The Historic District Commission met on May 24, 2007. The following are the Historic District Commission Minutes.

1. Call to Order of Regular Meeting

Chairperson Welch called the meeting to order at 7:10 PM. 

2. Roll Call Martha Welch, Chair, Present, Joseph Bella, Present, Raymond Dufresne, Absent, Robert Fabino, Absent, Christine Metzemaekers, Present, Katherine Robinson, Alternate, Present, David Sigillo, Alternate, Absent, Walter Winn, Absent 

Others in Attendance

Lynn Smiledge, Historic Planner, City of Methuen, Frank Welch, Methuen, Edna Chery, Needlyn’s Bridal, Methuen 

3. Acceptance of April 26, 2007 Minutes, Commissioners agreed to postpone acceptance of the minutes of the April 26, 2007 meeting until the June meeting.  

4. Old Business 

Ms. Smiledge reported that Jim Keenan from Enterprise Bank requested postponement of the bank’s application continuation until the June meeting.  

5. Chair Approvals Commissioner Welch reported that the following applications had been granted chair approvals: Robert Broadley, 36 Park St. – wall, steps and handrail repair, Cale Wood, 265 Broadway – roof repair in kind, Dung Pham, 12 Charles St. – fence installation at rear of property 

6. Other Business Violations and EnforcementMs. Smiledge reported that she contacted Norma Reich at 16 Ditson Place about the recent fence installation at the property. Mrs. Reich stated that the fence application was approved by the Historic District Commission, but was unsure of the date. Ms. Smiledge will create a letter to the file to that effect. She will follow up with the Reich’s neighbors on Park St. about approval of their new fence. Council Subcommittee (Municipal Code Sections 24 & 25)Ms. Smiledge and Commissioners discussed compilation of the historic building inventory requested by Councilor Leone.

A meeting will be scheduled for interested members of the Historic District and Historical Commissions to 1) develop a strategy for identifying significant structures that were not previously surveyed and 2) to devise significance criteria. Ms. Smiledge noted that the Searles Estate was not listed individually on the National Register; Commissioners agreed that a nomination should be pursued. 

Miscellaneous

Ms. Smiledge reported that she would spend the summer months working through the Massachusetts Historical Commission procurement process to hire a preservation consultant to develop the walking tour brochure. The Design Guidelines Handbook is undergoing final revisions and will go to press in June. 7.

New Business 

A. Discussion: Needlyn’s Bridal/Edna Chery, 225 Broadway: display case Ms. Chery described the compelling need for increased visibility for her store and proposed installation of a display case in the garden space near the building entrance. The case would house a mannequin and would resemble those used at businesses on Boylston and Newbury Streets in Boston. Commissioners asked Ms. Chery to bring scale drawings, dimensions, and lighting details to the next Commission meeting for further discussion of the proposed case.  MOTION BY Commissioner Bella to adjourn the meeting. Second by Commissioner Robinson. UNANIMOUS VOTE.

Meeting Adjourned at 7:50 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Lynn Smiledge