Proposed Approval of Planned Change of Roof-Color and Siding on House

Green Springs National Historic Landmark District » Proposed Approval of Planned Change of Roof-Color and Siding on House » Document List

The National Park Service (NPS) invites review of and comment on its proposed determination of No Adverse Effect to Historic Properties for (and thus its proposed approval of) a project planned and to be funded and implemented by the owners of a one and one-half story house on a 25-acre property in the Green Springs National Historic Landmark District, Louisa County, Virginia: a change of the exterior colors and siding type of the exterior of the house.

Specifically, the planned work would change (1) the siding type from the current, synthetic ("pressboard"/"hardboard"), batten-style siding to synthetic, vinyl, batten-style siding, (2) the siding color from light brown to blue-gray ("Mystic Blue") with white trim, and (3) the roof-color from dark brown, asphalt shingles to gray, asphalt shingles. The current, synthetic siding has deteriorated and is a product that is no longer manufactured.

For further details, see the information packet, "Proposed Approval of Planned (Revised) Change of Roof-Color and Siding on House in Green Springs NHLD"- -3rd document in the Internal Documents section, linked at upper left on this webpage. The information packet includes location map, site-plan, Area of Potential Effect mapping, swatch of the proposed siding-color, and site photographs. (Please disregard first and second documents/information packets; those reflect prior, outdated versions of the planned undertaking, the particulars of which are now revised and described above and in illustrations-packet for new, 30-day review per consultation with and preferences of the property owners.)

Basis of Review

The NPS reviews their planned work (the review constituting the federal undertaking) as per an NPS-held conservation easement created and conveyed through deed of easement in 1973 and deed of assignment in 1978. Proposed changes to the exterior colors of extant buildings are among those proposed alterations that NPS reviews and considers approval of under the terms of the conservation easement. As a federal agency, NPS reaches decisions on prior approval, required by this and other conservation easements, under the terms of the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended, and National Environmental Policy Act; the NPS review is the federal undertaking. It is limited to the scope and terms of the easement and does not also imply or address any additional reviews, requirements, or restrictions of Louisa County or other authorities, such as those of the county Code of Ordinances.

NPS has requested concurrence by the Virginia State Historic Preservation Officer to expedite this review by combining, per 36 CFR 800.3(g), the steps of: Initiation of Consultation; Identification of Historic Properties; and Assessment of Adverse Effects.

Area of Potential Effect (green rectangle on map in information packet): The area of potential effect is composed of the house and the potential view of it from surrounding areas of the National Historic Landmark District, including the nearest public thoroughfare.

Identification of Historic Properties

The one and one-half story house, its one and one-half story, west half built in 1939 and one-story, ranch-style, east half in 1968 (the current, synthetic siding being presumably applied to the entire house on or after the latter date), is considered eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, for the purposes of this review, since the building is situated within the Green Springs National Historic Landmark District (Virginia Department of Historic Resources 054-0111).

The National Register of Historic Places nomination (1973) for the National Historic Landmark District (1974) includes the District as a whole but, for the house specifically, lists the building among 25 other farmsteads with "non-contributing" status to the District.

Preservation-Planning and Resources-Protection Considerations

- The undertaking will not entail ground-disturbing activities.
- The undertaking would be limited to changes in cladding and not in the structure, height, profile, or plan of the house.
- Existing, mature, dense vegetation and landscaping hide the house entirely from other properties in the Green Springs National Historic Landmark District, as well as from its dependency structures, which are situated to the southeast.
- Existing, mature, dense vegetation and landscaping hide the house entirely from a direct/frontal view from nearby Va. Route 22, leaving less than a third of the house visible from that road only at two oblique angles, and then only briefly by traffic passing on a 45 m.p.h.-speed-limit road.
- The proposed change in exterior colors would be compatible with the neighboring area of the National Historic Landmark District since the exterior of the two-story Boswell's Tavern- -one mile distant from Buttonwood and two stories in height, and the dwelling nearest to Buttonwood on the opposite side of Route 22 and visible from it in whole or in part (but under different ownership and not involved with the proposal above)—also has blue-gray siding with white trim.
-When installing the vinyl siding, the rhythm and spacing of the existing siding will be maintained.
-Projecting details will also be maintained, such as window casings/sills; rake boards; porch trim; and the slight overhang of the overall house over the existing, block-foundation.
-The existing pattern of attached details, like the shutters, will be kept.
-Existing trim-details will not be cut to accommodate the installation of the vinyl siding.

The conditions above are included at the recommendation of the NPS Section-106 advisers for the Green Springs NHLD.

Comment may be offered via the telephone-number given below, or by clicking the "Document List" link at upper left, then clicking on the document itself.

Contact Information

Noel Harrison
National Park Service
Manager of Easements
Green Springs National Historic Landmark District, George Washington's Boyhood Home National Historic Landmark
540-424-0512