At the Sept. 21 Historic District Commission meeting, contractor Penny Pemberton represented the application by owners of the Cat House to build a stage and audience area in a space south of their establishment. Pemberton said the project includes building a 27-inch limestone wall parallel to Main Street. A fence atop the wall will be like other fences on the property.
Pemberton would also resurface the audience area and build the stage on 12-inch pillars.
Commissioners noted the stage and audience area would be between the Cat House, a contributing building, and the non-contributing building next door. The project would not affect the historic status of the contributing building.
Chair Dee Bright read into the record a letter from the board of the Eureka Springs Historical Museum, which is across the street from the Cat House. Their letter claims the noise level coming from music at the Cat House already rattles the windows of the historic Califf House, and the effects of the new stage would further degrade that section of South Main.
Commissioner Melissa Greene pointed out the responsibility of HDC is to approve or disapprove of the design concept, not to consider the effects of noise as a result of the application. That job would be for the Planning Commission.
The vote was unanimous to approve the design concept of the application.
Commissioners approved these three items on the Consent Agenda:
- 95 S. Main – new paint colors
- 14 White – mural on garage door
- 107 W. Van Buren – revise approved application to keep marquee
Consent Agenda items are Level I applications that the City Preservation Officer believes to be in accordance with the design guidelines.
Bright presented these Administrative Approvals, which are applications for repair or work involving no changes in materials or color but which include changes in roofing color.
- 4 Prospect – repair damaged siding and trim on porch, house, garage
- 26 Eureka – re-paint
- 40 Pine – re-roof
- 9 Benton – re-roof
- 515 Spring – re-roof
- 2 Linwood – re-roof, repair siding/soffit, window panes
Next meeting will be Wednesday, October 5, at 6 p.m.