The Dallas Landmark Commission met Sept. 6 in a re-ordered agenda to prioritize items that required same-day action. The meeting produced a mix of approvals with conditions, denials without prejudice, and several courtesy reviews.

Why it matters: Landmark decisions determine what owners can build or alter in historic districts and influence project timelines for permits and historic-tax-credit applications.

Votes at a glance
- Consent items 1–6: Approved per staff recommendation (voice vote).
- COA — 805 Elm Street (West End): Approved revisions to fenestration; approval of replacement windows conditioned on aluminum frames (not vinyl). Motion carried; two dissenting votes (Bellisi, Taylor).
- COA — 2802 Tanner Street (Wheatley Place): Approved with conditions including adjusted gable window orientation, expressed rafter tails, minimum porch column dimensions, foundation height and rear window additions. Applicant to provide detailed materials schedule.
- Fence at 5733 Victor Street (Junius Heights): Commission approved a safety exception to allow a fence in the corner side yard with a condition limiting fence height to 6 feet and requiring bollards placed behind the fence at regular spacing (4 feet) to protect the house from vehicular impacts.
- Windows — 126 North Windermere (Winnetka Heights): Request to replace 16 windows with vinyl denied without prejudice; the commission approved replacement with wood (front-facing windows to match 4-over-1 historic configuration) and recommended other windows be wood 1-over-1 where feasible.
- 304 S. Fleming (Tenth Street) courtesy review and multiple new-construction courtesy reviews: Commissioners provided design guidance and asked applicants to revise plans on roof form, porch proportions, window openings and eave depth.

What commissioners and staff emphasized
Commissioners repeatedly urged applicants to prioritize compatibility with the historic district’s established rhythms—window proportions, porch form, eave depth and materiality—and to provide repair documentation before requesting wholesale replacement of historic wood windows. For proposals citing owner hardship or safety (for example, the fence at Victor Street), commissioners sought measured, documentation-backed mitigation (bollards, reinforced posts) rather than blanket design exceptions.

Next steps
Staff will prepare amended certificates of appropriateness for applicants with conditions, review shop drawings for approved items (notably windows at 805 Elm), and work with applicants required to return with additional detail.

The Landmark Commission’s actions affect individual property owners and developers as well as the visual character of Dallas’ historic neighborhoods; staff encouraged applicants to consult early with preservation staff before submitting permit-stage drawings.