• Cheryl Boots
• F. Reed Cutting, Jr.
• Charles Hibbard
• Thomas Saltsman
• Sally Sands

What We Do
The five member board, with two alternates, is comprised of residents of the districts and appointed by the Board of Selectmen annually.

The OHDC is charged with ensuring the historical appropriateness of buildings and structures visible from any public way.

The Commission must approve any proposed changes to buildings or property within the districts and make sure the proposed changes are appropriate for the streetscape and neighborhood.

Requirements
The town requires anyone whose property falls within the boundaries of the historic districts to obtain a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) from the OHDC before any changes are made to the exteriors of structures, fences, walls, driveways, outer structures and signs. This COA is issued after the OHDC holds a hearing on the request. (Historic Districts Map)

Hearings
To schedule a hearing, residents of the districts must submit an Application for Certificate of Appropriateness (in triplicate). Applications and Instructions are available at the Selectmen's Office or as a PDF on this website. Residents must then submit this application to the Selectmen's office and schedule a hearing.

If the request is for any change that will result in a change of appearance, a public hearing must be requested. Applications for a public hearing must be filed at least four weeks before the hearing.

In addition to the application form, anyone wishing to obtain a COA must provide the OHDC with photos of the building and area to be repaired or changed. These photos must be filed in the Selectmen's office the Friday prior to the scheduled hearing.

There is no charge for a regular hearing.  A public hearing requires a payment of $35.00.

Once the OHDC has approved the project, a COA will be sent to the Building Inspector and the applicant within 10 days. This COA is necessary to obtain a building permit within the districts.

Brochure Outlining Guidelines for Alterations to Existing Buildings & New Construction

The Old and Historic Districts Commission meets in the Selectmen's room at Abbot Hall, 188 Washington Street, at 7:30 PM on the first and third Tuesday of each month.