Historic preservation board approves multiple exterior projects, denies porch expansion and tables several garage and concrete items

The Historical Preservation and Landmark Board of Review on Jan. 8 approved a series of certificates of appropriateness for exterior work across several properties in the Capitol-Lincoln Terrace Historic District and took a mix of approvals, denials and tablings after staff presentation and brief board discussion.

Chair Laura Stone called the meeting to order at 4:03 p.m. and confirmed a quorum. Casey Jones, AICP, planner with the Office of Management and Enterprise Services, presented each request and the board recorded motions and unanimous votes where noted.

On agenda item CA-25-26-11 (612 NE 16th Street), staff described the detached garage as structurally deteriorated and recommended demolition. The board approved demolition and the construction of a new two-car detached garage without living quarters, with a condition that the new structure include two separate wood-overlay garage doors and a central wood pillar.

On CA-25-26-12 (729 NE 17th Street), the board approved the applicant’s request to install two freestanding solar shade structures in the rear yard and approved several exterior alterations: enclosing an existing basement entry in an electrical closet (eliminating a ground-floor entry), construction of a partially covered porch, converting a ground-floor entry door into a window to match the window above, and filling a second-floor doorway with brick. Applicant Vicki VanStavern was present and told the board the proposed materials for the addition would match the garage.

On CA-25-26-13 (619 NE 14th Street), staff noted that the property’s existing Exterior Insulation and Finish System (EIFS) siding is nonconforming in the historic district and that structures built within the past 25 years follow newer construction standards. The board advised against repeating EIFS, recommended historically conforming materials such as brick, lap siding, board-and-batten or stucco, and approved a one-and-a-half-story garage addition with living quarters on the condition that the first floor use historically conforming materials and that the dormer be stucco. Chair Laura Stone encouraged the applicant to coordinate materials with staff.

On CA-25-26-4 (641 NE 15th Street), the board considered a package of changes proposed by Pitch Perfect Construction on behalf of owner Norman Tejeda. The board denied the request to extend the front porch by four feet and to add a new uncovered concrete slab porch; tabled the request for a new awning above the entry door to the next meeting; approved an attic dormer (with an exception noted for the siding form factor); approved replacement siding and windows on the addition and garage (including replacement of 29 windows to match existing profiles, with administrative approval for brand and meeting specifications); approved conversion of two windows into French doors provided the doors use glass with full-simulated divided light; approved demolition of the detached garage as dilapidated and tabled final plans for a replacement one-story detached garage (applicant to submit revised plans showing double overhead doors); denied removal and infill of a west-side entry door with brick; and tabled proposed concrete work (rear patio, driveway replacement, and rear walkway).

All recorded motions passed by recorded roll-call votes: Kassy Malone, Mike Mays, Janis Powers, Stephanie Barbour-Cooper and Chair Laura Stone voted yes on motions that passed; the minutes record unanimous votes where listed.

The board adjourned at 5:57 p.m.

Votes at a glance: - CA-25-26-11 (612 NE 16th St.): Approved (demolition and new two-car garage with wood-overlay doors; condition). Vote: Malone, Mays, Powers, Barbour-Cooper, Stone — yes. - CA-25-26-12 (729 NE 17th St.): Items a–e approved (solar shade structures; enclosure/electrical closet; partially covered porch; window conversion; fill doorway). Vote: unanimous where recorded. - CA-25-26-13 (619 NE 14th St.): Approved with condition that first floor use historically conforming materials and dormer be stucco. Vote: unanimous where recorded. - CA-25-26-4 (641 NE 15th St.): Items a and b (front-porch extension and uncovered concrete slab) denied; item c (awning) tabled; item d (attic dormer) approved with siding exception; items e–h (siding/windows/French doors) approved with conditions; item i (garage demolition) approved; item j (new garage footprint) tabled pending revised plans; item k.1 (door removal/infill) denied; item k.2 (concrete work) tabled. Votes recorded as unanimous where shown.

Next steps: where items were tabled the applicants were instructed to submit revised plans for staff review at a subsequent meeting. The board provided material guidance on acceptable exterior materials and emphasized coordination with staff on final details.