Wilmington Historic Preservation Commission – August 13, 2026

The Wilmington Historic Preservation Commission met on Thursday, August 13, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. as listed on the agenda, in City Council Chambers, Skyline Center, 929 North Front Street, Wilmington, NC. After swearing in witnesses, the commission approved the July 9, 2026 minutes, granted continuances for three North Front Street applications, and held evidentiary hearings on one continued application and six new applications. Every application decided on its merits was approved, most by unanimous vote. Note: the transcript's opening line states '2006,' but the agenda and meeting date are 2026; this summary follows the agenda date.

Consent Calendar / Procedural Actions

• The commission unanimously approved the July 9, 2026 draft minutes.
• The commission granted requested continuances for agenda items 6, 7, and 8: 23 N. Front St., 27 N. Front St., and 35 N. Front St. The agenda records each continuance as passing 7-0; in the transcript they were handled together by voice vote.
• All witnesses were sworn before testifying; no non-applicant public comments were offered during the evidentiary hearings.

Evidentiary Hearings – Old Business

• 1812 Grace St. (COA-2026-0179) – Continued from the July 9 meeting. The proposal included replacing the front door and portico light fixture, enclosing a west-side solarium/porch with glass panels, constructing a one-story rear east-side addition, and replacing or reconfiguring windows on the rear elevation. Staff described the house as a c. 1925 contributing Colonial Revival dwelling in the Carolina Heights–Winoka Terrace Historic District Overlay. Staff recommended conditions including a tree-removal permit if any tree over 4 inches in diameter at breast height is removed. Agent David DeShamps answered questions. One commissioner did not participate in the vote; the motion to approve passed 6-0.

Evidentiary Hearings – New Business

• 12 N. 6th St. (COA-2026-0182) – St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church sought to expand the existing Ash Garden west of the fellowship hall by approximately 17 feet, add a new patio of Techno Blue 60 paver slabs, install a low masonry wall with a 5-foot black aluminum fence with finials, add landscaping, seven 52-inch monument stones, a bench, and low-level lighting. The nearest house across N. 6th St. is about 100 feet away. Pastor Mark Opgran testified in support, describing it as a second expansion of the garden. The commission approved the request 7-0 with conditions limiting light trespass, capping fence height, protecting mature trees, and requiring code compliance.
• 206 Orange St. (COA-2026-0197) – The owner proposed widening the east driveway gate from 8 feet to 11 feet to match the west gate, replacing both existing concrete driveways with permeable turf-block/paver paving, and relocating/reconstructing part of a masonry retaining wall and stair. Owner Dan Camoncho testified and said he was open to either brick or concrete stairs. The commission approved the request 7-0 with staff conditions 1-4 and an added condition 5 requiring the relocated stairs to be rebuilt in brick to match the existing wall.
• 1619 Chestnut St. (COA-2026-0199) – The request was to raise the existing brick wall along the eastern property line on 17th Street and construct a 6-foot-tall wood fence along the northern alley-side property line, approximately 2 feet inside the line, spanning about 65 feet. Owner Sean Winders testified that the fence would help screen HVAC equipment, electrical gear, and gas lines and would remain about 3 feet from the garage wall. The commission approved the request 7-0 with conditions requiring natural wood fencing, the finished side facing the public right-of-way, no removal of mature trees or historic landscaping, and code/permit compliance.
• 312 S. Front St. (COA-2026-0200) – The applicant proposed widening the existing driveway from 7 feet 4 inches to 12 feet, replacing the concrete driveway with a chevron-pattern concrete surface and larger replicated gates, and replacing existing 7-over-4 and 6-over-1 windows with Pella Reserve traditional wood-frame units with true simulated muntins. Staff noted the window replacement had been sought before and the commission had recommended repair, but the owner/applicant stated repair had not been feasible. The commission approved the request 7-0 with conditions requiring clear glazing, no alterations to window opening sizes, wood frames with true simulated muntins and no snap-on muntins, no mature tree removal, archaeological protocol if materials are found, and code/permit compliance.
• 1403 Market St. (COA-2026-0207) – Trinity United Methodist Church requested replacement of 93 existing double-hung wood windows in the church's 1948 two-story education building with Marvin fiberglass-clad wood windows in bronze, as part of a larger rehabilitation. Staff noted the education building is non-contributing and most windows date to the 1948 addition. Pastor Brock Meyer and agent Chad Brennan testified about water infiltration, long-term stewardship, cost, and a prior commission approval for Grace United Methodist Church. When a commissioner questioned economics, the agent said the lower restoration quote of about $178,000 addressed only sashes, while the proposed new installation was quoted near $350,000 and a fuller quote exceeded $700,000. The commission approved the request unanimously.
• 613 Orange St. (COA-2026-0210) – The applicant requested removal of the chimney down to the roofline, sealing the opening with flat-channel standing seam metal roofing to match the existing roof. The house is non-contributing; staff noted the house was originally approved by the HPC in 1988 without a chimney, and the chimney was later approved in 1989. The applicant was not present. The commission approved the request 7-0 with conditions on matching roofing material, proper disposal, and code compliance.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No member of the general public spoke in favor of or against the applications.
• Sworn testimony was provided by David DeShamps (agent for 1812 Grace St.), Pastor Mark Opgran (St. Paul's, 12 N. 6th St.), Dan Camoncho (owner, 206 Orange St.), Sean Winders (owner, 1619 Chestnut St.), the applicant for 312 S. Front St., and Pastor Brock Meyer with agent Chad Brennan for 1403 Market St. All testified in support of or answered questions about their respective projects.

Discussion Items

• Window-replacement standards – During the 312 S. Front St. and 1403 Market St. hearings, commissioners discussed whether they could require repair rather than replacement of historic wood windows. Staff advised that wood-for-wood replacement is generally allowed and that the commission cannot require the owner to repair when the replacement is still wood. Several commissioners expressed concern that this weakens the preservation standards for original windows and that new wood windows are not equivalent to old-growth historic windows.
• 1403 Market St. deviation – At staff's request, the commission clarified that the approval of fiberglass-clad window units was a deviation from the window material standards. The stated basis was that the building is non-contributing, the affected windows are in a 1948 education building, the project involves 93 windows, and the applicant is an institutional church. Commissioners emphasized that this approval was specific to this case and did not set a general precedent, though some noted future applicants could cite it.
• Other business and materials discussion – A commissioner encouraged residents to complete the City of Wilmington's Resilient Coastal Communities Program survey before the August 21 deadline, and staff said they would work to make the survey more visible on the city website. A commissioner also advocated updating the commission's approach to alternate materials such as fiber-cement and composite products, citing rot, maintenance costs, and fire risk in dense historic districts. Another commissioner referenced a National Park Service bulletin on alternative materials. Staff announced that phase one will include 10 wayfinding signs using ARPA funds, with phase two to follow, and noted upcoming work on Quince and Henderson alleys should be coordinated with the signage plan.

Key Outcomes

• Approved July 9, 2026 minutes by voice vote.
• Granted continuances for 23 N. Front St. (COA-2026-0204), 27 N. Front St. (COA-2026-0205), and 35 N. Front St. (COA-2026-0206).
• Approved 1812 Grace St. (COA-2026-0179) 6-0 with conditions.
• Approved 12 N. 6th St. (COA-2026-0182) 7-0 with conditions.
• Approved 206 Orange St. (COA-2026-0197) 7-0 with conditions, including brick reconstruction of the relocated stairs.
• Approved 1619 Chestnut St. (COA-2026-0199) 7-0 with conditions.
• Approved 312 S. Front St. (COA-2026-0200) 7-0 with conditions.
• Approved 1403 Market St. (COA-2026-0207) unanimously as a deviation from standards, with the basis recorded and no established precedent.
• Approved 613 Orange St. (COA-2026-0210) 7-0 with conditions.