Wilton’s Historic District and Historic Properties Commission (HDHP) tackled a full agenda at its Tuesday, Oct. 14 meeting — voicing mounting frustrations with Town officials over stalled grants, delayed ordinance updates, and renewed discussions about potentially selling Town-owned historic properties, in addition to conducting its regular business of reviewing property applications.
Commissioners expressed concern that the Town has yet to accept a $55,000 state grant for lead remediation work at Ambler Farm’s Yellow House, leaving the funding “in limbo” and jeopardizing Wilton’s eligibility for future preservation grants. HDHP Chair Lori Fusco called the lack of action “discouraging” and said the commission was frustrated the work wasn’t being prioritized.
Fusco also updated the group on the ongoing effort to revise the Town’s demolition delay ordinance. She expects the Board of Selectmen will set a date in the coming weeks for a public hearing on HDHP’s latest proposed changes — which no longer include the controversial idea of extending the demo delay timeframe from the current 90 days up to 180 days. Fusco said the process of getting BOS approval on the proposed ordinance changes has been “a painstaking operation” in which the commission has had to “peel back expectations” about how much change it hopes to achieve.
In addition, led by Commissioner Gil Weatherly, commissioners discussed their growing concerns about the future of town-owned historic properties, after the Wilton Capital Planning Committee recently broached the topic of potentially selling some properties owned by the Town. HDHP will continue to discuss ways to strengthen the commission’s advocacy for preservation.
Despite those concerns, the commission also moved forward with its regular agenda, approving an alteration to a historic Georgetown home and a demolition request for a mid-century residence elsewhere in town.
Public Hearing: 32 West Church St.
The first order of regular business was holding a public hearing to review an application for a Certificate of Appropriateness for the addition of venting skylights for a house at 32 West Church St. — one of the historic homes located in Wilton’s designated Local Historic District #6 in Georgetown.
HDHP reviews any plans involving alterations visible from the public right-of-way within local historic districts. Commissioners first discussed the skylight proposal at their Sept. 16 meeting, but in an abundance of caution, opted to hold a public hearing to allow community input before making a decision.
During the public hearing record, HDHP Chair Lori Fusco presented letters from four neighboring property owners — all expressing support for the project — including the owners of 13, 28 and 31 West Church St. and 37 Church St. (the adjacent church property).
Lynn Van Wagner, vice president of the Georgetown Community Association and a resident of New Street Terrace in Georgetown, attended the public hearing and spoke in favor of the project. She also informed the commission that the association’s membership had no objections.
No comments were received in opposition, whether in writing or in person.
Still, commissioners deliberated carefully, noting that skylights were not typical of the home’s historic period and would be more visible when opened. Ultimately, they agreed the overall visual impact would be minimal and voted unanimously to approve the Certificate of Appropriateness.
Demolition Request: 38 Bhasking Ridge Rd.
Commissioners also considered whether to issue any objection to an application for demolition of a single-family house at 38 Bhasking Ridge Rd., a roughly 2,500-square-foot home built in 1960. The applicant purchased the property in July.
HDHP reviews demolition permit applications received by the Building Department for any building that is more than 50 years old and larger than 500 square feet, whether or not the property is in a designated historic district. While HDHP cannot deny a demolition permit, it has the authority to temporarily delay the demolition of a historic structure to allow for salvaging opportunities or reconsidering plans.
After reviewing the application, commissioners determined the structure was not listed in the town’s historic resource inventory and held no particular architectural or historical importance. The commission voted unanimously not to object to the demolition request.
Fusco noted that Wilton’s mid-century modern homes could be at risk of slipping through the cracks in Wilton’s historic properties inventory, and may warrant further study to identify those with noteworthy architectural, cultural or historic characteristics.
More HDHP News
- Fusco updated the commissioners on progress being made on the “pre-master-planning study” of the historic neighborhood of Cannondale. The study is intended to provide data and information that will support Planning & Zoning in a future master planning process for Cannondale, with emphasis on historic preservation. Fusco reported that she had attended an on-site visit with the consultant and that next steps would be proceeding as scheduled.
- Fusco announced that Commissioner Jacob Bittner has resigned, citing business conflicts of interest. Fusco thanked Bittner for his service and contributions to the commission.
HDHP’s next regular meeting is Nov. 11. Interested in serving on the commission? Look for details on how to apply on the Town website.