Historic Preservation Commission Agenda and Packet 2025 09 15

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Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes April 21, 2025 Page 2 of 4 Commissioner Questions of Staff. None were heard. Applicant Presentation: Andy Johnson, resident, DAJ Design, introduced his presentation. He noted that the application had attracted a great deal of public interest. He understood the opposition from neighbors, but noted that it was the right of the property owners to decide what they wanted to do with the house. He said that they had a letter of intent from another landowner to move the historic house from its current site to another one in old town, meaning that the house would still be preserved. Commissioner Questions of the Applicant: Wilt asked whether cost was the primary reason the applicant decided not to retain the existing structure. Johnson said that the owners really wanted to build a home of their own. Beauchamp asked whether they had done any design studies to preserve the house. Johnson said that the applicants initially wanted to work around the existing building, but eventually it became clear that this was less than ideal for their desired outcome. Anderson asked how long they had been working on plans for the house. Johnson said they started the HSA process in the summer of 2024, and had been working consistently since then. Anderson asked whether a new location for the building had been decided. Johnson said yes, but that he couldn't disclose where at this time. Public Comment: Jean Damiana, resident, lived next door. She said that she did not want to see the house demolished, and that it would hurt the fabric of the city. Gary Damiana, resident, lived next door. He said that he did not want to see another house torn down, particularly given the amount of change the neighborhood had already experienced. He wanted to see it preserved. Jean Morgan, resident, was opposed to the demolition. She was encouraged that the applicant wanted to move the house rather than demolishing it entirely, but she would rather it remain where it was. Tom Rafferty, resident, acknowledged the rights of the property owners to decide what they wanted to do with their property, but asked that they reconsider preserving the house in its current location so as to protect the heritage of Main Street. Peter Stewart, resident, noted the significance of demolishing a house on the National Register. He asked that the Commission and homeowners consider preserving the house in its current location. He asked for a 180 day stay. Gary Dunlap, resident, asked that the building be preserved, particularly given its current condition and history.