Historic Commission Minutes

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NORTHVILLE HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION
September 28, 2005 (Rescheduled from 9-21-2005)
Wednesday 7:00 P.M. – Approved
Northville City Hall -Council Chamber

1. CALL TO ORDER: Juliet Culp Called the Historic District Commission meeting to order at 7:00 P.M.

2. ROLL CALL:
Present: Bayly, Coponen, Culp, Gudritz, and Rodgers.
Excused: Johnson - excused and Holleman – excused.
Also Present: Richard Starling – Chief Building Official.

3. CITIZEN COMMENTS: Limited to brief comments for items not on the agenda.
4. MINUTES: August 31, 2005.

Motion by Bayly, supported by Coponen to approve the August 31, 2005 minutes as submitted. Voice Vote: All. Motion Unanimously Carried.

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
Steven Lomske                                 DEMOLITION
208 S. Rogers
Northville, Michigan 48167

Mr. Lomske presented photos, dimensions and floor plans of the existing one story ranch to be demolished on S. Rogers. The Chief Building Official noted that the house is in disrepair and not salvageable.

Steve Lomske presented plans for two different styles of homes he would like to build on the property at 208 S. Rogers Street. The house would be of the Colonial Revival -shingle style, Arts and Crafts – Bungalow, Mission Style or American Four Square Architecture. He enjoys the styles of Richardson, Greene and Greene, Gustav Stickley
and Bernard Maybeck.

However, after the presentation, he stated that a most recent idea developed of recreating a “Yerkes” style home on the parcel. While researching the history of the existing home, he found a letter “from” or “to” Nellie Yerkes which gave him the idea of replicating a “Yerkes” home. (The Yerkes family has a long Northville history.) At this point he needs more time to research and track the different Yerkes homes in the area. He is particularly interested in the one located on 8 Mile that burned down five or six years ago.

Commissioner Comments and Concerns:
• The Commissioners liked the idea of a re creation. Elevations would be easy to track down, however floor plans would be difficult.
• There was agreement amongst the Commissioners that in this instance, being careful to not set a precedence, the applicant could go forward with the demolition of the home because of its safety issues and to provide a written description of the proposed project within several days.

Motion by Gudritz, supported by Rodgers to accept the application for completeness (for the demolition), pending the applicant providing a written description of what the intentions are to build on the property. Voice Vote: Yeas: All. Nays: None. Motion Unanimously Carried.

Motion by Coponen, supported by Gudritz to grant a motion to proceed with a proposed written description and design of the proposed building to be submitted within five days to the Northville Building Department. Voice Vote: Ayes: All. Nays: None. Motion Unanimously Carried.

Commissioners Walt Coponen and Leanie Bayly volunteered to revies the written submission.

CASE #2
Matt Thurber                                           DEMOLITION
Linden Court
Northville, Michigan 48167

A representative attended the meeting on behalf of Mr. Thurber. He stated that to his knowledge nothing has changed from the original plans.

Commissioner Comments:
The July 20, 2005 meeting minutes were referenced: The applicant should provide a survey, site plan and elevations consistent with the neighborhood. The Historic District Guidelines was suggested as a reference of all documents needed for demolition.

At the same July meeting the Commissioners suggested that a different style of home would be more appropriate with the neighborhood.

Motion by Bayly, supported by Gudritz to refer the application back to the applicant. Voice Vote: Ayes: All. Nays: None. Motion Unanimously Carried.


CASE #3                                            SIGN
Alexander’s
124 W. Main Street
Northville, Michigan 48167

The applicant representing Alexander’s explained the signage for the two non illuminated wall signs for the front and rear of the building. The wall sign will read:
Alexander’s
Custom Clothiers
of Northville
The two single sided store signs include:
• Substrate: 1 ½” Signfoam
• Painted SW 2315 Copper Nail with a Sponge Faux Finish
• Text & Vertical Line V-Carved & painted SW Navajo White
• Boarder painted Navajo White.
• Graphic Visions will install the sign.

The dimension of the front sign is 40” x 115” and the rear sign is 24” x 69”.

The Chief Building Official stated that the front sign is above the permitted dimension.

The applicant was agreeable to reducing the height from 40” to 36”.

Motion by Gudritz, supported by Rodgers to accept the application for completeness which includes the reduction of the sign’s height by four inches.
Voice Vote: Ayes: Nays: None. Motion Unanimously Carried.

Motion by Gudritz, supported by Coponen to grant a notice to proceed. Voice Vote: Ayes: All. Nays: None. Motion Unanimously Carried.

CASE #4                                               FENCE
Mike Williams
439 Dubuar
Northville, Michigan 48167

The applicant described plans to install a standard 3’ high picket fence in the rear yard. The pickets will be 2 inches, spaced two inches apart. The fence is treated wood and will be painted white. The two gates will access the garage and the rear porch. It will adjoin the existing fence on the property behind 439 Dubuar at 542 Dunlap. Installation is by Home Depot.

Motion by Gudritz, supported by Coponen to accept the application for completeness which includes the installation of typical cap posts and for the gate to be constructed the same as the fence. Voice Vote: Ayes: All. Nays: None. Motion Unanimously Carried.

Motion by Gudritz, supported by Rodgers to grant a notice to proceed. Voice Vote: Ayes: All. Nays: None. Motion Unanimously Carried.

CASE #5                                            PAINT COLORS
Sharon Simkins
200 N. Center Street
Northville, Michigan 48167

Sharon Simkins submitted exterior paint colors for the Simkins Building at the NE corner of Center and Dunlap Streets.
Colors include: Kilim Beige SW 6106 - All windows
Latte – SW 6108 – All Wood
Hopsack – SW 6109 - Stonework
Motion by Bayly, supported by Gudritz to accept the application for completeness. Voice Vote: Ayes: All. Nays: None. Motion Unanimously Carried.

Motion by Bayly, supported by Rodgers to grant a notice to proceed. Voice Vote: Ayes: All. Nays: None. Motion Unanimously Carried.

CASE #6                                              PAINT COLORS
Jeff and Rachel Davis
124 Randolph Street
Northville, Michigan 48167

No one was present to represent the applicant.

The application stated that the colors submitted are for the House and Barn/Outbuilding.
The colors are Grahm Paint – Historic Colors of America

Paint colors submitted include. Body of House – Whispering Willow
Trim – Jewett White
Accent – Tailor’s Buff

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

Motion by Rodgers, supported by Bayly to grant a notice to proceed. Voice Vote: Ayes: All. Nays: None. Motion Unanimously Carried.

CASE #7                                                DOORS
Michael Rowan
516 Randolph Street
Northville, Michigan 48167

Michael Rowan described the two doors for the renovation to his home on Randolph Street which is being renovated. The doors were not submitted originally. The front door is mahogany, the upper half being beveled glass. It is inset four feet from the house and the entire area is covered with the porch. The garage door is a barn door type painted off white, the same color as the trim of the house. The hardiplank siding of the home will be painted blue. Pictures of the front and garage door were submitted for the official record.

He also stated, for the record, that the front of the home had been altered for the original plan. When the aluminum siding was stripped off it revealed rotted wood siding. That siding was removed and the defective wood replaced and OSB sheeting was fastened to the front and side walls to structurally secure them. New siding will be Hardiplank to match the rest of the house.

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

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

CASE #8                                                ENTRY CHANGE
Jeffrey Daskal
170 E. Main Street
Northville, Michigan 48167

Jeffrey Daskal explained several minor changes to his project at 170 E. Main Street.
The architect for the project is Al Valentine from GAV Associates located in Farmington Hills.

Changes include:
• Pushing the front doors back away from the front line of the building so that they don’t enter right on to the sidewalk. They will now open on to a small covered recessed area.
• Reducing the percentage of the building covered with limestone.

Commissioner Comments: The changes are a nice improvement to the original design.

Motion by Rodgers, supported by Gudritz to accept the changes to the original design. Voice Vote: Ayes: All. Nays: None. Motion Unanimously Carried.

Motion by Gudritz, supported by Rodgers to grant a notice to proceed. Voice Vote: Ayes: All. Nays: None. Motion Unanimously Carried.

CASE #9                                                  SIGN
Londeco
120 W. Main Street
Northville, Michigan 48167

Jim Long described the north signage to identify the building and the general office tenants. The aluminum sign will be non – illuminated with reverse channel letters painted in “white pewter” mounted to the entire cornice. The letters will be mounted to the top of the entire canopy with ¼” aluminum gusset supports painted to match the dark brown brick. The dimensions of the north sign are 8” x 4’ 1” or 2.72 sq. ft.

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

Motion by Gudritz, supported by Rodgers to grant a notice to proceed. Voice Vote: Ayes: All. Nays: None. Motion Unanimously Carried.

CASE #10                                              PAINT COLORS
Catherine Kromm
571 Randolph Street
Northville, Michigan

The applicant explained the exterior paint colors for the home at 571 Randolph. These include main body of the house - Benjamin Moore – Avon Green #HC 126 and House Trim - Ralph Lauren - Sail White.

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

Motion by Rodgers, supported by Gudritz to grant a notice to proceed. Voice Vote: Ayes: All. Nays: None. Motion Unanimously Carried.

7. DISCUSSION: None.

8. ADJOURNMENT:

Motion by Rodgers, supported by Bayly to adjourn the meeting at 8:15 P.M.
Voice Vote: Yeas: All. Nays: None. Motion Unanimously Carried.

Respectfully submitted,


P. S. Howard
Recording Secretary