GRESHAM CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM TYPE: DECISION Type IV Public Hearing: Historic and Cultural Designation George Moen House Meeting Date: January 5, 2010 Agenda Item Number: D-1 Service Area: Urban Design and Planning Service Area Manager: Mike Abbaté REQUESTED COUNCIL ACTION Move to approve City Application No. MIS 09-26000211 based on the findings, conclusions and recommendations of the staff report, and approve the first reading of Council Bill 01-10. PUBLIC PURPOSE AND COMMUNITY OUTCOME The purpose of this City of Gresham initiated project is to recognize the contributions, role and residence of one of the people who helped shape the present day Gresham by designating his house as a Historic and Cultural Landmark. By so doing, the present generation and generations yet to come will be enriched by the heritage left behind by one of our predecessors, George Moen. BACKGROUND This is a public hearing to designate the Moen House at 42 NW Wilson Avenue as a Class 1 Historic and Cultural Landmark. The city staff, in line with the recommendations of the Historic Resources Council Advisory Committee, determined that the relevant criteria for designation of a structure as a Class 1 Historic and Cultural Landmark have been met. The roles played by George Moen in business, civic, cultural and fraternal circles were chronicled by the committee. These achievements, in addition to the rarity of the architecture of the house, together earned a recommendation for approval for designation as a Class 1 Historic and Cultural Landmark by the staff and the Historic Resources Council Advisory Committee. RECOMMENDATION AND ALTERNATIVES Recommendation: The staff recommends that the City Council approve application number MIS 09-26000211 to designate the Moen House at 42 NW Wilson Avenue as a Class 1 Historic and Cultural Landmark. 1
Alternatives: No Change The City Council may choose not to designate the Moen House as a Class 1 Historic and Cultural landmark. A potential disadvantage of this action is that there could be the loss of the historic and cultural significance of the Moen House. BUDGET / FINANCIAL IMPACT None PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT Public involvement included notification to property owners and residents within 300 feet of the site for the City Council hearing. A notice was published in the Outlook for the hearing, and the site was also posted. NEXT STEPS The second reading of this Council Bill is tentatively scheduled for February 2, 2010, with an effective date of March 4, 2010. ATTACHMENTS A. Council Bill No. 01-10 B. Staff Report with Exhibits FROM: Mike Abbaté, Planning Services Director Ann M. Pytynia, Development Planning Supervisor Ken C. Onyima, Senior City Planner REVIEWED THROUGH: Rick Faus, City Attorney s Office Dave Rouse, Department of Environmental Services Director Office of Governance and Management FOR MORE INFORMATION Staff Contact: Ken Onyima Telephone: (503) 618-2521 Staff E-Mail: ken.onyima@ci.gresham.or.us Website: www.greshamoregon.gov/city/city-departments/mayor-and-citycouncil/council-advisory-committees/planning-commission.aspx 2
CB 01-10 ORDINANCE NO. AN AMENDMENT TO VOLUME 1, FINDINGS AND VOLUME 2, POLICIES, OF THE GRESHAM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN RELATING TO HISTORIC AND CULTURAL LANDMARKS (MIS 09-26000211 Moen House) THE CITY OF GRESHAM DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: Section 3.142 Historic Resources and Appendix 9 Inventory of Historic and Cultural Landmarks of Volume 1, Findings; and Figure 1 of Section 10.316 and Appendix D of Volume 2, Policies, of the Gresham Community Development Plan are amended as shown on the following attached Exhibits: Exhibit A - Amendments to Volume 1, Sec. 3.142 and Volume 1 revised Appendix 9 Inventory of Historic and Cultural Landmarks, and map; and Figure 1 of Section 10.316 of Volume 2, Policies Exhibit B - Exhibit C - Exhibit D - Inventory data sheets Amendments to ESEE analyses Amendment to Volume 2, Policies, Appendix D, Special Purpose District Map - Historical and Cultural Landmark sites First reading: Second reading and passed: Yes: No: Absent: Abstain: City Manager Mayor Approved as to Form: Senior Assistant City Attorney 1 ORDINANCE NO. Y:\CAO\Council Bills\CB 01-10 12/10/09\PT
EXHIBIT A to Council Bill 01-10 Amendments to Volume 1, Findings, Section 3.142 and Volume 1, revised Appendix 9 Inventory of Historic and Cultural Landmarks, and map; and Figure 1 of Section 10.316, Volume 2, Policies Document Figure 3-10, Section 3.142 of Volume 1, Findings, and Figure 1 of Section 10.316, Volume 2, Policies, Community Development Plan, shall be revised to add the VanDoninck House as follows: Figure 3-10 (Volume 1) and 10.316-Figure 1 (Volume 2) INVENTORY OF HISTORIC AND CULTURAL LANDMARKS Class 1 Landmarks No. Address Name Points Use District 1 17111 NE Sandy Zimmerman House 100 Institutional BP 2 410 N. Main Carnegie Library 95 Institutional CUC 3 1304 E. Powell William Gedamke House 90 Commercial DC-2 4 722 NE 162 nd The Louise Home 90 Institutional LDR 5 1420 SE Roberts Witter(Stallard) Residence 85 Residential LDR 6 3680 SW Towle Heiney House 85 Residential LDR 7 101 S. Main 1 st Bethel Baptist Church 80 Institutional CUC 8 938 SE Roberts Bernard Witter Residence 85 Residential LDR 9 330 W. Powell W. Gresham Grade School 80 Institutional CUC 10 140 SE Roberts Rev. Thompson Resid. 80 Residential LDR 11 1325 W. Powell J. R. Elkhorn Ranch 75 Residential LDR 12 2415 SE Ambleside Ambleside House 90 Residential LDR 13 43 NE Ava W. K. Hamilton Residence 70 Residential DR-12 14 307 NE Kelly Freeman Property 75 Residential CUC 15 1229 W. Powell Dr. Hughes Residence 65 Residential LDR 16 1265 SE Roberts Judge Stapleton House 80 Residential LDR 17 3655 SE Powell Peterson Residence 80 Residential LDR 18 611 NW Wallula Fred Honey House 75 Residential LDR 19 31 NW 11 th Lunceford Residence 80 Residential LDR 20 53 NW 12 th Walker Residence 80 Residential LDR 21 54 NW 12 th Aldrich/Bliss House 80 Residential LDR 22 1801 NE 201 st Lowitt Estate 70 Residential MDR-24 23 2202 SW Pleasant Giese House, Workshop & 50 Residential LDR View Cellar 24 720 NW Division VanDoninck House Residential TLDR 25 42 NW Wilson Avenue Moen House Residential LDR-5
Class 2 Landmarks No. Address Name Points Use District 26 103 W. Powell US Post Office 85 Institutional CUC 27 122 N. Main Duane C. Ely Building 75 Commercial CUC 28 58 W. Powell Gresham Lodge #152 75 Institutional CUC 29 19720 SE Stark 11-Mile marker 75 Object GC 30 23500 SE Stark 13-Mile Marker 75 Object GC 31 25700 SE Stark 14-Mile Marker 75 Object LDR 32 I-84 & NE 169 th Pioneer Grave 75 Object BP 33 18706 E. Burnside Satellite Restaurant 70 Commercial TD 34 101-117 N. Main Congdon Building 60 Commercial CUC Source: Gresham Historic and Cultural Resources Inventory (1990), 93-32-CPA, and Gresham Comprehensive Plan Map The second sentence of Appendix 9, Volume 1, Community Development Plan, shall be revised to: "The inventory contains detailed information concerning thirty-three thirty-four landmarks which have been identified as having particular value to the history and culture of Gresham."
EXHIBIT B to Council Bill 01-10 Inventory Data Sheets The inventory data sheets in the 1990 Inventory of Historic and Cultural Landmarks shall be updated to add the Moen House.
EXHIBIT C to Council Bill 01-10 Amendments to ESEE analyses in the Inventory of Historic and Cultural Landmarks Section IV Conflicting Uses and ESEE Consequences of the 1990 Inventory of Historic and Cultural Landmarks, as amended by Ordinance 1194 (enacted 10-2-90; effective 11-2-90), Ordinance 1414 (enacted 2-4-97; effective 3-6-97), and Ordinance 1658 (enacted 10-7-08; effective 11-6-08) shall be amended as follows: The ESEE Consequences Analysis for Residential Landmarks in Residential Districts shall be amended as follows: Landmark No. 25 (The Moen House) shall be added. The fifth sentence of the Social ESEE Analysis shall be revised to: This is true especially of the Witter (Stallard) residence, the Heiney house, the Witter house at 938 SE Roberts, the Ambleside residence, the Rev. Thompson residence, the Elkhorn Ranch house, the VanDoninck house, and the Moen House.
EXHIBIT D to Council Bill 01-10 Amendment to Volume 2, Policies, Appendix D, Special Purpose District Map - Historic and Cultural Landmark sites The Gresham Community Development Special Purpose District Map shall be revised to add the historic designation for the Moen House at 42 NW Wilson Avenue.
CITY OF GRESHAM Urban Design & Planning 1333 N.W. Eastman Parkway Gresham, Oregon 97030-3825 STAFF REPORT - TYPE IV FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS REPORT DATE: December 18, 2009 HEARING DATE: January 5, 2010 TO: FROM: Gresham City Council Ken C. Onyima, AICP, Senior City Planner FILE NUMBER: MIS 09-26000211 APPLICANT: LOCATION: City of Gresham 42 NW Wilson Ave., Gresham PARCEL DESCRIPTION: 1S 3E 09AC 1600 PROPOSAL: Designation of the Moen House at 42 NW Wilson Avenue as a Class 1 Historic and Cultural Landmark. EXHIBITS: A. Vicinity Map B. Recommendations from the Historic Resources Committee RECOMMENDATION: APPROVAL Moen House MIS 09-26000211 Page 1
I. FINDINGS OF FACT: LOCATION: The subject property is developed with a single-family detached residence located at 42 NW Wilson Avenue in Gresham north of Powell Blvd., and is presently owned by Rae and Jason Thorp. The house is in the Northwest Neighborhood. See Vicinity Map, Exhibit A. ZONING: The subject property is designated Low Density Residential-5 (LDR-5). PROPOSAL: This is a proposal to designate the structure located at 42 NW Wilson Avenue as a Class 1 Historic and Cultural Landmark. The building is a Norman Farmhouse style home designed in 1937 by Philip Delano Sluman for Hazel and George Moen. George Moen s brother, Arthur, constructed the residence in the same year. Class 1 Landmarks are those landmarks which have the highest historic significance, high design significance, and which appear to be somewhat more vulnerable to conflicting uses which might affect these values. II. APPLICABLE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CODE PROCEDURES Section A4.002 Section 11.0600 Section 11.1000 Procedure for Designation Type VI Procedure Legislative Public Hearings III. APPLICABLE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN CRITERIA AND STANDARDS Section A4.001 Criteria for Designation of Historic and Cultural Landmarks. IV. FINDINGS A. Applicable Community Development Code Procedures 1. Section A4.002 Procedure for Designation as a Historic and Cultural Landmark. Designation of a site, structure, or object as a historic or cultural landmark may be proposed by the owner, by the Historic Committee, by the Planning Commission, or by the Council. A proposal for landmark designation shall first be considered by the Committee. The Committee shall recommend approval, or approval with modifications, or denial of the proposed landmarks designation, and shall make its recommendation based on findings made in response to the criteria of Section A4.001. The recommendation and all findings shall be transmitted to the City Council and the proposal shall be processed under the Type IV procedure. Moen House MIS 09-26000211 Page 2
2. Section A4.001 Criteria for Designation of Historic and Cultural Landmarks. A resource may be designated a historic and cultural landmark upon finding that at least one of the following criteria is satisfied: (A) The resource possesses significance in the history of Gresham, Multnomah County, the State of Oregon, or the nation as evidenced by: (1) Association with the lives of persons holding a significant place in the history of the community; or (2) Association with significant past events, trends, or values that may be cultural, economic, social or political. (B) The resource possesses architectural significance as evidenced by: (1) Embodiment of the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction; or (2) Development of the resource early in the sequence of local history; or (3) Rarity of the resource type in the area; or (4) Retention of the integrity of the original design of the resource. (C) The resource is representative of the work of a designer, architect, or master builder who influenced the development and appearance of Gresham, the State of Oregon, or the nation. Findings: Satisfied. In recommending the approval of the designation of the Moen House as a Class 1 Historic and Cultural Landmark, the Historical Resources Council Advisory Committee made findings that support several of the above approval criteria. The Committee demonstrated that the lives of George and Hazel Moen hold a significant place in the history of the community from the Moen s arrival from Canada in 1926 until Mr. Moen s death in 1984. Mr. Moen s lofe is marked with events of great significance. During this period, he worked for Hessel Implements as equipment services manager for almost 20 years. In 1947 he left the company to start his own farm implement business with his partner Harold Barr. He later bought out Barr in 1950 and became the sole owner of Moen Machinery. In regard to community involvement, Mr. Moen served on the City Council for two years starting from January 2, 1946, served as Fire Chief during the same period, had memberships in fraternal /community organizations such as Gresham Lodge, Jobs Daughters, Oregon Eastern Star, the Scottish Rite, Shriners and the Gresham Elks Lodge. He loved music and sang in the church choir. Please refer to Exhibit B for further detailed accounts of his life and contributions to the development of Gresham. Moen House MIS 09-26000211 Page 3
The Committee also made findings that support the architectural significance of the building. This is evidenced by the distinctive characteristics of type, period, or method of construction. This includes steeply pitched gable roofs, a tall tapered brick chimney made of local Columbia Brick Work s bricks, wood shingle siding, arched entry, and multi-pane windows. The Depression-era Norman Farmhouse style residence was constructed in the waning years of the national depression. There are a few houses of this style built in Gresham during the Depression. The Moen house is one of the earliest documented works of Philip Delano Sluman, who at the age of 22 designed the house before serving as a World War II pilot. George Moen s brother, Arthur, came down from Canada to construct the residence using materials from local sources. Conformance with other approval criteria such as retention of the integrity of the original design of the resource is also noted by the Committee. The main body of the house remains the same while the interior retains architectural integrity and has original wood floor, lath and plaster walls, coved ceilings, picture rails, builtin niches and cabinets, fireplace, and room arrangements.. The Committee summarized its findings and recommendation this way, This property is a rare link between the past and present while presenting the City of Gresham with the opportunity to distinguish a property as an important piece of Gresham history. V. CONCLUSION The proposal is consistent with all applicable standards and criteria of the Community Development Code and Plan. VI. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the City Council approve the proposed Class 1 Historical and Cultural Landmark designation of the Moen House at 42 NW Wilson Avenue. End of Staff Report Moen House MIS 09-26000211 Page 4