Meeting Minutes 7 p.m. Weston Town Hall December 13, 2016 Approved February 7, 2017

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1 TOWN OF WESTON HISTORICAL COMMISSION Meeting Minutes 7 p.m. Weston Town Hall December 13, 2016 Approved February 7, 2017 WHC Members present: Associate Members present: Also present: Phyllis Halpern, co-chair; Alan Fobes, co-chair; Alicia Primer, Henry Stone, Al Aydelott, Steve Wagner Adrienne Giske Scott Steeves, David Morgan, Christopher Keller, William Atkinson, Matthew Atkinson, Jack Deary, and Kathy Broomer (Historical Commission staff) Meeting called to order at 7:04 p.m. Minutes from the Commission meeting of November 21, 2016 were reviewed. Henry Stone moved to accept the minutes; Alicia Primer seconded, all in favor. Treasurer s report Phyllis Halpern reported in Marisa Morra s absence that record drawings were completed for the Benjamin Loring Young House, 20 Young Road (1887; WSN.353; William Ralph Emerson, archt.; demolished 2015). Given the limited budget, the Commission focused on documenting the uncommon butterfly floor plan. Commission members discussed a possible student project to create the elevations from available data on Point Cloud. It was agreed to ask Ms. Morra to contact Roger Reed at the National Park Service (an authority on Emerson s architecture) for suggestions. Public Comment Alicia Primer reported that Pat Siek, who often attends Historical Commission meetings as a member of the public, has requested that the Commission support an appeal of the Comprehensive Permit issued for the 255 Merriam Street-11 Hallett Hill Road project. Al Aydelott reported the Planning Board has scheduled a meeting to discuss the request from a neighborhood organization that will be filing the appeal. Mr. Aydelott cautioned the desire is not to question the ZBA s handling of the matter, but emphasized the Board of Selectmen have standing in this matter that the Commission and Planning Board do not have.

2 Initial Determination 326 Glen Road Scott Steeves, Keystone Development Corp., for CLGI, LLC, owner Total demolition of outbuilding of undetermined date Commission members confirmed this application is confined to the historic outbuilding on the property; demolition of the house is not proposed. Scott Steeves explained the building is an attractive nuisance sited close to the property line with 314 Glen Road, where he has recently completed construction of a new house. He stated the house at 326 Glen Road is unoccupied, and he provided written authorization from CLGI to request demolition of this outbuilding, which currently houses garden implements. The wood-frame building is roughly 12 feet by 16 feet, with a wood plank floor on dirt (no foundation), and rotting wood walls in contact with the ground. Commission members noted the property is not within the boundaries of the inventoried Glen Road Area (WSN.I) or the Glen Road Historic District, listed in the National Register. The house at 326 Glen Road is included in the town s cultural resource inventory. Discussion ensued on the history and uses of this eight-acre parcel. Alicia Primer stated the outbuilding is clearly older than the house, and expressed concern about the lack of information available on its history. Al Aydelott noted the conundrum is the outbuilding s condition is so poor that saving it would essentially entail rebuilding from scratch. Steve Wagner moved that the outbuilding is not significant and demolition can proceed, Henry Stone seconded, Alan Fobes and Mr. Aydelott in favor, Ms. Primer and Phyllis Halpern opposed. No delay. 7:30 p.m. 378 North Avenue Fengming Zhu, owner Total Demolition This public hearing was continued from November 15, 2016 due to lack of a quorum of full members. Al Aydelott recused himself because construction of the replacement dwelling is expected to require Site Plan Review by the Planning Board. Phyllis Halpern opened the hearing at 7:30 p.m. Commission members expressed concern about the continued loss of historic character in the North Village Area (WSN.V), where this historic house occupies an important and highly visible corner with Conant Road. North Village is characterized by consistency in the massing, setback, and relative age of the buildings in the inventoried area. The Commission previously voted this building significant and imposed a six-month demolition delay in June 2014 for an application to raze the house and keep the garage. Town Meeting has since extended a delay period under the Demolition Delay Bylaw from six months to twelve months. The present application, by the same owner who submitted in 2014, calls for demolition of the house and garage. The hearing was closed at 7:45 p.m. Discussion that the delay could be lifted if the owner submits architectural plans, for Commission review and approval, for a replacement dwelling that is sympathetic to the style and scale of the North Village Area. Henry Stone moved the house is preferably preserved, Steve Wagner seconded, all in favor; twelve-month delay on demolition imposed, effective December 13, Weston Historical Commission Meeting Minutes, December 13,

3 7:50 p.m. 16 Pinecroft Road Cynthia Buzby, owner Partial Demolition Due to a production error at the Weston Town Crier, this public hearing was not properly advertised and therefore rescheduled to Tuesday, December 20, 2016 at 7:10 p.m. Abutters have been re-notified. Initial Determination 40 Silver Hill Road David Morgan for Christopher Keller, owner Partial demolition David Morgan of DRM Design, the builder, and Christopher Keller presented photographs and renderings of the house as existing and proposed. The work involves removing and replacing a rear addition constructed in with a new two-story rear addition. Mr. Morgan described difficulties with the design of the existing addition, the desire for additional bedrooms on the second floor of the house, and the need to address 42 separate roof slopes on the house as a whole, which have contributed to recurring problems with ice dams. One goal is to provide a more continuous roofline without compromising the character of the historic four-square main block, and the rear addition repeats the four-square massing of the front. Mr. Keller stated that Mr. Morgan has worked on other houses at Silver Hill. Commission members observed that no major changes to the footprint of the existing building are proposed, and the isometric views submitted are helpful to visualize the proposed roofline. Discussion of this property s location in the Silver Hill Area (WSN.Q) and the Silver Hill Historic District, listed in the National Register. The Commission has determined the house significant twice before. Alicia Primer moved the house is significant as a Colonial Revival four-square designed by architect George Strout that occupies a prominent corner lot in the Silver Hill neighborhood and contributes to the area s historic character; Henry Stone seconded, all in favor. Commission members agreed a public hearing is needed to give neighbors an opportunity to provide input. This hearing will be scheduled for Tuesday, January 10, Updates and Other Business Rand House, 131 Wellesley Street Henry Stone asked why this item remains on the agenda. The Commission has confirmed that stabilization of the house will not occur before the winter. Case House, 89 Wellesley Street Henry Stone requested the Commission co-chairs ask the Town Manager for notification when the selected architect (McGinley Kalsow & Associates, Inc.) has signed a contract. Commission members thanked Henry Stone for his presentation at Special Town Meeting. William H. Coburn House, 55 Coburn Road Commission members thanked Alicia Primer for her presentation at Special Town Meeting on the preservation restriction for the house, and also extended their thanks to Susan Zacharias of the Planning Board for her presentation on the flexible subdivision, which will also protect the meadow along Church Street. Al Aydelott reported that the property owner, Keith Rogel, plans to be involved in the architectural design of the new houses in the flexible subdivision recently approved by the Planning Board. Pam Fox will prepare the cultural resource inventory form required by the Massachusetts Historical Weston Historical Commission Meeting Minutes, December 13,

4 Commission for a National Register evaluation, which is part of the agency s process in approving a preservation restriction. Discussion of contracting with a preservation consultant to produce the preservation restriction document on the Commission s behalf for the $6,000 earmarked for administrative costs out of the approved appropriation. Per an inquiry from Tracey Lembo, CPC Administrator, the Commission agreed that a grant agreement with the town, separate from the preservation restriction, does not appear to be necessary unless the property owner requests one. 8:10 p.m. 343 South Avenue Jonathan A. White, Esq. for William Atkinson, owner Total Demolition Legal notices for this public hearing were published in The Boston Globe on November 28, 2016 and the Weston Town Crier on December 8, 2016, and abutters were notified. The Commission determined the house significant at its meeting on November 21, William Atkinson gave the Commission a tour of the house during a site walk conducted Thursday, December 1, Phyllis Halpern opened the hearing at 8:10 p.m. Mr. Atkinson attended with his son, Matthew Atkinson, and a neighbor, Jack Deary. Mr. Atkinson stated he ideally would like to sell the house to someone who would want to keep it, but needs the greatest financial benefit from the transaction. Mr. Atkinson reported his attorney recommends continuing with the demolition application, though he does not intend to demolish the house himself. Matthew Atkinson inquired what the advantage would be to the town to impose a delay; the Commission responded it would provide time to find a buyer who would save the house. The hearing was closed at 8:35 p.m. The Commission discussed that a demolition application and imposed delay are not transferrable to a new owner; if the house remains when the property is sold, a new application for demolition would have to be filed if a new owner so desired. Henry Stone moved the house is preferably preserved, Alicia Primer seconded, all in favor; twelve-month delay on demolition imposed, effective December 13, Updates and Other Business (continued) Town Center Planning Committee Further discussion of traffic and burying utilities. The Josiah Smith Tavern and Old Library In the absence of Marisa Morra, Adrienne Giske reported the working group recently met with the Historical Society board for a question and answer session. Phyllis Halpern noted there is a continued need for the Working Group for outreach and education purposes in town. Lamson Park Kathy Broomer requested again that Commission members identify an alternate location for the safekeeping of any artifacts that surface in the grading work, currently being collected on an interim basis at Town Hall. Steve Wagner will photograph and make a list of artifacts retrieved once grading and soil remediation work are completed. 40B projects Discussion on 104 Boston Post Road: the Selectmen and Town Manager s office are collecting comment letters by January 13, 2017 for forwarding to Mass. Housing. Weston Historical Commission Meeting Minutes, December 13,

5 Phyllis Halpern is drafting a comment letter for the Commission s review at its meeting on January 10, 2017 regarding the Nathaniel Sibley House (1854, WSN.60), listed in the National Register as part of the Boston Post Road Historic District. Farmer s Burial Ground Preservation Project/Central Cemetery Mound Tomb Stabilization Phyllis Halpern reported that it will soon be time to coordinate the next phase of this project. By Commission consensus, Marisa Morra was nominated to lead this effort. Mass. Central Railroad Station (55 Church Street) and right-of-way Paul Penfield of the Rail Trail Advisory Committee reported that Eversource will be re-routing the path of the access road past the station, and also will save one cattle pass of the four identified. There is interest in ensuring no historic resources are damaged in construction of the access road. Plans are progressing for the Weston Media Center s program on the railroad resources, to include Pam Fox talking about the depot area and local railroad historian Rick Conard of Wayland describing some of the historic features along the right-of-way. Melone House gift Alicia Primer reported the Melone House, 27 Crescent Street, does not have a plaque, which can be obtained at a discount since Pam Fox has already prepared a cultural resource inventory form for the property. Wellington Farm Historic District modifications to placement of National Register markers The Commission discussed a request Pam Fox forwarded from Nick Danforth, a property owner in the district, to shift the location of one marker on Wellesley Street and add a marker on Glen Road. Phyllis Halpern noted these positions will define the district more clearly. Alicia Primer moved to keep the north marker on Wellesley Street in place at the northern boundary of the district, move the south marker on the east side of Wellesley Street to a position slightly south of its present location (to the boundary between Danforth land and the town s corner parcel), and purchase a new third marker to place on Glen Road at the southeast corner of the district. Phyllis Halpern seconded, all in favor. Ms. Halpern will coordinate with Tom Cullen at DPW. Historic marker applications received none. Administrative approvals and inquiries 80 Wellesley Street Commission members believe the house is not being constructed according to plans approved when the demolition delay was lifted in Alicia Primer will review the files at the Land Use office and discuss with John Field. 761 Boston Post Road Commission members notified the Land Use office that a historic barn on the property was being re-sided without Commission review. Kathy Broomer reported that John Field is pursuing this matter; a demolition delay application is forthcoming. Board policy on fiber cement siding No report. Next meeting December 20, Meeting adjourned at 10:30 p.m. Minutes by Kathy Broomer, Historical Commission staff Weston Historical Commission Meeting Minutes, December 13,