Minutes_Historic Preservation Commission 11.18.21Copyrighted
December 6, 2021
City of Dubuque Consent Items # 1.
City Council Meeting
ITEM TITLE: Minutes and Reports Submitted
SUMMARY: City Council Proceedings of 11/15 and 11/22; Arts and Cultural Affairs
Commission of 11/23; Cable TV Commission of 6/16 and 11/17; Civil
Service Commission of 11/04; Historic Preservation Commission of
11/18; Human Rights Commission of 9/13; Library Board of Trustees of
9/23; Library Board of Trustees Update of 11/18; Zoning Board of
Adjustment of 10/28; Proof of Publication for City Council Proceedings
of 11 /01.
SUGGESTED Suggested Disposition: Receive and File
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
City Council Proceedings of 11/15/21 Supporting Documentation
City Council Proceedings of 11/22/21
Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission Minutes of
11 /23/21
Cable TV Commission Minutes of 6/16/21
Cable TV Commission Minutes of 11/17/21
Civil Service Commission Minutes of 11/04/21
Supporting Documentation
Supporting Documentation
Supporting Documentation
Supporting Documentation
Supporting Documentation
Historic Preservation Commission Minutes of 11/18/21 Supporting Documentation
Human Rights Commission Minutes of 09/13/21 Supporting Documentation
Library Board of Trustees Minutes of 09/23/21
Library Board of Trustees Minutes of 09/23/21
Library Board of Trustees Update of 11/18/21
Zoning Board of Adjustment Minutes of 10/28/21
Proof of Publication for City Council Proceedings of
11/01/21
Supporting Documentation
Supporting Documentation
Supporting Documentation
Supporting Documentation
Supporting Documentation
Dubuque
THE CITY OF
DUB E
11`11 V
2.17 20122013
2017*2019
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
MINUTES
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
REGULAR SESSION
5:30 p.m.
Thursday, November 18, 2021
Historic Federal Building, Room 250
Draft
Commissioners Present: Chairperson Bill Doyle; Commissioners Melissa Daykin
Cassill, John McAndrews, Alec Gustafson, Craig Reber and Rick Stuter.
Commissioners Excused: Tim Gau, Christy Monk and Brandi Clark.
Commissioners Unexcused: None.
Staff Members Present: Wally Wernimont and Chris Happ Olson.
CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Doyle at 5:31 p.m.
MINUTES: Motion by Reber, seconded by Daykin Cassill, to approve the minutes of
the October 21, 2021 meeting as submitted. Motion carried by the following vote: Aye —
Daykin Cassill, Gustafson, McAndrews, Reber, Stuter and Doyle; Nay — none.
ACTION ITEMS:
Design Review
Applicant: Chris Martin (contractor)
Owner: Dominic Goodmann
Address: 462 W. 3rd Street
Project: Build new deck system
District: Cathedral Local and National Register Historic Districts
Staff Member Chris Happ Olson presented the staff report noting the property
contributing within the Cathedral Historic District and the rear portion of the property is
partially visible from St. Mary's Street. She noted that the rear deck structure was
constructed in 1987, referring to the building permit history. She explained that the work
was started without a permit, and therefore was stopped by Inspection & Construction
Services. She stated that applicant has been working with Planning Services staff since
to prepare an application to the Commission. She referred to photos and document of
the property, both historic, recent, and current. She noted it is not a historic deck based
on Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps and building permit information. She explained the
new wood and composite material deck system includes the deck, stairs, pergola,
aluminum railing and cedar walls and lattice work. She explained the applicant is
Minutes — Historic Preservation Commission
November 18, 2021
Page 2
replacing existing deck and shifting the stairs to the west side. Referred to the design
guidelines as it relates to the project.
Applicant Chris Martin noted the wood is cedar. Commissioner Melissa Daykin Cassill
asked if the cedar walls were not proposed, would the request comply with the with
guidelines. Happ Olson replied that the project would largely meet guideline 1.84.
Martin explained the screening walls are to provide privacy from the adjacent properties.
He noted that the stair location was switched from one side of the structure to the other
side.
Chairperson Bill Doyle asked the Commission if they have any issue with the existing
constructed deck. Commission by consensus did not have issues. Commission
discussed the pergola, lattice and railing. Chairperson Doyle asked if the hand railing
up the stairs will match the guard rail. Martin replied it would match and added that the
lattice will be horizontal and vertical and, not diagonal.
DESIGN REVIEW: Motion by Reber, seconded by Stuter, to approve the application as
submitted, noting that all finished work must be painted with paint or an opaque stain.
Motion carried by the following vote: Aye — Daykin Cassill, Gustafson, McAndrews,
Reber, Stuter and Doyle; Nay — none.
ITEMS FROM PUBLIC: none
ITEMS FROM COMMISSION: Commissioner Alec Gustafson brought to the attention
of staff a broken stone feature on a parapet wall that he noted in a historic district,
asking whether it was something that would need to be replaced or restored. Staff
Member Chris Happ Olson discussed the staff's and Commission's role with regards to
demolition and when a feature would need to be restored.
ITEMS FROM STAFF: Staff Member Chris Happ Olson introduced the memo provided
addressing Emergency Egress & Rescue Opening (EERO) code issues, with
requirements following state law. She explained the reasoning for ingress and egress,
to allow for rescue of people from sleeping rooms in a rental unit, as well as access for
emergency personnel and their equipment to be able to enter. She explained typically
that historic window openings with double hung sash are large enough to meet code,
but occasionally a window at the attic level, under an eave, in a porch, or at the
basement level may need to be replaced with one that has a clear opening, like a
casement window. She discussed that occasionally she has approved switching out a
double hung window with a casement window that resembles a double hung window
with appropriate muntins. She referred to the supplied example of a window where a
smaller window was proposed to be installed because the swing of a casement would
hit the overhanging eave, and the original double hung window would not provide at
minimum 4 square feet of clearance, as well as another example where a rough
Minutes — Historic Preservation Commission
November 18, 2021
Page 3
opening, not visible from the public right of way, would have to be enlarged to provide
access.
Happ Olson noted she wanted to bring this to Commssion to make them aware of the
issue and receive their guidance on the subject. She noted she had been in contact with
other communities and was looking to find best management practices to address
challenging situations. She explained that when a sleeping room is being proposed, like
in the creation of a new housing unit, that would negatively affect a primary fagade, she
would plan to bring it before the Commission. The Commission discussed scenarios
when EERO should come to them, and when staff could sign off, asking Happ Olson to
use judgement to bring the issue to the Commission when compliance with EERO
compromised a historic structure at the primary fagade. Chairperson Doyle and other
Commissioners expressed comfort with staff's judgement and ability to bring issues
forward.
Motion by Reber, seconded by Gustafson, to allow staff to continue review and sign off
on EERO, while exploring best practices with other communities to address these
situations.
ADJOURNMENT: Motion by Reber, seconded by Gustafson, to adjourn the November
18, 2021 Commission meeting. Motion carried by the following vote: Aye —Daykin
Cassill, Gustafson, McAndrews, Reber, Stuter and Doyle; Nay — none.
The meeting adjourned at 6:13 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Wally Wernimont, Planning Services Manager Adopted