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Minutes 08/08/2007

Harvard Historic Commission

Meeting Minutes for August 14, 2007




 

 




 

Members present:
            C. Cutler, D. Coots, J. Feist, J. Martin, R. Sprague, R. Saalfield
 
Members absent:
            S. Frechette, R. Minar, O. Solbrig

  • Meeting commenced at 7:35 pm
  •  Minutes of the July meeting accepted as submitted by Doug Coots
 

In beginning our discussion about the first hearing scheduled for this evening (Adam and Evelyn Horowitz, new owners of the General Store) J. Feist suggested that in re-designing our forms—a process now under control of the Rules and Procedures committee—we request applicants to disclose information about the date of the building under discussion.  (This note is to create an action step for the sub-committee working on rules and procedures.)

·         The Horowitz public hearing was called to order at 8:00 p.m.

·         The Horowitz public hearing was closed at 8:05 p.m., no member of the public having arrived to participate in or witness the HHC meeting. Prior to closing the public hearing Commission Chair, Jonathan Feist, read two written comments he had received in support of the Horowitz application to make exterior modifications to the General Store.  These were sent by Jared Wollaston and John Cunney (residents of One Elm Street) and by Charlene Phillips (7 Oak Hill Road).

·         The first of two proposed changes to the exterior of the General Store involves the renovation of a granite stairway at the Mass Ave (east) side entrance to the building. This entrance was boarded up by the building’s previous owner and will be repurposed as the secondary egress mandated by the state’s building code.  The committee voted to accept the Horowitz’s design for a wrought-iron railing on both sides of the stone stairway. The railing will be painted black and will have twisted balusters and handrails that terminate in a fiddlehead design.

·         The second proposed change involves the creation of a handicapped ramp at one of the two front entrances (north) of the building.   After much discussion committee members expressed approval of the design as drawn with the condition that it meets the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements and satisfies the Building Inspector that it conforms to code.  D. Coots suggested that we require the owner to provide paint chips for approval, expressing the commission’s feeling that the railing ought not to be painted black but to be made to match the trim of the building.  Coots pointed out that the ADA requires that the handrail of a handicapped ramp not present a capped end to those using the ramp; that is, that the handrail ‘return to’ another object (either itself or the wall of the building from which it is suspended). Other discussion focused on the continuous metal handrail along the new handicapped ramp.

·         D. Coots pointed out that building code, as it applies to ADA requirements, will require that both levels of this handicapped railing continue past the point where the drawing shows it terminates.  We agreed that it is the Building Inspector, not the members of the HHC, who ultimately determines whether the design with which we were presented meets code and, thus, can be built as drawn.  Coots suggested we mention all of our concerns to the Inspector.   Any modifications that result from the petitioner’s consultation with the building inspector will require the petitioner to return to the HHC with a copy of the amended design.  

·         At 8:30 pm the public hearing on the Martin proposal commenced.  At 8:32 p.m. the public hearing was closed, there being no members of the public present to make comment.  

  • The first of the Martins two proposals before the HHC involves replacing the rotting roof of their front porch, something Martin would like to do with lead-coated copper rather than the tin—a material more difficult to find—with which the roof is covered now.
  •  The Martins’ second request involves the replacement of rotting gutters and downspouts on various sides of his house at 5 Fairbank Street.  J. Martin showed photos of the south side of his house, indicating the presence of rot and the multitude of materials used in the gutters on his house. Martin has not made a final decision on the material he will use for the replacement gutters but believes that when final proposals are rec’d he will chose either copper (in a half-round shape) or a composite plastic material called Azek (whose profile would conform to that of the older gutters in good repair on his house. One possible material is a composite plastic product (called Azek) whose shape is based on an old profile of a gutter.  D. Coots pointed out that if all of the materials available to the owner are durable the next owner will be buying a building with persistent, durable materials (such as Azek composite), which is a desirable goal for the HHC.  From this perspective Coots feels that Azek is comparable to wood in terms of durability and finished effect.  The applicant waived his right to receive approval for either of these requests from the Commission within 60 days as he as yet has no idea of the finished cost of any of the work.
 

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·         Activity reports:  

  • Design guidelines (report by J. Feist):  our major initiative of the last year has been the writing of design guidelines so that we can communicate what we perceive to be best practice on how property owners can make decisions for the care and upkeep of their property.  J. Feist is circulating copies of the current (final) draft to a few first readers in town.  Also under final review is the introductory brochure our design guidelines subcommittee has drafted as a welcoming document.
  •  Rules and procedures are under review by a subcommittee (J. Martin, C. Cutler, R. Minar). R. Minar is now in possession of the final rough draft of this document, a codification of the HHC’s rules and procedures.
  •  Demolition Delay By-law is on the agenda for our September meeting.  
  •  D. Coots met with Robert Adam from the North Bennett Street School to discuss the logistics of the roofing project of the Shaker Herb House, which will be begun this fall. The job is projected to take from five to seven weeks.  D. Coots has spoken again with Bruce Simpson, the mason we have hired for the job, to coordinate the roofers’ schedule with Simpson’s work on the chimney.  Details of staging for this project remain under discussion.  The job will begin on October 1.
  •  D. Coots reported that his work on the Powder House is nearly done and that he has nearly completed fabricated a lead cap he will install on the building.  He is contemplating using an epoxy filler and painting the jambs and doorframe.
  •  J. Feist reported that the Montachusset Regional Planning Committee is still at work on its project to provide maps for the town’s two historic districts. These maps will show the relationship between historic district boundaries and property lot lines.
  •  J. Feist reported that the application deadline for Community Preservation Commission is October 1. R. Saalfield showed photo slides she rec’d from Chris Skelly at MassHistoric which we can use for inspiration and ideas. Materials options that seem viable are wood (very high maintenance), sheet metal or cast metal. By the next meeting RBS will try to get prices, per sign, for these three materials. D. Coots suggested we consider using stamped metal, also. We need to also consider the cost of installation of the signs and their continued maintenance by, we hope, the town’s Department of Public Works.
  •  J. Feist would like the HHC to have “tighter controls” over our official relationship to the Community Preservation Commission (CPC) on which he is the HHC’s official liaison.
  •  Shaker Hills Golf Course Committee is on hiatus, J. Feist reports.  This is an ad hoc group charged by the BoS with communicating with the developer about his plans and advocating for the Shaker Village neighborhood’s and the town’s interests.
  •  D. Coots reported that he met with Tim Clark a few weeks ago to review the report he is presenting to the BoS regarding the municipal buildings. Clark, D. Coots and Lucy Wallace (BoS), all members of this committee, will be meeting soon to discuss the disposition of the municipal buildings in the town center (Hildreth House, former library, Town Hall).  Clark’s report contains a comprehensive survey of these buildings from a structural perspective.
  •  J. Martin reported that there is still no permanent certificate of occupancy for the new library building, though one is anticipated soon.
 

The meeting was adjourned at 10:15 p.m.

 
Respectfully submitted,
      
      R. Saalfield
      Woodchuck Hill Road