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

Historic District Commission — June 18, 2026

The session consisted of standard procedural items and a single design review that concluded with unanimous approval and no public testimony.

Date Thursday, June 18, 2026 Duration 0.9h Speakers 1 Decisions 3 Routine
Large format architectural renderings and elevations unrolled on table Video still
Large format architectural renderings and elevations unrolled on table Frame from meeting video ▶ 11:52

Decisions ⁠logged

Every recorded vote, with timestamps and dissents.
Accept HDC Case 26-3 application as complete
Motion by Julie Gilman, seconded; all in favor.
Approved unanimously
Approve new construction at 29 Front Street with conditions
Conditions: remove brackets; change front third-floor triple window to two windows. Motion by Julie Gilman.
Approved unanimously
Elect new officers
Amanda elected chair; Pam Gjettum elected vice chair.
Approved unanimously

Topics ⁠discussed

Click a topic to expand quotes and full context.
▶ 06:11 Call to Order and Introductions

Vice Chair Kevin Kahn opened the June 18, 2026 Exeter Historic District Commission meeting and conducted introductions.

Speakers: Kevin Kahn, Gwen English, Julie Gilman, Pam Gjettum
See more
What was discussed

Kahn called the session to order, identified the commission, and introduced members present. One case was noted on the agenda.

What happened

Meeting formally opened with quorum established via introductions.

▶ 06:42 HDC Case 26-3: New Construction at 29 Front Street

The commission reviewed the application by Stephen Eddy for a new three-story mixed-use building at 29 Front Street, discussing design compatibility, height, windows, materials, and site layout.

Speakers: Kevin Kahn, Rachel Jones, Stephen Eddy
See more
What was discussed

Applicants presented a design using traditional elements (vertically proportioned windows, brackets, cornice lines) to fit the Front Street context without direct replication. Discussion covered height variance (peak at 37.5 ft), comparison to adjacent brick building, parking placement, siding (Hardie board/Azek), foundation treatment, lighting, and specific details like the triple window on the third-floor front elevation and decorative brackets.

What happened

Application was first accepted as complete, then approved as appropriate with two conditions: eliminate the proposed brackets and change the front triple window to two windows by removing the middle section.

What's next

Applicant to revise plans per conditions; project may return for final review if needed.

▶ 26:24 Other Business: Minutes, Officer Elections, and Ongoing Projects

The commission approved prior minutes, elected new officers due to a resignation, discussed member recruitment, and received an update on a historic building documentation grant project.

Speakers: Kevin Kahn, Julie Gilman, Pam Gjettum
See more
What was discussed

Minutes from a prior meeting were accepted. Grayson’s resignation required new leadership; Amanda was elected chair and Pam Gjettum vice chair. Recruitment to maintain quorum was raised. A $25k grant update was given for documenting buildings on High Street, with discussion on whether to extend to Front Street or Water Street next.

What happened

Minutes approved; officers elected (Amanda chair, Pam Gjettum vice chair). Recruitment discussion tabled for next meeting.

What's next

Recruitment discussion at next meeting; consultant report to be distributed; decision on next survey area (Front vs. Water Street) pending.

Controversy & ⁠dissent

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

Action ⁠items

Who owes what, by when.
Revise plans to remove brackets and change front triple window to two windows
Assigned: Applicant (Stephen Eddy / Artform Architecture)
Schedule discussion on member recruitment
Assigned: Commission · Due: Next meeting

Notable ⁠statements

We didn't care about siding. — Kevin Kahn · Confirming conditions of approval did not address siding choice ▶ 43:04
We don't like orange. — Julie Gilman · Informal comment on color preference after approval ▶ 43:26

Member ⁠positions

3 issues · 0 explicit · 15 inferred
Present
Accept HDC Case 26-3 application as complete YES ~
Approve new construction at 29 Front Street with conditions YES ~
Elect new officers YES ~
Present
Accept HDC Case 26-3 application as complete YES ~
Approve new construction at 29 Front Street with conditions YES ~
Elect new officers YES ~
Present
Accept HDC Case 26-3 application as complete YES ~
Approve new construction at 29 Front Street with conditions YES ~
Elect new officers YES ~
Julie Gilman (Select Board Representative)
Select Board Representative
Present
Accept HDC Case 26-3 application as complete YES ~
Approve new construction at 29 Front Street with conditions YES ~
Elect new officers YES ~
Gwen English (Planning Board Representative)
Planning Board Representative
Present
Accept HDC Case 26-3 application as complete YES ~
Approve new construction at 29 Front Street with conditions YES ~
Elect new officers YES ~

Positions marked ~ are inferred from context and may not reflect the member's explicitly stated position. UNCLEAR means the vote was split but the record did not name how this member voted — it is not a “yes.”

Public ⁠comment

What residents said — verbatim, with timestamps.
No public comments were identified in this meeting.
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, grok-4-fast, grok-4.20-0309-reasoning · analyzed 2026-06-22.