Historic District Commission
Minutes
Land Use Meeting Room
September 18, 2012
Members present: Acting Chair Steve Sample, SS; Ken Fowler, KF; Lucy Kennedy, LK
Absent with notification: Jason Berger, JB
Recusal: Elaine Steinert, ES, as she is a Trustee of Church on the Hill.
Staff present: Peggy Ammendola, PA
Courtney Gilardi, Church on the Hill chapel, 55 Main St., Map 43 Parcel 60, replace eight windows, six over one style, that are located in the basement space of the chapel.
Presenting the application was Ms. Gilardi.
LK clarified that Ms. Gilardi is the tenant. She runs a pre-school that is located in the basement of the Chapel. Ms. Gilardi said that the trustees of the Church have given her permission to do this work and the Church has signed off on the application.
One window can be seen from the Academy building, three on the side of the Lilac Park are obscured by the lilac bushes and the other five can only be viewed from the back yard. All of the windows are broken, non functional, and due to the lead content have to be replaced in order for the school to be licensed. The kitchen window does not have to be replaced as it is not a part of the pre-school space. Ms. Gilardi said that none of the windows are original to the Chapel.
LK stated that she had an issue, not with the replacement of the windows, but that the windows would be replaced with vinyl which is contrary to preservation. She also believes that the eight windows should be replaced at the same time.
Ms. Gilardi said that she feels that Morrison Home Improvement Specialists would do an excellent job of matching the replacement windows with the existing, and that the cost to replace in kind would be prohibitive. LK responded that it is the Commission’s responsibility to preserve the look of the Historic District.
KF said that in the past the HDC has approved vinyl clad windows, but he would have to see what the proposed replacement looks like. Discussion ensued regarding the cost to the school if the windows were replaced in kind and possible alternative solutions such as finding another location within the District or even working something out with the Church to replace all of the windows in the Chapel at the same citing the importance of symmetry and maintaining the look and feel.
Ms. Gilardi said that if the cost is prohibitive, they would have to move the pre-school out of the District or possibly move it to another town. It is thought that the school would attract a younger crowd to the Church on the Hill and it would generate some rental income as the Church is struggling to maintain the two buildings. The goal is to not sell the Chapel.
LK said that she would like to have a site visit. She also stated that she did not like to make a decision based on a cost issue.
LK would like to place emphasis on getting the Guidelines out to the property owners so that they understand that there is an opportunity and a responsibility in owning property in the District.
SS would like for an additional window to be done and would like to see examples of vinyl windows. He said that he prefers the windows to have the raised muntin on the exterior of the glass, not between the glass.
It was agreed that the meeting will be continued to October 2, 2012 with the site visit at 5:30 PM and the meeting immediately following the site visit at the Town Hall.
Approve Minutes:
June 5, 2012: Tabled since June 19, 2012 until JB, CC & SS are available.
June 19, 2012: Tabled since July 17, 2012 until SS, CC & JB are available.
August 7, 2012: Tabled until JB, SS & LK are available.
September 4, 2012: Tabled until SS, ES and LK are available.
Respectfully submitted,
Peggy Ammendola
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