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HDC_05 04 2023Little Rock HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT 72 3 West Markham Street Little Rock, Arkansas 72201-1334 Phone: (501) 371-4790 Fax:(501) 399-3435 www.littlerock.gov LITTLE ROCK HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION AGENDA Thursday, May 4th, 2023, 12:00 p.m. Willie Hinton Neighborhood Resource Center, 3805 W. 12th Street I. Roll Call Members Present: Chair, Amber Jones Vice Chair, Christina Aleman Mark Hinson Tom Fennell Jonathan Nunn Amber Haugen Scott Green Members Absent: None Staff Present: Hannah Ratzlaff Sherri Latimer Walter Malone Alice Anderson Citizens Present: Patricia Blick Virgil Miller Tracy Rivers Joe Joyner II. Finding a Quorum Quorum was present being seven (7) in number. Ill. Minutes 1. March 2, 2023 Minutes There were no amendments or corrections to the minutes. Chair Jones made a motion to approve the minutes as submitted. Commissioner Aleman seconded. The motion passed unanimously by voice vote. Commissioner Green was absent at this time. IV. National Register Nominations None May 4, 2023 V. Deferred Certificates of Appropriateness None VI. New Certificates of Appropriateness 1.HDC2023-011 Cindy Brown/John Cunningham 1302 S. Cumberland Rear Handicap Ramp and Side Stair Railing 2.HDC2023-012 Joe Joyner/Joyner Property Holdings LLC 1016 Rock Street Front Porch VII. Other Matters 1. New Logo 2. Local Ordinance District Update 3. MacArthur Park Design Guidelines Grant 4. CAMP Training May 5, 2023 -Fort Smith 5. Enforcement Issues 1002 Commerce -siding and porch repair 1302 Cumberland -side step railing 6. Certificates of Compliance HDC2023-007 -1002 Commerce -siding and porch repair HDC2023-008 -512 E 9th Street-roof repair HDC2023-009 -1302 Cumberland -sidewalk repairs and signage HDC2023-010 -1107 Cumberland --rear yard privacy fence and rolling gate HDC2023-013 -1015 Cumberland -privacy fence repair HDC2023-014-1201 Commerce -signage update 7.Citizen Communication VIII. Adjournment 2 May 4, 2023 ITEM NO.: ONE FILE NO.: HDC2023-011 NAME: Handicap Ramp and Side Stair Railing LOCATION: 1302 S. Cumberland, The Bein House OWNER/AUTHORIZED AGENT: Cindy Brown Attachment Services of Arkansas PLLC 1302 Cumberland Little Rock, AR 72201 Tracy Rivers/John Cunningham AF Decorative 11522 Kanis Rd, Little Rock, AR 72211 3 May 4, 2023 ITEM NO.: ONE (Cont.) FILE NO.: HDC2023-011 AREA: 0.24 acres NUMBER OF LOTS: 1 WARD: 1 HISTORIC DISTRICT: MacArthur Park Historic District HISTORIC STATUS: Contributing CURRENT ZONING: Capitol Zoning -N A.BACKGROUND Location The subject property is located at 1302 Cumberland. The property's legal description is "Lot 12 and North1/2 of Lot 11, Block 21, Original City of Little Rock, Pulaski County, AR." Context The subject property is the site of a one-story single-family structure, built sometime between 1885 and 1890. The structure sits on the corner of Cumberland and 13th Street, facing Cumberland. The structure functions today as two stories of livable space. The structure is a Contributing resource identified in the 2007 National Register survey form, PU2911, as a one-story single­ family dwelling in the Queen Anne style with frame construction covered in weatherboard siding. The structure has a pyramid, gable, and gable on hip combination roof with one brick exterior chimney. The structure has a wraparound porch and a side porch. Detailing includes spindle work, cutaway bay, entry pediment, turned columns, and decorative brackets. Figure 2. Location of"/ 3()2 Cumberland within the MacArthur Park Historic District. 4 May 4, 2023 ITEM NO.: ONE (Cont.) FILE NO.: HDC2023-011 Figure 3. 1302 Cumberland. 1913 Sanborn .l!ap Figure 4. 1302 Cumberland, 1939 Sanborn section. Map section. Figwe 5. 1302 Cumberland. 1950 Sanborn Map section. The single-family dwelling was converted to apartments between 1939 and 1950. Sometime between 1950 and 1982, the rear porch was enclosed. In 1982 the home was rehabilitated and converted from five apartments to professional offices by Witsell and Evans (now WER). The 1982 rehabilitation modified the enclosed porch with fixed windows and removal of a rear door, shown in Figure 7, see rear door with awning. Figure 7. Rear porch in 1982 before Witsell and Evans rehabilitation Figure 6. Existing rear porch, 2023. The 1982 rehabilitation also resulted in a new side entrance on the north elevation by converting a window to a door. The new side entrance included wood steps and a shingle awning with stoop brackets. 5 May 4, 2023 ITEM NO.: ONE (Cont.) FILE NO.: HDC2023-011 Recent/Previous Action In 1982, a COA (HDC1982-003) was issued to Bob Turner for the rehabilitation of the structure. In 1998, a COC (HDC1998-009) was issued for a reroof. In 2012, a COC (HDC2012-003) was issued to Robertson Law Firm for roof, foundation, siding, trim, stairway and balcony repairs. In 2012, a COA (HDC2012-006) was issued to Robertson Law Firm for a sign. In 2016, a COC (HDC2016-022) was issued to Robertson Law Firm to reface and repair the existing sign. In 2020, a COC (HDC2020-024) was issued to Robertson Law Firm for porch repairs following wind damage. In 2023, a COC (HDC2023-009) was issued to Cindy Brown/ Attachment Services of Arkansas PLLC for sidewalk repairs and sign updates. No other actions were found. B. PROPOSAUREQUEST/APPLICANTS STATEMENT: The application requests to construct a rear handicap ramp on the west elevation (rear) and to legalize new side stair railing on the north elevation (side). C. EXISTING CONDITIONS: D. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: See site photos (Attachment A) and application packet (Attachment B). At the time of distribution, there were no comments regarding this application. All owners of properties located within 200 feet of the site and all neighborhood associations registered with the City of Little Rock that surround the site were notified of the public hearing. E. ANALYSIS: The proposed ramp system will be located at the rear of the structure, abutting parking spaces accessed from the rear alley. Existing conditions include rear 6 May 4, 2023 ITEM NO.: ONE (Cont.) FILE NO.: HDC2023-011 concrete steps, landscaping, a concrete pad, and a sidewalk made of landscape pavers. The ramp system will be constructed on top of the existing concrete pad and landscape pavers. The existing rear steps will be removed to install the new system. The proposed ramp system will be made of wood decking, rails, and steps. The platform will be 17in. tall and 10113ft. x 7ft. wide. The ramp will extend 12ft. with a 1:12 slope running south parallel to the rear facade. Three steps will be on the other side of the deck facing 13th Street. Wood balusters will be 36in. tall and decking will be made of 5/4in. x 6in. boards. The bottom section of the ramp system will be wrapped in lattice matching the existing porch lattice. All features will be painted to match the main structure. Section II. A. 11. "Handicap Access Ramps" of the MacArthur Park Design Guidelines state: "Handicap access ramps should be located on secondary or rear walls, constructed of wood in a style appropriate to the building. They should be stained or painted and should be screened with landscaping of low shrubbery to soften their appearance." Staff finds the construction of a handicap system at the rear of the structure connecting to the rear porch will not negatively impact significant historic features. The proposed application is consistent with the guidelines in location and material. Staff finds the design of the ramp to be appropriate in that it is simple in design and does not detract from, or attempt to mimic, the main structure's architectural characteristics. However, Staff is concerned about the stability of the ramp constructed on top of the existing pavement without footings as well as the drainage path for water from the existing rear downspout. Since the ramp will abut the rear paved parking, there is not space for landscaping. Staff believes the use of lattice is compatible with the structure's rear facade. Section II. A. 4. "Porches: Porch Details and Steps, Stair Railing" of the MacArthur Park Design Guidelines state: "Porch steps that are original to a property should be retained and maintained. Brick and concrete steps are rarely original." "Stair railings may be required to meet city building codes. If historical evidence of style and placement exists, duplicate the original handrails. Many times, however, none existed or wooden rails deteriorated and were removed early in the history of the building. If no historical evidence exists, railings may be constructed of 7 May 4, 2023 ITEM NO.: ONE (Cont.) FILE NO.: HDC2023-011 simple metal pipe or flat bars and painted to match the trim color. In essence, the least obtrusive yet functional option may be used." The applicant is retroactively seeking approval of newly constructed stair railing for side steps on the north elevation. The wood side steps have recently been repaired and during this repair the new railings were installed. The 1982 tongue and groove step platform floor was preserved in the repair of the steps. The proposed railing includes balusters that are the same material, dimension, and style as the proposed ramp system railing. Wood balusters will be 36in. tall. All features will be painted to match the historic structure. Figure 8. Side step new stair railing. Since the entrance and steps were constructed in 1982, are not historic, and are on a secondary elevation, Staff believes the side steps should be consistent in design with other accessibility modifications to the structure, such as the proposed rear ramp and the existing south elevation exterior stairway. In this case, Staff believes a more simplistic railing system, such as one without balusters, is not necessary and the proposed design does not lead to conjecture. F.STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the handicap ramp system and side step railing, with the following conditions: 1.Obtain required building permits. 2.Project must adhere to building code requirements. G. COMMISSION ACTION MAY 4, 2023 Staff made a presentation to the Commission. Chair Jones invited the applicant's agent, Tracy Rivers, to make a presentation. Ms. Rivers shared that they were almost finished with making aesthetic updates to the structure, such as repainting and minor repairs, as well as landscape work. The final step was improving accessibility for clients. The future use of the structure will be a family therapy office. Ms. Rivers gave a general summary of the design of the ramp and added that they will be securing all ramp posts in the concrete with metal bases. The posts will be installed 8 in. deep. Ms. Rivers said, concerning the balusters and railing for 8 May 4, 2023 ITEM NO.: ONE (Cont.) FILE NO.: HDC2023-011 both the side steps and rear ramp, they preferred to not mimic the decorative historic railing on the front porch. Chair Jones said it was preferable in these cases that new features like step railing and rear ramps do not mimic the original and historic features but are simple in design and subordinate. Jones said the proposed design of the balusters and railing is of the type typically recommended because it prevents misidentification of the new features as historic. She asked what the ramp surface would be made of. Ms. Rivers said it would be wood board. Jones said the applicant erred on the side of caution in the right way. She asked if any other Commissioners had questions. Commissioner Nunn said the application was straightforward and he appreciates the applicant's consideration of the guidelines. The applicant added that she will be rerouting the downspout at the rear so that it does not run directly beneath the rear ramp. The Commission opened the floor for discussion. Commissioner Fennell said the applicant would need to make sure to follow required codes for the steps and ramp. The applicant said she had an architect involved to assure that codes are met. Commissioner Hinson made a motion to approve the application with Staffs recommendations. Commissioner Nunn seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously with 7 ayes, 0 nays, and 0 absent. 9 May 4, 2023 ITEM NO.: TWO FILE NO.: HDC2023-012 NAME: Front Porch Reconstruction LOCATION: 1016 Rock St. OWNER/AUTHORIZED AGENT: Joe Joyner Joyner Property Holdings LLC 1016 Rock Street Little Rock, AR 72202 Figure 9. 1016 Rock Street Little Rock, AR 10 May 4, 2023 ITEM NO.: TWO (Cont.) FILE NO.: HDC2023-012 AREA: 0. 16 acres NUMBER OF LOTS: 1 WARD: 1 HISTORIC DISTRICT: MacArthur Park Historic District HISTORIC STATUS: Contributing CURRENT ZONING: R4A-Low Density Residential, Conditional Use Permit (CUP) A. BACKGROUND Location The subject property is located at 1016 Rock Street. The property's legal description is "Lot 8, Block 45, Original City of Little Rock, Pulaski County, AR." Context The subject property is the site of a one-story single-family structure, built c. 1890. The structure is a Contributing resource identified in the 2007 National Register survey form, PU2990, as a one-story originally single-family dwelling in the Queen Anne/Folk Victorian style with frame construction, enclosed brick pier foundation, covered in weatherboard siding. The structure has an L-shaped plan with a cross-gable roof. A one­ quarter front stoop porch exists on the front fac;ade with a flat roof between gable wings. The structure was converted to a duplex between 1939-1950, resulting in two entrance doors beneath the existing front porch. Figure 10. Location of 1016 Rock Street within the MacArthur Park Historic District. 11 May 4, 2023 ITEM NO.: TWO (Cont.) FILE NO.: HDC2023-012 Figure 14. 1016 Rock, 1897 Sanborn Map sei.:tiun. Figure 12. 1960 aerial of 1016 Rock Street. Recent/Previous Action Figure//. 1016 Rock, 1939 Sanborn Map section. Figure 13. 1016 Rock, 1950 Sanburn Map section. The existing front porch was modified between 1950 and 1960 from a one-half front porch to a one-quarter stoop. Aerial photographs from 1960 are the earliest pictorial evidence of the modified porch. In 2007, an enforcement letter (HDC2007-017) was issued to Barbara and Jay Core for the installation of an 8-foot fence without a permit. In 2009, a COC (HDC2009-004) was issued to Jo and Gregory Butler for fence repair. In 2012, a COA (HDC2016-013) was issued to Jo Butler for reroof. In 2016, a COC (HDC2016-008) was issued to Jo Butler for reroof. In 2020, a COC (HDC2020-007) was issued to Joe Joyner for roof and siding repair. In 2021, a Conditional Use Permit (Z-9611) was issued to Joe Joyner by the Planning Commission to allow the primary dwelling to be used as office space, a photography studio, and music studio for teaching. No other actions were found. 12 May 4, 2023 ITEM NO.: TWO (Cont.) FILE NO.: HDC 2023-012 B. PROPOSAL/REQUEST/APPLICANT'S STATEMENT: The application requests the demolition of the existing one-quarter front porch and reconstruction of the original one-half front porch based on historical evidence. C. EXISTING CONDITIONS: See site photos (Attachment A) and application packet (Attachment 8). D. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: At the time of distribution, there were no comments regarding this application. All owners of properties located within 200 feet of the site and all neighborhood associations registered with the City of Little Rock that surround the site were notified of the public hearing. E. ANALYSIS: The existing porch is a one-quarter front porch sitting on brick masonry foundation covered by a flat roof. The porch has a tongue and groove board floor, and porch detailing includes one turned post support and one section of turned post balusters and railing on the south side. Concrete steps lead up to the porch with a thin metal handrail on the south side. The proposed project will remove the existing porch from roof to foundation, excluding the existing concrete steps. The new porch will be a one-half front porch, as shown in the 1897, 1913, 1939, and 1950 Sanborn maps. The porch will be 14ft. Bin. x 3ft. with reclaimed brick foundation, wood tongue and groove flooring, four turned post supports, two half post (cut lengthwise), turned balusters with handrails, and wood fascia and soffit. The proposed porch will have a flat roof covered by architectural shingles to match the existing roof. All porch detailing will be wood. See Application Packet (Attachment 8) for product details. The application also includes the installation of a 52in. ceiling fan, a wood porch swing, and aluminum K-style hang-on gutters. The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties: Rehabilitation as a Treatment and Standards for Rehabilitation states: "4. Changes to a property that have acquired historic significance in their own right will be retained and preserved. 6.Deteriorated historic features will be repaired rather than replaced. Where the severity of deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive feature, the new 13 May 4, 2023 ITEM NO.: TWO (Cont.) FILE NO.: HDC2023-012 feature will match the old in design, color, texture and, where possible, materials. Replacement of missing features will be substantiated by documentary and physical evidence." Section Ill. of the MacArthur Park Design Guidelines states: "Architectural details and features should be treated in the following ways:[. .. ] added only if they are accurately based on physical, pictorial, or historical evidence (not conjecture) in materials, scale, location, proportions, form, and detailing." Modified c. 1950-1960, staff believes the existing porch has not acquired historic significance in its own right and there is enough documentation and historical evidence through the Sanborn maps to identify the footprint and primary material of the original front porch. The Sanborn maps show the original to be a wood one­ half, open front porch. Concerning architectural detailing, detailing of the existing modified porch and the porches on surrounding residential structures of the same period and Queen Anne/Folk Victorian architectural style, provide context to the likely detailing of the original porch (see 1015 Rock Street). Fl gure 15. 1015 Rock Street built c. 1891. Section Ill. A. 4. "Porches: Porch Details and Steps, Stair Railing" of the MacArthur Park Design Guidelines state: "Porch details should be retained intact, with repair or replacement of missing parts (columns, posts, railings, balusters, decorative molding and trimwork) to match the original in design, materials, scale, and placement. Porch columns and rails should 14 May 4, 2023 ITEM NO.: TWO (Cont.) FILE NO.: HDC2023-012 not be replaced with decorative iron work. Porch floors should have wood tongue and groove flooring running perpendicular to the faqade, unless the original floor was concrete." "Ceiling fans should be mounted high enough to minimize view from the street." "Stair railings may be required to meet city building codes. If historical evidence of style and placement exists, duplicate the original handrails. Many times, however, none existed or wooden rails deteriorated and were removed early in the history of the building. If no historical evidence exists, railings may be constructed of simple metal pipe or flat bars and painted to match the trim color. In essence, the least obtrusive yet functional option may be used." The proposed porch foundation will be built with antique brick reclaimed from the structure at 316 E 11th Street, currently the Little Rock Violin Shop. The violin shop structure was built c. 1900-1910 as a carriage house and was converted to an auto garage c. 1920. The reclaimed brick is similar to the existing foundation brick of the structure at 1016 Rock Street in size, dimension, texture, and color. Staff finds the porch detailings are mostly compatible with the main structure and surrounding district. Two elements of the proposed porch detailing are possibly excessive in detail, circled below in yellow: the turned post stair railing and the additional support post. Staff believes there is not enough historical evidence to support decorative stair railing for the front steps. The front porch likely did not have stair railing and there is minimal occurrence of historic turned post stair railing in the district. Of those that exist, pictorial evidence has been provided and the stairs are wood. Figure 16. Submitted illustration of the proposed front porch. Staff inserted yellow circles. If code requires handrails, to avoid conjecture, Staff recommends simple wood or metal handrails without balusters and newel posts. Concerning the support posts, the porch is not long enough for two central support posts and the extra post adds an unnecessary element. Staff recommends removing this support post from the design. As an example of the recommended support post arrangement, the structure at 1015 Rock Street sits across the street from the subject property and is similar in style, form, and mass. 15 May 4, 2023 ITEM NO.: TWO (Cont.) FILE NO.: HDC2023-012 The structure was built within the same period and experienced a similar modification from single-family to two-family. Concerning the porch roof, Staff believes the roof should be pitched at least Yi in. to Yz in. per foot to avoid drainage issues and to improve effectiveness of the requested gutter system. TPO (vinyl membrane) is recommended as a roof cover rather than architectural shingles. If the roof pitch is 1in. per foot, the recommended covering is TPO or standing seam metal. Baluster spacing and railing height are not mentioned in the application and will likely need to meet required building codes. The design of the porch ceiling is not mentioned in the application. Traditional headboard is recommended for the porch ceiling. Fascia and soffit dimensions were not mentioned in the application and should be designed compatibly with the structure's existing eaves. Section Ill. A. 6. "Roofs and Gutters: Gutters" of the MacArthur Park Design Guidelines state: "Boxed or built-in gutters should be repaired rather than replaced if possible. For hang-on application, half-round gutters are recommended. Downspouts should be located away from significant architectural features on the front of the building. The use of gutters, flashing, and downspouts should provide enough drainage to avoid water damage to the structure." Aluminum hang-on K-style gutters are proposed for the front facade of the new porch. The installation of hang-on gutters is currently administratively reviewed. This application considers the design of a new front porch and the gutters are proposed for the front portion of the porch roof. For this reason, Staff believes the gutters can be reviewed alongside this application in case of design changes during the Commission review process or can be administratively reviewed following the final review of the front porch application. Staff has confirmed with the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program that this project, as proposed, will not negatively impact the historic integrity or significance of the structure as a contributing historic resource to the district. AHPP commented that the front porch roof material would be more appropriate as a membrane or standing seam metal. 16 May 4, 2023 ITEM NO.: TWO (Cont.) FILE NO.: HDC2023-012 F. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the rehabilitation of the front porch, with the following conditions: 1.Obtain required building permits and meet required building codes. 2.Fascia and soffit will be compatible in size and design with the structure's existing eaves. 3.The ceiling will be traditional wood beadboard. 4.Porch roof will be pitched at least 'X in. per foot and be covered with an appropriate membrane system or standing seam metal. If standing seam metal is used, roof pitch will be at least 1 in. per foot. 5.Reclaimed brick will be pointed with mortar that matches existing mortar in composition, color, strength, and joint style. 6.Stair railing will be constructed of metal or wood, be simple in design, and will not include balusters or newel posts. 7.All wood elements will be painted. 8.Downspouts will be directed along the corner board between the east and south facades, away from significant architectural features. 9.Ceiling fan will be mounted high enough to minimize view from the street. G. COMMISSION ACTION MAY 4 2023 Staff made a presentation to the Commission. Chair Jones invited Joe Joyner, applicant and owner, to make a presentation. Mr. Joyner said he is amiable to Staff's recommendation, including the conditions, but he had concerns about the dimensions of the fascia. He said that the fascia might not be able to be very thick in profile due to the window on the front fagade. Commissioner Fennell said that rolled roofing would be a better material option than TPO. Fennell also said that code would not require the porch to have railings if the drop was under 30 inches. Mr. Joyner said he likes having railings on the porch and is proposing them because there is a section of railing on the existing porch. Chair Jones said that if the owner chose to include porch railing and step railing, he would be better off maintenance-wise if the step railing was metal rather than wood since it would not be covered by the porch roof. Jones said, from her experience, using No. 2 pine for the spindles of the railing or cypress would result in a more weather resistant porch. She said new construction wood often shows maintenance issues in comparison due to wood density. Cost-savings in maintenance would offset initial expenses of higher quality wood. Commissioner Haugen noted that the proposed products submitted by the applicant were cypress. (Staff note: proposed products were a made of cypress, poplar, hemlock, or pine.) 17 May 4, 2023 ITEM NO.: TWO (Cont.) FILE NO.: HDC2023-012 Jones said she appreciates the due diligence of researching the Sanborn maps and discussing the impact of the changes with the National Register team atAHPP. Staff, Ratzlaff, said that Mr. Joyner did most of the research in preparation for the application and the design of the porch. Mr. Joyner said the Quapaw Quarter helped him with the research when he applied for a historic marker for the home through their Historic Building Marker Program. Commissioner Aleman asked if Mr. Joyner was going to be satisfied with the roof pitch of the porch. Aleman said she has a flat roof porch and it can be a disaster if not pitched appropriately. Mr. Joyner said there isn't a lot of room to slope the porch more than has been recommended, but the gutter installation should help. Chair Jones invited public comment on the item. There were no members of the public who spoke. Jones opened Commission discussion. Commissioner Fennell asked if Staff's recommendations include omission of the half porch posts. Ratzlaff, Staff, said she identified half posts on similar structures in the district, including 1015 Rock across the street, and felt that there was enough justification to include them. She said the greater concern was the inclusion of step railings that did not have a historic precedence. Commissioner Fennell made a motion to approve the application with Staff's recommendation and conditions. Commissioner Aleman seconded the motion. Staff asked for clarification on whether all conditions would be included. Commissioner Aleman asked if the fascia discussion had been resolved. Staff said the fascia just needed to be considered in relation to the overall scale of the home. Commissioner Fennell said that a larger fascia board could be used on the open sections of the porch and could be shallower on the other sections. The applicant agreed with Fennell's comment and recommendation. The Commission continued with its motion unchanged. The motion passed unanimously with 7 ayes, 0 nays, and 0 absent. 18 May 4, 2023 IX.Other Matters 1. New Logo Staff presented the finalized logo options to the Commission. The Commission discussed the different logo color variations and focused on the use of blue in comparison to the warmer color scheme. Commissioner Aleman made a motion to accept the logo titled "Added Blue to outer ring" as the new logo. Commissioner Fennell seconded the motion. The motion passed with 6 ayes, 1 nay, 0 absent. 2. Local Ordinance District Update Staff shared with the Commission that the Board of Directors decided at their early May meeting that they were not going to move forward with the local ordinance district proposal for the Central High School Neighborhood Historic District. Staff explained since the proposal was an initiative of the Planning & Development Department, there is no further action. the HDC or the Planning Commission needs to take. The ordinance to increase the HDC members from 7 to 9 was also not carried forward. Chair Jones asked Board Director, Virgil Miller, if he could comment on the Board's decision. Mr. Miller said both of the neighborhoods that would be impacted by the proposal expressed, through their neighborhood associations, they did not support the proposal at the time it was before the Board. Mr. Miller said the Wright Avenue Neighborhood Association ("WANA") expressed interest in considering its own local ordinance district. He said Staff has shared with WANA the process for a grassroots initiative and will assist if they choose to pursue it. Ratzlaff said Staff 19 May 4, 2023 would assist any nei hborhood or group of property owners with the process of creating a local ordinance district. 3. MacArthur Park Design Guidelines Grant Staff shared that the City applied for a portion of the 2023 Certified Local Government funds to create design guidelines for the proposed local ordinance district to be developed in collaboration with the involved neighborhoods through a consultant. Since the proposal for the local ordinance district was not passed, the funds cannot be used for this purpose. However, the City is still able to use the funds to address a comprehensive update to the MacArthur Park design guidelines. This comprehensive update was a goal of the Commission's prior to the proposed local ordinance district for the Central High School Neighborhood Historic District. Staff asked for the Commission's feedback on the goals Staff presented and asked what additional goals the Commission might have for a comprehensive update to the existing design guidelines. Staff goals: • High expectation of consultant for community engagement and participation. • National best practices to Little Rock context. • Resource to property owners/developers/contractors for maintenance and repair, incentives, and technical assistance. • Treatments for "non-contributing" resources. • Addressing gaps: e.g., historic detached accessory structures. • Clearer guidelines for the use of artificial materials. • Consideration of a residential infill pattern book. • Neighborhood/urban design standards for right-of-way improvements. Commissioner Nunn expanded on the consideration of a residential infill pattern book, summarizing how he came across the idea and that it was a good tool for getting the best of both worlds between the Commission and the neighborhood wants and the ease of process for a developer or property owner. He said this tool could incentivize compatibility with "pre­ approved" designs that can be mixed and matched. It could also reduce architectural fees for applicants and give them more assurance in the review process. Chair Jones said it sounded like a great idea and wondered how it would be promoted so that applicants could use it as a resource before getting too far into the design process. Commissioner Fennell said it would be very helpful to property owners who choose not to hire an architect for their project, though he highly recommends hiring an architect for any 20 May 4, 2023 major rehabilitation or new construction project. Jones and Fennell agreed the tool would be a good reference for property owners. The Commission agreed that it would like to see this be considered during the comprehensive update. Commissioner Aleman asked if design guidelines could be available in print at public hearings for residents. She also asked why the document was broken up into different pdf sections online. Staff answered that copies could be available at meetings, and she believes the document is separated into sections online because it was too large as a full document and caused trouble for people when they were downloading it. Walter Malone, Planning Manager, said that the separation into different sections was done earlier when putting the guidelines on line and people's home technology today could likely handle the full-sized pdf. Ratzlaff said she would test it and see if she could organize the online version better. Commissioner Nunn asked if the design guideline process with the consultant would include the consideration of adding more project types to administrative approval. Ratzlaff said this would definitely be discussed with the consultant and with the neighborhood and property owners to see what is appropriate and what is able to be reduced to staff level as permitted by state law and the City's preservation ordinance. Commissioner Nunn also asked about similarities between the procedures of the Capitol Zoning and the Historic District Commission. Ratzlaff said Capitol Zoning is enabled through different legislation and, therefore, has different flexibilities and restrictions than the HOC. Commissioner Aleman asked what public meetings would look like. Chair Jones said meetings would likely be public presentations and discussions with neighborhood associations and property owners within and around the MacArthur Park Historic District. Jones said sometimes the biggest hurdle is getting property owners and stakeholders to attend these meetings. The Commission agreed with the goals presented by Staff. Walter Malone explained the RFQ process and consultant expectations and suggested that the Commission assist in prioritizing the goals. 4.CAMP Training May 5, 2023 -Fort Smith Staff shared that in addition to the May NAPC CAMP training, there is NAPC training scheduled specifically for the Little Rock HOC Commissioners on June 2 nd at 12 pm, to be held virtually. 5. Enforcement Issues 1002 Commerce -siding and porch repair 21 May 4, 2023 1302 Cumberland -side step railing 6.Certificates of Compliance HDC2023-007 -1002 Commerce -siding and porch repair HDC2023-008 -512 E 9th Street-roof repair HDC2023-009 -1302 Cumberland -sidewalk repairs and signage HDC2023-010 -1107 Cumberland -rear yard privacy fence and rolling gate HDC2023-013 -1015 Cumberland -privacy fence repair HDC2023-014 -1201 Commerce -signage update 7.Citizen Communication Patricia Blick, Executive Director of the Quapaw Quarter Association, spoke to the Commission about the QQA 2023 Tour of Homes and said that volunteer spots are available. Mrs. Blick announced spots are also available for the "Great Unveiling" hands-on preservation workshop at the Ernest Green House, June 12-161h, 2023. Lastly, she announced that the QQA was awarded a grant to do a feasibility study for a revolving loan fund. Concerning the infill pattern book idea for the design guidelines, Mrs. Blick mentioned contacting Tim Heiple and Kathy Wells who might've done similar work in the past. X. Adjournment There was a motion to adjourn. The meeting ended at 1:11 pm. Attest: Chair Date Staff Date 22