During its meeting Monday, Nov. 10, the Wrightsville Beach Historic Landmark Commission considered the historical appropriateness for alterations to the Williams-Bordeaux Cottage located at 407 N. Lumina Ave.
The home was built in 1922 and is one of 21 historically designated properties on Wrightsville Beach. The property owner, Margaret Daughtry, applied to the town’s department of planning and inspections for a permit to make several changes to the property’s exterior to increase accessibility and safety.
Daughtry asked permission to relocate the back steps of the porch to the side of the porch, change the porch railing to match the original handrail style, remove the steps on the north side of the home and replace the wooden slats of the back porch.
Town planner Zachary Steffey said Daughtry wished to move the front porch steps because of issues involving people stepping over the gate and onto the porch. Daughtry proposed adding shingles to the porch railing to preserve the appearance of the house.
“I think maybe she wants to keep the look,” director of planning and parks Tony Wilson said. “Maybe she didn’t think we would let her remove it completely, but to me, removing it completely would be the best thing.”
“I think [the shingles] would change the whole look from what historical houses have,” Nancy Faye Craig agreed. “A line of shakes coming down, I’ve never seen that.”
Board members voted unanimously to allow Daughtry to remove the steps and leave the handrail with the added shingles, but they also gave her the option to remove the steps and handrails entirely.
“We would recommend the removal of the steps, unless there is a purpose for the shakes, and then we would allow them to stay,” board member Susan Collins said.
The board also discussed the implementation of online mapping of historical properties in Wrightsville Beach.
Steffey said the map could be a feature incorporated into the town’s new website, which is currently being developed. The interactive map will mark the location of all of the historical homes on the island; users would be able to click on the homes to view an informational box. Additionally, the map would include red dotted lines showing visitors how to access the properties.
Board member Susan Collins suggested hard copies to hand out.
Board members were very supportive of the proposed map and voted unanimously to allow Steffey to proceed with the project.
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