The Dallas Landmark Commission on Monday considered a series of courtesy reviews and certificates of appropriateness (COAs) for new construction, additions and fences across several historic districts and approved most with conditions while asking one applicant to return with a new design.

The commission approved COAs and courtesy reviews in Montclair, Peak Suburban, Wheatley Place, Tenth Street and other districts, imposing conditions that repeated across cases: windows must be wood, in a 1-over-1 light configuration; porch columns must meet minimum brick base widths; foundations for new houses should be raised about 18 inches above finished grade; and driveways, walkways and steps should be brush-finished concrete. Commissioners and staff emphasized maintaining compatible massing and porch proportions, aligning paired windows where possible, and avoiding cladding or painting original masonry.

Why it matters: These approvals and conditions shape what new houses and alterations will look like in Dallas’ longstanding historic neighborhoods. The commission’s standards — and the specific conditions attached to approvals — determine whether new infill will be treated as visually compatible with older blocks and whether later permitting and construction can proceed without additional hearings.

What the commission did — highlights

- 5003 Wood Street (COA 25-305, Montclair district): The commission approved an application to extend/replace a retaining wall, concrete pad and waterfall steps and to install a fence and motorized gate, with conditions limiting the fence location, requiring review of tree impacts and allowing staff to accept a transparent metal return in places where visibility is important. The applicant, contractor Travis Ripley of Ripley Renovations, said the homeowners want usable yard space adjacent to the sidewalk and would consider an iron/metal return to reduce visual bulk. Commissioners conditioned the approval on guardrails and on not enclosing large established trees; the motion passed.

- 4315 Union Street (COA 25-313, Peak Suburban district): The commission approved a permit to construct a two-story main structure on a vacant lot, subject to conditions that included raising the foundation to better match neighborhood precedent and aligning the first- and second-floor forward-most windows to the extent possible. Aaron (applicant representative) confirmed a minor revision to the right-side windows at the meeting; commissioners voted unanimously to approve the COA after acknowledging that revision.

- 3426 Bridal (COA 25-388, district name in packet): Staff and the task force recommended approval with conditions; commissioners asked for small refinements including centering certain porch elements and confirming porch column proportions and materials. The motion to approve carried.

- 3824 Myrtle Street (predesignation review T5 / case C 08-25-321): Staff recommended approval with standard conditions (wood windows, porch details, brick column bottoms, brush-finished concrete); the task force had no quorum but left comments. Commissioners approved the proposal with the recommended conditions.

- 2822 McDermott Avenue (COA 25-309, Wheatley Place): The commission approved a package that included replacement of windows (subject to reopening some enclosed openings), replacement of the addition’s roof (conditioning use of wood soffit/fascia and gable wall material) and relocation of a rear door. Applicants Jordan DaSilva and Joshua Seifer explained that some structural work had been completed under an inspection permit before the CA requirement was clarified; the commission approved the proposals with conditions intended to protect the house’s historic character.

- 3621 Myers Street (COA 25-373, Wheatley Place): The commission approved a new infill house on a vacant lot subject to conditions aligning the front setback with adjacent houses, a 10-foot driveway aligned with a rear wall, and brush-finished concrete for pathways. The task force recommended lowering the foundation to about 18 inches above grade and reducing paint colors; the commission included compatible conditions.

- 1128 Church Street (COA 25-398, Tenth Street Historic District): The commission approved a new-build COA for a corner lot with conditions including a single rear porch roof over a rear door, wood windows (no cladding) in a 1-over-1 configuration, brick column bases of modular size, and smooth (not rough-sawn) hardy-board skirting. Commissioners asked staff to confirm porch window spacing so the elevation reads as a traditional porch composition.

One item denied without prejudice

- 2609 Daph Street (COA 25-319): Commissioners engaged in a lengthy, contested review of proposed new construction and vertical massing. Several commissioners repeatedly raised concerns about the height and mass of a rear/second-floor pop-up that they said would create a precedent inconsistent with the district. A motion to deny the application without prejudice carried; commissioners directed the applicant to resubmit a redesign that lowers the rear massing (for instance, presenting a 1½‑story solution with dormers) and that addresses sight-line, roof-pitch and porch-proportion concerns. Staff and the task force had previously noted the amount of proposed work and asked for a design more compatible with surrounding houses.

Quotes from the meeting

- “We’re hoping to have some lenience ... the homeowners want green space for kids and a dog,” Travis Ripley, contractor for 5003 Wood Street, said when explaining the fence location request.

- “If it needs to be dismantled and rebuilt, it needs to go back exactly like it is,” Commissioner Anderson said during the review of a renovation in a different district, urging repair rather than stylistic change for an original two-story porch.

What commissioners and staff asked applicants to provide

- Reopen or restore enclosed window openings when the historic evidence supports it; use wood windows, 1-over-1 light configuration.
- Porch-column brick bases of at least 14 inches (modular brick bases were requested in several approvals).
- Foundation heights for new houses generally around 18 inches above finished grade to match neighborhood patterns, unless the historic record indicates otherwise.
- Driveways and walkways in brush-finished concrete rather than poured smooth or stamped surfaces.
- Keep original brick unpainted and avoid German schmear or non-historic cladding on contributing masonry.

Votes at a glance (agenda item / property / action / key conditions)

- CR2 (2228 Eugene Street) — Courtesy review: no formal action required; staff and task force provided comments for final COA submittal (final design, elevations and details to return for review).
- G1 (5003 Wood Street, COA 25-305) — Approved with conditions: allow retaining wall and steps work and an 8-foot board-on-board cedar fence with an 8-foot rolling gate; commission allowed a transparent metal return in a small portion to reduce visual bulk and protect a tree; fence location must not enclose a large tree and must respect sidewalk setbacks (applicant to work with staff on exact placement).
- COA 25-313 (4315 Union Street) — Approved (unanimous) with conditions: foundation height guidance, alignment of first- and second-floor forward windows; applicant revised right-side windows during the meeting and commission acknowledged that revision.
- COA 25-319 (2609 Daph Street) — Denied without prejudice (resubmit): commissioners found the rear/upper massing inconsistent with the district; directed applicant to return with a lower rear massing (examples suggested included a 1½‑story with dormers), clearer sight-line studies and refined porch/fenestration detailing.
- COA 25-388 (3426 Bridal Street / related address) — Approved with conditions: retain and match historic porch and porch column proportions, maintain window proportions and siding types; staff/task force asked for window surveys and confirmed final details will return for CA.
- T5 / C 08-25-321 (3824 Myrtle Street) — Approved with conditions: wood windows, porch and trim details, brush-finished walkways, and corner trim noted in the record.
- COA 25-309 (2822 McDermott Avenue) — Approved with conditions: replacement windows to be wood (some enclosed openings to be reopened), addition roof reconfigured to a gable with wood soffit/fascia and gable wall material, new or relocated rear door to be panel or wood; applicant noted some structural work had been completed under a building inspection permit prior to CA clarification.
- COA 25-373 (3621 Myers Street) — Approved with conditions: front setback aligned with adjacent lots, 10-foot driveway aligned to rear wall, brick column bases unpainted, brush-finished concrete.
- COA 25-398 (1128 Church Street) — Approved with conditions: move the two porch windows to create a less crowded porch composition (one window under the porch and one on the adjacent elevation), smooth hardy-board skirting, wood windows 1-over-1, brick column bases modular size, and a rear porch roof over the rear door.

What applicants should expect next

Approved applicants were told to work with staff on final construction drawings that reflect the conditions the commission attached. In a few cases applicants had already begun structural work after receiving building department approvals; staff reminded those applicants that a CA is still required for certain exterior changes in historic or predesignation areas and that work done without an approved CA may require additional review or remediation. Applicants denied without prejudice were directed to meet the commission’s design suggestions and return with a revised proposal.

Ending note

Commissioners repeatedly emphasized that their role is to protect the visual character of historic districts by approving projects that are compatible in scale, massing and materials. Staff repeatedly told applicants that specific technical clarifications — window dimensions, porch beam details, exact foundation heights and tree-protection measures — should be resolved with staff prior to final permit issuance to avoid additional hearings.