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CITY OF MUSKEGON
HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING
DATE OF MEETING: Tuesday, April 5, 2022
TIME OF MEETING: 4:00 p.m.
PLACE OF MEETING: Conference Room 204, City Hall
AGENDA
I. Call to Order
II. Approval of Minutes of the regular meeting of March 1, 2022.
III. Old Business
Case 2022-11 – 238 Houston – Siding, Trim, and Eaves
IV. New Business
Case 2022-12 – 1164 Terrace – Fence
Case 2022-13 – 97 Iona – Siding
V. Election of Chair and Vice Chair
VI. Other Business
Historic Districts Mailing
2022 Staff Approval Update #1
VII. 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 March 1, 2022.
III. OLD BUSINESS
Case 2022-11 – 238 Houston – Siding, Trim, and Eaves
Applicant: Joseph Heeren
District: Houston
Current Function: Vacant
Discussion
The applicant is seeking approval to install composite siding on the north elevation and vinyl siding
on the east, west, and south elevations with a 4” reveal, install 6”-wide composite trim/sills on all
exterior doors and windows, and box in the eaves with aluminum soffit and fascia with false composite
exposed rafters. This is a continuation of the discussion from the March 1, 2022 HDC meeting where
this case was accepted as a walk-on case. The approval motion from the last meeting is included
below:
“A motion that the HDC approve the request to install a new egress window on the south elevation,
replace missing/damaged 24”x54” wood windows on the east, west, and south elevations with vinyl
windows of the same size and appearance with applied mullions installed on both the inside and
outside of the glass for the three second-story windows on the south elevation, uncover and replace
the storefront windows the first floor with windows of the same size and appearance, and extend the
height of the chimney using reclaimed brick from the building to meet code for venting.”
View of building from Houston Avenue, looking west.
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View of building from Houston Avenue, looking north.
View of building from rear alley, looking east.
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Standards
RESIDING AND TRIM CLADDING GUIDELINES
General
The Muskegon Historic District Commission does not endorse the residing of structures within the
Historic districts. It is the policy of this Commission that the original fabric of the building should be
repaired or replaced where necessary with the original building material.
In cases where the repair or replacement with like materials is impractical or where it can be
demonstrated that the original materials will no longer hold paint or that the original materials are so
badly deteriorated that they can no longer be reasonably repaired, the residing standards below shall
strictly be adhered to.
Definitions
For the purpose of this statement, the terms “residing materials” and “trim cladding” shall be
understood to encompass the use of any residing materials such as aluminum, vinyl, steel, hardboard,
wood, masonry, or molded urethane which is designed to replace or cover all, or any part, of an
exterior wall, trim work or other building element or a structure within a designated historic district.
Purpose
The Commission shall review all applications for Certificates of Appropriateness proposing the
installation of residing materials or trim cladding as individual cases. Each application shall be
decided on its own merit. No person should interpret any Commission approval for residing or trim
cladding as being precedent setting. Unrestricted use of residing materials or trim cladding will not be
allowed.
In any case where residing materials or trim cladding are proposed for use by a property owner or
siding contractor, the property owner shall be required to submit a signed letter stating in detail the
intent and scope of the proposed residing or trim cladding installation. Such a letter is to also include
the identification of any deterioration or problems occurring relative to the existing siding or exterior
building fabric. If known, the cause and extent of this deterioration must be clearly stated.
The following conditions of installation shall be met by all proposals for residing or trim cladding:
1. All existing deterioration shall be made structurally sound and its causes, insofar as possible,
shall be corrected prior to the installation of residing materials or trim cladding.
2. Any installation of residing materials shall simulate the appearance of the original building
material that it is intended to cover. This simulation shall take into account the size, shape or
profile, texture, and linear direction of the original building material.
a. The residing material shall be similar in appearance and dimension to the original
siding. The exposure to the weather of the new siding shall range within one inch of the
nominal dimension of the original siding. The Historic District Commission shall have
the authority to waive this requirement in the event that they believe a different design
or dimension siding would be more appropriate to the architectural character of the
Historic District.
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b. A proposed color shall be appropriate as determined by the Commission.
c. Generally, wood grain textures are not approved by the Commission. However, the
appropriateness of a specific siding texture shall be determined on an individual case
basis.
3. Any installation of trim cladding shall adhere to the following guidelines for the treatment for
architectural trim elements.
a. Existing cornice or building trim elements shall not be covered or replaced without
Commission approval. Commission approval will depend upon how closely the trim cladding
or new trim elements duplicate the appearance of the existing building trim elements.
b. The wall siding material shall not extend over the existing trim members such as window and
door trim, sills, facias, soffits, frieze members and boards, brackets, aprons, corner boards,
trim boards, skirt boards, or any other characteristic moldings or architectural features.
c. If the above mentioned trim members are to be clad, they shall be covered with custom formed
cladding which shall closely approximate the shapes and contours of the existing moldings or
trim. Distinctive or unusual trim or architectural elements shall not be clad without prior
consideration and Commission approval.
d. No building trim elements or architectural features are to be removed or altered to facilitate
the installation of the new siding or trim cladding without approval of the Historic District
Commission.
In most cases the soffit cladding material shall run parallel and not perpendicular to the plane of the
wall.
Deliberation
I move that the HDC (approve/deny) the request to install composite siding on the north elevation
and vinyl siding on the east, west, and south elevations with a 4” reveal, install 6”-wide composite
trim/sills on all exterior doors and windows, and box in the eaves with aluminum soffit and fascia
with false composite exposed rafters as long as the work meets all zoning requirements and the nec-
essary permits are obtained.
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IV. NEW BUSINESS
Case 2022-12 – 1164 Terrace – Fence
Applicant: Straub Investment Properties LLC
District: McLaughlin
Current Function: Residential/Vacant
Discussion
The applicant is seeking approval to construct a six-foot-tall privacy fence surrounding the side and
rear yard and proposed parking area. Because the HDC local standards limit privacy fences to no more
than four-feet in height beyond the midway point of the front and rear of the house, this request cannot
be approved by Staff as it does not conform with the local standards at the proposed height.
View of house from Terrace Street, looking east. Location of proposed six-foot-tall privacy fence
noted by red line.
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Proposed six-foot-tall privacy fence and gate location noted by red line.
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Rear of house viewed from Delaware Avenue. Location of proposed fence noted by red line.
Standards
FENCE STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES (Abbreviated)
General
Fences and gates are an extension of the architecture of a home. They should be compatible in style
and material. They should be appropriate to the size and scale of the structure. They, therefore, require
review and approval by the Historic District Commission.
Sometimes it is necessary to use fencing for other than decorative purposes, such as marking
boundaries, privacy, screening unsightly areas, or security. Fencing for utilitarian purposes sometimes
requires fencing materials which are not of the period or character of the house. Nonconforming
fencing materials may be considered for use in the back of the structure.
…
Fence Standards
LAYOUT REQUIREMENTS: (Please see the attached Supplementary Graphics sheets)
Conforming open fences not over four (4) feet and conforming solid fences not over three (3) feet in
height are permitted between the property line and halfway between the front and rear setback lines.
…
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Deliberation
I move that the HDC (approve/deny) the request to construct a six-foot-tall privacy fence surrounding
the side and rear yard and proposed parking area as depicted in the site plan included in the April 5,
2022 HDC staff report as long as the work meets all zoning requirements and the necessary permits
are obtained.
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Case 2022-13 – 97 Iona – Siding
Applicant: Kathleen Cappellucci
District: McLaughlin
Current Function: Residential
Discussion
The applicant is seeking approval to install vinyl siding over the existing wood siding on the house.
View of house from Iona Avenue, looking east.
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View of house from Iona Avenue, looking east.
View of house from Iona Avenue, looking south (September 2021).
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Standards
See Residing and Trim Cladding Guidelines in Case 2022-11, above.
Deliberation
I move that the HDC (approve/deny) the request to install vinyl siding over the existing wood siding
on the house as long as the work meets all zoning requirements and the necessary permits are obtained.
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V. ELECTION OF CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR
VI. OTHER BUSINESS
Historic Districts Mailing – Mailings to property owners within the historic districts containing
information on the historic districts and HDC procedures were included in the 2022 HDC goals. A
draft letter will be provided for review.
2022 Staff Approval Update #1 – Since the last update in January 2022, Staff has approved six
projects, those bolded were discussed with the HDC chairperson prior to approval:
- 1321 Ransom – Replacement of exterior metal handrails
- 1259 Peck – Reroof flat roof
- 13 Hartford – Remove and replace brick facade over garage door using existing and like brick
- 430 W. Clay – Install LED landscape light to uplight existing ground sign
- 484 W. Webster – Install LED landscape light to uplight existing ground sign
- 97 Iona – Reroof garage
VII. ADJOURN
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