 Welcome to the Monday, May the 15th meeting of the Montpelier Design Review Committee. Let's members and staff introduce themselves. Benjamin Cheney member. Meredith Crandall staff. Martha Smersky member. Steven Everett member. Lance Pritchett member. At this, yes. Okay. At this point, we'll let Meredith review the remote meeting procedures and process. Okay. So I do still have to go through this because this is more for people who are on via ORCA. But I will try and minimize it. Okay. So for anyone watching tonight's design review committee meeting via ORCA media, you can participate in tonight's meeting via the Zoom platform. Through either video or telephone access options. To join directly through Zoom with the video options, please type this link into your web browser. And it should take you right into the Zoom platform. I will see a request to have you admitted and I will do that and let you into the meeting. Alternatively, you can dial this phone number and when prompted, type in this meeting ID. And again, I'll get a little prompt to let you into the meeting. If anyone is trying to get into the meeting and having problems, please email me at mcrandallatmontpillier-vt.org. I'll be monitoring my email throughout the meeting. If you do sign on via Zoom, please know that turning on your video is optional. And we do ask that everyone keep your microphone on mute when you're not speaking. This will reduce background noise. Please note that in the event the public is unable to access this meeting, then I would find that out via my email. It will need to be continued to a time, place, and certain. I'll now hand the meeting back over to the chair. Could one of the members make a motion to approve the agenda? So moved. And I'll second it. All in favor of the agenda, speak your names. Martha. And Steven. So agenda is approved. Unless anybody has anything else to add at this point, we can go to the first application for 188 Berry Street for replacement of front steps. I'm assuming you're Dan. No. No. OK. Yeah, once you sit. I don't know. Sorry. Introduce yourself. And just you can pull the microphone closer to yourself. So it's right in front of you, it'll be a little easier to keep track of. My name is Jim Coppick. I live at 2 Hebert Road in Montpelier. And I'm the father of the applicant, Dan Coppick. Oh, OK. His project was handed to me a couple of weeks ago. And since then, he's had a new addition to their family. He's got a 12-day-old baby at home. Wow. So I assume he's not on the Zoom? No. OK. He hasn't logged in. So if he does, if he pops in, I'll let him in. But we can get going. So I'll do the best I can. This is my drawing that I prepared to submit with his oversight. I'll scroll down to the drawing. Here we go. So Liz can see, Liz does have a copy of this whole file as well. But this is where everybody can see. Is this a single-family house? Yes, it is. A house like that house. Not the detailing. Looks like he's got some crumbling concrete. Well, not anymore. We demolished it last weekend. Well, having it there is almost more of a safety hazard than not having anything there. Right. I mean, that's. So the baby gate is closed and. Yeah. Well, you don't want anybody trying to come up them for deliveries or anything. It was a mixture of concrete and granite chips. And what? Granite chunks embedded in the concrete. And you're anticipating wooden steps? Is that correct? Do you not yourself? With some help from all three sons that are in town. And I hope to get some help from them. By the way, you can find the pre-cut stringers that are made to code. Yes. Or the alternative. And we always sometimes will approve. You can, they're a little bit expensive, but they make a galvanized steel tread that you put down that has slats between the vertical steel pieces so that any snow and ice just goes right through. You never have to shovel your stairs. And you can use those with a solid stringer. In either case, check with your insurance company. They may want you to put spindles on the stair rails. As a guard. Now that you've got a little guy or girl in the family, they frequently recommend that for safety reasons. And they space a maximum of four inches apart. Just because of the at the upper height of the stairs in case a toddler wanted to wander through and fall through the opening. OK. But they aren't required by the city. I'm not sure if they're required by code, but I'm very familiar with insurance companies' thoughts on them. The insurance companies will often require them to make sure you have that guarding, both on the spindles for the railings, but especially anything for the porch. I mean, it looks like you've already have something there for the porch that's probably the right height. Usually if any opening, and it depends on the company, usually if any opening on a deck or a stair is, and again, depends on the company, 24 inches up to 30 inches, somewhere in there. The company wants people to put spindles in, again for safety's sake, for kids, basically. Well, I asked Dan about that. And he thought he would continue the plywood guard that you see. Yeah, on the railing for the porch itself. Right. When you say continue, he thought he would put those on the side, on the railing. On the side of the stairs, under the railing. On the railing and the tread, or between the railing and the stringer, depending on how you attach it. Again, they like to see either vertical or horizontal spindles, so there's an opening there between the railing and the tread. And again, four-inch maximum opening. And again, it depends on the company, but it's worthwhile to check as long as you're doing the stairs, if you make them happy, it might be worth it for you. OK, we'll ask the insurance company. I didn't know they were on the committee. They're not, but. It wouldn't be a requirement of the permit. Just letting you know so that you don't have the insurance company then come back and tell you, oh, nope, you have to change this. The code does have a height, and I think the code is usually 30 inches. And anything above that, everything has to be spindled and protected. But again, as long as you're building it, it might as well check that out. And they've been in contact with Michelle about the building permit. Are you replacing any of the lattice work around underneath the deck? Yeah, there's lattice work that's missing, and we haven't talked about that. You're talking about under the deck? Yes. Yeah, we haven't talked about that. OK, I mean, if it's a replacement of something that was already there, there shouldn't be an issue. It's just that's considered maintenance, so you don't have to come back for any approval for that. And again, you could use either that diagonal or the diagonal is what's there now, and then they make a vertical horizontal, which is historically correct. And you could use either one of those again without any necessary approval. OK. Anybody else have any comments, questions, or suggestions? OK, I can go through. There's a set of criteria regarding projects in the design review district. And I'll just read through those and check them off. Exterior design and materials of new construction or alterations of existing buildings shall be consistent and compatible with the characteristics of the existing building or other properties in the district. Additions and alterations to nine historic nine contributing structures shall respect to be compatible with existing patterns and setbacks found in adjacent buildings. New additions on nine historic and nine contributing structures that overshadow or diminish the historic character of adjacent contributing structures are prohibited. This is acceptable. Existing buildings shall be recognized as a physical record of their time, place, and use acceptable. Alterations to buildings called for by public safety, accessibility, and fire codes shall be designed to maintain the character of the construction materials and features to the maximum extent feasible, acceptable. Architectural features, including but not limited to cornices, windows, shutters, fan lights, and tablature, trim, and other forms of molding or character defining detailing prevailing on the existing building shall be considered in the alteration of a building acceptable. And that is all the criteria that apply. All in favor of the application, speak your names. Martha, I'm a yes. Yes, yes. And Steve, yes. So passes four to zero. Would you feel comfortable signing this form since you're here just to acknowledge the recommendation form? OK, that's great. I'm doing it again. I will get this to Audra. And the permit should be issued in the next day or two. You want to come up and sign? You can just sign in that space right there. Thank you very much. I don't know if we have your contact information. Do you want, should we just mail this out? I don't know how much I'm going to brush you right again. Thank you. What's your project? What's with your new grandchild? Yes, grandpa. Take care. Thank you. And has everybody had a chance to look at the minutes from May the 1st? Concerned about one part of it, which is that regarding the 28th State Street Overlake Park, that the vinyl lettering was secured using grommets attached, grommets slash a. OK, so I can just get rid of the grommets slash using existing attachments into the mortar between the brakes. Perfect. Grommets indicate to me something in a piece of fabric. Yeah. I didn't go back to the recording to listen to that term. And I just chusted Tammy, but I'm happy to take it. I think what they meant was probably the anchors. Yeah, yeah, which just doesn't read professionally. Yes, no, no, I'm happy to take that out. Any other adjustments noticed or needed? No, but with that correction, then I'll vote for I make a motion to accept these. Do I hear a second? I second. All in favor of the minutes from May the 1st, speak your names. Martha. Steve. Martha. The minutes are approved. Awesome. Anyone have anything else to bring up? If not, do I hear a motion to adjourn? So moved. And I'll second it. All in favor of adjournments, speak your names. Ben. Martha. Yes. And Steve, meeting is adjourned. Thank you all for coming.