Town of Abita Springs

The meeting covered several key agenda items requiring Certificates of Appropriateness. For Abita Lumber (21459 Hwy 36), approval was granted for an exterior renovation including replacing shingles, changing gutter colors, updating the parapet wall design, and changing window types and exterior paint colors. For 22265 Main Street, approval was given for a Fortified roof replacement utilizing two types of shingles. For 22146 Main Street, approval was granted for window, siding, and door replacement, with final paint colors pending confirmation. For 71615 Bossier Avenue, approval was granted for an exterior renovation involving adding a gable over the front door and removing a small window on the left side. In the discussion segment, the commission addressed the conceptual approval for using metal board and batten siding on an accessory structure, establishing criteria regarding material spacing, angle, dimensional stability, and delineation of profiles to set a precedent for future guidelines.

The meeting addressed several Certificates of Appropriateness, including the construction of a fence around a swimming pool at 71600 Leveson Street, an expansion to the west wall of Mama D's Pizza to accommodate a new oven, a waterproofing project at Artigue's Market, the addition of handrails to steps at 71350 St. Joseph Street, the construction of a new single-family residence on Lot 3A St. Charles Street requiring elevation and porch extension adjustments, the siting of a prefabricated storage building at 71450 St. Mary Street requiring material matching, and the replacement of a roof at 71351 St. Joseph Street. Discussion topics also included a cleanup project for 22099 Hwy 36, involving suggestions for landscaping, signage, and lighting improvements, and a sketch review for a new two-story storage building addition at the Trailhead. Furthermore, the Commission reviewed a draft amendment to the Design Review Guidelines regarding picket fences. Public comment focused on the Commission's emphasis on historic appearance versus architectural advice provided during project reviews.

The meeting included an amendment to the agenda to incorporate the review of Abita Middle School improvements and paint color for a proposed fence at 72125 Gum Street. The Commission reviewed and accepted the draft minutes from the previous meeting. Several Certificates of Appropriateness were reviewed and approved: one for installing a 6-foot high pool fence at 22133 Palmer Street; another for a complex fence structure at 72125 Gum Street, with an instruction regarding fence height transition; approval was granted for a single-family residence (intended as a guest house initially) on Hwy. 36 and St. Charles lots, including a recommendation to adjust the front gable design, and a note regarding exterior lighting restrictions; and approval for installing a side yard fence at 22338 Level Street that transitions in height. Revisions to the storage building and pickup canopy for the Abita Springs Middle School project were accepted, with a note on exterior lighting usage. A discussion concluded with the note that proposed amendments to the Design Review Guidelines concerning porches and corner lot fences were moved to the November Town Council meeting.

The meeting addressed several Certificates of Appropriateness. One application for a carport on White Street was deferred pending submission of scaling site plans and confirmation of zoning compliance, as the proposed structure did not meet roof pitch and material guidelines. A request for 4-foot high metal fences in the side and rear yards of 22315 Main Street was approved, subject to adjustments based on existing landscape features. The construction of a new house at 22164 13th Street and the installation of a 4-foot high black metal fence around a pool at 72219 Hickory Street were both approved. The request to replace a roof at 22160 Grover Street with metal material was approved. The Commission did not take action on the request to restore the shed at 22084 Main Street due to insufficient supporting documentation. A significant discussion occurred regarding unauthorized changes to the façade and windows at 71104 Hwy 59, noting that the installed brick color and style did not match the originally approved renovation plans. The Commission also discussed the need to assign approved Certificate of Appropriateness applications to individual commissioners for oversight of construction consistency and the importance of providing applicants with examples of complete, high-quality submission packets.

The meeting addressed several Certificates of Appropriateness. For one property, the Commission approved the construction of a 4-foot high fence and deferred action on siting an accessory shed, requiring a formal proposal for corrections to existing canopy columns before proceeding. Another application for a single-family residence was approved, with follow-up assigned regarding a privacy fence location. Approval was granted for a building addition on St. Joseph Street. Furthermore, the construction to enclose an outdoor storage area at the rear of a building was approved, as was the construction of a two-story accessory building with an office and apartment at 22040 12th Street. The request for enclosing a back porch as a sunroom was tabled due to the applicant's absence.