Historic Preservation Commission approves 95 Green Street project with conditions

The Historic Preservation Commission voted July 3 to approve a certificate of appropriateness for a new 1½‑story house at 95 Green Street in Old Town Bluffton, with conditions on materials and detailing. Staff had recommended approval with conditions following a design review of the proposed 2,342‑square‑foot house and its relationship to an existing carriage house on the lot.

Commissioners heard a presentation from town preservation staff, who said the lot is double‑frontage (Green Street front, Hickory Trace rear) and that the existing carriage house (built about 2014) will remain. Staff identified items requiring changes or confirmation before final permits, including door materials that must comply with the UDO, concealment of mechanical chimney components within masonry, consistency of porch header and band‑board details, and a requirement to replace the AZEK (PVC) trim with a permitted alternative (plans were updated to show “hardipline”). "Staff is recommending approval with conditions," said the staff member presenting the project.

Commissioners raised several design and site questions during a detailed review. One commissioner noted concern about protecting a large live oak on the site: "It's a 35, I think, Live Oak," and asked the commission to require more than a silt fence to protect the tree during construction. Staff said an arborist report had not been provided but that tree protection measures could be required as a condition of approval. The applicant's representative, Ms. Liberti, described this as the third design iteration to meet UDO comments and said the team would work with staff on required adjustments.

On exterior materials and detailing, commissioners and staff agreed that the roof will be metal (not asphalt) and discussed the chimney cap. Staff said the UDO requires mechanical portions to be concealed within masonry; the applicant agreed to rotate or conceal the chimney cap so it is not visible from Green Street. Commissioners also requested consistency in porch header depths and band‑board treatments and asked that sidelight proportions be adjusted to better match the front door.

After discussion the commission moved to approve the COA with staff recommendations and conditions that the applicant: confirm permitted door and window materials; replace AZEK/PVC trim with the permitted hardipline material as shown in updated plans; omit shutters on the visible elevations; rotate or conceal the chimney cap so it is not visible from the street; provide a tree‑protection plan for the large live oak; and ensure porch header and band‑board details are consistent. A voice vote was called and the chair announced, "The motion has passed and, the project is approved, with conditions." The motion passed by voice vote.

Staff will work with the applicant to finalize the specified materials and construction details before issuance of certificates and building permits. The project approval included a determination that the middle massing block shown on the Green Street elevation is appropriate for the site and context.

No public comments were recorded during the meeting on this item. The commission moved on to other agenda business following the vote.