Historic District Commission Minutes 01/09/2014 SPECIAL MEETING ADOPTED

Meeting date: 
Thursday, January 9, 2014

HISTORIC DISTRIC COMMISSION - SPECIAL MEETING – 7:30 PM

ADOPTED MINUTES
JANUARY 9, 2014

 

I.          ROLL CALL

Commission members present were Marc Lubetkin, Marguerite Rodney, Betty Woollacott, Denise Alfeld, and Jonathan Laschever.  Also in attendance were Howard Beach, Conservation Officer, and other interested parties. The meeting was called to order at 7:30 pm.

 II.        APPOINTMENT OF ALTERNATES

Commissioner Lubetkin was appointed Chairman.

 III.        ELECTION OF OFFICERS

The Commission decided to table this topic until all members are present.

 IV.        DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE VOTE

B. Application #13-09 of Nancy C. Onken, Owner, for Certificate of Appropriateness for construction of a new home and associated accessory structures on the property located at 126 East Weatogue Street (Map H12, Block 106, Lot 036-4).

Mr. Jack Kemper, Architect, and Ms. Onken presented new drawings of the barn and garage to the Commission. Ms. Onken stated that the barn will include a half-size basketball court (50 ft x 45 ft).  The Commission stated that the massiveness and proportion of the barn needs to be reconsidered. The Commission suggested that the applicant provides more details in regards to perspective, dimensions, and description of materials used in the barn, garage, tennis court and surrounding fence.  Details are also requested for the shutters, columns, windows, retaining wall air conditioning in the barn and lights on the tennis courts.

Mr. Don Macquattie of 133 East Weatogue Street welcomed the applicant to the neighborhood and commented that he would like the barn to look like it belonged within the Historic District.

Commissioner Laschever moved to close the public hearing. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Lubetkin and was unanimously approved.

A. Application #13-08 of James and Nancy Brown, Owners, for a Certificate of Appropriateness for vinyl replacement windows on the property located at 34 East Weatogue Street (Map H14, Block 109, Lot 018).

Commissioner Laschever moved to table the application until the applicant is present. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Alfeld and was unanimously approved.

VI.        APPROVAL OF MINUTES of December 5, 2013

Commissioner Laschever made a motion to approve the minutes from Dec. 5, 2013. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Alfeld and was unanimously approved.

V. OTHER MATTERS AS MAY PROPERLY BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE COMMISSION

Commissioner Lubetkin asked Mr. Beach to provide the Commission at the next meeting with parameters and expectations regarding the Annual Report that is due to the State Historic Commission.

Commissioner Lubetkin asked Mr. Beach to keep the grant on the agenda.  Mr. Beach provided an update about the $2,800 grant awarded to the Town.  The historic data from the study has been added to the Assessor’s database but the database has not gone live yet.

Mr. Beach added that there is a possibility the information from the last report can be added to the same database using the remaining funds from the grant. It is expected that the Assessor’s Office will receive this information within the next two weeks. Commissioner Lubetkin asked Mr. Beach to provide a report to include the Assessor’s status and timeline for when the database will go live.

Commissioner Laschever asked the Committee to clarify the criteria for maintenance and replacement of windows in a historic building. The Committee agrees that replacement windows are fine for new construction, but not on a historic building. A historic building requires repairing the window to its historic character using “like” material. The Committee also agrees that consistency has not been maintained and that the rules for an 18th century home are more stringent, which may result in higher repair costs.  Commissioner Alfeld suggested a supplement regarding window requirements be provided with when an application is submitted. Commissioner Lubetkin stated that the Committee began writing a supplement of guidelines and was in the process of getting approval.  He asked Mr. Beach to find the supplement so the Committee can add a page on window requirements. Mr. Beach suggested that in the situation where a window replacement is permitted, then the Committee should provide the make and model of a window that is acceptable to the applicant.

VII.        ADJOURNMENT

Commissioner Laschever moved to adjourn the meeting at 9:11 pm. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Alfeld and was unanimously approved.

Respectfully Submitted,

 

Irene Muench, Commissions Clerk