HACK approves porch and rear-deck renovations, tables two applications for more drawings

The HACK reviewed four historic-district permit applications and took three formal actions at the meeting.

The commission approved an application for 25 East Fourth Street after applicant Joseph Mason described a full front façade and porch renovation including replacing damaged aluminum siding with half-by-six cedar siding, installing wood shutters, replacing porch flooring with mahogany finished with a clear coat and installing custom cedar railings and 6x6 cedar posts. Staff said the proposed materials met the district guidelines; the commission moved to approve the application and recorded three voices saying “Aye.” Joseph Mason noted a structural concern, saying the porch felt “a little like a trampoline almost” and that joists would be reinforced to ensure safety.

The commission also approved a revised application for 900 Washington to remove a dilapidated fire escape, extend the rear deck about five feet to improve a river view and reconstruct the deck with wood framing and historically sympathetic details. Staff told the commission that the updated, less-rustic design complied with the guidelines; a motion to approve carried after members voted in favor.

Two other applications were tabled for missing or insufficient information. An application for a 12-by-16 shed at 46 East Third (applicant identified as Diane) lacked scaled elevations and clear setback dimensions showing how the shed would appear from the public right-of-way; staff recommended returning with elevations showing the shed in context and height dimensions (the plan included a 10-foot peak). Commissioners moved to table the item until the applicant provides the requested elevation and dimensional information.

Separately, the application listed for 140 East Third — which proposed masonry repointing, a chimney repair, security floodlights, a brick parking area, an EV-charging port and a new wood deck — was also tabled because the submission lacked sufficient detail: extent/type of repointing, lighting specifications and locations, a plan view for the brick paving, a site plan showing the EV charger location, and more detailed deck drawings.

The commission corrected and approved minutes from the prior meeting, discussed lingering old-business items including the South Frenchtown Road driveway (members requested photos and documentation after an administrative permit error), heard a brief Planning Commission update (no new information), and closed the meeting after a short discussion about possible updates to the design guidelines. Legal counsel Clay Lewis noted that media coverage recently singled out Historic New Castle as a noteworthy 250th-anniversary destination.

Actions recorded by the commission included approvals for 25 East Fourth Street and 900 Washington and tabling of the 46 East Third and 140 East Third Street applications pending additional materials. Commission staff instructed applicants to submit scaled elevations, setback dimensions, and the missing specifications before the items can be considered again.