MEMORANDUM

TO: Chair and Members of the Development Services Committee

FROM: Jim Baird, Commissioner of Development Services

PREPARED

BY: Regan Hutcheson, Manager Heritage Planning

DATE: January 27, 2011

SUBJECT: Site Plan Control Application (SC 10 111677)

20 Peter St., Markham Village - Exterior Cladding

On November 23/24, 2010 Markham Council supported the Heritage Markham Committee recommendation requiring the existing “V” joint and bead board vertical siding to be retained and restored as the exterior cladding on the historic dwelling at 20 Peter Street, Markham. Earlier correspondence and resolutions are attached.

Subsequently, the property owner contacted Fisher Environmental Ltd and obtained an analysis of samples from the dwelling’s ceiling, wall and wood. The opinion letter states concern with the amount and severity of mould, and concludes that substandard installation of the existing bead board siding is the direct cause of the past water infiltration and should be removed and replaced rather than remediated. The letter is attached to this memo.

Further discussions were held between the owner and Town staff in December. It was indicated by staff that even if the Town were to accept his environmental consultant’s recommendation that the existing siding should be removed, there was the matter of heritage policies and practices that would support the use of a similar bead board replacement siding material. The owner expressed a desire to have all the elevations of the structure (existing plus new addition) sided in “V” board style, anticipated a cost premium for milling bead board, and was concerned that bead board would not come pre-stained and would require more maintenance.

Staff did contact a number of suppliers of bead board siding and found the price comparable to pre-finished “V” joint siding (although the milled bead board siding would have to be primed and painted by the owner).

At the Council meeting on January 25, 2011, Council by a two thirds majority vote resolved to re-open the matter of the Site Plan Control application at 20 Peter St, and referred the matter back to Devlopment Services Committee.

Conclusion

Heritage Staff maintain that the bead board siding is original and restorable, and is the appropriate course of action given widely accepted standards of heritage conservation practice. Its removal could also be precedent setting for other heritage properties.

Should Council decide to allow the removal and replacement of the bead board siding, staff continue to recommend that consideration be given to requiring the owner to use a bead board material to reflect the character of the existing siding and help differentiate the original dwelling from the new additions clad in a “V” joint siding at 20 Peter Street.

Q:\Development\Heritage\PROPERTY\PETER\20\Memo to DSC Feb 1 2011.doc