Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1976-11-04 • HISTORIC DISTRICTS COMMISSION A seating of the Historic Districts Commission xas held on Thursday, Noveeber ~K 197f', in the Selectmen's Meeting Room, Toxn Office Building, Lexington. Present xere Commissioners Wilbur M. Jaquith, Chaimant Georgia H. Willises, Secretary; S. Laxrence Whipple; and Associate Com- aissioners John R. Packard and Ruth B. Adams. Mr. Packard xas appointed to serve for Gomelssionex Thomas J. Holzbog xho xas unable to be present. Mrs. Aches xas appointed to serve for Commissioner Aealia G. Saeoylenko xho xas unable to be present. Mr. Jaquith stated that Toxn Counsel has approved our not using Proof of Mailing book for #1lture legal notice mailings. The hearing on the application of Equity Professional Services for a Certificate of Appropriateness xith respect to the erection and display of a sign for the store at 12 Muzzey Street scheduled for 7t~+5 P.M. xas ad- ~ourned since the applicant xas not represented at the hearing. A hearing xas held at 8:00 P.K. on the application of Liberty Realty Trust for a Certificate of Appropriateness with respect to the erection and display of two signs for the building located at i5 Depot Square, xhich is xithin the Battle Green District. The legal nice and application xere read by the Chairaan. John F.}MacNeil, Trustee, submitted three drawings of each proposed sign. He stated that they x111 either use the existing sign backboard xhich.xill be cqt ic~,txo sections for the signs or use nex backboards if r~ecetsary. One si.gr~xill read "Adorn Salon" and rill be erected above the xindox of Adorn Salon. The other sign x111 bear the legend "FIFTEEN REPOT SQllARL" and x111 be erected over the door and other xindox. These x111 be rectangular signs xith painted letters. Mr. MacNeil rill have nex drawings done br Lexington Carvers & Signeakers xhich x111 be drawn to scale. The hearing xas a+d~ourned at 8112 P.M. Mr. Jaquith stated that an application for a sign has been received from Arlex Auto Driving School and that he has discussed this sign xith Jahn MacNeil. Mr. Jaquith asked Mr. MacNeil about the sign erected by Harvey Nugent. Mr. MacNeil said that Mr. Nugent called the Board of Appeals and had erected the sign as he had had a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Districts Commission xhen he had an office in the building previously. Associate Commissioner Sarah Harkness arrived at 8x25 P.M. A hearing xas held at 8:30 P.M, on the application of Frances M. Broussard for a Certificate of Appropriateness xith respect to exterior architectural changes in the features of the dxelling at 1358 Massachusetts Avenue, xhioh is xithin the Munroe Tavern District. Mr. Jaquith read the legal notice and application. Mr. ~ Mrs. Broussard xere present as xere the F. Goxdon Sullivans of 1351 Massachusetts Avenue. Mr. Jaquith stated that he had talked xith the Broussards and that the Coaeissioners xere HISTORIC DISTRICTS COMMISSION - page 2 November 4, 1976 familiar xith the problem. Mr. Broussard submitted photographs of the house and a sample of the vinyl siding proposed and a piece of the aluminum siding currently on the dxellicg that has flaked seed turned black. Mr. Broussard said that the aluminum siding had been put on the house .around 1961. Mr. Jaquith then said that the siding had been on the house about fifteen years. Mr. Broussard said that they 'built the house about txenty years ago. He said that the insulation causes a chemical reaction to paint so had put aluminum siding on the dxelling. He said that there xas double padding insulation in the battens. The aluminum siding xas installed over the rood clapboards xhich are over silver paper xhich is over the rood sheathing., There is no space for breathing in the insulation or siding.. Alcoa xould not guarantee aluminum if replaced it but do guarantee the vinyl siding from flaking. He said that he had done considerable research into the Problem. He has had several conversations xith Alcoa of Nex Jersey and that they would not guarantee that the flaking xould not recur xith nex aluminum a6 it has happened once. Mr. Johnson of Bird in Walpole said that they xould guarantee ninyl siding against flaking as vinyl siding 1s baked. Reynolds Aluminum said that they xould repaint at no charge but would not guarantee it xould last more than a year. Mr. Broussard said that he had talked xith Production Enamel, an industrial painting firm in Brockton, and the only ray they would do xould be to remove the aluminum, paint the alumi- num, bake the paint on, and then replace the aluminum. Production Enamel does not rant to do the Sob. Mr. Jaquith asked Alr. Broussard if the house had aluminum clapboards and cornerboards xith rood around the xindoxs and rood soffits. Mr. Broussard said "yes°. l4r. Jaquith asked if they planned to remove the aluminum and install vinyl clapboards and cornerboards and Mr. Broussard said "yes". Mr. Jaquith asked if there xere any 45o angles and Mr. Broussard said "no". Mr. Jaquith asked if they xould install vinyl in the same ray as aluminum. that is drop chancels xith cornerboards placed over the vinyl. Mr. Broussard said "yes" and that they xould leave the windoxs rood. 19r. Broussard said that the vinyl butts up to the xindows. The vinyl clapboards run 20• long sad are nailed into the rood clapboards. Kra. Broussard said that she thinks that there may be angled pieces around the door and xindoxs. Mr. Jaquith asked if they xould paint the rood and if they xould try to match the color of the vinyl. Mr. Broussard said that they x111 try to match the color of the vinyl. Mr. Jaquith asked how often they paint the rood trim and Mr. Broussard said every 3-4 years. Mr. Whipple asked if they xould retain the present downspouts and Mr. Broussard said that they would retain the present doxnspouts which are baked white alumi- num. Mr. Jaquith asked if they would retain the existing gutters and Mr. Broussard said that they have rood gutters xhich they rill have to replace with rood or aluminum. Mr. Whipple said that he thinks that they would rant to put rood back on the house. Mr. Jaquith asked if the douxspouts are fairly nex and Mr. Broussard said "yes" xhich is reason they rill leave them. Mr. Jaquith asked about the doors and xindoxs, and Mr. Broussard said that they xould remain the same. Mr. Jaquith asked Mr. Broussard if the peraoc he has been talking xith fully understands the problem. Mr. Broussard said that Gordon Johnson of Bird Co. in Walpole knows the problem. Mrs. Adams HISTORIC DISTRICTS COMMISSION -page 3 November 4, 2976 asked xhen the chalking began and Mr. Broussard said about a year after installation. Mrs. Williams asked if they had put the aiding on xithout a Certificate of Appropriateness. Mr. Broussard said that they did not know they needed a Certificate of Appropriateness. Mr. Jaquith commented that the txo or three houses in that location xexe built about 295 which xas before the Historic Districts Act xas passed. Mrs. Williams asked if the siding xas installed after that and Mr. Broussard said "yes". Mr. Jaquith asked if they xould replace all aluminum xith vinyl and Mr. Broussard said that they would replace all the aluminum clapboards. Mr. Jaquith said that they would end up with the same type siding except that it would be vinyl instead of aluminum. Mr. Jaquith asked if anyone had given them a report on the cause. Mr. Broussard said that Alcoa had said that there xas no breathing space in back of the aluminum siding so caused oxidization of paint. The moisture behind the clapboards had no way of getting out. Mr. Broussard said that they have tried rubbing many homes xith aluminum siding and none have chalked xhen rubbed by a hand. Mr.Jaquith asked the members of the Commission if they had any questions and no one did. Mr. Jaquith ~'I then asked those in the audience if they had any Questions and no one did.. Mr. Jaquith then read a letter he had received from :M3~1e Holley in which he expressed the opinion that the Broussards kept their home very nicely, that it xas an attractive house, that they had an unusual problem, and that he hoped the Commission xould permit them to install the vinyl siding. Mr. Jaquith commented that it is a very attractive, well maintained property. Mr. Jaquith said that the Commission has a problem in that the house had rood clapboards originally. Mrs. Broussard said that they had been fight- ing Reynolds for 8-9 years. She said that they had taken Reynolds to Court and had lost. Mr. Jaquith said that the Commission xould like to make some checks themselves. He asked Mr. Broussard xhen he xould make the change, if the application is approved, and Mr. Broussard said that they xould do it as soon as possible, before winter if possible. The hearing xas ad- ~ourned at 9t25 P.M. The Broussards left the meeting. Mr. Whipple said that it xas a hardship problem. Mrs. Adams said that she thought it xas a matter of no alternative. Mrs. Harkness said that~it xas an interesting and unusual problem. She said that she knex aluminum is affected by polution. Mr. Jaquith said that he had talked xith Bob Adam rho said that you can paint aluminum siding but that it has to be prepared properly. Mr. Adam said that all aluminum siding x111 chalk. particularly on sunny exposure. Mrs. Adams said that a year ago her painter xould not paint aluminum cornerboards and fascia on her house. Mr. Jaquith commented that the Broussards had sued Reynolds and lost. Mr. Packard asked Mr. Jaquith, "do you feel they have not made enough study of repainting?"~ and Mr. Jaquith said that he did. Mr. Jaquith said that the Commission couldr 2. turn dorm 2. permit aluminum again 3. try paint first. HISTORIC DISTRICTS COMMISSION - page 4 November 4, i9?6 !lrs. Adams asked xhy the objection to vinyl. Mr. Jaquith asked, "do .you want to see vinyl siding up and doxn the Avenue" Mrs. Yillisas said, "no". Mr. Jaquith said that the house had xood clapboards originally and that they put aluminum slding on illegally in about i96I-62. Theq did not have to get a permit from the Building Inspector. Hs said that, if approve, liable to have the Forge back again. Mr. Packard said that the Commission could distinguish features of the Forgs' houses whereas this house is a one-story contemporarq house. Mr. Jaquith said that he was not convinced that, if they have had a problem xith aluminum, that theq wont have the same problem with vinyl. Mr. Yhipple said that he could see no problea. Mrs. Harirness said that she could see no problem but wondered about the txo adjacent houses. Mr. Jaquith said that the Commission could disapprove and let them take the Commission to Court. Mr. Jaquith said that the Commis- sion could approve only on hardship and he is not i00,K convinced that they have done everything that they could. Photographs of sign for Congressman Tsongas at i620 Massachusetts Ave- nue were submitted and all agreed that the sign is ail right. Revised plans for the additions. to the buildings at i762 and 1768 Massachusetts Avenue were submitted. Roof shingles for the lox income housing being constructed on St. ~.d's property were submitted and approved. The meeting xas adjourned at 11000 P.M. 1 eorg H. Y illiams Secretary