18 January 2005 | Approved: 15 February 2005
HPC members present: Bob Booher, Chair, Chris Kirtz, Ed Mroczka, Bruce Rothrock and David Neumann. David Stopak attended as Town Council liaison.
The January 18th meeting of the HPC began at 7:30 p.m. with the approval of the agenda. The Chair asked Chris Kirtz to take minutes.
Public Review Session
There were no building plans presented for review.
Public Work Session
The minutes of the December meeting were approved with minor revisions.
Open Items from The Last Meeting
Design Guidelines. Bob Booher distributed a copy of Design Guidelines he’d prepared and asked fellow Commissioners to review it and give comments to him or to Ed Mroczka. It is the intention of the HPC that the Design Guidelines should be flexible and updated when appropriate.
Photo Record. Clare Cavicchi will bring her files to the HPC’s February 15th meeting. The first hour of that meeting will be devoted to discussing how to best use and archive this material. Mary Challstrom and Missy Yachup are working on the Town Archive. They will attend this first hour and be a part of that discussion.
Archive Regulations. Mary Challstrom and Missy Yachup are trying to obtain sample archival guidelines currently used by other towns for the HPC to use as a starting point to develop its own Washington Grove ones.
Heritage Committee Volunteers. Chris Kirtz did prepare a bulletin announcement calling for project volunteers and for those with information about their houses to come forward. No major response was received but the Commission determined to go forward with a concerted effort to develop a uniform photographic record of Contributing Structures. David Neumann said he would ask his son if he would like to participate in the photography project. Chris Kirtz and Bruce Rothrock agreed to meet and devise a plan for organizing the project to obtain the necessary photographs.
Mansionization Conference. Chris Kirtz volunteered to be liaison between the HPC and Wayne Goldstein the Conference sponsor. Mr. Goldstein was very appreciative and the Town Hall is booked and Conference scheduled for Saturday, April 9th. The Woman’s Club has agreed to set up a Walking Tour and is making the Club available should the conferees want to lunch there during the Conference.
FAR Subcommittee. Bob Booher and David Neumann agreed to meet to discuss what position the HPC should take with regard to FAR parameters and, after reviewing their ideas with the HPC, determine what if any action to take with the WG Planning Commission. Bruce Rothrock stated that he felt this issue should receive the highest priority and asked to be included on the subcommittee.
Clare’s attribution to developing list of Contributing Structures. David Neumann said he had found that the attribution had been put up on the Town Web site by Bill Saar.
Permit Application Procedure. The members – with assistance from David Stopak – spent considerable time discussing how to integrate language describing the HPC’s role with the new Permit Application language proposed by the PC. David Neumann agreed to be the HPC scribe and prepare a version of the new language with a revised flowchart which, after HPC comment, he would revise and get to the Planning Commission and the Town Council.
The HPC Section in the Town Bulletin. The members agreed to provide comment on the paragraph that appears in the monthly Town Bulletin, especially the language inviting early consultation that it had previously approved and which already appears in the Town Bulletin. Members also agreed to comment on the alternate language suggested by Bruce Rothrock. The members recognized that future language in the Bulletin on the HPC can be changed easily.
New Business
The Commission discussed the idea of giving out an annual award or some form of recognition for outstanding projects. The Commission members unanimously agreed to give an award or other recognition and agreed to devote time in the next meetings to the issue. The members agreed that a decision on the form of the award and the recipient or recipients should be made in time for the annual Town Meeting.
The next meeting was scheduled for February 15, 2005 at the usual time of 7:30 pm.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:48 p.m.