HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-11-03 ad Hoc West Street Historic District Study Committee MinutesNovember 3, 2005
Approved 11121106, 4-0
WEST STREET HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION MINUTES
Town Hall, 16 Lowell Street, Reading, MA 01867
Michael T. Gray, AIA, Chairman, Susan Patterson, Vice-Chairman, Kathryn Greenfield, Secretary, Dorothy Casolaro, David Kruh
Members present:
Michael Gray
Kathryn Greenfield
David Kruh
Susan Patterson
Members absent:
Dorothy Casolaro
Others in attendance:
none v
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m.
of
This meeting was called and posted for November 3rd, sooner than the anticipated
meeting of November 14, as the Commission had heard from a property owner that he
had a potential project for review.
It was also noted that a meeting on November 14 would conflict with the first night of
Subsequent Town Meeting, and that the Commission should meet again on November
21 (or 28 if TM was still in session).
Approval of Minutes
The minutes of the October 27,2005 meeting were reviewed and approved without changes
by a vote of 3-0. (Susan Patterson joined the meeting a few minutes after the vote).
General Business
➢ Mike Gray spoke, by telephone, with homeowner, Edward Fuller of 4 County Road
on October 31. Mr. Fuller is interested in installing a fence on his property. The
phone log is attached hereto.
➢ Mike Gray met with Maureen Knight, Community Services Officer and Glen
Redmond, Building Inspector, earlier today, November 3, to discuss procedures for
notifying the WSHDC when an application for a building permit is received
concerning work in the District. Mike summarized his meeting for the Commission,
and his notes are attached.
➢ Mike has a call in to Paula Schena regarding a mailbox for WSHDC.
➢ The Commission agreed that the official time stamp for receiving applications would
be that of the Town Clerk's office.
November 3, 2005
Approved 11121106, 4-0
➢ Mike emailed the Town's Webmaster regarding creating a link for WSHDC.
➢ The Commission determined that according to the bylaw, and other state documents,
that the name of the district is: West Street Local Historic District; and the name of
the commission is: West Street Historic District Commission. These names
should be used consistently in documentation.
Design Guidelines
The Commission reviewed a draft set of Design Guidelines provided by Mike Gray. The
draft was a compilation of the guidelines the Commission inherited from the Ad Hoc
committee that established the District, and the guidelines from another town.
Kathy noted that the Guidelines could only be adopted after a fully noticed public hearing.
Only esoteric changes were suggested up to the point where the "Specific Design
Guidelines" began on p. 6 of the draft. After some discussion, the members agreed that since
most of these were "borrowed" guidelines and, perhaps, not part of the original intent in
establishing this District and Commission, that the Ad Hoc committee's guidelines would
serve for the time being, and be labeled as "Draft Guidelines for the West Street Local
Historic District". The Commission will work further on the Guidelines at future meetings
and then set a public hearing for review before final approval.
Also reviewed were the form of application and related instructions. Mike will have a set of
draft guidelines, application, and instructions at Town Hall by the close of business on
Friday, Nov. 4 or Mon., Nov. 7.
Next Meeting
The next meeting of the WSHDC is posted for November 21, 2005 at 7:00 p.m.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:20 p.m.