The Compliance and Technical Advisory Board voted to approve cement fiberboard siding at 1008 North Mesquite, with the condition that the product be installed with the smooth face out and a 5-inch reveal. The vote followed testimony from the homeowners about extensive rot and financial hardship.

The board’s decision addresses a request to replace deteriorated exterior material on the portion of the house that had been opened and where original wood was largely removed. Staff’s written recommendation initially favored wood siding that matched the original profile; staff also recommended a field verification sample if Hardie board was used.

Homeowner Frank Gaetane and Margaret Gaetane told the board the right-side addition had been built informally in the 1940s, was rotted from a leaking roof and air-conditioning unit, and that replacing the damaged framing and milling new wood would cost roughly $10,000 beyond their means. "If we're made to remove all the Hardie plank and replace it with milled wood, it would be beyond an economic hardship," Frank Gaetane said. The applicants said they had purchased the cement fiberboard to match existing aluminum siding and had already installed it on parts of the house.

Commission discussion centered on whether the board could require removal of aluminum siding that had not been disturbed and whether approval should require a closer match to historic material. Several commissioners noted that the aluminum siding on the undisturbed portion could remain; the board’s majority concluded a practical compromise was to allow Hardie board provided its faux grain face be turned inward so the plain, smooth face is visible. Commissioner [last-name used in transcript] explicitly recommended "the Hardie board not have the faux grain side showing," a condition incorporated into the motion.

Motion and vote: Commissioner Summer moved to approve the use of cement fiberboard siding following staff’s recommendation that the new siding be turned over to feature a smooth finish with a 5-inch reveal; the motion was seconded and carried by roll call. Votes in favor were recorded as: Flores — Aye; Garcia — Aye; Brigard — Aye; Spiller — Aye; Pollock — Aye; Vasquez — Aye; Sepulveda — Aye. The board also advised the applicants to consult the Dignity Hill historic-district group and the Office of Historic Preservation before future work on portions of the house covered by aluminum siding.

Staff will prepare the certificate of appropriateness and work with the applicants on field verification of siding samples prior to installation.