12 1 08 City Concil Proceedings Official_Special
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
OFFICIAL
The Dubuque City Council met in special session at 5:00 p.m. on December 1, 2008,
in the Historic Federal Building.
Present: Mayor Buol, Council Members Braig, Connors, Jones, Lynch, Resnick, City
Manager Van Milligen, City Attorney Lindahl
Absent: Council Member Voetberg
Mayor Buol read the call and stated that this was a special meeting of the City
Council called for the purpose of discussing the Downtown Design Guidelines.
Planning Service Manager Laura Carstens provided an overview of the work
session’s purpose and introduced Consultant Mr. Nore Winter of Winter and Company
from Boulder, Colorado. Mr. Winter narrated a slide presentation of the City of Dubuque
Downtown Design Guidelines, which provided City Council with an overview of the
study, its structure and intent.
Defined Project Area (Map)
Benefits of Design Guidelines
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Enhances street activity
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Protects investment
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Assures common vision while providing flexibility
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Fits with community livability goals
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Respects traditional character while accommodating change.
Helps Create Distinct Identity
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Responds to competition
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Creates an “address” for downtown that positions it in the market
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Maintains a sense of properties being related, but with unique, individual assets
Protects Real Estate Values
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Guidelines assure that others will be compatible with your investments
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They create neighborhoods with greater value
Introduction
I. Overview of policies underlying the guidelines and principles of urban design.
II. Design Review System
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What are and why have design guidelines, determining compliance, which
guidelines apply, components of design guidelines
III. Historic Preservation
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Benefits of historic preservation, basic preservation theory, preservation
briefs, Secretary of Interior’s standards for rehabilitation, choosing an
approach glossary, planning a preservation project, architectural styles
Chapters:
1. Rehabilitation Guidelines for Historic Properties
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Character defining features, historic building materials, Individual building
components, rehabilitation of historic commercial properties, rehabilitation of
historic residential properties, rehabilitation of historic warehouse properties,
general rehabilitation
2. Design Guidelines for All Properties
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Topography, street patterns, alleys, streetscape, architectural character,
materials rooftop uses, parking, buffers, site lighting, service areas,
mechanical equipment, awnings and canopies, signs.
3. Guidelines for New Commercial Building Types
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Building Set Backs, Mass and Scale, New Construction Principles, Urban
Design Principles for Infill
4. Guidelines for New Residential Building Types
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Single-family/urban family types, apartment buildings, townhomes, additions,
non-historic residential buildings, new residential style buildings
5. Guidelines for New Warehouse Building Types
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Design features found within traditional warehouse types, additions to non-
historic warehouse types
6. Guidelines for New Transitional Building Types
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Combines residential and commercial building types; neighborhood context
transitions from commercial to residential types; applies commercial building
guidelines to storefronts, window patters, and porches
7. Character Area Design Guidelines
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Specific guidelines for downtown core and urban landscaping
Implementation Options
1. Regulatory
2. Advisory
3. Incentive-based
Review of Timeline and Next Steps:
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December 7 Comments from State Historic Preservation Office
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January 2: Final Draft to City and State for final comment
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January 19: City Council reviews and acts on final guidelines
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February: Guidelines printed
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March: Guidelines distributed at public workshop
Discussion:
City Council discussion included concerns over the implementation of the regulatory
option, protecting the downtown “core” district, stakeholder preferences, impact on the
Warehouse District, continued availability of incentives, staged implementation of each
option, and consistency among the guidelines.
Mr. Winter stated that a review should be conducted after the first year for whatever
option the City selected.
Planning Services Manager Laura Carstens stated that phasing in of guidelines has
been discussed.
Dubuque Main Street Director Dan LoBianco stated that the Dubuque Main Street
Board of Directors supported the incentive-based option and that some developers may
object to too much regulation. They could support the regulatory option for the
downtown “core” district.
There being no further business upon motion the City Council adjourned at 6:20 p.m.
/s/Jeanne F. Schneider, CMC
City Clerk
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