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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHDC_2025 02 06February 6, 2025 Historic District Commission 1 DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT 723 West Markham Street Little Rock, Arkansas 72201-1334 Phone: (501) 371-4790 Fax:(501) 399-3435 www.littlerock.gov LITTLE ROCK HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION MINUTE RECORD Thursday, February 6, 2025, 4:00 p.m. Board Room, Little Rock City Hall, 500 W. Markham I. Roll Call Members Present: Amber Jones, Chair Christina Aleman, Vice Chair Tom Fennell Scott Green Dr. Thomas DeGraff III Chase Waters Staff Present: Hannah Ratzlaff Raeanne Gardner Citizens Present: Joe Flaherty Tricia Bean Dominique McDaniel II. Finding a Quorum A quorum was present being six (6) in number. III. Citizen Communication Tricia Bean, Executive Director of the Quapaw Quarter Association announced that the QQA’s 60th Tour of Homes would be hosted in the MacArthur Park neighborhood. IV. Minutes 1. November 7, 2024 February 6, 2025 Historic District Commission 2 The minutes were presented to the commission. Commissioner Aleman made a motion to approve the minutes as submitted. Commissioner Fennell seconded. The minutes were approved by voice vote as submitted. V. National Register Nominations None VI. Deferred Certificates of Appropriateness None VII. New Certificates of Appropriateness None VIII. Other Matters 1. Chair and Vice Chair Elections Commission Fennell nominated Commissioner Aleman for Chair and Commissioner Jones for Vice Chair. The appointments were approved by voice vote. Commissioner Aleman asked staff to provide a summary report of the conditions and recommended scope to repair the historic brick sidewalks along the east side of the 1000 block of Cumberland. Ratzlaff reported that the existing historic red brick masonry sidewalk spans approximately 330 feet along the east side of the 1000 block of Cumberland, between 10th Street and 11th Street. The bricks are arranged in a herringbone pattern, with the points directed south. The sidewalk traverses across five different property parcels, each owned by different parties, and the conditions of the segments vary. The sidewalk is elevated in some areas due to tree roots, sunken where driveways intersect, uneven and misaligned, with vegetation growing through gaps and missing bricks in some sections. The pavement width is 5 feet along the block, which aligns with the Master Street Plan; however, the current surface would need to be brought up to ADA compliance if addressed. There are at least five mature trees along the stretch, which may need removal for proper sidewalk reconstruction, or the sidewalk may require redirection around them. Our city urban arborist has not yet been consulted on this matter, but if desirable, we can pursue this. If the sidewalk was repaired and restored the full length of the block, the required improvements involve the removal and secure storage of all brick units, potential tree removal, curb and gutter repairs, and possible curb February 6, 2025 Historic District Commission 3 cut closing or adjustments. Additionally, grading of the underlying ground will be necessary, followed by the installation of a compacted subgrade or concrete base along the full length, and the relaying of bricks in the original historic pattern. The project is estimated to cost more than $90,000 which may be outside of the granting scope of the Certified Local Government grant program. Ratzlaff said she would continue to discuss possibilities to find an alternative funding source. 2. Grant Updates Staff provided an update to the commission regarding active grant projects and their status. Ratzlaff reported that the 2024 CLG grant project to resurvey a section of the Hillcrest Historic District was on schedule and the consultant team, SWCA Environmental Consulting, had submitted the first 10 draft Arkansas Architectural Resource Forms (AARF) for the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program’s (AHPP) review. The next project milestone is the submission of the full draft report and all draft AARFs by May 9, 2025. Additionally, Ratzlaff reported that the Underrepresented Communities Grant project to write a new National Register Nomination for the Dunbar Jr & Sr High School & Junior College site submitted with national significance was on schedule and the consultant, Clifton Historic Resources, LLC, was drafting the nomination with 75% of the nomination draft due for review by March 1, 2025. 3. Subcommittees Ratzlaff proposed the commission consider forming subcommittees to formally strategize long-range, citywide issues related to historic preservation. The subcommittees would allow for more focused discussions and collaborative efforts on key challenges, helping to ensure that preservation priorities are systematically addressed and aligned with the city's broader goals. Suggested topics were community engagement and outreach, partnership with other city commissions, demolition and UNV listing of historic properties, tree preservation, and context studies in under researched areas. 4. Enforcement Issues 418 E 15th Street—unpermitted installation of fencing Assistant City Attorney, Raeanne Gardner, provided an update to the