Historic Preservation Commission Meeting - August 5, 2025
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Historic Preservation Commission Meeting - August 5, 2025
The Butte-Silver Bow Historic Preservation Commission held a regular meeting on August 5, 2025, to approve minutes, hear staff reports, conduct a public hearing on a brownfields cleanup project at the Hanson Steam Plant, review two design certificates of appropriateness, determine the eligibility of a property at 310 Wharton Street, and discuss the ongoing zoning ordinance update.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of July 1, 2025, Meeting Minutes: Moved and seconded, approved unanimously by voice vote.
- Rescheduling September 2025 Meeting: Moved and seconded to move the September meeting from the first Tuesday to September 9, 2025, approved unanimously by voice vote.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public offered comments on any agenda items before the meeting.
Discussion Items
- Staff and Member Reports: Kate announced a fundraiser for Engine 25 at the Butte Civic Center on August 16, 12–6 PM, and a hike through history at the West Side Reservoir on August 28 at 9 AM. A brown bag lunch talk by Kira Ryan on the Henry Seabin/Steven Ranch will occur August 27 at noon at the archives. Kate requested moving the September meeting to the 9th, which was approved.
- Butte Historic Revitalization Subgrant Program: Kate reported receiving 34 letters of intent for the grant program, which has approximately $749,862 in funding. A committee will review letters to select applicants for the second phase. Some projects may require review by the HPC.
- Hanson Steam Plant Brownfields Public Hearing: Carrie Taylor, Melissa Wanamaker, and Marcus from Wet presented a proposal to clean up contaminated soils (arsenic, lead, barium, petroleum) at the historic Hanson Steam Plant (1 Hanson Road). The chosen alternative (Alternative 3) involves targeted excavation to three feet inside the building and perimeter, and 12 inches in high-use exterior areas, with clean fill replacement. Asbestos and lead paint abatement will be handled separately by the owners. Cleanup is expected to start in October 2025. The project is in a 30-day community comment period ending August 13, 2025. Commissioners expressed support for the project. Chair noted it is a key piece of history and applauded the presenters.
- Design Review COA – Wilhelm's Flower Shop (135 West Broadway): Kate summarized a project to restore the exterior, including repairing 14 original wood-frame windows by replacing glass and weatherproofing, using URA funds. Diane Hall, the owner, and her contractor were present. The masonry repair (brick repointing and cleaning) will be a future project. Commissioner Bobby Staffer asked about the storefront and brick cleaning. The motion to approve the design review as presented was made, seconded, and passed unanimously by voice vote.
- Design Review COA – Sign at 53 East Park Street: John WhiteSoul presented a proposal for an internally lit sign for a tattoo shop. The sign will be 18 inches wide, 5 feet 6 inches tall, with hand-sculpted foam letters painted white with reflective beading, a black smalt background from Anaconda smelter, and LED halo lighting. The sign will be suspended from the balcony. Commissioner Russell O'Leary moved to approve; seconded and passed unanimously by voice vote.
- Determination of Eligibility – 310 Wharton Street: Kate presented research on the single-family home, built circa 1919. The house has been vacant for over 30 years and has some original windows and a craftsman-style door. The family had intended to restore it as a dream home but health issues prevented occupancy. Kate found no historical significance besides a former resident, Gordon Boston, who went missing in action during WWII, but concluded the property is not individually eligible for the National Register. Commissioner Steve Hinnick moved to agree with the determination; seconded and passed unanimously by voice vote. Kate noted she has discussed salvaging the door and windows with the owners.
- Zoning Ordinance Update Review: Chair noted that the new zoning ordinance includes building typology images and design guidelines. The public comment period originally closed August 8 but may extend through August. Commissioners were encouraged to review the draft and submit individual comments via the city's zoning update webpage or through the commission. It was clarified that HPC will not be merged with zoning but may provide input on design guidelines.
Key Outcomes
- Approved the July 1, 2025 meeting minutes.
- Approved rescheduling the September 2025 meeting to September 9, 2025.
- Approved the design review COA for Wilhelm's Flower Shop (135 West Broadway) for window restoration.
- Approved the design review COA for a sign at 53 East Park Street (tattoo parlor).
- Determined that 310 Wharton Street is not eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, clearing the way for a demolition permit. Salvage of the door and windows was recommended.
- Supported the Hanson Steam Plant brownfields cleanup project (Alternative 3). The 30-day community comment period ends August 13, 2025.
- Encouraged individual commissioners to submit comments on the proposed zoning ordinance update before the extended deadline.
Meeting Transcript
Meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission. Could you read the role, please? Call the role, please. Kate. Steve Hinnick. Bobby Staffer. Russell O'Leary. Jennifer Peterson is excused. Amy Swartz. John Weitzel? Cameron Beardsley. We do have a quorum. Okay, I hope everybody had a chance to look at the July 1st uh meeting minutes. Any additions, subtractions, corrections? Hearing none, I would move that the July 1st 2025 meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission minutes be approved. Do I hear a second? Second. It's been moved and seconded. Anybody else have any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor of the approval say aye. Aye. Opposed. The minutes have been approved. This evening, anybody in the public would like to comment on anything on the agenda this evening before we start our meeting? Uh before we get into any other uh items. Hearing none, we'll move on to our staff and member report. Is there a how do I do that? Um there an input button. Oh there's only three things on there, so I should probably be able to remember them, but um, so uh couple of things, it's probably more like announcements, but um we will be doing a fundraiser for uh the engine 25 initiative. So keep keeping engine 25 on track, and that's gonna be at the Butte Civic Center on August 16th. There's gonna be all kinds of things, vendors, food trucks, music, tons of fun crafts and stuff to look at. Um so that will be from 12 to 6, so that will be um you know, all proceeds going towards the restoration of the engine. Um I will be doing a hike through history uh at the West Side Reservoir on August 28th. Thank you, Sean Frederickson. Uh he was the one that put me on the hook for that. Um, but it's it's interesting. I think it'll probably be mostly about the water system in general. Um and actually I just found out, so it's not up here that the day before that. Um our migrant coordinator, uh Kira Ryan will be doing the brown bag at the um at the archives. Um so that will be that Wednesday at noon. She has written a book about Henry Seabin, the Steven Ranch. So she will be giving a talk if and you should all come and support her. Uh and I had I just wanted to put out there for all of you. My folks are coming into town actually at the end of the month, and I was hoping that I could possibly move the meeting in September back to the 9th instead of the first Tuesday. So if that works for everyone, that would be that would be great. Um that is that's it for my for that report. Uh any questions for Kate on this uh report? The Brown Bragg lunch that is on what is the date on that one? So um what did I say it's you said it's a wedding 28th?
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