16 December 2008 | Approved: 21 January 2009
HPC members present: Mimi Styles, David Neumann and Ed Mroczka. Joe Clark, member of the Town Council(TC) and Liaison to the HPC, was also present.
John McClelland, attended the meeting to discuss plans for modifying his residence. He also attended as chair of the Planning Commission (PC) to discuss the common goals and procedures of the HPC and the PC.
David Neumann agreed to take minutes for the meeting. The meeting was officially called to order at 7:30pm by David Neumann, acting Chair.
The agenda proposed by Bob Booher Chair of the HPC was reviewed. A number of items were omitted from the agenda as only three HPC members were present. The minutes of the HPC meeting of November 18 were reviewed. The November minutes were approved subject to a few changes which David Neumann agreed to make.
Review of Projects
John McClelland presented his ideas for modifications to his residence, a contributing structure, originally built in 1902.. This was an early consultation, hence no review was written. He provided a verbal description of his plans to finish attic space and put in two gabled dormers to provide light on either side of the main gable of his house. This would be on the side facing Chestnut Road. The approximate overall length of the attic space is 22 feet under the main ridge line. The width of the attic living was about 14 feet. Mr. McClelland said the design was based on the dormer style used in the residence of Alan Winter at 202 Chestnut Avenue built in 1903. There are approx. 2 foot knee-walls on either side of the attic space. HPC members made a few suggestions but felt the small dormers would be compatible with the overall style of the house and would not seriously affect the scale of the building. They felt the small dormers were more compatible with the existing structure than skylights. Mr. McClelland agreed to provide more detailed plans later when he applies for a building permit.
Council Report
Council member Joe Clark presented his report to the HPC. He explained that the Town Council had introduced Ordinance 2008-07 which deals with Building Coverage Standards for Residential Zones. This ordinance attempts to repair inconsistencies in current zoning. Joe Clark explained that the Council discussion mentioned both negative and positive effects of this change. Information on the specific effects of the proposed change were provided by a MS-Excel spreadsheet showing some of the effects on the size of the building footprint possible under the proposed ordinance. Possible non-compliance of the Kershaw/Higdon newly renovated residence on the corner of Brown Street and Chestnut Avenue with Town single occupancy zoning rules were also discussed.
Interactions with the Planning Commission
John McClelland and members of the HPC discussed aspects of the proposed Ordinance 2008-07. He explained that the PC hoped that this ordinance might provide some protection from mansionization. He agreed that more statistics on the effects of the ordinance might be helpful. He also agreed that it would be a good idea if the PC and the HPC were to meet jointly in the early spring to discuss procedural issues as well as steps the Town could take to prevent mansionization. He explained that he had hoped that the Council would be in favor of the HPC review coming earlier in the building permit application process.
Other
The HPC meeting in January will coincide with the Inauguration of President-Elect Barak Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. A motion was made and seconded to postpone the HPC meeting until January 21 (a Wednesday). The motion to postpone the next meeting one day was carried unanimously. Mimi Styles agreed to inform the Town Clerk and to also ask the Town Clerk to run the same HPC material in the Town Bulletin that had run last month. We agreed to modify it for the next Buletin at our January meeting.
Adjournment
The next meeting will be held Wednesday, January 21, 2009, starting at 7:30pm.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:00 p.m.