HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-09-08 Historic Preservation Commission Minutes
BANGOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Minutes of Thursday, September 8, 2016 at 7:00 p.m.
Third Floor, Council Chambers, Bangor City Hall
Commissioners Present: Elizabeth Rettenmaier, Chairman
George Burgoyne
Matt Carter
Wayne Mallar
Reese Perkins
Associate Members present: Al Banfield
Tony Manzo
Commission Consultant present: Mike Pullen
City Staff Present: David G. Gould
Paul Nicklas
Peter Witham
Chair Rettenmaier called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and asked Mr. Banfield and Mr.
Manzo to alternate voting because Mr. Burgoyne would be absent briefly from the room. Mr.
Burgoyne left the room.
PROJECT REVIEW
1. 73 Central Street – House Revivers, contractor for Sandy Boyd
Repair, and repaint first floor exterior wood panels and trim
Chapter 148 Historic Preservation – Great Fire District – Certificate of
Appropriateness
Bob Kelly of House Revivers presented the project application.
Mr. Carter moved approval of the application and Mr. Banfield seconded the motion.
The Commissioners approved the motion 5-0 with Mr. Banfield voting.
2. 73 Central Street – House Revivers, contractor for Sandy Boyd
Repair, and repaint first floor exterior wood panels and trim
Chapter 71 Bangor Center Revitalization Area – Design Review
Mr. Carter moved approval of the application and Mr. Banfield seconded the motion.
The Commissioners approved the motion 5-0 with Mr. Banfield voting.
Mr. Burgoyne returned to the room.
3. 170 Park Street – Jodi Clayton/One Lupine Fiber Arts
Replacement of first floor single pane windows and trim with energy efficient inserts
Chapter 148 Historic Preservation – Great Fire District – Certificate of
Appropriateness
Jodi Clayton of One Lupine Fiber Arts presented the project application.
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Mr. Perkins moved approval of the application and Mr. Burgoyne seconded the motion.
The Commissioners approved the motion 5-0.
4. 140-142 Hammond Street – Community Housing of Maine
After-the-fact replacement of roof shingles, front (Hammond St.) side of building
Chapter 148 Historic Preservation – High Street District – Certificate of
Appropriateness
Brenda Sylvester, Program Director for Community Housing of Maine (CHOM), indicated
she was present to explain their application to the Commission and that the roof
contractor, John Karnes of R&K Construction, was also present. She explained that
CHOM develops affordable housing projects and that when CHOM acquired the property
in 2006 it already had both asphalt and slate roofing. After their recent work she
indicated that the Bangor Code Enforcement Office notified her that the work needed
review by the Historic Preservation Commission for Certificate of Appropriateness.
Commission Consultant Pullen indicated that the record shows that in 1996 the HPC
approved resetting the slate on the front of the roof. Mr. Pullen noted that the building at
140-142 Hammond Street is known as the Wadleigh-Richards Double House designed
by Charles Bryant in 1830, one of his first known houses in Bangor.
Based on an inquiry about permitting of past historic reviews, Mr. Gould noted that the
Planning Office has files beginning in 2013 when it began to manage the Historic
Commission and a limited files for a few years before that. Other older records would
likely be found within the Code Office’s property files.
It was stated that both the slate shingles and the substrate below them were removed.
Member Burgoyne asked if the applicant had an estimate of the cost of replacing the
slate roof. Ms. Sylvester indicated she did not.
Member Carter indicated there were reproduction slate shingles which may prove an
economic alternative to actual slate shingles.
When asked, Mr. Pullen indicated that the slate roof was a distinguishing characteristic
of this historic structure.
Member Perkins indicated that the Secretary of the Interior’s standards 148-E(2)
indicates that removal of original materials is not recommended.
Ms. Sylvester indicated the building already had been approved for half of the roof to be
replaced with asphalt shingles. There was some record of restoration of the (front) slate
roof and approval to replace the rear roof with asphalt shingles. Tenants in the building
had noted a hazardous condition where pieces of the slate roof were falling to the
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ground, and at one point it started leaking. With rear of the building already having an
asphalt shingle they undertook the work to fix the front roof.
Mr. Karnes indicated that the roof is not visible from the front of the property. The
shingles on the roof were in poor condition over cedar shakes and would crumble if
weight were put on them. In addition he noted that the color could not be matched to
repair sections.
Mr. Pullen indicated that the roof was quite visible as indicated in the photographs from
across the street that are in the application.
Mr. Carter indicated that because there was evidence of earlier cedar shingles on the
roof under the slate, they might be another option to propose.
Mr. Burgoyne moved approval of the application and Mr. Perkins seconded the motion.
The Commissioners did not approve the motion 0-5 and found that the application failed
to meet the following standards:
§148-13(E)(1)(b), concerning destruction of a distinguishing characteristic of the
building;
§148-13(E)(l)(c), concerning repairing rather than replacing deteriorated
architectural features where possible, and, where not possible, matching the
material being replaced;
§148-13(E)(l)(d), concerning treating with sensitivity distinctive stylistic features
or examples of skilled craftsmanship; and
§148-13(E)( l)(e), concerning recognizing and respecting changes which may have
taken place in the course of time.
Mr. Nicklas indicated that Staff would put together a draft Findings of Facts on the denial
and asked when Commissioners could reconvene to review and approved them. The
consensus was that the next day, September 9, 2016 at 5:00p.m., would be the most
convenient time to meet and it would be sufficient time in which to generate a draft.
5. 28 Broad Street – Roy Hubbard
To install 3 black aluminum gates across the 3 front alcove entrances of the building
Chapter 148 Historic Preservation – West Market Square District – Certificate of
Appropriateness
Roy Hubbard presented the project application.
Mr. Carter moved approval of the application with the conditions that:
1. 36” wide gates with 28” wide fence panels will fill 64” wide alcoves, to 54” height;
2. Gates, panels, and hardware will be black;
3. Gate sections will be directly in front of corresponding doors and swing outward;
4. Gates and panels will be attached to existing 1” x 6” trim pieces directly behind
existing columns, and not attached to the ground
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Mr. Perkins seconded the motion.
The Commissioners approved the motion 5-0.
6. 28 Broad Street – Roy Hubbard
To install 3 black aluminum gates across the 3 front alcove entrances of the building
Chapter 71 Bangor Center Revitalization Area – Design Review
Roy Hubbard presented the project application.
Mr. Carter moved approval of the application with the conditions that:
1. 36” wide gates with 28” wide fence panels will fill 64” wide alcoves, to 54” height;
2. Gates, panels, and hardware will be black;
3. Gate sections will be directly in front of corresponding doors and swing outward;
4. Gates and panels will be attached to existing 1” x 6” trim pieces directly behind
existing columns, and not attached to the ground
Mr. Burgoyne seconded the motion.
The Commissioners approved the motion 5-0.
7. 32 Main Street – Melissa Smith, Happy Endings Inc.
Install one bracket for hanging sign with gooseneck lights
Chapter 148 Historic Preservation – Main Street District – Certificate of
Appropriateness
Melissa Smith presented the project application.
Mr. Perkins moved approval of the application with the condition that:
if any installations onto or wiring through metal occur that appropriate washers and
sealing be used to protect against metal corrosion
Mr. Carter seconded the motion.
The Commissioners approved the motion 5-0.
8. 32 Main Street – Melissa Smith, Happy Endings Inc.
Install one bracket for hanging sign with two gooseneck lights
Chapter 71 Bangor Center Revitalization Area – Design Review
Melissa Smith presented the project application.
Mr. Perkins moved approval of the application with the condition that:
if any installations onto or wiring through metal occur that appropriate washers and
sealing be used to protect against metal corrosion
Mr. Carter seconded the motion.
The Commissioners approved the motion 5-0.
9. 10 Broad Street – Ipanema
Alter façade of sign location for new flush sign; replace 3 large lights with 2 smaller lights
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Chapter 148 Historic Preservation – West Market Square District – Certificate of
Appropriateness
Karyn Young presented the project application.
Mr. Carter moved approval of the application with the condition that:
the two proposed lights not be installed on the horizontal band, which is possibly
granite, but on the wood panel a few inches below it
Mr. Burgoyne seconded the motion.
The Commissioners approved the motion 5-0.
10. 10 Broad Street – Ipanema
Alter façade of sign location for new flush sign; replace 3 large lights with 2 smaller lights
Chapter 71 Bangor Center Revitalization Area – Design Review
Karyn Young presented the project application.
Mr. Carter moved approval of the application with the condition that:
the two proposed lights not be installed on the horizontal band, which is possibly
granite, but on the wood panel a few inches below it
Mr. Burgoyne seconded the motion.
The Commissioners approved the motion 5-0.
ADDITIONAL BUSINESS
11. Approval of HPC meeting minutes
Mr. Burgoyne moved approval of the August 11, 2016 meeting. Mr. Carter seconded the
motion. The minutes were approved 5-0 by Commissioners Burgoyne, Carter, Mallar,
Perkins, and Banfield who attended the meeting.
Because Commissioners Carter and Mallar were not allowed to be present for the discussion in
Item 12, it was moved after the informational items on the agenda.
13. Discussion – Commission Assistance & Mentoring Program (CAMP) Workshop –
National Alliance of Preservation Commissions
Friday September 23, 2016 – 8:30pm – 5:00 pm – Gardiner, Maine
The Commission will meet the next day, Friday September 9, 2016, at 5:00 p.m. to go over
Findings of Facts as discussed in Item 4 above.
rd
The next regular HPC meeting is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Thursday, October 13, 2016 – 3
floor Council Chambers.
Mr. Carter and Mr. Mallar left the room.
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12. Discussion – HPC right to appeal
Mr. Nicklas discussed the possibilities of the HPC appealing a Board of Appeals
decision, and specifically appealing the Board of Appeals decision to overturn the HPC’s
decision on the demolition of the Engineers House. First there would have to be a
decision of the HPC having the standing to bring a case to appeal and if that standing
would have to be approved by City Council. Then the HPC would need to have the funds
to retain an attorney and the funds to do so. And then there’s the question if the HPC as
a quasi-judicial board should be initiating the case to appeal the decision of a court
above them. He found in his research that it was generally not recommended that
municipalities appeal decisions made by their boards.
Mr. Banfield asked what the timeline is to appeal the decision. Mr. Nicklas indicated it
would be 30 days after the Board of Appeals’ decision, which is in a week or two. Mr.
Banfield indicated Mr. Kelly made a comment earlier that there might be a purchase of
the Engineers House and he wondered if that might occur before the deadline.
Mr. Burgoyne offered his opinion having been on the Board of Appeals that there may
not always be all the information known of a decision made by another board.
The consensus of the Commissioners was that their decisions were made, the Board of
Appeals decision was made, and it was time to move on.
The Meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.
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