Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes
Regular Meeting
Monday, February 4, 2013
Place: |
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Memorial Town Hall, 52 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT |
Present: |
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REGULAR: Jim Bechtel (Co-chairman), Ken Levin (Co-chairman), Joanne DiCamillo, Barbara Traskos, Nina Peck ALTERNATE: Janet Sturges, John Forbis, John Pfeiffer |
Guests |
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Diana Atwood Johnson |
Agenda: |
9:00 |
Public Open Forum |
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9:15 |
Business News & Secretary’s Report |
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9:30 |
Public Hearing: Sill House renovations |
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10:00 |
Plaque Program update: 12, 20 & 23 Ferry Road; 173 Mile Creek Road; 209 Boston Post Road - Ken Levin, Martha Hansen |
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10:15 |
Any other new or old business (HDC reps for approved CofAs, 75 Lyme Street violation, John Pfeiffer appt.) |
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10:30 |
Adjournment |
The meeting was called to order at 9:00 a.m. by Co-chairman Jim Bechtel.
Janet Sturges made a motion, seconded by Barbara Traskos, to approve the January minutes. All present voted in favor. Motion carried.
1. Public Open Forum: No public participation
2. Business News & Secretary’s Report: Martha Hansen
a) Ruth Roach will add the photos of Historic District buildings to the HDC Web page.
Action: Prepare photos for Web page (Martha Hansen).
b) Renew the HDC’s memberships in the National Trust for Historic Preservation, The Connecticut Trust, and the Old Lyme Historical Society (Martha Hansen).
3. Public Hearing: 84 Lyme Street - Sill House renovations - Diana Atwood Johnson
a) The HDC agreed that the east staircase should be restored in the original Adam style with a single stone staircase. The current staircase and railing are not original to the house. The Florence Griswold Museum may have some information (photos or drawings) about the original staircase. John Forbis recommended checking The Country Builder’s Assistant (Asher Benjamin 1797) for examples of appropriate staircases. The Sill House (built in 1816) was designed by Samuel Belcher who is known to have consulted Benjamin’s book. Evidence of the original staircase (rubble, footings, etc.) may be under the existing staircase. John Pfeiffer recommended an archeological dig and agreed to be the HDC liaison for the project.
b) The hemlocks near the Sill House pose a danger. The HDC has no objection to the removal of the diseased trees.
c) Jim Bechtel made a motion, seconded by John Forbis, to approve the CofA preliminary plans as presented (like for like) in the attached conditions of approval for Phase 1 (see page 3). All present voted in favor. Motion carried.
4. Plaque Program update: Martha Hansen
12 Ferry Road: Continue research (Martha Hansen).
20 Ferry Road: Continue research (Martha Hansen and Pamela Hamilton).
23 Ferry Road: Robin Sedgwick will contact us when she is ready to proceed.
173 Mile Creek: Progress is being made and the research should be completed by the end of February. Complete research (Martha Hansen).
209 Boston Post Road: A date of construction has not been confirmed. Research in the land records has gone as far as it can. John Pfeiffer offered to look at the house to help determine an approximate date of construction. Contact George James to set up a meeting with John Pfeiffer (Martha Hansen).
5. Any other new or old business
a) HDC Reps for Approved CofAs
Martha Hansen read Janet Sturges’ statement from the December 2012 meeting.
Action: prepare a bulleted statement for the March meeting (Janet Sturges).
b) 75 Lyme Street violation
The grills installed on the second floor south windows were not approved by the HDC. The air conditioner condenser is visible from the road and was installed without a permit. A letter was sent to Dr. Awwa by Ann Brown, ZEO, regarding the issues.
Action: Contact Ann Brown regarding enforcement (Jim Bechtel).
c) John Pfeiffer appointment
John Pfeiffer has been appointed an alternate member of the HDC by the Board of Selectmen.
6. Adjournment
John Forbis made a motion, seconded by Barbara Traskos, to adjourn the meeting at 11:05 a.m. All present voted in favor. Motion carried.
Respectfully submitted,
Martha Hansen
Recording Secretary
Old Lyme Historic District Commission
LYME ACADEMY COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS
Certificate of Appropriateness:
Conditions of Approval for Phase 1 of Sill House Exterior Repairs and Renovations
1. Repair/restore east stone staircase and remove/repaint railing:
The HDC would like to see the later double stairway removed and a single brownstone stair in its stead (similar to the attached plate 25 in "The Country Builder's Assistant" by Asher Benjamin - published in 1797). This change would also allow the reopening of 2 basement windows (for a total of 4 on the front facade) that were blocked when the double stair was installed. The HDC will need to review and approve a scaled drawing of the single staircase and a detail of the iron railings to be placed on either side of the stairs.
2. Repair/restore north stairs to match existing stairs and repaint railing:
Approved as presented (like for like).
3. Caulk brownstone foundation:
Approved as presented (like for like).
4. Repaint/restore basement windows:
Approved as presented (like for like).
5. Replace/add new gutters:
Approved as presented (like for like).
6. Resurface exterior foundation with brownstone effect:
Approved as presented (like for like).
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