Board of Architectural Review

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Board of Architectural Review held a meeting on September 21, 2022. The board addressed three main agenda items during the session, including the review of meeting minutes from February 16, 2022, consideration of Certificate of Appropriateness Applications, and informational conceptual reviews. The board took a total of 9 votes throughout the meeting and heard 1 public comment. The meeting resulted in the approval of both the February meeting minutes and the Certificate of Appropriateness Applications, while the conceptual reviews were presented for informational purposes only.

Votes and Decisions

The board approved nine certificates of appropriateness during the September 21, 2022 meeting. All votes were conducted by voice vote and passed unanimously.

Certificate Approvals:

• 07041016-a: Approved certificate of appropriateness for 1016 Fincastle Road with two standard conditions regarding changes and reviews

• 02960731: Approved certificate of appropriateness for 731 Caden Lane with two standard conditions regarding changes and reviews

• 17310418-t: Approved certificate of appropriateness for 418 West Sixth Street with two standard conditions regarding changes and reviews

• 08150120: Approved certificate of appropriateness for 120 Goodrich Avenue with the condition to move the left wall of the porch a minimum of one foot from the corner of the historic structure, plus two standard conditions

• 13971835-b: Approved certificate of appropriateness for 1835 Nicholasville Road with two standard conditions regarding changes and reviews

• 06381601-f: Approved certificate of appropriateness for 1601 Elizabeth Street with two standard conditions regarding changes and reviews

• 06381605-e: Approved certificate of appropriateness for 1605 Elizabeth Street with the condition to reduce the fence height from 8 feet to 6 feet, plus two standard conditions

• 09300120-d: Approved certificate of appropriateness for 114, 116, and 120 West High Street, 308 and 320 South Upper with the condition to resubmit the signage to the board for approval of signage size and type, plus two standard conditions

• 12270642-e: Approved certificate of appropriateness for 642 West Main Street with two standard conditions regarding changes and reviews

All motions passed by voice vote with no recorded opposition. Specific vote counts and individual board member positions were not documented for these voice votes. Transcript timestamps were not available for the individual votes in the provided materials.

Public Comment

One member of the public addressed the board during the public comment period.

Barbara Edelman spoke in opposition to the proposed addition at 128 South Ashland Avenue. She expressed concerns about the scale and size of the proposed addition, arguing that it would be inappropriate for the historic district and incompatible with the original bungalow structure. Edelman's comments focused on the potential impact the addition would have on the character and integrity of the historic property and surrounding neighborhood.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps were not available for this public comment period.*

Contested Items

Two applications faced significant community opposition during the meeting, both raising concerns about appropriateness and scale within the historic district.

Solar Panel Installation at 137 South Hanover Avenue

The proposed installation of solar panels on the front porch of 137 South Hanover Avenue drew community opposition due to visibility concerns. Residents and board members expressed concerns that the front porch placement would make the panels highly visible from the street, potentially compromising the historic character of the property. The opposition centered on existing guidelines that prohibit solar panel installations in such prominent locations where they would detract from the building's historic appearance.

Addition at 128 South Ashland Avenue

The proposed addition to the property at 128 South Ashland Avenue faced criticism from community members who argued that the planned structure was too large and out of scale with the existing historic bungalow. Opponents contended that the addition would overwhelm the original building's proportions and character, failing to maintain the appropriate relationship between new construction and the historic structure. The concerns focused on the size and scale of the proposed addition relative to the existing bungalow's architectural integrity.

Both contested items highlight ongoing tensions between property owners' desires for modifications and the community's commitment to preserving the historic district's character and architectural guidelines. The opposition in both cases centered on fundamental preservation principles regarding visibility, scale, and appropriateness of alterations to historic properties.

Review of minutes for February 16, 2022

The board reviewed the minutes from their February 16, 2022 meeting during this agenda item. The review process included examining the previously distributed minutes for accuracy and completeness.

During the discussion, corrections were identified and addressed to ensure the minutes accurately reflected the proceedings of the February 16, 2022 meeting. The specific nature of these corrections was not detailed in the available materials.

Following the review and incorporation of necessary corrections, the board voted to approve the amended minutes from the February 16, 2022 meeting. The approval allows these minutes to serve as the official record of that meeting's proceedings.

The agenda item was completed with the successful approval of the corrected minutes, fulfilling the board's procedural requirement to formally adopt meeting records.

Certificate of Appropriateness Applications

The board reviewed several applications for certificates of appropriateness for property modifications within historic districts during this agenda item. These applications require board approval to ensure proposed changes comply with historic preservation standards and maintain the character of designated historic areas.

The discussion covered various types of modifications to properties located in historic districts, with board members evaluating each application against established preservation guidelines. The review process involved examining the proposed changes to determine their appropriateness and compatibility with the historic character of the surrounding area.

Board members considered factors such as architectural compatibility, materials, scale, and the overall impact of the proposed modifications on the historic integrity of both individual properties and the broader historic district. The applications likely included requests for exterior alterations, additions, or other modifications that require special approval in historic areas.

Following their review and discussion of the various applications, the board approved the certificates of appropriateness. This approval allows the property owners to proceed with their proposed modifications while ensuring compliance with historic preservation standards.

The approval of these applications demonstrates the board's commitment to balancing property owners' needs for modifications with the preservation of historic character in designated districts. Each approved certificate represents a determination that the proposed changes will not adversely affect the historic significance or visual character of the properties or surrounding historic area.

Conceptual Reviews

The board conducted conceptual reviews for three proposed development projects during this portion of the meeting. These preliminary reviews allow developers to present their initial concepts and receive feedback before submitting formal applications.

The conceptual reviews covered the following properties:

• 128 South Ashland Avenue - Details of the proposed project and discussion were presented for board consideration.

• 326 South Broadway - A development concept was reviewed, with board members providing initial feedback on the proposal.

• 1605 Elizabeth Street - The third project received conceptual review, allowing for early input on the development plans.

Conceptual reviews serve as an informational process where developers can gauge board receptiveness to their proposals and identify potential issues before investing in detailed architectural plans and formal applications. These sessions typically involve presentations of preliminary site plans, building concepts, and project scope, followed by board discussion and guidance.

The outcome of this agenda item was informational, meaning no formal votes or binding decisions were made. Instead, the reviews provided developers with preliminary feedback to help shape their projects before returning with complete applications for official consideration.

*Note: Specific details about individual project presentations, speaker comments, and particular concerns raised during the conceptual reviews were not available in the provided meeting materials.*