Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes
Regular Meeting
Monday, June 7, 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), Nina Peck (Regular), Barbara Traskos (Regular), Elizabeth Chamberlain (Alternate), John Forbis (Alternate) |
Absent |
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Joanne DiCamillo (Alternate) |
Guests |
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Michele & Lee Mergy, John Flower, Paul Sagristano, Maurice Anctil, John Butler |
Agenda: |
9:00 |
Public Hearing 22 & 30 Lyme Street, Public Open Forum |
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10:00 |
Plaque Program update – Ken Levin, Jim Bechtel, Martha Hansen |
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10:15 |
2 Ferry Road – Congregational Church Fence & Steeple |
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10:45 |
HDC Handbook Reprint update |
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11:00 |
Bee & Thistle Summer Plans |
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11:15 |
Business News & Secretary’s Report |
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11:30 |
Any other new or old business (Scenic Road update, OL Plan of Development) |
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11:45 |
Adjournment |
The meeting was called to order at 9:00 a.m. by Cochairman Jim Bechtel.
A motion was made by John Forbis and seconded by Tom Keogh to approve the minutes of the May 3, 2010 meeting as corrected (under Item 8. Action: change 20 Lyme Street to 20 Ferry Road).
Jim Bechtel, Ken Levin, Tom Keogh, Barbara Traskos, and Betty Chamberlain voted in favor. Nina Peck and John Forbis abstained as they had not attended the May meeting.
1. Public Hearing, 22 & 30 Lyme Street – Lee & Michele Mergy
Lee Mergy presented plans for a 450 sq. ft addition to the second story rear of the house at 22 Lyme Street. The roof of the addition will be in line with the roof of the main house and the windows will match the existing windows. The existing north side entry porch will be enclosed with glass to create a mud room.
There was no objection from the neighbors (John Flower & Paul Sagristano) attending the hearing.
John Forbis made a motion, seconded by Tom Keogh, to approve the plans for the 22 Lyme Street addition. All present voted in favor.
Lee Mergy also presented plans for the renovation and partial demolition of the outbuilding (formerly the church social hall) near the rear (west) boundary of the property. A 29 foot portion of the south end of the building will be removed, and the exterior will be changed to resemble a barn with new windows, doors, siding and shingles. The HDC approved of the reduction in size and the barn concept and requested that the Mergys come before the HDC for approval of the final details of the siding, windows and roof. The neighbors had no objection to the outbuilding renovation and partial demolition. John Flower, the neighbor to the west, asked to be consulted regarding a privacy fence behind the building (not visible from Lyme Street) and offered to split the cost with the Mergys.
Nina Peck made a motion, seconded by John Forbis, to approve the outbuilding renovation plan as presented on the condition that the Mergys come before the HDC for final approval of the siding and roofing materials. All present voted in favor.
Lee Mergy presented plans for an open rail fence on the right rear corner (near the 22 Lyme Street outbuilding bordering Beckwith Lane) and a white picket fence on the north, south and rear of 30 Lyme Street. The pickets will be square (1 ½” x 1 ½”) and painted white. The HDC suggested that the picket fence be installed in the front of the property bordering Lyme Street, instead of to the south, to continue the line of picket fencing already existing along the street. Shrubs could be strategically planted to the south to provide privacy for the terraces at both 22 and 30 Lyme Street. John Flower requested that the line of sight to Beckwith Lane from his driveway be kept clear near the proposed open rail fence.
Jim Bechtel made a motion, seconded by Betty Chamberlain, to approve the CofA on the condition that the picket fence is installed in the front along the Lyme Street sidewalk and not to the south of 30 Lyme Street. All present voted in favor.
2. Plaque Program Update – Ken Levin, Jim Bechtel, Martha Hansen
The plaque (J. A. Rowland General Store ca. 1867) has been delivered to Jeff Cooley (25 Lyme Street).
Action: Continue plaque research on 60 Lyme Street & 9 Lyme Street- Start plaque research on 105 Lyme Street (Martha Hansen).
3. 2 Ferry Road – Congregational Church Fence & Steeple – Maurice Anctil, John Butler
Maurice Anctil and John Butler presented plans to replace the church’s picket fence on the south side of Ferry Road. The replacement fence, made of a relatively new composite material offered by Walpole Fencing, will consist of 1 ½” x 1 ½” square pointed pickets of alternating heights spaced 3” apart. The arbor will be replaced by one of the same style in the new composite material. There will be a public hearing on July 12th to consider the application for a CofA.
Action: Place legal notice for the public hearing and notify neighbors (Martha Hansen).
The church will also be replacing all eight decorative urns on the steeple (“like for like” no CofA required).
4. Handbook Reprint - Jim Bechtel, Martha Hansen
Handbooks with introductory letters will be mailed with return address labels in envelopes the same size as the handbook. The introductory letter will be printed and trimmed to 8” x 10” to match the size of the handbook.
Handbooks will be distributed at no cost to: Historic District property owners and renters, local real estate agencies, Town Hall, OLPGN Library, OLHS and Senior Center. Some handbooks will also be available for sale ($10 each) at Town Hall.
Action: Order custom envelopes and return address labels, have introductory letter printed and cut to size, mail handbooks (Martha Hansen).
5. Bee & Thistle Summer Plans – Linnea Rufo
Linnea Rufo was unable to attend the meeting.
6. Business News & Secretary’s Report – Betty Chamberlain, Martha Hansen
Betty Chamberlain noted the article in Preservation News about the Connecticut Trust’s Preservation Award presented to Paul Bailey for his architectural work on the Memorial Town Hall addition and renovation.
7. HDC – Any other new or old business
a) A copy of the Scenic Road letter was sent to the Selectmen’s office and to the Land Use Department. The letter to residents abutting the proposed road will be mailed this week.
Action: Prepare Scenic Road letter and mail to abutting residents (Martha Hansen).
b) Old Lyme Plan of Development
The HDC has been included in the 2010 Old Lyme Plan of Development. Among other things, the plan proposes that the HDC participate in a design review committee that would have jurisdiction outside the Historic District. The plan suggests that an “Art Zone” to include mixed-use zoning be superimposed on the Historic District near the Art Academy and the Art Association.
c.) Madeleine Nichols (3 Ferry Road) sent a letter to the Selectmen’s office with copies to the HDC, Tree Commission, and Tree Warden concerning unfinished work on her driveway apron and nearby curb and a tree damaged by construction. The HDC will send a letter to First Selectman Griswold regarding the situation.
8. Adjournment
Barbara Traskos moved, seconded by Nina Peck, to adjourn the meeting at 11:30. All present voted in favor.
Respectfully submitted,
Martha Hansen
Recording Secretary
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