Historic Resource Commission

Schenectady Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes May 27, 2021 I. CALL TO ORDER Commissioner Yager called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. Due to the closure of City Hall because of the Covid-19 Virus, the meeting was conducted online via WebEx. II. ROLL CALL PRESENT: Patricia Yager, Chair; Ben Wiles, Vice Chair; Shaun Andriano; Dr. Dean Bennett; Christopher Marney; Richard Unger; Matt Smith, Senior Planner; Jennifer Mills, Secretary ABSENT: Frank Gilmore Commissioner Yager welcomed new Commissioner Richard Unger to the Commission. III. CONFLICT OF INTEREST Commissioner Marney recused himself from the consideration of Item H, the application for 205 Union Street. IV. ADOPTION OF MEETING MINUTES Delayed until June meeting. V. CALL FOR MEMBERS OF PUBLIC TO SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEMS None. VI. APPLICATIONS A. Consideration for approval submitted by Renee Farley to install a fence. The premises are located at 122 North Ferry Street in the Stockade Historic District. Renee Farley presented the application. The applicant explained that she would like the fence for security purposes, as she has had problems with people trespassing and loitering in the yard. She stated that she is concerned for the safety of her tenants, who are elderly. Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes May 27, 2021 –Page 1 of 7  The Commissioners discussed the fence and indicated that they had no objection to the proposal. RESOLUTION Motion by Commissioner Marney, seconded by Commissioner Bennett, to approve the application to install the fence as submitted, with the following condition: 1. The project will be completed within one year. And with the following findings of fact: 1. This is a Type II SEQRA. 2. The Commissioners cited Preservation Standards #9 and #10 as the guidelines for their decision. Motion carried unanimously. B. Consideration for approval submitted by Arend van der Veen to paint the house. The premises are located at 1164 Stratford Road in the GE Plot Historic District. Arend van der Veen presented the application. The applicant briefly reviewed the application. The Commissioners indicated that they had no objection to the proposed colors. RESOLUTION Motion by Commissioner Marney, seconded by Commissioner Andriano, to approve the application to paint the house as submitted, with the following condition: 1. The project will be completed within one year. And with the following finding of fact: 1. This is a Type II SEQRA. 2. The Commissioners cited Preservation Standards #2, #5, and #6 as the guidelines for their decision. Motion carried unanimously. C. Consideration for approval submitted by Clark and Cathy Darlington to replace the roof. The premises are located at 1176 Stratford Road in the GE Plot Historic District. Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes May 27, 2021 –Page 2 of 7  Clark and Cathy Darlington presented the application. Mr. Darlington briefly reviewed the application and explained that the roof has been in disrepair for some time and the leaks are causing problems throughout the house. He stated that they have been unable to find roof tiles to match the existing and thus are proposing the Brava roof material that has been approved and used elsewhere in the GE Realty Plot. The Commissioners discussed the application and determined that the proposed product would be a suitable replacement for the existing roof. They briefly discussed the color and agreed that the Aged Terracotta shade chosen by the applicants would be appropriate. RESOLUTION Motion by Commissioner Marney, seconded by Commissioner Andriano, to approve the application to replace the roof as submitted, with the following condition: 1. The project will be completed within one year. And with the following findings of fact: 1. This is a Type II SEQRA. 2. The Commissioners cited Preservation Standards #2, #5, #6, and #9 as the guidelines for their decision. Motion carried unanimously. D. Consideration for approval submitted by JoAnn Pangione-Arcos to replace windows. The premises are located at 114 North Ferry Street in the Stockade Historic District. JoAnn Pangione-Arcos presented the application. Ms. Pangione-Arcos stated that the windows are drafty and difficult to open and close and thus she would like to replace them. After reviewing the application, the Commissioners determined that there was not significant evidence provided to prove that the windows are beyond repair and must be removed. It was decided that the application would be tabled to allow the applicant the opportunity to submit more information about the current state of the windows. MOTION TO TABLE Motion by Commissioner Marney, seconded by Commissioner Unger, to table the application as incomplete pending the submittal of further information regarding Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes May 27, 2021 –Page 3 of 7  the current state of the windows and evidence that they are beyond repair and must be replaced. Motion carried unanimously. E. Consideration for approval submitted by Melissa Phillips to paint the house. The premises are located at 1172 Rugby Road in the GE Plot Historic District. Melissa Phillips presented the application. Ms. Phillips explained that the house has aluminum siding and the original color has worn off in many places, therefore she would like to paint the siding. The Commissioners suggested removing a portion of the siding to see if the original siding is in good repair underneath it, but the applicant stated that she could not afford to remove the siding at this time. The Commissioners and the applicant discussed reinstalling the shutters on the house, which are being stored in the garage. The Commissioners suggested that the shutters most likely will not fit properly over the aluminum siding. It was determined that the shutters would not be a part of this proposal and that should the applicant wish to attempt to put them back on the house in the future she will return to the Commission with more details regarding their placement and the proposed hardware to be used. RESOLUTION Motion by Commissioner Marney, seconded by Commissioner Bennett, to approve the application to paint the house as submitted, with the following conditions: 1. The project will be completed within one year. 2. Putting the shutters back on the house is not approved as part of this application. Should the applicant wish to install shutters in the future she will return to the Historic District Commission for further consideration. And with the following findings of fact: 1. This is a Type II SEQRA. 2. The Commissioners cited Preservation Standards #2 and #5 as the guidelines for their decision. Motion carried unanimously. F. Consideration for approval submitted by Albert Cappadozy to construct a retaining wall. The premises are located at 1355 Union Street in the Union Street Historic District. Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes May 27, 2021 –Page 4 of 7  Albert Cappadozy presented the application. Mr. Cappadozy reviewed the proposal and explained that he had been advised by a contractor that he should install a retaining wall to extend the life of the new sidewalks that he is installing. The Commissioners discussed whether or not this is the case and concluded that regardless they would have to objection to the retaining wall if it is installed with several conditions, including being set back from the sidewalk and not being not rising higher than 30 inches. The Commissioners and applicant reviewed the options for stone colors and agreed that the Nutwood shade would be the most appropriate. RESOLUTION Motion by Commissioner Marney, seconded by Commissioner Andriano, to approve the application to construct a retaining wall as submitted, with the following conditions: 1. The project will be completed within one year. 2. The agreed upon color for the stone is Nutwood. 3. The retaining wall will be set back a minimum of two feet from the sidewalk edge. 4. As the retaining wall goes around the corner it will be rounded so as to soften the edge and not have an abrupt end. 5. This approval does not supersede and is contingent upon all necessary approvals from the City Engineering Department and Corporation Counsel. 6. The wall will not rise above the grade of the sidewalk more than 30 inches and will not have a railing or fence along the top. And with the following findings of fact: 1. This is a Type II SEQRA. 2. The Commissioners cited Preservation Standards #9 and #10 as the guidelines for their decision. Motion carried, with Commissioner Wiles opposed. G. Consideration for approval submitted by Nicholas Plowman to install new windows and paint the building. The premises are located at 5 North Ferry Street in the Stockade Historic District. Nicholas Plowman presented the application. Mr. Plowman briefly reviewed the application. He explained that the existing windows are not original and are in very poor condition and beyond repair. Commissioner Marney noted that he had information confirming that the existing windows were replacements. Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes May 27, 2021 –Page 5 of 7  The Commissioners and applicant referenced a photo of the building taken in the 1960s and discussed the painting scheme shown on it. It was determined that this paint scheme would be the most suitable for the new painting. The Commissioners indicated that enough evidence had been provided to prove that the current windows are beyond repair and were not original to the building, therefore they would not object to replacing them. RESOLUTION Motion by Commissioner Marney, seconded by Commissioner Wiles, to approve as submitted the application to conduct front entry, window, and façade restoration with the following conditions: 1. The project will be completed within one year. 2. The recessed panels on the doors will be painted an off-white putty color similar to those shown on the 1960s photo viewed at the meeting. The applicant will submit a sample of the paint color to City staff for approval prior to painting. 3. The windows approved are aluminum clad two over two windows with simulated or true divided light. And with the following findings of fact: 1. This is a Type II SEQRA. 2. The Commissioners cited Preservation Standards #2, #3, #5, and #6 as guidelines for their decision. 3. The current windows are known to not be original and were replacement windows which have severely deteriorated and are beyond repair. Motion carried unanimously. H. Consideration for approval submitted by Christopher Marney to remove the existing siding and expose the original siding beneath. The premises are located at 205 Union Street in the Stockade Historic District. Christopher Marney presented the application. The applicant briefly reviewed the application. He explained that he had removed a portion of the existing clapboard siding to see what was underneath and discovered that the original siding was there and in good condition. The Commissioners discussed the siding and the possibility that it is not all in such good condition. Commissioner Marney stated that if there are problems with Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes May 27, 2021 –Page 6 of 7  enough of the siding that they cannot preserve it on the portions of the house that are visible from the right of way they will return with a new application. The Commissioners agreed that the original siding would be the most historically appropriate and indicated that they support removing the existing clapboards. RESOLUTION Motion by Commissioner Unger, seconded by Commissioner Bennett, to approve the application to remove the existing siding and expose the original siding underneath as submitted, with the following condition: 1. The project will be completed within one year. And with the following findings of fact: 1. This is a Type II SEQRA. 2. The Commissioners cited Preservation Standards #2, #5, and #6 as guidelines for their decision. Motion carried unanimously. VII. MISCELLANEOUS None. VIII. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Commissioner Andriano, seconded by Commissioner Bennett, to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 9:07 p.m. Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes May 27, 2021 –Page 7 of 7