Landmarks Commission approves screened-in porch at 1818 Oakland Ave.

The Kansas City, Kansas Landmarks Commission voted 5-0 Jan. 5 to approve a certificate of appropriateness allowing the owner of 1818 Oakland Ave. to enclose a side porch with a wooden frame and screening material.

Applicant Tom Vannevelde told the commission he planned "to put it in a wooden frame around the openings on the porch and screen add screen material," described the change as minimal and said he was open to material and design adjustments to fit the neighborhood. Randy Greaves, the commission’s historic preservationist, recommended denial, saying pictorial evidence indicates the house lacked a permanent screen when the district was created and that repeated screening additions and removals could damage the structure. Greaves cited the Secretary of the Interior standards and the 50-year rule as the basis for the recommendation.

Commissioners who spoke during the review said screened porches are common in the neighborhood and could be done in a way that fits the district. Commissioner Fendorf said the record did not clearly show when screening was added or removed; Commissioner Welcome Hill and Commissioner Linda Gerber argued for flexibility and noted modern screening materials are less obtrusive. Commissioner Bill Hutton moved to approve the application with a proviso that the alteration be limited to a screened porch constructed with wood screens and not glass or aluminum windows; Commissioner Welcome Hill seconded. Rose called the roll and the motion carried 5-0.

The approval allows the owner to proceed with the screened porch as described in the application and conditioned by the commission’s limitation on materials. The commission then moved on to the next agenda item.