Opelika commission approves alterations for 601 South Railroad Avenue

The Opelika Historical Preservation Commission approved a Certificate of Appropriateness for 601 South Railroad Avenue at its June meeting, voting to allow a widow's walk with corner columns, wood railings matching the front porch and a rear wood handicap ramp with brick facing and concrete caps. The commission's approval included staff conditions requiring a landscaping and parking plan to be submitted and approved prior to installation.

A staff member presented the COA request and the packet materials, saying the columns are already in place and that the applicant proposes to replace an iron railing with wood to match the front porch. The staff recommendation, as presented to the commission, stated: "Staff recommends approval of the widow walk with columns covered in siding to match the same reveal of the main structure and wood railings to match the front porch railing," and recommended approval of the rear wood ramp and steps with brick facing and concrete caps.

Applicant Jake Whaley told commissioners the architect recommended the corner columns and that the change improves the scale and appearance of the top of the house. "We think that that looks really really good and more like a structure like it would have been," Whaley said, describing on-site work completed to date. He also said the brick facing on the ramp and the matching headwalls will be finished shortly.

The packet included an arborist report listing trees recommended for removal (identified in the report as pecan, hackberry, Chinese tallow and a water oak). The transcript records two different sizing references: the applicant and staff cited the arborist report in describing replacement tree sizes as "4 to 6-inch caliper" in one part of the discussion, while the staff recommendation in the packet calls for replanting "3 to 4-inch caliper trees." The commission approved tree removal as recommended by the arborist and required replanting but did not finalize species or exact caliper sizes in the meeting; the applicant must provide a full landscaping plan for review and approval.

A motion to approve the COA "with staff approval" was moved and seconded and passed by voice vote. The transcript records the voice vote but does not include a roll-call tally or counts for yes, no or abstain.

The commission's approval is conditional on submission and subsequent approval of the landscaping and parking plan by the planning department prior to installation, per staff direction. The applicant will return with that plan for final sign-off.