Dear editor:

I read with interest and considerable fellow-feeling the article by Paige Seburn about NOTL “heritage designations.”

I have had a similar rather negative experience with the NOTL “Heritage Commission”.

Despite inquiry I have yet to receive clear information about what it actually means and what my rights are vis-a-vis such a designation.

In principle I am personally not against the concept of “heritage homes” or assorted buildings maintained for posterity and as historical artifacts.

So I agreed to a visit by a Heritage Commission person to “assess” my house for heritage designation.

The person came and went — I have heard nothing from the person in terms of my house and whatever report was prepared and filed. This is bizarre. It’s my house and I should be entitled to see the “report.”

The people I dealt with only over the phone did not share any information about what was to be considered “heritage” on my house and what was not.

The person was interested solely in the outside of my house. No mention was made to me at any point of what the person found and reported. My house has inside heritage aspects also but there was absolutely no interest in these. My question about my house re-sale value after heritage designation was met with a bland response about “minimal effect.” No statistical data was provided to exemplify this.

So far in almost 20 years of ownership of my home I have put in over $200,000 in upgrades, repairs and renovations, inside and outside. I have no idea whether my outside upgrades were included in the “report.” I do not want to see this investment go down the drain with a “heritage designation” which reduces my chances of selling the home for a proper price.

I am now an 84-year-old widower and I may well have to sell and move to an in-town dwelling since I can no longer do the upkeep my property requires. This may mean having to sell sooner rather than later.\

So I am forced to conclude that the Town of NOTL “heritage designation” may serve “town” purposes, but so far I have not seen that it serves the homeowners purposes.