Board of Architectural Review

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Board of Architectural Review convened on May 22, 2019, with Mr. Chairman presiding over the session. The board reviewed five agenda items, all involving architectural review applications for various properties throughout the city. During the meeting, the board took five votes on the applications presented, with four projects receiving approval and one being deferred for further consideration. No public comments were recorded during this session. The approved projects included applications for 607 Boonesboro Avenue, 135 Old Lafayette Avenue, 1014 Fontaine Road, and 438 Fayette Park, while the application for 222 Clay Avenue was deferred to a future meeting.

Votes and Decisions

The board took action on five items during the May 9, 2019 meeting, approving four certificates of appropriateness and continuing one item for future consideration.

Certificate of Appropriateness Approvals:

• 02140607-g (607 Boonesboro Avenue) 0:00 - The Chairman motioned to approve the certificate of appropriateness with conditions requiring the applicant to place cushioning along the driveway to retain gravel and submit final details to staff. The motion passed by voice vote.

• 32190135-g (135 Old Lafayette Avenue) 0:00 - The Chair motioned to approve the certificate of appropriateness with the condition that final details of the skirt board be submitted for review and approval prior to issuance of the certificate. The motion passed by voice vote.

• 07201014-c (1014 Fontaine Road) 0:00 - The Chairman motioned to approve the certificate of appropriateness with conditions specifying that the deck should have a skirt board and provide a bottom rail to the railing. The motion passed by voice vote.

• 06900443-I (438 Fayette Park) 0:00 - The Chairman motioned to approve the certificate of appropriateness with standard conditions. The motion passed by voice vote.

Continued Item:

• 222 Clay Avenue 0:00 - The board voted to continue discussion of this item to June 26th. The motion passed by voice vote.

All votes were conducted by voice vote rather than roll call, with no recorded individual vote tallies or opposition noted. Each approved certificate of appropriateness included specific conditions that must be met by the respective applicants before final approval or construction can proceed.

Contested Items

The meeting featured one primary contested item that generated significant debate among participants.

222 Clay Avenue Addition

A heated discussion emerged regarding a proposed addition to the property at 222 Clay Avenue. The disagreement centered on multiple aspects of the project, including concerns about the proportion and design of the proposed addition. Participants raised questions about how the addition would fit with the existing structure and whether it would be appropriate for the surrounding area.

Key points of contention included:

• The scale and proportion of the addition relative to the existing building
• Design elements and their compatibility with the neighborhood character
• Potential impacts the addition might have on neighboring properties
• Questions regarding zoning compliance and whether the proposal met all applicable requirements

The discussion was characterized as heated, indicating strong opinions on multiple sides of the issue. Participants appeared to have differing views on whether the proposed addition was appropriate for the location and met the necessary standards for approval.

The extracted data does not specify the particular individuals involved in the debate or provide details about the final outcome of the discussion regarding the 222 Clay Avenue addition. Without access to specific transcript timestamps or additional meeting materials, the resolution of this contested item and any votes taken remain unclear.

607 Boonesboro Avenue

0:00

The board discussed a proposal for 607 Boonesboro Avenue regarding refreshing the gravel driveway at the property. Mr. Chairman led the discussion of this agenda item.

The proposal centered on maintenance work to refresh the existing gravel driveway surface. The discussion included consideration of conditions that would need to be met for approval of the work.

The board approved the gravel driveway refresh project with conditions. The specific conditions for approval were established during the discussion, though the exact details of these conditions are not specified in the available materials.

This item was resolved with approval, allowing the property owner to proceed with the driveway maintenance work under the agreed-upon conditions.

135 Old Lafayette Avenue

0:00

The board discussed a proposal for 135 Old Lafayette Avenue involving the reconstruction and enlargement of an existing deck. The Chair led the discussion of this agenda item.

The application centered on plans to reconstruct and enlarge a deck at the property. While specific details of the proposed dimensions or materials were not detailed in the available information, the discussion focused on establishing appropriate conditions for approval.

The board ultimately approved the project with conditions, though the specific conditions imposed were not outlined in the available materials. The approval suggests the board found the proposal acceptable for the property while requiring certain modifications or restrictions to ensure compliance with local regulations or design standards.

The item was resolved efficiently as agenda item 2, indicating it may have been a relatively straightforward application that met the board's requirements with the addition of appropriate conditions.

1014 Fontaine Road

0:00

The board discussed agenda item 3 regarding 1014 Fontaine Road, which involved a proposal for constructing a deck and changing openings at the property. Mr. Chairman led the discussion of this matter.

The application centered on modifications to the existing structure, specifically the construction of a new deck and alterations to building openings. The proposal was presented with recommended conditions for approval to ensure compliance with applicable regulations and standards.

Following the presentation and discussion, the board approved the project with the specified conditions. The conditional approval allows the property owner to proceed with the deck construction and opening modifications while adhering to the requirements established by the board.

The item was resolved efficiently as part of the meeting's agenda, with Mr. Chairman facilitating the discussion and the board reaching a consensus on the approval with conditions.

438 Fayette Park

0:00

The board discussed a proposal for 438 Fayette Park involving the construction of a porch addition. Mr. Chairman led the discussion of this agenda item.

The proposal centered on adding a porch to the existing structure at 438 Fayette Park. The discussion focused on the construction details and requirements for the proposed addition.

The board determined that the porch addition could proceed with standard conditions for approval. These standard conditions typically include compliance with local building codes, proper permitting, and adherence to design guidelines, though the specific conditions were not detailed in the available materials.

The agenda item was approved, allowing the property owner to move forward with the porch construction project subject to meeting the established standard conditions.

222 Clay Avenue

0:00

The board reviewed agenda item 5 concerning a proposal for 222 Clay Avenue involving the construction of a rear addition, driveway, and parking facilities.

Ms. Teller served as the key speaker for this agenda item, presenting the project details to the board for consideration.

The discussion focused on the proposed modifications to the property, which included:

• Construction of a rear addition to the existing structure
• Installation of a new driveway
• Development of parking facilities

Following the presentation and board discussion, the item was not resolved during this meeting. The board determined that additional review time was necessary to properly evaluate the proposal and its various components.

The agenda item was continued to the next scheduled meeting to allow for further examination of the construction plans, driveway specifications, and parking arrangements. This deferral will provide the board with additional time to review any technical details, assess potential impacts, and consider any regulatory requirements associated with the proposed rear addition and site improvements.

The continuation ensures that all aspects of the 222 Clay Avenue project receive thorough consideration before a final determination is made by the board.