[MassHistPres] Demo Delays

[Moore, Coreen]

Unfortunately our Historic Commission is using the demo delay as a tool almost for “punishment” a couple of projects were delayed and nothing was done for the 12 months other than the owner sold the property and  fortunately the new owner wants to rehab not tear down, the historic commission wants the new owner to go back to the Commission so they can review the arch plans, even though they have no authority for design review.

[seal small]
Coreen V. Moore
Bourne Town Planner
Bourne Town Hall
24 Perry Ave.
Buzzards Bay, MA 02532

508.759.0600 ext.#1346

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From: MassHistPres [mailto:masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu] On Behalf Of Diane Gilbert
Sent: Monday, January 14, 2019 5:20 PM
To: Dennis De Witt <djd184 at verizon.net>
Cc: MHC list <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Demo Delays

Thanks to Chris Skelly for passing on the list of communities and the length of their demo delays.

In Dartmouth, we have 6 months and if we had to go back to town meeting now, I doubt we’d get approval to extend the delay period nor can I imagine that we would get approval for a demo delay at all. Our by-law was approved in 2003. Sadly times have changed and town meeting approvals are even more uncertain with respect to preservation warrant articles.

I look at it this way.  Within 6 months’ time, if one cannot engage the private homeowner to save a historic asset or at least incorporate/include part of the historic building with modifications that fit their modern lifestyle (amenities), the homeowner will just wait it out. I view it as a “time-out” for the historical commission to work with the homeowner to present options and also for photography, documentation, measured drawings, etc.

Ironically, a demolition permit request already puts the historical commission and preservationists at a disadvantage. If the property is owned by a municipality, the time required to work on the creation of a single structure historic district may be amenable to a town. But, private property owners who have other plans may not be so happy to be delayed by a year or 18 months.

We are conducting a review of our bylaw to clarify some provisions and tighten things up. I am not even contemplating extending the delay period.  That would be a non-starter.

I developed the demo delay by-law on behalf of the Historical Commission for the 2003 Town Meeting.  I am happy to share the document.  I had charts and stats anticipating a lot of push back. It was approved at that time.

Diane Gilbert
Dartmouth Historical Commission
President, Dartmouth Heritage Preservation Trust, Inc.  www.dhpt.org<http://www.dhpt.org>
(508) 965-7265


On Jan 14, 2019, at 4:00 PM, Dennis De Witt <djd184 at verizon.net<mailto:djd184 at verizon.net>> wrote:

To be clear, Brookline’s 18 month delay applies only to NR or NR-Eligible properties.  The non-NR delay is 12 months.

Also, Brookline is a CLG and because of that the town accepts that for purposes of the By-law the Commission’s determination that a property is NR Eligible is sufficient.

Dennis De Witt
Brookline


On Jan 14, 2019, at 11:39 AM, Roughan, Michael <Michael.Roughan at hdrinc.com<mailto:Michael.Roughan at hdrinc.com>> wrote:

Thanks to the counsel of Dennis De Witt and Gretchen Schuler, the Hopkinton Historical Commission is looking to extend our Demo Delay from 6 months to 18 months. The rationale is 18 months is sufficient time to create a single structure Historic District, if that is the course Town Meeting wished to take. We have one significant property that the applicant has submitted a demolition application for, the Davis House. This structure was built in 1794 and has a long list of events that occurred on the property.

Does anyone have any information they have prepared for their Town Meeting to support a Demo Delay? What I was thinking is a list of questions i.e. Why extend the demo delay? How will it affect my property? Etc. or stories about properties lost.

Also is there a list anywhere of the Ma. towns with their current demo delay length?

Regards,

….Mike

Michael Roughan, AIA, EDAC, LEED AP, ACHA
Chairman - Hopkinton Historical Commission

Town of Hopkinton
18 Main Street
Hopkinton, MA 01748

D 617.357.7725 M 617.784.6463



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