 |
LYME HERITAGE COMMISSION
MAY 31, 2011
MINUTES
PRESENT: Simon Carr, Ray Clark, Charlotte Furstenberg, Jane Fant, Adair Mulligan, regular members; Tim Cook and Laurie Wadsworth, alternates.
- General Procedures: Simon reviewed the procedures for holding meetings and focused on communications. He encouraged avoidance of listserv conversations. It was agreed that the Commission will devise a protocol for addressing listserv questions from the public. There are five regular members and two alternates; a quorum will be three.
- Officers: Ray was elected Chair, and Adair Vice Chair; members will take turns at secretarial duties.
- Meeting Schedule: Agreed to meet monthly until a regular rhythm of business is established. Agreed on the fourth Tuesday evening of the month at 7:00pm at the Lyme Center Academy. Upcoming meetings are June 28, July 26, August 23.
- Future Plans: the following ideas were suggested:
- Historic resource inventory of all structures 50 years and older. Inventory should include barns (largely already done), cellar holes, stone culverts, and burial crypts. This could be done with the help of a consultant and will provide useful information to landowners and other boards. Could provide the basis for future nominations to the state or national Register of Historic Places. So far, all Lyme has is what is included in the 1988 National Register Nominations for Lyme Common, Lyme Center, and the Moses Kent House. Need to know possible costs, final format of inventory, and recommended approach (start with windshield survey of whole town or road-by-road intensive study?). Jane suggested that the Lyme Historians could help hire an architectural historian, and grants could be sought. It might be a suitable project for a Dartmouth student.
Volunteer help with research into the history of individual structures is essential; Jackie Glass and Cyndy Graf have volunteered to do research at the registry of deeds in the past.
- Provide information to the town boards and zoning administrator. Note that when the inventory is complete, the Zoning Administrator will check it to see if a building that is the subject of a permit application is listed. Could encourage a consultation with the Heritage Commission. Discussed whether the tax cards could be used as an initial screen for historic structures.
- Sponsor date plaques on historic buildings
- Create a town-wide map of historic structures for tourists and residents
- Provide information to new property owners
- Participate in update of Master Plan Chapter 9. Public meetings will be held in July-September; among these will be a joint meeting of the Heritage Commission and the Planning Board to discuss the history chapter. Zoning changes will follow over the next few years after the updated Master Plan is adopted.
- Respond to inquiries from property owners. Brian Rich has been asked by the US Postal Service to remove large stone steps from the Lyme Center Post Office and install a wheelchair ramp. Adair asked whether the Heritage Commission could act as an advocate for protecting historic features. Agreed it is important to clarify the Commission’s role in such instances.
- Jane and Adair will work together to identify a consultant to meet with us soon to explain the options for assembling an historic resources inventory, including the state forms, to give a sense of the scale of this project.
- Simon will find out what information can be gleaned from the tax cards, and how.
- Adair will send a link to on-line Lyme information on the National Register.
Members will review the draft Chapter 9 of the Master Plan and the other materials Simon provided.
Meeting adjourned 8:23 pm
Respectfully submitted,
Adair Mulligan, secretary pro-tem
| |
