Planning Commission moves on Historic Preservation Plan

The Nome Planning Commission met Tuesday, April 6 in Council Chambers at City Hall and accepted the draft of the Historic Preservation Plan. The lengthy document prepared by architect Gary Gillette lays out Nome’s plan for preserving and protecting the city’s heritage.

Gillette, tuning in on Zoom, gave what he termed an executive summary. “I am confident that the plan, once complete and adopted, will serve as a tool for historic preservation efforts by the community,” said Gillette. He stated the preparation of the plan has been financed by the City of Nome with federal funds from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service and with assistance of the State of Alaska Office of History and Archeology.

Nome is known to have been an indigenous settlement at least 200 years before it was incorporated as an Alaskan City in 1901. Archeologists have determined that nomadic indigenous people have hunted, fished, and gathered in the surrounding area for a long time prior to the arrival of westerners.

This plan identifies what the community regards as important for historic preservation. It defines the actions Nome can take toward goals in preserving that which is historically important.

In 1975 the Nome Common Council adopted an ordinance supporting historic preservation. This was the first step taken and included identification of historic resources, designation of historical resources as historical landmarks, and the maintenance of a catalogue of city landmarks.

“The history of a community contributes to its personality,” reads the document. Historic preservation grows roots to the origins of the community and its people.”

City Planner Eileen Bechtol hopes to organize an open house at Old St. Joe’s in late May for citizens to review the document and what it proposes. One commissioner suggested adding the history of the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic. Another asks whether people whose properties on a list of historic structures prepared in the late 70s are aware their property is on the list.

In other business, the commission received a letter from the Alaska Department of Transportation on the Center Creek Road rehabilitation. The DOT & PF has assumed the responsibilities of the Federal Highway Administration on the project. The proposal is to rehabilitate Center Creek Road between Seppala Drive and the Nome-Teller Road. Most significantly it will realign Center Creek Road at the FAA/Doyle Road intersection. The road will be paved, there will be new signage, buried utilities will be relocated, and new culverts will be installed where necessary to facilitate drainage.

Under New Business the commission took up a discussion of the location of the community garden. East End Park was brought up at the last council meeting but the idea of a community garden got only 30 seconds of discussion. A community garden exists, but it is small and located at the corner of Bering Street and Seppala. Proper soil needs to brought in and a group of gardening activists needs to get together and play a leading role. Cheryl Thompson is proud of the current community garden according to City Manager Glenn Steckmann. Water needs to be brought in to a larger operation. “You get a plot of land, maybe a 10x10,” said City Manager Glenn Steckmann. “Do we as a city have the capacity to fund a community garden?” asked commissioner and acting chair Sara Lisak. Two members suggested it should be at East End Park where there is a lake with plenty of water for the garden.

The commissioners discussed a list of what they call “buildings of concern,” a term describing what is normally called the abatement list. For many citizens “abate” is a red flag expression. Because of COVID19 it was suggested that rather than charter a van and all ride around together looking at houses on the list, the commissioners should do so individually. The topic will be raised again at the July meeting, giving the commissioners a reasonable time to get it done.