2019-09-09 Joint BOS and HDC-min

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Joint Meeting September 9, 2019 Page 1 of 3 Joint Meeting Board of Selectmen and Historic Districts Commission September 9, 2019 A Joint meeting of the Lexington Board of Selectmen and Historic Districts Commission was called to order at 7:55 p.m. on Monday, September 9, 2019 in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room, Town Office Building, 1625 Massachusetts Avenue. Mr. Lucente, Chair; Mr. Pato; Ms. Barry; Ms. Hai; and Mr. Sandeen were present, as well as Mr. Malloy, Town Manager; Ms. Axtell, Assistant Town Manager; Ms. Katzenback, Executive Clerk; Mike Cronin, Director of Public Facilities; and Mike Waters, AIA, LDa Architecture. Present for the Historic Districts Commission were: Anne Eccles, Chair; Ed Adelman; Mark Connor; Susan Bennett; Robert Adams; and Lee Noel Chase. ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION 1. Discuss Hosmer House The Board of Selectmen and the Historic Districts Commission met to discuss the future of, and the possible relocation of, the Hosmer House. Mike Waters, LDa Architecture, reviewed the results of a study on the Hosmer House and its possible relocation. While the structure could be adapted to a community space in its current location, and offer amenities not otherwise available at the field such as storage and bathroom facilities, the study results showed the highest and best use of this building would be as a residence. It could be adapted to affordable housing, or returned to use as a private a residence. Further, he stated that a residence would not be an appropriate use on Fletcher field. He reviewed options for moving the house to town owned or private land and the various steps involved in each. While moving the Hosmer House offsite was beyond the scope of the study, and hard to quantify as there is no site to move it to at this time, there was no technical reason it could not be moved off-site. He stated that the Hosmer House is valuable both its current location near the police station and as a form of architecture. In conclusion, after hearing from the public and discussing the issue in a working group, he stated that the best use would be for the Hosmer House to remain a house, if possible, within close proximity of its “sibling” across the street but not on Fletcher field. Mr. Lucente reaffirmed the Board’s position from their July 8, 2019 meeting that they were not in favor of the Hosmer House being incorporated as a part of the Lexington Police Station redesign plans. The Board also felt that the Hosmer House should be moved offsite to another location as a historic preservation restricted residential building. Ms. Eccles said that the Historic Districts Commission feels the highest and best use of the Hosmer House would be as a private residence moved offsite.