Board of Architectural Review

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Courthouse Area Design Review Board convened on August 17, 2022, at 2:00 PM via video teleconference, with Erin Hathaway presiding as the meeting officer. The board addressed five agenda items during the session, including the approval of minutes and four applications related to permits and appropriateness determinations. All agenda items were approved by the board, with a total of five motions and votes taken throughout the meeting. The board also heard two public comments during the proceedings, allowing community input on the matters under consideration.

Attendance

The following members were present at the meeting on August 17, 2022:

• Erin Hathaway
• Samantha Castro
• Jill Leckner
• Kenneth Michul

Nicole Ware was absent from the meeting.

No members arrived late to the meeting.

Votes and Decisions

The meeting included five votes on various applications and administrative matters, all of which passed.

Minutes Approval Kenneth Michul motioned to approve the minutes from the February 16, 2022 meeting, with a second by Samantha Castro. The motion passed unanimously with 4 ayes and 0 nays. Voting in favor were Erin Hathaway, Samantha Castro, Jill Leckner, and Kenneth Michul.

Case No. 2022-23 - 135 W. Short St. Jill Leckner motioned to approve Darren Taylor's request to update the building façade at 135 W. Short St., seconded by Kenneth Michul. The application passed unanimously with 4 ayes and 0 nays. The same four members voted in favor: Erin Hathaway, Samantha Castro, Jill Leckner, and Kenneth Michul. The approval was subject to two conditions recommended by staff.

Case 17170606-k - 606 West Short Street 0:00 The application for appropriateness at 606 West Short Street passed by voice vote. The approval included standard two conditions plus additional conditions regarding dormer and garage door details.

Case 00610222-e - 222 Arlington Avenue 0:00 Susan Hill motioned for the application for appropriateness at 222 Arlington Avenue, which passed by voice vote. The approval was conditional on a revised proposal of fence as vertical picket to be submitted to staff.

Case 00610226-a - 226 Arlington Avenue 0:00 Susan Hill also motioned for the application at 226 Arlington Avenue, which passed by voice vote with the same condition as the previous case - requiring a revised proposal of fence as vertical picket to be submitted to staff.

All applications were approved, with several requiring specific conditions to be met as part of the approval process.

Public Comment

Two residents spoke during the public comment period regarding a proposed addition at 128 South Ashland Avenue 0:00.

Barbara Edelman addressed the board with opposition to the proposed addition at 128 South Ashland Avenue. She expressed concerns that the proposed addition would be too large for the property and the surrounding neighborhood. Edelman raised specific worries that the addition could potentially be converted into a duplex, which she believed would negatively impact the character and quality of the neighborhood.

Jane Childs also spoke about the same property at 128 South Ashland Avenue. Childs voiced her support for the staff recommendation, which called for a smaller footprint for the proposed addition. She expressed concerns about what she characterized as a pattern of disregard for local regulations by the current property owners. Childs indicated that she believed a reduced scale for the addition would be more appropriate for the neighborhood context.

Both speakers focused their comments on the same development proposal, with their primary concerns centering on the scale and potential impact of the proposed addition on the surrounding residential area. The comments reflected neighborhood opposition to the current proposal and support for alternative approaches that would result in a smaller development footprint.

Contested Items

The meeting featured one contested item that drew community opposition.

Proposed Addition at 128 South Ashland Avenue

Community members raised concerns about a proposed addition at 128 South Ashland Avenue. The primary objection centered on the size of the proposed addition and its potential impact on the surrounding neighborhood. Residents expressed worries about how the scale of the project might affect the character and compatibility of the area.

The nature of the opposition was characterized as community-based, indicating that multiple neighborhood residents participated in voicing their concerns about the proposal. However, the specific details of who spoke, the exact dimensions of the proposed addition, or the final outcome of this contested item were not captured in the available meeting data.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps, speaker names, and resolution details were not available in the provided meeting materials.*

Approval of Minutes

The board reviewed and discussed the minutes from their February 16, 2022 meeting during this agenda item. Erin Hathaway served as the key speaker for this discussion.

The board proceeded to approve the minutes from the February 16, 2022 meeting following their review and discussion.

Outcome: The minutes were approved.

Application for Authorization Permit

The board reviewed Case No. 2022-23, an application for authorization permit submitted by Darren Taylor to update the building façade at 135 W. Short St.

Darren Taylor presented the request to the board, seeking approval for façade modifications to the property. Board member Autumn Goderwis participated in the discussion of the application.

Following review and discussion of the proposed façade updates, the board voted to approve the application. The approval was granted with conditions, though the specific conditions were not detailed in the available meeting materials.

The application represents routine business for building façade modifications in the jurisdiction, with the board ultimately finding the proposed changes acceptable subject to the specified conditions of approval.

Application for Appropriateness

0:00

The board reviewed Case 17170606-k, an application for appropriateness at 606 West Short Street. The discussion focused on evaluating the proposed work against the applicable design standards and guidelines for the historic district.

During the review process, board members examined the details of the application to determine whether the proposed changes would be appropriate for the historic character of the property and surrounding area. The application underwent thorough consideration of its compliance with preservation standards.

Following their deliberation, the board voted to approve the application for appropriateness. However, the approval came with specific conditions that must be met as part of the project implementation. These conditions were established to ensure the work maintains the historic integrity of the property while allowing the proposed modifications to proceed.

The approval of Case 17170606-k at 606 West Short Street represents the board's determination that the proposed work, when completed according to the specified conditions, will be compatible with the historic district's character and preservation goals.

Application for Appropriateness

0:00

The board reviewed application 00610222-e for appropriateness at 222 Arlington Avenue during this agenda item. Susan Hill served as the key speaker for this discussion.

The board conducted a thorough review of the proposed work at the Arlington Avenue property. While the specific details of the proposed modifications or improvements were discussed, the application ultimately received board approval.

The approval came with attached conditions, though the exact nature of these conditions was not detailed in the available materials. This conditional approval approach allows the board to ensure compliance with historic preservation standards while permitting the applicant to proceed with their proposed work.

The board's decision to approve the application indicates that the proposed work was deemed appropriate for the historic character of the property and surrounding area, subject to the specified conditions being met.

Outcome: The application for appropriateness at 222 Arlington Avenue was approved with conditions.

Application for Appropriateness

0:00

The board reviewed an application for appropriateness for the property located at 226 Arlington Avenue (application identifier: 00610226-a). Susan Hill served as the key speaker during this agenda item discussion.

The board conducted their review of the proposed work at the Arlington Avenue property, examining the application materials and considering the appropriateness of the requested modifications within the context of the historic district guidelines.

Following their deliberation, the board voted to approve the application for appropriateness at 226 Arlington Avenue. However, the approval came with specific conditions that must be met by the applicant, though the exact details of these conditions were not specified in the available meeting materials.

The approval represents the board's determination that the proposed work, when completed according to the established conditions, will be appropriate for the historic character and integrity of the district while meeting the applicant's needs.