By Melanie Petrucci, Senior Community Reporter
Shrewsbury – The Historic Preservation Bylaw Committee met with the Board of Selectmen Dec. 12 to discuss a proposed demolition delay bylaw to preserve historically significant buildings. Selectmen fell short in supporting the bylaw.
“We have some concern that we may be losing some beautiful historic structures and that loss may be greater as time goes on,” said committee member Kevin Byrne. “Many of these properties go back to the early 1700s.”
Several residents concerned with preserving the heritage and history of Shrewsbury formed this committee. Byrne, the committee’s spokesperson, sought support from selectmen for the bylaw to be included on the May 2018 Annual Town Meeting Warrant. The bylaw would serve to stall any prospective demolition of property meeting certain criteria.
Committee member Bernie Forletta reviewed a list of demolished properties that were of historic value, including the Jason Ware House that was built in 1790.
“It was the Nathan Howe house that precipitated the establishment of this committee to see if a process could be interjected to at least slow down the demolition of these old houses,” Forletta said, adding that 150 Massachusetts communities already have a demolition delay bylaw; many are neighboring communities.
“This bylaw is directed to the historically significant buildings only when and if a developer or an owner proposed that their building be demolished,” said Allyn Taylor.
Further, the bylaw would require selectmen to nominate a seven-member Bylaw Operating Committee.
If a house were older than 1900, the building inspector would notify the operating committee, which would research the house for historical significance; architectural or geographical importance; or listing in the National Historic Registry. If so, then a public hearing would be held and then a six-month delay would be initiated to work out a solution.
Selectman Beth Casavant asked what options would be offered a property owner if faced with the delay. Forletta referenced the option of dismantling the structure and moving it, as was the case of the Bonnie Dell Farm, which was recently dismantled and moved to Boylston.
“I love your objective, but I want you to consider a different path to achieving it and that is through an incentive as opposed to what I call a burdensome bylaw,” Selectman Jim Kane said.
He countered by suggesting getting ahead of the problem by reaching out to property owners to see if they would enter into an agreement offering an historical entity in town the “first right of refusal” to purchase.
“I don’t know if you’ve actually seen what other towns have done in this regard, but I suggest that you do because on an initial read this sounds terrific, but what would this actually mean when I’m trying to sell my house?” asked Board Chair John Lebeaux.
Selectmen Moe DePalo and Moira Miller agreed, maintaining that elements of the bylaw were overreaching, onerous and subjective.
The board asked the committee to do a bit more work to find out how other communities have fared in implementing their bylaws. They were also informed as to the timeline and process of getting the bylaw on the warrant for the May 2018 Annual Town Meeting.