Historic District And Historical Commission Meeting
Harwich District & Harwich Historical Commission
Town Hall Griffin Room
Wednesday, February 17, 2015 5:30 PM
MINUTES
- Public Hearing-Call to Order 5:43 P.M.- Greg Winston, Chairman
Members present: Jeanne Steiner, Gregory Winston, Bob Bradley, Patricia Scarnici, and Barbara Dowd
Gregg Winston requests from the Board that Agenda Item C. Town-wide Historic Inventory Update, be moved to next month’s meeting of March 17, 2016 as board member Mirande DeWitt was not present, and has pertinent information to the discussion.
Gregg Winston: presents case:
- HH 2016-01 Notice of Intent (NOI); to Demolish a structure(s) over 100 years old has been received for property located at 19 Park Place, Map 6B, Parcel L55, in the RH-2 Zone pursuant to the Code of the Town of Harwich §131-8. The Applicant proposes 100% demolition of a c1900 two-story single family home. William Eldridge, Owner and applicant.
Gregg Winston: open for discussion, the property is listed on the Historic Inventory List.
Dale Nickula: -representative for owners, and owner of Encore Construction Company, states the owners originally intended to remodel the structure, however after looking into presented problems, the condition of the foundation, floors, walls, and other structural issues, such as the cost to bring the structure to code decided to pursue a new structure. Points out that moving the house to another location would be impossible, as the building would have to be taken apart. The roadways are narrow and the area is very tight.
Gregg Winston: familiar with property, made site visit. As the fact stands, the property is on the Historic Inventory list. As the Board is tasked with trying to maintain the historical integrity of the area, and, as the Board of Selectman have requested looking into areas such as what is known as Ocean Grove, he must make that point. Acknowledges that zoning is tight.
Jeanne Steiner: This is a charming house, sees where parts have been added on. Upon site visit it appears some work has already been started inside. Didn’t notice a lot of rot. The home is iconic as are many homes in the area.
Dale Nickula: there were many leaks. Attempts have been made to salvage the home but there is significant rot, mold, and mildew inside. There appears to be carpenter ant damage, and the floors are considerably low.
Jeanne Steiner: The new house would have to be built on the existing footprint.
Dale Nickula: Owners tried to design the new home to have a lot of characteristics of the original, but is hard to duplicate, as costs of code compliance is high, siting the roof design insulation codes.
Jeanne Steiner: What are the cost comparisons for remodel versus rebuild?
Dale Nickula: Owners looked at the costs for remodel versus rebuild and they are almost the same. They want a foundation to house mechanicals such as heating and air conditioning, electrical. The old foundation is rotting away over time and all four corners of the house are on the ground.
Bob Bradley: are you proposing to make the house higher? Will the house be lifted?
Dale Nickula: The goal is to be 8 inches from grade for code compliance. House would be 8 inches higher.
Gregg Winston: House is iconic, looks like a bungalow, a Bavarian Swiss Chalet. It has lots of character. Many homes in the area have had foundations put under them. Concurs the foundation needs to be replaced.
Patricia Scarnici: If the cost of the remodel is the same as the rebuild, do you still choose to demo and rebuild?
Dale Nickula: Yes, because they cannot get what they want if they remodel in terms of bedroom size upstairs.
Patricia Scarnici: Is the structural damage only the dry rot on the bottom?
Dale Nickula: The beams were added and not to code. The stairs are not to code. Present home presents lots of problems to bring it to code.
Gregg Winston: to clarify, the existing framing does not allow for insulation to meet code, common for most homes in the area.
Barbara Dowd: after site visit, feels existing house is charming and suggests taking off the later additions and adding a porch to match the roofline. It could make it a lovely house.
Dale Nickula: in terms of it being an iconic house, would disagree and describe it as “quirky”. Not a traditional Cape style house.
Bob Bradley: perhaps not iconic, as it has been mangled. I think it can be brought back to what it was on the list. Old houses need repairs. Again, it is on the inventory list.
Dale Nickula: That particular house, or the neighborhood?
Gregg Winston: explains the process of requesting a demo permit. When application is made to the Building Department, the application is reviewed checking the Historic Inventory List. If the property is on the list the department refers the applicant to the Harwich District and Harwich Historical Committee for review. The Boards job is to oversee and protect historical properties if possible.
The board now has two choices. One to invoke the 365 Day Delay By-law to give owners time to re-think their demo intent, or vote to allow the demo.
Jeanne Steiner: When you gut a house you have lots of flexibility for remodel.
Dale Nickula: There are a number of variances issued by the Health Department. Owners were hoping for larger bedrooms. Existing are very small. Health code now requires larger bedrooms with new structure.
Bob Bradley: The Board does not involve themselves with the interior. Would like to take a closer look at the property. Would like to continue case to the next meeting in one month.
Gregg Winston: We have three choices before us. Make a motion to continue without invoking the 365 Day Delay Bylaw to March 16. Invoke the 365 Day Delay Bylaw, or approve the Demo.
Bob Bradley makes the motion to continue to next meeting without invoking the 365 Day Delay Bylaw.
Seconded by Jeanne Steiner, All in favor, motion carries.
Gregg Winston presents case:
B. HH 2016-02 Notice of Intent (NOI); to Demolish a structure(s) over 100 years old has been received for 1004 Route 28, Map 35, Parcel B1 in the CH-1 Zone. The applicant proposes to demolish the barn only. The property is listed on the Harwich Property Inventory list and on Massachusetts Historical Commission Survey website (MACRIS HRW.136) The home is described c. 1835 as an excellent example of Greek Revival architecture minimally setback from the street. Mapping and records dating back to 1858 show that the house was owned by G.H. Tripp and in 1910 by the road commissioner, Ebenezer Weeks. Janine and Kenneth DeStefano, owners and applicants.
Janine DeStefano: The structure cannot be used as a barn. It is in a water recharge area subject to those regulations. Our intent is to take down the barn and replace it with a home 24” X 24” with no basement, as there is a leach field behind it. It would be too expensive to try to repair the barn. The replacement house will look more like the antique structure in front.
Gregg Winston: primarily the board is tasked with preserving the historical integrity, and is concerned with what exists and what would exist if structures were demolished, Asks the Board members for comments.
Jeanne Steiner: likes that you can see the structure from the street (Route 28) and how it relates to the main house.
Janine DeStefano: The main house will stay the same. There will be parking out back of what is the barn. Refers to provided plan showing proposed and existing.
Short discussion by Board on number of parking spaces.
Janine DeStefano explains there are 13 spaces all together in the back behind the barn. The town approved of 3 residences. One with mixed use.
Bob Bradley: it appears you are not actively using the barn.
Janine DeStefano: Speaking to the level of disrepair and serious structural problems, also water damage and leaking, not sure it is even safe for carpenters.
Bob Bradley: restates that buildings must be taken care of and maintained. It is the charge of the Board to save these buildings as the town has asked them to do.
Barry Knowles: neighbor speaks on behalf of the applicant. States previously owner used the barn for storage. Explained the barn had been altered and does not have the original appearance from the front. Old Sliding doors are gone, sills rotted, costing a fortune to replace. In favor of demolishing. The new building will be an improvement.
Gregg Winston: addresses the Board restating the three options available. One to approve, two to vote to impose the 365 day delay bylaw, or continue.
Jeanne Steiner: moves to continue 30 days to the next hearing meeting giving the board members an opportunity to view the property.
Bob Bradley Seconded, All in favor Vote is Unanimous
C. Town-wide Historic Inventory Update - Relative to Article 50 (2006) - Update Town Historic Property Inventory and the Code of the Town of Harwich Chapter 131 - Historic Preservation, Article II – Historically Significant Buildings. The Commission will confirm and adopt the compilation of an updated inventory register of historically significant buildings/parcels maintained by the Historic District and Historical Commission. The 100 year list was prepared by Dupuy Preservation Consulting, dated December 2015
Gregg Winston: When presented to the Board in full, will work on Historic Inventory, not enough information to act on it now. Board agrees. Because Mirande DeWitt was absent and had more information regarding the Historic Inventory, the Commission requested that the vote be delayed until the next hearing on April 20, 2016.
- Reports and Briefings: Application of CPC funds discussion, regarding changes to the application that would include the purview of HDHC when appropriate
- Old Business:
- Demolition Delay Legal Opinion request and reply
- Discuss how opinion relates to HECH 97 Main St. application HH-2015-05
- Continued discussion of Captains Row Historic District and West Harwich School Preservation Project/application for CPC fund
- 97 Main Street property determination.
Gregg Winston: Correspondence from Sally and Lou Urbano addresses items relative to a. through b.
Sally Urbano: relative to representative of Mass Historic will make a site visit to what is known as Captain’s Row. There is a concern that activity around 97 Main St. may be in conflict with the goals of proponents of Captain’s Row. If multiple housing were to be built it may diminish the integrity of Captain’s Row.
At the next Board of Selectman’s meeting, finding funds to purchase the building will be discussed.
Susan Joselyn: introduces herself from HECH. Would like to clarify HECH in not going to PCP to request fund to demolish the Chase house. Explained she had a conversation with a representative from Mass Historic and he reassured her that anything done to the facade, or face of the street would not impact the integrity of the neighborhood. They can exclude homes from historic districts. The nature of the proposal the HECH and Habitat have, could be an exclusion to that if this Historic Commission chooses.
We have the Demo-Delay that expired in November. We have no intention of demolishing this home at this time. We have proposals that help the Town of Harwich, Historic and the neighborhood. One, Habitat coming in and purchasing the back part (lots 93 and 97) of the property. We have no acreage details at this time. HECH would maintain ownership of the Chase House and the 1950”s ranch house. We propose to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking a historic preservation group or individual for historic preservation of the Chase House. We will sell the Chase House at a below market rate to an organization or individual who would be able to preserve the home.
Leedara Zola introduces herself as Land Acquisition and Permitting member for HABITAT. Here to clarify their proposal as an affordable house proposal, as there is a connection to the Chase House, and would like to be open as to what their plan is. They are working co-operatively with HECH. There is a memo of understand with HECH for 93 & 97 Main St. What HABITAT is looking at is the back area, 205 acres portion. MGL Mass 40B, affordable housing. Wants to make 2.5 area 40B and use 40B mechanism to create a different sub-division, so we could then purchase the back portion.
Bob Bradley: Do you have a plan for this?
Leedara Zola: No. We submitted material but do not have an engineered plan. We are asking for the town’s support so that we can invest the funds for this project.
Bob Bradley: It is hard to visualize with no real plans. We are talking 2.5 acres. Why are we doing this now, if we don’t have a site plan we can understand?
Gregg Winston: To clarify, it is important to understand what HECH and HABITAT plan, and as well as being important to understand what plans the residents of Captain’s Row and the proposal for a potential new Historic District in the works.
Leedara Zola restates her purpose in being there, just to make the Board aware of what they are proposing. Revisits previous stated goals of looking at the back lots for 40B and the streetscape being purchased by a party interested in preserving the Chase House. Back lots will be deed-restricted to low-income housing. The Chase house has been for sale. Funds are not being requested from PCP, but from the Board of Selectman, requesting funds from Harwich Affordable Housing Fund. Selling the back portion should make the Chase Home more affordable.
Gregg Winston: We have no representatives from Captain’s Row?
Public Comment: Is there an organization established for Historic Development in West Harwich?
There is a Captain’s Row website. A. non-profit is being formed to administer grant money for the restoration of the entire corridor.
Mr. Williams: It is stated you are not asking for PCP funds, but it is understood you are asking for funds from Harwich Housing. Funding is being requested for $300,000.00 and then a signed amount for the next two years. Funds from the towner in East Harwich will go into this fund. This proposal will exhaust all of the funds. The proposal offers no plans and I agree it makes it difficult for the Board to see or make an analysis of how this will impact the historic structures. I would like to bring to lite that the Chase House has been marketed as a single family home, as opposed to its true status of a three family home. Curious as to why that is? Your claim that this new “technique” would result in the preservation the Chase house, however in previous attempts to use this technique has failed. The house was eventually demolished. Why offer this technique if it has failed in the past? We would now use town monies to subsidize this? The funds for preservation are to repair, rehabilitate, and preserve. Because these are housing units, it would appear these funds could be used to make these improvements. Taking all the money for this one purpose does not appear to satisfy the intent of the fund. Are there no other houses in Harwich that need preservation? Perhaps the Historic structures should be preserved. Better to use some money to do a study for site improvements. We could look at present housing that need preservation in the town villages. There is town-owned property behind this property. If people from Mass Historic are willing to invest time to Captain’s Row, it is important to get their input on what impact this project would be, and would in assist the Historic Committee. This requires more public scrutiny.
Gregg Winston: concerned with working with Historic Preservation.
Robert Doherty: Concurs with the Board-one thing HABITAT needs to provide a plan, a concept, perhaps photos from other projects.
Public comment: concerned with impact that 40B will have in regard to set-back issues. May be too close to preserve integrity of existing housing and its inhabitants.
Gregg Winston: issue must come before the Board of Selectman working with the Planning Board
Minutes must be approved.
- Brooks Library:
Jeanne Stiener: letter from Historic in support of library efforts sent. Library was awarded 540,000 from PCP for library restoration. There is a process that involves looking at three Architectural firms, and then a different process looking at contractors. Jeanne agrees to research the time frame expected for the whole process. Another positive note was there is money in that funding for Historic efforts.
Question from public on Demo Delay bylaw
Gregg Winston: to paraphrase, the question of whether once the Demo-Delay bylaw is invoked, is it tied to the property or if there is a new owner, must they reapply. Town Counsel replied with the property. The Board’s feeling were, as this was presented as a generic question, as opposed to specifics, there may be need to be further clarification.
Adjournment: Gayle Carroll moved to adjourn at 7:13 p.m. Seconded by Patricia Scarnici
All in favor, motion carried
Adopted: June 15, 2016