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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1990-08-22• • • MINUTES OF MEETING of the Lexington Historic Districts Commission Wednesday 22 August 1990 A meeting of the Lexington Historic Districts Commission was held on Wednesday, August 22, 1990 in the Selectmen's Meeting Room of the Town Office Building, Lexington, Massachusetts. Present at the meeting were Commissioners John L. Davies, Chairman; Linda J. McAulay, Secretary; John E. Ryan; and Associate Commissioners Walter H. Bergler, Jr.; and Mary Harding Nye; and Charles D. Grant, Clerk. When, at 8:12 PM a quorum was gathered, the Chairman declared the meeting open and read the notice on the application of Wales Copy Center with respect to the erection and display of a sign on the building at 1792 Massachusetts Avenue, which is within the Battle Green District. Karen Packard of Wales Copy Center made a presentation of plans, photographs and sample colors of the proposed sign. It was VOTED unanimously that the proposed sign be approved as presented, except that the bottom line, reading "Belmont - Boston - Lexington ", be removed and replaced by an incised decorative device. At the second hearing the Chairman read the the notice on the application of Lexington Lions Club (USS Lexington Memorial Committee) with respect to the installation of a wrought iron fence in front of the memorials on the premises at 1875 Massachusetts Avenue, which is within the Battle Green District. Peter DiMatteo of DiMateo Associates, Inc. presented a design in which the stone dust path will be pulled back and a wrought iron fence, the "Imperial" model shown on page 3 of the catalogue of Monumental Iron Works of Baltimore, Maryland and having circles between the upper set of rails as shown on page 7 of the same catalogue, installed about two feet in front of the memorial. The reason for the fence is to protect the bronze lettering on the sloping surface of the memorials from being further abraded by children sliding on them. William Fitzgerald, Charles Riebury and Jim McLaughlin, speaking in support of the installation of the fence, described their efforts to clean and maintain the memorials. It was VOTED (Commissioners Davies, McAulay and Ryan voting aye and Associate Commissioners Bergler and Nye voting nay) that the proposed fence be approved as presented. At the next hearing Robert and Dorothy Simpson made a presentation on their application with respect to an exterior architectural change to the building at 1984 Massachusetts Avenue, which is within the Battle Green District. They have the unusual problem of a tree growing into a corner of their house. Rather than cut down the tree, they presented a plan and photographs concerning a proposal to shorten that wing of the house by a rafter space, thereby freeing the maple tree, and to rebuild the back wall. It was VOTED unanimously to accept the proposed plan to cut back the length of the westerly rear wing of the house by one rafter space. - 2 - At the next hearing Mary Ouzounian presented plans for exterior • achitectural changes to the building at 1001 -1003 Massachusetts Avenue, which is within the East Village District. She presented a panel of photographs showing the paint peeling from the building and proposed that the front remain brick painted white while the three other sides be covered with vinyl siding, and that new white aluminum windows and a new white aluminum storm door be installed on the building. One by one the Commissioners declared that each could not vote for vinyl siding, because it does not improve the neighborhood nor add to the value of the building in the long run, but could vote for the windows and a simple door. It was VOTED unanimously that the proposed installation of vinyl siding be disapproved, that the proposed installation of baked white enamel aluminum storm windows be approved, and that that proposed new storm door on the front entrance could not, be approved until the Commission could see the design and therefore the hearing should be continued. • • The next hearing concerned a color change proposed by Ronald Laing for the building at 1024 Massachusetts Avenue, which is in the East Village District. It was VOTED unanimously that the presentation, made by Mary Delola, in which the body of the house be painted Benjamin Moore #HC -33 "Montgomery White" and the trim Benjamin Moore #HC -31 "Waterbury Cream ", be approved. The next hearing concerned the application of the Waldorf School for an exterior architectural change on the premises at 739 Massachusetts Avenue, which is in the East Village District. Joyce Birns presented a sketch showing how the faculty proposes to enlarge the dismissal area by extending the fence. After a discussion of the transition at the end of the proposed fence and the rock and bushes on the edge of the property, the Commission decided, in the absence of plans and photographs, that it could not approve the proposal and therefore the hearing should be continued. At 9:45 PM the Chairman read the notice concerning the application of Bassam Issa, lessee, with respect to an exterior architectural change to the Gulf Oil station at 39 Bedford Street, which is within the Battle Green District. The applicant presented a pencil and ink sketch of a proposed extension on the front of the building that would increase the length of the center bay to 30 feet (needed to carry out headlight testing) from its current length of 27 -1/2 feet. Frank Carney, trustee of Liberty's Condominium Trust, representing the abutting entity immediately behind the Gulf station, was present at the hearing for information. In the discussion of this complex issue, it became apparent that the required extra length might have to come from both an extension of the door mounting on the front of the building and and extension at the rear of the building. Until the applicant further explored the zoning requirements of these two possibilities and presented detailed plans of the proposed extensions, the Commission could not vote on the proposal and therefore the hearing should be continued. The final hearing of the evening concerned the application of Shell Oil Company with respect to exterior architectural changes to the building at 46 Bedford Street, which is within the Battle Green District. Thomas Swaim, representing the Shell Oil Company, and Paul Micalizzi, the station operator,presented revised plans drawn by Ayoub Engineering, Inc. of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, showing an addition in the angle of the front of the current building, a small area of vegetation at the intersection of the • streets and a suggestion of trees along the side of the properety. The Commission felt it could not vote on the proposed changes to the building without the plans showing how the new addition would appear and further suggested that more thought could be given to the planting, perhaps drawing inspiration from what has been done at the Mobil station on Route 2A, and therefore the hearing should be continued. The meeting was adjourned at 10:20 PM. - 3 - Lin J. McAuray Secretary - Clerk Charles D. Grant