Pittsford Village Chat›Village of Pittsford Historic Preservation Board Meeting — August 17, 2026

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Village of Pittsford Historic Preservation Board Meeting — August 17, 2026

The Short Version

Nine applications are on the tentative agenda for Monday, August 17 at 5:30 PM at Village Hall, 21 North Main Street.
92 South Main Street is a demolition application filed after the work was done; the applicant's letter states his contractor removed a side entry addition before Board approval was obtained.
15 Maple Street's 6.72 kW roof solar application returns for a third consecutive month, standing at two affirmative votes of the three required.
Two sign packages are up: a full Canandaigua National Bank family at 18 State Street, and the Angus Irish Pub building sign at 5 State Street.
The American Legion Rayson-Miller Post 899 seeks to replace a shed on Village-owned land at Village Hall.
This month's notice contains no direct Zoom link — remote attendees should check villageofpittsfordny.gov the day of the meeting.

The Village of Pittsford Historic Preservation Board meets Monday, August 17, at 5:30 PM at Village Hall. Nine applications are on the tentative agenda — two sign packages, a roof solar installation returning for its third meeting, new windows at the old pickle factory, a shed on Village-owned land, and one demolition that has already happened. If you own property in the historic district, live near one of these addresses, or want to understand how the Board weighs these decisions, this is the meeting where they get made.

Meeting Notice

The following is the official meeting reminder as circulated by the Village of Pittsford on August 13, 2026.

Please note that the Village of Pittsford Historic Preservation Board will regularly meet at the Village Hall, 21 North Main Street, Pittsford, New York, on Monday, August 17, 2026, at 5:30 PM. The meeting is open to the public and made available live through the videoconferencing link on the [Village of Pittsford website](/village-of-pittsford-april-2026-bulletin). The public can see and hear the meeting live. The order of applications is subject to change at the Board's discretion. The meeting packet includes the most complete information available for each project, provided in advance.

Plain-English Explanation

The Board meets Monday evening at Village Hall. Unlike some past meetings, the Village's reminder this month did not include a direct Zoom link or dial-in number — it points to the videoconferencing link on the Village website instead. If you plan to attend remotely, check villageofpittsfordny.gov the day of the meeting for connection details.

The Board reviews applications from property owners seeking approval for exterior changes to buildings in the Village's historic district. Its members this month are Daniel Olson (Chair), Jim Roode, Abigail MacRae, Carolina Torres, and Maria Murillo, with Cristina Lanahan serving as alternate. Jeff Turner is Board attorney, Steve Lauth is Building Inspector, and Alexandria Vaughn is Secretary.

The Agenda at a Glance

The following is the tentative agenda as filed with the Village of Pittsford Historic Preservation Board for August 17, 2026. The order of applications is subject to change at the Board's discretion.

Applications 1. 15 Maple Street — Roof Solar (Continued) 2. 18 State Street — Signage 3. 66 Monroe Ave — Water Feature 4. 92 South Main Street — Demolition 5. 1 Grove Street — Windows 6. 21 North Main Street — Shed 7. 9 Elmbrook Drive — Door Panels 8. 32 South Main Street — Siding 9. 5 State Street — Signage Member Items 1. Minutes 2. CLG Conference Recap — Member MacRae

1. 15 Maple Street — Roof Solar, Continued

This is the application that will not resolve. It first came before the Board in the spring, returned in the June packet, appeared again on the July 20 agenda, and is now back for August — marked "Continued" on the agenda for the third consecutive month.

The application was filed April 21, 2026 by Belle Beachner of ACES Energy on behalf of owner Barbara Richards, with Steve Mikolajczk listed as contractor. The proposal is a 6.72 kW roof-mounted photovoltaic system: sixteen SIL 420BG panels paired with sixteen Enphase IQ8H-240 microinverters, covering 330 square feet, or 22.6% of the roof.

The application's own visibility argument is worth reading closely, because visibility is what the Board has historically weighed most heavily in solar cases. The applicant states the panels are sleek and black and meant to integrate with the existing roof, that the system will not be visible from Maple Street, but that it will be seasonally visible from Elmbrook Drive when tree coverage is not available.

As we reported in our review of four solar applications, 15 Maple has drawn two affirmative votes — one short of the three required for approval. That is the arithmetic the Board carries into Monday.

2. 18 State Street — Signage

Canandaigua National Bank is replacing its sign package at 18 State Street. The application was filed June 26, 2026 by Sign and Lighting Services, with Kirk Wright and Melissa Driskell named, and describes the work simply as removal of existing signage and installation of new or like signage to refresh and update.

The packet is considerably more detailed than that one line suggests. It runs to roughly thirty pages of sign drawings covering a full family of elements: a 32-square-foot wall sign measuring 16 feet by 2 feet in red and white, reverse channel logo lettering, a single-face non-illuminated entry wall plaque, an illuminated open/closed directional sign, clearance panels, an entrance pan sign panel with flat cut-out letters, a parking sign, and window vinyl. Most elements are specified as non-illuminated.

3. 66 Monroe Avenue — Water Feature

Matthew E. Wahl, applying on behalf of Generations at 66 LLC, is proposing a river run extending from an existing water feature built in 2024 down toward the Erie Canal. The application was filed and received June 9, 2026, and is marked in the packet as having been carried over from the July meeting.

The applicant is candid on the form about a jurisdictional wrinkle: the project requires approval from the New York State Canal Corporation, and he notes he understands canal approval must come before any final decision. He identifies Kevin Kerins at the state canal office as his contact and writes that a permit is in and that Kerins indicated he sees no issues.

Supporting material in the packet includes a June 11, 2026 letter describing the proposed water feature, specifications for underlayment geotextile fabric and a rubber liner system, drawings from Passero Associates, and a March 2026 supplier quote.

4. 92 South Main Street — Demolition

The agenda lists this as a demolition application. It is more precisely an application filed after the demolition took place.

Brett Pogoda filed on July 9, 2026 — the Village time-stamp reads 1:47 PM — listing himself as applicant, owner, and contractor. The stated scope is the demolition of a non-historic addition and a side entry door that he says a previous owner added illegally. Attached to the application is a letter to the Board explaining the sequence.

The following is the applicant's letter as filed with the Historic Preservation Board, reproduced in part.

When we purchased the property, we discovered that the home—originally constructed as a single-family historic residence—had previously been converted into an illegal duplex. As part of that conversion, a non-historic side entry addition was constructed that was inconsistent with the home's original architectural character and did not reflect the historic design of the structure. Unfortunately, our contractor proceeded with removing the addition before the appropriate Historic Preservation Board approvals had been obtained. This action was taken without an understanding that approval was required prior to demolition. We recognize the importance of the Village's review process and sincerely regret that the work occurred out of sequence. It is important to note that the removed structure was not part of the home's original historic construction. During demolition, it became evident that the original foundation consisted of traditional fieldstone and mortar, while the removed addition had been constructed on a newer concrete block foundation. We have photographs documenting these conditions, which clearly distinguish the original historic foundation from the later addition, and we are prepared to provide this documentation to the Board. We respectfully ask the Historic Preservation Board to consider our intentions, the circumstances surrounding this matter, and the documentation we have available.

Plain-English Explanation

In ordinary sequence, a property owner in the historic district applies, the Board reviews, and work begins only after a certificate of approval is issued. Here the order was reversed — the addition came down first, and the application followed.

The applicant's case rests on two claims. The first is about the structure itself: that what was removed was not original to the house but was added during a previous owner's conversion of a single-family home into a duplex, and that the foundation evidence exposed during demolition — fieldstone and mortar under the original structure, concrete block under the addition — supports that. The second is about intent: that the work was done without understanding approval was required, and that the goal was restoration rather than diminishment.

What the Board does with an after-the-fact application is a separate question from whether the removal would have been approved on its merits. Because the structure is already gone, the Board is being asked to evaluate a decision it cannot reverse, on documentation supplied by the applicant. How it handles that is the thing to watch Monday.

5. 1 Grove Street — Windows

Max Eberts filed on July 13, 2026 on behalf of owner TPF Pittsford LLC, with Van Tamoutsells of Mr. Glass as contractor. The application proposes adding new windows in locations shown on an attached floor plan, and states the window style, size, and material are commensurate with existing windows around the property.

The supporting glazing quote, dated June 23, 2026, identifies the property as the Pickle Factory at 1 Grove Street and gives the scope some shape: three double-hung vinyl windows at 32 by 57 inches, furnished and installed in existing openings, plus a thermally broken white aluminum-frame storefront with one-inch low-E tempered insulated glass in four sections. The quote totals $9,150, with exterior trim and interior finishes handled by others.

6. 21 North Main Street — Shed

This one has an unusual applicant and an unusual owner: the American Legion Rayson-Miller Post 899, with David Lowry signing as Commander, applying for work on property owned by the Village of Pittsford — Village Hall itself.

Filed July 28, 2026 with Backyard Outfitters as contractor, the application proposes replacing the existing shed with new construction on the existing concrete slab. The current shed is 10 by 16 feet; the replacement would be 12 by 16, sited on a slab measuring roughly 20 feet 1 inch by 17 feet 8 inches. The new structure would add one window and a three-foot door, and the existing solar panel would be reattached.

Packet material from the shed supplier specifies two-by-four framing at 16 inches on center, half-inch roof sheathing, double-gusseted roof trusses, and thirty-year architectural shingles.

7. 9 Elmbrook Drive — Door Panels

Maria Venette filed on July 27, 2026, with John H. Bailey Custom Furniture as contractor and Ken Gray named on the form. The Village stamped it in on July 29 at 9:45 AM.

The proposal is a restoration rather than a replacement. The original six-panel front door would be kept and reused, with the top four panels replaced with plain laminated glass — the application specifies no decorative design. The exterior would be refinished in a black durable finish and the interior primed.

8. 32 South Main Street — Siding

Newcomb Properties filed on July 29, 2026 to remove metal siding and replace it with either LP SmartSide or James Hardie fiber cement siding. The application specifies a smooth surface rather than a wood-grain texture, that the siding will be painted, and that window trim will be replaced with a paintable product.

A second element is folded into the same application: an old cinder block chimney, which the applicant describes as not visible from the front, is proposed for removal on the grounds that it is crumbling and presents a safety problem.

The packet includes manufacturer installation literature for HardiePlank lap siding covering starter strips, blind nailing, joint flashing, clearance requirements, and fastener specifications.

9. 5 State Street — Signage

The Irish pub is getting its sign. Following the July 14 public hearing on the 5 State Street proposal, Ronald Davis filed on July 28, 2026 on behalf of owner Zack Phillips, with Sal Imburgie of FSI as contractor, to install a building sign reading "Angus Irish Pub."

One procedural note from the packet: as of the filing, both the owner signature and the contractor signature were annotated as pending, with a notation referencing the week of August 3.

Member Items

Two items follow the applications. The Board will take up minutes, and Member Abigail MacRae will deliver a recap of the Certified Local Government conference.

The Certified Local Government program is a partnership among the National Park Service, the New York State Historic Preservation Office, and participating municipalities. Communities that qualify gain access to preservation grant funding and technical assistance, and in exchange commit to maintaining a qualified review board and enforcing preservation standards — which is part of why a board like Pittsford's exists in the form it does.

How to Attend or Weigh In

The meeting is open to the public at Village Hall, 21 North Main Street, Pittsford, NY 14534, at 5:30 PM on Monday, August 17. Remote viewing is available through the videoconferencing link posted on the Village of Pittsford website — this month's notice did not include the link directly, so check the site the day of the meeting.

Both source documents are posted publicly. The one-page tentative agenda is the quick version. The full meeting packet runs 190 pages and contains the applications, applicant narratives, product specifications, site photographs, and the New York State historic resource inventory forms for each property — but be warned, it is a very large file and slow to download on a phone.

If you want to comment on an application, attend the meeting. The agenda order is subject to change at the Board's discretion, so arriving for a specific item is a gamble; the safer approach is to be there at 5:30.

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17 Comments

Comment from Facebook

15 maple would be much better off spending that money on windows and insulation upgrades for an instantaneous payback while adding to the resale value of the home.. Just sayin.

Aug 16, 2026 at 5:59 pm