The Historic Preservation Commission voted to deny a request to replace cedar shake roofing with asphalt shingles at 450 North Hickory Street.

Commissioner Chuck and other commission members said the property’s roofing is an architectural feature the panel’s standards and the Secretary of the Interior’s guidelines treat as historically significant. The commission recorded an affirmative roll-call vote and carried the motion to deny the application.

Commission members discussed the standards that guide their decision. One commissioner said the commission follows the town ordinance and the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and that an exception can be made only for narrow reasons, such as when an original material is no longer available or the climate makes the original material unsuitable. The commissioner said neither condition appeared to apply here. Another commissioner noted cedar shakes remain available and that the existing roof appears original or mostly original.

Commission discussion also addressed practical concerns raised by the applicant’s contractor. Commissioner Chuck said, “I get it. It’s expensive. It’s hard to find people to do them, but they can go appeal it to city council then based on a hardship or something.” Commissioners and a staff member said they had not received a formal hardship claim from the homeowner and suggested the owner or contractor could seek a hardship exception from city council if cost is the issue.

Technical details raised in the discussion included whether the roof was leaking and whether damaged Yankee gutters and ice during winter had caused deterioration; a contractor who had spoken with staff reported issues with gutters and ice buildup but did not present a formal hardship claim. Commissioners discussed tabling the item to allow the owner to appear but ultimately moved to vote.

Motion and vote: A motion to deny was made during the meeting and seconded; the roll call recorded affirmative votes from Horton, Monahan, Wigner, Carroll and Ralph, and the motion carried. The record does not show a recorded amendment to the motion.

The commission’s decision is advisory for this property type only to the extent the ordinance allows; commissioners noted that owners retain the option to seek an exception from city council. The commission also discussed longer-term policy ideas raised during the discussion, including a city-level fund or fine-based pool to assist owners who cannot afford historically appropriate materials, but no program was proposed or adopted.

The commission moved on to the next agenda item following the vote.