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HomeMy Public PortalAbout05-01-2019 Minutes HDC Regular MeetingPage 1 of 6 Minutes Historic District Commission 7 p.m. May 1, 2019 Town Hall Annex Board Meeting Room, 105 E. Corbin St. Present: Chair Reid Highley, Max Dowdle, Jill Heilman, Laura Simmons, Virginia Smith and Will Spoon Absent: Candice Cobb Staff: Town Attorney Bob Hornik and Planner Justin Snyder Guests: John Beerman, Marabeth Carr, Josh Collins, Mike Hammersley, David Hays and Fred Stewart 1.Call to order, roll call, and confirmation of quorum Chair Reid Highley called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. Planner Justin Snyder called the roll and confirmed the presence of a quorum. 2.Reading of the commission’s mission statement Highley read the statement. 3.Adjustments to the agenda Snyder added a brief discussion about lighting and murals under Item 7. 4.Minutes review and approval A.Minutes from the regular meeting April 3, 2019. Snyder noted that the audio recording stopped at 8:11 p.m. Motion: Commission Member Virginia Smith moved to approve the minutes as submitted. Commission Member Jill Heilman seconded. Vote: 6-0 Changes: None. 5.Old business There was none. 6.New business A.Certificate of Appropriateness Application: River Park — CRA Inc., on behalf of Orange County, requests approval of a new steel bus shelter along the Churton Street right of way, demolition of an existing sidewalk, construction of a new wood amphitheater, extension of a walkway to the walking trail, installation of steel railings and construction of a rain garden, ADA-accessible ramp and retaining walls at River Park (PIN: 9874-05-8688). Motion: Heilman moved to open the public hearing. Commission Member Max Dowdle seconded. Vote: 6-0 Highley asked commission members whether they had any conflicts of interest regarding this application. No one did. Page 2 of 6 Mike Hammersley, with CRA, was sworn in. Snyder reviewed the staff report for this application. Hammersley said the design is intended to match the details around the courthouse and Farmers’ Market Pavilion. Highley asked whether there was anyone present to speak for or against the application. David Hays was sworn in. Hays said he is the co-chair of the Hillsborough Arts Council. He said one of the council’s large annual events is the River Park Concert, which draws about 6,000 to 7,000 visitors and has an economic impact on Hillsborough of about $100,000. He said the council does not believe the proposed location of the stage is optimal. He suggested more time be taken to put the stage in the right location. Highley asked for questions or comments about the proposed bus shelter first. Hammersley said there would not be advertising on the bus shelter. There would be a posted schedule. The board then addressed the stairs, path, retaining wall and rain garden. The retaining wall would be concrete with brick facing. It would be no taller than 5 feet. No vegetation is proposed to be planted next to the wall, which would retain a steep bank. The board agreed to require a tree be planted to replace the 14-inch pecan tree that would be removed, and it was suggested that the replacement tree be planted in a place which would provide shade to park visitors. Regarding the bollards, Hammersley said four or five bollards would be placed from the base of the steps to the amphitheater. The bollards would be 3 or 4 feet tall. Stage lighting would only be used during an event. There would be emergency exit lighting on the stage. Hammersley said the bollards would likely only be illuminating when an event was taking place. The board decided to make a condition that the exact location of the bollards be reviewed by staff. Regarding the amphitheater, it was noted that the large spans at the Farmers’ Market Pavilion are also made of laminated wood. Smith said she visited the site and was struck by how beautiful the natural setting is at the proposed location. She referred to pages 50-51 of the Hillsborough Historic District Guidelines regarding retaining and preserving features that contribute to the character of the district. She said that the uninterrupted vista at this site is a feature that should be preserved. Her preference would be a temporary stage structure that could also possibly be used in the Whitted Human Services Building for performances. Heilman asked why Orange County preferred this location within the park. Hammersley answered that the county’s parks and recreation staff are showing outdoor movies in roughly this location. Also, a permanent stage would have to be built outside the floodplain, which limits locations within the park. Marabeth Carr, a landscape architect with Orange County, was sworn in. Carr said the original master plan for River Park showed the amphitheater in this location. The county had considered different locations. She said the parks and recreation staff prefer it in this location. She also noted that a significant amount of electricity has been added near the Farmers’ Market Pavilion, so one could place a temporary stage there. Carr said the permanent location was chosen to avoid the floodplain and to use the natural elevation for optimal view by the audience. She also said that parks and recreation staff prefer to keep the field in the park open for the annual egg hunt and other happenings. Carr said they have also consulted with different users over the years. Some people preferred it Page 3 of 6 where the large pecan is located. She said people discussed permanent versus temporary. She said installing a temporary stage messes up the lawn if the ground is at all wet. Hays was asked what the Arts Council thinks is the best location. Hays said a stage has been rented for five years for the River Park Concert. The concert organizers have indicated with a red line on a map where they think the optimal location is. Josh Collins was sworn in. He said the area where he installs the temporary stage for the River Park Concert is near the three small trees. He said the biggest issue with placing the stage in the county’s preferred location is the loss of a sight line. He thinks that the area for the audience would be cut in half in the county’s preferred location and that the River Park Concert would need to take place elsewhere. He said $100,000 was the organizers’ best estimate for the economic impact and noted that restaurants were full the day of the concert. He noted that the proposed location would block the sunset. He added that it rained for about a week before the last River Park Concert; there were no tread or track marks from the stage installation, but there was from one of the band vans that drove to the stage against the organizers’ wishes. The River Park Concert organizers prefer to rent a stage. Snyder said the disruption to the audience is out of the purview of this board. Carr said she has a limited budget, so even with approval, the stage might not get built. She would like approval for the stage to include it in the package she plans to send out to bid. Fred Stewart, a local architect, was sworn in. He asked about the orientation and was told the audience would be looking south in the proposed location. When asked, Hammersley said the county does not have detailed drawings or elevations yet that include the proposed stage. John Beerman was sworn in. He said he has been to many amphitheaters and the most beautiful ones are open and simple. A simple design could allow a gathering spot with a vista. Snyder suggested the storage could be somewhere else on site and not attached to the stage. Carr said parks and recreation staff thought that users needed room to change clothes. Snyder suggested dressing rooms could be temporary such as tents. Carr said no restrooms are planned at this time. Several board members discussed whether to approve the proposed stage. Highley said he would be inclined to vote for the stage even though there are concerns about the location because the park is underused, and a stage might encourage more use of it. Commission Member Will Spoon said he would need to see elevation drawings or more detailed drawings. Dowdle said the proposed structure in that area is not appropriate. Other board members said perhaps a different structure (a simple design with no roof) in the proposed site would be appropriate. Carr asked for feedback to take back to Orange County Board of Commissioners. Town Attorney Bob Hornik said some commission members were saying the proposed structure is inconsistent with the character of the site and suggested that Page 43 of the guidelines, which addresses contemporary building, might be a helpful reference. Carr said the same vista is available in the next field at the park. Page 4 of 6 Heilman said the proposed structure has a closed feeling and a back wall. She cannot design a simpler structure for Carr but said perhaps a design that captures a more open sense would better fit with the character. Carr said a simpler design would be nothing and people would bring a portable stage. Snyder suggested if the proposed stage was turned around and the audience was facing north, looking up the hill, the vista of the river would not be blocked. Highley said the commission is amenable to the idea of a stage but thinks this particular configuration is not appropriate. Smith said the design is not compatible with the guidelines. Carr said the county may not want to build the stairs if the stage is not being built. Motion: Smith moved to close the public hearing. Heilman seconded. Vote: 6-0 Motion: Highley moved to find as fact that the CRA application is in keeping with the overall character of the Historic District and complies with all relevant standards of evaluation based on the commission’s discussion of the application and the standards of evaluation in Section 3.12.3 of the Unified Development Ordinance because the plans are consistent with the Historic District Design Guidelines: Public Rights of Way, Wood, New Construction of Primary Buildings, Walkways, Driveways, and Off- Street Parking, Accessibility and Life Safety Considerations, Site Features and Plantings. Dowdle seconded. Vote: 6-0 Motion: Highley moved to approve the application with conditions. Heilman seconded. Vote: 6-0 Conditions: A replacement pecan tree shall be planted elsewhere on site to compensate for the loss of canopy from removal of the 14-inch pecan tree. The amphitheater and bollards shall be removed from the application because the bollards are no longer necessary without the structure and because the introduction of the amphitheater in this natural setting on this particular site as proposed is not consistent with the character of the site and district. B. Certificate of Appropriateness Application: 221 W. Margaret Lane — Applicant Fred Stewart on behalf of Julia Mack requests approval to remove a few trees, renovate and build an addition onto the existing residence, and construct a new primary residence with rooftop garden, numerous plantings, and a new driveway at the rear of 221 W. Margaret Lane (PIN: 9864-95-1728). Motion: Dowdle moved to open the public hearing. Spoon seconded. Vote: 6-0 Highley asked whether anyone on the commission had a conflict of interest. Smith said she shares a property line where the property owner currently lives; however, she feels she can proceed without bias. Spoon said he had written to the former owner of this property two years ago to express interest in purchasing the property and did not hear back. He felt he could proceed without bias. Page 5 of 6 Snyder reviewed the staff report. He explained that the current dwelling would become the accessory dwelling to a new primary dwelling. There would be some demolition of the existing dwelling to reduce its square footage to the 800 square feet allowed for an accessory dwelling unit. He noted there is also an historic chicken coop on the site that the owners plan to move on site and preserve if it survives the move. He said the new house would be built into a hillside, and part of the roof would be sod with plantings. The garage door would be plain, and the windows would be steel. The house would be solar powered. A small portion of the house would be visible from the street. Stewart said a large stream buffer and sewer easement affected the siting of the house. Half of the roof of the new structure would be part of the yard. Snyder said planning and stormwater staff have approved the removal of several trees on the site that are declining. An arborist assessed the health of the trees. Stewart said the alternative to this plan would have been to “supersize” the small Victorian house to get the space the owners wanted. The site sloping down to the river enabled this contemporary design for the new structure. Highley asked whether anyone in the audience wished to speak for or against the application. No one did. There was discussion about most of the part of the house to be demolished not being original construction except for 18 inches along the back of the house. Stewart hoped it could be acceptable to include the 18 inches. Stewart said the eastern side looks more like 1850s, and the Victorian second gable is the one that might be reduced in size. Stewart said that slight section of old house could be kept structurally, but he would rather not do so because that section does not really fit with his plans for building the two-car garage and new house. It was confirmed that the metal outbuilding would be removed from site once construction is complete. The commission expressed a preference for matching the reveal of the existing siding beneath the aluminum siding. It was noted that the preference is for the siding to be wood; but if the existing siding is rotten, fiber cement siding with a reveal matching the wood ― mounted smooth side out ― would be appropriate. Some commission members noted that if the house, trim and windows are white, the Victorian details would not be noticed, and it would not be in keeping with how Victorian houses were painted. Highley and others disagreed that white details on this white house would be inappropriate. They felt that a nonhistorical paint job might be appropriate because Victorian features which may not have been there are proposed to be added. A concern was raised about the proposed double-garage door being visible from the street. Although the plain style is fitting with the house, a plain gray double-door would not fit the neighborhood if seen from the street, a commission member said. Other board members thought the garage would not be very visible from the street because it would be behind the existing house and below grade. There was discussion that the fence needs to stop before the front line of the existing house, but that vegetation should continue to obscure the view from the street. Stewart confirmed the windows would be a thin steel profile and not the chunkier profile more commonly seen for storefronts. Highley said the modern context seems appropriate. Stewart told Snyder the Victorian railing would be wrought iron and somewhat Gothic in style. Motion: Smith moved to close the public hearing. Simmons seconded. Vote: 6-0 Page 6 of 6 Motion: Smith moved to find as fact that the Julia Mack application is in keeping with the overall character of the Historic District and complies with all relevant standards of evaluation based on the commission’s discussion of the application and the standards of evaluation in Section 3.12.3 of the Unified Development Ordinance because the plans are consistent with the Historic District Design Guidelines: Site Features and Plantings, Architectural Metals, Additions to Existing Buildings, Porches, Entrances, and Balconies, Walkways, Driveways, and Off-Street Parking, New Construction of Primary Buildings, Demolition of Existing Buildings, Exterior Lighting, Relocation of Existing Buildings, Windows and Doors, Outbuildings and Garages, Fences and Walls, Paint and Exterior Color, Masonry, Utilities and Energy Retrofit. Heilman seconded. Vote: 6-0 Motion: Smith moved to approve the application with conditions. Simmons seconded. Vote: 6-0 Conditions: The temporary metal storage building shall be removed from the site and the historic district prior to issuance of a certificate of occupancy for the project. The new siding shall match the reveal of the existing siding beneath the aluminum siding. The applicant shall retain as much of the original wood siding as possible on the existing house unless the siding is so rotten that it cannot be preserved, in which case the applicant may substitute fiber cement siding with a reveal matching the wood siding that shall be mounted smooth side out. The 6-foot wood and welded wire fence shall not extend in front of the front line of the main part of the existing house on the lot. 7. Updates Snyder reported that: • The preservation awards would be presented at 5:45 p.m. May 31. Heilman agreed to present the four awards. • The 515 North Churton project would probably come back to the commission in July. • The planning director would prefer to not have enforcement-related conditions placed on items with a specific date attached because it ties staff’s hands on enforcement and can be counter-productive to the goal of voluntary compliance. • Recruiting for one seat on the commission would commence soon due to the impending expiration of Highley’s term. • Bellevue Mill developers would like to use a 15-foot instead of a 12-foot pole so light on the ground is less intense. • He has advised the Hillsborough Arts Council that murals should come before the commission. They should not be painted on a character-defining elevation or on historically unpainted masonry. 8. Adjournment Motion: Heilman moved to adjourn at 9:40 p.m. Simmons seconded. Vote: 6-0