Weston Historical Commission Approves Conant Road Renovation, Advances Two Public Hearings

WESTON -- November 17, 2021, Weston Historical Commission advanced two properties to a December 14 public hearing and cast nine votes at its November 17 meeting, including unanimous approval of a $15,000 Community Preservation Committee grant for a survey of mid-century modern buildings. Co-Chair Phyllis Halpern said the survey, focusing on structures from the 1950s through 1970s in the Kendall Common and Spruce Hill areas, could eventually support a new local historic district. The commission voted unanimously to approve siding and window changes at 42 Conant Road, with co-chairs authorized to make final calls on details like frieze board replacement when exterior siding is removed. At 109 Highland Street, a 1757 farmhouse the commission found significant, members pushed back hard against a proposal to install vinyl replacement windows, with Halpern warning that "these modern windows would be pretty jarring" on such a visible historic structure. The commission also unanimously recommended archivist Ford Curran to the Select Board as an associate member and endorsed a plan to replace the synthetic stone walkway at the former Weston Public Library with bluestone to match the Josiah Smith Tavern renovation, drawing on approximately $40,000 in remaining CPC funds.