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Historic District Commission Regular Meeting

Town of Hillsborough · Historic District Commission
Wednesday, September 3, 2025 at 6:30 pm

Regular meeting Historic preservationPublic facilities

Agenda document Full packet Minutes Meeting page Watch Meeting recap

What was decided

  1. Continued 6.ACertificate of Appropriateness Application: 311 W. Orange St. - New construction house Continued to the October 1, 2025 meeting, 6-0.
  2. Continued 7.ACertificate of Appropriateness Application: 208 S. Cameron St. - West-facing addition in existing courtyard area Continued to the October 1, 2025 meeting, 6-0.

Read from the agenda's recorded outcomes. Where the board published minutes, those are the record — this is a pointer to them.

What's on this agenda

The Historic District Commission holds quasi-judicial hearings on two certificate of appropriateness applications, which bind the property owner once decided (unlike a landmark designation, which the commission can only recommend to the town board). One continues a hearing on a new house proposed for 311 W. Orange St. (PIN 9864883297), filed by Hoeken Design Build for owner HTKT Investments, LLC. The other opens review of a west-facing addition to the Orange County Board of Elections building at 208 S. Cameron St. (PIN 9874153612), designed by Smithsinnett architecture for owner Orange County Asset Management.

The agenda also calls for approval of minutes and a written decision from the commission's Aug. 6 meeting, and general updates from staff and committees.

Summarized from the published agenda. Read the agenda itself before acting on it.

Meeting recap

What happened, drawn from the records published after the meeting. Minutes

Commissioners continued both applications to their Oct. 1 meeting, each by a 6-0 vote. Uriah Dortch, representing applicant Hoeken Design Build, told the commission the house's siting at 311 W. Orange St. followed a septic field required because the lot sits more than 100 feet from town sewer. No members of the public testified on this application. Commissioners raised concerns about removing mature trees and disrupting the site for septic, but centered on a front-facing garage that members Sara Riek, G. Miller and Bill Warren said made the design incongruous with the district as a whole. Dortch asked to continue the case rather than risk denial.

For the 208 S. Cameron St. addition, architect Drew Wilgus of Smithsinnett architecture and Angel Barnes were sworn in on behalf of the application, along with planner Joseph Hoffheimer. Neighbors Michael Reeves, of 211 S. Cameron St., and Arthur Axelbank, co-owner of 210 S. Cameron St., were sworn in and testified in public comment, raising concerns about the loss of the building's rear terrace and about construction noise and flooding risk. Commissioners said a gabled parapet meant to screen new HVAC units read as artificial, comparing it at one point to a movie set. The commission continued this application to Oct. 1 as well, 6-0.

How the votes went

Both certificate of appropriateness applications were continued to the Oct. 1, 2025 meeting by unanimous 6-0 votes; neither drew a dissenting vote. The commission also approved the Aug. 6 meeting's minutes 6-0, with Vice Chair Hannah Peele abstaining, and approved that meeting's written decision 6-0.

From the published minutes.

Speaking at this meeting

Town of Hillsborough's own rules for public comment — check them before you rely on anything here.

Agenda items (2)

Public hearing · 2
  1. 6.A Certificate of Appropriateness Application: 311 W. Orange St. - New construction house
    Public hearing Historic preservation
    An applicant sought approval to build a new house at 311 W. Orange St. Commission members questioned the prominence of the proposed garage and its straight driveway, which several called incongruous with the historic district.
    Continued to the October 1, 2025 meeting, 6-0.
    • 311 W Orange St · no matching parcel on file
    • Pin 9864883297 · Hoeken Design Build, LLC · assessed $129,000
  2. 7.A Certificate of Appropriateness Application: 208 S. Cameron St. - West-facing addition in existing courtyard area
    Public hearing Historic preservationPublic facilities
    An applicant sought approval for a west-facing addition in the existing courtyard at 208 S. Cameron St. Discussion covered screening for new HVAC units and two existing gabled windows, which will remain boarded up in their current condition.
    Continued to the October 1, 2025 meeting, 6-0.
    • 208 S Cameron St · no matching parcel on file
    • Pin 9874153612 · Orange County · assessed $3,808,100

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