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Historic Preservation chair seeks clearer standards, public outreach and a March training
Summary
Leslie Talbot, chair of the Historic Preservation Commission, asked the board for help making certificate-of-appropriateness standards clearer online, outlined plans for a March training class, and requested staff assistance with outreach and promotion.
Leslie Talbot, chair of the Spencer Historic Preservation Commission, used the public-comment period on Nov. 18 to report on the commission’s work clarifying ambiguous standards and improving public access to guidance.
Talbot said the commission has been reviewing the certificate-of-appropriateness process and identified language she described as ambiguous; the commission is revising standards so residents can find requirements without wading through lengthy documents. She said the commission is also planning a training class in March and asked town staff (she addressed 'Peter' by name in the meeting) to help with promotion and outreach because she does not use Facebook.
Talbot noted the commission is maintaining standards required by the certified-local-government process and said the town has lost historic homes over time, making an accessible standards package and a process to identify historic homes important. She asked for one staff contact to help publicize the March class and other outreach opportunities; the board acknowledged the request and encouraged staff follow-up.
Talbot’s remarks were informational and focused on improving public access to preservation standards and on training for residents and property owners.
