Farmington HDC: Doors, Solar, Sidelights — and a Dam Project Start Date ⚖️
Roll Call and Setup
At a special meeting on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, at 5:00 p.m., the Farmington Historic District Commission convened with Town Planner Shannon Rutherford calling roll: Jim Calciano, Joanne Lawson, Michelle Phelan, Jay Bambara present; Cliff Mix absent. Alternates Liz Gemsky and Ted Sanford present; Henry Patel absent. Chair appointed Ted Sanford to serve as a regular member for the meeting. HDC Meeting Video (Aug. 19, 2025)
Public hearing notice covered:
- St. James Episcopal Church, 3 Mountain Road: Modification to temporary certificate of appropriateness (TCOA) to replace doors.
- ION Solar Pros LLC, 5 Maple Street: TCOA for rooftop solar installation.
Participation was hybrid from Town Hall, 1 Monteith Drive. HDC Meeting Video (Aug. 19, 2025)
St. James Episcopal Church (3 Mountain Road) — Doors
Applicant: Preston Williams, PAW Remodeling LLC (Farmington).
Two door items were reviewed:
1) South-Side Patio Door (Transom Pattern)
- Earlier HDC approval required a transom with four verticals / five panes (SDL).
- The unit delivered had a two-vertical transom per initial church specs; manufacturer now located matching four-vertical glass.
- Plan: install unit and swap transom glass to match prior approval; no new vote required. HDC Meeting Video (Aug. 19, 2025)
2) West-Facing Double French Door (Toward Main Street / Miss Porter’s)
- Existing opening: ~61 inches outside frame (under 5′ rough). Fiberglass not available at this size; radiators restrict widening.
- Proposed: insulated steel double door with transom, aftermarket SDL grids applied (trimmed to fit), and applied raised panel at bottom to mirror existing.
- Finish colors: exterior “Mountain Berry Red”, interior “Snow Mist White.” Sherwin-Williams match.
- Hardware: panic hardware, latching rods, LCN-type closers to meet ADA egress.
- Commission discussion acknowledged prior reluctance on steel at prominent entries; this west-side door is less visible. Liz Gemsky flagged policy concern; Ted Sanford and others cited constructability and visibility limits. Skip Mason weighed durability of wood in this exposure; staff clarified HDC does not rule on energy efficiency.
- Motion passed: grant TCOA modifying prior approval to add SDLs and panel moldings to match originals, with the record noting an “extreme exception” for steel at this location. Unanimous “Aye.” 🚪 HDC Meeting Video (Aug. 19, 2025)
5 Maple Street — Rooftop Solar (ION Solar Pros LLC)
Applicant/Homeowner: Brian Smith.
- Array location: rear (south-facing) roof, not visible from Maple Street.
- Equipment: concentrators/inverters consolidated above the existing utility meter in a side nook; remaining components in garage or rear.
- Revision submitted to minimize street view; questions on Pearl Street sightlines and potential glare addressed (flush mount; modern modules reduce reflection; tree cover noted).
- Motion passed: approve TCOA for installation as revised. Unanimous “Aye.” ☀️ HDC Meeting Video (Aug. 19, 2025)
7 Church Street — Front Door Sidelights Clarified (Old Business)
Team: Thomas “Tad” Diesel (owner), Jack Kemper (architect).
- Prior approvals produced a discrepancy: four vs. five lights in sidelights.
- Resolution: sidelights with a bottom solid panel matching the door’s panel, and three glass lights above; align bottom and mid-panel heights with the door for a consistent rail profile.
- Motion passed to clarify the approved sidelights accordingly. Unanimous “Aye.” HDC Meeting Video (Aug. 19, 2025)
Staff Report — Mitchell-Smith Dam Removal Starts Sept. 15
Shannon Rutherford reported notifications from Princeton Hydro and the Farmington River Watershed Association that the Mitchell-Smith Dam removal begins September 15 following state reviews and State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) coordination.
- Access/Staging: West bank via town property and farm field; coordination with farmers ongoing.
- Materials: Miss Porter’s School will receive cribbing wood from the structure.
- Public curiosity: Access on foot is possible from the fishing pier via a footbridge (an Eagle Scout project), but the path is informal; staff suggest bringing a buddy and a phone. 🥾
A pre-construction coordination call is scheduled next week. HDC Meeting Video (Aug. 19, 2025)
Minutes
July 15, 2025 minutes approved. HDC Meeting Video (Aug. 19, 2025)
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What Changed at St. James
- Patio Door: Transom corrected to four verticals / five panes (SDL) to match prior HDC approval; no new action needed.
- West-Facing Double Door: Steel unit approved as an exception, with SDLs and raised panel to match historic appearance; color match specified; ADA egress maintained. Vote: approved with the record noting the exception. Meeting Video
Solar at 5 Maple
- Rear-roof array; minimal public view; equipment consolidated. Vote: approved. Meeting Video
7 Church Sidelights
- Three-light sidelights above a matching bottom panel, aligned to the door’s rail heights. Vote: approved. Meeting Video
Dam Removal Timeline
- Mitchell-Smith Dam removal starts Sept. 15; staging on west bank; coordination with Miss Porter’s School for salvaged wood; SHPO involved. Meeting Video
About the Author
Jack Beckett writes about Farmington’s committees, commissions, and the many ways a transom can wreck a Tuesday. Fuel: two coffees before roll call, one after adjournment ☕️. Send tips, documents, and door lore.
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This article, “Farmington HDC OKs St. James Door Fix, 5 Maple Solar, and 7 Church Sidelights; Dam Removal Starts Sept. 15,” by Jack Beckett is licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0.
“Farmington HDC OKs St. James Door Fix, 5 Maple Solar, and 7 Church Sidelights; Dam Removal Starts Sept. 15”
by Jack Beckett, The Farmington Mercury (CC BY-ND 4.0)