The Design Review Board took the following formal actions at its Sept. 24 meeting (votes recorded in the meeting minutes):

1) Approval of minutes — July 30 minutes approved. Motion to approve passed unanimously.

2) Consent agenda — The board approved five consent items on the consent agenda. Approved items were:
- 11 Hampstead Place: Plus Nails and Spa — exterior modifications (ventilation) in Neighborhood Center (NC) district.
- 176 Lake Avenue: Lake Periodontic — freestanding sign in Urban Residential 3 (UR-3) district.
- 63 Putnam Street: Saratoga Escape Room — historic review of an unlit wall sign in the Urban Core (UC) district.
- 13 Lakewood Drive: Verizon utility pole and wireless equipment in right-of-way in UR-1 district.
- 151 Van Dam Street: porch material details for new 2-story, 2-car garage in UR-3 district.

Consent approvals were moved and seconded from the dais and approved unanimously; applicants present were released to follow up with staff.

3) UDO advisory opinion (development bonus action) — The board issued a favorable advisory opinion recommending the procedural change (transfer of bonus-action calculation to zoning officer/code administrator), and recommended the City Council consider tabling its vote to allow staff to review bonus actions and incentives. Motion passed unanimously.

4) Route 29 (Prime Station Lane) advisory opinion — The board discussed mass, height and scale and requested additional materials (hotel elevations and two perspective views showing how the project reads from Route 29 and the hilltop). The board and applicant agreed to table the DRB advisory opinion until the applicant returns with those materials.

5) 106 Van Dam Street — The board found the front porch historically/architecturally significant under UDO §13 (motion passed unanimously) and subsequently approved a restoration with conditions (in-kind restoration, natural materials, optional wood square lattice skirting, and administrative review of material details); roofing alternatives were approved as asphalt shingle or EPDM depending on pitch and contractor advice. Motion passed unanimously.

6) 172 Caroline Street — The board approved construction of a new single-family house and a two‑car garage with conditions: smooth cement-board siding required; the garage must be detached and sited 18 feet from the alley/edge-of-pavement (no connector to main house); updated site plan and material details to be submitted administratively. Motion passed unanimously.

7) Adjournment — Meeting adjourned following approvals.

All recorded approvals at the meeting were unanimous among members present unless noted. Where the board provided an advisory opinion to the Planning Board or City Council, those opinions are nonbinding and will be transmitted to the relevant body for consideration.