Denison board approves paint, sidewalk-dining requests and hears THC-funded survey plan

The Denison Historic Preservation Board on June 2 approved two certificates of appropriateness and heard a staff briefing on a THC-funded study to evaluate historic-district boundaries.

Staff member Miss Tate told the board that the owner of 627 West Crawford requested to paint the interior of the porch in Westchester gray to better match the exterior siding; the design committee and staff recommended approval. "This application is requesting the signage... and then the other request is to paint the porch... it's a Westchester gray," Tate said. The board approved the paint request unanimously.

On a separate item, Tate presented a design-committee-approved plan for outdoor sidewalk dining in front of Emily’s Kitchen at 323 West Main. Tate said the request complies with the sidewalk-usage guidelines and the sidewalk ordinance (recorded in the meeting as ordinance number "52 0 6"), that the applicant must provide insurance, and that the design committee recommended furniture choices and clearances for pedestrian movement. Staff also noted that vehicular-rated planters purchased by the city will be used to help protect the dining area. After board discussion on clearance and placement, the board moved and approved the certificate for sidewalk dining.

Tate also reported the city received a grant from the Texas Historical Commission to prepare a historic-resources survey for the commercial historic district and three residential areas. She said the grant would fund a recommendation on whether to expand local historic districts but would not fund the full work to establish new local districts; additional funding would be required to complete district establishment. Tate described the residential work as resembling a windshield survey and offered to share maps and footprints with board members for further review.

The board adjourned at 12:21 p.m.