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Board discusses design guidebook, overlay amendments, Mary Pier and shuffleboard courts
Summary
The Historic Preservation Board reviewed next steps for a design guidebook and discussed overlay amendments (alley access, pool placement) and potential grant opportunities for Mary Pier and the city’s shuffleboard courts following storm damage.
Board members and staff discussed preparation of a Pass‑a‑Grille design guidebook, proposed overlay amendments, and the condition of the Mary Pier and shuffleboard courts.
Brandon, the planning staff member, said the city intends to bring overlay amendments back to the board for final review and to return a draft design guidebook in April. He recommended a draft schedule: bring overlay amendments for board review the next month and a design guidebook draft in April to prepare for subsequent Planning Board review. The board chair and members urged staff to consult existing resources, specifically the 2015 Pass‑a‑Grille historic survey and a neighborhood pattern book, before drafting the guidebook.
Key points from the discussion
- Alley access and driveways: staff proposed making alley access the default for driveways where a platted public alley exists; the board generally supported requiring alley access for alleys 15 feet or wider and allowing the board to grant a design‑review waiver for alleys under 15 feet.
- Pools and accessory structures: staff noted the draft overlay treats accessory structures (sheds, gazebos, pools) consistently and would require them behind the residence. Board members asked staff to consider carving pools out from the strict “no front‑yard accessory” rule on unusual lots where alley access and site layout make pool location more practical and visually appropriate.
- Mary Pier and shuffleboard courts: staff said FEMA and other state funding avenues will be investigated and that reconstruction could be eligible for grant funds; because Mary Pier is part of the historic sites inventory (but not locally designated), reconstruction should prioritize scale and function while allowing reasonable design flexibility. Staff will pursue state grant opportunities this summer and report back.
- Plaque program and public outreach: multiple board members discussed reinstituting a plaque program for newly designated properties and holding an outreach event during National Historic Preservation Month (May). Staff said they would review legal/open‑meeting constraints and report options for a community event and plaque distribution.
Ending
Staff committed to returning a draft design guidebook and the overlay amendments within the next two months and to researching grant opportunities for pier and recreation facility reconstruction. Board members requested that staff incorporate the 2015 survey and existing pattern‑book material into the guidebook draft.
