Historic Preservation Commission

Tybee Island HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION Meeting Minutes Date & Time: December 8, 2025, 6:00 pm Present: Holly Grell-Lawe (Chair), Jacilyn Ledford, Mike Goldberg, Cara Cole, and Maggie Wright Observers: Dawn Shaye (Forever Tybee) Location: Burke Day Public Safety Building, Conference Room, 78 Van Horne Avenue Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 6:01 pm. A quorum was present. Approval of Minutes The minutes of the 11/10/2025 HPC monthly meeting were approved unanimously upon a motion by Mike Goldberg and seconded by Jacilyn Ledford. Announcements Tybee/MLK & Lazaretto Coalition Chair Holly Grell-Lawe announced that Marna Lewin (recently resigned from HPC) has offered to and will continue to serve as the liaison between HPC and Tybee/MLK & Lazaretto Coalition. Holly shared an update received by Marna from Julia Pierce stating that discussions had taken place with Trey Thompson, President of the Savannah Bar Pilots Association. The Bar Pilots agreed that the proposed monument is appropriate and expressed willingness to donate toward the monument. They are also willing to work collaboratively with the City of Tybee Island, the MLK organization, and the Lazaretto Coalition. It was noted that the MLK organization will inspect the proposed site for size considerations in January. Tybee/MLK & Lazaretto Coalition are also working towards a corresponding plaque to be located in the Memorial Park cemetery. Holiday Market Members discussed the Historic Preservation Commission’s participation in the Holiday Market scheduled for December 13, 2025. Maggie Wright reminded members that market hours are from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM, with setup beginning at 8:00 AM. Items identified for the HPC table included informational materials, applications, sponsorship forms, yard signs, design guidelines, the HPC banner, the FAQ document, and the Local Historic District (LHD) Phase 2 Report. HPC Chair Chair Holly Grell-Lawe reviewed upcoming meetings and deadlines:  December 15 Local Historic District public hearing before the Planning Commission  January 7 City Council workshop regarding the Local Historic District 1   January 12 HPC monthly meeting  January 29 HPC Annual Planning Meeting  February City Council Local Historic District public hearing Holly noted that the final activity report for the CLG Grant is due February 1, representing the final grant deliverable aside from the final reimbursement request, which will close out the grant project administratively with the State Historic Preservation Office/Georgia Department of Community Affairs (SHPO/DCA). Notification requirements for the City Council/HPC public hearing were discussed, including the need to notify all property owners within the proposed district. Holly stated she has a sample notification letter from SHPO. Notices must be sent no more than 20 days and no fewer than 10 days before the hearing. The exact hearing date will be confirmed, likely during the first City Council meeting in February. Holly reminded members that agenda items must be submitted by the close of business on the Wednesday before each meeting. Members were also reminded that any proposals for the fiscal year budget should be emailed ahead of the January meeting or brought to that meeting for discussion. Central Island Historic District Application: Holly encouraged members to review comments and edits provided by the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) on the application materials, including the 10-900 form and maps. She noted there are no funds in the current HPC budget for another revision. Holly stated she would speak with Cassidi to explore whether another revision could be pursued before the new fiscal year. Ongoing Business 2026 HPC Vacant Positions Members were encouraged to reach out to community members they believe would be a good fit for the Commission. Applications are available in the City Hall lobby. Outreach efforts will include flyers and the City newsletter. HPC Annual Planning Meeting (1/29/2026) The Annual Planning Meeting is scheduled for January 29, 2026. Holly Grell-Lawe will coordinate with Mike Goldberg and Maggie Wright. Members were asked to email Holly with agenda item suggestions. Holly reminded members to continually review HPC procedures. Members discussed the idea of training sessions included in the planning meeting. Historic Preservation Fund and SHPO CLG Grants for 2026 Holly noted that the grant application period for Certified Local Government (CLG) grants from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs opened this past Friday. The City of Tybee needs to initiate an update of its Historic Resources Survey (to maintain CLG status) and can submit a grant application to help fund that effort. One option would be to propose completing the update in two separate phases under two separate grants, as was done back in 2016 and 2017. A second option would be to submit a single grant application to cover both phases over several years. Cassidi Kendrick and Maggie Wright will follow up on preparing a grant application. CLG Grant Project Local Historic District (LHD) for Fort Screven and North Campbell Holly Grell-Lawe, Mike Goldberg, and Cassidi Kendrick met with Nicholas Hale, Cam Jackson, and 2 Kathryn Williams to review the LHD design guidelines for Fort Screven and the North Campbell Neighborhood, share several case examples, and answer questions. These two newly elected and one current member of City Council were the only council members who responded to the invitation sent by the City Clerk for a “two-on-one” briefing from HPC on the proposed LHD design guidelines. The meeting allowed for a productive discussion of hypothetical scenarios related to the final draft LHD design guidelines. Documents provided included the FAQ, Phase 2 LHD Report, and the final draft of the design guidelines. Three case examples were reviewed: the Barracks rehabilitation and Public Safety Building new construction prepared with volunteer assistance from HPC Advisor, Sarah Jones, and the siding case at 18 17th Terrace prepared by Maggie Wright. Upcoming steps include a public hearing before the Planning Commission on December 15, at which a recommendation will be made to the City Council, followed by a City Council workshop in January and a City Council public hearing in February. After the February public hearing, HPC will need to present a resolution for adoption of the LHD. The City Clerk will draft the resolution with assistance from Holly Grell-Lawe. Holly noted that the Georgia Department of Community Affairs has requested ongoing updates on the project even after administrative close-out of the grant on February 1, 2026. Cara Cole asked about concerns if the project does not pass the City Council. Discussion followed regarding potential next steps, including continued public outreach and consultation with the HPC advisor, Sarah Jones. The Commission discussed conducting a temperature-taking survey in early January to gauge the sentiment among property owners within the proposed LHD. Options would include responses of yes, no, undecided, or need more information. Members discussed gathering email addresses, including those for non-historic properties, to send out an email for a “temperature taking.” Holly reminded members to remain familiar with Local Historic District statistics, including building counts, vacant lots, total properties, and contributing versus noncontributing classifications. Holly reported that she has not discussed with city attorneys the use of administrative review procedures for certain types of certificates of appropriateness (COAs), if the LHD is approved by City Council. She noted that after conversations with other municipalities, administrative review could be incorporated into HPC procedures and will share examples from other jurisdictions for comparison. Holly also noted that Maggie submitted the required Activity Report (a CLG Grant deliverable) to SHPO on October 31, 2025. The final draft of the design guidelines was due and sent to SHPO on December 1, 2025, and Cassidi is working to place the project on the December 10 City Council workshop agenda. Permits for Review 5 TS Chu Terrace The application was received on December 2, 2025 and proposes a remodel including the replacement of all windows and doors, repair of rotted siding as needed, removal of a deteriorated concrete stairway, and construction of new wood stairs and handrails within the same footprint as 3 the existing stairs. Proposed deck work includes the replacement of all handrails, pickets, and decking boards on the left and rear decks, along with the installation of metal joist hangers and carriage bolts to improve safety. Additional work includes removal and disposal of garage doors, removal of plywood from the garage exterior walls, installation of one-by-six lattice, and installation of metal over the existing decorative lattice on the garage overhang. The property is identified as Survey Field ID#040 in the Phase 1 Tybee Island Historic Resources Survey (2016) and is classified as MAY be eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. The structure is a Raised Tybee Cottage Variant circa 1935 and is located just outside the South End Business Overlay District and the Back River National Historic District. The Commission unanimously recommended approval of the permit. Holly Grell Lawe will email Lisa Schaff with the recommendation. 3 Officers Row The application was received on December 4, 2025 and proposes exterior renovations, including replacement of lower-level deck boards, repair of upper-level railings, and painting. The property is identified as Survey Field ID#014 in the Fort Screven and North Campbell Local Historic District (LHD) Phase 2 Final Report, and is a contributing property within the proposed Local Historic District and the existing Fort Screven National Historic District. The property is a Queen Anne-style structure, circa 1898 to 1900. Several members voiced concern that perhaps the work identified on the permit application may have already been initiated. The Commission emphasized the importance of confirming that all exterior replacement materials are consistent with the original structure. Holly will follow up with Lisa Schaff, and a final recommendation will be determined by email once additional information is provided. Adjournment There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:02 PM upon a motion by Jacilyn Ledford and a second by Mike Goldberg. 4