Plainfield Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Summary - September 24, 2026

The Plainfield Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) held a special meeting on September 24, 2026, at 1:00 PM. Commissioners present included Chairman Bordel, Derrick, Failing, Olson, Rapp, Schmidt, and Schulz. The commission approved a Certificate of Appropriateness for a historic Main Street property, discussed a potential Commercial Street landmark, and approved the 2027 meeting schedule. No public comments were made.

Chair's Report

Chairman Bordel reported that a property owner on Commercial Street has requested a potential local landmark designation for a house built circa 1852–1854 in an early settlement area. Staff will investigate the feasibility of the request.

Discussion Items

• Certificate of Appropriateness (Case 2127-070426) – 23842 West Main Street:

  • Purpose: The applicant sought a COA to replace two ground-floor windows and second-floor doors on the south elevation (originally listed as east in staff report, corrected during discussion) of the historic structure.
  • Materials Review: Staff identified and the commission approved specific compatible products: the Marvin G2 Ultimate Double Hung window (aluminum-clad wood with wood interior) and the ThermaTrue Smooth Star S2000 fiberglass door. A commissioner consulted the State Historic Preservation Office, which preferred aluminum-clad wood but deferred to the local commission. A commissioner noted that a local quote for the specified windows, door, and installation totaled $12,501.
  • Shutters: The commission specified that shutters must be either repaired existing wood shutters or new wood shutters sized and positioned to match the historic originals. PVC or plastic materials were explicitly prohibited.
  • Compliance: Concern was raised about whether the building department would verify the specific product requirements. The commission added a condition requiring a pre-construction meeting with the contractor to ensure the selected products meet the COA.

• 2027 Meeting Schedule:

  • Staff recommended removing pre-set Landmark Development Design Committee (LDDC) meetings from the official 2027 schedule, as historically more LDDC meetings are canceled than held. The commission agreed, with the understanding that LDDC meetings can be called as special meetings as needed. The standard HPC meeting dates remained mostly unchanged from 2026.

Key Outcomes

• Agenda & Minutes Approved: The meeting agenda and the minutes from the August 27, 2026, special meeting were unanimously approved.
• Certificate of Appropriateness Approved: The commission voted to recommend approval of the COA for 23842 West Main Street, contingent on a letter of agreement specifying the approved products and requiring a pre-construction meeting. The roll call vote was recorded as 6–0 in favor (Commissioners Failing, Olson, Rapp, Schmidt, Schulz, and Chairman Bordel voting yes; Commissioner Derrick's vote was not read into the transcript).
• 2027 Schedule Approved: The 2027 meeting schedule was approved via voice vote, excluding pre-set LDDC dates.
• Administrative Approvals: Chairman Bordel noted that two demolition permits unrelated to the main agenda had been approved administratively.
• Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned following the completion of business.