OFFICIAL MINUTES
MUSCATINE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
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.
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.
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.
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