Northville Historic District Commission Approves Residential Changes

The Northville Historic District Commission approved last week the addition of a horseshoe driveway to a home on S. Rogers Street, provoking the ire of some nearby residents.

Situated on a rare 80-foot lot, the driveway is slated for completion in front of the home of Christopher and Colette Rizik. The request was the subject of an hour-long debate about whether the horseshoe driveway fits in with the district, and whether it preserves the continuity of the neighborhood.

The homeowners have requested the horseshoe drive because there is a visibility issue when backing out onto Rogers, said builder Steve Lomske, who is overseeing construction at the site on behalf of the petitioners.

“A horseshoe driveway would fit into the district because horses didn’t back up,” Lomske said.

But some commissioners noted that a horseshoe configuration was an oddity in the district, and were not in favor of the plan.

Commissioner Jennifer Luikart said she thought the driveway would be inconsistent with other driveways on Rogers, citing concerns about too much visible concrete in the front yard.

There is no ordinance that prohibits a horseshoe driveway, Lomske said.

As the debate continued, the homeowner said he and his wife have tried to adhere to the standards, even going as far as looking for period materials in junk yards.

"We want the house to be something our neighbors can be proud of,” he said.

In the end, Rizik agreed to reduce the width of the driveway from 12 feet to 10 feet wide, after previously having agreed to reduce its size in prior negotiations. He also agreed with several commissioners’ suggestion to add landscaping that ran north to south to further obscure the driveway. The commission approved the measure 4-5, with Luikart dissenting. Commissioners Leanie Bayly and Mark Vernacchia were absent. Mayor Christopher Johnson was replaced by Mayor Pro-tem Jim Allen.

At least one residents said he felt the driveway should not have been approved.

"I agree that [the driveway] would look like a concrete front yard and parking lot,” said Tom Cooper, a resident of the district.

Other issues

There were three other petitioners on the schedule for Wednesday’s meeting.

The commission unanimously approved paint colors for a petitioner living on East Main, providing that the petitioner – who was not present – provides paint chips to the city.

Additionally, commissioners approved the addition of a new roof, in either black or dark gray, for the home and garage located on N. Wing Street, and the replacement of a fence and exterior stairway at W. Dunlap Street.