As one member of the Historic Preservation Commission observed this morning, the HPC is the busiest regulatory panel in the city. It is called upon to review many more projects than either the Planning Commission or the Zoning Board of Appeals, and it is tasked with protecting a vital aspect of Hudson's economic revitalization: the city's unique and authentic historic architecture. In the past, the HPC has steadfastly refused to meet more than once a month, even during the construction season when many projects come before the commission seeking certificates of appropriateness. At Friday's HPC meeting, the quorum present--David Voorhees, chair; Tony Thompson, Rick Rector, Nick Haddad, and Scott Baldinger--voted to meet twice a month and to hold a preapplication workshop for applicants who have questions about the process.
Henceforward, the Historic Preservation Commission will meet on the second and fourth Friday of each month, at 10 a.m. in City Hall. That means the HPC will meet a second time in March, on Friday, March 23. The preapplication workshop will be held on the first Monday of the month. The time and place of the workshop are still to be determined.
This is very good news.We need the HPC more than ever right now.There are irreversible decisions that exist now and are on the very near horizon.We as citizens who care deeply about our Architectural Heritage and feel the responsibility of stewardship for generations to come, HPC is our only line of defense.
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