Owner seeks certificate of appropriateness for back stairs at 1416 Fayette St.; commission discusses safety, code and appearance

Jonathan Hill, owner of the duplex at 1416 Fayette Street, told the Somersworth Historic District Commission on Aug. 27 that he is seeking a certificate of appropriateness to remove and replace a deteriorated rear wood landing and stairs at the property, which lies in the residential multifamily historic overlay.

Hill said the rear stairs serve as a secondary entrance and an egress for the upstairs unit and are worn ‘‘due to age.’’ He described the proposed work as an in-kind replacement in similar design and materials, with wood treads, wood railing and 2-by-2 balusters. Hill said the existing stairs are roughly 10.5 feet above ground and consist of about 17 steps; his contractor proposed using cut stringers (three) rather than the current solid stringer. Hill also said he may widen the stair run from its current 36-inch width to 40 inches to ease moving large items into the upstairs unit.

Staff background: Miss Crosley, HDC staff, summarized the property's recent approvals, including replacement of stairs in February 2022 and a 2024 certificate of appropriateness to install areas of refuge outside third-floor attic windows. She said past approvals included a condition that a porch rail mimic the 161 Main Street brick building as presented in the original packet.

Code and materials discussion: When asked by a commissioner whether widening the stairs to 40 inches would affect code compliance, Tim (staff member) said, “Minimum width of the stairway is 36 inches. So he's already at the minimum width for code compliancy.” Commissioners discussed using three or four stringers; one commissioner suggested that if the stair width were enlarged, a fourth stringer would be beneficial because of maximum span limits for pressure-treated stringers. Hill said he planned to use 2x6 material for treads.

Visibility and historic impact: Commissioners noted the rear location of the stairs and limited visibility from the street. Commissioner Mativia said he would be in favor of the replacement, citing the limited street visibility and the safety benefits. Commissioner Perry also said she would favor the project.

Finishes: Commissioner Schoen asked whether the owner would paint or seal pressure-treated wood. Hill responded that he does not paint exterior wood because of peeling concerns and that he typically uses a light tan stain.

Outcome and next steps: In the portion of the transcript provided, the commission did not record a formal motion or roll-call vote on the certificate of appropriateness. Commissioners offered supportive comments and technical questions; staff and the applicant discussed minor design details and code-minimum dimensions. Any final decision, conditions, or wording of a certificate of appropriateness are not recorded in the provided excerpt.