Marblehead resident denied in windows quest

MARBLEHEAD – Charles Bridges arrived at Wednesday’s selectmen’s meeting ready to argue his request to install energy-efficient windows in his 17 Middle St. home.Bridges brought letters of support, an 11-point outline of his remarks and a painting showing an artist’s concept of his home with storm windows, to make the point that the double-glazed, vinyl-clad windows he wants to install are appropriate as well as cost-saving and energy-saving.Bridges arrived shortly before 7:30 p.m. At 7:32 p.m. Selectmen Chairman Jackie Belf-Becker gave him the bad news.”We have to continue the hearing,” she said. Bridges is asking the selectmen to overturn a decision against him by the Old and Historic District Commission. Town bylaws allow that, but for Bridges to succeed four of the five selectmen have to side with him after the appeal hearing.Only three board members – Belf-Becker, Judy Jacobi and James Nye – were present Wednesday. Selectman Harry Christensen was ill and Selectman William Woodfin was attending a Marblehead High award ceremony where his daughter was one of those recognized.The hearing was continued to June 10.Before the meeting began Bridges sat with reporters. He passed out copies of his outline and told them he applied to install the new windows after a neighbor’s request for the same windows was approved. When Bridges’ request was denied April 7 he appealed the denial to selectmen.”The town is on the wrong side aesthetically, economically and environmentally,” he said.Last month selectmen conferred with Old and Historic District Commission Chairman Pat Patrick, to question him about what might appear to be an arbitrary decision.”Our policy is not to allow them,” he said. “These things look like Tinker Toys? If we begin to allow them pretty soon we’ll have Disney World.”He later admitted that the policy is not in writing but appears in the guidelines people receive when they apply for commission approval of a renovation and also admitted that the commission took window changes on a case by case basis and had approved the windows in question from time to time, “on the weather side of a house that faces the harbor, for example.”