Board of Architectural Review

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Board of Architectural Review met on December 12, 2012, under the direction of the Chair. During the meeting, the Board considered 11 agenda items and heard 4 public comments. The Board took 6 votes on various architectural review matters.

Of the 11 projects reviewed, outcomes included 2 approvals, 1 approval with conditions, 2 deferrals, 2 postponements, and 2 withdrawals, with 1 denial. Notable approvals included a pergola and hardscape construction at 718/720 West Short Street and a project at 407-411 South Mill Street involving demolition of a rear addition and garage with construction of a connecting addition, garage, and fencing, approved subject to conditions. The Board denied the site renovation and construction work proposed for 141 Forest Avenue. Several items were deferred for further consideration, including modifications to a bay window at 341 Madison Place, an addition at 852 West Maxwell Street, an addition at 624 W Short Street, and an addition at 114 Arcadia Park. Two projects were postponed: garage and site work at 321-323 Arcadia Park and roof pitch changes with dormers, gables, porches, decks, and sidewalks at 200 South Ashland Avenue. Two applicants withdrew their proposals: a roof construction over a rear deck at 160-162 Woodland Avenue and a retaining wall and landscape installation at 216 East Bell Court.

Attendance

Present: - Joseph Joseph - Andrew Moore - Law - Randy - Ms. Currie - Mr. Pohl - Mr. McGish - Graham - Severin

Late: - Applicant at 341 Madison Place

Absent: None recorded.

Votes and Decisions

The meeting included six votes on Certificates of Appropriateness applications, all conducted by voice vote.

718/720 West Short Street - Pergola and Hardscape 16:41 Motion by Mr. Chair to approve a Certificate of Appropriateness for construction of a pergola and hardscape in the rear yard passed by voice vote. Final details of the masonry seat wall and stone stoop/steps must be submitted to staff, and any changes required by other LFUCG divisions must be reviewed by staff before work begins.

407-411 South Mill Street - Rear Addition Demolition and New Construction 1:40:01 Motion by Mr. Chair, seconded by Mr. Pohl, to approve a Certificate of Appropriateness for demolition of a rear addition and construction of a new garage, addition, and fencing passed by voice vote. The driveway and apron width must be reduced to a width determined through communication with staff, and the garage must be located further back on the site. The final configuration will be worked out between the owner and staff, and the application must be reviewed by other LFUCG divisions before final approval.

341 Madison Place - Bay Window Modification 2:01:23 Motion by Mr. Chair, seconded by Mr. Chair, to continue the Certificate of Appropriateness application for modification of a bay window with pilasters was postponed by voice vote. The application will be continued to January 16, 2013, with revised materials to be submitted by January 4, 2013.

141 Forest Avenue - Retaining Wall and Landscaping 2:04:39 Motion by Mr. Chair, seconded by Mr. Pohl, to deny the Certificate of Appropriateness application for construction of a retaining wall and landscaping failed by voice vote.

321-323 Arcadia Park 2:05:11 Motion by Mr. Chair, seconded by Mr. Chair, to postpone the Certificate of Appropriateness application to January 16, 2013, passed by voice vote.

200 South Ashland Avenue 2:05:44 Motion by Mr. Chair, seconded by Mr. Chair, to postpone the Certificate of Appropriateness application to January 16, 2013, passed by voice vote.

Public Comment

Several board members and the applicant provided comments on the proposed project during the meeting.

Structural Condition of Rear Addition 53:05

Andrew Moore, the applicant, presented structural engineering reports and contractor cost estimates regarding the existing rear addition. He documented that the rear addition is severely deteriorated and that renovation would cost over $130,000 for 700 square feet, making restoration economically unreasonable. Moore emphasized structural risks and safety concerns, citing water intrusion, termite damage, and floor joists sitting in dirt as primary issues.

Garage Placement and Massing 1:04:49

Mr. Pohl raised concerns about the proposed garage location and size. He noted that the garage is positioned too close to the main house and is oversized, which he stated violates guidelines requiring accessory buildings to be located at the rear of the lot and not compete with the primary structure in visual prominence. Pohl recommended relocating the garage to the back of the lot to improve its scale and relationship to the main house.

Driveway Width and Paving 57:43

Mr. McGish suggested modifications to the driveway design. He recommended reducing the driveway width to improve visual scale and proposed using grass pavers or other permeable surfaces to break up the pavement mass and enhance the overall aesthetics of the property.

Pilaster Design and Historical Authenticity 1:53:15

Graham addressed the design of pilasters on the proposed addition. He argued that installing pilasters in the same scale and material as the original house creates a false sense of history and disrupts the building's architectural rhythm. Graham recommended using a modern interpretation or different materials for the addition to clearly distinguish it from the original structure.

Contested Items

Demolition of Rear Addition at 407-411 South Mill Street

The board divided on whether to approve demolition of the rear addition despite a staff recommendation against it. The motion ultimately passed with strong support based on evidence of structural deterioration and the economic burden the addition presented. However, several board members expressed concern about the precedent this approval would set for future demolition requests.

Garage Placement and Design at 407-411 South Mill Street

The board engaged in a detailed and heated discussion regarding the proposed garage at the same property. The debate centered on the garage's proximity to the main house, its massing, and its overall visual impact on the streetscape. Multiple board members emphasized the necessity of relocating the garage to the rear of the property to ensure compliance with established design guidelines.

Pilaster Design at 341 Madison Place

The board disagreed on the proposed pilasters for this property, with the central question being whether they would create a false sense of historical authenticity. Some board members supported a modern interpretation of the design, while others insisted on a clear visual distinction between original architectural elements and new additions to avoid misleading viewers about the building's actual history.

718/720 West Short Street: Construct pergola and hardscape in rear yard

14:35

The applicant presented plans to construct a pergola and hardscape in the rear yard of the property at 718/720 West Short Street. Joseph Joseph spoke on behalf of the application.

Staff recommended approval of the certificate of appropriateness application, contingent upon conditions regarding masonry details and coordination with other divisions. These conditions were intended to ensure that the design met appropriate standards and that the project would be properly coordinated across relevant departments.

The board approved the application with the recommended conditions.

341 Madison Place: Modify bay window

17:14

The board considered a certificate of appropriateness application to modify bay windows and install pilasters at 341 Madison Place.

Presentation and Staff Recommendation

Andrew Moore presented the proposal to the board. Staff recommended denial of the pilasters component of the application, citing concerns that the proposed pilasters would create a false sense of history and disrupt the architectural rhythm of the building.

Board Action

Rather than voting on the application as presented, the board voted to continue the case. This deferral was intended to allow the applicant to revise the design and address staff's concerns about the pilasters before resubmitting for consideration.

Outcome

The case was deferred pending revised design plans from the applicant.

141 Forest Avenue: Renovate site; construct site work

Proposal

The applicant proposed a retaining wall and landscaping improvements for 141 Forest Avenue.

Discussion

Andrew Moore presented on this agenda item 17:47. Staff recommended denial of the certificate of appropriateness application.

Staff Concerns

Staff identified two primary issues with the application:

• Lack of applicant presence at the meeting
• Unclear design specifications

Outcome

The board denied the application based on the staff recommendation.

407-411 South Mill Street: Demolish rear addition and garage; construct addition

18:50

The board considered a certificate of appropriateness application for 407-411 South Mill Street to demolish a deteriorated rear addition and garage, construct a new glass connector between main structures, and construct a garage and fencing.

Andrew Moore presented the application to the board. Staff recommended denial of the demolition and garage components, citing concerns about the structural significance of the existing rear addition and issues with the proposed garage placement.

The board approved the demolition of the rear addition with conditions. However, the board deferred the garage proposal for further study, indicating that additional work was needed on that component of the project before it could be approved.

The outcome was approval with conditions for the demolition portion of the application, while the garage construction was set aside for continued review and development.

321-323 Arcadia Park: Construct garage and site work

2:05:11

This agenda item concerned a certificate of appropriateness application for construction of a garage and site work at 321-323 Arcadia Park.

The applicant requested postponement of the matter until January 16, 2013. The board granted the motion to postpone.

200 South Ashland Avenue: Change roof pitch; construct dormers, gables, porches, decks and sidewalks

2:05:44

The board considered a certificate of appropriateness application for 200 South Ashland Avenue involving changes to the roof pitch and construction of dormers, gables, porches, decks, and sidewalks.

The applicant requested postponement of the item until January 16, 2013. The board granted the motion to postpone.

Outcome: Postponed to January 16, 2013.

160-162 Woodland Avenue: Construct roof over rear deck

The application to construct a roof over the rear deck at 160-162 Woodland Avenue was withdrawn and not discussed further during the meeting 17:14.

216 East Bell Court: Install retaining wall and landscape

Outcome: The application for a certificate of appropriateness to install a retaining wall and landscape at 216 East Bell Court was withdrawn and not discussed further. 17:14

852 West Maxwell Street: Construct addition

The board discussed the conceptual design for a new addition to 852 West Maxwell Street 2:06:15.

No vote was taken on this item. The board deferred the matter to the next meeting for further consideration.

624 W Short St: Construct addition

The board discussed the conceptual design for a new addition to the property at 624 W Short St. 2:06:15

No vote was taken on this item. The board deferred the matter to the next meeting for further consideration.

114 Arcadia Park: Construct addition

The board discussed the conceptual design for a new addition to 114 Arcadia Park 2:06:15.

No vote was taken on this item. The board deferred the matter to the next meeting for further consideration.