What is the Historic District Commission?

The Historic District Commission works with the town government to preserve and protect the Hamlet of Charlton, its buildings and open spaces, and to ensure that future growth and development shall not impair the distinctive architectural and historical character of the hamlet.  The historical significance of the hamlet led to its designation as a nationally registered historic district.  The original application for the registration of the historic district is available on-line at the National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form.  Visit the following web site www.oprhp.state.ny.us/hpimaging/  and type in the National Register Number of 90NR02586 on the “Basic Criteria” Tab then click on the “Results” Tab.

Who are the members of the Historic District Commission?

The Historic District Commission consists of five property owners in the Town of Charlton, three of whom must reside in the Historic District.  The members are appointed by the Town Board of Charlton and serve for a term of three years.  The current members of the commission are:

The Historic District Commission meets on the third Wednesday of each month at 7:00 PM at the Town Hall.  Members of the public are invited to attend. 

The Commission can be reached at HistoricDistrictCommission@townofcharlton.org

The Town Board liaison to the Historic District Commission, Sandy Verola, and the Town Historian, Laura Linder, attend the regular meetings.

What are the duties of the Historic District Commission?

The primary duty of the commission is to exercise advisory, aesthetic judgment on the property and structures within the hamlet in an effort to preserve the beauty and character of the Historic District.  As an advisory board, the commission is to review all plans for the construction, alteration or demolition of structures within the Historic District.  The input and opinion of the commission is communicated through the Opinion of Approval process.

The Commission is also charged with promoting safety and preserving the beauty and character of the Historic District.

To carry out its duties, the Historic District Commission holds monthly meetings that are open to the public.  The group currently meets on the third Wednesday of every month.

How can the commission assist residents of the Historic District?

The Historic District Commission exists to help residents maintain the architectural and historical character of their home and property.  Historic preservation within the Hamlet is in everyone’s best interest and helps to maintain property values.  We are not “historic police,” we are a body of fellow town citizens dedicated to providing useful advice to district residents. 

The primary duty of the Historic District Commission is to provide advisory, aesthetic judgment on the property and structures within the hamlet.  As an advisory board that specializes in historic restoration, our goal is to assist the Hamlet residents in compiling options for their construction or restoration projects.  To that end, the Commission members are available for advice on all of your projects, whether or not a building permit is required.  The commission is also willing to meet with residents at an early stage in the design process for a pre-application review. 

The following are some of the additional services provided by the Commission:

• Access to early photographs and historical information on your home and property.
• Free Architectural Advice from a professional architect through the Saratoga County Preservation League.  The Commission has access to the extensive resource library of the Preservation League which contains over 350 books, periodicals and technical reports.  You can visit the preservation League at www.saratogapreservation.org
• A resource library which includes:
• Preservation Directory – a guide to preservation programs, organizations and agencies in New York State.
• Historic Register Application – the original hard-copy of the historic district application to the National Historic Register.  The original application is available on line at www.oprhp.state.ny.us/hpimaging/       , Type in the National Register Number of 90NR02586 on the “Basic Criteria” Tab then click on the “Results” Tab.
• House Letters – documents that outline the history and prior owners of each house in the historic district.
• Restoration Hardware Catalogs – catalogs from companies that offer reproduction hardware.
• Preservation Briefs – a series of 36 “how to” documents devoted to restoration.  The complete set of all 42 briefs can be found on-line at http://www.cr.nps.gov/hps/tps/briefs/presbhom.htm

Several useful books and periodicals are also available for your use.  Many are available at local libraries, while some are on file in our town hall.  Here are some samples:

• Preservation   (Town Hall)
• Stories and Pictures of Charlton, Bronson Taylor, 1959, 122 p.
• Charlton 1792-1992, Mary Kadlecek, 1991, 27 p.  (BH/BL Library)
• Remembering Charlton; 1916-1976, Frank Lafforthun, 61 p.  (BH/BL Library)
• 175^th Anniversary, 1792-1967, United Presbyterian Church, 12 p. (BH/BL Library)

Please contact a member of the Historic District Commission to obtain access to the above resources.  The library books listed above are non-circulating copies and cannot be checked out of the library.

When does a district property owner need to file an “Application for Opinion of Approval” form?

As previously mentioned, the primary aim of the Historic District Commission is to be a resource for district or town residents on their construction or restoration projects, whether or not a building permit is required.  However, the advice of the commission needs to be soughton all property modifications or external, structure-related alterations that are visible from the public way for which a building permit is required.  In such cases, the “Application for Opinion of Approval” form is used to document the communication between the district resident and the Commission.  The form is available on-line by clicking on the following link:

http://www.townofcharlton.org/historicdistform.pdf

The following are examples of projects that merit the filing of an “Application for Opinion of Approval” form if visible from the right-of-way:

• Changing features of existing main structure, shed, garage, or other out building.
• Demolition of existing main structure, shed, garage, or other out building.
• Building of a new structure
• Construction of a deck
• Installation of a pool
• Installation of a fence
• Hanging of signage
• Window or shutter changes
• Changing paint colors
• Moving a structure

What is the “Opinion of Approval” process?

When any Historic District resident applies for a building permit to construct, alter, move or demolish any structure within the district, the Zoning Administrator will provide an “Application for Opinion of Approval” form.  The form should be filled out and returned to the Zoning Administrator who will forward the completed application to the Historic District Commission chairman with the accompanying plans and elevations.  The Commission shall subsequently meet to discuss the application during which time it may choose to communicate with the applicant.  The commission will provide its advice and suggestions and send its opinion to the zoning administrator who will use the advice of the commission in the building permit process.  The role of the Historic District Commission is purely advisory and its opinions cannot prevent the granting of a building permit.  “Application for Opinion of Approval” forms can be obtained at the town hall for projects that do not require a building permit if the property owner wished to seek the advice of the commission.  The form is also available on-line by clicking on the following link:  http://www.townofcharlton.org/historicdistform.pdf

Preservation Briefs on File at the Town Hall

1. The Cleaning and Waterproof Coating of Masonry Buildings
2. Repointing Mortar Joints in Historic Brick Buildings
3. Conserving Energy in Historic Buildings
4. Roofing for Historic Buildings
5. Preservation of Historic Adobe Buildings
6. Dangers of Abrasive Cleaning to Historic Buildings
7. The Preservation of Historic Glazed Architectural Terra-Cotta
8. Aluminum and Vinyl Siding on Historic Buildings
9. The Repair of Historic Wooden Windows
10. Exterior Paint Problems on Historic Woodwork
11. Rehabilitating Historic Storefronts
12. The Preservation of Historic Pigmented Structural Glass
13. The Repair and Thermal Upgrading of Historic Steel Windows
14. New Exterior Additions to Historic Buildings: Preservation Concerns
15. Preservation of Historic Concrete: Preservation Concerns
16. The Use of Substitute Materials on Historic Building Exteriors
17. Architectural Character: Identifying the Visual Aspects of Historic Buildings as an Aid to Preserving Their Character
18. Rehabilitating Interiors in Historic Buildings
19. The Repair and Replacement of Historic Wooden Shingle Roofs
20. The Preservation of Historic Barns
21. Repairing Historic Flat Plaster – Walls and Ceilings
22. The Preservation and Repair of Historic Stucco
23. Preserving Historic Ornamental Plaster
24. Heating, Ventilating, and Cooling Historic Buildings: Problems and Recommended Approaches
25. The Preservation of Historic Signs
26. The Preservation and Repair of Historic Log Buildings
27. The Maintenance and Repair of Architectural Cast Iron
28. Painting Historic Interiors
29. The Repair, Replacement, and Maintenance of Historic Slate Roofs
30. The Preservation and Repair of Historic Clay Tile Roofs
31. Mothballing Historic Buildings
32. Making Historic Properties Accessible
33. The Preservation and Repair of Historic Stained and Leaded Glass
34. Applied Decoration for Historic Interiors: Preserving Composition Ornament
35. Understanding Old Buildings: The Process of Architectural Investigation
36. Protecting Cultural Landscapes: Planting, Treatment and Management of Historic Landscapes