FAQs

Assessed Value is the value the city assessor places on each real property parcel and on each individual’s taxable personal property. Under state law, all non-agricultural assessments must be based on the property’s market value as of January 1 of the assessment year. State law recognizes that every municipality cannot be assessed exactly at market value each year. The law requires that each municipality is within ten percent of market value once every five years. Assessed values are used to distribute the City’s taxes among the individual property owners.

You will be asked to fill out a new registration form and provide a valid Proof of Residence with your current name and address.

For information on becoming a poll worker click here. If you are interested in becoming an election inspector/poll worker click here to fill out and application or contact the City Clerk at 348-9741 x6 for more information.

To receive a Certificate of Appropriateness from the City of Platteville Historic Preservation Commission, it is necessary for the applicant to complete an application form and return it with a copy of the plans, drawings, specifications, or other information necessary to fully describe the proposed project.  In general, documentation submitted with the application is non-returnable, with the exception of historic photographs, etchings, lithographs, original blueprints and drawings, or other special materials.  Applications for a Certificate of Appropriateness shall be made to the Zoning Coordinator on forms furnished by the City.  The following information should be provided:

1. Name and Address of Property and Property Owner
   Provide the name given to the property when it was designated if you know it.  Give the full address of the property.  If located in a local historic district, give the name by which the district was designated.  Provide the name, address, and telephone number of the property owner.  If there are multiple owners of real interest, include all parties using a separate sheet of paper if necessary.  Provide the name, address, and telephone number of the applicant if different from the owner.
2. Attachments
   Provide a copy of the plans, renderings, drawings, and written specifications of the requested alterations.  To supplement your application, you may also wish to submit photographs, slides, material samples, site plans, sketches, historical documentation, or anything else that will illustrate to the Commission and staff the effect of the proposed change.
3. Description of Project
   Describe in detail the proposed work and how it will impact the existing building, building features, and property.  Provide as much information as necessary to describe the proposed work and cover all aspects of the project.  If more space is needed, continue on a separate page.

The Historic Preservation Commission shall hold a meeting to review each application, and shall make a decision to approve, disapprove, or further conditionally approve the application.  The Historic Preservation Commission meets at 5:30 p.m. on Thursdays after Council meetings, which are on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the mont. The application deadline for appearing on the meeting agenda is ten (10) working days prior to the meeting date.

The Building Inspector or Community Planning & Development Director, as designees of the Commission, may issue a Certificate of Appropriateness for the following types of work to historic structures without Commission approval.  When reviewing the projects listed below, the designees shall use the Standards for Rehabilitation & Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings as a guide to determine appropriate methods and materials to complete the work.  Any time there is a question regarding interpretation of this policy, or interpretation of the standards and guidelines, the proposed work shall be submitted to the Commission for approval.

Exterior Masonry:

1. Cleaning of masonry according to approved methods.
2. Repointing mortar joints using mortar that is similar to the original in strength, composition, color, texture and hardness.  The width and profile of the mortar joints are maintained.
3. Limited replacement of bricks or other masonry features if the same kind of material, or a compatible material, is used.
4. Repainting of historically painted surfaces.
5. Brick shall not be painted or coated with other materials such as stucco when such masonry has historically been unpainted or uncoated.
6. Replacement of veneer concrete foundation coating with veneer stone.
7. Use approved methods to prevent water damage to masonry.
8. Concrete shall not be used as a substitute for mortar in rock foundations.

Building Exterior-Wood:

1. Retain and preserve wood features that are important to the historic character of the building.
2. Materials used in exterior repairs shall duplicate original wood in texture and appearance.
3. Use approved methods to prevent water damage to wood.

Building Exterior-Metal:

1. Retain and preserve metal features that are important to the historic character of the building.
2. Cleaning of metal surfaces according to approved methods.
3. Use approved methods to prevent water damage to metal.

Building Exterior-Roofs:

1. Re-roofing that maintains or restores the historic character of the building’s roof.
2. Re-roofing that does not change roof shape, or remove or cover any decorative features of the roof or cover any portions of the building facade.
3. Chimneys not visible from the street or other public use area may be removed.  Metal chimneys are prohibited.
4. Use the appropriate roofing material, such as slate, wood, clay tile or metal, according to the original historic character of the building.
5. Re-roofing may be done with asphalt, fiberglass or other rectangular composition shingles similar in appearance to 3-in-l-tab asphalt shingles when such materials do not affect the historic character of the building.
6. Re-roofing that does not involve the addition of features such as air conditioning, skylights, decks, terraces, dormers, solar collectors or other items readily visible.
7. Rubberized membranes, rolled roofing, tar-and-gravel, and other similar roofing materials may be used on flat or slightly sloped roofs.

Building Exterior-Windows:

1. Use methods acceptable for rehabilitation of existing historic windows.
2. Repairs to existing historic window frames, sashes and surrounding trim, such as caulking, weatherstripping, patching and splicing, reglazing, and replacement of broken glass.
3. Replacement windows that fill the masonry or rough-framed opening and the features of the new window match those originally installed in the building. Replacement windows of aluminum-clad wood or vinyl-clad wood are allowed.  Vinyl windows shall be approved by the Commission.
4. If the window is being proposed as a replacement for a non-original window, then the appropriate style for the window shall be based on the style on other original windows on the building, or on historic photos of the building, if available.  When neither of these options are available for comparison, the replacement window should be based on the style of original windows used in other similar buildings in Platteville.
5. The addition of storm windows where none existed originally is allowed as part of a replacement window unit.  Storm windows must be painted or stained. Raw aluminum shall be approved by the Commission.

Building Exterior-Entrances and Porches:

1. Rehabilitation of entrances and porches using acceptable methods that maintain or restore original features.
2. Storm door designs of wood and glass to match the original design on the building are encouraged.  Storm doors of simple design with no stylistic reference may also be used.  Storm doors with metal grills may be approved if they blend with the style of the building.
3. Storm doors must be painted or stained.  Raw aluminum shall be approved by the Commission. 

Building Site:

1. Use approved methods to prevent water damage to rock foundation walls.  Examples are the maintenance or addition of gutters and downspouts, installation of drain tile along the building foundation and providing adequate site drainage.
2. Rehabilitation of features that are not missing such as walks, paths, roads, driveways and parking areas.

Re-siding:

Re-siding that replaces or covers clapboards or non-original siding on historic buildings originally sided with clapboards is allowed provided that the new siding imitates the width of the original clapboard siding to within one (1) inch and that all architectural details including, but not limited to, window trim, wood cornices, and ornament either remain uncovered or are duplicated exactly in appearance.  If more than one layer of siding exists on the building, all layers except the first must be removed before the new siding is applied.  If insulation is applied under the new siding, all trim must be built up so that it projects from the new siding to the same extent it did with the original siding.

Painting:

Painting a building or a building component does not require approval or the issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness, unless the request is to paint a building or portion of a building that has never previously been painted.  For example, a request to paint a brick building that has never previously been painted requires approval of the Commission and the issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness.

General Repair and Replacement:

Repairs to, or limited replacement of, building materials and building components if the work uses the same materials, or compatible substitute materials, and provided that the work does not substantially change the exterior appearance of the structure or site.

You can call Accurate Appraisal at 800-770-3977 to speak directly with the assessor about your assessment.

In order to provide property owners with more flexibility in being able to speak with the assessor, Accurate Appraisal will offer an extended period of Open Book via phone. The assessor will be available or calls to discuss property values from the time assessment notices are received until 48 hours before the Board of Review convenes.  For those property owners who prefer to have an appointment, there will be a daily schedule available on the Accurate Appraisal website to sign up for a scheduled time to call. 

The assessor will explain how your assessment was prepared, review the property record for your property and explain what factors were considered in determining a value for your property. 

You must file an Objection Form with the municipal clerk at least 48 hours prior to the meeting of the Board of Review. You will then appear before the Board of Review for a hearing where you will present your case regarding the assessed value of your property.

The new assessments are effective January 1 of the following year and will appear on the tax bill you receive in December of the current year.