MAY 21, 2008

The Muscatine Historic Preservation Commission met in regular session on

Wednesday, May 21, 2008 at 5:15 p.m. in the lower level conference room at the

Muscatine City Hall, 215 Sycamore. Members present included Diane Day, Jane

Reischauer, Jo Ann Carlson, Jerry Lange, Devin Pettit, Mary Anne Kessler and Dan

Clark. Visitors present included Steve Boka, Director of Planning, Zoning and Building

Safety. Staff present included Jim Rudisill.

The consent agenda, including the distributed meeting agenda and the minutes of

the regular April 16, 2008 meeting, was reviewed. Pettit requested the agenda be

amended to include discussion on a telecommunications tower proposed to be erected

along Cedar Street. There were not changes to the distributed minutes.

After the review, Carlson moved to approve the consent agenda with the

additional discussion added; Reischauer seconded; motion passed; all ayes.

The first agenda item was a discussion with Boka concerning possible changes to

the city’s electronic message center (EMC) ordinance. Boka explained the Muscatine

Planning and Zoning Commission is reviewing the 2006 ordinance because of concerns

over some recently erected EMCs. Boka said one of the most frequently discussed EMCs

has been the one installed at the Taco Johns on Grandview Avenue. Although existing

EMCs are located in commercial or industrial districts, Boka said there have also been

discussions over the equipment in residential areas. He said they could be installed in

those areas by churches, bed and breakfast businesses and other permitted or conditional

users.

Boka said the planning commission was divided over whether or not the signs

need to be more heavily regulated, so he was seeking additional guidance from other

interested groups and organizations regarding the signs. He said the opinion of the MHPC

concerning the regulation of EMCs in historic districts would be especially helpful. Boka

said he did not want the MHPC to be placed in a position where it would be identified as

adopting a “we don’t want EMCs” in a historic district.

Although he stressed he was open to any suggestions or proposals, Boka said he

personally felt that EMCs would conflict with the image of an historic district and should

be regulated.

Pettit agreed and said they should be limited. However, he pointed out there was

the potential of having up to 85% of Muscatine eventually located within an historic

district, which could substantially impact the locations of EMCs. Most of that potential

area however would be in residential districts that likely would not create a strong

demand for the signs. He said the MHPC could use the issue to develop educational

efforts aimed at maintaining the historic nature of the districts.

Clark asked if historic would trump commercial development when it came to the

signs. Boka said it would if the ordinance was written that way. He said there could be

some provisions allowed for special situations or users who were not strictly residential.

Lange said it would be desirable to not have EMCs in historic districts and

wondered if the regulation would carry over to the city’s two cultural and entertainment

districts. Both Pettit and Clark pointed out those districts were not historic districts and

likely would not be affected by any EMC proposal.

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MHPC Minutes

May 21, 2008

Page 2

The consensus from most of the other MHPC members was in support of

developing some EMC-limiting regulation within historic districts. Boka said any

regulations would only govern what goes outside of individual businesses or buildings

and any signs placed in windows or that would not protrude out from a building would

not be subject to the regulation.

Kessler said the Wood Fire Grille sign painted on the side of the Button Factory

restaurant was a good example of advertising that used a historically-accurate technique.

Boka also said variances could be granted by the Muscatine Zoning Board of

Adjustment, which currently has the authority for other non-conforming uses. He

explained the ultimate decision on any regulation would rest with the city council, but he

had not wanted to present anything to that body until the MHPC had discussed it.

The next item discussed by the commission was the status of the Mulberry

Avenue survey work and progress by the members.

Pettit said recent computer problems had prevented him from completing much,

but the problems now appeared to be resolved. He said some individuals had talked to

him about the possibility of a grant funding the work, but the high cost and continued

difficulty of raising any match made that option unlikely.

Reischauer also said she had not been able to make much progress because of

conflicts with work. She said the courthouse is normally closed when she is not working

and she has been unable to take any time off from her job to work on the survey.

Kessler said she might have more time now to work on the project because school

will soon be out for the summer. She said she might be able to do courthouse research on

other commissioners’ properties.

The other commissioners indicated a similar lack of progress or did not report.

The commission next discussed the historic preservation month activities held

jointly with the Friends of Muscatine Historic Preservation (Friends) on May 3.

Pettit said he felt the joint effort had gone well.

Carlson reported the corrected certificate for Robert “Tony” Martin was being

completed and would be delivered as soon as it was done.

Clark said he had photos of the presentations and both Reischauer and Kessler

urged him to submit the images to the Muscatine Journal for possible publication on its

“Faces” page.

Clark will co that and make a DVD of the images that he will provide to Rudisill.

He will also investigate placing the images on http://www.muscatinepreservation.org

,

which is the Friends website.

In a related development, Kessler said the Lesnets had talked to her and would be

interested in having their house on any fall tour of homes that might be planned. Clark

reported during a recent trolley tour he conducted,, which included the Peter Musser

House on Mulberry, which the Lesnets owned, he was able to correct the mistaken

impression the house was not being properly maintained. Clark said riders complained

the owners were allowing the property to deteriorate because the paint was peeling. He

said he pointed out to the riders the Lesnets were following proper and standard

procedures by not using high pressure or abrasive paint removal practices that would

harm the historic brick.

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MHPC Minutes

May 23, 2008

Page 3

The commission next discussed its membership.

Day reported she is interested in being re-appointed to the commission for a

second term. Rudisill advised her to contact Fran Donelson by either email, letter or

phone call and advise Fran of that decision.

Lange’s term also expires on June 30, but he is ineligible for re-appointment

because he has served for two consecutive terms. Rudisill said he had talked with

Donelson and no one is currently on the list of potential members maintained by the city.

He also reminded members that specific categories of individuals should be appointed to

the commission if they are available in the community and willing to serve. Among these

would be contractors, architects or other individuals involved in the historic construction

field.

Commissioners identified Terry Eagle, Jim Schmidt and Tom Bankhead as

potential members, but there was no decision made on asking anyone to serve.

Pettit then reported on a certified letter he had received concerning the installation

of a telecommunications tower on the Grace Lutheran Church property along Cedar

Street.

Eckhardt Research in Iowa City investigated the Area of Potential Effect (APE)

for the proposed 150-foot tall tower and determined there would be “No Adverse Effect”

on historic properties. Pettit however said some likely historic properties along Mulberry

Avenue appear to fall within the APE and could be impacted.

That impact would probably be limited to the tower being visible, meaning

residents of those Mulberry Avenue historic properties would likely see a blinking red

light. No other impact would be expected.

Commissioners who live along Mulberry Avenue indicated they were largely

unaware of any adverse effect from other towers in the area and the consensus appeared

to be not to oppose the tower’s construction.

There were then brief discussions on the condition or status of carriage houses at

the Grossheim House (110 E. 8

th

Street) and the William and Julia Nesselbush House

(504 W. 4

th

Street). Pettit said he had received a report from Dave Armstrong on a

possible complaint by the city on the Grossheim property, but when he looked at it, the

building did not seem to be in any critical disrepair.

Rudisill reported he had talked with the attorney for the property owner of 504 W.

4

th

and explained possible emergency and other grant funding available to assist in repairs

of that carriage house. He had not heard anything back and assumed the owners were

looking at other options. Few repairs have been made on the property and Rudisill said

city officials might soon run out of patience for the owner to begin repairs. That could

mean action to demolish the building.

Clark also reported on roof repairs made by Heinz to the former street car

building on its plant property. Clark said the repairs had resulted in the removal of the

skylights. He reminded the commission that during an earlier tour of the building, Heinz

officials had said there would be a considerable increase in roof repair costs if the

skylights remained.

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MHPC Minutes

May 21, 2008

Page 4

and he was hoping to get some guidance from the MHPC on allowing EMCs in historic

districts.

The meeting then adjourned at 6:25 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

__________________________

Chair