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Home My WebLink About2025-02-19-HC-min Lexington Historical Commission Meeting Minutes th February 19, 2025 Meeting Conducted by Remote Participation Commissioners Present: Robert Rotberg, Chair, Marilyn Fenollosa, Wendall Kalsow. Commissioners Absent: Susan Bennett, Diane Pursley. Associate Commissioners Present: David Kelland. Associate Commissioner Absent: th Chair Robert Rotberg called the February 19, 2025 Historical Commission meeting to order at 7:00 pm. th AGENDA ITEM #1: Approval of meeting minutes of the meeting held on December 18, 2024 & th January 15, 2025 th Ms. Fenollosa made a motion to approve the minutes of the meeting held on December 18, 2024 as amended. Motion carried. All in favor. th Mr. Kalsow made a motion to approve the minutes of the meeting held on January 15, 2025 as amended. Motion carried. All in favor. AGENDA ITEM #2: Voting on adding 70 Middle Street to Cultural Resource Inventory The new homeowners of 70 Middle Street, Isabella Simone and Tyler Fishman, requested not to include this property in the Cultural Resource Inventory. The Commission agreed that the house at 70 Middle Street was preferably preserved and historically and architecturally significant. As demonstrated by the Form B that was completed, it merited inclusion in the Cultural Resource Inventory. MOTION: Ms. Fenollosa made a motion to add the house at 70 Middle Street to Lexington Cultural Resource Inventory and submit the Form B to the Massachusetts Historical Commission for adding to Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System (MACRIS). Mr. Kalsow seconded. Roll Call Vote: Mr. Kelland – Yes, Mr. Kalsow – Yes, Ms. Fenollosa – Yes, Ms. Rotberg – Yes. Motion carried 4 to 0. Motion carried. All in favor. Historical Commission 1 AGENDA ITEM #3: Public Hearing regarding the Partial building demolition (Window Sash Replacement) at 110 Shade Street This hearing will move to March Historical Commission meeting as per applicant’s request. Mr. Kalsow suggested that the owner of 110 Shade St should have a consultant who is recognized for retaining and restoring historic windows and that the owner should demonstrate the details of windows under Historical Preservation Agreement. AGENDA ITEM #4: Public Hearing regarding the Roof Line Change (Additions) at 44 Simonds Road APPLICANT (S) PRESENT: Mark Iacocca, Architect Jack Mahoney & Maria Mahoney, Homeowners ABUTTER(S) PRESENT: None DOCUMENT(S): Homeowner letter: dated January 7, 2025 Comparison of Existing and Proposed Elevations: dated January 13, 2025 Renderings: dated January 13, 2025 Individual Building Form from Lexington Comprehensive Cultural Resources Survey: dated February 13, 2025 Photos of existing structure: dated January 13, 2025 Legal Advertisement Authorization Form: dated January 7, 2025 44 Simonds floor plans: dated January 13, 2025 SUMMARY: Mark Iacocca, Architect, explained the proposed demolition of the entire detached garage and the first- floor exterior walls common to the existing kitchen for the proposed addition to the home which includes a new attached 2 car garage with a bedroom suite above on the second level. An addition off the rear will be added to expand the existing kitchen space. Roofing, siding, windows, paint color and trim color for the new addition will match that of the existing house. Street facing roof slopes will match that of the existing house. A second story breezeway connection will connect the existing second floor to the new third bedroom suite above the proposed garage. New ridge lines will be designed to be at a lower elevation than existing ridge lines. Care was taken with the design process to maintain a similar aesthetic to the existing home. An unobtrusive flat roof with decorative accents will be built over the single-story kitchen addition in the rear of the property. The Commission reviewed the proposed addition plans and agreed that it was appropriate. No Public Comments. HC COMMENTS: The Commission approved the addition plans as submitted. Historical Commission 2 Mr. Kalsow encouraged that the owners and their architect to look at minimizing the street impact. The small link between the addition and historic house is important which will help moderate the impacts of the very substantial addition. MOTION: Ms. Fenollosa made a motion to find that the house at 44 Simonds Road was preferably preserved, with the submitted partial building demolition and roof line change as proposed additions in th drawings and photographs as submitted to the Historical Commission meeting on February 19, 2025. Mr. Kelland seconded. Roll Call Vote: Ms. Fenollosa – Yes, Mr. Kelland – Yes, Mr. Kalsow – Yes, Ms. Rotberg – Yes. Motion carried 4 to 0. Motion carried. All in favor. AGENDA ITEM #5: Continued Public Hearing regarding the Roof Line Change (Additions) at 39 Somerset Road APPLICANT (S) PRESENT: Jayalakshmi Nagaraj, Homeowner Noel Danforth, Artist & Designer ABUTTER(S) PRESENT: None DOCUMENT(S): Pre-existing porch additions: dated February 12, 2025 Front and side elevations with Solarium: dated February 12, 2025 Exterior rendering of solarium: dated February 12, 2025 SUMMARY: Jayalakshmi Nagaraj, homeowner, and Noel Danforth, designer, explained the updated plans for the second story addition on the left side of the home above the pre-existing porch for the structure at 39 Somerset Road. The Commission reviewed and approved the updated plans for the second story addition on the left side of the home above the pre-existing porch. No Public Comments. HC COMMENTS: The Commission approved the updated plans for the second story addition on the left side of the home above the pre-existing porch during the meeting. Mr. Kalsow stated that the updated plans match the existing historic house. Historical Commission 3 MOTION: Mr. Kalsow made a motion to find that the house at 39 Somerset Road was preferably preserved and architecturally significant, and that HC approve the updated plans for the second story addition on the left side of the home above the pre-existing porch as submitted to the Historical Commission th meeting on February 19, 2025. Mr. Kelland seconded. Roll Call Vote: Ms. Fenollosa – Yes, Mr. Kalsow – Yes, Mr. Kelland – Yes, Ms. Rotberg – Yes. Motion carried 4 to 0. Motion carried. All in favor. AGENDA ITEM #6: Continued Public Hearing regarding the Partial Building Demolition and Roof Line Change (Additions) at 31 Barberry Road APPLICANT (S) PRESENT: Michael Schanbacher, Architect Joshua Apgar & Courtney Apgar, Homeowners ABUTTER(S) PRESENT: None DOCUMENT(S): 250219-31 Barberry – Lexington Historic Commission: dated February 6, 2025 SUMMARY: Michael Schanbacher, architect, and Joshua Apgar & Courtney Apgar, homeowners, explained the updated addition plans with simplified roofline for the structure at 31 Barberry Road. Chair Robert Rotberg recused himself because he is an abutter of this property. The owners agreed to come back in March. No Public Comments. HC COMMENTS: Mr. Rotberg suggested that the applicants plan to come back in March. Mr. Kalsow stated that it’s a matter when view the house from the public way. AGENDA ITEM #7: Historical Commission “Adaptive Reuse” Review – 342 Bedford Street Zoning Bylaw Section 6.2.3 “Review by Historical Commission. The Historical Commission shall review applications and advise the SPGA on whether, in the Commission's view, the proposed renovation, repair, adaptive reuse, or relocation preserves the historical and architectural features of the building, structure, or elements if renovated or relocated according to the plans.” Historical Commission 4 The applicant David Supple proposed to utilize the ground floor of the main structure as an office for approximately 12-20 months while the barn is designed and renovated for office/trade shop use, at which point the ground floor will returned to residential use (2nd unit). He stated that the historical house and barn will be preserved and restored. The property owner Colin Moriarty expressed his support to this project. Motion: Ms. Fenollosa made a motion that Historical Commission will write a support letter to the Zoning Board of Appeals, having heard from the applicant David Supple of his intentions to preserve the house and barn in architecturally and historically appropriate way in order to accommodate his new business. The Historical Commission supports retention & restoration of the historic house and barn and has no objection to the adaptive reuse of the property if, as the applicant Mr. Supple assured the Historical Commission, exterior changes would be brought to Historical Commission for review and approval. Mr. Kelland seconded. Roll Call Vote: Mr. Kelland – Yes, Mr. Kalsow – Yes, Ms. Fenollosa – Yes, Ms. Rotberg – Yes. Motion carried 4 to 0. Motion carried. All in favor. AGENDA ITEM #8: Demolition Delay Procedure Flow Chart Discussion “Demolition permitted by LHC after 12 months elapsed” will be updated as “Demolition permitted by LHC after 21 months elapsed” to comply with Historical Commission 21-month demolition delay bylaw. Motion: Mr. Kalsow made a motion to approve the modification of Lexington Historical Commission Demolition Delay process to “demolition permitted by LHC after 21 months elapsed”. Mr. Kelland seconded. Roll Call Vote: Ms. Fenollosa – Yes, Mr. Kalsow – Yes, Mr. Kelland – Yes, Ms. Rotberg – Yes. Motion carried 4 to 0. Motion carried. All in favor. AGENDA ITEM #9: Chair’s Report on Demolition by Neglect Historical Commission 5 st Chair Mr. Rotberg stated that he will hear from the Building Commissioner Mr. Kelly on February 21, 2025 about his inspection for the structure at 25 Moon Hill Road. The demolition by neglect will not be applied if the structure is protected and the place is secured from damages. AGENDA ITEM #10: Input from Commissioners on other matters None AGENDA ITEM #11: Input from the public on other matters Mark Manasas and Carolyn Goldstein, Lexington Lyceum, stated that they were waiting on a request for proposals from the Town regarding Stone Building in Lexington. Mr. Manasas stated that they have been advocating to bring the Stone Building back into use. Mr. Kalsow stated that he enthusiastically supports bringing the Stone Building back into productive use. The Stone Building (735 Mass Ave) is located in the East Village Historic District, so it will be under Historic Districts Commission Jurisdiction. AGENDA ITEM #12: Adjourn Mr. Kalsow made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Ms. Fenollosa at 9:00pm. Motion carried. All in favor. Historical Commission 6