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Historic District Public ImprovMEMORANDUM August 27, 2002 TO:The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members FROM:Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager SUBJECT:Historic District Public Improvement Program The Historic Preservation Commission is recommending approval of the Historic District Public Improvement Program guidelines providing 3:1 matching grants on a competitive basis to neighborhood associations and neighborhood groups for streetscape improvements in the City's five historic districts. The program is intended to enhance the public places and streetscapes in the historic districts to retain and augment their sense of place. The program is limited to the boundaries of the Cathedral, Jackson Park, Langworthy, Old Main, and West 11th Street Historic Districts. Funding will be distributed among the five historic districts based on the projects selected and completed. The maximum allocation of program funds per year per historic district is $100,000. I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council approval. ____________________ Michael C. Van Milligen MCVM/jh Attachment cc: Barry Lindahl, Corporation Counsel Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager Planning Services Department City Hall 50 West 13th Steer Dubuque, Iowa 52001-4864 (563) 589-4210 office (563) 5894221 fax planning@cityofdubuque.org August 13, 2002 Michael Van Milligen, City Manager City of Dubuque 50 W. 13th Street Dubuque, IA 52001 SUBJECT: Historic District Public Improvement Program Dear Mike: The Historic Preservation Commission would like to provide you with our policy recommendation for allocation of City funds from the new Historic District Public Improvement Program. The Commission developed this policy with input from the Historic District Design Guidelines Steering Committee. A list of the committee members is enclosed. BACKGROUND In March, 2001, the City Council adopted the Historic District Public Improvement Program with a total five-year budget of $500,000. The program has $100,000 budgeted annually for five years from the General Fund. The Historic District Public Improvement Program is intended to provide incentives for public place and streetscape improvements in each historic district. The program would fund such streetscape elements such as landscaping, historic lighting, planters and signs. The HPC would serve as an advisory design review body to the City Council for this program. Approximately $50,000 of the initial year's allocation of $100,000 is being used for the consulting services of the Durrant Group for design guidelines. The streetscape guidelines adopted in March 2002 are intended serve as the basis for the expenditure of the remaining funds in the Historic District Public Improvement Program. Service People Integrity Responsibility Innovation Teamwork RECOMMENDATION The Commission's task was to provide you with a recommendation that you can take to the City Council for approval, so that program funds can be allocated this year. Originally, you had suggested a 50-50 cost share on projects using an assessment process. The Design Guidelines Steering Committee was concerned that Iow and moderate income households may not be able to afford this level of match, and that neighborhood groups may not be able to raise this much in matching funds. The Commission shares this concern, and suggests that a 25-75 cost share be considered. The attached program guidelines provide a description of the Historic District Public Improvement Program, a recommended policy for allocation of City funds, general parameters for matching funds, and the application process. The Commission asks that you review the attached information, and then forward this recommendation on to the City Council for approval. If you would like to meet to discuss the Commission's recommendations, please feel free to contact me. Sincerely, Christopher Wand, Chairperson Historic Preservation Commission Enclosure cc: Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager Jerelyn O'Connor, Neighborhood Development Specialist HISTORIC DESIGN GUIDELINES STEERING COMMITTEE NAME BUSINE88/ORGANIZATION STREET CITY STATE ZIP PHONE Terry Mozena Historic. Preservation Cqmmission 1036 W. 3r~ St Dubuque. IA. 52001 582-2707 Suzanne?ulnn Historic Preservation Commission 1433 Main.. St Dubuque IA 52001. 589-4733 Jim Gibbs Hietorio Preservation Commission !037 Kirkwood Dubuque IA 52001 588-3078 Linda Herbst Dubuque Main Street, Ltd. 76 Main St Dubuque IA 52001 582-1620 Tacie Campbell Dubuque. Count}, Hlstori.cal Society P O Box 266 Dubuque IA .52004.-0266557-9545 ........... Steve Horman Dubuque Area Chamber. of Commerce 300 Main St. Dubuque IA 52001 557-9200 Doris Htngtgen Dubuque Area Board of. Realtors 951 Iowa St Dubuqu· IA 52001 555-2525 Tarnmy Pfab 0Id House Enthusiasts 235 N. Grandview Ave Dubuque IA 52001 583-3807. John Henning i Historic Bluffs Neighborhood Assoc 452 Loras Btvd Dubuque. !A. 52001 587-0671 Doug Stillings Downtown Neighborhood Asseclation. 1255 Locust St .. Dubuque IA 52001 589-2000 Kathy Man~lrich Bluff 8treet Neighborhood Assoc .. 345 Bluff St Dubuque IA 52001 557-1231 Gil Spence ........... Leisure Services Manager 589-4263 ...... Laura carstens Planning services Manager 589-4210 Bob Schissl Civil Engineer 589-4270 Cindy Stelnhauser Assistant City Manager 589-4116 ...... Jerelyn O'Connor Neighborhood Development Specialist 589-4326 John Klosterman Street Maintenance Supervisor. 589-4250 Dennis. Hackbarth Building Inspector 589-415.0. ..J..o!ene Pafferson Housing Rehabil.ifetion Supervisor 589-4239 .~mimont Assistant Planner 589-4210 Mike Koch Public Works Director ! 589-4270 Revised: 2/5102 (21) City of Dubuque, Iowa Historic District Public Improvement Program Guidelines April, 2002 Program The Historic District Public Improvement Program (HDPIP) provides 3:1 matching grants on a competitive basis to neighborhood associations and neighborhood groups for streetscape improvements in the City's five historic districts. The program is intended to enhance the public places and streetscapes in the historic districts to retain and augment their sense of place. Program Limits The program is limited to the boundaries of the Cathedral, Jackson Park, Langworthy, Old Main, and West 11th Street Histodc Districts. Funding will be distributed among the five histodc districts based on the projects selected and completed. The maximum allocation of program funds per year per historic district is $100,000. The minimum grant amount is $3,000. The maximum grant amount is $100,000. Who can Apply? Neighborhood Association recognized by the City of Dubuque. Neighborhood Group (definition: all property owners on both sides of a street). Individual property owners are not eligible to apply. Eligible Projects: What is Funded · Purchase and installation of permanent exterior improvements installed in public right-of-way or public places, such as parks, in an historic district. · Architectural and engineering fees associated with the project. · Streetscape amenities consistent with the City's Streetscape and Landscape Guidelines for Historic Districts, including: decorative paving (such as pavers, stamped and/or colored concrete), historic street lights, ornamental benches, decorative railing or fences, tree grates, planters, signs, and landscaping. What is Not Funded · Installation of streetscape elements and amenities on private property. · Costs of work performed prior to signed agreement with the City. Histodc District Public Improvement Program Page 2 Priority Priority will be given to projects developed in coordination with the City's public street improvement program, and similar public improvements in historic districts. Coordination with the City's project allows the streetscape amenities to be installed concurrent with the street improvement or other public improvement project. Accommodations can be made for installation of amenities subsequent to the street improvement project through the installation of supportive infrastructure, such as conduit for historic street lights. In general, the pdority for allocation of funds through this program will be as follows: 1. Street Reconstruction/Improvement Projects 2. Sidewalk Inspection Program 3. Major Infrastructure Repairs/Maintenance 4. Neighborhood Association/Neighborhood Group Proposal 5. Historic Preservation Commission - Neighborhood Pilot Project Evaluation Criteria The Histodc Preservation Commission will review the application, and then provide a recommendation to the City Council based on the following criteria: · High visual impact and quality of life improvement for the neighborhood: Does the project encourage people to walk in the neighborhood? Visit the neighborhood? Enjoy the neighborhood? · High community and neighborhood visibility of streetscape improvements. · Amount of private leverage: ratio of public funds to pdvate funds. Continuity with previous/planned public and/or pdvate improvements. Percentage of neighborhood/property owner support: minimum 25%, with a higher rating given for greater neighborhood match. · Conformance with the City's adopted Streetscape and Landscape Design Guidelines for the historic districts, and any special urban design plans or guidelines adopted for the project area. · Link with Housing Rehabilitation special programs or with Historic Preservation Homeowner Grant or Revolving Loan Programs. · Previous assistance from the HDPIP (a higher rating will be given to first-time applicants over previous recipients). Grant Rounds The program kick-off in 2002 will be July Ist. In subsequent years, the primary HDPIP grant round will be held on March Ist of each year. A secondary grant round wilt be held on September I st of each year if funds are available. Histodc Distdct Public Improvement Program Page 3 Public/Private Match The program covers up to 75% of project costs. Neighborhood associations and groups are required to provide a 25% match. For example, if applying for a $75,000 grant, the budget must describe at least $100,000 in eligible costs and at least $25,000 in private match. The private match may be obtained from assessments of property owners in the project area; private fundraising; private donations; in-kind services, or private, state or federal grants. The entire 25% private match may be in-kind donations. With the exception of CDBG funds (see description below of CDBG Program), City funds may not be used as matching share. All matching funds must be cash expended or in-kind services donated dudng the grant period, which begins when the grant agreement is signed by both the applicant and the City of Dubuque. Architectural and engineering fees associated with the project, up to $10,000 or 10% of total project costs, are eligible grant expenses. The minimum grant amount is $3,000. The maximum grant amount is $100,000. Assessments for Streetscape Projects For historic streetscape projects involving assessments, such as a street reconstruction project, the neighborhood association or neighborhood group would be responsible for 25% of the cost of any added assessable cost for streetscape enhancements. Property owners would be assessed for a percentage of the costs of public improvements using the formulas applied to the City's street and sidewalk programs. For example, the property owners in the project area would pay 100% of the estimated cost of a standard plain concrete sidewalk as they would with any assessable project. The HDPIP grant would provide 75% of the additional costs for the historic streetscape treatments. Example of Public/Private Cost Share for a Street Assessment Project Estimated cost per lot for standard grey concrete sidewalk $1,000 Estimated cost per lot for brick sidewalk $2,000 Increase in cost for streetscape improvement $1,000 Amount eligible for HDPIP program $ 750 Private match required $ 25O Total assessment cost per lot $1,250 Historic Distdct Public Improvement Program Page 4 Non-Assessment Streetscape Projects For some components of streetscape projects, such as an asphalt resurfacing street project, the City typically would not assess the property owners. For these non-assessment projects, the neighborhood association or neighborhood group must provide a private match of 25% of the project costs. Example of Public/Private Cost Share for a Non-Assessment Proiect Estimated cost per historic street light $5,000 Amount eligible for HDPIP program $3,750 Private match required $1,250 Application Process Applications will be accepted during regular business hours by the Neighborhood Development Specialist, City Manager's Office, City Hall, 50 W. 13th Street, Dubuque. Applicants are encouraged to review these Guidelines carefully before completing the application. Applicants are encouraged to schedule a pre- application conference with the Neighborhood Development Specialist. Applications must include all the required information when submitted. Applications will be reviewed initially by City staff, who will check for submittal of required information, coordination with public improvement projects, compliance with City codes, and consistency with the Streetscape/Landscape Guidelines. Applications then will be presented to the Historic Preservation Commission for review and evaluation. After review of the applications, the Commission will provide a recommendation to the City Council. The City Council will select the projects to be funded. Neighborhood representatives are expected to attend both the Commission and Council meetings to present their projects and to answer questions. CDBG Program Through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG, the City provides financial assistance to Iow and moderate income households. The City provides a Neighborhood Infrastructure Program and Neighborhood Grants to neighborhood associations and neighborhood groups in CDBG target areas, where a majority of households are Iow and moderate income. These programs compliment the Historic District Public Improvement Program, and are coordinated by the Neighborhood Development Specialist. The Neighborhood Infrastructure Program can be used to pay the special assessments for Iow and moderate income households within the project area.