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Record of Proceedings

Newport Historic District Commission Regular Meeting – May 13, 2025

Meeting Portal — Tuesday, May 13, 2025
BodyNewport, Rhode Island
SessionMeeting Portal
DateTuesday, May 13, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 3:32:11

Original source
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0:54

Okay, good evening, everyone.

0:58

I call to order the Newport Historic District Commission meeting for Tuesday, May 13th, 2025, and ask our secretary to call the roll.

1:08

Thank you, Madam Chair.

1:10

Deanna Amarello.

1:11

Here.

1:12

Rosemary O'Brien?

1:13

Here.

1:14

Kelly Morin, I am here.

1:16

Jim Madsen.

1:17

Here.

1:18

Frank Bala is absent.

1:20

And we did know of his absence.

1:22

Ray Goddard?

1:23

Here.

1:24

Bill Finley?

1:26

Brooke Richter.

1:27

And Kenny Benell.

1:30

I confirm that we have a quorum for this evening's meeting.

1:34

I'm gonna ask Commissioner O'Brien to affirm for the record that you reviewed all materials for the continued applications and are prepared to review the materials for our prior HDC meeting to vote on those matters this evening.

1:48

I did, and I am.

1:50

Thank you.

1:53

I will acknowledge that we have Peter Friedrich's here from our city solicitor's office as well as Nick Armour and Zach Cabrera from our planning department.

2:03

I'll begin by uh reviewing the approval or the minutes of our prior meeting.

2:08

Um that is from Tuesday, April 8th, 2025.

2:12

They've been provided to the commission.

2:13

Commission members, are there any additions or corrections to those meetings as presented.

2:22

Request a motion to accept the minutes for Tuesday, April 8th, 2025 as presented.

2:29

So moved.

2:30

Second.

2:31

All those in favor.

2:33

Aye.

2:34

All those opposed.

2:36

One abstention.

2:38

Okay.

2:39

What was that?

2:40

She's abstaining.

2:42

Oh, got it.

2:45

All applications approved and certificates of appropriateness issued this evening, Tuesday, May 13th, 2025, are valid for one year from the date of approval.

2:55

All of the applications in this meeting have a published staff report, which includes the confirmed location of each property within a Newport Historic District, record as a contributing or non-contributing building, construction date of the property, and character defining features.

3:10

As we begin the meeting this evening, I request a motion to accept all staff's findings of fact as our findings of fact.

3:17

So moved.

3:18

Second.

3:18

All those in favor.

3:20

Aye.

3:21

All those opposed.

3:25

The commission has convened in our standard pre-meeting immediately prior to this evening's HDC meeting.

3:31

Based on uh the review of tonight's agenda, we will be making a couple of adjustments, including resequencing the application of N6.

3:41

Which is uh 41 School Street.

3:45

Um it will be re-sequenced after N8.

3:51

Uh in this evening's pre-meeting, the commission was also made aware of applications requested for continuation by the applicant after the agenda was published.

4:00

These are the applications uh C2 73 Catherine Street and N2 718 Bellevue Avenue Unit 2.

4:09

Those have been rescheduled to the next regular HDC meeting on Tuesday, June 10th, 2025.

4:15

If there's anyone here from the public for those applications, they will not be heard this evening.

4:26

In this evening's pre-meeting, the commission has identified uh a few applications to be considered for summary approval.

4:33

These are viewed by our members as complete with no questions.

4:36

This evening, those are the applications of N3 294 Ocean AV, N89 Ocean Heights Road, and N eight one Wetmore Avenue.

4:47

Do we have anyone here for public comment from any three of those applications?

4:55

Okay, so we begin with um the application of N three two ninety-four ocean Avenue.

5:01

I request a motion to approve.

5:05

Stop.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Historic Preservation█████████████████████████████████████████████71%
Zoning and Land Use██████████15%
Procedural██████10%
Housing█2%
Public Engagement█1%
Personnel Matters█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Newport Historic District Commission Regular Meeting – May 13, 2025

The Newport Historic District Commission (HDC) met on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at 43 Broadway. The meeting was called to order with a quorum present (Commissioners Amarello, O'Brien, Morin, Madsen, Goddard, Finley, and Benell; Commissioner Bala absent). The commission approved the minutes of the April 8, 2025 meeting with one abstention, and accepted all staff findings of fact. Several applications were handled via summary approval, full presentations, and continuations. Key decisions included approval of a second-story addition at 157 Prospect Hill Street after design revisions, and continuations for a window replacement at 364 Bellevue Avenue and an ADU conversion at 5 Champlin Street.

Consent Calendar

  • N3 (294 Ocean Ave): Approved as presented, citing Newport Standard 17 TAC 80 060 A1,4,7 for a square bay bump-out on a contributing structure.
  • N7 (9 Ocean Heights Road) and N8 (1 Wetmore Ave): Approved for solar panel installations on non-contributing structures, citing standards 17 TAC 80 060 B1,2.
  • N5 (23 Sherman St): Initially slated for abbreviated summary, but after applicant appeared, approved with a condition to use fiberglass half-round gutters and downspouts instead of aluminum, citing standards 17 TAC 80 060 A1,4,5.

Action Items

  • A1 (169 Wellington Ave): The commission granted a one-year extension for constructing a swimming pool and pool equipment, as the applicant phased the work (pickleball court already built). Motion approved unanimously.

Continued Applications – Approved

  • C3 (157 Prospect Hill St, Units 2 & 3): After extensive design review and evolution, the commission approved a second-story addition with dormers on the rear low-slope roof. The applicant incorporated feedback from the Design Review Committee, including lowering the cornice, pulling back the front dormer 2 ft 10 in, removing a cantilevered rear section, and keeping the original flat roof visible. The roof pitch was changed to 8/12, raising the ridge about 20 inches but remaining subordinate. Expert testimony from architect Dan Herkenrother and preservationist Dr. Ronald Onorato confirmed retention of historic character. Approved citing standards 17 TAC 80 060 A1,4,7.
  • C6 (46 Everett St): Approved for replacing the existing balustrade with a flat-sawn design matching the front porch, and replacing decking with an alternative material. A motion to amend the approval to require painted wood materials (not PVC) passed, citing standards 17 TAC 80 060 1,2,3,4.

New Applications – Approved with Conditions

  • N1 (16 Chestnut St): Applicant wanted to replace two single windows with a ganged double window on the third floor. After discussion, the commission approved a compromise: the existing original wood window is to be restored and ganged with the adjacent original window, and a new double-hung two-over-two wood window will be placed in the vacated opening. Approved citing standards A1,2,4,5.
  • N9 (60 Third St): Extensive exterior renovation: replacement of asbestos siding with cedar clapboard, lifting roof to add full second story with dormers, rear addition, new windows, and porch rebuild. The commission approved with conditions: all wood materials, copper gutters, roof to be repaired/replaced with slate or ready slate, dormers to have simplified gable ends (no pediment), six original windows restored, new windows Anderson 400 series wood, chimney preserved to historic profile, skylight removed. All exterior trim to be restored/replaced in wood. Cited standards 17 TAC 80 060 A1–7.
  • N10 (14 Sherman St): Proposal to remove an exterior stair, add windows, reconstruct chimneys as brick veneer, replace asphalt roof in-kind, and restore/replace windows. After applicant indicated willingness to restore all existing wood windows (including non-original ones), the commission approved with condition to restore all windows and add one new wood window. Cited standards 17 TAC 80 060 A1,4,5,7.
  • N6 (41 School St – split application): The commission split the application. Part 1 (roof and window restoration on main structure) was approved, citing repair-before-replacement standard A5. Part 2 (all other work including garage, side door infill, porch, chimneys, and gas light) was continued to June 10, 2025, pending submission of elevations and details.

Continued Applications – Continued to June 10, 2025

  • C2 (73 Catherine St) and N2 (718 Bellevue Ave Unit 2): Continued at applicant’s request.
  • C1 (134-136 Spring St) and C5 (18 Barney St): Previously continued; remained on calendar for June.
  • C4 (364 Bellevue Ave Unit D102): Applicant sought to replace one bathroom window with an Andersen Fibrex composite to match three windows approved in 2022. The commission expressed concerns about lack of a current window condition assessment and the window’s apparent repairability. After discussion, the application was continued to June 10, 2025, for the applicant to provide an updated expert evaluation.
  • N4 (5 Champlin St): Proposal to convert an existing non-contributing garage into an ADU in carriage-house style. The commission had a split reaction: some praised the design and context, others expressed concerns about the massing (23 ft 6 in height) and complexity. After discussion of possible modifications (lowering roof up to 8 inches, removing trellis over French doors), the commission voted to continue to June 10, 2025, to allow revised plans.

Key Outcomes

  • Approvals: 9 certificates of appropriateness issued (summary approvals for N3, N7, N8; full approvals for A1, C3, C6, N1, N5, N9, N10, plus partial approval for N6 roof/windows).
  • Continuations: 6 applications continued to the next regular HDC meeting on Tuesday, June 10, 2025 (C2, N2, C4, N4, plus the balance of N6 and C1/C5).
  • Policy/Administrative Notes: The commission discussed scheduling an ADU workshop, noted upcoming ethics training requirements, and welcomed a new assistant historic preservation planner, Kimberly, who will start in the coming weeks.
  • Validity: All certificates of appropriateness issued on May 13, 2025 are valid for one year from the date of approval.

Meeting Transcript

Okay, good evening, everyone. I call to order the Newport Historic District Commission meeting for Tuesday, May 13th, 2025, and ask our secretary to call the roll. Thank you, Madam Chair. Deanna Amarello. Here. Rosemary O'Brien? Here. Kelly Morin, I am here. Jim Madsen. Here. Frank Bala is absent. And we did know of his absence. Ray Goddard? Here. Bill Finley? Brooke Richter. And Kenny Benell. I confirm that we have a quorum for this evening's meeting. I'm gonna ask Commissioner O'Brien to affirm for the record that you reviewed all materials for the continued applications and are prepared to review the materials for our prior HDC meeting to vote on those matters this evening. I did, and I am. Thank you. I will acknowledge that we have Peter Friedrich's here from our city solicitor's office as well as Nick Armour and Zach Cabrera from our planning department. I'll begin by uh reviewing the approval or the minutes of our prior meeting. Um that is from Tuesday, April 8th, 2025. They've been provided to the commission. Commission members, are there any additions or corrections to those meetings as presented. Request a motion to accept the minutes for Tuesday, April 8th, 2025 as presented. So moved. Second. All those in favor. Aye. All those opposed. One abstention. Okay. What was that? She's abstaining. Oh, got it. All applications approved and certificates of appropriateness issued this evening, Tuesday, May 13th, 2025, are valid for one year from the date of approval. All of the applications in this meeting have a published staff report, which includes the confirmed location of each property within a Newport Historic District, record as a contributing or non-contributing building, construction date of the property, and character defining features. As we begin the meeting this evening, I request a motion to accept all staff's findings of fact as our findings of fact. So moved. Second. All those in favor. Aye. All those opposed. The commission has convened in our standard pre-meeting immediately prior to this evening's HDC meeting. Based on uh the review of tonight's agenda, we will be making a couple of adjustments, including resequencing the application of N6. Which is uh 41 School Street. Um it will be re-sequenced after N8. Uh in this evening's pre-meeting, the commission was also made aware of applications requested for continuation by the applicant after the agenda was published.

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