CITY OF FLORENCE
PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING
DECEMBER 11, 2014
1. Chairman Rudl Mergelman called the regular meeting of the Florence Planning
Commission to order at 6:40 p.m.
2. Roll call - Rudl Mergelman
Cid Odom
Tammy Stone
Sandi Roberts
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-
-
-
Present
Absent
Present
Absent
Richard Upton
Larry Baker
Mike Patterson
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-
-
Present
Present
Present
Others present – City Attorney Bryan Fredrickson, City Clerk Dori Williams, City
Planner Wade Broadhead
3. Approval of minutes – Tammy Stone moved to approve the minutes of the previous meeting held August 15, 2014 as presented. Seconded by Richard Upton. Roll call vote –
3 ayes, 2 absent – Roberts, Odom.
4. Unfinished Business – none
5. New Business – a. Historic Preservation committee
Wade Broadhead stated that historic preservation is a part of the comprehensive plan and there has been previous discussion on this about an architectural review board that did not pass. He stated that this is one of his specialties. He stated that he staffed a board in
Pueblo for about 7 years and is a preservation trainer with the National Preservation
Commission. In talking to people, and figuring out what went wrong before, I think there is a path that we can chart to create a preservation commission and an ordinance and start local landmarks that are voluntary. You can create a preservation ordinance and create a commission that would be just like the Planning and Zoning Commission. Then you basically become what is called a “certified local government”. The National Parks
Service has basically created these entities and we apply to them (the State). Once we have a preservation commission that has fair rules and local landmarks, and we protect them once we landmark them, we become what is called a CLG (Certified Local
Government). Then the City becomes eligible for “no match” grants through History
Colorado. We could do preservation studies anywhere in the City from $10,000 - $30,000 with zero cost to the City. People are sometimes afraid of preservation and we will come in and landmark all their houses and take away their private property rights.
He stated that this would establish a commission that would meet, establish and ordinance and a process so that any building could be landmarked by ordinance and then we would have standards that protect that building and someone could not just come in and demolish it or do any changes without coming before the board There is an

Planning Commission meeting
December 11, 2014 obligation to go through design review but the benefit of that is that you become eligible for the 20% state tax credit. The building also becomes eligible for state historic fund grants. You could be on either the local, state or national register.
We are looking at creating a preservation ordinance now and will get the information to
Planning Commission. He asked if the commission is interested in forming a preservation committee.
Richard Upton stated that he would be interested in this.
Rudl Mergelman stated that it will be necessary to include business owners, keep all meetings transparent and have informal meetings so that people will be encouraged to participate.
Larry Baker stated that approximately 4 years ago there was a survey done of about 63 buildings and there were 9 that could be put on the national register and 3 or 4 on the state register. How does this blend into what you are proposing?
Wade stated that we have a draft of the survey report that outlined the architecture, style and history. The grant now is just to get through the process of becoming a national register and historic district. You get the benefits but there are no restrictions. There will be another public meeting when we finish it to talk to the business owners that everybody is on the national registered district and put signs on the highway to really attract people. You will have buildings that are individually eligible plus, when you do a district, you can bring in all the other buildings that are not quite up to the level of an individual building but they’re ok. We are three quarters of the way through that project so we can basically take it to the state. We won’t take it to the state until we talk to City
Council and the business owners. Most business owners want us to hurry up.
Rudl Mergelman stated that he hoped we wouldn’t take this anywhere until you have a meeting before you even pass anything. A few years ago when this was proposed they came at us from every place. We had people who have lived in this town with no codes, with terrible codes and they don’t want to be told what they can do with their property.
Wade stated that creating the ordinance and the commission doesn’t hurt anybody. It just creates opportunities for money to help make things happen in Florence. It creates the opportunity for anybody who wants to individually protect their building. This is a tool that you can have to bypass the state review which can take a long time.
What we basically need right now is an informal committee to help work on the preservation ordinance. b. Master Plan update
City Planner Wade Broadhead stated that one of the major things that needs to be done is the update of the City’s Master Plan. It was last updated in 2006. We are having a series of meetings, Imagine Change, Imagine Community, Imagine Preservation, Imagine
Transportation. We will identify what changes need to be made and get us updated so we are more eligible and competitive for grants that are available for projects. We will need additional committees for transportation, etc. during this process. c. Upton street/alleys vacation -
Wade requested that the Commission add this to the agenda for discussion on an application before the City Council on the vacation of a portion of East 4 th
Street and two
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Planning Commission meeting
December 11, 2014 alleys between Florence Avenue and Tanner Avenue. The applicant for the vacation is
Richard Upton.
Richard Upton stated he has a conflict of interest and left the meeting.
Wade stated that this request to vacate this portion of East 4 th
Street came before the City
Council in 2007 and was denied at time. Mr. Upton has submitted a new application for vacation and the biggest issue was drainage and utility easement that the city needs for a future drainage project. We are requesting a 30 feet easement along the west property line from 3 rd
Street north along the length of the Upton property. Mr. Upton has agreed to that easement.
City Attorney Fredrickson asked if any lots would be left without public access. City
Clerk Williams stated that Mr. Upton has agreed to vacate all interior lot lines and create one large lot and no property will be left without access to a public right of way.
City Attorney Fredrickson stated that all easements and utilities need to be identified on a plat that will be recorded.
It was the consensus of the commissioners present that there would be no problem with the vacation as long as we get a legal plat that shows all easements and utilities.
There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 7:15 p.m.
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