Demolition of Significant Buildings or Structures

1
Demolition of Significant Buildings or Structures

• Presentation of Waylands proposed Demolition
  Delay Bylaw
• Wayland Planning Board
• February 18, 2003

2
What is a Demolition Delay Bylaw?

• A frequently-used technique to help preserve a
  communitys significant historic buildings and
  structures.
• Important to rememberThis is a delay to try to
  find an alternative to demolition. It is not a
  prohibition.

3
Does Wayland need a Demo Delay Bylaw?

• Wayland residents want to preserve the towns
  aesthetic character.
• Keep the towns semi-rural character, open
  space, and historic nature
• Voted to enlarge the Wayland Center Historic
  District, acquire Greenways and open space, and
  passed the Community Preservation Act.
• Wayland is not immune to demolition
• Demolition of historic houses canunlock
  development.
• Since 1995, 76 houses demolished,some dating
  from 1830s 1870s.

4
What is the Purpose of Waylands Bylaw

• Protect Waylands historic and aesthetic
  qualities.
• Encourage owners to preserve, rehabilitate, and
  restore structures.
• Create a public review of proposed demolitions of
  significantstructures.

5
The Wayland Bylaw

• Follows Massachusetts Historical Commission model
  bylaw
• Administered by the Wayland Historical
  Commission.
• Exterior demolition only.
• 12-Month maximum delay period.
• 50-year inclusion cutoff.
• Applies to Buildings (e.g. houses and barns)and
  Structures, (e.g. stone walls).

6
How will it Work?

• Apply for demolition permit with Building
  Commissioner. If older than 50 years
• Historical Commission gives initial ruling within
  14 days.
• If ruled significant, public notification and
  review is scheduled.
• If ruled preferably preserved at public review,
  maximum of 12-month delay.
• During delay period, owner and Commission meet to
  reach compromise.
• If compromise, delay is waived, otherwise
  demolition can proceed after 12 months.

7
Massachusetts Communities with Demolition Delay
Bylaws
Amesbury
Salisbury
Merrimac
NEWBURYPORT
West Newbury
HAVERHILL
Newbury
Groveland
METHUEN
LAWRENCE
Georgetown
Rowley
Monroe
Clarksburg
Rockport
Leyden
Ashby
Dunstable
Ipswich
Royalston
Dracut
Boxford
Townsend
Warwick
Pepperell
North Andover
Northfield
Bernardston
Winchendon
Rowe
Heath
Ashburnham
Tyngsborough
Colrain
Andover
Florida
Williamstown
NORTH ADAMS
LOWELL
Essex
Topsfield
GLOUCESTER
Hamilton
Tewksbury
Groton
Gill
Chelmsford
Wenham
Middleton
Charlemont
Erving
Lunenburg
Adams
FITCHBURG
Westford
North Reading
Shelburne
Greenfield
GARDNER
Orange
Athol
New Ashford
Danvers
BEVERLY
Wilmington
Shirley
Ayer
Billerica
Savoy
Buckland
Templeton
Manchester-by-the-Sea
Hawley
Wendell
Littleton
Lynnfield
PEABODY
Phillipston
Carlisle
Reading
Cheshire
Westminster
Marblehead
LEOMINSTER
Montague
SALEM
Harvard
Bedford
Burlington
Wakefield
Lanesborough
Hancock
Ashfield
Deerfield
Box-borough
LYNN
Windsor
Plainfield
Hubbardston
Acton
Conway
Lancaster
WOBURN
Swampscott
Stoneham
Saugus
Concord
Petersham
Winchester
Melrose
Leverett
Princeton
Nahant
Sunderland
Sterling
New Salem
Lexington
Dalton
Shutesbury
Stow
Bolton
Malden
Cummington
Maynard
Lincoln
Medford
REVERE
Goshen
Arlington
Barre
PITTSFIELD
Whately
Clinton
EVERETT
Peru
Belmont
Chelsea
Rutland
WALTHAM
Hudson
Sudbury
Somerville
Winthrop
Hinsdale
Berlin
Williamsburg
CAMBRIDGE
WATERTOWN
West Boylston
Worthington
Hatfield
Pelham
Holden
Wayland
Weston
Chesterfield
Boylston
MARL-BOROUGH
Hardwick
Oakham
Amherst
Richmond
Lenox
NEWTON
Brookline
North-borough
Washington
Middlefield
Hadley
New Braintree
Paxton
Framingham
Wellesley
Hull
South-borough
NORTH- AMPTON
Boston
Natick
Needham
Westhampton
Shrewsbury
WORCESTER
West-borough
North Brookfield
West Stockbridge
Lee
Chester
Ware
Ashland
Stockbridge
Huntington
Belchertown
West Brookfield
QUINCY
Becket
Sherborn
Dedham
Spencer
Milton
EAST- HAMPTON
Dover
Cohasset
South Hadley
Granby
Leicester
Hopkinton
Westwood
Hingham
Grafton
Braintree
Scituate
WEYMOUTH
Holliston
Alford
Southampton
East Brookfield
Norwood
Tyringham
Auburn
Medfield
Brookfield
HOLYOKE
Warren
Millbury
Millis
Randolph
Canton
Norwell
Otis
Montgomery
Great Barrington
Ludlow
Upton
Palmer
Blandford
Milford
Holbrook
CHICOPEE
Medway
Walpole
Monterey
Avon
Russell
Rockland
Sutton
Norfolk
Hopedale
North-bridge
Stoughton
Abington
Egremont
Marshfield
Sharon
Hanover
Brimfield
Charlton
WESTFIELD
Wilbraham
Oxford
Provincetown
Springfield
Sturbridge
West Springfield
BROCKTON
Mendon
Whitman
Sandisfield
Monson
FRANKLIN
Hanson
Pembroke
Bellingham
Uxbridge
East Bridge- water
Sheffield
Tolland
New Marlborough
Foxborough
Duxbury
Wrentham
West Bridge- water
Wales
Holland
SOUTHBRIDGE
Dudley
Douglas
Mount Washington
Hampden
Webster
Easton
Granville
AGAWAM
East Long- Meadow
Millville
Black- stone
Southwick
Mansfield
Long- meadow
Plainville
Truro
Halifax
Kingston
Bridgewater
North Attleborough
Norton
Plympton
Wellfleet
Raynham
ATTLEBORO
Middleborough
Plymouth
TAUNTON
Carver
Rehoboth
Eastham
Dighton
Berkley
Seekonk
Lakeville
Orleans
Municipalities in Massachusetts with a Demolition
Delay Bylaw
Wareham
Rochester
Freetown
Swansea
Brewster
Bourne
Somerset
Dennis
Sandwich
Acushnet
Marion
FALL RIVER
Harwich
Yarmouth
Chatham
BARNSTABLE
NEW BEDFORD
Mattapoisett
Fairhaven
Mashpee
Westport
Falmouth
Dartmouth
Source Massachusetts Historical Commission,
Director of Local Government Programs, 220
Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, MA 02125 (617)
727-8470. This map is for planning purposes
only, based on material compiled by the
Massachusetts Historical Commission.
Gosnold
Tisbury
Oak Bluffs
West Tisbury
Edgartown
Chilmark
Aquinnah
Nantucket
9/25/2009
8
Experiences in other towns

• 89 Massachusetts municipalities have a demo delay
  bylaw, including Weston, Lincoln, Sudbury,
  Framingham, and Natick.
• Most demolition applications either dont get
  delayed or have delay shortened.
• In Weston, Delay bylaw passed in 1998
• 150 demolition applications reviewed
• 11 had delays imposed
• 6 delays went the full period
• NO delayed buildings have been demolished
• In Wayland, experience would be similar.
• From 95-02, 173 demolition permits (avg 22/yr)

9
Wayland Neighbors
10
Examples of Saved Buildings
Weston Houses
ca.1880, Acton
Wentworth House, ca. 1700 Dover
11
Support for the Bylaw

• Unanimous approval and co-sponsorshipPlanning
  Board Historic District Commission
• Unanimous approvalBoard of Selectmen.
• Supported byBuilding Commissioner Wayland
  Historical Society (president)Cochituate
  Preservation Assn (president)
• Comment and feedback fromFinance Committee,
  Town Counsel, residents, and local preservations.

12
Next Steps

• Next public presentation at the Historical
  Commissions upcoming meeting, Wednesday, March
  12, 2003 at 730PM.
• More information
• www.wayland.ma.us/historical
• Howard Schultz, Wayland Historical Commission,
  508-655-6818, schultz-winston_at_attbi.com

Bent-Morrell House, Cochituate, Main
St/Commonwealth RdDemolished 1983