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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-03-21-HC-min HISTORICAL COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES March 21"2018 Call to Order: A public meeting of the Historical Commission was held in the Parker Room of Lexington Town Hall located at 1625 Massachusetts Avenue. The meeting convened at 7:30PM. Historical Commission Members in Attendance: David Kelland, Chair, Marilyn Fenollosa, Diane Pursley, Wendall Kalsow, Samuel Doran AGENDA ITEM #1 (7:30 PM) Public hearing on the partial building demolition located at 241 Grove Street. Discussion on barn at 241 Grove Street. APPLICANT (S) PRESENT: Lester Savage, LexHAB, Inc. ABUTTER(S) PRESENT: None DOCUMENT(S): Photos of existing structure SUMMARY: Mr. Savage came forward to discuss plans for 241 Grove Street. LexHAB plans on improving the property for affordable housing, it will stay a four bedroom home. They plan on repairing clapboards as needed and replace and repair gutters as needed and windows. Lead paint found, which will be removed so there can be a safe work environment. Proposing vinyl windows. Budgeted $180,000 with work being done. Ms. Fenollosa suggested pricing out other options. HC COMMENTS: Mr. Kelland asked when the house was built. Mr. Savage said 1863. Mr. Kelland then asked what type of windows are going in. Mr. Savage said vinyl. Mr. Savage said they have to be cost effective. Mr. Kalsow suggested there are a lot of modestly priced wood windows on the market. Mr. Savage mentioned the budget was based off vinyl windows. Mr. Smith said they could price out alternatives and see what the costs would be. The issue is this has to be procured under public bidding laws. That is putting a burden on the budget. MOTION: Mr. Savage requested the hearing be continued to next month to gather additional cost information. Moved by Ms. Fenollosa that the hearing be continued next month. Seconded by Ms. Pursley. VOTE: 5-0 In favor of continuation Mr. Kelland, Ms. Fenollosa, Ms. Pursley, Mr. Kalsow, Mr. Doran -Barn at 241 Grove Street Colin Smith, Architect came forward to go over plans for the barn at 241 Grove Street. The barn is owned by the town and was built around 1843. He discussed plans to convert the agricultural barn into an environmental educational center. Mr. Smith went over preliminary framing plans. Looking at two phases. Phase 1 —Mothballing/stabilizing the structure, dealing with moisture, pests' ventilation etc. so that is can be preserved. Phase 2- Updates to building envelope structure and egress to make it handicap accessible, and update mechanical, fire protection etc. Site work—modify grounds to accommodate parking for buses. Repair exterior siding as needed. Mr. Kalsow stated the clapboard generally seem to be in good sound condition. Removing and replacing clapboards would be out of keeping with the goal of restoring the property. Ms. Fenollosa agreed. Mr. Kelland suggested preservation of wooden clapboards. Ms. Fenollosa said the garage we could lose since it's from 1950s and not contributing to the site. PUBLIC COMMENTS: None AGENDA ITEM #2 (8:03 PM) Public hearing on the partial building demolition located at 23 Bertwell Road APPLICANT (S) PRESENT: Brian Wardle, homeowner Bill Erickson and Taylor Theriault, Architects ABUTTER(S) PRESENT: None DOCUMENT(S): Plans for proposed addition dated 12/17/17 SUMMARY: Mr. Erickson went over plans for an addition at 23 Bertwell road. The house does not have a specific Form B online. The street has evolved over time: he showed houses in the neighborhood that have also put on additions over time. The house was built in 1931 and an addition to the south side was put on sometime after that, then another addition in 1992 with a family room in the back and a screen porch. Mr. Erickson is proposing an attached garage, a mudroom for an active family and a master suite and a study area for children. He tried to respect the original volume of the house. They plan to reuse the shutter windows. HC COMMENTS: Mr. Kelland asked is the demo consists of garage and parts of porch? Mr. Erikson said yes. One concern Mr. Kalsow mentioned is garage is closer to the street than the house is rather than shift back with property. Mr. Erickson mentioned the struggles with zoning and aligning everything if they made those types of changes. He felt the composition balanced a little better. Mr. Kalsow mentioned the sunroom is not of historical significance so eliminating that may have a less visual impact. Mr. Erickson said he would be willing to adjust the plans based on Mr. Kalsow's suggestions. PUBLIC COMMENTS: None MOTION: Moved by Mr. Kalsow to find the house historically significant and approve the proposed select partial demolition as modified at tonight's hearing: Remove the planned hood/canopy on the front and align front garage with front of historic house. Seconded by Ms. Fenollosa. VOTE: 5-0 in favor Mr. Kelland, Ms. Fenollosa, Ms. Pursley, Mr. Kalsow, Mr. Doran AGENDA ITEM #3 (8:16 PM) Public hearing on the full building demolition located at 51 Bertwell Road APPLICANT (S) PRESENT: Catherine Gill, Bertwell Realty Trust ABUTTER(S) PRESENT: None DOCUMENT(S): None SUMMARY: Catherine Gill, of Bertwell Realty Trust come forward to the commission asking to start the clock for the demolition delay. She plans to work with the builder to develop plans and will rent the house for the year. HC COMMENTS: Mr. Doran expressed his disappointment to hear this is the route Ms. Gill wants to take. PUBLIC COMMENTS: None MOTION: Moved by Ms. Fenollosa to find the house at 51 Bertwell Road preferably preserved and impose a 12 month delay. Seconded by Mr. Kalsow. VOTE: 5-0 in favor of one year demolition delay Mr. Kelland, Ms. Fenollosa, Ms. Pursley, Mr. Kalsow, and Mr. Doran AGENDA ITEM #4 (8:20 PM) Public hearing on the partial building demolition and roofline change located at 42 Peacock Farm Road APPLICANT (S) PRESENT: Shannon Davis, Homeowner Katie Flynn, Architect Amanda Pierre, Architect ABUTTER(S) PRESENT: None DOCUMENT(S): Plans of proposed addition SUMMARY: Ms. Davis came forward, she is the homeowner at 42 Peacock Farm Road. She loves the home and the neighborhood. She wants to expand the house in the back for more room. She did receive approval for the neighborhood committee. Ms. Flynn went over the plan with the commission. The addition will be about 400 square feet. Proposing to partially demolish the exterior wall in the back and demolish a couple of windows. HC COMMENTS: Mr. Kalsow complimented the homeowner and architect for designing an appropriate addition to the house that you can enjoy living in. PUBLIC COMMENTS: None MOTION: Moved by Mr. Kalsow to find the house at 42 Peacock Farm Road to be historically significant and propose to approve select demolition with plans presented dated March 21st 2018. Seconded by Ms. Pursley. VOTE: 5-0 in favor of addition Mr. Kelland, Ms. Fenollosa, Ms. Pursley, Mr. Kalsow, and Mr. Doran AGENDA ITEM #5 (8:25 PM) Public hearing on the partial building demolition located at 17 Edgewood Road APPLICANT (S) PRESENT: George and Katherine Smith, Homeowners David Whitney, Architect ABUTTER(S) PRESENT: Philip Levin, 23 Edgewood Road DOCUMENT(S): Plans dated 7/24/17 Photos of existing house SUMMARY: Mr. Smith introduced himself and his wife. The Smith family is growing and they wish to expand their house. They would like to have a larger kitchen and more than one bathroom. They feel the plans presented are respectful to the neighborhood. Mr. Whitney, Architect then went over the plans with the commission. They plan to put the addition on the left-hand side of the house and proposing a 2 story addition. They plan to match all the materials. There would be clapboards on the addition. Ms. Fenollosa thinks this is the kind of change we encourage and keeping with the existing body of the house and adding additions that compliment. HC COMMENTS: Ms. Fenollosa asked where the addition is, sideways and back. Mr. Whitney said yes. Mr. Kalsow also asked what windows you plan to change. Mr. Whitney stated they are not changing any windows affected by the addition. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Mr. Levin told the commission he is an abutter and has seen the plans and thinks the addition is fine. He thinks it's well thought out. MOTION: Moved by Ms. Fenollosa that we find the home at 17 Edgewood Road preferably preserved and approve the partial building demolition as proposed in the plans dated July 24th 2017. Seconded by Mr. Doran. VOTE: 5-0 in favor of addition Mr. Kelland, Ms. Fenollosa, Ms. Pursley, Mr. Kalsow, and Mr. Doran AGENDA ITEM #6 (8:35 PM) Public hearing on the partial building demolition and roofline change located at 11 Chase Avenue APPLICANT (S) PRESENT: Marcello Rullo, Homeowner Roberto Rullo, Homeowner Ralph Kilfoyle, Architect ABUTTER(S) PRESENT: None DOCUMENT(S): Plans dated 3/19/2018 SUMMARY: The homeowners came forward to discuss the addition at 11 Chase Avenue. A rear addition and back right side addition. They plan to keep the style of the home while also modernizing it. Want to get four bedrooms. The house has been neglected. HC COMMENTS: Mr. Kelland asked what is behind the property. The Rullo's said another home. Mr. Doran asked if the stained glass window is being removed. The Rullo's said yes it is damaged. Mr. Doran said the window is a distinctive characteristic, is there any way to save it? The Rullo's said they could definitely explore it. Mr. Kalsow gave names of two studios that would help with the stained glass window. The Rullo's said they would explore options. Mr. Kalsow stated the oval attic space window adds a visually significant item along with the stained glass window and the A symmetry. The Rullo's are fine with keeping those items. Mr. Kalsow said they added substantial volume to the house but they did it skillfully, it's respectful of the historic structure. PUBLIC COMMENTS: None MOTION: Moved by Ms. Fenollosa to find the house at 11 Chase Avenue preferably preserved but permit plans with caveats that stained glass window and attic window be retained. Seconded by Ms. Pursley. VOTE: 5-0 in favor of addition Mr. Kelland, Ms. Fenollosa, Ms. Pursley, Mr. Kalsow, and Mr. Doran AGENDA ITEM #7 (8:45 PM) Public hearing on the full building demolition located at 11 Vine Brook Road APPLICANT (S) PRESENT: Paul and Mike Sramowicz ABUTTER(S) PRESENT: Patricia Carney, 5 Vine Brook Road DOCUMENT(S): Photos of existing house Plans of proposed new house SUMMARY: Mr. Sramowicz discussed with the commission the poor condition of the house at 11 Vine Brook Road. He said the house is very unsafe and unlivable. It was built around the 1800's. Mr. Sramowicz is waiting for the structural engineer report. HC COMMENTS: Ms. Pursley thinks the home is significant. It was part of the Estabrook family. She really wants to see the structural report. Mr. Doran suggested the hearing be continued to see the report. This house was built by a woman around 1806 making it very significant. (Abigail Estabrook). He too would love to see the home preserved. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Patricia Carney of 5 Vine Brook Road said the window has been open for 25 years and feels the house is a hazard and beyond repair. MOTION: Mr. Sramowicz requested the hearing be continued to next month for when he receives the structural engineer report. VOTE: 5-0 In Favor of continuation Mr. Kelland, Ms. Fenollosa, Ms. Pursley, Mr. Kalsow, Mr. Doran AGENDA ITEM #8 (9:OOPM) Meeting new Building Commissioner Jim Kelly and discussion on 11 Vine Brook Road -The new Building Commissioner Jim Kelly came to introduce himself and meet the Historical Commission. AGENDA ITEM #9 (9:21PM) Vote text of motion for amendments to Demolition Delay Bylaw -The commission looked at this a few months back. Nothing has changed except some language. Ms. Fenollosa went over the updates. The commission had no issues with the new language. VOTE: Moved by Ms. Fenollosa to accept the motion to amend the demolition bylaw. Seconded by Mr. Kalsow. 5-0 in favor of motion Mr. Kelland, Ms. Fenollosa, Ms. Pursley, Mr. Kalsow, and Mr. Doran AGENDA ITEM #9 (9:24 PM) Vote on Community Center Entranceway as a Historic Structure -Ms. Fenollosa showed the commission photos of the gates at the community center. It is unclear when they were built but they have historical significance. Mr. Kalsow said the gates are nineteenth century and would like to amend the motion to include gates and brick pilaster/piers curbed brick walls, granite entrance walls. Moved by Ms. Fenollosa that we find these gates to be significant with amendments made tonight. Seconded by Ms. Pursley. 4 in favor of motion Mr. Kelland, Ms. Fenollosa, Ms. Pursley, Mr. Kalsow with Mr. Doran abstaining. AGENDA ITEM #10 (9:34 PM) Approval of two NCD reports for Town Meeting -Ms. Pursley went over revisions of the NCD reports. The main revision is in the beginning in the summary. Was approved by Planning Board and will be on the tables at Town Meeting. Motion moved by Mr. Doran to approve the revisions. Seconded by Mr. Kalsow. 5-0 in favor of motion Mr. Kelland, Ms. Fenollosa, Ms. Pursley, Mr. Kalsow, and Mr. Doran AGENDA ITEM #11 (9:38 PM) Vote to accept meeting minutes dated January 17th 2018 Moved by Ms. Fenollosa that we approve the minutes dated November 15th 2017 and December 20th 2017. Seconded by Mr. Doran 5-0 Mr. Kalsow, Mr. Kelland, Ms. Fenollosa and Mr. Doran, Ms. Pursley in favor. AGENDA ITEM #12 (9:40 PM) Adjourn