Good evening, everyone.

Or start the meeting.

Welcome uh to uh tonight's meeting is on.

How's that?

Can you hear me now?

Uh welcome tonight's meeting of the HLRB of New Rochelle Historic and Land Landmark Review Board, uh for Wednesday, February eleventh, two thousand twenty-six.

Uh we have a couple of things uh on the uh agenda tonight, but uh first uh Kevin will do a uh attendance.

Sure.

Uh Rose Bullfamante here.

Luce Elliott Speet here.

Tim Fleming here.

Uh Keith Gordon is out.

Uh Leanne Merchant here.

Bill Keysray is CUNY here.

Don Richards.

Here.

And uh I am Kevin Kane, director of planning and sustainability.

Okay.

Uh the first item we'll jump right into it.

The first item is approval of minutes.

We have no minutes to review tonight, so we're gonna go right to the next one.

Uh item number two, public hearings, uh two point one, HLRB, twenty twenty-five by Walter Nesser for a certificate of appropriateness to construct a below ground pool with a paved area surrounding it and to install a four four foot black aluminum picket pool enclosure fence along with four foot high evergreen hedgings planted around the outside of the fence at ten Manhattan Avenue, block eight two five lot fifty-one in an R one Historic Zone District.

Uh it is adjourned until further notice, however is the applicant here tonight.

No, they're not.

Okay, so it's uh adjourned until further notice.

Uh next application is um application two point two application HLRB eight two oh two five by Elena Bart for a certificate of appropriateness to replace windows with Altrex fiberglass windows at thirty-one the boulevard, lot eight two nine blo uh I'm sorry, block eight two nine lot thirty-four in R1 historic zone district.

Uh the scripture is windows and uh if the applicant could come up.

Good afternoon, everybody.

My name is Nicholas DeDio.

I'm representing Infinity Replacement Windows by Marvin.

Um the project we're talking about is for 31 the Boulevard in New Rochelle.

It's for 46 replacement windows.

We are not changing any structural at all, any of the outside trim as well.

It's an insert replacement window, so we're gonna keep everything like for like with the same grill pattern as well.

Um the color is gonna be stone white, it's gonna match what's there currently, interior and exterior, but the update with the window is the glass pack.

Um the homeowners are having a lot of trouble with heat retention, seal failure, so this is the main cause of the change.

These are some pictures of the existing conditions.

We are doing a like-for-like swap, so there will really be no aesthetic changes, but more of energy saving and um updating their look.

So these are all pictures that are labeled of the interior of the home.

Everything that everything that's there is gonna be swapped for the same style of window as well.

And these are some exterior photos.

Everything is labeled there where the placements are going to be.

But yes, the windows are the two-style windows, I'm sorry, three style of windows that are gonna be there are double-hung windows, picture windows, and awning windows.

The glass pack's gonna be low E3 ERS with Argon Gas and full screen extruded bright view mesh.

Like I mentioned before, there will be no altercations to the size, location, or the number of openings.

The replacements are direct fit, so we're not changing any structure at all, and the colors, the grills all match exactly what's there.

That's about it.

Any questions at all?

Okay, uh just um just a couple of uh comments or questions um which might arise.

Uh the the windows are Ultrex on the inside also, they're not wood on the colour.

Correct.

Okay.

It's a fiberglass window.

The good thing about fiberglass is it expands and contracts at the same rate as glass, so it's a much stronger window, but it also gives it that classic historic look as well.

And I know you mentioned uh that you're you're matching the windows that are there, but I noticed in the pictures, um, if we could just go over what exactly those windows are, but I noticed that some are uh depending on the size, they're either three over one or sometimes if they're wider.

I noticed some were four over one.

Correct.

Are you you're going through that same thing with them?

All the grill patterns are gonna be the same, all the windows are gonna be the same.

Grill patterns can look very different if they're they're not uh exactly.

We're gonna make it exactly the same.

Some windows are four over two, some are three over two, but we are making it like for like, so it's gonna look exactly the same.

Okay.

Uh and uh what is the material now on the windows?

Uh they make multiple different styles of windows.

A lot of them are wood sash where we would have to insulate the weight pocket where they were prior.

There's some vinyl windows on the second floor, and then the basement has steel frames, probably original from the home.

So there's multiple different styles of windows in there, but these will make the house a lot better while keeping the same aesthetics from the outside.

Okay, which is appreciated.

Yeah.

Uh the the uh uh thing that uh our board has in the past done is in the anything that's visible.

Uh the board has preferred that a natural material, you know, an original would be used for anything visible from the street.

Uh this from the size of your pictures here, it looks like a lot of it's visible.

Absolutely, but it's an insert replacement, so we're not changing any of the exterior trim at all.

We're taking out the sashes and putting a window in uh inside of that existing opening.

Okay so the trim will all be the same.

It just gets insulated around it, shim, so it's leveled, and then we have a frame extender that attaches to our window that butts up with the existing casing in white.

Okay.

Um anybody else have any comments or questions for the applicant?

No, I think you covered everything and you laid out the fact that normally what we like is if uh, you know, as you said, some are wood, some are aluminum, some are vinyl.

Um but normally when windows come out, we like to see the natural material go back.

I appreciate the fact that you put our guidelines on there.

But I think if I'm not mistaken, within our guidelines, it does reference um that we would prefer like a natural wood material going back in when it relates to windows.

So there's the I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

Just one more one kind of question and then I'll let you kind of wrap up everything I said or asked.

Um have the homeowners considered wind uh wood windows.

Not really.

So we have some options of windows, but the base material is still fiber.

It's um a fiberglass material.

It looks like it's wood, but it's not actually wood.

These are fiberglass, so they have a little bit of texture on it, so it matches the white that's currently on the paint.

You mean the white that's on the paint because it's on a wood window?

Correct.

Okay, but you don't have any samples with you, right?

You do?

Okay.

Um close up would be in the You can bring it up and then but then just talk when you know, come back and talk behind the podium.

I can just sorry.

Well, quick, thank you.

That works.

Uh okay, that's uh so I'm sorry, you were saying when you were explaining to us about the window.

So we have windows that are like this, but they're textured, so it kind of looks like wood grain.

This one in specific doesn't, but it shows the grills that we were doing, the simulated divided light.

So it's gonna look that look like the historic look with the wooden grills.

So in this example, there's no there's nothing that's wood.

It's all vinyl slash fibroglass.

Okay.

So no wood.

And in the front.

The same.

Correct.

Same windows all over.

Yep.

How many are them are we actually seeing from the street?

Do you have a front photo?

Sorry, wrong slide.

This is some angles of the home and the window locations are all labeled there.

So you do see a lot from the front of the home.

It's the middle picture right there.

Just a comment that just give you a sense of it because of the the the location of the home, you would see windows from three sides.

Right.

So the no no wood window uh has been uh discussed by the owner or anything like that.

No, it's just these.

He's looking for this style of window.

Um I mean, I would say for the purposes stop me if you disagree with me, but I mean I think you should have that conversation.

I think it should be expressed.

I think it has already, perhaps with my staff.

Um I think you should have that conversation based on what you're hearing tonight.

Okay.

As that is the expectation.

I I would go back to your client uh and talk about it.

I mean, there is an understanding and it's there's there's a a section of the code that deals with you know recognizing that there's cost associated with this.

Um but the board really, you know, their their guidelines are really, you know, lead them to push for for wood.

So the fact that you haven't had that conversation is what you're saying.

Um you should, you know, before you before the before the board can be in a position to take in fairness to you, um, because I think if um if you don't have that conversation and can't respond to it, I don't think the board is in a good position to move forward at all with what you're proposing.

Okay, but on that, yes.

The home currently only has a few wood windows.

They have a lot of vinyl windows.

This exceeds a vinyl window by a hundred.

The insulation factor, the U factor of the windows makes the energy efficient of the home a lot better with getting functional windows.

Their windows currently do not open, operate.

There's some glass broken.

There's a lot of other issues than just replacing it.

There's a need for it.

Yes.

The board does understand why you want to put replace the windows.

Yeah.

This is a great product, except uh we have um a method here to preserve a historic district.

And that's one of the outstanding things to do to a house, which we're trying to uh that's the first thing people do.

We're trying to keep that uh theme going.

Um if you could have that discussion uh and maybe do a little bit of research with that.

We've seen the window, we know they're all work.

I um all for making them all look the same and uh looking great.

But I think uh I think uh I speak for maybe most of the board saying that we'd like to just discuss it a little further.

If you can just run by the owner, I know Marvin does have a wood product and see where that is with it.

Not a problem.

At least the visible windows, uh because that's basically our rule of thumb for a long time.

One thing to add, yeah.

So we do offer a wood window, but it comes as a wood grain, so then that would entail painting the windows to be white to match everything else.

Right.

Yeah, but that's that's typical of that project as well with let abatement and stuff being a house that old, we are all letter certified as well.

Yeah.

Um I just think the board would feel a little bit uncomfortable jumping right into something without some diligence shown to see another type of window, or that this is reasonable.

I mean, just not a problem.

Maybe another visit.

Yeah, thank you.

But it looks good, you know, the great idea.

The house is gonna be great.

But let's just look at that one thing because that's why that's why we're here.

That's why you're here.

How many I think yeah, I'm sorry.

Just a question.

Of the 46 windows, how many would you say can are visible from the street?

I mean, I've walked around, is it most of them?

Majority of those windows.

Yeah, the house on the lot it is, it's kind of like a p peninsula, it's like a triangle.

Yeah.

So you kind of see sides of the home.

Except from way in the way in the back, I would say, with the viewers property.

Okay.

That's what I thought.

Thank you.

Just uh two things.

Um one, I think we have members some members of the public that may want to speak.

Um, and two, I just wanted to note before we move on.

Um, if you or your client have any questions or want to talk about this before the next meeting, you know, me and my staff were obviously available to have those conversations to help give some guidance before you come back before the board to try to um maybe expedite things.

Yes.

All righty.

Uh why don't we open it to the floor?

Any questions or comments on the on the project.

Uh please come up to the podium, uh name and address.

Sir, if you could just uh Elena Harrison Cowie um 70 Hunter.

And um I just want to say this is the historic district.

Windows are a major feature.

Wood windows are a major feature.

I understand that a lot of the windows are no longer wood.

But if you're replacing the idea in the historic district is to um maintain it as a historic district, and that that kind of means wood windows.

Um I think we need to be much clearer about what we expect.

Um I also I do want to say that house, I've been around it, and it is sitting.

I mean, every window is but maybe we could consider I don't know if it's this is just off the top of my head, you need to think more about that.

Obviously, you're you wouldn't know.

But maybe, you know, the front, because it's a large front, you know, where you walk up and that's the presentation of the house.

Maybe those windows, you know, might be considered more, you know, more important than even the sides.

I don't know, because that is a burden, I understand.

So maybe I don't, I'm just thinking about it now.

That if the front could be, it would maybe that would help solve that.

Because I understand how, because we're looking at windows too, and it's they're very expensive, and we all understand that.

But the also the assessors card, the building card says that historic district restrictions apply.

And we need to hold people a little bit to that.

That it is a historic district, and you and things like fiberglass really are not appropriate.

I I don't know.

And I want to say one other thing quickly.

That we need to be as consistent as possible when we're when we're dealing with the HLRB and the community.

Um the other day I rode down the street, and a house that was approved for siding in one color is a completely different color.

And we need to and people are buzzing about this.

And so we need to because some people are listening.

So we need to watch those kinds of things.

Um because people are feeling like, why do I bother?

Put up anything you want.

So we need to watch that kind of thing a little bit.

That's all.

You know, yes, thank you.

You know, I have a lot of respect for it's a hard job.

And but I love my neighborhood.

You've pointed out something that we're trying to express here and in many times with the front of the house.

Yeah, I think where we can.

Maybe that would be in situation like this.

You see all too difficult.

Right.

What are you gonna do?

Move your house?

I mean, so it's a it's uh something we we try to step through carefully and and properly.

Yeah, but yes, thank you.

Okay, thank thanks y'all.

I think it's important for members.

If you could just come to the podium and give your name and address, please.

Hi.

Hello, I think it's important for members of the historic district.

I'm sorry, if you could just give your name and address.

My name is Priscilla Jean-Baptiste, and this is my property 31 the Boulevard.

And um, and the reason why I'm talking now is because I think it is important for members of the historic district, which we chose to be in the historic district, to actually be aware of what is allowed and what's not allowed.

And I'm sitting here and I'm like, put windows.

Oh right.

So yes, I would like to have that discussion.

And with respect to visibility, this is another question I had.

You see the windows everywhere, and I guess that's what attracted us to that that home.

So um, but are you coming from that side?

You see the windows this way and the front.

You're coming from the other side because there is the you're the circle behind us, you will see it as well.

So um I guess we'll have that discussion and um thank you for your diligence to preserve our historic district.

And thank you for advocating for that.

Appreciate it.

Thank you for saying that.

I think somebody else had some uh comments or wants to speak.

Was there anyone else wanted to speak on this application?

No?

Okay.

I thought somewhere else.

Uh okay.

Well, uh I think um uh the best way to put it is that we will uh adjourn this until a little bit more exploration is done on the owner's side to uh look into different options for the windows.

Uh or or not, depending on just you know, we want to see something else.

Yeah.

Um so the board can look at a few things with uh general rules, but also the specific newer shell rules, but also with what the uh owner's input is from the meeting would be very much appreciated.

So uh I'll move that we adjourn it to the next meeting and uh okay.

So this isn't now adjourned to the March meeting.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

Thanks for bringing the windows.

Okay.

And item uh 2.3 application HLRB 2-2026 by Carlos Sosa Straber for a certificate of appropriateness to construct a new swimming pool spa and new pool terrace at 38 Courtland Avenue.

Thank you, block 856, lot 63, and in R1 Historic Zone District.

Good inning, my name is Carlos Osa Shrever.

Uh today I explained a little bit about the A Corland Avenue, the new swimming pool in the rear uh size.

Sorry, I just uh if I could just jump in for one second.

Um so they're doing a little bit of work on the property here.

In terms of your purview for the the this review, it's really it uh what's in question is is really the the the enclosure, the fencing that they're proposing um because the rest of it's really not visible, and even the fence it's questionable whether or not it's visible.

Um so I just wanted to point out that I'm not sure what you're what you're gonna talk about in the presentation, but in terms of what your approval is, it's really just about the uh fence enclosure.

Sorry, please.

Yes.

This is the front elevation.

This is the rear elevation.

With a red mark is the area where we have a swimming pool.

The swimming pool will have a fence, a glass fence around to see through these window we will replace with new door.

The same we will split this window in and we in two pieces, and we have one door over there to connect with the swimming pool.

We will have a round uh fen glass fence, paved patio, and the connection with the house is little path here, and we have a a small uh new hot uh hot top in the side, and we will provide a paper path paper, a concrete paper in the all around here.

Um we have a defense, this fence gotta be glass.

Let me assure you.

All around this is the fence in this area.

I don't know if you can see this is glass fence.

Yeah, could you point out the uh connection you mentioned uh it to into the house?

I think you're changing the door.

I'm sorry, sir.

You're you're you're changing the door out to the the the pool area.

I think that would be something the board would like to see a little bit more clarification on.

Yeah, it's it's on there.

I just wanted to there it is.

There you go.

Okay, um that's the the door.

Uh can you just outline what you're doing different than what's there?

No, it's this the same the existing window we will split in two, and we we create a new door from there.

Okay, right.

So a different door, but it's the same same framework.

Makes sense.

Okay.

Uh and uh and that's directly in the back of the house?

That's in the back.

Yes, this is in the back, yes.

Uh and the glass fence will lose look like that.

Okay.

Uh this is in the side you can see.

Just to be sure your your rendering has glass streaks in it.

Yes, it's not a it's glass, yeah.

It's not wire or anything.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, make sure for the board knows that.

It's uh you can see through is you can see all the tree, you you can the wood the building, you can you can uh nothing obstruct the the visual from the pool or for outside the pool.

And of course it's four feet high and has all the appropriate gates.

Yes.

Uh and as a matter of fact, uh in some European countries that's what you're supposed to use is glass around your pool uh and not a fence, but that that's fine.

Um any comments from the board uh on the uh glass fence or the door?

What is exactly visible from the street?

No, you cannot see nothing from the street.

Uh let me I I show you the picture.

I take some picture from given the um given the topography and the existing vegetation, it's really it's kind of questionable whether you can see this well, which is you know, sort of brings in a question why it's before you, but it's you censors a little bit of question, we kind of played on the safe side and brought it before you button.

But from you can see, and I took some another.

And additionally, the fact that it's glass makes it even more, you know.

You see, this is the picture.

You can see it's a lot of trip in the left side of the house.

You you can see it's a lot of tree over there.

You cannot see nothing.

Is and they have a little uh pitch in the in the backyard, and they made more difficult to see the the pool.

Yeah.

So I appreciate you coming before us, and I understand that's just essentially because of the fencing because the district, you know, has issues with fencing.

But if you're gonna put a fence around a pool, I appreciate that it's glass, so every you can just see everything now.

Yeah, you you can see everything is not true.

Yeah, yeah.

Do you have a picture of the of what the fence of what it would look like?

I'd love to see here.

Let me show you.

There it is.

Right.

Yeah, you can hardly see it.

Can you remind me the height on it?

It looks pretty tall.

Is it four feet?

Okay.

Forty feet high is all I uh anybody wanna shall we open it to the uh the public?

Sure.

Please anybody has any comments or review, please come up.

Identify yourself and address.

Yes.

Well, you have to give your name and your address and I just wanted to get to where the uh property uh support.

The one that shows the entire uh my name is Barry Neeches, I live at 247 Fifth Avenue.

Uh my property is this property right here.

The pool is going about twenty twenty-five feet from my property.

Um I came tonight for a couple of reasons.

I uh three different things.

Uh the first one is is I didn't know where they were looking to locate it.

Uh a previous owner uh was interested in putting it in a different location that was very problematic.

Um obviously that's not an issue anymore.

Uh the second issue that I have is is just and I know this is not for HLRB, but I just wanted to kind of get it on the record.

Um it is close enough to my property that uh pool parties later in the evenings uh in the summer uh could be a problem, uh noise wise and otherwise.

Um I I'm not opposed to this at all.

I have no problem with it.

Um is is I don't believe you could see, even if it wasn't a glass fence from the street, I don't believe you could see it.

Uh I know what the terrain there is, and I'd be I'd be shocked if once it's in if anyone even could see the fence if they were looking for it from the street, uh even from up on the lawn, get up on that front wall and stuff.

I don't think it uh you know, so I I realize why it was brought to HLRB uh precautionary, but I don't I don't think that's the issue uh an issue.

And then finally, and this is occurred in the past week, um we've had a new situation literally where that pool is going.

Um I'm not even sure if the owner is aware.

Uh but on Saturday, uh and I've been on that this property for 25 years, uh 25 years.

Um the most deer I've ever seen on the property there were six.

On Saturday there were twelve deer hanging out right where that pool is going.

Uh yesterday every one of my bushes in the backyard was completely trampled and destroyed.

We have a we have a real problem that we have not taken care of as a city because they've become a nuisance.

Um I know that's not an HLR B thing, but it is a district issue uh in our district.

Um if there's that many, like I said, it was it was double.

Uh this morning my daughter chased three deer out of our front yard on Fifth Avenue.

We've never never seen them out to the front.

We've really overtaken the neighborhood.

Um the potential for deer ticks and other things, and I think the board maybe needs to say something to the city to um I know there's a process through DEC that they can be you know they can be thinned.

It's not healthy for them, it's not healthy for us for them to be there.

And obviously it has nothing to do with the homeowners, but it literally was ex right right where uh where they're proposing this, and I figure that would be at least a good way to start getting a conversation going on on trying to address uh that problem in the neighborhood.

And like I said, I'm not opposed at all to to them putting putting the pool in.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Great, thank you.

Oh, we have one more, sir.

One more public.

Okay, Alena Hirston Cowboy 700.

I just wanted to know, because I'm not sure how far uh cause so you have the edge of the house.

How far over I understand you're not supposed to be able to see it, but I just want to know how far o out uh you know, away from the house has the pool come out.

You know what I mean?

Yeah, on the side on this just I understand you're not supposed to see it, but just I'm just curious how far it goes this way.

I mean like uh twenty feet from the properties line.

So the pool goes twenty feet over.

Yes.

That's a lot.

You mean you're talking from the house to the pool.

Okay.

Yeah.

The house is approximately.

Sorry, we can't have any talking from the audience.

Okay.

So they this property line from the property line.

curious how far it goes this way I mean like uh twenty feet from the property line to the pool goes twenty feet over yes that's a lot you mean you're talking from the house to the pool okay yeah the house is approximately sorry we can't have any talk from the audience okay from that this if you're property from the property sorry sorry sir can you you have to speak everyone has to speak for from the property line in the in the if you watch the how from the left side is 20 feet the pool from the property line is it the house yes this way yes there are there are there are zoning regulations as far and which the the property is protect by tree high tree if you can see here we show all the always we see high tree you have this one sorry you you can see here is a high tree from from the bug from the bug all the way down to the front and this is high trees protect from the neighbors they the neighbor can see nothing happen in this house and they made two to sound uh if you have a sound sound sound noise it can protect for the sound to the tree this is okay thank you there are trees all along here as you said they're high trees um the bottom level of branches on all of them are about 12 feet off the ground and I see their entire backyard all the way to the driveway on the far side of their property I see every time that they're out on the patio there is no screening when it comes to that um they started uh this is a relatively new owner I think he's been in the house a year or two uh they did start planting a lot of additional bushes and he ran out of bushes basically by the time he got to that section so it is not screened at all I can literally see the doors that that we were talking about the the the switching from I can see right to the doors uh from from my yard and I don't even need to be at the property line I can be up by my house and and see it's it's wide open there is no there is no screening okay there are regulations for that and and uh but that's building department um but thank you um something to think about as neighbors uh any other comments from this board I I'm not really sure that this falls under HLRB like well as far as we said it it's yeah I'm not really sure this is even something that we should we need to vote on but I think it had to do because of fencing because we don't allow fencing yeah and I think that's why the gray area of bringing it before us yeah I think it also in the renderings there was some discussion about uh foliage and shrubs and uh other thing plantings that they were maybe having so that were lower I think with any other with variations of this it wouldn't really make any difference you that you'd be talking about the same issues but uh I'm okay with it if I can just say it yeah uh and uh make a motion if we pass it as presented uh second all in favor aye any opposed okay application is approved thank you so thank you thank you does anyone want to make a motion to adjourn so moved there second all in favor aye all right the meetings adjourned thank you for my good night everyone