Historic District Commission Minutes 10/03/2013 ADOPTED

Meeting date: 
Thursday, October 3, 2013

HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION MINUTES
OCTOBER 3, 2013
REGULAR MEETING

 

I. ROLL CALL

Commission members present were Acting Chairwoman Dianne Mead, Betty Woollacott, Denise Alfeld, and Jonathan Laschever.  Chairwoman Mead called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m. in the Main Meeting Room.  Also in attendance were Howard Beach, Conservation Officer, and Janis Prifti, Commission Clerk, and other interested parties.

 

II. APPOINTMENT OF ALTERNATES

 

Chairwoman Mead appointed Commissioner Laschever to serve as an alternate.

 

III. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE VOTE

 

a. Composition of the Commission and filling vacant positions

To maintain Historic District status the Board needs 5 full members and 3 alternates and 5 of the 8 members must be from the East Weatogue Historic District.  Currently, 2 additional full members are needed, one of which must be from the District and meet qualifications.  For the 3 alternates, one additional alternate must be from the District and meet qualifications.  Town Staff will develop a list of District residents and send it to the Board for potential member consideration, e.g.  Ieke Sculley, members of other Commissions like Charlie Stephenson, Emil Dahlquist, and Kevin Gray, and Simsbury Land Trust members.  Qualified members outside the District were discussed and the need to assure nominating committees are considering qualified candidates; Town Staff have been involved in this communication and a designated Board member.  Town Staff will forward to the Board requested information on the required qualifications to help define needed member specialties.   To retain certified local government status and remain eligible for state funding, certain mandates must be met, including architectural and historic background, residency, etc. 
 

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

A visiting student questioned Board members about the types of applications received and whether any have been rejected and appealed.  The Board has been in existence for 25 years and works to maintain the District's architecture and character.  This includes replacement windows for historic homes, appropriate fencing, additions to residences, doorways, and the type of materials used, including aluminum or vinyl.  It was explained all the farms in Town are zoned residential.  No cases have gone to Superior Court nor have there been any free-speech issues.  Members living in the District contribute to maintaining the historic standards.  If an Historic District resident applies for a building permit, it is marked by the Building Department first to assure residents are aware of Historic District permit requirements.  A Town Planning and Zoning Staff  member acts as a liaison gathering application information for Board review, coordinating meeting minutes, seeing that legal notices are properly and timely published, developing meeting agendas, and performs extensive work to obtain grant money.  Town Staff provided the student a copy of the published Historic District book and suggested taking a look at past online meeting minutes.


V. APPROVAL OF MINUTES of July 11, 2013

Commissioner Alfeld made a motion to approve the July 11, 2013 meeting minutes as written.  Commissioner Laschever seconded the motion, and it was approved unanimously.


VI. ADJOURNMENT

Commissioner Laschever made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:20p.m.  Commissioner Alfeld seconded the motion, and it was passed unanimously.

 

_____________________________
Denise Alfeld, Secretary