HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION
Meeting Minutes
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Town Hall, 2nd Floord, 302 Main Street,
I. CALL TO ORDER
Robert Wendler called the regular meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
II. ROLL CALL
Attendant Members Absent Members
Robert Wendler, Chairman
Randi Bradbury, Vice Chairman
Tamara Miglio, Regular Member
Lisa LeMonte, Regular Member
Diane Aldi DePaola, Regular Member
Attendant Staff
Kathleen Noyes, Recording Clerk
III. PUBLIC HEARINGS
A. Certificate of Appropriateness as to Exterior Features
Erection of Sign – House Numbering
72 North Cove Road (Map 31/ Lot 15-4)
Applicant: Capt. Dolbeare, Inc. Owner
Agent: Diane Aldi DePaola
R. Wendler opened the Public Hearing at 7:34 pm.
D. DePaola recused herself from voting because of conflict of interest, but she presented on behalf of herself, her husband, John Aldi, and her neighbors: Nanette and Ken Navarro, Pat and Bernie LaRiviere, and Janet and Michael Klett.
D. DePaola explained that in compliance with and in support of the town house numbering ordinance, she and her neighbors would like to put up a 20” X 36” blue and white wooden, oval sign with their house numbers on it at the bottom of Captain’s Walk. She also explained that although the houses are on Captain’s Walk, the street addresses for the four homes are all North Cove Road.
Commission members discussed the sign, and found it to be in support of the town ordinance.
R. Wendler closed the Public Hearing at 7:38 p.m.
MOTION to approve Certificate of Appropriateness as to Exterior Features
Erection of Sign – House Numbering
72 North Cove Road
(Map 31/ Lot 15-4)
Applicants: Capt. Dolbeare, Inc., Owner, Diane Aldi DePaola, Agent
MOVED: by Tamara Miglio; SECONDED: by Randi Bradbury:
IN FAVOR: R. Bradbury, L. LeMonte, R. Wendler, T. Miglio.
OPPOSED:none ;ABSTAINED:D. Aldi DePaola;APPROVED: 4-0-1
Diane Aldi DePaola rejoined the meeting for the remaining agenda items.
B. “Captain Willoughby Lynde House”
Certificate of Appropriateness as to Exterior Features
Alteration and Addition to Principal Building
2-Story Addition and Garage Expansion
174 North Cove Road (Map 32/ Lot 17)
Applicants: Richard and Marion Mazzella, Owner/ David M. Royston, Esquire, Agent
Atty. D. Royston presented for the applicants, who were present at the meeting, along with Dean Berman, the architect.
Atty. Royston explained the history of the house and the proposed plans that would involve removing non-historic parts of the house and replacing them with a new addition.
The proposal involves raising the garage and moving the exterior wall 3 feet. The garage requires a variance which the applicant has applied for. The hearing is scheduled for next month, and a Certificate of Appropriateness from the HDC is needed for that hearing.
The proposal also involves enlarging the existing porch from 10’ X 25’ to 22’ X 39’. The total difference in square footage is 13.9 feet to 14.76 feet. The amount of square footage and gross floor area would be 6,242 square feet up from 5,384 square feet which is an increase of less than 900 square feet total.
R. Mazzella stated that the proposed addition would be all wood construction with cedar shingles. R. Bradbury has requested that the applicant supply a materials list for the record.
R. Wendler opened the Public Hearing at 8:00 p.m.
Barbara Aubin of 152 North Cove Road had concerns about the garage expansion and how that would impact the nearby Dogwood tree. R. Mazzella assured her that the tree would remain.
R. Wendler read a letter written and submitted by John and Patricia Russell of 184 North Cove Road who were not present at tonight’s meeting. The Russell’s have concerns about the proposal, specifically it’s inconsistencies with the original house. The Russell’s also voiced concern about lack of timely notification of this proposal.
Bill Phillips of 200 North Cove Road spoke in agreement with the Russell’s letter and echoed concerns about lack of timely notification of this proposal and concerns about how the alterations/addition would be consistent with the style of the house.
Atty. Royston noted, for the record, that the applicant filed all required applications with the town and that the applicant is not responsible for notifying adjacent property owners of this proposal.
Dean Berman, architect, spoke in reference to the style of the addition being consistent with the style of the house. He said it was his intention to make the addition consistent as if it was a bigger home at the time of construction including using the same materials and roof forms and replicating the stone foundation.
R. Wendler stated that he didn’t care for the extension of the balcony. R. Mazzella stated for the record, that he would be willing to give up the balcony. Atty. Royston then stated, for the record, that the applicant was amending his request, eliminating the balcony and that this would modify the variance.
Barbara Smith of 200 North Cove Road expressed concern about amending plans and then voting on them after they had just been amended.
R. Bradbury asked the applicant if an architectural historian was involved in the planning of this proposal. She said the “L” part of this house was one of the oldest structures in our community and in the North Cove District, and she felt the applicant might benefit from an architectural historian’s expertise.
R. Bradbury stated that she would like to see the groupings of windows changed, and the applicant agreed to change the window configuration. R. Bradbury also said she felt the house would be dominated by the new addition, and she would not be comfortable voting tonight without more information, particularly a materials list.
R. Wendler said he felt it was a “massive addition”, and he suggested lowering down perhaps to a 2 story addition.
The architect agreed to take all suggestions into consideration, and he would rework his drawings for the next meeting.
All members agreed they were not ready to vote tonight and that the Public Hearing would remain open until the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Historic District Commission on Thursday, July 17, 2008.
IV. REGULAR BUSINESS
A. Meeting Minutes – May 15, 2008
MOTION to approve the minutes of May 15, 2008 as presented
MOVED: by Lisa LeMonte; SECONDED: by Diane Aldi DePaola
IN FAVOR: L. LeMonte, D. Aldi DePaola, R. Bradbury, R. Wendler, T. Miglio
OPPOSED: none; ABSTAINED: none; APPROVED: 5-0-0
B. Correspondence - none
C. Committee, Representative & Staff Reports -
V. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION to adjourn the meeting at 8:50 p.m.until the next regular meeting on Thursday July 17, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. at the Old Saybrook Town Hall, 2nd Floor Conference Room, 302 Main St.
MOVED by D. DePaola; SECONDED by Randi Bradbury
IN FAVOR: R. Wendler, R. Bradbury, L. LeMonte, D. Aldi DePaola, T. Miglio
OPPOSED: none. ABSTAINED: none. APPROVED: 5-0-0.
Respectfully Submitted,
Kathleen Noyes, Recording Clerk
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