Landmarks Commission Agenda Packet (PDF)

203 S. Farwell Street, P.O. Box 5148, Eau Claire, WI 54702-5148 Phone: 715-839-4914 Landmarks Commission Agenda October 19, 2026 PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that there will be a meeting of the City of Eau Claire Landmarks Commission on Monday, October 19, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. in the North Conference Room at City Hall, 203 S. Farwell Street, Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The following items will be on the agenda: 1. Call to order 2. Roll Call 3. Open public comment period for items that do not appear on this agenda. 4. Approval of 9/21/26 Minutes 5. Discussion – Comprehensive Plan Update and Homework 6. Future agenda items and announcements 7. Adjournment In order to accommodate the participation of individuals with special needs at this meeting, the City will provide the services of a sign language interpreter or make other reasonable accommodations on request. To make such a request, please notify the City at 715-839-4902 at least two days prior to the meeting. _________________ Peter Baumgartner Associate Planner c: News Media Landmarks Commission ________________________________________________ Date: October 14, 2026 To: Commission Members From: Peter Baumgartner, Associate Planner Re: October 19th Meeting Items Reference Item 4. Approval of 7/20/26 Minutes Please review and approve the draft minutes. See Attachment 1. 5. Discussion – Comprehensive Plan Update and Homework Chair Balciunas will be providing a recap/summary of the Comprehensive Plan Open House that occurred on September 22nd. Baumgartner will then introduce the chapter of the Comprehensive Plan that will be reviewed for the next meeting. See Attachment 2 6. Future Agenda/Updates 7. Adjournment DRAFT Landmarks Commission Minutes September 21, 2026 Members Present: Raivo Balciunas, Aaron Brewster, Robert Gough, John Gyorfi, Megan Beer- Pemberton, Dave Barnes, Bob Tollefson Staff Present: Peter Baumgartner, Patrick Newkirk, Blake Herbison The following items were on the agenda: 1. Call to order Chair Balciunas called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. 2. Roll call Roll was taken and a quorum was present. 3. Open public comment period for items that do not appear on this agenda. None. 4. Approval of the 7/20/26 Minutes Motion by Commissioner Gough to approve the Landmarks Commission minutes, seconded by Commissioner Barnes, and approved unanimously. 5. Discussion on the Bandshell Baumgartner gave a brief introduction of the proposed project and turned it over to Patrick Newkirk, Recreation Manager, to give more details. Pat went over the proposed work explaining the background, and how they had to look at the natural gas plant and asbestos abatement. Newkirk layed out the two questions that he’d like to be addressed (Are architecturally drafted plans needed and are there any improvements that the commissioners were opposed to?) and noted that structural preservation was a higher priority than some of the cosmetic concerns. Commissioners asked several clarifying questions about water damage, the pigeon issue, the neon lights, and the potential to remove or upgrade the wooden seats, which Baumgartner was to look into. Chair Balciunas, who is also the Commission’s architect, noted that design contractors are typically needed for life safety, an electrical designer would also be needed and recommended reaching out to consultants who specialize in this kind of work. Baumgartner mentioned that the next step would be for it to go before the state for an intermediate look. Pat indicated that he wants the input from tonight The Commission was generally fine with what was being proposed, and there was a desire to keep the neon lights. They recommended seeking outside input on the structure. 6. Discussion – Commissioner Gyorfi’s Landmark Properties Videos Blake Herbison, Assistant City Attorney, went over the memo he had prepared for the Commission, discussing the commissions power to do educational activities, and noted that having up to three commissioners assembling outside of normal meetings was fine as it wouldn’t create a walking quorum. Baumgartner noted that the commission has produced educational videos in the past and asked how they should go about soliciting public input. Herbison outlined a couple of options, recommending that staff should be the liaison, but they could designate one of the members as the point of contact. Herbison then clarified that being designated the contact person would open their personal devices up to records requests. One of the commissioners suggested that a Landmarks Commission email be established and Baumgartner is to look into it. At this point in the meeting Commissioner Brewster stepped out to go to the City Council meeting. Commissioner Gyorfi ultimately suggested taking it off of the Landmarks Commission agenda and doing it himself to avoid some of the bureaucratic hangups that may occur. 7. Discussion on Comprehensive Plan & Homework Baumgartner gave a brief overview of the Comprehensive Plan Update, noted that there was going to be an open house at the library on September 22nd, and that Chair Balciunas was going to be attending to for the purpose of reporting back on it during the October meeting. 8. Future Agenda Items and Announcements Baumgartner announced that the demolition of 1310 State Street was officially approved and that the application to put Forest Hill Cemetery on the National Register of Historic Places had been submitted to the state. 9. Adjournment Chair Balciunas called for adjournment of the meeting at 6:08 p.m. Motion to Adjourn by Commissioner Megan, Second by Commissioner Gough, and approved unanimously. Submitted by, Robert Gough, Secretary City of Eau Claire Comprehensive Plan Update As part of the public participation plan approved by the City Council and Plan Commission, the City’s boards, commissions or committees (BBCs) will have opportunities to provide input into the update process. The project website can be accessed at https://engagerdg.com/PlanEauClaire. Homework Assignment We would like the chair (or vice chair if the chair cannot attend) of said BCC to attend the upcoming community kick off and guided discussion meeting and report back to their respective BCC. Please see below for specific directions. 1. Attend September 22nd, 6 pm to 7:30 pm kickoff meeting at the library to learn more and participate. See attached flyer. 2. At your next regular BCC meeting in October, place the Comprehensive Plan Update Review & Feedback item on the agenda as a discussion item. Share what you learned and this assignment to fellow members. 3. Tell them to take the month in between to review the existing comprehensive plan (See the 5 year update of the 2015 plan version and health and sustainability chapters for relevant section(s)). See cross reference list below. 4. Then at your November meeting, place on the agenda the Comprehensive Plan Update Review & Feedback item again for direction back to the project team staff. Members should bring their feedback suggestions on existing policies that the City should keep, anything to modify/edit and any new ideas for the update. 5. The BCC staff liaison should capture the information either in the minutes or in a document to provide to the project manager, ned.noel@eauclairewi.gov in the Planning Division. Cross reference list • RDA review Land use, Downtown and Economic development chapters • BPAC review Transportation and Parks and Trails chapter • Transit Commission review Transportation chapter • SAC review Natural resources and Sustainability chapters • Landmarks Commission review Historic & cultural resources chapter • Waterways, Parks, & Urban Forestry Commission review Parks and Trails and Natural resources chapter • HOC review Housing chapter • EDI review Housing and District & Neighborhoods chapters • Board of Health/Health Alliance committee review Health chapter