Historic Resource Commission

Schenectady Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes August 1, 2017 I. CALL TO ORDER Commissioner Britt called the meeting to order at 6:30 PM. II. ROLL CALL PRESENT: Carrie Britt-Narcavage, Chair; Ben Wiles, Vice Chair; Jackie Craven; David F. Lowry; Patricia Yager EXCUSED: Dr. Dean Bennett STAFF: Avi Epstein, Zoning Officer; Ashlynn Savarese, Assistant Corporation Counsel; Jennifer Mills, Secretary III. CONFLICT OF INTEREST Commissioner Britt recused herself from consideration of New Business Item A – 1262 Lowell Road. The applicant is her sister. IV. ADOPTION OF MEETING MINUTES Motion by Commissioner Britt, seconded by Commissioner Craven, to accept the April 15, 2017 Meeting Minutes as submitted. Motion carried unanimously. Motion by Commissioner Britt, seconded by Commissioner Yager, to accept the June 19, 2017 Meeting Minutes as submitted. Motion carried, with Commissioner Wiles abstaining. V. OLD BUSINESS - Applications A. Consideration for approval submitted by Harline Andrus to install vinyl siding on three sides of the apartment building. The premise is located at 13- 15 North College Street. At the request of the building owner, the item was withdrawn from the agenda due to the observance of a religious holiday. Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes –August 1, 2017 –Page 1 of 5  Zoning Officer Avi Epstein noted that a letter from Gloria Kishton regarding the vinyl siding had been submitted for the record. Commissioner Wiles asked Mr. Epstein if he could investigate how many times, if any, the Commission had approved vinyl siding in the last fifteen years, and if so what where the circumstances. Commissioner Britt stated that in her opinion this application has two separate issues: first, should the vinyl siding be approved if it is at all visible from the public right of way, and second, is the original brick façade being irreparably damaged by the installation of the siding. Commissioner Yager agreed. Commissioner Craven commented that while she is not certain that the vinyl siding could be seen from North College Street the edge of it most certainly can be. Commissioner Wiles requested that Mr. Epstein ask the applicant to provide specific information as to how the vinyl siding would be attached. He also suggested that Mr. Epstein could provide the Commissioners with some specific related information from the Secretary of the Interior’s standards. Commissioner Yager stated that she had found some information in the Preservation briefs and would forward the links to Mr. Epstein for dissemination to the Commissioners. Commissioner Wiles stated that Ms. Kishton, who submitted the letter for the record, should be informed when the application is put back on the agenda. Mr. Epstein agreed that he would do so. VI. NEW BUSINESS - Applications A. Consideration for approval submitted by Jamie Britt and Matt Fabrizio to enclose rear porch, remove front shrubs, and paint the exterior of the home. The premise is located at 1262 Lowell Road. Jamie Britt and Matt Fabrizio appeared before the Commission. Because Commissioner Britt recused herself, Commissioner Wiles acted as Chair for the consideration of this application. Commissioner Wiles asked the applicants to briefly review their proposal. Ms. Britt stated that they would like to paint the exterior of the home the colors included in the application, remove some overgrown shrubs in the front and along the driveway, and expand the kitchen by enclosing a rear porch. Commissioner Wiles asked if they are proposing to paint the exterior the specific colors included in the application. Ms. Britt stated that they are. Commissioner Yager asked if the shutters will be the darker green accent color. Ms. Britt responded that they will be. Commissioner Wiles asked if they plan to repaint the Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes –August 1, 2017 –Page 2 of 5 foundation, which is currently painted a burgundy color. Ms. Britt replied that they plan to paint it the dark green accent color. Commissioner Wiles asked the Commissioners if they had any further questions regarding the paint. The Commissioners stated that they did not. Commissioner Wiles asked if the applicants knew the specific species of the landscaping they wished to remove. Mr. Fabrizio stated that in front there are some junipers, and along the driveway cedars or arbor vitae. Ms. Britt stated that the bushes had become so overgrown that if they were cut back to a reasonable size there would be very little sustainable growth left, and that some already had been cut back along the driveway. Commissioner Yager asked if they plan to replace any of the landscaping. Ms. Britt stated that they would prefer not to. She explained that the bushes on the side of the driveway potentially interfere with sight lines when exiting the driveway, and that her neighbor has flowering bushes there that will provide a sufficient division between the properties. She added that she would like to replace the front bushes with some mulched flower beds, as the shrub hedge makes the yard feel very closed off and dark. Ms. Britt noted that few houses in the Realty Plot have front hedges. The Commissioners agreed that the landscaping proposal was acceptable. Turning the discussion to the proposed kitchen addition, Commissioner Wiles asked if the addition would use the same footprint and foundation as the existing back porch. Ms. Britt stated that the footprint will be the same but that they will be replacing the foundation with stone to match the rest of the foundation, and that it will all be painted the dark green. Commissioner Wiles asked if the addition will have windows. Ms. Britt responded that they will be repurposing two existing windows and the door. Commissioner Wiles asked if the architectural element between the first and second floors would remain. Ms. Britt stated that she believes that it is a decorative wood element and that they plan to keep it. Commissioner Craven noted that it appears to be wood eaves, possibly used to help direct water run-off. Commissioner Wiles asked if the current mudroom next to the porch will remain. Ms. Britt stated that it is disrepair and they plan to open the entire area up to expand the kitchen. Commissioner Craven asked if the siding on the addition will be the same as the rest of the house. Mr. Fabrizio stated that it will be. Ms. Britt added that the upstairs sleeping porch will not be modified at all. Commissioner Yager asked if the corner trim at the end of the existing kitchen will be removed. Mr. Fabrizio stated that it will be so that they can seamlessly blend the new siding with the existing. Ms. Britt noted that as shown in the photos she provided only the very top of the sleeping porch windows can be seen from the alley. The Commissioners agreed that the proposed addition would not be very visible from the right of way. Motion by Commissioner Wiles, seconded by Commissioner Yager, to approve the application for 1262 Lowell Road as explained below: Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes –August 1, 2017 –Page 3 of 5  1. Once commenced, the project will be completed within one year. 2. The main body of the house will be painted Behr Cricket (PPU9-22), the trim will be painted Behr Navajo White (YL-W6), with the accents, shutters, and foundation painted Behr Conifer Green (PPU10-19). 3. The landscaping will be removed from along the side of the driveway and behind the sidewalk in the front yard. The shrubs along the driveway will not be replaced. The shrubs behind the sidewalk will be replaced with mulched flower beds. 4. The kitchen will be expanded to encompass the existing rear porch and mudroom. The two existing windows and the door will be repurposed in the new addition. The siding will match the existing and the horizontal wood element capping the bottom edge of the sleeping porch will remain. The existing second-floor sleeping porch will not be modified in any way. Findings: 1. This is a Type II SEQRA. 2. The applicant is not proposing to replace existing shrubbery, which had not been maintained and had become overgrown. The applicant states that the front shrubbery closes in the yard and makes if appear dark, and that the tall shrubs on the side of the driveway can interfere with sight lines when exiting the driveway. 3. A reasonable argument can be made that the Commission has authority over the addition, despite its limited visibility from the right of way. Regardless, the proposed addition is in keeping with the character of the rest of the structure, and is an attempt to provide an increased usefulness to the structure which cannot be provided without the addition. Motion carried, with Commissioner Britt abstaining. B. Consideration for approval submitted by Steven Strichman to replace in-kind porch stairs and to paint with previously approved colors, possibly removing one step. Removing concrete steps in front and replacing with wood porch using existing railing if salvageable. The premise is located at 1175 Stratford Road. Mr. Strichman was unable to attend the meeting and requested that his application be withdrawn and considered at a future date. VII. MISCELLANEOUS Commissioner Yager noted that when she visited West Alley to observe the Lowell Road property from the rear she observed that there were many very dilapidated garages on the alley that are on the other side, and thus not within the Commission’s authority. She asked if staff could follow up. Zoning Officer Epstein stated that he Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes –August 1, 2017 –Page 4 of 5  would ask a building inspector to take a look. Commissioner Wiles commented that there are also garages on the Historic District side that are in serious states of disrepair. VIII. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Commissioner Britt, seconded by Commissioner Craven, to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 7:00 pm. Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes –August 1, 2017 –Page 5 of 5