Board approves restoration COA, $2,304 fee waiver and $1,000 matching grant for 602 E. Washington

The Rockwall Historic Preservation Advisory Board unanimously approved a package of support for restoration work at 602 East Washington Street: a certificate of appropriateness for exterior alterations, a building permit fee waiver of $2,304, and a $1,000 small matching grant.

Staff said the circa‑1920 house is classified as a low contributing property and that the applicant proposes to replace upper‑floor windows and trim with like materials, replace vinyl siding with pine double siding, add scallop details to dormers and update porch posts to match folk‑Victorian character. Staff reviewed the plans and found them consistent with the city’s historic guidelines.

Applicant Sarah Pratt described discovering original siding under part of the house and said she wants to restore the property "as original as we can," while acknowledging it will not return to the original one‑story form. "We're looking at ... make it pretty and full Victorian again," she said.

Staff said the project's total value is about $40,000 and that, as a contributing property, the applicant is eligible for a full building permit fee waiver of $2,304 and for a small matching grant up to $1,000. Committee member (Speaker 2) moved to approve the COA; Committee member (Speaker 4) moved and the board approved waiving the building permit fee and later approved the $1,000 matching grant. Staff noted the small matching grants fund would be reduced to $2,500 following the award.

Board members emphasized that materials must match the historic guidelines; the motions to approve the COA, the fee waiver, and the matching grant all passed at the meeting. The board also approved that the applicant may proceed with restoration work under the approved conditions and funding relief.