Board approves porch railing, concrete steps at 7 Mission Street with staff stipulations

The Compliance and Technical Advisory Board voted Sept. 18 to approve a certificate of appropriateness for porch railing replacement and front‑porch step replacement at 7 Mission Street, accepting staff recommendations with stipulations about materials and dimensions.

Staff told the board the case came to OHP as a violation after a 6/29/2026 311 report that work was proceeding without a COA. Staff said they issued a stop‑work notice on 7/2/2026 and received a COA request on 8/10/2026. Staff recommended the railing feature both a top and bottom rail constructed from 2x4 members, installed about 3–4 inches above the porch decking, with a total height not exceeding about 3 feet and square balusters no larger than 2x2 inches; staff also allowed the applicant to propose a staff‑reviewed alternative based on nearby historic examples.

Paulette Jamal, speaking for the homeowner, said the family believed the railing was part of prior architectural approvals and that insurance requirements prompted the quick installation: “We got a letter from the insurance company saying that it really needed to be in place.” She asked the board to work with staff and allowed that she could submit photo examples of nearby Victorian houses to help staff evaluate alternatives.

Commissioners discussed architectural appropriateness, with one noting the house is a Queen Anne "free classic" subtype and that vertical pickets or turned balusters better match the style than the diamond motif the family proposed. Staff noted that a prior railing similar to today’s staff recommendation had been approved in 2016, and commissioners encouraged the applicant to provide photos of nearby examples to work out details with staff.

A motion to accept staff’s recommendations with stipulations passed on a unanimous roll call. Staff instructed the applicant to coordinate with staff (Steph) for final details and next steps.