#5 Janesville Historic Commission Annual Report Draft
JANESVILLE CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT
2008-2009 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
This report is being submitted in compliance with Section 3b(7) of the "Procedures for the
Certification of Local Governments in Wisconsin." This report submitted by the City of Janesville
as a Certified Local Government (CLG) covers the twelve month period from 1 August 2008
through 31 July 2009.
JANESVILLE HISTORIC COMMISSION MEMBERSHIP
I. .
The Historic Commission was created by Section l8.36.070 B.3.c. of the Janesville Code
of General Ordinances on 15 June 1981. The first Commission members were appointed
by the City Manager and approved by the City Council on 28 December 1981. The
members have staggered three year terms that expire at the end of April. The Commission
members in 2008-09 were: (*Denotes current member.)
* Dan Atwood – Appointed January 2004
215 Division Street
Janesville, WI 53545
Retired Professor of English. BA, University of Wisconsin-Madison (1961); MA, The
George Washington University (1967); Ph.D., Ohio State University (1975). Taught at
the UW-Marinette campus, 1977-88; UW-Rock County campus, 1988-2003. Long-time
interest in historic preservation beginning with purchase of an 1886 Queen Anne home in
Marinette in 1979. Now resides in another Queen Anne, the original Matthew Fardy
home (dating from the early 1890’s), in the Courthouse Hill District.
Term expired in April 2005. Reappointed until April 30, 2011.
* Richard Fletcher – Appointed May 2004
1214 Ravine Street
Janesville, WI 53548
Graduated from UW-Whitewater with BA in Political Science and German. Has lived in
Janesville since 1992. Has been interested in architecture since his teenage years and
makes it a point to travel often to see and photograph the great buildings and spaces in the
world. Is currently involved in various activities with the Rock County Historical Society.
Term expired in April 2007. Reappointed until April 2010.
* Janine Peterson – Appointed July 2004
418 St. Lawrence Ave, Apt 1
Janesville, WI 53545
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Graduate of University of Wisconsin, Whitewater with a Bachelors of Business
Administration and marketing 1988. Lifelong resident of Janesville. Employed as Vice
President of United Way of North Rock County and 2004 graduate of the Leadership
Development Academy of Janesville. Member and past president of the Janesville Noon
Lions Club. Long-time interest in historic homes and buildings. Has lived in the Court-
house Hill district since 1987.
Term expired in April, 2006. Reappointed until April 2009.
* Susan Thompson – Appointed September, 2005
1411 Sharon Street
Janesville, WI 53545
Born and raised in Janesville. Previously lived in Milwaukee, Miami, New York City,
Chicago, and have lived in Janesville the past 36 years. Flight attendant for Eastern
Airlines for 6 years; travel agent for 3 ½ years; took a leave from the workforce to raise
family; returned to work at Chase Bank for 11 years. Retired. Volunteer at Rock County
Historical Society since 1982, activities include docent work, giving group and school
tours of the Tallman House and grounds and work on special events. Chairing the
Historic Home Tour and have verified house histories for homes on the tour.
Term expired in April, 2006. Reappointed until April 2009.
Michael Bolster – Appointed April, 2006
620 E. Holmes
Janesville, WI 53545
Professional Architect, Master of Architecture, 1980; Tulane University. Moved to
Janesville in 1998 after a career spent in the Middle East, New York City, and Europe.
Courthouse Hill residence is first house owned. Lifelong interest in the sympathetic
adaptation of Historic structures to modern living. Continually surprised by Janesville’s
treasure of Historic Houses. Looking forward to assisting the community in preserving
this legacy.
Term expires in April 2009.
Bruce Dennis – Appointed April 2007
*
216 N. Terrace Street
Janesville, WI 53548
B.S. degree, in conservation and resource management, UW-Stevens Point, 1973. MS
degree, Agricultural Industries and Marketing, 1984. Held numerous positions in
marketing, public relations and management from 1972 to 1994, including ten years as a
Community Development Agent with the UW Cooperative Extension Service, achieving a
faculty appointment of Associate Professor. Owner of White Oak Construction, Inc., a
remodeling company specializing in kitchen, bathroom, basements, decks, porches, and
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historic restoration. A Janesville native, he presently lives in a Queen Anne home that he
grew up in, in the Look West neighborhood.
Term expires in April 2010.
Tim Maahs – Appointed April 2008
*
202 Sinclair St.
Janesville, WI 53545
Born in Janesville, raised in the Milwaukee area, and moved to Madison to attend college.
Long time advocate for historic buildings and preservation. Restored six previous
buildings in communities of Cambridge, Stoughton, and Fort Atkinson prior to moving
back to Janesville in 2004. Current home in Janesville's Courthouse Hill Historic
Preservation District, and believes the abundant historic homes and varied architectural
styles in the community as fantastic resources and treasures. In addition to serving on the
city historic preservation commission, he serves on the executive board of the Rock
County Historical Society.
Term expires in April 2011.
Kenneth Wolf – Appointed April 2009
*
1142 Richardson Street
Janesville, WI 53545
(I’ve e-mailed Ken for this information)
Term expires in April 2012.
II.HISTORIC COMMISSION PRESERVATION PLANNING ACTIVITIES
.
A. Meetings.
The Commission had 20 regular and special meetings between August 1, 2008 and
July 31, 2009.
B. Survey and Nomination Activities.
None.
C. Public Education.
1. Publications.
a. Videotapes of the Historic Downtown Janesville and Historic and
Architectural Janesville continue to be shown on local access cable
channel and are available at the Hedberg Public Library. New
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copies of the programs on DVD were provided to JATV12 for
showing. These videotapes are now available in VHS and DVD
format and are available for purchase.
b. Continued distribution of Commercial and Residential
Rehabilitation Guideline booklets.
c. Continued distribution of the Historic Downtown Walking Tour
brochure and the walking tour brochures of the various historic
districts, as well as City on the Rock River: Chapters in
Janesville’s History.
d. The Historic Commission prepared a draft historic overlay district
plan and established boundaries for an overlay district within the
downtown area. The Commission plans to conduct informational
meetings with affected owners and submit a proposal to the City
Council for consideration in 2008-2009.
D. Special Historic Commission Activities.
1. Tallman Arts Festival - August 2008.
Commission members had a booth at the Tallman Art Fair in August and
distributed materials on the Historic Commission, the Historic Downtown
Walking Tour brochure, Commercial Rehabilitation Guidelines, and a
variety of other materials.
2. Historic Preservation State Conferences.
Members participated in the 2008 Local History and Historic Preservation
Conference.
4. Sponsored a Historic Preservation Workshop for businesses and
homeowners on May 16, 2009.
5. Offered walking tours in the downtown and other historic districts in the
Fall of 2008 and Summer of 2009.
E. Nominations to the National Register of Historic Places.
None.
F. Local District Review Activities.
From August of 2008 through July of 2009 the Historic Commission has reviewed
four building permit requests. These included the following:
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121 East Homes Street – Fence – Waiver granted.
51 South Main Street – Garage – Waiver granted.
718 East Milwaukee Street – Porch/Steps Repair – Approved.
503 East Holmes Street – Front Porch Roof – Approved.
G. Adverse Effect Reviews of Federally Funded Rehabilitation Projects.
From August of 2008 through July of 2009 the Historic Commission has reviewed
twelve applications for determination of adverse effect. These included the
following:
809 Sherman Avenue – Windows & Siding – Conditional Approval.
123 North Main Street – Sign – No Adverse Affect.
119 West Milwaukee Street – Façade Painting/Awning – No Adverse Affect.
29 South Main Street – Awning – Conditional Approval.
217 West Milwaukee Street – Exterior Repairs – No Adverse Affect.
33-39 South Main Street – Awning – No Adverse Affect.
33-39 South Main Street – Lighting – No Adverse Affect.
113-117 East Milwaukee Street – Lighting – No Adverse Affect.
189 South High Street – Remodel/New Garage – No Adverse Affect.
539 South Franklin Street – Windows – Conditional Approval.
469 North Terrace Street – Windows – Conditional Approval.
455 North Chatham Street – Windows – Conditional Approval.
CITY STAFF WORKING WITH THE COMMISSION
III. .
Bradley A. Cantrell
Community Development Director
Community Development Department
(608) 755-3085
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MEMORANDUM
TO: Joseph R. DeRose, Survey and Registration Historian
FROM: Bradley A. Cantrell, Community Development Director
DATE: August 5, 2009
SUBJECT: Janesville Historic Commission's 2008-2009 Annual Report.
Attached is the Janesville Historic Commission's 2008-2009 Annual Report in
compliance with the Certified Local Government requirements. The Historic
Commission had a very active year as the report indicates. They are looking
forward to an even more productive 2010.
________________________
Bradley A. Cantrell
Attachment
CITY OF JANESVILLE
HISTORIC COMMISSION
2008 - 2009 ANNUAL REPORT
AUGUST 2009