Historic District Commission
Minutes
Land Use Meeting Room
August 6, 2013
Members present: Chair Jason Berger, JB, Steve Sample, SS; Lucy Kennedy, LK
Absent with notification: Elaine Steinert, ES
Staff present: Peggy Ammendola, PA
Carmela & Serge Paccaud, 71 Church St., Map 43 Parcel 182, also known as Firefly, demolition of a second floor porch on their building due to accelerated deterioration of the structure.
Making the presentation were Mr. and Mrs. Paccaud.
The applicants, while having work done that had been previously approved by the HDC, discovered that the second floor porch which faces Church St. is rotting and in danger of collapsing. The use of the building is of commercial, and repairing it to the standards required by the Massachusetts State Building Code, is too costly.
LK said that she believed the objective of the Guidelines is to save the buildings and she feels the tendency is to remove ornamentation which results in buildings over time looking modern. She questions the appropriateness of the removal of the porch.
JB said he felt the building could be considered a modern building as it was created by combining the two buildings in the 1980’s.
Reference was made to the inventory of structures in the Historic District, in which a history of the property is provided on a “Form B”. This document states that in 1909 a building on this site was destroyed by fire. Sometime after 1911 and before 1932, two homes were built on this property, and in 1984 they were combined to make one structure. The Form B reflects that the original structure shows the existing porch on the 2nd floor before the two structures were joined.
JB noted the Form B identifies this property as “non-contributing” and it has been altered from residential to commercial. He is not convinced that the removal of the porch would change anything. LK feels that allowing that change would continue in the direction of “anti-historic” and the demolition of the 2nd story porch would remove an original feature shown in the Form B. SS commented that the façade consists of a new, modern deck across the front.
Both Section 8 of the Guidelines-Demolition and Removal and Section 22- Porches, Balconies and Decks were reviewed.
Ms. Paccaud asked if, instead of a full porch, they could do a porch that would only be decorative-not functional. SS said that would not be acceptable.
LK made a motion that the request to demolish be denied and the applicant be encouraged to meet the standards of the building inspector for restoration rather than demolition. SS seconded
the motion. JB suggested that LK retract her motion as it is in the negative, and restate in the affirmative.
LK retracted her motion
SS made a motion to approve the demolition of the upper porch and reconstruction of the lower porch roof and columns. JB seconded the motion. The Commission voted 1-2 with LK and SS voting against.
Lenox Chamber of Commerce at The Lenox Library, 18 Main St., and Map 43 Parcel 173 add their existing sign to the existing sign post. Continued from July 16, 2013.
There was no representation for this continued meeting, therefore additional information that had been requested was not available.
LK made a motion to accept the application and referred to the minutes of the July 16th meeting. SS seconded the motion. The Commission voted 0-3 resulting in the application being disapproved.
Note: PA sent an email to Ralph Petillo of the Lenox Chamber of Commerce advising him his application was not approved.
Approve Minutes:
July 16. 2013-LK made a motion to accept the minutes with minor changes and SS seconded the motion. The Commission voted to approve 3-0.
Other Business:
Bell Atlantic New England Tel. and Tel. /Verizon, 48 Walker Street, Map 43
Parcel 1- Follow up: At the July 16, 2013 meeting, Harry Auerbach of Agnoli Sign Co. presented this application which was approved. Mr. Auerbach told the Commission he would send samples of the sign material which were received on August 5, 2013.
SS made a motion to adjourn and LK seconded the motion. The Commission voted to agree 3-0 and the meeting was adjourned at 6:30 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Peggy Ammendola
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