Historic District Commission Regular Meeting

Minutes HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION Regular meeting 6:30 p.m. March 5, 2025 Board Meeting Room of Town Hall Annex, 105 E. Corbin St. Present: Vice Chair Hannah Peele and members G. Miller, Daniel Widis, and Bruce Spencer Absent: Chair Will Senner and member Sara Riek Staff: Planner Joseph Hoffheimer 1. Call to order, roll call, and confirmation of quorum Vice Chair Hannah Peele called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. She called the roll and confirmed the presence of a quorum. 2. Commission’s mission statement Peele read the statement. 3. Agenda changes There were no agenda changes. 4. Minutes review and approval Minutes from regular meeting on Feb. 5, 2025. Motion: Member G. Miller moved to approve the minutes from the regular meeting on Feb. 5, 2025. Member Bruce Spencer seconded. Vote: 4-0. 5. Written decision review and approval Written decision from regular meeting on Feb. 5, 2025. Motion: Spencer moved to approve the written decisions from the regular meeting on Feb. 5, 2025. Miller seconded. Vote: 4-0. 6. Old business A. Demolition by Neglect Complaint: 217 S. Occoneechee St. Notice of administrative hearing for Planning staff to receive evidence concerning the preliminary finding of demolition by neglect and to ascertain whether the owner/s wish to file a claim of economic hardship with the Historic District Commission (PIN 9864850633). Planner Joseph Hoffheimer provided notice that the administrative hearing will be held on April 14, 2025, at 4:00 pm in the Town Hall Annex Meeting Room at 105 E. Corbin St. 101 E. Orange St., PO Box 429, Hillsborough, NC 27278 919-732-1270 | www.hillsboroughnc.gov | @HillsboroughGov HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION MINUTES | 1 of 3  HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION MINUTES | 2 of 3 7. New business A. Certificate of Appropriateness Application: 233 Lydia Ln. Convert existing screen porch to a sunroom (PIN 9874280083) Peele opened the public hearing and asked whether there were any conflicts of interest or bias among the commissioners. None were disclosed. All commissioners disclosed that they had visited the site in preparation for reviewing the application. Hoffheimer was sworn in. David Cates, the presenter for the applicant, was sworn in to speak on behalf of the application. Hoffheimer introduced the application by presenting the staff report. He noted that the inventory information, application materials, and applicable design standards would be entered into the record as evidence. He provided the staff comments: ● The minor works standards allow staff to approve the relocation of the steps, so staff recommend that the commission approves the step relocation as submitted. Cates presented the application. He stated that the house was built in 2019 and that the greatest change from a site perspective will be the relocation of the existing steps. All the proposed materials will match the existing materials on the house, and everything proposed is allowed by the compatibility matrix. The existing screen door will be removed because it is not necessary. Peele asked if there were any questions about application or its compatibility with the historic district. There were no concerns about compatibility with the district. Miller asked about the color of the proposed trim, and Cates confirmed that the sunroom will have white trim but with black sashes, both of which will match the existing screened porch. Member Daniel Widis and Cates then discussed the proposed windowpane configuration. Peele summarized the commissioners’ discussion: the proposed windows and materials are all compatible with the district; the changes are at the rear of the house so will have little impact on the view from the street; the stairs are being moved to an even less conspicuous location; and the house is not historic. Miller asked Hoffheimer if the Additions to Residential Buildings standards would apply in this case, especially for criteria such as the sizing, scale, and location of the door and window openings. Hoffheimer replied that the standards listed in the staff report are not binding and that the commission may choose to consider other standards. He added that he would not consider the proposal to be an addition but that more modern construction often is not clearly addressed by the standards. The commissioners agreed that the work would be subject to additional discussion if on the front of the building, but since it is at the back, it will not detract from the character of the building. Peele closed the public hearing. Motion: Miller moved to find as fact that the 233 Lydia Ln. application is not incongruous 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 Standards: Windows; Doors; and Porches, Entrances, and Balconies. Spencer seconded.  HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION MINUTES | 3 of 3 Vote: 4-0. Motion: Miller moved to approve the application. Spencer seconded. Vote: 4-0. Conditions: None. 8. General updates Hoffheimer provided updates about opportunities to partner with the Alliance for Historic Hillsborough as well as two upcoming rezoning requests in the historic district. 9. Adjournment Peele adjourned the meeting at 7:00 pm. Respectfully submitted, Joseph Hoffheimer Planner Staff support to the Historic District Commission Approved: May 7, 2025