[MassHistPres] Creating historic districts

[Tucker, Jonathan]

Those of us who value our Scottish origins can avoid unnecessary umbrage
at Brian's use of the verb "to scotch" by considering the following
excerpt from the April 26, 2001 issue of The Word Detective:

 

The "scotch" in "scotch a rumor," . . . comes from the Old French word
"escocher," meaning "to cut."  In the case of your example, it means to
"cut out" or destroy a rumor, just as a sudden thunderstorm can "scotch"
a family's plans for a weekend at the beach.  It is, in fact, the same
non-Scottish "scotch" as found in the name of the children's game
"hopscotch," referring to the playing lines cut into or drawn on the
ground.

 

So, we can cut off without hesitation any notion that LHDs might allow
fussy local commissions to control their neighbors' paint colors.

 

Jonathan Tucker

Planning Director

Town Hall, 4 Boltwood Ave.

Amherst, MA  01002

(413) 259-3040

(413) 259-2410 [fax]

tuckerj at amherstma.gov   

 

-----Original Message-----
From: masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu
[mailto:masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu] On Behalf Of Brian Yates
Sent: Monday, December 08, 2008 3:15 PM
To: Gretchen Schuler
Cc: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu
Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Creating historic districts

 

The other argument you'll hear is that it won't let me change the color
of my home.  Probably not a big objection in this case but neighbors may
fear an enlarged district.  so scotch this one up front.  The law
doesn't allow a district to regulate color.

On Mon, Dec 8, 2008 at 1:34 PM, Gretchen Schuler <ggschuler at verizon.net>
wrote:

The process for a single building district or a multi-property district
is the same in terms of study report which is sent to MHC and local PB -
public hearing and 2/3 vote of town meeting (or city council).  The MHC
guidebook Establishing a Local Historic District will spell this out for
you - if you are just adding a single-property district to your existing
bylaw it should be relatively easy and not nearly as time consuming as a
large district, because you will have no convincing - just time frames
of when reports have to be submitted and 60 days that must pass before
you can have public hearing.  Chris Skelly can provide information.  It
was not clear in your e-mail whether other properties would be included
in a new district which will take more work.  If one building - there
should be no objections from town officials or abutters - particularly
if there is an already established local historic district commission to
assume responsibility of regulation.  FYI - Somerville has many single
building districts.

 

Gretchen Schuler

Wayland HDC




Dec 8, 2008 05:26:54 PM, Cwkmail at aol.com wrote:

	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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