Mayor and Council - Regular Meeting

Evidently they kind of Okay. Um, supposedly it was u you said they had uh they had they were illeg illegal residents in the house. Is that what it was? The one

the one one on South Street. From what I understand is whoever owned the house is looking to sell the house and then there was squatters in there. So they got moved and then it had to get boarded up. [clears throat and cough] [snorts] I was wondering if they were going to take the junk with them. You want to buy the heist? You want to buy it? I haven't seen it on Zillow. I've been looking. No, it's not listed on Zillow. Where are they selling it to? I mean, how are they listing? [clears throat] Well, they're supposed to be going to list it. I was going to give them a call. [clears throat]

Let's see. Wanted to see something. I saw somebody climbing out the window. [laughter] Wow. Oh, boy. Hey, Jeremy. What was the address? [laughter]

I don't know what the address would be. It's right around the corner from that one offer street Jeremy. Yes. Um, give Mike another minute. Unless I got the wrong thing in the packet. The second one, [clears throat] the 130 South Main Street, it says removable roof, but on the agenda it says fence and deck. What's a fence? Oh, it's not a roof then. Not uh roof or the deck. Not for 130 South Main, is it? 130 South Main is the fence. So, we got the wrong paper. Oh, they're doing a They're doing a roof, too. Yeah.

Is there a fence on that package or application? If you go Did you notice they took a fence down? Well, right side of the house, they're going to be late. That was the one that's going to be late. That's going to be the one here. It's at 8:40. [clears throat] Okay. Give give Mike a couple more minutes.

Robin, did you want to call your brother? Yeah. [laughter] What's his number? I'll call him. I'm here. He is. He is. I haven't talked to him. I say, "Hey, man, you're late. You better bring a donut." That's right. Or gift cards. Either one.

Hey, come to the meeting. answers what meeting then no Carol may

All right. Okay. All right.

He said if we have three he's not able to come. [laughter] Mike Jim, did you want to lead the meeting? Sorry. Uh, call the meeting of the historic district review board to order. Uh, so we have a sign in sheet coming around. Um the minutes for the October 23rd meeting. Is there a motion to approve? That motion. All right. Motion.

I'll second and second it. All in favor say I. First piece of business is the application for 136 West Mount Vernon Street. Uh a roof. Is there anyone here who is speaking to that? Yeah, I I represent Reimagine Roofing. that's doing the going to be doing the project. Asphalt shingle. Uh I believe there's some steel on this one, too.

I believe there is according to my paperwork anyhow. But uh the individuals that were supposed to be here could not make it, so they sent me in their place. [laughter] I was the closest eight hours away. Wow. From Ohio. Oh, wow. Oh god. Yeah. Well, and I also zoomed in. I also uh am the one in the company that has the most experience in construction, period. One of those lucky dogs that uh got that summertime job after 10th grade. Worked my summers and then uh There you go. Well, I I broke in a shovel. Put it that way.

Me, too. And then uh 40 years later, here I am. But I was I've been a carpenter my entire life. So, I know a few things about roofs and yeah, more than I want to admit. So, they're replacing the entire roof. They're not just Yes. part of it. And then anything are they taking roof [clears throat] layers off or just Yeah, they're taking it down to the deck. Okay. So that they can do any repairs that would be necessary.

Okay. Good. Good. Any comments for I mean for this this is a fairly standard application. There's nothing that's going to impinge on the historical integrity of the house. Um, and excuse me for my lack of knowledge here and everything, but where the building's located, is there any special provisions that would be the dumpsters on the on the road or anything like I had not made it to I was going to go there before I came in, but I had no idea where I was at. So, [laughter] Westbound Vernon is a fairly narrow street.

Yeah, but it's on the corner with um uh Union Street and so the dumpsters can go on Union. Okay. Okay. Is there any special permits for the dumpsters being on the road or anything like that? No, you don't need a permit as long as it's going to be gone within a couple of days. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. That's usually where you get caught, man. You didn't know you needed a permit for that? And like No, I didn't. How long will it take you to do the project? Um, I think they was telling me that this was about a three-day four [clears throat] day or Wow. Okay. It's a big house, [clears throat and cough]

but this is my own company telling me this stuff because they're they're probably lying to me. So, I can look Don't [laughter] tell us. Well, my house took one day and my house is about that same size. Really? Yeah. Okay. So, may not be three days, right? I don't know if they're talking about mobilization. Yeah, that could be that could be demobilization, you know. But you've got plenty of room on um [clears throat] Union Street. Actually, the curb sort goes in there. So, it's a little bit process. [clears throat]

Is there anything else on the uh application for 136 West Mount Road? If not, is there a motion to approve? I move that be approved. I'll second. It's been moved and second that we approve the um application for 136 for Vernon. All in favor say I. I. I. When do you start? [clears throat] When you start that one I have no idea. They told me to get here and make sure if there was anything special that we would have to do or anything like that and then make sure that we were okay to go.

Okay. And then uh I'm supposed to just uh send them back to thumbs up and then I'm sure they'll notify everybody as far as what they're going to do and when they're doing it. I won't be [clears throat] I'm a I'm actually the uh QC and the field rep for Northeast Ohio and Northwest PA. Oh. Um but the people that were supposed to be here, two of them went on vacation and the other one just decided that that was too long of a trip. [laughter] I'm guessing, you know, but I said, "Well, you know, hey, somebody has to go. I mean, somebody has to be there to make sure we're okay." Yeah. So, do you get to drive back [clears throat] tonight? Uh,

yeah, I'll be I'll be driving back. I actually have a couple jobs in um one in New Jersey and one in Harrisburg that they want me to stop by and just make sure everything's good or what have you and then I could put some miles on the car, head on back. Kind of a long head on back. I don't mind I don't mind the driving that much. Um, but I got to tell you guys, going through Philly, [laughter] and it's not just cuz I'm a Cowboys fan. That that that place is crazy. That's the wrong words to say. [laughter] I mean, you're going down the the main drags and and there's 27 on ramps, 32 off ramps, and you got to go across four lanes to get off within a quarter mile.

Yeah, that's true. Yeah. And and you got nobody going, "Come on, come on." You know, so Maybe find a way to park yesterday. I was thinking about a helicopter. [laughter] But thank you guys for your time. Yeah, thank you. Have a good trip back. Yeah, you know your way. So, the next piece of business on our agenda is the application for 130 South Main fence and deck. because so they're they're going to be late. So let's go ahead and let Bill go for the next.

All right. So we'll move to [clears throat] the application for 133 South Fisher Street. Uh a building of a complex. Good morning. Thank you for allowing this u application to be presented. and I'm here in the interest of Mr. Eis. Um he is the owner of the property and the one to construct the uh or to have the duplex constructed. I'm working with him as the architect and u so um I'm here to respond and

participate as I can.

So [clears throat] this lot was created back in 2020 where they essentially took they cut the back half the lot off from from South Main Street. Um that house had been abandoned at one time. I think it was vacant at the time. It was condemned. Um they subdivided the back off and um you all approved I believe it was either late 2020 or early 2021 for a single family dwelling and it was just a standard twotory house with front porch and everything like that and a driveway to the side. um that ended up not coming to fruition and it's been resold at least once, maybe twice, I can't remember. And they had a few issues with setbacks in terms of being able to comply, but essentially what they're proposing is a sidebyside duplex, but [clears throat] it's going to be two family. It's going to be a two family dwelling, each unit beside one another

on one parcel. So, there will be a side entrance. um uh driveway and then the parking will be behind the house and everything. So you'll have four parking spaces behind and um can I interrupt you for a second? The way the house is oriented according to your plans, your front door faces that parking area in the back and [clears throat] your back door faces Fiser Street. Correct. the the front of the duplex would face Fiser Street. There's a rear entrance except

so which which one is which one is your proposed? So uh well this is the frontier. Okay. So if you're looking at the elevations Yeah. This is going to be facing Fiser Street and that's going to be which is it's pretty close to a mirror elevation. It appears to be. So the front and the back are going to be fairly very similar. It looks appears anyway. Yeah. So the front will have the three bays. Yeah. Okay. And the the awning or the roof. Yeah. They will have a small roof porch.

[clears throat]

Um looks like they're now the previous I I do remember this well. Um the previous single family dwelling you all required it to be um some sort of fiber cement as opposed to bottle. So and that's what you have required for other. So, um I think the design of the house, you know, it meets all the requirements of the zoning district and um we do have architectural standards in the downtown residential district. We require that all entrances have a co covered porch or stoop. And um and I think Bill's done a good job in terms of the design of the dwelling. The siding is

the siding uh is up for your determination. Um just to um to my negligence, I guess I did not realize this was in the historic district of the town of Smyrna when it went in for permitting. And so [clears throat] during the permitting process, it came up that this is in the the town of Smyrna or or the historic district of the town. And and I knew at that point there'd be requirements that you would speak to at this meeting today. And so this owner of course is open to um whatever those might be so that we can be in compliance with with um what you see this being. So, we knew siding would probably be something we'd have to maybe change and then resubmit. Um, there may be other things, too.

So, I guess what we're requesting is that the siding not be vinyl and the windows, at least on the street side, not be vinyl. Okay. All right. I can look at what we have for windows and things. So, I'll be glad to do that.

So, that obviously would have to be a motion in terms of what you would want them to do, right?

[clears throat] My only request for the windows is that if you if if if the front windows are going to be a different um if they're going to be um just make sure that they're the same color so that you don't have different colored windows in the house. So if you have a different window in the in the front is that they would at least not stick out so much like a sore thumb. [clears throat] I would like to request that the siding not only not be a vinyl, but that it should be cement board similar to like hardy board or some other one of those products.

One of those products. Right. So Carol, did you want to make a motion? Um I Yeah. um make that motion that the siding should be some sort of cement board or not not vinyl improve condition. Yeah. and windows

and the front windows should also that goes with a motion to approve as amended to include um something other than vinyl siding and windows Are there any other questions? Go anywhere though. I want to talk to you afterward. Okay. All in favor?

Motion is approved as amended. Thank you. Okay. [clears throat] Can we go now to 130 South Bay? Yes. Ah, okay. Good morning. This is my first time. That's okay. Um, you didn't get the memo about bringing donuts. No, from Philadelphia to to

you're you're you're forgiven. So th this house is um almost right on the other side literally from the application just the um existing house. The house had been renovated I believe in 2021 2022 and the applicant purchased the house and um the applicant put up a vinyl fence on the that kind of went um unfortunately almost all the way out to the um main street

almost all the way out to main street. So uh there was a few issues with this application. one one it was done without a permit and sometimes property owners don't realize they need a permit for for for fences but um this was somewhat unusual um in the sense that it's right next to the entrance of Sperna Health and Wellness Center um which is a very busy entrance you have 150 employees work that building and um at the at the request of the town engineer um they asked me to treat it as an intersection So there is a provision in the code for fences that um if it is at an intersection you essentially take 25 ft from the corner of the lot and you kind of go and you create a triangle. So 25 ft this way, 25 ft this way and you make a triangle and the fence can't be in there. So [clears throat]

from a zoning perspective, that's what um that's the town's position in terms of where where the fence can be located. So, so the existing fence has [clears throat] to go. Yes. And the and the applicant has actually already taken that front fence out. Yeah. So, if uh I walked walked by there yesterday, as a matter of fact. Yeah. Push it like 30 30. So, yes. So, Gabby went out there and measured and the applicant is going to be putting it 26 feet back from the front property lawn. Okay. [clears throat] 30 is it? Well, it showed here on 20 was 26. Oh, you changed it. And so you know you know [snorts]

okay so um so it's going to be that um and then it otherwise the it will be a white vinyl fence running up that property which essentially will abut up to that driveway entrance but it will be set back from that intersection so as not to impede sight distances for for those that are entering or exiting that site. um uh because it's um it will be behind the front plane of the house. It will not be in the front setback. It is permitted to be six feet in height u from those so those are the zoning issues. Um so he so he's in compliance now

he is well he will be once he gets your approval of course. Right. Right. Yes. Yep. I thought I saw somewhere on this that Yeah. Oh, and yes, I'm sorry. Would be vinyl. The the fence itself, you talk about the fence. The fence. Yeah, the fence is the fence is proposed as as vinyl. Um, and then there is uh you're going to be covering the patio that was there. Yes. And it's for my kids cuz I need to play at the back.

Okay. So, as shown here, this is the front of the house. So this is on this is this right here is size main street. This is this is an old survey which shows the old house that used to be there before they tore it down. Um the um so about halfway in the back of the house, it's a rectangular house. About halfway down there's a side is there side entrance. Trying to picture it. Side entrance and they're going to be you're going to be covering it. Yeah. It's just covering it.

So the proposed fence which is going to be set back from the plane of the house will be 6 ft in height. So this is going to be partially obscured by the new fence that will essentially essentially block you from seeing into the backyard and the sideyard. Yes. Okay. Does everybody understand that? There's a porch and then a patio. Yeah. So, you're covering the patio? Yes. Okay. Is it two doors there? One to the porch and one to the patio? I have two doors at the side of the house. Okay. So, it's the second door you're covering or the first door? Well, I did not cover the door. It's just half of it. So, okay.

This is the patio. This is This is the first door on the side. Then the patio is right there. That's the second door. So, I'm not even It's the first door you're covering. I'm not covering I'm not covering any door. Oh, there's no door that I'm covering. Oh, I thought you were putting a roof over the doorway. No, no, no. It's It's just on the side. Okay. These are the doors. Here's the patio. The patio extend here. Right. I'm just covering just Oh, in between. Oh, on the side of the house. Yeah. On side of the house. You're covering the patio. Yeah. So, it's not So, it's removable. Is it?

It's removable. something that you turn and it crank and it rolls back in. It's removable. It's It's wooden. I just place two two by two by um by by 10. So I I cut it down to like eight 8 foot high. So with um with um with um [clears throat] with um it's going to be plastic covered. It says Yeah. Yes. plastic cover, not

I wish I had all those information. Um the um the roofing, not the roofing sheet that I use. I use the um the uh it's it's like a vinyl roofing thing, [snorts] but all all are removable. Yeah, it's like um I've seen it for like um storage areas. Is it textured? Is it textured like wavy or corugated? It's not wavy. Just

flat sheets. Yeah, flat. I I can show you. Show a picture. Yeah. Yeah. If it's like if it's like the portable car ports that I've seen just a second, please. So, why why would you remove it if it I can understand if it's something it rolls back in. You don't need it. It's not a sunny day. you roll it back in and roll it out when it's sunny. But if it's something that you would No, it's not like it's removable like you can just go and just remove it part. It can be taken apart. It can be taken apart.

It's not going to be like a a permanent fixture. Like if somebody comes there, buys the house, doesn't like it, they can just unscrew it from the those This is already here. Yes, I didn't knew that. Uh because um I'm taking full accountability and responsibility. [clears throat] I could have Is that permitted?

Well, I'm talking about from from a building permit. If you would apply for a building permit for that, is that permitted? So that's what I'm saying. I don't I don't think so. Have you Have you applied for a building permit for that? No. That's why that's what I'm saying. Um Okay. But that's already in place. It's already installed. I don't remember seeing it when I walked by because the the fence was already there and that's why you can't see it.

Can we see that? We you we may need to have our building inspector look at it because you know if it's not permitted by the building code then it may not be you may not be able to get approval. You can come around here so we can go.

So it's a screened in porch. It's screening.

Yeah. I'm going to I'm going to advise that you you cannot approve this at this time. that the you're going to need to speak to our building inspector. Okay. So, Cody can help you to figure out a solution and um if if if it is deemed appropriate from a building code perspective, then we can bring [laughter] it back to the store. Okay. But you do have the ability to approve the fence.

This this fence is uh okay according to code, a sixoot vinyl fence. from a code, not from your discretion. You have the ability to ask for something different. However, [clears throat] a six-foot fence, even if you're seeing it from the road, it's considered not in the front because it is set back from the front plane of the house. It's set back 30 feet. Well, will be set back 30 feet. So, so it is not a six foot in the front yard. We prohibit six foot fences in the front yard. That's what I

and that is not permitted. However, if the front of the house up close to South Bank Street, it's going to be set back. So, you're going to see a sixoot fence from the street, but it'll essentially be in the side what's called the sideyard from a zoning. How far back from the front of the house is it? So, the front of the house is about five feet from the front. I mean, it's very close to the right, but from the corner of the front front house back to where the fence starts, how far is that distance? Um, it it's going to be probably about 20 ft, 25 ft. And it's going to be set back. Oh, from what? From the um from the house? Yeah, from the corner of the house. So, from the front of the house, how far back? It's like 20 something feet.

Oh, okay. So from the u from the street from the street to the to the fence when I push it back it's like 30 ft and I I went to 126 um South Main Street. Their fence there yours is is way way closer than mine. Mine is all the way inside. Okay. Yeah. Before you do anything else, skip on. I didn't know that's I didn't I did not because we moved from Philly from Philadelphia and we thought and this is our first time buying a house. I didn't realize that's why I said I take full responsibility. We appreciate that. We appreciate that.

So, um, do you have any additional questions? Um, so because this fence is 20 to 30 feet from the street, it's okay that it's it is from a zoning perspective. Yes. From a zoning. Yes. So, we have to just look at the final issue. Yeah. And uh you said defense is already up. Yes. The side of the So, the side that faces the um the driveway for the parking lot. Um the front

along the front of the house that went almost to the front of the house, it was in place and we put a stop. We said you had to go out and get permit. That part of the fence has been removed. So, they will be Can we request that that be something other than vinyl there in the front? you have the ability to request something other than vinyl. Um, so the that's a discussion between you and the applicant. The front of the house or the front of the fence facing Main Street. Is there a gate that's like a big gate? That's that's the gate for your car, right? To go in. Yeah, it's the gate. It's the gates for that one.

Is that there now? No, it was was it was there because I have to move it. It's been removed but not replaced. No. Yeah. Well, I did not put it yet because I was meant to come here today. But um I removed the um the post and push the post back. Right. Okay. So 30 ft from um the street. Okay. [clears throat] Then um they're on the side. And um like I said, take full responsibility for that. And I did all of that because I have a 2-year-old kid, 5y old and three years old. Oh, okay. I rather be secure than, you know, but do you have a big enough yard?

Yeah, but it's the street is right there. Yeah. What do you think? Is there a motion on the fence itself? Well, but what about the front part, the gate? That's part of the fencing game. Yeah. You're okay with it being one? Not really. [laughter]

Would you be willing to put um if you were to take the fence down to put a different material? What material did you have in mind? Would you want

[clears throat] Can you the the concern is the safety of your kids and you want to put a he wants a stock eight fence to keep you know to be able or dogs or anything of that nature because it and you want it six feet high. Yeah, [clears throat] I'm just thinking the gate could still be vinyl but be, you know, a different you not not a privacy fence. Well, I think What do you mean? So, you don't want a solid solid fence? [laughter] If that's if that's a concern, you know, it's the solid What's the fence look like now? Is it

It's just It's white, but it's board on board, right? Yes. Budded up to each other. Yeah. Or inside with with post, you know. Yeah. But it's You can't see through. It's solid. That's correct. Yeah. Okay. That's [clears throat] what I thought. I was thinking my neighbor has a six foot solid on one side, the library side. Um Oh, yeah. But then that's just there's no gate there, right? You know, the front is um probably vinyl, but it's okay. So, the front of the fence that faces Main Street, how how wide is that where the gate is? Um

10 ft. No, it's it's wider than that. It's um I was It's in the 20s. It says 26 on the No, it's it's not on the 20s. It's less than that. Because from the um from the um the side of the um the the from the side of the house. Yeah, that's 26 ft from the side of the house to the edge of the property line. That's 26. That's what I'm saying. That's 26 ft. That's what they're asking. So 26 ft across. [clears throat] Yeah. So

it used to be a double lot at one time probably in the next. So what had happened was the fence comes like this in the side then the gates one gates. Yeah. So that's how it is. And the gates are vinyl. Yes, they're vinyl. They match the they match the sign. Everything matches. And I cannot put wood there because wood can be more rusted. Oh, these are the gates. This was before he moved,

right? See if I can find

So, he's taking out some of this. Correct. I guess I don't Well, I'm thinking since this was before he's moving back from here. It's It's going to be there. Where's the [clears throat] Where's the This is going to be here. It's going to be here. Yeah. And so this distance is probably more than 50 ft. Yeah. So this is where it was prior and then he moved it back.

So maybe since it's that far back is there a motion on the fence portion of this uh application? I'll make a motion that we approve with the gate. Second. Okay. Moved and seconded that the gate shifted backwards. [clears throat] All in favor? So your your fence is approved for 30 feet back.

All right. Okay. So, somebody's going to reach out to me for the get with Cody and he'll go out there and if it's a you want to walk out there now? I can't now. You can't now. You have the inspections. Okay. So, he'll give you his contact information and he can meet meet you out there.

Is there anything else for the good of the calls? This is probably historic, but uh even though I've already been this has already been approved and everything, I just want to make sure now that I've had a chance to look through some of this stuff on the uh application. I see here that they're mentioning dark green or dark gray. Yeah. On the shingles. Yeah. Is that is one not good compared because it hasn't been this board cannot cannot dictate color. Okay. so that the homeowner has the choice of Okay. I just wanted to make sure we It looks like they narrowed it down two colors. And

yeah, that's two colors. And I also see that they marked architectural shingles even though on the other page it says it. I'm sorry. Coated steel or shingles. Yeah, but it looks like they somehow arite shingles. Okay. Well, no, they didn't approve it. just figured out. You can only defend when I seen it wasn't like dark gray or charcoal. It was green or gray. Then that's two different ball games, right? Okay. We all have

a construction standpoint.

You do or come up all the way. I hate to waste your time. Okay, so let us know. This is the building. Yeah.