Update: Raleigh’s Director of Public Affairs told the Record that the city issued the release because the inspections department was being “inundated with calls” from the media looking for the status of the project. She said that they wanted to let the media know that, “we’re not doing anything until we get that decision in writing from the Board of Adjustment.”
No stop-work orders have been issued for a controversial house in historic Oakwood according to a rather strange and cryptic statement released by the City of Raleigh Thursday evening.
On Monday the city Board of Adjustments overturned the Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) for the home on Euclid Street, which is mostly built at this point. The Board of Adjustment voted to repeal the COA in February, but made its findings official at its last meeting. The move set off a social media firestorm complete with a parody Twitter account in the voice of the house itself.
For currently unknown reasons, the city released a short statement on the issue about three days later.
“The City of Raleigh has not placed a stop work order on a Modernist Home project at 516 Euclid St.,” said the statement, which can be found on the city’s website. “The city has not been served a written final decision from the city’s Board of Adjustment. The city is waiting to receive the decision before determining what course of action will be taken, if any.”
Last month, City Attorney Thomas McCormick told City Councilors that they should wait until the Board of Adjustment finalizes its proceedings before deciding the next course of action.
“At that point we can review those [findings] to see if there is anything particularly relevant to the RHDC’s performance that might require city intervention,” McCormick told Councilors at the February 18 meeting.
McCormick is expected to advise Council at its meeting next week.
The Oakwood ordeal began when architect Louis Cherry received a COA from the Raleigh Historic Development Commission in September. The certificates are needed in order to build or do renovations on properties in historic districts. Opposing neighbor Gail Weisner filed a letter of intent to appeal the next day, but didn’t file a formal appeal until November. In the meantime, Cherry acquired the necessary permits and broke ground on the project.
