Alpine commissioners give preliminary feedback on Bergen proposal in Gateway Historic District

Alpine City Planning Commission members on March 4 reviewed renderings and material samples for a proposed commercial building on 200 North in the Gateway Historic District and gave preliminary, nonbinding feedback to the applicants.

The applicants, Bryce Bergen and Kathy Bergen, told the commission they plan a commercial building to house their business and accessory retail and said they prefer a durable metal wall product that is manufactured to look like wood. “We’ve basically been running that out of the basement of my home for years, and we’re ready to do a professional building,” said Bryce Bergen, the applicant. He added the majority of the building would use the wood-look material, with stucco on the front and a small black-metal accent around the retail entrance.

The commission emphasized that tonight’s review was advisory only because the application lacks full plans, elevations, materials lists and the larger samples required for a formal design review under the Gateway Historic District guidelines. “We can’t give you any kind of definitive answer unless and until you’re a little bit further down the road, you bring in actual plans, renderings, materials that you want to use,” Commissioner Alan McDonald said. McDonald and other commissioners said they would be reluctant to recommend a wholly metal building if it is clearly apparent as metal, but they were open to products that convincingly replicate allowed materials.

Commissioners and staff said the Gateway Historic District guidelines specify primary materials such as wood, brick, stone or stucco and allow materials that “look like” those finishes when the majority of the building reads as an approved material. Commissioners asked whether the majority (roughly 80 percent, per the applicants’ description) of the building would appear as the approved material from the street; the applicants confirmed the larger warehouse portion would use the wood-look panels and the street-facing retail portion would incorporate stucco and a small black-metal accent. Commissioners asked for larger, three‑dimensional examples and for the Bergen team to identify any local buildings that use the same product so commissioners could inspect them in person.

Bryce Bergen said the product has board-and-batten profiles and two finish options; the applicants prefer the board-and-batten profile because it more closely resembles real wood. Commissioners said a full building mock-up or at least full panels and installation details would help them determine whether the product meets the Gateway district standard that “the majority” of the building appear to be one of the allowed materials.

The commission also noted zoning and district boundaries while discussing the site’s location and nearby corrugated-metal buildings outside the Historic District. Commissioners advised the applicants to submit complete plans and materials for a future meeting — including manufacturer examples of installed buildings — and to meet with city staff for a follow-up review.

No formal action was taken; the item was an informational review and applicants were told to return with full plans and larger material samples. The commission encouraged the applicants to appear at a future planning commission meeting once additional information is available.

Questions commissioners pressed: whether the material would read as wood from the street, how much of the façade would be the wood-look product (applicants indicated about 80% of the building), and whether the product had local installed examples. Commissioners also stressed that the Gateway Historic District guidelines will govern any formal review and approval.

The commission moved on to subsequent agenda items after the Bergen presentation.