[MassHistPres] Local Historic District Filing Fees

[Jane Guy]

The Salem Historical Commission charges $0 for its applications (Appropriateness, Hardship, Non-applicability, Waiver of DDO).  It was felt that if fees were charged, it would lead to an increase of owners attempting to do work without getting approvals (in order to avoid the fee) and an increase in staff time having to deal with violations.  We do, however, have staff who are assigned to the SHC and there is a small budget from the City.

Jane A. Guy
Assistant Community Development Director
City of Salem
Department of Planning & Community Development
120 Washington St., 3rd Floor
Salem, MA  01970
978-619-5685
(F) 978-740-0404
jguy at salem.com
www.salem.com


Date: Thu, 24 Mar 2016 13:41:17 -0400
From: Jane Loos <jane.loos at gmail.com>
Subject: [MassHistPres] Local Historic District Filing Fees

The Westport Historical Commission/Local Historic District Commission is an all volunteer organization, with no paid staff.  WHC is the only commission/board in Westport with independent regulatory authority that does not have paid administrative help.  During our annual budget consultation with the FinCom where we requested additional funding to hire administrative support, we were advised that we should increase our filing fees in order to raise money for the Town that could possibly (no guarantee) subsequently be used to fund an increase to our meager budget.

WHC currently charges a $50 filing fee for applications for Certificates of Appropriateness for work in the Westport Point Local Historic District (about 150 houses), but no fee for Certificates of Non-Applicability or  Hardship.  We do not charge a filing fee to handle a demolition request forwarded to us from the Building Department about a property on Westport's 1,000 plus listings on the Town's Historic Inventory.

We would be interested to know what is the practice for filing fees in other Historical Commissions and Local Historic Districts.

Many thanks,  Jane Loos
WHC Secretary (since 2004) and Secretary/Clerk (since 2010).
________________________________

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