Historic Preservation Commission Minutes 2010 05 17 APPROVED

Home Browse Search

Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes May 17, 2010 Page 4 of 6 Stewart stated the Downtown Business Association’s (DBA) Preservation Master Plan is referenced in the Downtown Design Guidelines (DDG). He stated he had requested the document be placed on the web site but was denied as it is not a City document nor was it ever adopted by the City Council. Muth stated as the document is referenced in the DDG there could be a link from the DDG as a reference. She also noted this is good topic for the HPC to discuss with the City Council. Koertje asked how the document can be made available. Muth responded she would find out if it could be added to the web site with a disclaimer and with the permission of the DBA. Noting some members of the audience waiting for an item near the end of the agenda, Koertje moved the Items from Staff section to the next item. Items from Staff Russ reported he was in the process of reviewing a request from the Waterloo Icehouse, 809 Main Street, to replace the existing windows with ones are hinged and fold in to open entirely. Russ stated the change does not affect the knee wall, the window opening, or the look of the window, but will merely replace them with ones have hinges and will fold in. He added the current windows are not historic to the building. Russ told the members he was planning on giving the request an administrative approval as the request will not to affect more than 50% of the walls and would not trigger a review by the HPC. Stewart thanked Russ for his report and said it was a very clear explanation of this decision. Koertje asked if any other members had any comments or questions. Seeing none he noted McCartney had included in the meeting packet a new application for the new incentives. Update/Discussion/Action – Walls vs. Windows Russ stated as written, the demolition ordinance poses some problems for staff and leaves a great deal up to interpretation. He noted in particular staff has been asked whether or not a window should be considered part of the wall in determining the 50% trigger for a demolition review. As windows are a part of the defining characteristic of the wall, Russ is interpreting the window portion to be a part of the calculation of the 50%, but it is not clear from the ordinance if was or is the intent. Additionally, item (c) in the ordinance doesn’t make it clear how to address street facing façades.