Commission grants retroactive approvals for porch work at 106 Elm Street with conditions to restore spindle design and paint

The Worcester Historical Commission on Sept. 18 granted retroactive approvals for porch work at 106 Elm Street in the Elm Park local historic district after the homeowner acknowledged work had been done without a prior permit.

Homeowner Maria de Oliveira Baieta told the commission she did not realize the house was subject to historic-district review and said she pulled a building permit for other work but not for the porch alterations. Commissioners noted that a properly pulled permit would have triggered historic-district review and warned that prior cases have resulted in fines for starting work without permits.

Commissioners and staff negotiated corrective measures rather than imposing a fine. The commission required the homeowner to replace the current squared porch spindles with decorative wooden spindles on all three floors, paint all replaced porch elements white (including undersides where previously white), and install wooden lattice painted white on the lower portion beneath the first-floor porch. The homeowner agreed to those conditions and to coordinate spindle details with staff; commissioners said the homeowner likely would not need to return to the full commission for approval of the agreed details so long as staff reviews conforming material samples.

The commission approved both a retroactive certificate of appropriateness and a retroactive demolition‑delay waiver by roll call. Commissioners emphasized the importance of following permit procedures in the future and noted that fines have been applied in other retroactive cases.