[HISTORY: Added by the Town Board of the Town of East Hampton 12-7-2017 by L.L. No. 42-2017]
A. 
These guidelines apply to the group of properties designated as special historic landmarks which are eligible to have an accessory dwelling unit. This group includes some of our rarest and oldest building types which recall East Hampton's history from the 18th century through the 19th century. Many are small houses on large lots which are well suited to be preserved intact with most expansion occurring as a second residence on the property.
B. 
The Architectural Review Board is responsible for reviewing proposed changes that may affect the character and integrity of these historic houses. In doing so, the Board will apply the guidelines in this manual. This guidelines manual identifies work that requires review and work that is exempt from review.
C. 
If review is required, the owner would submit the Historic Districts and Landmarks Approval Form (available on the East Hampton Town website) to the Secretary of the Architectural Review Board at 300 Pantigo Place, Suite 105. The Architectural Review Board meets on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month at 6:00 p.m. at the Town Hall Meeting Room.
A. 
Wall materials. All of this group of landmarks retain the historic wall covering of wood shingles.
(1) 
Landmarks with wood shingle walls should retain this treatment.
(2) 
Replacing wood shingles with new wood shingles is exempt from review.
(3) 
Any other proposal to renew the siding on a building requires review.
B. 
Roofs. Most of the landmarks retain wood shingle roofs.
(1) 
Installing a new wood shingle roof is exempt from review.
(2) 
Installing a new composition shingle roof with shingles of a rectangular design, a small scale, and a uniform dark gray or dark brown tone no lighter than the color of weathered wood shingles is exempt from review.
(3) 
Installing any other roof material requires review.
(4) 
Existing and new gutters and leaders are exempt from review.
C. 
Doorways.
(1) 
The intent is to retain front doorways that contribute to the historic character of a building.
(2) 
Front doors and their enframements are important features of many of these landmarks. The plain doorways of some early buildings are as important as are the more decorative Federal, Greek Revival and Italianate doorways.
(a) 
Review is required for any proposal to replace a front door or components of a front door enframement.
(b) 
All significant elements of an historic front doorway, including the door, should be retained, and repaired instead of replaced.
(c) 
If replacement of any component of an historic front doorway is necessary, the new material should match that being replaced.
(d) 
Work to a doorway on the side or rear walls and installing a storm/screen door at any doorway is exempt from review.
D. 
Windows.
(1) 
The intent is to retain windows that contribute to the historic character of a building, especially on the front facade.
(2) 
Many of the buildings retain significant windows and sashes that contribute to their authentic historic character.
(a) 
Windows and their trim that contribute to the historic character of a building should be retained.
(b) 
For any request to replace window components, the Board will consider their condition and the contribution the existing windows make to the historic character of the house. Replacement of deteriorated components for important windows, especially those on the front facade, should match the material, configuration and dimensions of the historic windows.
(c) 
Work to windows on a rear wall and existing and new storm windows, window screens and window shutters are exempt from review.
E. 
Paint and stain. All exterior painting and staining is exempt from review.
F. 
Additions and alterations.
(1) 
Additions and alterations are appropriate when they do not diminish the architectural integrity of a building or diminish its setting.
(2) 
See § E-3, Guidelines for expansion of the historic house and for a second dwelling, for any plan for a significant addition of gross floor area to the property.
(a) 
Additions and alterations should not detract from the form and integrity of the historic house or its setting.
(b) 
Additions and alterations should not alter an important historic feature of a building and should be compatible with the historic building in scale, height, massing, proportion and arrangement of windows and other openings, roof form, texture, materials and architectural details.
(c) 
Additions should be subordinate in size and scale to the historic building.
(d) 
The rear wall is the most appropriate location for a modest addition.
(e) 
The Board realizes greater flexibility is required in reviewing additions or alterations to rear walls of houses where installation of doors, windows, and additions with more glazing than found in the historic house can be expected.
A. 
Special historic landmarks are eligible to have a second residence on the property. In most cases, the intent is to preserve the small historic house intact or with minimal additions while placing the balance of the allowable gross floor area into a new second residence on the property. In most cases the small historic house would become the accessory dwelling to a new larger house. The criteria of § 255-7-60D for approval of a second residence are intended to promote the goal of keeping the historic house intact and, in siting the second residence, to retain the setting of the historic house.
B. 
In reviewing an application for expansion of a special historic landmark house or for construction of a second dwelling on a property, the Architectural Review Board shall consider:
(1) 
The extent to which the proposal achieves the goal of maintaining or enhancing the integrity of the landmark building and its setting, particularly its setting when viewed from the street.
(2) 
The extent to which the proposal keeps the historic house intact with no additions; or, when this option is not possible, minimizes any additions and keeps any additions subordinate in size and scale to the historic house. Wherever possible, the Board shall encourage applicants to maintain the integrity of the landmark building by avoiding additions, if transferring expansion to a second dwelling is possible.
A. 
Fences and walls.
(1) 
The relationship that many of these landmark houses have with the street is an important part of their setting. A moderate regulation of fences placed between the house and the street will preserve the contribution these landmarks make to the historic character of the Town.
(2) 
The guidelines for a fence also apply to an entry gate at a walk or driveway.
(a) 
Installing a post-and-rail fence with two rails is exempt from review.
(b) 
Installing a picket fence less than five feet in height is exempt from review.
(c) 
Installing a horizontal board fence less than four feet in height and having two or three horizontal boards is exempt from review.
(d) 
Review is required for any other type of fence, wall or earth berm along the street boundary and in front yards. When a landmark property is bounded by more than one street, only the boundary with the street closest to the landmark building is subject to review.
B. 
Driveways and walkways. Driveways and walkways are exempt from review, except that their placement may be part of the review of plans for a proposed second dwelling.
C. 
Accessory buildings and structures. Accessory buildings and structures, such as garages, pool houses, swimming pools and tennis courts, are exempt from review, except that their placement may be part of the review of plans for a proposed second dwelling.
D. 
Exterior lighting. Exterior lighting is exempt from review.
E. 
Landscape plantings. Landscape plantings are exempt from review.
A. 
No historic landmark should be demolished.
B. 
In considering a proposal to demolish all or part of an historic landmark, the following guidelines apply.
(1) 
No historic landmark or significant component thereof should be demolished.
(2) 
If an application for demolition is based on severe structural instability or on extensive damage from fire, flood, hurricane or other casualty, a technical report prepared by an architect or engineer is required. The report will include an assessment of the nature and extent of the structural instability or damage and a determination of the feasibility of the repair of the building and/or reconstruction of damaged or destroyed portions of the building. After reviewing the report, the Board may determine that restoration/reconstruction is impractical or impossible and approve demolition.
(3) 
The Board may require adequate documentation of an historic building or portion of a building through photographs and measured drawings as a condition of approval when there is no alternative but demolition.
All but one of this group of historic landmarks are on their original sites. Their exact location and their relationship to the street is an important part of their setting and historic significance. In considering a proposal to relocate a building, the following guidelines apply.
A. 
Landmarks should remain on their original sites.
B. 
Landmarks which are not now on their original sites, but which have a location or setting that contributes to the character of the Town, should not be relocated unless doing so will enhance the setting of the historic building and allow it to make a greater contribution to the historic character of the Town.