Board of Architectural Review Public Hearing - July 6, 2026
Board of Architectural Review Public Hearing - July 6, 2026
Note: The agenda and minutes for this meeting are dated July 2, 2026, but the provided metadata indicates the meeting took place on July 6, 2026. This summary uses the latter date as instructed.
The Board of Architectural Review met on July 6, 2026, at 7:00 PM in the City Council Chambers at Del Pepper Community Resource Center. All seven board members were present. The board approved the minutes of the June 17, 2026 meeting, and considered three application items, all of which were approved unanimously.
Consent Calendar
- BAR2026-00152 – Request for signage and alterations at 400 King Street, Suite 2 (Parcel Address: 480 King Street) for Life Alive Organic Café, represented by Gary Brent. This item was removed from the consent calendar and heard as the first new business item. Board member Miller questioned the centering of the sign; the applicant explained it was centered over the door. The board approved the application as submitted by a vote of 7-0.
Discussion Items
- BAR2026-00164 – Request for alterations at 312 North Fairfax Street, applicants Margaret and Robert Pasquerella. The board discussed the use of replacement windows vs. full frame replacement. Staff noted that the modern building and distance from the public right-of-way made insert windows appropriate. The board approved the application as submitted by a vote of 7-0.
- BAR2026-00205 & BAR2026-00206 – Request for alterations and an addition (BAR2026-00205) and partial demolition and encapsulation (BAR2026-00206) at 119 Wolfe Street, applicant Anne Altizer represented by Derek Binsted, Architect. The applicant did not make a presentation. There were no public speakers. The board approved both applications as submitted by a roll call vote of 7-0.
Key Outcomes
- All three applications were approved unanimously.
- A board member noted a concern about a new restaurant in Tavern Square that had installed a regular retail storefront instead of the approved large wooden doors, and that the city council was looking into the Equarons windows on Washington Street. The board secretary was asked to send the meeting link to city council.
- The next public hearing is scheduled for July 15, 2026.
Meeting Transcript
Any guys are this meeting is called to order. We're gonna proceed tonight with applications and other agenda items in the order that they're indicated on the docket. Limited copies of tonight's agenda in each staff report are available uh right over there in the corner on a first come first serve basis. If you are an applicant, please be sure to read the staff report for your case. For each application, we will proceed in the following order of business. The applicant or the applicant's representative may present the proposal or just be available for questions. It's up to you. The public will have an opportunity to speak on each application. Members of the public should fill out a speaker form and hand it over here to Miss Lane if you would like to speak on night. Uh if you're speaking for yourself, you have three minutes, and if you're speaking on behalf of the civic organization, you have five minutes. After public comment is complete, the applicant may respond to public comments, but it's not required to. Um there will then be board deliberation. The board may ask the applicants questions and just engage in a dialogue. After deliberation, the board can take one of several actions. The board can vote on a motion to issue, conditionally issue or deny a certificate of appropriation of appropriateness upon request by an applicant. If the board takes no action at the next regularly scheduled meeting, then the certificate of appropriateness is automatically issued. I will make a couple of comments on voting here. Votes uh motions pass by a simple majority vote. A tie vote results in no action being taken on the motion. And if the board votes to deny an application, a similar application will not be considered for a period of one year following the denial. The board occasionally takes up matters other than applications for certificate of appropriateness, and the public will have an opportunity to comment on those as well. Uh applicants are allowed to appeal any decision by the board to the city council. Applications have to be made within 14 days of the board's decision and in conform uh in conformance with the applicable zoning regulations. So with that said, Mr. Conte, let's get going. Okay. Uh good is yes. Uh consideration of the minutes from the June 17th BAR meeting. Does any member wish to suggest modifications or changes to the June 17th minutes? Does any member of the public have any modifications to suggest to the June 17th minutes? Seeing none, can we have a motion on the minutes? So moved. Second? Second. All those in favor of adopting the minutes from the June 17th meeting say aye. Aye. Any opposed? The minutes are adopted. Okay, on to the consent count. All right, thank you very much. We have one item on the consent panel tonight. Uh VAR 2026-00152. All this poll and it's worth district. Request for signage and operations of 400 K Street speaker two parcel addresses 480k Street. The applicant is like a live organic cafe represented by Gary Marks. All right, does any member of the board wish to remove this item from the consent calendar? Ms. Miller? All right. Just have a question.
openpublica.com