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Planning Board recommends three-area expansion of New Shoreham Historic District to town council
Summary
After public comment, the planning board voted to send a favorable recommendation to the town council to expand the town's Historic District to cover three areas: New Harbor commercial corridor, Horn Neck Road north to Mosquito Beach, and Old Town Road near Connecticut Avenue; homeowners will have another chance to comment at the council hearing.
The New Shoreham Planning Board voted on Wednesday, March 12 to recommend that the town council expand the local Historic District to include three additional areas, sending the proposal with a favorable recommendation for a council public hearing.
The proposed expansion covers (1) the New Harbor commercial area — Beach Avenue/West Ocean Avenue to Westside Road; (2) Horn Neck Road extending north to Mosquito Beach (Plat 4, Lot 70); and (3) Old Town Road on either side of Connecticut Avenue, as shown on the plat maps discussed at the meeting. Board members said the change is intended to align the historic-district boundaries with updated zoning and plat maps and to avoid “spotty” boundaries that leave adjacent properties treated differently.
Arlene (last name not specified), speaking for the Historic District Commission, said the commission favored the additions to make district boundaries more consistent and to protect historically significant properties along those corridors. Several residents spoke at the meeting. Sam Kretchmer, a Connecticut Avenue property owner, asked how the change would affect routine repairs and window replacements; HDC members and staff said in-kind repairs generally do not require HDC review and that the HDC provides guidelines homeowners can consult.
One written objection was noted for the record: property owners Rosalie and Sean (last name spelled in correspondence) submitted a letter opposing inclusion of their property north of Mosquito Beach.
After discussion the planning board made a motion to forward a favorable recommendation to the town council. The motion was seconded and carried; the board then added a contingent recommendation that the planning board would support adding Plat 5, Lot 90 if the Historic District Commission decides at its next meeting to include that parcel.
The planning board chair noted the town council will hold a separate public hearing on the proposal; owners of affected properties will receive formal notice and will have an additional opportunity to comment at the council hearing.
