HomeMy WebLinkAbout1983-10-19
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HISTORIC DISTRICTS COMMISSION
A meeting of the Historic Districts Commission was held on Wednesday,
October 19, 1983, in the Selectmen's Meeting Room, Town Office Building,
Lexington. Present were Commissioners John L. Davies, Chairman; S.
Lawrence Whipple, Secretary; Roland B. Greeley; John E. Ryan; Ann Wallace;
and Associate Commissioners Stephen B. Cripps, Linda J. McAulay; Richard
S. Morehouse, and Mary Harding Nye.
At 8:00 Y.M. the photograph for the Lexington Annual Report was taken.
At 8:05 P.M. Mr. Charles R. Bartels and Ms. Anne B. Doerr appeared t;o
request a certificate for the installation of combination storm xindows and
doors on the house at 1048 Massachusetts Avenue. The storm windows will be
aluminum triple track type in white baked enamel finish, and the storm
doors will be Harvey Industries "Dual Plate" model without ornamentation or
imitation strap hinges. Approval xas;VOTED.
At 8:15 P.M. John and Monique Reed appeared to request approval of the
installation of parabolic solar hot water collectors on the roof of the
house at 1437 Massachusetts Avenue. The proposed array would consist of
four collectors mounted on a rack centered over the ridge of the roof and
oriented at an angle to the house. The rack would be 12 feet long and
would extend approximately 7 feet above the ridge. The proposal was unani-
mously rejected, for the reason that it would be highly visible from
Massachusetts Avenue and would be so large that it would tend to dominate
the house.
At 8:40 P,M. Ms. Caroline Creelman appeared on behalf of Lexington
Square with respect to the erection of a fence at the rear of the property
and the installation of two signs. The fence presented was designed to
conform to the Board of Appeals requirements and was 8 feet high in the
Walpole "Hamilton" model. It was made clear that the 8 feet dimension is
taken at the low point of the scalloped top of the fence. There was dis-
cussion of a gate leading to the 50 foot easment leading to Vine Brook
Road, and it was concluded that a 6 foot gate would give maintenance access
without permitting the passage of trucks or snowplows. The fence was
VOTED, with Nr. Ryan oppose.
Ms. Creelman then presented the two signs for Putnam Pantry, both of
which conformed to the design standardcz approved earlier. `Phere was dis-
cussion regarding the logo, which consists of a head of General Israel
utna;c na,y~rt~ri `i:-< r_a.tural color; . `Phe consensus was tc approve the logo,
in the same spirit as the "Gizmos" logo, as a small but colorful accent in
an otherwise uniform sign. It was DOTED to approve the Putnam Pantry signs
as presented.
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Historic Districts Commission - 2 - October Ig, 1983
At 9:30 P.M. Mr. Joel Greenstein appeared on behalf of S & A Realty
Trust with respect to proposed architectural changes at 3656 Massachusetts
Avenue. He explained that he no longer has an interest in the property
and withdrew his application. All available copies of his proposed plan
were returned to him. Mr. Stephen Owren appeared to explain that he was
proposing to acquire the property under a previously overlooked right of
refusal. He proposed to add to the building to cover the entire rear
portion of the property. Mr. Whipple pointed out that such an addition
would be too large for the original building. He expressed the opinion
that this building is important in that it is the last in a row of resi-
dential scale structures east of the Lexington Square building and, in
itself, it is of historical note as an early schoolhouse. Mrs. Wallace
felt that any addition to the building would be a mistake. It was agreed
to continue the hearing until November 26, at which time Mr. Owren would
have developed a plan of his own for the property.
At 20;00 P.M. Mr. Leonard W. Perry appeared on behalf of the Shawmut
County Bank to request approval of new automatic drive-in teller equipment
at the bank's 1.822 Massachusetts Avenue and Worthen Road locations. The
proposed equipment would fit within the existing masonry openings, and
would feature a black plastic laminate surround to the machine and colored
panels at the top with the word "Shawmut". He explained that this was the
new corporate image for automatic drive-in facilities state-wide. A num-
ber of objections to this plan were expressed. Mr. Perry suggested that,
if the Commission preferred, the openings around the new machines could be
bricked up to match the existing brick. It was then VOTED unanimously to
reject the proposed installation at the 1822 Massachusetts Avenue location,
and it was VOTED to reject the installation at the Worthen Road location,
with Mrs. Wallace abstaining in the second vote. On Mr. Perry's suggestion
to infill the openings with matching brick, it was then VOTED to approve
this substitute proposal for both locations.
Mr. Perry then presented two new signs for the bank's Worthen Road
location, with white backgxround and black lettering and logo. Both of
these signs were VOTED, provided that they be re-proportioned to meet the
requirements of the sign by-law, with Mr, Whipple opposed.
At 20:30 P.M. Mr. Harold Millican appeared informally for The First
Baptist Church, with Dr. & Mrs. John Morrall, to report an agreement on
the design of a landscape plan and a fence separating the two properties.
The fence is to be Walpole`s "Hamilton" design, 5 feet high. The proposal
received the general approval of the Commission and will be formally pre-
sented at the next meeting.
Bills were VDTED to pay Beacon Minute-Man Publications $56.3,6 and
Barbara Gilson $97.50,
The meeting was adjourned at 11:00 P.M.
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S. Lawrence Whipple
Secretary