The Land Use, Housing and Transportation Standing Committee on Wednesday voted to forward resolution 2025R044 to council with a recommendation to approve a retroactive certificate of appropriateness (COA) for 510 West 20th Street in the Spring Hill City Old and Historic District.

The action asks council to reverse, in part, a decision of the Commission of Architectural Review (CAR) and to fully support the property owner’s retroactive application, after the committee heard competing explanations from CAR staff and the homeowner.

Alex Dandridge, preservation planner and secretary to the Commission of Architectural Review, told the committee the Commission partially approved the homeowners’ application: porch roof material (standing seam metal) was approved, but replacement of the main standing seam metal roof with asphalt shingles was denied. Dandridge said CAR’s guidelines require in-kind replacement when historic materials remain available and that asphalt shingles “do not adequately resemble standing seam metal and diminish the historic integrity and character of the building.” He urged the committee not to overturn CAR’s partial approval because doing so would, in his view, allow violations to remain in the neighborhood and weaken the commission’s ability to enforce the guidelines.

The homeowners’ representative, Austin Farrell, told the committee the family “acted in good faith,” cooperated with city staff after a stop-work order, and that re-roofing the house again would cost “upwards of $20,000,” a hardship for the owners. Farrell asked the committee for “compassion, understanding, and your approval.”

Committee members noted the work was completed without permits, discussed precedent and the role of CAR, and referenced past council actions that had overturned CAR decisions in one-off cases. Councilmember Lynch, who introduced the paper, said the process exists as “a fail safe” for single cases and argued this case fit that description.

Votes at the committee were recorded in favor to forward resolution 2025R044 to council with the recommendation to approve. The committee recorded the following votes: Mister Bridal — aye; Vice Chair Robertson — aye; Chair Jones — aye. The motion passed.

The resolution asks council to act on the CAR decision; it would not itself prescribe penalties or require the owner to replace the existing roof if council follows the committee recommendation. Additional administrative steps and any required permits would be determined if council acts on the forwarded resolution.

Background: 510 West 20th Street sits in the Spring Hill City Old and Historic District. CAR staff said the work proceeded without a COA and that stop-work orders were issued in March 2025 after violations were reported on several properties on West 20th Street. CAR staff said two neighboring roofs were replaced with standing seam metal in keeping with guidelines after staff intervention, but the subject property’s roof work was complete before review.

The committee hearing included a public hearing in which CAR staff and the homeowner’s representative spoke; no other members of the public spoke in opposition or support during the record for this item. The resolution will next be considered by full council according to the normal agenda schedule.