[MassHistPres] Creating historic districts

[Young, Andrea]

Hi Christopher -

 

Hingham expanded one of its historic districts last spring.  The process
to establish a local HD takes about 18 months.  MHC has a great
guidebook to help you along.  I'd be happy to talk with you about our
implementation. 

In answer to your question, the most common objections or concerns that
we heard are:

1.        I won't be able to change my house at all.

2.       It's going to cost me more money to maintain my house because
the commission will make me use materials that are more expensive.

3.        The approval (certificate) process is onerous.

4.       I don't want anybody telling me what to do with my property.

5.       My house isn't historic. (Usually a comment from a
non-contributing property owner)

6.       I think I have good taste.  I'm not going to do anything to
mess up my property.

7.       I'll have to make my house look historic.

8.       I know someone who had a horrible time with the commission (and
other suburban legends)

9.       My property value will go down if there are restrictions.

10.   Being in a district will affect my ability to sell my property.  

The best preparation is communication - public meetings, newspaper
articles, conversations with each individual homeowner, neighborhood
coffees, informational mailings, statistics on home sales in your
existing districts.  It's also critical to have published guidelines for
work on properties in an historic district.

 

 

Andrea Young

Administrator

Hingham Historical Commission

Hingham Historic Districts Commission

Community Preservation Committee

210 Central Street

Hingham, MA 02043

(781) 741-1492

 

From: masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu
[mailto:masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu] On Behalf Of Cwkmail at aol.com
Sent: Monday, December 08, 2008 12:26 PM
To: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu
Subject: [MassHistPres] Creating historic districts

 

Dear All:

 

A resident in Shrewsbury, Mass. has suggested that a new local historic
district be created for her historic home.  We are interested in
obliging her.  However, we would like to know the typical objections
that town officials, abutters, and others have to the creation of a new
local historic district -- so that we can anticipate them and prepare
rebuttals.

 

Shrewsbury already has two local historic districts; however, they were
created so long ago that no one remembers the details of any arguments
that arose.

 

Best regards, 

 

Christopher Kirk

Shrewsbury Historical Commission

Shrewsbury, Mass.





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