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Commission holds proposed large house at 85 Vestal for revisions and site view; requests three height poles
Summary
A proposed multi‑structure project at 85 Vestal drew sustained concern over massing and how the design sits on a steeply sloping lot. Commissioners asked the applicant for design revisions and a site visit with three height poles marking the main ridge and the gable most visible from Dukes Road.
The Historic Commission held a large new‑house proposal at 85 Vestal for revisions and a site visit after commissioners expressed concerns about scale and massing on a steeply sloped lot.
Commissioners described the site as sharply graded and said the applicant’s current design — a main house with secondary structures and a pool — read as crowded and tall when viewed from Dukes Road and nearby vantage points. Several commissioners urged the applicant to reconsider organization of program elements (main house, guest/ancillary structures and pool) so the project responds to the natural grade rather than flattening/terracing the lot into larger visible walls.
The board voted to hold the application and required three site poles marking the principal ridge lines (two on main ridges and one on the gable facing Dukes Road) so commissioners can evaluate height and visibility in context. The applicant was asked to work on alternative layouts that better follow topography and to notify staff when poles are installed.
