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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-11-15-HC-min Lexington Historical Commission Meeting Minutes November 15, 2023 Meeting Conducted by Remote Participation Commissioners Present: Robert Rotberg, Chair, Marilyn Fenollosa, Wendall Kalsow, Diane Pursley, Susan Bennett, Commissioner Absent: Associate Commissioners Present: David Kelland. Associate Commissioner Absent: th Chair Robert Rotberg called the November 15 Historical Commission meeting to order at 7:00 pm. AGENDA ITEM #1: Approval of meeting minutes th Ms. Fenollosa made a motion to approve the minutes of the meeting held on October 18, 2023 as edited. Ms. Bennett seconded. Motion carried with Mr. Kelland and Mr. Kalsow in abstention. All in favor. Motion carried. AGENDA ITEM #2: Discuss and approve CPC Needs Assessment Report Historic Resources Section Ms. Fenollosa described the CPC Needs Assessment Report Historic Resources Section. Motion: Ms. Fenollosa made a motion to approve the CPC Needs Assessment Report Historic Resources Section. Ms. Bennett seconded. Roll Call Vote: Ms. Bennett – Yes, Mr. Kalsow – Yes, Mr. Kelland – Yes, Ms. Pursley – Yes, Ms. Fenollosa – Yes, Mr. Rotberg – Yes. Motion carried 6 to 0. AGENDA ITEM #3: Legal Notice Publish on Lexington Observer Historical Commission discussed putting legal notice advertisements into Lexington Observer. Ms. Pursley agreed to draft a motion for Town Meeting action, having received encouragement from the other commissioners. Historical Commission 1 AGENDA ITEM #4: Continued Public Hearing regarding the partial building demolition (residing) at 20 Highland Avenue APPLICANT (S) PRESENT: Enqiang Lin, Homeowner ABUTTER(S) PRESENT: DOCUMENT(S): None SUMMARY: Enqiang Lin, homeowner of 20 Highland Ave, explained the proposed front entrance restoration plans for 20 Highland Avenue. The Commission reviewed the proposed front entrance restoration plans for the structure at 20 Highland Avenue. No Public Comments. HC COMMENTS: Mr. Kalsow recommended that the homeowner should hire a preservation architect to do this project. No Public Comments. MOTION: Ms. Bennett made a motion to approve the salvage materials option I (Triangular Broken Pediment, 84”, Urn Design, Wood – From black bog salvage) in each case for the pediment, door casings, and the columns and specify that the panels adjacent to the columns also be replicated in wood to match the original. Ms. Pursley seconded. Roll Call Vote: Mr. Kelland – Yes, Mr. Kalsow – No, Ms. Fenollosa – Yes, Ms. Bennett – Yes, Mr. Rotberg – Yes, Ms. Pursley – Yes, Motion carried 5 to 1. AGENDA ITEM #5: Continued Public Hearing regarding Preservation Restriction Review (Windows and doors replacement) at 110 Shade Street APPLICANT (S) PRESENT: Mittal Vikram & Sheilaja Vikram, Homeowner ABUTTER(S) PRESENT: Historical Commission 2 DOCUMENT(S): None SUMMARY: Mittal Vikram, homeowner, requested to take this hearing off the schedule. The qualified consultants or restoration contractors’ information will be forwarded to the homeowner. No Public Comments. AGENDA ITEM #6: Public Hearing regarding the partial building demolition and roof line change (Additions) at 22 Barberry Road APPLICANT (S) PRESENT: Michael Schanbacher, Architect Rasmus Jorgensen, Owner ABUTTER(S) PRESENT: DOCUMENT(S): Homeowner Letter: dated October 18, 2023 Existing and Proposed elevations: dated October 18, 2023 Legal Advertisement Authorization Form: dated October 18, 2023 SUMMARY: Michael Schanbacher, Architect, explained the proposed additions plans at 22 Barberry Road. The Commission reviewed and approved the proposed additions plans to the structure at 22 Barberry Rd. David Kessler, 20 Barberry Rd, stated he was certainly fine with the project. HC COMMENTS: The Commission approved the proposed additions plans to the structure at 22 Barberry Road. MOTION: Ms. Fenollosa made a motion to find that 22 Barberry Road preferably be preserved, and that th proposed addition plans to the structure presented on the November 15, 2023 HC meeting were appropriate and consistent with the historic nature of the house. Mr. Kelland seconded. Roll Call Vote: Ms. Pursley – Yes, Ms. Bennett – Yes, Mr. Kalsow – Yes, Mr. Kelland – Yes, Ms. Fenollosa – Yes, Mr. Rotberg – Recused, no vote Motion carried 5 to 0. Historical Commission 3 AGENDA ITEM #7: Hosmer House Review The Historical Commission reviewed the below letter. It will be sent to ZBA when the applicant goes to the ZBA as a statement that the Historical Commission had voted on to be presented as the view of the Commission. “To the Zoning Board of Appeals: th The Historical Commission, at its November 15, 2023 meeting, by a vote of 6 to 0, decided that promises made must result in promises kept. The ZBA, HDC, PB, and HC approval for the transfer of the historical Hosmer House from Fletcher Park to an unusual site on Blossomcrest/Waltham St was conveyed with the explicit understanding and assurances in writing that the Hosmer House’s fundamental character (at least as of 2010) would be maintained. No one agreed that the upper story of the House would be cut off. No one agreed that the house would be painted a color different from 2010, that new windows would be installed, and that a non-historic roof would be fabricated. No attempt was made, post-move, to reconstruct the house historically, as the HC requested. None of the original expectations on which the move from Fletcher to Blossomcrest was predicated have been fulfilled. In May the HC asked the Town Manager and the Building Commissioner to follow preservation architecturally sound principles before lifting a stop work order on construction. Without consulting the HC (as was explicitly requested) the Building Commissioner, in receipt of a lawyer’s letter and building plans from the owners, on his own (consulting no one) permitted the owners to complete construction on what we might now call the ex-Hosmer House. th The Town Manager and the Building Commissioner (as recently as September 20, 2023) agreed that no certificate of occupancy for the ex-Hosmer House could be delivered without the granting of a preservation agreement by the Massachusetts Historical Commission. No decision should be made until preservation restriction has been issued. Finally, because the character of the Hosmer House has been altered so fundamentally, and because the Massachusetts Historical Commission will not (we have learned) grant as preservation restriction to the ex-Hosmer House without a major reconstruction, we strongly oppose any revision of the original special permit that would retrospectively authorized the ex- Hosmer House’s legitimacy. We also ask that appropriate penalties, including fines, be levied by the Building Commissioner.” The Historical Commission were doing this in advance of any hearings aiming to remove the special permit condition. Motion: Ms. Fenollosa made a motion to adopt this letter. Ms. Bennett seconded. Mr. Kalsow suggested to confirm the paint colors, which should be correct when the letter is sent to ZBA in terms of the paint colors. And he also advised that no decision should be made until Massachusetts Historical Commission 4 Historical Preservation Restriction has been issued or refused. This information should be included in the motion. And those suggestions should be reviewed and edited before sent the above letter. Roll Call Vote: Mr. Kelland – Yes, Ms. Fenollosa – Yes, Ms. Bennett – Yes, Ms. Pursley – Yes, Mr. Kalsow – Yes, Mr. Rotberg – Yes, Motion carried 6 to 0. AGENDA ITEM #8: Input from the public on other matters Mr. Kalsow made a motion to adopt the letter stating opposition to the proposed jet infrastructure expansion of Hanscom Field Civil Airport considering the integrity of nationally important historical structures, landscapes and diverse cultural features with the Historical Commissions of Concord, Lincoln, and Bedford. Mr. Kelland Seconded. Roll Call Vote: Mr. Kelland – Yes, Ms. Fenollosa – Yes, Mr. Kalsow – Yes, Ms. Bennett – Yes, Ms. Pursley – Yes, Mr. Rotberg – Yes, Motion carried 6 to 0. AGENDA ITEM #9: Adjourn The Commission made a motion to adjourn at 8:39pm. Motion carried. All in favor. Historical Commission 5