[MassHistPres] How is demolition defined in your city/town?

[Michele Clarke]

In Chatham, our Demolition Delay Bylaw defines demolition as:

Demolition
Means the act of pulling down, destroying, removing, or razing a building or structure, in whole or in part (including the demolition of exterior walls or roof), so as to cause the loss of historically significant materials, or commencing such work with the intent of completing the same, including the removal of historically significant materials in connection with an addition; provided, however, that the term "demolition" shall not include the ordinary maintenance or repair to any building or structure."

Michele Clarke
Staff Liaison, Chatham Historical Commission

From: MassHistPres [mailto:masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu] On Behalf Of David Temple
Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2018 11:05 PM
To: Masshistpres
Subject: [MassHistPres] How is demolition defined in your city/town?

On the Medfield Historical Commission, when we consider demolition applications, our mantra has always been, "when in doubt, err on the side of preservation." So we hold hearings on all demolition applications.  This occasionally leads to situations like last night's, where we held hearings on proposals to demolish part of the roofs of three houses (built between 1962 and 1965) so the owners could expand upwards.  The hearings lasted a total of about 10 minutes, and we released all three for partial demolition.

The eighth state building code defined demolition as "the removal or dismantling of existing construction in whole or in part."  That suggested we were doing the right thing by requiring demo permits in cases like the above...even though common sense suggests there's nothing historic there.

Though it seems strange to me, I've been told demolition is no longer defined in the state building code. I looked but couldn't find a definition of demolition in the ninth, which was effective 10/20/2017.

I'd like to know how you define demolition in your city or town, where you draw the line when it comes to requiring a demo application, and any other thoughts you have on this subject.

In your reply, please include my original message.

David F. Temple
President, Medfield Historical Society
Co-chair, Medfield Historical Commission
300 South Street
Medfield, MA 02052
H-508-359-2915
M-508-613-6606

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