The Wilmington Historic Preservation Commission met on Thursday, August 11, 2022, at 5:31 p.m. The meeting was called to order by Chair Kathleen Egan and adjourned at 6:40 p.m. All six present members voted unanimously on all items. (Note: The agenda listed the location as City Council Chambers at Skyline Center, 929 N. Front Street, while the minutes state the meeting was held in City Council Chambers at City Hall, 102 N. 3rd Street. This discrepancy is noted.)
The applicant, Merritt Hon, proposed installing a metal fence (4–4.5 ft tall) atop an existing 2‑ft concrete wall along the western property line and requested after‑the‑fact approval for a gate installed on the front porch. The commission discussed height compliance, the porch gate's incongruity, and alternative designs. Staff noted that no precedent existed for exceeding the 4‑ft standard. The applicant cited security concerns after a person was found sleeping on the porch.
The applicant, Rob Romero, requested modification to a previously approved certificate of appropriateness to add a story, increasing building height from 18 ft 8 in to 35 ft 6 in. The design includes a stepped parapet on both front and rear elevations, a roof deck with glass railing, and a larger sign approved by the Board of Adjustment. Commissioners noted the new height was more proportional to surrounding buildings.
The applicant, John Farabow (architect for AT&T), proposed installing a 20‑ft by 14‑ft pre‑finished aluminum louvered vent on the east facade to meet mechanical code requirements for outside air (125 tons of cooling). The vent would be placed on the North 5th Avenue facade. The applicant demonstrated that alternative locations were infeasible due to structural constraints. The commission discussed the vent's impact on the building's brutalist rhythm but accepted the justification.
I think it's a good size for that. Oh, yeah. Good evening, everybody. And welcome to the August eleventh 2022 meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission. Hearings before this commission are quasi judicial in nature. And this is a design review process to determine whether a proposed project is congruous with the special character of the historic district or landmark in which it's located. Decisions of the Commission are based on the record of these proceedings. Evidence submitted to the Commission for review will become part of the record. Appeal of a commission decision must be submitted to the Wilmington Board of Adjustment within 30 days of the date of the Commission's action. And further appeal must be submitted to Superior Court. Evidence pertaining to an agenda item must be presented during the evidentiary portion of that item. Individuals who wish to address the commission will be sworn in as witnesses to present material and substantial evidence. The chair will recognize each witness who wishes to address the commission during the evidentiary portion. In order to ensure that witness evidence is properly recorded, each individual should come to the podium and clearly state their name and address before addressing the commission. As a brief reminder, members of the commission are appointed by and serve at the pleasure of city council. Our charge is with respect to the protection and preservation of properties located within the city's designated historic districts. The commission is held to the requirements of the Wilmington design standards for historic districts and landmarks, as well as the applicable North Carolina state law. We are to determine whether exterior changes to a building are congruous with the special character of the city's historic districts. It is important that the commission deliberate the merits of each request in a manner that provides a record of the basis for our decisions. Please remember our deliberations should be centered on how a project meets the Wilmington design standards and whether the changes are congruent. Commissioners, if you have received or been made aware of any information outside this evidentiary hearing related to any agenda item before the commission, please recuse yourself from that agenda item. Before the meeting begins, please ensure all cell phones are in silent mode or turned off. Now I want to introduct introduce city staff. We have Miss Melissa Huffman, the Assistant City Attorney, Ms. Linda Painter, Planning Director, Mr. Ron Satterfield, Assistant Planning Director, Ms. Jessica Baldwin, Historic Preservation Planner, Ms. Christine Hughes, Senior Planner, Miss Amy Bradshaw, Planning Coordinator, and Ms. Megan Basic Associate Planner. I think I got more than I started out with. I am Kathleen Egan, the Commission Chair, and my fellow commissioners will now introduce themselves. Stephen Sulkey. John Keston. Christopher Yermel. Ron Wilson. Michael Smith. Thank you. We will now swear in those present who wish to present evidence related to an agenda item. If I could have all staff applicants and anyone in the audience that wishes to speak this evening, to please stand up and raise your right hand. Please note that you'll have to be sworn in in order to speak this evening. Do you swear that the testimony you're about to give is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Thank you. Thank you. If there are any suggested edits or corrections to the draft minutes that we were provided from the last meeting, please bring them to our attention now. I'd like to add a comment to the June 9th meeting 2022. Very clearly remember the discussion about this, and I do remember about halfway down the page. It's I'm quoted as saying that the applicant needs to be sensitive to the neighbors. I do remember before that, if if I made that statement, complimenting the applicant on the fact that they had heard all of the complaints and from neighbors before. Um that came back. Um I certainly did express concern about the pitch of the cabana, but um, if that could be if you could listen to that type and reword that a little bit because I I remember clearly complimenting the applicant related to the comeback and the revisions that were made to the original application that will be amended as your request.