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Heritage Commission Agenda and Minutes

A motion was made by Mr. Patterson to allow the applicants to have the tree removed from the property and seconded by Dr. Black. Chairperson Figueroa asked if there was any discussion regarding the motion.

Ms. Fraser asked whether the developers knew about the proposed changes, and Mr. Patterson replied that the Sanel Block developer worked, in partnership with the City, with the Legislature to amend the statute in June 2009. Mr. Patterson also stated that the Tax Relief does not reward the destruction of historical or architecturally significant buildings. He said that the Heritage Commission should be ready to act on the Sanel Block project at their November meeting.

Chairperson Figueroa stated that he, Mr. Patterson, a representative from the State Division of Historic Resources, and Matt Cashman from the Amesbury School District, met regarding the Certified Local Government Grant. (The unofficial word is that the Heritage Commission received a grant, but that it was less than what was requested. The reason given was that there were a larger number of applicants). The School District may have to do a Section 106 Inventory in conjunction with the consolidation anyway, so it was thought that perhaps the School District would be willing to fund the balance of what the Heritage Commission requested for the grant and have the Commission do the inventory.

Mr. Tolles asked about the number of applications for tree removal that have come to the Heritage Commission. Mr. Patterson recalled that the Kimball Jenkins Estate and the Pierce Manse had applied to the Heritage Commission.

Mr. Patterson stated that the City, through the Conservation Commission, plants a variety of street trees, which withstand the salt in the winter and the lack of watering in the summer (aside from the rain).

Mr. Patterson explained the history of RSA 79-E and stated that two Charley'sproperties had applied for this tax relief in the past. With the Sanel Block project, the developer will be removing non-historic buildings and also applying for tax relief. The issue for the Heritage Commission as it relates to the re-adoption concerns only the section on page 3 of the form, regarding historic structures. He stated that City Council would be acting on the re-adoption of the RSA 79-E at the October Council meeting, and that the Sanel Block developers would be coming to the Heritage Commission’s November meeting.

Chairperson Figueroa said that the Outraging maple was an invasive species. He also stated that the Kimball School of Art had forwarded a communication notifying that they had no objections to the tree being removed.