HARB
Historic Architectural Review Board
Meeting Minutes
November 19, 2008
Chairman Gary Shaffer called the Historical Architectural Review Board to order at
7:33 p.m. on Wednesday, November 19, 2008. Those in attendance were: Board members Nancie Gudmestad, Peggy Gustafson, Elwood Christ and Merry Bush, Borough Planner. A quorum was present. Norm Forness and Dale Gettel, Borough Code Enforcement Officer, were absent. Robert Boehner, the applicant, also attended the meeting.
Mr. Shaffer introduced the members and noted that the Board serves as an advisory group to Borough Council, which makes the final decisions concerning Certificates of Appropriateness. Borough Council will meet next on Monday, December 8, 2008.
Peggy Gustafson moved to accept the minutes of the October 15, 2008 meeting as presented. Nancie Gudmestad seconded and the motion carried.
Applications for Certificates of Appropriateness
A. Alteration. Replacement windows. Storm doors. 369 York Street. Robert C & Paula Boehner
The applicant wishes to replace three storm doors at his office building located at 369 York Street. One door is located in the front with two in the rear. The existing white storm doors are in poor condition. Mr. Boehner proposes replacing them with new white storm doors with 2 window panes each about one-third the height of the door.
Mr. Boehner would also like to replace the two windows on the northwest corner of the building. The storm windows are missing screens or glass. The painted-white windows are covered by aluminum storm windows.
Nancie Gudmestad asked if the proposed windows would be the same style as the one existing replacement window. The applicant replied yes.
Peggy Gustafson asked if the new storm doors had solid cores. The applicant said that the new storm doors have a wood core for age and weather resistance.
Gary Shaffer asked the applicant if he would actually use screen doors. The applicant said that he would. Mr. Shaffer then asked if the applicant would consider purchasing a brown storm door for the front saying that it would disappear more. A brown storm door just in the front with a two-third light would disappear and make the existing front door appear more prominent. Mr. Shaffer said that his first color choice would be brown, then sandstone followed by white as the third choice.
Peggy Gustafson said that a heavy-duty Larson for the front with more glass the better would best for the building. A door, mostly of glass, would provide transparency to the historic door.
Nancie Gudmestad moved to recommend that Borough Council issue a Certificate of Appropriateness for the installation of three storm doors with the request that the storm door on the front be brown in color and have as much glass as possible. Elwood Christ seconded the motion and it carried, 4 to 0.
The applicant said that the window that faces west is a replacement window and that he would like to replace the windows on the northwest corner of the building with similar windows.
Peggy Gustafson asked if the windows would be wood or vinyl. Mr. Boehner said that the proposed windows would be wood with aluminum cladding.
Findings of Fact: The building at 369 York Street is located within the Gettysburg Historic District as extended in 1989. The Craftsman-style building has a high degree of architectural integrity. The window and door openings remain unchanged. The proposed changes would not destroy any decorative elements. The property was owned by the Culp family. Beneath some of the wallpaper the owner found documentation of when the children were born
Nancie Gudmestad moved to recommend that Borough Council issue a Certificate of Appropriateness for the installation of replacement windows at the northwest corner of the building. Peggy Gustafson seconded the motion.
In discussion, Ms. Gustafson said it would be more economical to replace more than just the proposed windows. She said that she would not have a problem with that-recommending that the windows all be one-over-one.
Nancie Gudmestad revised her motion to recommend that Borough Council issue a Certificate of Appropriateness for the replacement of the windows of the same design as the existing replacement window and that the owner could replace as many of the windows as he wished. Peggy Gustafson seconded the amended motion. The motion carried 4 to 0.
Old Business
Nancie Gudmestad reported that 218 Chambersburg Street looks much better now that the owner has replaced the plywood around the front door with a window and sidelights. Gary Shaffer said that the rear buildings have been demolished improving the appearance of the area visible behind Kennies's parking lot.
New Business
Peggy Gustafson gave a report on Community and Countryside workshop that she and Merry Bush attended over the weekend of November 14 and 15. She said that it was an outstanding conference and that she would like to have at least one of the speakers make another presentation in Adams County. In particular, she mentioned how other communities had pushed for and received better designs for stores of national drug and fast food chains. The workshop was sponsored by the Journey Through Hallowed Ground and the National Trust for Historic Preservation among others.
The meeting adjourned at 7:59 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Merry V. Bush, Borough Planner and recorder