Historic District Designation of a Landmark

Criteria for the designation of a landmark, landmark site, or historic district

Section 28.04 of the Municipal Code

Historic district designation may be placed on any site or area that fulfills one or more of the following:

  1. Exemplifies or reflects the broad cultural, political, natural, economic, or social history of the City of Waukesha, State of Wisconsin, or the Nation
  2. Identified with historic personages or with important events in National, State or local history
  3. Embodies the distinguished characteristics of an architectural type inherently valuable for study of a period, style, construction method, or of indigenous materials or craftsmanship
  4. Representative of notable work of a master builder, designer or architect whose individual genius influences an era

Process for the designation of a historic district is is taken from Section 28.06(4) of the Municipal Code and is as follows:

  1. Recommendation for the creation of a historic district – Anyone may request the Landmarks Commission consider designating a property or group of properties as a Historic District. Requests may be made at the Landmarks Commission meeting or by contacting the City Planning Department. The Landmarks Commission may designate a geographically defined area of particular historic, architectural, or cultural significance that meets the one or more of the criteria for designation.
  2. Research of historic significance – A detailed investigation is done into the history and character of the area to determine if the proposed historic district meets one or more of the criteria to be designated a historic district. The research report is initiated by the party interested in the creation of a historic district or by the Landmarks Commission. The research report is preferably done by a consultant with the aid of the City Planning Department.
  3. Historic District Plan in ordinance form – The Landmarks Commission with the City Planning Department will create a historic preservation plan in ordinance form for the area being considered for historic designation. The plan is to include design criteria to ensure that new structures and/or improvements are visually compatible with the historic buildings and the environment of the historic district. The design criteria must address the following aspects:
    • Structure and improvement height
    • Gross volume of new structures
    • Proportion between the width and height of street facades
    • Roof design
    • Rhythm of solids to voids created by facade openings
    • Preservation of the rhythm created by existing buildings and the spaces between them
    • Materials, textures, colors and patterns used on facades and trim
    • Landscape treatment sensitive to the individual building, its occupants and their needs
    • Architectural details, incorporated as necessary to relate the new with the old
  4. Notice of a public hearing – The Landmarks Commission will send the following notifications of the public Landmarks Commission meeting and the City Common Council meeting to discuss the Historic District designation. At least 10 days before a hearing on a proposed Historic District, the recorded owners of property situated in whole or in part within the Historic District and the owners of property within 200' of the Historic District will be notified. Notice of the meeting will be published as a Class 2 notice under the Wisconsin Statutes in the Official City newspaper. The City Clerk will send a notice to the Alderman of the Aldermanic district or districts in the Historic District.
  5. Public hearing – The Landmarks Commission will conduct a public hearing on the proposed Historic District.
  6. Decision of the Landmarks Commission – Within 10 days after the close of the public hearing, the Landmarks Commission will vote to approve, reject, or withhold action on the Historic District Plan. The recommendation of the Landmarks Commission will be forwarded to the City Planning Commission and the Common Council.
  7. City of Waukesha Plan Commission – The City Plan Commission will review the Historic District Plan and make a recommendation to the Common Council within 60 days of receiving the Landmarks Commission's report.
  8. City of Waukesha Common Council – The Council, upon receipt of the recommendation from the Landmarks Commission and Plan Commission, will hold a public hearing on the proposed Historic District. Following the hearing, the Council will designate or reject the Historic District. A Designation Action will adopt and implement the Historic District Plan.
  9. Listing with the National Register of Historic Places – The Landmarks Commission will go through the process of listing the Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places. The significance of the district is evaluated at the national and state level.