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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1977-01-05 r HISTORIC DLSTRICTS COMMISSION +c A meeting of the Historic Districts Commission xas held on Wednesday, January 5, 1977, in the Selectmen's Meeting Room, Toxn Office Building, Lexington. Present xere Commissioners Wilbur M. Jaquith, Chairman= Georgia H. Williams, Secretaryi S. Lawrence Whipplei and Associate Gommistisioners Oliver F. Hooper and John R. Packard. Mr. Hooper xas appointed to serve for Thomas J. Holzbog xho has resigned. Mr. Packard xas appointed to serve for Amelia G. Samoylenko x~o xas not present. A hearing was held at 7=55 P.M. on the application of Louis J. and Marie A. Bakanoxsky for a Certificate xith respect to removal of a combina- tion stone door, changes in the exterior architectural features of the dxelling at and erection of fencing on the premises at 6 Parker Street, which is xithin the Battle Green District. Mr. Jaquith read the legal notice and two application letters. Three sketches shoxing location of the proposed fencing and a copy of an illustration of the proposed fencing xere submitted. Mr. Bakanoxsky said that this xas to be a privacy fence b• high along the rear and part way along one side of the property. He said that he did not feel a stockade fence was appropriate for this location and had therefore chosen a classic traditional cedar fence xhich has a flat top and posts capped with 2" x 4" or possibly 2" x 6" caps. Mr. Jaquith asked if the boards xould all be the same xidth and xhat width the boards xould be and Mr. Bakanoxsky said that all boards xould be 4" wide. Mr. Jaquith asked the height of the fence and Mr. Bakanoxsky said that it xould be a 6' high board fence raised about 6" off the ground. Mr. Hooper asked if the cap xas grooved and if the boards xould touch one another and Mr. Bakanowsky said that the cap xas grooved and that the boards virtually touch each other. Mr. Jaquith asked if the posts come up another 6" and Mr. Bakanoxsky said that they were about 2" high. Mrs. Williams said that she had seen the portion of the fence already erected and that the posts xere 2" above the top of the fence. Mr. Hooper asked xhat size the poste. xere and Mr. Bakanoxsky said that they xere 6" x 6" so probably 5~" x Mr. Jaquith asked how the fence would be finished and Mr. Bakanowsky said that it xould be left to weather to a silver grey xhich he felt xould die- appear more into the landscapping. Mr. Jaquith asked why the fence was ao high and Mr. Bakanoxsky said that 6' is the normal height for a screening fence. He said that this fence is to screen their property for privacy and also to hide a trailer, dinghy, etc. Mr. Jaquith said that this would b6 a 6' fence xith a 2" cap and be 6" off the ground for a total height of 6'8" and Mr. Bakanoxsky said that the 2" ca.p is included in the height of the 6' fence. Mr. Jaquith said that this height fence is actually blocking .off the neighbors aad Mr. Bakanoxsky said that the houses in the area xere built before zoning and on email lots. He stated that he felt there xas ample precedent for a 6' screening fence and that the function of a screen- ing fence xas to demark property as well as to provide privacy. Mr. Jaquith said that, if everyone in toxn put up one of these fences, it xould cut off the openness of Lexington. He stated that the Commission bad approved a 6' fence for Hancock Church fora special reason. Mr. Bakanowsky said that HISTORIC DISTRICTS COMMISSION - 2 - January 1977 they rant this fence so that they can do things as a family privately and this is the reason that they chose this type of fence. Mr. Hooper stated that this type of fence is very tight and can be hot as confines the heat xithin the fenced area and Mr. Bakanoxsky said that he had raised the fencing up 6" to get air moving underneath. Mr. Jaquith asked Mr. Bakanoxsky if h® xould recommend that everyone in Lexington erect a 6' fence and Mr. Bakanoxsky said that it xas needed only in rear yards that are close to each other and on shall lots. Mr. Whipple asked xhy this has to be a solid fence and Mr. Bakanoxsky said that some fences are for screening and some are for decorative purposes and that this is for screening. Mr. Hooper asked if any of the neighbors ob3ected to this fence and Mr. Bakanoxsky said that none that he knex of at this time but that there had been some misunderstandings earlier concerning. the fence. Virginia Nicholson of 2006 Massachusetts Avenue (abuttor at the rear of the property) submitted txo sketches xhieh she had drain, one shoring their property xith the location of the proposed fence and the other sketch shoring the fence joining the garage on the Bakanoxsky property. Mr. Jaquith coamented that this sketch shore the flat cross boards on the Nicholson's side and said that it xas considered the custom that the neighbor has the smooth side next to his property. Mr. Jaquith asked if they xere concerned about xarping and Mr. Bakanoxaky said that he xas not as the boards are air dried xhiee cedar xhieh rill xeather to silver grey. Mr. Jaquith asked if the screening here is solely for the Bakanoxskys' purposes and Mr. Bakanoxsky said that he xas ~ trying to screen in his rear yard for privacy and for an area xhere he can store a trailer. dinghy. and cars. He stated that he has found beer cans and that people climb on their cars to go over the xire fence so this xould also serve as a vehicle to stop people cirenlating through their yard. Mr. Jaquith asked if he knex of any fencing there in the past, and Mr. Bakanoxsky said that there is xire fencing there nor. Paul Nicholson said that there had probably been xire fencing there since 1900. David Ryder of 8 Parker Street said-that there xas soae chicken fencing, some poultry fencing. and some rite fencing. Mr. Whipple asked if they used the garage and Mr. Bakanoxsky said that they used the garage for storage (not for cars). Mr. Jaquith asked if he knex of any fencing like this proposed fencing in Lex- ington and Mr. Bakanoxsky said that he did-not. -Mr. Ryder said that there are four different. similar types of fencing in Brookline. Mr. Whipple asked Mr. Bakanoxsky if he xas familiar with the fencing at 20 Clarke Street and Mr. Bakanoxsky said that he knex xhat that fencing xas like but that he felt the proposed board fencing xas better for their purposes. Mrs. Amslia G. Samoylenko rho had arrived during the hearing stated that you do have privacy xith this fencing referred to on Clarke Street and stated that it is an attractive screening fence and that the openiflgs are very narrow. She added that a shadox box fence is considered a screening fence and that in the long run xould probably be less expensive as it xon't xarp. Mr. Jaquith said that the Commission has approved a screening fence along the Meriam Street parking lot and along the boundary lines of the Stop & Shop and First National stores to screen commercial property from residential property. i HISTORIC DISTRICTS COMMISSION - 3 - January 5, 1977 Mr. Bakanewsky again stated that they want-this board fencing for privacy. Mrs. Williams asked if the height xas all right and Virginia Nicholson said that the loxes part is all right but that the part near the garage is too high. Mrs. Williams said that she had looked at it today and that she thought it xas very high by the garage. Mr. Jaquith said that the Commis- sign has permitted tapered fencing. Mr. Bakanoxsky said that keeping the top even xas a possibility. Mr. Ryder said that he xas concerned about it and that he had gone to Brookline to look at various types of screening fencing. He said ths.t he preferred this to a stockade type fence and that he has no ob3ection to this proposed board fencing. Mr. Whipple asked the Nicholsons if they objected to the height and design and Mr. Nicholson said that it xas an improvement over the earlier fencing proposed. Both Mr. and Mrs. Nicholson said that the height is of aoncern to them but that they feel the privacy idea is good. Mr. Jaquith asked Mr. Nicholson if the fact that the cross pieces xere on their side xas of concern and Mr. Nicholson said that they can learn to live xith it. Mr. Jaquith asked Mr. Bakanoxsky if he had a photograph of the combination aluminum storm door which he wished to remove and Mr. Bakanowsky said that he did not but that it xas a typical combination aluminum storm door and that it xas in poor condition. Mr. Whipple asked if they xould xant a screen door and Mr. Bakanoxsky said that they probably xould not. Mr. Jaquith said that the Commission could put a condition in any Certificate issued that they could submit an illus- txation of a screen door for approval if they decided that they xanted one, Mr. Jaquith then asked about painting the front door and Mr. Bakanoxaky said that it is nox a xeak blue-green color and that they xouid like to paint it black, Mr. Jaquith asked if they had selected a brass knocker and Mr. Bakanowsky said that they had not. Mr. Jaquith said that the Commis- sion could pat in a condition that an illustration of the knocker would have to be su~itted to and approved by the Commission prior to installa- tion. The hearing xas closed at 8:55 P.M. A hearing was held at 9s00 P.M. on the application of Joseph and Carole H. P. Stavenhagen f®r a Certificate kith respect to changes in the architectural features of the dwelling at 1377 Massachusetts Avenue, xhich is xithin the Munroe Tavern District. Mr. Jaquith read the le~,I notice and application and then ad3ourned the hearing until a later date at the request of Mr. and Mrs. Stavenhagen. He stated that an extension to April 30, 1977 had been received. Mr. Jaquith then xithdrex and Mr. Whipple was appointed Chairman Pro Tem. Mrs. Samoylenko xas appointed to serve far Mr. Jaquith in the next hearing. A hearing was held at 9:05 P.M. on the application of The Stop ~ Shop Companies, Inc. with respect to the erection and display of signs on the building at 32-36 Bedford Street, xhich is xithin the Battle Green District. Mr. Whipple read the legal notice and application. Milton Kasaner, Manager of the Planning d Engineering Department of The Stop & Shop Companies, Inc. submitted three draxings ahoxing the proposed signs. Mr. Kassaer stated that they intend to leave the existing Stop ~ Shop sign but that they wish to remove the cart and have only one red and one green . ; HISTORIC DISTRICTS COMMISSION - ~i - January 5, 1977 16" diameter ball as the logo. The second sign, which is over the entrance doorway, will use the backboard preiously used over that door xith the legend changed to read "Welcome to Stop ~ Shop". The sign backboard will be long x 30" high xith 10" letters of black on a white plexiglas in- terior lit box. Mrs. Samoylenko said that she thought the xord "Entrance" eras more to the point. Mr. Kassner said that they feel "Welcome to Stop & Shop" is friendlier. Mr. Whipple asked if they would use the same box for either legend and Mr. Kassner said that they would. Mr. Whipple said that the word "Entrance" is shown all in capital letters and that that legend would leave a lot of white exposed. Mr, Packard said that he agreed that "Welcome to Stop & Shop" is friendlier. Mrs. Samoylenko said that she thought the legend "Welcome to Stop & Shop" had too many letters and thus the legend was too croxded on the signboard. Mr. Hooper said that it was all right= Mrs. Williams said that it was all right with her if this was what they want for the legend= and Mrs. Samoylenko said that it would be all right xith her if it was the legend they wanted. Mr. Whipple asked what the name of the letter style is and Mr. Kassner said that he did not knox. The hearing was closed at 9:30 P.M. Then followed a discussion on the application of Robert L. and Delores A, Lyon for a Certificate with respect to an addition to the building at 55 Waltham Street, which is within the Battle Green District. Upon motion made by Mrs. Samoylenko and seconded by Mr. Whipple, it was voted to issue a Certificate of Appropriateness to Robert L. and Deloree A. Lyon with respect to an addition to the building at 55 Waltham Street, which is with- in the Battle Green District. Participating in this decision were Commis- sioners Wilbur M. Jaquith, Chairman= Georgia H. Williams, Secretary= Amalia G. Samoylenko= S. Lawrence Whipple= and Associate Commissioner Oliver F. Hooper. Txo bills from Ingalls Stationer totalling $33.18 xere submitted and it xas moved, seconded, and voted to approve payment of these bills for stationery supplies. The meeting was adjourned at 10:30 P.M. y~ ~~~~s corgis H. Willia~?s Secretary