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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1974-12-04 i ~ HISTORIC DISTRICTS COMNffSSION A meeting of the Historic Districts Commission was held on Wednesday, December 4, 197, at 8:00 P,M, in Room G15, Town Office Building, Lexington, Present were Commissioners Wilbur M, Jaquith, Chairman; Georgia H, Williams, Secretary; Donald J, Shaw; 5, Lawrence Whipple; and Associate Commissioners Ruth B, Adams and Amalia G, Samoylenko, Mrs, Adams was appointed to serve for Commissioner Thomas J, Holzbog who was unable to be present, Also present were Donald E, Nickerson, Chairman, and Ruth H, Morey of the Board. of Appeals. Roland B, Greeley, President of the Lexington Historical Society, Dan H, Fenn, Jr „ and Nina Meyer of Vision, Inc, were present to discuss the up- coming Bicentennial celebration and a proposal for a walking tour of Lexing- ton on which the Bicentennial Committee and the Lexington Historical Society are cooperating, Mr. Greeley stated that $1,000 had been received from each of five banks and $5,000 had been received from the State Bicentennial Com- mission towards this project, Vision, Inc, is doing the research and pre- paring the markers which the two Lexington committees propose to install, Vision, Inc, will not install the markers nor prepare a booklet which the committees would like to have to accompany this tour and to give visitors to Lexington information on what the Town has done to preserve its character, its history, etc. Mr, Greeley said that they propose to install 30-35 mark- ers ~~ith emphasis to be historical and educational, He stated that this will not be a successful tour unless they can stall attention to locations by the erection of signs with some detailed information on the signs, Mr, Greeley stated that they had asked if they could meet informally to discuss this pro- ject, He said that Nina Meyer of Vision, Inc, would describe the signs and type of illustrations that they propose to use, He added that the emphasis will be on the two year Bicentennial but that many people feel that the in- terest will last for longer than the two years, Mr, Jaquith said that he had five questions as Follows: 1. The location of the signs - whether on sidewalks, private property, close to sidewalks or back from the sidewalks? 2, The size of the signs, 3, The materials of the signs and the type of lettering to be used, 4, The development of the program - will it be done at one time or will they return more than once for Certificates? 5, The installation schedule, Mr, Greeley said that the locations of the signs was one of their pri- mary concerns, He said that the Boar;3 of Appeals has been opposed to free standing signs in the past but stated that this type of tour calls for free standing signs, He said that the signs would be close to the sidewalks, on planting strips when possible and on private property when necessary, He said that the signs would be 15" x 25" and could be mounted on concrete blocks or on posts, attached to utility poles ('3VIx„ Fenn has discussed this with the utility companies and feels that they will permit such installations), etc. Mr, Greeley said that the signs would be embedded fiberglass with a matte finish and would consist of two colors only because of the cost of additional colors, or etched photo aluminum with a choice of colors possible. He said that the original cost would be the largest cost, i,e, getting photographs, • s HISTORIC DISTRICTS COMMISSION - page 2 December 4, 194 typesetting, etc, He added that the two types of materials mentioned were the most vandal proof types and that they are guaranteed to last up to 20 years, He said that most of the signs would be on public or semipublic prop- erty and that they do not anticipate any problems in getting permission for the erection of the signs from private individuals where it will be neces- sary to install on private property, Mr, Fenn said that there was a certain amount of flexibility on choice of locations and that they would expect to erect most of the signs at one time and that they hope to do so in no more than two installments, Mr, Jaquith asked how much flexibility there would be in locations and Mr, Greeley asked the Commission to give them some guide- lines and to allow them some leeway for each sign, Mr, Jaquith said that it was not up to the Commission to dictate the legend of each sign, Mr, Shaw said that, as he understood them, they were basically asking for 30-35 signs in areas where the Commission is trying to keep signs out and said that he thought the locations were important, Mr, Greeley said that they would like to have the choice of sites to be marked decided by the end of December so that the signs could be ordered in January and installed in early April, Mr, Nickerson said that he had been thinking of the problem from the standpoint of the Board of Appeals, He said that, if the signs are installed and kept for more than two ,years, then the problem is more serious and diffi- cult for the Board of Appeals. He said that, if the signs were installed on a temporary basis for two years, then the problems were not so difficult for the Board, He said that the height of the signs above ground is very impor- tant. If the signs are located on trees or poles, this is an important as- pect and the signs would be relatively safe from the danger of someone per- haps hitting his head on the sign, Mr, Jaquith said that the aesthetic stand- point is important, Mrs, Samoylenko said that she likes the National Seashore markers and that she feels it could be chaotic if on poles or trees or are free standing signs, Mr. Nickerson said that timing is important for the Board of Appeals and Mr, Jaquith said that the Historic Districts Commission has the same timing problem, Mr, Nickerson said that the size is small enough to be insignificant and that he does not see any complications once the sign size is definitely determined, Mrs, Morey said that these signs must be handled consistently and she said that she feels it would be dangerous to locate them between the sidewalk and the street, Mrs, Meyer showed slides illustrating a similar sign on a utility pole, on a fence, on a concrete slab, on a slanted granite marker, on the wall of a building, and on its own anodized aluminum or stainless steel pole, Mrs, Meyer was asked if the signs could be mounted on a lamp post and she said that it could not be done, The discussion then turned to a revised list of proposed locations for the signs, and these locations were discussed in detail, Mr, Shaw said that he would prefer to have the signs mounted on a 2" diameter pole and not on a utility pole. Mr, Greeley said that a sign on a pole waist high to 6'6" would probably not be approved by the Board of Appeals, Mrs, Morey suggested that a symbol such as a Minuteman or Tricorn Hat with a number be used on a sign and described by num- ber in a booklet, Mr, Greeley asked her what the advantage would be and Mrs, Morey said that it would be easier to read the text, Mr, Fenn asked if there was a preference for poles or for some other means of locating the signs and Mr, Nickerson said that it might vary depending on the location, Mrs, Meyer said that this type of tour was most effective when designed in sequence and • i HISTORIC DISTRICTS COhII+IISSION - page 3 December 4, 1974 planned to be coordinated, Mr, Jaquith said that markers of this type are usually fitted into the location and will have a variety of style of in- stallation. It was the consensus that the signs should be back from the sidewalks but close enough to read, i,e, within 10' of the sidewalks, Then followed a discussion on the way the applications to the Board of Appeals and the Historio Districts Commission should be prepared, Mr, Nickerson said that he would like to regard them as temporary signs for the two years of the Bicentennial celebration as this would simplify matters for the Board of Appeals, He said that a new application could be submitted in two years to continue the signs for an additional two years, Mr, Jaquith asked if they planned to prepare a booklet or any type of audible equipment and Mr, Greeley said that there would be no audible equipment and that they would like to have a booklet prepared but that they want as much information on each sign as possible, This informal meeting was adjourned at 9:45 P,M, An informal meeting was held at 10:00 P,M, with Mrs, Betty Reinhardt who is interested in establishing a Lexington Historical Commission, It was stated that a Historic Districts Commission usually emerges from a Historical Commission, Mrs, Reinhardt said that she feels Lexington people are com- placent about the condition of the buildings in the Town, She said that the Massachusetts Historical Commission has a standard form which is filled out with one copy going to the State anti one to the Town, Then arty time that the State is aware of something that might affect a building of historic value, the State goes to the Town and asks if the Town wishes to negotiate to save the building, i,e, land being taken by eminent domain for a road, Mr, Shaw asked how a Historical Commission is set up and Mrs, Reinhardt said by a Town By-Law at Town Meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 10s25 P,M, Mr, Jaquith read a copy of a letter from the Town Manager which had been sent to Robert Kent, Chairman of the Cary Memorial Building, regarding a sign for that building, Mrs, Williams mentioned that the rear roof of the old brick store in the East Village is a mass of Christmas lights and that there is a toy store there, The meeting was adjourned at 10:45 P,M. ff~ or H, Williams Secretary