Minutes Historic Pres 2 12 02MINUTES
SPECIAL SESSION
Tuesday, February 12, 2002
11:00 a.m.
Auditorium, Carnegie Stout Library
360 W. 11th Street, Dubuque, Iowa
PRESENT:
ABSENT:
Chairperson Terry Mozena; Commission Members Ken Kdngle, Jim
Gibbs, Pam Bradford, Chris Wand and Suzanne Guinn; Staff Member
Wally Wernimont.
Commission Member Audrey Henson.
AFFIDAVIT OF COMPLIANCE: Staff presented an Affidavit of Compliance verifying the
meeting was being held ' n compliance with the Iowa Open Meetings Law.
CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Mozena at 11:15
a.m.
MEETING WITH HISTORIC DESIGN REVIEW GUIDELINES STEERING COMMITTEE TO
DISCUSS REVISED STREETSCAPE DESIGN REVIEW GUIDELINES:
Chairperson Mozena opened the meeting by discussing the changes the Historic
Preservation Commission made to the guidelines prior to the guidelines being
presented to the City Council for their review and comment. Chairperson Mozena
discussed with the Project Steering Committee that on the very first page under "Intent
and Purpose,' the City Manager wanted to make it clear that these are only guidelines
and they are not mandatory or ordinance changes. The Commission and the
consultants from Durrant discussed that a change was made in the last paragraph of
the "Intent and Purpose" section which removed a statement that the streetscape and
landscape guidelines will serve as the official document used by the City to evaluate
and approve applications for Determinations of No Material Effect and Certificate of
Appropriateness. Kevin Eipperle from Durrant referred to the meeting notes from the
City Council work session that points out the proposed changes that were made in the
document.
The Commission discussed that the City Manager was concerned that the guidelines
were setting unreasonable expectations that the City cannot meet. They discussed that
there were several changes to certain sections of the streetscape guidelines where an
acceptable category was added, which referenced substitute materials, such as regular
pou red, concrete.
Mr. Eipperle reported that the City Council and the public would liked to have seen
more photos of buildings and also that there was some confusion on the division
between what was recommended and what was not recommended. Mr. Eipperle said
that they are adding more pictures and that they made it a little more clear what was
recommended and what was not recommended in the guidelines.
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February 12, 2002
Page 2
NOTE: Suzanne Guinn entered at 11:20 a.m.
The Commission discussed the possibility of how the guidelines will be accessed by
the public, whether through the Internet or copies being made and mailed to each
property owner in the historic districts, and having them added to the reference section
at the Carnegie Stout Public Library. Mr. Eipperle explained that from the public
workshop, people would have liked to have seen a list of contractors; however, he
discussed it would be more feasible to use a list of clubs and have them referenced in
the guidelines so people can contact those clubs. He explained that the clubs could
reference contractors instead of having the City reference contractors, which may be a
liability issue if a contractor or company would do poor work.
Chris Morris from Durrant explained that there was a lot larger resource section located
at the rear of the streetscape design guidelines; however, that has been removed.
Staff Member Wemimont explained that with the discussion with the Project Steering
Committee, they felt that all that additional resource information could be put in a
separate volume and accessed at the Library, and that it added a lot of extra bulk that
the majority of property owners would not access.
Staff Member Wernimont also explained that the Project Steering Committee was
looking at taking just the Jackson Park section out of the streetscape and landscape
guidelines and the section on Jackson Park out of the historic structure guidelines
which are being drafted now, and placing them together for a master manual for
property owners in the Jackson Park District and vice versa for ail the other districts.
He explained that all the guidelines for the districts are extremely similar, with the
exception of some of the photos, and that it would be repetitious to reprint the same
information over and over in one guideline manual, when people are only going to
reference one section that refers to their district.
The Commission discussed whether or not they would like to have all of the districts
located in one manual or have separate manuals for each individ ual district.
Neighborhood Development Specialist Jerelyn O'Connor suggested that maybe there
needs to be a paragraph located in the streetscape design review guidelines that
references other individual sections from the other historic districts and where to
access them. Commissioner Wand suggested that maybe that section would need to
be included in the methodology under the "defining the district" section. Staff Member
Wernimont also discussed the possibility of changing the front cover from where it
states that it was prepared for the Plann ng Services Department to being prepared for
the Historic Preservation Commission. The Commission also discussed the design of
the front of the streetscape and landscape design guidelines. Staff Member Wernimont
explained that there is actually a watermark located on the front of the streetscape
design guidelines when they are printed in color. However, when they copied the
material, the watermark does not show up; thus, the reason why the covers look plain.
Minutes - Historic Preservation Commission
February 12, 2002
Page 3
Mr. Ei pperle also discussed that City Council Member John Markham would like to
have seen some examples of appropriate utility covers that would tie in with the historic
districts. He stated that they have been unable to find any type of utility covers. The
Commission discussed the possibility of contacting some of the manufacturers of street
furniture and seeing if they have anything and the possibility creating something in
order to be compatible with the Historic District. The Commission discussed the
fabrication of materials for covering utility boxes and also the possibility of creating a
plaque that can be placed on the utility box to help describe a view down the street
possibly. Commissioner Wand and Mr. Eipperle explained that they are currently
working on the design for the Town Clock Plaza and have not come across any type of
utility covers that would be compatible with a historic district in their research.
The Commission discussed whether or not the consultants added more pictures to the
design review guidelines. Mr. Eipperle stated that they have included more photos,
and also they have made it a lot clearer which are recommended and which are not
recommended. Commissioner Wand stated that he would like to see some "not
recommended" signs located in the sign and graphic section. They discussed the
possibility of showing examples of some enclosed sign cabinets and the possibility of
taking photo of signs from other cities as not recommended, instead of using specific
examples located in the historic districts that are not appropriate.
Ms. Morris also discussed the possibility of using examples from other communities of
amenities to include in the streetscape design review guidelines. Commissioner Wand
also discussed the possibility of using the metal street post that holds street signs like
the one located near City Hall. John Klostermann explained to the Commission that to
replace all the drive post with these new type of metal street sign posts would req uire
them to be concreted into the sidewalk instead of just drilling a hole and dropping the
drive post in. The Commission stated that they should only be replaced on an as
needed basis.
Tammy Pfab, President of the Old House Enthusiasts, explained that they would like to
have their club listed in the resource section at the rear of the streetscape design
review guidelines. She explained that the phone number to be listed could be the
Chamber of Commerce, who always knows the phone number of the Old House
Enthusiasts, and she also discussed that they are receiving a post office box for the
Old House Enthusiasts Club.
The Commission asked that the section that refers to City of Dubuque contacts be
changed to local contacts. The Commission discussed how the design review
guidelines will be updated or revised. The Commission and Project Steering
Committee along with Durrant discussed that the guidelines could be put into a three
ring binder and revisions could be created on a single page, so old pages could be
removed and new pages inserted, or maybe just have one page that references all the
revisions and mail them out so they can be included in the guidelines. The
Commission discussed it would be easier to update the Design Review Guidelines on
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February 12, 2002
Page 4
the website than Design Review Guidelines that are printed in a manual for individual
homeowners. The Commission discussed the possibility of having updates that occur
only once a year. Mr. Eipperle suggested they add a section at the beginning of the
book that states the guidelines will be updated periodically once a year.
Rehabilitation Supervisor Jolene Patterson suggested that under the City of Dubuque
contacts reference section, that all the items listed under each department should be
bulleted. Staff Member Wernimont explained that some of the Council members would
have liked to see the streetscape design guidelines pages numbered. In reference to
the revision, the Commission discussed that they would like to see a single page that
shows the revisions each year with the date on which it was updated sent to each
property owner to be included in their manual.
The Historic Preservation Commission also discussed how the design review
guidelines would be reproduced. They discussed the possibility of having them printed
if they are black and white, instead of being copied, or the possibility of having color.
Staff Member Wemimont explained that the consultants from Durrant could go back
and make the proposed changes that they suggested at this meeting and have them
presented at a Historic Preservation Commission meeting in the future, or they could
vote on them right now to approve the streetscape design guidelines with the proposed
changes that were discussed today. Chairperson Mozena stated that he did not want
to hold up the consultants any longer, and that he would rather have a motion today to
approve the streetscape design guidelines with the proposed changes so they would
be able to be put on the next available City Council agenda.
Motion by Guinn, seconded by Wand, to approve the Streetscape and Landscape
Design Guidelines as they currently exist, with the additional changes discussed in the
meeting today, and for them to be submitted to the City Council for adoption. Motion
was approved by the following vote; Aye - Kringle, Gibbs, Bradford, Wand, Guinn and
Mozena; Nay - None.
The Historic Preservation Commission discussed when the next available City Council
meeting would be. Staff Member Wernimont explained that the next City Council
meeting will be Mamh 4, 2002 with the deadline of February 25, 2002 at noon for
submittal of Council agenda items to the City Manager. The Commission asked if
Durrant could meet the February 25th deadline. They stated that they should be able to
submit something to the Planning Services Department by then. Chairperson Mozena
asked Durrant if they could come before the Historic Preservation Commission on the
February 21~t meeting to provide an update on the guidelines and where they are at in
the process of making the changes.
ITEMS FROM COMMISSION: Chairperson Mozena mentioned that Julien's Journal
contacted him about writing an article on the streetscape design rewewguidelines for their
publication.
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February 12, 2002
Page 5
ITEMS FROM STAFF: The Historic Preservation Commission reviewed the process for
the allocation of funds for infrastructure improvements in the Historic Preservation
Districts. Staff Member Wernimont stated that Planning Services Manager Laura Carstens
was unable to attend today's meeting and report on the proposed allocation of funding.
Staff Member Wernimont suggested they review the material and be able to comment on it
at the February 21~t Historic Preservation Commission meeting.
The Commission had questions on what would be deemed as a neighborhood group and
the possibility of whether or not one person in the neighborhood group or blockwho refuse
to agree to the new proposed infrastructure upgrade, would be enough to halt the project.
The Historic Preservation Commission also discussed the section that references what
projects would receive priority over others. Consensus was to continue discussion at the
next meeting
ADJOURNMENT: Motion by Guinn, seconded by Wand to adjourn the meeting. Motion
was approved by the following vote: Aye - Kringle Gibbs, Bradford, Wand, Guinn and
Mozena; Nay - None. The meeting adjourned at 12:17 p .m.
Respectfully submitted,
Wally Wernimont, Assistant Planner Adopted