City approves request to place former school on historic register

HURON — City commissioners on Monday voted to approve a request from the owner of the former Jefferson School in southeast Huron to apply to have the building listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The property, located at 855 Utah Ave. S.E., is owned by the Huron Church of the Open Bible. The request was made by the church board of directors.
At its last meeting, the Campbell Park Historic District Board supported the listing and forwarded that backing to the state. The board encouraged commissioners to forward their consent as well.
Planning Director Barry Cranston said the State Historic Preservation officer believes “that the Jefferson school embodies distinctive characteristics of a type, period and method of construction typical of its era.”
Also noted was the fact that the building was designed by notable architect F.C.W. Kuehn, which is considered significant because of his national identity and reputation for designing a number of different facilities in Huron, according to Cranston.
Commissioners also:

• Approved a raffle request filed by the Huron Elks for Sept. 15.
• Approved a request for alcoholic beverage consumption in a public area filed by Horizontal Maching and Manufacturing for a company picnic Sept. 7 at Memorial Park south shelter.
• Set Sept. 9 as the public hearing date to consider a resolution on street vacation petitions filed by Gary and Shirley Nelson and William and Renada Cahill. The location is in the Prairie Estates Addition.
The petitions are being presented again because of some errors in the paperwork in the original request by the Nelsons and Cahills as well as Lauren and Lisa Miner.
• Set Sept. 9 as the bid-opening date for a long-delayed project to make improvements to the west lot at City Hall including concrete surfacing and storm sewer work. The city is hoping to get the project done this year.
• Approved first reading of an ordinance change, in a housekeeping matter, that drops automobiles and trailers as conditional uses in general industrial districts because they are already included elsewhere in another section as permitted uses in those districts.
• Approved plat requests filed by Richard Shelton for Shelton-Saxton 2nd Addition, the city of Huron for Southtown 3rd Addition and Donna Steele for Picek Outlot 1.
Melissa Waters plans to purchase the lot being platted in the Shelton-Saxton 2nd Addition and build a garage.
The city will have completed the platting of the balance of the land in the Southtown Addition with the current request being approved. The lots could be used for twin homes or single-family homes.
Justin Picek plans to build a home on the lot in the Picek Outlot 1 request by Donna Steele. The property is east of Riverridge Avenue and next to land owned by the Gutormsons.