Council denies Monument Avenue CAR appeal

In a special meeting called with just over 24-hours notice, City Council today voted to reject a Monument Avenue homeowner’s appeal to a unanimous Commission of Architectural Review decision regarding the installation of vinyl replacement windows. Voting against the appeal were council members Mosby, Hilbert, Agelasto, Baliles, Newbille, and Robertson. The first step was a […]

July 26, 2013; 2:55 PM • by West of the Boulevard News

The first step was a modification to Resolution No. 2013-R47 which would affirm the Commission’s disapproval of the originally proposed vinyl replacement windows but allow for a different set of windows (which were also not accepted by CAR). The amendment passed, with Council members Mosby, Hilbert, Agelasto, and Newbille voting against the amendment.

Public comment on the amended resolution included included statements by representatives of the Commission of Architectural Review, the Historic Richmond Foundation, and residents of several of Richmond’s Old and Historic Districts (PDF) including Monument Avenue, Union Hill, and St.John’s. All spoke against the appeal even as amended, and in support of maintaining the integrity of the historic designation.

Representing the homeowner, Bill Panele said that this was was an unfair singling out. Panele stated that 7 of the 14 houses on the block have vinyl windows, and pointsd out that CAR approved similar windows for another Monument Avenue house at their May 28 meeting, and also recently a house on North 27th Street in the Church Hill North district. A representative for CAR explained possible extenuating circumstances in these cases; Panele rebutted, calling CAR a “broken system”.

The homeowner has the right to continue their appeal through the courts.