Heritage Preservation Commission Meeting - February 26, 2026

The Heritage Preservation Commission met on February 26, 2026, at 5:00 PM (the meeting started at 5:14 PM) to discuss the Downtown Historic District Vision Plan for the Public Realm and to consider forming an ad-hoc committee for an annual awards program. The commission took public comments, reviewed staff presentations, and made decisions on both agenda items.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes of January 27, 2026: Approved by unanimous consent as the official record.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Barry Skolnick: Expressed disappointment with the public participation process for the vision plan, stating that key meetings were not open to the public. He suggested researching the predecessor committee for awards program names and noted that the plan lacked details on funding, property owner support, and specific projects. He also referenced a city council discussion about parking and urged the commission to take a position on preserving older parking configurations.
• John Kruesel: Emphasized the need for a symbiotic relationship between the historic district and the downtown business district. He discussed parking, noting that diagonal parking slows traffic and is safer than parallel parking, and stressed the importance of maintaining parking for businesses like dental and attorney offices. He referenced city council comments about the commission providing recommendations on parking for the historic district versus the broader downtown.
• Barb Hudson: Continued points from Skolnick, asking for clearer definitions of “balance between preservation and modern needs” and “balance between historic preservation and other city priorities.” She questioned how much of the discussion truly focused on historic preservation versus revitalization, and urged that progress on the Indian Heights Park historic report not be lost.

Discussion Items

5.A – Downtown Historic District Vision Plan for the Public Realm

• Presentation: Staff coordinator Molly Patterson-Lundgren presented the draft vision plan, covering its basis in the 2024 historic designation study, the public engagement process (focus groups, workshops, pop-ups, website), and the six takeaways from community input (including trust, collaboration, and balance between preservation and modern needs). She outlined the plan’s sections: vision and guiding principles, case for action, public realm framework, and implementation strategy with estimated timelines and costs.
• Commissioner Discussion:
  • Chair Zastrow raised the idea of a stakeholder liaison to address community distrust. Staff agreed to explore it.
  • Commissioner Poirier noted that only the first and sixth takeaways (balance, preservation) directly applied to the HPC’s purview, and asked what output was expected. Staff clarified that the commission could endorse, receive, or request more time.
  • Commissioner Kessler questioned historical parking configurations and stressed the need for accessibility for people with disabilities. She noted that back-in diagonal parking is safest and suggested testing interim configurations.
  • Commissioner Shabel emphasized the plan’s storytelling and interpretive signage components, which align with the HPC’s education mission. She voiced support for that aspect and asked that it be highlighted.
  • Commissioner Mutchler asked about the HPC’s role in reviewing future changes. Staff said it would provide a basis for future certificate of appropriateness decisions.
  • Commissioner Zastrow asked for clarification on how the plan relates to other city documents (comprehensive plan, complete streets, etc.). Staff explained it is a broad visioning plan that will inform future capital projects and can interact with other policies.
• Motion: Commissioner Poirier moved to recommend that the City Council receive the Downtown Historic District Vision Plan for the Public Realm (not adopt). The motion was seconded by Commissioner Tator and passed unanimously (8 ayes, 1 absent – Boeddeker).

5.B – HPC Committee Formation – Annual Awards

• Presentation: Staff presented a draft motion to form an ad-hoc committee to research and possibly re-establish an awards program, noting that it could serve public engagement and education goals.
• Discussion: Commissioner Poirier moved to approve formation of an ad-hoc committee to establish an awards program (expediting the process for potential May 2026 Heritage Preservation Month). Chair Zastrow expressed concern about having only one volunteer (Commissioner Boeddeker) and requested at least two volunteers before proceeding. Commissioner Poirier then offered an amendment to the motion: the committee would only move forward if at least two commissioners volunteer to serve.
• Votes:
  1. Amendment (if at least two commissioners volunteer): Passed 7-1 (Zastrow opposed, Boeddeker absent).
  2. Main motion as amended: Passed unanimously (8 ayes, 1 absent).
• Outcome: An ad-hoc committee is approved to establish an awards program, contingent on at least two commissioners volunteering.

Key Outcomes

• Downtown Historic District Vision Plan: The commission voted unanimously to recommend that the City Council receive the plan (not adopt it). The plan will be forwarded to council for further consideration.
• Awards Program: Formation of an ad-hoc committee to establish an awards program was approved, pending at least two commissioner volunteers.
• Other Business:
  • Staff coordinator Patterson-Lundgren reported that two certificate of appropriateness applications have been received for review at the next meeting. She also noted a grant application for Indian Heights Park is due in April and will come to City Council for approval.
  • Chair Zastrow updated the commission on the Historic Context Committee’s progress: they are trialing a workflow for volunteer-submitted historical documents, using the 2024 Lowertown Neighborhood Association research project as a test case. About 100 documents from the 1800s and early 1900s have been added so far.
• Next Meeting: Scheduled for March 24, 2026.