hill Road
Ms. Senzee explained that 1560 Bald Hill Road is under consideration for demolition review. This
property is owned by Christopher Billings. The current structure is being demolished to rebuild on the lot.
This property does not hold stand-alone historical significance in terms of heritage, cultural or
architecturally. Staff recommendation for this property is demolition.
The Commission discussed contacting the Historic City of Jefferson each time a property comes
before them for demolition. This will allow the Historic City of Jefferson to determine whether there are
any architectural items that are salvageable from that home.
Ms. Senzee stated that she will contact the Historic City of Jefferson each time so that they can make
that determination whether or not to salvage items.
Mr. Bemboom moved and Mr. Berendzen seconded to approve the demolition review application for
1560 Bald Hill Road owned by Christopher Billings. The motion passed unanimously.
New Business
A. 622 E. McCarty Street
Ms. Senzee explained that this property is located within the School Street Local Historic District. The
property owner had some issues before the tornado and the tornado came through and made it worse.
The property owner was putting on a metal roof which is not within the established guidelines of the
School Street Local Historic District. However, the Building Official stopped work because they did not
have a permit. The Building Official did not communicate with Historic Preservation Staff about its need to
go through the Historic Preservation Commission. The Building Official l eft and when his staff was going
through his office, they found a building permit from last November. The house has been sitting out in the
elements with a tarp on it since November. The City does not have a mechanism in City Code as a
Historic Preservation Commission to approve or issue a certificate of appropriateness or any other type of
mechanism within the design guidelines of the School Street Local Historic District. It was staff
recommendation that the Commission allow the property owner to put on t he roof so that the house does
not deteriorate further. City staff wanted to be transparent and expose the procedural issue. There is no
action that can occur tonight.
Ms. Ward suggested amending or revising the building permit application to reflect that a property is
located in a known local historic district or conservation district. She suggested listing the Capitol Avenue
Conservation Overlay District, School Street Local Historic District and Lower Jefferson Historic District on
the application so that the property owner can mark which district their property is located in. This way the
Building Inspector can verify that.
Ms. Schantz asked if staff can report to the Commission each month on the progress of the code
changes.
Ms. Senzee agreed to include this as a monthly agenda item. This is going to be an arduous task that
we are not always going to agree on how to proceed, at times, but will end up with the best possible
product in the end.
Ms. Schantz stated that this is really a continuation of one our goals set out in the Historic
Preservation Plan.
Other Business
A. National Alliance of Preservation Commissions – FORUM 2020 at Home
Ms. Senzee explained that City staff and Ms. Deetz participated in the 2020 FORUM at Home. NAPC
will be making all of the sessions available. As soon as that happens staff will send that link to the
Commission.
B. Gregory Stockard Award
Ms. Senzee stated that Jayme Abbott has been selected to receive the award this year. She has been
notified that she will be receiving the award. Ms. Abbott will be presented that award at the August 17,
2020 City Council Meeting.
C. Juneteenth Trail / Sterling Price Marker
Ms. Schantz stated that Mr. Wolford distributed a memo to Commission members regarding the
ownership of the Sterling Price Marker. The gist of the Conclusion is that the City owns the marker and
they can move it, remove it, conceal it and also transfer the ownership of it to someone else.
The following individuals spoke regarding this agenda item:
Mr. Bryan Wolford stated that he is in opposition to removing or altering the Civil War marker located
at Moreau Drive and Fairmount Boulevard. He is the current secretary and treasurer for Camp Lillie of
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. He is also a member at large of Parsons Camp of the Sons of
Confederate Veterans. Mr. Wolford gave an in depth history of the battle and how some of Missouri’s
prominent Governors took place in that battle. His recommendation is to utilize that space, put some more
information specifically about the Union’s role in the battle and essentially protecting the City from the
attack.
Doris Opel Schmutzler stated that she believes the historical rock marker should stand. She talked
about how her the rock marker has personal significance to me, my family and members of my extended
family as the descendants of two German immigrants, Ehrhardt “Erhard” Johann K autsch and Friedrich
Carl Strobel. Ms. Schmutzler is the great-great-granddaughter of Erhard Kautsch. These two men were
just farmers. They were in a field in a intersection of Route C and Route D just west of Jefferson City and
they were murdered. She continued to explain the remainder her family’s story.
Pete Oetting, distributed the Battlefield Flag and Monument Policy as approved during the 136 th
National Encampment in Lansing Michigan in 2017. Mr. Oetting is connected with Sons of Union
Veterans. He is the Commander of Camp Lillie. The national encampment policy letter from Lansing,
Michigan in 2017 states, among other things, the Sons of Union Veterans is against the removal of any
war monument or marker. Mr. Oetting identifies the marker on Moreau Drive as a Civil War Marker. Mr.
Oetting has known people in Jefferson City that did research based on that marker. He stated it would be
a shame if this community went down the road of changing names and changing monuments. Mr. Oettng
indicated the Camp Lillie chapter would be interested in putting a marker alongside the Sterling Price
Marker which would commemorate the Battle of 1864 for the Union side.
Fr. Richard Frank is the Chaplin of Camp Lillie, Sons of Union Veterans. Fr. Frank was against doing
anything to the monument because it does not glorify the Confederacy, it does not glorify slavery, it
simply states a historical fact that the Confederate Army was stopped. Fr. Frank believed the monument
should stay but also add some additional interpretation. The State has put up many beautiful interpretive
signs at various places relating to the Civil War. He just saw a whole bunch of them at the Battle of
Athens in far northeastern Missouri. A beautiful wayside or interpretive display about the size of this
podium would be good to put at that spot as well.
Ms. Schantz asked Commission members whether we want to take the lead from the Human
Relations Commission and come up with a specific r ecommendation or to send a memo to the City
Council that summarizes the testimony that has been presented and/or other ideas the HPC might have.
Ms. Ward stated that the first step would be to take this issue to a City Committee such as the
Administration Committee or the Public Works and Planning Committee. She explained that she serves
on the Administration Committee and would be able to put this issue on the next agenda.
After additional discussion, Commission members agreed that summarizing the testimony from the
July 14, 2020 meeting and from tonight’s meeting and providing to City Council would be an appropriate
action.
After additional discussion, Mr. Berendzen moved and Mr. Hoffman seconded to not remove the
marker and additional information specifically about the event can be added as money and time allows.
Mr. Berendzen amended the original motion to include a summary of testimony received from the July
14, 2020 meeting and tonight’s meeting and provide to the City Council.
After no additional discussion, the Commission’s vote on the amended motion was unanimous.
D. HPF Grant Proposals
Ms. Senzee explained that staff would like to redo the Historic Eastside Survey and continue the
survey along W. Main Street where the previous survey ended.
Discussion centered around the survey boundaries for the continuation of the W. Main Street Survey.
Mr. Berendzen suggested surveying W. Main Street on both sides of the street to the Water Tower.
E. Jefferson City Exterior Structural Survey – Missouri State Capitol District & Munichburg Commercial
Districts
Ms. Senzee reported on the structural survey for the downtown area and Old Munichburg area. A
public meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 18, 2020 at 5:30 p.m. A structural survey was completed
to determine the viability of over 100 the structures in these areas. The consultant gave each building a
condition of green, yellow or red.
F. CDBG-DR Action Plan
Ms. Senzee reported that the State of Missouri published the State’s CDBG-DR Recovery Plan for
flooding and the May 22, 2019 tornado. Cole County is eligible for approximately $7 million. The plan
proposes funding for voluntary buyout in the flood plain. It also proposes acquisition of property and new
construction of 5+ unit multi-family housing development. Restoration activities are not eligible as well.
Staff will be making comments that the proposed plan does not address the needs in that area.
Ms. Patterson stated that she would like to see the City’s recommendations and make comments on
those.
Ms. Schantz stated that the Commission’s consensus is to review the City’s recommendations and
make comments on those.
G. National Register Nomination-2113 W. Main Street
Ms. Senzee explained that a National Register nomination is being prepared for 2113 W. Main Street,
also known as the Sugarbaker property. The Colonial Revival home was built in 1939 and was purchased
by Dr. Everett and Geneva Sugarbaker in 1950. A 500 square foot laboratory was built in 1953.
Dates to Remember
A. Next Regular Meeting Date, September 8, 2020
Since this meeting date falls the day after the Labor Day Holiday, the City Council will meet on this
date. Ms. Stratman will look at moving the meeting date to September 15 and notify the Commission.
Adjournment
Ms. Patterson moved and Mr. Berendzen seconded to adjourn the meeting at 7:37 p.m. The motion
passed unanimously.