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Historic District Commission approves Sheffield House exterior changes with condition to set addition back
Summary
The commission approved exterior work at 351 High Street (Sheffield House) — siding replacement, new windows and a side egress door — with a condition that the proposed wall on the downhill side be set back roughly 6 inches to 1 foot and that all trim match existing historic profiles.
The New Shoreham Historic District Commission approved exterior alterations to the Sheffield House at 351 High Street (Plat 7, Lot 67) after commissioners and the applicants agreed on revisions to preserve the historic porch vocabulary.
Owners Ed and Diane presented a proposal to remove and replace siding on the front and north elevations (in kind: painted cedar clapboard and cedar shakes), replace windows with Andersen 400-series full-divided-light units, and create a new side egress door from the kitchen. The applicants said the work will include foundation work, replacement of the existing oil tank enclosure with improved access, and replication of existing decorative brackets and trim at a small roof over the proposed new door.
Commission members praised the in-kind use of cedar clapboard and shakes but raised concerns about how far the new wall projects out from the porch. The commission asked that the projected wall on the downhill (north) side be set back approximately 6 inches to 1 foot so that the historic porch form and trim remain visually continuous. Commissioners also asked for clearer details to be submitted showing window casing, head trim, corner boards, and the small pediment/roof over the new door. The applicant agreed to revise the drawings to show the addition recessed behind the porch trim and to match all trim to the existing profiles.
The commission approved the application with the conditions described above and directed the applicants to return with the revised drawings and detailed trim/roof/pediment information at the next meeting. The commission also noted interest in preserving an older storm/entry door element in the design if feasible and discussed roof material options for later review (applicants mentioned architectural asphalt shingles; commissioners said they would consider alternative metal roofing if formally submitted). The proposed larger dormer work and roof material questions were discussed informally but not approved at this meeting; the commission asked the applicants to submit those elements separately for review.
