Rescheduled: Rescheduled From 11/27/25 - Historical & Architectural Review Board

DOYLESTOWN BOROUGH HISTORIC & ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD MEETING MINUTES THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2025 The Doylestown Borough Historic and Architectural Review Board met at 7:30 PM on Thursday, December 4, 2025, at Borough Hall, 10 Doyle Street. The following members attended: Denise Blasdale, Constance Magnuson, Andy Happ, Brian Guerriero, Marie Kovach, Richard Brown, Richard Chase, and Karyn Hyland, Director of Planning and Zoning. CALL TO ORDER: Ms. Blasdale called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. MINUTES APPROVAL: The October 23, 2025, meeting minutes were approved as submitted (Brown/Kovach). SIGN APPLICATIONS: 137 S. Main Street: Ms. Karen Lafferty, the applicant, presented her application for a sign for a new business. She reviewed the proposed materials. The Board recommended the application for a Certificate of Appropriateness be approved as presented (Magnuson/Kovach). BUILDING APPLICATIONS: 284 E. Court Street: Ms. Anna Brown, the property owner, presented the application for a new roof. The applicant would like to replace the slate roof with a dimensional shingle to match the existing porch roof. The applicant’s insurance company is requiring her to replace the roof as a term of her mortgage. Ms. Hyland advised that a synthetic slate material would be a pre-approved material and would not require the applicant to return to the HARB. The Board voted to table the application to allow the applicant time to look for an alternative shingle option (Happ/Chase). 54 N. Church Street: Mr. Alexei Goodyear, the property owner, presented the application to replace the existing shingle garage roof and the lower roof over the rear porch. The Board recommended that the application for a Certificate of Appropriateness be approved as presented (Brown/Magnuson) 192 E. State Street: Mr. John Mason, the property owner, presented the application for a new garage door. The current door configuration is two 8-foot doors. The applicant would like to change to a 16-foot door. The Board recommended that the application for a Certificate of Appropriateness be approved as presented, subject to the condition that the owner will need to confirm structural suitability of the existing header (Guerreiro/Happ). 20-22 E. Oakland Avenue: Mr. Robert Sigety, the property owner and applicant, presented the amended application for windows and siding. Mr. Sigety would like to change the window configuration for the front of the building due to the cost. Mr. Sigety would like to use an Andersen 100-series twin casement window with a mullion in between in place of the already approved windows. The applicant would also like to change the siding, which was previously approved. He is requesting a standard beveled smooth Hardie board product in place of the Dutch lap siding. The final request is to replace four windows on the rear of the property, along the fire escape. They are egress windows and currently French casements. The applicant would like to use a larger single casement window that opens without obstructing the flow on the fire escape and meets the building code requirements for egress. The Board recommended that the application for a Certificate of Appropriateness be approved as presented for the proposed siding, with the condition that the reveal match the existing reveal and that the material be smooth Hardie Plank. The Board voted to table the application for the windows and will allow the applicant to return with drawings and images of the proposed windows for additional review (Magnuson/Brown). 57 W. Court Street: Mr. Richard Stokes, the architect, and Mr. Larry Thomson, the property owner, presented their application for the proposed hotel to be built on the site. At a previous meeting, the applicants were asked to return with samples of the exterior building materials. The Board recommended the application for a Certificate of Appropriateness be approved as presented, with the condition that the applicant provide vines growing from planters above the wall and at ground level (Happ/Guerriero). 166 W. Oakland Avenue: Mr. Richard Brown, the architect, and Mr. Sean Irwirn, the builder, presented the demolition application for the building. Mr. Brown and Mr. Irwin presented evidence of the need for demolition. After interior demolition, it became apparent that this building has several serious structural concerns. Ms. Hyland informed the Board that the Borough building inspector has inspected the property in its current state. The building inspector agrees there is a question about the home's safety as it is now. The building will need to be brought into current compliance with the building code. Mr. Earl Arrowood of W. Oakland Avenue commented on the neighborhood and asked that as much of the building as possible be preserved to help maintain the homes and the neighborhood's spirit. The Board recommended that the application for a Certificate of Appropriateness be approved as presented. Two members are in favor, four are opposed, two are missing, and one is recused. This motion failed. The Board continued to discuss options for the property and voted a second time and recommended the application for a Certificate of Appropriateness be partially approved conditional on the following: the west and south façade may be demolished, the east and north facades, windows, and roofs shall be retained and preserved, and the porch structure, columns, corbels, and railings shall be retained and preserved (Magnuson/Happ). NEW/OLD BUSINESS: Under new business, Mr. Happ made a motion to change the meeting time to 7:00 p.m. in the new year (Happ/Blasdale). ADJOURNMENT: With no further business before the Board, a motion was made and seconded to adjourn at 10:05 p.m. (Blasdale/Magnuson). Respectfully submitted, Erika Fellman