Planning commission approves demolition of contributing house at 737 Walnut; replacement must follow early‑1900s cottage/bungalow aesthetic

The Waynesboro Planning Commission approved a certificate of appropriateness allowing the demolition of the house at 737 Walnut Avenue, a contributing structure in the Tree Streets Historic District, and conditioned the approval on building a replacement consistent with early‑1900s cottage and bungalow styles.

Staff presented the property as a contributing resource within the Tree Streets Historic District and summarized nine evaluation criteria used for COA decisions. Staff said the house has extensive interior and structural issues, including asbestos in exterior scratch coat and piping insulation, a compromised roof and attic framing, water damage and a crawl space with exposed bedrock and moisture intrusion. Staff provided an estimate that structural repairs and abatement would cost approximately $215,400 (excluding interior cosmetic work).

Property owners Timothy and Karen Cook and architect Jeff Steece described the technical issues encountered during inspections. Steece told commissioners asbestos was present in the exterior stucco scratch coat and throughout the crawl space piping; he said the roof framing had been altered in earlier renovations in ways that compromised the roof’s structural integrity. “Everywhere we touch, we’re going to be touching asbestos,” Steece said, and multiple contractors advised substantial reconstruction. The applicants said their preference is to replace the house with a single‑level, roughly 1,800‑square‑foot home that follows local bungalow and cottage forms and provides single‑level living.

One neighbor, Kurt Lilly, spoke in favor of a compatible replacement and urged a review process that ensures new construction blends into the neighborhood. Commissioners discussed the case at length, expressing concern about precedent — that demolitions approved on economic grounds could incentivize owners to leave contributing structures to deteriorate — but also recognized the structural findings and asbestos abatement costs presented by the applicants.

After deliberation, the commission approved the certificate of appropriateness with staff’s recommended condition that the replacement house follow the applicant’s stated aesthetic: early‑1900s cottages and bungalows featuring an entry porch, deep eaves, a masonry chimney, a traditional roof pitch with dormers, fiber‑cement siding, architectural shingles and compatible window and trim details. The motion carried 4–2 at the meeting.