MeetingWatch
Your area Not set — showing everywhere
Meeting report · Historic District Commission
Creating this report cost real money. Help fund coverage →

Historic District Commission — April 16, 2026

The meeting was characterized by professional discourse, detailed technical Q&A, and unanimous voting on all items.

Date Thursday, April 16, 2026 Duration 0.7h Speakers 1 Public comments 2 Decisions 6 Routine
▶ Video

Public ⁠impact

Issues from this meeting with documented community impact.
01

Phillips Exeter Academy Property Conversion

Changes the use of a landmark church building and alters its architectural profile. Affected: Local residents and the historic district community
zoning change

Decisions ⁠logged

Every recorded vote, with timestamps and dissents.
Acceptance of HDC 26-1 application as complete.
The application for the Phillips Exeter Academy project was deemed complete.
Approved (All in favor)
Approval of HDC 26-1 application.
The application was approved as an appropriate use for the property with no amendments or conditions, noting materials and window types.
Approved (All in favor)
Acceptance of residential pool application as complete.
The application for the Southworth pool was accepted as complete.
Approved (All in favor)
Approval of residential pool application.
Approved as an appropriate use for the property.
Approved (All in favor)
Approval of February 19th minutes.
Minutes were approved with corrections to a specific sentence regarding an extension and a request for formal names (e.g., Chair Shepherd) to be used instead of first names.
Approved as amended
Motion to hold a work session regarding Pierpont Park.
The commission agreed to discuss Pierpont Park edging/fencing at the next meeting.
Approved (All in favor)

Topics ⁠discussed

Click a topic to expand quotes and full context.
▶ 07:03 HDC 26-1: Phillips Exeter Academy Property

Discussion regarding a proposed conversion of a church building into a dormitory and staff apartments. Changes include the removal of balconies/roof decks, replacement of windows with aluminum-clad wood, and use of luxury asphalt shingles.

Speakers: Speaker A (Kevin Kahn), Adam Holben, Mark Layton, Heather Taylor
▶ 29:07 Residential Pool Proposal

A homeowner requested approval for an above-ground pool that will be partially sunken (approximately 22 inches) and surrounded by a natural wood deck to maintain visual privacy and aesthetic flow.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker, Shawn Southworth, Emily Southworth
▶ 37:59 Approval of February Minutes

Review and amendment of the draft minutes from the February 19th meeting.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 39:09 Pierpont Park Edging

A discussion regarding future suggestions for the street edge of Pierpont Park, such as fencing, to be presented at a future meeting.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker

Controversy & ⁠dissent

Where the board, the community, or the agenda diverged.

Potentially controversial issues

01

Phillips Exeter Academy Property Conversion

The project involves significant design modifications to a former church, including the removal of balconies and changes to roofing and window materials. While the project was approved, the shift from a condo proposal to a dormitory/staff apartment model represents a significant change in building use and massing that typically attracts scrutiny from residents interested in historic preservation and density.
Board position: Approved the application as appropriate, noting that the new design honors the original massing better than previous proposals.
medium concern

Action ⁠items

Who owes what, by when.
Prepare suggestions/sketches for the Pierpont Park edging/fencing discussion.
Assigned: Commission Members · Due: Next meeting (June)

Notable ⁠statements

This is much more of an appropriate treatment to the building honoring its original massing and not intruding as much on what it was... — Speaker A (unnamed member) · Commenting on the Phillips Exeter Academy redesign compared to the previous condo proposal. ▶ 25:58
It would be more appropriate for our formal names to be used... instead of [first names]. — Speaker A (unnamed member) · Requesting a correction to the minutes to ensure professional standards in documentation. ▶ 37:59

Member ⁠positions

4 issues · 0 explicit · 24 inferred
Present
HDC 26-1: Phillips Exeter Academy Property YES ~
Approved application as appropriate use
Residential Pool Proposal YES ~
Approved application as appropriate use
Approval of February Minutes YES ~
Approved as amended
Pierpont Park Edging YES ~
Approved motion to hold work session
Kevin Kahn
Vice Chair
Present
HDC 26-1: Phillips Exeter Academy Property YES ~
Approved application as appropriate use
Residential Pool Proposal YES ~
Approved application as appropriate use
Approval of February Minutes YES ~
Approved as amended
Pierpont Park Edging YES ~
Approved motion to hold work session
Pam Gjettum
Clerk
Present
HDC 26-1: Phillips Exeter Academy Property YES ~
Approved application as appropriate use
Residential Pool Proposal YES ~
Approved application as appropriate use
Approval of February Minutes YES ~
Approved as amended
Pierpont Park Edging YES ~
Approved motion to hold work session
Amanda Kelly
Member
Present
HDC 26-1: Phillips Exeter Academy Property YES ~
Approved application as appropriate use
Residential Pool Proposal YES ~
Approved application as appropriate use
Approval of February Minutes YES ~
Approved as amended
Pierpont Park Edging YES ~
Approved motion to hold work session
Julie Gilman
Select Board Representative
Present
HDC 26-1: Phillips Exeter Academy Property YES ~
Approved application as appropriate use
Residential Pool Proposal YES ~
Approved application as appropriate use
Approval of February Minutes YES ~
Approved as amended
Pierpont Park Edging YES ~
Approved motion to hold work session
Gwen English
Planning Board Representative
Present
HDC 26-1: Phillips Exeter Academy Property YES ~
Approved application as appropriate use
Residential Pool Proposal YES ~
Approved application as appropriate use
Approval of February Minutes YES ~
Approved as amended
Pierpont Park Edging YES ~
Approved motion to hold work session

Positions marked ~ are inferred from context and may not reflect the member's explicitly stated position.

Public ⁠comment

What residents said — verbatim, with timestamps.
2
Total speakers
2
Addressed
0
Partial
0
Not addressed
Adam Holben
▶ 07:09
Addressed
Representing Winter Holben Architecture, he presented a proposal for a Phillips Exeter Academy project involving a former church. He explained changes to the building's use, from condos to a dorm/staff apartment building, and detailed material and design adjustments. Key concern
Seeking HDC approval for design modifications to an existing approved project, including window changes and the removal of balconies/terraces.
Board response
The board asked several clarifying questions regarding window patterns, the rose window, roofing materials, and parking. Following the discussion, they voted to accept the application as complete and subsequently approved the use.
The board engaged in a detailed Q&A session and moved to approve the application.
Shawn and Emily Southworth
▶ 28:07
Addressed
The Southworths presented a proposal for an above-ground pool in their backyard. They explained that the pool would be sunken into the ground and surrounded by a natural wood deck to maintain aesthetic harmony and visibility concerns. Key concern
Requesting approval for a backyard pool installation, specifically addressing its visibility from the street and its impact on the landscape.
Board response
The board asked about the visibility of the pool from the street, the distance of the property from the road, and the color/materials. They concluded that the use was appropriate and voted to approve the application.
The board addressed all technical and aesthetic questions and granted approval.
Support coverage

Creating this report cost ⁠real money.

MeetingWatch attended, transcribed, and analyzed this meeting on its own dime. If this work is valuable to you, chip in to keep covering Exeter.

Report composed by grok-4.3, gemma-4-26b, grok-4-fast, grok-4.20-0309-reasoning · analyzed 2026-05-31.