Commission backs preliminary landmarking for Mayor’s House, seeks findings on addition and materials

Planning staff presented a preliminary review of a proposal to landmark the Mayor’s House at 108 North French Street (c.1888), change its use back to residential, and add a 980‑sq‑ft addition at the rear with a below‑grade connection to the historic structure. Staff's point analysis included positive points for energy upgrades and appearing as a secondary module, and negative points for not meeting required relative setbacks; the preliminary net score was adjusted to minus one point after commission discussion.

A central question was whether the rear module should be treated as an "addition" that must align its sidewall with the historic structure (priority design standard 37.5) or as a separate secondary building because it connects below grade only. Staff and several commissioners noted that because the module appears as a separate structure from grade, the commission could reasonably treat it as a secondary structure; the commission asked staff to include an explicit finding that the project has no above‑grade connector and therefore presents as a separate module.

Applicant and owner Lee Edwards defended using self‑rusting corrugated metal on a large portion of the rear elevation, noting corrugated siding has been used historically for outbuildings and in recent local projects in alleys or secondary structures. Staff acknowledged an error in the packet: the materials assessment had applied an exterior materials policy (5R) that governs areas outside the historic district; in the historic district the handbook's design standard 90 governs material appropriateness and requires a judgment about whether corrugated metal is suitable for a secondary structure. Commissioners asked staff to refine findings and to document local precedents for metal siding used on secondary structures.

The commission agreed the project meets the threshold for local landmarking and, with the clarified finding about the below‑grade connector and refinement of materials findings, the project is ready for a final hearing. Commissioners also requested staff correct the materials policy citation in the record and include precedent examples for review.

Next steps: Staff will prepare findings and conditions for the final hearing that: (1) state the addition presents as a separate module with no above‑grade connector; (2) document precedent and the rationale under handbook design standard 90 regarding corrugated metal on a secondary structure; and (3) update the preliminary point analysis to reflect the corrected policy application.