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Board approves elevated air‑conditioning unit at 108 Passagirl Way with screening conditions
Summary
The board approved a certificate of appropriateness to allow elevated AC condensers at 108 Passagirl Way to meet post‑storm elevation rules, adding conditions to retain vegetation, paint platforms to match the building and place new wiring in shrouds.
The Historic Preservation Board approved a certificate of appropriateness Thursday to permit elevated air‑conditioning condensers at 108 Passagirl Way, subject to two staff‑recommended conditions intended to balance storm‑resilience with visual impact.
Planning staff said the building‑code and post‑storm requirements force replacement units to be elevated and that the board cannot waive that elevation. "Units are required to be elevated even with a historic preservation board waiver," a staff member said, noting the proposal locates units in the least‑visible place on the lot and recommending approval with two conditions: retain the southeast vegetative buffer (replace with mature vegetation if removed) and paint the platform/brackets and place exterior wires in color‑matching shrouds.
Applicant representative Mark Leffler explained that FEMA and the building‑code requirements guide the elevation decision. "FEMA wants them up as high as we can get them, I guess, 11 feet off the ground," he said. Leffler and the owner said existing vegetation and potential small screening fences could further hide the equipment; staff confirmed screening is allowed if manufacturers' ventilation/clearance requirements are met.
A board member moved to approve certificate of appropriateness 26110 with staff conditions; another member seconded. The motion passed by roll call (Member Young: yes; Member Zaleski: yes; Member Dashiell: yes; Chair Hurley: yes). Staff said the approved conditions will require replacement of damaged vegetation with similar mature plantings and paint/conduit to match the building color.
There was no formal appeal or stay imposed; the board treated the matter as a site‑specific approach to meet state and federal post‑storm guidance while reducing visual impacts.
