Commission moves to simplify designation application with an online Google form and vetting step

Ryan Pearson presented a draft Google form intended to simplify applications for local landmark designations and to lower barriers for applicants. He described the Google form as “an easy place to start” and walked members through proposed fields, conditional questions for owners vs. non-owner applicants, and required uploads. Pearson said photos are required, and commissioners discussed which photos (right-of-way/front elevation, four corners as optional) would best support applications while minimizing burden on applicants.

The commission focused on user experience and administrative efficiency. Members recommended staff look up technical identifiers such as zoning district or tax-map ID rather than forcing applicants to provide them; they also suggested conditional fields (for example, only ask ownership-notification questions when the applicant is not the owner). Commissioners favored a gatekeeping vetting step: a brief, public review at a regular meeting to decide whether an application merits a full, formal hearing, which would reduce unnecessary hearings for clearly ineligible submissions.

Practical steps discussed included setting required photo guidance, adding checkboxes tied to the town code’s designation criteria, creating a shared commission email for incoming applications routed to the chair and town historian, and publishing the cultural-resources survey as a fill-in aid for applicants. Ryan said he would place the draft in the shared drive and make it editable for members to test and refine.

No formal vote was taken on a final form; staff will circulate the live draft for additional comment and incorporate guidance on required photos and conditional questions before posting an embeddable form on the town website.