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HDC_12 04 2003City of Little Rock HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION MINUTES LITTLE ROCK HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION DECEMBER 4, 2003 Commissioners Present: Wyatt Weems Terence Bolden Carolyn Newbern Marshall Peters Commissioners Absent: Wesley Walls Staff Present: Tony Bozynski Debra Weldon Also Present: Boyd Maher, AHPP The meeting was called to order and a quorum was present being four (4) in number. The Minutes of the November 6, 2003 meeting were approved as mailed. Item No. 1 — (610 E. 6"' St.) The applicants, Penny and David Choate, were present. Staff reported that notice to adjacent property owners was required and proper notice had been given. Penny Choate reviewed the request and made reference to Exhibit "A ", an attachment to the COA application, which listed the proposed improvements for the property. Ms. Choate made additional comments about the request and responded to specific questions from the Commissioners. There was a long discussion about a number of items, including shutters and the proposed parking area in the rear yard. There were some questions about access to the parking area and the design. Staff recommended that the Choates contact Bob Brown, Planning and Development, about the design of the parking spaces and the landscaping of the lot. Ms. Choate told the Commission that the use of the property would be office and a residence on the 2nd floor. Ms. Choate also described the proposed sign and said it would be constructed of wood with a double post. Staff again recommended that the Choates contact Bob Brown about the sign. Barry Travis, representing the Little Rock Visitors Center (Curran Hall), addressed the Commission about possible parking issues. Mr. Travis said he had talked to the Choates about his concern that Ms. Choate's clients might use Curran Hall's parking lot. Mr. Travis said that he felt the Choate's understood his concern and the parking should not be a problem. Additional comments were offered about the parking lot site plan A motion was made to approve the Certificate of Appropriateness for 610 E. 6th St. conditioned on the applicant submitting a site plan for the parking area and designs for the sign and the handicapped access ramp for staff review and approval. The motion passed by a vote of 4 ayes, 0 nays and 1 absent. (The applicant was informed that the site plan and designs needed to be submitted to staff before the COA could be signed.) Item No. 2 — (507 E. 8th St.) For the record, Commissioner Marshall Peters, applicant for 507 E. 81h St., recused from participating in the review and discussion of this request. Marshall Peters addressed the Commission and described his request to place a new HVAC unit on the west side of the residence and construct a new retaining wall on the E. 8th Street side of the property. Mr. Peters presented his ideas for both projects and told the Commission that he wanted the wall to be compatible with the neighborhood. There was a long discussion and comments were made about the location of the HVAC unit and construction of the retaining wall. A motion was made to approve the Certificate of Appropriateness for 507 E. 8th St. to permit the new HVAC unit, with proper screening, and to replace the existing retaining wall with limestone or fieldstone in a style similar to other walls found in the neighborhood. The motion was approved by a vote of 3 ayes, 0 nays and 1 absent. (Marshall Peters did not participate or vote on Item No. 2.) Other Business Boyd Maher, AHPP, informed the Commission that a National Register Historic District was being considered for several blocks of Main Street and a meeting with interested parties was scheduled. Mr. Maher also said the neighborhood around Dunbar School was discussing the idea of becoming a National Register District. Next, the Commission discussed the letters to Ken Gruenwald, AHPP, and the Mayor. Some minor changes were suggested and the dates on the letters were changed to December 4, 2003. There was limited discussion about the draft guidelines and copies were distributed to the Commissioners. In addition to guidelines, comments were made about the current application documents and the possibility of creating a separate Certificate of Appropriateness document. Staff said they would obtain copies of the Capitol Zoning District documents and review them. Staff provided the Commission some information from Central Arkansas Water about a parking lot in district recently purchased by the agency and some possible changes to the fences. There being no further business before the Commission, the meeting was adjourned at 6:45 p.m. Approved: