Historic Commission Meeting – July 7, 2026

The Janesville Historic Commission met on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at 5:00 PM in City Hall Council Chambers. The meeting included approval of minutes, a Certificate of Appropriateness for a porch repair, a presentation on a new local history collaboration, and updates on the Tallman Arts Festival and public outreach efforts. The meeting adjourned at 5:20 PM.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes (June 16, 2026 regular meeting): A motion to accept the minutes as presented was made and seconded. All members voted in favor except one member who abstained. The minutes were approved.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were received in person or in writing.

Discussion Items

• Certificate of Appropriateness 2026-04 – 119 Wisconsin Street (Conrad/Bier): Staff reported that the homeowner discovered a failing side porch roof and extensive rot on two columns. The contractor temporarily jacked up the roof, and a mill shop is recreating the columns exactly as the originals. The commission reviewed the project as a one-for-one replacement. A motion to approve the Certificate of Appropriateness was made, seconded, and passed unanimously (all ayes).
• Presentation on Local History Initiative – Project Cornerstone / The History Sluice: Rob, a commission member, introduced a community group formed about three and a half to four months ago at the initiative of P. Skelly. The group has met five times and is working in partnership with the Rock County Historical Society (RCHS) to document, preserve, and share lesser-known Janesville and Rock County history. They have identified over 50 topics. The first major project is recreating courthouse hill tours, targeted for May 2027. The group has developed six presentation formats (PowerPoint, themed dress-up, walking tours with technology, roundtable lunch-and-learns, artifact displays, and hands-on classes). No formal action was requested; it was presented for visibility. Paul Vandervelde, RCHS director, expressed strong support, noting the group’s organic formation aligns with his goal to get the society more mobile. Commission members expressed interest and noted potential collaboration with other county historical societies.
• Tallman Arts Festival (Continued Discussion): This item was held as a placeholder. The next commission meeting on July 21 will occur before the festival. No new updates or schedule changes were reported.
• Public Outreach (Continued Discussion): Staff reported that informational materials (historic overlay and tax credit program brochures) were mailed to two new property owners: 808 East Court and 612 St. Lawrence. One commissioner, who lives near 808 East Court, volunteered to follow up personally with that homeowner and noted the owner is already familiar with the process. Another commissioner volunteered to contact the 612 St. Lawrence owner. Staff also shared that a mass mailing to all properties in the historic overlay was done in 2022; they are researching costs and potential funds to repeat the effort. A new city communications specialist is being hired, so any mass mailing will be delayed. Staff is also working to obtain updated counts of historic district street signs replaced since the last report in 2024. Discussion included clarifying whether sign counts refer to individual sign faces or intersections, and whether signs are replaced during road construction. Staff agreed to gather more information.

Key Outcomes

• Minutes approved with one abstention.
• Certificate of Appropriateness 2026-04 approved – the column replacement at 119 Wisconsin Street may proceed.
• Local History Initiative received as informational; no vote taken. The group will present at the Tallman Arts Festival and continue developing programs.
• Public outreach – commissioners accepted follow-up assignments for two property owners; staff will explore a repeat mass mailing and provide updated street sign data at the next meeting.
• Next regular meeting: Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at 5:00 PM.