Fed up with the torrid pace of teardowns of historically significant buildings in town, the Wellesley Historical Commission has launched a petition online to gather support for a possible Historic Preservation Demolition Review Bylaw. The Commission cites adverse town character and environmental impacts related to teardowns.
In posting the smart growth petition to share with town government, the Commission refers to the town’s 2007-2017 Comprehensive Plan, which points out the challenges of maintaining Wellesley’s character in the face of teardowns and mansionization.
Wellesley has established a Large House Review process, but teardowns such as the one last week on Kenilworth Road continue to take place regularly. We’ve heard rumblings that some property owners have attempted to preserve historical homes but have resorted to teardowns when unable to get town boards to bend on proposed additions.
While the Historical Commission has no power to stop teardowns, it does try to at least make property owners aware of any historical significance if it becomes aware of possible changes to buildings. The potential bylaw would formalize a review process during which town officials and property owners might work out agreements that would preserve at least components of such structures.
As the Commission likes to point out, all of Wellesley’s surrounding communities such as Natick, Dover, Needham, Newton, and Weston have demolition review bylaws. Also, a survey conducted by the Wellesley Planning Board’s Residential Development Working Group late last year found that almost three quarters of respondents said they were concerned about the number of teardowns in town and the impact of new construction on the town’s character.
A Wellesley Townsman review earlier this year of the teardown situation showed that 95 teardown permits were issued in 2015, way up from 13 back in 1991 when a demolition delay bylaw nearly passed at Town Meeting.
the commission is part of the reason for tear downs – additions and even paint color have to be approved – I’d tear the house down too just so I don’t have to deal with these self righteous people
The above post relies on a few common factual misconceptions, which warrant clarification.
First, under existing town and state law, only the Wellesley Zoning Board of Appeals and the Wellesley Planning Board have legal authority to approve (or disapprove) additions that cannot otherwise be built “by right.” The Wellesley Historical Commission simply has no such legal authority. See Article 17 of the Town Bylaws.
Second, although historical commissions in some *other* communities might have the authority to regulate paint colors of certain historic houses (if given to them by their Town Meeting or City Council), the Wellesley Historical Commission simply does not have that legal authority, either.
Indeed, far from making it harder to renovate historic homes, the Wellesley Historical Commission has in the past worked collaboratively with homeowners to identify options that would both maintain historic character and provide 21st century functionality, and has supported those homeowners’ applications for zoning relief.
Both comments above are misleading. The town meeting member’s answer is incomplete. The Historic District Commission (which is different from the Historical Commission) does have considerable power to control paint color, style, and other visible exterior features in Wellesley Historic districts (such as Cottage Street). But Lisa’s initial comment is also incorrect. You can’t tear down a house in the historic district, so neither the Historical Commission nor the Historic District Commission can be blamed for the teardowns.
seeing what is going on in Wellesley is making me to wonder why this could be happening. I was born in Wellesley, grew up in Wellesley, went to school. My family has been living in Wellesley for over 90 yrs . What has been going on is making my town an unfriendly town. I get very sad when I see and hear what is happening. Sincerely Frances Gerard Day, 65 High Ledge Ave