Historic district approves vinyl siding on detached garage amid wide public debate over draft guidelines

The Bedford Historic District Commission on Feb. 3 approved a certificate of approval allowing Susan and David Clark to replace deteriorated wood clapboard on a detached garage at 62 Bedford Center Road with textured CertainTeed vinyl siding, and to repair damaged trim. The approval was subject to standard conditions: completion within two years and submission of photographs of the finished work for the commission file.

David Clark, who identified himself at the hearing, described repeated paint failure and rot on the garage and said he selected a textured CertainTeed product with a 5-inch reveal and a Wedgwood Blue color intended to match the house’s existing profile. "It's just all the paint doesn't scallop. . . . I'm just sick and tired of it looking so crummy," he said while explaining prior repair attempts.

The Clark application became a focal use case for a long public discussion about draft historic-district regulations and design guidelines that were released to commissioners and the public that evening. Staff said the critical ordinance changes will be on the March 10 ballot; the regulations and a second draft of the guidelines are scheduled for March 3 with a public hearing on April 7. Staff also noted that grant funding tied to the guideline project expires in June, creating a near-term timeline.

Residents and some commissioners urged clearer, less ambiguous language in the guidelines and asked for concrete "safe-harbor" lists of acceptable products so homeowners know when they do not need to appear before the commission. Deirdre Menard and others said the current draft uses language that is too discretionary or prescriptive in different places and warned it could be interpreted as effectively binding. One audience member said the town attorney had advised that trying to restrict paint colors could conflict with the charter; staff responded that legal interpretation may vary and the ordinance — not the advisory guidelines — controls legal requirements.

Several speakers said enforcement, whether guidelines would be treated like regulations, and who is covered by the district are practical concerns. James Dumont raised a procedural complaint about a planning-board petition and whether the HDC's prior recommendation had been conveyed to the planning board; commissioners said they would follow up on the liaison role and minute records.

After extended discussion the commission voted to approve the Clark garage siding application; the chair announced the ayes had carried. Staff will post revised drafts and circulate them by email for further comment ahead of the March/April schedule announced.