Historic Preservation Commission

Approved, April 14, 2023 100 Riveredge Road, Tenafly, NJ 07670 MINUTES MARCH 9, 2023 Chairperson Mike Barone called the meeting to order at 7:37pm. The announcement was made regarding compliance with the Open Public Meetings Law. Tonight’s meeting took place in the Conference Room at the Davis Johnson Park and proper notice was sent to the newspapers. Roll Call Members Present: Mike Barone, Rita Heller, Richard Bennett, Emily Yang, Brendan Lee, and Steven Standler Members Absent: Thorin Tritter Also Present: Jeff Grossman, Council Liaison Approval of Minutes A motion was made by Mrs. Heller and seconded by Mr. Lee to approve the minutes from February 2, 2023. A voice vote carried the motion. All members voted in favor of the motion; none were opposed. Certificate of Appropriateness a. 89 Highwood Avenue--Certificate of Appropriateness for a replacement of existing fence was approved by Mr. Barone on February 14, 2023. b. 167 Serpentine Road—Certificate of Appropriateness for a deck on the 2nd floor flat roof was submitted to the Building Department on February 22, 2023, where Mr. Byrnes, Construction and Zoning Official deemed this a major application. The applicant is stating that the roof leaks after rain or snow and the space not being utilized. Mr. Barone stated that the deck would be at the rear of the dwelling and not visible from the street. This would also help with the issues of water damage to the rest of the home. After some deliberation, the Commission discussed changing the application to a minor application. A motion was made by Mr. Bennett and seconded by Mrs. Heller to deem this Certificate of Appropriateness a minor application. A voice vote carried the motion. All members voted in favor of the motion; none were opposed. Another motion was made by Mr. Bennett and seconded by Mrs. Yang to approve the Certificate of Appropriateness. A voice vote carried the motion. All members voted in favor of the motion; none were opposed.  Historic Preservation Commission Meeting March 9, 2023 2 New Business Centennial Plaque Application—Mr. Barone stated that the Commission received a Centennial Plaque application for the home at 315 Engle Street, Tenafly. The applicant supplied supporting documentation showing that his home was built circa 1906. It was noted that this is the first centennial plaque order since before COVID and the manufacturer has increased their pricing. Ms. Booth said she will update the application, add it to the website, inform the homeowner of the increase and submit a small article to be added to the next Borough Newsletter. Grant Opportunity (March)—The Commission decided that they would not pursue this grants at this time and the grants discussed last month would be a better fit for the work they would like done. Old Business Grant Opportunities (February)—Mr. Barone stated that the Commission would forward a recommendation to the Borough Administrator for possible projects in the Borough that funding from grants could be used for. These projects would be the restoration of the Inness Road Gates and the installation of a fire suppression system at the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Railroad Station. Dave & Paul’s Book—Mr. Barone stated that they might be able to find better quality images from the slides in the archive room. They would also consider the cost to digitize the publication. Hard Drives—The external hard drives were scanned by the Borough’s IT department and it was determined that one drive was good and the other was corrupted. Updates from Council Liaison Councilman Grossman stated that the budget process was currently underway. The Planning Board is still working on the Master Plan Reexamination Report, which is due this year. The Planner is familiar with the topic of Accessory Dwelling Units in historic designated homes and will put together some language for the Planning Board to consider. Adjournment The next meeting will be held in person in the Conference Room at Borough Hall on Thursday, April 13, 2023 at 7:30pm. The meeting was adjourned at 8:31pm by Mr. Barone. A motion was made by Mr. Lee and seconded by Mrs. Heller. A voice vote carried the motion. All members voted in favor; none were opposed. Respectfully submitted, Amanda Booth Historic Preservation Commission Secretary