Needham to list its historic houses
How do you prevent Needham from becoming ''Anyplace USA?"
That was the question before Town Meeting Wednesday, as it considered which projects to back with its first disbursement of Community Preservation funds.
It backed projects ranging from restoring footbridges to replacing public housing units near High Rock Elementary School.
But the least expensive project drew the most flak, before it was approved by a voice vote. The Historical Commission requested $25,000 to hire a preservation specialist to expand the town's inventory of historically significant houses. So far, the local inventory lists 69 houses.
A shoestring operation running on $513 a year, the Historical Commission has depended on volunteers to research houses, said commission president Carol Boulris.
Supporters in the audience argued that its old houses give Needham its charm.
''Charm can be a four-letter word," said Maurice P. Handel, president of the Needham Historical Society, pointing out that historic designation can lead to restrictions on renovation and disposition of property. Still, Handel supported the article, because it protects Needham from becoming ''Anyplace, USA."
Town Meeting member Ford Peckham raised concerns about whether owners would be under any obligation if their houses were listed in the inventory.
"What if the Historical Commission knocked on my door and said, 'This is a historic house,' and I said: 'Go away. It's my house. Don't bother me,' " Peckham said.
"We have no intention of telling people they can't paint their house with purple polka dots," Boulris said.
While the local inventory does not place renovation restrictions on the houses, it does allow for the Historical Commission to place a six-month delay on demolishing listed property. That gives the commission time to try to persuade the owner to preserve the house or allow it to be moved to another location.
Boulris said the commission considers a house historically significant if it is archetypal of its era, such as a prime example of a Georgian Revival or an 1840s farmhouse or if it was the residence of a key figure in local history.
The preservation specialist will map National Registry houses and the locations of historic houses that have been razed. Boulris said the map will enable the commission to track demolition trends and perhaps set up the town's first historic district. The specialist will also be asked to research preservation grants.
The big-ticket item Wednesday night was the Needham Housing Authority's proposal to tear down 20 public housing units on 25 acres near Linden Street and replace them with duplexes. These 1,000-square-foot ranches were built after World War II for the soldiers and their families.
The authority, which manages the property, requested $250,000 to pay for an architect, legal fees, and other preliminary costs.
It showed preliminary designs for the gabled, two-story duplexes. Half the 40 units would be condominiums priced at about $150,000, the others would be rentals. The High Rock project would cost at least $9 million.
Residents of the razed houses would have first option on buying or renting the new units, said Cynthia Howe, executive director of the Housing Authority.
Among the other appropriations, Town Meeting approved spending $47,000 to map and refurbish the town's trail system. Many of the trails are overgrown and inaccessible, proponents said.
Also approved was a plan to restore two footbridges at Ridge Hill Reservation at a cost of $58,000. This money will fund a survey of the area and engineering designs. Construction could begin in November 2007.
Needham adopted the Community Preservation Act in 2004. It is funded by a 2 percent surtax on property tax bill, matched by the state.
