Weston Historical Commission returns $78,390 in preservation funds after owner impasse

WESTON -- June 27, 2023, Weston Historical Commission votes to return $78,390 in Community Preservation Act funds after preservation restriction talks at 71 Lexington Street collapse. Member Steve Wagner told the commission he had visited the property three times and exchanged letters with the owners, who objected to terms in the deed restriction and declined to attend the meeting; member John Thompson argued the property's market value had likely nearly doubled since the original appraisal, making a fresh start the logical course. Co-Chair Phyllis Halpern voted against releasing the funds, while five other members voted yes. Separately, the commission found a 1933 colonial revival house at 1 Woodland Road historically significant and continued a window-replacement application, directing staff to contact the owners directly after their window installer appeared without them, prompting the commission to begin revising its application form to bar sales representatives from substituting for property owners. Two vendor payments totaling $9,415.08 were approved unanimously, and the commission flagged it is $426.34 over its $4,800 annual budget due to mandatory newspaper advertising costs.