HDC grants two approvals but retains a wall

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In the past three and a half years, the Historic District Commission has only rejected six applications out of 850. Last week, they added to that short list, refusing to allow a resident of N. Main Street to remove part of a retaining wall.

Jason Thomas asked commissioners to approve demolishing a one-car garage at 216 N. Main. He also asked to increase the opening in a waist-high retaining wall from 12 feet to 24, to allow parking two cars off the street. The house dates to 1890 and is considered contributing, but the garage was built much later.

Commissioners read a letter from Building Inspector Bobby Ray, describing a structure in poor condition. Ray said the roof would require extensive repair and the walls have shifted. The pony wall of poured concrete shows evidence of some deterioration, and Ray said excavating the exterior to determine its integrity would be “a significant hardship on the owner.”

Commissioners had no objection to demolishing the garage but drew a hard line on the request to cut into the retaining wall. Thomas mentioned the importance of off-street parking in that area, but guidelines state that “stone, brick, or concrete retaining walls that are original to the site must be preserved and maintained.” Although Thomas planned to use any stones removed from the retaining wall to line the parking pad, commissioners demanded the wall remain intact.

Commissioner Randy Maddox asked if Thomas could keep the existing opening and excavate behind it to create two parking spots. Maddox suggested the proposed size of the parking pad, 24 feet square, could easily be reduced to 20 feet in width.

Commissioner Steve Holifield suggested that Thomas return after drawing up plans for the modified parking pad, but others at the table were willing to grant him some latitude. As Thomas explained, he will have to work around the terrain and buried boulders.

A tree is growing alongside the garage, and Thomas will have to apply to the Board of Zoning Adjustment before removing it.

The other two items before the HDC received quick approval. Garrett Apple, at 182 W. Van Buren St., has two a wooden privacy fence on two sides of his back yard. He received permission to enclose the remaining side of the yard with a matching fence.

At 24 Elk St., Chris Engholm will be allowed to restore the wooden railing on his lower level porch. The house is contributing, and dates to 1909. A 1980 picture shows the lower level with a railing to match the upper level. Engholm will also perform some repairs to the porch columns.

With the evening’s applications completed, the commissioners took turns reading a series of newspaper ads into the record. The ads emphasized the point that under state law, only a historic district commission can protect historic buildings.

The commission will meet next at 6 p.m. on Nov. 4. Applications for Levels I and II are due Oct. 29. The deadline for Level III applications was Oct. 22.