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Owners seek to convert large lawn to native plantings at historic 93 Monument Street; commission requests more detail
Summary
An RDA for landscape work at the historic Gothic Revival house at 93 Monument Street would convert roughly 5,700–6,000 square feet of lawn to native plantings and a wildflower meadow; commissioners asked for a planting plan, an invasive management plan and a table that quantifies buffer impacts.
Architects and landscape designers presented a landscape renovation at the Gothic Revival house at 93 Monument Street that would remove a circular hardscape terrace and convert approximately 5,700 to 6,000 square feet of lawn to native plantings and wildflower meadow within the 100‑foot buffer to an off‑site wetland.
Wes Worth, the landscape architect on the project, said the work places a small amount of new hardscape — a terrace and flagstone walkway totaling roughly 400 square feet — in the 80–100 foot portion of the buffer, with the principal impact being the conversion of existing lawn into a multi‑zone native planting scheme. Worth described the proposed hardscape as smaller than the existing terrace it replaces and said the project would remove an existing low wall and return most of the area to native plantings.
Commissioners requested additional detail for the file. They asked for a tabulated summary on the plan showing the existing and proposed square footage of lawn, hardscape and native planting so the commission can clearly see net changes in buffer impacts. They also requested a written invasive species management plan (the applicant said invasive removal will use hand‑pulling and cutting without herbicide where feasible), a native plant list for the region, and explicit erosion control details (silt fence and wattles were discussed).
Commissioners discussed appropriate methods for converting established lawn to meadow closer to the wetland. Staff suggested slice seeding or other low‑impact techniques rather than tilling in the immediate upper buffer, and recommended erosion controls in the lowest areas near the resource to protect water quality during soil preparation and seeding.
The commission did not close the hearing. Staff offered to review revised plans internally if the applicant submits the requested materials by the Friday deadline (the applicant was asked to deliver revised plans by Friday the 11th by noon) so the matter could be finalized administratively or returned to the commission for a closing vote if significant issues remain.
