Historic District Commission
Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Meeting Minutes

The Historic District Commission held a public hearing on Tuesday, April 23, 2024 at Town Hall, 705 Chesham Road. Prior to the hearing, the HDC conducted a site visit at 10 Main Street, the subject property for the hearing.

HDC attendees: Noel Greiner, Sarah Tibbetts, Andrew Maneval and Nick Colony
Members of the public: Erin Hammerstedt, Andrea Hodson and Les LaMois

Site visit
At 6:45 pm, the HDC met to walk the site, where the property owners described the proposed installation of 2 interior mini-splits on their second floor, and 1 on the 3rd floor, and a second exterior compressor adjacent to the existing compressor. Members also viewed the proposed locations of electrical connections associated with the new units.  Discussion centered on the locations of the installations, and plans for visual screening from the public view.

Meeting at Town Hall
Immediately following the site visit, the board and attendees convened at Town Hall, when, at 7:15 pm, Chair Noel Greiner called the meeting to order.

  • Agenda – Following a motion from Mr. Maneval, the HDC approved the agenda.
  • Minutes of March 26 – Members approved the minutes of the previous meeting. Mr Maneval abstained due to absence.
  • HDC #2024-2 – Andrea Hodson and Les LaMois, 10 Main Street (Map 32 – Lot 1), application to install a heat pump system, with external compressor and associated electrical lines. The board confirmed the information presented at the site visit and in the application paperwork, noting the conduit and lines would be painted to match the existing trim on the house and that plantings or a cover would be added as visual shields for the compressor.

The board further noted written input from absent HDC member and application reviewer Kully Mindemann, who expressed support in general for non-historic features that provide energy efficiency, such as compressors for heat pumps, where the effort is made to be as unobtrusive as possible. Mr. Mindemann also requested that the lines be painted to match the house, and noted that none of the proposed improvements constitutes an irreversible change to the historic property.  He favors approval.

With no further questions or discussion, Mr. Maneval moved to approve the application. Nick Colony seconded. All voted in favor.

  • Election of officers/roles – Chair, Vice Chair and Application Reviewer – The HDC deferred voting on officers until the May meeting and full attendance.
  • New business – Mr. Maneval raised the initiative under way between the town and Historic Harrisville to apply for a Moose Plate Grant for funds to repair town owned historic structures. Possible projects include repairs to the stone columns at the entrance to Aldworth Manor Road, repointing of brick at the town library, and or repairs to the police station. Mr. Greiner declined the opportunity for the HDC to take on involvement, feeling it should be the work of the Select Board.
  • Adjournment – The meeting adjourned at 7:30 pm.