Augusta Historic Preservation Commission approves multiple COAs, postpones several driveway and fence items

The Augusta Historic Preservation Commission on a February evening approved several certificates of appropriateness (COAs), postponed multiple agenda items for additional materials and elected Leon Maven as vice chair for the remainder of 2025.

Commission members approved a masonry wall between the Church of the Good Shepherd campus and the Appleby Library, exterior stairways and rehabilitation plans for Broad Street buildings pursuing historic tax credits, a driveway and patio alteration in the Somerville Historic District, an illuminated raceway sign conditioned to fit the building—s sign band, and a metal roof installed after recent storm damage.

The approvals and postponements matter because they determine whether proposed exterior changes in Augusta—s historic districts meet local design guidelines, affect tax-credit eligibility and in one case implement a lease provision that governs the shared property line between a church and a public library.

The commission began by approving staff requests to remove two agenda items from the schedule: the petition listed as COA 25-13 (251 Broad Street) and COA 25-14 (802 Green Street). Miss Delaney, planning staff, told the panel that the applicant for 251 Broad asked to withdraw the item and that the 802 Green Street petitioner had asked for a postponement, and the commission voted unanimously to remove both items from the month—s calendar.

Votes at a glance

- COA 25-07 (2248 & 2260 Walton Way): Approved. Petition by Kirby Yon on behalf of Episcopal Day School and the Augusta Richmond County Public Library to replace a roughly 4-foot wrought-iron fence with a 6-foot masonry wall along a leased portion of library property. Staff noted the parties amended their lease in September 2024, allowing the church to construct a masonry wall "consistent with the aesthetics of the masonry walls existing on the church's property and constructed at the sole expense of the church." The commission approved the COA as presented.

- COA 25-08 (613, 619 & 631 Broad Street): Approved. Petition by Nathan Vick for exterior rehabilitation and new exterior stairways to provide emergency egress for an adaptive reuse project converting two late-19th-century masonry buildings into apartments. Staff reported project review and certification by the Georgia Historic Preservation Division and the National Park Service for purposes of historic tax credits; the commission approved the COA.

- COA 25-09 (1125 Highland Avenue): Continued to March. Petition by Jason and Mary May for repairs including a front steps replacement and a driveway conversion from gravel to concrete. Staff recommended approval of the front-stair replacement but asked that the driveway replacement be postponed to the March meeting so the applicant could provide a simple design sketch (a plat or basic rendering) and a brick apron detail; the commission voted to postpone and to re-advertise the item as a driveway replacement for the next meeting, while maintaining staff—s approval recommendation for the stairs.

- COA 25-10 (2513 Henry Street): Approved. Petition by Willie Mowen (2513 Henry Street) to convert dirt portions of a driveway to concrete and to install an approximately 544-square-foot rear concrete patio, retaining about 60% of the existing brick driveway tracks. Staff recommended approval subject to conditions; the commission approved the application.

- COA 25-11 (1018 Broad Street): Approved with condition. Petition by Mark Coburn to install an internally lit aluminum raceway sign reading "Corner Store" above a front entry. Staff recommended approval but advised that the letter height should not exceed the sign band and that letters ideally be closer to 12 inches; Coburn said he preferred the larger size but would reduce height if mandatory. The commission approved the sign conditioned that the letters conform to the height of the building—s sign band.

- COA 25-12 (2409 Williams Street): Approved. Petition by Amy Sutherland Nesbitt seeking after-the-fact approval of a metal roof installed following storm damage. Staff said a building permit had been issued in error because the property had not been flagged as inside the Somerville Historic District; given the post-storm circumstances and prior non-original roofing, staff recommended approval and the commission granted the COA.

Other actions and procedure

- Several petitions were postponed early in the meeting: COA 25-13 (251 Broad Street) was removed from the agenda at the applicant—s request and COA 25-14 (802 Green Street) was postponed at the applicant—s request; both postponements were approved unanimously.

- The commission voted to postpone COA 25-06 (2150 Battle Row), a request by Shannon Walsh to replace damaged wood picket fencing with an ornamental aluminum fence set behind existing brickwork; staff had outlined that the proposed aluminum would not match original materials and had advised caution. A motion to postpone the 2150 Battle Row petition passed.

- The commission approved the minutes for prior hearings and regular meetings and moved several administrative motions arising from an executive session (motions to exit executive session, execute a closed meeting affidavit and amend past minutes with attached affidavits). Those procedural motions carried by voice vote.

- Election: Commissioners unanimously closed nominations and elected Leon Maven as vice chair for the remainder of 2025 after an initial nominee declined.

What commissioners discussed

Commissioners and staff repeatedly referenced the Somerville and downtown design guidelines and the Secretary of the Interior—s Standards for Rehabilitation when weighing visual impacts, material compatibility and precedent. On the Broad Street rehabilitation, staff emphasized that the project had been reviewed and certified by the Georgia Historic Preservation Division and the National Park Service, and commissioners accepted staff—s finding that the proposed rear metal stairs were a minimally visible solution to meet life-safety egress requirements for an adaptive reuse project seeking historic tax credits.

On driveway conversions, commissioners asked applicants to supply simple sketches or plats rather than formal architectural drawings, saying a basic plan or annotated satellite image would suffice to clarify where new concrete would be poured and to show proposed decorative details like a brick apron. For after-the-fact work such as the Williams Street roof, staff described the building-permit error that allowed the roofer to proceed and recommended approval given the post-storm hardship and the house—s roofing history.

Quotes

Miss Delaney, planning staff: "The applicant is requesting that this item be withdrawn," when explaining the petition change for 251 Broad Street.

Nathan Vick, project representative for the Broad Street rehabilitation: "That is the emergency access off the bat," when commissioners asked whether the rear stair was primary or emergency access.

Mark Coburn, sign applicant: "If it was mandatory, I would [reduce the size]," on whether he would reduce letter height to conform to the sign band.

What remains open

The commission postponed several items to allow applicants to return with clarifying drawings or amended applications, most notably the Highland Avenue driveway replacement (now re-advertised for the March meeting) and the Battle Row fence petition. Those postponements leave the relevant applicants responsible for providing the small-scale design details staff and commissioners requested.

The commission adjourned after completing its agenda and taking executive-session motions on pending and potential litigation.

Ending note

The panel—s decisions will guide which exterior alterations are permitted in Augusta—s historic districts and, in some cases, whether projects remain eligible for state and federal historic tax credits. Applicants with postponed items were instructed to bring simple sketches or plats and appropriate details to the next meeting.