Sudbury panel approves partial demolition at 286; building inspector may issue permit

The Sudbury Historical Commission voted unanimously Nov. 12 that the portion of a house at 286 that the applicants plan to remove is not historically significant and that the town—s building inspector may issue a demolition permit for that part.

Chair Chris Hager opened the item by summarizing the property—s MACRIS inventory and a commission site visit. He said the front of the house dates to the mid-1700s and has historic associations with local families such as Nixon, Moore and Haynes, but the rear sections targeted by the proposal include later additions and a garage rebuilt after a 1978 fire. "I think it's obvious that the house is historically significant," Hager said while distinguishing the older front portion from the later, altered rear sections.

Members who inspected the property told the commission the area planned for demolition is a later, non-original portion. Commissioner Jan Costa and Bill (surname not specified on the record) agreed the demolition would affect newer parts of the house, and commissioners who did not attend the site visit said they would follow the guidance of those who did. The applicant told the commission the proposed rebuild would be "very conscious of making it look nice compared to and similar to the rest of the house."

Hager moved the formal motion that the application for 286 (the record alternately lists the street as Old Sudbury Road and Old Lancaster Road) covers a portion of the structure the commission determined is not historically significant and that the building inspector may issue a demolition permit. The motion was seconded and approved on a roll-call vote recorded in the meeting as "Yes" from Bill; Jan; Chris Dural (name as recorded); Margie; and Chris Hager, a 5–0 tally.

Hager said he would notify the building inspector and copy the applicants. The commission's action ends the Demolition-Delay review for the portion of the house the panel found nonhistoric; the older front portion remains documented in the MACRIS inventory and unchanged by this vote.

Next steps: the chair will notify the building inspector and circulate the vote. The commission and applicants discussed how the rebuilt addition will be designed to fit the older portions of the house.