Board of Architectural Review

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Board of Architectural Review met on May 25, 2016. During the meeting, the board took 5 motions and votes, heard 4 public comments, and addressed 5 agenda items.

The board approved the minutes from the May 11 BOAR meeting and approved staff approvals. Three property-specific applications were reviewed: the board approved a proposal at 248 North Broadway in the Northside Historic District to demolish a deck and construct a screen porch, denied a request at 308 South Hanover Avenue in the Ashland Historic District to change a window opening, and postponed a decision on a proposal at 163 East Third Street in the Constitution Historic District to demolish a structure.

Votes and Decisions

The following motions were voted on and decided during the May 25, 2016 meeting:

Minutes Approval 9:57 A motion to accept the minutes from the May 11, 2016 meeting passed by voice vote with no abstentions.

Certificate of Appropriateness for 248 North Broadway, Northside Historic District (02500248-C) 17:17 Approval of the Certificate of Appropriateness for 248 North Broadway passed by voice vote with no abstentions. The approval includes the following conditions: - Final details must be submitted to staff for review and approval prior to issuance of the COA - All changes must be reviewed by staff after other LFUCG divisions' review and before work begins - The small segment of wall with the side door must be moved back approximately 12 inches to reveal the brick corner of the building

Certificate of Appropriateness for 308 South Hanover, Ashland Historic District (08760308-D) 40:32 A motion to accept staff's recommendation to deny the Certificate of Appropriateness for 308 South Hanover passed by voice vote with no abstentions.

Application Postponement for 163 East Third Street, Constitution Historic District 53:31 A motion to postpone the application for 163 East Third Street to August 10, 2016 passed by voice vote with no abstentions.

Adjournment 54:01 A motion to adjourn the meeting passed by voice vote with no abstentions.

Public Comment

Four speakers addressed the board during the public comment period.

248 North Broadway Project

David Whitmer, the applicant for the 248 North Broadway project, spoke at 10:28. He expressed appreciation for the staff's favorable findings and confirmed he had reviewed them. Whitmer stated he could accommodate the 12-inch setback for the door without significant issue.

308 South Hanover Project

Graham Paul, the applicant, addressed the board at 18:59 regarding the 308 South Hanover project. He argued that enlarging the kitchen window was necessary for natural light and functionality, despite the guidelines. Paul emphasized the house's historical character and the owner's intent to preserve it.

John Myers, the property owner, spoke at 37:48. He expressed gratitude to the board and staff, confirmed his wife's support for the project, and reiterated the importance of improving the kitchen's livability while maintaining the home's character.

163 East Third Street Postponement

Mr. Hossfield, a board member, noted at 47:44 that his term was expiring in June and that he would be unavailable for the August 12th meeting. He confirmed, however, that he could attend the August 10th meeting.

Contested Items

308 South Hanover Window Enlargement

The board engaged in a heated discussion regarding a proposed window enlargement at 308 South Hanover. The core disagreement centered on whether to grant an exception to established guidelines. Some board members expressed sympathy for the applicant's need for increased natural light in the space. However, despite acknowledging the applicant's concerns, the board ultimately decided to uphold the existing guidelines and did not approve the enlargement request.

163 East Third Street Postponement

The board encountered procedural challenges in rescheduling a postponed item for 163 East Third Street. The scheduling difficulties arose due to an upcoming departure of one board member and conflicting availability among other members. Resolving the postponement required multiple date adjustments to ensure the board would have a sufficient quorum present for the discussion and decision on this item.

Review of May 11, BOAR meeting Minutes

9:57

The board reviewed the minutes from the May 11 BOAR meeting. No corrections to the minutes were noted by board members. The minutes were approved unanimously by voice vote.

Staff Approvals

8:15

The staff presented 12 approved applications for various projects across multiple historic districts. The applications covered a range of work including re-roofing, fence installation, tree removal, and structural renovations.

These applications were approved without requiring a board vote.

248 North Broadway (Northside Historic District): Demolish deck; construct screen porch

10:28

The board considered an application to demolish an existing deck and construct a screen porch at 248 North Broadway, located within the Northside Historic District.

Presentation and Discussion

David Whitmer and Graham presented the application to the board. The proposal involved removing the current deck structure and replacing it with a screen porch.

Board Decision

The board approved the application with conditions. A key requirement was the implementation of a 12-inch setback for the door to maintain the building's volume and establish consistency with precedent in the district.

Outcome

The application was approved with the specified conditions regarding the door setback.

308 South Hanover Avenue (Ashland Historic District): Change window opening

18:59

The board considered an application to enlarge a window opening in the kitchen at 308 South Hanover Avenue, located within the Ashland Historic District. The applicant requested the modification to increase natural light in the kitchen area.

Key Speakers

Graham Paul and John Myers presented on this agenda item.

Presentation and Discussion

The applicant sought approval to change the window opening size to allow more natural light into the kitchen. The staff had issued a recommendation regarding the proposal based on the historic district guidelines.

Board Decision

The board denied the application. The denial was based on support for the staff's recommendation, which cited the guidelines requiring preservation of original window size and design in the historic district. The board determined that the proposed enlargement of the window opening did not align with these preservation standards.

163 East Third Street (Constitution Historic District): Demolish structure

The board considered an application to demolish a structure located at 163 East Third Street within the Constitution Historic District 41:39.

Applicant Request

Mr. Hossfield, representing the applicant, requested that the application be postponed to allow for additional dialogue with neighbors regarding the proposed demolition.

Board Action

The board approved the postponement request. During discussion of the postponement timing, the board addressed availability and quorum concerns before settling on August 10, 2016, as the new hearing date for this application.

Outcome

The application was postponed to August 10, 2016.