The Town of Rhinebeck Planning Board continued the public hearing on an application for 18 Dame Street after a lengthy discussion about a small well house on the property and the scope of porch repairs and stonework proposed by the owner.

Sean Kemp, representing the property owner Simon Sasseberg, described the application as an update to reflect bluestone work already placed on the rear portion of the property, replacement of worn front steps with bluestone, installation of a mini-split heat pump, and a request to remove a non-original well house. Mr. Kemp said the owner intends to stabilize or cap the well as needed once the well house is removed.

Historic-reviewers and board members pressed for more documentation before approving removal of the well house. Board members and commenters noted that, while an old well can be an important landscape feature, the specific structure on the property appears to be nondistinctive and in poor condition. Reviewers recommended options that would preserve the historic reference to a well (for example, a low grate or a scaled element) rather than replacing the structure with a modern replica that could mislead future viewers about authenticity. The board also discussed the need for drawings showing porch-column details, custom turned columns to match the existing appearance, and step riser heights to meet building-code requirements.

Members of the historic-review group said they expected to issue a report; the applicant agreed to wait for that input. The board continued the public hearing to Feb. 3 and requested a review memo from HayPack so members could incorporate the historic-advisory comments.

What happens next: The applicant will supply additional detail on porch-column design and stair geometry, provide documentation about the well-house condition or historic evidence if available, and the planning board will consider HayPack and building-inspector comments at the continuation on Feb. 3.