Historic District Commissioners Step Toward Digital Era

Quinnipiac River Historic District resident Karen Jenkins will become the newest commissioner on the Historic District Commission (HDC) if approved by the Board of Alders in March.

She’s joining in no small part because the establishing ordinance states that a proposal being voted on must have as one of the voting commissioners a representative from the specific historic district in question — which has not always been the case.

The HDC moved forward this week on that and other changes, including simplifying commissioner-ready forms in the run-up to an all-digital application process.

That happened at a special meeting and workshop this past Wednesday night with City Plan Deputy Director of Comprehensive Planning Aicha Woods.

Woods began by saying the broad range of applicants coming to her attention — from large new construction to a modest project like replacing windows in a Wooster Square coffee shop — has shown the need for a more standard application packet and checklist.

The current HDC application for a ​“certificate of appropriateness” requests narrative descriptions, photographs, and samples of materials. But there is no checklist to see if an applicant is ready. Nor is it clear what importance commissioners place on issues like construction-drawing level detail and neighborhood context.

HDC Chair Trina Learned saw the same problem but through commissioners’ eyes: ​“The accuracy [and preparation] of applicants has diminished. The public has construed our way of working with applicants as obstructionist.

“We don’t deserve to be villainized. The city needs to do its work” before applicants appear before the board, she added.

“I’m totally in agreement with this,” replied Woods. ​“If we had clear guidelines, that would help me prepare applicants.”

“We do need a more rational process for the applicant,” said Woods.

And a paperless one.

Woods said at present 11 full paper copies of every application are made, which includes lots of tree-consuming drawings, documents, renderings.

Making all that digital is in line with similar changes at City Plan, the Board of Zoning Appeals, and the Buildings Department, she said.

Learned replied that with elevations, architectural drawings, and large-format items, it’s hard to read all that on the screen alone. ​“We need to have something on paper,” she suggested.

Woods said that maybe large-size documents can be reformatted for the computer screen so they can be managed more easily.

“That’s a lot of scrolling,” replied Commissioner Susan Godshall.

Woods turned the conversation back to the need for a checklist, noting the City Plan Commission and the Board of Zoning Appeals use one. ​“There is a prescriptive checklist, and it might be helpful here,’ she repeated. ​“We’re anticipating a lot of new construction.”

Another issue that frequently comes up between Woods and a potential HDC applicant is whether HDC approval is needed if proposed changes in a structure are not visible from the public way.

“‘We’re in a historical district, but no one can see.’ I get that a lot,” Woods said.

Learned said that commissioners have often driven out to such a location in order to view for themselves whether changes proposed are seen from the public way

“Or even seen from the river. That comes as a shocker,” said Commissioner George Knight.

Within a few months the new online application should be on the HDC website, Woods said, along with a link to a platform where drawings and documents will also be uploaded.