Published in the August 17, 2016 edition

By DAN TOMASELLO

LYNNFIELD — The selectmen and Historical Commission came to terms on historic preservation restrictions for Centre Farm on Monday.

Voters at a Special Town Meeting in June 2014 voted 534-27 to purchase the seven-acre Centre Farm, 567 Main St., for $1.55 million, which included $1.4 million to purchase the property as well as an additional $825,000 for repairs.

Nearly two years after voting to acquire Centre Farm in order to save the property from development, voters at the April Town Meeting authorized the selectmen to put the property out to bid for residential use. Voters instructed the selectmen to put the historic circa 1785-1810 farmhouse and its seven acres out to bid as one unit, holding true to the original intent of the June 2014 Special Town Meeting vote. The deed restrictions put in place will prevent the property from being subdivided, the buildings from being razed and the building’s exterior from being altered.

Town Counsel Tom Mullen gave a brief overview of the preservation restrictions agreement. He said the Historical Commission spent a great deal of time working on it.

“The idea here is the town would sell it to a private owner, but we want to ensure that owner and all successive owners would preserve the building and the grounds in a historically appropriate way,” said Mullen. “Under Massachusetts law, deed restrictions can’t last longer than 30 years unless you jump through certain hoops. And one of those hoops is a historic preservation agreement that lasts into perpetuity, provided it is signed off on by the local Historical Commission, the selectmen and the state Historical Commission.”

After the Massachusetts Historical Commission approves the Centre Farm preservation agreement, Mullen said the agreement will be included in a request for proposals (RFP) when Centre Farm goes on the market.

Preservation

agreement

The preservation restrictions agreement seeks to ensure that the “exterior architectural, historic and cultural features of the front facade of the exterior of (Centre Farm) will be retained and maintained forever substantially in its current condition for preservation purposes.”

According to the agreement, the next owner of Centre Farm will be prohibited from demolishing, razing or removing any part of the existing historic home.

“The land may never be divided, subdivided or condominiumized,” said Mullen.

The restrictions stipulate, “the building and property as a whole shall also be well maintained and neatly kept with any landscaping regularly cut and trimmed.” The restrictions prohibit utility lines from being erected on the property. The restrictions also stipulate “no change of exterior colors may be made except as allowed by the Historical Commission.”

The preservation restrictions agreement will allow the next Centre Farm owner to be able to do several things with the property. The restrictions stipulate “the interior of the building may be renovated, changed or altered, with no restrictions whatsoever, so long as it has no visual impact on the front facade of the exterior of the building.” The window and door locations in the connector portion of the building between the Federal House and the Barn “may be changed or altered, notwithstanding the effect on the front facade of the exterior of the building.” However, the Historical Commission is required to approve the new window and door locations as well as any materials that need to be used.

Mullen said the RFP would be tasked with addressing the historic mural located inside Centre Farm. Centre Farm’s dining room features unique wallpaper depicting a fox hunt that was hand-painted in France in the early to mid 1800s.

“After 30 days of the purchase, the town will have the right to remove the mural and put it somewhere else,” said Mullen.

Additionally, Centre Farm’s front facade must be maintained and cannot be changed. The agreement states, “re-roofing with in kind shingles similar to the current condition is also allowed.”

The preservation agreement also stipulates additions may be constructed onto the building and additional structures can be built on the property as long as “they are not located, in whole or in part, between the front facade of the building and Main Street or side lot line of the property.”

“The structures shall include, without limitation, fences, sheds, garages, swimming pools and cabanas,” reads the preservation agreement. “Furthermore, no additions to the building or additional structures on the property shall be higher, at their highest point, than the ridge line of the roof structure.”

Additionally, the preservation agreement stipulates exterior materials used to make additions shall be similar to the original building.

In the event that the exterior of Centre Farm suffers major damage or is destroyed by fire, flood, windstorm, hurricane, earthquake or another catastrophic event, an assessment of the damage needs to be provided. The agreement also stipulates “only the front facade of the exterior of the building, not the entire building,” would be required to be restored and/or reconstructed to Centre Farm’s existing condition. The agreement stipulates a report on the work that needs to be undertaken needs to be submitted to the town.

Additionally, the preservation agreement requires that if Centre Farm suffers major damage or gets destroyed, “no repairs or reconstruction of any type, other than temporary emergency work to prevent further damage to the building and to protect public safety” shall be undertaken prior written approval.

In the event the Centre Farm property is taken over under the power of eminent domain by public, corporate or any other authority, the agreement stipulates the town and homeowner “shall join in appropriate proceedings at the time of such taking to recover the full value of those interests in the property that are subject to the taking and all incidental and direct damages resulting from the taking.”

Reaction

Selectmen Chairman Phil Crawford thanked Mullen and the Historical Commission for working to complete the preservation restrictions agreement.

“As much as want to get (Centre Farm) on the market, we want to get this right,” said Crawford. “I think the restrictions are great and it serves the purpose for what we wanted. It’s clear to anybody responding to the RFP what the town wants.”

Historical Commission member Faith Honer-Coakley said while the commission approved the agreement in July, she said the commission was scheduled to reaffirm its support of the agreement Tuesday night after the Villager went to press. She also thanked the selectmen and the town for stepping up to save Centre Farm, and said the pact seeks to fulfill the community’s wish.

“We clearly felt a mandate from more than 500 people who came out to save the property from development more than two years ago and we wanted to affirm that desire to see that property return to private ownership,” said Honer-Coakley. “The message from the community is loud and clear. The front facade and the front yard view of Centre Farm clearly represents a long time favorite scene of the community, and it must be maintained.”