HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN TOWN OF FALMOUTH Falmouth, Massachusetts Town of Falmouth Planning Department HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN TOWN OF FALMOUTH Falmouth, Massachusetts Prepared for the Town of Falmouth Planning Department Prepared by Heritage Strategies, LLC Birchrunville, Pennsylvania September 2014 This Historic Preservation Plan has been funded by the Town of Falmouth’s Community Preservation Committee under a program organized in accordance with the Massachusetts Community Preservation Act, General Law Chapter 44B, as amended, of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Town of Falmouth Table of Contents CHAPTER 1 ▪ INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW................................. 1‐1 The Planning Process ................................................................................. 1‐2 The Challenge ............................................................................................ 1‐3 Priorities for Action ................................................................................... 1‐4 Organization and Overview of the Plan .................................................... 1‐6 CHAPTER 2 ▪ PRESERVATION APPROACH ....................................... 2‐1 Landscape Context and Historic Resources .............................................. 2‐1 Goals for Historic Preservation ............................................................... 2‐15 Preservation Approach and Guidelines ................................................... 2‐19 Summary ................................................................................................. 2‐25 CHAPTER 3 ▪ FALMOUTH'S HISTORICAL COMMISSION ...................... 3‐1 Local Comprehensive Plan ........................................................................ 3‐2 Roles and Responsibilities of the Historical Commission .......................... 3‐5 Inventory and Documentation ................................................................ 3‐14 Monitoring Historic Resources ................................................................ 3‐20 Information and Guidance to Boards and Commissions ........................ 3‐24 Public Outreach ....................................................................................... 3‐35 CHAPTER 4 ▪ FALMOUTH'S HISTORIC VILLAGES AND NEIGHBORHOODS .......................................... 4‐1 Planning for Villages .................................................................................. 4‐2 Guidelines and Review for New Development ....................................... 4‐12 Strengthening Neighborhood Character ................................................. 4‐21 CHAPTER 5 ▪ CULTURAL LANDSCAPES AND LAND CONSERVATION ....... 5‐1 Falmouth's Cultural Landscape ................................................................. 5‐3 Land Conservation Initiatives .................................................................... 5‐7 Falmouth Historic Preservation Trust ..................................................... 5‐12 CHAPTER 6 ▪ TELLING FALMOUTH'S STORIES .................................. 6‐1 Falmouth Village Cultural District ............................................................. 6‐2 Town‐wide Interpretive Presentation ....................................................... 6‐4 APPENDICES A. Landscape History B. References HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Town of Falmouth Board of Selectmen Brent Putnam, Chairman Doug Jones, Vice Chairman Mary Pat Flynn Kevin Murphy Rebecca Moffitt Town Manager Julian M. Suso, Town Manager Heather B. Harper, Assistant Town Manager Planning Department Brian A. Currie AICP, Town Planner Marlene V. McCollem, AICP, Assistant Town Planner Joyce White, Administrative Assistant Geographic Information System Bob Shea, GIS Coordinator Boards and Commissions Planning Board Historical Commission Patricia H. Kerfoot, Chaiman Heidi Walz, Chairman Jim Fox, Vice Chairman Nancy Hayward, Vice Chairman Robert Leary Jeramie Hammond Richard K. Latimer Malcolm Donald Ralph E. Herbst Richard Sacchetti Douglas C. Brown Historical Districts Commission Paul Dreyer Ed Haddad, Chairman Community Preservation Nicole Goldman, Vice Chairman Committee Tom Chase Patti Haney, Co‐Chairman Tamsen George Ken Buckland, Co‐Chairman Barbara Milligan Ralph Herbst Peter Clark Peter Kroll Sandra Cuny Mike Powers Heidi Walz Virginia Carmichael Town of Falmouth Advisory Groups Public Outreach Focus Group Conservation Focus Group Christiane Collins Betsy Gladfelter Malcolm Donald Leonard Johnson Alan Fleer Jennifer McKay Jennifer Gaines Sarah Korjeff Tamsen George Heidi Walz Barbara Milligan Jessica Whritenour Mark Schmidt Heidi Walz Policies & Procedures Focus Group Jay Zavala Art Calfee Christiane Collins Historic Districts Focus Group Brian Currie Ed Haddad Lee Dresher Nicole Goldman Heather Harper Tom Chase Bob Leary Tamsen George Caleb Rawstron Barbara Milligan Heidi Walz Workshop Participants and Additional Individuals Consulted Ken Buckland Paul Dreyer Lee Drescher Eric Dray Mike Duffany Alex Etkind Noah Greenberg Matt Handley Nancy Hayward Lucy Helfrich Sam Houghton Mary Little Leslie McDonald Susan Moran Brian Nickerson Ann Sears Dan Shearer Christopher Skelly Dan Surall Barbara Weyand Max Redfire Wheeler Cheryl Williams Milt Williamson HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN Project Steering Committee Heidi Walz Ed Haddad James Avery Sarah Korjeff, Cape Cod Commission Marlene V. McCollem Consultant Team Heritage Strategies, LLC Peter C. Benton RA A. Elizabeth Watson AICP HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW Falmouth, Massachusetts, on the western end of Cape Cod, has been occupied by humans for thousands of years. First various cultures of Native Americans and later European settlers have shaped its landscape in dramatic ways. Falmouth was initially settled by Englishmen from Barnstable, to the north, about 1660. The Town was officially incorporated in 1686. Over the past 354 years, Falmouth has developed as an agricultural and maritime community and more recently as a summer destination. All the while, the character of the landscape has changed in response to human activity. Today, historic resources remain from all of Falmouth’s periods of historical development, from the archeological remains of Native Americans, to the traces of agricultural fields, to historic villages, to neighborhoods of summer cottages. Residents of Falmouth have spent years documenting and studying the town’s history and working to preserve its historic resources. This Historic Preservation Plan is one more step in that process. The Historic Preservation Plan was funded through a grant from Falmouth’s Community Preservation Committee, which implements projects using Community Preservation Act funding on behalf of the Town. The project was lead by the two Chairmen of Falmouth’s Historical Commission and Historic Districts Commission with support of the Town’s Planning Department and a representative of the Cape Cod Commission. A wide variety of individuals representing various Town interests participated in the planning process and contributed to its recommendations. The purpose of this Historic Preservation Plan is to provide guidance to the Town, especially the Historical Commission and Historic Districts Commission, on actions that should be taken to support historic preservation in Falmouth over the next three to ten years. A lot has been accomplished in historic preservation in Falmouth over the years. Yet challenges remain and will continue to emerge. Building on what has been accomplished, this plan seeks to provide an expansive vision for the value of historic resources in Falmouth as a component of community character. It suggests how that vision can be implemented across a range of endeavors to the benefit of Falmouth’s residents and future generations. HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN 1‐1 CHAPTER 1 Homes facing Nantucket Sound along Falmouth’s south shore THE PLANNING PROCESS Work on the Historic Preservation Plan was begun in the fall of 2013 and completed in the summer of 2014. An initial meeting of the Steering Committee and the planning consultants was held in mid‐September 2013, and initial field work was begun. In early November, the planning consultants conducted several days of interviews with individuals representing many of the organizations in Falmouth with an interest in historic preservation. These individuals provided background on planning and development in Falmouth and a range of interesting and informative perspectives on historic preservation issues and town dynamics. A public workshop was conducted as well. Additional field work was undertaken every time the planning consultants came to town. Every corner of Falmouth was explored, as well as the range and condition of historic resources Over the next two months, the planning team absorbed background materials and organized the planning process. In early February, a series ofp focus grou workshops were held around the topics of Historic Districts, Conservation, Public Outreach and Communication, and Town Policies and Procedures. Many of the focus group participants had also participated in the November interviews. The planning team outlined issues and opportunities related to each topic, and informative discussions were conducted. A number of additional meetings were held with various interests as well. In mid‐March, the planning team returned with an Outline of Recommendations that essentially outlined the recommendations included in this plan. The recommendations were organized into the chapters listed further