Board of Architectural Review
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Summary
Meeting Overview
The Board of Architectural Review met on August 8, 2012. During the meeting, the board considered 21 agenda items, took 7 motions and votes, and heard 6 public comments. Of the items reviewed, 18 received approval, including projects such as window renovations at multiple locations, roof repairs and replacements, tree removal, signage replacement, and structural additions and renovations across various addresses. Three additional items were presented on an informational basis, including a second story addition and garage rebuild at 124 Barberry Lane, a new story construction and roof pitch change at 200 South Ashland Avenue, and a demolition and new addition project at 407 and 411 South Mill Street.
Attendance
The following individuals were present at the meeting on August 8, 2012:
- Aaron Anderkin
- Christine Oberst
- Kyle Holscher
- Jeff Pearson
- Lynn Pettigrew
- Richard Hahn
- Farrell Hawk
- Martin Jocchio
- Graham
- Rob
- Ron
No attendees were recorded as absent or late.
Votes and Decisions
All motions were passed by voice vote with no recorded opposition or abstentions.
Roofing Material Change at 629 East High Street 6:27 Approved with conditions that the roof have open valleys, retain metal ridge caps, and that final specification sheets for dimensional shingles be submitted to staff.
Church Renovation at 501 West Short Street 8:12 Approved as submitted for renovation of the church structure and site work with no additional conditions.
Deck Demolition and Terrace Construction at 616 West Short Street 9:49 Approved with conditions that final details of the terrace surface be submitted to staff and that all exposed wood be painted.
Rear Addition Rebuilding at 171 Woodland Avenue 13:38 Approved with conditions that the door be a top light bottom panel design, all exposed wood be painted, and that changes from other LFUCG agencies be reviewed by staff prior to work start.
Front Porch Renovation at 317 Clay Avenue 19:29 Approved with conditions that final details of the column and balustrade be submitted to staff prior to material purchase and that all exposed wood be painted.
Garage Construction at 317 Clay Avenue 24:01 Approved with conditions including submission of final drawings showing trim, cornerboard, and openings on elevations with paving details on the site plan prior to Certificate of Appropriateness issuance; all exposed wood to be painted; concrete block foundation above grade to be parged or stuccoed; decorative bracket to be omitted from the front gable; and changes from other LFUCG agencies to be reviewed by staff prior to work start.
Revised Sign at 239 South Limestone 52:52 Approved with conditions that the sign have reduced decorative quality to posts and slightly reduced size, with the applicant permitted to submit alternative detailing at the base for staff review and approval.
Public Comment
616 West Short Street Terrace Project
Lynn Pettigrew was listed as the speaker for this project 8:45. No comments were made during the public comment period.
171 Woodland Avenue Addition
Richard Hahn expressed gratitude to the Historic Preservation Office staff for their guidance and support during the application process 14:44.
239 South Limestone Sign Project
Aaron Anderkin stated that the applicant respectfully disagrees with staff recommendations 32:35. He emphasized the need for a new sign to support a new tenant's sales office opening in fall 2013.
Rob suggested a compromise approach to the sign design 38:39. His proposal included lowering the sign to 20 inches above grade, simplifying the base design, and eliminating the finials to reduce the decorative element while maintaining a reference to period style.
Ron agreed with Rob's suggestion 42:03. He emphasized that the sign should not create a false sense of history, but also noted that the current design allows room for future signage additions.
Graham supported Rob's compromise 40:52. He stated that the design should be simplified and streamlined to avoid appearing overly decorative.
Contested Items
239 South Limestone Sign Design
The board engaged in a heated and extended discussion regarding the design of a proposed sign at 239 South Limestone. The primary points of contention centered on the sign's decorative elements and height.
The applicant's proposed design conflicted with recommendations made by staff members. Rather than accepting the staff guidance, the applicant advocated for their original design specifications. This disagreement prompted the board to explore multiple alternative approaches to resolve the dispute.
Throughout the discussion, various suggestions and design revisions were presented and considered by the parties involved. The deliberative process involved detailed examination of the decorative components and dimensional specifications of the sign. After working through several iterations and proposals, the board and applicant ultimately reached a compromise on the sign's design that addressed the concerns raised during the discussion.
343 East High Street: Renovate windows
Staff approved the renovation of windows at 343 East High Street in the Aylesford Historic District. The approval was granted without requiring a board hearing.
Outcome: Approved
331 Linden Walk: Re-pour/replace front stoops; replace windows
Staff approved the repouring and replacement of front stoops and replacement of windows at 331 Linden Walk, located in the Aylesford Historic District. The approval was granted without requiring a board hearing.
The project was approved by staff.
319 Oldham Avenue: Tuck-point chimney
Staff approved tuck-pointing the chimney at 319 Oldham Avenue in the Aylesford Historic District without requiring a board hearing. 1:40
The project was approved as a staff decision, allowing the chimney work to proceed without the need for full board review.
164 East Bell Court: Repair roof as needed
Staff approved roof repair at 164 East Bell Court in the Belcourt Historic District without requiring a board hearing. 1:40
The repair was processed as a staff approval item, allowing the work to proceed without the need for full board consideration.
Outcome: Approved
487 West Second Street: Reclad brick work
Staff approved the recladding of brickwork at 487 West Second Street in the Northside Historic District without requiring a board hearing 1:40.
The project was approved through the staff approval process, allowing the work to proceed without additional board review.
461 West Sixth Street: Replace/reline box gutters as needed
Staff approved the replacement and relining of box gutters at 461 West Sixth Street, located in the Northside Historic District. This work was approved without requiring a board hearing.
Outcome: Approved
200 West High Street: Remove diseased trees
Staff approved the removal of diseased trees at 200 West High Street in the South Hill Historic District without requiring a board hearing.
Outcome: Approved
215 South Limestone: Renovate windows
Staff approved a window renovation project at 215 South Limestone, located in the South Hill Historic District. The approval was granted without requiring a board hearing.
Outcome: Approved
219 South Limestone: Renovate windows
Staff approved a window renovation project at 219 South Limestone, located in the South Hill Historic District. The approval was granted without requiring a board hearing.
Outcome: The window renovation was approved.
716 West Short Street: Install small storage shed
Staff approved the installation of a small storage shed at 716 West Short Street in the Western Suburbs Historic District. The approval was granted without requiring a board hearing.
2575 Bowman's Mill Road: Remove diseased trees
Staff approved the removal of diseased trees at 2575 Bowman's Mill Road in Helm Place, which is designated as a local historic landmark. The removal was approved without requiring a board hearing.
239 South Limestone: Replace signage
The board reviewed a certificate of appropriateness application for sign replacement at 239 South Limestone.
The staff had recommended that the applicant lower the sign and reduce its decorative elements. However, the applicant disagreed with this recommendation and presented their position to the board during discussion.
Key speakers in the deliberation included Aaron Anderkin, Christine Oberst, Rob, Ron, and Graham. The board engaged in discussion about the proposed design, weighing the applicant's preferences against staff guidance regarding the sign's height and decorative features.
Following the discussion, the board approved a revised version of the proposal. The approved design incorporates reduced decoration and a lower height compared to the original submission, addressing staff concerns while accommodating the applicant's needs. The approval includes a provision allowing for staff review of alternative base details for the sign.
Outcome: Approved
629 East High Street: Change roofing material
The board considered a certificate of appropriateness application for 629 East High Street to change the roofing material on the property.
Kyle Holscher presented the item. The applicant agreed to follow staff recommendations to replace the existing metal roof with dimensional shingles. The approval included specific conditions regarding the design and materials:
- Valley design specifications
- Ridge cap requirements
- Final material specifications
The motion to approve the application passed unanimously.
501 West Short Street: Renovate church structure and sitework
The board considered a certificate of appropriateness application for renovation of the church structure and sitework at 501 West Short Street.
Jeff Pearson presented the application to the board. The applicant and staff had reached agreement on the scope of the proposed renovation work prior to the meeting.
The board approved the application as submitted with no conditions.
616 West Short Street: Demolish deck; construct terrace
The board considered a certificate of appropriateness application for 616 West Short Street to demolish an existing deck and construct a terrace in its place.
Lynn Pettigrew presented the item. The applicant agreed with staff recommendations for the project.
The board approved the project with the following conditions:
- Final terrace surface details must be submitted to staff for review
- All exposed wood must be painted
The application was approved as a certificate of appropriateness.
171 Woodland Avenue: Construct addition; rebuild addition
The board considered a certificate of appropriateness application for 171 Woodland Avenue regarding the construction and rebuilding of additions to the property.
Presentation and Request
Richard Hahn presented the application on behalf of the applicant. The proposal involved two components: a north-side bathroom addition and the rebuilding of a rear addition.
Board Action
The board approved the rebuilding of the rear addition subject to three conditions. However, the board postponed consideration of the north-side bathroom addition to the next meeting at the applicant's request.
Outcome
The application was approved in part, with the rear addition rebuild moving forward under specified conditions, while the side bathroom addition was deferred for further consideration at a subsequent meeting.
317 Clay Avenue: Renovate structure's front porch
The board considered a certificate of appropriateness application for front porch renovation work at 317 Clay Avenue. Farrell Hawk presented the application on behalf of the applicant.
The board approved the front porch renovation project, subject to the following conditions:
- Final column and balustrade details must be submitted to staff for review
- All exposed wood must be painted
The applicant's representative was present to discuss the proposed work with the board.
317 Clay Avenue: Construct garage
The board reviewed a proposal to construct a garage at 317 Clay Avenue and considered whether the project met certificate of appropriateness requirements.
Discussion and Debate
The board's discussion focused on a decorative bracket proposed for the garage gable. Key speakers Farrell Hawk and Rob engaged in debate regarding this architectural feature, with the bracket emerging as the primary point of contention during the review.
Outcome
The board approved the garage construction with conditions. The approval required that the decorative bracket be omitted from the garage gable design. Additionally, the board applied other conditions recommended by staff to the project approval.
124 Barberry Lane: Install second story addition and rebuild/replace existing garage
The board conducted a conceptual review for a proposed second-story addition and garage rebuild at 124 Barberry Lane. This was an informational discussion with no vote or decision made during the meeting.
The review covered plans to install a second story addition to the existing structure and rebuild or replace the existing garage. The board examined the conceptual proposal as presented, though specific details of the discussion, concerns raised, or individual board members' comments are not documented in the available meeting record.
No formal action was taken on this item at this time.
200 South Ashland Avenue: Construct new story and change roof pitch
The board began a conceptual review discussion regarding a proposed project at 200 South Ashland Avenue. The project involves constructing a new story and changing the roof pitch of the existing structure.
No vote or decision was made during this meeting. The discussion remained at the informational stage, with the board considering the conceptual aspects of the proposed modifications.
407 and 411 South Mill Street: Demolish brick addition; construct new addition connecting structures
The board conducted a conceptual review for a project at 407 and 411 South Mill Street involving the demolition of a brick addition and construction of a new addition to connect the two structures.
No vote or decision was made during this meeting. The discussion remained at the informational stage, with the board reviewing the conceptual proposal without reaching a final determination.
Decisions
- Motion — passed: Approve change of roofing material at 629 East High Street with conditions: open valleys, metal ridge caps, and final shingle specs submitted to staff
- Motion — passed: Approve renovation of church structure and site work at 501 West Short Street as submitted
- Motion — passed: Approve demolition of deck and construction of terrace at 616 West Short Street with conditions: final terrace surface details to staff, all exposed wood painted
- Motion — passed: Approve rebuilding of rear addition at 171 Woodland Avenue with conditions: top light bottom panel door, all exposed wood painted, changes from other LFUCG agencies reviewed by staff
- Motion — passed: Approve front porch renovation at 317 Clay Avenue with conditions: final column and balustrade details submitted to staff, all exposed wood painted
- Motion — passed: Approve construction of garage at 317 Clay Avenue with conditions: final drawings with trim and paving details submitted, all exposed wood painted, concrete block foundation parged or stuccoed, decorative bracket omitted, changes from other agencies reviewed by staff
- Motion — passed: Approve revised sign at 239 South Limestone with reduced decorative base and height, allowing for staff review of alternative base details