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Home My Public Portal About20190205 - Historical Commission - Meeting Minutes1 Hopkinton Historical Commission Meeting Minutes Feb. 5, 2019 7:00 PM Town Hall, 18 Main Street, Hopkinton MA Members Attending: Nanda Barker-Hook, Nancy Stevenson, Mike Roughan, Beth Watson, John Pavlov, Christine Remby, Eric Sonnett, Jim Haskins (alternate) Also Attending: Noreen Mastroianni, Wayne Davies, Kathi Sherry, Scott Miller (9 B Street) PROPOSED BYLAW AMENDMENT Lawyer proposal for criteria on warrant: 1. Extend Demo Delay from 6 mos to 18 mos. 2. If purpose of demo is to develop property, demo will only be enforced when all other requirements by the town pertaining to the project are done. (Support intent not support without clear direction.) Toll house example on Weston Nursery property. They were going to put structure where the Toll House was. Demo delay timed out, so Toll House was razed. The owners then decided to build their replacement building elsewhere. Eric: If we have this discussion at Town Meeting, it won’t fly. We need to say that instead of the first thing being a demo, say the last thing will be demo. 1. Limited transfer of DD permit to another person. Mike: Can we submit this as 4 separate items? Nancy: If a new owner has to resubmit, it will buy a lot more time. Mike: Transferability could be a problem. Do we have enough time? 1 and 4 are good. 2 and 3 maybe we should strike. 1. Go through the process of creating a separate Historic District for 76 Main Street. Wayne Davies: Since Mike made it clear that this property is being targeted, the owner opposes all four of these proposed amendments. Eric: In looking at all 4 we should decide what we want. I would have a simple bylaw that changes our DD from 6 mos to 18. If that works we can go back next year. If we do all this other stuff it’s over. Mike: What we heard at the Public Hearing was there is a threat to a specific property so my objective as chair, if we went through the effort to change, we hold on to 4 so that we can save 76 Main Street. I will say this developer wants to take down one of maybe one of the oldest houses in town, let the people decide. 2 Eric: There is a chance someone will change the bylaw and make an amendment. It could be to a 3 month DD. Punitive. Mike: I will show a table of other towns with 3-18 mos. They can infer what they want. It is sufficient precedent. Nanda: There is a lot of concern about growth in town, from what I hear. I think that case will be made in front of town meeting. Mike: We need to go to other committees and the Chamber of Commerce. Eric: I’m on the board of directors for the Chamber of Commerce. Would you like to know how they feel about this? We have a board mtg every second Tuesday at 8:00 am. It is possible for Mike to go. Nanda: My shop is a member of the chamber, so I could go with Mike. Mike: we could script how we will address the issue. Nanda motioned to accept as written omitting clause 2 and 3 Christine seconded Passed 6-1, Eric opposing. Mike: At last mtg we accepted second article to enable us to accommodate state requirements for making single historic district. Beth: Specific procedure and study is the first step. Some neighbors are interested in adding their properties. In discussion with Chris, this would bog this down. Nancy: They can be added to it later. Mike: I’m going to ask homeowners if they will speak at Town Meeting in support and then go thru process to add them to district. Nanda: 18 mos will apply to all Mike: The bones of the toll house were great. 18 mos would have given us enough time to resolve this. Chris Skelly gave no guarantees as to the time it would take. John: I make a motion we grant Mike up to 10K to pursue research by Jen Doherty for 76 Main Street to become a single Historic District. Wayne: I represent the owner of 76 Main St. The owner opposes this proposed bylaw. Mike: Do you have any statement as to why he opposes this? Wayne: It is not in his best interest. Nanda: John repeat motion please. John: I motion we allow Mike up to 10K to pursue the research by Jen Doherty for 76 Main Street to become an Historic District. Beth seconded. Approved 6-1, Eric opposing. Eric: This is the same as ‘spot zoning’ which the town has always frowned upon. I can’t support spot zoning. John Palmer: Will Mr. Davies comment is there any possibility of the owner reconsidering the tear down of 76 Main Street? Wayne: It has already been adjudicated. Mike: What you are saying is in contradiction to the actual bylaw. Nanda: In response on spot zoning I want to be pointed out that a lot of neighbors came and voiced concern. When neighbors cry out, it holds a lot of weight. 3 (Example: dog park was voted down because neighbors did not want it.) Eric: I will support a neighborhood Historic District. What if I owned this house and kept the house as is, but I wanted to change zoning to turn it into a grill. Nanda: This is about Listening to and hearing what the neighbors want. John motioned to authorize chair to initiate a study for 76 Main Street. Beth seconded. Unanimous approval. 35-45 MAIN ST, THROUGH HISTORIC DISTRICT Owner, Chuck Joseph Mike: Access to development would be through the Historic District but development will be outside hist district. I think it will get support of the Historic District. It will protect these structures. Eric: This is not spot zoning. Mike: Spot zoning is about things that go forward. Our ideas are about things that are here today. The possibility of a structure historic district idea was from a member of the public. No risk no reward. 109 SPRING STREET Demo Request General discussion about property with views on internet. Eric: Based on everything that we do and don’t have on it, I make a motion it is not historically significant Beth seconded. Passes 6-1, Nanda opposing. AIKEN PARK Proposal from Beals and Thomas. Mike wants work done at Aiken’s trail. Bridge is not in eminent risk of falling down. Give tree roots a chance to rot to remove later. Joe Regan cut trees. John Westerling cut guard rail so you can go through from Cedar Street to the Train Station. Have an engineer document scope of work for CPC funds. Eric: I motion we use up to $999.00 for Beals and Thomas to do a study. We have to use money from CPC now. John seconded Unanimous approval. 9 B STREET Mr. Miller has pics of existing conditions. Town says built around 1900. Found info from 1937. Existing homestead straddles two lots. Wants to do something that is in keeping with the neighborhood. 4 House is 22 hundred square feet. Has meeting planned with Mike Shepard. Wants to tear down back and move over front and build something similar next door. Mike: If this is put in writing stating as per provisions in bylaw in 192 we support this. CIRCA PLAQUES Nanda is managing. Atta girl, Nanda! 18 CEDAR STREET Janice Brown wants to meet with Mike. Possibly wants to know what to do with the property. Mike met with her and her architect after ZBA meeting. Not consistent with town. Mike told her she could keep house and add on with parking underneath. Zoned commercial but is up against residential. SECRETARY’S REPORT Minutes for Jan 3, and Jan 22 presented for approval. Proposed corrections: Jan 3: 4 Summer Street, not Center Street Jan 22: If it were to pass at Town Meeting it would have to go through the appeal process. Eric: It goes to the Atty General to pass legal muster, not appeal. Eric motioned to accept minutes with above changes. Nanda seconded. Unanimous approval. Eric motioned to adjourn. Nancy seconded. Unanimous approval. 8:27 PM Documents used at the meeting: 1. Letter dated 1/17/19 to Elaine Lazarus from J. Raymond Miyares re: Demo Delay bylaw: proposed amendments 2. Minutes for Jan 3, 2019 submitted for approval 3. Minutes for Jan 22, 2019 submitted for approval