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Design Review Board approves modified deck at 15 Green Street with HOA conditions
Summary
The Fort Thomas Design Review Board approved a modified deck at 15 Green Street to improve access and safety, requiring the railing to match existing style, colors to follow HOA specifications, and no lattice; the applicant will coordinate permitting with city staff.
The Fort Thomas Design Review Board on June 26 approved a modified deck at 15 Green Street to ease steep steps and improve functionality for the household. The board’s approval included conditions that the railing remain similar to the existing style, the exterior colors follow HOA specifications, and lattice is not permitted.
City staff summarized the application as the third request on that row of houses and said historical consultant Wes Cunningham reviewed the proposal and did not object to the deck’s overall character. Staff noted the change is intended to address usability — particularly very steep steps — rather than to expand the deck for gatherings. The design shifts the stairs to run parallel to the house to avoid a nearby utility pole.
Applicant Jeff Hale said he and his wife, Melissa Connor, bought the house recently and want a safer stair for their six children. "We have 6 kids, and we would love for them to be able to use the backboards where they can pick their bikes," Hale said, describing the existing stairs as "extremely steep." He told the board the lattice was added by a prior owner and that the couple plans to remove it.
Board members discussed dimensions on the plan: staff noted the existing deck appears to be about 4 feet deep, while the proposed deck is shown as 7 feet on the drawings, producing roughly a 3-foot landing after the railing is considered. Members also raised site constraints including a utility/pole and the placement of an electric meter that limit how far the deck can extend along the house.
The applicant confirmed the railing will match the current style and that pressure‑treated lumber will be used; board members cautioned that pressure‑treated wood is typically too wet to paint immediately and may need several months before painting is feasible. The applicant said the HOA had provided exact color numbers and that materials and colors will conform to HOA requirements.
A board member moved to approve the application "as applied for" with the stated conditions; another member seconded the motion. The chair called for the vote and announced the motion carried. The applicant was asked to follow up with Mark Stewart for formal permitting steps.
The board did not record a roll-call vote by name in the meeting record and no public objections to the application were submitted to the city as part of the file. Next procedural steps are for the applicant to secure required permits and for staff to confirm that final materials and color selections conform to the HOA specifications and the board’s conditions.
