Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes
Regular Meeting
Monday, February 1, 2010
Place: |
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Memorial Town Hall, 52 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT |
Present: |
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Kenneth Levin (Cochairman, Regular), Jim Bechtel (Cochairman, Regular), Tom Keogh (Regular), Barbara Traskos (Regular), Elizabeth Chamberlain (Alternate), Joanne DiCamillo (Alternate) Nina Peck (Regular) |
Absent |
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John Forbis (Alternate) |
Guests |
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Norman Stitham, Irene Carnell, Elizabeth Whitley |
Agenda: |
9:00 |
Old Lyme Historic District Public Open Forum |
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9:15 |
Public Hearing: 55 Lyme Street - Grange Handicapped Access Walkway |
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9:30 |
Plaque Program update – Ken Levin, Jim Bechtel, Martha Hansen |
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9:45 |
HDC Handbook reprint update |
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10:00 |
L-OL High School Access Road update – Nina Peck, Joanne DiCamillo |
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10:15 |
Business News (CT Trust, National Trust) – Betty Chamberlain |
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10:30 |
Secretary’s Report – Martha Hansen |
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10:45 |
Any other new or old business |
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11:00 |
Adjournment |
The meeting was called to order at 9:00 a.m. by Cochairman Jim Bechtel.
A motion was made by Betty Chamberlain and seconded by Barbara Traskos to approve the minutes of the January 4, 2010 meeting as presented.
Jim Bechtel, Ken Levin, Barbara Traskos, Tom Keogh, Joanne DiCamillo and Betty Chamberlain voted in favor. Nina Peck abstained as she had not attended the January meeting.
1. Public Open Forum – No public participation
2. Public Hearing: 55 Lyme Street – Grange Handicapped Access Walkway – Norman Stitham
Norman Stitham presented plans for a handicapped access walkway and entrance door on the north side of the Grange building. The ramp will be made of pressure-treated wood and will have a picket style railing. It will be left to weather for about a year and will then be painted white. Some low-growing evergreen shrubs will be planted to help screen the walkway from view.
Elizabeth Whitley (56 Lyme Street) viewed the plans and had no objections.
Motion: Barbara Traskos made a motion, seconded by Joanne DiCamillo, to approve the CofA application for the Grange handicapped access ramp and entrance door. All present voted in favor.
3. Plaque Program Update –Ken Levin, Jim Bechtel, Martha Hansen
The plaque for 135 Mile Creek Road (Morgan Lewis – ca. 1858) is ready to be installed. The property records for 27 Lyme Street are complex and further research is required on nearby houses. Jack Spratt has requested a plaque for his property at 60 Lyme Street. Eve Todd is interested in a plaque for 1 Library Lane.
As 1 Library Lane is not in the Historic District, research expense is not covered by donated funds.
Action: Continue plaque research on 27 Lyme Street and start research on 9 Lyme Street - Boxwood, 23 Lyme Street - the Cooley Gallery and 60 Lyme Street (Martha Hansen).
4. Handbook Reprint - Jim Bechtel, Martha Hansen
The revised handbook text and layout were reviewed. The handbook will be distributed eventually to: Historic District property owners, local real estate agencies, Town Hall, OLPGN Library and Senior Center.
Action: Keep the HDC updated (Jim Bechtel, Ken Levin).
5. L-OL High School Access Road update – Nina Peck, Joanne DiCamillo
Two sections of the Fire Department’s chain link fence will be removed to improve the visibility of the Memorial Garden. Barbara Beal (president of the Duck River Garden Club) asked Joanne DiCamillo and Cathy Green (chair of the Duck River Garden Club’s Civic Beautification Committee) to look at the Memorial Garden and make recommendations. They recommended replacing the pavers with grass.
Action: Invite Barbara Beal, Cathy Green and John Rhodes to the April HDC meeting (Joanne DiCamillo, Jim Bechtel, Martha Hansen).
Landscape architect, David Sousa, redesigned the plantings using a mixture of deciduous and evergreen native plants. Neighbor Tony Hendricks (71 Lyme Street) requested that the screening be preserved between the top of his fence and the existing tree canopy. Joanne DiCamillo (chair of the Tree Commission) and Tom Degnan (the tree warden) wrote to John Rhodes outlining the requirements of the landscaping and maintenance plan and requested a 2-year warranty on all plants. The Tree Commission gave preliminary approval to the landscape plan at their January 21 meeting. As the High School access road is on Town property, Tom Degnan must give final approval.
Action: Keep the HDC updated (Jim Bechtel, Joanne DiCamillo).
6. Business News (CT Trust, National Trust) – Betty Chamberlain
All HDC members are now receiving copies of the CT Trust Preservation News.
7. Secretary’s Report – Martha Hansen
The HDC is considering requesting State Scenic Road designation for a 1.5 mile stretch of Route 1 (Boston Post Road) from I-95 north to Boggy Hole Road. This portion of Route 1 includes the Historic District to Rose Lane and the Old Lyme Land Trust’s Griswold Preserve. Scenic Road status would provide additional protection to the Historic District and the area’s mature trees and stone walls. It would affect all future road work done on that section of Route 1 but would have little or no impact on property owners.
Action: Forward draft application letter to Tim Griswold (Martha Hansen).
Speak to Tim Griswold about the application and request a letter of support (Jim Bechtel).
8. HDC – Any other new or old business to come before the Commission
a) 2010 CT Trust Preservation Award nomination.
The HDC has written a letter in support of Paul Bailey Architect’s renovation of the Old Lyme Memorial Town Hall for the CT Trust “Built Environment” Award.
b) Continue to check on removal of greenhouse at 54 Lyme Street.
c) Joanne DiCamillo received a Horticultural award from the Federated Garden Clubs of CT for the Town Hall landscaping.
d) Dave McCulloch loaned Jim Bechtel the “1997 Old Lyme Plan of Conservation” listing 200 special places in Old Lyme.
Action: Make copy for the Old Lyme Historical Society and return Conservation Plan to Jim Bechtel (Martha Hansen).
e) Lee Mergy will attend the March meeting to discuss fencing at 22 – 30 Lyme Street.
9. Adjournment
Betty Chamberlain moved to adjourn the meeting at 10:15 AM. The motion was seconded by Tom Keogh and passed unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
Martha Hansen
Recording Secretary
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