The Land Use, Housing and Transportation Standing Committee voted Oct. 21 to forward resolution 2025R044 to council with a recommendation to reverse in part a decision of the Commission of Architectural Review (CAR) regarding 510 West Twentieth Street.

Alex Dandridge, preservation planner and secretary to CAR, told the committee that the property is in the Spring Hill City Old and Historic District and that a stop-work order followed after the replacement of historic standing-seam metal roofs at multiple properties on West Twentieth Street. CAR reviewed a retroactive certificate of appropriateness application for 510 West Twentieth Street and approved the front porch roof material (standing-seam metal) but denied replacement of the main roof with asphalt shingles. CAR found asphalt shingles did not adequately resemble standing-seam metal, would diminish the building’s historic integrity and did not meet the commission’s roof-replacement guidance.

The property owner’s representative, Austin Farrell, and an attorney (Miss Lynch introduced the paper) asked the committee to reverse CAR’s denial for the main roof on five grounds: the owners acted in good faith and relied on professional advice; the stop-work order was delayed allowing the new roof to become established; precedent exists in the district where asphalt shingles are present on some buildings; the guidelines provide some flexibility; and the cost to replace the new roof with standing-seam metal would be a hardship, estimated by the homeowner at about $20,000.

Dandridge and CAR staff said the commission’s role is to enforce adopted guidelines and that reversing a CAR decision where work was completed without prior approval risks eroding the district’s historic fabric. Dandridge referenced city code Section 38-940.8(c), which allows city council to reverse or modify a CAR decision by resolution where the council is satisfied that the commission erred.

Committee members discussed precedent, enforcement reality and the process for appeal to council. After debate, the committee voted to forward resolution 2025R044 to council with a recommendation to approve. The committee’s recorded ayes included Mr. Breton, Vice Chair Robertson and Chair Jones.

The resolution, if approved by council, would partially reverse the CAR decision and grant the homeowners the relief requested in the retroactive certificate-of-appropriateness application; council will consider the resolution at a future meeting.