MINUTES OF THE MONTCLAIR HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION

NOVEMBER 18, 2004

Present: Chairman Jerry Mosier, Vice Chairman Ira Smith, Commissioners Susan Brady, Kathleen McDonough, Denis Orloff, Edward Lippincott

Absent: Jonathan Perlstein, Sabine Eck, John Morris

Also present: Jonathan Mellon, Commission Secretary

Order and Announcements: The meeting was called to order at 7:30 pm by Chairman Mosier. Mr. Mellon called the roll and stated that the Commission had a quorum. The notice of compliance with the New Jersey Open Public Meetings Act was read, indicating that appropriate notice was forwarded to the officially designated newspaper of Montclair and also posted in the Municipal Building.

Approval of Minutes: On a motion by Commissioner Lippincott and seconded by Commissioner Orloff, the minutes of the October 21, 2004 meeting of the Commission were approved.

Approval of Resolution and Certificate of Appropriateness

Adoption of Memorializing Resolution of Ho Yung – Excelsior Holdings, LLC, 292 Bloomfield Avenue On motion by Vice Chair Smith, seconded by Commissioner Orloff, the memorializing resolution was adopted as modified.

Adoption of Memorializing Resolution of Hudson United Bank, 536 Bloomfield Avenue On motion by Commissioner Brady, seconded by Commissioner Lippincott, the memorializing resolution was adopted as modified.

New Business

Application 2004-24 – David Dowd

460 Bloomfield Avenue (Block 3106, Lot 1)

At the time of the public hearing, David Dowd, the applicant, and Dennis Dowd his father and business partner, came forward and were sworn. The documents that had been submitted by the applicant as a part of the application package included: a completed application for Certificate of Appropriateness; photograph of the building façade with the proposed lettering superimposed.

The applicant was proposing to install new lettering on the façade sign for the building; “Division East Board Sports”. The new lettering will be located within the building sign location band, and will fill what is currently a blank space, as there is not any existing signage for the storefront currently in place. The new lettering is proposed to consist of plastic formed studded letters, which will be identical to the lettering used in the adjacent storefront to the east. The letters are to be black in color, and are to measure 12” in height, which again is consistent with the other lettering on the building façade. The applicant stated they are not proposing any additional changes to any other part of the storefront façade.

Dennis Dowd provided the Commission with some background information on the project, stating that the store would sell skateboards and snowboards, and that it would be the second store for the company as one has been open in Verona for a number of years.

Upon completion of the presentation by the applicant, the Commission discussed the proposal and noted that the changes to the façade would be in keeping with the style and colors of the existing signage on the building façade.

Chairman Mosier, hearing no further questions from the members of the Commission or staff, opened the meeting to the public for comments on the application. No public comment was offered.

On a motion by Commissioner Orloff and seconded by Commissioner Lippincott to approve the application, the Commission voted six in favor, with no negative or abstaining votes.

Application 2004-25 – Javier Santiago – Nest & Company

15 South Fullerton Avenue (Block 3106, Lot 19)

At the time of the public hearing, the applicant was not present. The documents that had been submitted by the applicant as a part of the application package included: a completed application for Certificate of Appropriateness; photograph of the building façade with the proposed lettering superimposed.

The applicant was proposing to install new window signage. The proposed new signage for the storefront window will consist of brown lettering affixed to the window, as well as a small brown colored company logo also affixed to the window. The proposed new window signage is to be located in the lower left hand corner of the storefront window, in an area measuring 24” by 24”. The applicant was not proposing any additional changes to any other part of the storefront façade.

As the applicant was not present, Mr. Mellon provided the Commission with a brief overview of the proposal.

Upon completion of the presentation by Mr. Mellon, the Commission discussed the proposal and noted that the changes to the façade would be minor in nature, and the proposed window signage was appropriate for the building.

Chairman Mosier, hearing no further questions from the members of the Commission or staff, opened the meeting to the public for comments on the application. No public comment was offered.

On a motion by Commissioner Lippincott and seconded by Vice Chair Smith to approve the application, the Commission voted six in favor, with no negative or abstaining votes.

Public Comment

There was no public comment offered during this portion of the meeting.

General Discussion Issues - Members of the Historic Preservation Commission

Mr. Mellon informed the commission that the Bank of America sign that had recently been installed at 439-449 Bloomfield Avenue is a temporary one. He stated that he had spoken with a representative of the sign company, and had been informed that the permanent sign was still in the process of being made, and would be installed in the coming weeks.

Mr. Mellon informed the Commission that Rockaway Bedding at 504 Bloomfield Avenue had removed the illegal awning and installed the new signage that was approved at the September 23, 2004 meeting.

Mr. Mellon informed the Commission that he had received a phone call from Paul Yeager, the owner of 34 Church Street regarding his ongoing efforts to restore the façade of his building. Mr. Mellon stated that he would follow up with Mr. Yeager to see if a solution could be found to address the problem of how to repair the existing glass panel façade.

Mr. Mellon informed the Commission that Commissioner Orloff had alerted him to some façade work occurring to the Hinck Building that had not been approved by the Commission. Mr. Mellon stated that he would be following up on the matter with the owner of the building, and would provide the Commission with an update at the December meeting.

Mr. Mellon informed the Commission that he would be contacting the representative for the Upper Montclair Business Association to see what progress had been made in reaching out to property owners in the proposed historic district. He stated that the matter would probably be revisited in January of 2005.

Vice Chair Smith informed the Commission of the need to have the Washington Mutual Bank branch site revisited due to a problem with the mortar that was used on the façade. He stated that the mortar used in the site where a planter had been located did not match that found on the rest of the building, and thus the applicant should be made to change it. Mr. Mellon stated that he would follow up on the matter.

Vice Chair Smith provided the Commission with some background on a potential CERP application for Rascal’s on Bloomfield Avenue.

Mr. Mellon informed the Commission that the budget for 2005 was going to be discussed in the coming weeks, and asked for the Commission’s input on what it should be for the coming year. The Commission stated its preference for an increase in the budget from the present $2,000 to between $10-15,000, in order to allow for new signage and maps for the existing Town Center Historic District and potential Upper Montclair district.

Proposed Expansion of the Town Center Historic District

Mr. Mellon began the discussion by providing the Commission with a copy of the nomination report for the expansion of the Town Center Historic District. The nomination report contained the following required elements:

A building-by-building inventory of all properties within the district;

Photographs of representative properties in the district;

A property map of the district showing boundaries;

A physical description and statement of significance for the district;

Mr. Mellon continued by providing the Commission with an overview of the process for the expansion of the district, and the required steps that would have to be followed. He stated that the public meeting on the matter, at which public notice to all affected property owners would be provided 20 days prior, would most likely be held at the January meeting of the Commission. He also noted that should the Commission adopt a resolution initiating designation of the expansion, a moratorium period of 180 days would be put into effect during which it would be required that the Commission review any alterations to the properties proposed to be added to the district.

Mr. Mellon also informed the Commission that efforts had been made to reach out to the Township Council on the matter, and that he had met with Councilor Lang who represents the area in which the proposed expansion would occur. He stated that Councilor Lang had expressed her initial support for the proposal as part of the effort to revitalize the eastern end of Bloomfield Avenue.

Upon completion of the presentation by Mr. Mellon, the Commission discussed the proposal and noted that the proposed expansion was small in scope, and followed the pattern that had been established by the earlier expansion of the district in 2003. The Commission also noted that the proposed expansion would serve to protect the eastern gateway to the district, by ensuring the protection of the large number of surviving historic structures along this stretch of Bloomfield Avenue, as well as by providing a buffer area for the DL & W Railroad Station which was noted as being one of the “Key” buildings in the existing district. The Commission stated that the expansion would ensure that any new construction on the vacant lots in the designated area would complement the architecture of the Station and other historic buildings, as opposed to the many inappropriate structures that had been built along this stretch of Bloomfield Avenue.

The Commission also discussed the importance of reaching out to the affected community and property owners, and expressed its desire to have the process be completely open to the public.

On a motion by Vice Chair Smith, seconded by Commissioner Brady to initiate designation of the expansion of the Town Center Historic District, the Commission voted six in favor, with no negative or abstaining votes.

Adjournment

There being no further business to come before the Commission, the meeting was adjourned at 8:06 pm on a motion made by Vice Chair Smith and seconded by Commissioner Orloff.

Respectfully submitted,

Jonathan Mellon, Commission Secretary