[MassHistPres] Stone Walls and Demo Delay

[Kaethe Maguire]

The 1992 Scenic Road Act protects stone walls, if indeed this wall was  
on a designated scenic road. Your Town Hall would have that  
information. Good Luck.
Kaethe Maguire Sandwich Historical Commission.
On Dec 10, 2009, at 10:49 PM, Carol Carlson wrote:

> Jack
> Was this stone wall in a designated Historic District?  I'm thinking  
> it was not, as the owner is building a garage which was approved by  
> the Building Inspector without HDC approval (I presume).  I doubt,  
> therefore, that there is much that anyone can do.  However, if it  
> sits in a LHD, then the town would have cause for legal action.     
> Bedford took a builder to court many years ago over the removal of a  
> stone wall to give a 2nd access to a new development behind historic  
> district property, and won the case.  Stone walls are indeed  
> precious and should never be removed without discussion and approval  
> with the town's Historical Commission or HDC.   I have sympathy for  
> you and beautiful Bourne Village.
> Carol M Carlson
> Bedford, MA HDC
>
> jack mac donald wrote:
>>
>> To Any Historic Stone Wall People,
>>
>>
>>
>> A homeowner in historic Bourne Village demolished approximately 150  
>> feet of an 8 foot high cut and feather wedged granite retaining  
>> wall built in the 1870’s.  Of course he’s now building his 3 bay  
>> trophy garage.  We have a Demo Delay bylaw that I encompasses “an  
>> entire historic (75 years old or older) building or structure.”   
>> His permit sailed through Town Hall without being flagged for demo  
>> delay and of course this significant historical feature is fill  
>> somewhere.  The Historic Commission can only revise the language in  
>> the bylaw for future acts like this.  His neighbors are furious.   
>> He did not demolish a house but that wall in my mind was a  
>> significant feature of the neighborhood.
>>
>>
>>
>> Any suggestions?  What can I do?  His permit application did not  
>> mention the demolition of this wall so in defense of our Inspector   
>> (that’s a 1st !) he was unaware of this homeowner’s intentions.
>>
>>
>>
>> Jack Mac Donald
>>
>> Osprey Design Inc
>>
>> Restorations
>>
>> 508 317-8469
>>
>>
>>
>>
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