Historic Preservation Committee — Minutes

1 VILLAGE OF EPHRAIM HISTORIC PRESERV ATION COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES TUESDAY, MAY 26, 2026 – 6:15 PM 9996 WATER STREET ACTION ITEMS: Schreck moved, Pentler seconded to approve the April 28, 2026 Historic Preservation Committee minutes as presented, all ayes. Motion carried. Schreck moved, Pentler seconded to approve the new SFR Design Review Application for John and Victoria Cultra at 9887 Water Street, as presented. Roll Call Vote: Schreck aye, Pentler nay, and Thorp nay. Motion failed. Pentler moved, Schreck seconded to approve the Addition Design Review Application for Gregory Goltermann at 9917 Water Street, as presented, all ayes. Motion carried. Shreck moved, Pentler seconded to approve the Addition Design Review Application for Roy Harsch at 9931 Water Street, as presented, all ayes. Motion carried. Schreck moved, Pentler seconded to approve the Deck/Guard Rails Design Review Application for Ann Abbott at 9886 Water Street, as presented, all ayes. Motion carried. Schreck moved, Pentler seconded to adjourn at 6:55 PM, all ayes. Motion carried. Present: Kathy Pentler (online), Cody Schreck, and BD Thorp – Chair. Absent: Amy Russell and Marcia Ellis. Staff: Brent Bristol - Village Administrator and Kim Roberts - Deputy Clerk. Guests in person: Drew Willmann (DeLeer’s Construction), Chris Schmeltz, Ken Nelson, Laird Hart, Andy Bartelt, Grace Held, Monique McClean, Rick Hoyerman, Kelsey Stone (EBC), and Roy Harsch. Guests online: John and Victoria Cultra . 1. Call to order: Thorp called the meeting to order at 6:15 PM. 2. Quorum: A quorum of the Historic Preservation Committee was present. 3. Changes in agenda: There were no changes to the agenda. 4. Visitors’ Comments: There were no visitors’ comments. 5. Approval of previous minutes: Schreck moved, Pentler seconded to approve the April 28, 2026 Historic Preservation Committee minutes as presented, all ayes. Motion carried. 6. John and Victoria Cultra – 9887 Water Street -New SFR – Design Review: Bristol explained that the project had been before the Committee previously for concept review. He explained that the Cultras had received guidance from both HPC and the Plan Committee regarding roof design, particularly concerning dormers on the primary roof and the pitch of the roof over the screened porch. The applicants had redesigned the project to address these concerns. John Cultra, participating virtually with his wife Victoria, explained they had reduced the number of exterior lights as requested by the Committee, placing lights only at doorways. He noted they had worked to simplify the design and address concerns about rooflines and dormers. 2 Pentler raised concerns about the blue door color, questioning whether it would match existing Village blues and suggested the Village should provide clearer guidelines for historic colors. John Cultra explained that there was a lot of blue in the Village and they intend to use "Ephraim Blue" consistent with other historic buildings within the Village. He expressed willingness to work with the Committee on selecting an appropriate shade. Pentler expressed concerns about the multiple roof lines and peaks, suggesting the design still appeared too complex with a lot of sharp angles. John Cultra noted that they had removed the bumpouts on the front elevation and put in bay windows to match the existing structure. Schreck noted that he liked the blue shutters and door. He further discussed that the rooflines have moved in the right direction; he was not sure what else could be done. He stressed that there was a good reduction in lighting. The Committee further discussed the addition of the shutters to the plan set. Thorp questioned why they were added since the last presentation. John Cultra noted that so much was changed and simplified that they felt the shutters would add aesthetic appeal. Pentler questioned whether certain roof elements could be extended, such as over the breezeway, by way of making it flatter. Drew Willmann, the representative from DeLeers, explained that there were minimum roof pitches per Village ordinance, which required the roof line to be raised, as well as the need for functional access. He noted they had significantly simplified the west elevation since the previous presentation. Thorp noted concerns about the west elevation's roofline complexity and admitted he should have been more explicit about his reservations during the previous month's approval. Schreck moved, Pentler seconded to approve the new SFR Design Review Application for John and Victoria Cultra at 9887 Water Street, as presented. Roll Call Vote: Schreck aye, Pentler nay, and Thorp nay. Motion failed. John Cultra expressed confusion about the change in Committee sentiment, noting they had made all requested modifications since receiving the previous approval and had only simplified the design further. Thorp explained that, in part due to running the meeting last month, he did not get a chance to express his concerns regarding the roof lines, although he approved the concept last month. He thought the roofline would be corrected; he felt it was not changed enough on the west elevation. While the plans have improved greatly, he felt they could be simplified further. John Cultra stressed that they had worked hard to address the Committee’s concerns and simplify the plan, especially from the front elevation. He expressed concern that the failed approval would carry negatively to the Plan Committee. 7. Gregory Golterman – 9917 Water Street – Addition – Design Review: Bristol explained that this was the first formal hearing for this project, following previous concept review sessions. Brent explained that the applicant had originally planned a full teardown and rebuild but had found a contractor capable of preserving the first floor while adding a partial second story. The Committee discussed the design materials, with Bristol noting the roof would be CertainTeed Landmark in driftwood color - a black base with gray and slight bluish-gray tones in the asphalt shingles. Schreck expressed satisfaction that the Goltermanns had pursued preserving a portion of the original building, stating this was much preferred over complete demolition. While acknowledging the front elevation showed some complexity with roof lines, he noted the existing building already had a stacked appearance. Pentler praised the size, design, and rectangular second story addition, noting the good color choices and historic materials used. 3 Pentler moved, Schreck seconded to approve the Addition Design Review Application for Gregory Goltermann at 9917 Water Street, as presented, all ayes. Motion carried. 8. Roy Harsch – 9931 Water Street – Addition – Design Review: Bristol provided extensive background on this complex project, explaining that it began with work started without permits, resulting in a stop-work order. The Harsch’s had initially sought variances for setback issues but were denied by the Board of Appeals. Amendments to the Protected Waterfront Ordinances allowed potential footprint modifications if the offsetting footprint was removed elsewhere on the property. The current project required a property exchange with neighboring property owners to address setback issues, which was conditionally approved upon Plan Committee approval of the footprint modification. The addition would be on the water side while removing/modifying a portion of the small structure closest to STH 42. Bristol explained that the request is to proceed with finishing the addition, match all existing materials, and partially remove/ modify the small structure closest to STH 42. Roy Harsch explained the addition would use the same materials as the existing structure: 8-inch cedar siding painted white, along with green shingles matching the current roof. He described the personal necessity of the project, explaining that his wife uses a walker and they need to reconfigure the kitchen to accommodate modern appliances and accessibility needs. Schreck noted that from an HPC perspective, matching materials and maintaining architectural consistency addressed the Committee's primary concerns. Shreck moved, Pentler seconded to approve the Addition Design Review Application for Roy Harsch at 9931 Water Street, as presented, all ayes. Motion carried. 9. Ann Abbott – 9886 Water Street – Deck/Guard Rails – Design Review: Bristol explained that snow damage had pulled the existing deck away from the house, creating an opportunity to replace both decking and guardrails. The new guardrails would be similar to white Trex- style railings previously approved, and the decking would be light gray Trex material. With no applicant representative present, the Committee reviewed the materials samples provided. There were no concerns with the proposed materials. Schreck moved, Pentler seconded to approve the Deck/Guard Rails Design Review Application for Ann Abbott at 9886 Water Street, as presented, all ayes. Motion carried. 10. New Business for next meeting / next meeting date: No new business was noted. The next meeting of the Historic Preservation Committee is June 23, 2026. 11. Adjournment: Schreck moved, Pentler seconded to adjourn at 6:55 PM, all ayes. Motion carried. Recorded by, Kim Roberts – Deputy Clerk