Wilmington Historic Preservation Commission Meeting – November 19, 2020

The Wilmington Historic Preservation Commission held a regular meeting on Thursday, November 19, 2020, at 5:30 p.m. at the Wilmington Convention Center. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Rob Romero and included the swearing‑in of a new commissioner. The commission considered nine agenda items covering after‑the‑fact approvals, new construction, demolitions, and exterior alterations, as well as the approval of previous meeting minutes. The meeting adjourned at 8:36 p.m.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: The commission unanimously approved the minutes from the September 10, 2020, and October 8, 2020, meetings. (Motion passed 8‑0)

Public Comments & Testimony

• Item 8 – 307 North 6th Street: James Beck (612 South 3rd Street) expressed concern that the damage to the house was not solely storm‑related and that the property had been neglected for decades. He questioned why the 365‑day stay of demolition should be waived for a governmental grant program. Lori Wagner, an adjacent property owner, stated she was not notified of the meeting and raised issues about a damaged fence from a fallen tree, asbestos handling, and privacy. She requested a privacy wall. The commission noted that some concerns were civil matters outside its purview.
• Item 9 – 308 McRae Street: No public testimony was offered during the evidentiary hearing.

Discussion Items

Old Business

• Item 1 – 516 South 5th Avenue (After‑the‑fact approval for roof and siding): Staff presented violations of a previous Certificate of Appropriateness (COA), including an unauthorized standing seam metal roof with striations, improper siding reveal, unapproved concrete pads, and lighting. The applicant, Ms. Wais Nassar, cited oversight but did not agree to replace the siding. After deliberation, the commission denied the after‑the‑fact request and required the property to be brought into compliance within six months (roof and siding changes). Motion to deny carried 8‑0 (agenda reported 7‑0).
• Item 2 – 606 Chestnut Street (Screened porch addition): The applicant proposed a rear screened porch matching the house’s design. Commissioner Sulkey recused himself as a neighbor. Staff recommended conditions on roof pitch, materials, and screen color. The applicant agreed. Motion to conditionally approve carried 7‑0 (agenda reported 6‑0).

New Business

• Item 3 – 415 South 3rd Street (Roof replacement): The applicant sought to replace a failing slate roof with Owens Corning asphalt shingles. Staff recommended CertainTeed Belmont shingles but the commission allowed the Owens Corning brand after discussion. Conditions included salvaging usable slate. Motion to conditionally approve carried 8‑0 (agenda reported 7‑0).
• Item 4 – 206 North 15th Street (Front door replacement): The applicant (not present) proposed replacing a 1977 oval door with a multi‑light wood door. Staff noted the existing door was not original. The commission approved with conditions (clear glazing, no changes to casing). Motion to conditionally approve carried 8‑0 (agenda reported 7‑0).
• Item 5 – 820 Macumber Alley (Screened porch and deck expansion): The contractor requested painting the balustrade white to match the front porch. Staff accepted black screens because the house was built in 2008. Motion to conditionally approve carried 8‑0 (agenda reported 6‑0).
• Item 6 – 113 North 6th Street (New construction of single‑family dwelling): The applicant proposed a two‑story house with an accessory garage, spa, and brick fireplace. A key issue was the placement of 24 solar panels. Staff recommended limiting panels to the back two‑thirds of the roof, but after discussion the commission removed that condition, allowing all panels. The design was praised. Motion to conditionally approve carried 7‑1 (agenda reported 6‑1; Mr. Wilson voted no).
• Item 7 – 1519 Chestnut Street (Demolish and reconstruct detached garage): The existing dilapidated garage was to be replaced with a two‑story garage with an accessory dwelling unit. The commission waived the 365‑day stay of demolition and approved the design. Motion to conditionally approve carried 8‑0.
• Item 8 – 307 North 6th Street (Demolish and construct new dwelling): The applicant (New Hanover County Office of Recovery and Resilience) proposed demolishing a severely deteriorated house and building a new 1,080‑sq‑ft home for an elderly disabled couple under a Hurricane Florence recovery grant. The commission reduced the stay of demolition to 30 days (from a staff‑recommended 90) to allow salvage by the Historic Wilmington Foundation. Conditions included a privacy fence along the sides of the property, no steel door (fiberglass preferred), and gutters. Motion to conditionally approve carried 8‑0.
• Item 9 – 308 McRae Street (Demolish and construct new dwelling): Similar to Item 8, this property also qualified for the same grant program. The house was in extreme disrepair, and the owner was an elderly disabled veteran. The commission reduced the stay of demolition to 30 days and approved the design. Condition #7 requiring off‑street parking was removed because no driveway existed. Motion to conditionally approve carried 8‑0.

Key Outcomes

• Denial: 516 South 5th Avenue – after‑the‑fact approval denied; owner given 6 months to correct violations.
• Conditional Approvals: All other eight applications were approved with specific conditions as detailed above.
• Vote Totals: The official minutes record the following votes (agenda reported different numbers for some items; the minutes are the official record):
  • Item 1: 8‑0 (agenda: 7‑0)
  • Item 2: 7‑0 (agenda: 6‑0)
  • Item 3: 8‑0 (agenda: 7‑0)
  • Item 4: 8‑0 (agenda: 7‑0)
  • Item 5: 8‑0 (agenda: 6‑0)
  • Item 6: 7‑1 (agenda: 6‑1)
  • Item 7: 8‑0
  • Item 8: 8‑0
  • Item 9: 8‑0
  • Minutes approval: 8‑0
• Next Meeting: The next regular meeting is scheduled for December 10, 2020.