Historic Preservation Commission - August 15, 2023 Minutes

The Regular Meeting of the Board of Historic Preservation Commissioners of the City of Fargo, North Dakota, was held in the Commission Chambers at City Hall at 8:00 a.m., Tuesday, August 15, 2023.

The Historic Preservation Commissioners present or absent were as follows:

Present: Christine Kloubec, Heather Fischer, Matthew Boreen, Paul Gleye, Mike Dawson, Nathan Larson, Jay Nelson

Chair Fischer called the meeting to order and welcomed Members to the meeting.

Item 1: Minutes: Regular Meeting of July 18, 2023
Member Gleye moved the minutes of the July 18, 2023 Historic Preservation Commission meeting be approved. Second by Member Larson. All Members present voted aye and the motion was declared carried.

Member Dawson present.

Item 2: Historic Overlay District Review
a. 1345 4th Avenue South – Jefferson Historic Overlay (Jefferson Neighborhood)
Planner Brad Garcia presented the application to demolish an existing home that was continued from the July 18, 2023 Historic Preservation Commission meeting. He noted additional foundation pictures were added to the staff report.

Discussion was held on the inspection of the crawl space by three Historic Preservation Commission Members.

Member Gleye moved to approve the application as presented.

Discussion was held on the importance on maintaining historic homes, and to preserve them from having to be demolished.

Second by Member Larson. All Members present voted aye and the motion was declared carried.

Item 3: Other Business of Public Comment
Member Nelson shared a concern regarding a building at 101 9th Street South that was demolished earlier this year.

Discussion was held concerning the reach of the Historic Preservation Commission, what makes a property historic, the classification of national, state, or local historic properties, protocol regarding historic properties in the community, and the Land Development Code rewrite process and timeline.

Mr. Garcia spoke on behalf of the Planning Department regarding the Growth Plan process and the Land Development Code rewrite timeline.

Discussion continued on review process and enforcement in historic overlay areas, and other historic areas of Fargo not located in a historic overlay district.

Planning Coordinator Maegin Elshaug provided a brief update on the Growth Plan process.

Further discussion was held on the differences of the current historic overlay districts, and how the Growth Plan will address the historic areas of Fargo.

Item 4: Adjourn - Next Meeting – September 19, 2023
The time at adjournment was 8:29 a.m.