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Select Board remands 13 South Street demolition appeal to Historic Commission
Summary
Following a public hearing, the Medfield Select Board agreed to remand an appeal over a demolition‑delay decision for 13 South Street back to the Historic Commission so the owner can present additional evidence about preservation efforts and marketing; the board continued its hearing to June 16.
The Medfield Select Board on May 19 heard an appeal of the Historic Commission's decision on 13 South Street and agreed to remand the matter to the Historic Commission for further consideration.
Attorney Ted Cannon urged the board to weigh the property's 12‑year history of marketing and prior permits, noting the owner previously obtained a demolition permit in 2014 and has been unable to secure a buyer or developer willing to preserve the structure. "They've been trying for 12 years to find a suitable home for the home," Cannon told the board, asking that the board reduce or waive an 18‑month delay or remand the matter so additional facts can be considered.
Board members and town counsel clarified the Select Board's role: to determine on the record whether there was a reasonable factual basis for the Historic Commission's findings that the structure is historically significant and "preferably preserved." Historic Commission members told the Select Board they had discussed potential rehabilitation with the owner and an architect and that, in the commission's view, the earlier record did not include documentation showing sustained, bonafide marketing or other actions sufficient to lift the delay.
After discussion, the Select Board indicated a consensus to remand the appeal to the Historic Commission and to give both parties an opportunity to present additional materials under the bylaw's F(1)–F(3) criteria. The board moved to continue the Select Board hearing and set a status date of June 16 at 6:00 p.m. to receive an update. The remand preserves the Historic Commission's jurisdiction while creating an opportunity for the owner to present new evidence to demonstrate efforts to sell, rehabilitate, or otherwise preserve the property.
What happens next: the Historic Commission will be asked to accept remand and schedule a hearing for any additional materials the owner wishes to present. The Select Board will keep the matter on its calendar and review the commission's record following that hearing.
