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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-02-12 Historic Preservation Commission Minutes HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF BANGOR MEETING OF February 12, 2015 MINUTES Commission Members Present: George Burgoyne Marie Grady Sonia Mallar Reese Perkins Elizabeth Rettenmaier Andrew Saucier (associate) Derek Mitchell (associate) City Staff Present: Jennifer Boothroyd Paul Nicklas Chair Mallar called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m. NEW BUSINESS Item No. 1: Approval of HPC meeting minutes from January 8, 2015 meeting Chair Mallar initiated the reading of the meeting minutes for review. Secretary Perkins began to read the minutes. Commissioner Rettenmaier made a motion to forego the reading of the minutes and approve them as written. Commissioner Grady seconded the motion, which was approved unanimously. Item No. 2: Consider a request for Design Review approval for a new exit and stairway at 190 Harlow Street; Arayos, Inc., applicant Ed Bearor, an attorney representing the applicant, approached the podium and summarized the proposal. The applicant proposes to make a new entrance to serve the Diamond’s Gentlemen’s Club at 190 Harlow St. The entrance, at the side of the building, will require stairs and a landing to reach, since it will be above the grade of the parking lot on the south side of the building. Mr. Bearor also specifically addressed some of the questions and issues raised by the consultant to the Commission, Mike Pullen, during his review. He noted that the applicant has obtained an easement from the City of Bangor for the use of a portion of the parking lot area for the stairs. Some parking will be displaced. He added that the applicant would prefer to have the patrons of the club enter and exit to the side of the building, which this proposal would allow. The covered walkway will incorporate flashing and waterproof membrane. The railings and balusters will be either pressure-treated lumber or PVC, which will be stained or painted. Mr. Pullen wondered where the windows are in relation to the new exit and steps, and if they would be obscured. Mr. Bearor clarified that they are not windows, but, rather, openings in the wall for air conditioning units. He stated that recent air conditioning upgrades have made the wall units unnecessary, and that as part of this application, the holes will be filled in with brick or block to match the surrounding wall. He also noted that the new proposed exit will not 2 interfere with an existing door on that wall, which is further toward the back of the building and at grade. Mr. Bearor added that the addition of this new exit will also simplify fire evacuation. Commissioner Rettenmaier asked for clarification that the application includes a new door in the wall of the building in addition to the new steps. Mr. Bearor confirmed this, and referred her to the application packet, which includes specifications for the proposed door. Mr. Bearor stated that lighting will be from a conduit affixed to the overhead structure of the stairs. Chair Mallar asked if the front door will be maintained as an entrance for fire exits and handicapped access. Mr. Bearor stated that it would remain. Commissioner Perkins asked about the likelihood of cars from the parking lot hitting the stair. Mr. Bearor said that is a consideration, and that if the applicant feels it necessary, may choose to install a bollard, jersey barrier, or some other form of protection in the future. Chair Mallar asked if the risers of the stairs would be open or closed. Mr. Bearor stated that he believed they would be open. Chair Mallar asked if the stairway would be illuminated in more than one spot. Mr. Bearor confirmed that it would be; a light will be at least on each of the landings, and that the lighting would be from above. Chair Mallar asked how the applicant proposes to keep patrons from loitering and/or smoking on the deck area of the stair structure. Mr. Bearor stated that the applicant would actively discourage smoking on the deck area. Chair Mallar asked about the last approval that was given by the HPC for this location, noting that the work was never done. Mr. Bearor stated that he could not speak to that issue, since his client is not the same applicant that applied for that project, and he has no information about it. Commissioner Perkins made a motion to approve the Design Review for an exit and stairway at 190 Harlow St. as submitted. Commissioner Grady seconded the motion. The motion was approved unanimously with Commission members Grady, Burgoyne, Mallar, Perkins, and Rettenmaier voting. Item No. 3: Consider a request for Certificate of Appropriateness and Design Review approval for the installation of two new wall-mounted condensing units and associated ductwork at 40 Harlow Street; University of Maine Systems, applicant Stephen Pederson, employee of WBRC Architects and Engineers representing the applicant, approached the podium and summarized the proposal for the Commission. The applicant proposes to install two new wall-mounted condensing units and associated piping and ductwork on the outside of the building at 40 Harlow St. The units will serve a new art storage area for the University of Maine Museum of Art. They will be mounted facing the alley gap between buildings. Commissioner Burgoyne asked what the existing aluminum structure is that is visible on the wall in the application photos. Mr. Pederson stated that it is an existing flue. 3 An audience member, Wayne Mallar, asked how large the hole through the wall for the conduit would be. Mr. Pederson stated that there would be several small individual holes. Mr. Mallar noted that the holes appear to be going through brick and not mortar, which is usually discouraged. He also asked why the condensing units could not be mounted on the roof, with the pipes coming down the wall from above. Mr. Pederson answered that there were concerns about exposure that discouraged mounting the units on the roof. He also stated that the units would be mounted on the wall using brackets, and that they would be attached through the brick, but that the bolts would go through mortar. Commissioner Burgoyne made a motion to approve the application for a Certificate of Appropriateness and Design Review for two new wall-mounted condensing units and associated ductwork as submitted. Commissioner Perkins seconded the motion. Commissioner Grady disclosed that she teaches part-time at the University of Maine, and wondered if the Commission would consider this a conflict of interest with this application. Commissioner Burgoyne asked if she believed her position would affect her judgment with this project. She responded that it wouldn’t. Commissioner Burgoyne moved that Commissioner Grady did not have a conflict of interest in this case. Commissioner Rettenmaier seconded this, and the Commission voted unanimously that there was no conflict of interest. The motion was to approve the project was then voted upon, and was approved unanimously with Commission members Grady, Lewis, Mallar, Perkins, and Burgoyne voting. Other Business: Chair Mallar asked how many of the projects that the Commission has approved in the last year have been completed, and how many have submitted the appropriate documentation to the Planning Office. Ms. Boothroyd answered that she did not have those numbers available, but she could have an answer at the next Commission meeting. Chair Mallar asked for clarification that a project that has not been started within six months and/or completed within 12 months would need to come back before the Commission as a new application for review. Ms. Boothroyd confirmed that this is the case. Commissioner Burgoyne asked if a regular report of projects that are delinquent in starting/finishing could be provided to the Commission. Ms. Boothroyd confirmed that his could be done, but cautioned the Commission against taking on what could be seen as more of an enforcement role, and activities which could qualify as conflicts of interest or ex-parte communication. The Commission voted unanimously to close the public hearing portion of the meeting. Ms. Boothroyd and Mr. Nicklas conducted a Commissioner training session after the public portion of the meeting.