Lincoln Historical Commission
Historic District Commission
Meeting Minutes
May 17, 2005, 7:30 p.m.
Board: Colin Smith, Chair, Eleanor Fitzgerald, Stefania Jha, Ken Hurd, David Ries and Mary Spindler
Town Counsel: Joel Bard, Kopelman & Page
Town: Elaine Carroll
NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, June 7, 2005, 7:30 p.m., Town Offices
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Certificates of Appropriateness:
23 Sandy Pond Road extension of garage:
In a continuation of the May 10 meeting, Beth McNay and her architects, Sam Van Dam and Steve Pondelis, came before the members to discuss the garage extension and what would be done to prevent any damage to the row of Hemlock trees on the neighboring property. She told the members that the decision from the ZBA had been written and also presented the members with an addendum and letter from her arborist, Mark Tobin. She also had some photos taken by her arborist showing the lack of damage done to trees after construction. Beth McNay said that there will be no foundation but the structure would be supported by three point footings to be poured in 12-inch diameter piers. The holes would be dug by hand to minimize root damage with a temporary chain link fence to keep people and equipment away from the
trees. The arborist would be on site while posts are being dug. Andrew Ory said that he did not agree with the decision of the ZBA and that the issue was one of spacing between structures in a Historic District. He felt that these structures are important and should not be crowded. After a brief discussion, a motion was made and seconded to approve the garage extension. The motion was unanimously approved.
23 Bedford Road alteration (demolish and reconstruct dwelling):
This hearing is a continuation of the April 26 and May 10 meetings. Colin Smith read into the record a letter from Mary Heck Flock and John Carley received after the May 10 meeting in support of preserving the house and an article from Robin Thompson, which will appear in the Lincoln Journal in support of the Lammerts. Ann McCallum and Andy Burr showed the members the latest plans for the proposed house based on what they felt the members wanted and what the Lammerts wanted. They said that they tried to make the house more house-like and the barn more barn-like. The guesthouse is more substantial, and there is no bridge to the garage but with an opening for access to existing barn in the back of the property. They wanted the garage to look like a barn so that it wouldn t look like a
three-car garage, which they felt was more estate-like. They showed several versions of the house including one without a guesthouse. They showed pictures of 5 vantage points along Bedford Road and felt that it was hard to see the existing house from any vantage point. Several architects in attendance weighed in with their thoughts about what any new structure should look like.
After the discussion about the design of the new house, Colin Smith opened the meeting to further comments from the public. Paul Marsh spoke about being on the study committee in 1981 that set up the Historic District in 1981 and said that it was created mainly to control and limit traffic in the center of town without much discussion about the architecture of the homes in that area. He said that the Heck house was important geographically. Lucretia Giese said that the existing house is not obtrusive and sits well on the site and is visible from the road and asked if there was a way of using the existing façade. Harry Hoover said that the façade is the aspect that is visible and appreciated by people from the road and feels that the façade is essential and should be preserved and then
add on to the back and side if necessary. Jack MacLean said that what Paul Marsh was referring to was a traffic study in 1983 to preserve the road by adding it to the National Register and not the establishment of the Historic District in 1981. He spoke about the history of the Heck property and said that he would list the Heck house as a #1 priority to preserve it if it were not already in an Historic District. He proposed using the Demolition Delay By-law and delaying any demolition for six months. This time could be used by Friends of Modern Architecture to find another buyer interested in preserving the house. He quoted a section of Mary Heck Flock s letter in which she states that she thought that the house was safe in the Historic District and would be willing to put up $300,000 as a temporary loan to help find a potential buyer. At this time, Joel Bard said that the Commission has no authority to ask the Lammerts for a six-month delay
and can only ask them for an extension of the sixty-day deadline. The appearance of the house from Bedford Road is the Commission s main concern. Crawley Cooper said that the current house sets a certain quality and the new house needs to make a statement. Joel Bard went over the various alternatives available to the members including denial, which could mean that the applicant could reapply to the HDC immediately or file an appeal with the courts; or the applicant can grant an extension of the deadline, which should be put in writing or approval of the demolition and design of a new structure. After a brief discussion, Mr. Lammert agreed to extend the deadline until June 30, 2005 and will have his attorney put that in writing and send it to the HDC. A motion was made and seconded to continue the meeting until June 7 at 7:30 p.m. to further discuss architectural plans for the proposed house. The motion was unanimously passed.
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There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 10:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Elaine Carroll
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