HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-09-26-HDC447-min Historic Districts Commission Ad Hoc Ch. 447 Revisions Study Committee
Wednesday, September 26, 2018
Parker Room, Town Office Building
1625 Massachusetts Avenue
3:30 pm
Committee Members Present: Anne Eccles, Chair; Susan Bennett, Norm Cohen, Dan Fenn,
Marilyn Fenollosa, Fred Johnson and Lester Savage.
The meeting was called to order at 3:35pm by Ms. Eccles.
1. Welcome new Committee Members. Ms. Eccles welcomed two new members to the
Committee, Norm Cohen and Fred Johnson.
2. Discussion of Proposed District meetings during 2018-2019.
Ms. Eccles distributed a proposed schedule of community meetings to be held at the
suggestion of the Chair of the Board of Selectmen to determine district residents' issues
concerning the existing HDC statute. All meetings were agreed as proposed except the
meeting for the Battle District would be moved to February 13 or 27 to avoid conflict
with Fall Town Meeting, and the Retail/Business Community meeting should be held in
the morning rather than the suggested 7:00 p.m. time. Mr. Johnson suggested that the
meeting be co- hosted by the Lexington Chamber of Commerce and the Retailers
Association, which everyone agreed was a good idea. It was also agreed that the meetings
should not all be held in Cary Hall, but rather at sites closer to the districts affected -the
Library Large Meeting Room, the Depot, the Community Center, etc.
Committee members briefly described the amendments that had been proposed at the
2018 Annual Town Meeting, then withdrawn. The key issues were HDC member
appointments, regulation of sidewalks, and authority to regulate size.
The content of the neighborhood meetings would be to present an introductory
PowerPoint describing the history of Ch. 447, illustrative successes ("saves") over the
years and proposed changes to the statute, revised guidelines and streamlined procedures,
and then listen to residents' issues and suggestions. Ms. Eccles showed a concept
PowerPoint that could be used; Ms. Bennett agreed to work with Ms. Eccles on revisions.
3. Colonial Times Article.
Ms. Eccles described the article she was proposing to insert in the Colonial Times
magazine to encourage participation in the District neighborhood meetings. (Mr. Fenn
also suggested that a follow-up article be written in preparation for bringing changes to
Town Meeting for approval, most likely in Spring 2020, as well as a program with the
League of Women Voters First Friday Series, letters to the editor of the MinuteMan and
Town Meeting Member conversations to generate support.)It was suggested that Ms.
Eccles contact Laurie Atwater, at Colonial Times, who could help with the content and
writing of the article.
4. Guidelines.
Ms. Eccles announced that she had received sample Guidelines from Plymouth and
Salem, described by Chris Skelly, director of Local Governments at the Massachusetts
Historical Commission, as among the best in the Commonwealth. She will distribute
them to committee members for discussion at the next meeting.
5. Next Meeting. The committee agreed to meet October 10, 2018, at 3:30 pm.
6. Minutes. The minutes of the June 29, 2018 meeting were moved, seconded and
approved by the members who had attended the meeting.
7. Adjournment. The meeting was adjourned at 4:55.
Respectfully submitted,
Marilyn Fenollosa
The following documents were presented at the meeting:
1. Minutes of meeting on June 29, 2018
2. Schedule of proposed HDC Meeting Evenings