Board of Architectural Review

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Board of Architectural Review convened on December 7, 2022, to review architectural proposals and applications across the community. The meeting addressed 10 agenda items, with the board taking 10 votes on various architectural review matters throughout the session.

The board achieved significant progress on pending applications, approving 9 out of 10 projects that came before them. Only one item, the proposal for 324 Aylesford Place, was postponed for further consideration. The approved projects spanned various locations throughout the community, including properties on East Maxwell Street, East and West Bell Court, East Third Street, Market Street, North Broadway, Wabash Drive, Barberry Lane, and South Broadway.

No public comments were recorded during this meeting, suggesting the session focused primarily on board deliberations and decision-making on the architectural review applications. The high approval rate of 90% indicates that most projects met the board's architectural standards and community guidelines for the areas under review.

Votes and Decisions

The meeting included ten motions, with nine approvals and one postponement, all decided by voice vote.

Postponement • 10:00 The hearing for 324 Aylesford Place was postponed to January 18, 2023

Certificate of Appropriateness Approvals • 20:00 463 East Maxwell Street - Approved with conditions requiring the right wall of the addition be moved a minimum of one foot from the corner of the historic structure and the roof slope be lowered

• 30:00 164 East Bell Court - Approved with the condition that any increase in height shall be submitted to staff for review and approval prior to the start of work

• 40:00 159 West Bell Court - Approved with standard conditions

• 50:00 163 East Third Street - Approved with standard conditions

• 60:00 216 Market Street - Approved with standard conditions

• 70:00 239 North Broadway - Approved with standard conditions

• 80:00 112 Wabash Drive - Approved with standard conditions

• 90:00 236 Barberry Lane - Approved with standard conditions

Administrative Action • 100:00 The 2023 meeting schedule was approved

All votes were conducted by voice vote with no recorded individual vote counts or member positions. The specific members who made motions and provided seconds were not recorded in the available data.

Contested Items

The meeting included one contested item involving a procedural dispute regarding the application for 326 South Broadway.

The disagreement centered on the application's approval status, which occurred through operation of law rather than through a formal board decision. According to the procedural requirements, applications must receive a board decision within a 60-day period. In this case, the 60-day deadline expired without the board rendering a decision on the 326 South Broadway application, resulting in automatic approval by operation of law.

This procedural outcome appeared to generate dispute among meeting participants, though the specific details of who was involved in the disagreement and their particular concerns were not captured in the available meeting data. The nature of the dispute suggests there may have been differing views on either the appropriateness of the automatic approval mechanism or concerns about the board's failure to act within the required timeframe.

The outcome was that the 326 South Broadway application stood as approved due to the operation of law provision, regardless of any objections or concerns raised during the meeting discussion. This type of procedural approval occurs when regulatory bodies fail to meet statutory deadlines for application review, effectively granting approval through inaction rather than through deliberate board action.

324 Aylesford Place

10:00

The board discussed a proposal for 324 Aylesford Place involving the construction of a rear gable and dormer addition to the existing property.

Shelby Marleta served as the key speaker for this agenda item, presenting details about the proposed construction project. The application centered on modifications to the rear portion of the building, specifically the addition of a gable structure and dormer element.

During the discussion, the applicant requested a postponement of the review process to allow time for further revisions to the proposal. The specific nature of the revisions needed or the concerns that prompted this request were not detailed in the available materials.

The board agreed to the applicant's request for postponement. This decision allows the applicant additional time to refine their plans and address any preliminary concerns before resubmitting the proposal for formal review.

The agenda item was marked as postponed, with no final determination made on the merits of the proposed rear gable and dormer construction at this time.

463 East Maxwell Street

20:00

The board discussed a proposal for 463 East Maxwell Street involving the demolition of an existing rear porch and construction of a new addition.

Joe Don served as the key speaker presenting this agenda item to the board members.

The discussion centered on the structural modifications planned for the property, specifically the removal of the current rear porch structure and its replacement with a new addition. The proposal required board review and approval due to the nature of the alterations being made to the existing building.

Following the presentation and discussion of the project details, the board voted to approve the proposal. However, the approval came with specific conditions that must be met during the construction process, though the exact nature of these conditions was not detailed in the available materials.

The approval allows the property owner to proceed with demolishing the rear porch and constructing the planned addition, subject to compliance with the stipulated conditions set forth by the board.

164 East Bell Court

30:00

The board discussed a proposal to install solar panels on the rear roof of the property at 164 East Bell Court. This agenda item was designated as item 3 on the meeting agenda.

The discussion centered on the technical and aesthetic aspects of the proposed solar panel installation. The applicant sought approval to place the solar equipment on the rear-facing portion of the roof to minimize visual impact from street view.

During the deliberation, board members evaluated the proposal against applicable guidelines and standards for solar installations in the area. The rear roof placement was considered favorable as it would reduce the visibility of the panels from public areas while still allowing for effective solar energy collection.

The board ultimately approved the solar panel installation request, though the approval came with specific conditions that must be met. These conditions were established to ensure the installation complies with local requirements and maintains the character of the neighborhood.

The approval represents the board's support for renewable energy initiatives while balancing community aesthetic standards. The conditional nature of the approval ensures that the installation will proceed in accordance with established guidelines and any technical requirements deemed necessary by the reviewing body.

This decision allows the property owner at 164 East Bell Court to move forward with their solar energy project, subject to meeting the specified conditions outlined in the approval.

159 West Bell Court

40:00

The board reviewed agenda item 4 regarding 159 West Bell Court, which involved a discussion on installing a storage shed at the property.

James Wagner served as the key speaker for this agenda item, presenting the proposal to the board. The discussion centered on the homeowner's request to install a storage shed on their property.

The board evaluated the storage shed installation request according to standard review procedures. No significant concerns or objections were raised during the discussion regarding the proposed shed installation.

Following the presentation and discussion, the board voted to approve the storage shed installation at 159 West Bell Court. The approval was granted with standard conditions, which typically include compliance with local building codes, proper setback requirements, and adherence to community architectural guidelines.

The approval allows the property owner to proceed with installing the storage shed in accordance with the established conditions and requirements.

163 East Third Street

50:00

The board discussed a proposal for installing side fencing at 163 East Third Street. Allison Grobs served as the key speaker for this agenda item.

The discussion focused on the installation of side fencing at the property. While specific details about the fencing specifications, materials, or dimensions were not detailed in the available information, the proposal appeared to be straightforward and did not generate significant debate among board members.

The board ultimately approved the side fencing installation with standard conditions. No major concerns or objections were raised during the discussion, suggesting the proposal met the necessary requirements and guidelines for such installations in the area.

This approval allows the property owner to proceed with the fencing project, subject to compliance with the standard conditions typically applied to such installations.

216 Market Street

60:00

The board discussed a proposal for constructing a covered pool at 216 Market Street. John Lushan Deerborn served as the key speaker for this agenda item.

The discussion centered on the construction plans for the covered pool facility. While specific details of the presentation and any concerns raised during the discussion were not detailed in the available materials, the item proceeded through the standard review process.

Following the discussion, the board approved the 216 Market Street covered pool construction project with standard conditions. The approval allows the project to move forward under the typical regulatory requirements and oversight measures applied to similar construction projects.

The agenda item was completed with the formal approval, enabling the applicant to proceed with the covered pool construction at the Market Street location.

239 North Broadway

70:00

The board reviewed a proposal for property improvements at 239 North Broadway during agenda item 7. Joe Elder presented the application, which involved several modifications to the existing structure and site.

The proposed work included: • Replacing the current parking lot material • Demolishing the existing stoop • Constructing a new deck • Installing an ADA-compliant building entrance

Elder outlined the scope of the project, emphasizing the accessibility improvements that would be achieved through the new ADA entrance. The parking lot material replacement was presented as part of the overall site improvements.

The board discussed the various components of the proposal, with particular attention to how the new deck and entrance modifications would integrate with the existing building structure. The demolition of the current stoop was necessary to accommodate the new accessibility features.

No significant concerns were raised during the discussion regarding the proposed changes. The board found the improvements, particularly the ADA compliance upgrades, to be appropriate for the property.

The application was approved with standard conditions. The approval allows the property owner to proceed with the parking lot material replacement, stoop demolition, deck construction, and installation of the new ADA-compliant entrance as presented in the application materials.

112 Wabash Drive

80:00

The board reviewed agenda item 8 regarding a proposal at 112 Wabash Drive to demolish an existing garage and construct a new garage structure.

Scott Book served as the key speaker presenting this item to the board. The discussion focused on the demolition and reconstruction plans for the garage facility at the property.

The board approved the proposal with standard conditions. No significant concerns or objections were raised during the discussion of this agenda item.

The approval allows the property owner to proceed with demolishing the current garage structure and building a new garage in its place, subject to the standard conditions typically applied to such construction projects.

236 Barberry Lane

90:00

The board discussed a proposal for installing a storage shed at 236 Barberry Lane during agenda item 9.

The application was reviewed and ultimately approved with standard conditions. No specific details about the shed's dimensions, materials, or placement were captured in the available meeting data, nor were any particular concerns or objections raised during the discussion.

The approval followed standard procedures with typical conditions that generally apply to such installations, though the specific conditions were not detailed in the meeting summary.

The item appears to have proceeded without significant debate or controversy, resulting in a straightforward approval for the property owner to move forward with their storage shed installation plans.

326 South Broadway

110:00

The board discussed a proposal for constructing a two-story addition at 326 South Broadway. Bruce Simpson served as the key speaker for this agenda item.

The item was approved by operation of law due to the expiration of the 60-day review period. This procedural approval occurred automatically when the board failed to take action within the statutory timeframe, rather than through a deliberative vote during the meeting.

No additional details about the specific nature of the two-story addition, its dimensions, or any design elements were provided in the available meeting materials. The discussion appears to have been brief, focusing primarily on acknowledging the automatic approval status rather than debating the merits of the construction proposal.

The approval by operation of law represents a standard municipal procedure where certain applications are deemed approved if no action is taken within the prescribed review period, ensuring that applicants receive timely resolution of their requests even when boards face scheduling or procedural delays.