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ENFIELD HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION
MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING
JUNE 27, 2007
A Regular Meeting of the Enfield Historic District Commission was held on Wednesday, June 27, 2007 in the Council Chambers, Enfield Town Hall, 820 Enfield Street, Enfield, Connecticut. Chairman Richard Tatoian called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
PRESENT: Richard Tatoian, Chairman
Russell Meyer
Roman Polaski
Nancy Smyth
Raymond Gwozdz, Alternate
ALSO PRESENT: Roger Alsbaugh, Assistant Town Planner
Public Hearings/Continued
HDC#329: Mark Clavette, 1144 Enfield Street, Replace 4 original wood swing garage doors with 2 steel overhead doors. EHDO Section 8.
Mark Clavette appeared before the Commission regarding this application. Mr. Clavette presented some photographs to the Commission showing the various doors on different homes for information purposes along with photographs of his home.
Chairman Tatoian stated Mr. Clavette was before the Commission last month. At the last meeting the proposal was to replace the garage doors and there was a discussion of aspects of that. Mr. Clavette stated he originally had selected a very plain door and now he has done further research and found doors he thought would be more appropriate. He submitted photos of the proposed doors as shown on an internet computer program that allows you to see garage doors as they will look on different houses.
Chairman Tatoian stated the first photograph is the existing home. The other photos show the proposed doors on different homes. Mr. Clavette showed the exact doors he wants to use. The brick and almond houses shown in the pictures have the door Mr. Clavette has proposed. He described it as a ‘carriage house-type’ looking door. The picture shows the door, the windows and the hardware. He plans to use identical hardware to that shown.
Chairman Tatoian asked if there will be any changes to the building other than the doors changed. Mr. Clavette stated no unless he has to perform any repair and maintenance of existing components. There would be no other change to the exterior.
Chairman Tatoian asked if the garage is to the right from Enfield Street. Mr. Clavette stated it is to the right and straight back. The garage is behind the structure’s rear building line at least twenty-five to thirty feet.
Mr. Meyer asked if the photograph entitled “Thrall Road, Suffield” is not to be considered by the Commission. Mr. Clavette stated that is correct. Mr. Meyer stated what was submitted tonight was a four-light overhead type Clopay door. Mr. Meyer had a concern about identifying the photographs properly for the record. Mr. Clavette stated the model number is GS4WD. It is the Gallery Collection. Mr. Alsbaugh stated the Clopay Gallery Collection GS4WD as indicated in the two photographic sheets with the brick house and the almond sided house.
Mr. Meyer noted for the record the Commission is to ignore the photograph attached to request #329. In its place, the Commission is asked to consider the door design only included in the three photographs supplied to the Commission. Mr. Alsbaugh stated that will be marked Exhibit 1, pages 1-3, the brick house and the almond sided house.
Mr. Alsbaugh requested that Mr. Clavette discuss the possible differences of the hardware proposed. The handles are slightly different from the original strap and spade. Mr. Clavette stated they are the same but the handle is a lever handle. Mr. Alsbaugh noted his intent was to point out that the door handles were different than the straps.
Chairman Tatoian opened this hearing to the public. No one spoke in favor or against this public hearing. Chairman Tatoian closed this public hearing.
Mr. Gwozdz made a motion, seconded by Ms. Smyth, to approve the request for a Certificate of Appropriateness for HDC#329, Mark Clavette, to replace 4 original wood swing garage doors with 2 steel overhead doors at 1144 Enfield Street.
Such product(s) to be installed, and the areas and manner in which they will be installed or used, shall be as described and as discussed in the public hearing under HDC#329, and as shown on any site plans, in any product sheets or site photographs, and per any samples as displayed during the above mentioned public hearing.
The motion was approved by a 5 – 0 – 0 vote. The reason for approval is the proposed change is appropriate for the architecture of the house and also consistent with the surrounding architecture of other homes in the district.
Mr. Polaski made a motion, seconded by Ms. Smyth, to go out of order and consider agenda item HDC#331 at this time. The motion was approved by a 5 – 0 – 0 vote.
HDC#331: Mark Clavette, 1144 Enfield Street, Replace front wood steps with granite steps, replace north and south windows on rear el of house. EHDO Section 8
Mr. Mark Clavette appeared before the Commission regarding this application. He noted the wood steps are falling apart and rotted and he wants to install granite steps instead. There are two steps. Mr. Clavette presented some photographs.
Mr. Clavette stated he plans to go with the twenty-four inch base and then twelve inches on top so that they will be solid all the way through. He went to a couple of mason shops and they sell you a thirteen inch base which uses a small block on each side to hold up each successive 12” tread. He went to another mason and was told the best thing was to use a full twenty-four” base on the bottom and then put your twelve” tread top of it. Now you have true steps and it is nice and solid. The step tread is twelve inches and the rise is nine inches.
Some discussion followed on where to find old steps from existing homes.
Mr. Meyer asked about estimated cost. Mr. Clavette stated $550 for the granite and he was planning to do the work himself.
Chairman Tatoian asked about the windows. Mr. Clavette stated the existing windows on the back addition of the house are sliders with 15 false panes per door sash (15 x 15). They will be removed and units that match the first floor front windows (8 over 8) will be used in each opening. The existing sliders are very low to the floor. He wants to raise the windows to regular height and install shutters that will match those on the south main façade and the front façade. His intent is to make it look like the rest of the house.
Chairman Tatoian stated the windows are to the rear of the house and in a four-season room. These windows can be seen from Enfield Street on the south side.
Regarding the windows, Mr. Clavette stated he is going to raise the bottom up while the height remains the same. He is going to take the two windows out to give him more wall space and privacy. The existing windows are too low. Instead of a five foot opening, there will be a three foot opening.
Mr. Clavette summarized he is planning to replace four windows.
Mr. Polaski asked if the siding will be pulled off to install the windows. Mr. Clavette stated he will need to remove and re-install siding and install additional new siding to install the windows. The existing siding is vinyl.
Chairman Tatoian opened this hearing to the public. No one spoke in favor or against this application. Chairman Tatoian closed this public hearing.
Mr. Polaski made a motion, seconded by Ms. Smyth, to approve the request for a Certificate of Appropriateness, HDC#331, Mark Clavette, to replace the existing front porch steps with stacked granite steps, and to also remove the existing slider-type windows on the north and south side of the rear addition and replace them with 8-over-8 double hung windows that match the windows on the first floor front elevation.
Such material(s) and product(s) to be installed, and the areas and manner in which they will be installed or used, shall be as described and as discussed in the public hearing under HDC#331, and as shown on any site plans, in any product sheets or site photographs, in any elevations, and per any samples as displayed during the above mentioned public hearing.
The motion was approved by a 5 – 0 – 0 vote. The reason for approval is the proposed changes are appropriate for the architecture of the house and also consistent with the surrounding architecture of other homes in the district.
Public Hearings/New
HDC#330: James and Carol Rinkavage, 1140 Enfield Street, Construct new stone walls. EHDO Section 8
Carol Rinkavage appeared before the Commission regarding this application. She stated she wants to put up a dry stacked wall which is really brownstone. It comes from across the river in Suffield where they are building new homes. She was given all the brownstone she wants. The stone is from everything that was dug up to install the foundations for the homes.
Ms. Rinkavage stated she is proposing to install three sections of walls. There is a driveway and her front sidewalk and there will be walls between all of them. She also proposes to go up the side. Chairman Tatoian noted on the south side that’s really a two-section wall. There is a wall along Enfield Street and one that goes to the west. To the north of the sidewalk is a seventeen foot stretch of wall along the sidewalk. Ms. Rinkavage stated it is nine and a half feet behind the sidewalk. To the north of the driveway there is a 5’ 8” section and the wall would go back forty-six feet.
Ms. Rinkavage stated she is building the wall. She has previously put up retaining walls out of brownstone. One is on the side of her house and is a raised bed filled with dirt and stones are laid into it. Along the back of her property, the property terraces. Her home has a little hill behind it and she put in a stone retaining wall.
Chairman Tatoian asked the height of the proposed walls. Ms. Rinkavage stated the front walls will come out to approximately 24” and then she plans to have a corner that’s 24”. It goes back about four feet and then it steps down and she would plan a fourteen inch wall to go the rest of the distance back. It is a small landscaping wall that she can plant against. The hemlocks have all been killed and she needs to take them down and that will be an open space along the driveway.
Chairman Tatoian asked if there is a border on this wall. Ms. Rinkavage stated she is going to mortar the top and it will look like a flagstone walk on the top. This will keep moisture off and keep kids from taking the wall apart. The rest of the wall is just a natural wall.
Mr. Gwozdz asked which wall would suffer if she finds she doesn’t have enough rock. Ms. Rinkavage stated the side wall. As she carted the rock home, she figured out the number of cubic feet that she would need. She brought twice as much home to do the front. There is also more rock available to her.
Mr. Meyer stated part of this wall has already been built on the north side of the driveway with a 5’8” dimension. Also, some of the 46’10” has already been built. Ms. Rinkavage stated this is correct. She laid part of the foundation down and did go back four to six feet.
Mr. Meyer noted the only part of the wall that has been built to his knowledge is part of the north side wall. Ms. Rinkavage stated that is correct. Mr. Meyer asked if she is intending to stick with the height mentioned of between 22” and 28” high. Ms. Rinkavage stated that is her intent.
Chairman Tatoian opened this hearing to the audience. No one spoke in favor of in opposition to this application. Chairman Tatoian closed this public hearing.
Ms. Smyth made a motion, seconded by Mr. Gwozdz, to approve the request for a Certificate of Appropriateness, HDC#330, James and Carol Rinkavage, to construct three sections of dry-stacked sandstone walls at 1140 Enfield Street.
Such material(s) to be installed, and the areas and manner in which they will be installed or used, shall be as described and as discussed in the public hearing under HDC#330, and as shown on any site plans, in any product sheets or site photographs, and per any samples as displayed during the above mentioned public hearing and the project review under HDCR#2007-003.
The motion was approved by a 5 – 0 – 0 vote.
HDC#332: Martha Parson’s Trust, 1387 Enfield Street, Remove existing well box and construct field stone enclosure with weighted boom and bucket. EHDO Section 8
Russell Meyer appeared before the Commission representing the Martha Parson’s Trust. He stated he is a trustee for the Martha Parson’s Memorial Trust.
Mr. Meyer stated on page two of the application, there is a drawing and he will refer to the upper right hand portion of the drawing. The existing well is on a small knoll level with the basic house. The well, they believe, is the original well which dates from 1782 when the house was built. At the present time, the well has a white wooden square box surrounding it with finials on the top. They would remove that wood box and replace it with ledge stone that has come from the same location as the previous application. The area where this stone came from is as you cross the bridge into Suffield at the light you go across the street and down the hill and you come into a very large condominium complex. During the construction of these condominiums they ran across ledge which they claim is from the Jurassic Age. That ledge runs from Agawam to somewhere in South Windsor. It has a huge amount of relatively flat brownstone, this location in rubble. Mr. Meyer contacted the developer of this property and asked if the stone was available. He said take all you want. They hired an outfit in Windsor Locks called Evergreen and he went over and picked up a whole bunch of rock and dumped it by this wood well box. They needed about 56 cubic feet and that means there will be a double course around the well either 36” or 42” high depending on what looks proper. It will give the appearance of being a loose dry stacked stone well but there will be cement between the stones out of sight so that it will be solid and no one can knock it over. Going south of the well, they propose to put in a wood well pole that they already have. It is about 30’ long and they have yet to find a yoke to put in the ground to support it. On the back side they intend to put a large stone. The end of the pole will have a rope to which will be supported an old fashioned wood bucket which they have not yet found.
Mr. Meyer stated if you go to the left hand drawing, it shows the well is about 12’ from the back of the house and it is not visible as you are traveling south on Enfield Street. It is visible if you are traveling north. The well itself appears to be also made of brownstone and about a month ago, they tipped over the wood white box, took the cover off the well and probed the water. The water is 8’ down from the top of the ground and the bottom of the well is 25’ below that. The well opening is about 2’ and the stone is 3’.
Chairman Tatoian asked if there would have been a pump on top of the well at one time. Mr. Meyer stated it appears to be an open old fashioned well with a weighted bucket. There is nothing mechanical that appears to have been anywhere near the well.
Chairman Tatoian stated the wood pole and the yoke are not there now and will be added. He asked if that is something that would have been on the site originally. Mr. Meyer did not know. He stated in January of this year, he went to Coventry to the house across the street from the Nathan Hale house. They have a square box with a boom. When he proposed it to the trustees, he referred them to the photographs as to what it would look like. Mr. Meyer felt it is consistent with homes that were built in that time frame. What they do not know is what is in the bottom of the well. The well goes at least 25’ to where you get to this muck or hard pan. It is a stone well and they would be proposing the same type of sandstone for the new surround. It will not be a working well but it will appear to be one. What they intend to do is remove the wood box. When they moved it out of the way once, they found what looked like window screening and beneath that were two crossed pieces of rebar. Their proposal is to remove the screening and the rebar and replace both of them with rust resistant material.
Mr. Gwozdz asked about the history behind the wood well box. Mr. Meyer stated it is cheap pine and it appears to have been there for ten to fifteen years.
Chairman Tatoian opened this hearing to the audience. No one spoke in favor or against this application. Chairman Tatoian closed this public hearing.
Mr. Gwozdz made a motion, seconded by Mr. Polaski, to approve the request for a Certificate of Appropriateness, HDC#332, Martha Parson’s Trust, to replace the existing well enclosure with a round sandstone enclosure, weighted boom and drawing bucket.
Such material(s) and product(s) to be installed, and the areas and manner in which they will be installed or used, shall be as described and as discussed in the public hearing under HDC#332, and as shown on any site plans, in any product sheets or site photographs, in any elevations, and per any samples as displayed during the above mentioned public hearing.
The motion was approved by a 4 – 0 – 0 vote. (Mr. Meyer did not participate in this vote.)
HDCR – Review files, determinations of need for certificates of appropriateness:
HDCR#2007-002: James and Amanda Mission, 42 Frew Terrace, hardscape – sidewalks and patios. EHDO Section 8 – continued/status.
Mr. Alsbaugh stated he met with Mr. Mission. Since Mrs. Mission just got out of the hospital, Mr. Alsbaugh recommended he meet with the Commission at their next meeting.
Old Business
Mr. Meyer asked about the status of the revision to the ordinance. He asked if another meeting can be scheduled. A meeting was scheduled for Tuesday, July 10, at 1:30 p.m. in the Thompsonville Room.
Mr. Alsbaugh stated the only other old business is the closed approval for the Caron’s. He did see the strap hinges and handles and they are very nice.
Mr. Alsbaugh stated the building where the ever present antique sales were going on has been moved to the back of the house. He has been down there the last two weekends and nothing has been going on. The sign for the driveway paving at 1243 Enfield Street was removed by the Zoning Officer.
Mr. Alsbaugh presented an update of the Adopt-A-Spot issue. Mrs. Lillian Troiano had mentioned to him an idea that rather than having an Adopt-A-Spot sign, to have people put in a historic tree like she has in her backyard. Mr. Alsbaugh envisioned that as something happening in the state right of way as the town has had arrangements in the past with the state for planting and landscaping in the Historic District. He brought up the main concern the commission mentioned previously about the commercial aspect of some of the newer adopt-a-spot sign locations. Mr. Alsbaugh stated there is one such example over in front of Smyth’s Dairy that is about 25’ long with signs on each end identifying adjacent businesses. As the commission noted before, the Adopt-A-Spot program is turning into a commercial sign concept rather than the original concept which was for beautification and litter reduction. It is circumventing the commercial sign permitting process.
Mr. Alsbaugh thought Mrs. Troiano had a reasonable point that perhaps the whole concept of the Adopt-A-Sign program is not appropriate for the district at all and that if anybody wants to commemorate something, that the Commission prefers them to plant one of the historic trees which would contribute to a consistent perpetual landscape restoration project within the district as trees are lost all the time.
Mr. Gwozdz asked if a plaque would be installed. Mr. Alsbaugh stated the Commission could develop a bronze plaque program for such tree planting. They could encumber a specific amount of money out of the budget each year to be used for tree plaques. Mr. Gwozdz saw a need to set some rules and guidelines if there is a plaque program so that the district is consistent.
Mr. Meyer stated the Commission’s mission is to enhance the Historic District. To have signs all over the place would promote more commercial interests than historic ones. Also, if there is a plaque program, they should all be consistent in design.
Following a discussion in which Commission members expressed a positive view towards this proposal, Mrs. Smyth made a motion, seconded by Mr. Gwozdz, to accept the proposal in dealing with the Adopt-A-Spot signs as proposed by Mrs. Troiano. Adopt-A-Spot signs are not appropriate for the Enfield Local Historic District and that, instead, the Commission will be initiating a historic tree planting program that will allow people to commemorate events or people by planting such trees with a small bronze plaque placed near the tree.
Chairman Tatoian asked what impact this would have on the existing Adopt-A-Spot locations; he was uncertain if anyone has been maintaining the one at Fairview Ave. Mr. Alsbaugh stated neither location has ever sought or received HDC approval. The contract expires on the Fairview site on July 26, 2007 (contract signed 7/27/06; valid for one year from signing date). Mr. Alsbaugh can send the town a letter from the Commission stating that it is the policy of the Commission that the Adopt-A-Spot signs as envisioned currently are not appropriate for the District and are not allowed. Mr. Alsbaugh thought Mrs. Cross, chairperson of the Beautification Committee, had been caring for the Fairview spot; if no one, including the contract holder, has been, we will have it removed.
Mr. Gwozdz asked who would decide what type of tree. Mr. Alsbaugh stated Mrs. Troiano’s idea was to use the range of trees available under the historic tree program. This means we should probably lay out the district as it was under the previous landscaping program and stagger the types and locations of the trees so that if you experience a tree disease year, you don’t lose the entire district. This would be done through this Commission.
The motion was approved by a 5 – 0 – 0 vote.
Minutes
Mr. Gwozdz made a motion, seconded by Ms. Smyth, to approve the Minutes of May 23, 2007. The Minutes were approved by a 3 - 0 - 2 vote. Mr. Meyer and Mr. Polaski abstained.
Correspondence
Mr. Gwozdz noted in the Preservation News there was an offer of a free historic gazebo available as long as it is for public use and not to be sold to a private party. Some discussion followed on where such a gazebo could be located within the town.
Discussion Items
Mr. Alsbaugh stated Mr. Clavette’s mother lives on Alden Avenue. Coming west from St. Adalbert’s Church, there is a house on the left with the old barns in the back. One of the barns was tipping and it has been fixed. Mr. Clavette has redesigned it a little bit and moved the doors. He has given Mr. Alsbaugh some pictures. Mr. Clavette documented taking it apart and fixing what needed to be fixed. He put on new siding and put the salvageable siding on the side and the back. Mr. Alsbaugh stated this is one of those rare instances where we have not lost another one of the old historic Thompsonville out-buildings. This building is probably early nineteenth century. Mr. Alsbaugh mentioned that the Commission might want to consider giving an award to Mr. Clavette or his mother.
Adjournment
Mr. Polaski made a motion, seconded by Ms. Smyth, to adjourn. Following a unanimous vote, the Commission adjourned at 8:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
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Nancy Smyth, Clerk
Enfield Historic District Commission
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