[MassHistPres] Is a planned utopian 19th development a "place" for purposes of an LHD?

[Skelly, Christopher (SEC)]

David, I think trying to define what is a "setting" or a "place" as it relates to MGL Chapter 40C-The Historic Districts Act and as it relates to your neighborhood is unnecessary.  I don't think the issue is whether this neighborhood qualifies to be a local historic district.  That is really a local decision.  The natural features, landscaping and park-like features are character defining features to this neighborhood and can be included, with the buildings, as part of a local historic district if that is what the local legislative body (town meeting) chooses to do.

The design guidelines for new construction in such a local historic district would certainly take these landscape features into account.

However, am I correct in understanding that the real issue for the neighborhood you describe is whether new construction can be denied on lawns and other landscape features?  That is a more complicated question and can't be addressed through whether the local historic district is a setting or a place.

Please contact me if you'd like to discuss it in more detail.  Chris.

Christopher C. Skelly
Director of Local Government Programs
Massachusetts Historical Commission
Christopher.Skelly at state.ma.us<mailto:Christopher.Skelly at state.ma.us>
________________________________
From: masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu [masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu] on behalf of David Feigenbaum [david.feigenbaum at gmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, August 06, 2014 8:45 AM
To: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu
Subject: [MassHistPres] Is a planned utopian 19th development a "place" for purposes of an LHD?


The Camelot Local Historic District (which has not yet been  formed) will encompass parts of a neighborhood that was designed and developed in the late 19th century as a single planned utopian residential park by one man. He built the houses but did not sell them; he rented them. There were no lots or lot lines and the lawns and landscaping were formed as a single park-like environment. Much of this ambiance remains today but there are lot lines and properties are bought and sold individually. The historic houses are part of the architectural and historical features to be protected by the LHD. But it seems to me that the planned residential development, given its features, was and is itself also a "place" to be protected. This is potentially important in that such a place included the sweeping continuous lawns and landscaping, siting of the houses, and other features that also deserve protection. Can the LHD be set up explicitly to protect this "place" as well as the houses themselves?

David Feigenbaum
unaffiliated
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