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CITY OF MUSKEGON
HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION
MINUTES
February 1, 2022
S. Radtke called the meeting to order at 4:04 p.m. and roll was taken.
MEMBERS PRESENT: S. Radtke, T. Emory, J. Huss
MEMBERS ABSENT: E. Trejo, excused; D. Gregersen, absent; K. George, absent
STAFF PRESENT: J. Pesch
OTHERS PRESENT: T. Harvey (1183 Terrace)
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A motion to approve the regular meeting minutes of January 12, 2022 was made by T. Emory, supported by J.
Huss and approved with S. Radtke, T. Emory, and J. Huss voting aye.
OLD BUSINESS
None
NEW BUSINESS
Case 2022-07 – 1183 Terrace St. – Rehabilitation
Applicant: City of Muskegon - District: McLaughlin - Current Function: Residential (Vacant)
J. Pesch presented the staff report. The applicant was seeking approval to 1) remove the existing vinyl siding and
trim and replace it with fiber cement siding and trim of the same width, 2) remove and replace 15 existing wood
double-hung windows with aluminum-clad wood double-hung windows of the same size, 3) remove one second-
story window on the south elevation and add a new second-story window (for egress) in a new location on the
south elevation, remove one first-story window, and remove one first-story picture window and adjacent double-
hung window (where the proposed garage wall meets the house) and replace them with one double-hung window,
4) remove the pair of second-story windows on the north (Delaware Avenue) elevation and replace them with a
pair of wider windows (for egress), replace one four-over-four picture window with a new picture window without
mullions, remove one first-story double-hung window and one two-over-one picture window on the north
elevation and replace them with shorter windows (to accommodate cabinets/countertop), siding over the blocked-
in portion with matching siding, 5) remove one second-story door on the west (rear) elevation and replace it with
a double-hung window (for egress) and remove one first-story glass block window on the west elevation, 6)
remove three existing storm doors on the front, side, and rear porches and replace them with wood, three-quarter
lite storm doors matching the appearance of the originals, 7) remove, strip, refinish, and reinstall all original,
decorative wood details, and 8) construct a 1 and ½-stall attached garage on the south side of the house. The house
had been vacant since 2016. Updated elevations and floor plans were provided at the meeting (Attachment A).
J. Pesch noted that while the house was vinyl sided, there was no record of the house ever having received HDC
approval to install that siding. T. Harvey stated that the original wood siding was still on the inside of the porch
and that the proposed fiber cement siding would match the width of the original siding, not the vinyl siding, and
added that all existing siding on the house would be removed before residing. He would also be recreating the
original trim pieces over the second-story window pairs based on both historic photos of the house and one
existing trim piece that was still intact inside the enclosed porch. J. Pesch noted that it was likely that the trim
pieces were removed when vinyl siding was installed on the house.
The HDC moved on to discuss the proposed replacement windows. J. Pesch said that 12 existing wood windows
would be replaced with new aluminum-clad wood windows of the same size and appearance, then pointed out the
windows that were proposed to be altered. T. Harvey explained that three second-story bedrooms would require
windows that met modern building code requirements for egress which would be achieved by using windows that
were 2”-3” wider in the bedrooms on the north and east elevations – which would be achieved by narrowing the
divider between the windows – and the installation of a new egress window to replace a second-story exterior
door on the west elevation.
S. Radtke asked about the proposed shorter windows on the first-story of the north elevation, T. Harvey said that
proposed interior changes necessitated raising the bottom of existing window openings to clear the height of new
cabinets and countertops, and asked if it would be an option to entirely eliminate the single window on the west
elevation that looked out onto the side porch. The board discussed the placement of this window, and J. Huss
noted that it could have been a door to the porch at one point, and that it appeared that half the porch had been
enclosed. The board concluded that the window was likely not original to the house and that it could be removed.
J. Pesch explained that the request to replace two large windows on the north elevation that did not currently
match had been updated; the windows would be replaced with matching pairs of double-hung windows. The
board reviewed the request to remove a glass block window on the west elevation, and concluded that it was not
original to the house and barely visible from the street.
T. Harvey said that the enclosed, wrap around porch would be retained and repaired, as it was in better condition
than the other windows proposed to be replaced.
J. Pesch stated that the request to remove one second-story window on the south elevation and add a new second-
story window in a new location on the south elevation had changed and no new window would be added; a second-
story window on the south elevation near the rear of the house was still proposed to be removed, however. The
board noted that the window was not visible from the street and was likely a later addition with various wings of
the house that had been built over time. The first-story window on the south elevation that would be located inside
the proposed attached garage was also discussed.
S. Radtke asked about the proposed changes to the first-story picture window and flanking double-hung windows
on the south elevation. T. Harvey explained that the wall of the proposed garage would interfere with the current
window configuration, so a pair of double-hung windows were proposed to be installed just outside the front wall
of the garage instead. S. Radtke noted that the HDC generally did not allow for changes to window configurations
or sizes of openings, but explained that large picture windows were uncommon for a house of this era, and this
one was likely a later modification.
The board moved on to discuss the request to remove three storm doors on the front, side, and rear porches and
replace them with new storm doors matching the appearance of the originals visible in historic photos of the
house. S. Radtke stated that the enclosed front porch was likely added sometime at the turn of the century near
the end of the Victorian era, and that the prairie-style storm doors were old enough to be considered historically
significant. The board recommended that the replacement doors duplicate the doors seen in the historic photos as
closely as possible. J. Huss noticed that the elevation drawings depicted a set of double doors on enclosed porch
on the north elevation, and advised that a single door be used instead. T. Harvey stated that he was not sure why
it had been drawn that way, but that a single door was preferable.
T. Emory asked if there was originally a garage at the property. J. Pesch stated that historic photos did show a
garage located near the rear of the property as late as 1972, but it was not clear if it was attached or detached. S.
Radtke stated that the scale and proportions of the proposed 1 and ½ -stall garage worked well with the house. T.
Emory asked if the doors would match those that were shown in the drawings, and T. Harvey confirmed that they
would.
T. Harvey requested approval to remove the rear porch and replace it with a stoop to access the back door. The
board discussed the condition of the porch, the usefulness of the rear door, and the location of the rear wall of the
proposed garage in relation to the back wall of the house.
A motion that the HDC approve the request to remove the existing vinyl siding and trim and replace it with fiber
cement siding with a smooth finish and of the same width as the original siding and recreate the original trim
pieces over the second-story window pairs, remove and replace 12 existing wood double-hung windows with
aluminum-clad wood double-hung windows of the same size, on the east elevation, remove the pair of double-
hung second-story windows and replace them with 2-3” wider double-hung windows for egress purposes, on the
south elevation, remove one second-story window, remove one first-story window, and where the proposed
garage’s front wall meets the house remove one first-story picture window and two adjacent double-hung
windows and replace them with a pair of double-hung windows, on the north elevation, remove the pair of double-
hung second-story windows and replace them with wider windows for egress purposes, replace one four-over-
four picture window on the first-story with a pair of double-hung windows, remove one two-over-one picture
window on the first-story and replace it with a pair of shorter double-hung windows, siding over the blocked-in
portion with matching siding, on the west elevation, remove one second-story door and replace it with a double-
hung window, remove one first-story glass block window on the rear porch and one first-story double-hung
window on the open porch along Delaware Avenue, siding over the openings with matching siding, and remove
the rear porch and replace it with a stoop to access the back door, remove three existing storm doors on the front,
side, and rear porches and replace them with wood, three-quarter lite storm doors with sidelights matching the
appearance of the originals, remove, strip, refinish, and reinstall all original, decorative wood details, and
construct a 1 and ½-stall attached garage with a hipped roof on the south side of the house as depicted in the
drawings presented at the February 1, 2022 HDC meeting as long as the work meets all zoning requirements and
the necessary permits are obtained was made by T. Emory, supported by J. Huss and approved with S. Radtke, T.
Emory, and J. Huss voting aye.
ELECTION OF CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR
Election of the chairperson and vice-chairperson was tabled until a future meeting due to a number of board
members being absent.
OTHER BUSINESS
New HDC Member – Commissioners welcomed their newest board member, Jackie Huss.
Updating/Expanding Muskegon Homeowners’ and Citizens’ Guide for Historic Preservation – Staff
explained that this document was created in 2003 utilizing a grant from the National Trust for Historic
Preservation, and that the purpose of the document was to assist homeowners, builders, as well as citizens
interested in acquiring a historic resource for rehabilitation or construction within the historic districts. The board
discussed the best means of reviewing and updating the document in areas that is was outdated, and settled on
reviewing it as a group in sections throughout a series of upcoming meetings.
2022 HDC Goal Setting – Staff identified items from the HDC’s previous goal setting discussions, including the
following:
- Mailings to property owners within the historic districts containing information on the historic districts
and HDC procedures.
- Outreach to local realtors with literature highlighting benefits of properties in historic districts.
- Installation of street sign “toppers” identifying the boundaries of the historic districts.
- Updating the City of Muskegon Master Land Use Plan’s Historic Districts/Preservation Plan
- Draft a policy for approving/denying funding assistance to property owners in Muskegon’s local historic
districts with improvement projects that make compliance with HDC decisions more economically
feasible.
Michigan’s New State Historic Tax Credit – The program is slated to launch by mid-2022, and additional
information could be obtained through the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) website.
ADJOURN
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:35 p.m.
JP
Attachment A
MATCH
EXIST.
MATCH
MATCH
EXIST.
EXIST.
30 48 -2 DH
PORCH
REPLACE
26 48 -2 DH
EXIST.
DOOR
MATCH EXIST. DW MATCH
WINDOW WIDTH EXIST.
30 48 -2 DH
FAMILY
MATCH
EXIST.
LAUNDRY 15'-6" x 17'-6"
KITCHEN
11' x 7'
12' x 18'
LIVING PORCH
PNTRY 15' x 15'-6"
PORCH
MATCH
EXIST.
REPLACE MUDROOM
EXIST. 11' x 4'-6"
DOOR
DN
DINING
FOYER
14'-6" x 10' REPLACE
6' x 7'-6" EXIST. PORCH
DOOR
UP
32 72 -2 DH
PROPOSED
GARAGE
12'-0"
MAIN FLOOR PLAN
24'-6"
30 72 -2 DH
EGRESS
MATCH EXIST.
WINDOW HEIGHT
MATCH MATCH
EXIST. EXIST. BEDROOM
15'-6" x 10'-6"
WIC
6' x 7'
LINEN
34 66 -2 DH
EGRESS
M. BEDROOM MATCH EXIST.
17'-6" x 17'-6" BEDROOM WINDOW
EGRESS
REMOVE
34 66
DN HEIGHT
EXIST. 15'-6" x 15'-6"
DOOR
DN
M. BATH
10'-6" x 6'-6"
5'-6" x 3'-6"
SHOWER
TUB/ SHOWER
36" x 60"
SECOND FLOOR PLAN MATCH MATCH
EXIST. EXIST.
NORTHEAST ELEVATION
NORTHWEST ELEVATION
PROPOSED GARAGE ADDITION
SOUTHEAST ELEVATION
PROPOSED
SOUTHWEST ELEVATION GARAGE ADDITION