Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes
Regular Meeting
Monday, May 7, 2007
Place: |
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LACFA, 84 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT |
Present: |
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Jim Bechtel (Cochairman, Regular), Kenneth Levin (Cochairman, Regular), Barbara Traskos (Regular), Tom Keogh (Regular), Elizabeth Chamberlain (Alternate), Joanne DiCamillo (Alternate), John Forbis (Alternate) |
Absent: |
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Nina Peck |
Guests: |
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Jill Todd |
Agenda: |
1. 9:15 |
Old Lyme Historic District – Public Open Forum |
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2. 9:30 |
2 Ferry Road – Old Lyme Congregational Church Memorial Garden revision – Sarah McCracken |
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3. 10:00 |
57 Lyme Street – OLCLC new sign – Alison Skonieczny |
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4. 10:30 |
2 Sill Lane – Stone wall to replace picket fence – James or Hannah Childs |
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5. 11:00 |
100 Lyme Street – The Bee & Thistle Inn sculpture walk – Linnea Rufo |
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6. 11:30 |
52 Lyme Street – Town Hall Expansion update – John Forbis |
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7. 11:45 |
HDC – Plaque program update – Ken Levin |
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8. 12:00 |
HDC - Business News – Betty Chamberlain |
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9. 12:15 |
HDC - Secretary’s report – Martha Hansen |
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10. 12:20 |
HDC – Any other new or old business to come before the Commission (Demolition Delay Ordinance, Cooley Gallery driveway, Edmondson ongoing renovation |
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11. 12:30 |
Adjournment |
The meeting was called to order at 9.15 A.M. by Cochairman Jim Bechtel. A motion was made by Ken Levin, seconded by Barbara Traskos and voted unanimously to approve the minutes of the April 2, 2007 meeting with no changes.
1. Old Lyme Historic District – Public open forum
105 Lyme Street - Jill Todd applied for CofAs to move the driveway (in order to create guest parking), replace the picket fence on Lyme Street with a different style of picket fence and install a balustrade over the attached single story structure on the north side of the house. The balustrade will be a replica of one found in an old photo of the house. The CofAs were approved for 6 months.
Action: Mail copies of approved CofAs to Jill Todd and recommend that she contact the Connecticut State Department of Transportation regarding the curb cut necessary for the new driveway placement (Martha Hansen).
2. 2 Ferry Road – Old Lyme Congregational Church Memorial Garden revision – Sarah McCracken and Carol Levy
Sarah McCracken presented a design revision for the Memorial Garden located on the south side of the church. The new design calls for a boxwood hedge on the east (Lyme Street) side of the garden. The hedge will be less than 42” high. A small iron gate (preferably antique) is also being considered for the walkway (through the hedge) but is not part of the present program. The HDC approved the change; the CofA fee will be waived as the church is a nonprofit organization.
Action: Submit completed CofA (Sarah McCracken).
3. 57 Lyme Street – OLCLC new sign – Alison Skonieczny
Alison Skonieczny presented a design for a new 2-sided OLCLC sign with black text on a cream background including 2 small removable panels hanging below the main sign. The sign will be illuminated, hung from a scroll bracket on a 4x4 post and be placed 10 feet from the weeping cherry tree near the sidewalk on Lyme Street. The HDC approved the CofA for 3 months with the condition that the sign have a white background instead of cream.
Action: OLCLC plans to have new sign in place by late May.
4. 2 Sill Lane – Stone wall to replace picket fence – Jamie Childs
Jamie Childs requested to replace the white picket fence in front of the house (facing Sill Lane) with a stone wall similar to the Noyes’ wall on the south side of the property. The HDC wants to look at stone walls in the area before approving the change. Jamie Childs will attend the June 4 meeting.
Action: Look at stone walls in the Lyme Street/Sill Lane area (HDC members).
5. 100 Lyme Street – The Bee & Thistle Inn sculpture walk – Linnea Rufo
Linnea Rufo did not attend the meeting nor submit a CofA application as instructed. As the sculptures were already installed, the HDC waived the need for an application and allowed the sculpture walk to remain for 2 months. The HDC discussed the need for a policy on sculpture – which are considered structures in the OLHD Handbook - and will discuss it at the June 4 meeting. A definitive ruling on outdoor sculptures in the Historic District will be issued by the Commission in the coming months.
Action: Contact Linnea Rufo (Jim Bechtel).
6. 52 Lyme Street – Town Hall Expansion update – John Forbis
John Forbis stated that the Rudolph Netsch Construction company won the contract to renovate the Town Hall. Construction began on May 3 and is proceeding on schedule.
Joanne DiCamillo presented the new landscape plan for the Town Hall to the Duck River Garden Club and received a positive response. The Garden Club will be helping to maintain the plantings and will continue to plant around the Town Hall sign on Lyme Street during the renovation.
Action: Keep the HDC informed (John Forbis).
7. HDC – Plaque program update – Ken Levin
A letter explaining the plaque program including an application form and a photo of the plaque will be sent to qualified Historic District property owners (structures built prior to World War II).
Janet Sturges has applied for a plaque for 1 McCurdy Road (the Marvin family house on the South Green).
Action: Prepare mailing to OLHD owners of pre-WWII structures (Ken Levin).
8. HDC - Business News – Betty Chamberlain
No news to report.
9. HDC - Secretary’s Report - Martha Hansen
The HDC files have been moved from the Town Hall to the temporary storage space on Four Mile River Road.
10. HDC – Any other new or old business to come before the Commission (Demolition Delay Ordinance, Cooley Gallery driveway, Edmondson ongoing renovation)
The Demolition Delay Ordinance will be discussed at the July 9th meeting.
The Cooley Gallery will be applying for a CofA for driveway and terrace improvements.
The Edmondson’s renovation is continuing and now includes the south-facing porch.
The HDC approved Christ the King Church’s request for 2-sided removable panels (8” x 23.69” with black lettering on a white background and gold border) to attach to the main sign on McCurdy Road to indicate summer and winter Mass times. Also, the presence of tree stumps on the South Green in front of the Christ the King Church was discussed. The HDC would like the stumps to be reduced to ground level.
Action: Contact Janet Sturges concerning the stumps (Jim Bechtel).
11. Adjournment
Ken Levin made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 12:30 P.M. The motion was seconded by John Forbis and passed unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
Martha Hansen
Recording Secretary
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