Heritage board approves renovations at Bigelow Cottage with conditions

The Tarpon Springs Historic Preservation Board voted to approve application 26.38 for 184 North Spring Boulevard, a proposal to convert a covered porch into a kitchen, add a breezeway and a reroofed shed, and construct a two‑story detached garage with an accessory dwelling unit. Caroline Lanford, principal planner, presented the staff report and recommended conditions focused on materials and visual compatibility.

Why it mattered: The property is a contributing folk Victorian named the Bigelow Cottage, and the changes are behind the house and partly out of public view; neighbors and board members still pressed for clarity about setback measurements, window types and whether the ADU would meet the newly adopted accessory dwelling unit regulations.

What the board decided: The board approved the project with several added stipulations meant to preserve the district’s character and reduce ambiguity at permitting. Conditions recorded in the motion require that any new siding on the existing house be wood to match the historic fabric; the garage siding shall visually match the house in scale and dimension and may be wood or cement fiberboard (Hardie); all new windows on both the garage and house that replace openings must be wood, double‑hung; the garage doors should be carriage‑style in appearance; and the garage roof must be dimensional (architectural) shingles to match existing materials. The board also required that any dimensional variances for the new structure be returned to the Historic Preservation Board for review and that the certificate of appropriateness expire after three years if no building permit is obtained.

Key exchanges: Lanford told the board that the proposed covered porch conversion and new garage “are really not visible from the public right of way,” emphasizing that much of the work is at the rear of the property. Architect John Hoffman said the applicants planned to “keep it historically accurate … and build it in such a way that it complements the house.” Multiple board members and neighbors pushed for clearer site plans and product cut sheets; the board placed several of those requirements into the approval conditions.

What’s next: The applicant may submit building permits, which must conform to the approved plans and the conditions the board imposed; any request for variances must return to the board before being taken to other permitting bodies.

Vote: Motion to approve carried on a roll‑call vote; board recorded affirmative votes and attached the nine conditions discussed during the motion.