OFFICIAL MINUTES
MUSCATINE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
NOVEMBER 16, 2011
The Muscatine Historic Preservation Commission (MHPC) met in regular session on
Wednesday, November 16, 2011, at 5:15 p.m. in the lower level conference room at Muscatine
City Hall. Members present included Jo Ann Carlson, Devin Pettit, Jane Reischauer, Ramiro
Vazquez and Anna Mack. Others present included Michael Maharry and Jim Rudisill.
Following the roll, the commission reviewed the consent agenda, including the
distributed agenda and the minutes of the regular October 13, 2011 meeting. Following the
review, Carlson moved to approve the consent agenda; Pettit seconded; motion passed, all ayes.
The first discussion item was a review of the grant-funded survey projects being
considered under the Certified Local Government (CLG) Activities portion of the agenda.
The Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust has awarded a $6000 grant to the commission for
reconnaissance surveys of Mulberry Avenue, Colver Street, Fair Oaks and County Club Hills
areas of the community. Based on various cost scenarios provided by consultant Rebecca
McCarley, the MHPC had submitted a $24,100 application to the trust. The Community
Foundation of Greater Muscatine had previously awarded a $2100 grant for the surveys and the
Friends of Muscatine Historic Preservation had also pledged $1000.
Rudisill distributed copies of emails exchanged between McCarley, Reischauer, Pettit
and himself in which they reviewed various options for completing the surveys with the lower
amount of funding.
Pettit said after reviewing McCarley’s latest recommendations and considering she would
not be able to begin any work until next summer, he favored applying for an Historic Resources
Development Program (HRDP) grant in May. Assuming the organizations that have already
pledged or awarded funds do not withdraw their support, the MHPC could request a high enough
HRDP award to conduct all four reconnaissance surveys.
Hopefully, the reconnaissance surveys would be detailed enough to allow National
Register of Historic Places (NRHP) nominations to move forward, Pettit said. He was more
confident of that possibility with the smaller survey areas rather than with Mulberry Avenue. He
said McCarley had identified the smaller areas as having a more unified development, while
Mulberry had developed throughout the last half of the 19
th
and first half of the 20
th
centuries. He
also suggested the MHPC could ask another consultant to provide cost estimates for the surveys,
but he doubted they could provide a competitive bid since McCarley had completed so much
prior work in the city.
Reischauer and Maharry agreed with the grant match for the HRDP already met, that
option offered the best opportunity for getting the most survey work completed. However,
Maharry also pointed out that even if the reconnaissance surveys were determined by the State
Historical Society of Iowa (SHSI) as providing enough research for an NRHP nomination,
money would still need to be raised to actually submit the nominations.
Also, if no HRDP is awarded, Pettit suggested the MHPC then pursue a survey of the Fair
Oaks area, using the available funding. McCarley will need to be contacted to confirm her fees
for the surveys will not change through the first half of 2012.
MHPC Minutes
November 16, 2011
Page 2
Pettit then moved to apply for an HRDP grant award in May to conduct four
reconnaissance surveys, using the existing awards as the cash match; and to continue to use
McCarley as the city’s consultant for the project; Vazquez seconded; motion passed, all ayes.
Following the vote, Rudisill was directed to contact McCarley and confirm her fees will
remain constant through the HRDP application period; continue to provide updates to the
original grantors; and send a copy of the Carver grant application to the MHPC members.
The next CLG discussion issue was a review of the historic resources section of the city’s
continuing comprehensive plan update. Rudisill distributed copies of the Burlington, Iowa
historic preservation plan, an executive summary of the Iowa City plan and a copy of a historic
resources plan developed by Reischauer. Reischauer’s plan has been submitted to city planner
Andrew Fangman, who is updating the city’s overall comprehensive plan. Rudisill requested
commission members to review the material and present comments at the next meeting.
Information on a possible property tax abatement program designed for historic
properties was the next discussion item. Rudisill presented a draft of a possible tax abatement
program for Muscatine to the commission members. In addition to the draft, he also presented a
copy of the city’s current urban revitalization tax abatement program and a pamphlet describing
an historic property tax abatement program the City of Dallas, Texas has implemented.
He provided a short review of the draft and a few key points that Muscatine Community
Development Director Steve Boka indicated he wanted to see in any final abatement program.
These points included a desire to have the MHPC take an active role in the approval process for
any tax abatement; and that the program not adhere strictly to any standards, provided there was
no destruction of historically significant features.
Maharry said the last point concerned him because it would encourage people to install
features that could negatively impact a historic property. He did not feel that any program that
allowed that would be a step in the right direction.
Rudisill said any development of a program that would give the MHPC design review
authority was unlikely at this time, but the tax abatement program perhaps could be a step in that
direction. Reischauer also said if the program was enacted, it would at least reduce the claim by
some landowners who are unwilling to repair their buildings because of fears it will raise their
taxes. Pettit suggested developing a mechanism to prevent contributing buildings being
converted to non-contributing. He said communities of a similar size as Muscatine are providing
some type of review process and questioned why Muscatine could not. He also suggested a
group of West Hill property owners could initiate a drive to seek a local historic district.
Rudisill urged the commission to review the draft and discuss it at the next meeting. Once
a revised draft is developed, he will present it to Boka for his review and comments.
The commission next discussed a joint meeting with the Muscatine County HPC.
Rudisill reminded the commission of comments he had made at an earlier meeting about
which commission should be responsible for monitoring certain historic buildings. He had
suggested even county-owned buildings that were located within the city limits should continue
to be monitored by the city HPC. He had contacted CLG Coordinator Paula Mohr for her input.
Mohr had indicated either or both HPCs could include a monitoring statement in their respective
annual reports.
MHPC Minutes
November 16, 2011
Page 2
She did feel in any effort to shape the management or any rehabilitation of a
county-owned building should come from the county commission since its members would
likely more closely identify with the county supervisors, who had appointed them.
Reischauer, who is member of the county commission, also reported Mohr had held a
teleconference with the county commission at its meeting earlier in the month. She said Mohr
had recommended the county commission focus on getting an inventory of historic resources in
the county area. Reischauer said another focus of the county commission will be gaining CLG
status. She said Mohr also felt the two commissions should strive to work together, especially on
education and outreach efforts.
Pettit suggested a good place to start with coordinating efforts would be with Historic
Preservation Month activities in May. Maharry said the Friends might be interested in assisting.
The final CLG-related issue discussed by the commission was the 2011 Annual Report.
Rudisill reminded commission members to provide him with any training they might
have taken during 2011. He said the members who attended the Preservation Iowa conference in
August would qualify for that training, but if others had taken anything, to let him know.
He also requested the members provide him with any monitoring reports on historic
buildings that had been altered this year.
The next discussion items covering issues relating to historic properties or districts.
The first was an update on the revision of the Alexander Clark National Register of
Historic Places nomination. Rudisill said Kent Sissel had contacted him earlier to report on
difficulties Sissel was having with reaching any National Park Service (NPS) personnel in
Omaha.
According to Sissel, his previous contact at the Omaha NPS office was not responding to
his calls or messages and he was not having any luck reaching anyone. He said a contact in
Washington DC might be able to provide some assistance and he would keep the commission
informed.
In the meantime, Sissel said he was unsure of the project’s status since he had not been
able to talk with any NPS officials.
Signage for the two national historic districts was the next discussion issue.
Because the project stalled, its status was unclear at this point. Both Reischauer and
Carlson said they would review their previous work and report back to the commission.
Reischauer said she would also contact Gary Carlson at HNI and confirm its continued support
for helping finance any signs.
Several miscellaneous items were then discussed under the reports portion of the agenda.
Maharry said he had received a letter from the Department of Revenue confirming a
$30,000 historic tax credit had been reserved for the Friends. This credit relates to work
completed on Tom and Cindy Kautz’s home at 205 Cherry (J.C.B. Warde House). Although
Maharry said the letter reporting the reserve had arrived, no actual check had come.
MHPC Minutes
November 16, 2011
Page 3
Maharry also reported seeing a Quad City/Burlington chapter of Youthbuild had been
recognized for completing rehabilitation or building of homes. He pointed out the Muscatine has
all the components for starting a Youthbuild chapter in the community, including a community
college, housing and youth. He said under the program lenders can donate deteriorated historic
homes, which the Youthbuild team can then rehabilitate and eventually sell.
Reischauer said a general contractor would likely still need to be used to oversee the
work. Maharry said he planned to talk with the Quad City/Burlington chapter to discuss the
program and determine if any collaboration can be provided.
He reminded the commission the West Hill Historic District has a few properties with
yellow tags and police tape and was concerned over the potential impacts of the tape on the
neighborhood’s attitudes.
Maharry also reported on the recent school board meeting he and former MHPC member
Dan Clark recently attended. Maharry said the school district has purchased two properties and
likely are looking at a third and maybe more parcels near the Jefferson school, possibly with the
intent to clear the lots and use them for parking. Pettit said two homes on Mulberry might also be
potential acquisitions by the board.
Maharry said he and Clark, along with two other residents, voiced concerns over that
possibility and urged the school board to consider options other than demolition. He said if the
houses are demolished the city would lose around $5000 annually in property tax revenue.
Maharry also reported seeing the Iowa City HPC had recently awarded 26 preservation
awards in one year.
Carlson then provided a short report on the house that was moved from the art center to
Iowa Avenue. She said dirt was now around the house and it appeared work had been renewed.
The meeting then adjourned at approximately 6:50 p.m.
The next regular meeting of the commission is scheduled for Wednesday, December 21,
2011 at 5:15 p.m. in the Muscatine City Hall lower level conference room.
Respectfully submitted,
___________________________________
Chair