Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes
Regular Meeting
Monday, October 7, 2013
Place: |
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Memorial Town Hall, 52 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT |
Present: |
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REGULAR: Ken Levin (Co-chairman), Jim Bechtel (Co-chairman), Barbara Traskos (left at 10:00 am), Joanne DiCamillo ALTERNATE: John Forbis, Janet Sturges, John Pfeiffer |
Absent |
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Nina Peck |
Guests |
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Susan Ballek, Chuck Mueller, Michele Mergy, Allen Curtiss, Ann Brown, Dini Mallory, Wendy Brainerd, Stanford Brainerd, Mary Pullen, Joe LaCasse, Julie Edmondson, Peter Zallinger, Steve Hallahan, Barbara Doyen |
Agenda: |
9:00 |
Active CofAs: 40 Lyme Street - roof, 77 Lyme Street LACFA - landscape screening, 22 Lyme Street - pool, 30 Lyme Street - fencing, 84 Lyme Street LACFA - Sill House renovations |
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9:15 |
Plaque Program Update - 12, 20, & 23 Ferry Road, 4 Johnnycake Hill Road |
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9:30 |
Public Hearing: 2 Library Lane - OLPGN parking fence |
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10:00 |
Public Hearing: 90 Lyme Street - LAA exterior restoration/renovation |
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10:30 |
Public Hearing: 110 Lyme Street - house renovation//restoration |
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11:00 |
24&26 Lyme Street: possible purchase and demolition – Michele Mergy |
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11:15 |
HD Business sign regulations and Old Lyme Shops parking – Ann Brown |
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11:30 |
Business News & Secretary’s Report – file scanning |
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11:45 |
Any Other New or Old Business: Lyme Street - Firehouse/Veterans flags, 101 Lyme Street - generator installation |
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12:00 |
Adjournment |
The meeting was called to order at 9:00 a.m. by Co-chairman Jim Bechtel.
Joanne DiCamillo made a motion, seconded by John Forbis, to approve the September minutes. Ken Levin, Barbara Traskos, Joanne DiCamillo, Janet Sturges, and John Forbis voted in favor. Jim Bechtel and John Pfeiffer abstained as they had not attended the September meeting. Motion carried.
1. Active CofAs:
a) 77 Lyme Street LACFA - landscape screening: The access road has been completed and the landscaping is being installed. Following installation, Joanne DiCamillo and Jim Bechtel will walk the site with Henry Resnikof (the developer) if additional planting is required to screen the buildings from Lyme St.
Action: Contact Mr. Resnikof (Jim Bechtel).
b) 30 Lyme Street: The picket fence on Lyme Street has not been installed, and the newly installed lattice fencing should be painted and/or screened with landscaping. The CofA for the picket fence has expired and needs to be renewed.
Action: Contact the Kornackis and invite them to the November meeting (Martha Hansen).
c) 84 Lyme Street - LACFA: Sill House renovations have started. Lead paint is being removed from the exterior.
d) 22 Lyme Street: The pool is being installed.
e) 40 Lyme Street: Work has begun on replacing the roof shingles.
2. Plaque Program Update: Martha Hansen
12 Ferry Road: Research continues (Martha Hansen).
20 Ferry Road: Research continues. (Martha Hansen and Pamela Hamilton).
23 Ferry Road: Martha Hansen and Robin Sedgwick are working on the research (Martha Hansen and Robin Sedgwick).
4 Johnnycake Hill Road: Dyanne Rafal plans to do the research with help from Martha Hansen.
3. Public Hearing: 2 Library Lane, OLPGN parking area fence – Allen Curtiss
Allen Curtiss, library trustee, submitted a CofA application to replace the barrier fence near the library parking area. The new fence will have 30” high granite bollards linked with chain (similar to the fence in front of the Congregational Church). There were no objections from neighbors.
Jim Bechtel made a motion, seconded by John Forbis, to approve the CofA application for one year with the conditions that the bollards be 8 feet apart instead of 10 feet, and that the chain be strong enough to stop a car that might roll into it. All present voted in favor. Motion carried.
John Forbis will be the HDC liaison.
4. Public Hearing: 90 Lyme Street, LAA Exterior restoration/renovation – Susan Ballek, Chuck Mueller
Susan Ballek, LAA Executive Director, submitted a CofA application for the exterior renovation and restoration of the Lyme Art Association building. The project, scheduled for the summer and fall of 2014, will be funded in part by a grant from the CT Trust for Historic Preservation. Most of the cedar shingle siding will be replaced (like for like) and the wood trim restored/replaced (primarily like for like). Architectural improvements (new windows, etc.) will be made to the 1975 addition to match the rest of the building. The pathway from the parking area to the front entry will be reconfigured to make it ADA compliant. There were no objections from neighbors.
Jim Bechtel made a motion, seconded by Joanne DiCamillo, to approved the CofA application for one year with the condition that the HDC be informed about the materials used on the pathway and shown samples of the new windows to be installed. All present voted in favor. Motion carried.
Janet Sturges will be the HDC liaison.
5. Public Hearing: 110 Lyme Street, renovations/restoration – S.D. Hallahan
Steve Hallahan submitted a CofA application for the renovation, restoration, and small addition at the rear of the house. Most of the changes will not be visible from Lyme Street. There were no objections from neighbors.
John Forbis made a motion, seconded by Joanne DiCamillo, to approve the CofA application for one year as presented. All present voted in favor. Motion carried.
Jim Bechtel will be the HDC liaison.
6. 24 & 26 Lyme Street: possible purchase and demolition- Michele Mergy
The Mergys are considering buying the 24 & 26 Lyme Street properties. They plan to remodel the 26 Lyme Street building and would like eventually to demolish the building at 24 Lyme Street (E.F. Watermelon built ca. 1930) which has structural problems. The building would be replaced by a lawn/garden to make the lot conform to zoning regulations (it is now a non-conforming lot).
The demolition of a building in the Historic District requires a public hearing.
Action: Keep the HDC informed (Michele Mergy).
7. HD Business: sign regulations and Village Shops parking – Ann Brown
According to the town’s zoning regulations, all signs within the Historic District must comply with the HDC sign policy. Signs exempt from zoning’s control include: bulletin boards and temporary school signs and posters. A CofA is required for new permanent signs in the Historic District. By town ordinance, sandwich board signs are not allowed. The Village Shops businesses and the Old Lyme Ice Cream Shop have been asked to remove sandwich board signs (some are complying and some are not). A cease and desist letter has been sent to the Chocolate Shell to remove the sandwich board sign (have not yet complied).
Commercial owners in the Historic District can request the Zoning Commission to increase signage space. Businesses are non-conforming uses in the Historic District (a residential zone). Ann Brown will contact all HD businesses regarding signage and will keep the HDC informed. The issue of outside tables and chairs and the service of coffee and hot chocolate may be considered by the Zoning Commission.
Ann Brown will measure the parking area for the Village Shops on Academy Lane and compare it to the site plan on file at town hall. Mr. Hannas, owner of the Village Shops, has claimed that he has not increased parking on Academy Lane. The HDC handbook states that a CofA is required for parking expansion and permanent parking signs.
Ann Brown will speak to Warren Hannas and Barbara Crowley, owner of the Chocolate Shell, about these matters and the usage of the patio. The benches in front of the Old Lyme Ice Cream Shop are on town property (responsibility of the Selectmen).
8. Business News & Secretary’s Report – Martha Hansen:
New CofA applications and supporting materials will be scanned for the digital file system at town hall. Older files have already been scanned. The annual CLG Report will be filed this month.
9. Any Other New or Old Business:
a) Lyme Street Firehouse/Veterans flags: The flags on Lyme Street were funded by the Old Lyme Fire Department (donations) and will be up from Memorial Day until Veterans' Day. Permission was obtained to put the flags on the utility poles. The information given to the HDC was that the flags would be put up for each holiday (Memorial Day, Flag Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Veterans Day) and then removed (not continuously from Memorial Day to Veterans Day). As flags are considered temporary banners, they do not require a CofA.
Residents of the Historic District and the town who attended the HDC meeting voiced concerns and support of the flag display. There was a concern expressed that flag protocol was not being properly observed. Suggestions included: flags would be more appropriate in a commercial district like Halls Road and near the Welcome to Old Lyme sign (Rte. 156 across from the highway exit); the flags be installed for the 5 holidays mentioned above; the Selectman’s office conduct a survey of Lyme Street property owners/renters to see how they feel about the flags. The Commission will continue discussion of this subject at the November meeting
b) 101 Lyme Street generator installation: A generator and propane tank to be installed in the rear won’t be visible from Lyme Street or from the neighbors. No CofA is required.
10. Adjournment:
John Pfeiffer made a motion, seconded by Ken Levin, to adjourn the meeting at 12:00 pm. All present voted in favor. Motion carried.
Respectfully submitted,
Martha Hansen
Recording Secretary
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