Minutes_Historic Preservation Commission 6 21 12THE CITY 0
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
2007
MINUTES
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
REGULAR SESSION
5:30 p.m.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
City Council Chamber, Historic Federal Building
VEN
Commissioners Present: Vice Chairperson Bob McDonell; Commissioners Chris
Olson, John Whalen, Otto Krueger, Mary Loney Bichell, Joseph Rapp and Chris Wand.
Commissioners Excused: Chairperson David Klavitter and Commissioner Mitzi Krey.
Staff Members Present: Laura Carstens and David Johnson.
CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order by Vice Chairperson McDonell at 5:32
p.m.
AFFIDAVIT OF COMPLIANCE: Staff presented an Affidavit of Compliance verifying the
meeting was being held in compliance with the Iowa Open Meetings Law.
MINUTES: Motion by Wand, seconded by Olson, to approve the minutes of the May 17,
2012 meeting as submitted. Motion carried by the following vote: Aye — Olson, Whalen,
Krueger, Bichell, Rapp, Wand and McDonell; Nay — None.
DESIGN REVIEW: Application of Ronald Conrad & James Kemp / KC Investment
Team LLC for a Certificate of Appropriateness for facade improvements, gutters and
downspouts for property located at 898 Jackson Street in the Historic Millwork District.
Staff Member Johnson reviewed the staff report. He noted the property is located in the
Historic Millwork District and is historically associated with the Key City Iron Works
Building. He explained the building was constructed in 1890 and the applicant is
requesting a facade grant and the Historic Millwork District Assessment Reduction
Program to repair the facade and install gutters, downspouts and a metal coping.
The Commission reviewed the request and proposals submitted by R &W Restoration
and Giese Roofing Company. Staff Member Johnson noted the gutters will be 24-
guage prefinished steel 6" K -style gutters. He explained the coping will be a colonial
red color similar to the metal coping installed on the nearby CARADCO Building.
Randy Williams of R &W Restoration, provided information on the cleaning and tuck
pointing approach to the building. He clarified that a grinder will only be used to score
the mortar joints and the joints will be hand - chiseled. He explained all missing or
broken brick will be replaced with a salvaged historic brick. Staff Member Johnson
distributed a brick sample for the Commission to review.
Minutes — Historic Preservation Commission
June 21, 2012
Page 2
Staff Member Johnson clarified the modern chimney on the north side of the building
will be removed and the wall will be made level with the rest of the parapet. Mr.
Williams explained that the building will be cleaned with a mild detergent and the
building will not look new when finished. He noted the replacement brick is salvaged
from a Dubuque building, and the building will be cleaned with a gentle power washing.
He noted the brick will match existing historic brick on the building. He explained the
mortar mix will be a soft mortar, appropriate for historic masonry.
Motion by Wand, seconded by Whalen, to approve the Certified of Appropriateness as
submitted and described, including the mortar joint work and brick cleaning, and the
contractor be given Preservation Briefs 1 and 6 for appropriate brick cleaning. Motion
carried by the following vote: Aye — Olson, Whalen, Krueger, Bichell, Rapp, Wand and
McDonell; Nay — None.
Ron Conrad, property owner, explained he also planned to request review of new Pella
windows as well as an overhead door as part of the fagade improvements and funding
programs. The Commission explained they can only act on improvements contained in
the application provided to them. Mr. Conrad noted the window and door replacements
were inadvertently left out of the HPC Design Review application. Mr. Conrad reviewed
the general design and materials for the proposed windows and doors. The
Commission noted it sounded as if Mr. Conrad was on the right track in terms of design
and materials. The Commission recommended Mr. Conrad provide the Planning
Services Department an application and it will be placed on the next agenda.
DESIGN REVIEW: Application of Greg and Peggy Stover for a Certificate of
Appropriateness to enclose the third floor porch for property located at 1145 Locust
Street in the Jackson Park Historic Preservation District.
Staff Member Johnson reviewed the staff report. He explained the applicants own the
Fanny Stout House and they are requesting a Certificate of Appropriateness to enclose
the third floor porch. He noted the property owners were approved to enclose the porch
on April 16, 2009. He noted that approval included the applicants' wishes to use a
window sash system. He explained the property owners would now like to enclose the
porch with large thermopanes of glass located behind the arches. He noted the
applicant explains the thermopanes will not be tinted and the framing for the
thermopanes will not be visible. He noted the applicants believe this approach will be
less intrusive, preserve the existing fabric of the building, and is reversible.
Peggy Stover, 1145 Locust Street, explained the cost of the sash system for enclosing
the porch was too expensive and is another reason for requesting the modification.
The Commission and staff discussed with the applicant the design of the windows with
respect to water drainage. The property owner acknowledged the importance of
designing the framing and thermopanes so water is not trapped and is allowed to
escape.
Minutes — Historic Preservation Commission
June 21, 2012
Page 3
The Commission discussed the clapboard siding on the porch. The applicant stated it is
their intent to restore the existing materials; if that cannot be accomplished, it will be
replaced in -kind.
Motion by Olson, seconded by Wand, to approve the Certificate of Appropriateness as
submitted and presented, provided there is sufficient opportunity for water that may get
in between the glass and exterior features to escape, and that existing clapboard be
reinstalled, and if the existing clapboard cannot be installed due to its poor condition,
that replacement clapboard that matches be used on the rest of the structure. Motion
carried by the following vote: Aye — Olson, Whalen, Krueger, Bichell, Rapp, Wand and
McDonell; Nay — None.
EDUCATION TASK FORCE
Update on Public Outreach and Education Program: No report.
ITEMS FROM PUBLIC: None.
ITEMS FROM COMMISSION:
Economic Guidelines and Review Criteria: The Commission stated Chairperson Klavitter
requested the item be placed on the agenda for discussion. The Commission noted
Chairperson Klavitter was not able to attend the meeting and by consensus requested the
item be placed on a future agenda.
Electronic Agenda Packets: The Commission discussed revisiting the ability to provide
HPC agenda packets electronically. The consensus of the Commission was to place the
item on the next HPC agenda.
ITEMS FROM STAFF:
Historic Preservation Commission Guidebook (State of Iowa): Staff Member Johnson
explained the State Historic Preservation Office will be working on creating a guidebook for
Iowa's Historic Preservation Commission members. He noted the guidebook will have
some of the information found in the CLG manual posted on the State Historical Society of
Iowa website. He noted the guidebook will contain information useful for Iowa's Historic
Preservation Commissions and will reference publications from the National Park Service
on the National Register, historic tax credits, Preservation Briefs, and other beneficial
information. Staff Member Johnson explained the State Historic Preservation Office is
requesting Historic Preservation Commissions discuss information to include in the manual
that would be helpful to them. He noted any suggestions will be forwarded to the State.
The Commission agreed to forward any suggestions to staff by June 30tH
Historic Preservation Technical Assistance Program: Staff Member Carstens explained
she is seeking input on the City -wide and Preservation Iowa Technical Assistance
Programs. She reviewed the funding for the City of Dubuque Technical Assistance
Program as well as Preservation Iowa's Technical Assistance Program.
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June 21, 2012
Page 4
She noted City Council has allocated $15,000 annually for the program. She explained the
intent of the program is to provide a 50% matching grant for assistance with administrative
components of tax credit applications. She explained the emphasis of the funding is to
help property owners tap into the small projects category for State Historic Tax Credit
Projects. She noted that program is consistently underutilized and can provide up to 20%
for residential and income - producing projects that do not exceed $500,000. She noted
initial parameters for the City of Dubuque program will require properties to be locally
designated. She explained Preservation Iowa has established a $30,000 revolving loan
fund also for small historic tax credit projects. She explained the Preservation Iowa
program will loan money with a small fee.
The Commission discussed how the City of Dubuque program would best be structured.
The Commission asked whether properties identified by the Housing and Community
Development Department or the Building Services Department as enforcement cases
would be excluded from the program. Staff Member Carstens noted the City policy is to
not provide incentives to Code enforcement cases based on recommendations of the Safe
Community Task Force. The Commission and staff discussed the benefits and drawbacks
of funding enforcement properties. The Commission recommended that funding be
extended on a case -by -case basis to those property owners that have recently been
identified as having a potential code problem, or those properties that are on the City's
radar but making continued progress toward compliance. The Commission noted
properties that are in the citation process would not be eligible.
The Commission agreed with the parameter to require a property utilizing the funding
source to be locally designated. The Commission and staff discussed how the program
should be structured. The Commission suggested funding a maximum of $5,000, which
would allow three projects to be funded annually. Staff Member Carstens noted City staff's
initial thought is to refund the technical assistance money once a project is completed in
order to eliminate any financial risk should a project not be finished. She explained the
alternative would be to structure the program as a loan similar to the Historic Preservation
Revolving Loan Fund. The Commission agreed to initially structure the program to refund
the Technical Assistance funding once a project is complete. Staff Member Johnson
recommended reimbursement be made once a property owner provides the Part III Tax
Certificate.
The Commission and staff noted the Technical Assistance Program is similar to the
Architectural Assistance Program previously discussed. The Commission noted the
benefits of continuing to pursue the Architectural Assistance Program, noting the program
would provide architectural services for design review applicants and also experience for
draftsman and architectural interns. The Commission discussed looking outside of the
University of Platteville and perhaps partnering with the University of Iowa or Iowa State on
internship opportunities.
The Commission discussed how the Technical Assistance funding would be structured for
National Register nominations. Staff explained that the funding could be used for hiring an
Minutes — Historic Preservation Commission
June 21, 2012
Page 5
architectural historian to assist with National Register nominations or eligibility research
associated with State Tax Credit projects as well as architects and accountants that are
typically needed in the process. Staff Member Johnson noted many properties in the city
of Dubuque have already been researched and evaluated as part of the phased historical
surveys. The property owner would be able to utilize the Technical Assistance funding
where determined most needed provided the project meets all other parameters.
Staff Member Carstens noted the Statewide Preservation Iowa Program could be used in
partnership with the City of Dubuque Technical Assistance Program. She reiterated the
focus is to help with downtown investment and help property owners typically overwhelmed
by the tax credit process to tap into the underutilized Small Projects Fund with the State.
Update and Greening of Design Guidelines: Staff Member Carstens discussed the
opportunity to update the City of Dubuque Architectural and Landscape Guidelines. She
noted the current guidelines are 10 years old, and there is an opportunity to update and
consolidate Dubuque's architectural guidelines to also incorporate sustainability guidelines
for historic buildings. She reviewed the Developing Sustainability Guidelines for Historic
Districts prepared by Nore Winter for the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Staff
Member Johnson noted both the National Trust and National Alliance of Preservation
Commissions have developed approaches to incorporating sustainable practices into
historic properties. He noted the City has yet to receive requests for turbines, solar panels,
or other sustainable approaches; however, now is an opportunity to be pro- active in the
movement.
Staff Member Carstens explained the design manual could simplify things by consolidating
the architectural guidelines, landscape guidelines and the downtown design guidelines into
one design manual. She explained the design manual could incorporate the best of what
all three documents offer. She noted the manual could include more illustrative examples
of appropriate and inappropriate treatments. She also noted the process would be an ideal
opportunity to clarify the extent of staff sign -offs, and when HPC review is required for
public and private properties. She stated if the Commission is agreeable to the update and
consolidation approach, Planning Services staff will present a proposed process on a
future agenda.
The Commission discussed the update. The Commission agreed there would be value in
consolidating the guidelines and updating the guidelines to incorporate sustainability
practices as well as address recent issues. By consensus, the Historic Preservation
Commission agreed to update and consolidate the design guidelines and requested a
process be outlined on a future agenda.
City Council decision on 1760 Jackson Street: Staff Member Carstens stated the City
Council correspondence for the demolition permit request at 1760 Jackson Street has been
forwarded for the Commission's information.
Minutes — Historic Preservation Commission
June 21, 2012
Page 6
Building Services Department Historic Preservation Enforcement Report: Staff Member
Johnson reviewed the report updates. The Commission discussed the status of 1163
Highland. Commissioners reiterated the need for Commission members to report possible
violations to the Building Services Department.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 6:52 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Laura Carstens, Planning Services Manager Adopted
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