Historic Review Board

H I S TO R IC R E VI E W B O AR D M E E TI NG 1 1 2 Co nf ed era t e St ree t February 14th, 2023 4:30 PM AMENDED AGENDA CALL TO ORDER APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. HRB Meeting: December 13th, 2022 [Pages 2-12] 2. HRB Meeting: January 10th, 2023 NEW BUSINESS 1. Request for Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) [Pages 13-15] Applicant Name: Town of Fort Mill Owner Name: Town of Fort Mill Property Address: 345 N. White Street (Walter Y. Elisha Park) Purpose: Certificate of Appropriateness request for new playground Property information: Town of Fort Mill Historic Preservation District GI, General Industrial Zoning District 2. Request for Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) [Pages 16-34] Applicant Name: Jon & Amy Fortes Owner Name: Miaxelan 235 LLC Property Address: 217 Main Street Purpose: Certificate of Appropriateness request for proposed canopy Property information: Town of Fort Mill Historic Preservation District LC, Local Commercial Zoning District 3. Request for Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) [Pages 35-45] Applicant Name: Morgan Lashley Owner Name: JHK Properties LLC Property Address: 124 Main Street Purpose: Certificate of Appropriateness request for a projecting sign and wall signage Property information: Town of Fort Mill Historic Preservation District LC, Local Commercial Zoning District ADJOURN The following press was notified of the meeting by email or fax in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act: The Herald, CN2, WRHI, WSOC, and WBTV. The agenda was also posted at the entrance to Town Hall the required length of time and on the Town website. The Town of Fort Mill is committed to assuring accessibility with reasonable accommodation, of Town services and facilities for all individuals, in compliance with federal law. Please contact the Town Manager’s Office at 803-547-2116 if you need assistance. 1  MINUTES TOWN OF FORT MILL HISTORIC REVIEW BOARD December 13th, 2022 112 Confederate Street 4:30 PM Present: Chairman Louis Roman, Vice Chairwoman Megan Brinton, Scott Couchenour David Booth, Elizabeth Leventis, Planning Director Penelope Karagounis, Senior Planner Alex Moore Absent: Jessica Scarlett, Nikki Todaro Guests: Mike Kachin, James Stacy, Kevin Higgins, Tom Duzan (via teams). CALL TO ORDER Chairman Louis Roman called the meeting to order at 4:30 PM. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Chairman Louis Roman entertained a motion to approve the minutes from the special meeting of November 29th, 2022, Historic Review Board (HRB) meeting. David Booth made a motion to approve the minutes. Elizabeth Leventis seconded the motion. The minutes were then approved by a vote of 5-0. INFORMATION/DISCUSSION ONLY 1. Discussion of Proposed Exterior Modifications at 232 Main Street & 102 Tom Hall Street Mike Kachin, a commercial real estate broker with Ardor Commercial Advisors, gave a general overview of a proposal for exterior modifications at 232 Main Street and 102 Tom Hall Street. He noted with the schematic drawings that the proposal pushes for a project which brings vibrant life to the downtown. The goal would be to have some sort of restaurant there, maybe a brewery, something real life to that portion of downtown. Mr. Kachin then stated that the idea is to shut that off the existing alley adjacent to 232 Main Street and to the left of it you create a safe walkway to access the rear parking lot. We would be creating 16 to 17 parking spaces back there the maximum what we can do with the space and then have easy safe access up to the front Main Street for everybody's parking there so that's the idea of having that that alleyway down to the side and obviously having some sort of access cut into the side of building with some maybe garage doors and some additional windows. At 102 Tom Hall Street, the current warehouse building, the plan would be to create a use with an outdoor patio fronting on the street. At this time, Mr. Kachin indicated that they were proposing perhaps one tenant for the warehouse space at 4,000 square feet, or possibly be split up into two, 2,000 square foot spaces. The rendering as presented to the HRB showed only one tenant within the warehouse building. 2 Mr. Kachin indicated that this was their vision and that they would love to hear feedback and thoughts from the HRB. David Booth stated that it was a very modern design with and was reminiscent of design in South End in Charlotte. Mr. Booth indicated that he wanted to understand further the relation of the design to the historic district. Elizabeth Leventis noted that she had done a lot of background work in preparation for the discussion. She noted that there was a lot to love about the design, but that it was also important to make sure that a pedestrian friendly vibe could be brought to downtown while still adhering to the historic district guidelines. Ms. Leventis then presented her findings. First, she stated that if available, historical survey information should be consulted to determine the building’s age, style, and key character defining features. Ms. Leventis asked Mr. Kachin if any such information was available. Kevin Higgins, the property owner, responded that 232 Main Street was the last building constructed on Main Street and that it was completed in the late 1940s and that it was originally a grocery store. Mr. Higgins stated that Kimbrell’s took over the building in the late 1950s and that it has essentially looked the same since its completion. Mr. Higgins then stated that the rooftop signage was placed within the new design as homage the current Kimbrell’s signage on the building. The same concept is seen with the support poles incorporated into the new design as there are now support poles for the metal awning overhanging a portion of the sidewalk along the façade of the building. The new façade’s black color was chosen rather than the existing red to perhaps avoid an overbearing design impact along Main Street. Ms. Leventis then indicated that the overall project could be broken down into three elements consisting of the Kimbrell’s building, the pedestrian walkway, and the warehouse. She stated that the most important from a historical perspective is the Kimbrell’s building and that it would be desirable for the design of the Kimbrell’s building to be in harmony with the town’s historic district guidelines. Thus, Ms. Leventis went on to describe, per the town’s historic district guidelines, the parameters for planning a preservation project. First, there is the question of why the building is significant? This step, she noted, helps determine to what degree the property should be preserved as it is, or where there may be opportunities for compatible alterations to occur. The second step, Ms. Leventis noted, is to gauge the integrity, condition, and the character defining features which contribute to the overall significance of the building. A building with historic integrity has a sufficient percentage of character-defining features, and key features remain intact. These key elements allow a building to be recognized as a product of its time She indicated that 232 Main Street has been there throughout her memory, and though it is a somewhat nondescript structure, it has nonetheless become part of the fabric of the Fort Mill downtown historic district. Ms. Leventis indicated that the current utilitarian design of 232 Main Street remains within the newly presented schematic drawings under discussion. Ms. Leventis stated that in looking at the integrity of this building that it could be categorized as a vernacular style. The late 1940s era of this building represents vernacular architecture in that the construction methods and materials met the needs of the grocery store use. 3 Ms. Leventis then discussed the aspect of locating façade treatments in planning a project strategy. This, she noted, will indicate where on the structure that the HRB will make preservation a priority, along with where preservation is preferred, but maybe not as much of a priority. Ms. Leventis then highlighted the importance of establishments such as coffee shops, restaurants, specialty retail shops, and shops that retail local products in forming active uses which enhance the pedestrian nature of downtown. Such uses are encouraged at the storefront level along Main Street. She indicated that these types of uses would be a nod toward the importance of the pedestrian walkway as designed within the project. Planning Director Penelope Karagounis then interjected that the town is currently working on a trail master plan. Additionally, she noted that one of the things that caught her attention with the schematic drawings as presented is the sidewalk along Main Street. She noted that it appears to have been narrowed down from the current condition. Thus, she suggested that the design team look at not diminishing the current width of the sidewalk. Megan Brinton asked if the project would even be allowed to encroach into the current sidewalk area. Ms. Karagounis responded that she would need to look at this. Mr. Booth concurred with Ms. Brinton’s concern regarding the sidewalk, noting that narrowing it would not be conducive to a pedestrian environment. Ms. Karagounis asked Tom Duzan, the project architect, if he could look at this issue. Mr. Duzan responded that they did review the sidewalk width, and that while the drawing may be bit deceptive, they could look at this again. Ms. Karagounis then stated to Mr. Duzan that a complete site plan would be required as well. This would allow for dimensions to be properly evaluated, along with the proposed ingress/egress points. Mr. Duzan replied that with the current plan iteration they were attempting to address the poor condition that exists with the driveways. Mr. Duzan noted that closing off vehicular access to the alley will make pedestrian conditions safer. Mr. Booth then noted that it would be important to determine if a fire truck could properly navigate the site if the alley is closing. Chairman Roman stated that it was his understanding that fire trucks do not currently navigate the alley, but that they instead traverse to the rear of the buildings. Senior Planner Moore stated that it would be helpful if the site plan would indicate that a fire truck could properly traverse the alley from Tom Hall to Confederate Street. Ms. Karagounis stated that staff is amenable to the alley being closed and that it would be great if a historical narrative could be worked into the design of this alley. This would mesh with the town’s desire to be more pedestrian friendly. Mr. Higgins then solicited input from the board on how his group might make the project more historically significant. 4 Ms. Leventis stated that, while Section 3.29 of the historic district design guidelines indicates that adding a new window opening is inappropriate, a conversation could be had on this because the location in question is a secondary wall. However, having the brick remain intact would need to be discussed. Regarding historic interpretation, Ms. Leventis stated that people like to read things. So, if there are some nods to history here, along the wall, then it would be very appropriate. Chairman Roman stated that to Ms. Leventis’ point, he has seen many communities that incorporate placards, illustrations, vintage photos, etc., into the design so that pedestrians can take in historic information. Mr. Higgins indicated that he has lots of historical photos of when the building was used as a grocery store. Ms. Leventis asked Mr. Higgins if he know if the grocery store had windows on the side. Mr. Higgins stated that the grocery store did not have windows on the side. He went on to describe how they worked on determining to close the alley while still allowing the tenant to have access to this space. So, they wanted to keep it open and were forced to create some smaller openings that mirrored the front windows in size and shape. Instead of going with garage doors, which really don’t fit with downtown, they ended up going with more expensive doors that would fold open and look like the front doors. Ms. Leventis noted that she was happy to see this. She also stated that she appreciated Mr. Higgins coming in for the discussion. This was good because areas of concern could be pointed our early in the process. Mr. Higgins then noted that the railing was like that at Hobo’s restaurant. All the posts are exactly like they are because the building as is does not have a large amount of appeal. They felt the best way to overcome this was to set the wall back into the building, so that the seating area and the people essentially become the feature. Ms. Leventis stated that using old photographs from the archives and implementing placards might be worth the conversation. Ms. Karagounis noted that Belmont, NC has an instance of a brick wall with 1940s pictures of downtown. These pictures have been placed on the respective wall as a vinyl application. Senior Planner Moore stated that painting, or covering, the brick was not desirable and that this would not be consistent with previous HRB cases. Ms. Leventis noted that the portion of the brick where the painted Kimbrell’s sign was could indeed be painted over per the historic district guidelines. Mr. Duzan interjected that the mural wall as shown within the drawings could become a history wall. He also noted that existing firewalls may prevent windows. This is perhaps why windows were not initially included within this wall. Mr. Booth noted that this was a good point. He then stated that the team should be aware that the canopy is being extended. This would cause more of the building to be in shadow and create the need for additional light. If windows are possible on the side of the building, then this would help with lighting. Chairman Roman then stated that there should be consistency in how previous HRB cases have been handled, regarding the painting and covering of brick. But he also noted that one of the ways this could be mitigated is with 5 a placard which would not actually be flush against the wall. This way it would not take away from the historic nature of the brick. Ms. Brinton stated that this might only be visible to patrons of the restaurant rather than pedestrians. Mr. Higgins stated that such signage could possibly be placed on the posts for better visibility. Chairman Roman stated that there were several different places that the signage might be placed, that that it was a great opportunity to tell the story of the building. He then stated that thriving main street districts are typically one quarter mile distance from the center. With the proposal for the former Kimbrell’s building, we are getting closer to this threshold. He also noted the rule of ten as related to this. This is when you have then things for pedestrians to interact with in a downtown area. Such items could include water features, benches, public art, coffee shops, etc. When people have things to interact with in a downtown area, they loiter and spend money. Chairman Roman also noted that the HRB is recognized by the Department of Interior and the South Carolina State Historic Preservation Office to encourage development due to the unique elements of downtown. The proposal for the Kimbrell’s building is exactly the type of potential project that an HRB can help to facilitate so that economic development is furthered. Chairman Roman then stated that he was glad that Ms. Leventis brought up the points she did because the historic district standards give a good departure point for design. He noted that the HRB wanted Mr. Higgins’s group to be successful. And, while the HRB could not recommend specific tenants for this project, they could indicate their general support for those which would generate increased pedestrian circulation. Mr. Kachin then stated that the building does have a basement and that it is anticipated that they would try and secure uses that would increase pedestrian activity downtown. He noted, though, that at some point parking could become an issue. They will include as many parking spaces on this site as they can. Chairman Roman responded that parking is always going to be an issue, but that Fort Mill is at an advantage over many communities in the southeast. This is because in Fort Mill, you generally only must walk one-block after parking. In other localities, one must park and then walk 7-8 blocks to reach a given destination. Mr. Brinton then asked where the proposed parking on site would be. Mr. Kachin responded that most of the parking would be placed behind 102 Tom Hall Street. Ms. Leventis then asked about the plan for the warehouse at 102 Tom Hall Street. Mr. Kachin stated that they would need to figure out the parking but that the plan was to remove the existing shell on the building at 102 Tom Hall Street and then place a new exterior on it. Ms. Leventis stated that this would be an upgrade. Mr. Higgins stated that walkability would also be improved. Mr. Kachin then identified areas of the plan which would be used as a gathering space. This space would be located between the existing warehouse and Tom Hall Street. Mr. Couchenour asked if the back alley was owned by Mr. Higgins and if they would be leaving it open. 6 Mr. Kachin confirmed that the alley is owned by Mr. Higgins and that it would remain open, although the geometry of how this would work would need to be determined. It could be one-way from Tom Hall Street toward Confederate Street with angled parking. Ms. Karagounis reiterated that it was important that a site plan be submitted. Mr. Booth concurred with this so that it could be determined if the site works from a traffic and pedestrian flow standpoint. Ms. Karagounis stated that branding would be important for parking locations. Mr. Higgins asked if the HRB is okay with the proposed patio. Ms. Karagounis responded that it might be beneficial if the fence is removed from the front patio. Mr. Higgins then noted that the stools were included in the drawing to encourage people to sit and be on Main Street. He indicated that he wanted to make the space so that you did not have to go into the restaurant to use the outdoor space. Ms. Leventis responded that with the front setback it was appropriate to remember that there needed to be enough room for pedestrian flow. She used the example of people with baby carriages as an instance where there might not be enough room with the railing for pedestrians to properly navigate this area. Mr. Kachin responded that they would look at this. Senior Planner Moore then noted that roof signage would not be allowed. Mr. Duzan responded that he didn’t believe that roof signage was an architectural feature that had to be kept. He stated that the roof signage could be shifted out to another location very easily. Mr. Booth suggested that they might include a fin within the new design, such as the veterinarian building next door contains, along with the Bossy Beualah’s building on North White Street. Senior Planner Moore stated that the fins on the buildings mentioned by Mr. Booth allowed signage at these locations to be considered wall signage rather than roof signage. Mr. Higgins stated that he would appreciate it if the HRB could make an exception and allow him to do roof signage because this is the only character that the building has, that being the old school letters. Mr. Booth responded that he would need to go to the board of zoning appeals to request this. Ms. Karagounis stated that town council could be asked if a text amendment could be initiated. Mr. Duzan then asked if the town would be opposed to increasing the height of the canopy line and then tucking the signage underneath the canopy. He then indicated that he would actually prefer for the signage to be down at the street level and be scaled back a bit. The signage could then be incorporated in a manner that would not be so prominent. He stated that he was very aware of the desire not to have signage on the roof, which would be a departure from the rest of downtown. 7 There was then general discussion among the HRB members about how the signage might be facilitated and still be within the parameters of the ordinance. Mr. Duzan stated that the existing parapet looks to have been rebuilt. They would like to match what the original heights were in this regard. This might help with signage. Mr. Higgins then asked if the HRB liked the front privacy screen as proposed on the front of the building. The HRB concurred that they were amenable to this. Mr. Higgins asked if the HRB liked the pedestrian walk. The HRB indicated that they did but that they wanted to see a site plan. Senior Planner Moore then asked about the storage containers on site. Mr. Higgins indicated that these are temporary and will not be permanently located outside. Senior Planner Moore then asked Mr. Higgins and his team if they would be applying for Bailey Bill tax credits along with a façade improvement grant. Mr. Higgins responded that they would be applying for these on both buildings. Mr. Booth stated that a site analysis would be needed. Mr. Duzan responded that they will look at stretching out the sidewalks as much as possible so that pedestrian areas are maximized. Additionally, Mr. Duzan asked if there was an initiative or desire by the town to incorporate trees in this area. Senior Planner Moore responded that all Main Street was within the SCDOT right of way and that they may not desire for additional street trees to be placed here. Mr. Duzan responded that he was referring to the area along the potential pedestrian way between the Kimbrell’s building and the veterinarian building. Ms. Karagounis indicated that this could be a possibility. Mr. Higgins then asked the HRB members if they liked the drawing on the side of the warehouse building. Ms. Leventis stated that it would be great to incorporate a local artist who uses historic colors and no neon. She used Kingsley as an example. Chairman Roman noted that art would be encouraged, but that the colors mattered. Mr. Higgins asked the HRB if they would be opposed to a cigar and whiskey blues bar at this location. The HRB indicated that they have no control over this. Mr. Higgins then stated that they were trying to follow the town’s 2040 plan and that this is what had attracted him to this location. 8 Mr. Booth then noted that while growing food is the concept, do they actually have a relationship with an entity such as a restaurant or venue. Mr. Higgins responded that the front, right area of the 232 Main Street building would be where something like this takes place. They would grow food within the building and then teach others how to do this. A vegan restaurant would also be at this location. Chairman Roman then stated that everything that the board has heard is really encouraging. He indicated that he believed this potential project has been well received by the HRB and noted that they really appreciated Mr. Higgins and his team coming to present the discussion information. Mr. Kachin thanked Chairman Roman and the HRB for their discussion comments and their time. 2. Adoption of the 2023 Meeting Calendar Planning Director Karagounis presented the proposed HRB meeting dates for 2023. She noted that the HRB meetings will continue to be scheduled for the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 4:30 PM. Additionally, Ms. Karagounis asked that HRB members let staff know as soon as possible upon receiving meeting agendas if they are not able to attend a meeting so that we can try to ensure that we always have a quorum available. Ms. Karagounis stated that it is of course preferable to have seven members at every meeting to avoid problems in the instance of a tied vote. Ms. Karagounis then wished the HRB members happy holidays and thanked them for their service and the expertise that they render. There being no other business, Chairman Roman adjourned the meeting at 5:56 PM. Respectfully submitted, Alex J. Moore, AICP Senior Planner January 30th, 2023 9  MINUTES TOWN OF FORT MILL HISTORIC REVIEW BOARD January 10th, 2023 112 Confederate Street 4:30 PM Present: Chairman Louis Roman, Vice Chairwoman Megan Brinton, Elizabeth Leventis, Jessica Scarlett, Planning Director Penelope Karagounis, Senior Planner Alex Moore Absent: David Booth, Scott Couchenour, Nikki Todaro Guests: Mark Kurowski, John Parker Moore CALL TO ORDER Chairman Louis Roman called the meeting to order at 4:30 PM. ELECTION OF CHAIRPERSON & VICE CHAIRPERSON Elizabeth Leventis made a motion to elect Louis Roman as chairman of the Historic Review Board (HRB). Jessica Scarlett seconded the motion. By a vote of 4-0, the HRB elected Louis Roman as chairman for 2023. Elizabeth Leventis made a motion to elect Megan Brinton as vice chairwoman of the HRB. Jessica Scarlett seconded the motion. By a vote of 4-0, the HRB elected Megan Brinton as vice chairwoman for 2023. MINUTES The minutes for the HRB meeting held on December 13th, 2022, will be presented for review at the next meeting of this board. NEW BUSINESS 1. Request for Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) Mark Kurowski, owner of the respective property, applied for a COA to replace the deteriorated exterior stair stringer, treads, and landing on the rear of the building located at 217 Main Street. Mr. Kurowski noted that he had come before the HRB several months earlier for exterior work at this same address. He stated that his current request involves the exterior stairs on the rear of 217 Main Street. The existing stairs are rusted out and deteriorated. Thus, he needs to address this issue. He wishes to replace the stairs and landing. The existing railing will be retained. He proposes that the new stairs be diamond plated. 10 Chairman Roman asked Mr. Kurowski about the age of the stairs. Mr. Kurowski responded that the stairs are approximately 15-20 years old. He believes that this stair structure was meant to be poured concrete. Instead, a brick inlay was installed which allowed water to seep in. There were no drainage holes in the bottom of the steps, so this has caused all the steps to rust. Chairman Roman asked Mr. Kurowski if there was currently an office upstairs. Mr. Kurowski responded that there is a two-bedroom apartment upstairs. He indicated that he is very close to an opening date for the first level of the building. Then, he will get the second level finalized, but he cannot do this until the stairs are replaced. Megan Brinton asked Mr. Kurowski if anyone was currently living in the apartment. Mr. Kurowski responded that no one currently lives in the apartment. Chairman Roman asked if there were any comments or questions from the board. Ms. Brinton asked for clarification on the brick in the steps. Mr. Kurowski stated that each step was built like a pan with brick placed as the tread. But it was meant to be poured concrete. Planning Director Penelope Karagounis asked what the opening date of the restaurant would be. Mr. Kurowski stated that they were planning to open on January 23rd, 2023. Senior Planner Moore noted that the front of the building was still being painted. Mr. Kurowski responded that this was another item that he wished to address with HRB while he was here. He stated that the painting on the rear of the building has been completed. The front of the building was now being painted. The recent rain has revealed that the front siding of the building now needs to be replaced. He noted that this replacement does not have to be done immediately, but that it will have to be done. He was not sure if the HRB would have to review and approve the replacement of this siding. Senior Planner Moore asked if he intended to replace the siding with the same material. Mr. Kurowski responded that the siding is wood and that it would be replaced with wood siding. Senior Planner Moore stated that if it were to be a like-for-like replacement, as Mr. Kurowski described, then it would not need to be reviewed by HRB. Chairman Roman concurred with this. Senior Planner Moore stated that he would put this in writing to Mr. Kurowski along with the decision of today’s meeting. Chairman Roman agreed with this approach and asked if there were any further questions from the board. There being none, he entertained a motion on the COA application. 11 Ms. Leventis made a motion to approve. Ms. Brinton seconded this motion. Then, by a vote of 4-0, the HRB approved the COA request as presented. Chairman Roman then asked if there was any other business. Ms. Karagounis stated that since Mr. Kurowski was in attendance, she provided an update to the issue with the demising walls that were covered at 219 Main Street. She indicated that Kuester has not yet come back to HRB per the findings of the special meeting on November 29th. Mr. Kurowski stated that he has had very informal conversations with Kuester on this matter, but that he assumed that a decision had not yet been made. He indicated that he would work with Kuester to do whatever needs to be done to resolve the issue. Megan Brinton asked if Kuester was given a deadline to come back to HRB. Senior Planner Moore stated that Kuester was not given a deadline, but that Kuester had indicated on November 29th that they could not provide the needed information immediately due to the holidays. Now that this time has passed, Moore stated he presumed they would be coming back to HRB soon. There being no other business, Chairman Roman adjourned the meeting at 4:47 PM. Respectfully submitted, Alex J. Moore, AICP Senior Planner January 30th, 2023 12  HISTORIC REVIEW BOARD APPLICANT Town of Fort Mill Subject Property: 345 N. White Street Tax Map # 020-01-28-002 Zoning District: General Industrial GI/Historic District Zoning Case: 2021-0660 REQUEST The Town of Fort Mill is requesting the approval of a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) for 345 N. White Street for the purpose of replacing the existing playground at Walter Y. Elisha Park. BACKGROUND INFORMATION The Town of Fort Mill took ownership of Walter Y. Elisha Park in 2017. Since that time, numerous upgrades and enhancements have been made including the recent completion of the new amphitheater and restroom facilities. The Town is now looking to complete an overhaul of the existing playground. The project will consist of the complete removal of the existing playground equipment and base material (playground certified mulch) and will include the pouring of a new base (poured in place rubberized playground surface) as well as the installation of all new playground equipment. The new playground will be located in the same area as the existing playground. The playground will feature a variety of play equipment such as slides, swings, climbing walls, shading canopies, as well as a variety of inclusive elements. The color palette was chosen as green and beige to blend into the surroundings as much as possible to maintain the natural / open space look and feel of the park. Staff is requesting the approval of a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) to complete this project. ATTACHMENTS 1. Renderings of the proposed new playground equipment and base material 2. Overhead view of existing playground – no new site plan provided as new playground to be located in same area as existing playground 13 14 15  H I S T OR I C R E V I E W B OA R D APPLICANT Jon & Amy Fortes Subject Property: 217 Main Street Tax Map # 020-02-01-007 Property Owner: Miaxelan 235 LLC Zoning District: Local Commercial, LC/Historic District Zoning Case: 2022-0707 REQUEST The Planning Department has received an application for a certificate of appropriateness (COA) from Jon & Amy Fortes to replace the existing, black canopy with a new canopy consisting of a grayish, tweed color. This application is an addendum to Zoning Case 2022-0707, which was heard at the October 2022 and January 2023 HRB meetings. As you know, the January 2023 meeting consisted of only a request to replace the rear, exterior stairs. The October 2022 HRB decision is enumerated below as it is relevant to the current request for a new canopy. BACKGROUND INFORMATION On October 11th, 2022, the Town of Fort Mill Historic Review Board (HRB) granted a COA for exterior improvements at 217 Main Street which included the items below. For additional details on these items, please see the second attachment to this staff report. • A new, projecting sign • A new, black awning with branding • New exterior, paint colors to include Naval (Primary Color) and Fleur de Sel (Trim Color) • New paint color for front and rear doors to be Heirloom Red • Repair minor masonry issues on rear elevation of building DISCUSSION This property is located within the downtown historic district and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The building was constructed in circa 1900 and was at one time known as Frosty Witherspoon’s Men’s Shop. The following link includes this information along with older pictures of the establishment Fort Mill 217 Main St — TBHH 16 The applicants have proposed to replace the existing black canopy with a new canopy which would be a grayish, tweed color. There is a swatch illustration of this color attached to the application. The applicants indicate that they wish to revise the color of the canopy so that it will better complement the building colors which consist of naval and heirloom red. The applicants have indicated that the new awning will not include branding as did the awning that was approved at the October 11th, 2022, meeting. The Town of Fort Mill Historic District Guidelines indicate that a canopy should be designed to be in character with the building. This includes using colors that are compatible with the façade. Solid colors are encouraged to be used for canopies. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Planning Staff recommends that the HRB grant approval for the revised canopy as submitted. ATTACHMENTS 1. COA application and pictures of current facade 2. Notice of Action letter sent to applicant subsequent to HRB approval in October 2022 3. Location Map 17 ATTACHMENT 1 18 19 20 21 22 23 ATTACHMENT 2 24  October 13th, 2022 Mr. Mark Kurowski mark.e.kurowski@gmail.com RE: 217 Main Street Certificate of Appropriateness--Approval Zoning Case 2022-0707 Mr. Kurowski, On Tuesday October 11th, 2022, the Town of Fort Mill Historic Review Board (HRB) met to consider your application for a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) for exterior project work at 217 Main Street. At this meeting the HRB APPROVED the COA for the following improvements: • A new projecting sign • A new, black awning with branding • New exterior, paint colors to include Naval (Primary Color) and Fleur de Sel (Trim Color) • New paint color for front and rear doors to be Heirloom Red • Repair minor masonry issues on rear elevation of building The HRB approval for the above items is based on their review of the attached drawings. The approval by the HRB for this COA does not preclude the requirement for obtaining the necessary building permits from the Town of Fort Mill. The town building department will need to review a plan and/or drawings indicating the way the signage and the canopy will be secured to the building and any other safety considerations that the building department may stipulate. The application for building permit review is available at the following link: Town of Fort Mill Commercial Permit Application You will submit the commercial permit application to developmentcenter@fortmillsc.gov A Town of Fort Mill business license will need to be obtained by any contractor performing work on this project. For questions about business licenses, please contact Susan Ebbert sebbert@fortmillsc.gov or Maria Johnson mjohnson@fortmillsc.gov. If you have any questions or comments about the contents of this letter, please contact me at (803) 835-1162, or via email at amoore@fortmillsc.gov. Sincerely, Alex J. Moore, AICP Senior Planner Attachments 25 26 Projected Sign Awning graphic Left & Right 27 28  Sections of facade, Trim areas will be including both brick painted "Fleur De and siding, that are Sel" (Sherwin currently yellow will Williams SW766) be painted "Naval" (Sherwin Williams HGSW6244). Current awning will be replaced with a new, black awning 29 Sections of rear elevation that are currently yellow will be pained "Naval" (Sherwin Williams HGSW6244) Trim areas will be painted "Fleur De Sel" (Sherwin Williams SW766) 30 Projected Sign Awning graphic Left & Right 31 32 ATTACHMENT 3 33  Location of proposed canopy at 217 Main Street 34  H I S T OR I C R E V I E W B OA R D Applicant: Morgan Lashley Subject Property: 124 Main Street Property Owner: JHK Properties, LLC Tax Map # 020-06-08-018 Zoning District: Local Commercial, LC/Historic District Zoning Case: 2023-4 REQUEST The Planning Department has received an application for a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) from Morgan Lashley, the owner of Vestique, a women’s fashion boutique, to place signage at 124 Main Street. Drawings for the proposed signage are attached. BACKGROUND INFORMATION This property is located within the downtown historic district and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). This building was constructed in circa 1860 and is the oldest retail space on Main Street. The following link includes further information on this building Fort Mill 124 Main St — TBHH The Fort Mill Historic District Design Guidelines have schematic parameters for the implementation of signage. These guidelines are attached. Generally, the historic district signage guidelines indicate that there should be clear objectives established for the signage with limited impacts on defining features of a given building. If the subject building has discernable locations of original signage, such areas should be targeted for new or updated signs. The proposed signage should be compatible with the building and site. The impact on the overall area, including adjacent structures, should also be considered. DISCUSSION The historic district guidelines indicate that the proposed location of this projecting sign on the façade is appropriate. The applicant notes on the submitted application that the existing sign bracket will be used. The sign bracketing will be supplemented with the new signage and be placed in the same location, above the entrance, as it has been previously. The drawing as submitted for the projecting sign indicates a clear objective in that discernable and appealing graphics are used. Impacts upon the building’s character defining features will be limited. This projecting sign, as designed, will be compatible with the building and surrounding businesses. 35 The town’s zoning ordinance indicates that a projecting sign shall not exceed an area of 12 square feet and may not extend more than three feet from the façade. Additionally, the town’s building code indicates that a projecting sign must be placed so that the bottom of the sign is located at least eight feet above the sidewalk. The wall signage as proposed may be designed as vinyl material, or it may also be painted onto the brick surface. It should be noted that the existing brick on this building has been painted white for many years. In Fort Mill, the area allowance for a wall sign is 15% of the area of the wall to which it is affixed. A wall sign may not have an area greater than 150 square feet. Internal illumination of signage is not permitted within the Town of Fort Mill Historic District. Signage within the historic district may incorporate external lighting directed toward the sign from an external shielded lamp. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Planning Staff recommends that the HRB grant APPROVAL for a Certificate of Appropriateness for the proposed projecting sign and wall sign as submitted, with the condition that the signage meet all Town of Fort Mill Zoning and Building requirements at the time of permitting. The HRB may impose additional conditions at their discretion. ATTACHMENTS 1. HRB application with proposed signage illustration 2. Historic district signage guidelines 3. Location map 36 ATTACHMENT 1 37 38 39 40 ATTACHMENT 2 41  Wall Sign This is an attached sign painted on or attached to the wall or surface of a building or display surface which is parallel to the supporting surface. 5.12 Flush mounted wall signs may be considered. • Place wall signs to align with nearby buildings. • Determine if decorative moldings exist that could define a sign panel. If so, locate a flush-mounted wall sign to fit within a panel formed by moldings or transom panels. • Do not obstruct character-defining features of a building with signage. 5.13 Design a wall sign to minimize the depth of a sign panel or letters. Design a wall sign to minimize the • A wall sign should be relatively flush with the building façade. depth of a sign panel or letters. • Design a wall sign to sit within, rather than forward of, the fascia or other architectural details of the building. A wall sign should be relatively flush with the building façade. 42 Projecting Sign This is an attached sign which projects and has one end attached to a building, and which does not employ ground support. 5.14 Design a projecting sign to be similar in character to those seen traditionally. • Design the sign bracket as a decorative or complementary element of the sign. The bracket should appear as part of the sign composition and design. 5.15 Projecting or blade signs may be considered. • Locate small projecting signs near the business entrance, just above the door or to the side of it. • Mount moderately sized projecting signs higher on the building, Design the sign bracket as a centered on the façade or positioned at the corner. decorative or complementary • Small hanging signs are appropriate under a canopy on commercial element of the sign. building types or from the inside of a porch on residential building types. 43 ATTACHMENT 3 44 Location of proposed signage at 124 Main Street 45