Historic District Commission

CITY OF TAUNTON MASSACHUSETTS Established 1639 Historic District Commission William A. Manganiello, Chair Temporary City Hall Barbara Mullen, Vice Chair 141 Oak Street Norma Jean Barbour Taunton, Massachusetts 02780 Robert D. Dickerman (508) 821-1418 Joseph Norte Charles Thayer _________________ Shannon Valentino, Secretary Minutes February 23, 2017 A regular meeting of the Historic District Commission was held on Thursday, February 23, 2017. Present were William A. Manganiello, Barbara Mullen, Joseph Norte, Norma Barbour, and Robert Dickerman. Meeting was called to order at 7:04 p.m. Minutes – The Board members each reviewed the minutes of the January 26, 2017 meeting for accuracy. Motion made by Joseph Norte, seconded by Norma Barbour and unanimously passed to approve the minutes from the January 26, 2017 meeting. Old Business – None New Business  Application for demolition permit for148 North Walker Street, hearing was published in the Taunton Daily Gazette with abutter notices given. Chairman Manganiello reads the legal advertisement that was published. Present: Attorney David Gay and Dominique Brown from Southcoast Development. Attorney Gay states that his client had purchased properties located at the intersections of North Walker Street and Winthrop Street. They have gone through the special permit and review process and they just got their gasoline storage permit the other night at the City Council meeting. They are looking to take down the five buildings that are on the property and put up a gas station convenience store called New England Farms. The closest one is in Berkley on Route 79. He says they do a wonderful job maintaining their properties. They currently have seven and they are mostly all in southeastern Massachusetts. They would like to be able to take down the buildings and begin new construction. They understand that at least the two houses are wonderful buildings and if it were at all possible to move them, they would not be prejudiced to do that. He hasn’t done a relocation of a home since South Street Extension in Raynham he believes it was about 20 years ago. Strongly pushing for traffic lights at that intersection. They have $150,000.00 on the table already to do the site design and traffic study. Chairman Manganiello states that inventory #TAU.548 is listed in the Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System. Site is indicated as historically significant. He reads section #9 from the scanned record cover page. He states that based on the records that are with the Massachusetts Historical 1  Commission, there is sufficient evidence to find that the structure and site are historically significant and therefor as a result the demolition delay ordinance is applicable along with Chapter 40C which is the Mass Historical Commission Act. Motion is made by Commissioner Barbour that the site is historically significant, seconded by Vice Chairman Mullen, unanimously passed. Chairman Manganiello asks if the applicant has any objection to the finding. Attorney David Gay states no objection. Chairman Manganiello asks if anyone in the audience has a comment regarding the historical significance of the site. No comments. Chairman Manganiello states that administratively in the permit checklist, which is a requirement under the ordinance the Board did not receive an alternatives analysis for the proposed demolition. He states that the applicant must demonstrate that it isn’t feasible to restore, rehabilitate and preserve the site. Documentation needs to be shown that a good faith effort has been made to sell the property to someone who would be able to restore, rehabilitate or preserve. The second is if step one can’t be done, to show that reasonable relocation is not feasible. And the third would be a statement and a justification for the demolition. If the structures were to be demolished, then under the demolition delay ordinance the commission could require some form of mitigation, a memorial or some other memoranda permanently be constructed to signify the historical significance. Attorney Gay suggests they take a photo of the white building and put it on a plaque like the one at Walgreens. Chairman Manganiello says that it would need to come back before the Board to be approved and that it should include something about what was there and it should be placed with the Old Colony Historical Museum. Motion made by Commissioner Barbour to invoke the 6 month demolition delay and allow the applicant 6 months to meet the burden to proof that the buildings can be demolished, seconded by Vice Chairman Mullen, and unanimously passed. Motion made by Commissioner Barbour to continue the meeting to May 25th, seconded by Joseph Norte, and unanimously passed. Commissioner Dickerman asks if Attorney Gay will have the proposed plaque at the next meeting. That is Attorney Gay’s intent. General Business – None Administrative:  FB Rogers memorial – Commissioner Thayer is not present. Commissioner Dickerman is waiting to review Commissioner Thayer’s proposal. The meeting adjourned at 7:25 p.m. Shannon Valentino Secretary to the Commission The next regular meeting of the Historic District Commission will be held on Thursday, May 25, 2017 at Temporary City Hall, 141 Oak Street, Auditorium at 7:00 pm. 2