The Waukesha City Landmarks Commission on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025 agreed to postpone finalizing its response to an application that would reduce the National Register boundary for the Senator William and Henrietta Blair House, and received staff updates on the commission's paint-and-repair grant fund, upcoming fee increases and city email security requirements.

The commission deferred action on a draft letter objecting to the boundary decrease — originally drafted by Jennifer Wall at the commission's direction — and said it would revisit the matter at its Feb. 5 meeting to allow absent members to participate before the State Historic Preservation Review Board reviews the application in Madison on Feb. 21.

The decision matters because the boundary change is part of a National Register nomination process and could affect compliance negotiations tied to a proposed development in the area, commission members and staff said. City staff told the commission they are also engaged in a separate compliance negotiation with the State Historic Preservation Office related to the 130 Dale Field (Mandel) apartment proposal, a process that would apply only if the boundary decrease is not approved.

City staff member Charlie summarized staff advice and the schedule: "The recommendation is, you know, don't send the letter," and noted the State Historic Preservation Review Board will review the application Feb. 21 in Madison. Charlie also told the commission that "the state does not have the authority to require alterations to the building that's proposed," describing the state's role in suggesting mitigation options if federal- or state-level review finds an adverse effect.

Marty Larson, in an email read into the record by staff, urged the commission to maintain the historic viewshed and warned of perceived city priorities: "It appears that money is affecting judgment on the city part now that someone wants to build a structure that would, in fact, play the opposite role that this lower part was intended to play on this historic property." Larson also suggested a height restriction could allow development while preserving the property's historic integrity.

Commissioners discussed the December memo from city staff indicating that the formal notice requesting landmarks commission comment was received Dec. 13 and that Cultural Resource Management prepared the boundary-reduction application. Staff said the consultant updated the property's name to "Senator William and Henrietta Blair House" as a current practice and that the application is now under SHPO review.

Commission members said they wanted a final discussion when a fuller complement of commissioners is present. One commissioner said they would abstain from taking a position because they had previously voted on the Mandel project at Plan Commission and Common Council.

In other business the commission received a financial update on its paint-and-repair grant program. The commission's 2024 fund began at $20,000, with a $984 carryover from a 2023 project that did not go forward. Staff reported $18,134 had been dispersed to completed projects and $2,850 remained allocated to two projects unfinished as of the meeting; those two projects expect completion in 2025. The commission's 2025 allocation is $25,000.

The commission also received administrative and communications items from staff: city IT is asking that all board members enable two-factor authentication for city email accounts within the next month or two; staff will help set up accounts for members who need assistance. Staff announced upcoming increases to application and review fees, including raising a certificate-of-appropriateness (COA) fee for residential projects to $50 and a landmark submission consultation fee to $25; the updated fee amounts were expected to appear on the city website imminently.

Staff said they plan a winter project to revise the Landmarks Commission design guidelines to a more user-friendly, bulleted format for the website. The meeting concluded after routine approval of minutes and the roll-over decision on the Blair House response.

Votes at a glance
- Approval of Nov. 6, 2024 minutes: approved by voice vote; one abstention recorded. (Motion and second recorded in meeting.)
- Approval of Dec. 4, 2024 minutes: approved by voice vote; one abstention recorded. (Motion and second recorded in meeting.)

What's next
- The State Historic Preservation Review Board will consider the Blair House boundary application Feb. 21 in Madison. The commission will revisit its draft response at the Landmarks Commission meeting on Feb. 5 to allow absent members to participate and to consider additional information staff said they are compiling.