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Victorian Village Commission approves several COAs with conditions on windows, signage and concrete finishes
Summary
At its May meeting the Victorian Village Commission approved multiple Certificates of Appropriateness for exterior work — including rear-door/window changes, rebuilt rear stairs and storefront signage — while placing conditions on window documentation, signage sizing and concrete finishes.
The Victorian Village Commission on a May business meeting approved multiple Certificates of Appropriateness for exterior alterations across the district, placing conditions intended to preserve historic character while allowing safety- and code-driven repairs.
Commissioners approved the following applications after hearing staff reports and applicant statements: COA 250035678 (Price Avenue) was approved with the condition that the proposed window come from the commission's approved window list; COA 250038783 (836 Harrison Avenue) was approved as submitted to replace and reconfigure rear wood stairs and match existing gutters; COA 250037690 (909 North High Street) was approved with conditions allowing painting of a deteriorated panelized faux-brick siding and requiring the larger awning sign to be reduced to conform to Short North signage size limits; and COA 2500395717 (717 Denison Avenue) was approved with a condition that new concrete stairs, if used, employ a buff-wash finish or that the applicant supply natural stone instead.
Why it matters: The approvals permit property owners to bring features into compliance with current building and life-safety codes while simultaneously giving the commission a chance to limit visual changes that would harm the district's historic character. Staff repeatedly cited the commission's governing standards for alteration and site improvements in recommending approval with clarifying conditions.
Staff and applicant comments: HBO staff told the commission that “staff does recommend approval of the application” while noting necessary clarifications and documentation before certificates are issued. Applicant Julia Bullock described the existing rear stairs at 836 Harrison Avenue as “in really bad condition,” and commissioners pressed applicants for photographic evidence and cut sheets for proposed products when those were missing from submittals.
Conditions and next steps: Approvals were conditional on submission of missing documentation to HBO staff prior to issuance of a certificate, and on specific design limits: the Price Avenue window must match the approved window catalog; the large storefront/awning sign at 909 North High must be reduced to meet Short North size limits though a historic projecting blade sign may be retained and updated; and new concrete work at 717 Denison must use a buff-wash finish or be built of natural stone. Several conceptual applications were continued for more information and will return to a future agenda when the applicants supply the requested photos, scaled drawings or arborist reports.
Votes at the meeting were recorded by voice; the meeting record shows motions carried with voices of approval and no recorded roll-call tallies in the public transcript. Formal certificates will be issued after required clarifications are submitted to HBO staff.
