Couple gets go-ahead to modify Acequia Madre home

Asked why he made changes not authorized by the Historic Design Review Board, Kenneth Payson responded, “Stupidity.”

An Acequia Madre couple can continue modifying their home, after they were red-tagged for changes not authorized by the Historic Design Review Board, as a result of a split vote by the board Tuesday.

The board had authorized various changes for Kenneth Payson and Margaret Denney’s 61-year-old house at 755 Acequia Madre last September.

But over the last year, Payson and Denney, both licensed architects, reduced the height of a wall, enclosed a carport and added new windows — all unauthorized by the board.

This summer, after complaints from neighbors, the city ordered Payson and Denney to stop work on the house.

At Tuesday’s board meeting, neighbor Robert Mayer said building up a wall to enclose the carport had obscured unique architectural features of the house, including a “kiva room” built by a former occupant, artist Pansy Stockton.

Mayer said the additional windows look right into his living room, creating light pollution and destroying his privacy.

Another neighbor, Philip Smith, president of the Stewart Compound Association, said Payson and Denney should adhere to the house’s original configuration, and their plans should be sent back to city planners to reconsider drainage issues.

Asked why he made changes not authorized by the board, Payson responded, “Stupidity.” He said he felt that since the changes were minor and in some cases reduced the size, he decided to go ahead, but he would consider returning to the original plan if the board found that necessary.

“There’s a lesson to be learned here,” board member Cecilia Rios said. “You need to do things in the proper way to avoid this kind of circumstance.”

Board member Charles Newman moved to approve the staff recommendation to approve Payson and Denney’s plan with the changes. That was supported only by Robert O. Frost. Rios voted no. Deborah Shapiro abstained. Karen Walker had recused herself because her realty firm is working for Mayer.

Because Shapiro’s abstention was counted as a no, that created a tie that Chairwoman Sharon Woods broke by voting yes.

Outside the chambers, Payson and Denney said they were glad Woods, a builder, had the final say. They said they have lived in the house for 14 years, while Mayer has lived in his only two years and is trying to sell it.

Mayer said he hasn’t decided whether to appeal the decision to the City Council but is selling his house because of the changes next door.

Contact Tom Sharpe at 995-3813 or tsharpe@sfnewmexican.com.