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Home My WebLink About2026-02-12 Historic Preservation Commission Minutes � p � � �, ��'� ,� � H I �T�I�,.I� P�E� E �V��IC�� `� �� I � SI+� � .� -� �TT'� �� BA C'�T+G�R,. HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MEETING OF JANUARY 8, 2026, 7:00 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL 73 HARLOW STREET MEETING MINUTES Commission Members Present: Katie Coe Peter Keebler Nathaniel King Matthew Weitkamp Citv Staff Present: Matt Altiero, Planning Analyst Anja Collette, Planning Officer Mike Pullen, HPC Consultant Chair King called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M. Old Business: 1. Meetinq Minutes — December 11, 2025 & January 8, 2026 Commissioner Keebler moved to approve the December 11, 2025 and January 8, 2026 meeting minutes. Alternate Member Weitkamp seconded. All voting members in favor, none opposed. Motion passed. 2. Adoption of Findinqs & Decision for 62 Hiqh Street Commissioner Keebler moved to adopt the findings and decision for 62 High Street. Associate Commissioner Weitkamp seconded. All voting members in favor, none opposed. Motion passed. Other Business: 3. HPC Traininq - Planninq. Planning Officer Collette presented to the Commission and provided their annual Planning 7,3 I I.A F�.LC�W SITT�E�E��l; P,.A.f'�I G�C)F�, t�'L� C�9��C�]. ,.�..�L�IgI:....�C)I*;I�. �2{�7) 9��-4��Q }�.A��: ��tJ?9 �)45—��A�? '�V'WW.�3ANC;�C�e'vt,�CN E.��V Historic Preservation Commission — Meeting Minutes February 12t", 2026 Training Commissioner Keebler inquired about demolition by neglect and how they are identified. Keebler asked Planning Officer Collette if Code Enforcement was trained in Historic Architecture. Planning Officer Collette discussed the placarded buildings process and provided clarification that the Code Enforcement Office watches for unsafe buildings. Commissioner Keebler inquired what the interplay between the National Register of Historic Structures and the local registry is. Planning Officer informed the Commission there are places listed on the National Register that are not on the Bangor registry and vice versa. Keebler asked if the Federal Government enforces the National Register. Collette responded that they do not. Chair King added clarification. Alternate Commissioner Weitkamp asked what the process is to expand the State Street Historic District. Planning Officer Collette responded and discussed. � Review Draft Historic Preservation Ordinance Chanqes Workshop Planning Officer Collette explained the draft ordinance changes to the Commission: • Reducing the Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) affirmative votes required to a simple majority. o Currently, the Code requires 4 affirmative votes. • Allowing solar, generator, and heat pump installations, changing of awning fabric, and changes that are not visible from the street as minor revisions. o Currently, these applications would need a COA. • Lengthening the approval time period for COA permits to match the 24-month period given for Land Development Permits. o Currently, the approval time period for COA is 12 months. • Adding flexibility to the requirements for replacement of deteriorated materials. o Currently, the requirements for replacement of a material requires a match in composition. The proposed change also adds a stipulation for whether matching the existing material is economically and technically feasible. • Clarifying that replacing to match is exempt. o This is a clarification on what is currently allowed under the Ordinance. • Providing a clarification on one of the hardship provisions regarding contractor availability and extended timelines for completing a project • Providing clarification on the application requirements for COA's Commissioner Keebler and Alternate Commissioner Weitkamp discussed the exceptional circumstance draft changes and asked if demolition by neglect is a loophole for residents. HPC Consultant Pullen and Planning Officer Collette responded and discussed with the Commission. Commissioner Keebler proposed that if an applicant would like to use a substitute, they should be required to show hard evidence that a material was either economically or technically Historic Preservation Commission — Meeting Minutes February 12t", 2026 infeasible. Alternate Commissioner Weitkamp added to his point and discussed with Keebler that substitute materials should not be accepted if there was no proof of a good faith effort to replace with matching materials. Chair King offered suggestions and discussed at length with the Commission and HPC Consultant Pullen. Commissioner Keebler clarified that with the proposed change, the Commission would go from 4 affirmative votes to pass a COA to 2 votes if 3 Commissioners were present. Chair King expressed that he was not concerned with this change. Member of the public Edmund Chernesky presented to the podium to provide clarification to the change given his past experience being the Chair for the Commission. The Commission discussed they feel okay with the simple majority change. Keebler inquired about a change to the quorum. The Commission and Planning Officer Collette discussed this process and decided 3 Commissioners was an adequate quorum. Member of the public Edmund Chernesky approached the podium and also expressed interest in this change. Alternate Commissioner Weitkamp proposed a change to the language by adding residential and commercial communication device definitions due to their differences and discussed a previous project that came to the Commission. HPC Consultant expressed interest in Weitkamp's idea. Commissioner Keebler added that the Commission should consider doing the same with solar panels. Chair King and Planning Officer Collette discussed the Minor Revision process and informed the Commission if the Chair did not find a project to be a Minor Revision, the project can be sent to the entire Commission. Chair King expressed interest in adding a designation for tribal and ancestral lands in the Ordinance. Alternate Commissioner Weitkamp expressed support to this idea and inquired if the City has made efforts to do this. Planning Officer Collette informed the Commission an effort has been made, but it is challenging to get feedback on important locations from the Tribes. Commissioner Keebler expressed concern about demolition by neglect and said the Commission has seen past projects where this was used as a point to make renovations without Commission approval. Keebler discussed this can be used as a loophole and discussed at length with the Commission and staff. Planning Officer Collette informed the Commission of the next steps staff will take to draft new ordinances changes to present in another workshop with the Commission. Alternate Commissioner Weitkamp expressed support for extending the timeline of projects and asked if staff is notified of construction completion. Planning Officer informed the Commission that Code Enforcement is notified. Chair King expressed interest in having Code Enforcement send a summary of completed projects that the Commission approved. � Review of Historic Survev Results HPC Consultant Mike Pullen presented the Phase IV Historic Survey results. Commissioner Keebler expressed interest in the list of structures surveyed and inquired what "criteria" meant. Pullen clarified that criteria were attributes listed on the CARMA forms. Commissioner Keebler Historic Preservation Commission — Meeting Minutes February 12t", 2026 expressed interest in reviewing the previous surveys. Chair King informed the Commission about Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps and discussed with Pullen and the Commission. Alternate Commissioner Weitkamp inquired about a Phase V survey. Planning Officer Collette said staff would like to focus on implementing recommendations of this and previous surveys. Keebler expressed interest in a survey being completed in the Little City neighborhood. Commissioner Keebler asked the Commission and staff their thoughts on having more meetings. Planning Officer Collette said staff time is limited for additional monthly meetings. Keebler offered possible quarterly meetings. The Commission discussed and expressed willingness to do quarterly meetings. The Commission inquired about creating historic landmarks for the surveyed parks. Collette explained the process and said this was a goal of staff, but it would need to be run by the Parks and Recreation Director first. � Testimonv on LD 435 HPC Consultant Pullen provided an overview of LD 435: An Act to Expand the Historic Property Rehabilitation Tax Credit. The Commission was in support of the testimony that Community and Economic Development Director Krieg sent to the State. � Adiournment Meeting adjourned at 9:06 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Matthew Altiero Planning Analyst Planning Division