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ENFIELD HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION
MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING
OCTOBER 26, 2005
A Regular Meeting of the Enfield Historic District Commission was held on Wednesday, October 26, 2005 in the Council Chambers, Enfield Town Hall, 820 Enfield Street, Enfield, Connecticut. Chairman Tatoian called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
PRESENT: Richard Tatoian, Chairman
Russell Meyer
Eileen Russell
Nancy Smyth
Lillian Troiano, Alternate
Raymond Gwozdz, Alternate
Chairman Tatoian stepped down to represent himself in his application before the commission. The legal advertisement was read at the beginning of the public hearing:
HDCR #311: Richard M. Tatoian, 1106 Enfield Street, Replace single carriage light standing fixture with 3-light Victorian standing fixture. EHDO Section 8.
Richard Tatoian appeared before the Commission and stated his application is to replace a post light presently located in the front of his home at 1106 Enfield Street. The existing light has been there for many years and is deteriorating. Mr. Tatoian proposes to replace it with a black metal light which will be in the same location. He submitted a picture of the existing lamp and the proposed new lamp to the Commission.
Mr. Tatoian stated the light is approximately the same height although with the lamps, it will be slightly higher. The new light is 78” high and the old light was 72” high. The same sign and bracket will be reinstalled on the new light.
Mr. Meyer questioned why Mr. Tatoian couldn’t replace the existing light with stainless steel or aluminum so that it would not rust or rot. Mr. Tatoian stated the proposed light is the one he selected. He further noted the light he is replacing is over forty years old. The light will be located in the same place and with the same colonial decoration.
Since no members of the public were present, Vice President Meyer closed this public hearing.
Ms. Troiano made a motion, seconded by Ms. Russell, to approve HDCR#311, application of Richard M. Tatoian, 1106 Enfield Street, to replace a single carriage light standing fixture with a three-light Victorian standing fixture. The motion was approved by a 5 – 0 – 0 vote. (Chairman Tatoian did not participate in this hearing.)
The Commission voted unanimously to add an item to tonight’s agenda, the replacement of the roof on the Enfield Congregational Church, 1295 Enfield Street. The motion was approved by a 5 – 0 – 0 vote.
Enfield Congregational Church – 1295 Enfield Street – Replacement of Roof
Mr. Meyer presented this application on behalf of the Enfield Congregational Church at 1295 Enfield Street.
Mr. Meyer stated with the amount of rain in the last couple of weeks, the Enfield Congregational Church has been vulnerable. Water cascaded through the roof, above the church organ and down into the sanctuary. Last Sunday, Mr. Meyer met with a member of the church finance committee and the need to replace the roof immediately was discussed. Mr. Meyer offered to address this problem on an emergency basis through the Enfield Historic District Commission.
Mr. Meyer stated the roof is a twenty-year roof and the current layer was installed over the existing layer. The water came through the roof, through the boards over the ceiling, through the insulation and down on to the church organ into the sanctuary causing the need for the emergency meeting. The church officials stated they intend to replace the roof in the same style as the roof on the Fellowship Hall. Their intention is to remove the existing two layers, put on an underlayment of felt and match in kind the roof shingles with Fellowship Hall.
Mr. Meyer stated the estimated cost for this roofing project is $20,000. He would like the Church officials to submit a statement indicating the style of the new roof will be the same style as the existing roof on Fellowship Hall resulting in a common front to Enfield Street. The roof that is leaking is an east/west roof and cannot be seen from Enfield Street unless you travel north or south and look back to the Church. The roof will be black and in the same style.
Chairman Tatoian noted the existing leak is over the old part of the Church and not the annex. What is proposed is to install a new roof on that part of the Church. Mr. Meyer stated the problem is it is getting cold and they would like to get this new roof installed before the winter weather.
Regarding whether the Church was looking to make this improvement in the near future, Mr. Meyer stated they had not anticipated this replacement. The old roof is only twenty-years old and in his opinion it should have lasted longer than twenty years. Mr. Meyer questioned if the Commission has the authority to say that the replacement roof should be age in kind or increased life. His preference is to have them do a thirty-five or forty year roof replacement.
Chairman Tatoian stated policy has been if there is an in-kind replacement of an item in the same color, this could be overseen by the administrative staff. He recommended approval of this roof because the color and appearance are not being changed.
Mr. Meyer stated it was his understanding that the design of the shingles presently on the roof does not match architecturally the ones on the Fellowship Hall. The Church officials now want to make the design common to both roofs. Mr. Meyer suggested adding a better grade of shingles so that the roof will last longer although he was unsure if the Commission has the authority to recommend this.
Chairman Tatoian stated this Commission is more concerned with the appearance. The Church is installing substantially the same style of roofing material and whether it is a quality that will last for ten years or forty years is not an appearance concern.
Mr. Meyer stated when he talked to the Building Department official this afternoon, he asked if it is a requirement of the building code to put an underlayment of felt or paper and the response was it is a requirement. If the Commission votes to approve this roof, Mr. Meyer recommended language be included stating the roof be consistent with the present building code. This would dictate an underlayment and the removal of the two previous coatings.
Chairman Tatoian reiterated the proposal which is to replace the two current layers on the existing roof on the Enfield Congregational Church and replace those two layers with a new roof, the appearance of which will be the same in color (black) and consistent with the current building codes.
Mr. Meyer stated if they remove the two layers presently on the roof, he believes underneath those layers is a membrane of either felt or tar paper. If you have two layers of roof that go over this tar paper, there are lots of holes created by driving shingle nails. That should be removed and then go back to the basic wood structure and build up from there with the new layer of underlayment plus the shingles.
Mr. Gwozdz stated if there is any need to replace some of the plywood due to water damage once the roofs and underlayment are removed, he did not feel there would be a need to come back to this Commission for such plywood replacement. Chairman Tatoian stated that item would be classified as structural repair and it is not associated with the appearance.
Mr. Meyer stated the present gutter system will remain the same and the appearance of the church from the street should be as it is seen today.
Chairman Tatoian opened this hearing to the audience. No one spoke in favor or against this application. Chairman Tatoian closed this public hearing.
Ms. Russell made a motion, seconded by Ms. Smyth, to permit the removal of the present two roofs on the Enfield Congregational Church and to replace those two roofs with a new roof consistent with the present building code of the Town of Enfield. The new roof is to be the same color and style as the one presently on the Annex. The motion was approved by a 5 – 0 – 0 vote.
(Mr. Meyer did not participate in this hearing.)
MINUTES
Ms. Smyth made a motion, seconded by Ms. Troiano, to approve the Minutes of September 28, 2005. The Minutes were approved by a 5 – 0- 1 vote. Ms. Smyth abstained.
OTHER BUSINESS
Mr. Meyer stated he continues to see vehicles for sale on Enfield Street. The Commission has requested that this item be addressed previously. Mr. Meyer requested that the Commission move forward with this modification to the ordinance as quickly as possible.
Ms. Troiano requested that Mr. Alsbaugh look into the possibility of a change in design for the light poles being placed on Enfield Street, the aluminum style light poles, in the Enfield Historic District and the possibility of using an alternative style for the Historic District. There are seven light poles involved. Commission members noted the motion made last month to recommend such action to the Enfield Town Council. Chairman Tatoian will meet with Mr. Alsbaugh and obtain a status report regarding this lighting.
Chairman Tatoian reported that Mr. Alsbaugh will present the ordinance text change regarding adjusting the boundary of the District at next month’s meeting.
ADJOURNMENT
Ms. Russell made a motion, seconded by Mr. Meyer, to adjourn. Following a unanimous vote, the Board adjourned at 7:25 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
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Nancy Smyth, Clerk
Enfield Historic District Commission
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