Board of Architectural Review

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Board of Architectural Review convened on January 17, 2024, at 101 East Lime Street, Room 220. The board reviewed five agenda items involving various residential and commercial property modifications throughout the jurisdiction. During the meeting, the board conducted six motions and votes on the proposed projects, with no public comments recorded during the proceedings.

The board approved four of the five projects presented, including residential additions, demolitions, signage installation, and solar panel installation. One agenda item at 291 South Ashland Avenue received mixed results, with portions of the proposal approved while other elements were postponed for further consideration. All approved projects involved modifications to existing structures, ranging from garage demolitions to dormer enlargements and the installation of renewable energy systems.

Attendance

Present: • Paul Lee • John Book • Chris Beneset • John Shepherd • Jill Rappaport • Eli Crane

Absent: • Emily

Late: • None

Six members were present for the January 17, 2024 meeting, with one member absent.

Votes and Decisions

The meeting included six motions related to Certificates of Appropriateness for various properties. All votes were conducted by voice vote rather than roll call.

361 Linden Walk 0:00 The Chair moved to approve the Certificate of Appropriateness for 361 Linden Walk with conditions. The motion passed by voice vote. The approval included the condition that the applicant must submit final door and window details and specifications to staff for review and approval.

157 West Bell Court 0:00 The Chair moved to approve the Certificate of Appropriateness for 157 West Bell Court with standard conditions. The motion passed by voice vote. The approval was subject to the standard two conditions.

2986 Cadentown Road 0:00 The Chair moved to approve the Certificate of Appropriateness for 2986 Cadentown Road with standard conditions. The motion passed by voice vote. The approval was subject to the standard two conditions.

154 Wabash Drive 0:00 The Chair moved to approve the Certificate of Appropriateness for 154 Wabash Drive with standard conditions. The motion passed by voice vote. The approval was subject to the standard two conditions.

291 South Ashland Avenue - Postponement 0:00 A motion was made to postpone the review of demolition of rear porch, removal of tree, and new window at 291 South Ashland Avenue. The postponement passed by voice vote, with the item rescheduled to December 19, 2024.

291 South Ashland Avenue - Dormer and Door 0:00 A separate motion was made to approve the dormer and man door at 291 South Ashland Avenue. This motion passed by voice vote with no conditions attached.

All motions that were voted upon passed unanimously, though specific vote counts were not recorded for the voice votes.

Contested Items

The meeting featured one significant contested item that generated heated discussion among board members.

Demolition of rear porch and removal of tree at 291 South Ashland Avenue

The board engaged in extensive debate regarding a proposal to demolish a rear porch and remove a sycamore tree at 291 South Ashland Avenue. The disagreement centered on the historic significance of both the architectural feature and the mature tree on the property.

Board members were divided on whether the porch held sufficient historical value to warrant preservation, with some arguing for its architectural merit while others questioned its contribution to the property's overall historic character. The sycamore tree removal also sparked controversy, as members debated the balance between property owner rights and environmental preservation considerations.

The discussion became particularly heated as board members presented conflicting assessments of the porch's historical importance and the necessity of the tree removal. Rather than proceeding with an immediate vote that might have resulted in a contentious decision, the board ultimately chose to postpone the demolition request.

The outcome was a decision to delay action on the demolition proposal to allow for additional study and evaluation of both the porch's historic significance and alternatives to tree removal. This postponement will provide time for further research and potentially allow for compromise solutions that could address the property owner's needs while preserving historically or environmentally significant elements of the site.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps are not available for this contested item discussion.*

361 Linden Walk: Demolish addition, construct addition

0:00 The board reviewed an application for 361 Linden Walk to demolish an existing addition and construct a new addition in its place.

Paul Lee presented the proposal to the board during the discussion. The application involved removing the current addition structure and replacing it with a new addition to the property.

Following the presentation and board discussion, the application received approval with conditions. The specific conditions attached to the approval were not detailed in the available meeting materials, but the board determined that the proposed demolition and construction project could move forward subject to these requirements.

The approval allows the property owner to proceed with demolishing the existing addition and constructing the new addition as proposed, contingent upon meeting the conditions set forth by the board.

157 West Bell Court: Demolish garage

0:00

The board reviewed an application to demolish a garage at 157 West Bell Court. John Book presented the item for consideration.

The application requested permission to demolish an existing garage structure on the property. The discussion focused on the proposed demolition and whether it met the necessary requirements and standards.

Following the presentation and review, the board approved the demolition application with standard conditions. No significant concerns or objections were raised during the discussion of this item.

The approval allows the property owner to proceed with the garage demolition in accordance with applicable regulations and any conditions specified by the board.

2986 Cadentown Road: Install signage

0:00 The board reviewed an application for signage installation at 2986 Cadentown Road during agenda item 3.

Chris Beneset served as the key speaker for this agenda item, presenting the signage application to the board for consideration.

The discussion centered on a request to install signage at the Cadentown Road location. While specific details about the proposed signage design, dimensions, or purpose were not detailed in the available materials, the application underwent standard review procedures.

Following the presentation and discussion, the board moved to approve the signage application. The approval came with standard conditions, which typically include compliance with local signage ordinances, proper permitting requirements, and adherence to established design guidelines for the area.

The application was ultimately approved, allowing the property owner to proceed with the signage installation at 2986 Cadentown Road, subject to meeting the standard conditions set forth by the board.

154 Wabash Drive: Install solar panels

0:00

The board reviewed an application for the installation of solar panels at 154 Wabash Drive during agenda item 4. The discussion focused on a residential solar panel installation project that required municipal approval.

The application was presented as a standard solar panel installation request. Based on the available information, the proposal appeared to meet typical requirements for residential solar installations in the jurisdiction.

The board conducted their review of the application materials and determined that the proposed solar panel installation complied with applicable regulations and standards. No significant concerns or objections were raised during the discussion of this agenda item.

Following their review, the board approved the application for solar panel installation at 154 Wabash Drive. The approval was granted with standard conditions that typically accompany such installations, which may include compliance with building codes, electrical safety requirements, and any relevant zoning or aesthetic guidelines.

The approval allows the property owner to proceed with the solar panel installation project at the Wabash Drive location, subject to meeting the standard conditions attached to the approval.

291 South Ashland Avenue: Enlarge dormer, demolish and construct porch; change openings in a garage

0:00

The commission reviewed an application for 291 South Ashland Avenue involving multiple modifications to the property, including enlarging a dormer, demolishing and constructing a porch, and changing openings in a garage.

Key speakers during the discussion included John Shepherd and Jill Rappaport, who presented details about the proposed alterations to the property.

The commission reached a split decision on the various components of the application. The proposal to enlarge the dormer received approval, as did the installation of a man door. However, other aspects of the project were not immediately approved.

The remaining elements of the application, which included the porch demolition and construction work as well as additional garage opening modifications, were postponed for further study. This suggests the commission required additional time to review these particular aspects of the proposal, possibly due to concerns about their impact on the property's historic character or compliance with preservation guidelines.

The partial approval allows the property owner to proceed with the dormer enlargement and man door installation while the commission continues to evaluate the other proposed changes. This approach enables some progress on the project while ensuring thorough review of the more complex or potentially problematic elements.

The postponement indicates the commission's commitment to careful consideration of all proposed alterations, particularly those that may significantly impact the property's appearance or historical integrity.