Laserfiche WebLink
architects such as Walter Gropius. She said the Historical Commission <br />"wholeheartedly" supported the project and noted its benefit to the entire Town <br />by bringing national recognition to this important part of Lexington's history. In <br />response to a question from Mr. Wolk, Ms. Fenollosa explained that the <br />registration would not impose any restrictions or regulatory limitations on the <br />properties involved, unless federal or state funds were used to undertake a project <br />in the neighborhood, such as road construction. She said the registration had no <br />effect on individual properties, and that it was an "honorary" designation. In <br />response to a question from Mr. Cohen, she replied that the homes in the Moon <br />Hill neighborhood were already on the Cultural Resources Inventory. Mr. <br />McSweeney asked if there would be any effect on the market value of the homes <br />involved. Ms. Fenollosa replied that their values might increase, due to the more <br />widely recognized and valued historic nature of the neighborhood. <br />6. Merriam Hill Preservation —Warren Manhard, a resident of Stetson Road, met <br />with the CPC to request $3,000 in CPA funding for the identification of homes in <br />the Merriam Hill Neighborhood for possible inclusion on the Historical <br />Commission's Comprehensive Cultural Resources Survey (the Inventory). Bebe <br />Fallick, the Town Meeting precinct liaison to the Merriam Hill Neighborhood <br />Association was also in attendance. Mr. Manhard explained that there are 469 <br />homes in the Merriam Hill Neighborhood, of which 165 are already on the <br />Inventory. He said the Board of Directors had voted to apply for CPA funds and <br />to devote $500 of Association funds toward the project. The purpose of the CPA <br />funding would be to hire a consultant to assess the remaining 304 houses, and <br />ultimately to complete the paperwork in order to list up to fifteen of the most <br />historically and/or architecturally significant homes on the Inventory. Mr. <br />Manhard outlined the boundaries of the Merriam Hill Neighborhood, and said the <br />impetus for the Neighborhood's application had been the demolition of a 1902 <br />home at 31 Somerset Road and the threat to a home at 95 Meriam Street, designed <br />by nationally renowned architect Charles Platt. He said the Neighborhood was <br />concerned that other historically significant homes might be at risk. <br />Ms. Fenollosa commented that the Merriam Hill Neighborhood is historically <br />significant at the local level, and in fact is noted on tourist maps. She said the <br />Historical Commission believes the homes on Merriam Hill should be <br />documented and that the historically significant houses should be added to the <br />Inventory. Ms. Fallick spoke to the issue of the Demolition Delay By -Law, noting <br />that she had been one of the original authors of the By -Law. The additional <br />homes expected to be added to the Inventory would be subject to the Demolition <br />Delay By -Law. <br />Ms. Kreiger commented that three hundred houses represented a large block of <br />homes, and questioned whether other owners in the Neighborhood were <br />unanimous in having their properties studied. Mr. Manhard said that the owners <br />of all of the 304 houses had not been yet been contacted, since no determination <br />had been made as to the buildings' eligibility for inclusion on the Inventory and <br />notification was therefore premature. Ms. Kreiger asked if the owners would have <br />a choice of being placed on the Inventory, to which Ms. Fenollosa stated that they <br />3 <br />