Wilton’s Board of Selectmen (BOS) held a public hearing Monday evening, Nov. 3, to give the public an opportunity to weigh in on proposed changes to the Town’s building demolition ordinance.
The Historic District and Historic Properties Commission (HDHPC) sought the changes which it believes will enhance its preservation efforts and improve its procedures, including:
- Allowing commissioners more time to review demolition permit requests (from 10 to 35 days, which will reduce the need to add special meetings between regular monthly meetings)
- Strengthening “intent to demolish” signage requirements
- Minor changes to clarify and update the terminology in the current ordinance
The BOS voted unanimously to approve the changes, which were posted online in the public hearing notice.
Following the BOS decision, HDHPC Chair Lori Fusco said she was grateful to the BOS for approving the administrative change.
“These updates will allow the Commission to operate more efficiently by better aligning review timelines with our regular meeting schedule, providing greater predictability for applicants and the public alike,” Fusco wrote in an emailed statement to GMW. “Importantly, these changes will also help increase public awareness when a historically significant property is threatened by demolition — an essential step toward identifying and pursuing appropriate preservation solutions.”
“Meaningful Progress” (But Less Than Hoped)
HDHP commissioners advocated for the changes for nearly a year before the BOS finally voted on the matter.
Fusco first met with the BOS last December to discuss the proposed changes, and attended multiple BOS meetings in the ensuing months as the BOS debated the merits of the proposed changes and how the board should proceed — at one point even leaning toward convening a Special Town Meeting to decide the matter, even though the ordinance changes would fall under the selectmen’s purview.
The stickiest point was HDHP’s desire to extend the time allowed for a demolition delay — one of the very few tools HDHPC can use to protect a structure which has “historical, architectural or cultural significance.” Currently, in accordance with state statutes, HDHPC has the authority to delay demolitions for up to 90 days in certain cases, in order to provide time for salvaging opportunities or investigating other alternatives to demolition.
“This ordinance does not prevent demolition, it simply delays it, allowing a possible rescue. This ordinance has enabled antique buildings to be moved to other locations, or dismantled and rebuilt… thus reusing and repurposing these historic structures,” according to the HDHPC’s webpage.
HDHPC has argued that 90 days is often insufficient, and initially asked the BOS to consider allowing up to 180 days. When some selectmen — as well as Planning and Zoning Commission Chair Rick Tomasetti — expressed the concern that 180 days could be an “onerous” burden for property owners, Fusco emphasized that the commission has rarely exercised the demolition delay authority — only three times since late 2013.
Fearing the controversial 180-day revision would reduce the chances of approval for the other changes, HDHPC decided to drop it and focus on getting the other changes across the finish line.
Fusco said the approved changes are a “positive” step and represent “meaningful progress” for the commission — but it’s clear she isn’t completely satisfied.
“I just look at it like, you’ve gotta move the needle, even if it’s just a little bit, and just keep going from there,” she said.
“It doesn’t mean that we’re not going to revisit that 180 days if that seems appropriate in the future,” she continued. “But there’s less pressure knowing that we’ve at least got this done, where we can operate more efficiently.”
Fusco says she believes there is still some lingering misunderstanding about the demolition delay, noting the fundamental distinction between “historic” and “historically significant” in HDHPC’s determinations.
“People need to have a better understanding of what it is and what it isn’t,” she said.