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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1980-05-21 . • HISTORIC DISTRICTS COMMISSION A meeting of the Hist~:ric Districts Commission was held at 8s00 P.M. on Wednesday May 21, 198o in the Selectmen's Meeting Room, Town Office Building, Lexington. Present were Commissioners John R. Packard, Chairman, John L. Davies, S. Lawrence Whipple, Roland Greeley and Associate Commissioner Richard Morehouse. At 8:00 P. M. Miriam Butts and Wendy Holzborg presented scale drawings of a projecting sign for Books on the Green and Gm.llery on the Green at 1837 Massachusetts Avenue. This is the first application to come before the Commission for a projecting sign now permitted under certain conditions by the Sign By-Law as amended by the 1980 Town Meeting. Since the Commission encouraged an amendment of the Sign By-Law to permit projecting signs, the discussion of this first application was both lively and lengthy. At the conclusion it was VOTED to approve the design as presented, details of which shall be incorporated in a Certificate of Approval and in the permanent records of the Commission. At 8:40 P.M. Mr. Coscia, speaking for the Town of Lexington, came in to discuss the deteriorated condition of the wood shingle roof on the Visitors Center at the Buckman Tavern grounds. Mr. Coscia advised the Commission that wood shingles in his opinion and in that of many roofers he had consulted, would not last long, because the trees overhanging the Center impede the drying of the roof after wet weather, and contribute to a build-up of moss and mildew. He recommended -2 that wood shingles be replaced by asphalt ones, and presented several samples. Asphalt shingles would last longer and cost less to install. Mr. Coscia was seeking an informal indication from the Commission how it might vote on the question of asphalt shingles. If it appeared that these would be disapproved, he might then elect to replace the old wood shingles with new ones, which would not require a hearing. There followed a lengthy discussion of the fine points involved - cost, durability, quality of workmanship and aesthetics. It appeared that the Chairman and Mr. Whipple would vote for new wood shingles; Mr. Greeley would approve asphalt, but hoped the Town could find the necessary funds to do a proper shingling job with wood shingles; Mr. Davies and Mr. Morehouse suspended judgement until they could examine the roof. Consequently the decision what to do was postponed. After approval of the usual bills for publication and clerical services, the meeting was adjourned at 10:00 P. M. ~~~--~Y