The Fredericksburg Historic Review Board on Jan. 14 unanimously approved application 2024-1168209 (South Acorn) for a certificate of appropriateness after the applicants revised the design to reduce equipment and stone walls and pull enclosed elements away from the property line.

Board staff told the panel the applicants had adjusted the plan to better follow the City of Fredericksburg Design Guidelines and Standards and the Historic Preservation Ordinance, and recommended approval as submitted.

Applicants said the revised plan reduced overall square footage slightly, opened a previously enclosed corner, added a front porch and centered the front door to clarify the entrance. Anna (city staff) said, “I think they’ve made some changes that allow it to be more in keeping with the design guidelines,” and noted the house remains large but that massing and the garage location were improved to read as additions built over time, a pattern the board favors in the district.

Board discussion was brief. A motion to approve the application as submitted and to support staff’s recommendation passed by voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript. Chair David Bullion congratulated the applicants and said the project will be “a great addition to the neighborhood.”

The board’s approval does not substitute for required city permits; staff and the chair reminded applicants that construction cannot begin until all applicable permits are obtained.

Application provenance: the topic was introduced when the chair called application 2024-1168209 (South Acorn) and concluded when the board voted to approve the application.