Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes
Regular Meeting
Monday, April 7, 2014
Place: |
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Memorial Town Hall, 52 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT |
Present: |
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REGULAR: John Pfeiffer (Chairman), John Forbis (Vice Chairman), Ken Levin, Joanne DiCamillo ALTERNATE: Barbara Traskos, Dini Mallory |
Absent |
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Jim Bechtel |
Guests |
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Dr. Awwa, Fritz Jellinghouse, Ian Neviaser, John Rhodes |
Agenda: |
9:00 |
Public Hearing: 75 Lyme Street Fence – Dr. Awwa |
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9:30 |
Sill House Renovations Update – Fritz Jellinghouse |
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9:45 |
District 18 Center School future plans, new fence posts – Ian Neviaser, John Rhodes |
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10:15 |
Public Hearing: 26 Lyme Street screening fence – Enok Pedersen |
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10:45 |
Plaque Program Update: 20 & 23 Ferry Road, 4 Johnnycake Hill Road, 13 Lane, 1 Library Lane |
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11:00 |
Active CofAs: 77 Lyme Street LACFA - landscape screening, 110 Lyme Street - renovation & addition |
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11:15 |
Business News & Secretary’s Report |
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11:30 |
Any Other New or Old Business |
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11:45 |
Adjournment |
The meeting was called to order at 9:02 a.m. by Chairman John Pfeiffer. Barbara Traskos was authorized to vote in place of Jim Bechtel.
John Forbis made a motion, seconded by Joanne DiCamillo, to approve the March minutes. John Pfeiffer, John Forbis, and Joanne DiCamillo voted in favor, Barbara Traskos abstained as she had not attended the March meeting. Motion passed.
1. Public Hearing: 75 Lyme Street Fence – Dr. Awwa
Dr. Awwa presented a design for a 4.5 foot high black iron fence (similar to the one across the street) to be installed in front of his house. The fence would be in three parts, separated by the two entrances of the driveway and in line with the fence at 81 Lyme Street. Dr. Awwa also plans to install matching gates at the driveway entrances. Mrs. DiCamillo expressed concern about the root system of the elm tree near the road. The tree is one of the last remaining elms on Lyme Street. Other elms, their root systems damaged by construction, have succumbed to Dutch Elm Disease. Mrs. DiCamillo recommended installing the fence some distance back from the tree and using a temporary barrier around the tree to protect it during construction. She will provide some specs for protecting the tree and will consult with the Tree Warden
about the placement of the fence. John Pfeiffer asked Dr. Awwa to submit specs for the fence showing how high it will be off the ground. The space should be similar to the iron fence across the street. He also needs to see specs for the gates. Joanne DiCamillo will be the HDC representative for the project.
John Forbis made a motion, seconded by Barbara Traskos, to approve the CofA for one year with the following conditions: a) before installing the fence consult with Joanne DiCamillo about the location of the fence in regards to the elm tree and install a temporary protective barrier around the tree, b) submit specs showing the distance of the fence from the edge of the road and from the elm tree, and the distance from the bottom of the fence to the ground, and c) submit specs showing the dimensions and design of the gates. All present voted in favor. Motion passed.
Action: Submit specs (Dr. Awwa). Keep the HDC informed (Joanne DiCamillo).
2. 84 Lyme Street: Sill House Renovations Update – Fritz Jellinghouse
The Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts has received a grant for the renovation of the Sill House and is required to hire an architect to oversee the project. The exterior has been painted, structural repairs, including the foundation and front steps will be addressed next. John Forbis agreed to be the HDC representative for the project.
Action: Keep the HDC informed (John Forbis).
3. District 18 Center School Future use, new fence posts – Ian Neviaser, John Rhodes
The Center School will house Pre-K students next year. The 4th and 5th grades will move to Mile Creek School. Changes will be made to the inside, but the exterior will remain the same. Air conditioners will be installed but will not be visible from Lyme Street.
The fence in front of the school is 25 years old. It has turned cedar posts and pressure treated rails. The posts are rotted and need to be replaced. John Rhodes would like to replace the cedar posts with granite and reuse the rails which are in good condition. The granite posts would be similar to the ones at the Congregational Church, and would match the granite curbing in front of the school. New cedar posts matching the originals would be very expensive because of the detail required. They cannot be made of pressure-treated wood and will rot out again. John Pfeiffer noted that the fence is the same design that was there in 1909 and that it has great historic value. The HDC members agreed. John Rhodes will get firm estimates on the cost of creating posts as close as possible to the existing ones. If there is a
change in the profile of the posts he will inform the HDC at the May meeting.
Action: Keep the HDC informed about the fence (John Rhodes).
Mrs. DiCamillo commented that many of the plantings on the High School access road have died or been damaged. Mr. Rhodes stated that the plantings will be replaced but some changes need to be made to accommodate the piles of snow caused by plowing.
4. Public Hearing: 26 Lyme Street Screening Fence – Enok Pedersen
Mr. Pedersen submitted a CofA but was not able to attend the meeting today.
Action: Contact Mr. Pedersen and reschedule (Martha Hansen).
5. Plaque Program Update: Martha Hansen
20 Ferry Road: Research continues. (Martha Hansen and Pamela Hamilton).
23 Ferry Road: Research continues. (Martha Hansen and Robin Sedgwick).
4 Johnnycake Hill Road: Dyanne Rafal plans to do the research with help from Martha Hansen.
1 Library Lane: Contacted Eve Todd (Martha Hansen).
6. Active CofAs:
a) 77 Lyme Street LACFA multi-family housing project - landscape screening: nothing has happened.
More screening from Lyme Street is needed and Mr. Resnikoff and Mr. Snarski have been informed. Jim Bechtel has been in touch with Mr. Resnikoff regarding the chestnut trees which need pruning and to have vines removed.
Action: write a letter to Fritz Jellinghouse appraising him of the situation (Martha Hansen).
b) 110 Lyme Street: work continues on the renovations and addition.
7. Business News and Secretary’s Report:
Letters have been mailed to residents on Ferry Road inviting them to participate in the Historic Plaque program. No one has responded yet.
The HDC’s memberships in the CT Trust and the National Trust for Historic Preservation have been renewed.
The CT Trust has been contacted regarding historic barns and ancillary buildings, no response yet.
Action: keep the HDC updated (Martha Hansen).
Barbara Crowley (Chocolate Shell) requested copies of the HDC meeting minutes from June 2013 – March 2014. Martha Hansen emailed her the minutes.
Warren Hannas wrote the HDC a letter stating that he will come to the HDC’s May meeting.
Action: confirm this with Mr. Hannas (Martha Hansen).
Craig Silver (Boxwood) wrote the HDC a letter about replacing the building that burned last fall.
Action: write Mr. Silver a letter telling him that the HDC would like to see the plans for the building. Contact the Land Use department and find out if the building is within the 300 foot zone of the Historic District (Martha Hansen).
The Old Lyme Historical Society sent the HDC an invitation to its annual Dinner Lecture on April 25. Dr. Pfeiffer will give a talk on Old Lyme’s farms and its agrarian roots.
Martha Hansen encouraged HDC members to attend the Burning of the Ships bonfire on April 8, 7:30 PM on Ferry Road.
8. Any Other New or Old Business:
a) Dini Mallory read a letter from Wendy Brainerd about the Chocolate Shell Café and the actions of the HDC. The HDC is mindful of its responsibilities in the Historic District.
b) John Pfeiffer is searching for the original application for the 1971 Old Lyme Historic District. A copy of the application is not in the HDC files and could not be found online. Dr. Pfeiffer will check with the Town Clerk and with Jeff Anderson at the Florence Griswold Museum.
9. Adjournment:
John Forbis made a motion, seconded by Joanne DiCamillo, to adjourn the meeting at 11:41am. All voted in favor. Motion passed.
Martha Hansen
Recording Secretary
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