(Nov. 10, 2016) After producing four unanimous votes for approval of various requests, the Berlin Historic Commission turned to more difficult issues Wednesday, as it looked at recent instances when applicants had expressed confusion over how commission proceedings worked.
Specifically, two local businesses that had come before the board were seeking approval after work had already been done.
Chairwoman Carol Rose said she had spoken to Planning Director Dave Engelhart about a small change to the Historic District Commission application, which she said needed to be “very, very specific.”
“Whatever they’re coming here for, whether it be painting, lights, signs, that they cannot – cannot – do any work or put anything up until they have had approval by this board,” she said. “I want to make sure there is a signature line at the bottom so that, hopefully, maybe, that will take care of this problem that we seem to be having.”
Commission member Mary Moore agreed, although said she thought that implication was “obvious.”
“How do we reiterate – with a highlighter – that you don’t do anything structurally without [approval]?” she asked.
Engelhart said it was a simple fix, and that the town “needs to just add a line … about the work” to the application, above the space for the signature.
“In addition, the owner of the premises and/or the applicant understands no work may commence without Historic District Commission approval,” Engelhart said. “We can do that in-house.”
Commission member Robert Poli said the board needed “to put [its] foot down,” citing a case last month that involved a large sign on a pylon over the Berlin Butcher Shop, last month, and another case about exterior lighting at the Blacksmith bar and restaurant, both of which were completed before commission hearings.
In the former instance, the commission denied the application. That case, however, is likely headed for the Berlin Board of Appeals. A hearing was scheduled for last Wednesday, but was postponed because the applicant did not have legal representation, according to Engelhart.
Engelhart said the latter case was “probably [his] fault.”
“[The owner] was approved for lighting,” he said. “She had been talking to Carol and I for a while now … she was coming to us proactively. It wasn’t similar to the case from last month.”
The commission unanimously approved the request for exterior lighting, landscaping and painting at Blacksmith.
One week after the next Historic District Commission meeting, Dec. 7 at 5:30 p.m. at Town Hall, the board, at the request of Rose, scheduled a work session “to sit down with the code … and just go over everything.”
That work session was set for Dec. 14 at 5:15 p.m. in the conference room at town hall.
All of the members of the commission agreed that changes to the application and special work sessions were meant to protect the town.
“We are [an] original, quaint town,” Moore said.
“What’s really nice about this particular town, because of the nature of where the pillars are situated, you cannot widen Main Street – It cannot be two lanes in each direction,” Poli said. “It’s going to be a quaint town for many, many years to come, especially the downtown area.
“You can change the storefronts and everything else … but the historic nature of the town is not going to really change much,” he added.
Specifically, two local businesses that had come before the board were seeking approval after work had already been done.
Chairwoman Carol Rose said she had spoken to Planning Director Dave Engelhart about a small change to the Historic District Commission application, which she said needed to be “very, very specific.”
“Whatever they’re coming here for, whether it be painting, lights, signs, that they cannot – cannot – do any work or put anything up until they have had approval by this board,” she said. “I want to make sure there is a signature line at the bottom so that, hopefully, maybe, that will take care of this problem that we seem to be having.”
Commission member Mary Moore agreed, although said she thought that implication was “obvious.”
“How do we reiterate – with a highlighter – that you don’t do anything structurally without [approval]?” she asked.
Engelhart said it was a simple fix, and that the town “needs to just add a line … about the work” to the application, above the space for the signature.
“In addition, the owner of the premises and/or the applicant understands no work may commence without Historic District Commission approval,” Engelhart said. “We can do that in-house.”
Commission member Robert Poli said the board needed “to put [its] foot down,” citing a case last month that involved a large sign on a pylon over the Berlin Butcher Shop, last month, and another case about exterior lighting at the Blacksmith bar and restaurant, both of which were completed before commission hearings.
In the former instance, the commission denied the application. That case, however, is likely headed for the Berlin Board of Appeals. A hearing was scheduled for last Wednesday, but was postponed because the applicant did not have legal representation, according to Engelhart.
Engelhart said the latter case was “probably [his] fault.”
“[The owner] was approved for lighting,” he said. “She had been talking to Carol and I for a while now … she was coming to us proactively. It wasn’t similar to the case from last month.”
The commission unanimously approved the request for exterior lighting, landscaping and painting at Blacksmith.
One week after the next Historic District Commission meeting, Dec. 7 at 5:30 p.m. at Town Hall, the board, at the request of Rose, scheduled a work session “to sit down with the code … and just go over everything.”
That work session was set for Dec. 14 at 5:15 p.m. in the conference room at town hall.
All of the members of the commission agreed that changes to the application and special work sessions were meant to protect the town.
“We are [an] original, quaint town,” Moore said.
“What’s really nice about this particular town, because of the nature of where the pillars are situated, you cannot widen Main Street – It cannot be two lanes in each direction,” Poli said. “It’s going to be a quaint town for many, many years to come, especially the downtown area.
“You can change the storefronts and everything else … but the historic nature of the town is not going to really change much,” he added.