Board of Architectural Review Meeting

April 8, 2015 · 10,308 words

Watch the official video · Markdown version · Full transcript (text) · Agenda (PDF)

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Board of Architectural Review held a meeting on April 8, 2015. During the meeting, the board considered 22 agenda items and took 8 motions and votes. The board heard 5 public comments.

The agenda consisted primarily of Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) applications and related requests from property owners across multiple historic districts, including Aylesford, Bell Court, Constitution, Fayette, Seven Parks, Northside, South Hill, and Woodward Heights. The majority of applications were approved, including renovation projects at 608 East High Street and 137 Ransom Avenue in the Aylesford Historic District, structural renovations in the Constitution Historic District, and various maintenance and construction projects across the other districts. One application—for 505 East Main Street in the Bell Court Historic District involving demolition and construction of an addition—was deferred. One application for 834 West Maxwell Street in the Woodward Heights Historic District was withdrawn. One application for 701 East High Street in the Aylesford Historic District involving installation of a new sign, door and window replacement, and deck and railing construction was postponed. The board also approved the minutes from the previous meeting on March 25, 2015.

Attendance

The following individuals were present at the meeting on April 8, 2015:

Ryan Crowley
John Karloftis
Dale Fisherman
Scott Book
Megan Winfield
Brady Barlow
Pam Duncan
Amelia
Graham
Sarah
Stu
Paul

No attendees were recorded as absent or late.

Votes and Decisions

The following motions were voted on by voice vote:

Rear Deck Construction at 605 Boonesboro Avenue, Bell Court Historic District 5:55 The application to construct a rear deck was approved. Prior to the start of work, all details must be returned to staff for review and approval following final review by other LFUCG divisions.

Parking Area at 341 Madison Place, Woodward Heights Historic District 8:34 The application to construct a new parking area was approved with conditions. The parking area is reduced to three spots and must use grassy pavers or paver crete instead of asphalt. Final details must be submitted for review and approval prior to the Certificate of Appropriateness, and all changes must be returned to staff for approval following review by other LFUCG divisions prior to the start of work.

Stoop Demolition and Reconstruction at 113 Shawnee Place, Seven Parks Historic District 10:47 The application to demolish and reconstruct the stoop was approved. Final specifications and details of doors and windows, as well as final details of railings, must be provided to staff for approval. All details must be returned to staff for review and approval following final review by other LFUCG divisions prior to the start of work.

Addition at 137 Ransom Avenue, Aylesford Historic District 14:25 The application to demolish the back porch addition and concrete wall and construct a new addition was approved. Final details of the railing must be provided to staff, and brackets must be redesigned to a simpler design with details submitted for approval. All details must be returned to staff for review and approval following final review by other LFUCG divisions prior to the start of work.

Postponements Two applications were postponed: demolition of a structure and installation of a garden at 834 West Maxwell Street, Woodward Heights Historic District 14:58, and installation of a new sign, door and window replacement, and deck and railing installation at 701 East High Street, Aylesford Historic District 15:29.

Addition at 505 East Main Street, Bell Court Historic District 1:07:37 The application to demolish and construct a new addition was approved with multiple conditions including modifications to window design, panel system specifications, stoop configuration, and stone sample submission. All final details must be submitted for review and approval prior to permit issuance and following review by other LFUCG divisions.

Meeting Minutes 1:14:42 The minutes from the March 25, 2015 meeting were approved.

Public Comment

Five speakers provided comments on the proposed design during the meeting.

Graham raised concerns about the use of divided lights in windows, noting that such features constitute an imitation of historic appearance and are typically avoided by the board. Graham questioned what precedent existed for approving multi-pane windows. 24:02

Paul offered two separate comments. First, he suggested that the proposed stoop and stairs are too grand for a back porch and should be simplified to avoid competing with the front porch. 34:03 Later, Paul suggested that center-opening windows would improve functionality and reduce the historic appearance of the design. 1:01:18

Stu expressed appreciation for the overall design but suggested adopting a plainer look for the back porch to avoid mimicking the ornate front porch. 47:49

Sarah proposed a revised stair design featuring a smaller angled semi-round step intended to reduce the scale of the stairs and improve functionality while maintaining access to the basement. 52:17

The comments reflected recurring themes regarding the visual prominence of back porch elements and the use of historic design features, with multiple speakers advocating for simplification and reduced ornamentation in the proposed design.

Contested Items

The April 8, 2015 meeting included two significant areas of disagreement among board members.

Window Design and Historic Imitation

Board members engaged in a heated discussion regarding the window design and panel systems proposed for the project. The core disagreement centered on whether multi-pane windows and panel systems would constitute an appropriate imitation of historic appearance. Some board members argued that the proposed windows were too ornate for the project, while others supported their use as a contemporary interpretation of historic design elements. This debate reflected differing perspectives on how to balance historical authenticity with modern design approaches.

Stoop and Stair Design Scale

A split vote occurred over the proposed stoop and stair design for the back porch. Board members disagreed about whether the scale of the proposed stoop and stairs was appropriate for a back porch location. Some members favored a simpler, more functional design approach, while others supported the proposed scale. This disagreement resulted in a divided vote among board members, indicating substantive differences in opinion about the appropriate proportions and design philosophy for this architectural element.

608 East High Street, Aylesford Historic District: Renovate structure

3:04

Staff approved the renovation of the structure located at 608 East High Street in the Aylesford Historic District. The approval was granted without requiring a board vote.

Outcome: Approved

645 East High Street, Aylesford Historic District: Replace entry system into childcare center

3:04

Staff approved the replacement of the entry system at 645 East High Street in the Aylesford Historic District. The item was approved without requiring a board vote.

152 Old Park Avenue, Aylesford Historic District: Re-issue COA

3:04

Staff approved the re-issue of a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) for 152 Old Park Avenue located in the Aylesford Historic District. This item was processed as a staff approval and did not require a board vote.

137 Ransom Avenue, Aylesford Historic District: Renovate structure

3:04

Staff approved the renovation of the structure located at 137 Ransom Avenue in the Aylesford Historic District. The approval was granted without requiring a board vote.

125 Forest Avenue, Bell Court Historic District: Replace/repair stairs

Staff approved the replacement and repair of stairs at 125 Forest Avenue in the Bell Court Historic District. 3:35

The matter was approved by staff without requiring a board vote.