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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-07-13 Historic Preservation Commission MinutesHistoric Preservation Commission – Meeting Minutes June 13th, 2023 HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MEETING OF July 13, 2023, 7:00 P.M. CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS MEETING MINUTES Commission Members Present: Liam Riordan Edmund Chernesky Anne Marie Quin Matthew Weitkamp City Staff Present: Anja Collette, Planning Analyst Mike Pullen, Consultant Chair Riordan called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M. ______________________________________________________________________ New Business: 1. Certificate of Appropriateness & Design Review – 145 Harlow Street – Map-Lot 041-097 – Great Fire Historic District & Bangor Center Revitalization Area – Applicant/Owner: bangor Public Library c/o Roland Grover - Approval requested for Certificate of Appropriateness & Design Review to replace the rear employee exit door, which is made of wood, with a metal door with keypad. The property is located at Map- Lot 041-097, in the Great Fire Historic District and Bangor Center Revitalization Area. Applicant not present, so Consultant Mike Pullen was asked to present the application along with his comments. Pullen presented the application and noted that the present library building is a replacement for a building that burned during the Great Fire. The new door proposed in the application is narrower than the present door, includes internal window grills that are a departure from the appearance of the present door, and is proposed to be painted a white color that may not be as cohesive with the building as the present yellow-beige color is. Pullen did request a sample of the white paint color which was not provided by applicant. Chair Riordan noted that he would like to know why a door with a side light is proposed, as this is significantly different from the current door. However, he also noted that this is not necessarily detrimental as the door is at the rear of building and not part of the public-facing façade. He is less concerned with paint color as he feels this can be changed after the fact. Commissioner Chernesky noted that the interior window grills, which would be visible, would not be able Historic Preservation Commission – Meeting Minutes June 13th, 2023 to have paint color changed after the fact, so these would still be white. Also commented that the narrower door size may be due to standard sizes of modern doors, and that, in order to keep with present door dimensions, the applicant may have needed to order custom-sized door at a higher cost. Commissioner Weitkamp made comments about the size difference of the current lights versus what’s being proposed. Pullen noted that the window grills, as shown in proposal, are also wider than what are on the present door, as well as the doors of many historic properties. Also noted the inclusion of internal glass will decrease the amount of light. Noted that painting the door after it is delivered/installed may not actually be feasible as modern doors are usually coated in such a way that makes painting difficult, and doing so may also forfeit the warranty on the door. Chair Riordan asked if the Commission felt the standards could be lowered due to the door being located at rear of building, rather than part of the public-facing façade. Chair Riordan suggested deferring any decision on the application until concerns can be addressed by the applicant. Requested that the following be followed up on: (1) Why is the proposed door of different design, with side light, rather than remaining consistent with the design of the present door? (2) Can color of the door be changed to be more cohesive with the rest of the building? (3) Address the reason for wider window grills than those on the present door. (4) How will new door align with windows already present? Chair Riordan asked for any public comments – there were none. Public comments closed. Commissioner Weitkamp moved to defer action on the Certificate of Appropriateness & Design Review for 145 Harlow Street – Map-Lot 041-097, in the Great Fire Historic District & Bangor Center Revitalization Area, Applicant/Owner Bangor Public Library c/o Roland Grover. Commissioner Chernesky seconded. All in favor upon roll-call vote, none opposed. 2. Meeting Minutes – June 8, 2023 and June 22, 2023 Commissioner Chernesky moved to approve the June 8th meeting minutes. Commissioner Quin seconded. All in favor, none opposed. Chair Riordan raised a question of whether the June 22nd meeting minutes could be voted on, as only two Commissioners who were present at that meeting are currently present to vote. Commission agreed to vote, as by-laws were not clear on this point, and asked staff to follow up with the City Solicitor to clarify. If this vote needs to be voided and a second vote taken, the Commission will do so at the next meeting. Commissioner Chernesky moved to approve the June 22nd meeting minutes. Commissioner Quin seconded. All in favor, none opposed. Member of the public, Joe Pickering, presented to the podium. Stated that he recently read an article in the BDN about the Christmas Tree Shops closing and leaving the shopping plaza nearly vacant. Feels this, and similar properties, could provide important opportunity to develop into housing. Planning Analyst Anja Collette noted that zoning was recently changed in this area and high-density residential is now an allowed use. Historic Preservation Commission – Meeting Minutes June 13th, 2023 3. Adjournment Meeting adjourned at 7:23 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Sarah Pritchard Development Assistant Planning Division