HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/06/1986 BET14EEN-MEETINGS WORK SESSION
of the
SOUTHOLD TOWN -LANDMARK PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Nov. 6, 1986
The Town of Southold has received a notice that we cannot be
designated a Certified Local Government by the N.Y.State Dept. of
Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation because our Town laws
protecting architecture have no teeth. This bars us from seeking
funding from this source, and has led to several actions :
1. Ralph Williams has volunteered to do an analysis of the historic
preservation laws of East Hampton Village, Southampton Town, the Office of
Parks; lRecreation & Historic Preservation and Southold Town Local
Law #1, 1983. After analyzing these, he will write a draft historic
preservation statement (law) to cover the specific needs of Southold Town.
Ralph will bring this draft statement to be discussed at our next regular
board meeting on November 26, or as soon as possibl;, thereafter.
2 . The demolition of the historic Hartranft house on Main Road,
Southold hamlet,on October 29 gave impetus to the above ,action, and to the
possibility of passing a stronger protective law by the Town Board. In its
work session of-Nov. 6 the Town Board sent the following note:- to the
Landmark Commission:
it The Landmarks Preservation Committee should have power to designate
any building it sees fit in the Town, and once this designation is
established, the owner loses its designation if he alters the building so
that it no longer represents an historic site.
"Demolition of an historic building must get a permit like any other
demolition requires, .,but this permit should be checked against the
Landmarks .
"If the house is found to be on the Preservation' Committee 's list of
historic buildings, a 30-day delay would be imposed, .during which time the
board could publish a notice in the local papers about the forthcoming
demolition. "
During the work session the Landmark Commission responded as follows :
"The Town of Southold has applied for certification as a Certified Local
Government with the N.Y.State office of Parks, Recreation & Historic
Preservation. The Town of Southold has been judged by the above agency as
not having the requirements for certification. In order to meet these
requirements the Landmark Commission must have the power to
regulate any demolition, new construction or major exterior alteration of
any structure or area within the town of Southold which has been designated a
Southold Town Landmark. The present Local Law #1-1983 does not impose any
obligation or responsibility upon the owner thereof, nor does such
designation in any manner restrict the use, development, repair
maintenance, alteration or modification of the property by the owner
thereof.
The Landmark Commission feels that this law must be changed to meet the
requirements of certification.
Landmark Work Session, page 2
Barbara Van Liew told the commission that there was said to be a 16001sl
on the Hartranft property, whose basement should still be' in the ground -
there . Subsequent houses were built on top of it. She thinks SEQRA would
apply. Before anything is built on the property, she thinks a professional
archeologist should do a dig, on the property. The town would then have a
record of the early site, possibly artifacts, and might wish to put up a
plaque on the property.
A gentleman from Southwold, England - Sir Arnold de Montmorency -
visited Joy Bear and Ralph Williams last summer, and was impressed by a
tour of Ralph's Terry-Mulford house. At that time Sir Arnold proposed -
and in a letter dated August 28 and just received, reiterated - that our
two towns, Southwold, England and Southold, Long Island, have a joint
celebration in 1990. Southwold will be celebrating its 500th anniversary,
and Southwold its 350th anniversary.
All commissioners expressed enthusiasm for this joint project, and
asked (appointed) Ralph Williams to head up plans for the celebration.
Joy Bearwrote press releases and• texts ,for. photographs to be given
to newspapers when our town inventories are delivered to the various
libraries . (Cutchogue Library and the Southold Town Building Department
already have theirs . ) The text was approved with certain suggested changes .
We are waiting to distribute the inventories to the libraries until
Bill Peters adds loose-leaf steel backing to the pages of the Cutchogue
Library's reports . We want to show this idea to other libraries when we
deliver the inventories - it protects the 1030 pages from becoming scrambled ,
So many requests are received by the Landmark Commission, asking that
old houses be analyzed and documented, that Bill Peters suggested that
the Commission members meet every Friday at 9 a.m. to undertake this work.
The commissioners voted to do this . The following houses are scheduled
to be examined :
Edwards House, Main Road, Orient. Requested by John Quinlan of
Top Sales . Will be analyzed by Landmark Commission Nov. 14, 1986
Joseph Horton House, Main Road, Southold . New owner, John Henry
to be analyzed Nov.21, 1986
Jean Cochran has been appointed the liasonperson between the Town
Board and the Landmark Commission. We are very pleased about this
designation. Welcome aboard, Jean.