Just how good is that view?

By Lindsey Pizzica Rotolo

Nobody can deny the need for a new emergency services building in town. Our volunteers, who give countless hours of their time to this community, deserve to work in a safe facility with modern conveniences. But why does this building have to be in one of the most prominent locations in town? In the early planning stages, the building committee was aware that design was of utmost concern among Norfolk residents. They stressed the need for the building to blend with the beautiful architecture in our town center and made the aesthetics of it a priority in their incalculable hours of work compiling the initial plans. However, once the funds for such a structure were no longer available, a building with diminished architectural detail was hastily approved by both the building committee and the Planning and Zoning Commission. Luckily, the building caught a break (see article on page –) and will no longer be modular construction, but will it still blend with the architecture downtown? This issue brings about the following question, is it time for the town of Norfolk to appoint an architecture review board? Some amount of governance may be necessary to prevent people from erecting homes or buildings that take away from the surrounding area’s architectural, historical or scenic qualities. The recently completed Natural Resource Inventory cites that there are buildings or places of historic significance on 29 of the 37 roads in town and “all the roads in Norfolk possess most of the characteristics that qualify a road for scenic designation.” Don’t we want the homes and buildings on those roads to complement the setting? Along the same lines, why aren’t the same restrictions in place on all historic homes as the few which make up the town’s historic district? Upon purchasing one of the oldest homes in town a few years ago, my husband and I were surprised to learn that we could have bulldozed a 250-year old house if we so desired. The Natural Resources Inventory recommends we “protect stone walls, foundations and other archaeological remnants of Norfolk’s history from disturbance.” It may be time to take this a step further. There are many towns in Massachusetts that impose aesthetic guidelines for all new construction, and anything built before 1900 can only be renovated in keeping with the original design. These guidelines don’t have to translate into spending masses of money. Simple design parameters can fit into anyone’s budget and the effect is what makes those towns such desirable places to live, while keeping real estate values from crumbling and homeowners from selling as their neighborhood turns into an eye sore. The view from the green is beautiful. Let’s ensure it’s just as beautiful everywhere else in town.