HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-02-06-BLMNCD-minMeeting Minutes, FINAL
Neighborhood Conservation District Study Committee meeting
Byron, Lockwood, Mass Ave Area
Feb. 6, 2017
Convened at 7:30pm, Ellen Stone Room, Crary Hall, Lexington MA
Present: David Kelland, Historical Commission; Richard Canale, Planning Board;
Chris Neurath; Donna Moultrup.
Absent: Richard Goldhammer
Donna reported NCD website should be established this week.
Will also be preparing letter about the NCD Study Committee to about 45 properties.
Timing will depend on when map of abutters [within 100 feet?] is ready and
awaiting website.
We can create our own map from the Lexington online GIS mapping system.
"Abutters" include the MBTA (the bikeway), the Town of Lexington (conservation
land). Question of who at the Town of Lexington should be notified with the
abutter's letter. Perhaps the Selectman's office.
Previous minutes for the Jan. 23, 2017 meeting were unanimously approved after
several corrections were made.
David has a paper on historical house styles that may be useful in preparing the NCD
study report. Mooney's and Galen's houses would be described as 4 -square style.
The committee reviewed house photos that Donna had brought in. What are the
commonalities in design? What changes have been made to original design and
sytle? We discussed some historical discoveries related to the neighborhood.
We discussed the history of the Lockwood house (the current Seavey house behind
the gas station). It was suggested we contact Sam Doran, a Lexington historian,
who worked with Larry Whipple, the town historian.
The book History of East Lexington [find correct title] by Worthen discusses the
history of individual houses in the neighborhood and their owners, but not the
houses on Byron and Lockwood.
Lisa Mausolf wrote the Lockwood House inventory entry in 2009(?).
There was discussion of the draft NCD bylaw.
Discussion of conflicts of interest amongst NCD review committee members,
especially since neighborhood so few houses with many people abutting. The "rule
of necessity" might have to be invoked to reach a quorum. Other ways to deal with
this problem also discussed, including having alternates.
Discussed proposed bylaw criteria for review:
Criteria for exempt from review.
Criteria for subject to review and criteria for acceptance of projects.
Guidelines as opposed to requirements.
Discussed "minimalist" review criteria as a possible approach to gaining greater
acceptance of properties into NCD.
Any NCD bylaw will be reviewed by lawyers.
Next meeting scheduled for Monday, Feb. 27, 2017.
Meeting concluded at 9:00 pm.