[MassHistPres] Penalty for Alterations without a Certificate from historic district commission

[Dcolebslade at aol.com]

Can a historic district commission require an owner who has altered a  
building without a Certificate in the historic district to "return the  building to 
its original configuration" on the basis alone that it was done  illegally?  
What if the alterations have been done in such a way  that the changes are 
potentially worthy of a Certificate?   Have any commissions done that?  
 
 
 
Can this return to its original configuration be a specific  "penalty" that 
would be announced in the Guidelines?  That is, is there  anything in Chapter 
40C that would prevent this penalty?  The purpose of  this "penalty" would be 
deterrence to others.
 
 
 
Thank you.
 
Betty Slade
Westport