The Wiscasset Historic Preservation Commission approved three certificates of appropriateness April 5.

Naga Baba and Krishnabai Lescoult got approval, 3-0, for a fence around 87 Federal St. The property borders the Wiscasset Elementary School parking lot, and originally, the couple wanted a shadow box fence on that side of the property with a basic picket fence around the rest of the house. The commission said it would be better to have all the sides look the same, so the couple agreed to use a picket fence throughout. 

The commission also approved, 3-0, Terry Heller’s request to install a dormer with a casement window at 3 Morton St. Contractor Steve Monroe appeared on Heller’s behalf.

Sherri Dunbar got 3-0 approval on an additional COA for 45 Federal Street, this time to enlarge the house to accommodate a bumped-out bathroom and a safer stairway to the second floor apartment. The project will involve major alteration, including re-siding new walls to look like the rest of the recently renovated property.

The ordinance review the commission has been working on was tabled for this year because time ran out to get the changes the Ordinance Review Committee wanted to see through the Select Board process, so Chair John Reinhardt reluctantly acknowledged the changes would likely not take place this year.  Also off the table for this year is the Certified Local Government, because the commission no funds for a required survey, and because certain documents from the planner’s office cannot be found to give the commission guidance about what else would need to be done. A CLG would give the commission access to certain grants for education and historic preservation.

Plans are in the works to have someone from Main Street speak to the commission – hopefully at its next meeting April 19 – about options for establishing a Main Street community in Wiscasset’s historic downtown.

Reinhardt also pointed out the commission still needs two regular members and two alternates. Membership is open to any Wiscasset resident with an interest in historic preservation and town history. He asked anyone to apply if interested in serving.