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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDRSC 09-26-17 - approved 10-10-17Design Review Subcommittee of the Elgin Heritage Commission September 26, 2017 Minutes The meeting of the Design Review Subcommittee was called to order at 6:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers (Located on the 2nd floor of City Hall) by Chairman Wiedmeyer. MEMBERS PRESENT: Lynne Diamond, Rebecca Hunter, Bill Ristow, Dennis Roxworthy, Scott Savel (6:02), and John Wiedmeyer MEMBERS ABSENT: John Roberson CITY STAFF PRESENT: Christen Sundquist, Historic Preservation; and Cindy Walden, DRSC Secretary APPROVAL OF MINUTES: No minutes were presented for review. RECOGNIZE OTHER PERSONS PRESENT: John Marston, Elgin Heritage Commission PROPERTIES ON AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION: Old Business None New Business 440 Fulton Street - Restore siding; replace missing architectural features 266 Villa Street - Front and Side porch stairs rehabilitation; maintain vinyl windows 531 Grace Street - Replacement of siding; replace missing architectural features ITEMS TABLED: None NEW BUSINESS: 440 Fulton Street - Restore siding; replace missing architectural features The applicant has submitted a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) to restore the original siding on the house and replace any missing architectural features. The house was formerly clad with Design Review Subcommittee – September 26, 2017 Page 2 of 13 aluminum substitute siding. The applicant obtained a COA for the removal with the condition that Staff conduct a site inspection following the completion of the siding removal. Staff conducted a site assessment on September 6, 2017. At that time the substitute siding was removed. It was found that the original siding (clapboards) was in good condition with select areas in need of replacement. Items of note that were missing and/or altered include an attic window with a pedimented window hood at the front elevation; window hoods; bedmolding along the friezeboard; window openings shortened; window at rear of west elevation completely closed; eaves were boxed. 504 Wellington Avenue has similar details including its size, form and window design and configuration and is recommended to match details found on this home. The homeowner is proposing to keep the Chicago window at the front of the elevation as well as the existing sizes of the shortened windows. The proposal would be to weave in new cedar siding at areas where it is missing and installing proper trim and window hoods at these windows. The rear window found at the west elevation was covered when the substitute siding was installed. It was found that the existing trim and sashes still existing. However, the top sash is missing glass and its meeting rail. The applicant noted that the interior has drywall installed and is not and actual through wall window. Staff noted that they may proposed to either open up the interior to allow for more light into the space beyond or that they may propose to install MDO-smooth plywood painted gloss black into the existing sashes to give an appearance that this is a window from the street. The window is minimally visible from the public way due to its location. Between 2012 and 2017 the front door of the home was replaced with an inappropriate style door without a COA or permit. This is also being pro posed to be removed and a new four panel door installed. Elgin Design Guideline Manual Specifications: Wood Siding A. Should be repaired rather than replaced, if original. If replacement is necessary, wood siding and shingles should be replaced with new cement board or shingles to match the original in size, placement, and design. Wood that has been concealed beneath synthetic sidings such as aluminum, asbestos, or vinyl should be repaired and the synthetic sidings removed. Following the removal of synthetic sidings the original siding should be repaired to match the original, caulked and painted. If the "ghosts" or outlines of decorative missing features are revealed, these should generally be replicated and reinstalled. If these features are not replaced they should be recorded through photographs or drawings for future replication. Design Review Subcommittee – September 26, 2017 Page 3 of 13 B. Should be insulated if the addition of the insulation does not result in alterations to the siding. The creation of plugs or holes for blown-in insulation is not acceptable. C. Should have original asbestos shingles kept stained or painted. If asbestos shingle siding is deteriorated or poses a health hazard, it may be removed and replaced with wood or other substitute siding. Removal of asbestos siding should follow hazardous material guidelines. D. Should not be concealed beneath synthetic materials such as vinyl, masonite, or aluminum, if original. Original siding should also not be concealed beneath wood based materials such as particle board, gyp board, or press board. These materials generally do not possess textures or designs which closely match original wood siding. However, if more than 50% of the original siding material is damaged beyond repair, or missing, substitute materials may be applied if the following conditions are met: a. the existing damaged siding materials are removed prior to the installation of substitute materials; b. Vinyl material is not permissible. Rather, cement board is and should be smooth without knots and be accented with trim c. Finger jointed board stock is acceptable, however, natural continuous board stock is preferable for use as siding. The application of these materials must not result in the concealment of or removal of original decorative detailing or trim including window and door surrounds. However, if no trim or surrounds exist then new wood trim in the form of fascia, corner boards, base boards, molding and windows should be installed. Substitute materials should match the dimensions of the original wood siding as closely as possible. The cement board should abut the wood trim and be caulked to prevent moisture damage. Paint Removal and Surface Preparation A. Should be performed by manual scraping or by using appropriate chemical removers. A paint shaver may be used, but with caution so as to avoid removal of wood siding. B. Should be performed cautiously when removing paint through heat plates or heat guns to avoid unnecessary damage to the wood through charring or fire. C. Should not be removed by abrasive techniques such as sand or water blasting since this can damage the wood and introduce moisture into the building. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends approval of the Certificate of Appropriateness as submitted and with the following conditions: SIDING 1. Damaged siding shall be repaired, epoxy preferred 2. Nail holes must be patched with putty, epoxy preferred. 3. New siding shall be installed only as necessary with replacements-in-kind to match the original siding profile, size, details and material (clear cedar – no knots). Design Review Subcommittee – September 26, 2017 Page 4 of 13 4. All beyond repair or missing trim boards, window hoods, bed molding, crown molding and sills shall match the existing in kind. 5. All replacement wood material shall be clear (no knots), cedar and installed smooth side out. 6. The attic window at the front elevation shall be recreated to match the design at 504 Wellington Avenue. This includes 4” casing, pitched sill, flat pedimented window hood and a fixed window. 7. The rear window at the west elevation shall either be re-opened using a sash replacement kit to match the existing window in kind with wood or aluminum-clad wood material. The applicant may instead install smooth, MDO plywood that is painted gloss black in replacement of glass at this location if they decide not to open up the window completely to the interior. The MDO shall be installed within the existing sash frames or into new sash frames that match the existing in kind. The trim and sill shall remain. 8. Bed molding shall be recreated and installed along the frieze board. 9. The plywood soffit shall be removed so that the eaves are no longer boxed but run parallel with the roof as seen at 504 Wellington Avenue. 10. The trim around the windows shall match the trim found at the west elevation window (4 inch with 4 inch wide header and 1x2 drip cap). 11. The aluminum found at the rear entry ceiling shall be removed and beadboard ceiling installed at this location. 12. The replacement siding at the west first floor rear corner shall be mitered at the corners to match the existing. The siding at the second floor appears to be pulling away and is recommended that a corner board shall be installed to match the cornerboards on the rest of the home. 13. Entire home shall be prepped, primed and painted. ENTRY DOOR 1. The entry door shall be replaced with a four panel wood or smooth fiberglass door. ***** Maria & Aerli Acura (owner) was present for tonight’s COA discussion: The far west window could be constructed to “look” like a window. MDO plywood, painted black to mimic windows with sashes, meeting rails, etc. The vinyl siding removed gave home owner several openings on structure that they were not expecting. Upper window in front can be ordered with a sash and glass. A carpenter may be needed to assist the home owner with window hood and trim details. Steel front door is not permitted by the guidelines. Appropriate designed fiberglass or solid wood door could be considered. Note wood doors can be trimmed to fit opening, which can vary from side to side and from top to bottom. Design Review Subcommittee – September 26, 2017 Page 5 of 13 Replacement siding needs to be “weaved/staggered”. Siding needs to be clear smooth ½ x6 beveled cedar siding. Corners of siding on this structure have both mitered corners and 1x4 corner boards. Corner boards are easier to install and would look more appropriate for house style. Once the box eaves are removed, they may find soffit or rafter tails are present. Less costly to repair if found. Motion made by Committee Member Savel to approve with staff recommendations and the following commission requirements: 1) 1x4 corner boards are preferred (rather than mitered), and 2) door must be fiberglass or solid wood. The motion was seconded by Committee Member Ristow. The motion passed unanimously. 266 Villa Street - Front and Side porch stairs rehabilitation; maintain vinyl windows The applicant has submitted a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) to reconstruct the property’s front and side porch stairs. The applicant has also submitted a Certificate of Appropriateness to maintain the existing vinyl windows. The COA application has been filed as a corrective action to the following violations: Installation of vinyl windows without a COA or building permit. 1. Installation of front door without a COA or building permit. The applicant stated that they are allowing the tenant to stay in the home but instead of pa ying rent, they are exchanging time and labor to fix up the home. The applicant noted that they were not aware that the tenant living in the home did not receive any permits for the work that was completed. The applicant stated that they are going to reconstruct the stairs at the front and side porches. Staff stated that the new design must meet the Design Guidelines specifications as well as meet building codes. The applicant also is requesting to maintain the vinyl windows that were installed by their tenant. Staff noted to the applicant that vinyl windows are not allowed in the historic districts. Wood or aluminum-clad wood windows are an allowable material for replacement windows. Elgin Design Guideline Manual Specifications: Porches A. Should be maintained in their original design with original materials and detailing Design Review Subcommittee – September 26, 2017 Page 6 of 13 B. Should be repaired or replaced to match the original in design, materials, scale and placement C. Should be screened only if the structural framework for the screen panels is minimal and the open appearance of the porch is maintained. Screen panels should be placed behind the original features such as columns or railings and should not hide decorative details or result in the removal of original porch materials. D. Should have steps of the same material as the porch floor (e.g. porches with wood floors should also have steps made of wood, not concrete or brick) E. Should have poured concrete steps if the porch, patio or terrace floor is made of concrete (see section on Porch Steps). F. Should have wood tongue and groove flooring running perpendicular to the façade, if the porch floor is made of wood. G. Should have trellises made of wood, if trellises are appropriate. H. Should be filled in as traditional for the type and style of the house or with decorative wood framed skirting, vertical slats, or lattice panels, if open areas in the foundation exist. I. Should not be removed if original to the dwelling J. Should not be enclosed with wood, glass, or other materials which would alter the porch’s open appearance. Porch Columns and Railing A. Should be preserved and maintained. Where repair is required, use materials to match the original in dimensions and detailing. B. Should be rebuilt in historic designs if the original columns and railings have been removed or replaced C. Should have new balusters for the railing, if required. Porch balusters (also called spindles) should be appropriate for the building’s style and period. The height of the railing should be in line with the window sill level, if present, and no greater than 30 inches in height. Porch Staircases and Steps A. Should be retained in their original location and configuration, if original to the property. Wood and concrete steps should be repaired with materials to match the original. B. Should be replaced with wood rather than brick or concrete, if the porch floor is made of wood. C. Should have their tread constructed in either 5/4x12 or 2x12 lumber. The ends of the treads should be bull-nosed and overhang the riser by no less than 1 inch. D. Should have newel posts and balusters, treads and risers, to match original porch construction. Windows A. Which are original should be preserved in their original location, size, and design and with their original materials and numbers of panes (glass lights). B. Which are not original should not be added to primary facades or to secondary facades where readily visible. Design Review Subcommittee – September 26, 2017 Page 7 of 13 C. Should be repaired rather than replaced, but if replacement is necessary, the recommended replacement should be in-kind to match the originals in material and design. Windows clad in aluminum or baked-on aluminum are acceptable as replacement windows for use throughout the structure. Factors to be considered in determining whether the severity of deterioration of windows requires replacement shall include but not be limited to the following factors: damage, excessive weathering, loss of soundness or integrity of the wood, deterioration due to rot or insect attack, and cost to repair. As to the factor of the cost to repair windows, a particular window may be permitted to be replaced rather than repaired if the estimated cost to repair the windows is more than the estimated cost of the purchase and installation of appropriate replacement windows. D. Which are original of steel or aluminum should be repaired with materials to match the original. If repair is not feasible, replacement should be with new windows to match the original as closely as possible in materials and dimensions. Aluminum extruded windows are an acceptable replacement substitute for original steel sash windows, as long as their size, shape and profile match the original windows. E. Vinyl extruded windows are not permitted for use in historic districts. F. Which are new should not have snap-on or flush muntins. True divided muntins are preferred over these types of muntins which do not have the same appearance as historic windows. New muntins which are an integral part of the window sash and installed on both sides of the glass are preferable to snap-on simple grilles. G. screens and/or storms should be wood or baked-on or anodized aluminum and fit within the window frames. H. that are approved for replacement may be fitted with new double-paned Low-E glass that will improve the energy conservation on the interior. Only low-e glass that does not contain a tint should be used. Staff Recommendation: Request to Maintain Vinyl Windows Staff does not recommend approval of the application as submitted, as the proposed material (vinyl) does not meet the material requirements of the Elgin Design Guideline Manual for Landmarks and Historic Districts. Staff would recommend approval with the following conditions. 1. That all windows shall be 1/1 double-hung, aluminum clad wood and must fit original window openings. 2. Original trim and sills shall be retained. 3. Window glass shall not be tinted. 4. That all other details meet the Design Review Subcommittee’s recommendations. Design Review Subcommittee – September 26, 2017 Page 8 of 13 Request to Re-Construction of Front & Side Stairs and Front Door Replacement Staff recommends approval of the Certificate of Appropriateness as submitted and with the following conditions: Front and Side Porch Stairs 1. The handrail shall have a 2x4 top rail with chamfered edges, ¾” cove installed on either side of spindle. Spindles to be 2x2, placed 2.5” apart. That the bottom rail is a 2x4 with chamfered edges. 2. That the newel posts are installed at the bottom of the stairs and shall be 6x6 with a pummeled top edge and a 5 ½” diameter ball cap. 3. That the stair treads shall 5/4” x 12 (recommended) or 2x12 and bull -nosed on 3 sides and overhang the risers a minimum of 1”. Pressure treated wood or composite material is acceptable. When using pressure treated wood for the stair treads, paint every side with porch/deck enamel to deter any future cupping of the board. Use 3 -4 deck screws (ceramic coated preferable) to adhere board to framing. 4. Skirting at the stairs shall match the existing skirting found at the porch. 5. That all other details match the attached rendering. 6. All rear porch details shall be primed and painted. New Front Door New door shall be Queen Anne in style with a large window placed on top of two raised panels. The door shall be either wood or of fiberglass. ***** Anisa Catugy (owner) was present for tonight’s COA discussion: Railing on front porch was questioned. City records/documentation could not be found proving date of installation. Vinyl windows installed were discussed. Windows do not meet guidelines. Construction was done without permit. If permit had been requested (as required throughout all of Elgin), they would have been informed of requirements for historic district windows. Owner indicated they are renting the house to an employee of their construction crew who installed the without consulting her prior to installation. Commission confirmed the property owner’s construction company is aware of required permit processes. Front door appears to be padded down (reduced to 80” height). New door must be solid wood or fiberglass, in appropriate style for house. No crossbar. True divided lites or simulated lites with one solid pane. Commission willing to compromise and allow an 80” high door, if appropriate design is presented to staff for approval. Motion #1 made by Committee Member Roxworthy to approve door and porch with staff recommendations and commissions requirement of staff’s final approval of door style. The motion was seconded by Committee Member Hunter. The motion passed unanimously. Design Review Subcommittee – September 26, 2017 Page 9 of 13 Motion #2 made by Committee Member Diamond to approve the retention of the vinyl windows installed. The motion was seconded by Committee Member Hunter. A roll-call vote was requested by Chairman Wiedmeyer. The motion failed unanimously (0-6). Staff provided appeal process details to the representatives. Request for Appeal must be received within 10 business days of this committee’s determined. Motion #3 made by Committee Member Savel, IF NO APPEAL is received in allotted time, the applicant can request approval for appropriate replacement windows in either solid wood or wood with aluminum cladding, provided the windows met standard historic features (sashes, meeting rail, trim, etc.) in addition to the following requirements: 1) aluminum wrap must be removed from around existing windows, 2) each window must fit the original window opening, and 3) window hoods must be replicated (if not existing below aluminum wrapping). The motion was seconded by Committee Member Roxworthy. The motion passed unanimously. 531 Grace Street - Replacement of siding; replace missing architectural features The applicant has submitted a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) to replace the original siding on the house with fiber cement board siding and replace any missing architectural features. The house was formerly clad with aluminum substitute siding. The applicant obtained a COA for the removal with the condition that Staff conduct a site inspection following the completion of the siding removal. Staff conducted a site assessment on September 8, 2017. At that time the substitute siding was removed. It was found that the original siding (clapboards) was in overall good condition at the west and south elevations as well as the north elevation side porch with select areas of replacement. The siding found at the main elevations at the north and east were in the worst condition with windows shortened, windows completely removed as well as deterioration. The windows were shortened/altered or removed completely when the aluminum siding was installed. Also, a second floor addition was installed on the home at that same time. Due to the condition and the amount of missing siding, the applicant is requesting to remove the siding and install fiber cement board siding to match the original siding in design, size and exposure. Staff stated that 50% or more of the siding must be damaged or missing for approval of complete replacement. Items of note that were missing and/or altered include window hoods; bedmolding along the frieze board; frieze board (at addition) corner boards (at addition) window openings shortened; Design Review Subcommittee – September 26, 2017 Page 10 of 13 window at north elevation completely closed; and drip edge along water table. In addition, the front entrance door was replaced with a modern door without a COA or permit. Staff reminded the applicant that any work completed on the exterior of the home must seek out approval prior to work beginning. Staff gave the applicant an image of the historic door on the home that was found in the Historic Resources Survey from 1997. The replacement door shall match as closely as possible to this design and may be of wood or solid -core fiberglass. Elgin Design Guideline Manual Specifications: Wood Siding E. Should be repaired rather than replaced, if original. If replacement is necessary, wood siding and shingles should be replaced with new cement board or shingles to match the original in size, placement, and design. Wood that has been concealed beneath synthetic sidings such as aluminum, asbestos, or vinyl should be repaired and the synthetic sidings removed. Following the removal of synthetic sidings the original siding should be repaired to match the original, caulked and painted. If the "ghosts" or outlines of decorative missing features are revealed, these should generally be replicated and reinstalled. If these features are not replaced they should be recorded through photographs or drawings for future replication. F. Should be insulated if the addition of the insulation does not result in alterations to the siding. The creation of plugs or holes for blown-in insulation is not acceptable. G. Should have original asbestos shingles kept stained or painted. If asbestos shingle siding is deteriorated or poses a health hazard, it may be removed and replaced with wood or other substitute siding. Removal of asbestos siding should follow hazardous material guidelines. H. Should not be concealed beneath synthetic materials such as vinyl, masonite, or aluminum, if original. Original siding should also not be concealed beneath wood based materials such as particle board, gyp board, or press board. These materials generally do not possess textures or designs which closely match original wood si ding. However, if more than 50% of the original siding material is damaged beyond repair, or missing, substitute materials may be applied if the following conditions are met: a. the existing damaged siding materials are removed prior to the installation of substitute materials; b. Vinyl material is not permissible. Rather, cement board is and should be smooth without knots and be accented with trim c. Finger jointed board stock is acceptable, however, natural continuous board stock is preferable for use as siding. The application of these materials must not result in the concealment of or removal of original decorative detailing or trim including window and door surrounds. However, if no trim or surrounds exist then new wood trim in the form of fascia, corner boards, base boards, molding and windows should be installed. Substitute materials should match the dimensions of the original wood siding as closely as Design Review Subcommittee – September 26, 2017 Page 11 of 13 possible. The cement board should abut the wood trim and be caulked to prevent moisture damage. Paint Removal and Surface Preparation D. Should be performed by manual scraping or by using appropriate chemical removers. A paint shaver may be used, but with caution so as to avoid removal of wood siding . E. Should be performed cautiously when removing paint through heat plates or heat guns to avoid unnecessary damage to the wood through charring or fire. F. Should not be removed by abrasive techniques such as sand or water blasting since this can damage the wood and introduce moisture into the building. Staff Recommendation: As two elevations (west and south) were in good/repairable condition staff would recommend that the siding is restored/repaired and not replaced with the following conditions: SIDING- South and West Elevations; North – Side Porch 1) Damaged siding shall be repaired, epoxy preferred 2) Nail holes must be patched with putty, epoxy preferred. 3) New siding shall be installed only as necessary with replacements-in-kind to match the original siding profile, size, details and material (clear cedar – no knots). Siding that is in good condition found at the north and east elevations may be salvaged to be installed at deteriorated areas at the west and south elevations. 4) All beyond repair or missing trim boards, window hoods, bed molding, crown molding, drip edge and sills shall match the shadow lines or the existing in kind. 5) All replacement wood material shall be clear (no knots), cedar and installed smooth side out. 6) Bed molding shall be recreated and installed along the frieze board. 7) The trim and sills at the windows that were shortened/altered shall match the trim found at the original tall narrow windows (4 inch with 4 inch wide header and crown molding window hood). 8) All missing window hoods to match shadows must be installed. Window hoods shall be approved by staff prior to installation. 9) Entire home shall be prepped, primed and painted. The north and west elevations including the second floor addition are recommended to be replaced with clear cedar, no knots or fiber cement board to match the existing original siding in design, exposure, size and shall be smooth (no wood grain). SIDING- North and East 1. The north and east elevations shall remove all of the existing siding and replace with either clear cedar, no knots or fiber-cement board siding to match the existing, original siding in profile, exposure and size. 2. At the original portions of the home, the frieze board, corner boards, water table and existing window trim shall remain and not be removed. Design Review Subcommittee – September 26, 2017 Page 12 of 13 3. All beyond repair or missing trim boards, window hoods, bed molding, crown molding, drip edge and sills shall match the shadow lines or the existing in kind. 4. All replacement wood material (window trim, sills, window hoods, water table, etc.) shall be clear (no knots), cedar and installed smooth side out. 5. Bed molding shall be recreated and installed along the frieze board. 6. The trim and sills at the windows that were shortened/altered shall match the trim found at the original tall narrow windows (4 inch with 4 inch wide header and crown molding window hood). 7. All missing window hoods to match shadows must be installed. Window hoods shall be approved by staff prior to installation. 8. Entire home shall be prepped, primed and painted. 2nd Floor Addition/Dormers 1. The 2nd floor addition shall have corner boards installed to match the size of the corner boards on the main portion of the home. 2. 1x8 frieze board shall be installed along soffit of addition to match the size, design and profile of the frieze board found on the main portion of the home. Bed molding is also to be installed along frieze board as found on the main portion of the home. 3. The window trim found at the 2nd floor addition shall match the trim found on the original windows in size, design, profile. 4. The window hoods shall be simpler in design with a 1x2 drip cap placed on top of the 1x4 header casing. 5. The siding shall be clear cedar, no knots or fiber cement board siding (smooth – no wood grain) to match the existing, original siding in size, profile and ex posure). 6. All trim, cornerboards, window hoods, etc. shall sit proud of the siding. 7. Entire home shall be prepped, primed and painted. Front Entrance Door 1. The front entrance door design shall match as closely as possible to the original door found in the Historic Resources Survey. The door may be of wood or solid-core fiberglass. ***** Veronica Yanez (owner) was present for tonight’s COA discussion: There are three wood hood patterns on the house. Front upper windows are decorative wood hoods, appropriate for the style of the house. Side elevations are typically are not as ornate as the front elevation, however each elevation is different. Owner is willing to install hardy/cement board on the upper level of the house. Hardy board will need to match at top and bottom of windows. The siding pieces mostly likely vary slightly to allow the matching at top and bottom of windows. Chairman Wiedmeyer explained methods used to ensure the siding profile and alignment works properly. Corner boards are also installed, since siding profiles do not always matched from one elevation to the next. Design Review Subcommittee – September 26, 2017 Page 13 of 13 Smaller window on within the staircase does not require window hood details. All other windows should be similar per elevation Motion made by Committee Member Savel to approve with staff recommendations and the following commission requirements: 1) front two lower windows to have either a- wider cap with crown or b-replication of upper window details (owner’s choice), 2) siding exposure should match the existing siding profile, and 3) final door style to be approved by staff (prior to installation). The motion was seconded by Committee Member Ristow. The motion passed unanimously. ADDITIONAL STAFF COMMENTS: CORRESPONDENCE: None ADJOURNMENT: Motion to adjourn was made by Committee Member Savel. The motion was seconded by Committee Member Hunter. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting of the Design Review Subcommittee was adjourned at 7:28 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Cindy A. Walden Approved: Design Review Subcommittee Secretary 10/10/2017