PRESENT:
Chair Bob Baughman
Vice Chair Daniel Zwiener
Commissioner Pat Spoerl
Commissioner Patrick Foley
Commissioner Valeria Pullara
Commission Lois Nagy
Also Present:
Scott Nelson, Special Projects Coordinator
Lexa Mack, Town Attorney
Salette Latas, Council Member
Diane Chapman, Senior Office Specialist
- Chair Baughman asked that "State Historian" be deleted after Jim Garrison’s name.
MOTION: Vice Chair Zwiener MOVED to approve the August 11, 2008, Historic Preservation Commission minutes as corrected. Commissioner Nagy seconded the motion. Motion carried, 6:0.
- Chair Baughman asked that spelling of Joyce Rychener’s name be corrected throughout the minutes.
- Commissioner Spoerl said on page 3, 4th paragraph, last sentence change to "This should not have an impact on our nomination to the National Register."
MOTION: Commissioner Nagy MOVED to accept the September 8, 2008, with the corrections discussed above. Commissioner Foley seconded the motion. Motion carried, 6:0.
- Commissioner Spoerl said on page 3, middle of the page, paragraph starting Mr. Nelson said there was a community garden originally planted, the word planted should be changed to planned.
MOTION: Vice Chair Zwiener MOVED to approve the October 6, 2008, Historic Preservation Commission minutes as corrected. Commissioner Spoerl seconded the motion. Motion carried, 6:0.
Commissioner Spoerl, speaking as President of the Oro Valley Historical Society (OVHS), said at the September meeting the OVHS presented a historical garden proposal for Steam Pump Ranch (SPR), specifically a pioneer garden to be located near the Pusch ranch house, for input and comment. No action was taken for endorsement or support. That discussion brought up the issue of how projects may be approved at SPR. At the October Commission meeting, it was recorded that the Town Manager could approve proposals and projects for SPR if they were consistent with the Master Plan (MP). Since that time, the Town Manager’s office, Legal Department and the Historical Society have been working on a license agreement for the pioneer garden. The Town Council will need to review and approve that agreement since it is a contract between the OVHS and the Town. This is on the agenda tonight to give the HPC an opportunity for any action or further comment before the license agreement goes to the Council. The garden proposal is basically the same as the draft already presented.
It would be beneficial to start the garden as soon as is conceivably possible, considering safety issues, etc., because it would be a very good publicity vehicle for SPR.
A 90 foot area surrounding the ranch house is archaeologically sensitive. That factor needs to be considered in locating the garden. If historic items are found, the garden wouldn’t go there.
Mr. Nelson said the greenhouse was originally scheduled to be removed within the next 2 months.
HPC sending forward this item forward to Council without recommendation is not necessarily a negative.
Add to the list for resources: Seed Savers Exchange, Technicians for Sustainability (contact Lincoln Perino), the Tohono O’odam Nation, and the USDA Agricultural Resources.
The license agreement will give 2 access codes to the gate, one for the project director and one for the President of the Society. One of those two individuals will be required to be present whenever there is any activity going on.
MOTION: Commissioner Nagy MOVED to send a recommendation to the Town Council that the HPC does endorse a historic garden at Steam Pump Ranch. Vice Chair Zwiener seconded the motion. Motion carried: 6:0.
The consultant for SPR has submitted the National Register application to the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and the review and comment period will be six months. A copy will be sent to HPC members.
Once the SPR MP was adopted there was no process in place for running the Ranch.
The archaeologists on HPC should be overseeing each project. The Commission should have an involved role in regards to historical sites and be able to make recommendations to the Council. HPC needs to draft an SOP regarding this.
There are concerns about contamination from rodents at the site. The Town Manager felt it was important to clean up the site without disturbing anything that shouldn’t be disturbed. Cleaning up and securing the site against further intrusion from the rodents is a priority as this is a health and safety concern.
There needs to be a balance of safety concerns and still preserve history.
HPC might make a recommendation on how to do the clean up and preserve the historical nature of the site.
The Commission may want to authorize two members of the Commission to serve as stewards/wardens for site.
Council Member Latas thought that might be a good possibility, but no particular person should be written into the operating procedures.
It is important to have the same expertise continuing, but if not, to be able to hire a consultant.
HPC should draft a procedure broad enough to come up with different solutions as needed, but strict enough to protect all historic sites, and recommend to Council for approval.
Commissioner Spoerl suggested that if the draft were developed through a study session involving the entire Commission it could count as training.
Chair Baughman asked Mr. Nelson to schedule a study session to include Council Member Latas, HPC and himself.
The ADOT Transportation Grant was not successful at State level. Pima Association of Governments staff said there were concerns over SHPO’s position on treatment. Also funding was cut by 25%. Other options will be looked at this coming year.
Regarding security, the bicycle patrol will not work from the Ranch. The Police Department helped locate lighting that would help when they patrol.
There are no concerns at this time with workers contracted at the Ranch. No items of historic value have been taken that he is aware of.
There is concern about the rate of deterioration of the pumphouse. Without the ADOT grant there needs to be a plan based on Jim Garrison’s recommendations of how to preserve the pumphouse. Mr. Nelson can report on what has been recommended by the experts at the next meeting, but he will not be prepared to report on costs and funding.
Aside from restoration, to make it last longest as a ruin, is to build a permanent canopy over the top to keep the elements from hitting the sides.
An alternate solution would be a temporary shelter, which we would need to know the cost to construct.
The Arizona public records law is an exemption for public records that relate to the location of archaeological findings, discoveries, or sights that may be eligible for the Arizona Register of Historic Places. It is left within the discretion of public officers, whether or not information should be redacted or public records requests be refused based on the fact that it contains information described in the statute. It also allows for consultation with SHPO whether information should be withheld or not. Ms. Mack spoke with Carol Griffith, Deputy Director Archaeologist at SHPO, Linda Mayro of Pima County, and the preservation officer for Scottsdale, and asked if they were aware of any jurisdiction in Arizona with a policy above what State Statutes provide. Their responses were they follow State law. SHPO commented that homes placed on the National Register cannot be kept confidential. It is still trespassing if people go on private property, but they can’t keep people from viewing from the outside and can’t keep the address private.
Chair Baughman recommended HPC do nothing further regarding this issue.
A voice message was received from Bob Frankenberger about concerns on two items Mr. Spaeth was able to address. 1. When the application was submitted we had two Commissioners who are no longer on the Commissioner which needed to be updated.
Commissioner Nagy received information from other communities on how they handle inventories. We need to address what we want to do and whether to hire a consultant. Some areas of work could be done by our Commissioners. State Historical library is open to public for research. We need to know how much money is available and how to spend it. We have homework to do first.
There are other things in the Town that would be simple to inventory and take very little funds, i.e. older neighborhoods.
Cultural inventory means inventorying all potential sites.
Mr. Nelson said the Town Council has budgeted $50,000 for consulting on this item. If HPC produced a scope of work, then an RFP would be put together with our Procurement Department. A work study session on this matter is scheduled for February.
Chair Baughman asked Commissioners Spoerl, Zwiener, and Nagy to email Diane Chapman their thoughts to be forwarded to the Commissioners. This will be put first on our next agenda to address.
Commissioner Pullara said she had done some internet research to find other areas outreach plans. She has a good format, but needs guidance on where to go from here.
Chair Baughman asked Commissioner Pullara to send the information to Diane Chapman to be forwarded to HPC. This should be put second on the next meeting agenda.
Commissioner Pullara will be out of town for several meetings and will participate via phone.
Commissioner Foley reported board members are required to do 16 hours of training per term. Citizen Planning Institute is available every year. Special training at meetings include Skylark Consulting and Mr. Garrison’s presentation. Other Commissions or groups also offer training. There is also the May 29th Centennial Workshop.
Chair Baughman would like to see an ongoing training calendar. Once the new member is on board the Legal Department could do training on Prop. 207 and the open meeting law.
Commissioner Pullara attended the Santa Cruz Heritage Alliance meeting last Friday. They have been working on a new Southwest Food Alliance, which is revitalizing multi-cultural farming and ranching, which the SPR gardens might fit into. The National Heritage Area is up for vote with the Senate and is Bill # 2213 on November 17. They encouraged members to contact their Senator prior to November 17 to let them know how they feel.
Chair Baughman asked Commissioner Pullara to put together a brief memo with information needed to write to our Senators.
- On November 19 Town Council will consider a Heritage Grant Agreement and Conservation Easement for funding of the Heritage Grant of $111,600 to go towards more than matching funds from County bonds, and a $28,000 contribution from the general fund to go towards the restoration process of the 1870’s ranch house. Mr. Nelson showed the sign to go along with that.
- Last Thursday, Chair Baughman, Mr. Nelson, Pamela Pelletier, and Andrew from Poster Frost received the APA AZ award for Best Historic Landmark, Steam Pump Ranch Master Plan.