Webster Groves ARB approves five renovation projects, tables two pending fuller plans

The Webster Groves Architecture Review Board on Monday approved five residential projects and deferred two others after finding missing drawings or requests for clearer elevations and site plans.

The board approved the kitchen renovation at 104 West Swan Avenue; a dormer and second-floor conversion at 435 North Rock Hill Road (with a requirement that the shallow roof use a membrane rather than shingles); window replacements at 2 Renwood Court; a new garage at 148 Sylvester Avenue with specific trim, overhang and window conditions; and a whole-house exterior renovation at 115 Holly Drive (submitted as 15 Holly Drive in the packet). Two items — a rear pergola at 131 South Maple Avenue and a proposed sunroom at 9325 Big Bend Boulevard — were tabled because reviewers said the applications lacked elevations, context photos, or a full site plan.

Votes at a glance: 104 West Swan Avenue — approved (motion to approve as submitted with door relocation; mover/second not specified; aye votes recorded); 435 North Rock Hill Road — approved with the clarification that the shallow roof will have a membrane, not asphalt shingles; 2 Renwood Court — approved as submitted (window replacements); 148 Sylvester Avenue — approved with conditions (16-inch overhang around perimeter; columns trimmed to 8 inches with cap and base; 32-by-44 rear window to be added; option for homeowners to change garage trim to match house header detail); 115 Holly Drive — approved with windows, gable vents and siding to match existing; 131 South Maple Avenue (rear pergola) — tabled for resubmittal with site plan and elevations; 9325 Big Bend Boulevard (sunroom) — tabled for photos, site plan, elevations and a north arrow on the site plan.

Board members said most approved projects met design standards once applicants agreed to minor clarifications. For 435 North Rock Hill, a board member noted the roof pitch on the new dormer is very shallow and “I don't think I'd put a shingle on it,” leading the board to require a membrane roof. For the new garage at 148 Sylvester Avenue the motion recorded a set of specific conditions: a 16-inch overhang around the entire perimeter (including the patio), columns trimmed to 8 inches with cap and base trim, a 32-by-44 rear window, and an option allowing the homeowner to adopt a traditional header trim to better match the house's historic detailing.

Applicants for projects that were tabled were told what additional materials to supply. The rear pergola at 131 South Maple — submitted by Anna of Chesterfield Fence and Deck — lacked context drawings showing the pergola against the existing rear elevation and a site plan. Anna told the board, “I did take some notes during the work session, so feel free to ask any questions.” The board asked for a site plan and elevation showing the proposed pergola in context and larger material callouts, and recommended the applicant consider wider columns after noting the submitted 6-inch-diameter columns at 10 feet tall would likely appear too narrow.

The sunroom proposal for 9325 Big Bend Boulevard likewise lacked sufficient context. Board members said there were no photographs or an elevation showing how the sunroom's form and materials would relate to the existing house; they asked for photos, a site plan with a north arrow, and elevations showing window styles and plate heights so the board could assess compatibility. One board member suggested adding a pair of columns if the applicant wants a longer left-side overhang to reduce the visual awkwardness of unsupported spans.

The board approved the 104 West Swan kitchen remodel with the condition noted in the motion that an existing door would be relocated and reused; staff confirmed the applicant should submit completed permit drawings for building-permit review. On 2 Renwood Court, the board approved the proposed window replacements; members recommended casement windows over sliders for long-term maintenance but accepted the homeowner's preference for sliders.

For the 115 Holly Drive exterior renovation (packet mistakenly labeled 15 Holly Drive), applicants said the submittal included a contract listing each window and grill pattern; board members recorded that 20 windows are being replaced and that the gable vents and siding would match existing sizes and styles.

The board closed the meeting after resolving the items on the agenda and directing applicants for the tabled projects to resubmit with the requested drawings and clarifications.

Ending: Formal permit approvals are now subject to the usual permit-review process; applicants were told to provide complete drawings for permit intake or a resubmittal packet where noted.