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Historic District Commission - 5 23 2018 - ApprovedCITY OF BEVERLY PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES COMMITTEE /COMMISSION: Historic District Commission SUBCOMMITTEE: DATE: May 23, 2018 LOCATION: Beverly City Hall, 191 Cabot Street MEMBERS PRESENT: William Finch - Chair, Suzanne LaMont - Vice Chair, Caroline Mason ABSENT: Wendy Pearl OTHERS PRESENT: Emily Hutching - City of Beverly; Judith Cronin, Greater Beverly YMCA RECORDER: Travis Lovett Finch calls the meeting to order at 7:00pm. Determination of Historic Significance - YMCA Signage, 245 Cabot Street Cronin said the YMCA is part of a nation -wide dues - paying organization with a local board of directors. There is a very strong push by the YMCA of the USA for the 2,700 YMCAs in the country to conform to a uniform branding campaign. The national program has an issue with the local YMCA exterior signage, as it does not comply with the current YMCA brand. The Beverly YMCA has taken exception to YMCA of the USA policy, as the sign is part of the history of the building. There is a picture from 1940 showing the sign. The sign is cobalt blue and made of porcelain with a patent from 1903. YMCA of the USA has said if the local historic commission is in support of the historic significance of the sign and emphasizes that the sign should not be removed due to historic significance, then the local YMCA will not be required to remove the sign. LaMont said the sign is a landmark downtown. Pearl could not attend the meeting, but she wrote that the YMCA sign is historic. Finch said the building is cited as a contributing building in the National historic district, the Center Business District. Finch said the sign is a contributing architectural feature of the building. Finch said the state should amend the listing to include signage as a historic feature and the HDC findings should be communicated to the state. Mason motions for the HDC to define the YMCA exterior sign as being a historically significant and contributing feature of the YMCA building. The sign has institutional and cultural significance to the people of Beverly as a character - defining symbol for the YMCA. The sign also is a representative example of electric signage from the first quarter of the 20 century. LaMont seconds the motion. The motion carries 3 -0. Historic District Commission May 23, 2018 Meeting Minutes Pagel of 2 Finch motions to submit an amendment request to the Massachusetts Historical Commission to adapt historic preservation language highlighting the YMCA exterior signage as a contributing significant feature of the Central Business District. LaMont seconds the motion. The motion carries 3 -0. North Shore Community Baptist Church North Shore Community Baptist Church has proposed to remove and replace the antennas behind the louvers inside the steeple. There is no mention of siding replacement in the application. Fiberglass louvers were initially proposed. LaMont said what is changing is invisible to the public and exterior of the building. LaMont motions to support the plan as presented on May 11, 2018 as it has no adverse effect to the exterior of the building. Mason seconds the motion. The motion carries 3 -0. Historic Resources Survey Update Hutchings said the deadline for bids is May 31St. Hutchings said if they receive more than one bid, they will need to have a selection committee. Hutchings said Denise Deschamps (representing economic development) and Stephanie Bilotti (representing constituent services) would serve on the committee. Hutchings is seeking two HDC members to sit on the committee. Mason and Finch are willing to serve if needed. Hutchings said she does not anticipate more than one meeting if the selection committee has to meet. Design Guidelines There are sample design guidelines from Salem and Swampscott to review. Finch said the guidelines include background history, recommended building treatments, and the secretary standards for a local historic district. Hutchings said several communities have a list of areas that local historic districts do not have jurisdiction over. Finch said the HDC does not have jurisdiction over paint colors and roofing materials. Finch motions to continue the discussion at the meeting on May 24, 2018. LaMont seconds the motion. The motion carries 3 -0. LaMont motions to table agenda items 5 -9 until the meeting on May 24, 2018. Mason seconds the motion. The motion carries 3 -0. Adjournment Finch motions to adjourn the meeting at 8:00 pm. LaMont seconds the motion. The motion carries 3 -0. The next Historic District Commission meeting will be held in Beverly City Hall on May 24, 2018 at 7:00 pm. Historic District Commission May 23, 2018 Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 2