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HomeMy Public PortalAbout20190110 - Hopkinton Historic District Commission - Meeting MinutesTOWN OF HOPKINTON HOPKINTON HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION Thursday, January 10 at 7:00 PM Town Hall (2nd Floor), 18 Main St, Hopkinton, MA MEETING MINUTES Committee Members Present: ​Amy Ritterbusch, Beth Kelly, Mike Auen, Jeanette Thomson, Melanie Smith, Maryanne Chambers Committee Members Absent: ​Beth Watson Also Present:​ Chuck Joseph, Tom Terry, Mike Roughan, Jim Burke 7:00 PM​ - Amy Ritterbusch called the meeting to order. 7:00 PM​ - 25-35 Main Street - Application for a Certificate of Appropriateness for a modified parking area “Hopkinton Village Center” ●Application received on ​1/3/19​. ​Preliminary Site Plan Attached ●After the HHDC receives an application, we must meet within 14 days to decide whether the exterior architectural features fall under our jurisdiction and whether we need to hold a public hearing. ●If a public hearing is needed, the HHDC needs to give at least 14 days notice to the owners of adjoining property. After the public hearing (and within 60 days of the original application) we need to make a decision. Mike Auen disclosed that he works with Chuck Joseph (the applicant), but does not have financial interest in this project. Mike has filed a Conflict of Interest form with the Town Clerk, but has not heard back yet. Beth Kelly said she feels uncomfortable with Mike Auen being present to discuss this item. Jeanette Thomson said she felt Mike did not have a financial interest. Amy Ritterbusch suggested that since we were not likely to take a vote on this project tonight, perhaps Mike could sit on the board tonight for the preliminary discussion and that he would hear back from Town Hall prior to the next meeting. The majority of the board seemed to agree that would be acceptable to proceed for tonight. Chuck Joseph introduced the project, and stated that this is a preliminary design, and that they have preliminarily gone before the Board of Selectmen as well, for the idea of offering some town parking on the site. There was previous mixed use project (retail/office/condos) approved for this site in 2008. He stated that the new project has no parking between the buildings and the street. Parking has been added on the sides of the building. The site currently has 3 driveways, and the applicant plans to remove the middle driveway and replace it with parking between the buildings, then a walkway to the street. The parking beside the buildings would be for the office buildings staff to use, the parking at the back of the buildings would be available as public parking. There would be 12 condos behind the parking, on a portion of the lot which is not in the Historic District. Beth Kelly remarked that the visibility of the parking and the two driveways does not maintain the setting of the Historic District. She has concerns with sign clutter on site, such as one-way, do not enter, parking arrows, etc. She stated that the increased traffic from this project would not enhance the district. She wondered if there would be school buses that would need to come in and out of the driveways to pick up students living in the condos? She also wondered about trash removal and how would the large vehicles get in and out of the driveways? She also wondered who would use the municipal parking spots? Chuck Joseph - stated that each condo with have parking for 4 cars. There are currently 3 driveways, so he is reducing the number of driveways to 2. He feels that the improvement of the driveways (removing black top, etc.) would be an enhancement to the district. He says that stone walls and curbs on the property will be preserved. Chuck also state that he cannot answer to Downtown Corridor project issues, as that is a town project and falls outside of his property. He stated that he just wanted to begin the conversation on this project with the Historic District to get in front of the issues. He will also be going in front of the Planning Board soon. Jeanette Thomson suggested that the applicant pull back some of the parking spots, so they do not detract from the streetscape. Maryanne Chambers asked how many parking spots are there now? Chuck said there are about 24 spots now. Maryanne Chambers asked about access to condos from Church St. Chuck says no access to Church St from the property. Amy Ritterbusch said that they would need more specific details about lighting, pavement materials, and screening materials before issuing a Certificate of Appropriateness. Beth Kelly stated that more cars coming out of the driveways could increase congestion. Amy Ritterbusch suggested we have a site walk, followed be a public hearing on the project. She felt there was a lot of interest in the community and that residents would want to come give their opinions. Mike Auen suggested carrying the theme of the lampposts on the common, a black fluted metal design, which will also be used on the new streetlights when the downtown corridor project is completed. At this time, Amy asked for comments from members of the public. Jim Burke - stated that he doesn’t see how this enhances the downtown, he doesn’t want more curb cuts. He is also concerned about the 76 Main Street demolition. Why bother having a Historic District if you are going to detract from it. He is also concerned about the additional school children that may come with more residential development downtown. He said the town is out of control. He wondered if this will raise our taxes, and noted that it is hard to afford to live here. A motion was made by Mike Auen and seconded by Melanie Smith that this project does involve exterior features that fall under the purview of the Historic District Commission and that a public hearing is warranted. VOTE: 6-0-0 The following were scheduled with the applicant: ●Site Walk Mon Monday 1/21 at 2 PM ●Public Hearing Thursday 2/7 at 7 PM Other topics that may be discussed at any time during the meeting: ●Chamber of Commerce Meeting 12/11/18 (update, Mike Auen) ○Mike said it was just a quick Q & A with the Chamber. They seemed comfortable with an expansion if only a small expansion with neighbors who wanted to be in it. The Chamber did not want office buildings on Main & Grove Street to be in in the district. ○Beth Kelly suggested maybe only doing the most important buildings, even they were not necessarily contiguous. ○Jim Burke - expressed that 76 Main Street and up to Mayhew St should be added to a Historic District. He said that 76 Main goes back to the 1700’s, and Revolutionary War Soldiers rested there. He said it housed a nursery school for many years, a soda bottling company, and was an important part of Hopkinton history. ○Mike Roughan, Chair of the Hopkinton Historical Commission explained that the HHC was proposing an extension of the demo delay bylaw from 6 months to 18 months, which will come to a vote at Town Meeting 2019. He says he is now regretting that we didn’t also try for a Historic District expansion for the Main Street area, while we were holding hearings in the fall. Mike said that 18 months allows time to create a single-home historic district to preserve important properties. ■Mike Auen said that he would like more info on contiguous vs single-home historic districts. ■Amy Ritterbusch asked if passed would it take effect retroatively and would current delays be extended? Mike Roughan said yes, they have written the proposed bylaw change so that any properties currently under a delay at the time of Town Meeting, would have that delay extended to the full 18 months. ■All 6 members of the HHDC were supportive of the 18 month Demolition Delay. ■Action Item for Amy to find out if HDC would be the Study Committee Authority for single-home districts and/or if any wording changes would be needed to the bylaw. ■Jim Burke suggested that a 2 year demolition delay might be better. Mike Roughan explained that there were the pros & cons to making it longer, but his research indicated that a minimum of 18 months was needed to save a property. ■Mike Roughan regrets that they were not able to save the Toll House on East Main Street and it was demolished a couple of years ago. ■Jeanette Thomson worries about making homeowners who just want an addition on their home wait 18 months. Mike Roughan says the HHC will work with property owners to just make sure the addition is historically appropriate, then they won’t likely impose any demolition delay at all. ●MHC Announcing MPPF Round 25 & Workshops ○No one is available to attend. ●2018 Annual Town Report Narrative from HHDC - Amy will work on this for next time. ●Conflict of Interest Law for Boards & Committees - Annual Notice Receipt ○Amy will give the information to Beth Watson who was not in attendance. ○Please make sure you complete the required training and please contact the town clerk to acknowledge receipt of The Summary of Conflict of Interest Law at townclerk@hopkintonma.gov. ●2019 Annual Town Meeting Notice - the warrant will close on February 5, 2019. ○Does the HHDC want to submit any placeholder articles - Not this year. ●Drafting of Historic District Design Guidelines (update, Beth Watson) - Not here, no update. ●Claflin Fountain - Rusting, Fence Construction (update, if any) - CPC did not approve water filtration system. Wanted water testing first. Amy will try to write to them again about the painting of it and the fence. ●Master Plan - Implementation Item #NCO19 “Expansion of the Center Historic District” - Amy sent a notice to neighbors and everyone who attended our forums, and will send to the press once the town website is updated. ●Drafting of Potential Bylaw Changes affecting the District - None ●Downtown Corridor Project (update, Jeanette & Mike) - ○They met with Dave & Norman this week, said they’d like HDC to give input on street furniture, wall removals (if needed), and lampposts. The Doughboy triangle will be larger and they might want input HDC if it should just be green or should have statues or walkways, etc. ●Library Expansion & Renovation - Remedies to discrepancies in approved plan (update, if any, on open items) - No update ○Front wheelchair /stroller ramp - Open item ○Church emergency access door railing - Open item ●One Ash Street - paint color, facade, door and windows (update, if any) - No update, will remove from agenda going forward until they submit a new application - ○Beth asked if the dumpster enclosure is permanent fixture visible from the public way? And if so ask them to come back. ●Center School Re-Use Advisory Team (update, Mike Auen, if any) - Mike reports the committee is being officially dissolved soon, and we can remove it from the agenda going forward. ●Identify future agenda items ○Roberta Gibb statue being commissioned, not sure where it will be placed. HDC should talk to Tim Kilduff to get more information. ○Mike Auen will get a ruling on his Conflict of Interest form before the next meeting. ○Beth Kelly brought up tree planting on common, which is under the purview of Parks & Rec. There was Weston & Sampson study a few years back that gave a tree replenishment plan suggestion. She wondered if maybe Peter Mezitt would be interested in speaking up about this? ●Decide on next meeting dates: ○Site Walk Mon 1/21 at 2 PM ○Public Hearing 2/7 at 7 PM ●Approve meeting Minutes from 11-29-18 - Motion by Jeanette Thomson and seconded by Maryanne Chambers ​VOTE: 6-0-0 8:32 PM Adjournment ​- Motion to Adjourn made by Melanie Smith seconded Jeanette Thomson. VOTE: 6-0-0 Respectfully submitted, Amy Ritterbusch, Chair Approved on Date: 2/7/19