HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-01-08-HDC447-min Minutes of the Historic Districts Commission
Ad Hoc 40C Study Committee
Monday, January 8, 2018
Parker Room, Town Office Building
1625 Massachusetts Avenue
3:00 pm
Committee Members Present: Anne Eccles, Chair; Susan Bennett (by phone by reason of her
physical presence being unreasonably difficult), Dan Fenn, Marilyn Fenollosa and Lester
Savage.
Committee Members Absent: none
The meeting was called to order at 3:05 pm by Ms. Eccles.
1. Distribution of Handbooks. Ms Eccles distributed handbooks to each committee
member containing a Comparison Chart of MGL. Ch. 40C, the statewide enabling statute
and Special Act Ch. 447, Lexington's governing HDC statute, the text of Ch. 40C; the
text of Special Act 447; and copies of all amendments to Ch. 447.
2. Scope of Committee Charge. Ms. Eccles noted that the Committee had three
alternatives to consider: whether to replace the Special Act with 40C, amend it to resolve
identified problems or leave Ch. 447 and the current regulatory scheme as is.
3. Questionnaires. Ms. Eccles distributed copies of questionnaires to be used in interviews
with other existing Special Act HDCs as well as other Special Act HDCs that had
switched to 40C.
4. Other Issues for focus. Ms. Eccles assigned a list of issues to the committee members to
investigate. Ms. Fenollosa will check with town counsel on the legal process under 40C
for review of decisions; Mr. Savage will investigate hardship provision; Ms. Eccles will
consider the nominating process of other communities; and Ms. Bennett will review
criteria for decision making by the commission.
5. Assignment of Interviews. Members volunteered to contact communities as follows:
Mr. Savage -- Marblehead and Chatham
Mr. Fenn - Petersham
Ms. Bennett - Bedford, Sudbury
Ms. Fenollosa- Falmouth, Boston, Lowell, Nantucket
Ms. Eccles - Hingham, Old Kings Highway, Concord
6. Next Meeting. The next meeting of the Committee was set for Friday, January 19 at
3:00 in the Parker Room.
7. Adjournment. The meeting was adjourned at 4:25.
Respectfully submitted,
Marilyn Fenollosa
The following documents were presented at the meeting:
1. Historic Districts Commission Ad Hoc 40C Study Committee Handbooks
2. Forms for interviews with Special Act communities