Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-06-16 Historical Commission MinutesN �F$ Discussion O r Town of Reading Resv Meeting Minutes RECEIVED TOWN CLERK s P 34Q�p 9,1 NC0 READING. MASS. Board - Committee - Commission - Council: ii) JUL 15 A 0 10 � Historical Commission June 16, 2015 Date: 2015 -06 -16 Time: 7:30 PM Building: Reading Town Hall Location: Town Hall Conference Room Address: 16 Lowell Street on 05/19/2015. Purpose: Regularly scheduled meeting Attendees: Members - Present: MF Charles Building Preservation Award plaque: Chair: Sharlene Reynolds Santo (SRS) CM Treasurer: Sally Hilgendorff (SH) SRS motioned to approve spending up to $600 after the RHC Secretary: Carl Mittnight (CM) Robyn Parker (RP) receives confirmation that the owners would display such an item. Virginia Adams (VA) Sally Hilgendorff (SH) SH seconded, voted 4 -0 to approve. Jonathan Barnes (JEB) Members - Not Present: Demolition Delay Workshop refreshments, 05/27/2015: Nancy Kohl (NK), Ron Weston (RW) Others Present: SRS motioned to reimburse CM up to $30. David P Johnson (DPJ), Contractor Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Carl Mittnight RP seconded, voted 4 -0 to approve. Topics of Discussion: Subiect Discussion Action Resv Items June 16, 2015 Meeting Call to Order June 16, 2015 at 7:30 pm. Minutes Reviewed meeting minutes; approved as amended for meeting held File with CM on 05/19/2015. clerk Budget MF Charles Building Preservation Award plaque: File CM SRS motioned to approve spending up to $600 after the RHC reimburse receives confirmation that the owners would display such an item. forms SH seconded, voted 4 -0 to approve. with Town Demolition Delay Workshop refreshments, 05/27/2015: Hall SRS motioned to reimburse CM up to $30. RP seconded, voted 4 -0 to approve. Demolition Delay Workshop refreshments and supplies, 05/27/2015: SRS motioned to reimburse VA up to $65. RP seconded, voted 4 -0 to approve. Archives VA and CM have been working in the Archives each Tuesday for the past 5 weeks. Membership RP was thanked for her service; she is due to come off the RHC on 6/30/2015. NK also was recognized for her service, but was unable to attend the meeting. She also is stepping down on 6/30/2015. Page 1 1 Subject Discussion Action Resp• Items June 16, 2015 Meeting 258 Main St VA drafted a letter to Glen Redmond re: the sale of the historic structure here. The letter reiterated that since the original demolition delay, ending June 4, 2012, had expired more than two years ago and no demolition permit obtained or demolition activity commenced during that period, the Demolition Delay process must begin again. The letter requested that Glen not issue a demolition permit, should a permit be a plied for, until a Demolition Delay hearing was conducted. 116 Lowell St DPJ attended the meeting and presented his findings on salvage companies. The companies he contacted were unable or unwilling to take on salvage work on the house at 116 Lowell St. JEB presented his findings on the zoning issues with moving the house onto a newly created second lot on the existing site and converting it into 2 condos based on the existing house being single family and having 8 rooms prior to April 1942, making it eligible for conversion to a two - family residence. VA and JEB also met with Jessie Wilson (JW) from the Town Planning Department to discuss potential zoning scenarios which might allow the existing lot to be split in two; the existing house to be moved and converted to two - family condos, and another house built on the second lot. DPJ discussed his preference to build a new 2 condo house and move the existing house and keep it as a single family. Next steps are to gauge if the town might allow for such a scenario, and the prospects for successfully pursuing these options before the ZBA. A meeting will be scheduled with JW, JEB, VA and DPJ to discuss zoning. Another meeting must also take place with Glen Redmond, the Building Inspector, to get a final ruling on the new 2 condo house scenario. 75 Pearl St Several members of the RHC inspected the work on the front of the building including the canopy and ramp. All agreed it was done well and was in keeping with the original renderings. 9 Gould St The homeowner inquired about demolition of a structure behind the home. SRS requested a site visit and has yet to hear back. 496 Main St The business at 496, the Chocolate Truffle, inquired about upgrading the siding of the building. JW responded there were no restrictions 20 Pine The homeowner inquired about the impact of being on the Reading Ridge Rd Inventory of Historic Homes. SRS drafted and sent a response. 137 -39 Salem The RHC did a site visit at this home on 6/13/2015. This was the first St Site Visit home of Samuel Pierce of organ pipe fame. VA will prepare a report. Reading VA attended the Library Building Committee meeting and learned that Public mainly artificial materials will be used to rebuild the porte cochere. Library SRS informed the group that she wrote a letter of support for a grant for the library to do a "Mass. Memories" -type project. This entails writing up stories and interviews provided by eo le living in Reading. 57 Summer The homeowner inquired about the renovation restrictions for homes Ave on the Reading Inventory of Historic Homes. SRS sent a response. MF Charles RHC discussed the lighting previously approved for the exterior of Building building. Second floor to be developed as soon as possible to meet Bank's needs. More info is required regarding what will happen with the third floor and when construction might begin. Email The historical ar7.ci.reading.ma.us is not forwarding emails to all RHC address members. VA will send a request to Ann Gentile to have it corrected. Demolition The RHC all agreed this was a worthwhile event. Chris Skelley, from Delay the Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC), did a slide show. Workshop People from north shore historical groups attended the workshop. Adjourned The meeting adjourned at 9:45 pm. Next Meeting July 7, 2015 at 7:30 pm. All Copies of referenced correspondence and documents are kept in Meeting Minutes binder and relevant project folders located in the Reading Historical Commission Archives, lower level of the Reading Town Hall. Preservation only works when we remember it is all about: People — Planning — Partnerships — Politics Page 1 2