Connie Postupack and Diana Hodgson were unanimously reelected chair and vice chair, respectively, at the Historical and Architectural Review Board’s first regular meeting of 2023 Jan. 4.

Jen Axelbend and Paul Biondo were granted a certificate of appropriateness for their proposal to replace the garage doors for the detached garage at the back of their corner property at 428 High St. The applicants surmised the structure was a former carriage house built circa 1900 when the residence was erected, as they both were constructed of the same bricks.

After much discussion, they were okayed to remove three sets of heavy sliding garage doors with a set of two overhead doors separated by a brick column with wood trim. The new center column is to match new columns on either side of the opening that will accommodate the tracks and hardware to operate the new doors. The front of the garage faces Wall Street.

With the old doors measuring 8-foot, 8-inches tall, and the replacement overhead doors at 8 feet high, the trim at the top will be extended downward. The paint scheme is to match existing trim.

The design is similar to what had been approved in the past for another side of the structure facing the back alley.

The applicants were advised to provide a detailed plan showing measurements and light fixtures when applying for the building permit.

As a follow-up to the December meeting, the commissioners held another public, but informal conversation on issues such as streamlining the application process.

Historic Officer Joseph Phillips suggested tweaks to the form including the property owner providing a building’s date of construction and if their proposal follows historic guidelines.

Mike Simonson, also Bethlehem’s chief building inspector, proposed charging a nominal HARB application fee to fund compliance inspections.

There was consensus that an effort should be made to inform the public better about the historic district. Although there is information posted on the city’s website, they discussed how those purchasing property within a historic district may be unaware of what their responsibilities are.

The commissioners noted that the public would need to be notified of any proposed changes to the application process before they could be enacted.

The Historical and Architectural Review Board regularly meets the first Wednesday of every month to review all exterior changes proposed to buildings in the Bethlehem Historic District north of the Lehigh River. When a proposed project receives a certificate of appropriateness from the board, applicants must wait for City Council to vote on it before proceeding. Meetings can be viewed on YouTube.