Agenda for February, minutes for December are posted and available for your review now! Hope to see you all at what looks to be a pretty busy February meeting next Monday.

In other news and for those interested in improvements at Brooks Park on Grove Street – up next is the much needed restoration of both the fieldstone wall along Grove Street, and the restoration of Pomp’s Wall (the brick wall).

In anticipation of the masonry work, the areas in front and up to 5’ behind both walls will be cleared of all invasive plants, small/medium scrub trees and all dead trees/branches. This work has all been approved by the Medford Tree Warden and done in conjunction with the DPW, and the on-site contractor.

You may recall our archaeological dig last summer; that project is mostly completed with a final report due soon. We plan to host a community meeting to share the findings from the dig later this year – keep an eye out.

It’s a great month to check in and see how the Historical Commission works – we’ve got properties at all stages of the demo review process. Application, determination of historical significance and a vote on preferably preserved status.

Plus, updates on the Thomas Brooks Park project and our ongoing city-wide survey of historical properties – this year our architectural historians will look at some yet unstudied corners of Medford: the old Brickyards, Mystic Park and Fulton Heights.

Here’s this month’s agenda – and all the minutes and agenda from the past few years!!

At our busy February meeting, the decisions were as follows –

The house at 33 Third Street was voted to be Preferably Preserved, in a vote of 3 to 2, and we are now actively working with the owner on revised designs.

Whenever a building is found to be “preferably preserved” an 18-month delay of demolition is imposed, to give the applicant time to consider sale, renovation, reuse, relocation and other alternatives to demolition. However, the demolition delay may be lifted before the 18-month period, if a plan is developed that addresses the concerns of the public and the commission. The applicant is always invited to return to the Commission’s upcoming public meetings to present plans and alternatives and to discuss the preservation concerns that their neighbors and the commission have; often the applicant works directly with a subcommittee that can help them develop appropriate plans.

The house at 78 Cotting Street, and the house at 17 Edward Street were both found to be Historically Significant by unanimous vote. We will determine whether they are also Preferably Preserved at the March meeting.

The house at 64 Court Street was found to be NOT Historically Significant, also in a unanimous vote.

The campus of the St. Clements church and school, at 595 Boston Avenue, were found to be historically signficant, by unanimous vote.

And we approved our Annual Report, which will be shared here after it is reviewed by the mayor.