Minutes January 7, 2008
Business
1. Reviewed and accepted the minutes of December 17, 2007
2. Bills: Barbara reimbursement for mileage to grant workshop $17.46, Southwick Historical Society for two map brochures of the New Haven/Northampton Canal $20.00.
3. Rob Levesque re 20 Depot Street: The Historical Commission and Mr. Levesque informally discussed the direction that preservation of the Laflin/Phelps Homestead would take. The Historical Commission stated that it would like to see both a Preservation Easement and a Stewardship Fund set up. The Stewardship Fund would be for maintenance of the property separate from the endowment set up for administration of the easement. The Stewardship Fund monies could come from a percentage of each condominium sold. Mr. Levesque was informed that there are Federal Tax breaks for owners setting up preservation easements on properties. This will be looked into. Discussed was a single easement that serves both conservation and preservation guidelines for repair or renovation work. In order to establish
the guidelines for the preservation easements, a historic architect will need to be contracted to assess the historic aspects of the buildings that need to be preserved in order to maintain their historic integrity. In addition, someone familiar with heritage landscapes would need to be obtained to assess those features of the landscape that need to be retained in order that the buildings remain in the proper setting. The Historical Commission will provide Mr. Levesque with a list of historic architects and a copy of the Laflin/Phelps Homestead National Register application for nomination. Further discussion centered on the overseeing of the Easement and the Stewardship Fund. The Easement will be monitored by the entity that holds the easement. The Historical Commission suggested that a group separate from the homeowners association monitor the fund - this group would have members comprised of homeowners' association members, Historical Commission, and Historical Society members.
Mr. Levesque will come to the February 25 Historical Commission meeting with a formal proposal to present to the Commission for consideration.
4. Report of MHC Preservation Projects Fund Grant Program Workshop: Barbara and Karen attended the workshop held Dec. 20 at the Wistariahurst Museum in Holyoke. Sec, William F. Galvin announced that Round 14 would be funded (around $750,000). Application deadline is February 22, 2008. These monies are available to support the preservation of properties, landscapes and sites that either are listed on the National Register or have a preservation easement. A request to be placed on the Selectmen's agenda has been made. The Commission will propose that the grant monies be pursued in order to renovate/restore the old library into town hall storage for records and a studio and office for Channel 15.
5. Update of the Planning and Survey Project - Phase II materials are due January 11. The Chair has contacted Mr. Bedford of Fitzgerald & Halliday for a progress report.
6. Hampshire/Hampden Canal National Register Nomination Committee: The committee met on Dec. 18 to finalize plans for the three presentations in January. The dates, times, and places are: Jan 3 Southwick Town Hall at 2pm, Jan 8 Easthampton Williston Academy at 7pm, Jan 23 Westfield Athenaeum at 10am. The January 3 session went well with Rep Humason and Sen. Knapik represented as well as various Southwick board members and the public. The committee's goal is to educate the legislatures as to the historic significance of the canal and to ask their support in the National Register Nomination process.
7. Massachusetts Historical Commission's Hampshire/Hampden Canal Pilot Study: John Daley of PAL has requested photos and background information on the targeted area that is off South Longyard northeast of where the North Pond 1955 washout occurred. Barbara asked Carl Walter if he could fulfill the request from his file of material on the canal.
8. Walter Johnson e-mailed a photo of his Uncles and their milk wagon. He feels that the photo might have been taken in West Springfield. Johnson Bros Milk is associated with Pioneer Dairy.
9. Mail: Of note are the hearings pertaining to the DePalma Hillside Development Corporation proposed Williamsburg Estates. This will affect historic Mouse Hill Road and a Heritage Landscape Area.
Mail
1. From the American Assoc. for State and Local History the newsletter "Dispatch" for January 2008.
2. Notice of Public Hearing from the Planning Board - Hearing to be held Jan 22 at 7:30 regarding the application of Keenan Pension Trust for a zone change for Lot 2 on Jarry Drive.
3. From CLE International a notice of a conference focusing on "Historic Preservation and Energy Transmission Projects" to be held in Denver on February 28&29, 2008.
4. From the National Trust for Historic Preservation the magazine "Preservation" for Jan/Feb 2008.
5. From the National Trust for Historic Preservation the newsletter "Forum News" for Jan/Feb 2008.
6. From Past Perfect a notice of a software user training program to be held in Farmington, CT on February 6-8, 2008.
7. E-mail from Dick Grannells: A request for information on the water level at the Great Brook crossing Feeding Hills Road during the Flood of 1955.
8. From Past Perfect the newsletter for December 2007.
9. From the Planning Board a notice of a hearing on January 8 at 7:30 regarding the application of Ralph DePalma, Hillside Development Corp. for a Definitive Subdivision approval located off Sunnyside Ranch Road. A 40-lot subdivision to connect Hickory Lane with Meadow Lane.
10. Planning Board Agenda 1/8
11. From the Planning Board a notice of a hearing for the application of Kaydub,Inc. KKQB and Jaydub for Special Permits and Site approvals for expanding existing businesses- Southwick Inn and Walt's Garage located at 479-481, 483 and 485 College Highway.
12. Conservation Commission Agenda 1/7
Barbara MacEwan
Chair, Southwick Historical Commission
Karen Brzezinski
Todd Shievley
| 
