Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-ILPC-2021-10-19Approved by ILPC: December 21, 2021 1 Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission (ILPC) Regular Monthly Meeting Minutes — October 19, 2021 Present: Ed Finegan, Chair David Kramer, Vice Chair (joins 6:3x) Stephen Gibian, Member Katelin Olson, Member Susan Stein, Member Donna Fleming, Common Council Liaison Bryan McCracken, Historic Preservation Planner and ILPC Secretary Megan Wilson, Zoning Administrator, City of Ithaca Anya Harris, City of Ithaca staff Absent: Avi Smith, Member Chair E. Finegan called the meeting to order at 6:04 p.m. I. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. 220 South Geneva Street, Henry St. John Historic District – Proposal to Replace Asphalt Shingle Roofing with Standing Seam Panel Metal Roofing. Owner Christy Everett and neighbor Richard Guttridge appeared to present the proposal to replace the existing asphalt shingle roof with corrugated or standing seam metal roofing, as well as replace some gutters (existing “K style” to be replaced in kind). K. Olson asked about precedent for approving corrugated roofs within an historic district. B. McCracken said the Commission has approved corrugated roofs on non-contributing structures, and once on a carriage barn in the Henry St. John District, as it was considered compatible on a secondary structure. Public Hearing On a motion by K. Olson, seconded by S. Stein, Chair E. Finegan opened the public hearing. There being no members of the public appearing and wishing to speak, and no written comments submitted to be read aloud, Chair E. Finegan closed the public hearing on a motion by K. Olson and seconded by K. Olson. Chair E. Finegan asked for comments. Approved by ILPC: December 21, 2021 2 K. Olson said it seems problematic to approve corrugated on a primary structure, as it was a material historically used on secondary structures. D. Fleming asked about the difference between corrugated and standing seam. B. McCracken showed some materials samples RESOLUTION: Moved by S. Gibian, seconded by K. Olson. WHEREAS, 220 South Geneva Street is located within the Henry St. John Historic District, as designated under Section 228-3 of the City of Ithaca Municipal Code in 2013, and WHEREAS, as set forth in Section 228-4 of the Municipal Code, an Application for a Certificate of Appropriateness, dated September 30, 2021, was submitted for review to the Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission (ILPC) by Steven Weaver on behalf of property owner Christy Everett, including the following: (1) two narratives respectively titled Description of Proposed Change(s) and Reasons for Changes(s); and (2) two sheets of product information for metal roofing panels, and WHEREAS, the ILPC has reviewed the entry in the annotated list of properties included within the Henry St. John Historic District for 220 South Geneva Street and the City of Ithaca’s Henry St. John Historic District Summary Statement, and WHEREAS, as stated in the narrative Description of Proposed Change(s), the project involves installation of interlocking metal roofing panels over the existing, non-historic asphalt roof shingles, and WHEREAS, the issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness is a Type II Action under the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act and the City Environmental Quality Review Ordinance for which no further environmental review is required, and WHEREAS, the applicant has provided sufficient documentation and information to evaluate impacts of the proposal on the subject property and surrounding properties, and WHEREAS, a Public Hearing for the purpose of considering approval of the Application for a Certificate of Appropriateness was conducted at the regularly scheduled ILPC meeting on October 19, 2021, now therefore be it RESOLVED, that the ILPC has made the following findings of fact concerning the property and the proposal: As identified in the City of Ithaca’s Henry St. John Historic District Summary Statement, the period of significance for the area now known as the Henry St. John Historic District is 1830-1932. Approved by ILPC: December 21, 2021 3 As indicated in the individual property entry in the annotated list of properties included within the Henry St. John Historic District, 220 South Geneva Street was constructed ca. 1850 and is a modest example of the Greek Revival style. Constructed within the period of significance of the Henry St. John Historic District and possessing a high level of integrity, the property is a contributing element of the Henry St. John Historic District. In consideration of this and all approvals of proposals for alterations, new construction, or demolition in historic districts, the ILPC must determine that the proposed exterior work will not have a substantial adverse effect on the aesthetic, historical, or architectural significance and value of either the landmark or, if the improvement is within a district, of the neighboring improvements in such district. In considering architectural and cultural value, the Commission shall consider whether the proposed change is consistent with the historic value and the spirit of the architectural style of the landmark or district in accordance with Section 228-6 of the Municipal Code. In making this determination, the Commission is guided by the principles set forth in Section 228-6B of the Municipal Code, as further elaborated in Section 228-6C, and by the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, and in this case specifically the following principles and Standards: Principle #2 The historic features of a property located within, and contributing to the significance of, an historic district shall be altered as little as possible and any alterations made shall be compatible with both the historic character of the individual property and the character of the district as a whole. Standard #2 The historic character of a property will be retained and preserved. The removal of distinctive materials or alteration of features and spaces that characterize a property will be avoided. Standard #9 New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction shall not destroy historic materials that characterize the property. The new work shall be differentiated from the old and shall be compatible with the massing, size, scale, and architectural features to protect the historic integrity of the property and its environment. Standard #10 New additions and adjacent or related new construction shall be undertaken in such a manner that, if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment would be unimpaired. With respect to Principle #2, Standard #2, and Standard #9, the installation of metal roofing panels will not remove distinctive materials and will not alter features and spaces that characterize the property. Also with respect to Principle #2, and Standard #9, the proposed interlocking metal roofing panels are compatible with the massing, size, scale, and architectural features Approved by ILPC: December 21, 2021 4 of the property and its environment. The ILPC notes that the proposed interlocking metal roofing panels will approximate the appearance of a traditionally installed standing -seam metal roof, a roof cladding material commonly used on Greek Revival residences in the district during its period of significance. The proposed material’s narrow, 16”-wide pans, raised seams, and hidden fasteners reflect the characteristics of residentials applications of this historic roof cladding. The proposed grey color also approximates the color of tern-coated steel, the material traditionally used to fabricate standing seam metal roofs. With respect to Standard #10, metal roofing panels can be removed in the future without impairment of the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment. RESOLVED, that, based on the findings set forth above, the proposal will not have a substantial adverse effect on the aesthetic, historical, or architectural significance of the Henry St. John Historic District, as set forth in Section 228-6, and be it further, RESOLVED, that the Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission determines that the proposal meets criteria for approval under Section 228-6 of the Municipal Code, and be it further RESOLVED, that the ILPC approves the Application for a Certificate of Appropriateness. RECORD OF VOTE: Moved by: S. Gibian Seconded by: K. Olson In Favor: E. Finegan, D. Kramer, S. Stein, S. Gibian, and K. Olson Against: 0 Abstain: 0 Absent: 1 Vacancies: 1 Notice: Failure on the part of the owner or the owner’s representative to bring to the attention of the ILPC staff any deviation from the approved plans, including but not limited to changes required by other involved agencies or that result from unforeseen circumstances as construction progresses, may result in the issuance by the Building Department of a stop work order or revocation of the building permit. II. PUBLIC COMMENT ON MATTERS OF INTEREST Chair E. Finegan opened the meeting to public comments. There being no members of the public appearing and wishing to speak, and no written Approved by ILPC: December 21, 2021 5 comments submitted to be read aloud, Chair E. Finegan closed the public comment period. III. NEW/OLD BUSINESS • Advisory Review – Proposal to Re-Zone Properties Along East and West Court Street, and North Cayuga Street Zoning Administrator Megan Wilson appeared in front of the Commission to explain why the proposal to re-zone properties to East and West Court Street and North Cayuga Street. She explained that many of the Court Street properties had been in use as offices since the 1980s when office uses were allowed in the R3-zone. She said that as a result, anytime one of the building owners want to make improvements or change the footprint of the buildings in question, it would require a use variance, which is nearly impossible to obtain. She said the offices in use along North Cayuga Street are grandfathered in, but the current zoning makes it difficult to make improvements to the commercial establishments as it requires a use variance. The Commission members recommended against re-zoning the Cayuga Street properties. Their concerns included: Cayuga Street acts as a buffer zone for the historic district and rezoning could incentivize redevelopment, the character of the properties is far more residential than what is seen on Court Street, and concerns surrounding lot consolidation and/or neglect of maintenance/boarded up properties. IV. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS B. Mc Cracken reminded the ILPC members that the NYS Historic Preservation Conference is coming up in November. Ithaca will be hosting the virtual conference. V. ADJOURNMENT On a motion by S. Stein, and seconded by K. Olson, the meeting was adjourned by unanimous consent at 7:57 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Bryan McCracken Secretary Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission