DOYLESTOWN BOROUGH
HISTORIC & ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD
MEETING MINUTES
August 27,2015
The regular meeting of the Doylestown Borough Historic and Architectural Review Board was held at 7:30 PM on Thursday, August 27, 2015 in the Council Chambers, 57 W Court Street, Doylestown PA. Members of the Doylestown Borough Historic and Architectural Review Board in attendance were:Chairperson Kim Meincke, Vice Chairperson Heather Walton, Walter Keppler, Denise Blasdale, Stephen Rawes, Gus Perea, Ralph Fey, Marie Kovach, and Kelli Scarlett, Director of Building and Zoning and Fire Marshal. Not present were Walter Keppler and Amy Taylor Popkin.
CALL TO ORDER:Ms. Meincke called the meeting to order at 7:29 PM.
MINUTES APPROVAL:The minutes from the July 2015 meeting were approved as submitted, on a motion by Ms. Blasdale, seconded by Mr. Rawes.
SIGN APPLICATIONS:
155 N. Main Street, AlphaCenter for Divorce Mediation, Keila M. Gilbert, property owner
The applicant appeared before the Board and requested approval to replace the existing sign on the property. The sign is a slightly different color from the building, but she plans to eventually replace the building siding to match it. It would occupy the same space as the old sign, but would showcase their rebranding with new colors. Responding to a question from Ms. Blasdale, the applicant stated that they can put the street number in a prominent location on the building, since it is not featured on the sign.
Responding to a question from Ms. Meincke, the applicant stated that the sign will be carved. Responding to a question from Mr. Fey, she noted that the color will be more of a navy blue, as opposed to the lighter shade in the rendering. Mr. Fey and Ms. Meincke suggested making the background a creamier (or off-white) shade of white; the applicant was agreeable to that suggestion. Responding to a question from Ms. Walton, the applicant confirmed that the posts will be the same color as the blue trim of the sign.
Mr. Perea made a motion to recommend a Certificate of Appropriateness for the sign application, provided the owner will tone down the white background into more of an off-white color, and that the house number will be placed in a prominent location on the porch. Mr. Rawes seconded the motion, and it was unanimously approved subject to final approval from Borough Council.
123 S. Main Street, ArtMuse, Joseph Balletino, property owner
The applicant appeared before the Board and requested approval for a re-designed sign (as suggested by the HARB at the July 23 2015 meeting) with a second tenant sign below the “Sink the Ink Tattoo” panel. He noted that, eventually, there would be a third tenant who would also need approval from the HARB.
Ms. Meincke noted that the sign has a very nice, architectural design with a standing seam roof, and she suggested that they use more of a frame to create the sign borders and inset the sign panels. She suggested a border that would match the fascia board or use a burgundy or cream color (to match the building). The applicant agreed with the suggestion and accepted a suggested rendering provided by Mr. Fey. The borders would be black, 4” by 4”.
Mr. Fey made a motion to recommend a Certificate of Appropriateness for the sign, with the addition of flanking 4” by 4” posts on each side of the proposed signs in black, white, or burgundy, similar to the sketch provided at the meeting. Ms. Walton seconded the motion, and it was unanimously approved subject to final approval from Borough Council.
BUILDING/REPAIR APPLICATIONS:
98 Harvey Avenue, Paul and Karen Grimes, property owners
The applicants appeared before the Board and requested approval to add a dormer to the third floor in order to expand the headroom and general living space. They would match the existing 30-year shingles and use HardiPlank siding with darker Azek trim. The windows would be Anderson 400 series double-hung one-over-one windows to match what is currently used in the house. The gutters would be matching half-round.
Mr. Rawes questioned how the new dormer would tie into the existing soffit and fascia, asking if it would be set back or flush with the side of the house. Mr. Fey suggested that the siding and brickwork not be on the same plane, but to set the dormer back like the existing one on the front of the house. He added that it is not common to see different roof pitches on the dormers than on the house, noting that the entire house uses hip roofs and the proposed dormer uses a gable roof. Ms. Meincke suggested using two windows instead of three, which would replicate the front dormer more. She added that there was a similar twin that proposed adding a side dormer and suggested that the Borough could supply the applicants with those plans to provide inspiration for their own. The Board agreed that the application should be tabled to allow the applicants to make some modifications and return the following month with a modified design.
127 E. State Street, Carport, Ernst Brothers, contractor
The applicants appeared before the Board to request approval for a carport. There would be landscape buffering in front of one of the walls to mostly conceal it. The structure would use 8 x 8 timbers, with the upright posts in between being 1 and ½ inch painted steel or aluminum. They would use a dark asphalt architectural roof, and the entire structure would measure forth feet long by sixteen feet wide.
Mr. Rawes suggested using minimum 2 x 2 square metal pieces for the upright posts. The applicants added that there is another 8 x 8 (or possibly 10 x 10) support beam in the middle, to support the roof. Responding to a question from Ms. Blasdale, the applicants stated that they will match the brickwork as closely as possible to the building. Ms. Meincke suggested using a concrete or cast stone lintel on top of the brick; the applicants agreed. They specified that the gutters would be half-round, and that there would be lighting on the columns (but that the lighting would not spill over to neighboring properties).
Mr. Fey provided a sketch for an alternate design for the upright spindles, stopping them part of the way up to leave some open space and helping to create a fence or “garden” look for that part of the structure. The applicants agreed with that suggestion.
Mr. Perea made a motion to recommend a Certificate of Appropriateness for the carport with the following changes: that the vertical metal pickets be 2 x 2 metal posts and that they be arranged as shown in the rendering provided by Mr. Fey to create a fence-like effect on the two walls; that the larger posts be 8 x 8 on the corners, and that the center post be 8 x 8 or 10 x 10; that the capping on the brick walls be changed to cast concrete; that the brickwork will match the building as much as possible; that the architectural asphalt shingles be a dark color; and that the lighting be only on their property, placed on the columns and angled downward. The applicants asked for some flexibility on the size of the metal pickets (possibly making them wider); the Board agreed. Mr. Rawes seconded the motion, and it was unanimously approved subject to approval from Borough Council.
174 E. State Street, Michelle Jaffe, property owner
The applicant and her architect, Michael John, appeared to request approval for a new carport. Renderings were distributed to the Board. They proposed creating a covering and enclosed area over the existing gravel, pushing it as far back as possible on the property and blending in with the original house. It will only be 10 feet wide and be completely open in the middle. The siding, roofing, and soffit would all be done in wood to match the existing home. Some brackets and trellis were added for additional detail.
Responding to a question from Mr. Perea, the applicants confirmed that the trellis would have a very “open” look. Responding to a question from Mr. Fey, the applicants confirmed that the shingles would be in a dark color to match what is there. Mr. Fey thought the application was appropriate, elegant, and creative; the Board agreed. On a motion from Mr. Perea, seconded by Ms. Blasdale, the Board unanimously voted to recommend a Certificate of Appropriateness for the carport, subject to final approval from Borough Council.
WALK-INS:None.
RENOVATION CONTINUANCE:None.
NEW/OLD BUSINESS:None.
ADJOURNMENT:There being no further business before the Board,on a motion from Mr. Rawes, seconded by Ms. Blasdale, the meeting was adjourned at 8:37PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
Dirk A. Linthicum
Meeting Minutes Secretary