Wayland Historic District Commission approves house repaint, three fence color options

WAYLAND — October 1, 2025 — Wayland Historic District Commission clears house repaint and reopens paint-jurisdiction debate. The commission on Oct. 1 unanimously approved member Alex Finlayson's certificate of appropriateness to restain his 39 Old Sudbury Road home a darker gray, switch window muntins from black to white, and restain porch floors brown, with Finlayson recused. Members also retroactively approved a cedar fence at 18 Winthrop Road on Route 20, giving the owner three options: weather naturally, paint white, or match the house. Finlayson asked the panel to revisit whether it should regulate paint at all; Chair Greg Dale said that would require a noticed hearing and a rules change. Vice Chair Margery F. Baston previewed an application to replace rotting wood gutters with fiberglass, saying wood gutters are too shallow and rot-prone, while Gretchen Schuler urged a case-by-case approach because "the profile is important."