HomeMy WebLinkAbout1977-01-19 1
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HISTORIC DISTRICTS COMMISSION
A meeting of the Historic Districts Commission xas held on Wednesday,
January 19, 1977, at 7:45 P.M. in the Legion Room, Cary ,Memorial Building,
Lexington. Present were Commissioners Wilbur M. Jaquith, Chairman; Georgia
H. Williams, Secretary; S. Laxrence Whipple; and Associate Commissioners
Ruth B. Adams, Oliver F. Hooper, and John R. Packard. Mrs. Adams was ap-
pointed to serve for Commissioner Ama.lia G. Samoylenko who was unable to
be Aresent.
Mr. Jaquith announced that, pursuant to the provisions of Section 4
of the Lexington Historic Districts Act, Chapter 447 Acts of 1956 as amend-
ed, he xas designating Associate Commissioner John R. Packard as Acting
Commissioner to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Thomas J.
Holzbog.
At 7x55 P.M'. Mr. Jaquith withdrew and Commissioner S. Laxrence Whipple
xas elected Chairman Pro Tem. Mr. Whipple appointed Associate Commissioner
Oliver F'. }bopeac to serve for Mr. Jaquith. Mr. Whipple then read a draft
of a proposed Gertifica.te of Appropriateness xith respect to the applica-
tion of The Stop 8c Shop Companies, Inc. for a Certificate xith respect to
the erection and display of txo signs for the building at 32-3b Bedford
Street, xhich is within the Battle Green District. It xas moved, seconded
and unanimously VOTED to issue a Certificate of Appropriateness to The Stop
& Shop Companies, Inc. xith respect to the erection and display of two signs
on the building at 32-36 Bedford Street, which is within the Battle Green
District. Participating in this decision were Commissioners S. Laxrence
Whipple and Georgia H. Williams, Acting Commissioner John R.~Packard, and
Associate Commissioners Ruth B. Adams and Oliver F. Hooper.
Mr. Jaquith resumed the Chair at 8s00 P.M. Mr. Hooper left the meet-
ing at that point.
Mr. Jaquith announced that the place of hearing had been ad3ourned to
the Legion Room of Cary Memorial Building due to nonavailability of a room
in the Torn Office Building. A hearing was held at 8s00 P.M. on the appli-
iel A. d M ha C. L as x th s ct to exterior arch tec-
cation of Dan an art uc i re pe i
tural changes in the dwelling at 3 Tower Road, which is within the .East
Village District. Mr. Jaquith read the legal notice and application. Mr.
Lucas submitted several photographs of the porch to be enclosed and draw-
ings shoring the proposed changes. He stated that they xished to install
4' x 4' Anderson windows on the porch which is approximately 12°° x 12". He
said that the same type of rood shingling xould be used for the clapboards
and that they xould be painted the same Cumberland Green color. Mr. Whipple
asked if there xere other casement xindoxs in the dwelling and Mrs. Lucas
said that there xas an Anderson casement xindox in the kitchen which has
solid permanent wood muntins. Mr. Whipple asked if the screens xould be on
the inside of the xindoxs and Mrs. Lucas said that they xould be. Mr.
Jaquith asked if they would use the same foundation and Mr. Lucas said that
they xould. Mr. Jaquith asked if the shingles xould come doxn to the found~-
tion and if they xould match existing shingles in exposure, and Mr. Lucas
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HISTORIC DISTRICTS COMMISSION - 2 - January 19, 1977
said that the answer to each question xas yes. Mr. Jaquith asked if there
would be any downspouts and Mr. Lucas said that there is already one there.
Mr. Jaquith asked if any trim xould be painted white and Mr. Lucas said
that it would be. Mrs. Williams asked if there were any shutters or blinds
and Mr. Lucas said that there xere some on the front of the dwelling but
none on the sides or rear. The hearing was closed at 8s20 P.M.
Upon motion made by Mr. Whipple and seconded by Mr. Packard, it xas
unanimously VOTED to issue a Certificate of Appropriateness to Daniel A.
and Martha C. Lucas with respect to changes in the exterior architectural
features of the dwelling at 3 Toxer Road, which is xithin the East Village
District. Participating in this decision were Commissioners Wilbur M.
Jaquith, Georgia H. Williams, and S. Lawrence Whipple; Acting Commissioner
John R. Packard; and Associate Commissioner Ruth B. Adams.
A hearing xas held at 8,25 P.M, on the application of Roxe Chevrolet,
Inc. for a Certificate of Appropriateness with respect to the erection of
fencing on the premises at 47-49 Bedford Street, which is xithin the Battle
Green District. Mr. Jaquith stated that the place of hearing had been ad-
journed to the Legion Room of Cary Memorial Building due to nonavailability
of space in the Toxn Office Building. Mr. Jaquith stated that George Rowe
had called him that evening and said that he xas ill and gave Mr. Jaquith
information as to what he proposed to do. Mr. Jaquith read the legal no-
tice and application for this hearing. Mr. Jaquith stated that in 1975 a
hearing was held on the demolition of the house at 47-49 Bedford Street and
read the Demolition Permit which had been issued by the Commission and also
stated that a Certificate of Appropriateness had been issued allowing for
installation of macadam on this property. He stated that macadam has not
been installed and that Mr. Rowe had told him tonight that he did not plan
to install macadam but to retain the crushed. stone now on the premises.
Mr. Rowe told Mr. Jaquith that he xould install a 6' or 8' Walpole Stockade
(split rail) fence along the railroad track. Mr. Roxe stated that the
abuttors on Hancock Avenue want an 8' stockade type fence along the railroad
tracks to screen their properties. Present xere Marcia Trainor of 12 Hancock
Avenue, Robert Soule of 10 Hancock Avenue, Peter Stowe of 13 Hancock Avenue,
and William Spencer of 32 Hancock Street. Mr. Whipple asked if there were
any evergreens along the railroad tracks and those present said that there
xere none but that George Rowe had agreed to install evergreens along the
fence. Mr. Whipple asked if the railroad right-of-xay xas higher than. the
parking area and Mr. Stowe said that 1t was and added that, since the fence
x111 be doxn loxes than the parking area, they xant an 8' fence rather than
a 6' high fence. Mr. Jaquith asked if there was any real barrier across the
railroad tracks from Camelia Place anti Mr. Stowe said that there xas not. It
was stated that people cut through Roxe Chevrolet and walk along the tracks
and also cross the tracks and xalk doxn Hancock Avenue. Mr. Stowe said that
the fence and evergreens xould screen the area and also that he feels it
would help Rowe Chevrolet xith vandalism problems. Mr. Whipple asked xhat
type finish they xould like, such as natural xeathering, and Mr. Stowe said
that they had not discussed this with Mr. Roxe but that he thought that they
xould like natural weathering. Mr. Jaquith commented that perhaps a main-
tenance provision could be included in any Certificate issued. Mr. Stowe
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HISTORIC DISTRICTS COMMISSION - 3 - January 19, 1977
said that he had paced off 200' xith George Raxe and that he had agreed to
fence the 200' distance and install.. shrubs on the. Hancock Avenue side of
the fence. He said that he feels they need the fence nox and that the ever'
greens xi11 eventually take over the screening xork and that perhaps in
about twenty years the fence could be removed. He stated that they xould
prefer hemlocks in answer to a question as to the type of evergreen to be
installed. Mr. Jaquith said that an 8' fence would be approved if agree-
able to all and that screening on the railroad side of the fence xould be
stipulated in any Certificate issued. Mrs. Trainor said that she xants
the fence to extend back to a white birch. tree xhich is 200.' fron the end
of the parking area that abuts Lamella Place. Mr. Whipple asked if the
cross bars would be on the railroad side and said that the attractive side
of any fencing installed should show from Bedford Street. Mr. Stoxe said
that this xas not the normal xay to install a fence but that they xould not
object to having the cross pieces an the railroad side. Mr. Jaquith stated
that the application covered only the rear premises of 47-49 Bedford Street
xhich is approximately 140' of the 200' and that it might be necessary to
readvertize fos the balance of the 200' as that property is a different ad-
dress. The hearing was adjourned at 9:05 P.M.
An adjourned hearing was held at 9s1$ P.M, xith Steven Oxren of Lexing-
ton Realty with respect to the sign which he xishes to install on the build-
ing at 1844 Massachusetts Avenue, which is xithin the Battle Green District.
Mr. Jaquith said that the Commission had asked Mr. Owren to go back to his
signmaker and see how reach he could squeeze down the sine of the sign. Mr.
Jaquith stated .that. if .cannot get approval from the Historic Districts
Commission and the Board of Appeals, it might be necessary to put in a flush
sign which xould mean that the proposed.ahangea 3.n the window aright have to
be redesigned or eliminated. Mr. 0s?ren said that the stock for the sign is
2 1~8" thick, the sign is double faced xith the mural on one side only, and
xith the gold 16af lette~s3 appearing on both aides. Foil®wing considerable
discussion on xays to cut doxn the siee of the sign. Mr. Oxren said that he
would tell his signmaker to eliminate the points at the corners to give
straight sides xhich would make the signboard 3'2" and that 3" letters
xould have to be used for the words "Steve Owren" and "Realtor" so that the
height could ba cut doxn to 4'3". Mr, Jaquith commented that this is a
narrox building and that too large a sign will give the appearance of taking
over the building. He stated that the Commission has no abjection to hang-
ing signs but that all feel this sign should not be larg®r than 3°2" x 4'3".
Mr. Whipple asked xhat type of wood xould be used and Mr. Oxren said that
xesterrs white pine would be used. Mr. Whipple asked, "if visibility is your
sin, why not have a flush sign" and Mr. Oxren said that h® xants visibility
but that he prefers a hanging sign to a flush sign. It xas pointed out that
the bracket xould be in addition to the signboard and that the sign itself
would hang about 4" out from the building. The hearing xas adjourned at
10:00 P.M. Then folloxed discussion by the members of the Commission on
this :sign,
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The meeting xas adjourned at 10:30 P.M. y ~
eorgia H. Williams
Secretary