HARB

Historic Architectural Review Board
Meeting Minutes
May 21, 2008

Chairman Gary Shaffer called the Historical Architectural Review Board to order at

7:35 p.m. on Wednesday, May 21, 2008. Those in attendance were: Board members Elwood Christ, Nancie Gudmestad, Rich Clark and Norm Forness; Dick Peterson, Acting Borough Council liaison; and Merry Bush, Borough Planner. Peggy Gustafson was absent. Others attending the meeting were Matt Kittelberger for 218 N. Stratton Street and Wren Miller and Luke Stuffle for 321 Carlisle Street.

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, June 9, 2008. Applicants may pick up permits for those projects approved by Council after that date. Mr. Shaffer then explained the procedures that would be followed during the meeting.

Nancie Gudmestad moved to accept the April 16, 2008 minutes with one correction-page 1, 2nd line under Item A, the word "that" is missing. Elwood Christ seconded and the motion carried, 5 to 0. There were several changes to the agenda. Items C and D were withdrawn at the request of the Borough Manager. Mr. Shaffer submitted letters of withdrawal. Mr. Kittelberger requested that his application be heard first. The Board accepted the changes in the agenda.

Certificates of Appropriateness

A. Alteration. Door Replacement. 218 N. Stratton Street. Matt & Amanda Kittelberger, owners.

Gary Shaffer said that he completed the application for the owners but had no fiduciary relationship with them. Elwood Christ provided background information on the house at 218 N. Stratton Street. Known as the Barbehenn House, it was built in the 1850s and as such was a Civil War house. The property was formally transferred to Henry Peter Barbehenn in 1867.

The property remained in the Barbehenn family until 1957. Sometime after that the building was divided into two units. The applicant proposes to replace the door from the bedroom to the second floor porch. The door was once covered with sheetrock, which has since been removed to allow for access from the rear bedroom. The applicant wishes to add light to the bedroom with the installation of a two-third light door. The door is located in the 1870 addition. According to Mr. Shaffer none of the doors in the house is original. The front door may be original but it has been modified through the years with glass installed in the square openings. The existing door may have been an interior door that was relocated and used as an exterior door.

Nancie Gudmestad asked about the materials for the new door. Mr. Kittelberger said that the door would be wood or fiberglass. His preference is wood. Ms. Gudmestad asked if there would be a storm door. The applicant replied no. The applicant plans to retain the original wood trim.

There being no other questions Gary Shaffer presented the Findings of Fact:

218 N. Stratton Street is a sensitive building. The proposed change is a permanent one making it a critical project that comes under the review right of this Board. The door is in the 1880 addition to the house and was covered up when the applicants purchased the house. Mr. Shaffer said that the existing door would be reused within the house. There will be no modifications to the door frame or opening

Norm Forness made a motion to recommend approval of the applications as submitted. Nancie Gudmestad seconded and the motion carried, 5 to 0.

B. Alteration. Replace wood porch and posts, windows. 321 Carlisle Street. Warren Miller, owner. Wren Miller, applicant.

The building at 321 Carlisle Street is a sensitive one by definition of the Borough Historic District Ordinance. The proposed work makes this a critical project, which brings it under the review of the Board.

Wren Miller gave an overview of the project. The building was constructed some time between 1865 and 1875. Peters Funeral Home operates out of the building. The building has been neglected over the years. The owners plan a three phase project:

1. Upgrade the west and south elevations.

2. Build an ADA compliant ramp

3. Interior Enhancement

The applicant will also install central air in the fall so the window units will go away.

The building has a granite foundation, which is hidden by wood planters. The applicant plans to remove the wood and install pavers that are similar in appearance to the granite foundation. The applicant proposes to replace the metal porch roof with a rubber membrane roof. The applicant amended the application and will maintain the porch columns, brackets, window sills, shutters and windows. All these items will be cleaned and repainted.

The applicant proposed to remove the wood deck of the porch and replace it with a poured concrete base, and covering the porch base and steps with a brick veneer.

Elwood Christ asked the applicant if they were going to take the full front porch off and replace it with a full concrete slab. The applicant replied yes.

The applicant said replacing the windows was no longer part of the proposal as they could not find vinyl windows tall enough to match the existing windows and the estimated cost for custom wood replacement windows was $19,000. When asked about the porch ceiling the applicant said they would like to use a vinyl beaded material.

The applicant also wishes to cover the fascia on the addition on the north side of the building-a one-story wing.

Norm Forness asked why the applicant couldn't just replace the damaged boards of the porch ceiling once the roof stops leaking. The applicant agreed that he could do that.

Rich Clark asked if the applicant was proposing to use brick pavers to replace the concrete sidewalk from the porch steps to the public sidewalk. Mr. Miller replied yes.

Dick Peterson asked if they had found any dry rot when looking at the porch. The applicant said they hadn't looked thoroughly at the porch so was not aware of any dry rot. Gary Shaffer suggested that the applicant might want to use a synthetic moulding on the bottom trim of the porch columns.

The applicant asked if there were any grant money available for the rehabilitation of the building. It is possible the Main Street Gettysburg might have some funds available and the applicant was told to contact them directly.

Gary Shaffer also mentioned the Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credits. A building owner must plan for a substantial rehabilitation, meaning that a taxpayer's qualified rehabilitation expenditures during a 24-month or 60-month measuring period (for a phased project) must exceed the "adjusted basis" of the building or $5,000, whichever is greater. The adjusted basis is generally defined as the purchase price, minus the cost of the land, plus the value of any capital improvements made since the building acquisition, minus any depreciation already taken. All rehabilitation plans must be approved by the National Park Service before the work can begin.

The applicant said that he still wanted to replace the windows on the south rear elevation, second floor.

Findings of Fact: The building at 321 Carlisle Street is a contributing structure to the Borough's Historic District and is a fine example of Italianate-style architecture. The building maintains much of its integrity. The proposed project is a critical one and comes under the review of the Board. The proposed work on the rear portion is a major project but not a sensitive portion of the building since it was a much later addition.

Nancie Gudmestad moved to recommend to Borough Council that the applicant be allowed to replace the metal on the flat porch roof with a rubber material, as well as cladding the fascia board on the one-story addition on the north side of the building. Elwood Christ seconded and the motion carried, 5 to 0.

Elwood Christ made a motion to recommend that the applicant be allowed to replace the windows on the second story in the non-sensitive portion of the building. Nancie Gudmestad seconded the motion. Norm Forness asked what the windows would look like. The applicant said that they would be vinyl slider windows with about one-inch less glass all around. The motion carried, 5 to 0.

Norm Forness made a motion to recommend that Borough Council approve the brick surfacing of a new concrete porch deck and the installation of the same brick on the existing concrete steps. Gary Shaffer seconded.

Nancie Gudmestad was surprised that the Board would consider such a recommendation. Ms. Gudmestad asked how the brick would attach to the concrete steps. Continuing, Ms Gudmestad said that she was not comfortable with a concrete porch saying that the brick would never match. There was discussion of various types of synthetic flooring.

Elwood Christ said if the porch could be level with the entry to the front door a trip hazard would be removed. The motion carried, 4 to 1, with Nancie Gudmestad the dissenting vote.

Reports

Dick Peterson reported that the consent agenda was approved by Council on May 12.

The Board has concerns about two buildings-64 E. Stevens Street, shutters are missing on some windows and the paint is peeling and 218 Chambersburg Street, where a new doorway appears to have been built.

Merry Bush will send out letters and follow up until a Code Enforcement team is brought on board.

The meeting adjourned at 9:12 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Merry V. Bush

Borough Planner and Recorder