Historic Preservation Review Board Meeting

Wednesday, February 24, 2010, 7:00 PM

The meeting of the Historic Preservation Review Board was called to order by Chair, Mary Jane Anderson at 7:03 PM at Town Hall.

Chair, Anderson called the roll.

Members present: Chair, Mary Jane Anderson; Matt Shildneck, Kevin Peterson, Michael Jean Smith, and David Waldron.

Also present: Sandy Strehlou, HPRB Coordinator; Peggy Sue McRae, Recording Secretary; Property Owners Lynn Danaher (arriving 7:08) and Roberta and David Moorhouse and Contractor Paul Iovan all representing the Ace Hardware Renovation.

Minutes

The minutes of the HPRB meeting of 2/10/10 were approved with minor corrections.

Design Review/Ace Hardware Renovation

Contractor Paul Iovan addressed the board describing plans for the renovation of the Ace Hardware building. This project is not seeking incentives. Mr. Iovan discussed the objective of breaking up the mass of the North (Nichols St.) side of the building by visually creating three separate and distinct sections. The front section will have signage and a 12’ X 40’ mural painted by Annie Adams. The back section will have shingles. The upstairs will have three different styles of vinyl windows. The window openings will remain the same as they are. The back, or west side of the building will have an entry to the upstairs, glass block windows and a canvas awning. The front, east side of the building will have a place for public posting and will maintain the existing magazine exchange. Ace Hardware will take responsibility for landscaping.

The board reviewed this project as a rehabilitation of new (1995) construction in the lower Argyle transitional neighborhood referring to pages 70-72 in the HP manual.

Compatibility Defined: (page 70)

Scale – Yes – Comment: The original building does not meet the HP guidelines. The renovations comply because of the great effort to break up the mass of this large building. Chair Anderson expressed a reservation based on the fact that at street level the North side of the building remains a massive wall. Lower level windows were recommended.

Massing – Yes – Comment: Same as comment for scale

Roof – No – Comment: Metal roofs do not comply

Setback - NA

Entry – No - Comment: While welcoming, the entry to the apartments does not fit guidelines due to materials/canvas and metal awning.

Openings - NA

Detailed Guidelines: (pages 71 – 72)

Building Exterior – Yes – Comment: Normally the board does not recommend shingle siding but in this case the use of shingles on one section of the north side of the building to break up the mass and was found appropriate. On the north side the board recommended running a pilaster to the top of the gutter using a capital motif. On the front, west side, to create the sense of four pilasters the board suggests using a 1 x 10 over the corner board.

Materials – Yes

Landscaping – No (The landscaping plan was not submitted with the materials used for this design review)

Fencing – N/A

Secondary Structures – N/A

Signage – N/A

Utilities - Yes

The board thanked Lynn Danaher and Roberta and David Moorhouse and Contractor Paul Iovan for their efforts to improve this building and at 8:15 they departed.

Ordinance Update Report: Demolition/Relocation

Board members Michael Jean Smith and Kevin Peterson reported their findings regarding new language for the municipal code on demolition and relocation. This led to a discussion about adding a trigger to the existing TFH demolition form requiring a HPRB review if the structure in question is over 50 years old or a registered landmark.

Coordinator Sandy Strehlou explained the reasoning for a waiting period to 1. Preserve the building if the project it is being removed to facilitate does not happen. Or 2. Give time to arrange for the remove the building to a different place. This topic will be revisited.

At the next meeting, Chair Anderson and board member Shildneck will address the topic of Special Tax Evaluation.

Weatherizing Your Old House

Coordinator Strehlou announced a workshop in Anacortes, Weatherizing Your Old House, on Saturday February 27, 2010.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:54

Peggy Sue McRae, Recording Secretary