Germantown Design Review Commission Meeting – October 22, 2024

The Germantown Design Review Commission met on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, at 6:00 PM in the City Hall Council Chambers. The meeting included approval of consent agenda items, a lengthy discussion on paint color compliance for The Grove apartments, and liaison reports from several city boards. The commission also addressed process improvements for future approval of building colors.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the September 24, 2024, meeting were approved unanimously.
• Thornwood PD Revised Sign Policy (Case 14-491): Moved from the regular agenda to the consent agenda. The commission approved the revised sign policy for Thornwood Planned Development located at 7800 Neshoba Rd. (Applicant: Spence Ray; Property Owner: McNeill Commercial Real Estate). The motion was made by Commissioner Schmidt, seconded by Commissioner Carney, and passed unanimously (8-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were offered during the citizen comment period.

Discussion Items

• Old Business – The Grove Apartments Paint Color: The commission revisited a previous approval allowing two paint color options for the apartment building: (2) Privileged Green and (3) Rockwood Blue Green. The applicant chose Privileged Green and began painting. The commission reviewed a photo of the actual painted facade and expressed strong concern that the color did not match the Sherwin‑Williams rendering presented at the September meeting. Commissioner Schweikoffer noted the actual color appeared drastically different from the approved image. Commissioner Nishwitz emphasized that the material (stucco vs. brick) and lighting can change color perception. Commissioner Meanwell stated she could not see a difference between the two approved colors in the photos. The commission discussed legal implications, including potential negligent misrepresentation. Chairman Bruns recommended that staff contact the property owner (not just the contractor) to confirm the chosen color and to advise that the commission believes the rendering does not represent the actual result. The contractor was told to stop painting that morning. Staff will reach out to the owner and may schedule a special called meeting if needed. Commissioner Schweikoffer also recommended that for future projects, the commission require a full facade mock‑up to be painted and inspected before final approval. The commission agreed to incorporate this practice.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda Approved: Unanimous approval of the Thornwood PD revised sign policy.
• Action on The Grove Paint Color: Staff will contact the property owner to discuss the discrepancy between the approved rendering and the actual paint, and will report back to the commission. The commission may convene a special called meeting to address the issue further.
• Process Change: The commission will require a full painted facade mock‑up for future color approval decisions, to be viewed on site before final sign‑off.

Commission Liaison Reports

• BMA (Alderman Hicks): Reminded members that reappointment forms are due; the annual commission dinner is Thursday, November 14, 2024.
• Historic Commission (Secretary White): No meeting attended; White served jury duty.
• Parks and Recreation (Brian Carney): No meeting; Carney attended a funeral. A park design focus study was held; the next meeting is in early November, with a goal to finalize the park master plan by year‑end.
• Sketch Plan Committee (Chairman Bruns): No meeting in October.
• Tree Board (Chairman Bruns): Reported removal of 98 hazardous trees citywide in the current period, 88 of which were removed by city staff. The tree mitigation budget has spent $120,000, leaving $68,000 remaining. Funds are used for both removal and replenishment, including work on the greenway.
• Next Meeting Notification: The next regular meeting is Tuesday, November 19, 2024 (third Tuesday). There will be no subcommittee meeting in November.