Heritage Commission Minutes 2/14/18

Stratham Heritage Commission
Meeting Minutes
February 14, 2018
7:00 pm
Land Use Conference Room

Present:  Nathan Merrill, Rebecca Mitchell, Michael Houghton, Tammy Hathaway
Absent:  Florence Wiggin, David Canada, Wallace Stuart
Guests:  Forrest Barker, Paul Deschaine at 7:15, Tavis Austin at 7:25

CONVENED:  At 7:00 pm by Chair Merrill

Mr. Merrill appointed Ms. Hathaway to serve as a voting member.

Secretary’s Report: The January 10, 2018 public meeting minutes were approved (Ms. Mitchell, Mr. Houghton, unanimous).  The January 10, 2018 non-public meeting minutes were approved as presented and remain sealed. (Mr. Houghton, Ms Mitchell, unanimous).  The February 1, public meeting minutes were approved (Ms. Mitchell, Ms. Hathaway, unanimous).  The February 1, non-public meeting minutes were approved as presented and remain sealed (Mr. Houghton, Ms. Mitchell, unanimous)

Treasurer’s Report:  Mr. Merrill reported in the absence of Mr. Stuart.  The operating budget of 2017 was $4,900 and expenditures totaled $3,885.  The proposed budget for 2018 is $5,900.  The Heritage Fund year-end balance was $7,038 and the Heritage Preservation Fund year-end balance was $93,891.  An invoice of $40.00 for Seacoast Memorial was submitted in January and a deposit to the Heritage Fund of $300.00 was made from the donation from Architectural Salvage.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Planning Board:  Mr. Houghton noted that applications for a four lot sub-division off Sandy Point Road and a three lot sub-division off Stratham Lane had been submitted.  The Emanuel office expansion on Portsmouth avenue has been approved and construction will be starting soon.  Mr. Austin explained that he had four proposals come in for the Master Plan rewrite, and he is reviewing them with Mr. Deschaine. The Board of Selectmen will have the final decision on selecting the firm.

Technical Review Committee:  Mr. Merrill reported that TRC has not met, but the next meeting is scheduled for 2/27/18 at 5:00 pm to review an application for two new buildings at 149 and 151 Portsmouth Avenue.

Demolition Review Committee:  Committee has not met since our last meeting.

OLD BUSINESS:

Bartlett-Cushman House:  Ms. Mitchell and Colleen Lake have met with an interested person to possibly have an antique store on the bottom floor and apartment on the second floor. Ms. Mitchell will follow up with Ms. Lake and update the web-page information on the house.

Portsmouth Avenue Survey:  Ms. Mitchell noted that the review process was still ongoing.  She shared a copy of the draft report with Joyce Rowe, who has finished reading and making edits.  Ms. Mitchell noted that Lisa Mausolf’s research will be helpful for developing the Stratham Hill Park interpretive sign that is slated to be built with the $9,000 mitigation money from the cell tower constructed at 313 Portsmouth Avenue in 2014.

Old Town Hall: Mr. Austin showed preliminary site plans for two new buildings adjacent to the Old Town Hall and pointed out that there are two waivers requested that will come before the Technical Review Committee on 2/27/18.  After a review and discussion of the plans, the Commission consensus is that they are inconsistent with the Town Center zoning regulations.  (Mr. Merrill, TRC member, and Mr. Houghton, Planning Board member, both abstained.)  Ms. Mitchell will attend the TRC meeting and convey that the Heritage Commission feels that the site plan should conform to the Town Center zoning regulations.  Mr. Merrill and Ms. Mitchell reviewed the proposed outline of the preservation easement terms for the Old Town Hall.  Architect Gregory Colling has looked at the building with Ms. Mitchell and they will be looking at the windows along with Alison Hardy next week.  Ms. Mitchell will prepare an informational flyer for the March 6, 2018 candidates night / warrant information night at the library.

Scamman Farm:  Nothing new to report, waiting until after the budget passes at Town Meeting to commence work on the National Register nomination.

Veterans’ Memorial Garden:  Nothing new to report.

Photo Archives:  Nothing new to report.

New Business:

Town Report:  Mr. Merrill has finished and submitted to Mr. Deschaine the annual summary of the Commission’s work for the Town Report.

Town Meeting:  The presentation of our warrant article at Town Meeting on March 16, 2018 was discussed.  Mr. Houghton will introduce the article from the Board of Selectmen’s perspective.  Mr. Merrill and Ms. Mitchell will likely both speak for the Heritage Commission on behalf of the article for funding a preservation easement for the Old Town Hall.  A brief Powerpoint presentation featuring historic photos will likely be developed.

Next Meeting:  March 14, 2018 at 7:00 pm in the Land Use Conference Room.

The meeting adjourned at 8:50 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Tammy Hathaway
Secretary