Minutes_Historic Preservation Commission 9 5 12Masterpiece on the Mississippi
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2012
MINUTES
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
EDUCATION TASK FORCE
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Conference Room B, City Hall
Commissioners Present: Chairperson David Klavitter and Commissioner Bob
McDonell.
Commissioners Excused: None.
Staff Members Present: Laura Carstens and David Johnson.
CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order at 1:15 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 McDonell, seconded by Klavitter, to approve the March 7, 2012
minutes as submitted. Motion carried by the following vote: Aye — Klavitter and
McDonell; Nay — None.
ACTION ITEMS
Historic Preservation Program Update: Staff Member Carstens explained she has been
coordinating with the City Manager and Chairperson Klavitter on taking the Historic
Preservation Commission to the next level. She reviewed opportunities to improve the
Historic Preservation Program in the City of Dubuque. She noted at the last NAPC
workshop, different approaches to local preservation programs were discussed,
including forming design review committees and deferring design review to City staff.
She discussed the Commission's recent commitment to education and outreach with
the formation of the Historic Preservation Commission Education Task Force. She
noted the benefits and discussed the potential for the entire Commission to serve in an
educational and outreach capacity rather than focus their time and effort on design
reviews as has been the case over the last 10 years. She noted the Historic
Preservation Commission could serve a similar role as the Zoning Board of Adjustment,
where the Commission would review waivers to guidelines and appeals of staff
decisions.
The Task Force discussed the potential role for the Commission. Staff Member
Carstens reiterated the Commission would carry out functions of the Task Force, noting
the Commission could focus their efforts on public outreach, education, and marketing
of historic preservation in the City of Dubuque.
Minutes — Historic Preservation Commission
January 4, 2012
Page 2
Staff Member Carstens explained the City of Dubuque's Design Guidelines need to be
consolidated and updated to better reflect sustainability and ADA issues that were not
adequately addressed or on the forefront 10 years ago. The Task Force noted the
complexity of design review in the city of Dubuque and agreed consolidating guidelines
into one manual would better serve the public. The Task Force reviewed other
opportunities including training for contractors and property owners, more involvement
in community programming events such as Architecture Days, and marketing.
Staff Member Carstens explained the City Manager would support increasing the
number of staff approvals and having the Commission serve in an educational and
outreach role. She clarified the City Manager was adamant that City staff does not do
all the work and the Commission would need to take a more active role in the
community toward educational and outreach efforts. She also noted that the City
Manager would like any changes in staff sign -offs to be part of an ordinance
amendment, so that the City Council is fully aware of any proposed changes and thus
can decide on what changes to make.
Staff Member Carstens explained the City Manager also questioned how the
Commission's outreach work would be funded. The Task Force and City Staff
discussed potential funding opportunities. City staff noted a number of existing historic
preservation programs are either not used or underutilized, specifically the Historic
Preservation Housing Grant and Historic District Public Improvement Program. City
staff and the Task Force noted many of the recent applications for HDPIP funding have
been for the Four Mounds Foundation and the Mines of Spain rather than public right -
of -way and streetscape improvements as originally intended. Staff Member Johnson
noted a Revolving Loan Fund application has not been received for approximately two
years and the Historic Preservation Housing Grant has not been applied for in at least
four years. Staff and the Task Force discussed requesting reallocation of those funds to
fund the educational and outreach efforts of the Historic Preservation Commission.
Commissioner McDonell noted placing design review in the Planning Services
Department will enhance the public perception, customer service, and would be a better
utilization of staff time and the Commission's time.
The Task Force noted the new role of the Commission could better serve the Historic
Preservation Program in the city of Dubuque. Staff Member Carstens noted that the
Historic Preservation Commission only reaches one or two people per month through
design review. She explained the Commission can reach more people and have a
much greater, positive effect on historic preservation in the Dubuque community
through focusing their efforts and attention on education, outreach, marketing, and
linking the Historic Preservation Program to the City's Sustainable Dubuque brand. The
Task Force explained the Commission would serve more as consultants rather than
regulatory officials.
Minutes — Historic Preservation Commission
January 4, 2012
Page 3
By consensus, the Education Task Force supported discussing a new role for the
Historic Preservation Commission at the Commission's next regular meeting.
Expanded Training Opportunities: The Task Force discussed recent concerns
regarding the quality of work on historic properties in the city of Dubuque, particularly
with repointing. The Task Force discussed recent projects and the cause for the
inappropriate treatments to those buildings. The Task Force and staff noted a general
lack of knowledge or will to follow appropriate guidelines as well as the challenges for
those projects that do not require building permits. The Task Force discussed
certification for contractors as well as educational and hands -on training opportunities
for local contractors. The Task Force and staff noted these issues are the types of big
picture concerns that have long -term impacts on preservation efforts in the city of
Dubuque, and the Commission should be tackling these issues rather than consuming
the majority of their time on design review.
ITEMS FROM PUBLIC: None.
ITEMS FROM STAFF: None.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 2:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
David Johnson, Assistant Planner Adopted
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min sep 05 2012.doc