Historic Preservation Commission tables Certificate of Appropriateness for proposed house at 34 Tabby Shell

The Bluffton Historic Preservation Commission tabled a Certificate of Appropriateness for a new two‑story single‑family residence and attached carriage house at 34 Tabby Shell after commissioners said the submission lacked key construction and material details.

Staff presented the project as a resubmission from Sea Island Construction Group on behalf of property owner William Glover. The proposal calls for a roughly 2,874 square‑foot main house and a roughly 1,100 square‑foot two‑story carriage house on Lot 18 in the Tabby Roads development. Staff told the commission the drawings show elevations, floor plans and some wall sections but do not clearly identify several materials and details needed for a final COA.

The commission and staff flagged multiple items they said must be clarified before approval: the type and finish of the Tabby (stucco) application; a full door schedule showing door materials; clearer bracket details for the carriage‑house eyebrow roof and bracket material consistent with Bluffton vernacular; specification of standing‑seam metal roof type and gutter materials; a service‑yard plan showing electric meter/panel locations; documentation showing 75% tree‑canopy coverage at maturity; clearer wall‑section details and parts‑and‑pieces for band boards, columns and trim; confirmation whether proposed Hardie board cladding for columns is permitted; and whether powder‑coated steel railing proposed for a second‑floor porch is appropriate. Staff also noted several elevation details do not match the labelled wall sections and that a number of windows flagged on the plan appear to be awning windows rather than the expected configuration.

Commissioners repeatedly emphasized the submission does not yet show the specific parts and pieces that will be built and that framers or siding subcontractors will scale from elevations. After extended discussion, the commission voted to table the application so the applicant can provide the requested clarifications and return for either an HPRC (Historic Preservation Review Committee) consultation or a future full commission hearing.

The applicant, represented in the meeting by Preston Glover and Sea Island Construction Group representatives, said they had addressed earlier comments but agreed to prepare the additional detail requested. Staff and commissioners suggested an informal HPRC meeting to walk through the outstanding items before the full commission sees a revised packet.

Action: The commission voted to table the COA submission. The applicant was advised to meet with HPRC members for detailed review and to resubmit revised drawings for a future meeting. The next HPRC meeting referenced in the discussion was scheduled for Jan. 21, with the applicant targeting a revised submission for the February deadlines and full commission review in March.