of Chillicothe, Ross County & South-Central Ohio
of Chillicothe, Ross County & South-Central Ohio
City of Chillicothe
I'll get to you on that...
I'll get to you on that...
Safety Service Department Office Manager Debbie Engelman manages communications, and on request can mail or email the upcoming agenda and sometimes other items. She also keeps the files of the board in her office at the foot of the stairs in the City Administration Building, 35 South Paint Street.
The board meets in the First Floor Conference room 15 in the City Administration Building, 35 South Paint Street. For anticipated large audiences (and for a few regular meetings in late 2003 and early 2004) the board can meet in city council chambers / courtroom across the street.
Discussed extensively and approved unanimously (after asking for my input)
Mr. Kunzelman has recently acquired the property at 20 East Water, behind his Paint Street properties, previously owned by the "Boilermakers." It also includes the realtor's office on Water Street, a brick-faced concrete block wall along Water Street, a recent wood frame shed behind the wall, a paved parking area, and a chain link fence at the rear along the alley.
The four small rear additions are very small additions to larger rear additions, being one-story, ranging from 3 to 4.5 feet deep, and the width of the storefronts. Three of the rear additions have wooden walls, and one has brick. I observed them the day before (February 16th).
The Boilermakers had built a concrete block wall on the edge of their parking lot, on the west edge of their property, at the rear of Kunzelman's properties. This was built right against the wooden walls of three of the rear additions, causing the them to deteriorate. Mr. Kunzelman has demolished the concrete block wall (with a permit from the Engineering Department), which exposed the additions. He said the wooden walls of the additions almost fell down on their own. He wanted to demolish the addition at that time was time constraints did not permit that.
(Board member Ron Bettin mentioned that when he and Jim Compher were new to the board, the Boilermakers built the shed without notification. A letter was sent on that issue but the Boilermakers did nothing about it. The shed is a kit shed, and stands just behind the wall along Water Street, its white gabled roof projecting a few feet above it.)
Mr. Kunzelman plans to demolish the additions (and remove the shed and unused utility pole) to create more parking places and new rear doors to the shops ("Hourglass Traditions," the computer shop, etc.). The new rear walls will have steel security doors and an "attractive" wall of brick or siding. The rear fence will remain. With all this he hopes to reopen/create 6 new parking places, for a total of eight.
Mr. Kunzelman applied for a permit in the city engineering department to do the work. Since the additions are not visible from the street (and DRB chooses to not regulate anything not visible from the street - as stated by Ron Betting in previous meetings) Mr. Kunzelman felt DRB approval was unnecessary, but was told by engineering that "there have been complaints" and that he needed to get approval by the Design Review Board - and that the department is telling everybody that.
Board member Joe Molnar moved to approve all four demolitions (of the four additions) but Board Chairman Jim Compher mentioned that the board makes a separate motion for each demolition application "because of [previous city Law Director] Bunstein said." I was in the tiny audience at the back of the room, and Mr. Compher then asked me for my opinion.
I told the board, surprised by the request, "I appreciate the question. In my professional opinion, the additions have no architectural or historical merit, and no one can be opposed to their demolition." The application was approved unanimously. Mr. Kunzelman asked if the engineering department will know about it tomorrow, and Secretary Debbie Engelman said it will be on their desk tonight.
Mr. Kunzelman commented that "there is a 'disconnect' between the building department" and the DRB, and that 'you can feel the bureaucracy in the engineering department - there ought to be a better way.' Mr. Compher said he feels that is better now - "we've been riding their tail" - but that too often people come in at the last minute and expect to get a permit.'
Discussed extensively and not voted on
The owner of AMA Sign Company (I did not catch his name) showed an mock-up of the 2x16 ft. painted plywood sign designed for the new "Bag of Bones" shop at 72 West Water Street. He explained that it used light brown and cream, colors on the accepted color chart. The illustration showed the sign above the existing awning sheltering the storefront, spanning part of the wall below the second floor windows. He also mentioned that the name of the business was also sewn onto the awning. The board noted that that had not been brought to their attention.
Board member Mr. Bettin asked why the sign was not the full width of the storefront, explaining that he likes to see a signboard to fit the shop; this is partly planning for the future, so other businesses who use the space can use the same signboard. Mr. Molnar concurred. The owner of AMA Sign Company explained that the designed logo just fit better into the space shown.
I realized that the board members were not realizing that the sign was not in the typical signboard space at the top of the storefront, and was instead located above that, on the 'knee wall' of the brick second floor, above the woodden storefront. I pointed that out, noting that it was unusual to have a sign that high. I also said that it was good to favor signs that are the full width of the storefront, but if the sign is to be permitted where it was illustrated, its shorter width works better aesthetically there since it lines up with the windows.
The owner of AMA Sign Company added that the name of the business had been sewn onto the front of the awning. The board noted that it had not been brought to their attention. The owner of AMA Sign Company said the awning was in bad shape and he though it needed to be taken down.
Board member Mr. Bonner (and Mr. Molnar) agreed that the sign was higher than all others downtown. The owner of AMA Sign Company said there were a few that high, including the "ERA" sign on Paint Street. Board members mentioned that it was not installed the way it had been presented to them.
Mr. Bonner moved to approve the application, but withdrew it after Mr. Molnar discussed that fact that there is an unapproved sign on the awning now, but the business knows it needs to get approval for the other sign, which is not in the usual signboard location, and that he was concerned about aesthetics. The board decided to not vote on the application. Mr. Bettin commented at the end that "that was the right thing to do."
Mr. Molnar said it would be convenient is there were a binder with photos of all the buildings in the Preservation District that Board members could consult when discussing an application. He turned to me and said 'maybe that's something you could do.' I responded that I may be part of a group that is discussing doing just that. (More soon on that soon, hopefully...) I also joked that the Board should urge Pat Medert to complete the rest of her series on downtown streets.
There was no mention of the Design Criteria for Signs in the Preservation District for the Design Review Board to guide the board's discussion and decision.
Explained, and no vote needed
Mr. Bill Squbb, representing the Walnut Street United Methodist Church, explained the church's activity at the former Schilder Produce Warehouse and other buildings at the northeast corner of South Walnut Street and West Fourth Street. He wanted the explain that the delay in activity is not due to lack of funds.
He showed a "rough version" illustration of the site plan that had been presented last year, when the board granted approval of the demolition in March of 2004. He also showed a blueprint plan.
Mr. Squbb explained that the church wants to widen the alley for the sake of traffic, and is talking to the city about that, and trying to figure out whether they should donate land or an easement or something else. The holdup in starting the demolition was because the church had to work on their capital campaign during spring and summer. They concluded their purchase of the property on 10 December 2004, and quickly proceeded to the demolition. Finishing the demolition has been delayed by getting the electrical service disconnected from the warehouse; the church wants to have the service buried, and needed new equipment, which required new permits. The new connection has been completed.
Mr. Squbb explained that the wall screening the parking lot is still being formulated, and that the church will reapproach the Board for its design. (He had earlier mentioned that wall will be 6 ft. tall along the rear, eastern property line, and only 2.5 to 3 ft. tall along Walnut Street.) The church's long-term plan is to continue the wall along the alley. One of the Board members said he thought they were planning to "jump the alley," instead continuing along Walnut Street beyond the alley, along the parking lot the church also has north of the alley. Mr. Squbb said he didn't recall that discussion, but will look into it. Mr. Molnar mentioned that there was "a screening issue" here... I think there was some confusion on both sides about this, and didn't entirely follow the conversation... Mr. Bettin said it would be best to continue along Walnut, instead of the alley, but he does not want to compound their costs. Mr. Squibb said the church is thinking about long-term plans, for when the asphalt of the north parking lot will need to be replaced, and a wall could be conveniently built then.
Mr. Squbb said that they are planning to use "streetscape lighting" in the parking lot. The lot should be ready by summer, and he should be back before the board in a couple of months. A church member is interested in moving the house at 89 West Fourth Street in the spring, which is the church has approval to demolish. Mr. Compher (jokingly) suggested it would be best to move it across the street [to replace the abandoned warehouse at the opposite corner] but Mr. Squibb (seriously) said the lot may be too narrow. He said the church is talking with the city engineer about their proposed curb cut there, to allow easier access during rush hour.
The only nominations - and unanimously re-elected officers - were Jim Compher, chair and Joe Molnar, vice chair.
