The Historic District Commission approved two applications in a short meeting last week.
At 2 Mill Hollow Rd., Derek Drouillard and Robbin Polter received approval to build two accessory buildings. A workshop will have garage doors and a footprint 24×36 feet. An art studio will have a footprint 12×20 feet. The buildings will have cedar siding.
Jay and Dixie Stark received approval for a variety of exterior changes at 61 Peerless St. The application called for replacing two exterior doors with windows and changing a window to a door to provide access to a new deck at the rear of the house. The plan also called for adding a railing to the front porch.
Cassie Dishman, director of Planning and Community Development, clarified some of the issues surrounding this application. She said HDC guidelines would ordinarily prevent swapping out doors and windows, but this property only dates to 1975. Because of its location, the property would never be considered contributing.
Chair Dee Bright added her perspective, noting that the commission considers how planned changes will fit with a neighborhood.
The HDC will next meet at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 3. Level III applications were due Nov. 20, and Level II applications are due Nov. 26. Dishman announced that she will be out of her office during Thanksgiving week, but any applications received by 5 p.m. on Nov. 26 will be accepted. City offices were scheduled to close on Thanksgiving and Friday.
Commissioners discussed whether to hold a second meeting in December, which would fall on Dec. 17. Many city meetings are typically cancelled in the second half of December, although the HDC held a meeting on Dec. 18 last year.