Historic Commission Reorganizes for 2015 With Just Half Its Members Present

The commission opened 2015 with its annual reorganization -- electing Herrigel as chair and Githens as vice chair, appointing Debi Henry as secretary, and adopting the year's bylaws and meeting schedule -- before an unusually thin turnout for the rest of the meeting. Only four of the commission's eight members, Herrigel, Githens, Graydon, and Schackner, were present; Wright, Way, McMahon, and Darby were all absent.

An application from John and Susan Wyatt to add a dormer at 202 Baldwin Street was withdrawn after the commission asked for more detail on materials, a full side elevation, and the gable design.

Dr. Bart DeGregorio, owner of 946 Bloomfield Avenue, presented a purely conceptual site plan to convert a separate property he owns at 2 Freeman Parkway into an employee parking lot. No vote or motion was taken on the idea.

The remaining applications were approved unanimously among the four present members: a lot subdivision at 437 Ridgewood Avenue for contract purchaser Michael Cummings that required removing a side sunroom to meet zoning setbacks, with several conditions about reusing existing brick, windows, and sills; door and window changes at 538 Ridgewood Avenue for Eric and Allison Oishi; and a small mudroom addition and relocated porch and stairs at 285 Ridgewood Avenue for Charlotte Forrest and James Napoli.

What to watch

• Whether Dr. DeGregorio submits a formal application to convert 2 Freeman Parkway into an employee parking lot, following his conceptual presentation.