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Commission recommends Jacob Smith House for Lacey Register after public hearing
Summary
Commissioners recommended listing the Jacob Smith House (built 1859) on the Lacey Register of Historic Places after a staff report and consultant review; the commission added a character-defining element (corbels) to the nomination before voting to forward the recommendation to city council.
The commission opened a public hearing to consider the nomination of the Jacob Smith House—constructed about 1859 and described as the oldest building in Lacey—for the Lacey Register of Historic Places.
Staff presented the nomination, noting prior work: the property was evaluated for the National Register in the 1980s and placed on the Washington Heritage Register; consultants found the property eligible under multiple criteria (including association with early settlement, architectural characteristics, and archaeological potential). Staff emphasized the house retains sufficient integrity in location, design and materials despite later alterations and restorations, and that the city owns the property, simplifying the owner-statement requirement.
Commission discussion focused on the nomination’s character-defining elements and documentation of past restoration work. Commissioners asked for and received an assurance that corbels (a decorative element on the porch columns) be explicitly added to the nomination’s character-defining list; that amendment was accepted and incorporated into the motion recommending the property for listing. The commission voted to close the public hearing and forward the amended recommendation to the city council for final action.
Next steps: staff will transmit the commission’s recommendation and the nomination packet (as amended) to the city council for a final decision and will handle required notifications and owner statements.
