Historic Preservation Board approves requests on two island properties

■ BY SUE ERWIN
The Boca Grande Historic Preservation Board approved two certificates of appropriateness at its monthly meeting on Wednesday, July 12.
The first item on the agenda was a request to construct a new residence and rehabilitate an existing guest suite and garage at 981 9th Street in Boca Grande.
The applicant proposes to construct a one-story, 3428-square-foot single-family residence and to renovate an existing garage/guest suite fronting upon 9th Street East to match the proposed single-family residence.
The property also contains a wood dock and boathouse, which are proposed to remain unchanged by this application. The subject property is listed as a non-contributing property in the Boca Grande Historic District.
Therefore, changes to the subject property are required to be consistent with the design guidelines manual for the Boca Grande Historic District and Land Development Code Chapter 22.
Representatives for the applicant gave a short presentation in support of the project.Lee County planning staff reviewed the site plan and architectural elevations for the subject property and agreed that the proposed one-story, single-family residence is consistent with the Design Guidelines Manual for the Boca Grande Historic District and Chapter 22 of the Lee County Land Development Code.
A motion was made to approve the item and it passed. The second item on the agenda was a request to construct two additions totaling 379 square feet, a new entry porch, a new pool and associated walks and terraces, and a new masonry wall and fence, and to relocate and reorient an existing cabana structure at 1821 West 18th Street in Boca Grande.
The applicant is seeking a special Certificate of Appropriateness to complete a series of interior and exterior modifications to the subject property and the existing residence thereon.
The applicant proposes two building additions, a new entry porch, a new swimming pool, a series of new terraces and walks, and a new masonry wall and fencing to provide a visual buffer for the proposed pool. A series of cosmetic improvements to the existing residence are also proposed.
An on-site accessory cabana is proposed to be relocated within the site and will be reoriented from an east-west orientation to a north-south orientation. The subject property is listed as contributing in the Boca Grande Historic District. Therefore, any changes are required to be consistent with the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and Land Development Code (LDC) Chapter 22.
Representatives for the applicant gave a short presentation in support of the project.Lee County planning staff reviewed the Certificate of Appropriateness submission package and agreed the project is substantially consistent with the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and LDC Chapter 22 subject to the following conditions of approval: The architectural plans must be revised to incorporate staff recommendations contained in the analysis of the project’s compliance with the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings; The applicant must record a covenant in the public records that clearly indicates the uses allowed or prohibited in the cabana pursuant to Section 34-1 182 of the Land Development Code; The applicant must obtain all required building permits.
A motion was made to approve the item and it passed.Four board members attended the meeting: Bill Caldwell, Susan Hanafee, Tim Seibert and Guerrino Savio.
The next meeting is planned to take place at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, August 9, 2017.