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Thursday June 18, 2009
Hingham Town Hall
7:00 P.M.
Present: Chairman Scott Ford, Susan Berry, Ben Wilcox, Nancy MacKay, Chuck Clutz, Elaine Marcell, Winston Hall, Arthur Choo
Absent: Bill Tuite, John McCoy
Chairman Scott Ford called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M.
685 Main Street
Jane Shute, member of the Second Parish Church, explained the need for additional handrails to be added to the steps in front of the middle door of the church. The door was recently reopened after having been unused for many years. The rails are a safety precaution.
Decision
Members voted unanimously to issue a Certificate of Appropriateness to 685 Main Street to install new railings. The new railings must match the other railings on the steps.
45 Middle Street
Architect Roger Hoit presented revised plans for the Holtschlag residence. The Commission determined that the revisions made to the plans satisfied the changes requested by the Commission at the May meeting, i.e., to lower the ridges of the four new dormers, and to install wider windows in the dormers. He also reduced the amount of glass in the garage doors to one row, which will be in proportion to the windows in the house.
Decision
Members voted unanimously to issue a Certificate of Appropriateness to 45 Middle Street for changes to plans revised and dated June 11, 2009. All new windows will be Marvin wood single pane true divided light windows. The garage door will be wood with a single row of windows and be vertical and rectangular in shape in keeping with the windows in the house. Lattice will be used to shield concrete piers on the garage.
50 Pleasant Street
Prior to the hearing the Commission made a site visit to the property. At the informal meeting in May, Arthur Choo asked for a drawing of the streetscape from both Pleasant and Middle Streets to compare the relative heights and massing of the houses in the neighborhood. These drawings were extremely helpful to the Commission and the applicant.
Prospective owner Jim Passios, accompanied by Architect Roger Hoit and Nancy Hoit, discussed his plans to leave the 50 ft. x 30 ft. foundation of the existing house in place and construct a new second floor and new garage. In response to the Commission’s request during informal discussion at the May meeting, he removed two of the four bay windows on the sides of the house. He also removed the dentil molding on the Middle Street side of the house and around the front door. After reviewing the plans, Commission members commented as follows:
Susan Berry – I am concerned about the bay windows being too much ornament.
Nancy Hoit – They will recede when looking at the house from the front. We don’t want the house to look like one big block.
Scott Ford – One of the bays is very visible from Middle Street.
Elaine Marcell – Overall, I think there is too much glass.
Chuck Clutz/Arthur Choo – The columns in front of the garage doors give too much prominence to the garage doors.
Nancy Hoit/Jim Passios – The little porch (and columns) will actually diminish the garage doors.
Chuck Clutz – I am concerned about the amount of glass on the garage doors. A transom would allow the light in and would be less obvious.
Abutters Adele Sheridan, 51 Middle Street and Maurice Bradshaw, 45 Pleasant Street asked that the balcony be removed from the rear of the house, saying that it would not provide privacy for the homeowners and reduce privacy for the abutting property owners. Ms. Sheridan commented that the houses on Pleasant Street were all very simple in style, and thought that Mr. Hoit’s request to put the dentil molding back around the front door was not in keeping with the other homes.
Continued discussion explored alternatives to items of concern expressed by Commission members.
Decision
The Commission voted unanimously to issue a Certificate of Appropriateness to 50 Pleasant Street to demolish the existing second floor of the house and to demolish the existing garage. The Commission approved the plans for the new house and garage with the following conditions:
Windows – All windows will be wood, single pane true divided light, with storms and a half screen.
Bay Windows – Both bays are to be eliminated in favor of picture windows with flanking windows on each side of the picture window.
Balcony – The balcony is to be eliminated.
Dentil Work – Dentil molding is to be eliminated around the front door, columns and trim wood.
Garage – The doors are to be wood with no lights. A transom may be used instead.
Gutters – Composite gutters and downspouts may be used, downspouts are to be round.
Paint – The house will be “Cottage Grey” with off white trim.
Shutters – The shutters will be wood with “S” holdbacks
Balusters by garage entry – These will be wood.
The existing stockade fence will be eliminated.
679 Main Street
Architect John Sheldon and property owner Ed Russell discussed plans for an addition to the rear of the house. In response to comments made during the Commission’s site visit to the property, Mr. Sheldon had already made revisions, i.e., shortening the accent window facing Main Street, and changing the windows on the North side of the house. After further discussion, the Commission asked for additional changes to the window facing Main Street.
Decision
The Commission voted unanimously to issue a Certificate of Appropriateness to 679 Main Street, approving revisions on the plans dated June 18, 2009 as modified by the architect. The Main Street window will be a wood, single pane true divided light window in a 4/4 configuration with a 2 light transom. Siding and trim on the addition are to match the existing house.
47 Pleasant Street
The property owners came before the Commission to request approval for hardscape changes to the front of the house. The walkway to the front of the house will be removed, and a new brick walkway leading from the driveway to the front porch will be installed.
Decision
The Commission voted unanimously to issue a Certificate of Appropriateness to 47 Pleasant Street for hardscape changes as shown on plans submitted, approving Boston City Hall pavers for the new walkway.
15 Miles Road
Property owner Bill Kyros came before the Commission seeking approval to construct a garage on the lot at 15 Miles Road. The lot abuts 17 Miles Road on which the residence is located. The architect described plans for the garage, which is to be built into the hillside. He indicated that most of the lower part of the structure, the side of which faces the street, will be obscured by the terrain. In response to a question from the Commission regarding further building on the 15 Miles Road lot, Mr. Kyros stated that he will not build a house on that lot in addition to the garage. He further stated that he likes the rural feel of the property. Further discussion included the architect’s request to use composite material for the garage trim and to place a simulated divided light window in the side of the garage facing Miles Road, both of which the Commission determined to be inappropriate.
Decision
The Commission voted unanimously to issue a C of A to 15 Miles Road to construct a garage as shown on plans dated May 27, 2009. Trim will be wood, not composite. The window facing Miles Road will be wood, true divided light. The siding will be wood clapboard; the roof will be red cedar. All details will match the house.
578 Main Street – South Shore Baptist Church
Architect Vcevy Strekalovsky made a presentation describing the project to construct an addition onto the rear of the church. The addition will house a new sanctuary. The existing sanctuary will become a fellowship hall. Classrooms will be constructed in the existing building and the adjacent existing wing. The proposal includes the addition of a second floor on the wing. Plantings will be used to mitigate the effect of the extensive parking lot on the streetscape. Existing trees will remain and considerable infill plantings will be added. Mr. Strekalovsky said that the plans had already received approval from the Board of Health and the Conservation Commission. Discussions with the Planning Board are still underway. Chairman Ford outlined the Commission’s jurisdiction, indicating that the historic district line ends 150 ft. from Main Street, excluding the rear addition from HDC review. Chairman Ford stated that the second floor addition to the existing wing and a portion of the proposed fence falls within the district. Due to the length of Mr. Strekalovsky’s presentation, Mr. Ford asked that the Commission identify any major questions and confine comments to significant issues. A brief discussion ensued, which included the architect’s intent to use composite materials on all aspects of the new addition and for the fence. Mr. Ford stated that composite materials may not be used within the district line and that the Commission will not compromise its standards. Commission members expressed concern over the large mass of the rear addition, the addition of a second steeple, and the fact that the addition is not in keeping with the style of the original church. The hearing was continued to the July 16, 2009 meeting. Mr. Strekalovsky signed an extension form, extending the church’s application for another 60 days.
21 Cottage Street
Applicant Terry Sullivan is seeking approval to rebuild and existing deck with an enclosed greenhouse. The plan is to replace what is there but change the greenhouse. Cedar balusters will be used and the railings will be painted white. The Commission requested that, in order to be consistent with the rest of the house, the builder add wide, flat exterior casings on the rear windows.
Decision
The Commission voted unanimously to issue a C of A to 21 Cottage Street for plans dated 10/12/03 to construct a new deck and greenhouse. The balusters will be cedar, and may be painted or left to weather. The bay and the side windows will be wood, single pane true divided lights; the roof on the bay will match the roof on the existing house; exterior casings will be added to the rear windows; the deck trim is to be painted so that no pressure treated wood is visible; all other details are to match those on the existing house.
The next HDC meeting is on Thursday July 16, 2009 at 7:00 P.M.
Chairman Scott Ford adjourned the meeting at 9:50 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
Andrea Young
Administrator