Pursuant to Chapter
78, Article
I, of the Code of the Town of Lexington, this article describes the regulations and procedures associated with the administration of the Pierce-Lockwood Neighborhood Conservation District ("PLNCD"). The goals of the PLNCD are to preserve the architectural style and general size of the homes, and to emphasize the role the PLNCD played in the historical development of Lexington. The goals can best be described with the words, "coherence," "proportion," and "aesthetics."
Coherence is defined as having a sense of logical interconnectedness,
consistency and harmony among parts. There is a balance between a
home's uniqueness and its commonality with surrounding houses. This
balance is vital to the neighborhood's identity. Architectural changes
should maintain a harmony among parts, as well as a consistency with
the architectural style of the surrounding homes.
Proportion is defined as having a comparative proper relation
between elements or magnitudes such as size, quantity, ratio and number.
A change in size leading to a large massing in relation to the size
of surrounding Buildings and Structures means, taken as a whole, the
Building or Structure is out of proportion to the neighborhood. Further,
an addition that creates a change in size may detract from the original
shape, affecting its aesthetics.
A neighborhood's sense of beauty is indeed its homes' uniqueness
within commonality and includes considerations such as architectural
style, shape, original windows, open porches and landscaping that
fits within the natural beauty surrounding the Pierce-Lockwood NCD.
It is defined by the history of the area, its relationship to the
East Village Historic District and to historical Lexington.
The following terms shall mean as follows when used in this article. All Capitalized terms not defined in this article are used as defined in Chapter
78, Article
I.
HDC
The Lexington Historic Districts Commission.
The PLNCD shall comprise the area shown on the boundary map of the PLNCD recorded with the Middlesex South Registry of Deeds pursuant to §
78-4A.
Owners of properties within the PLNCD that are also in Lexington's
East Village Historic District may seek approval for Construction,
Alteration, or Demolition that triggers thresholds of either or both
this bylaw or the laws and regulations applicable to Lexington's Historic
Districts and subsequent review by the Commission and/or the Lexington
Historic Districts Commission. Applicants to the Commission that have
undergone review and received a Certificate of Appropriateness from
the Lexington Historic Districts Commission may submit such paperwork
and plans to the Commission as part of any application hereunder.