The Pontiac Historic District Commission tabled a siding application for 23 Fair Grove Street and directed staff to obtain clearer technical documentation and legal guidance before making a decision.

Paul, the planning staff presenter, reviewed the Fair Grove application seeking full replacement of wood lap siding with either a fiber cement product (7" reveal) or LP composite siding (4" reveal). He reiterated the commission must find that siding is "beyond repair" before permitting wholesale replacement and noted that the proposed fiber-cement reveal did not match the majority of the existing house's board reveal.

Commissioners raised familiar concerns: there is no numeric percentage threshold in the guidelines to define "beyond repair," and isolated board replacement can be difficult where lap siding overlapped in sections. Several commissioners urged the applicant to provide neutral third‑party assessments itemizing which boards or elevations are deteriorated and to invite commissioners who had not visited the site to inspect it. One commissioner said the building might not meet the threshold for full replacement and suggested traditional sanding, caulking and painting could suffice.

Given these unresolved technical questions, the commission voted to table the matter to allow the applicant to produce expert letters, to permit site visits, and for staff to consult the city attorney about whether the building official or a neutral historic-preservation expert should provide a binding assessment.

Separately, Paul announced HDC staff intends to apply to the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) for a $50,000 grant to develop updated downtown historic guidelines. Staff will draft a letter of support for the chair or vice chair to sign and will submit the grant application in mid-December if approved by the commission.

The commission adjourned after the meeting and thanked participants.

What comes next: The Fair Grove siding application will return after the applicant submits neutral expert documentation and staff completes consultations with the city attorney; staff will also prepare the SHPO grant letter of support for chair/vice chair signature.