Opinion: Regarding resident concerns about proposed historic district

To the editor:

This is a follow up to the recent public meetings where several people voiced concerns about the proposed historic district bylaw. As chair of the Marion Historical Commission, the town’s appointed preservation board, I hope I can reassure you that your concerns are being fully acknowledged and addressed by the Study Committee.

There are several key points that bear further emphasis:

• Preservation PROTECTS your investment in your property and ADDS VALUE to your property and all properties in the district because it prevents offensive new intrusions from changing the character of the area. 
• The purpose of the bylaw is to protect you from developers or others who presently have free rein to demolish, build and alter in any way they chose. Just imagine what could happen to the property next door or across the street from you in a worse case scenario … multi-unit condominiums or enormous houses that are far larger than anything else on the street. As it stands now, anyone can build anything; it only has to comply with zoning restrictions and those often are not enough to insure suitable scale and massing.
• Historic district legislation has been in existence since the 1950’s. It is a highly successful planning tool that protects historic villages throughout the state. Our version is extremely generous in the number of specific exemptions it includes, making comparisons to Nantucket or Beacon Hill erroneous and inapplicable. Think instead of the lovely towns of Hingham, Duxbury, or Westport … just a few examples where local historic district bylaws continue to preserve and enhance the aesthetics and value of the community.
• In response to comments at recent meetings, we will reformat and expand the Design Guidelines to ensure predictability and accountability in the design review process. It is intentional that Design Guidelines are included in the bylaw so there will be no uncertainties as to what they are.
• With the help of these Guidelines, the review process is clearly defined and is not cumbersome or arbitrary.
• Members of the Review Board will have professional qualifications in design and construction trades and will also receive trainings from the MA Historical Commission. We are also recommending that three out of five members be appointed from within the district. The goal of the review process is not to be an obstruction. It is to reach consensus in a way that preserves what everyone loves about the Village.
• NOW is the time to support a historic district in the Village, BEFORE its character deteriorates any further from additional demolition and oversized new construction.
• Remember: Historic districting PROTECTS your investment in your property and adds value to your property and to all properties in the district. 

Please attend the Public Hearing on February 18 at 5:30 at the Benjamin Cushing Community Center, 465 Mill Street.

All Marion voters are invited to attend and learn more about the reasons why the Historical  Commission and the Historic District Study Committee ask for your support of the bylaw at May Town Meeting.

Sincerely,

Meg Steinberg, Chair Marion Historical Commission