OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Historic Landmarks Commission Meeting - August 29, 2025

City Council & Commissions — Friday, August 29, 2025
BodyAstoria, Oregon
SessionCity Council & Commissions
DateFriday, August 29, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 27:53

Transcript — Verbatim
0:18

All right, it is 5 30.

0:20

I will call the August 19th, 2025 meeting of the Historic Landmarks Commission to order.

0:28

The meeting is recorded and will be transcribed.

0:31

May we have a roll call from staff, please.

0:45

Call them out from our names.

0:48

Oh, looking for a mic.

1:14

We know that since then.

1:19

It probably could just say our name.

1:21

Thank what the hell?

1:23

Thank you.

1:23

Um President Mac Burns.

1:26

Present.

1:27

Vice President Michelle Diffenbach.

1:29

Present.

1:31

Commissioner Jack Osterberg.

1:33

Present.

1:34

Commissioner Mike Francis.

1:36

Commissioner Jackson Ross.

1:38

Here.

1:40

Commissioner William Rose.

1:42

Here.

1:42

And Commissioner Annie Van Dyck.

1:45

Here.

1:46

All right.

1:46

I will also note that we have city staff present, our associate planner, Amanda Baron, and uh our executive community development director, John Rom.

1:56

So you should say an executive in front of my director.

1:58

So community development director, um John Roberts.

2:04

It might be one of those nights.

2:05

Um all right, we've got the June 17th, 2025 draft minutes.

2:10

Are there any corrections or changes?

2:17

I move we accept the minutes as written.

2:22

Second.

2:23

Oh all right, it's been moved and seconded.

2:25

Any further discussion?

2:27

All in favor?

2:28

Aye.

2:28

Aye.

2:29

Opposed, abstentions.

2:31

All right, the historic landmarks commission will review one application request tonight with a public hearing.

2:36

The order I'm going to follow for the public hearing is outlined in a handout called Procedures for Conduct of Public Hearings available from staff.

2:45

If you wish to speak, please wait for me to announce when we will begin taking public testimony.

2:49

As a reminder, you should address your remarks to whether or not the application in question meets the necessary criteria.

2:56

The significant criteria that apply to each issue are listed in the staff report, which staff has available.

3:03

If you fail to raise an issue in person via this telephone and video conference, or by letter to the Historic Landmarks Commission or City Council, an appeal of that issue would not be permitted.

3:14

Agenda item 4A exterior alteration request EX25-09 by Jeanette Berta of Magellan Architects for John Dulcich of Astoria Waterfront Group LLC to renovate the existing commercial building at 1115 and 1535 Commercial Street in the C3 zone.

3:36

Does anyone object to the jurisdiction of the historic landmarks commission to hear this matter at this time?

3:45

I thought maybe that's why you were here, John.

3:47

All right.

3:57

So I will leave that one out.

3:59

Does anybody have anything else?

4:03

No.

4:07

All right, may we have a presentation of the staff report and recommendations.

4:15

Yes, thank you.

4:18

So we're here tonight about exterior alteration request EX2509 to make exterior repairs to the existing commercial building, including new windows, roof, new lighting, and repair and repainting of the external masonry.

4:46

So the site and neighborhood.

5:02

Designated as historic in 1998, and both on their historic designations were listed as very altered.

5:14

So this is the north elevation.

5:20

And I've added this little thumbnail of the drawings that came in this week of the elevator and how visible that would be from the street.

5:32

So only one of these will you see it sticking up a little bit above the roof line.

5:39

So this is the plan for the north elevation.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Historic Preservation█████████████████████████████████████████████83%
Procedural████████14%
Arts And Culture██3%
Summary of Proceedings

Historic Landmarks Commission Meeting - August 29, 2025

The Historic Landmarks Commission met on August 29, 2025, to consider an exterior alteration request for a historic downtown building. All seven commissioners were present. The meeting lasted from 5:30 PM to 5:57 PM. (Note: The agenda and minutes reflect a meeting date of August 19, 2025, but the instruction specifies August 29, 2025, which is used here.)

Consent Calendar

  • Minutes Approval: The Commission unanimously approved the June 17, 2025 draft minutes by a 7-0 vote.

Discussion Items

  • Exterior Alteration Request (EX25-09): Applicant Jennette Berta of Magellan Architects and property owner John Dulcich of Astoria Waterfront Group LLC proposed renovations to the commercial building at 1115 & 1535 Commercial Street (corrected to 1511 and 1535 during the meeting). The project includes new windows, roof, lighting, masonry repair and repainting, and a new HVAC system. Staff recommended approval with conditions, including submission of a signed permit application, detailed lighting and landscape plans, and obtaining other necessary permits.
    • Applicant John Dulcich shared personal history with the building and emphasized maintaining historic integrity. The building will be largely occupied by the state government (80%) for public services. New windows will replace rotten wooden ones, but glass block on the 1511 portion will be retained. A future mural on the side was discussed, requiring separate HLC approval.
    • Commissioners expressed support, noting the project meets criteria and will preserve historic fabric.
    • The Commission voted 7-0 to adopt the staff report findings and approve the request with conditions.

Report of Officers

  • Commissioner Rose reported on a focus group for interior design and amenities of the Copeland Commons project (approved in July).

Staff Updates

  • Next HLC meeting scheduled for Tuesday, September 16, 2025.
  • Four commissioners still need to sign off on the volunteer handbook.

Public Comments

  • None.

Key Outcomes

  • Approved EX25-09 exterior alteration request by a 7-0 vote.
  • Appeal period: 15 days from mailing of the Commission's order to City Council. The permit is void after two years unless substantial construction begins.

Meeting Transcript

All right, it is 5 30. I will call the August 19th, 2025 meeting of the Historic Landmarks Commission to order. The meeting is recorded and will be transcribed. May we have a roll call from staff, please. Call them out from our names. Oh, looking for a mic. We know that since then. It probably could just say our name. Thank what the hell? Thank you. Um President Mac Burns. Present. Vice President Michelle Diffenbach. Present. Commissioner Jack Osterberg. Present. Commissioner Mike Francis. Commissioner Jackson Ross. Here. Commissioner William Rose. Here. And Commissioner Annie Van Dyck. Here. All right. I will also note that we have city staff present, our associate planner, Amanda Baron, and uh our executive community development director, John Rom. So you should say an executive in front of my director. So community development director, um John Roberts. It might be one of those nights. Um all right, we've got the June 17th, 2025 draft minutes. Are there any corrections or changes? I move we accept the minutes as written. Second. Oh all right, it's been moved and seconded. Any further discussion? All in favor? Aye. Aye. Opposed, abstentions. All right, the historic landmarks commission will review one application request tonight with a public hearing. The order I'm going to follow for the public hearing is outlined in a handout called Procedures for Conduct of Public Hearings available from staff. If you wish to speak, please wait for me to announce when we will begin taking public testimony. As a reminder, you should address your remarks to whether or not the application in question meets the necessary criteria. The significant criteria that apply to each issue are listed in the staff report, which staff has available. If you fail to raise an issue in person via this telephone and video conference, or by letter to the Historic Landmarks Commission or City Council, an appeal of that issue would not be permitted. Agenda item 4A exterior alteration request EX25-09 by Jeanette Berta of Magellan Architects for John Dulcich of Astoria Waterfront Group LLC to renovate the existing commercial building at 1115 and 1535 Commercial Street in the C3 zone. Does anyone object to the jurisdiction of the historic landmarks commission to hear this matter at this time? I thought maybe that's why you were here, John. All right. So I will leave that one out. Does anybody have anything else?

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