Home's future on hold

The village's dilemma is historic vs. green space preservation.
By PETER H. MILLIKEN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
POLAND -- With less than a month to go before its potential demolition, the fate of the 154-year-old Augdon House at Main Street and Green Meadows Acres Place remains in limbo.
Last week, village planning commission members voted unanimously to recommend to village council that the building be moved across the street to a village-owned park on Green Meadows Acres Place.
But Councilman William Dunnavant, who was to make a motion for that to happen, declined to make that motion after a letter from the house's owner, John P. Scotford, was circulated to those attending Tuesday's council meeting.
Scotford, chairman of McBarscot Co., bought the home and the land on which it sits and seeks to build condominiums on the site. Scotford obtained a demolition permit in July with a 90-day hold before the house can be razed.
In his letter, dated Friday, Scotford said he had just received a telephone call from someone interested in restoring the house in its present location.
Scotford, who did not attend Tuesday's meeting, also said in the letter that he would give the house to anyone who will move it, restore it and preserve it as a historic home, but "not for uses as a museum or public building."
Scotford also said he had given the Poland Preservation Society, which seeks to save the house, the location of three lots available for purchase within the village and the names of some people who have inquired about moving and restoring the house.
Residents opposed
Council also heard from three Green Meadows Acres Place residents and one Poland Manor resident who don't want the house to be moved to the village park because they want the park preserved as green space.
"I think that's something that everyone in this village should be concerned about because, if the village takes over this property, then you're setting precedent" for other historic buildings to be moved to green spaces in the village, Theresa Brine of Green Meadows Acres Place told council.
"It's another green space that makes Poland beautiful, and it should stay that way," Viive Sontich of Green Meadows Acres Place said of the park.
"I don't know which is more precious now, historic homes or existing historic green space, but I would say that, once the green space is gone, it's gone," remarked Councilman Al Lind. "I think it would be unconscionable to betray the wishes of the original developer of this and the expectations of the owners who bought there with the understanding that this is going to be green space. ... The green space that we have left, I think, should be preserved," he concluded.
milliken@vindy.com