Historic Preservation Commission approves amended COA for 36 Bruin Road with conditions

The Beaufort County Historic Preservation Commission on Jan. 7 approved an amendment to a previously issued Certificate of Approval for a two‑story commercial building at 36 Bruin Road in the Old Town Bluffton Historic District.

Staff told the commission the application seeks minor amendments to an earlier COA for a roughly 3,130‑square‑foot building, including installation of a roof well and guttering, removal of two windows on the left elevation, re‑centering a rear door, new brick pavers at the entrance and additional mechanical equipment on an upper level. "The findings of staff is basically that all the conditions...are appropriate," staff said during its presentation.

James Atkins of Court Atkins Group, the applicant's architect, said the roof well and a parapet wall are intended to screen rooftop mechanicals in a location the Unified Development Ordinance directs (rear/side facades) and that the team had run perspective studies showing the well would not be visible from Bruin Road. He said a small exterior storage/mechanical room and blacked‑out windows were chosen to accommodate service equipment without visible rooftop penetrations.

Commissioners raised three main issues: whether the roof well would create an unarticulated, blank wall on the left elevation; the height and screening of the hood and makeup units (discussed as roughly 4‑4½ feet in the staff/applicant exchange); and whether the two previously shown windows should remain. Several commissioners favored adding architectural articulation to the parapet so the wall did not appear as a continuous blank surface.

Commissioner Tim Probst moved to approve the COA amendment with conditions: accept the roof well provided the parapet is adjusted with detailing similar to adjacent facade elements; retain the two left‑elevation windows but have them blacked out internally; and implement staff's recommended conditions (including relocation of second‑floor railing type to the specified "space board" detail, centering the rear door on the porch, adding brick pavers to the front porch, and other plan clarifications). The motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.

The commission did not record individual roll‑call tallies in the meeting transcript; the chair announced the motion passed "approval with conditions." Staff and the applicant agreed to provide the requested details in revised plans so staff can verify compliance before final stamping of the plans.

The commission moved on after approving the application. The applicant indicated construction was expected to begin next month, contingent on the applicant addressing the conditions and final plan stamping.