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CITY OF MUSKEGON
HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING
DATE OF MEETING: Tuesday, November 2, 2021
TIME OF MEETING: 4:00 p.m.
PLACE OF MEETING: Conference Room 106, City Hall
AGENDA
I. Call to Order
II. Approval of Minutes of the regular meeting of October 11, 2021.
III. Old Business
IV. New Business
Case 2021-36 – 126 Delaware – Entry Door
Case 2021-37 – 407 W. Muskegon – Windows
V. Other Business
Local Standards for Sheds
Free Online Workshops
VI. Adjourn
“We admire that which is old not because it is old, but because it is beautiful.” Winston Churchill
AMERICAN DISABILITY ACT POLICY FOR ACCESS TO OPEN MEETING OF THE CITY COMMISSION AND ANY OF ITS COMMITTEES
OR SUBCOMMITTEES
The City of Muskegon will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audio tapes of printed
materials being considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities who want to attend the meeting, upon twenty-four hour notice to the City of
Muskegon. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the City of Muskegon by writing or calling the following: Ann
Marie Cummings, City Clerk at 933 Terrace Street, Muskegon, MI 49440 or by calling (231) 724-6705 or TTY/TDD: Dial 7-1-1 and request that repre-
sentative dial 231-724-6705
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II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Approval of Minutes of the regular meeting of October 11, 2021.
III. OLD BUSINESS
None
IV. NEW BUSINESS
Case 2021-36 – 126 Delaware – Entry Door
Applicant: Ernesto Rodriguez
District: McLaughlin
Current Function: Residential
Discussion
The applicant is seeking approval to install a new, 32”x80” entry door on the side porch in the location
of the former door. Over 20 years ago, a previous owner removed the former door and covered the
opening without HDC review or approval.
View of house from Delaware Avenue, looking north. Former entry door on side porch visible at
left.
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Current conditions: former location of entry door on side porch.
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Four proposed replacement entry door styles. Left is most similar to previous door.
Existing front door to be refurbished is similar to appearance of former door on side porch.
Standards
WINDOW, DOOR, AND EXTERIOR WOODWORK STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES
(Abbreviated)
General
These guidelines pertain only to proposed changes to the structure and do not affect existing con-
struction.
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These guidelines are primarily directed toward the front and side elevations of the structure. Greater
variances and more leniency may be extended toward proposed changes to the rear elevation of the
building by the Commission. All desired or proposed changes should be referred to the Historic Dis-
trict Commission for consideration. Extenuating circumstances, the effect upon the architecture of
the particular structure together with the general effect upon the surrounding structures, variables in
architectural design, or the effect upon usage and viability of the structure could dictate a variance
from these guidelines.
No exterior doors, windows, or exterior woodwork shall be altered, removed, relocated, or added
without Historic District Commission approval.
Existing exterior window or door casings, sills, and caps shall not be altered from the original design
or appearance. Damaged or deteriorated wood shall be repaired as a first course of action. When re-
pair is not possible, elements shall be replaced with matching wood members. Damaged or deterio-
rated wood elements may be replaced or covered with formed aluminum or vinyl, subject to Com-
mission approval and provided that the original profile of the woodwork is not altered or changed.
Primary Windows
Existing damaged or deteriorating window frames and sash shall be repaired as a first course of action.
When repair is not possible, elements shall be replaced with matching wood members. Metal or vinyl
replacement windows may be acceptable provided they match the original windows in design and
type and that they consist of or are painted an appropriate color. Bare metal finishes generally will not
be acceptable.
The size of glass lites and muntin arrangements shall not be altered without Commission approval.
Special glazing, such as stained or leaded art glass, shall not be removed without Commission
approval. Unusual decorative windows such as Palladian windows, oriels, bays, Gothic arch or
segment tops, etc. shall not be removed or altered.
…
Primary Doors
Every effort should be made to preserve or repair the original doors where damage has occurred.
When repair is not possible, a new wood door may be used. Such new door shall match the original
in detail and finish.
The Commission may approve new wood doors that may slightly differ from the original in cases
where replicating the original may not be feasible, as long as such doors generally conform to the
ones illustrated on the attached sheet. Under certain circumstances, the Commission may approve
doors made of material other than wood provided they conform to the same design requirements.
…
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Deliberation
I move that the HDC (approve/deny) the request to install a new, 32”x80” entry door on the side porch
in the location of the former door as long as the work meets all zoning requirements and the necessary
permits are obtained.
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Case 2021-37 – 407 W. Muskegon – Windows
Applicant: Elizabeth and Daniel Bollweg
District: Houston
Current Function: Residential
Discussion
The applicant is seeking approval to replace 50 existing wood windows with custom, Ultrex Fiberglass
windows of the same size and muntin arrangements and to wrap the damaged window frames with
formed aluminum, maintaining the original profile of the woodwork.
View of house from W. Muskegon Avenue, looking east.
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Exterior deterioration of windows and window frames.
Interior deterioration of windows.
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Interior deterioration of windows.
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Exterior deterioration of window frames.
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Window specifications provided by the supplier.
Standards
See Window, Door, and Exterior Woodwork Standards and Guidelines in Case 2021-36, above.
Deliberation
I move that the HDC (approve/deny) the request to replace 50 existing wood windows with custom,
Ultrex Fiberglass windows of the same size and muntin arrangements and to wrap the damaged win-
dow frames with formed aluminum, maintaining the original profile of the woodwork as long as the
work meets all zoning requirements and the necessary permits are obtained.
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V. OTHER BUSINESS
Local Standards for Sheds – Staff has drafted the following general design standards based on recent
conditions of approval used by the HDC and is seeking consent to add them to the local standards
under the Guidelines for New Construction:
General design guidelines for sheds include seven-foot-tall walls, a gable roof with a minimum of a
6/12 pitch, and double doors with each door being 3’-6” wide. Sheds shall be as neutral as possible
and shall not be a focal point of the property. All sheds must receive a Development Permit prior to
construction and must follow the requirements of the City of Muskegon Zoning Ordinance with the
added stipulation prohibiting sheds from being located in the front or side yard(s) of a property.
All requests for new sheds would still come before the HDC, and the design guidelines would be
meant to simplify the board’s review process for proposed sheds that meet these standards.
Free Online Workshops – The National Trust for Historic Preservation is hosting a couple of free,
online workshops this month:
- Tuesday, November 9, 2:00-4:00 p.m. – Replacement Windows for Historic Buildings:
Managing Compromise When Perfection Is Out of Reach
Saving and repairing an historic window is the obvious starting point to preserving the
character and integrity of an historic building, but it may not always be reasonable, and
increasingly often the historic windows are long gone. This workshop will look at how to
approach replacement when it is needed. Careful observation of a window in all of its parts is
key to managing the compromise that is inevitable when using modern manufactured
products. This session will consider different levels of replacement and the effect of the
materials used. By focusing on how we see a window we can determine what aspects are
most critical for conveying an appropriate historic character and choose the best replacement
for each unique application. Developed in partnership with the National Park Service.
- Tuesday, November 16, 2:00-4:00 p.m. – Amending National Register Nominations
National Register nominations are not set in stone; they can be amended to add new criteria
and new areas of significance. Learn how to amend existing National Register nominations
to address untold stories and underrepresented communities from colleagues at the National
Park Service and multiple State Historic Preservation Offices. Discover what information is
needed and hear several examples of successful amendments. Developed in partnership with
the National Park Service.
Registration for both workshops is required and can be completed online at the following link:
https://savingplaces.org/pastforward-online-2021-
webinars?utm_medium=email&utm_source=event&utm_campaign=pastforward#.YXhu8trMKUl
VI. ADJOURN
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