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Board flags ambiguity in historic paint palette and asks staff to clarify
Summary
Members said the preapproved paint-colors document leaves unclear tonal ranges for 'gray' in early-era houses and asked staff to return with an applicant-facing list and possibly a working-session to refine the guidelines.
Board members spent significant time debating how the preapproved paint-colors document defines early- versus later-era tones and whether darker grays like the proposed tavern charcoal fit the early-era palette.
Staff explained the preapproved document was adopted in 2022 to reduce subjectivity and noted some prior approvals predated that guidance. Several board members said the guideline text (which lists "gray" among early-era colors) is ambiguous and suggested staff provide explicit ranges or example chips specifying acceptable body and trim tones. "If it just says gray, then how do we decipher what tone of gray is selected?" one member asked, noting applicants and staff need clearer parameters.
The board asked staff to prepare an applicant-facing clarification listing acceptable body and trim colors and to consider a future working session to review the palette. Staff agreed to supply a tone-range or explicit list to reduce back-and-forth at future hearings.
