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Pella HPC advances McClatchey Mill historic district work, collects signatures for CLG application
Summary
The City of Pella Historic Preservation Commission reviewed plans for a proposed McClatchey Mill Historic District covering 49 properties, asked members to complete inventory forms, and finalized signatures and documentation needed to advance a Certified Local Government application following prior ordinance approvals.
The City of Pella Historic Preservation Commission on Jan. 12, 2026 discussed next steps for creating the proposed McClatchey Mill Historic District, a roughly bounded area between Lincoln and Columbus streets and East First and East Second streets that would include 49 properties. Chairperson Rhonda Kermode presided.
Commissioner Bruce Boertje said he has uploaded all 49 site inventory forms to a shared OneDrive folder and asked fellow commissioners to help complete architectural classification and materials sections and to add concise narrative bullet points for each property’s form. He is also working on an inventory spreadsheet required for the Certified Local Government (CLG) process.
Planning and Zoning Director Gerald Buydos reviewed the procedural history related to the CLG effort and the overlay ordinance: a draft amendment to the historic district overlay zone was submitted to the State Historic Preservation Office of Iowa (SHPO) for review, the Planning and Zoning Commission approved the ordinance amendment on Oct. 28, 2024, and the City Council approved it on Dec. 17, 2024. Buydos said he sent the updated ordinance to the Mid-Iowa Planning Alliance (MIPA) to confirm that the version reviewed by MIPA and SHPO matches the one approved by the council.
Biographical sketches required for the CLG application have been received from all commission members, and staff collected signatures during the meeting for those present; staff will reach out to absent member Kim Mulch to obtain his signature. The Commission did not take a formal vote on creating the overlay district at this meeting; the discussion focused on compiling documentation and completing SHPO-required inventory work.
Under other business, Buydos said he had not received a response from Iowa Prison Industries about signage for the Scholte Garden Historic District. Chairperson Kermode said she will obtain a quote from Promotions by Design for historic-district yard signs to be used during Tulip Time and the Commission discussed whether to include QR codes on the signs or add them later as stickers or decals.
The Commission’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2026.
