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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Town, and once this designation is established, the owner loses its designation if he alters the building so that it no longer represents an historic site.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.