Historic Preservation Board asks administration to draft clearer 'like-for-like' standards for approvals

The Historic Preservation Board voted to ask the City administration to draft language clarifying when building permits for historic properties must be reviewed by the board rather than approved administratively.

Board member Manuel Menendez said the existing practice leaves too much discretion with the building official and yields inconsistent outcomes. "Maybe there's a certain language that we can put about how similar the things need to be. Otherwise they should go before us," Menendez said during the discussion, citing a recent re-roofing in the Cambridge Lawns historic district that he considered a material change in appearance.

City Attorney Martos told the board the code currently gives the building official discretion to decide when a Certificate of Appropriateness is required, and outlined options for the board to pursue. "There is another option short of creating a new law, and that's creating like a handbook, if you will, or some guidance document that you could pass by resolution," Martos said, adding that a formal code amendment would require Planning Board and City Commission review.

Members discussed possible criteria such as visibility from the public right-of-way, value of the change, and the amount of façade affected. Building official Rami Carrera said staff can help craft practical language to ensure recommendations are implementable within the permitting workflow.

Menendez moved that the board ask the administration to prepare draft language for consideration at the next meeting; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. The board directed staff and the city attorney's office to prepare options the board can edit, and the administration will share drafts ahead of the next meeting.