Neighborhood homeowners may be eligible for tax credits
By Jennifer Eisenbart
Staff Writer
For the last three years, the City of Burlington and the Historic Preservation Commission have been working together to try and preserve the historic nature of downtown Burlington.
Now, thanks to a pair of grants, it looks like another historic district in Burlington could be created.
After the HPC was created back in 2010 to help organize and preserve the buildings and properties of historical significance of the downtown area, more and more Burlington residents wanted to find out if any other properties, land or buildings could be classified as historic.
The reason? In addition to being an honor to be on the national registry, buildings of a historic nature – 50 years or older without modern renovations – can be eligible for income tax credit.
“It lets them know their house is historic,” said Tom Stelling, the chairman of the HPC.
An initial survey done last year with grant dollars produced a 200-page document identifying buildings and property of historic significance. That list includes, amongst others, the Burlington Community Pool, the Rainbow Motel, the St. Mary’s Cemetery Chapel and the Franciscan Friary.
But that initial survey also includes a number of streets parallel or perpendicular to Kane Street.
It became clear that there were enough properties to create another historical district, according to Stelling. While it is largely an honorary title, homeowners can also apply for tax credits if they process the paperwork needed to first join the historic district, and then work with the state and federal governments to make sure the home remains in compliance with the historical district.
By creating the historic district – which was set into motion Aug. 22 when Joe DeRose of the Wisconsin Historical Society delivered a check to the HPC to pay for the groundwork – homeowners already will have the first step accomplished for them.
“The whole district will be determined, whether it is contributing or non-contributing,” Stelling said. “They only have the second and third phase to deal with.”
That money will go to pay Legacy Architecture, Inc. to do a detail survey (an amount estimated to cost $10,176). That company was the low responsible bidder and has already begun survey work.
By the end of the project, Stelling said, buildings would hopefully be recognized by both the Wisconsin Historical Society and the National Trust for Historical Preservation.
But the district needs to invest in additional survey. Wisconsin Historical Society has to review it, and then it gets forwarded to the National Trust.
Stelling stressed Tuesday that participation is voluntary, and the HPC is doing this as a service, “in an effort to improve possible tax credit opportunities.
“We have no intention of writing an ordinance saying they have to do anything,” Stelling said.
A full list of Frequently Asked Questions is available at Burlington City Hall. It answers questions like what being a historical district entails, how properties are nominated and how long that process takes, and whether the process provides any extra protection against demolition.
The last question answered on the document is, “Can the city impose regulations to my property if I am in the historic district?” It is answered the same way Stelling had already indicated.
“No. The Kane Street Historic District is not a historic overlay district with the City of Burlington. Property owners would only be required to follow the building and zoning ordinances currently in place for their zoning district,” the document reads. “You would not be required to follow specific historical design guidelines mandated by the city.”
-
-
-
-
-