Historic Preservation panel approves Habitat home at 1327 Columbia Street with door and siding changes; roof pitch deferred to staff

The Lafayette City Historic Preservation Commission on March 30 approved plans for a new Habitat house at 1327 Columbia Street with two design conditions and deferred a final decision on roof pitch to staff.

COA committee member Michael introduced the project and told the commission the house is in a local historic district and that a permit had been issued and foundation work already begun. "We have new Habitat home construction at 1327 Columbia Street, which is in a local historic district," Michael said.

Why it matters: the commission weighed neighborhood compatibility concerns — notably roof pitch and decorative shingles — against construction timing and cost. Commission member Dan told the panel that many nearby Queen Anne and Victorian houses have much steeper roofs and suggested fish-scale shingles in the gable fields rather than the standard shakes shown on the plans.

Applicant response and logistics: the applicant, Amato, told commissioners the builder had already ordered assemblies to a 6:12 roof pitch and that those materials were scheduled for delivery Friday. "They are actually due to be delivered this Friday as a 06:12 pitch," Amato said, explaining the practical constraints of changing the built assemblies.

Recusal and conflict of interest: one commissioner announced a recusal before the vote, saying the applicant is a family member. "I'm gonna be recusing myself from voting for obvious reasons," the commissioner said. The recusal was noted on the record before the commission voted.

Decision and conditions: Commissioners agreed to two amendments to the submitted plans — replacing the gable shakes with fish-scale shingles and accepting the 3/4-style door adjustment — and authorized staff (Dan and Michael) to address the roof pitch administratively if a steeper pitch proves feasible without delaying or unduly burdening the Habitat build. Commissioner Shauna moved to approve the plans with those conditions; the motion was seconded by Commissioner Alec and carried.

What the record shows and what it does not: the record records the commission's approval and the stated recusal but does not document individual roll-call votes. The transcript indicates ayes were called and the motion carried; individual vote attributions were not recorded in the transcript.

Next steps: staff will follow up with the applicant on roof-pitch feasibility and any resulting adjustments; no other formal staff report items were presented and the meeting moved to adjournment.