Members of the Historic District Commission have sharply reduced the use of site visits, but a site visit at 226 Spring St. helped commissioners decide on an application to use galvanized wire panels as a handrail.
Arlene Arquizu had appeared at the Sept. 6 HDC meeting to request the material as a railing for a new walkway from the second floor to a hillside retaining wall. Commissioners did not object to the walkway, but they postponed a decision on the railing material pending a site visit.
Last week, Arquizu returned to the commission. Not all the commissioners made the site visit, but they all agreed that the proposed material was inappropriate for a contributing structure on Spring St. The house dates back to 1886.
The HDC had allowed the use of similar panels in the past, but that approval came for a non-contributing property on Center Street. Arquizu told commissioners she hoped to minimize the amount of handrail material to maximize available light coming into that part of the building. She said the wire would be almost entirely invisible from the street, although she acknowledged that a portion of the material would be visible.
The commissioners asked if Arquizu had considered other material, including powder-coated metal. She did not presently have an alternative, and her application was rejected by a 4-0 vote.
Commissioners approved the other applications before them on Sept. 20. Jim and Julie Rogers submitted plans for a new single-family residence at 56 Mountain St. The plans call for a footprint with 2,300 square feet. The exterior will combine wood, stone, and stucco. Commissioner Frank Green took some time for a detailed examination of the plans, right down to the dog door. The plan was approved, but commissioners asked that the driveway and sidewalks be stamped concrete. Contractor Travis Holloway was on hand for the discussion, and he readily agreed to that stipulation.
Another new-construction project received approval. James Marple asked to build 600 square foot buildings on adjacent lots at 1A and 1B Cross St. He plans to live in one of the buildings and offer the other as a monthly rental. The commissioners reviewed the proposed materials and added a stipulation regarding siding. The application had suggested using either a T-111 plywood siding with grooves or creating a board-and-batten appearance by adding wood strips over plywood siding, and the commissioners opted for the board-and-batten look.
In other business:
- At 28 Fairmount St., Mark Anderson showed his plans to repair an existing sidewalk and add a new section of sidewalk. He also planned a short section of driveway and a parking pad. The property dates to 1904, and is considered contributing, and commissioners immediately asked about stamping the concrete for historical appearances.
Henderson replied that the existing sidewalk was not stamped, and it was already in place when he bought the house several years ago. He also noted that other sidewalks in the neighborhood were not stamped, and commissioners approved the project without the requirement for stamping. Henderson then explained that he was repairing a section of sidewalk on an exposed corner, where trucks navigating the corner have driven over the sidewalk. He asked about installing a post or other means of protecting that corner. He will approach Public Works about installing a sign, and if that request fails he will return to the commission to ask about installing a barrier himself.
- Board member LeRoy Gorrell represented the Carnegie Library, with a request to modify a certificate of approval granted in April of this year. The library is adding a fire escape, and the earlier approval called for iron tube railings. The library received approval to change the material to welded wire. Commissioner Peter Graham initially voted against the request, but changed his vote after considering how the material would fit with other existing material.
- At 8 Angle St., Marsha Goodwin asked to add a 28 by 10-foot deck and extend a porch by seven feet. Her project was approved, but not before some mild confrontations at the table regarding the use of so-called “hog wire” as a railing.
- During commissioner comments, Graham asked about ways the commission could “bridge the gap with people who feel nervous to come before them.” City Historic Preservation Officer Kyle Palmer said he does whatever he can during the application process to keep people informed. “That goes a long way to help,” he said.
- The HDC will next meet at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 4. Level III applications were due Sept. 21, and Level II applications were due Sept. 27.