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Consider an appeal of the Historic Preservation Commission's Conditional Certificate of Appropriateness for 607 East Main Street.
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On August 6, 2026, Grayce Yannuzzi of 607 E Main Street filed an appeal to City Council as permitted by Sec. 10-56 (a)(9) of the Zoning & Development Code. The appeal was made in response to the Historic Preservation Commission’s (HPC) decision on August 3 to issue a Conditional Certificate of Appropriateness (CofA) requiring Ms. Yannuzzi to correct certain components of modifications she made to the structure.
The applicant was seeking a CofA from the HPC retroactively for alterations she made to her property without building permits or the requisite historic review. The property has H (Historic Overlay) zoning which requires a CofA to be issued before any alterations are undertaken. Additionally, the property’s underlying zoning is MU-L (Mixed-Use Limited) which requires staff review for compliance with the residential historic design guidelines, regardless of whether the property has historic overlay zoning, to ensure compatibility with this part of downtown that contains the majority of the City’s historic residential properties.
The CofA application addressed modifications to a 2019 addition to the original structure, which was constructed between 1896 and 1900. The entire structure and site, including additions, are subject to the same review and permitting processes. Modifications that were completed without approval include:
• Replacing windows with door openings and new doors of a different style, and extending the eave as a shallow canopy;
• Replacing four double-hung windows with a single, fixed window of a different style;
• Enclosing part of a patio to create new interior space; and
• Addition of a new balcony on the south side of the building.
The HPC issued a Conditional CofA, determining that the Art Deco elements of the modifications are not appropriate for a Queen Anne style structure per the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and the City’s residential historic design guidelines, against which all CofA reviews are judged. See attached memorandum for a full description of the property and its Queen Anne architecture.
The HPC issued the following conditions:
• Approval of the structural alterations.
• Disapproval of the specific material selections because they have a strong style that is incompatible with and inappropriate to the style of the historic house, and because they have a non-residential appearance. These materials include the canopy with downlights and new doors on the west side, the window on the east-facing addition, and the design of the balcony and doors on the south side.
Since the alterations have already been completed, 607 E Main Street is in violation of the following sections of the City’s Zoning & Development Code:
• Violation of Sec. 2-73 (e) - Mixed-Use Limited (MU-L) zoning district design standards.
• Violation of Sec. 2-86. - H (Historic Overlay) district subsection (d) Certificate of appropriateness required for development.
• Violation of Sec. 10-56 - Certificates of appropriateness.
• Violation of Article X. Division 1. - Building Codes which adopts the International Building Code made part of the City’s Code of Ordinances including the requirement to obtain building permits prior to commencing work on a building.
Ms. Yannuzzi has received tax exemptions through the City’s Partial Tax Exemption for Historically Significant Sites program for each year from 2023-2026, resulting in the exemption of $16,023 in City property taxes during that time. The tax exemption requires conformance with city codes. The non-compliant items were noticed during the 2026 inspection for the property's application for a partial tax exemption. The property was recommended for approval for tax year 2026 on the condition that the non-compliant items be remedied. If significant progress has not been made toward remedying the items before next year's inspection, the property would likely be recommended to not receive the exemption in 2027. Applicants typically have one year to correct any issues associated with the annual tax exemption inspection of the property.
On August 3, the HPC voted 6-1 to issue the Conditional CofA specifying that the Art Deco elements of the project cannot remain. Plans and permits have not been submitted to meet these conditions. Instead, Ms. Yannuzzi filed an appeal to request that City Council overturn the HPC’s decision. Should City Council approve Ms. Yannuzzi’s appeal, she will still be required to obtain building permits to ensure safety and code compliance.
The following files are attached as supplementary materials:
• Staff analysis provided to the HPC for consideration of the CofA request.
• The HPC’s Conditional CofA from August 3.