Historic Commission Minutes

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NORTHVILLE HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION
March 16, 2005
Wednesday 7:00 P.M.  – Approved
Northville City Hall -Council Chamber

1.  CALL TO ORDER: Commissioner Holleman called the Historic District Commission meeting to order at 7:00 P.M.

2.  ROLL CALL:

Present: Culp, Bayly, Coponen, Holleman, Rodgers and Gudritz.

Excused: Johnson

Also Present:  Chief Building Official, Richard Starling.

3.  MINUTES:  February 16, 2005.

Commissioner Bayly asked that at the bottom of page 2 – last bullet be changed to – Several struggled with mass and scale of the buildings. Actual height and perceived height are sometimes different.  Street scale and drawings indicating showing the relationship of this building to the other buildings on the north and south sides of Main St. as well as, all buildings within 300 feet should be provided included with the application.

Motion by Gudritz , supported by Culp to approve the February 16, 2005 minutes as amended.   Voice Vote: All.  Motion Unanimously Carried.

4.   AUDIENCE COMMENTS: None.

5.   REPORTS:

      A.  City Administration:  None.

      B.  City Council:  None.

      C.  Historic District Commission:  None.

      D.  Other Community / Governmental Liaisons:  None.

6.  CASES:

CASE #1
Northville Gallery/Mary Grove Awning                           Awning
147 E. Main Street
Northville, Michigan  48167

The contractor Igor Kacmarcik, representing Mary Grove Awning, described plans to recover the existing frame at Bella Rose Antiques.  The dimensions are 13’ x 4’6” and 3’ deep.  The lettering for Northville Gallery is 10” painted white, monotype corsiva, on a black sunbrella fabric.    

Motion by Culp, supported by Coponen  to accept the application for completeness.   Voice Vote:  Ayes:  All. Motion Unanimously Carried.

 Motion by Culp, supported by Rodgers to grant notice to proceed.   Voice Vote:  Ayes:  All. Motion Unanimously Carried.

CASE #2                                                            Addition/a
Mr. & Mrs. James Schmelter
201 North Rogers
Northville, Michigan 48167

Motion by Culp, supported by Gudritz to allow Commissioner Holleman to step down from Case #2 because of his involvement in the case.  Voice Vote:  Ayes:  All. Motion Unanimously Carried.

Tom Holleman, architect for the project, described the plans to remodel the 1880’s historical farm house.  The major portion of the addition will be at the rear of the house and subservient to that of the original. The roofline will be stepped down and less obvious from the street.  A family and mudroom will be added downstairs and a master bedroom with bath and laundry room upstairs.  The existing aluminum siding will be removed and the original wood patched and repaired where possible.  The addition will be hardiplank.  The new house trim will be recreated to match that of the original house.  The roof is Certaintied – Independence and the color is charcoal grey.     The house will be painted a rusty red – Pratt and Lambert – Velvet Red and the trim off white – Benjamin Moore – Rich Cream.  The accent color is Benjamin Moore – Stratton Blue.    

Commissioners Comments and Concerns: The Commissioners liked the addition and the fact that it is subordinate to the original house.

Motion by Gudritz, supported by Culp to accept the application for completeness. Voice Vote:  Ayes:  All.  Motion Unanimously Carried Note: Commissioner Holleman abstained from the vote.

Motion by Bayly, supported by Gudritz to grant a notice to proceed.  Voice Vote: Ayes:  All. Motion Unanimously Carried. Carried  Note: Commissioner Holleman abstained from the vote.

CASE #3                                                                       SIGN
Optimize Your Health Chiropractic
150 Mary Alexander Court
Northville, Michigan 48167

The contractor is Sue Dillon from Graphic Visions.  She stated that Optimize Your Health Chiropractic, a start up company, is planning only a window graphic. There are three windows of equal size with the one graphic installed in the middle window.  The size of the logo is 49.15” high by 26.25” wide.  A business card was submitted illustrating the design and colors of the logo.  The colors are basically the primary colors of purple, orange, yellow and green.     

Motion by Gudritz, supported by Culp to accept the application for completeness. Voice Vote:  Ayes:  All. Nays: None.  Motion Unanimously Carried.

Motion by Bayly, supported by Gudritz to grant a notice of appropriateness. Voice Vote: Ayes: All. Nays: None.  Motion Unanimously Carried.

CASE #4                                                 EXTERIOR PAINT
Doug and Kelly Abraham
521 W. Main Street
Northville, Michigan 48167

The Abrahams presented the paint for the exterior of the home.  Colors include: Benjamin Moore:  Trim -Monterey White and Base –Artichoke.

Motion by Culp, supported by Rodgers to accept the application for completeness.

Voice Vote:  Ayes:  All. Motion Unanimously Carried.

Motion by Gudritz, supported by Culp to issue a notice to proceed.

Voice Vote:  Ayes:  All.  Motion Unanimously Carried. 

CASE #5                                                         Home Alteration
Brad Emmett
521 Randolph
Northville, Michigan 48167

Brad Emmett described details to his existing application.  These include:

• Siding: Hardi Plank.  Style: Smooth Installation Method – 4 inch exposure with out a face railing.  The existing wood siding will be restored.
• Window Trim:  Smooth pine.  Existing trim will be restored.
• Windows:  Norco Double Hung. New wood frame and sash will be installed on the new portion of the home.  All exterior window trim will be restored.  New casement style wood sashes will be made to fit the triangle top windows and to comply with building code. Sash muttons will not be used.
• Roof Shingles:  Elk, thirty-five year, dimensional.  Color:  Antique slate.
• Gutters:  Copper, 5’ trough copper style with 4” round down spouts.
• Garage Door:  Clopay, 9’ x 8’ tall door.  Coachman Collection – Model C12.  The door is a steel frame with a paintable  composite exterior, designed to look like wood when painted.
• Exterior Paint:  All trim and siding will be SW 7005 – Pure White.  The front and side door color will be determined.
• Front Porch Columns will be similar to the original columns with the added detail of an 8” wide column base.  A sketch was provided.
• Porch Spindles:  Because of the grades surrounding the front porch, there is no need or code requirement for a handrail. Therefore there are no spindles.     

The applicant asked, finances permitting, that he be allowed to upgrade the roof to cedar shake, use real field stone at the foundation, and return with accent paint colors for the two doors.

Motion by Culp, supported by Rodgers to accept the application for completeness. Voice Vote:  Ayes:  All. Motion Unanimously Carried.

Motion by Culp, supported by Gudritz to issue a certificate of appropriateness for all the details listed above except for the roof, the stone at the foundation and the trim color for the two doors.  Voice Vote: Ayes: All.  Motion Unanimously Carried.

CASE #6                                                                           Sign
Sherrus Gallery/ Graphic Visions
109 N. Center Street
Northville, Michigan 48167

Sue Dillon, representing Graphic Visions and Sherrus Gallery of Fine Art (former Atrium), explained plans for one single sided, 8.25 sq foot exterior sign.  The substrate is 1 ½” Signfoam.  It is a digital print with carved in letters.  The back ground is painted black, and the digital print is shades of grey white and burnt red. Quotes of famous people will be installed on the outside of the window with mini graphics in white or light grey vinyl.

Motion by Culp, supported by Rodgers to accept the application for completeness.   Voice Vote: Ayes: All. Motion Unanimously Carried.

Motion by Culp, supported by Rodgers to issue a notice to proceed. Voice Vote:  Ayes:  All. Motion Unanimously Carried.

CASE #7                                                                   Fence
Dan Beazley
418 W. Dunlap Street
Northville, Michigan 48167

Mr. Beazley explained plans to add a cedar picket fence, to his corner lot, painted white.  The fence will be similar to his neighbor’s fence to the east and will back up to the home at 220 Linden Street.    The new fence will adjoin an existing fence in the rear yard. It will be 42” high and behind the main building line.  The post will be on the inside and as high as the top rail. He stated that he is in a unique situation because he is renting with an option to purchase.   The owner of the home, Allan Goode, submitted a letter of permission for his tenants to erect a fence that meets both the Northville Building Code as well as any historical requirements on the property located at 418 W.  Dunlap Street. A diagram of the house, garage, neighbor’s driveway and both the proposed and existing fence was provided.

Commissioner Comments and Concerns:  Concerns were expressed regarding the site and the application not being complete. A survey of the lot was not provided.  Details of the gates, the location of the posts and the dimensions of the fence needed to be provided.

Resident Comments and Concerns:  Neighbors spoke in favor of the openness of the one hundred year old neighborhood which is the center of the Historic District, and against fences on corner lots.  Several expressed concerns which would be precedent setting if a renter be allowed to install a fence.

The applicant stated that he would be willing to sign an agreement stating that he would remove the fence if he decides not to purchase the home.

Motion by Culp, supported by Gudritz  to refer  the application back to the applicant pending additional information, i.e. lot survey, location, construction, and details of the fence.   Voice Vote:  Ayes:  All.  Motion Unanimously Carried.

7.  DISCUSSION:

Discussion followed regarding revising the standard application form.  Commissioner Bayly offered to compile a list of required items that should be provided with the application.   

8.  ADJOURNMENT:

Motion by Culp, supported by Gudritz to adjourn the meeting at 8:35 P.M.

Voice Vote: Yeas: All. Nays: None.  Motion Unanimously Carried.

Respectfully submitted,

P. S. Howard
Recording Secretary