Historic Commission Sends Oversized Douglas Road Garage Back to Drawing Board

Running its October 7, 2020 meeting in Chair Robert Herrigel's absence, Vice Chair Sarah Githens presided over a commission that pushed back hard on a proposed three-car garage at 50 Douglas Road. Owner Ian Peterson and architect Matthew Smetana presented a 38-by-30-foot garage with a cupola, second-floor office, and half bath, but commissioner Grisafi -- echoed by others -- argued the building was too large relative to neighboring homes and would be highly visible from both streets on the corner lot. Rather than force a vote, the commission asked the owner to study other neighborhood garages for scale and consider changes to the roof and door spacing to reduce its bulk; the owner agreed to revise the design and return at the commission's November meeting.

The commission also divided over an application from William and Ashley Rose at 497 Ridgewood Avenue to relocate rear windows to the center of the kitchen wall. The application passed 4-2, with Vice Chair Githens and commissioner Moriarty voting no.

Six other applications passed unanimously: a scaled-back exterior lighting upgrade at the Bank of America branch at 227 Ridgewood Avenue; new front porch railings at 259 Ridgewood Avenue for Craig and Michelle Snyder; relocation of a side entrance door at 112 Essex Avenue for Joseph and Loretta Marchesi; a small addition at 456 Ridgewood Avenue for Trish and Brian Flood; a covered entry porch at 94 Sunset Avenue for Lora and Todd Perlow; a chimney repair and partial removal at 30 Hamilton Road for Jaimie Meglaughlin and Jeff Krotzer; and a garage rebuild at 521 Belleville Avenue for Diane Schaming and Bill Schaller.

What to watch

• The owner of 50 Douglas Road is expected to return with a revised, smaller garage design at the commission's November meeting.