Wilmington Historic Preservation Commission Meeting – November 18, 2021
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Wilmington Historic Preservation Commission Meeting – November 18, 2021
The Wilmington Historic Preservation Commission met on Thursday, November 18, 2021, at 5:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers at Skyline Center, 929 North Front Street. Vice-Chair Joan Keston presided. The commission considered six evidentiary hearing items and held discussions on a historic property survey and jet noise impacts. All votes were unanimous.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes – October 14, 2021: Approved 8-0 with no changes.
Discussion Items
- 322 South 4th Street (HD-R) – Window Replacement: The owner sought to replace 15 non-original wood windows (6 north, 9 south) installed in 1998 with new wood windows (Tucker Door & Trim, Series 2100, 1/1 double hung, white). Applicant Mike Long stated the windows had become a safety hazard, including one falling into his son’s room. Commissioner Yermal noted the windows were only 23 years old and stressed the need for proper maintenance training. Motion to approve with conditions (clear glass, compliance with specs) carried 8-0.
- 312 South 3rd Street (HD-R) – Exterior Alterations, Partial Demolition, Addition, Accessory Building, Site Improvements: The project involved removing a rear addition and deck, constructing a slightly larger two-story addition with screened porch, a 180 sq. ft. accessory building, and site work including a gravel drive replaced with pavers. Architect Brian Hollars demonstrated thermal imaging evidence of an original window in the front bay. Commissioners praised the plan. Motion to approve with conditions (clear glass, lighting plan submission) carried 7-0 (Commissioner Yermal recused).
- 312 North 7th Street (HD-R) – Door Alteration/Replacement, Chimney Removal: Applicant requested replacing front double doors with a single door and sidelights, replacing a side door, and removing a non-original cinder block chimney. The applicant was absent. Commissioner Keiser supported the chimney removal as likely a flue chimney. Motion to approve with conditions (clear glass, matching siding) carried 8-0.
- 616 Chestnut Street (HD-R) – Roof Replacement: Replacement of an asphalt shingle roof (with a history of tin, slate, asbestos) with a standing seam metal roof (Englert Series 1500, 16-inch panels, 1.5-inch seam, dove gray). Applicant Jim Cesternino cited excessive damage. Commissioner Keiser noted the proposed metal roof is not the traditional hand-cramped standing seam. Motion to approve with conditions (no new vents) carried 8-0.
- 20 North Front Street (CBD-HDO) – New Construction: Proposal to construct a new building behind and incorporating the Bailey Theater façade ruin wall (non-contributing structure). Height: 29 ft. 2 in., lot coverage 100%, rooftop deck with glass guardrails. A projecting sign simulating the original theater sign (approx. 103 sq. ft.) would require a variance from the Board of Adjustment. Applicant Rob Romero confirmed a three-foot setback from the façade. Commissioner Yermal called it a major win for adaptive reuse. Conditions included preserving the mosaic floor if feasible, though interior elements are not under commission purview. Motion to approve with ten conditions carried 8-0.
- 7 South 7th Street (HD-R) – Window and Siding Replacement: Replacement of 12 non-historic metal windows with wood framed true divided lights, and replacement of deteriorated cedar shake siding with salvaged and new Maibec eastern white cedar siding. Travis Gilbert of Historic Wilmington Foundation presented the project as a pilot program using grant funding to address water infiltration and demolition-by-neglect properties. Motion to approve with conditions (clear glass, matching materials) carried 8-0.
Other Business
- Survey Update: Commissioner Smith reported that a resolution for special legislation to protect historic structures outside districts was approved by City Council despite opposition from the Realtor Association, with a six-month timeline before legislative action. He recommended the HPC request an inventory of historic properties, noting the last update to the National Register inventory was in 2003. Staff indicated a comprehensive update would cost approximately $200,000 and that a budget request was already in process. The commission voted 8-0 to support and request an updated survey.
- Jet Noise: Vice-Chair Keston informed the commission that the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation is investigating whether jet overflights constitute a violation of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act due to lack of assessment. No commission action was required.
- Items from Staff: None.
Key Outcomes
- All six project applications were approved with conditions by unanimous votes (8-0 except item 2 at 7-0).
- The commission voted 8-0 to support an updated historic property inventory and budget request.
- No action taken on jet noise; meeting adjourned at 7:06 p.m.
The next regular meeting is scheduled for December 9, 2021.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. Welcome to the Historic Preservation Commission meeting today, November 18th, 2021. My name is Joan Keston. I'm the acting chairman for the Commission. Um hearings before the Historic Preservation Commission are quasi-judicial in nature. This is a design review process to determine if the proposed project is congruous with the special character of the historic district or landmark. Decisions of the Commission are based on the record of these proceedings. Evidence submitted to the commission for review becomes part of the record. Appeals of commission decisions are to the Wilmington Board of Adjustment and then to Superior Court and are based on the record. Appeals must be filed within 30 days of the date of the Commission's action. Evidence is received during the evidentiary hearing portion of an agenda item. Those who want to address the commission are sworn as witnesses to present material and substantial evidence to the commission. The chair recognizes those who want to submit such evidence during the evidentiary hearing. Evidence should be directed to the commission. To ensure that evidence is properly recorded, please come to the podium to address the commission, state your name and address, and speak clearly. A brief reminder that members of the HPC are appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the city council. Our charge is with respect to the protection and preservation of properties in the city's designated historic district. Second. The Benton Weathers House. It was built in 1914 and is a contributing resource to the historic district. The property is located at 322 South 4th Street and is within the historic district residential. In this district, alterations to all facades of a building and site are subject to design review, regardless of if they can be seen from the public right of way. The application before you today is a request for window replacement. The owners seek to replace the existing wood windows with new wood windows on the north and south elevations of the house. No windows are proposed for replacement on the front or rear elevations. This is the north elevation of the house containing a total of six windows. This is the south elevation of the house containing a total of nine windows. The existing windows are not original to the house. City records show that a COA was issued on June 11th, 1998 to replace the windows with matching energy efficient windows. Here are a few photographs of the current windows on the house. The design standards state that windows reflect the architectural style and age of a building, but also indicate changes in technology. Replacement windows should match the original in size, scale, proportion, material, and detail. With that, we'd like to enter the staff report into the record for tonight's proceedings. Thank you, Ivy. Any questions for staff? Thank you. Does any the applicant wish to present evidence? Please state your name and address. Michael Long, 322 South 4th Street. Basically, um the windows have become a safety hazard. Um we've actually had a couple of the windows fall in randomly. Um somehow they didn't fall in during hurricane, but they just fell in on a random day. And it was in our um at the time, four-year-old son's window fell in on his room. Luckily, he was not in there, but um this has happened a couple times. You know, we were able to get them back in, and we've actually had to screw them shut, so they are in very poor condition. Um we just you know want to get them back to what they're originally supposed to look like. So that's really all I have to say on that, I guess. Thank you. Um any questions for the applicant agree with the staff's conditions that they laid out in the packet. Sorry, I say do you agree with the staff's conditions?
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