Historic District Commission Meeting Minutes
Regular Meeting
Monday, January 4, 2016
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), Jim Bechtel, Barbara Traskos ALTERNATE: Jeff Cooley, Dini Mallory |
Guests |
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Michele and Lee Mergy |
Agenda: |
9:00 |
Call to order, Quorum call, Approval of minutes, Communications |
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9:05 |
Public Open Forum |
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9:15 |
Zoning update |
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9:30 |
Public Hearing: 10 Lyme Street Village Shops renovations |
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10:00 |
Plaque Program Update: 4 Johnnycake Hill Road, 206 Mile Creek Road, 209 Mile Creek Road, 6 Ferry Road, 110 Lyme Street |
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10:15 |
Secretary’s Report |
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10:30 |
Any other new or old business to come before the Commission (32 Lyme Street Propane tank & AC unit screening, HD handbook reprint) |
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10:45 |
Adjournment |
A quorum being present, the meeting was called to order at 9:00 a.m. by Chairman John Pfeiffer. Dini Mallory was authorized to vote. John Forbis made a motion, seconded by Jim Bechtel, to approve the December minutes. John Pfeiffer, John Forbis, Jim Bechtel, and Dini Mallory voted in favor, motion passed.
John Forbis made a motion, seconded by Jim Bechtel, to recommend to the Board of Selectmen that Dini Mallory be appointed as a regular member of the HDC. John Pfeiffer, John Forbis, Jim Bechtel, and Dini Mallory voted in favor.
1. Communications: The HDC received a letter from Marty Ames expressing concern that HDC regulations were not being followed consistently. John Pfeiffer replied to the letter saying that regulations are being enforced. The HDC article for the Town Report was submitted.
2. Zoning Update: Keith Rosenfeld attended the meeting. He has been in touch with developer Harry Resnikoff regarding screening the lights on the Lyme Academy Apartments entry road from Dr. Miller’s house. Mr. Resnikoff stated that he is contacting a lighting consultant to recommend the best kind of screening to use. Most of the other screening requirements have been met.
3. Plaque Program Update: Martha Hansen
4 Johnnycake Hill Road: Dyanne Rafal plans to do research with help from Martha Hansen
206 Mile Creek Road: Research has been started on the neighboring property to help clarify the history of #206.
209 Mile Creek Road: Martha Hansen is helping Patricia Shippee with the research
6 Ferry Road: Julie Quinn is working on the research.
110 Lyme Street: John Noyes has been contacted about a plaque for his house at 110 Lyme Street.
4. Public Hearing: 10 Lyme Street Village Shops renovations. Lee and Michele Mergy submitted a CofA application for renovations at the Village Shops. They propose to replace several picture windows to make the size more uniform with other windows in the complex and to bring them into compliance with current building codes. Several light fixtures will be replaced with more attractive fixtures, a lamppost will be added at each side of the shop complex, and the spotlight on the Chocolate Shell will be removed. Various individual mailboxes will be removed and replaced with one white mailbox unit on a post at the south end of the complex. The walkway will be repaired, some bluestone will be removed and replaced with concrete so that the entire walkway will be of the same material. Flower boxes will be removed from
several store fronts. Flower boxes will remain at each end of the building (Chocolate Shell and Sandy Garvin Fine Art). Tenant/shop signs will also be made more uniform.
John Forbis made a motion, seconded by Jim Bechtel to approve the CofA application for one year. John Pfeiffer, John Forbis, Jim Bechtel, Dini Mallory, and Barbara Traskos voted in favor, motion passed.
Dini Mallory stated that parking on Academy Lane remains problematic and suggested sending a letter to the Board of Selectmen asking to have the existing perpendicular parking replaced by parallel parking. Ms. Mallory noted that there is ample parking on Lyme Street. HDC members agreed. Send letter to Board of Selectmen regarding Academy Lane parking (Martha Hansen).
5. Secretary’s Report:
a) The annual CLG report has been submitted to the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism.
6. Any Other New or Old Business:
32 Lyme Street: a letter will be mailed to the new owners regarding screening the propane tank and AC unit. (Martha Hansen).
Historic District Handbook update: John Forbis sent members a list of suggestions for changes to the handbook. The discussion will continue at the February meeting. John Forbis, Jim Bechtel and Dini Mallory are working on updating the handbook. Other HDC members are asked to recommend updates also. Research grants to pay for the new handbook (Martha Hansen).
John Forbis remarked that the Historic District has helped the neighborhood to remain stable and has had positive effects that reach beyond its boundaries. He is interested in compiling some figures to support this.
John Pfeiffer reported that the Lyme-Old Lyme High School tennis court fence is more than 300 feet from Lyme Street, and is out of the HDC’s jurisdiction.
7. Adjournment:
Jim Bechtel made a motion, seconded by John Forbis, to adjourn the meeting at 11:09 am. All present voted in favor, motion passed.
Martha Hansen
Recording Secretary
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