Westport News

Present
Member: Jim Collins, Wendy Goldberg, Janet Jones, Ted Kinnari, Jane Loos,
Geraldine Millham
Alternate: Sean Leach

Absent
Member: Donna Lubell
Alternate: Anne (Pete) Baker, Norma Judson, Christine Vezetinski

Others in attendance:
Sharon Connors 2032 Main Road, WPT
James Coyne BOS
Jennifer DuBois TTOR
Andrew Isidoro 1807 Mc Kinley Street, Westport
Paul McDonough 1807 Main Road, WPT
Newton Millham 672 Drift Road, Westport
Beverly Schuch 1963 Main Road, WPT
Betty Slade 2037 Main Road, WPT
James Younger TTOR

Chair Wendy Goldberg (WG) opened the meeting at 7:00 pm in the basement meeting area at Town Hall. WG named Alternate Sean Leach (SL) to act as the seventh voting member.

A. General Business
1. Minutes of October 3, 2011 Meeting. Jane Loos (JL) explained that the draft minutes had been circulated via email to all members/alternates. GM moved and Janet Jones (JJ) seconded a motion to approve the draft minutes as presented. The vote was unanimous in favor.

2. Treasurer’s Report. GM presented the Treasurer’s reports as of November 7,2011 (Attachment 1). The balances were:
(a) WHC expense account had a balance of $725. Revenue balance is $100.
(b) WHC Trust Account balance of $10,024.95. The Wolf Pit School Trust balance is
$6,496.49.
(c) The Town Farm expense account balance is $1,026, which does not include the amount
of funds encumbered from FY2011. The Town Farm Trust balance is $11,362.05.

3. JJ moved and JL seconded a motion to approve the Treasurer’s Report. The motion was approved unanimously.

4. Mail.
WG read to the meeting her letter of October 13, 2011 to the Board of Selectmen (BOS) concerning their appointment of a Long Term Planning Town Building Evaluation Committee (Attachment 2). She noted that, since this committee’s terms of reference includes determining which Town buildings would be considered historic (and therefore potentially eligible for CPA funding), she had requested the BOS to appoint a representative from the WHC to attend this committee’s meetings. WG indicated that she had yet to receive a reply.

5. Certificate of Non-Applicability for 1963 Main Road. WG explained that she had signed off on a Certificate of Non-Applicability on October 25, 2011 to enable the project to rehab/replace “like for like” the walls on three sides of the house and to take down the “not original” north chimney. She took these actions ahead of the WHC meeting because the project was under active construction, and it would be unnecessarily “officious” to make the owner suspend work on the walls while awaiting WHC ‘s next meeting to consider a Certificate of Non-Applicability for “like for like” rehab/replacement. As regards the removal of the chimney, WG explained that, when reviewing the plans at the August 1, 2011 meeting, WHC had advised that the “not original” north chimney could be considered “grandfathered” into the historic district, or it could be removed, but the “then” proposed increase in its height would not be consistent with WHC guidelines. The plans approved on September 6, 2011 for a Certificate of Appropriateness included retaining the north chimney “as is,” but now the owner wishes to take the other option and remove it. The owner, Ms. Beverly Schuch, attended the meeting to answer any questions of the other WHC members.

6. GM moved and JJ seconded a motion to endorse the Certificate of Non-Applicability for this work. The vote in favor was unanimous.

7. WG read to the meeting the October 27, 2011 email sent by JL (Attachment 3) summarizing the conclusions of the visit to the site by JJ (monitor) and herself, along with the Town Building Inspector. JL and JJ concluded that the originally approved Certificate of Appropriateness (which granted permission to build a second story on the south half of the ell) could be construed to mean doing all that was necessary to do so. The Building Inspector advised that the single-story roof structure on the north half of the building be, replaced because it is inadequate to carry its existing span safely let alone provide adequate structural linkages with the adjacent, new second story. The meeting did not disagree with these conclusions, and the matter was considered closed.

8. Oscar Palmer Farm and CPA funding. JJ reported that the “procurement” issues had been clarified, but CPC was still working through procedural matters for how CPC would convey the CPA funds approved by Town Meeting for Historic Preservation and Rehabilitation of the Oscar Palmer Farm. Betty Slade, former CPC member, explained that Town Counsel had advised that a separate grant agreement be drafted and agreed with the owners of the Oscar Palmer Farm to specify the terms of the CPA grant. This would be in addition to the Historic Preservation Restriction Agreement and the Conservation Restriction Agreement that were placed on the property at the purchase. The Historic Preservation Restriction Agreement is being over-seen by WHC (acting on behalf of the Town) and TTOR.

9. Ms. Slade stated that the Town Administrator and CPC Chair have stated that they intend to move quickly, as work has been done and contracts let (under close CPC supervision) with payments now due. The meeting noted that so far, the Town authorities have not contacted the Oscar Palmer Farm owners or TTOR/WHC about these matters. JL noted that TTOR and WHC have already approved the designs and construction standards for the masonry and roofing work expected to be paid for with the CPA grant.

10. Ms. Slade advised that WHC prepare a set of documents to brief the Interim Town Administrator and Town Counsel about steps taken by WHC concerning the Oscar Palmer Farm. WG asked JL to assemble the information.

11. Town Farm. GM reported that the Town Farm Subcommittee had met on several occasions with TTOR representatives to review plans and specifications for the rehabilitation of that part of the Town Farm main house leased by TTOR. GM noted that the meetings were constructive and that most matters concerning the first phase of rehabilitation work were agreed; she did note some questions yet to be resolved this evening concerning some of the specifications for insulation and interior doors.

12. James Younger, TTOR architect, presented the overall plans and highlighted changes since the overview presented to WHC at its June 13, 2011 meeting. Important changes are: (a) determination that the house’s current roofing is adequate, and TTOR decision to delete roofing work from the current rehabilitation plans; (b) handicapped access will be accomplished through re-grading along the west side and installing hard surfaced walk-way from the crosswalk to the (enlarged) west entry door; and (c) decision to increase the scope of work to include some exterior improvements to the apartment at the same time as repairs/rehab are being done on the leased space (e.g., wall shingles, gutters, trim, encroaching vegetation), even though it is not leased to TTOR.

13. Further comments from the subcommittee focused on insulation methods for the attic and basement and design of interior doors. The meeting advised that the contract specifications should be revised to: (a) include lifting floor boards in attic, removal of stained (bat residue) insulation, and re-installing the floor boards to original location; (b) detailed description of the specific insulation methods to be used in the attic, which should not involve spraying of “isonene” directly on the floor boards; (c) detailed description of the specific insulation methods to be used for the crawl space, basement walls and foundation; and (d) the new interior doors to be constructed with 4 raised panels with beaded rails.

14. GM moved and JJ seconded a motion that WHC issue a Certificate of Appropriateness for the proposed work, with the above changes. The vote in favor was unanimous.

15. Mr. Younger explained that they intend to clear around the foundation area as part of the regrading work for the handicapped ramp. They planned to use machines, but arrange for an archeologist to be in attendance when the work is done. The meeting advised that, since the Town Farm is public land, Massachusetts Historical Commission Archeology Office should be consulted before undertaking such work. Betty Slade, Vice President of Westport Historical Society (WHS), explained that WHS is planning to conduct similar excavation work around the Handy House, with this work planned and executed by an archeologist specializing in work around historic properties in the northeast; digging will be done all by hand. She offered to share the name of the archeologist and WHS’s experiences in managing such a process.

16. The meeting advised that TTOR consult with the BOS about their plans to include some rehab work on the apartment area. James Coyne, member of BOS, inquired about renter’s insurance on the apartment and the Town’s liability. GM explained that the issue of renter’s insurance is a matter solely between the Town and the renter of that part of the property. Mr. Coyne agreed to follow through with that matter.

17. Demolitions. WG informed the meeting that the house at 652 Old County Road had been demolished, with a demolition permit issued by the Town Building Inspector. WG inquired at the Building Department why this had happened when the property is listed on the Town’s Historic Inventory and reminded that the Building Inspector is empowered to issue demolition permits for such properties only after the matter is considered by WHC and the property determined to be “not preferably preserved.” WG advised that she has not yet received a reply from the Building Inspector.

18. WG explained that she had placed 98 Horseneck Road on tonight’s agenda at the request of the owner, but the owner is not present. WG read to the meeting her November 3, 2011 email reporting on her visit to the site (Attachment 4). She explained that the house is even more open to the weather than it was before WHC determined that it is a “preferably preserved” building and issued a demolition delay for up to 12 months. WG requested JL to prepare a letter to the owners re-iterating WHC’s offer to help make this building known to others who may be interested in saving (and/or salvage), and listing the type of information WHC can use to notify other historical commissions/societies and individuals who may be interested in saving the house. The sense of the meeting was that the current situation is demolition being accomplished “by neglect.”

19. Massachusetts Historical Commission and Meditech/Freetown. Jim Collins (JC) recused himself from the table, explaining that he would like to share information about this project, but would like to avoid any appearance of conflict of interest. His firm was the architect for Meditech in planning and designing the proposed Meditech building near Freetown. JC outlined the project history and current situation, as he knew it.

20. WHC Procedures for Preliminary Reviews and Public Information. WG advised that comments from many other Historical Commissions indicate that they conduct preliminary reviews in much the same way as WHC – an open two-way conversation about how to bridge the gap between the proposal and what WHC would consider “Appropriate.” However, Sean Leach (SL) reminded that recent revisions to the Open Meeting Law appear to provide less scope for this type of interchange in a preliminary review (i.e., public meeting, not a public hearing). The meeting noted that many applicants request preliminary reviews to get advice, save time and money on architect’s plans, and to improve their understanding of the range of their options.

21. As for ensuring wide dissemination of information to the public, JL reminded that agendas for all WHC meetings are posted on the Town Bulletin Board 48 hours in advance of the meeting, also placed in hard copy on the Point Post Office bulletin Board, on-line on the Town Website, and sent by email to over 100 property owners in the Westport Point Historic District. Minutes of all WHC meetings are posted on the Town Website, after they have been approved at the subsequent WHC meeting. In addition, abutters within 75 feet of the subject property receive individual notices of a forthcoming public hearing on an Application. The detailed plans supporting an Application are available on the WHC Bulletin Board in Town Hall for anyone to consult during the two weeks before the public hearing. JL contended that, with this much information available to the general public, there should be few, if any, surprises during WHC meetings and hearings for property owners in the Westport Point Historic District.

22. The meeting agreed that WHC would be on double alert to ensure proper conduct of its meetings, especially when dealing with preliminary reviews and public hearings. Members took note that all comments during a preliminary review should be framed in reference to the WHC Guidelines and whether the plans would comply. WHC should not offer its own suggestions about how the plans could be adjusted to meet the guidelines. The meeting also undertook to ensure that public hearings on applications for Certificates are self-contained, with the application presented in full and reviewed step by step for the benefit of the public attending the meeting --- even if the same information was reviewed at the preliminary review. Betty Slade noted that Chapter 40C (and WHC Rules and Regulations) make specific provision after an application has been denied, for WHC to provide specific comments about how the proposed (and not approved) plans could be amended to be considered “Appropriate.”

Adjournment. The Meeting was adjourned at 9:20pm. The next meeting will be December 5, 2011 at 7pm.

Draft prepared by JL, approved December 5, 2011

Attachments:
1. Treasurer’s Report – November 7, 2011
2. WG letter to BOS re Long-Term Planning Town Building Evaluation Committee
3. JL email re 1963 Main Road
4. WG email re 98 Horseneck Road