Historic District Commission

Meeting of

March 23, 2005, 4:00 PM

Town Hall, Provincetown, MA 02657

 

Members Present: John Dowd, Chair; Carol Neal, Vice Chair; Meg Stewart; Polly Burnell; and Eric Dray

 

Town Hall Representative: Maxine Notaro, Permit Coordinator.

 

Work Session

 

The Work Session commenced at 3:30 PM.

 

David Guertin and Board of Library Trustees, 356 Commercial Street, discussion on Library fencing, exterior restoration and cupola.

 

The following members of the Board of Library Trustees met with the Historic District Commission: Sandy Fay, Carol Noyes, Marcia Fair, Jim Cole and Debbie DeJonker-Berry, Chairman of the Library Trustees. David Guertin of the DPW was unable to attend.

 

Jim Cole explained the items on the Library’s list of subjects to discuss with the HDC. He stated that the planned date for the opening of the Library was April 20th and that they were concentrating on the interior of the building.

 

The Library Trustees brought the following topics to the attention of the HDC:

 

1.      Access to Commercial Street entrance

The Trustees suggested a walkway made of bricks and landscape timbers as a temporary entrance. The HDC members suggested a straightaway path to the center of the building since the building is symmetrical and they also made suggestions as to the make-up of the path.

2.      Center Street fence and wall

A new design is being worked on but they have not received any design plans from the designer. John Dowd suggested using pipe rail fencing.

3.      Bike rack and park benches

The placement of the bike rack and park benches was talked about. The HDC suggested locations for the bike rack so as not to be intrusive. The HDC members liked the idea of the benches being placed in front of the building.

4.      Plantings

Low maintenance plantings around the building using native plants was suggested.

5.      Belfry

The belfry will be moved within the next few months to the DPW garage.

6.      Façade, and

7.      Exterior signage

A new logo is designed and will be incorporated into a new sign which will be 20’ x 24’ next to the door on Center Street and the sign on the Commercial Street side will be slightly larger.

 

Eric Dray thought that the Library Trustees were doing an “amazing” job on the accomplishments of the interior of the building.

 

A quorum being present, John Dowd called the Public Hearing to order at 4:00 PM. It was noted that Paul Church would not be attending any more meetings of the HDC.

 

Public Hearings

 

Case #2005-18             (Continued from March 2, 2005) Application by Victor DePoalo on behalf of David Silva, 19 West Vine Street, Provincetown, MA.

 

Eric Dray excused himself from hearing this Case.

 

Each elevation plan was looked at by the HDC. The changes suggested by the HDC at the last meeting were made. There were no public comments regarding the application.

 

A motion was made to approve the revised plans as submitted and the demolition of the existing structure. The new structure will be in the original footprint and covered by Guideline #s 14 and 15.

 

Moved by: Polly Burnell                 Seconded by: John Dowd               Yea: 3  Nay: 0  Abstained: 1

 

Carol Neal abstained.

 

Case #2005-19            Application by Bradford Montello Realty Trust, Richard Murray, Trustee for a Certificate of Compliance to be issued in accordance with the Provincetown Historic District Commission established under the General By-Laws, Chapter 15 of the Town of Provincetown. The applicant seeks approval to remove one window and replace with two horizontal gliding windows and add one new exit door on the South elevation (rear of parking lot) at the property located at 35 Bradford Street, Provincetown, MA.

 

Meg Stewart excused herself from hearing this application as she is a direct abutter. There were no public comments.

 

A motion was made to accept the application as presented according to Guideline #s 5c and 6b.

 

Moved by:  John Dowd                               Seconded by: Polly Burnell              Yea: 4  Nay: 0

 

Case #2005-20            Application by Thomas Capizzi, Jr. on behalf of Berg Family Trust, Eve Berg, Trustee for a Certificate of Compliance to be issued in accordance with the Provincetown Historic District Commission established under the General By-Laws, Chapter 15 of the Town of Provincetown. The applicant seeks approval to remove and replace second floor exterior patio stairs with new railings to match existing and to add four awning supports to match existing at the property located at 371-373 Commercial Street, Provincetown, MA. 

 

The representative of the owners explained the plan and Commission members questioned items such as the awning and railings.

 

There were no comments from the public and a motion was made to accept the plans as submitted with the stairs covered by Guideline #13 and the deck and railings covered by Guidelines #9c & d.

 

Moved by: Polly Burnell                             Seconded by: John Dowd                           Yea: 5  Nay: 0

 

Case #2005-22            Application by Peter Page on behalf of Jean Marino for a Certificate of Compliance to be issued in accordance with the Provincetown Historic District Commission established under the General By-Laws, Chapter 15 of the Town of Provincetown. The applicant seeks approval to remove a door and replace with a wood door and sidelight at the property located at 14 Center Street, Provincetown, MA.

 

A discussion concerning the width of the door ensued. The applicant felt that there would be a problem with a 2’ door. There were no public comments regarding this application.

 

A motion was made to continue this application (with the consent of the applicant) to the next meeting, April 20th.

 

Moved by: Eric Dray                                              Seconded by: Polly Burnell                          Yea: 5  Nay: 0

 

Case #2005-23            Application by Adam Schoenhardt for a Certificate of Compliance to be issued in accordance with the Provincetown Historic District Commission established under the General By-Laws, Chapter 15 of the Town of Provincetown. The applicant seeks approval to eliminate one door currently joined to windows and relocate door joined to windows and add two windows where two doors were previously approved and to shift an existing door to the left and shorten the existing bay windows at the property located at 48 Commercial Street, Provincetown, MA.

 

Mr. Schoenhardt explained this application. Meg Stewart felt that the fenestration does not meet the style of the existing structure. The Commissioners felt that the previously approved window changes were an improvement.

 

There were no public comments.

 

A motion was made to accept this application as presented with the change of the door to reflect the original approval.

 

Moved by: John Dowd                   Seconded by: Polly Burnell              Yea: 3  Nay: 1  Abstained: 1

 

Eric Dray abstained and Meg Stewart voted against.

 

Case #2005-24            Application by Neal Kimball on behalf of Michael Perry for a Certificate of Compliance to be issued in accordance with the Provincetown Historic District Commission established under the General By-Laws, Chapter 15 of the Town of Provincetown. The applicant seeks approval to convert an accessory use, free-standing garage into a massage studio by replacing the West facing overhead door with double carriage house style doors, add a functioning cupola, add an awning window on the north face and swap the location of a door and window on the South elevation at the property located at 19 Court Street, Provincetown, MA.

 

After the applicant presented the Case, there were no public comments.

 

A motion was made to approve the application as submitted pursuant to Guideline #s 3k and 15.

 

Moved by: Meg Stewart                            Seconded by: Carol Neal                             Yea: 5  Nay: 0

 

Case #2005-25            Application by Tom Thompson for a Certificate of Compliance to be issued in accordance with the Provincetown Historic District Commission established under the General By-Laws, Chapter 15 of the Town of Provincetown. The applicant seeks approval to move an existing cottage to the rear of the yard and add/replace windows with egress doors; replace bedroom dormers with shed dormers and proper double hung egress windows; re-side with cedar, install new trim and front doorway surround at the property located at 3 Fishburn Court, Provincetown, MA.

 

John Souza explained the changes to the structure and that the cottage would be moved and turned counterclockwise. He wanted to bring the house closer to code.

 

Some of the changes he requested were: the front dormers will be shed dormers; the skylights would be smaller in scale; and he would use trim and molding appropriate to the house. The house would be reshingled and the roof reclad.

 

Carl Neal read letters from abutters that were placed in the file. Hunter O’Hanian wrote in support of the application. George Goen and Carlo Caramanna wrote against the application. Steve Nason and Paul Glover were in favor of the applicant’s plans. There was a memo from Doug Taylor, Building Commissioner regarding the bringing of the structure to code.

 

Members of the public were asked for comments. Donna Flack, an abutter, spoke in favor of the applicant and George Goen (see letter received, above) spoke against. He wanted to know what the need was for moving the cottage and the owner felt a need for a backyard. Eric Dray felt that the moving of the building is not equivalent to demolition. HDC members seemed to be in favor of the moving and new orientation of the cottage.

 

Meg Stewart thought that there was too much fenestration in the shed dormers. She felt that two windows would be better than the three shown on the plans.

 

A motion was made to move the cottage as proposed as the current location is not a significant development pattern of sight and neighborhood. This is covered by Guideline #s 2a & b.

 

Moved by:  John Dowd                               Seconded by: Meg Stewart                                    Yea: 5  Nay: 0

 

A motion was made to continue the discussion and approval of the renovation of the building until the meeting of April 20th. This had the consent of the applicant.

 

Moved by:  Meg Stewart                            Seconded by: Polly Burnell                          Yea: 5  Nay: 0

 

Case #2005-26            Application by Robert Valois on behalf of Brian Ganson for a Certificate of Compliance to be issued in accordance with the Provincetown Historic District Commission established under the General By-Laws, Chapter 15 of the Town of Provincetown. The applicant seeks approval to demolish the existing structure, install a new foundation using the same footprint and construct a new dwelling with a new roofline at the property located at 290D Bradford Street, Provincetown, MA.

 

Robert Valois needed the approval of the demolition of the existing structure. It is not in the historic district but it is more than 50 years old. There were no public comments regarding this.

 

A motion was made to allow the demolition based on the fact that the shape and scale of the roof will be replicated.

 

Moved by:  John Dowd                   Seconded by: Carol Neal                 Yea: 3  Nay: 1  Abstained: 1

 

Meg Stewart opposed and Polly Burnell abstained.

 

Ratification of Administrative Approvals

 

Case #2005-21        Peter Page on behalf of Nick Robertson, 220 Commercial Street, install three

skylights to the rear of the first floor retail space

Case #2005-27        Nancy Lamb Gribbin, 222 Bradford Street, siding permit

Case #2005-28            Seamen’s Bank, 221-223 Commercial Street, replace windows

Case #2005-29            Eugene Peters, 12A Standish Street, replace roofing shingles

Case #2005-30            Brenda Dean & Jill Smith, 6 Atlantic Avenue, siding permit

Case #2005-31            Andrew Turocy, 8 Carver Street, replace windows

 

A motion was made to approve the above Administrative Approval Cases.

 

Moved by: Eric Dray                                  Seconded by: John Dowd                           Yea: 5  Nay: 0

 

Neal Kimball showed the Commission members design plans for 5 Conan Street. The members suggested changes after looking the plans over.

 

Minutes

 

The minutes for the meetings of February 2, 16 and March 2 will be voted on at the next meeting as there might be some changes after review by the members.

 

A motion was made to adjourn the meeting at 7:00 PM.

 

Moved by: Eric Dray                                  Seconded by: Polly Burnell                          Yea: 5  Nay: 0

 

Respectfully submitted by

Joel Glasser

                                                                                                Recording Secretary

 

 

Approved by: _________________________________________ on _________________________

                                    John Dowd, Chairman                                                                Date