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Historic District Commission - 12.19.2018 - ApprovedCITY OF BEVERLY PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES COMMITTEE /COMMISSION: Historic District Commission SUBCOMMITTEE: DATE: December 19, 2018 LOCATION: Beverly City Hall, 191 Cabot Street MEMBERS PRESENT: William Finch - Chair; Suzanne LaMont - Vice Chair, Caroline Mason, Wendy Pearl OTHERS PRESENT: Emily Hutchings - City of Beverly; Gary Patch - 2 Hickory Hill Way RECORDER: Travis Lovett Finch calls the meeting to order at 7:12pm. Public Hearing: Demolition of Structure Located at 2 Hickory Hill Way Finch opens the public hearing at 7.13pm. (Other than the property owner, no members of the public were present.) Finch said that, per the Demolition Delay Ordinance, as the structure in question may be historic, the Commission must make two determinations. First, the determination must be made if the structure is historically significant, and if so, the second determination is if the structure is considered "preferably preserved." Mr. Patch described the proposed subdivision to be completed. Hutchings stated that the structure is to be demolished to prepare for construction of a new subdivision with 3 single- family homes and 3 duplexes. Hutchings said the Planning Department was able to uncover minimal additional information about the property. The property was owned by Arthur Little from 1900 to 1917. Marshall Fabian owned the property from 1917 to 1952, Hutchings said. Fabian owned the property when there were two homes and two barns on the property. There is no information on when this barn was constructed. Finch noted the property is unusual. Finch motions to close the public hearing at 7:25pm. LaMontseconds the motion. The motion carries 4 -0. Hutchings shared feedback from Lorna Congdon, an archivist from Historic New England, who said the barn exhibits some of the characteristics of Arthur Little's design work. Ms. Congdon also described some aspects of Little's work in the Beverly area. There are Historic District Commission December 19, 2018 Meeting Minutes Page 1 of 4 architectural indications that eight horse stalls were present in the barn. LaMont asked if the barn could have been a communal stable. Finch said he doubted it, as the barn did not show up in the 1907 plans. Finch said the building might have been moved, and noted that there are other aspects that indicate that the current barn was recreated from multiple structures, such as the roof line. The aerial photograph from 1947 is the same as the current structure. The Commission noted that if the historic significance of the barn had been addressed earlier in the process, the barn could have been incorporated into the OSRD plan. In discussion of the OSRD plan, Patch noted that nine units will be located on four acres, with the rest of the area becoming protected land.. Finch stated that the OSRD procedures should be revised to allow the Historic District Commission to have an earlier review of properties with potentially historic features. Finch said the Commission must a determination of whether or not the property is historic and should be designated as preferably preserved. Finch noted the unusual completeness of the stable, including the intact nature of the layout and fittings, slotted floors designed for the removal of horse waste. , and three rooms that were fitted out as tack rooms. Finch also noted the peculiar nature of the construction, and said barn could also have been used to store carriages. Finch emphasized that the structure may have been moved or reconstructed. LaMont motions that the structure located at Hickory Hill Way be determined to be historic significance due to its association with property owner, condition of the interior fittings, and characteristic of a carriage house in the early 20th century. Mason seconds the motion. The motion carries 4 -0. The Commission then turned to the question of whether the structure is "preferably preserved." Finch said there are some clear structural issues with the retaining wall. LaMont noted that there is minimal visibility to the public way; the structure cannot be seen from Webster Avenue, and Hickory Hill Way is a private drive. Pearl said she was not certain that the public would necessarily appreciate the structure. Mason said there are many unique elements in the interior. Finch agreed that the structure has a surprising amount of integrity. Finch said despite the structure including a sizeable stable, it does not seem to be a barn constructed for agricultural purposes. Finch said "preferably preserved" is a designation typically reserved for properties eligible for listing on the National Register, being a good example of a period and type of architecture, an example of unique architecture, or associated with a prominent person or event. Finch said if the barn were to be retained, it should be moved to a level site. LaMont asks how hard it would be to develop the lot around the existing structure. Hutchings said there would need to be substantial modifications to the approved OSRD plan. Pearl said converting a barn into a house would be difficult, and noted that it has not been proven that the barn is a Little design. The Commission further discussed the limited viability of either moving the structure or redeveloping it for residential use. Finch said there are very few carriage houses that are still intact, but this structure is not a particularly strong example of such a building. The Commission discussed whether preserving the structure would benefit the Historic District Commission December 19, 2018 Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 4 public, and restated concern about older structures being demolished to make way for subdivisions. Hutchings said the Great Estates ordinance - currently under development - will hopefully reduce such occurrences. Mason said the Commission should have a clear inventory to know what properties of historic significance exist within the city. Mason motions to designate the structure at Hickory Hill Way as preferably preserved." Pearl seconds the motion. The motion is denied 3 -1 (with Mason voting in favor of preserving the property). Review of the Powder House Draft Register Nomination LaMont noted that Beverly was settled in 1626. The Commission made note of various minor revisions, including specifics on architectural details and the dates of significance. LaMont noted that the GAR Hall is mentioned in the nomination. Having reviewed the property survey included in the nomination, Pearl stated that Powder House Lane should terminate at the Powder House parcel. Pearl noted that using a parcel as part of a road (as it is currently being utilized) is a major encroachment. Haskell House National Register Nomination Hutchings noted that the National Register nomination for the Haskell House is moving forward. The Commission briefly discussed aspects of the property. GAR Hall Physical Restoration Efforts Hutchings, LaMont, and Finch provided an update on the GAR Hall facade restoration process. Finch noted that the front door was in very poor condition and should be replaced. The Commission determined that replacement doors would be appropriate as long as they were in -kind replacements. The Commission engaged in additional discussion about the GAR Hall windows, including the glazing and muntin profiles. CPA Projects Hutchings stated that the Planning Department is going to move forward with an application for the Lynch Park Carriage House. Hutchings noted that the historic preservation plan has not yet been approved by the CPC, although there have been multiple projects of the same type that have been completed with CPA historic preservation funds across the state. Pearl said preservation projects are harder to evaluate without a plan in place. The Commission briefly discussed the possibility of the CPC providing funding to smaller property owners who would like to preserve their historic properties. Hutchings said there have been concerns about regulating funding for privately owned projects. New /Other Business: Briscoe School Hutchings noted that the City is still in the process of developing the RFP for the Briscoe School redevelopment. The Commission further discussed which areas of the building are Historic District Commission December 19, 2018 Meeting Minutes Page 3 of 4 critical to preserve, and potential options for protection of the building; specifically, how a preservation restriction could be established to ensure long -term protection. Approval of Minutes LaMont motioned to approve the minutes from the regular meeting on July 25, 2018, and the site visit on December 7, 2018. Mason seconded the motion. The motion carries 4 -0. Adjournment LaMont motions to adjourn the meeting at 9:40pm. Mason seconds the motion. The motion carries 4 -0. The next meeting will be held at 7:00pm on January 23, 2019 in Beverly City Hall. Historic District Commission December 19, 2018 Meeting Minutes Page 4 of 4