HomeMy Public PortalAbout20190411 - Historical Commission - Meeting MinutesHOPKINTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION
JOINT PUBLIC HEARING WITH
HOPKINTON HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION and REGULAR MEETING
Meeting Minutes
Town Hall, 18 Main Street, Hopkinton MA
April 11, 2019
7:00pm
Attending: Nancy Stevenson, Mike Roughan, Beth Watson, Nanda Barker Hook, Eric
Sonnet, Christine Remby, Jim Haskins (alternate)
Absent: John Pavlov
Also attending: HHDC: Amy Ritterbusch, Jeanette Thompson, Beth Watson, Michael
Auen, Beth Kelly, Maryanne Chambers; Melanie Smith (absent)
And John Palmer, Attorney Beta, Kathi Sherry
JOINT PUBLIC HEARING - AARON AND LUCY CLAFLIN HOUSE (76 Main St)
We received a letter from the developer this week, wanting to discuss the possibility of
moving the Aaron and Lucy Claflin house.
Beth Watson-I didn’t understand. Agenda indicated no quorum. No mtg in May so next
mtg for June.
Mike-Submission of report requesting support for 76 Main Street to become a Single
Structure Historic District was not voted on at April 10 at MHC meeting. Assumption is it
will not be approved until after May 6. Their next meeting will be in June.
Mike-I assumed it isn’t the MHC but specific members that approve.
Kathi-Agenda says vote required by MHC.
Mike-We don’t need MHC to approve study in order for us to go to Town Meeting to
request making 76 Main Street a Single Structure Historic District. I will follow up with
MHC next week.
Nanda-We didn’t know it was on their agenda. Why?
Mike-I established initial connection with Chris Skelly.
Beth Watson-You would think they would let you know.
Atty Beta-No notice sent to client. I checked on this myself and found out.
Amy-I didn’t think it is normally submitted by property owner. I spoke with Chris in March.
Jim-(after going to MHC website) MHC has a special meeting on April 17 at 1:00pm, and
it will include the Aaron Claflin house.
Mike-If they agree to approve it, that will be good. It would also be good if anyone from
HHC or HHDC can attend.
Mike-Our first agenda item is on the relocation of the building.
Michael Auen-Is there likelihood it can be moved?
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Mike-I have 4 parties who have moved buildings before but trying to move a house on a
state road is a lot more complicated. You can only use half the road and only on Sundays.
Mike-I appreciate the developer supporting us moving the house, for dismantling and
storing. The amount he offered in the letter is untenable to accomplish this task. If we
could find someone who would purchase a property, they they can eventually rebuild it.
Mike-Let us request access to the property so we can develop the most viable steps
forward.
Michael Auen-Do the people you are talking to dismantle as well?
Mike-Not sure about those details. I will email list to all after meeting. Paul Sterling,
Natick, does historic home dismantling and moving.
Amy-We would have to find funds for an assessment to estimate terms and conditions.
Second determine if there is a private buyer. We had a buyer for 9 Church St but couldn’t
get through Planning department. We would need to offer docs on conditions.
Atty Beta-Is it not able to be moved now?
Mike-No, we would need 18-24 months to get Instar on board.
Atty Beta- Isn’t land to north owned by housing authority?
Mike-Maybe we could go through the Police Department parking lot.
Kathi-Any discussion about cutting house in half?
Mike-Professionals I spoke with said you need to look at construction. Possibly multiple
options.
Atty Beta-Dismantling and storing will offer future options for relocation.
Mike-We can review what people’s opinions are of the letter and then take motions.
Nanda-The developer has offered 20k. Towards moving costs.
Amy-Is there a ballpark cost as to how much this will cost?
Amy-Is there any asbestos?
Atty Beta-Yes, and it must be taken care of.
Mike-The town would hire someone to encapsulate and or eradicate asbestos. We first
need to get an assessment for a budget. Cost for survey and hazardous material.
Atty Beta- What will happen if the HHC desires to preserve but not have funding? Does
this have the public support to raise the funds for this house vs another house you want to
save?
Beth Watson-People in town don’t want it moved or torn down. Worth the money, seems
to be pretty important to the people in town.
Mike-I would much rather you as developer restore it as part of your residence. It is our
governance to maintain this. The HHC has the demo delay. I will advocate for an 18
month delay. Historic District Commission has option to create an historic district. Moving
it is my least favorable choice.
Michael Auen- I have an issue from the standpoint of timing. Is next Wednesday the
schedule for a decision?
Kathi-Tenants will be out of front building by summer. Planning Board has a long agenda.
Nancy- Something to consider is saving and working with house now vs it becoming an
hist district. You have more flexibility if it doesn’t become historic district.
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Eric-I see two issues. First, we have a letter that doesn’t say this is my final offer.
Secondly, more important, to pass at Town Meeting we must appear to be trying to solve
the problem and not be the problem. We need to consider how the public will view us and
start talking about alternative options.
Nancy-In the past 15 years since we got the Demo Delay bylaw passed, the HHC has
gotten over 125 demo requests. Out of those requests, we have imposed only 19 demo
delays. Most got resolved within the 6 months but there were properties that we lost
because we simply ran out of time with a 6 month delay.
Mike-Let’s figure out the best way to solve the problem. I know neighbors want to
maintain the neighborhood.
Beth Watson-I am ok with dismantling the house but I don’t think the neighbors would
support that.
Atty Beta- But will the neighbors bring in funds to help pay for moving costs if that is the
only option?
Nanda-The Planning Board is a key. There is a process in place to influence design of
building, via Design Review.
Marianne-Kathi, you said you could tear down the ells and leave original building.
Kathi-When we first started the design, we looked at what impact would keeping house
mean?
Beth Kelly-Hopkinton is using a lot of money for the downtown corridor project, and the
“no 1 goal is to improve traffic operation and reduce congestion.” This development does
not fit in with the plan that the town voted on. We need to have input from Mass Dept of
Transportation and others on its impact. We have this additional development being
designed with a lot of condos behind the old rectory. The impact just from cars alone will
be big.
Nanda-Is a developer allowed to demolish a building after the 6 months are up if there are
no approved plans?
Mike-Yes. He does not need to be even going through the approval process to put
something else there, to tear down the building once the demo delay is up.
Eric-We are looking at it backwards. It may take a year to get permits so he will knock it
down in a year anyway. Everything that is on the downtown corridor project has taken
these things into consideration. I wouldn’t get anyone else involved. The more you delay it
the more you are playing into someone else’s hands.
Kathi-We do have a traffic plan, and Beta Group concurred that this won’t impact the
town.
Atty Beta- Looking at this development as an enemy vs saving the house as your
objective is not practical. It takes both sides to figure it out. If no funding, etc then we
proceed. As far as access is concerned, the options are we can dismantle it, move it, or
tear it down.
Mike-Our objective is to get the best solution for town.
Atty Beta-Is there an ability to amend article?
Eric-we haven’t made the motion.
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Atty-The applicability of the 18 mos is. In question for this house. When does it come into
effect?
Amy-My understanding is that it is effective from the moment of Town Meeting. I
understand this is a short period of time between Town Meeting and when the demo
delay runs out.
Atty Beta-You have the ability to amend the motion to buy us more time.
Mike-let’s not take a vote unless it is in writing.
Eric-This letter from the developer is reaching out to have a dialogue with us.
Nanda-I don’t want to talk about dismantling.
Mike-I motion Nanda and Eric to be on a committee with members of the Historic District
Commission to discuss options with builder.
Nanda seconded.
Unanimous approval.
At the next public hearing we can take a vote.
HHDC also voted unanimously to support this motion, and included members of the
HHDC on the committee to discuss options with the builder.
Wednesday, May 1 will be a joint meeting between the HHC and the HHDC to take
recommendations from the subcommittee. Mike will send Amy the list he has of
subcontractors.
Jeanette-I prefer it to remain where it is because it is part of the story of downtown.
Mike-Even if we agree to go ahead with the dismantling, other groups will get involved.
Mike-Toll House house was a terrible loss. Timbers are being stored in the McFarland
Sanger house on Lumber Street. I still am very much an advocate of preserving it. I don’t
want to see it in a dumpster.
Michael Auen-We need to find a solution that works for all parties. We should get as many
historically important structures in Hopkinton under protection ASAP.
Beth Watson-At a study hearing for the expansion of the historic district, a woman said
anyone who owns an historic house in this town would want to save it, as reason not to
support expanding the historic district.
Nancy-I have been working with John Palmer about a petition he is planning on taking
around to neighbors. He wants them to understand what is at sake.
Eric-All the properties we look at are because an owner sold it to someone else.
Mike-I wanted to ask permission in writing, but I would rather subcommittee to do this and
report back.
The builders representatives and the subcommittee agreed to meet Thursday the 18th,
10:00 am at Kathi’s office, 77 West Main Street, above Hillers Pizza.
Mike-I thought MHC had to concur with tenets in proposal. We are looking for them to
come back and say it meets the criteria.
Nanda motioned to adjourn joint meeting
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Mike seconded
Unanimous approval.
8:14 pm
Docs used during this meeting: Letter from developer to HHC
REGULAR HHC MONTHLY MEETING
8:15 pm
AIKENS PARK
ADA compliance concerns.
Engineers say existing grade is 10 percent. Recommend we go to Mass Architectural
Access Board.
Eric-This is an existing trail, we don’t do anything.
Mike-Can we do this without handicap access ability with CPC funds?
Eric-I can see someone standing up at Town Meeting and complaining that it is not ADA
compliant.
Mike-The only way is to make it 5 percent grade from the break in guardrail to the T-stop.
Not feasible to create handicap ramp and maintain bridge.
Mike-It was actually much lower and the grade on Rte 85 was much steeper. Should we
contact MAAB? We are at risk if we ignore this.
Mike: contact Michael. Engineer said it isn’t easy to get them to agree to a waver. This is
really going to impact the 20k.
Mike-I would get the engineer to come up with solution.
Eric-Lets go to Town Meeting and get the funds and deal with this later.
Mike-We say we have an engineered design for the 25k.
Nancy-What if someone asks if it is ADA compliant?
Mike-That is why I want to get that answer if possible before Town Meeting.
Eric-We can do a scoop out, switchback and use fill or make a ramp. You would only be
down 6-7 ft.
Nanda-Did the engineer raise this consideration?
Mike-I went on site with the engineer and Peter Lagoy, they did a topo and found it is not
ADA compliant.
9 B STREET
No info to report.
4 YALE STREET
We had already deemed it not historically significant.
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132 CLINTON STREET
Demo request.
Mike-It didn’t look substantial, but I haven’t looked at the actual building. Looks like a
camp. Mike has board’s support to make a decision, as chair.
Filed Feb 26, sent to us March 14
Out of our hands.
15 HOLT STREET
Demo request to raze garage and build new one.
Filed March 7, sent on to us March 25.
Again, out of our hands!
MIKE WILL TALK TO ANNA ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING THIS INFO ON
TIME.
March Minutes presented for approval
Eric motioned to approve as written.
Beth seconded.
Unanimous approval.
Eric motioned to adjourn
Beth seconded
Unanimous approval.
8:40 pm
Docs used during this meeting: March Minutes.
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