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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07269Reception 1605362 02/02/2005 ORDINANCE NO. 7269 "Substituted Copy" Revised 1 -21 -05 AN ORDINANCE DESIGNATING THE MINERAL PALACE PARK AS A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT WHEREAS, the City of Pueblo's Historic Preservation Code, Title IV, Chapter 14, declares that the City shall identify, designate and preserve those buildings, objects, monuments, structures and sites which reflect outstanding elements of the community's architectural and cultural heritage; and WHEREAS, the present application was initiated by the City Manager as representative of the City, and the City's Historic Preservation Commission has reviewed the application for designation of Mineral Palace Park as a Local Historic District, and has recommended to the Planning and Zoning Commission the designation of this resource; and WHEREAS, the City Planning and Zoning Commission has reviewed the Historic Preservation Commission's recommendation and the designation application and submitted its recommendation thereon for historic district designation to Council; BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF PUEBLO, that: SECTION 1. The City Council finds and determines that the Mineral Palace Park (All blocks, 12 to 19, Brown's Addition, AKA Henry Browns Addition), has significant character, interest or value, as part of the development, heritage, or cultural characteristics of the City; and is part of or related to a square, park or other distinctive area, which should be developed or preserved according to a plan based on a historic, cultural or architectural motif as defined in the Pueblo Historic Preservation Code Sec. 4 -14 -8. SECTION 2. The City Council hereby designates the Mineral Palace Park as a local Pueblo Historic District, subject to the benefits, obligations and restrictions resulting from such designation as described in Title IV, Chapter 14 of the Pueblo Municipal Code. SECTION 3. This ordinance shall become effective immediately upon final passage and approval, and a certified copy of this ordinance shall be recorded in the records of the Pueblo County Clerk and Recorder by the City Clerk. 0 INTRODUCED: September 13. 2004 BY: Michael Occhiato .a. rea CILP A s o s° APPROVED: P ESIDENT TY NCIL CI ATTESTED BY: qfTY CLERK PASSED AND APPROVED: January 24, 2005 �, 6 t Background Paper for Proposed ORDINANCE "Substituted copy" AGENDA ITEM # a-3 January 24, 2005 DATE: September 13, 2004 revised 1 -21 -05 DEPARTMENT: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT /JIM MUNCH LAND USE ADMINISTRATION /MICHAEL SMYTH, AICP TITLE AN ORDINANCE DESIGNATING THE MINERAL PALACE PARK AS A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT ISSUE Shall City Council designate the Mineral Palace Park as a local Pueblo Historic District, pursuant to the Historic Preservation Code, Title IV, Chapter 14 of the Pueblo Municipal Code. RECOMMENDATION Adoption of Ordinance BACKGROUND As is detailed in the Historic Preservation Commission's recommendation, Mineral Palace Park was found to "have significant character, interest or value, as part of the development, heritage, or cultural characteristics of the City" (Sec. 4- 14- 8(a)(1 a)). It is further found to be "part of or related to a square, park or other distinctive area, which should be developed or preserved according to a plan based on a historic, cultural or architectural motif" (Sec. 4- 14- 8(a)(3a)). Mineral Palace Park's prominent location just west of the Fountain Creek has been an important northern gateway to Pueblo's urban environment throughout its history. The park was originally envisioned to embellish the grandiose Mineral Palace, built to showcase Colorado's mineral wealth. The park embodied a lush and expansive vision of urban parks brought to Colorado from eastern cities as part of the "City Beautiful" movement in urban design at the turn of the century. Mineral exhibits from the palace were on display at the 1901 World's Fair Exhibition in Chicago where the City Beautiful movement made its debut. Although the park was first designated in 1896, the period of greatest significance in the park's development was the depression period of 1936 -1939, when the Works Progress Administration (WPA) was most active. The remaining WPA era structures, built by the WPA, show an emphasis on teaching building skills in various related fields, such as masonry, carpentry, electrical and plumbing, in order to train workers in a job skill useful in later work. The design and craftsmanship show the progression of workers in training. The structures are physical representations of the struggles experienced by Puebloans and all Americans to survive the Great Depression. At the November 10, 2004 meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission and the November 18, 2004 meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission, it was agreed that the historic integrity of the park would be preserved by retaining a minimum of 40% of the remaining WPA retaining walls in the park. Findings of staff, the Historic Preservation Commission, and the Planning and Zoning Commission are attached. FINANCIAL IMPACT Designation ensures eligibility for State Historical Fund Acquisition and Development Grants, which provide for contributing structure restoration projects within the designated Historic District.