Historic District Commission

Town Hall TOWN OF CHAPEL HILL 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard Historic District Commission Chapel Hill, NC 27514 Meeting Minutes Chair Robert Epting Kimberly Kyser Vice-Chair Sean Murphy David Schwartz Deputy Vice-Chair James Locke Susan Smith Woodrow Burns James White Tuesday, January 8, 2019 6:30 PM RM 110 | Council Chamber Opening Roll Call Staff present: Jake Lowman, Staff Liaison, Becky McDonnell, Staff Liasion, Brian Ferrell, Counsel to Commission Present 7 - Chair Robert Epting, Vice-Chair Sean Murphy, Woodrow Burns, Kimberly Kyser, David Schwartz, Susan Smith, and James White Absent 1 - Deputy Vice-Chair James Locke Commission Chair reads public charge Secretary reads procedures into the record Secretary swears in members of the public Approval of Agenda Announcements Petitions Catharine Burns submitted a petition for additional changes and improvements to the Historic District Commission regarding the following: • HDC citizen participation and rules of procedure • Staffing the HDC and quality of staff reports • Improvement of the website and minutes; Accessibility to video of hearings • Due process improvement • HDC exercising full authority, providing education and engagement of the public, raising private funds. Approval of Minutes Page 1 of 4 Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes January 8, 2019 1. December 11, 2018 Meeting Minutes [19-0003] A motion was made by Burns, seconded by Vice-Chair Murphy, to approve the December 11, 2018 meeting minutes. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. Consent Agenda 2. 233 & 235 McCauley Street [19-0004] A motion was made by Schwartz, seconded by Smith, to approve the consent item for 233 & 235 McCauley Street, the Graham Court Condominiums, to replace the failing fire escapes on all four buildings. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. Old Business New Business 3. 222 Vance Street [19-0005] Eric Stein, owner, presented. A motion was made by Kyser, seconded by Burns, to approve the Certificate of Appropriateness application for the installation of solar panels on the rear portion of the roof, based on consistency with guideline 9 on page 37 of the Design Guidelines. White amended the motion to include the desire of the Commission to set a precedent that there should be no visibility of solar panels from the street. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. 4. 504 N Boundary Street [19-0006] Scott Nilsen, landscaper, presented. A motion was made by Burns, seconded by Kyser, to approve the Certificate of Appropriateness for four fieldstone retaining walls to replace a failing railroad tie retaining wall, based on consistency with guidelines 7 and 8 on page 17 of the Design Guidelines. The motion carried by a unanimous vote. 5. 306 N Boundary Street [19-0007] Page 2 of 4 Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes January 8, 2019 Erik Melhman, architect, presented the application for a Certificate of Appropriateness for additions to the main house and construction of a detached garage with accessory dwelling unit. The Commission expressed concern about the materials proposed, the impacts to the landscaping and several rock walls on the property, and the existence of a preservation easement. Catharine Burns, public, spoke and expressed concern about the notice requirements, the legality of removing the preservation easement through a quitclaim deed, and entered several documents as evidence into the record. The documents entered into the record included publications on Town and Gown Architecture, Essays on William Coker, and the preservation easement for the Coker Property. The Commission decided to continue the hearing to the February 12, 2019 meeting to allow the applicant additional time to provide documentation on: • Landscaping plan • Exterior materials for the additions • Details on the screened porch • Original approvals for the property • Legality of the quitclaim deed and preservation easement 6. 412 W Patterson Place [19-0008] Keith Shaw, architect, presented on both 412 W Patterson Place and 417 W Patterson Place. The Commission expressed concern about the presence of steep slopes, streams, and parking arrangements for the new dwellings and other residents in the area. The Commission decided to continue the public hearing for 412 W Patterson Place to the February 12, 2019 meeting to allow the applicant additional time to provide documentation on the parking plans, environmental concerns, and building elevations. 7. 417 W Patterson Place [19-0009] The Commission decided defer the 417 W Patterson Place hearing to the February 12, 2019 meeting to allow the applicant additional time to provide documentation on the abovementioned concerns. Staff Report Next Meeting - February 12, 2019 Jake Lowman, Staff Liaison, provided an update on the State Historic Preservation Office proposal for the National Register Historic District boundary Page 3 of 4 Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes January 8, 2019 increase of the West Chapel Hill Historic District. Adjournment Order of Consideration of Agenda Items: 1. Staff Presentation 2. Applicant’s Presentation 3. Public Comment 4. Board Discussion 5. Motion 6. Restatement of Motion by Chair 7. Vote 8. Announcement of Vote by Chair Public Charge: The Advisory Body pledges its respect to the public. The Body asks the public to conduct themselves in a respectful, courteous manner, both with the Body and with fellow members of the public. Should any member of the Body or any member of the public fail to observe this charge at any time, the Chair will ask the offending person to leave the meeting until that individual regains personal control. Should decorum fail to be restored, the Chair will recess the meeting until a genuine commitment to this public charge is observed. Unless otherwise noted, please contact the Planning and Development Services Department at 919-969-5066; planning@townofchapelhill.org for more information on the above referenced applications. See the Advisory Boards page http://www.townofchapelhill.org/boards for background information on this Board. Page 4 of 4