Historical Commission approves Hobbs-Hager House addition on unanimous vote

WESTON -- August 3, 2021, Weston Historical Commission unanimously approves modest addition to landmark Hobbs-Hager House. The 6-0 vote Aug. 3 allows owners Alan and Nancy Day to extend a non-original porch at 88 North Avenue by roughly 33 square feet, replace three non-original windows, add a fire-egress door onto a new roof deck with a Georgian wooden balustrade, and replace a failing cedar fence. Co-Chair Phyllis Halpern flagged a "no disturb zone" on page 63 of the town-financed preservation restriction overlapping the porch area; member Steve Wagner said the same drawing separately allows "modifications permissible with Historical Commission approval" and called the notations contradictory. The fence design was held for administrative review by Halpern and Wagner over concerns a topper-less six-foot board fence could obscure the house from North Avenue. Six residents spoke in support; none opposed. "You must make historical houses very livable or it doesn't work out," neighbor Gene McQuitty said.