After a site visit and a special meeting, the Historic District Commission approved a plan to demolish a garage to provide access for expansion of an electrical substation.
The application had been initially considered at the Aug. 16 HDC meeting, but commissioners put off a decision pending a site visit. The HDC and the Planning Commission have both reduced the use of site visits, but commissioners decided that a site visit would lead to a more informed decision.
SWEPCO asked to remove a garage from a property adjacent to the substation. James Ball represented American Electrical Power, and explained that SWEPCO had purchased the property at 322 Dairy Hollow Rd. The historic house on that site would not be affected, but removing the garage would provide access to the area of the substation scheduled for expansion. Ball said SWEPCO would otherwise face a larger expense to excavate another access to the area.
Ball answered a series of questions about the project. He said the substation was built in the 1960s, and the design process for this expansion has taken several years. The garage lies close to the fence with the substation, and Ball said he would want to remove the structure for safety reasons.
The removal would also provide ready access to the construction area, and Ball reminded commissioners that extra costs would be passed along on utility bills. Although the project would not affect transmission lines, Ball said the station would be “more stable and reliable.”
A letter from Building Inspector Jacob Coburn made the decision easier. Coburn noted that none of the roof supports would meet current codes, and he also noted some significant weather deterioration. He recommended demolishing the structure. After a question about moving the garage instead of demolishing it, Ball explained that the structure has already seen significant alterations, removing any historical contributions.
Commissioners approved the demolition of the garage and an ancillary building. They added a requirement for preserving a rock wall, and SWEPCO was given 30 days to submit a preservation plan for the house on the site.