[00:00:03]
UM, TECHNICAL, CAN WE SEE THE COMMISSIONERS ON THE SCREEN? THE COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE, UM, VIRTUAL ON THE SCREEN DOWN HERE IN FRONT.
SO IF YOU HIT THE ROOM, A BUTTON THERE ON YOUR CRUSH DRAWN PANEL, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE THE COMMISSIONERS.
[CALL TO ORDER]
GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION.I'M CHAIRMAN JERRY MYERS, AND I CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
COMMISSIONER HAIM, SETH, PLEASE INDICATE BY.
HI COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON, VIRTUALLY.
COMMISSIONER LAROCHE, PRESENT COMMISSIONER LITTLE HERE.
COMMISSIONER VELON SUELA IS NOT HERE YET.
PLEASE NOTE, WHEN SHE COMES IN TO THE MEETING AND ADDER, IF, UH, IF SHE DOES JOIN US AND COMMISSIONER RIGHT HERE.
THIS IS OUR ORDER OF BUSINESS.
AS WE WILL READ THROUGH THE AGENDA AND IDENTIFY CASES THAT WILL BE POSTPONED, THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED TONIGHT, OR THAT WILL GO ON THE CONSENT.
IF YOUR ITEM IS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, AND IT'S A PR THE CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED.
YOUR PROJECT HAS BEEN APPROVED WITH THE STAFF REQUIREMENTS, UM, WHICH ARE OFTEN A DOCUMENT, UH, CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE WITH EIGHT BY 10 OF PHOTOGRAPHS AND PHOTOGRAPHIC PAPER AND A HISTORIC NARRATIVE FOR ARCHIVING AT THE AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER.
IF A COMMISSIONER PULLS AN ITEM, IT WILL NOT BE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
WE WILL DISCUSS IT IN THE ORDER THAT IT APPEARS ON THE AGENDA.
IF ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE, ONCE TO PULL AN ITEM THAT IS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY MADAM CHAIR, AND I'LL PULL IT FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA RIGHT NOW.
[CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE'S ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK FOR CITIZENS COMMUNICATION.THIS IS SOMEONE TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM THAT IS NOT ON OUR AGENDA THIS EVENING.
WE DO HAVE ONE SPEAKER WHO REGISTERED PRIOR TO THE MEETING, UH, MR. DON WATERS, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME UP MR. WATERS, YOU'RE ALLOWED THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM THAT IS NOT ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA.
ACTUALLY, I, I MISSPOKE ON THE PIECE OF PAPER BECAUSE IT IS ON YOUR AGENDA.
OKAY? THEN THAT IS NOT CITIZENS COMMUNICATION.
YOU YOU'LL GET A CHANCE TO COMMUNICATE WHEN IT COMES UP ON THE AGENDA.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANYBODY ELSE SIGNED UP OTHER THAN ANYBODY ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE, UM, WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA YOU MAY DO SO NOW, OKAY, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GO THROUGH THE AGENDA.
WE HAVE NO PRESENTATIONS ARE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
NUMBER THREE, A IS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION FOR HISTORIC ZONING DISCUSSION AND ACTION ON APPLICATIONS FOR HISTORIC DISTRICT ZONING AND REQUEST TO CONSIDER INITIATION OF HISTORIC ZONING.
THE FIRST ITEM WE HAVE IS A ONE 3004 BELMONT CIRCLE.
THAT WILL BE DISCUSSION ITEM 8, 2 37 0 3 MEADOWBANK DRIVE.
[00:05:02]
ITEM A THREE 10, 10,621 PIONEER FARMS DRIVE AS A CONSENT POSTPONEMENT TO OCTOBER 25TH.ITEM A FOUR 13,300 DESLER ROAD IS ALSO A CONSENT POSTPONEMENT TO OCTOBER 25TH.
GOING ON TO BE DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON APPLICATIONS FOR CERTIFICATES OF APPROPRIATENESS B ONE 200 LEE BARTON DRIVE.
THE PEGGY HOUSE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM B 2 16 16 NORTHWOOD ROAD IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
I DIDN'T B3 42 0 8 AVENUE F IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
REMEMBER, IF ANYONE WANTS TO PULL THESE, GET MY ATTENTION AND WE'LL PULL AN ITEM FOR DISCUSSION.
OTHERWISE, IF THEY'RE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, UH, THEY'LL BE APPROVED WHEN WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THE NEXT ITEM BEFORE 6 0 8, BAYLOR STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT, GOING ON TO SEE DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON APPLICATIONS FOR PERMITS WITHIN A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT ITEM C 1 18 0 5 WATERSTON.
I WOULD LIKE TO PULL THAT ITEM FOR DISCUSSION ITEM C 2 25 21 JARRETT AVENUE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEMS, C3 1104 TOYA IN THE CLARKSVILLE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
I'D LIKE TO PULL THAT FOR DISCUSSION ITEMS. SEE FOR 1104 CHARLOTTE STREET, THE APPLICANT HAS ASKED TO POSTPONE THIS.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE A DEFINITE DATE FOR POSTPONEMENT, BUT THERE HAS BEEN A REQUEST FOR POSTPONEMENT ITEM C 5 82 SAN MARCUS STREET.
I'D LIKE TO PULL THAT ITEM FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM C 4 15 0 5 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.
I'D LIKE TO PULL THAT FOR DISCUSSION ITEM C 7 14, 12 ALAMEDA DRIVE IN TRAVIS HEIGHTS.
I'D LIKE TO PULL THAT FOR DISCUSSION.
I DIDN'T SEE A 2,400 PEMBERTON PLACE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
I DIDN'T SEE 9 23 0 8 WOODLAWN BOULEVARD IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEM C 10 21 0 9.
KENWOOD AVENUE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEMS. SEE 11 1400 MOLEY DRIVE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
WE'VE HAD A CITIZEN REGISTER TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION OF ITEM C 11 1400 MILE DRIVE.
OKAY, THEN LET'S PULL THAT FOR DISCUSSION.
WHAT WILL NOT BE ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA? ITEM C 12 19 0 8 WAS 33RD STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
THE NEXT GROUP OF CASES UNDER G DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON APPLICATIONS FOR DEMOLITION OR RELOCATION AT M D 1 8 12 WEST 12TH STREET IS A POSTPONEMENT TO OCTOBER 20 AMOUNT OF CHAIR.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE THAT ONE TO A DISCUSSION POSTPONEMENT, UH, DISCUSSION POSTPONED, MATT, UM, STAFF WAS THIS POSTPONEMENT.
UM, THIS IS THE APPLICANT'S RUEPLUS REQUESTS FOR POSTPONEMENT.
THIS IS AT THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST.
THEY WOULD LIKE TO COME BACK AT THE OCTOBER MEETING FOR DISCUSSION.
UM, COMMISSIONER, DID YOU STILL WANT THAT PULLED FOR DISCUSSION I'LL SUPPORT THE POSTPONEMENT I'M JUST KEENLY AWARE OF, OR NOT AT ALL AWARE I'M KEENLY INTERESTED AND LACKING AWARENESS ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT PROCESS.
UM, AND WE HAD A LOT OF, UH, INTERESTS, BUT MOSTLY BASED ON THE OCCUPANT OF THE BUILDING.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT THINGS MIGHT BE WORKING OUT SEPARATELY WITH THAT, BUT OBVIOUSLY OUR PURVIEW IS THE BUILDING ITSELF AND, UH, VERY INTERESTED.
LEAVING IT ON THE CONSENT POST HELMET.
THANK YOU THEN THAT WILL, UH, THAT WILL BE ON THE POSTPONEMENT AGENDA
[00:10:01]
ITEM D 2 25 0 1 INWOOD PLACE.THAT ITEM IS OFFERED FOR DISCUSSION ITEM D 3 47, 11 DOLORES AVENUE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEM G FOUR 30.
I DON'T WANT TO PULL IT NECESSARILY, BUT I WAS HOPING I WOULD SEE THE ELEVATIONS AND I GOT TWO BLANK SHEETS IN MY BACKUP.
WE DIDN'T HAVE ELEVATION DRAWINGS FOR THAT.
UM, WOULD YOU LIKE TO PULL IT SO THAT WE CAN AT LEAST SEE THE DRAWINGS? I DON'T THINK SO.
UH, I I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE PROJECT.
I DON'T WANT TO NECESSARILY EXTEND THE MEETING.
UM, BUT MAYBE IF STAFF WOULD BE ABLE TO SEND THAT AS A UP I'D APPRECIATE IT.
DID YOU GET THAT? MAYBE IF YOU HAVE THOSE, PLEASE SEND THEM ALONG FOLLOW UP.
SO, UH, D 3 47, 11 DOLORES AVENUE IS STILL ON THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEM D 4 34 11 CLEAR V.
DRIVE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEM D 5 21 0 3 EAST EIGHTH STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEM D SIX, 12 OF FOUR EAST SIXTH STREET WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM ITEM D 7 19 0 2 TILL IT'S AN AVENUE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEM D 8, 9 0 8.
COLUMBUS STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEM D 9, 9 0 9 WEST.
ANY STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEM D 10 19 0 1.
HAMILTON AVENUE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEM D 11 45, 12 AVENUE C IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
AND THOSE ARE THE LAST CASES WE WILL THEN GO ON TO E DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT CASES, F DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON APPLICATIONS FOR TAX ABATEMENT ITEM FOR PERMISSION IN STAFF ITEMS, COMMITTEE REPORTS AND SEE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. OKAY.
NOW I'M GOING TO ASK ONE MORE TIME.
THOSE ITEMS THAT I SAID WERE OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
IF ANYONE WANTS TO PULL THOSE ITEMS FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA, LET ME KNOW NOW, RAISE YOUR HAND OR CALL OUT AND WE WILL PULL THEM OTHERWISE.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
AND WE REVIEWED 6 0 8 BAYLOR PLACE.
WAS THAT YOU? UM, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON? NO, THAT'S COMMISSIONER LAROCHE.
UH, WE CAN PULL THAT ITEM FOR DISCUSSION.
WHAT'S THE ITEM NUMBER IT'S GOING TO BE BEFORE.
BEFORE IS NOW NO LONGER ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[Consent Agenda: B1, B2, B3, C2, C8, C9, C10, C12, D3, D4, D5, D7, D8, D9, D10, D11]
ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA? SO MOVED.THAT WAS A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER LAROCHE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
[Postponed Items: A3, A4, C4, D1]
OKAY.THE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE FOR POSTPONEMENT ARE A THREE PIONEER FARMS DRIVE A FOUR 13,300 DECILE ROAD, C4 1104, CHARLOTTE STREET, D 1 8 12 WEST 12TH STREET.
DID WE HAVE ANOTHER POSTPONEMENT CONSENT POSTPONEMENT? OKAY.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO POSTPONE THESE ITEMS? SO MOVED SECOND.
THAT WAS THE MOTION BY COMMISSIONER COOK.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LAROCHE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THE REST OF THE ITEMS, IF YOUR ITEM JUST PASSED ON CONSENT, THAT MEANS YOUR PROJECT PASSED.
PLEASE LOOK AT WHETHER YOU NEED TO PREPARE A DOCUMENTATION.
THAT'S THE EIGHT BY 10 PHOTOGRAPHS OF ALL ELEVATIONS OFFICE SIDES AND A HISTORIC NARRATIVE
[00:15:01]
SUITABLE FOR ARCHIVING AT THE AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER.THESE ARE MOSTLY FOR DEMOLITION CASES OR CASES AWARE OF, UM, SIGNIFICANT ALTERATIONS ARE MADE AND YOU MEAN LEAVE THE, UH, THE CHAMBERS.
NOW, IF YOU LIKE THE OTHER ITEMS, WE WILL DISCUSS THEM IN THEIR ORDER AND THE AGENDA.
[3.A.1. C14H-2021-0144; ZC-2021-140508 – 3004 Belmont Cir. – Discussion Council District 7]
OUR FIRST ITEM ON UNDER PUBLIC HEARINGS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON APPLICATIONS FOR HISTORIC ZONING IS A ONE, 3000 FOR BELMONT CIRCLE.THIS IS AN OWNER INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING CASE.
IT DIDN'T MEAN COMMISSIONERS ITEM.
A ONE, UM, AS MADAM CHAIR JUST POINTED OUT IS AN OWNER INITIATED APPLICATION FOR HISTORIC ZONING AT 3004 BELMONT CIRCLE.
UH, THIS ARCHITECT DESIGN MID-CENTURY MODERN HOUSE IS ASSOCIATED WITH PROMINENT LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL ARCHITECTURE FIRM.
LUNGREN MOWER IS A RARE SURVIVING EXAMPLE OF THE RESIDENTIAL DESIGN AND AUSTIN EXHIBITING.
MANY OF THE KEY CHARACTER DEFINING FEATURES OF THEIR STYLE.
THAT'S THE HOUSEHOLD'S ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE AS AN EXCEPTIONALLY INTACT EXAMPLE OF THE REGIONAL ADAPTATION OF THE MID CENTURY MODERN ARCHITECTURAL STYLE POPULARIZED IN 1950S, AUSTIN, THE HOUSE IS ALSO REPRESENTATIVE OF SIGNIFICANT TRENDS IN COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.
UM, IN MID CENTURY, AUSTIN, AUSTIN, AND IT'S ASSOCIATED WITH SHIRLEY AND JHARREL OR TANK ROBINETT WHO PLAYED IMPORTANT ROLES IN AUSTIN'S BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND IN THE JEWISH COMMUNITY IN THE LATE 20TH CENTURY, FROM THE BEGINNING OF THEIR OCCUPANCY IN AUSTIN, THE RUBIN X BECAME DEEPLY INVOLVED WITH CONGREGATION, A GOOD AS LIKE HIM AND, UH, AUSTIN'S JEWISH COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, THE HOUSE AT 3004 BELMONT CIRCLE SERVED AS THE NEXUS OF THE RIBBON AT FAMILIES, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
THEY LIVED THERE FOR 60 YEARS FROM 1955 UNTIL 2015, AND THE HOUSE REPRESENTS THE MOST TANGIBLE REPRESENTATION OF THEIR SYDNEY SIGNIFICANCE EXTANT IN AUSTIN TODAY, STAFF CAN RECOMMEND THIS PROPOSED ZONING CHANGE AS THE APPLICANT HAS DEMONSTRATED THE PROPERTY SIGNIFICANCE IN THE AREAS OF ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS.
DO WE HAVE THE APPLICANT OR OWNER HERE TO SPEAK? OKAY.
IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS APPLICATION? UM, WHO WAS THAT? WHO SAID THEY WERE HERE? YEAH.
YOU'RE THE OWNER, RIGHT? OKAY.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS APPLICATION? OKAY.
IS THERE ANYONE OPPOSED TO THIS APPLICATION FOR HISTORIC ZONING? OKAY.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY.
THAT WAS MOVED BY COMMISSIONER COOK SECONDARY BY COMMISSIONER TALL.
DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR, OKAY.
UM, DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THIS CASE SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS IT? NO, I'D MOVED TO POSTPONE THIS TO OUR OCTOBER MEETING, UM, AND HOPEFULLY GET A GREATER AMOUNT OF INFORMATION.
UM, I'M NOT SURE IF THE PRESENTATION WE GET JUST GOT, UH, HAD ENOUGH MEAT TO IT, TO, UM, TO WARN US MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS HISTORIC ZONING TONIGHT.
THERE, THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF, I WAS ACTUALLY VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE AMOUNT OF DOCUMENTATION THAT WAS IN OUR BACKUP, BUT, UM, UH, IS THERE SOMETHING IN PARTICULAR THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE PRESENTED AT THE NEXT MEETING IF WE, UH, VOTE TO POSTPONE THIS? YOU KNOW, I JUST, I GUESS I FEEL LIKE NORMALLY WHEN HISTORIC, UH, WHEN STUFF GETS INTO THE, A AGENDA OF OUR, UM, OR SECTION OF OUR AGENDA, WE'VE SEEN IT AND BEEN ABLE TO CHEW ON IT A LITTLE LONGER.
WE STARTED OUT SOMEWHERE ELSE ON THE AGENDA.
SO FOR THIS TO POP UP, I JUST DON'T FEEL LIKE I'M READY.
UH, BUT IF WE GO THROUGH THE DISCUSSION AND WE GET THERE AS A COMMISSION, I COULD SUPPORT IT.
IS THAT A MOTION TO POSTPONE THEM? WELL, THERE WAS A, THERE WAS A MOTION TO POSTPONE, BUT I WASN'T SECONDED WELL, W W SEE IF THERE'S A SECOND, IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? I'LL SECOND FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISCUSSION COMMISSIONER, A LITTLE SECONDED
[00:20:01]
IT FOR DISCUSSION.WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS YOUR MOTION? UH, FURTHER COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON? OH, I PROBABLY JUST REPEAT WHAT I SAID THAT, UM, NORMALLY WHEN STUFF GETS INTO THE AA SECTION OF OUR AGENDA, WE WE'VE ALREADY SEEN IT SOMEWHERE ELSE AND BEEN ABLE TO, UM, CHEW ON IT A LITTLE BIT.
AND, UH, I'D BE HAPPY TO HEAR THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION DISCUSS WHY WE SHOULD INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING HERE, COMMISSIONERS.
UH, I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THE MOTION.
UH, THE REASON I THINK WE HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO CHEW ON IT IS BECAUSE THIS IS AN OWNER INITIATED, UH, APPLICATION, WHICH WE DON'T SEE VERY OFTEN.
UH, USUALLY THEY COME TO US AS A RESULT OF LONG CONSIDERATION TO, TO TRY TO SAVE IT FROM DEMOLITION.
BUT I THINK THIS IS, UH, ONE OF THE NOW MORE UNUSUAL OWNER APPLICATIONS.
AND I DON'T SEE ANY REASON TO, TO POSTPONE THAT, GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION IN THE BACKUP I'LL, I'LL JUST QUICKLY ADD THIS AS COMMISSIONER MCWHORTER.
UH, I LIVE IN, UH, LONDON AND MAR DESIGNED HOME MYSELF.
SO I'M A FAN I'VE BEEN THROUGH YOUR HOME AT BELMONT WHEN IT WAS, UH, ON THE MARKET PREVIOUSLY.
UH, I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE HISTORICAL VALUE OF THE, THE FOLKS THAT LIVED THERE BEFORE, BUT IN TERMS OF THE ARCHITECTURE AND THE CONDITION, IT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE, AND I'M VERY HAPPY TO SEE IT ON THE AGENDA TO BE PRESERVED THIS WAY.
IT ALSO HAS EXCEPTIONAL INTERIORS, UM, WHICH IS NOT NECESSARILY OUR PURVIEW, BUT AS FAR AS, UM, ITS ARCHITECTURAL INTEGRITY, UH, BOTH INSIDE AND OUT, IT SEEMS TO BE, UM, VERY INTACT.
WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD LIMIT OUR DISCUSSION CURRENTLY TO THE MOTION, WHICH HAS TO DO WITH WHETHER WE SHOULD HEAR THIS TONIGHT.
AND I DO WANT TO ADDRESS THAT.
UH, I ALSO CANNOT SUPPORT THE MOTION, UH, THOUGH I APPRECIATE, UH, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTONE'S CAUTION, UH, AND PARTICULARLY WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH THIS ERA WHERE WE STILL HAVE, UM, WE'RE STILL TRYING TO FEEL OUR WAY THROUGH MID-CENTURY MODERN BUILDINGS.
UM, AS, AS, UH, ONE OF MY PREDECESSORS SAID AT ONE POINT HE WAS HAVING A HARD TIME DESIGNATING BUILDINGS THAT WEREN'T AS OLD AS HE WAS, BUT, UH, I, I DON'T, I'M NOT QUITE THERE IN THIS CATEGORY YET, BUT, UH, IT'S GETTING CLOSE, BUT I THINK THE ISSUE HERE, UH, GET BACK TO WHAT COMMISSIONER COOK SAID, THIS IS OWNER INITIATED.
AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE EXTREMELY FORTUNATE THAT THE RIGHT PEOPLE SAW THE VALUE OF THIS PROPERTY AND TO BE ABLE TO BASICALLY STRIKE WHILE THE IRON'S HOT, I WOULD HATE TO HAVE THEM HAVE 30 DAYS TO THINK OF ALL THE REASONS WHY THEY WOULD NOT WANT TO DO THIS AND WITHDRAWAL THEIR NOMINATION.
I DON'T SUPPORT THE MOTION EITHER.
AND TO THAT END AGAIN, WHILE I APPRECIATE, UM, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTONE'S, UM, CONCERN THERE, WE HAVE A 65 PAGE DOCUMENTATION ON THIS PROPERTY THAT HAS BEEN PREPARED BY PROFESSIONAL ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIANS AND PRESERVATIONISTS, AND HAS, UM, EXCELLENT DOCUMENTATIONS, FANTASTIC BIBLIOGRAPHY, UM, AND HISTORY OF BOTH THE OCCUPANTS AND THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE HOUSE ITSELF.
AND I THINK WE HAVE SUFFICIENT INFORMATION TO DETERMINE THAT IT MEETS THE CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION.
ANYONE ELSE? I WAS COMPLETELY KNOCKED OUT BY THE LEVEL OF DOCUMENTATION.
COMMISSIONER, THAT THAT'S A PRECISE ARCHITECTURAL TERM KNOCKED OUT, UH, COMMISSIONER LITTLE SIMILARLY WILL NOT SUPPORT THE MOTION TO POSTPONE.
I WOULD SUPPORT A MOTION TO DESIGNATE.
IT WAS A LOT OF DOCUMENTATION THAT I WAS REALLY INTERESTED IN THE HOUSE AND TRYING TO GET THROUGH WHILE MY CHILDREN KEPT COMING AT ME.
BUT IT WAS A GREAT READ AND GREAT INFORMATION ON THIS HOUSE.
IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, WE'LL TAKE A VOTE ON THE MOTION, WHICH IS TO POSTPONE THIS ITEM.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE SAY, AYE, UH, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON.
ARE YOU IN FAVOR OF YOUR MOTION? NO.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE SAY NAY.
I THINK THAT WENT DOWN, UH, COMMISSIONER LITTLE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO PROPOSE A, UH, AN ALTERNATIVE MOTION? SURE.
I WILL PROPOSE THAT WE INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING FOR THE HOUSE ON THE BASIS OF ITS ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS.
I THINK THE OWNER HAS INITIATED, I THINK IT'S OUR JOB AT THIS POINT TO RECOMMEND, THEN I WILL RECOMMEND.
DO I HEAR A SECOND? I HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER MCWHORTER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF RECOMMENDING HISTORIC ZONING FOR THIS HOUSE.
[00:25:01]
OH, NO, NO DISCUSSION.UH, I HAD SOME, SOME THOUGHTS ON IT.
UM, UH, THERE WAS A CITIZEN COMMENT THAT CAME IN THAT SAID THIS HOUSE WASN'T OLD ENOUGH.
IT CLEARLY IS WITHIN THE 50 YEAR HISTORY AND, UH, DISCUSSING ABOUT MID CENTURY MODERN AND KIND OF TACKLING THAT, THAT HORIZON IS NOW IN 1971.
SO, UH, I KIND OF HAVE A THEORY THAT THINGS REALLY AREN'T APPRECIATED FOR AFTER ABOUT 35 YEARS.
PEOPLE WANT TO TEAR THEM DOWN AND AFTER ABOUT ANOTHER 35 YEARS, PEOPLE WANT TO SAVE THEM.
SO MID CENTURY MODERN IS KIND OF IN THAT DIFFICULT HILL RIGHT NOW, BUT IT DEFINITELY IS A HISTORIC, UH, AGE.
UH, I THINK THE ARCHITECTURE IS BEYOND REPROACH.
IT'S, UH, THE ONLY KNOWN LUNDGREN AND MAUER, UM, STRUCTURE THAT WOULD BE LANDMARKED AT THIS POINT.
UH, SO I THINK THAT'S SIGNIFICANT.
AND AS FAR AS THE HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS, UH, THERE WAS A COMMENT MADE, UM, THAT THERE ARE SO MANY HOUSES OF THIS AGE.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT HISTORIC BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY OF THEM, BUT THAT'S WHY SO MANY WONDERFUL HOMES WITH GREAT HISTORY FALL PREY TO THE, THE WRECKING BALL IS BECAUSE WHEN THERE'S A LOT OF THEM, YOU DON'T APPRECIATE THEM UNTIL THERE'S SO FEW OF THEM AND NOW IS OUR TIME TO BE SELECTING THE ONES THAT ARE WORTH SAVING.
SO, UH, I WANTED TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE AND, UM, IN TERMS OF THE, UH, HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS WITH THE OWNERS, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE BUSINESS OWNERS, THEY WERE PHILANTHROPISTS AND THEY WERE LEADERS IN THEIR RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY AND THERE WAS A CITY PROCLAMATION, UH, SPEAKING TO THEIR LEADERSHIP AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE CITY.
SO THE CITY DOESN'T PROCLAIM INSIGNIFICANT THINGS.
SO I WOULD DEFINITELY CONSIDER THEM, UH, TO BE, UM, HAVE CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE HISTORY OF THE CITY.
UH, AND I AGREE THE BACKUP, UH, LAYS OUT ALL THE DETAIL, BUT, UH, THERE ARE PROGRESSIVE IDEALS IN SERVING UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AND SERVING UNDERSERVED, UM, MOVEMENTS WITH THEIR PHILANTHROPY, UM, TIED IN WITH THE PROGRESSIVENESS OF THE MID-CENTURY MODERN DESIGN, UH, IN AUSTIN, WHICH, UH, IS A PROGRESSIVE CITY, I THINK ALL TIES IN TO THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS HOME AND THE REASON THAT SHOULD BE RECOMMENDED.
UM, YOUR, YOUR POINT ABOUT, UH, THE RECENT PAST IS WELL TAKEN AND YOU ONLY HAVE TO LOOK AT OUR AGENDA TO SEE HOW MANY, UM, MID CENTURY PROPERTIES OR PROPERTIES FROM THE FORTIES AND FIFTIES, UM, HAVE GONE TO THE DEMOLITION, TO THE WRECKING BALL WITHOUT EVEN BEING PULLED FOR DISCUSSION.
UM, IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM, COMMISSIONER MCWHORTER? IT OCCURS TO ME THAT AS I'VE JUST POINTED OUT, I LIVE IN A LUNGREN AND MOREHOUSE.
SO MY VOTE IN FAVOR OF IT BEING A HISTORICAL LANDMARK MIGHT, MIGHT BE CONSIDERED SELF-SERVING.
SO PERHAPS I WILL NOT VOTE IN AMY AT ALL IN THIS, BUT I'M CONFIDENT THAT IT WILL PASS.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S NECESSARILY A REASON TO RECUSE YOURSELF FROM THE VOTE.
JUST I'VE WANTED TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT THAT.
IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF RECOMMENDING HISTORIC ZONING, PLEASE SAY, AYE, AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? UH, COMMISSIONER HEIM SOUTH THAT I THINK THAT WAS UNANIMOUS.
WE HAVE RECOMMENDED HISTORIC ZONING.
[3.A.2. PR-2021-092644 – 3703 Meadowbank Dr. – Discussion Council District 10]
OUR NEXT ITEM IS 8, 2 37 0 3.FIRST WE'LL HAVE A PRESENTATION BY STAFF, LOGAN COMMISSIONERS ITEM 82 IS AN OWNER OPPOSED HISTORIC ZONING CASE OR THE FRANK DENIUS HOUSE AT 37 0 3.
MEADOWBANK INITIATED BY THE COMMISSION AT THE AUGUST 23RD MEETING.
UM, AND THIS IS A PARTIAL DEMOLITION APPLICATION.
THE PROPOSED PROJECT, UH, INCLUDES FACADE REPLACEMENT AS Y'ALL CAN SEE ON YOUR SCREEN.
AND THESE PLANS ARE INCLUDED IN YOUR BACKUP A BASIS FOR RECOMMENDATION ON THIS PROPERTY.
UM, OUR ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS, UH, THIS BUILDING IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE CLASSICAL REVIVAL STYLE DESIGNED BY GEORGE MATTHEWS PAGE AUSTIN'S PAGE SOUTHERLAND PAGE FROM, UM, IT IS LIKELY THAT DENIUS WAS FAMILIAR WITH PAGE SUTHERLAND'S PAGE WHERE PAGES WORK AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT THE TIME OF CONSTRUCTION.
THIS IS A TWO STORY SYMMETRICAL GREEK REVIVAL DESIGN WITH A HIPPED ROOF AND CLADDING IT'S FULL WIDTH, INTEGRAL PORCH.
AND SECOND FLOOR BALCONY ARE SUPPORTED BY CLASSICAL COLUMNS.
GROUND FLOOR WINDOWS ARE SIX OVER SIX FALLS.
SECOND FLOOR ADMINISTRATION COMPRISES GLAZED FOR PAIN, FRENCH DOORS.
WHAT SHUTTERS SURROUND ALL DOORS AND WINDOWS.
IT WAS BUILT IN 1966 FOR FRANKLIN W DENIUS
[00:30:01]
DECORATOR WORLD WAR II, VETERAN AND RENOWNED UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SPONSOR AT 19.DENI HAS FOUGHT IN THE BATTLE OF MORTON IN 1944 AS AN INFANTRY INFANTRY STAFF SERGEANT, UH, AND HE HELD A VITAL POSITION FOR THE ALLIES AGAINST 40,000 NAZI TROOPS.
HIS FORESIGHT AND INNOVATION HELPED TO CREATE A TURNING POINT IN THE WAR AFTER THE NORMANDY LANDINGS FOREVER CHANGING HISTORY.
HE HAS TOUTED AS THE 10TH MODE, MOST DECORATED WORLD WAR II VETERAN BY SOME SOURCES AFTER HIS ARMY SERVICE DENI HAS GRADUATED FROM UT SCHOOL OF LAW IN 1949 AND BEGAN HIS CAREER AT LOONEY AND CLARK, WHERE HE LATER BECAME PARTNER BY 1976.
HE'D OPENED HIS OWN PRACTICE SPECIALIZING IN OIL AND GAS LAW.
AND HE ALSO WORKED AS A BUSINESS CONSULTANT FOR LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON.
HIS 2018 ARBITRARY DESCRIBES HIM AS A TEXAS GIANT AMANDA DESTINY AND CIVIC AND COMMUNITY IMPACT AS IT DETAILS HIS LIFELONG CIVIC ENGAGEMENT FOR MANY LONGHORNS, DNS IS BEST KNOWN AS THE FOUNDER OF THE TEXAS EXES, THE UNIVERSITY'S ALUMNI ASSOCIATION.
HE SERVED AS OFFICIAL COUNSEL TO UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS AND SPEARHEADED, NUMEROUS FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGNS.
HE MADE IT A POINT TO ATTEND EVERY GAME AND PRACTICE AND THE TEAMS PRACTICE FACILITY.
IT WAS LATER NAMED IN HIS HONOR ALONG HARD MAGAZINE, OFFICIALLY NAMED HIM A TRUE HERO AND THE ULTIMATE LONGHORN IN 2008.
UM, AND THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION ON THIS PROJECT IS FOR THE COMMISSION TO RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING FOR THE BUILDINGS ARCHITECTURE, UH, AND ITS HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION WITH FRANK.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF FOR MS. CALLAN? OKAY.
BY OUR ORDER OF BUSINESS, THIS IS AN APPLICATION.
SO WOULD PEOPLE SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF THIS SPEAK FIRST? IS THERE ANYONE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION TO RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING? IS THERE ANY ONE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION OF IS THAT PLEASE COME DOWNSTAIRS, YOU'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
COME TO THE MIC AND PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
UM, MY FAMILY OWNS THIS PROPERTY, UH, AND THERE'S MORE TO IT THAN WHAT THE STAFF SAID.
I KNOW ALL ABOUT FRANK DENIUS.
UH, WHAT THEY DON'T KNOW IS THAT THIS HOUSE WAS VERY BADLY DAMAGED IN THE STORM.
BACK IN FEBRUARY, WE THOUGHT THAT WE HAD TURNED THE WATER OFF TO THE HOUSE AT A WATER METER.
WAS IT TURNS OUT THERE WERE TWO WATER METERS.
THERE WAS ONE FOR THE OUTDOOR IRRIGATION AND ONE FOR THE INSIDE OF THE HOUSE.
WE TURNED THE ONE OFF FOR THE OUTDOOR IRRIGATION.
SO PIPES BURST ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF THIS HOUSE AND RAN WATER FOR OVER SIX WEEKS BEFORE WE WENT TO THE HOUSE AND DISCOVERED IT, WE HAD A TEAM COME IN AND THEY GUTTED THE ENTIRE INSIDE OF THE HOUSE AND THEN HAD A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER LOOK AT IT TO SAY, IT'S VERY DOUBTFUL THAT A LOT OF THE INTERIOR FRAMING, UH, CAN BE REUSED.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE GOT TO TAKE IT ALL OUT.
IT'S ALMOST NOTHING BUT A TRUE TEAR DOWN AT THIS POINT BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE STRUCTURAL DAMAGE.
AND, UH, IT IS HISTORIC IN THE SENSE OF THE REHEARSING WHO DID BUILD IT, MR. DENIUS.
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, WE DIDN'T THINK THAT THIS WOULD EVER COME TO THIS, UH, WITH ALL OF THE STRUCTURAL DAMAGE THAT WAS CAUSED.
AND, UH, OUR BUILDER HAS YET TO REALLY MAKE A DETERMINATION OTHER THAN TO SAY THAT A WHOLE LOT OF THE INTERIOR IS GOING TO HAVE TO COME OUT AND BE REFRAMED, INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE EXTERIOR WALL.
AND, UH, THAT MEANS IT IS A HUNDRED PERCENT BRICK.
AND SO THE BRICK AND EVERYTHING IS GOING TO HAVE TO COME OFF ON THAT WALL.
[00:35:01]
WALL OF THE HOUSE, IF YOU WILL, AND A COMPLETELY BE REFRAMED, THERE'S ALSO SUBTERRANEAN DAMAGE BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE HOUSE WAS BUILT IS ACTUALLY ON PIERS AND BEAMS. WELL, ALL HOUSES TODAY GENERALLY ARE ON A CONCRETE SLAB.THIS IS STILL ON A PIER AND BEAM IN ALL OF, A LOT OF THE PEERS BELOW ARE ALSO DAMAGED.
SO THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES TO HAVE TO ADDRESS, UH, IS IT HISTORICAL FROM THE POINT OF WHO OWNED IT AND BUILT IT FOR SURE, BUT WE ALSO DIDN'T ANTICIPATE HAVING THIS, UH, EXTENSIVE DAMAGE, THE CLEANUP DAMAGE ON THIS COST $660,000.
AND THAT'S NOT EVEN BUILDING IT BACK TO GET IT BACK TO LIVABLE CONDITION, PROBABLY ANOTHER MILLION OR A MILLION AND A HALF.
SO I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THAT I DON'T THINK THAT THE STAFF KNOWS ANY OF THAT.
BE HAPPY TO MEET THEM OUT THERE AT THEIR CONVENIENCE ANYTIME AND TAKE THEM THROUGH THE HOUSE AND THEY CAN SEE FOR THEMSELVES.
UM, IS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. HARDMAN? UM, I'M A LITTLE, UM, I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED.
IT, I UNDERSTAND THIS HAS SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE, BUT, UM, WHAT IS YOUR OBJECTION TO LANDMARK STATUS? AND YOU CAN HA DAVID, WHAT I'M SAYING IS THIS HOUSE MAY HAVE TO COME DOWN.
I MEAN, FLAT TO THE GROUND BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE STRUCTURAL DAMAGE.
UM, STAFF WAS THIS, WAS THIS AN APPLICATION FOR DEMOLITION? I'M SORRY.
PARTIAL DEMOLITION, PARTIAL DEMOLITION TO TAKE, SHE SHOWED IT IN THE PLANS THERE LIKE SIX BIG ICONIC, UH, COLUMNS IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE, VERY SOUTHERN COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE.
AND THOSE COLUMNS ARE SOME PEOPLE MAY LIKE THEM AND THERE ARE ALL IN HOUSES ALL OVER, UH, AUSTIN, OR AT LEAST ON THAT SIDE OF TOWN OVER THERE.
THEY ARE, IS PROPOSING THAT THOSE COME OFF AND THE FRONT OF THE PROPERTY BE A MUCH MORE CONTEMPORARY, KIND OF A LOOK, THE KIND OF MEDITERRANEAN LOOK THAT THE ATHLETE IS IN THE APPLICATION AND THE PLANS SHE, AND SHE SHOWED THOSE OR SOMEBODY WHO SHOWED THEM, UH, THERE IT IS.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO HISTORIC ZONING? OKAY.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY.
MOTION AND SECOND MOTION BY COMMISSIONER.
TALLAGHT SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MCWHORTER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THE CASE? UH, I'LL MOVE TO RELEASE THE PARTIAL DEMOLITION PERMIT PENDING A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION COMMISSIONER COOK? I THINK THE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS ARE OBVIOUSLY OUTSTANDING.
UH, UH, MR. DEAN IS HIS NAME IS, UH, FOUND ON THE UT CAMPUS.
IT'S THE ARCHITECTURE ON, ON THIS ONE? THAT DOESN'T IT'S WELL, IT'S, IT'S GRANTED TO ME, DOESN'T REALLY SPEAK OF THE TIME AND DOESN'T SEEM TO BE NECESSARILY OUTSTANDING OR SPEAK TO THE, UH, TO THE MID SIXTIES.
TO ME, IT SEEMS TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF A THROWBACK.
UM, AND SO IT, AS A FULL PACKAGE TO ME, ESPECIALLY AGAINST OWNER OPPOSITION, IT DIDN'T SEEM TO BE THERE, UH, TO TRY TO PUSH IT, UH, FOR LANDMARK STATUS.
CAN I SHARE A LITTLE, CAN YOU ADDRESS YOUR SECOND? I WILL AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER COOK'S COMMENTS.
UM, I THINK THE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS FOR THIS ARE WELL-RESEARCHED AND WITHOUT REFUTE, BUT I'M REALLY STRUGGLING WITH THE ARCHITECTURE.
I THINK IT IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF CLASSICAL REVIVAL STYLE ARCHITECTURE, BUT I DON'T
[00:40:01]
KNOW THAT I CAN SAY IT'S A SIGNIFICANT EXAMPLE FROM THE TIME PERIOD WHEN IT WAS CONSTRUCTED.SO I, I JUST DON'T THINK I CAN SUPPORT IT UNDER BOTH OF THOSE CRITERIA.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF RELEASING THE PERMIT.
COMMISSIONER LAROCHE IS A MIL THAT HE HAS OPPOSED THE MOTION PASSES.
THE RECOMMENDATION, UM, FAILS.
THE TWO ITEMS THAT WE HAD ON HERE, UH, REGARDING, UH, PIONEER FARMS AND DESIREE ROAD, THOSE WERE POSTPONED
[3.B.4. HR-2021-133048 – 608 Baylor St. – Consent Taylor House Council District 9]
WILL NOW GO ON TO BE DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON APPLICATIONS FOR CERTIFICATES OF APPROPRIATENESS.AND WE HAD A NUMBER ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
OUR FIRST ONE UP SHOULD BE BEFORE 6 0 8 BAYLOR.
DO YOU THINK COMMISSIONERS, THIS IS ELIZABETH FROM IT ON CITY STAFF.
UH, THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO BUILD A TWO-STORY ACCESSORY STRUCTURE BEHIND THE TAYLOR HOUSE, WHICH IS A HISTORIC LANDMARK.
UM, THE PRIMARY REASON STAFF SUPPORTS, UH, THIS APPLICATION IS THERE IS EXISTING OTHER CONSTRUCTION TO THE REAR OF THE TAYLOR HOUSE.
UM, THERE IS A TWO-STORY GARAGE APARTMENT, UH, WHICH IS ALONG THE ALLEY SIDE.
UM, AMBER IS GOING TO DRIVE US THERE.
SO WE WERE JUST AT THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE GOING AROUND TO THE ALLEY AND YOU'LL SEE THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S, THAT'S REMOTELY VISIBLE UNTIL YOU'RE UPON IT.
UM, SO SIMILARLY VERY MODERN IN ITS ARTICULATION, BUT WITHOUT A, UM, MAJOR IMPACT ON THE PUBLIC'S PERCEPTION OF THIS HISTORIC LANDMARK.
UH, THERE ALSO IS A, UM, AT 2014 UTILITY WORKSHOP, THAT'S ACTUALLY BEHIND, UH, THE BACK OF THE PARCEL THAT WAS IN PLACE WHEN THE PROPERTY WAS LANDMARKED AND THAT'S NOT VISIBLE, UH, FROM THE RIGHT OF WAY.
SO, UM, IT'S, IT IS A DRAMATIC DEPARTURE FROM THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE, UH, THE QUEEN ANNE, UH, STYLE, UH, HOUSE, THE TAYLOR HOUSE.
BUT, UM, STEPH FEELS THAT IN LIGHT OF THE OTHER VERY MODERN CONSTRUCTION, THAT'S PRESENT AT THE REAR OF THE PROPERTY AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT THERE ARE NO EXTANT, UH, SIGNIFICANT LANDSCAPE FEATURES OR OTHER HISTORIC COMPONENTS TO THE REAR OF THE HOUSE, UH, THAT THIS IS, UH, SOMETHING THAT THE COMMISSION CAN APPROVE.
UM, ELIZABETH, IS THIS PROPERTY IN THE CASTLE HILL HISTORIC DISTRICT? YES, IT'S ALSO IN THE CASTLE HILL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
WHAT DID THE, UH, CASTLE HILL DESIGN GUIDELINES, UH, SAY ABOUT ACCESSORY DWELLINGS? UM, I ACTUALLY DID NOT REFERENCE THOSE.
I LOOKED MORE AT THE CITYWIDE DESIGN STANDARDS, UM, GIVEN THAT THIS IS AN INDIVIDUAL LANDMARK, UM, I'D BE HAPPY TO PULL THOSE UP.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE A, A SPEAKER, UM, FOR THIS APPLICATION, BUT I COULD CERTAINLY LOOK AT THAT.
LET ME GO AHEAD AND ASK FOR SPEAKERS.
AND IF YOU WOULD PLEASE MAYBE CHECK ON THAT.
UM, DO I HAVE SOMEONE HERE IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION? I SEE A HAND UP OVER HERE.
ARE YOU THE OWNER OR APPLICANT? YOU'RE THE ARCHITECT? WOULD YOU PLEASE COME DOWN AND STATE YOUR NAME AND, AND, UM, DISCUSS YOUR CASE? UH, MY NAME IS, UM, MY NAME IS MEL LAWRENCE.
UH, WE'VE BEEN THE ARCHITECT ON ALL THESE BUILDINGS ON THIS SITE FROM THE ORIGINAL RESTORATION OF THE, UH, TAYLOR MANSION TO THE GARAGE APARTMENT AND THAT BARN WORKSHOP IN THE BACK.
AND THIS IS A POOL HOUSE IT'S, UH, UM, RIGHT NEXT TO THE POOL, ALONG A LITTLE LINEAR LAR E UH, THE BACKYARD BASICALLY.
UM, SO WE WENT BY THE CITY AND THIS, ALL THAT GUIDELINES AND RAN THIS THROUGH THE THERE'S BEEN NO PROBLEM WITH SONY OR WITH THE CITY, UH, WHEN IT CAME TO THIS, UH, YOU CAN'T SEE IT FROM THE BIG THING WE KNEW ABOUT WAS FROM BAYLOR STREET, EVEN FROM THE ALLEY.
UH, THERE'S NUMEROUS TREES ON THE SITE, UH, THE SPACE BETWEEN THE BARN LIKE WORKSHOP, UM, AND THE ALLEY IS THICK WITH TREES.
[00:45:01]
UM, THERE MOSTLY CEDAR ELMS, BUT THERE'S OTHER TREES IN THERE AND FROM THE BAYLOR AREA, THE TOPOGRAPHY RISES SIGNIFICANTLY.UM, AND THEN THERE'S TREES BETWEEN THE TWO SITES.
THE, UM, THE HOUSE ON THE CORNER IS CURRENTLY UNDER RECONSTRUCTION, JOE, DONNELLY'S DOING THAT WORK, UM, THAT PROJECTS A CONSTRUCTION SITE.
SO IT'S A BIT OF A MESS RIGHT NOW IS CONSTRUCTION SITES WOULD BE, BUT, UH, ONCE THAT IS FINISHED, UH, THAT WILL BE LANDSCAPED TO, BY THE SAME, UH, LANDSCAPE GROUP THAT DID, UH, UH, THE TAYLOR HOUSE.
SO THIS, ONCE THE PROPERTY, THERE'S A HIGH, THERE'S A RISE.
AND ONCE YOU GET TO THE BACK OF THE PROPERTY, IT FLATTENS OUT IN THAT YARD, IN THE, THIS, UH, POOL HOUSE IS AT THE FAR EXTREME OF THAT, UH, BUILDABLE AREA.
UM, I THINK THE PLAN SHOWS HOW FAR, I THINK IT WAS 60 FEET OR SOMETHING FROM THE BACK PORCH OF THE TAYLOR MANSION.
UM, SO IN TERMS OF VISIBILITY, BUT I CAN ANSWER OTHER QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE HIM COMMISSIONER LAROCHE, WAS THAT, UH, DID YOU PULL THAT? OKAY.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT FOR THE ARCHITECT? UH, I ALSO WORKED ON THE ORIGINAL RESTORATION.
IN FACT, MEL IS THE ARCHITECT AND WE WERE THE STRUCTURAL ENGINEER, BUT THE QUESTION I HAD WAS MORE, I DIDN'T EVER SEE ANY VIEW FROM SEVENTH.
AND I WAS WONDERING WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GET ON SEVENTH AND YOU'RE LOOKING BACK TOWARDS THE ALLEY AS OPPOSED TO LOOKING UP THE HILL FROM THE ALLEY.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CURRENT OWNER OWNS THE HOUSE THAT IF THE CORNER PLUS THE GARAGE APARTMENT THAT'S YET TO BE BUILT AND IS PURCHASED THE OTHER, THE NEXT BUNGALOW THAT'S THERE.
SO THEY'RE IN CONTROL OF ALL THE LANDSCAPING.
UM, AS FAR AS I KNOW, I THINK THEY'RE USING THE SAME, UH, LANDSCAPE FROM ARCHITECTURE WOULD, WOULD BE TAKING CARE OF ALL.
THREE OF THOSE ARE ALL, BOTH OF THOSE PARCELS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'VE BEEN COMBINED INTO ONE, BUT, UH, THERE ARE GAPS BETWEEN THE GARAGE APARTMENT, WHICH IS LIKE A THREE CAR GARAGE.
AND I THINK THERE'S ABOUT A 15 FOOT GAP BETWEEN THAT AND THE CORNER HOUSE.
AND THEN MAYBE 10 FEET BETWEEN THE OTHER ONE.
THOSE ARE THE CHANCES YOU WOULD, UH, YOU WOULD GET US A SMALL SHORT YOU, AND ALL YOU WOULD SEE AT THE POOL HOUSE IS THE, UH, THE BACKSIDE, THEIR ROOF IS A PINK GRIP, A STANDING THEME.
AND THEN AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF IT, UH, THE LOWER PART IS, UH, UH, UH, BOARD FORM CONCRETE, BUT I DON'T THINK YOU WOULD SEE THE OWNER'S PROPERTY IS UP HIGHER THAN THE LEATHER'S A LEVEL CHANGE.
AND THEN THERE, THEY'RE MAKING A BUILDING A BIG FENCE AND THEN SOMETHING ABOVE THAT.
SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE ALL LANDSCAPE SCREEN.
YOU MIGHT SEE SOME OF THE, THE PINK ROOF ROOF, THE STANDING SEAM ROOF.
UM, IF YOU, IF, IF YOU COULD SEE THAT BACK THAT FAR, THAT I'M SURE YOU, YOU RAISED THE QUESTION OF THE CASTLE HILL.
I THINK IT, FOR ONE, THIS NEW CONSTRUCTION THAT'S ON THE SITE, THE WHOLE SITE IS A HISTORIC LANDMARK.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT PROBLEMATIC PUTTING MODERN, UM, STRUCTURES ON A GOOD PORTION OF THE SITE, UM, IS GETTING TAX BENEFITS FROM, UM, FROM THE STATUS AS A HISTORIC LANDMARK.
BUT THE OTHER CONCERN I HAD WAS IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T JUST IMPACT THAT PARTICULAR SITE, IF IT'S IN THE, THE LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UM, DID YOU MEET WITH ANY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CASTLE HILL THAT'S.
DID YOU MEET WITH ANY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CASTLE HILL DISTRICT OR ALANNA? I DON'T.
THE OWNER MIGHT'VE, HE'S, UH, UH, VERY TIED IN WITH THAT WHOLE GROUP.
UH, HE'S PERSONALLY BEEN RESTORING A LOT OF THESE HOUSES.
HE INSTIGATED THAT WHOLE RESTORATION OF THE HOUSE ON THE CORNER.
UM, PART OF HIS MISSION WAS TO SAVE AS MANY OF THESE HOUSES AS POSSIBLE.
SO HE'S GOT, UH, UH, TIGHT CONNECTIONS WITH THAT WHOLE GROUP.
SO I DON'T THINK THERE WOULD BE ANY SURPRISES THERE, UH, JUST AS, AS THE ARCHITECTS, THE TEAM, UH, WE DID NOT HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM.
UH, I KNOW THAT THING ON THE ALLEY WAS DESCRIBED AS A CONTEMPORARY, BUT, UM, THEIR SENSIBILITIES ABOUT DESIGN AND THEN THERE'S TO STYLISTIC THINGS ABOUT DESIGN.
[00:50:01]
BEEN TWO STORY HAS STAYED WITH THE SAME SORT OF PORCH APPROACH.THERE'S A DOWNSTAIRS PORCH, THERE'S AN UPSTAIRS SCREEN PORCH SCREENED IN PORCH.
IT'S ABOUT 40% OF THE UPSTAIRS.
IT'S JUST, IT'S VERY, UH, THERE'S NOTHING, UM, IN YOUR FACE ABOUT THESE, UM, STRUCTURES, THEY ARE MODERN AND THEIR, THE WAY THEY'RE CONSTRUCTED AND PUT TOGETHER.
AND THEY'RE NOT AS ARTICULATED IN TERMS OF, UH, A REPRODUCTION OF THE QUEEN ANNE STYLE AT THE ORIGINAL HOUSE, BUT THEY STAYED WITH THE S THE IDEA, JUST THE BAR.
AND IT'S LIKE, THERE'S A STONE BASE.
THAT'S REPLICATED, THERE'S A FAMILIAR SHAPE ON THE TOP.
THEY'RE NOT THAT THEY MAY BE COMPATIBLE MIGHT.
MY CONCERN WAS JUST THAT THEY'RE NOT HISTORIC, THEREFORE THEY'RE OCCUPYING THE SITE THAT IS GETTING THE HISTORIC LANDMARK SETS, RIGHT? YEAH.
WE KNEW OF NO, UM, REQUIREMENTS FOR US TO BUILD HISTORIC REPLICATIONS.
YOU DON'T WANT HISTORIC REPLICATIONS SINCE THE NEW CONSTRUCTION, JUST IN AND OF ITSELF STAFF.
UH, CAN I, HAVE YOU FOUND ANYTHING, UM, THAT PERTAINS TO THIS CASE? UM, SO THE, THE DESIGN STANDARDS FOR, UM, THE CASTLE HILL HISTORIC DISTRICT ARE VERY SIMILAR TO THE CITYWIDE DESIGN STANDARDS.
UH, THEY TALK ABOUT NEW CONSTRUCTION BEING COMPATIBLE WITH SURROUNDING CONTRIBUTING BUILDINGS IN TERMS OF SETBACK, ORIENTATION, AND DISTANCE, UH, HAVING A COMPATIBLE FORM AND ARCHITECTURAL STYLE, UH, COMPATIBLE, BUT DISCERNIBLE FROM HISTORIC BUILDINGS IN THE DISTRICT, UM, HAVING SIMILAR WALL TO AREA RATIOS, FLORIDA FLOOR HEIGHTS, FENESTRATION PATTERNS, OTHER TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE WOULD REALLY BE CONSIDERING, UM, PARTICULARLY IF THIS WERE VISIBLE FROM THE STREET, WHICH THIS IS NOT, UM, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, MATERIALS BEING, UH, COMPATIBLE, BUT DIFFERENTIATED FROM, UM, WHAT IS THERE HISTORICALLY.
IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT, UM, AND NO ONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF OPPOSITION, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY.
UM, WE'LL SAY, UH, COMMISSIONER COOK MADE THE MOTION COMMISSIONER WRIGHT MADE THE SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING, SAY, AYE, ANY OPPOSED? OKAY.
DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THE CASE, I GUESS, JUST TO CLOSE THE LOOP ON THIS AND, AND GO FULL CIRCLE, I WOULD, UH, RECOMMEND ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW OF THAT SITE.
IS THERE A SECOND THAT THE SKATES HEATED, THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE? I THINK IT DIES FOR LACK OF A SECOND CAR.
DO I HEAR AN ALTERNATE MOTION? DON'T EVERYBODY SPEAK AT ONCE I MOVE TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION AS PRESENTED, IS THAT COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON OKAY.
THE MOTION IS TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED.
COMMISSIONER, TILL THAT SECONDS, UM, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS YOUR MOTION? YEAH, MY, UM, I MEAN, THIS WAS MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
I, I DROVE DOWN THAT ALLEY MANY, MANY TIMES AND, UH, I'VE SEEN THAT ALLEY PACING, UM, STRUCTURE A LOT.
AND, AND I WAS A MUCH YOUNGER PERSON THEN I DIDN'T EVEN REALLY REGISTER.
IT WAS ASSOCIATED WITH A HISTORIC BUILDING THAT, UH, FACES BAYLOR.
UM, YEAH, I, I THINK I, I GREW WITH THE ARCHITECT THAT, UH, HIS MODERN STRUCTURE IS SORT OF IN KEEPING WITH THE OTHER BUILDINGS THAT ARE ON THE SITE.
AND I THINK THE MOST COMPELLING ARGUMENT IS MY UNDERSTANDING OF HAVING LIVED IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD HAD BEEN AROUND THAT BLOCK FROM ALL SIDES.
I THINK IT'S GONNA BE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO CATCH A GLIMPSE OF THIS NEW CONSTRUCTION.
AND SO I DON'T HAVE ANY REASON TO OPPOSE IT AND THEREFORE I'M SUPPORTING IT.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST TO STAFF THAT SOMETIME WHEN WE HAVE TRAINING, UH, COMMISSION TRAINING OR,
[00:55:01]
UM, THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETS THAT WE TAKE UP A COUPLE OF THESE QUESTIONS.UM, WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF CASES WHERE NEW CONSTRUCTION IS BUILT ON THE BACK OF A SITE AND IT'S APPROVED.
UM, HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THAT IN TERMS OF THE HISTORIC ZONING FOR INDIVIDUAL PROPERTIES, AND ALSO WHEN THE, UH, DISTRICT DESIGN STANDARDS SAY THAT IT SHOULD BE COMPATIBLE IN FENESTRATION AND MATERIALS OR WHATEVER IT DOESN'T ALWAYS SAY IF IT'S NOT VISIBLE OR IF IT'S VISIBLE FROM THE STREET.
AND I THINK THIS WOULD HELP, UH, OUR PROCEDURES, UM, HERE TO, UH, HAVE SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT THESE THINGS.
UH, I, I DO APPLAUD, UH, MR. TUTTLE'S WORK AND THE PRESERVATION OF THAT IN THAT BLOCK IN PARTICULAR, BECAUSE I DO UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND, AND MY, MY ONLY REAL RESERVATION ABOUT THIS WHOLE THING WAS I, I WAS PRESENTED ALLI VIEW AND THE BAYLOR VIEW, BUT NEVER FROM SEVENTH, RIGHT.
JUST DIDN'T KNOW HOW ALL THAT WAS GOING TO TIE IN TO THE REST OF THAT BLOCK FROM THAT VANTAGE POINT.
AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN GOOD TO HAVE SIGHT LINES OR SOMETHING TO GIVE THAT, UM, TO ILLUSTRATE VIEW, BECAUSE THAT IS IMPORTANT.
IT'S NOT JUST A LANDMARK PROPERTY, IT'S, IT'S CONTRIBUTING TO A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
SO IT HAS AN IMPACT ON THE REST OF THE DISTRICT.
UH, OTHER THAN THAT, I HAVE NO REAL REPUTATION, SO, OKAY.
UM, WE HAVE A MOTION TO, UM, RELEASE THE PERMIT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ANY UPON THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY GO FORTH AND PROSPER.
[3.C.1. PR-2021-055578 – 1805 Waterston Ave. – Consent (postponed August 23, 2021) Clarksville National Register District Council District 9]
THE NEXT CASE, UH, C1 1805 WATERSTON.THIS IS IN THE CLARKSVILLE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
THERE'S DEMOLISH A CIRCUIT 1952 HOUSE AND CONSTRUCT A NEW RESIDENCE IN ITS PLACE.
UM, THE ARCHITECTURE OF THIS EXISTING HOUSE, UH, IT'S ONE STORY SIDE GABLED WITH PARTIAL WITH GABLE, PORSCHE, UH, PICTURE WINDOW BOARD, AND BATTEN SIDING AND ATTACHED CAR PORCH.
IT WAS BUILT AROUND 1952 OR HELLY.
AND JOHNNY MET HER, UH, KELLY METTER TAUGHT VOCATIONAL STUDIES AT THE TEXAS STATE LINED UP AN ORPHAN SCHOOL LATER, THE TEXAS STATE SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF.
UH, THEY WERE ACTIVE MEMBERS OF THE METROPOLITAN AME CONGREGATION, AND BOTH TILL IT'S IN COLLEGE, ALUMNI AND CONTRIBUTORS TO THE UNITED NEGRO COLLEGE FUND AS FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE MEMBERS, THEY OPERATED A RADIO AND TV SERVICE, A REPAIR SHOP, UH, AT THE RESIDENCE AROUND 1959.
THIS ITEM HAS BEEN ON OUR AGENDA AS A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING, UM, OR THE HUNDRED AND 80 DAY, UH, TIMELINE ESTABLISHED IN CODE, WHICH MEANS THAT THE DEMOLITION APPLICATION AND THE PLANS MUST BE RELEASED TONIGHT IF THE COMMISSION CHOOSES NOT TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING.
UM, AND THE PLANS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION HAVE REACHED THEIR TIME WHEN IT AS WELL, STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UM, AND TO COMMENT ON AND RELEASE PLANS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION, ENCOURAGING THE APPLICANT TO SIMPLIFY THE PROPOSED BUILDINGS ROOFLINE AND ITS MASSING, UM, AND TO SIMPLIFY THE ECLECTIC DECORATIVE DETAILS SET THE GARAGE BACK FROM THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE.
UM, IF A FRONT FACING GARAGE ORIENTATION IS UNAVOIDABLE.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? SO THIS HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO ITS LIMIT.
UM, DO WE HAVE THE APPLICANT HERE ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE APPLICANT OWNER? NO.
IS THERE ANYONE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS APPLICATION? OKAY.
IS THERE ANYONE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THE APPLICATION? OKAY.
I, UM, I THINK COMMISSIONERS, IF YOU LOOKED AT YOUR BACKUP, YOU SAW, UH, OVER THE PAST SIX MONTHS, WE HAVE HAD, UM, LETTERS FROM, UH, THE PRESIDENT OF THE CLARKSVILLE CDU CCDC.
UM, AND SOME OTHER FOLKS HAVE COME.
UM, THERE ARE SOME, UM, DISAGREEMENT OVER WHAT WAS, WHAT WAS PRESENTED TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
[01:00:01]
BUT I THINK AT THIS POINT, UM, THIS IS WE'RE HERE AT THE POINT WHERE WE NEED TO MAKE A DECISION ON THIS APPLICATION.AS STAFF SAID, WHETHER IT RISES TO THE LEVEL OF A LANDMARK, UM, RECOGNIZING THAT THIS HOUSE WAS FAIRLY RECENTLY REMODELED TO ITS CURRENT APPEARANCE, OR IF WE RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT.
UM, FIRST THOUGH, UH, CAN I GET, I TAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
CAN I PLEASE HAVE A MOTION? OKAY.
UH, COMMISSIONER WRIGHT SECONDS, THE MOTION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THE CASE? I'LL MOVE TO RELEASE A DEMOLITION PERMIT, UH, PENDING THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, UH, AS REQUIRED AND TO MAKE THE COMMENTS ON THE PLANS THAT THE, UH, THE MASSING AND STYLE, WHILE SOME OF THE DETAILS, UH, EFFORTS HAD BEEN MADE TO MAKE THE STRUCTURE COMPATIBLE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE PROMINENT FRONT GARAGE AND THE MASSING AND THE ROOF LINES ARE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND, AND ENCOURAGE A FINAL THOUGHT ON THAT.
DO I HEAR A SECOND TO THAT SECOND? OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER COOK SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LAROCHE.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO DISCUSS YOUR MOTION? UH, THEY'RE JUST WE'RE WE'RE OUT OF TIME, THERE'S, THERE'S NO MORE OPTIONS AVAILABLE ON THIS.
THIS IS SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE MAY WANT TO DISCUSS IN THE FUTURE.
UM, WHETHER OR NOT THE CITY HAS THE WILL TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE CLARKSVILLE.
UM, BUT IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION YES, COMMISSIONER, RIGHT.
UM, I JUST, WE HAVE NO CHOICE ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO HERE.
I THINK IT'S UNFORTUNATE THE WAY THAT THE OWNER HAS APPROACHED THIS, THE APPLICANT HAS APPROACHED THIS.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS SAID FROM THE, FROM THE BEGINNING THAT THERE WISHES THAT THE HOUSE WOULD NOT BE TORN DOWN, BUT THEY KNEW IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO STOP THAT.
AND THEY'VE ASKED ONLY TO WORK WITH THE DEVELOPER TO BUILD A NEW STRUCTURE THAT THEY FEEL IS COMPATIBLE WITH THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND, AND THE APPLICANT HAS NOT DONE THAT.
APPLICANT HAS NOT EVER SHOWED UP HERE TO SPEAK WITH US, UM, SHOWING KIND OF A GENERAL DISENGAGEMENT WITH THIS PROCESS, WITH THE INTENTIONS OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE DO AND WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS TRYING TO DO TO SAVE THEIR ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY.
IT FLIES IN THE FACE OF THIS HISTORIC AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY THAT WAS ESTABLISHED RIGHT AFTER EMANCIPATION.
AND NONE OF US SHOULD FORGET THAT, UM, WE, THERE IS SOME PROVISION FOR CITY COUNCIL TO DESIGNATE LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
AND MAYBE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD TAKE UP.
UM, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE ARE LOOKING AT A NEW EQUITY BASE PRESERVATION PLAN, UM, YES.
UH, THAT CAN BE DONE, BUT IT, WHEN YOU COMPLETELY DISREGARD AND I, YOU KNOW, I ACTUALLY, I'M FAMILIAR WITH THESE FOLKS, UH, AND, UH, I'M NOT GOING TO VOTE FOR, I WON'T, I WON'T, I WON'T GIVE THEM THE SATISFACTION OF VOTING FOR THEIR APPLICATION.
UH, HOWEVER, WE HAVE LIMITED TOOLS AND EVEN THOUGH THIS IS, UH, IN A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT AND IT DID ALLOW US TO TRY TO SEE IF WE COULD GET, UM, MAYBE PEOPLE'S BETTER, UM, BETTER, UH, THOUGHTS, UH, TO, UH, COME FORWARD.
THE PROBLEM IS, IS THIS WOULD CERTAINLY BE, UH, WITH THE ASSOCIATION, BE A PROJECT, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, WORTHY OF RESTORATION, BUT THE HOUSE IN ITS CURRENT STATE AND WITH THE LAST AMOUNT OF RENOVATIONS THAT TOOK PLACE, I'M AFRAID THE ARCHITECTURE JUST FALLS SHORT.
SO THE ONLY OTHER TOOL WE WOULD HAVE WOULD BE HISTORIC DESIGNATION.
AND I JUST THINK WE NEED TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT THIS WOULD NOT RISE TO THAT, UM, TO THAT LEVEL WHERE IT COULD, IT COULD BE, UM, SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD INITIATE OVER AN OWNER'S OBJECTION.
SO, UM, I DO THINK THAT WE DID WHAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO, AND WE CAN ONLY HOPE THAT THE, UM, AGAIN, BETTER VOICES WOULD PREVAIL, UNFORTUNATELY, IN THIS CASE, THEY DIDN'T, UH, I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT HERE.
[01:05:01]
MIGHT, UH, AS A COMMISSION, WANT TO PREVAIL UPON CITY COUNCIL, UM, TO PERHAPS TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION ESTABLISHING A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT THAT WOULD, UM, PROTECT CLARKSVILLE, UH, IN, IN THE FUTURE.AND, UM, I, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER THAT I WILL NOT SUPPORT THE, UM, THE MOTION FOR THE SAME REASONS AS COMMISSIONER TO LET, UM, BUT IF THERE'S, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO RELEASE THE, UM, PERMIT, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
OPPOSITION, COMMISSIONER MYERS, COMMISSIONER CASTEEL AND COMMISSIONER THAT THE, UM, THE MOTION PASSES OKAY.
[3.C.3. HR-2021-115725 – 1104 Toyath St. – Consent (postponed August 23, 2021) Clarksville National Register District Council District 9]
ITEM IS 1104 TOILETS STREET, ALSO IN THE CLARKSVILLE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.UM, JUST TO BE A REMINDER TO THE COMMISSION, IF YOU ARE IN THE DIOCESE AND MAKING A MOTION, PLEASE ALSO INDICATE WITH YOUR HANDS.
UM, IT CAN BE A LITTLE BIT HARD TO TELL WHO'S MAKING THE MOTION WITH, UH, WITH MASKS ON.
SO I'M SORRY, I'M TRYING TO SAY THE NAMES.
UM, YOU GOT IT, THAT I'M LOOKING, I'M LOOKING DOWN, LOOK TO THE RIGHT.
UM, ITEM C3 IS A PROPOSAL TO CONNECT A NEW CONSTRUCT, A NEW RESIDENTS WITH A CARPORT, A POOL, AND A ROOF DECK.
UH, THIS PROPOSED NEW BUILDING IS THREE STORIES IN HEIGHT WITH VERTICAL FIBER CEMENT SIDING CAPTURED THE METAL ROOF.
FENESTRATION INCLUDES SINGLE HUNG AND FIXED WINDOWS, AS WELL AS A HORIZONTAL LINKLATER RESTAURANT OR A ROOF DECK WITH HORIZONTAL METAL RAILINGS.
IT'S THE TOP OF THE HOUSE ACCESSIBLE BY A SPIRAL STAIRCASE AT THE SIDE, ELEVATION IT'S PARTIALLY ENCLOSED BY A TRANSPARENT WITH SCREEN.
THE FULL WIDTH PORCH IS AFFORDED BY BOX COLUMNS AND THE FRONT AND REAR GABLES THAT COMPRISE ITS COMPOUND ROOFLINE ARE ACCENTED BY TRIANGULAR KNEE BRACES.
UM, THE PROPOSAL INCLUDES CONSTRUCTION OF A DECK AND POOL BEHIND THE MAIN HOUSE, AS WELL AS A RETAINING WALL AT THE REAR COMMITTEE FEEDBACK WAS TO CONSIDER A GLASS RAILING AT THE ROOF DECK, SHORTEN THE SIDE ELEVATION AND THE ROOF HEIGHT, REDUCE THE ROOF'S PITCH TO MATCH THE ORIGINAL HOUSE AND RECONSIDER THE CORNER WINDOW AND THE BOARD AND BATTEN SIDING AT UPPER FLOORS, AS WELL AS TO OMIT THE BRACKETS STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO COMMENT ON AND RELEASE PLANS.
UH, IS THERE ON THE APPLICANT OR OWNER HERE TO SPEAK TO THE APPLICATION? OKAY.
IS THERE ANYONE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION? IS THERE ANYONE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THE APPLICATION PLEASE COME DOWN.
MY NAME IS OLIVIA RUIZ AND I LIVE APPROXIMATELY ACROSS THE STREET FROM THIS PROPOSED, UH, SITE.
UM, MARY, I THINK MARY RAY, WHO IS THE PRESIDENT OF CD CC DC SENT YOU GUYS A LETTER SAYING HER HUSBAND WAS SICK AND COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY.
SO I WOULD VIEW, I WENT OVER TO ANNE AND AUGUST WHEN THIS CAME UP, WE WERE AT A, YOU WERE SEND IT TO THE ARCHITECTURAL COMPATIBILITY DESIGN COMMITTEE OR WHATEVER.
SO I SAT THERE AND LISTENED TO THEM AND, UM, REALIZE A COUPLE OF THINGS.
FIRST OF ALL, UM, I WENT BACK TO THE AUGUST, UM, WHAT'S THIS CALLED THE COMMITTEE, I GUESS, HISTORICAL RECOMMENDATION THE OFFICE.
AND THEN I WENT BACK TO THE EXACT SAME ONE FOR THIS ONE.
IT WAS VERY REAL CHANGES HAVE BEEN DONE.
UM, AS A MATTER OF FACT, ALMOST NONE, UH, THE, UM, STRUCTURE AS IT STANDS, STILL DOES NOT MEET, UH, WHAT THE, WHAT THE STAFF HAS ASKED.
FINALLY, WHAT THEY'RE SHOWING YOU AS, HOW IT WOULD LOOK FROM THE STREET IS NOT REALLY CORRECT FOR ONE THING YOU NEVER QUITE SEE.
THERE'S ONLY ONE PICTURE IN THERE.
I THINK IT WAS THE SECOND PICTURE IN WHICH YOU SEE THE, THE, UH, THE DECK, BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT IT REALLY
[01:10:01]
ALSO OCCURS ON THE OTHER SIDE AND THEY JUST DON'T SHOW YOU THAT.SO THE WAY THEY'VE TAKEN THESE PICTURES MAKE IT SEEM LIKE IT'S REALLY A NICE, CUTE LITTLE HOUSE THAT LIVES AROUND A PARK, BUT IT'S NOT, THERE ARE PEOPLE ALL AROUND IT.
FROM THAT POINT, YOU CAN SEE THEM TO FIVE OTHER PEOPLE'S BACKYARD.
SO, BECAUSE I DO NOT KNOW, AND I'M NOT AN ARCHITECT, FORMER FASHION, I DON'T KNOW WHEN YOU RELEASE A PERMIT, DO YOU JUST LOOK AT THEIR PICTURES OR DO YOU LOOK AT THESE DRAWINGS? SO I DECIDED TO GO BACK AND IN MY VERY INCREDIBLY NAIVE AND UNSOPHISTICATED WAY, DECIDED TO COMPARE AGAIN WHAT THEY DID IN AUGUST AND WHAT THEY'RE OFFERING IN SEPTEMBER.
AND THERE'S VIRTUALLY ALMOST NO CHANGES.
YOU KNOW, THEY GIVE YOU THE EXACT SAME PICTURE.
THEY GAVE YOU AN AUGUST WITH THE ROOF DECK SHOWING BOTH SIDES.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE, AT THIS, THE ROOF DECK, DOESN'T LOOK AT BOTH SIDES.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE TRYING TO PULL FAST PHOTO ON YOU, NOR DO I KNOW IF WE GET IN TO AN ARGUMENT, DO THESE PLANS CONTROL OR DO THESE PLANS CONTROL? I DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA, BUT THEY HAVE NOT CHANGED MUCH AT ALL.
WHAT THEY REALLY HAVE DONE IS FROM THEIR BACK DOOR.
I MEAN, THE, THE REAR, THEY PUT IN BIGGER WINDOWS AND MORE WINDOWS, AND ALSO FOR THE FRONT, WHAT THEY HAVE DONE IS KIND OF EXPANDED, I MEAN, EXTENDED THE WINDOWS AND MADE THEM LONGER.
SO THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY THING THAT I CAN SEE.
I THINK THESE ARE COST SCHEMATICS WHEN I COMPARE THE, THE ACTUAL SCHEMATICS, UM, IS THAT THEY'RE NOW BIGGER WINDOWS ALL THROUGH THE BACK AND EITHER BIGGER OR LONGER.
AND THEN WHEN YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE ACTUAL ROOF, THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY CHANGES WHATSOEVER.
AND THE, UH, ARCHITECTURAL COMMITTEE DEFINITELY SAID THAT THEY WANTED TO SEE THAT ROOF LINE CHANGE, AND IT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE.
YOU CAN STILL BE, YOU WILL STILL BE ABLE TO SEE BOTH ROOFS, UH, LINES, UM, FROM THE STREET.
AND I THINK HE WOULD GO BACK AND LOOK, THE STAFF REPORT THAT IS COMPATIBLE WITH CLARKSVILLE.
I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU THAT CLARKSVILLE IS BEING DEMOLISHED.
I FEEL PERSONALLY BAD BECAUSE I BOUGHT MINE FROM TWO FRIENDS, UH, AN 89 YEAR OLD BLACK WOMAN AND A 93 YEAR OLD BLACK WOMAN WHO ACTUALLY, WHOSE FAMILY ACTUALLY BUILT MY HOUSE.
UM, AND IT'S IT, IT'S PAINFUL TO ME TO SEE THAT AUSTIN'S LACK SO MUCH SENSITIVITY, THAT WE'RE NOT REALLY TRYING TO PAY ATTENTION TO WHY CLARKSVILLE IS REALLY SPECIAL.
AND NOT ONLY IS IT SPECIAL BECAUSE THERE WERE BLACK COMMUNITIES THERE, BUT THE PEOPLE THAT MOVED IN AFTER THAT RESPECTED THAT IT'S BEEN THE LAST MAYBE FIVE OR 10 YEARS, THAT THERE'S BEEN SUCH A LACK OF RESPECT.
AND I WOULD LIKE US TO GO BACK AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT HISTORY AND ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE WAY THAT THEY LIVED AND YOU WANT TO ADD SOMETHING WHERE WE CAN'T SEE, I PERSONALLY DON'T CARE, BUT I DO WANT TO WALK DOWN THE STREET AND BE ABLE TO SEE EVERY SINGLE HOUSE ON THAT STREET IS LIKE MINE.
MAYBE, YOU KNOW, MY HOUSE IS A THOUSAND SQUARE FEET.
MOST OF THE HOUSES, THERE WERE MANY, MANY OF US HAVE ADDED TO IT, BUT IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE CALMNESS AND THE UNIFORMITY AND THE CONSISTENCY THAT REALLY EXISTS THERE.
AND TORRES REALLY IS ONE OF THE VERY, WE'RE ONLY TWO BLOCKS LONG.
AND WE REALLY HAVE, WE REALLY HAVE A VERY CONSISTENT PATTERN.
THEY'RE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, VERY SIMPLE, YOU KNOW, AND THEY WERE ALL BUILT IN THE ERA OF THE TYPE THAT THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IN.
SO I AM ASKING YOU THAT YOU PLEASE DENY THIS PERMIT.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF OLIVIA REALLY? MS. RUIZ, MS. RUIZ, THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING TONIGHT.
AND ALSO FOR COMING TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING.
THAT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE FOR ME.
UM, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? OKAY.
SEEING NONE AND WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYONE TO REBUT.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE? THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS THAT COMMISSIONER LAROCHE.
AT SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MCWHORTER, UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS.
DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THIS CASE?
[01:15:01]
I, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR SOMETHING OTHER THAN A ROOFTOP DECK AT THE VERY LEAST JUST SAYING CAN I ASK A QUESTION TO STAFF ON THE TIMELINE ON THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT? UM, CAROLYN, I CAN'T HEAR YOU.COULD, COULD YOU PLEASE SPEAK INTO THE MIC? I'M SORRY.
I'M CHECKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW.
UM, I NEED TO MAKE SURE, UM, WHETHER WE'RE COUNTING FROM THE DAY THE APPLICATION WAS RECEIVED BY OUR OFFICE OR THE FIRST DATE THAT THE CONDITION WAS HEARD AT THE PUBLIC HEARING, UM, IT WAS FIRST HEARD BACK IN AUGUST, UM, AND THAT 75 DAY TIME PERIOD WOULD BE, UH, NOVEMBER 6TH AND DATE.
UM, BUT I NEED TO CHECK IN THE CODES TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT THE DATE WE CAN ACTUALLY, CAN WE NOT POSTPONE THIS BECAUSE IT'S A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING AND LOOK, AND I'M A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
THE DEMOLITION FOR THE BUILDING HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION.
UM, SO THIS IS JUST PLANS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION, WHICH WE ONLY GET 75 DAYS FOR THAT ONE.
I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION FOR STAFF.
WHAT, WHAT EXACTLY ARE OUR, ARE OUR OPTIONS HERE? WHAT, WHAT ALL CAN WE DO OR NOT DO HERE? ADAM CHAIR? DO YOU WANT TO FEEL THAT ONE? OF COURSE WE ARE WE IN A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, WE CAN COMMENT ON THE PLANS, BUT CAN WE NOT ALSO APPROVE THE PLANS EXCEPT FOR THE ROOFTOP DECK AND NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS? THE COMMISSION'S PURVIEW IS ADVISORY ONLY.
UM, SO I AM NOT SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO ADD PROVISIONS IN THAT ARE BINDING.
UM, HOWEVER YOU CAN MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS.
HAVE THEY SUBMITTED THEIR CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKET? UM, AMBER, CAN YOU CHECK ON THAT REAL QUICK? THE BUILDING PERMIT FOR THE DEMOLITION HAS BEEN RELEASED? SO IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY HAVE, UM, THAT THESE THINGS, IT DOESN'T ALWAYS FOLLOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S UP, I SAID THAT'S AN ONE WOULD THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TURNED IN, BUT I, YOU KNOW, I'D JUST LIKE TO CHECK ON THAT.
UM, SO OUR ONLY OPTION HERE IS TO COMMENT ON AND RELEASE THE DEMOLITION, THE PERMIT TO BUILD US.
WELL, NOW MADAM CHAIR, LIQUID CLARIFICATION.
UM, IF I UNDERSTAND THE NOVEMBER TIMELINE, WE WOULD HAVE THE OPTION OF POSTPONING THIS JUST FOR ONE MORE MEETING FOR, I GUESS, THE HOPE OF, OF ALLOWING THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE, UM, THE, THE, THE BUILDER TO ACTUALLY WORK ON CRAFTING SOMETHING THAT WAS RESOLVED, UH, MORE RESOLVED AND MAYBE MORE APPROPRIATE.
BUT, UM, IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE THAT THERE'S ANY INDICATION THAT THAT WOULD BE THE CASE, BUT THAT DOES, THAT WOULD BE, UH, AT LEAST ONE OTHER OPTION FOR US.
I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO POSTPONE IT TO THE OCTOBER MEETING WITH AN INVITATION TO RETURN TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, MADAM CHAIR.
UM, I'VE JUST HEARD FROM, UH, MS. BRUMMETT THAT NOVEMBER 6TH IS IN FACT, THE END DATE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
UM, IT'S 75 DAYS FROM THE TIME THAT THIS APPLICATION FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION FIRST APPEARED ON THE AGENDA.
UM, SO OCTOBER WOULD BE THE LAST MEETING AT WHICH Y'ALL COULD DELIBERATE ON THAT.
LET'S TAKE MY, UM, MY REQUEST IS TO POSTPONE IT TO THAT TIME, TO USE THE ONLY TOOL THAT WE HAVE.
[01:20:01]
OKAY.WE'RE GOING TO SAY KELLY, LITTLE SECONDARY MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HEIM, POSTPONE THIS.
AND WOULD THAT ALSO INCLUDE AN INVITATION TO GO TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE? ABSOLUTELY.
AND I, YOU KNOW, I THINK WHAT'S FRUSTRATING HERE IS THAT I CAN SEE GESTURES WHERE AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO TRY CERTAIN THINGS THAT WOULD WORK TO MAKE THIS FEEL MORE AT HOME IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, BUT I THINK THAT WITH THE SCALE AND SOME OF THE RELATIONSHIPS, UM, YEAH, IT, IT IS NOT GOING TO BE A COMFORTABLE HOUSE WHEN IT'S BUILT THERE.
AND I THINK THE ROOF DECK IS PROBABLY AN OBVIOUS THING TO POINT TO, UM, BECAUSE THAT REALLY EVEN MAKES IT TALLER.
UM, BUT I, I DO THINK THAT SOME LEVEL OF REFINEMENT AND IT MAY MAYBE BEING SOMEWHAT MORE SYMPATHETIC TO THE NEIGHBORS IS POSSIBLE.
I WOULD ADD TO THAT THESE ARE NOT THE ONLY DEVELOPERS THAT HAVE NO SEEMING INTEREST IN MAKING THEIR DESIGNS COMPATIBLE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT THEY'RE PUTTING THESE THINGS INTO.
AND OUR, OUR CAPACITY, OUR REVIEW IS VERY ADVISORY AND LIMITED, AND WE HAVE VERY LIMITED TOOLS AT OUR DISPOSAL.
SO WE CANNOT STOP DESIGNS LIKE THIS FROM GOING INTO NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS.
BUT I JUST FEEL LIKE IF THESE DEVELOPERS AT LEAST MEET WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND GIVE, TRY AND WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY'RE BUILDING THESE HOUSES, THEN THAT WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO MAKING THEIR REVIEW AT THIS COMMISSION GO A LOT FASTER.
ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? UH, I DID WANT TO NOTE THAT THE APPLICANT DID COME TO THE LAST ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, AND I THINK THIS IS JUST A CASE OF TRYING TO FIT A GALLON OF WATER IN A PINT JAR.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE AT A SITUATION WHERE ANY OF US ARE HAPPY WITH IT.
I DO THINK THEM FOR COMING AND I, I DO APPRECIATE THEIR POSITION HAVING CLIENTS WITH A PROGRAM THAT'S NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEY'RE CAUGHT IN A SITUATION WHERE THEY'RE IN A NO-WIN SITUATION.
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, I DO THINK WE NEED TO AVAIL OURSELVES OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY IN THESE DISTRICTS TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO BRING PROGRAMS THAT ARE COMPATIBLE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT I THINK WILL, UH, MAKE THE PROCESS GO MORE SMOOTHLY.
MY INVITATION TO, UM, TO THE APPLICANTS, ALTHOUGH WE'VE SEEN THIS ALREADY AT THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS, UM, THE THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HERE TONIGHT, WHICH IS THE IMPACT ON THIS FRAGILE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
UM, IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO POSTPONE AND INVITE THEM TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, PLEASE SAY, AYE, OR RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S UNANIMOUS JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON THE DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE THAT YOU ASKED ABOUT IT WAS RECEIVED ON JUNE 1ST.
[3.C.5. HR-2021-122489 – 82 San Marcos St. – Consent (postponed August 23, 2021) Willow-Spence National Register District Council District 3]
ADT, SAN MARCUS STRAIGHT? YES.THIS IS AN APPLICATION TO DEMOLISH TWO CIRCA 1941 HOUSES ON THE SAME LOT WITHIN THE WILLOW SPENCE NATIONAL REGISTER, HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THESE TWO HOUSES, UM, ARE ACTUALLY LISTED AS NON-CONTRIBUTING TO THIS NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT STAFF BELIEVES IT'S BECAUSE OF THEIR AGE OF CONSTRUCTION WITH SLIGHTLY LESS THAN 50 YEARS AT THE TIME.
UM, AND SO THEY WOULD NOT QUALIFY UNDER THE 50 YEAR THRESHOLD.
THIS NOMINATION WAS DONE IN 79 OR SOMETHING.
I THINK IT WAS QUITE A LONG TIME AGO AND THEN HIS BUILDINGS WERE ELIGIBLE JUST BY VIRTUE OF THEIR YOUTHFULNESS AT THAT TIME.
BUT GIVEN THEIR VERY INTACT ARCHITECTURE STAFF FELT IT WOULD BE BEST TO GO AHEAD AND REFER THESE TO THE LANDMARK COMMISSION.
UM, BEFORE I GO FURTHER INTO DISCUSSING, UM, THE SPECIFICS OF THE CASE, THIS IS THE APPLICATION THAT LAST MONTH I REPORTED TO YOU THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE NOTIFICATION UPON FURTHER EXAMINATION.
I OVERLOOKED THE PERSON'S NAME, WHO HAD TOLD HER SHE DID NOT RECEIVE THE NOTIFICATION.
SO THE MOST THAT WE CAN DO AS CITY STAFF IS TO SEND THE NOTIFICATIONS OUT.
OF COURSE, WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE POSTAL SERVICE AND WHETHER
[01:25:01]
THOSE NOTIFICATIONS REACH THEIR INTENDED DESTINATION, I DID MAKE SURE THAT THAT PARTICULAR CITIZEN RECEIVED A PDF COPY OF THE NOTIFICATION.I DON'T KNOW IF SHE RECEIVED ONE OR THE READ NOTIFICATION IN THE MAIL, BUT, UM, WE DID FULLY READ NOTIFIED FOR THIS COMMISSION MEETING FOR ALL POSTPONED CASES BECAUSE OF THE CHANGE IN VENUE FROM VIRTUAL TO IN-PERSON FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
SO I DID JUST WANT TO ADDRESS THAT BEFORE WE WENT ON.
UH, SO THESE ARE TWO, ONE STORY, RECTANGULAR PLANTS.
I GABLED FRAME COTTAGES ON THE SAME LOTS AT EACH, HAVE A CENTRAL ENTRY WITH A FRONT FRONT GABLED ENTRY HOOD PAIRED, WHENEVER ONE WINDOWS WITH DECORATIVE SCREENS, THEY WERE BOTH CONSTRUCTED FOR LOUIS VONGOLE, WHO OPERATED A NEIGHBORHOOD GROCERY STORE, A BLOCK FROM THE SITE AT 78, SAN MARCUS, AND TWO INVESTED IN NEIGHBORHOOD REAL ESTATE.
UH, MR.
UM, HE AND HIS FAMILY LIVED AT 80 SAN MARCOS, WHICH IS THE ONE ON THE LEFT, UH, THE YELLOW ONE INTERMITTENTLY AND THE LATE 1940S AND EARLY 1950S.
BUT AT OTHER TIMES HE AND HIS FAMILY WERE IN RESIDENCE AT THE GROCERY STORE ITSELF.
UH, THE OTHER HOUSE IS, UH, WAS CONSTRUCTED ENTIRELY AS A RENTAL PROPERTY.
I WAS OCCUPIED BY AN AUTO MECHANIC AND THE TAXI DRIVER WHO LATER OPENED HIS OWN FILLING STATION.
AND, UH, A WOMAN WHO WORKED AT THE WOOLWORTH'S STORE DOWNTOWN.
SO WHILE THESE BUILDINGS ARE GOOD EXAMPLES OF WOOD-FRAME RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION AND RETAIN A HIGH DEGREE OF INTEGRITY STAFF DOES NOT FIND THAT THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS TO MERIT LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
SO THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE, THEN REALLY RELOCATION OVER DEMOLITION, BUT TO RELEASE THE PERMIT UPON REVIEW OF PLANS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION, BY THE APPLICANT AND COMPLETION OF A DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, ALTERNATELY AS THIS IS A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
AND WE DO NOT HAVE PLANS IN HAND PRESENTLY.
UH, THE COMMISSION COULD OPT TO POSTPONE THIS CASE AND, UH, REQUEST THAT WE REVIEWED THE NEW CONSTRUCTION BEFORE RELEASING, UH, THE DEMOLITION PERMIT.
UM, DOES, DID YOU DO ANY RESEARCH ON ITS ORIGIN? UH, IT, IT BEARS COMPLETE RESEMBLANCE TO AT LEAST ANOTHER, OH, I'D SAY A DOZEN AND A HALF TO TWO DOZEN, UH, SIMILAR HOUSES ALL OVER EAST AUSTIN.
AND I'VE ALWAYS BEEN CURIOUS, UH, WHETHER THOSE WERE SOME SORT OF PREFAB BECAUSE THEY, MANY OF THEM HAVE BEEN MOVED.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE THAT ONE WAS NOT NECESSARILY THE CASE OR WHETHER THESE ARE PATTERN, BOOK HOUSES THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN POPULAR AT THE TIME BECAUSE THERE'S, I MEAN, LITERALLY DOWN TO THE, THE, THE BRACKETS ON THE, UH, UH, ON THE GABLE END ON THE DOOR, UH, THE PROPORTIONS ARE THE SAME MATERIALS, THE SAME, UH, ALL THE DETAILS ARE THE SAME AND YOU SEE THEM, UH, WELL USED TO SEE MORE OF THEM.
UH, AND, UH, I WONDER IF THAT CONNECTION IS SOMETHING THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO RESEARCH OR, UM, HAVE SOME FAMILIAR FAMILIARITY WITH? NO, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE RESEARCHED FOR THIS SPECIFIC CASE.
UM, AND I, THESE, THESE ARE, UH, UH, HOUSING TYPE THAT APPEARS ACROSS AUSTIN, UH, DURING THIS.
BUT IF YOU LOOK, UM, THERE'S ONE THAT WAS MOWED AND IS SITTING ON AIRPORT BOULEVARD RIGHT NOW, UM, THAT SOMEBODY'S GOING TO DO SOMETHING WITH, AND THAT'S ONE OF THEM, THERE'S TWO OF THEM UP THE HILL, UH, AS YOU GET ONTO 12TH STREET.
AND, UM, GOSH, I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER WHERE I SAW THE OTHER ONES, CAUSE THEY'RE JUST LITERALLY THIS EXACT SAME TYPE TO THE DETAIL.
SO IT JUST, IT, IT SCREAMS EITHER SOME SORT OF, UH, EARLY PRE-FAB, UH, BECAUSE THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY EASY TO MOVE, UH, OR, UH, AT THE VERY LEAST SOME SORT OF, UM, VERY CONNECTED WAY THAT THESE PATTERN BOOK, UH, BECAUSE WE KNOW PATTERN, BOOK HOUSES WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY CURRENT, BUT THE FACT THAT THIS ONE DESIGN WOULD HAVE BEEN SO PREVALENT SPECIFICALLY IN AFRICAN-AMERICAN EAST AUSTIN.
UM, IF, IF YOU, IF YOU HAVE NOT MADE ANY ADDITIONAL, UH, RESEARCH ABOUT THAT OR LOOKED INTO THAT, I'D SURE WANT TO HAVE A CHANCE TO DO SO BEFORE WE LET THIS HOUSE GO, CERTAINLY THAT'S SOMETHING STAFF COULD LOOK INTO.
UM, THIS, THIS WAS, I BELIEVE IN ANGLO NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, WHEN ORIGINALLY CONSTRUCTED AND HAD SOME DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES LATER IN ITS HISTORY.
IS THE APPLICANT OR OWNER HERE
[01:30:01]
TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS APPLICATION? GOOD EVENING.UH, MY NAME IS JIM WHITTLING AND I'M HERE FOR THE OWNER.
I PROBABLY DON'T NEED, BUT ONE, UH, I HAVE ENCOURAGED THE OWNER TO, UH, CONSIDER ALLOWING THESE HOUSES TO BE RELOCATED.
THEY ARE CLEAR THAT, UH, THEY HAVE, UH, PLANS TO REDEVELOP THE SITE.
AND, UH, I SAID, LET'S, LET'S SEE IF WE CAN RELOCATE.
AND, UH, WE'RE HAPPY TO, TO DO THAT IF THE COMMISSION WANTS, UH, THEY DON'T HAVE PLANS AT THIS TIME.
SO MAYBE THE BEST THING IS WE POSTPONE THIS AND, UH, COME BACK WITH RELOCATION PLANS AND PLANS FOR THE NEW DEVELOPMENT, WHICH YOU WILL REQUIRE ANYHOW.
IT WOULD BE OUR PREFERENCE TO LEAVE THESE HOUSES IN PLACE SINCE THEY'RE IN THIS HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND, UM, ARE THERE, UM, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF THIS NEARBY PROPERTY OWNER? OKAY.
UM, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION? OKAY.
ANYONE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION, PLEASE COME DOWN.
MY NAME IS ANDREA HILL AND I AM, PARDON ME? MA'AM WOULD YOU MIND KEEPING YOUR MASK ON? I CANNOT SPEAK WELL WITH THE MASCULINE AND ANOTHER SPEAKER TOOK THEIRS OFF WHERE THEY SPOKE.
I'M NOT WITHIN SIX FEET OF ANY OF YOU PEOPLE.
I CANNOT SPEAK CLEARLY WITH THE MASK ON.
I AM, UH, MY BACKYARD IS ACROSS THE ALLEY FROM THESE TWO HOUSES, UM, MYSELF AND MANY OF THE NEIGHBORS OBJECT TO THIS DEMOLITION, OR EVEN RELOCATION ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT GROUNDS.
UH, THE FIRST GROUND IS IT IS A NATIONAL HISTORIC REGISTER.
IF YOU ALLOWED THEM A DEMOLITION OR RELOCATION OF ANY HOUSES IN THIS VERY SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD, IT'LL BE LIKE OPEN SEASON ON OUR WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THESE HOUSES WERE JUST SOLD ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO, AND I'M SURE THE PERSON BOUGHT THEM AS A REAL ESTATE SPECULATION SIMPLY TO IN FACT, DEMOLISH THEM AND PUT UP W AND WE HAVE NO IDEA, EVEN FROM THIS GENTLEMAN THAT SPOKE, WHAT THEY'RE PLANNING TO DO WITH THE PROPERTY ARE SUSPECT BASED ON WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING IN EAST AUSTIN.
THEY'RE PLANNING TO PUT SOME SORT OF MULTIUNIT, CONDO, WHATEVER THEY CAN POSSIBLY DO AS MANY UNITS AS THEY CAN POSSIBLY GET AWAY WITH IN THE NATIONAL HISTORIC REGISTER PLACE.
IT CONCERNS US THAT YOU WOULD ISSUE A DEMOLITION PERMIT WITHOUT EVEN KNOWING WHAT THEIR PLAN IS.
SO ANOTHER ISSUE I'D LIKE TO BRING UP IS THAT SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, EVEN IN THE CHRONICLE, THERE WAS AN ARTICLE ABOUT YOUR COMMISSION AND ABOUT HOW YOU'VE BELATEDLY REALIZED THAT YOU NEED TO DO HISTORIC PRESERVATION OF NEIGHBORHOODS, NOT JUST OF INDIVIDUAL HOUSES.
AND THIS WOULD BE A PRIME EXAMPLE WHERE A VERY SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD, JUST A FEW BLOCKS.
MOST OF THE HOUSES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ARE MORE THAN A HUNDRED YEARS OLD, INCLUDING MINE, WHICH WAS BUILT IN PROBABLY IN 1890.
UM, AND THESE TWO LITTLE HOUSES AREN'T QUITE THAT OLD, BUT THEY ARE PART OF THE FABRIC OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND AS MR. HOMESTEADS HAS POINTED OUT, THEY MIGHT BE OF SOME HISTORIC VALUE AS A PERIOD PIECE, AS HE MENTIONED THAT THERE PREFAB CERTAIN ERA TYPE OF HOUSES FROM THE FORTIES DURING THE WAR YEARS.
SO THEY MAY HAVE SOME VALUE FOR THAT REASON.
MAINLY OUR OBJECTION AS NEIGHBORS IS THAT IT'S A DOMINO THEORY.
IF YOU'RE ALLOWED TO DEMOLITION OF ANYTHING IN THIS HISTORIC REGISTERED NEIGHBORHOOD, A VERY SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD, IT'S OPEN SEASON.
WE, WE ARE SOLICITED BY REALTORS CONSTANTLY ALL THE TIME WANTING US TO SELL SO THEY CAN PUT UP CONDOS.
UH, AND AGAIN, WHOEVER BOUGHT THESE HOUSES JUST BOUGHT THEM VERY RECENTLY.
OBVIOUSLY THEY HAVEN'T EVEN COME UP WITH THEIR PLANS YET, BUT I'M PRETTY SURE IT'S NOT A PLAN.
THE NEIGHBORS WOULD BE APPRECIATIVE OF.
IT'S ALSO GOING TO CAUSE PROBLEMS DURING CONSTRUCTION.
WE HAVE TO BUY PARKING PERMITS TO PARK ON THE STREET BY OUR OWN HOUSE, IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, BECAUSE MOST THE HOUSES WERE BUILT BEFORE CARS.
[01:35:01]
IF YOU ADD A MULTIUNIT HOUSE ON THIS LOT, THERE'LL BE EVEN LESS PARKING SPACES FOR THE RESIDENTS.IT'S A QUALITY OF LIFE CONCERN FOR US.
ALSO, IF THEY'RE BULLDOZING THE HOUSES AND CONSTRUCTING SOMETHING NEW, THAT'S A QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE FOR US, THE CONSTRUCTION NOISE, A CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES, AND ALL OF THE, ALL OF THAT.
UH, IT'S A SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD.
AS I SAY, IT'S A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT MAY BE EMINENT DOMAIN TO OUT IF THEY AGREE TO BULLDOZE AND WIDEN AT 35.
BUT UNTIL THAT TIME, WE WOULD LIKE TO KEEP OUR LITTLE NEIGHBORHOOD SAFE.
AND AS HE IS, IT DISTURBS ME THAT IN YOUR UP HERE, YOU SAY, RELEASE THE PERMIT ON REVIEW OF THEIR APPLICATION, WHICH SOUNDS TO ME LIKE YOU'VE ALREADY MADE UP YOUR MIND THAT YOU'RE ALREADY GOING TO RELEASE THE PERMIT WITHOUT EVEN KNOWING WHAT IT IS THEY'RE PLANNING TO PUT ON THAT PROPERTY.
AND WITHOUT HAVING A HEARING OR INPUT FROM THE NEIGHBORS.
I KNOW YOU'VE RECEIVED SOME WRITTEN COMMENTS FROM SOME OF THE OTHER NEIGHBORS.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY, I AM THE PERSON THEY TALKED ABOUT THAT DID NOT RECEIVE NOTICE.
I STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED NOTICE EITHER FROM THE HEARING A MONTH AGO, THAT WAS POSTPONED ARE FROM THIS HEARING.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT'S ABOUT, BUT I AM, AS I SAY, MY BACKYARD IS RIGHT ACROSS THE ALLEY FROM THESE TWO HOUSES, I DID NOT WANT TO SEE THEM TORN DOWN.
THE NEW OWNER COULD MAKE PROBABLY ABOUT $4,000 A MONTH AS A RENTAL HOUSES.
IF HE WANTED TO DO THAT AND MAKE MONEY OUT OF THEM, THERE'S NO NEED TO BULLDOZE THEM AND PUT UP SOME LARGE STRUCTURE.
AS YOU ALL HAVE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER WITH OTHER PLACES THAT'S INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
ANY QUESTIONS? ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS? UH, I HAVE, I HAVE A QUESTION.
HAVE YOU AND YOUR NEIGHBORS CONSIDERED APPLYING FOR A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT STATUS? BECAUSE FOR A LOCAL AFFORD DISTRICT, WE HAVE NO AUTHORITY OR POWER TO INITIATE.
WE CAN ONLY APPROVE APPLICATIONS THAT COME FROM THE OWNERS.
I THINK IT WAS THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO.
SOME STUDENTS FROM UT CAME OUT AND DID A SURVEY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS TO TRY TO SUBMIT THE APPLICATION.
AS FAR AS I KNOW, THEY HAVE NOT FOLLOWED THROUGH WITH THAT AT THIS POINT.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S BEEN KIND OF IN THE WORKS.
I'D ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTACT THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN PAVING THE WAY FOR THESE DISTRICTS BECAUSE NOW YOU HAVE, THE STANDARDS ARE DONE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORK ON THAT.
UH, YOU HAVE YOUR SURVEY INFORMATION THERE.
SO REALLY ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GET YOUR AFFIDAVITS FOR OWNER OWNER AGREEMENT.
I'M VERY AWARE THAT THE RAINY STREET NEIGHBORHOOD HAS THE SAME ZONING THAT WE DID.
AND LOOK, WHAT'S HAPPENED TO THAT AND WE DO NOT WANT THAT TO HAPPEN TO US.
HISTORIC DISTRICT IS THE ONLY TRUE PROTECTION YOU CAN GET.
SO I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTACT THE PRESERVATION OFFICE.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, PLEASE, PLEASE DO NOT GRANT DO NOT RELEASE THE PERMIT UNTIL YOU HAVE SOME IDEA WHAT THEY'RE PLANNING TO BUILD.
WELL, AND THE FACT THAT, AGAIN, AS I SAY, THEY JUST BOUGHT THIS PROPERTY ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO OR ROUGHLY THAT AMOUNT OBVIOUSLY IS REAL ESTATE SPECULATION.
AND WE DO REVIEW THE PLANS, BUT WE DON'T HAVE IT'S ADVISORY ONLY, BUT WE DO REVIEW THE PLANS BEFORE THEY CAN RECEIVE THEIR PERMIT.
UM, BUT WE CAN ALSO CONSIDER SOME OTHER OPTIONS, INCLUDING POSTPONEMENT, UH, ON THESE ITEMS. SO, UM, THIS IS NOT, THIS IS A STAFF RECOMMENDATION JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TOOLS TO DEAL WITH PROPERTIES IN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS.
AND, UH, BUT WE'LL, UH, TAKE YOUR COMMENTS UNDER CONSIDERATION HERE.
YOU HAVE THE POWER TO RELEASE OR NOT RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING YOU TO NOT RELEASE IT.
WE HAVE TO REVIEW THE PLANS FIRST, BEFORE THEY GET THE NEIGHBORS, HAVE ANY OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW WHAT THE PLANS ARE, TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE PLANNING TO DO THAT WILL, UM, THEY WILL COME TO THE LANDMARK COMMISSION.
THERE'LL BE ANOTHER NOTIFICATION.
SO WE WILL GET NOTIFICATION, EVEN THOUGH AS I SAY, I STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY WHATSOEVER.
ONE OF MY, SOME OF MY NEIGHBORS HAVE RECEIVED THEM, BUT I HAVE NOT.
AND I AM OTHER THAN THE HOUSE RIGHT NEXT TO THESE TWO, I AM THE NEXT CLOSEST HOUSE TO THEM.
AND STILL FOR SOME REASON, HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY NOTIFICATION, UM, STAFF TAKE NOTE OF HER ADDRESS AND MAKE SURE SHE'S ON THE LIST.
THE CURRENT ADDRESS WE HAVE FOR YOU IS A PO BOX.
[01:40:01]
THAT I CAN GET YOUR ADDRESS AFTER THE MEETING.UM, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY.
WE HAVE MOTION BY COMMISSIONER COOK A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MCWHORTER.
I BELIEVE THERE WAS A SECOND SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION.
IF THERE ARE MULTIPLE SPEAKERS, PLEASE READY YOURSELVES AND COME ON DOWN.
UM, SOMETHING ABOUT OUR KING AND HIS STAFF RUNNING A TIMER ON THE SPEAKERS.
WE, THE SPEAKER, THE LAST SPEAKER THAT WE HAD WAS ANSWERING QUESTIONS, BUT SHE WAS TIMED OUT.
I LIVE AT 9 0 8 WILLOW STREET AROUND THE CORNER FROM HIS HOUSE.
I'M ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE NATIONALIST, UH, IT'S WILLOW SPENCE NATIONAL STORE DISTRICT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, UM, WHICH I HAVE BEEN WORKING AND TRYING TO KEEP AN EYE ON THIS WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE'RE ONLY A SMALL NATIONAL STORE DISTRICT.
WE'RE LITERALLY, I THINK, SIX BLOCKS OF HOUSES TOTAL.
AND THUS FAR WE'VE HAD NO DEMONITION DEMOLITIONS.
WE'VE HAD TWO HOUSES THAT WERE REBUILT BECAUSE THEY BURNED DOWN, BUT WE HAVE NOT HAD ANYBODY COME IN AND TEAR DOWN.
MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS HAVE GONE THROUGH HUGE EXPENSE TO RESTORE THEIR HOUSES AS THEY SHOULD BE DOING IN THE NATIONAL STORE DISTRICT.
UH, ALTHOUGH I'M SURE THEY WOULD LOVE TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO JUST TEAR IT DOWN AND START OVER AGAIN, BUT THEY WENT THROUGH THE EXPENSE AND THE TIME AND THE ENERGY TO DO THAT.
SO THESE TWO HOUSES ARE IN VERY GOOD CONDITION.
AND, UM, I WOULD HATE TO SEE THEM, UH, TORN DOWN.
IT'D BE THE FIRST IN THAT WHOLE AREA.
AND I THINK IT WOULD, IT WOULD SET A PRECEDENT, UH, IN THE FUTURE.
AND I DID TALK TO STEVE SADOWSKY, UH, ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO.
HE TOLD ME, CAUSE I ASKED HIM, I WAS TRYING TO SEE WHAT WE COULD DO TO BECOME A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND HE SAID, OH, NOT TO WORRY.
THEY'RE WORKING ON THAT, THAT THEY WERE WORKING ON THAT, UH, AS, UH, THE CITY TO, UH, TO PROTECT THIS AREA.
SO OBVIOUSLY THAT HAS NOT COME TO FRUITION.
I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT ALL WE HAD TO DO AT THIS POINT IS GET AFFIDAVITS.
IS THAT CORRECT? IS THAT WHAT I UNDERSTOOD? UH, THAT'S THE BIGGEST PART THAT'S RELIANT ON THE, ON THE OWNERS.
UH, THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S OTHER PORTIONS TO IT.
UH, ONE OF WHICH WAS ESTABLISHING DESIGN STANDARDS, WHICH HISTORICALLY TOOK MANY, MANY, MANY MONTHS, BUT NOW THEY'RE STANDARD AND THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, VERY ESTABLISHED AND THEN DOING THE RESEARCH, BUT YOU SHOULD HAVE THE RESEARCH FROM THE NATIONAL REGISTER APPLICATION.
SO THERE ARE STEPS TO TAKE IN THE APPLICATION, BUT THE BIGGEST HURDLE FOR YOU AT THIS POINT IS TO GET AFFIDAVITS FROM, UH, 51% OF THE OWNERS BY PROPERTY SIZE.
AND IT CAN BE THE WHOLE DISTRICT.
IT CAN JUST BE ONE, ONE BLOCK, BUT IF YOU CONTACT THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE, THEY'LL GO OVER THE DETAILS WITH YOU.
WELL, I ASK THAT YOU NOT GRANT A DEMOLITION PERMIT.
IT W IT LITERALLY WOULD BE THE FIRST.
AND I THINK IT'D BE A SAD SHAME TO SEE THAT ONE LITTLE POCKET.
THERE'S ALL, THERE'S, THERE'S TONS OF HOUSES ARE TEARING DOWN ALL OVER EAST AUSTIN.
THIS IS ONE LITTLE SMALL LITTLE AREA THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO PROTECT AND, YOU KNOW, UM, I THINK, UH, I THINK IT'D BE A SAD LOSS.
ANY QUESTIONS OF THE SPEAKER? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IS ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? WOULD THE OWNER APPLICANT LIKE TO REBUT? YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
THE ONLY STATEMENT I WANTED TO ADD WAS, UH, THE CONCERN ABOUT IF THERE'S A NEW BUILDING BUILT, THERE WERE PEOPLE GOING TO PARK ANY NEW STRUCTURE IS GOING TO BE REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH THE CURRENT LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AND PROVIDE OFF STREET PARKING FREE SPACE FOR EACH, EACH UNIT.
SO THERE WILL BE OFF STREET PARK.
UH, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING SECOND? OKAY.
COMMISSIONER COOK MADE THE MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COMMISSIONER WRIGHT SECONDED, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING.
UM, DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THE CASE? WE HAVE TO POSTPONE THIS CASE TO OUR OCTOBER 25TH MEETING.
[01:45:01]
AND COMMISSIONERI MENTIONED OUR HINDSIGHT SECONDING.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS YOUR YES, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH THE SPEAKERS.
UH, AS I WAS BIKING BY THE STREET LAST WEEKEND, I POINTED TO MY HUSBAND AND SAID, THIS IS A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
IT'S ONE OF THE FEW AREAS IN EAST AUSTIN THAT HAS SOME LEVEL OF PROTECTION.
AND HERE WE ARE FACED ONCE AGAIN WITH THE FACT THAT OUR NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS HAVE LIMITED PROTECTIONS, BUT I DEFINITELY WANT TO DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO, UH, EXAMINE THE BEST SOLUTION FOR THIS PROPERTY IN TERMS OF ITS, UM, CONTRIBUTION AS A HISTORIC RESOURCE.
AND I DO HOPE THAT, UH, WE CAN USE THE TIME, UM, THE NEIGHBORS AND THE DEVELOPER TO LOOK AT ALTERNATIVES, UM, POSSIBLY FOR BEING ABLE TO INTEGRATE THOSE TWO STRUCTURES, UH, INTO SOMETHING THAT, UH, WOULD BE COMPATIBLE.
UM, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, I ALSO REALLY WOULD HOPE STAFF COULD BE ABLE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE, UM, THE ORIGINS OF THAT STRUCTURE, UM, WHICH AGAIN IS SO UBIQUITOUS IN THAT AREA.
UM, BUT I TH THE 82 SAN MARCUS STREET STRUCTURE, I THINK MAY HAVE ADDITIONAL MERITS IF IT IS IN FACT CONNECTED, UM, TO A WHOLE NETWORK OF, UH, SIMILAR HOUSES THAT WERE PREVALENT AT THE TIME, BUT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EITHER RIGHT, UH, JUST BETWEEN THE WARS, UH, IN THE THIRTIES OR PROBABLY, UH, JUST POST-WAR.
BUT, UH, EVERY TIME I'VE SEEN THEM, I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS PROBABLY SOME VERY EARLY PROTOTYPE OF, UH, SOME TYPE OF, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, YOU KNOW, SMALL HOUSE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH NOW SEEM TO BE NEEDING TO REINVENT.
WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A PROTOTYPE IF, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I SURE LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT IT.
I THINK, I THINK THESE MAY HAVE, WELL HAVE BEEN, IF, IF NOT THESE PARTICULAR EXAMPLES, THIS CERTAINLY WAS A TREND, UM, ESPECIALLY IN, UH, UM, MAYBE LARGER HOUSES IN THE TWENTIES AND EARLIER, BUT BY THE THIRTIES AND EARLY FORTIES, WE HAVE A LOT OF SMALL HOUSES THAT ARE COMING UP ON, ESPECIALLY ON SMALL LOTS AND, UM, THAT WERE KEPT HOUSES AND EASILY, UM, EASILY PUT TOGETHER BY SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS HOW TO PUT TOGETHER, UH, HOUSES, NOT ME, BUT YEAH, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THAT.
THERE MAY BE SOMETHING IN A DEED RECORD.
UM, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE, ON THE FLOOR, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.
THE MOTION IS TO POSTPONE THIS, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND, SAY AYE.
IT'S UNANIMOUS THE CASES PLUS POSTPONED.
[3.C.6. HR-2021-126308 – 1505 Travis Heights Blvd. – Consent Travis Heights-Fairview Park National Register District Council District 9]
IS 1505 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.I MISS MIRROR'S ITEMS. C6 IS A PROPOSAL TO PARTIALLY DEMOLISH A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING TO REPLACE ALL SIDING WINDOWS RAILINGS, AND THE ROOF, UM, AND TO CONVERT THE ATTIC INTO A SECOND FLOOR AND, UH, THE CRAWL SPACE INTO A BASEMENT, THE ARCHITECTURE OF THIS BUILDING, UH, IT'S A ONE STORY CRAFTSMAN BUNGALOW WITH A GABLED ROOF, HORIZONTAL WOOD SIDING, ONE OVER ONE WOOD WINDOWS AND A FULL WIDTH PORCH SUPPORTED BY BOX COLUMNS ON BRICK PIERS, UH, INTACT DECORATIVE DETAILS INCLUDE DEEP EAVES WITH EXPOSED RAFTER TAILS AND TRIANGULAR KNEE BRACES AT THE GABLE ENDS.
HOW'S IT? 15 AT FIVE TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD WAS BUILT FOR FRED AND JULIA.
SEE PENICK BEFORE 1924, BRAD PENICK WAS A BANK TELLER, CASHIER AND CLERK AT THE AMERICAN NATIONAL BANK FOR MOST OF HIS CAREER.
AND JULIA PENNICK WAS ACTIVE IN VARIOUS COMMUNITY BUILDINGS AND BUILDING AND YOUTH ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS. UM, SHE ALSO RAN A SUMMER CAMP WITH HER OLDER CHILDREN.
SHE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN EMPLOYED AS A CAMP AS A CAMP COUNSELOR AT YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK PROPERTY CONTRIBUTES TO THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS, FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER.
HISTORIC DISTRICT STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO ENCOURAGE RETENTION OF THE ORIGINAL MATERIAL AND PORT CONFIGURATION APP SOD.
BUT TO COMMENT ON THE PLANS AND RE RELEASE DEPARTMENT UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
YES, I, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO KIND OF GO BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN WHAT THE HOUSE LOOKS LIKE NOW AND THIS, UM, RENDITION.
THIS IS AN EARLY BUNGALOW, FAIRLY EARLY BUNGALOW IN TRAVIS HEIGHTS AND CONTRIBUTES TO THE DISTRICT.
[01:50:01]
YOU.DO WE HAVE THE APPLICANT OR OWNER OF THIS HOUSE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR? DO WE HAVE ANYONE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR? OKAY.
IS THERE ANYONE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? OKAY.
UM, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? MADAM CHAIR? OH YEAH.
I JUST HAVE A QUESTION OF STAFF.
WE DON'T HAVE A DEMOLITION PLAN IN OUR PACKET.
YOU DID NOTE SELECTIVE DEMOLITION.
IS IT INTENDED THAT THE, I ASSUME THE ROOF IS GOING TO BE A, AN OLDER ROOF TRUSSES WILL BE DEMOLISHED.
UM, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO POSTPONE THIS AND AFTER I, I INTERRUPTED YOU, WE STILL HAVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I MOVED TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING.
DO I HEAR A SECOND? SECOND? OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, SECOND TO THAT MOTION, ALL IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
NOW I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO POSTPONE THIS AND ASK THE OWNER APPLICANTS TO ATTEND THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
SECOND MOTION BY COMMISSIONER COOK.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER WRIGHT.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THIS IS A VERY INTACT CONTRIBUTING PROPERTY AND WHAT THEY'RE PLANNING TO DO WILL MAKE IT NON-CONTRIBUTING AND MAKE IT INELIGIBLE FOR ANY FUTURE TAX CREDITS OR A TAX ABATEMENT.
AND, UH, AND TO PREVENT THAT, UM, FROM JUST GOING BY THE WAYSIDE.
UH, I, I SUPPORT THAT MOTION ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.
UH, I WAS JUST CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT THE CITY, SO IN, IN READING THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION, AS, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THERE WERE REVISIONS MADE UNDER PREVIOUS.
IS THAT RIGHT? I DON'T KNOW THAT COMMISSIONER LARA STAFF, WAS THERE A PREVIOUS PERMIT FOR REVISIONS ON THIS HOUSE? I DON'T RECALL SEEING THIS HOUSE BEFORE THAT.
NO, THAT I'M SURE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THIS PARTICULAR PARTIAL DEMOLITION APPLICATION HAS KIND OF, OKAY.
MAYBE IT WAS A PERMIT FOR ELECTRICAL OR SOMETHING.
UM, THIS WILL HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON, ON THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS, HISTORIC IT'S ON TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD, THE MAIN STREET.
AND, UM, IT WILL HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON THE CHARACTER OF, OF THAT PART OF THE STREET.
AND I THINK IT GIVES SOME DIRECTION.
UM, AND I KNOW IT'S A TRADE-OFF, BUT I THINK THAT I WISH I KNEW THAT PROPERTY AS WELL AS SOME OF YOU PERHAPS DO, BUT FROM THE PLANS, IT DOES LOOK LIKE THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF DISTANCE IN THE BACK OF THE PROPERTY.
I THINK THIS WOULD BE ONE THAT WOULD MERIT A STUDY OF DOING SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL SQUARE FOOTAGE AND FAMILY SPACE THAT THEY CLEARLY ARE WORKING FOR, UH, WITH SOME SORT OF ADDITION TO THE BACK.
AND THAT WOULD BE THE MAIN VOLUME OF THE HOUSE COULD STAY COMPLETELY INTACT.
AND THEN SOME OF THE NON HISTORIC, UH, CHANGES WOULD HAVE MUCH, MUCH LESS IMPACT, UH, WHAT THEY'RE PLANNING RIGHT NOW AS A CHAIRMAN MYERS, YOU, SO APTLY PUT, UH, ESSENTIALLY DESTROYS THE HOUSE.
THEY'RE GOING TO A LOT OF EFFORT TO WORK AROUND AN EXISTING STRUCTURE FOR NO PARTICULAR BENEFIT.
UH, THEY, THEY HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S NOT HISTORIC AND DOESN'T FIT, WHEREAS IT'S SO CLOSE TO WHAT'S THERE RIGHT NOW.
UH, IF THEY COULD JUST RETHINK, UM, THEIR PROCESS AND THINK ABOUT PRESERVING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, THE FRONT, UH, THAT BEAUTIFUL PORCH, BEAUTIFUL DETAILS THAT THEN I THINK THAT THEY'VE GOT ENOUGH LAND AIR, AND THERE'S PROBABLY ENOUGH WAYS TO MAKE, UH, SOMETHING WITH A VERTICAL ADDITION, UM, TO, IF NOT, IF NOT A SEPARATE FROM THE EXISTING, AT LEAST PRESERVING A GOOD PORTION OF EXISTING TOWARDS THE FRONT, I'D LIKE TO EXTEND AN
[01:55:01]
INVITATION TO YOU TO COME TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE AND WEIGH IN ON THAT CHORUS TO HELP OUT.SO IT'S, IT'S UNDER ITEM TWO IN THE REPAIR AND ALTERATIONS WHEN THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE EXPRESS PERMITTED FOUNDATION REPAIR WORK.
AND IT, IT SEEMS THAT THEY REMOVED THOSE CHEEK WALLS WITHOUT REVIEW.
WHAT, WHAT EDUCATE ME ON WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE, WHAT IS THE CITY'S RECOURSE WHEN THOSE THINGS OCCUR? THEY WERE DOING FOUNDATION REPAIR, RE REPAIR.
I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE, I DON'T KNOW.
UM, THAT'S A QUESTION FOR STAFF, BUT I THINK THERE'S REPAIRING, LIKE PINE DOESN'T HAVE TO BE REVIEWED, RIGHT.
UM, THERE ARE CERTAIN TYPES OF PERMITS THAT ARE ROUTED TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE FOR REVIEW AND FOR DETERMINATION OF WHETHER THEY SHOULD COME TO THE LANDMARK COMMISSION.
AND I'M NOT CERTAIN, UM, GENERALLY EXPRESS PERMIT, SOMETHING THAT WOULD, UM, UH, IT DOESN'T REQUIRE A LOT OF TECHNICAL REVIEW.
THOSE TYPICALLY ARE NOT ROUTED TO US.
UM, THIS ALSO IS A VERY RECENTLY LISTED NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
I BELIEVE MORE THINGS ARE GOING TO GET CAUGHT AND ROUTED TO OUR STAFF REVIEW THAN THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST.
UM, STAFF WILL GO THROUGH ANYTHING THAT COMES IN AS A PARTIAL DEMOLITION PERMIT AND, UH, TAKE A LOOK AT, UM, WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED, UH, TAKE A LOOK AT WHETHER WE THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, MERITS CONSIDERATION BY THE COMMISSION AND MAKE REFERRALS ON THOSE CASES.
SO IT'S, IT'S ALSO POSSIBLE THAT IT WAS NOT A LARGE ENOUGH SCOPE THAT IT RAISED A RED FLAG WITH STAFF AT THE TIME OF REVIEW REVIEW, BUT W YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION.
AND I APOLOGIZE, COMMISSIONER HINDSIGHT FROM TRYING TO DERAILING YOUR CONVERSATION THERE.
I DO AGREE WITH YOU THAT, UH, THAT IS A POTENTIAL SOLUTION.
I JUST DON'T WANT TO LOSE SIGHT OF, WE'VE KIND OF BEEN UNFORTUNATELY CHIPPING AWAY AT, AT A VERY PRISTINE RESIDENCE FOR SOME TIME APPEARS.
UM, I EVALUATED THAT PROPERTY FOR THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT AND IT IS INTACT TO ITS ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION.
UM, AT LEAST FROM THE FRONT, WHAT I CAN SEE FROM, UH, FROM THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY.
AND THERE IS AN ALLEY IN THE BACK AND WE DID CHECK THE ALLEYS.
UM, I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T NOTICE ANY FOUNDATION WORK, BUT THERE CERTAINLY COULD HAVE BEEN THE HOUSE, THE ROOF FORM AND PITCH THE PLAN, THE FENESTRATION PATTERN, THE PORCH, THE COLUMNS, THE, THE RAILINGS OF THE PIERS.
EVERYTHING IS INTACT ON THIS HOUSE.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO POSTPONE AND ASK THE APPLICANT TO COME TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE, RAISE YOUR HAND.
ANY OPPOSED IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
CAN YOU, UH, STAFF PLEASE, UH, LET THE APPLICANT KNOW.
[3.C.7. HR-2021-134469 – 1412 Alameda Dr. – Consent Travis Heights-Fairview Park National Register District Council District 9]
ITEM WE HAVE, UH, UH, UH, UH, IS C C7 14, 12 ALAMEDA DRIVE ALSO IN THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS, FAIRVIEW PARK HISTORIC DISTRICT.SO THIS IS A REQUEST TO PARTIALLY DEMOLISHED THE CIRCUIT 1932 HOUSE THAT'S CONTRIBUTING TO THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS, HISTORIC DISTRICT CONSTRUCT A TWO-STORY REAR ADDITION, AND TO REPLACE WINDOWS AND SIDING ON THE HOUSE.
THE HOUSE IS A ONE-STORY CRAFTSMAN BUNGALOW WITH HORIZONTAL WOOD SIDING.
IT HAS A FRONT GABLED GROOVE WITH A CLIP TO GABLE AND DECORATIVE BRACKETS, A PARTIAL WITH PORCH WITH A ROUND EVENT BELOW THE CLIP TO GABLE AND TAPERED BOX COLUMNS ON THE PORCH.
EXCUSE ME, CAN WE SEE A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE HOUSE PLACE WINDOWS OR A SINGLE OR GROUPINGS OF TWO OR THREE, ONE OVER ONE SASH WITH DECORATIVE SCREENS? THE HOUSE WAS CONSTRUCTED AROUND 1932 AND WAS INITIALLY OCCUPIED BY A SERIES OF RANCHERS FROM AROUND 1947 TO 1966, HOMER AND LILLIAN MONSON OWNED TO THE HOME HOMER MONSON SOLD USE FURNITURE.
UM, AND THERE'S, UM, THERE'S NOT ANY PHOTOS.
UM, YOU MIGHT PULL UP THE STAFF REPORT AND THEN SWITCH BACK TO THAT MOMENTARILY THERE, THEIR
[02:00:01]
CURRENT PHOTOS IN THE STAFF REPORT.UH, SO HOMER MONSON SOLD USE FURNITURE.
UH, HE ALSO OWNED AND MANAGED SEVERAL RANCHES AND HE RAN AN UNSUCCESSFUL WRITING CAMPAIGN FOR TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER IN 1966.
LILLIAN KASSNER MONSON HAD A LENGTHY TENURE AT AUSTIN AUSTIN NATIONAL BANK, UH, WITH 15 TO 20 YEARS, SOMEWHERE IN THAT RANGE, IT WAS, UM, KIND OF A LIST OF EMPLOYEES AND HOW LONG THEY'D BEEN THERE AND THE NEWSPAPER.
AND, UM, SHE ADVANCED FROM A CLERK TO A SUPERVISOR DURING THAT TIME.
UH, THEY BUILT, UH, A REAR ADDITION TO THE HOUSE IN 1952, BUT OTHERWISE IT APPEARS TO BE VERY UNALTERED, UH, IN TERMS OF WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED.
AMBER, IF WE COULD SWITCH BACK TO THE FIRST PAGE OF THE, UM, THE PACKET THERE, THIS RENDERING GIVES YOU A GOOD SENSE OF IT.
UM, OVERALL, I WOULD SAY THAT THE EDITION LARGELY MEETS THE DESIGN STANDARDS.
UM, IT'S, IT'S PUSHED BACK TO THE REAR OF THE HOUSE.
UM, IT HAS A SIMILAR VOCABULARY WITHOUT, UH, DIRECTLY MIMICKING THE HISTORIC HOUSE.
AND, UH, GENERALLY WON'T HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL VISUAL IMPACT FROM THE STREET.
UH, WHAT STEFAN CONCERNING WAS MORE SO THE REPLACEMENT OF ORIGINAL WINDOWS SIDING, UH, THE ORIGINAL FRONT DOOR, UH, REALLY STRIPPING OFF AND REPLACING, UH, THE ELEMENTS THAT MAKE, MAKE THE HOUSE UNIQUE.
UH, WHAT THEY'RE PUTTING BACK APPEARS TO BE COMPATIBLE.
BUT AGAIN, WE HAVE A LOSS OF HISTORIC FABRIC, UH, THAT CAUSED SOME, SOME CONCERN FOR STAFF.
UM, MS. RAMIREZ, ARE THEY PLANNING TO REMOVE, I COULDN'T SEE THIS ON THE PLANS.
ARE THEY PLANNING TO REMOVE THE BRACKETS? UH, THAT'S NOT CLEAR ON THE PLANS.
IT MAY BE THAT THE PLANS ARE SIMPLIFIED NOT TO SHOW THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL, UH, BUT THAT IS NOT CLEAR FROM WHAT WAS SIGNIFICANT.
AND THEY'RE ALSO PLANNING TO REMOVE THE SCREENS, WHICH APPEAR TO BE ORIGINAL HISTORICAL, RIGHT? AND SO IN LIEU OF DECORATIVE SCREENS THAT HAVE A, UH, KIND OF A DIVIDED LIGHT PATTERN TO THE SCREEN, WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING IS TO PUT BACK A SIX OVER ONE WINDOW.
UM, SO TRANSFERRING THAT, THAT KIND OF SENSE OF A DIVIDED LIGHT FROM THE SCREEN TO THE WINDOW ITSELF.
UM, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION BASED ON THE FACT THAT THIS DOES NOT APPEAR TO QUALIFY FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION IS TO ENCOURAGE RETENTION OF THESE ORIGINAL FEATURES, BUT COMMENT ON AND RELEASE THE PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? OKAY.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE IS THE APPLICANT OR OWNER HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION? YES, PLEASE COME ON DOWN.
AND IF THERE ARE OTHERS TO SPEAK IN FAVOR, PLEASE LINE UP, BE READY TO COME ON DOWN IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARD, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND HI, I'M ANA HALLMARK.
MY ARCHITECT COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT, BUT, UM, JUST TO LET YOU ALL KNOW, WE LOVE OUR HOUSE.
WE'VE ONLY BEEN THERE AND WE BOUGHT IT IN 2017, BUT, UM, BOUGHT IT A BIG REASON.
PART OF THE REASON WE BOUGHT IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE HISTORICAL FEATURES, THE FACT THAT IT HAS BEEN SO WELL MAINTAINED OVER THE YEARS.
AND SO, UM, OUR GOAL WITH THIS IS REALLY TO PRESERVE IT AS BEST WE CAN.
UM, WE HAVE A TWO YEAR OLD, WHICH IS WHY WE NEED MORE SPACE.
UM, SO I GUESS I WOULD JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, WE ACTUALLY HAD, WE HAD GOTTEN PLANS FROM A DIFFERENT, FROM A DESIGN BUILD FIRM AND PAID FOR THEM AND WENT WITH A DIFFERENT ARCHITECT BECAUSE WE JUST FELT LIKE WE DIDN'T RECOGNIZE OUR HOUSE AND THE ORIGINAL PLANS.
AND SO WHAT WE WERE REALLY TRYING TO DO HERE WAS DO SOMETHING WHERE WE COULD GET AS MUCH SPACE AS WE COULD, UM, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT REALLY AFFECTING, WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING TO THE FRONT AT ALL.
UM, IN ORDER TO KEEP THE FRONT REALLY LOOKING THE SAME.
AND WE REALLY TRIED TO GET THE ADDITION IN THE BACK TO MATCH, UM, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
AND THEN OF COURSE WE HAVE TWO REALLY BIG HERITAGE OAK TREES THAT WE LOVE THAT WE DON'T WANT TO MESS WITH.
UM, I GUESS I WOULD SAY I WOULD ACTUALLY LOVE TO MAYBE GET IN TOUCH WITH STAFF TO ASK YOUR OPINIONS ABOUT IT.
I LOVE OLD HOUSES AND I'M, I'M FROM AUSTIN.
MY FATHER AND STEPMOTHER LIVED IN TRAVIS HEIGHTS AND MY MOTHER LIVED IN ZILKER.
SO I'M FROM THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND I LOVE TO PRESERVE IT.
UM, AND SO I THINK SOME OF THE THINGS LIKE I PERSONALLY DON'T WANT TO REPLACE THE WINDOWS.
MAYBE I CAN USE THIS AS AN INCENTIVE TO GET HIM TO AGREE, TO KEEP THE WINDOWS AND THE SIDING.
[02:05:01]
WAS JUST THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PEELING PAINT.THAT'S BEEN REPAINTED OVER THE YEARS AND I JUST REALLY WANTED TO GET THAT REFINISHED TO WHERE IT LOOKS A LITTLE NICER.
AND SO TALKING WITH BUILDERS, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES THEY'LL JUST SAY, OH, IT'S JUST EASIER TO REPLACE THE SIDING.
WE CAN HAVE IT LOOK THE SAME, BUT I KNOW ATTENTION TO THEM.
YEAH, NO, I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT'S, I MEAN, I'M SO GLAD I CAME TONIGHT BECAUSE I WOULD LOVE TO JUST TALK TO YOU GUYS AND GET SOME OF YOUR OPINIONS MAYBE ON HOW, YOU KNOW, WE CAN PRESERVE SOME OF THESE THINGS OR WHAT SOME OF OUR OPTIONS ARE, BECAUSE I THINK, YEAH, AGAIN, SOMETIMES TALKING TO BUILDERS, YOU DON'T ALWAYS KNOW WHAT OPTIONS THERE COULD BE.
WELL, I, UM, THE REASON I, I PULLED THIS FOR DISCUSSION WAS BECAUSE OF THE LOSS OF SO MUCH OF THE ORIGINAL HISTORIC FABRIC.
AND I THINK THAT, UH, WHEN WE GET TO DISCUSSING THIS AMONG OURSELVES, THE COMMISSION MEMBERS, THERE MAY BE SUGGESTIONS FOR YOU.
A CONCERN OF MINE WAS LOSING THAT FRONT DOOR.
AND, UM, BUT THERE ARE WAYS THAT YOU CAN IMPROVE ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND THAT, BUT, BUT STILL RETAIN YOUR THAT'S A GREAT HOUSE.
IT IS, IT'S A WONDERFUL HOUSE.
AND IT'S, IT'S BEEN, I MEAN, WE HAVE ORIGINAL LIGHT FIXTURES AND IT'S STILL, IT'S WONDERFUL.
SO, UM, SORRY, BUT STAFF, WE HAVE A VERY CAPABLE STAFF AND I THINK THEY CAN HELP DIRECT YOU, BUT, UM, I'M SORRY, I'M INTRUDING ON YOUR TIME.
UM, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? OKAY.
YEAH, THIS HAS BEEN REALLY INFORMATIVE.
CAN, CAN YOU, CAN YOU WRITE US A REVIEW ON YELP? THANK YOU.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION? IS THERE ANYONE OPPOSED? OKAY.
UM, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY.
WE HAVE A, UH, MOTION BY COMMISSIONER COOK, UH, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER.
RIGHT? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC SHARING.
WELL WHAT KIND OF, UH, ON MOTION WE, WE APPEAR TO HAVE AN AMENABLE, UM, PROPERTY OWNER.
I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE, UH, THAT WE REFER THIS TO THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE AND STAFF IN ORDER TO HELP THIS OWNER DO EVEN MORE OF THE RIGHT THING.
I THINK THEY'VE GOT A GREAT START.
UH, I DON'T WANT TO OVERLY DELAY THE PROJECT, BUT I THINK WITH THIS SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, UH, THAT, THAT POSTPONEMENT AND REFERRAL, UH, WILL PROBABLY, UH, HELP SOLIDIFY, UH, WHAT IS, WHAT IS OTHERWISE A VERY STRONG PROGRAM.
IS THAT A MOTION AND A SECOND.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HEIM SET TO REFER IT TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON.
UM, I JUST TELL THE APPLICANT THAT THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE AS A MORE INFORMAL, UM, GET TOGETHER AND WE'D TALK ABOUT THE DETAILS OF, OF HOW YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO PRESERVE, UM, THINGS THAT, THAT ARE IMPORTANT HISTORICALLY FOR THE HOUSE AND STILL GET THE PROGRAM THAT YOU WANT WITH YOUR ADDITION AND THAT SORT OF THING.
SO, UM, IS THERE ANY, UH, DISCUSSION PERMISSION OR A LITTLE CHIMERAS? I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT I'M AN EVER ACCUSED MYSELF FROM BUILDING ON THIS ONE.
DID YOU GET THAT COMMISSIONER A LITTLE AS RECUSING? OKAY.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY WITH COMMISSIONER LITTLE RECUSING HERSELF.
[3.C.11. HR-2021-130292 – 1400 Mohle Dr. – Consent Old West Austin National Register District Council District 10]
C 11, I BELIEVE THAT ITEM WAS PULLED.THIS IS 1400 MOLLY DRIVE IN THE OLD WEST AUSTIN AND NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
I GUESS ITEM C 11 IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING AND GARAGE.
THIS IS A ONE-STORY BRICK TUDOR REVIVAL HOUSE WITH A CROSS GABLED ROOF AND ARCHED OFFSET DOORWAY HAIRED ONE OVER ONE WINDOWS WITH DECORATIVE SCREENS AND A CONCRETE FRONT STOOP AND CLOSED BY METAL RAILING.
HOW'S IT? 1400 ROWLEY DRIVE WAS BUILT IN 1939 FOR ELIZABETH AND BENJAMIN TOBIN, THE TOBIN ZONE TO BARBARA AND BEAUTY SHOP WHERE THEY BOTH WORKED.
BENJAMIN TOBIN RAN THE BARBERSHOP HALF
[02:10:01]
AND ELIZABETH TOBIN OPERATED THE BEAUTY SALON.THE SHOP IS LOCATED AT FIRST AT 1138, SAN JACINTO.
AND THEN AT ONE 13 EAST 21ST STREET, THE TOBIN'S OCCUPIED THE HOME AT AN ALL ON MOLLY DRIVE UNTIL AT LEAST 1973.
THE PROPERTY CONTRIBUTES TO THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UH, BUT STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION.
UM, SO THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION APPLICATION UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UM, AND THIS IS AN A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
SO NEW CONSTRUCTION MUST BE EVALUATED BY THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION, UH, PRIOR TO ISSUANCE OF A DEMOLITION PERMIT.
SO YOU CAN EXPECT PLANS, UH, AT AN UPCOMING MEETING.
IS THERE IS THE OWNER, UM, APPLICANT ARCHITECTURE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS DEMOLITION? COME ON DOWN, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME.
I, I REVIEWED MRS. UH, ZELAS NAYS COMMENT.
AND I WANT TO SAY I'VE LIVED IN AUSTIN FOR 20 YEARS.
I, I AGREE WITH THE GENERAL SENTIMENT THAT WE NEED TO PRESERVE THE NATURE OF OUR CITY, THE HISTORY.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY THIS, WHEN WE, WHEN WE PURCHASED THE HOUSE, WE TALKED TO OUR BUILDER AND HE SAID THAT IT'S JUST NOT ECONOMICALLY OR AESTHETICALLY FEASIBLE TO, TO HAVE A FAMILY OF FIVE IT'S.
UH, TWO, ONE INSIDE IS NOT HABITABLE.
UM, WE BOUGHT IT WITH, UM, STORM DAMAGE AND WHICH WASN'T REPAIRED BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER WHO'S IN, ACROSS THE STREET NEIGHBOR.
UM, WE'VE GONE OUT OF OUR WAY TO, TO TALK TO ANY NEIGHBOR THAT'LL WANTS TO HEAR US OUT.
AND, AND IT'S BEEN OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE FEEDBACK.
UM, AND, UH, WE WE'VE ASKED OUR ARCHITECT.
WE DON'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, DESIGN SOME SPACESHIP LOOKING THING TO COME IN AND DISRUPT THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, I JUST WANT TO RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT YOU WEIGH THE LIVING WITH A FAMILY OF FIVE AND A VERY SMALL RENT HOUSE, AND I WANT TO KEEP THE PROCESS MOVING FORWARD.
SO, UM, BUT THE LAST LOT OF POSTPONEMENTS TONIGHT, WE'D LIKE TO AVOID THAT THE, KEEP THIS THING ROLLING DOWN THE ROAD, WE'RE HAPPY TO WORK WITH THE, UH, ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE AND, AND, UH, I DON'T OBJECT TO A THING THAT, THAT, THAT MRS. ZELAS
IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST NOT IN THE CARDS FOR THIS ONE.
UM, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? OKAY, THANK YOU.
UM, YOU UNDERSTAND THIS IS A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING.
IT HAS A LOT OF HISTORIC ARCHITECTURAL INTEGRITY.
AND LIKE I SAID, WE SPOKE WITH THE BUILDER ABOUT THAT.
HE SAID THAT AT THE TIME, HE SAID, IT'S NOT A TIME YOU DEMOLISH A BRICK, OR BY THE TIME YOU, WE COULDN'T REBUILD THE BRICK STRUCTURE FOR, FOR A FAMILY OF FIVE.
UM, I THINK YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON IN AUSTIN.
I MEAN, YOU, YOU, FAMILIES LIKE MINE, WE HAVE TO MOVE INTO AND REMODEL OR REBUILD HOMES LIKE THIS ONE.
SO UNFORTUNATELY WASN'T MY ORIGINAL PREFERENCE WHEN WE ACQUIRED THE PROPERTY TOO, TO HAVE TO DEMOLISH IT THAT, DID YOU CONSIDER AN ADDITION TO THE REAR? DO YOU HAVE SPACE TO MAKE AN ADDITION? YOU COULD EVEN DO A TWO STORY ADDITION, EMILY,
UM, I JUST, I I'VE SEEN ADDITIONS TO HOMES LIKE THAT.
I DON'T, IT WOULD LOOK LIKE, UH, AN ADD ON AND, AND WE'RE, WE'RE ALL ASSURE YOU, IT WILL BE BACK HERE.
WE'RE GONNA, OR WE'RE GOING TO BUILD SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL LIKE, IT'S GOING BE SOMETHING NEW, BUT, UH, BUT, UH, JUST, JUST HOPING TO AVOID THE HASSLE AND EXPENSE OF PROLONGING THIS PROCESS, WHICH IS NOT A THING.
DO YOU HAVE A TIMELINE ON THE PRODUCTION OF THE PLANS FOR WHAT WE'VE BEEN? UH, WE'VE BEEN THE ARCHITECT AND I WE'VE BEEN EMAILED EMAIL HIM THIS MR. WOODS.
[02:15:01]
THE ROAD AND HOPEFULLY WE WANT HIM TO GET THROUGH TONIGHT.AND, UM, I TOLD MR. WOODS TODAY THAT I'M A KIND OF A DINNER OR SO I'M HOLDING ONTO THEM AS LONG AS I CAN BEFORE WE PAY THE ARCHITECT TO DRAW ANYMORE AND PRODUCE A FINAL RENDERING.
BUT, UM, BUT IT'S, YOU KNOW, TWO STORIES STUCCO IT'S MUCH LESS MODERN THAN, THAN ANYTHING THAT'S ALREADY THERE.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS APPLICATION? COME ON DOWN.
PLEASE SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
I'M THE ARCHITECT WORKING WITH JIM ON THE, UH, ON THE FUTURE HOUSE TO GO IN THIS SITE.
AND I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS YOUR CONCERN ABOUT, UM, ADDING SOMETHING TO THE BACK OF THE EXISTING STRUCTURE.
IT'S A CORNER LOT AND IS VERY CONSTRAINED TO SITE BECAUSE OF THAT.
WE HAVE GREATER SETBACKS ON THAT SIDE.
SO TO GET A HOUSE WITH A SPACE THAT WOULD SERVE ADEQUATELY THE NEEDS OF JIM'S FAMILY, UM, IT NEEDED TO BE A TWO-STORY STRUCTURE FOR, UH, A GOOD PORTION OF THE SITE AND, UM, ENCOURAGING ON THE EXISTING HOUSE.
SO IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT TO FIT ALL OF THE AREA THAT WOULD BE NECESSARY FOR HIS FAMILY OF FIVE.
SO, UH, I DO WANT TO MENTION THAT WHEN WE ARE DESIGNED, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DESIGNING THE NEW STRUCTURE AND WE'RE BEING VERY COGNIZANT OF ARCHITECTURAL CONTEXT FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND, UM, AND STREET PRESENCE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND WE'LL TAKE ALL OF THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AND WE'LL BE WORKING WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION, UM, TO GARNER THEIR SUPPORT BEFORE WE BRING IT TO THE COMMISSION FOR YOUR REVIEW.
UNFORTUNATELY THOUGH THAT IT WILL MEAN THAT WE LOSE A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING AND WE GAIN A NON-CONTRIBUTING BUILDING.
EVEN IF IT'S COMPATIBLE, IT'S STILL NOT CONTRIBUTING BECAUSE IT'S MODERN.
UM, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE ARCHITECT? OKAY, THANK YOU.
IS THERE ANYONE TO SPEAK AGAINST THIS APPLICATION? THE REASON THIS ITEM WAS PULLED IS BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SOMEONE TO SIGN UP AN OPPOSITION, OLIVIA RUIZ.
UM, BUT I BELIEVE SHE'S LEFT MS. RODRIGUEZ.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? DO I HEAR A SECOND, SECOND MOTION BY COMMISSIONER COOK SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LAROCHE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING, SAY I RAISE YOUR HAND.
DO I HEAR A MOTION? I KNOW NOBODY WANTS TO MAKE THAT MOTION.
I'LL MOVE TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION, UM, PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
DO I HEAR A SECOND? THE MOTION IS TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION FOR A MAT, UH, ON UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
AND THAT'S EIGHT BY 10 PHOTOGRAPHS ON PHOTOGRAPHIC PAPER WITH A HISTORIC NARRATIVE FOR ARCHIVING AT THE AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER.
COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON MADE THE MOTION COMMISSIONER COOK, SECONDED THE MOTION.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO DISCUSS YOUR MOTION COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON? YEAH, THIS MIGHT BE, UM, SIMILAR TO MY, UH, EARLIER VERSION THAT I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH REASONS TO OPPOSE STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
UM, NEVER I'LL I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO START DISCUSSION.
UM, WELL STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION WAS TO RELEASE THE PERMIT.
THAT WAS, OH, I MEAN, OKAY, SURE.
UM, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN SET UP HOSE.
UM, YEAH, I THINK THE SUPPORT STAFF RECOMMENDATION, UH, OF ALL THESE CASES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS FRUSTRATE ME.
I THINK IN THE SAME WAY, THEY PROBABLY FRUSTRATE OWNERS IN THE DISTRICTS BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH UNCERTAINTY AND LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT STATUS IS REALLY THE ONLY TRUE PROTECTION THAT WE CAN ENFORCE
[02:20:01]
AND OFFERS CLARITY FOR THE BUYERS.I UNDERSTAND THE POSITION, THE OWNERS IN, UH, NOT WANTING TO INVEST IN A NEW DESIGN WITHOUT KNOWING WHETHER THE EXISTING HOUSE CAN GO.
QUITE OFTEN, WE GET HOUSES WITH THE COMPLETE DESIGN THAT SOMEONE HAS INVESTED IN AND, AND THEN WE'RE ASKED TO APPROVE THE DEMOLITION.
UH, AND THAT ITSELF IS COMPLICATED.
I TEND TO IN THESE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS KIND OF WEIGH THE, THE COMMUNITY INTERESTS AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD INTERESTS AND THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THESE MAY DEVELOP INTO LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS IN THE FUTURE IN TERMS OF HOW STRONGLY I FEEL ABOUT, UH, EXERCISING, OUR ABILITY TO PRESERVE THESE.
AND I JUST REALLY HAVEN'T SEEN THAT BIKER WOODS HAS HAD MUCH OF A COMMUNITY INTEREST IN PRESERVATION.
UM, I MAY BE, I MAY BE MISTAKEN.
UH, THE SITUATIONS WHERE WE HAVE OWNERS WITH PROGRAMS THAT ARE INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE PROPERTIES THEY PURCHASED ARE FRUSTRATING.
UH, AND IT'S FRUSTRATING FOR ME TO HAVE TO MAKE THESE CALLS ONE BY ONE, BUT IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, UH, IT'S, IT'S LARGELY BECAUSE OF LACK OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THAT'S LEANING ME TOWARD LETTING THIS ONE GO WITHOUT THE SIX MONTH FIGHT.
THIS IS A PERFECT TUTOR, REVIVAL, BUNGALOW.
I, IT HURTS ME COMMISSIONER COMMISSIONER FROM STAFF FROM IT.
I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS YOUR COMMENT REGARDING THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S ENTRUST AND, UH, LOCALLY DESIGNATING A HISTORIC DISTRICT, UM, CALEN CONTRAREZ.
AND I DID MEET WITH, UM, BASICALLY AN ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND PRESENTED THEM WITH SOME INFORMATION ON HISTORIC DISTRICTS AND WHAT WOULD TAKE TO FORM THAT, UH, WE'VE NOT, THEY HAVEN'T COME BACK TO US WITH AN APPLICATION OR EXPLORATION OF NEXT STEPS.
UM, BUT THERE CERTAINLY IS SOME INTEREST FROM NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP AND DESIGNATION, AND THERE WAS INTEREST FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS, UM, LET'S TAKE A VOTE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF RELEASING THE DEMOLITION PERMIT AND UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, RAISE YOUR HAND, WE'LL GET SOME CLARIFICATION.
WE'RE REALLY RELEASING THE PERMIT THAT THEY HAVE TO BRING THE PLANTS BACK.
THEY HAVE TO GET THE PERMIT IN HAND.
I, UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF RELEASING.
COMMISSIONER HEIM, STAFF, COMMISSIONER CASTILLO, AND COMMISSIONER MYERS OPPOSE THAT, UM, IT PASSES, UH, CHAIRWOMAN DID HAVE A QUESTION FOR STAFF ON THESE SITUATIONS WHERE WE APPROVED THE DEMOLITION, BUT IT'S PENDING REVIEW OF PLANS THAT SIX MONTH DELAY DOES NOT APPLY TO THE REVIEW OF PLAN.
IS THAT CORRECT? WE ONLY HAVE 75 DAYS TO REVIEW THE PLANS.
AND IF WE DON'T ISSUE COMMENTS OFFICIALLY, THEN THAT 75 DAY TIME GOES UP AND THE DEMOLITION PERMIT GOES WITH IT.
SO THERE'S 180 DAYS FOR CONTRIBUTING RESOURCE WITHIN A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT WHERE THE, WHERE IT'S BASICALLY A DEMOLITION DELAY WHERE THE PERMISSION CAN POSTPONE THAT CASE.
UM, FOR THE DEMOLITION OF A CONTRIBUTING RESOURCE, THE WINDOW TO COMMENTS ON THE PLANS IS DIFFERENT.
THE TRIGGER IS DIFFERENT THAN 180 DAYS STARTS WITH THE RECEIPT OF A COMPLETE APPLICATION FOR COMMENTING ON THE PLANS.
IT'S THE SAME AS ANY OTHER PERMIT WITHIN A DISTRICT WHERE IT'S 75 DAYS FROM THE FIRST HEARING WHERE IT APPEARS ON THE AGENDA, BUT WE HAVE A HUNDRED AND WE CAN DELAY DYLAN DEMOLITIONS 180 DAYS.
WE CANNOT DELAY PLAN COMMENTS 180 DAYS.
I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT.
[3.D.2. PR-2021-105009 – 2501 Inwood Pl. – Discussion (postponed August 23, 2021) Council District 10]
ITEM IS D 2 25 0 1 IN WOOD PLACE.THIS IS A REQUEST TO DEMOLISH A CIRCUIT 1948 HOUSE.
IT IS, UM, SOMETHING OF AN UNUSUAL HOUSE.
IT'S A ONE STORY, A REGULAR PLAN FLAT ROOF HOUSE THAT HAS SOME ELEMENTS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN DESIGN PLUS A COLLECTIC
[02:25:01]
MODIFICATIONS THAT INCLUDE TURNED WOOD COLUMNS, GEOMETRIC WOOD MEDALLIONS, AND VINTAGE ROD IRON LIGHTING.THE HOUSE WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1948 WITH THE 1952 EDITION.
IT HAS EXPANSIVE ROOF OVERHANGS, UH, WITH WOOD SOFFITS, A COMBINATION OF HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL WOOD SIDING, STONE VENEER, AND STONE PLANTERS.
THAT APPEAR TO BE OF A SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT ERA, BUT LINDA'S STRONG CONNECTION BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND LANDSCAPE.
THE HOUSE WAS OWNED AND OCCUPIED BY HUGH AND FRANCIS MCMATH FROM THE TIME OF ITS CONSTRUCTION UNTIL THE TIME OF THEIR DEATHS.
YOU MAKE MATH TAUGHT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE FOR 44 YEARS.
HE SERVED AS CHAIR OF THE SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE INTERMITTENTLY BETWEEN 1946 AND 1956.
HE WAS A RENOWNED PROFESSOR WITH SPECIALIZATION AND MEXICAN ARCHITECTURE.
AND DURING THE 1950S ARRANGED ANNUAL SUMMER TRIPS, UH, OF US STUDENTS TO MONTEREY MEXICO TO THE, UH, INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGICAL THERE.
AND HE ORGANIZED ARCHITECTURAL TOURS OF MEXICO.
UH, DURING THE TIME THAT HE WAS CHAIR OF THE SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, UH, HE ENCOURAGED JOHN CHASE TO APPLY AND CHASE WENT ON TO BECOME THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN TO ENROLL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AFTER THE SWEAT VERSUS PAINTER CASE, UH, BEYOND ACADEMIA, MASS SERVED IN OTHER LEADERSHIP ROLES IN ARCHITECTURE, HE WAS CO-CHAIR OF A COMMITTEE TO DRAW THE LONG RANGE PLAN FOR PIONEER FARMS. UH, HE SERVED AS PRESIDENT OF THE CENTRAL TEXAS BRANCH OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS AND THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF ARTS OF GREAT BRITAIN MADE.
MCMATH A FELLOW TO RECOGNIZE HIS WORK, TO DEVELOP CULTURAL RELATIONS BETWEEN THE U S AND MEXICO FRANCIS MCMATH, UH, HELD MULTIPLE POSITIONS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, UH, HER ALMA MATER, UH, IN ADDITION TO SUPPORTING HER HUSBAND'S WORK.
SHE ALSO SUPPORTED WOMEN AT THE UNIVERSITY, INCLUDING SPONSORING A UNIVERSITY CLUB THAT WELCOMED FEMALE ARCHITECTURE, STUDENTS AND WIVES OF ARCHITECTURE, STUDENTS, AND INVOLVEMENT WITH AN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OF THE MORTAR BOARD, THE HOUSE AT 25 0 1, UH, ENWOOD WAS BUILT IN 1947 TO 1948, NOT DESIGNED BY MCNABB, BUT RATHER BUILT BY PLAN CON, WHICH WAS A BUILDING CONSTRUCTION FIRM THAT SHARED ITS LOCATION WITH A PARTNER ORGANIZATION CALLED FABRIC HON ON EAST FIFTH STREET, UH, PLAN CON WAS OPERATED BY, UM, FOLKS WITH A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, A MATERIAL DISTRIBUTING COMPANY, UM, A REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER AND BUILDER, AND THE WELDING COMPANY, AS WELL AS MOST NOTABLY NED COLE WAS THE TREASURER.
COLE WAS ONE OF FOUR FOUNDERS AND THE PRESIDENT OF FABRIC ON WHICH, UH, MANUFACTURED PREFABRICATED WALL STORAGE UNITS, ROOF TRUSSES, AND WINDOWS, UM, PLAN CON WAS RELATIVELY SHORT-LIVED.
SO THERE'S LEFT LESS INFORMATION OUT THERE ABOUT THAT THEN COMPARED WITH FABRICOM, UH, WHICH OPERATED FROM 1946 THROUGH AT LEAST 1960, UH, NICOLE GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE IN 1939, UH, WHERE HE COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE BEEN A STUDENT OF VIC MASS.
UH, HE WAS THE ARCHITECT OF MANY OF FABRIC ONS, HOME DESIGNS.
AND AS THE SOLE ARCHITECT, UH, INVOLVED IN LEADERSHIP WITH PLAN CON, HE MAY HAVE PLAYED THE SAME ROLE FOR THAT ORGANIZATION AS AN ARCHITECT AND HOME BUILDER COLE ROYALTY ROSE TO NATIONAL ATTENTION IN 1952 TO 53, WITH THIS DESIGN OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HOME BUILDERS TRADE SECRETS HOUSE, WHICH HAD MANY OF THE HALLMARKS OF THIS DESIGN, UM, PREFABRICATED WALLS, PREFABRICATED ROOF TRUSSES THAT ALLOWED FOR QUICK CONSTRUCTION ALONG WITH A MODULAR INTERIOR WALLS THAT, UH, DOUBLED HIS STORAGE.
HE WAS THE ARCHITECT OF SEVEN HOUSES AND THE AUSTIN AIR CONDITION VILLAGE IN 1954.
AND HE BUILT HOMES THROUGHOUT CENTRAL TEXAS IN 1961.
HE MOVED TO BATON ROUGE, UH, PLANT PLANT CON UM, CONSTRUCT ATTRACT HOUSES AT AFFORDABLE PRICE POINTS, AND THEIR ADVERTISING ALSO OFFERED A COMPREHENSIVE PACKAGE OF DESIGN CONSTRUCTION AND LOAN NEGOTIATIONS, UH, WITH, UM, HOME FEATURES, INCLUDING THOSE FABRIC ON WALL STORAGE UNITS.
UM, WELL IT'S CONTEMPORANEOUS MCMASTER HOME IS A UNIQUE DESIGN.
IT HAS QUITE A BIT MORE ARTICULATION IN TERMS OF THE, UH, WALL PLANS VERSUS MUCH SIMPLER, UM, HAVE A BOXY DESIGN FOR PLAN CONS HOMES OR FABRIC CONS HOMES.
UM, SO THIS COULD BE A UNIQUE DESIGN OF NED COLES.
[02:30:01]
SPECIFICALLY TYING HIM TO THAT OTHER THAN HIS INVOLVEMENT WITH PLAN COMM.SO, UM, IN TERMS OF WHETHER OR NOT THIS MEETS THE CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION, THE DESIGN, AGAIN, MAYBE THE WORK OF NED COLE AND ASSOCIATION WITH PLAN CON IT HAS MULTIPLE MODIFICATIONS SINCE ITS ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION.
AND INITIALLY THAT GAVE ME QUITE A BIT OF PAUSE AND, UM, IT WORKING ON DEVELOPING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE STAFF REPORT.
UM, THESE CHANGES THAT INCLUDE THOSE, THOSE TURNED WOOD COLUMNS, WOOD MEDALLIONS, BUT LIGHT FIXTURES.
UM, THOSE WERE ALL PRESUMABLY DONE DURING THAT MASS OWNERSHIP OF THE HOME.
UH, THERE, THERE HASN'T BEEN, IT STAYED IN THE MCMATH FAMILY UNTIL VERY RECENTLY.
UH, SO IT'S NOT LIKE THIS IS A HOUSE THAT HAS BEEN HEAVILY MODIFIED BY A LATER OWNER.
UM, IT'S VERY ECLECTIC, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY PRESUMPTUOUS OF ME TO STAND UP HERE AND SAY THAT, UM, THIS POTENTIAL EXPERIMENTATION OF AN ARCHITECT ON HIS OWN HOME, IT'S NOT SIGNIFICANT FOR ITS ARCHITECTURE, UM, IN TERMS OF HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS, UH, AGAIN, UH, HUMIC MATH, HIS ROLE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AND LEADERSHIP AND HIS ROLE FOSTERING RELATIONS, UH, WITH ARE WORTHY OF LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
SO THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONSIDER INITIATION OF HISTORIC ZONING.
IF THE COMMISSION INSTEAD CHOOSES TO RELEASE THE PERMIT.
UM, OF COURSE THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, UH, SHOULD BE INCLUDED, BUT I'D LIKE TO EMPHASIZE THE DOCUMENTATION OF THE HOMES INTERIOR AND POTENTIALLY THE GROUNDS AS WELL WOULD BE A GOOD THING TO INCLUDE WITH THAT DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
WHAT WAS THAT LAST THING? UH, I'M SORRY.
I NEED TO GET A DRINK OF WATER.
MY VOICE IS FADING A LITTLE BIT AND, UH, JUST TO ENCOURAGE A VERY COMPREHENSIVE DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE IF THAT'S THE INTERRUPTER YEARS AND WHAT WAS THE LAST FEW YEARS AND THE GROUNDS, THE GROUNDS.
ANY QUESTIONS OF, UM, ELIZABETH? THANK YOU.
UM, IS THERE AN APPLICANT OR OWNER TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS DEMOLITION? PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
MADAM CHAIR, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS VINCE HUBINGER WITH VINCENT GERARD REPRESENTING THE OWNER, UM, WITH ME AS LAURA.
BERKHART THE OWNER OF THE LOT.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR HER ALSO WITH ME, JOHN MCENTIRE, THE STRUCTURAL ENGINEER THAT LOOKED AT THIS, THIS FACILITY WITH ME TO SEE WHAT THE, WHAT THE SITUATION WAS ON RESTORING OR POSSIBLE CONDITIONS.
UM, AMBER IS GOING TO TRY TO BE MY DRIVER THROUGH REAL QUICK PRESENTATION.
I KNOW WE'VE BEEN AT THIS FOR AWHILE, BUT I'M READY.
UM, SO, UH, ELIZABETH TALKED ABOUT MID CENTURY MODERN.
WE LOOKED AT THAT DEFINITION WHEN WE STARTED THIS PROCESS AND FOUND THAT THE PRESERVATION SOCIETY HAS SO CERTAIN CHARACTERISTICS, ONE OF THE BELMONT CIRCLE, ONE Y'ALL DID IN CASE ONE EIGHT WAS, WAS A PREMIER TYPICAL EXAMPLE.
IT HAS SOME WINDOWS, IT DOESN'T HAVE THOSE STRAIGHT HARD EDGE ROOF LINES, UM, OPEN THE SPLIT-LEVEL SPACES, WHICH IS TYPICAL IS, IS, IS A NO, UM, MINIMAL ORNAMENTAL FURNITURE AND BUILDINGS.
WE'LL GET TO THAT A LITTLE BIT THERE.
THE FABRIC CON THING THAT, THAT NED CALLED WAS JOAN WAS, WAS POSSIBLY THERE, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY IMMERSED IN NATURE MAYBE BECAUSE IT'S ALL GROWN UP.
THERE'S MULTIPLE TREES AND STONE WALKWAYS.
UM, BUT THIS STRUCTURE DOES NOT MEET THAT.
I THINK STAFF AGREES WITH THAT.
THE NUMEROUS ADDITIONS THAT JOHN AND MYSELF SAW SOME, UH, WASH ROOMS AND CHIMNEYS AND STUFF THAT WERE PUT ON, UH, NON PERMITTED ITEMS OVER THE YEAR.
SOME CANDLE LEVER ANGLES OVER THE ROOF LINES WERE NOT PER CODE, BUT THEY WERE ADDED ONTO IT.
SO IT REALLY DOESN'T MEET THAT, UH, NEXT SIDE, PLEASE.
TYPICAL, RIGHT? UH, STANDARD EXAMPLES, UH, THE BRADY BUNCH HOUSE OR THE ONE YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT IN THE VERY FIRST DISCUSSION, UH, HARD EDGES, HARD, HARD ROOF LINES, LOTS OF WINDOWS, NEXT SLIDE.
AND THEN THE MCMATH HOUSE HAS GOT SOME WINDOWS, LOTS OF CEDAR SIDING, UM, JUST DOESN'T FIT THE BILL FOR THAT.
IT DOESN'T MEET THOSE CRITERIA.
SO TALKED ABOUT THE PERSON OF INTEREST.
IF IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO COME OUT HERE, THE GUYS WITH 40 SOMETHING YEARS AT UT PROFESSIONAL ARCHITECTURE, UM, WE LOOKED AT THE LIST OF GUYS THAT WERE GUYS AND GALS, I GUESS, THAT WERE THERE FROM, FROM START TO FINISH, UM, HARWELL HARRIS, UH, ALAN TANA, GUCCI, UM, YOU KNOW, SUE, CLAIRE,
[02:35:01]
BLACK LAWRENCE SPECK.THOSE GUYS WERE JUST HUGE, UH, PEOPLE, UM, NOT TO DEMEAN ANYBODY, BUT THOSE WERE, WERE ALL STARS.
UH, NEXT SLIDE, HE DID DO A LOT OF STUFF IN SPANISH, IN MEXICO ARCHITECTURE.
HE DID TAKE A LOT OF STUDENTS THERE.
HE WAS LISTED AS, UH, SOME CONSULTANT FOR THE INSTITUTE OF, UH, TECHNOLOGY AND MONTEREY.
WE JUST DIDN'T FIND A LOT OF DESIGN ELEMENTS THAT HE DID, UM, OTHER THAN POSSIBLY HIS HOUSE.
AND NED COLE IS AN INTERESTING, VERY INTERESTING.
HE MAY HAVE EVEN STUDIED UNDER HUGH, UM, WHILE HE GRADUATED AT UT AND 39.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE FOUND WAS FABRIC CON WAS, WAS THEY WERE COMING RIGHT OUT OF WORLD WAR II AND THEY'RE MAKING THESE PRE-MANUFACTURED SHELVES AND, AND IN CLOSETS AND THINGS LIKE THAT ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
AND HE STARTED ONE HERE IN AUSTIN.
UM, THAT PICTURE ON, ON, ON YOUR RIGHT SHOWS THOSE SHELVES, I THINK HE'S SHOWING OFF TO ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE VENDORS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WHAT THOSE SHELVES ARE.
UM, WHAT WE DID FIND IN THE NEXT SLIDE IS THIS SHELVING DIVIDE IN BETWEEN THE KITCHEN AND THE LIVING AREA IN MCMATH HOUSE THAT, YOU KNOW, MS. BURKHART WOULD LOVE TO DONATE TO THE SOCIETY.
I MEAN, THAT, THAT IS IN THE CLOSETS ARE A LOT SIMILAR TO THAT.
THE CLOSET DOOR IS AN INCH AND A HALF WIDE HANGING GAP, AND THEN TIED ON THE OTHER SIDE.
SO IT'S LISTING ON THE STRUCTURE, BUT IT'S STILL WORKING.
SO, UM, AN OFFER TO UT OR THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OR SOMEBODY THAT'S ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING WITH THIS BOARD AND, AND RENOVATING AND BRINGING IN SOMETHING LIKE THAT FROM FABRIC ON, UH, THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, JOHN AND I DID JOHN DID.
AND YOUR BACKUP STRUCTURAL REPORT ANALYSIS.
IF YOU START THE, IT'S JUST NOT ENOUGH ABILITY TO RESTORE THIS HOUSE.
THE SLAB WAS TWO INCHES IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS ON THE LEVEL.
UH, CAN'T BE RESTORED COMPLETELY IMPOSSIBLE TO MOVE AND RELOCATE THAT.
UM, AND THEN LOOKING AT THE CODE VIOLATIONS AND THE AD-ONS, IT WAS JUST NOT, NOT A RESTORABLE TYPE SITUATION.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF, YEAH.
IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM AGAIN.
UM, YOU KNOW, NED COLE WAS THE PERSON TOO AS WELL.
UM, BUT FROM US LOOKING AT THE RESTORED BILITY PRACTICALITY OF THIS, IT JUST ISN'T THERE.
NICE TO SEE YOU GUYS IN PERSON AGAIN.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE SPEAKER FOLKS? I CAN'T SEE THE VIRTUAL COMMISSIONERS, BUT DO YOU HAVE ANY, OH, NOW THERE YOU ARE ANY QUESTIONS ON, OKAY.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR HUSTLE ON DOWN? HI, MY NAME IS LAURA BURKART.
I REPRESENT THE OWNER OF THIS PROPERTY AND I'M SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF THE DEMOLITION.
UM, I REALLY RESPECT THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO IN PRESERVING, UM, THE HISTORY OF AUSTIN.
UM, I JUST DON'T THINK THAT THIS HOUSE, UM, IS, IS ENOUGH OF AN HISTORIC VALUE.
UM, WHEN WE, UM, WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT BUYING THE HOUSE IN MAY, UM, MY AGENT SPOKE TO SOMEBODY ON CITY STAFF WHO THOUGHT THAT THERE WASN'T, THERE WOULDN'T BE MUCH INTEREST HISTORICALLY IN THE HOUSE AND THAT IT PROBABLY WOULD BE ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED FOR DEMOLITION.
UM, WE ALSO UNDERSTOOD THAT MCMATH HUGH MCMATH HAD, WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THE DESIGN OF THE HOUSE.
UM, AND SO I FELT PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT, UM, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO, TO DEMOLITION THE HOUSE, ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE SPEAKER.
ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK? GET ON DOWN RALLIES YOURSELF.
UM, I OWN THE WATERS DESIGN GROUP.
I'M A REGISTERED INTERIOR DESIGNER AND I LIVE, UM, IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THIS PROPERTY.
AND WE WERE FAMILY FRIENDS WITH THE PREVIOUS OWNER.
UM, I'M NOT HERE TO ACTUALLY SAY WHETHER I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH THE TOTAL DEMOLITION OF THIS PROPERTY, OR IT BEING DESIGNATED AS A NATIONAL HISTORIC PROPERTY.
I MYSELF HAVE WORKED ON MANY HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
IN FACT, I HAVE TWO NATIONAL, UH,
[02:40:01]
HISTORIC PRESERVATION AWARDS THAT I'VE, UH, BEEN AWARDED IN THE PAST.SO I'M A GREAT BELIEVER IN WHAT YOU GUYS DO AND THE PRESERVATION EFFORT.
IT'S NOT ALWAYS THAT SOMETHING IS HISTORIC, BUT SOMETIMES SOMETHING IS UNIQUE.
UH, I BELIEVE THAT EITHER WAY THAT IT GOES IT, UH, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAD A PRESSING QUESTION ABOUT WOULD MAYBE THIS LAND BE SUBDIVIDED UP INTO TWO PARCELS AND HAVE TWO NONDESCRIPT, TYPICAL HOMES BEING PLACED ON IT THAT ARE BEING PLACED ALL OVER THE AREA RATHER THAN AN ADAPTIVE REUSE OF A INTERESTING STRUCTURE THAT I BELIEVE THAT UNDER THE RIGHT ARCHITECT OR UNDER THE RIGHT DEVELOPER COULD ACTUALLY BE REHABBED INTO AN, UH, AN INTERESTING STRUCTURE THAT WOULD BE COMPLIMENTARY OF WHAT'S IN EXISTENCE TODAY.
UH, I KNOW THE LAND IS DIFFICULT.
I'VE BEEN IN THE HOUSE MANY, MANY TIMES.
THE INTERIORS ARE FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT FROM THE USAGE OF THE PANEL WALLS AND THE BOOKCASES THAT THEY SPOKE TO.
THEY ARE DEFINITELY BEAUTIFUL.
THEY ARE DEFINITELY DIFFERENT.
UM, SHE WASN'T IN A COLLECTIC PERSON AND AS SUCH, THE EXTERIOR HAS THAT ECLECTICISM THAT GOES ALONG WITH HER OWN PERSONALITY.
ONE ELEMENT THAT I THINK WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO PRESERVE WOULD BE THE WALL THAT EXISTS BETWEEN MY PROPERTY AND THIS PROPERTY THAT THEY'RE PROPOSING.
AND THAT WALL WAS ACTUALLY BUILT BY HAND BY A, YOU GO LIP SINGER, WHO WAS ALSO WITH THE UT SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE.
AND, UM, THE, THE GENTLEMAN, UH, THAT WAS MENTIONED, THAT WAS ALSO IN THE ARCHITECTURE.
THEY BUILT THAT WALL BY HAND, AND IT WAS A LIMESTONE, TEXAS STONE, UM, HEAVILY REINFORCED BUTTRESS WALL BETWEEN OUR PROPERTIES.
AND IT ACTUALLY SITS, UM, A LITTLE BIT MORE ON, UH, ARE THERE PROPERTY ENCROACHES INTO OUR PROPERTY, THROUGH THE, THE SURVEY THAT THEY DID, BUT THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE IT'S REALLY A GREAT WALL.
UH, SO I, YOU KNOW, I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THEM ACTUALLY DEVELOPING AND TEARING IT DOWN, BUT I KNOW THAT MIGHT NOT BE YOUR PURVEY, BUT I'M HERE TO SAY THAT EITHER WAY THAT IT GOES, I WOULD HATE TO SEE THE PROPERTY SUBDIVIDED.
IT IS A BEAUTIFUL HISTORIC AREA.
WE DO HAVE A LOT OF MID-CENTURY MOD HOMES AND THIS PARTICULAR ONE COULD UNDER ADAPTIVE REUSE BE TURNED INTO SOMETHING FAIRLY UNIQUE IN CHARACTER WITH THE HOME.
UH, I SPOKE TO THE DEVELOPER WHO IS THE OWNER NOW, AND, UM, SHE ASSURES ME THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO PUT ON, UH, MAYBE A HOUSE WITH ANOTHER BACKHOUSE POOL IN THE MIDDLE, SOMETHING NICE THAT WOULD BE COMPLIMENTARY TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO I JUST WANTED TO ADD A LITTLE CONTEXT TO THAT AS THE IMMEDIATE NEIGHBOR.
AND I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU GUYS DO.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE SPEAKER NOW? DID WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE WHO WAS, UM, FIRMLY IN FAVOR OF THE DEMOLITION? IS THAT OKAY? COME ON DOWN, STATE YOUR NAME.
I'M A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER, ALSO MEP, UH, WENT OUT AND LOOKED AT THE HOUSE.
YOU'VE PROBABLY ALREADY SEEN, JUST WANTED TO KIND OF REINFORCE TO YOU ALL THAT THE HOUSE HAS A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION DEFICIENCIES IN IT.
UH, IT'S BEEN THE, THE UPKEEP HAS BEEN NEGLECTED.
THE SIDING IS IN BAD SHAPE WOULD HAVE TO BE TAKEN OFF.
UH, THERE ARE MULTIPLE AREAS WHERE THERE'S GAPS AND LEAKS IN THE HOUSE, IN THE SIDES.
I HAVE A FEELING THAT AS SOON AS YOU START TEARING INTO THIS, YOU'RE GOING TO FIND A WHOLE LOT MORE AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE MUCH OF THE ORIGINAL HOUSE LEFT WHEN YOU GET THROUGH, UH, THERE'S MULTIPLE WALLS WHERE THE, UH, UH, CINDER BLOCK WALLS WERE BUILT WITH DIRT AGAINST THEM ON THE OUTSIDE.
THEY'RE NOT WATERPROOFED, THEY'RE LEAKING.
THREE SIDES OF THE GARAGE ARE UNDER GRADE.
UM, THE VIRTUALLY THE BOTTOM OF ALL THE WALLS AND THE GARAGE ARE ROTTED OFF ABOUT A FOOT UP A WATER'S BEEN RUNNING THROUGH THERE, THE ROOF'S IN BAD SHAPE.
UM, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF THINGS LIKE THAT.
IN ADDITION, THIS HOUSE HAS BEEN PIECEMEALED.
THIS IS NOT ALL OF AN ORIGINAL DESIGN.
UM, I KNOW MR. BANK MATH WENT DOWN TO MEXICO A LOT, AND I THINK A LOT OF THIS REFLECTS THE OLD WORLD STYLE THAT HE WAS PLAYING AROUND WITH, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, BUT
[02:45:01]
HE HAS ADDED ON AND PIECEMEALED THE FOUNDATION IN SEVERAL AREAS WITH JUST A REBEL STONE REBEL FOUNDATION, NO REINFORCING THAT I COULD TELL, UH, BASICALLY IT'S STONE AND MORTAR THERE'S PUT IN PLACE.THE FOUNDATION HAS SETTLED WITH THAT KIND OF A FOUNDATION.
IT'S GOING TO BE VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO RAISE IT BACK TO LEVEL AND GET IT STRAIGHTENED OUT.
UM, ALSO THE, SOME OF THESE HAVE BEEN BUILT OVER SEVERAL TIMES.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE CHIMNEY WAS BUILT OVER THE TOP OF THE PLANTER, WHICH WAS ADDED AFTER THE ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S JUST A WHOLE BUNCH OF PIECEMEAL THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED OVER THE YEARS ON THIS.
IT'S GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT TO DO ANYTHING WITH IT, WITH THIS CURRENT CONDITION.
I JUST DON'T, WE HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN INTO THE ELECTRICAL THINGS.
THERE'S A WHOLE SLEW OF ELECTRICAL VIOLATIONS THAT WERE DONE.
I SUSPECT BY MR. MIRAPATH DOING THINGS, YOU KNOW, TO HANG LIGHTS OUTSIDE AND THINGS, YOU KNOW, BUT IN PROPER WARNING METHODS, WIRE PROTECTION, I MEAN, IT'S A FIRE HAZARD AND IT LOOKS LIKE SOME OF THE ROOF OVERHANGS HAVE BEEN EXTENDED BY JUST SCABBING ON MORE TWO BY SIX AS TO WHAT WAS THERE.
SO IT OVERSPENDS THE, UH, THE ROOF OVERHANG, WHICH ARE NOW SAGGING, YOU KNOW, THE LIST GOES ON AND ON.
SO, BUT HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, IF YOU'VE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE SPEAKER.
ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF DEMOLITION? OKAY.
HOW ABOUT ANYONE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO DEMOLITION? OKAY.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? SO WHO'S STILL MOVED IT.
CARL COMMISSIONER WILL RUSH, MOVE AND COMMISSIONER COOK SECONDED ALL IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING, SAY, AYE.
DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THE CASE? I'LL START.
I MOVE TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING.
COMMISSIONER WRIGHT MOVES TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING COMMISSIONER HAIM SET, SECONDED COMMISSIONER.
WOULD YOU SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION AND TELL US THE CRITERIA THAT IT NEEDS? WELL, I REALLY WANTED TO OPEN UP A CONVERSATION TO THINK ABOUT THIS ARCHITECTURE IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT AS MID-CENTURY MODERN AND THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATION AND, UM, IN THE BACKUP MATERIALS PROVIDED BY THE APPLICANT AND THEIR REPRESENTATIVES ABOUT HOW THIS ISN'T A MID-CENTURY MODERN HOME, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HAVE ALL THESE FEATURES.
I DON'T THINK IT'S MID-CENTURY MODERNISM.
I THINK IT'S CRITICAL REGIONALISM, WHICH WAS WHICH WE KNOW, UM, FROM O'NEIL FORD.
AND SO I THINK, UM, THERE'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WITH A DIFFERENT EYE TOWARDS THE ARCHITECTURE, WE WOULD THINK OF IT IN A DIFFERENT WAY THAT REINFORCES, YOU KNOW, THE, THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ARCHITECTURE ITSELF.
AND I THINK THAT BECAUSE OF THE MATERIALITY, UM, THE WAY, YOU KNOW, THE STONE RUBBLE, THE WAY THE GROUNDS WERE INTEGRATED, UM, EVEN EVEN THE IDEA THAT LIKE HE SPENT TIME IN MEXICO AND BROUGHT BACK ARCHITECTURE FROM MEXICO IS RIGHT OUT OF O'NEIL FLORENCE PLAYBOOK.
IS IT AS GOOD AS O'NEIL FLORIDA? I'M NOT SAYING THAT NECESSARILY, BUT I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT ARCHITECTURALLY VERSUS THINKING ABOUT IT AS A MID-CENTURY MODERN HOUSE THAT, THAT MAYBE CALLING AT A MID CENTURY MODERN, UH, PUTS US IN A BOX.
UM, AND THAT TERM IS, IS KIND OF, UH, UM, NOT CONFUSING, BUT, BUT, UM, MISDIRECTING US THAT IT HAS SIGNIFICANCE, BUT NOT AS A PRISTINE EXAMPLE OF MID-CENTURY MODERN.
AND I MEAN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU, SOME OF THEM YOU'LL, FORD'S WORK WITH HIGHLY MID-CENTURY MOD.
UM, A LOT OF IT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT KIND OF WAS DESCRIBED AS CRITICAL REGIONALISM REGIONALISM IS, IS A COMBINATION OF THAT KIND OF MODERN AESTHETIC WITH LOCAL MATERIALS, LOCAL BUILDING TECHNIQUES, UM, AND OTHER THINGS, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT GROUND, THE BUILDINGS IN THE PLACE WHERE THEY EXIST.
AND THAT WAS ME BEING HIGHLY ACADEMIC, WELL, LET ME WEIGH IN ON MAYBE A SLIGHT DISAGREEMENT, BUT, UH, I, I SECOND THIS FOR MUCH THE SAME REASON.
I THINK THIS ISN'T UNIQUE HOUSE, I HAVE TO SAY, WE'RE LOOKING AT A PERIOD, UH, COMMISSIONER KOCH, I THINK YOU SAID EARLIER ABOUT A DIFFERENT CASE.
YOU KNOW, WHAT IS IT THAT WE DECIDE IS WORTH PRESERVING? THAT'S WHAT FUTURE GENERATIONS ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO LOOK BACK AND BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND
[02:50:01]
THIS PERIOD OF TIME.AND LET'S REMEMBER MID CENTURY MODERN IS A NEW CONSTRUCT.
UH, WHEN I WAS IN THE BEGINNING OF MY CAREER AND MY FATHER WAS VERY ACTIVE IN THAT EARLY PERIOD OF TIME, THE WORK HE WAS DOING, UH, IN THE EARLY DAYS, PRACTICING THE ALE BOX AS THEY CALLED IT, UH, HE WOULD HAVE CALLED IT MODERN.
THIS IS A DEFINITION WE'RE TRYING TO PUT AFTER THE FACT ON HIGHLY EXPERIMENTAL AND VERY, VERY ENERGETIC PERIOD OF TIME WHERE CERTAIN PATTERNS EMERGED BASED ON INFLUENCES OF SOME OF THE MASTERS, UH, OF EARLY MODERNISM, UH, RIGHT IN PARTICULAR, UH, BUT ALSO A LOT OF REGIONALISM AND REGIONAL, UH, LEADERS, SUCH AS O'NEIL FORD.
I CAN SEE, UH, MANY, MANY INFLUENCES HERE.
AND I THINK THAT EVEN WERE WE TO, UH, HAVE ENOUGH VOTES TO INITIATE THE ZONING.
ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I WOULD WANT TO DO IS TO SEE IF THE STAFF COULD GET DEEPER INTO, UH, THE PAPERS OF THE, UH, MAYBE AT UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, WHERE WE COULD KNOW MORE, MORE SPECIFICS IN THIS SITUATION, UH, ABOUT THE COLLABORATIVE NATURE OF MCMATH AND HOW HE APPROACHED HIS HOUSE.
UH, I CAN'T FOR A SECOND, BELIEVE THAT SOMEBODY WHO WAS THAT CREATIVE AND HAD THAT MUCH, MANY DIFFERENT INFLUENCES, DIDN'T ALSO HAVE A DIRECT INFLUENCE ON HOW THIS HOUSE WAS PUT TOGETHER.
CERTAINLY HIS CONTRIBUTIONS AS STAFF HAS MENTIONED, UH, AFTER THE FACT ARE VERY MUCH IN EVIDENCE NOW, IT DOES REQUIRE THAT OUR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE RECOGNITION OF THE UNIQUENESS OF THIS HOUSE IS THEN EMBRACED BY AN OWNER.
AND WE DO HOPE THAT THIS OWNER WOULD TAKE A FRESH LOOK.
I HOPE AND RECOGNIZE THAT, UH, EVEN THE WAY THAT THIS HOUSE WORKS WITH THE LANDSCAPING, UH, MADAM CHAIR, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, EVEN IF WE DO LOSE THE HOUSE, WE SHOULD MAKE SURE WE DOCUMENT THE LANDSCAPING.
ALL OF THAT WAS INTEGRAL IN THE IDEAS THAT ARE REPRESENTED AND WOULD BE PRESERVED AS A VERY IMPORTANT LEGACY, UM, IN THE RIGHT HANDS.
SO I THINK WE SHOULD GIVE THIS HOUSE A CHANCE.
I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK DEEPER INTO MCMASTER'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HOUSE AND ANSWER SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS, PERHAPS IN HIS PAPERS.
UH, TALKING ABOUT HOW HIS APPROACH TO ARCHITECTURE IS REPRESENTATIVE IN THE HOUSE THAT HE SPENT HIS WHOLE LIFE.
SO IF, IF IT COMES TO PASS THE, THAT THIS MOTION CARRIES, UH, IT IS YOUR RECOMMENDATION, THAT STAFF, ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE INITIATE HIS START ZONING IS SO THAT STAFF CAN GATHER SOME MORE INFORMATION, UH, PERHAPS THIS, THESE ARE AVENUES THAT, UM, THAT YOU CONSIDER IMPORTANT TO EXPLORE.
AND, AND, AND I GUESS I MADE A, A BROAD RANGE OF INFLUENCES BECAUSE I, I WOULDN'T BE AT ALL SURPRISED THAT THERE'S MORE EVIDENCE THAT WOULD CONNECT THE, UH, BOTH MCMATH AND COLE IN THE WAY THEY PERHAPS COLLABORATED, MAYBE THAT MAKES SOME OF THAT MORE, UH, KNOWN, BUT IT WOULD, WOULDN'T, IT ALL SURPRISED ME THAT, UH, THESE CONVERSATIONS WOULD HAVE BEEN GOING ON IN THE WAY THAT THEY PUT THIS HOUSE TOGETHER JUST IN EVIDENCE AND WHAT THEY CREATED.
UM, YES, COMMISSIONER LAROCHE.
YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN I JOINED THE COMMISSION, I HAD NO IDEA THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PERSONAL GROWTH IN THE FIELD OF ARCHITECTURE THAT THIS WAS GOING TO INVOKE.
UM, AND THE, AND THE MID CENTURY MODERN CONVERSATION IS VERY INTERESTING.
I THINK TWO OR THREE MEETINGS AGO DIDN'T MAKE THAT ONE.
AND, AND NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT A VERY UNIQUE RESIDENTS THAT I DO AGREE IS VERY ARCHITECTURALLY SIGNIFICANT.
I, THAT PART IS WITHOUT DISPUTE.
I I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED WITH THE PATCHWORK NATURE OF THE HOME THAT THAT KIND OF BOTHERS ME.
SO IS IT, IS IT CAROLYN AND, AND BEN, IS IT IN YOUR MIND THE CORE HOME THAT YOU'RE PRESERVING? BECAUSE I SEE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PATCHWORK THERE.
WELL, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK I UNDERSTAND ENOUGH ABOUT THE HOUSE AND ITS EVOLUTIONS.
WE, WE HAVEN'T, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE SEEN SITE PLANS.
SO I DON'T KNOW THAT I REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S AN EDITION VERSUS WHAT'S ORIGINAL.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT STAFF MIGHT PURSUE.
[02:55:01]
YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP.I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT I, I APPRECIATE, UH, COMMISSIONER RIGHTS AND THAT SHE WANTED TO START A CONVERSATION.
AND IN BOTH HER AND WISHING HER HIMES THAT'S COMMENTS, SORT OF LIKE COMMISSIONER LAURA SAID, UH, MAKING ME THINK MORE ABOUT IT.
AND I GUESS THE IDEA THAT, UM, MID-CENTURY MODERN, UH, BY THAT NO TITLE OR CATEGORY CATEGORIZATION DIDN'T REALLY EXIST AT THE TIME IT WAS BEING BUILT.
I MEAN, WOULD YOU CALL IT LIKE NASCENT MID-CENTURY MODERNISM? UH, AND THEN, UH, I KIND OF, I MISSED THE TERM THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER WRIGHT USED.
UM, AND THEN SHE REFERENCED O'NEIL FORD, BUT THE, THE TERM THAT I KIND OF FILLED IN THE BLANKET, MY HEAD WAS SORT OF LIKE A, IT'S LIKE A VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE OR SOMETHING OF, OF THE TIME.
AND, UM, AS SOMEONE WHO WAS ONCE A ARCHITECTURE STUDENT, IT JUST REALLY, UM, SPEAKS TO ME IS AN ARCHITECT WHO WAS EXPLORING WHAT ARCHITECTURE WAS AT THAT TIME AND FIGURING IT OUT.
AND, UM, SO NOT THAT I WILL, UH, VOTE NEXT TIME TO RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING AGAINST THE OWNER'S WISHES.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER IN THIS MEETING, THIS IS THE WAY I'M MORE ACCUSTOMED TO SEEING, UH, ITEMS END UP IN THE ABE BLOCK OF OUR AGENDA.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING IT THERE X MONTH.
DID YOU WANT TO ADD SOMETHING? NO, THAT'S FINE.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT THE STAFF WILL COME BACK WITH.
AND, UH, PUNISHER, I THINK SIMILARLY TO COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON, I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS BUILDING.
I DON'T FEEL LIKE MY BRAIN CAN FULLY WRAP AROUND THAT IS THE DESIGN OF THIS AND THE CHANGES THAT WERE MADE.
AND IT REALLY PERPLEXED ME THAT NICK MATH DIDN'T DESIGN THE HOUSE HIMSELF, THAT SOMEONE ELSE.
SO ANY RESEARCH STAFF COULD DO TO KIND OF FLESH OUT IF THERE WAS ANY INPUT INTO THAT AND, OR TO LOOK AT THE PICTURES AND EVEN TELL LIKE WHERE THE PRIMARY ENTRANCE TO THE HOUSE IS, WHAT AND HOW THE HOUSE WAS ADDED ONTO OVER TIME.
SO I, I WILL SUPPORT THE INITIATION OF ZONING.
I, I'M NOT A FOR SURE SELL NEXT MONTH ON, ON RECOMMENDING HISTORIC ZONING, BUT BASED OFF OF ANY INFORMATION WE HAVE IN THAT CONVERSATION, I'M ALSO CURIOUS ABOUT THE FACT THAT IT LANDSCAPE FEATURE WASN'T LISTED AS ONE OF THE CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION, BECAUSE THIS IS ONE OF THE STRONGEST CASES I'VE SEEN FOR A PROPERTY THAT WAS REALLY BUILT WITH THAT LANDSCAPE IN MIND.
AND I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT FLESHED OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE AS WELL.
THAT WAS THE THING THAT, AND I THINK, UM, STAFF, UH, ELIZABETH POINTED THAT OUT THAT IF IT DOES GO, UH, GO DOWN THAT THE INTERIOR SHOULD BE DOCUMENTED AND THE GROUNDS, UH, BUT THE GROUNDS REALLY THIS, THIS IS A HOUSE, THIS HOUSE IN THIS SETTING GO TOGETHER.
THIS IS NOT A HOUSE BUILT ON A LOT.
UM, OH, THIS IS, THIS IS AN ENVIRONMENT, THE HOUSING AND THE LANDSCAPE TOGETHER.
THIS IS, UM, IT'S NOT REALLY IN OUR ORDER OF BUSINESS TO, UH, OKAY, GO AHEAD.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION? UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE SAW EARLIER ON THE, UH, OWNER VOLUNTEER SITE THAT WAS MID-CENTURY MODERN WAS WE TALKED ABOUT ALL THE CONDITIONS AND THE PRISTINE SITUATION IN THERE IN THIS CASE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING TO RESTORE.
IS THAT A CONSIDERATION OF THIS BOARD? I MEAN, IF, IF IT'S, IT COULD, IT COULD BE, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW IS INITIATING HISTORIC ZONING SO THAT STAFF MIGHT HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITY.
SHE ANSWERED SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE BRINGING UP HERE, UM, SO THAT WE CAN, SO THAT WE CAN TAKE, UH, MAYBE GET A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE HOUSE, THE ENVIRONMENT, THE MATH, AND THIS SORT OF COLLABORATIVE EFFORT AND, AND JUST GET A BETTER PICTURE OF WHAT'S GOING ON HERE TO MAKE OUR, TO MAKE OUR RECOMMENDATION OR ALL RIGHT.
SO THAT INCLUDES THE CONDITION ALSO AS WELL, THAT YOU WOULD, YOU WOULD LOOK AT AND STAFF WOULD LOOK AT IT, CAUSE I INVITE YOU ALL TO COME WALK THROUGH IT.
WE UNDERSTAND AND, AND HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT, IT'S REALLY NOT OUR PURVIEW TO LOOK AT CONDITION PER SE, BUT IT MIGHT BE HAVING AN IMPACT ON WHETHER IT COULD BE RESTORED OR REHABILITATED.
THIS IS OUR PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN CLOSED.
WE NEED TO BE DISCUSSING THIS OURSELVES.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A POINT IN RELATION TO WHAT COMMISSIONER LAROCHE SAID EARLIER, THAT, THAT WE HAVE SEEN CASES WHERE THE BUILDING MEETS CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION, BUT THERE ARE CLEARLY ISSUES THAT PREVENT
[03:00:01]
IT FROM BEING REHABBED.AND WE HAVE NOT PUSHED THOSE FORWARD TO DESIGNATION IN RECOGNITION OF THAT.
SO, BUT, BUT REGARDING, YOU KNOW, IF THAT ULTIMATELY BECOMES A DECISION THAT WE MAKE, I THINK THIS EXERCISE, UM, WE'LL DOCUMENT THE HOUSE BETTER AND WE'LL BE, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE GREATER HISTORY IN THE FUTURE FOR RESEARCH.
I'M HEARING A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE KIND OF DIPPING OUR FOOT IN THE WATER HERE AND WANTING, UM, UH, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS, TO MAKE A FINAL DECISION COMMISSIONER.
AND I WOULD NOTE THAT DEVELOPMENT OF A PLAN IF THIS WERE TO BE APPROVED FOR DEMOLITION WOULD BE REQUIRED AS PART OF THE DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
SO IN ANY CASE, A PLAN WILL NEED TO BE DRAWN UP OF EXISTING CONDITIONS FOR THIS.
UH, BUT YEAH, I AGREE AND UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE HOUSE LOOKS LIKE AND HOW IT'S SITUATED ON THE SITE.
WELL, AND THE DESCRIPTION OF WHAT'S BEEN, CAUSE I DON'T REALLY SEE THE HODGEPODGE THAT'S BEEN DESCRIBED AND THE PHOTOS IN THE CONDITION REPORT REALLY DON'T MOVE ME TO ANY CONDITION CONCERNS EITHER.
SO, UH, I WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION.
UM, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION GROUP, LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN OVEN FA ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF INITIATING HISTORIC ZONING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
[3.D.6. PR-2021-121884 – 1204 E 6th St. – Discussion Council District 3]
I THINK WE HAVE ONE MORE, UH, PUBLIC HEARING HERE.THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO RELOCATE A HOUSE AT 1204 EAST SIXTH STREET.
THIS IS A ONE-STORY WE IN GABLE FOOT VICTORIAN HOUSE WITH TRADITIONAL CORNERS, RETURNS AND EVE DETAILING AT THE GABLE END, A PARTIAL WITH INSET FRONT PORCH WITH A SHED ROOF SUPPORTED BY A CHAMPION OF COLUMNS, MOLDING A SPLIT TRANSOM WINDOW ABOVE THE FRONT DOOR AND POUR OVER FOUR PAIRED AND SINGLE WOOD WINDOWS THROUGHOUT ARCHIVAL PHOTOS SHOW THAT THE PORCHES GITXSAN TRIM HAS BEEN REMOVED, UM, BUT WAS ONCE INTACT.
THE DATE OF THE HOUSE IS UNCERTAIN WHILE IT APPEARS TO BE BUILT, UH, AROUND THE TURN OF THE 20TH CENTURY, OCCUPANTS ARE LISTED AS EARLY AS 1885 IN 1885 HOUSE.
SORRY, I THINK WE'RE GETTING THE VISUALS UP.
AND OCCUPANTS ARE LISTED AS EARLY AS 1885, UM, AT AN EARLY ADDRESS FOR THE PROPERTY AND SANBORN MAPS SHOW THAT THIS AREA WAS DEVELOPED IN 1894.
WHEN THIS HOUSE HAD THE SAME FOOTPRINT AS WE SEE TODAY, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT RECORDS LIST THE DATE AS 1907 AND A WATER SERVICE WAS FIRST SUPPLIED IN 1917, RIGHT? TORRENS GERMAN CARPENTER.
AND WOODCARVER LIVED AT THE HOUSE BETWEEN 1885 AND 1888.
IT BRIEFLY SERVED AS A BOARDING HOUSE.
AND THEN FRANK SACRASON LIVED IN THERE IN THE, IN THE HOUSE FROM 1903 TO 1935, LILLIAN ANNA'S AKERSON.
HIS DAUGHTERS ALSO LIVED THERE DURING THAT TIME.
UM, AND THEY WORKED WITH FRANK SACRASON, UM, AS A BAKERY EMPLOYEES, UH, HE WAS LISTED AS A BAKER, UH, DOWN AT 1200 EAST SIXTH STREET, WHICH WE KNOW AS THE UPTOWN SPORTS CLUB.
UM, AND, UH, THEY CONTINUE TO WORK THERE WITH HIM, UH, UNTIL AROUND THE MID TEAMS. UM, AND PERHAPS A LITTLE BIT LATER BY 1935, LILY SACRASON WAS LISTED AS THE OWNER OF THE HOUSE A LOT NEXT DOOR, WHICH LATER BECAME A TRIP TO UREA WAS ALSO OCCUPIED BY A SWEDISH FAMILY, THE MELBOURNE DURING THE TIME OF HIS SACRASON'S RESIDENCE AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY, THIS CONTEXTUAL EVIDENCE SPEAKS TO A CLOSE KNIT COMMUNITY OF RECENT SWEDISH IMMIGRANTS TO AUSTIN, AS WELL AS THE LATER SHIFT FROM EUROPEAN IMMIGRANTS TO MEXICAN-AMERICAN FAMILIES IN THE GENERAL AREA, THE HOUSE IS OCCUPIED BY RENTERS FROM 1937 TO 1944.
NOTABLY THE STANDABLE FAMILY LOBBY OF SEE SANDOVAL WAS A PROMINENT MEXICAN AMERICAN GROCER.
YOU HAD AT LEAST TWO RETAIL LOCATIONS AT 1103 EAST SIXTH AND 1200 ROSEWOOD AVENUE OR MAIN.
AND CHRISTINA SANCHEZ OCCUPIED THE HOUSE FROM 1947 TO AT LEAST 1959.
UH, THEY WERE FIRST LISTED AS RENTERS AND LATER AS OWNERS.
I MEAN, SANCHEZ WORKED AS A CONSTRUCTION WORKER AND A LABORER IN THE 2016 EAST AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY.
THIS HOUSE WAS RECOMMENDED AS A POTENTIAL LOCAL LANDMARK, AS WELL AS A CONTRIBUTING PROPERTY TO THE POTENTIAL EAST EAST SIXTH STREET, HISTORIC DISTRICT, UM, RECOMMENDED ELIGIBLE FOR LOCAL AND NATIONAL REGISTER DESIGNATION.
[03:05:05]
SO IN LIGHT OF THE, UM, IMAGES THAT YOU GUYS SEE, THIS IS LATE BACK UP FROM THE APPLICANT VIA THE COMMISSION MAY WISH TO REVIEW THE CONDITION REPORTS, UM, AND THE PHOTOS THAT ARE POSTED IN YOUR BACKUP, UM, THAT THIS PROPERTY, UM, DOES HAVE SIGNIFICANCE.UM, ACCORDING TO THE 2016 SURVEY AND THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONSIDER INITIATION OF HISTORIC ZONING, SHOULD THE COMMISSION INSTEAD CHOOSE TO RELEASE THE RELOCATION PERMIT? UH, WE ASKED THAT YOU WILL REQUIRE COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE PRIOR TO PERMIT RELEASE.
ANY QUESTIONS TO STAFF? I HAVE A QUESTION.
DO WE KNOW WHERE THEY WANT TO MOVE IT TO? UM, MAYBE APPLICANT CAN SPEAK TO THAT.
THAT'S NOT PART OF YOUR INFORMATION.
NOW THIS IS JUST FOR THE RELOCATION.
I INTERRUPTED YOUR PRESENTATION, BUT THIS HAS, DOES LOOK TO ME AS SARAH CUT 1880 HOUSE.
IT, IT PREDATES 1900 BY TWO DECADES.
AND YOUR BACKUP, THERE'S AN IMAGE FROM A 1980 ABOUT SURVEY, UM, THAT SHOWS SOME OF THE DETAILS THAT, THAT, UM, SPEAK TO THAT AS WELL.
UM, ANY, ANY, IT'S JUST, I HAVE TO COMMENT ON IT BECAUSE WE GET ENOUGH OF THESE REPORTS AND I GUESS COMMISSIONER COOK.
AND I BRISTLE WHEN SOMEONE USES A STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS EVALUATION TO SAY IT'S IMPOSSIBLE, BUT AT THE END OF THE REPORT, THEY WENT ONE STEP FURTHER WITH A COMMENT THAT I JUST HAVE TO RESPOND TO.
THERE, THERE IS NO REDEEMING STRUCTURAL IN THIS BUILDING.
UH, I, THAT'S NOT ACCURATE AND THAT'S NOT APPROPRIATE.
AND IN FACT, IF THEY'RE PLANNING TO MOVE THIS BUILDING, THEY CLEARLY HAVEN'T EVEN BELIEVED THAT, UH, IS, UH, WHAT WE'RE SEEING, AT LEAST THE LIMITED EVIDENCE, UH, AND ALL THE DISCUSSION.
THIS IS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WRONG, BUT, UH, COMPARING IT TO CURRENT BUILDING CODE IS ALWAYS AN EASY OUT BECAUSE IT WASN'T BUILT TO CURRENT CODE.
AND YET IT'S BEEN HERE FOR, YOU KNOW, WHAT IF IT'S IN THE 1880S TALKING ABOUT 40 YEARS OR 50 YEARS.
SO ANYWAY, I JUST, I JUST, I JUST, I FINALLY JUST HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.
I MEAN, YES, EVALUATE THESE THINGS, BUT, YOU KNOW, UM, IS THERE ANY VALUE TO THE STRUCTURE? WELL, YOU CAN SAY YOU RECOMMEND THAT IT'D BE DEMOLISHED, BUT LET'S LEAVE IT THERE.
UM, DO WE HAVE THE APPLICANT OR OWNER HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF, WELL, IT SAYS RELOCATION, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A RELOCATION PLAN GO, SIR.
MADAM CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS KATIE JOSEPH, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK AS THE APPLICANT AND IT IS A RELOCATION PERMIT AND IT IS SET TO GO OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS, BUT LOCATION TO BE DETERMINED, WE'VE HAD OVER A DOZEN PEOPLE LOOK AT IT.
AND SO FAR EVERYONE HAS SHIED AWAY BECAUSE OF THE CONDITION.
GENERALLY THESE HOUSES ARE GIVING THEM AWAY FOR FREE.
UH, THEY HAVE TAKERS AND WE'VE HAD HOUSES GO TO WIMBERLEY INTO LLANO, AND THEY'VE ALL TURNED OUT TO BE REALLY NICE AND SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS.
AND AS FAR AS THE RELOCATION GOES AND THE STRUCTURAL REPORT, CONTRADICTING A RELOCATION THAT IS SOLELY OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE CITY STAFF AND HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION, THAT WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO RELOCATE THIS BUILDING RATHER THAN ME BEING UP HERE ASKING FOR DEMOLITION.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO PRESERVE IT IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, BUT I'LL GO AHEAD WITH MY PRESENTATION NOW.
THE CURRENT IMPROVEMENTS ARE AN EXCEPTIONALLY POOR AND HAZARDOUS CONDITION AS CAN BE SEEN IN THE PHOTOS AND THE STRUCTURAL ENGINEER'S REPORT.
AND IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND DISPLAYING THE PHOTOS, THEY'RE QUITE TELLING A PROPERTY HAS NOT BEEN CARED FOR OR CARED WELL FOR, FOR MANY DECADES, RESULTING EXCESSIVE DETERIORATION AND THE LACK OF INTEGRITY WHILE THE ROOF WAS REPLACED WITHIN THE PAST 10 YEARS, IT WAS DONE AFTER MANY, MANY YEARS, IF NOT DECADES OF WATER LEAKING THE REAR OF THE HOUSE IS BUILT BELOW GRADE.
SO THE BACK DRIVEWAY IS YOU STEP DOWN TO THE HOUSE ABOUT 14 INCHES AND THE DRIVEWAY DRAINS NOT ONLY UNDERNEATH THE HOUSE WHERE IT'S COMPLETELY DESTROYED THE FOUNDATION, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE PHOTOS, BUT IT DRAINS INSIDE OF THE HOUSE.
[03:10:03]
I'VE BEEN A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTOR FOR 16 YEARS AND I'VE WORKED ON MULTIPLE LANDMARK STRUCTURES.I'VE DONE TONS OF ADDITION, REMODELS, NEW CONSTRUCTION, ET CETERA.
AND I HAVE A, UH, UH, IN MY OPINION, A VERY PROFESSIONAL OPINION ABOUT THE CONDITION OF THIS HOUSE.
THIS IS WHAT I DO DAY IN DAY OUT.
AND THIS HOUSE IS BEYOND REASONABLY SALVAGEABLE.
IF WE WERE TO GO IN AND REPAIR THIS HOUSE, IT WOULD NOT QUALIFY FOR A LANDMARK.
WE'D REPLACE THE WINDOWS, THE DOORS, ALL OF THE SYSTEMS, DECIDING THE FOUNDATION, THE ROOF, THE GUTTERS, THE FRONT PORCH, WHICH IS HAZARDOUS RIGHT NOW.
SO AS FAR AS RELOCATION IT AGAIN, IT'S SIMPLY OUT OF, OUT OF JUST A TOKEN OF GOOD FAITH TOWARDS CITY STAFF AND THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION, BECAUSE THE HOUSE IS IN EXTREMELY BAD CONDITION.
AND WE'RE JUST TRYING TO DO THAT SO THAT IT DOESN'T END UP ENTIRELY IN A LANDFILL IN REFERENCE TO THE STAFF REPORT.
I WOULD LIKE TO WANT TO ALSO, AS FAR AS THE BACKUP GOES, I THINK THAT, AND I'M NOT POINTING ANY FINGERS HERE, BUT I THINK THAT THERE WAS A TECHNICAL ERROR ON FRIDAY BECAUSE I DID HAVE MY BACKUP IN ON TIME IN ORDER TO BE UPLOADED FOR THE WEEKEND.
AND IT WAS, I KNOW IT WAS REFERENCED A LITTLE WHILE AGO AS LATE BACK UP, WHICH IT, IT WAS I BELIEVE IN, ON, ON TIME FOR REGULAR BACKUPS SO THAT ALL THE COMMISSIONERS WOULD HAVE THE WEEKEND TO REVIEW IT.
UH, BUT IN, IN REFERENCE TO THE STAFF REPORT, FRANK SACRASON IS BEING RECOGNIZED THE UPTOWN SPORTS BAR AT 1200 EAST SIXTH STREET.
AND IT IS, IT IS TO MY UNDERSTANDING, WHICH, AND I'M NOT SURE ABOUT IT, BUT THAT, THAT, UH, THE LANDMARK PROGRAM GENERALLY RECOGNIZES AN INDIVIDUAL ONE TIME THROUGH A LANDMARK STRUCTURE.
I KNOW ONCE BEFORE I DID A RESTORATION ON AN OLD HOUSE OF LLOYD DOGGETT'S, AND I KNOW THAT AT THE TIME THE DOG FAMILY HAD ALREADY HAD A LANDMARK STRUCTURE.
SO THIS HOUSE WAS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR A LANDMARK STRUCTURE.
THAT'S WHERE THAT INFORMATION IS COMING FROM.
UH, SO ZACHARY SENDS BEING RECOGNIZED AT 1286TH STREET, WHICH USED TO BE AS BAKERY AND IS NOW, AND SOON TO BE AGAIN, THE UPTOWN SPORTS BAR.
AND THAT BUILDING IS MORE FITTING FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD VERSUS THE RESIDENTIAL BUILDING AT 1246TH STREET.
AND IN RESPONSE TO THE SIGNIFICANT DECAY AND THE CURRENT STATE OF THE HOUSE, I THINK IT IS HAZARDOUS AND A BIG LIABILITY.
AND I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IF THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT THE COMMISSION COULD TAKE ACTION ON THIS EVENING.
AND THAT, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
AND I'M ALSO HAPPY TO GO THROUGH PHOTOS WITH YOU GUYS, ANY QUESTIONS OF THE OWNER, APPLICANT, ANYONE, UH, ON THE VIRTUAL SCREEN, ANY QUESTIONS I, UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY IN A RECENT DISCUSSION WITH THE NATIONAL REGISTER COORDINATOR, UM, HE SAID THAT THEY USUALLY CONSIDER THE PERSONAL RESIDENCE OF A, UM, OF A HISTORIC, UH, PERSONAGE AS BEING MORE CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH THEM.
UH, AS FAR AS SIGNIFICANCE GOES, UM, THAN LIKE A BUSINESS.
IF NO QUESTIONS, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE RELOCATION? THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
ANYONE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? OKAY.
UM, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING COMMISSIONER COOK, MOVED COMMISSIONER LA ROCHE A SECOND TO THAT.
SECOND TO THAT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING, SAY I RAISE YOUR HAND.
DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THE CASE? BYE.
I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING ON THIS HOUSE DOES A VERY OLD HOUSE.
UM, IT HAS SOME FEATURES THAT YOU DON'T SEE IN TURN OF THE CENTURY HOUSES, THESE, UM, SHAFFORD POSTS AND PILOT TESTERS, THE, UH, FENESTRATION, UM, THESE ARE THE CORNERS RETURNS.
[03:15:01]
IT IS SIGNIFICANT AT LEAST FOR, UH, ARCHITECTURE.AND I'M ALSO THINKING FOR THE INDIVIDUAL ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
I'LL, I'LL MOVE TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING BASED ON ARCHITECTURE, HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS AND COMMUNITY VALUE.
DO I HEAR A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
UM, COULD YOU ADDRESS YOUR MOTION COMMISSIONER COOK? I DO WANT TO NOTE, UM, I, I CAME IN HERE ALREADY TO INITIATE.
UH, I WILL SAY THAT THE PHOTOS HAVE MOVED ME SOMEWHAT.
I'M NOT EASILY MOVED BY PHOTOS, INSTRUCTIONAL REPORTS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO VISIT THE PROPERTY BECAUSE I KNOW MANY OF THESE PROPERTIES HAVE REAR ADDITIONS THAT ARE COMPLETELY OFF A SOUND HISTORIC STRUCTURE.
ALTHOUGH, UM, IT LOOKS LIKE SIGNIFICANT PORTIONS OF THE HISTORIC STRUCTURE ARE IMPACTED.
AND I DO WANT TO PUT THAT CAVEAT OUT THERE, BUT, UH, SIXTH STREET, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, EVERY REMAINING HISTORIC PROPERTY ON SIXTH STREET HAS COMMUNITY VALUE RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE IT IS VERY MUCH AT A TIPPING POINT WHERE WE COULD END UP WITH ANOTHER RAINY STREET WHERE PEOPLE ARE MOVING THERE FOR THAT FUN, INTERESTING PLACES TO BE.
AND THEY'RE ALL GOING TO END UP IN BIG WHITE BOXES STARING ACROSS THE STREET AT EACH OTHER.
WHEN YOU WALK DOWN TO SIXTH STREET, THE VIBRANCY OF THIS STREET OCCURS IN PROPERTIES LIKE THIS AND NOT IN THE NEW PROPERTIES.
AND I THINK THAT THE, THE LIFE THAT THESE KINDS OF PROPERTIES OF HISTORIC INTEREST AND VALUE AND WITH A LITTLE OUTDOOR SPACE TO BREATHE ALONG SIXTH STREET REALLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE VIBRANCY OF THAT, OF THAT CORRIDOR.
SO THAT'S WHY I ADDED COMMUNITY VALUE.
UH, AND, UM, BUT AGAIN, ALL THAT SAID, I, I AM SOMEWHAT MOVED BY THE PHOTOS.
THERE DO SEEM TO BE INTEGRITY ISSUES, BUT I DID WANT TO AT LEAST GIVE THIS ONE MORE MONTH THROUGH THE RECOMMENDATION FOR A DEEPER CONSIDERATION, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT WAS LISTED IN THE HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY AS A CONTRIBUTING, UH, POTENTIAL LANDMARK, THEN NO ONE, NO ONE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SURPRISED BY THIS.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION OF STAFF? UM, CAROLYN, UM, DID YOU SAY THIS WAS DOCUMENTED IN THE 1983 SURVEY? YES.
THE IMAGE THAT WE FOUND ON THE, A UNC PORTAL TO THE TEXAS HISTORY WAS FROM A, UM, AN UNSIGHTED 1980 SURVEY, WHICH WE BELIEVE TO BE THE 1983 SURVEY, UM, ON THE, UH, THE THCS OUTLET THAT PROBABLY WAS DANIEL HARDY, UH, WHO WAS THE EMINENT ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN.
AND LET ME ADDRESS THE SECOND.
UM, AND I AM ALSO AWARE THAT NOT TO TRIVIALIZE WHAT IT TAKES TO PUT BACK, UH, STRUCTURES THAT HAVE DETERIORATED TO THIS EXTENT, BUT PIER AND BEAM IS A LOT MORE FORGIVING AND EVEN, UH, SETTLED STRUCTURES.
UH, THE NUMBER OF INDICATIONS OF, OUT OF PLUM OF IF WE'RE WORKING WITH THE KIND OF FRAMING FROM THAT ERA, UM, ALL OF THOSE ARE WITH EFFORT, UH, IT'S POSSIBLE TO REMEDY.
UM, I DO THINK THAT THE VALUE OF THIS HOUSE IN THAT LOCATION AND THAT AGE IS SUCH THAT, UH, REALLY THAT, THAT BAR FOR ME IS GOING TO BE PRETTY HIGH, UH, TO TELL ME THAT THAT, UH, HAS BEEN SO FAR GONE, THAT THE STRUCTURE, UH, PERHAPS MAYBE PORTIONS OF IT ARE IN THAT SHAPE, BUT THE ENTIRE STRUCTURE IS IN FACT, NOT, NOT POSSIBLE TO PUT BACK TOGETHER, UH, AND PRESERVE THIS HOUSE.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER LAROCHE.
I CONCUR WITH MY COLLEAGUES, ALTHOUGH I WOULD SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS FROM THE CAREFUL REVIEW OF THE DOCUMENTATION PROVIDED THAT THIS, THIS WOULD BE A VERY CHALLENGING MOVE FOR THIS HOUSE WITHOUT SOME PRETTY MAJOR MITIGATION TO GET IT TO MOVE.
UM, THAT SAID, I UNDERSTAND COMMISSIONER HEITZ ASSESSED OPINION ON THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY.
THERE THERE'S SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT DETERIORATION.
I'M NOT HERE TO ARGUE THAT HE CAN'T, BUT, BUT THERE IS SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT DETERIORATION THAT ESSENTIALLY WILL REQUIRE THOSE ELEMENTS TO BE RECONSTRUCTED.
[03:20:02]
THE JUICE IS WORTH THE SQUEEZE IN THIS CASE.UH, I, I FIND IT OFTEN DISINGENUOUS FOR AN APPLICANT TO ASK TO RELOCATE A BUILDING, UM, WHEN THERE'S NO ADDRESS CERTAIN WHEN THERE'S NO PLAN FOR THE RELOCATION, WHEN THERE'S NO NEED ESTABLISHED FOR THE RELOCATION, I TAKE THIS TO MEAN DEMOLITION AND, AND THAT'S, OUR PUBLIC HEARING IS OVER OUR PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE? I THINK WE MADE IT.
I JUST BASED OUT, UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF INITIATING HISTORIC ZONING, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE, RAISING YOUR HAND.
WE'VE INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING.
THAT'S THE END OF OUR PUBLIC HEARING.
CAN I SAY ONE THING I KNOW THE HEARING IS CLOSED, BUT MAY I SAY ONE THING? YES, I HAVE, UH, OVER THE YEARS I HAVE SUBMITTED SIMILAR APPLICATIONS OVER THE LAST DECADE WITH RELOCATIONS TO OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS.
AND I WILL BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE YOU WITH PHOTOS BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR FOR YOU TO SAY THAT I'M NOT BEING HONEST ABOUT THAT.
I CAN PROVIDE YOU PHOTOS OF HOMES THAT WE'VE MOVED, BECAUSE THAT SPEAKS TO MY CHARACTER.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO CAST DISPERSIONS ON YOUR CHARACTER.
I JUST, IT, IT SEEMS LIKE AN EASY OUT, IN A WAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT REALLY DEMOLISHING YET, BUT IT'S SO IMPORTANT AS I THINK COMMISSIONER
THIS IS WHERE THIS HOUSE NEEDS TO BE.
UM, ITEM E WE DON'T HAVE ANY DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT CASES.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY ITEMS UNDER F DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON APPLICATION FOR TAX ABATEMENTS,
[4.A. Discussion and Possible Action on Committee Reports]
BUT WE DO HAVE SOME COMMISSION AND STAFF ITEMS. UM, FIRST, UH, BEFORE WE GO INTO THE REGULAR COMMITTEE REPORTS, DO WE HAVE TARA, UH, AVAILABLE TO GIVE US A, UM, AN UPDATE ON THE PRESERVATION PLAN? AND I CARE HIM AND I SAY SOMETHING I MAY HAVE IN MY POSSESSION PAPER, HER WORKPLACE, I MAY HAVE DOCUMENTS THAT POSSIBLY YOU WOULD WANT TO SEE THE PROPERTY EARLIER.SO IF SOMEONE WOULD LIKE TO CONTACT ME, I'D BE HAPPY TO CHECK IT.
CAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS BETWEEN, UH, THE CAT AND SIGHTSEEING AS THEY WERE COLLABORATORS.
SO I HAVE THOSE IN MY POSSESSION.
THEY MIGHT BECOME, WE'RE NOT HEARING YOU FROM, IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO, ARE YOU SPEAKING TO THE STAFF COMMISSION, COME FORWARD, COME FORWARD, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, DON WATERS.
I'M THE NEIGHBOR ON INWARD PLACE, HAVE THE DESIGN COMPANY.
ANYWAY, I, I MAY HAVE DOCUMENTS THAT WOULD BE USEFUL TO YOU CONCERNING AND WOULD PLACE BECAUSE THEY WERE FRIENDS AND THEY SHARED A LOT TOGETHER.
SO I MAY HAVE THEM AND THEY MAY HELP YOU GUYS OUT.
I WAS TAUGHT TO TALK TO STAFF.
KARA IS NOT ABLE TO JOIN US, BUT I DO HAVE SOME NOTES OF HERS AS WELL AS HER PRESENTATION FOR AN UPDATE ON THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN.
SO THIS IS A THREE MONTH UPDATE, UH, THREE MONTHS INTO THE PROCESS THAT THIS WORKING GROUP IS UNDERTAKING, UH, OF WHAT IS GOING TO BE A YEAR LONG PHASE ONE TO DEVELOP A FRAMEWORK FOR AN EQUITY-BASED PRESERVATION PLAN.
SO I'D ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO VISIT THE PROJECT WEBSITE.
THERE'S A SHORT ADDRESS HERE, A BITLY
[03:25:01]
ADDRESS, BIT DOT L Y SLASH CAPITAL A CAPITAL T CAPITAL X PRESS PLAN.OR YOU CAN ALSO GO TO SPEAK UP AUSTIN.ORG AND LOOK FOR THE EQUITY-BASED HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN.
UH, THIS IS WHERE YOU CAN FIND INFORMATION IN TERMS OF THE PROGRESS THAT THE WORKING GROUP HAS MADE SO FAR.
UH, IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT TO SEE HERE.
IT'S SO SMALL, BUT WHEN YOU GO OUT TO THE WEBSITE, THERE'S A MENU BAR ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE THAT SHOWS, UH, MEETING DOCUMENTS, UH, INCLUDING AGENDAS AND MEETING NOTES, AS WELL AS, UH, THE BRIEFS AND PRESENTATIONS THAT STAFF PREPARES AS A BACKUP AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR THAT WORKING GROUP TO CONSIDER.
DID YOU SAY MANY BAR OR MENU BAR? I SAID, I SAID, I ATTEMPTED TO SAY MENU BAR, BUT MAYBE I'M A LITTLE MUFFLED.
I WAS INTERESTED IN THE MINI BAR.
MAYBE WE ALL NEED THE MINI BAR BY THIS TIME OF EVENING.
UM, SO IN TERMS OF THE MEETING SCHEDULE, REALLY WHAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR IS LAY SOME ESSENTIAL BACKGROUND ABOUT HOW THE PROCESS FOR THIS FIRST PHASE OF THE PLAN WILL, UM, WILL UNFOLD AND BEGINNING WITH THE OCTOBER MEETING, WE'LL REALLY BE GETTING INTO THE MEAT OF DELVING INTO AUSTIN'S EXISTING HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROGRAM, AS WELL AS THE VISION FOR WHAT THAT PROGRAM COULD BECOME AND IF YOU WOULD ADVANCE AGAIN.
UM, SO JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE COULD SEE THAT OVERALL LIST OF TOPICS.
SO WE'LL BE COMPILING FEEDBACK FROM, UH, THE WORKING GROUP AND REVIEWING THAT, UM, IN JUNE, UM, ONCE WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THE WHOLE SLEW OF VARIOUS TOPICS, UM, I SHOULD SAY THAT ONE OF THE EARLY THINGS THAT WE DID WAS AN EQUITY WORKSHOP, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE WAS STARTING FROM A SIMILAR FOUNDATION AROUND BOTH WHAT EQUITY MEANS, UH, BECAUSE GROUP MEMBERS ARE COMING FROM VERY DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS.
AND JUST TO REALLY UNDERSTAND, UM, THE HISTORY OF DISPARITIES THAT, UH, PEOPLE OF COLOR HAVE EXPERIENCED IN THE AUSTIN AS A FOUNDATION FOR THIS WORK.
SO, UM, THIS IS JUST AN EXCERPT FROM, UM, THESE REALLY EXCELLENT BRIEFS THAT KARA HAS, HAS PUT A LOT OF EFFORT INTO PREPARING FOR THE WORKING GROUP.
UM, SO THE FIRST MEETING WAS, UM, PRIMARILY MEMBERSHIP, A MEMBER INTRODUCTIONS AND BASIC BACKGROUND, AS WELL AS GETTING EVERYONE UP TO SPEED ON THE, THE MOST BASIC ASPECTS OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION, BOTH GENERALLY AND IN AUSTIN IN TERMS OF WHAT IT CURRENTLY DOES ON THAT SLIDE AGAIN, UH, THE SECOND MEETING WAS THAT EQUITY WORKSHOP.
UM, NEXT LINE, UH, THE THIRD MEETING WAS LOOKING AT A DECISION-MAKING FRAMEWORK FOR, UM, BOTH KIND OF A BROAD DECISION-MAKING FRAMEWORK IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT MIGHT BE EFFECTIVE.
WHAT, WHAT ARE THE, UM, OVERALL PARAMETERS OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR WITHIN A PRESERVATION PLAN AND THE NEXT SLIDE TRYING TO DRILL DOWN AND, UM, CREATE AN EQUITY EVALUATION FRAMEWORK SO THAT WE'RE NOT JUST PAYING LIP SERVICE TO THE IDEA OF EQUITY, BUT THAT WE HAVE, UM, A FUNDAMENTAL WAY OF EVALUATING THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE PUT FORWARD AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'D BENEFIT, OR AT LEAST DO NO HARM TO COMMUNITIES OF COLOR THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN UNDERREPRESENTED IN PRESERVATION EFFORTS AND HARMED BY PRIOR PUBLIC POLICY.
SO THE GOAL OF THIS FRAMEWORK, THE, UM, EQUITY EVALUATION FRAMEWORK IS ROOTED AND THE OVERALL GOALS, BUT, UM, TAKING EACH OF THOSE GOALS THROUGH AN EQUITY LENS, AND IT'S MEANT TO BE, UM, UH, KIND OF A THRESHOLD AT WHICH IF, IF THINGS RECEIVE A NEGATIVE SCORE WITHIN THIS EVALUATION FRAMEWORK FOR ANY OF THESE ASPECTS, EITHER THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS DON'T MOVE FORWARD OR THERE NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING DONE TO MITIGATE THE NEGATIVE IMPACT, SO THAT IT'S AT LEAST, AND YOUR TROLL IMPACT TO THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, SO IN TERMS OF AN OVERALL FRAMEWORK, THERE'S, THERE'S THIS, UM, COMPLEX ECOSYSTEM OF, OF DIFFERENT GROUPS AND ENTITIES AND IDEAS THAT ARE GOING TO BE FEEDING IN TO THE WORKING GROUP.
SO WE HAVE THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE OF THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION THAT MEETS MONTHLY, AND IT HELPS US LOOK A MONTH OUT AT, UH, WHAT THE WORKING GROUP IS GOING TO BE DOING.
UH, WE ARE PLANNING TO CONVENE, UM, SOME FOCUS GROUPS TO LOOK AT SPECIFIC ISSUES TO TRY TO GET EVEN MORE VOICES, TO BE PART OF THE PROCESS, UH, TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUPS
[03:30:01]
OF CITY DEPARTMENTS, TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO, WE FULLY UNDERSTAND THE APPLICATIONS FOR CITY OPERATIONS AND WHETHER OR NOT THINGS ARE ACTUALLY FEASIBLE.UM, CURRENTLY WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF A COMMUNITY HERITAGE SURVEY, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT MORE ON A SUBSEQUENT SLIDE.
UM, AND ALL OF THIS IS FEEDING INTO THE PRESERVATION PLAN WORKING GROUP AND A SUBGROUP OF THAT, THAT A DRAFTING COMMITTEE THAT WILL ACTUALLY BE WORKING WITH STAFF TO, UM, YOU KNOW, PUT WORDS TO PAPER FOR THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE PLAN, NEXT SLIDE.
SO, UH, THERE IS CURRENTLY A COMMUNITY OR THE SURVEY.
THIS IS NOT THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ANYTHING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN ORDER TO COMPLETE.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM AS BROAD A SWATH OF PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE, UH, WHAT COMMUNITY HERITAGE MEANS TO THEM, WHAT THEY VALUE AND WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE OUT OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN AUSTIN.
UH, SO THAT WEB ADDRESS IS, UM, B I T DOT L Y SLASH CAPITAL A CAPITAL T CAPITAL X, PRES, P R E S A, THE SURVEYS OPEN THROUGH THE SUNDAY.
UM, SO WE'RE ASKING THAT YOU SHARE THE WORD AND, UM, IF, IF YOU'RE SO INCLINED TO SHARE IT WITH YOUR APPOINTING COUNSEL, I'M GOING TO LIVE.
UM, THE NEXT SLIDE, THERE ALSO IS A, UM, COMMUNITY AND, UH, OR NOT COMMUNITY IT COMMISSION AND STAFF SURVEY.
SO WE HAVE, UM, A SENSE OF THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE, UH, THE FOLKS WHO WERE WITHIN THE PRESERVATION PLAN, WORKING GROUP, UM, STAFF AND THE LANDMARK COMMISSION IN MANY WAYS ARE GATEKEEPERS TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND AUSTIN, AND SO BETTER UNDERSTANDING, UM, THE DEMOGRAPHIC MAKEUP OF THE COMMISSION WITHOUT STAFF MAKING ANY ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT FOLKS.
WE'D LIKE Y'ALL TO BE ABLE TO, TO FILL THAT OUT YOURSELF.
SO, UH, COMMISSIONERS, IF YOU COULD PLEASE, UM, TAKE THE SURVEY, UH, ANSWER THE QUESTIONS YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE ANSWERING, UM, UM, LET US BETTER KNOW WHAT THE, UM, WHAT THE COMPOSITION OF THE COMMISSION AND STAFF WILL BE DOING THE SAME.
UM, SO YEAH, THAT I, THAT IS THE END OF THE PRESENTATION, BUT HAPPY TO ANSWER, ANSWER QUESTIONS.
WE ALSO HAVE MEMBERS OF THE, UM, BOTH THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE OF THE COMMISSION AND THE PRESERVATION PLAN WORKING GROUP, UM, WHO CERTAINLY CAN FILL IN GAPS.
MADAM SHERIFF, I MAY MAKE SOME, SOME COMMENTS, UM, COMMISSIONER WRIGHT, AND I ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE ON THIS WORKING GROUP TOGETHER.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY FROM THE GET-GO HEARING THE GROUP FAIRLY LARGE GROUP, UM, BUT HEARING EVERYONE INTRODUCE THEMSELVES WAS JUST SO EXCITING TO SEE THE DIMENSIONS OF DIVERSITY THAT HAD BEEN PUT TOGETHER HERE.
WE HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES FROM DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES.
UM, WE HAVE PEOPLE WITH DEEP ROOTS IN AUSTIN.
WE HAVE NEWCOMERS, WE HAVE OWNERS AND RENTERS.
WE HAVE PEOPLE OF ALL RACES AND ETHNIC ETHNICITIES AND SEXUAL ORIENTATIONS.
WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE RETIREES PROFESSIONALS, ACTIVISTS, STUDENTS, BUSINESS OWNERS, ORGANIZERS, PEOPLE WITH A DEEP BACKGROUNDS AND PRESERVATION, AND THOSE THAT ARE THEY'RE RELATIVE NEWCOMERS AND JUST SEEING EVERYONE'S DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON THINGS.
AND, AND JUST THE WAY TO BE ABLE TO, TO GET THAT MUCH FEEDBACK FROM SUCH A BROAD SECTION OF THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE HAVEN'T REALLY GOTTEN INTO THE NITTY GRITTY YET AS YOU'VE SEEN.
SO, UH, WHERE THE RUBBER HITS THE ROAD.
IT'LL BE INTERESTING, BUT EVERYONE'S BEEN, BEEN VERY RESPECTFUL AND IT'S BEEN VERY EFFICIENT THE WAY WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO COMMUNICATE.
WE BREAK OUT INTO SMALLER GROUPS AND, UH, THE MODERATORS TAKE NOTES AND THE NOTES ARE COMPILED.
AND SO IT'S BEEN VERY EFFICIENTLY DONE AND, AND THE GROUP IS QUITE OUTSTANDING.
I THINK EVERYBODY IS EXCITED TO BE, THERE IS VERY INTERESTED IN THE, IN THE PROCESS AND THE OUTCOME.
AND SO IT IT'S MADE EVEN THE THREE HOUR LONG MEETING WAS WITH IT.
DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T A THREE HOUR LONG MEETING, YOU KNOW, THAT'S BECAUSE WE HAD A MINI BAR.
I WAS AT MY OFFICE, SO I DIDN'T HAVE A MINUTE, BUT I DO THINK IT'S THE BACKGROUND OF PEOPLE IS VERY INTERESTING.
AND WE'VE, YOU KNOW, MARY REED IS ISN'T IN THE GROUP.
AND SO THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE LIKE HER WHO, WHO ARE NOT, YOU KNOW, PROFESSIONAL PRESERVATIONISTS, BUT HAVE DEVELOPED THEIR OWN BACKGROUND IN IT.
AND PEOPLE WHO'VE WHO'VE REALLY HAD NO EXPOSURE TO IT AT ALL.
AND IT'S JUST SORT OF, YOU'VE GOTTEN THIS FAR INTO IT, BUT IT'S VERY INTERESTING FOR IN ALL OF THE PERSPECTIVES THAT PEOPLE HAVE.
THERE'S SO MUCH TO TACKLE LIKE THAT.
THAT'S THE THING THAT I FIND REALLY DAUNTING ABOUT THIS PROCESS IS WE'RE THREE MEETINGS IN WE'VE LAID THE GROUNDWORK AND THERE IS SO MUCH TO TALK ABOUT WITH THE REST OF THE MEETINGS.
UM, BUT YEAH, I THINK WE'VE GOT A REALLY EXCEPTIONAL GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE REALLY PASSIONATE AND REALLY INTERESTED IN THE SUBJECT.
[03:35:01]
SEE WHAT WE COME UP WITH.WELL, AS I'M A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE, UM, WE'VE MET TO SHARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE COMING OUT FOR THE WORKING GROUP.
AND SO WE'RE KEPT APPRISED OF THIS, UM, FROM MONTH TO MONTH ON THIS AS WELL.
UH, EVEN THOUGH, UH, BEN, BETH AND I WERE DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED THAT WE WEREN'T SELECTED FOR SETTING WORKING GROUP, UH, WE'VE MANAGED TO SOMEHOW OVERCOME OUR, UM, OUR SADNESS AND DISAPPOINTMENT, BUT, UM, THAT WAS MY, THAT WAS THE REPORT FROM THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTING.
COMMISSIONER COOK, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GIVE A REPORT FOR THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE? SURE.
UM, THERE WAS ONE CASE THAT PASSED ON CONSENT THAT YOU ALL SAW THAT HAD, UH, SOME THOUGHTFULLY DONE WALLS AND FENCES, BUT I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO POINT TO THE TREND THAT WE'RE SEEING OF THE, THE BLACK METAL FENCES AND FRONT YARDS.
UM, AS THE CITY GROWS, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE MORE OF THEM, BUT WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP THEM AS LOW KEY AS POSSIBLE.
UH, WE SAW THE TOY PROJECT, WHICH IS ALWAYS DIFFICULT CASE TRYING TO RESOLVE MONSTER PROGRAMS WITH SMALLER SCALE NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE IN PARKSVILLE.
THAT'S LOOKING A LITTLE MORE PROMISING IN TERMS OF THE, THE APPROACH AT 1104 CHARLOTTE.
SO WE SHOULD SEE THAT DOWN THE ROAD.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO LOOKED AT 2308 WOODLAWN, WHICH WAS ON A CONSENT AS WELL, AND GOT TO TALK ABOUT SOME DETAILS OF POTENTIAL FUTURE RESTORATION.
AND WE HAD A LOT OF GOOD INTERACTION, I THOUGHT AT THE LAST MEETING.
UM, I DON'T THINK THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE HAS MET OR THE GRANTS COMMITTEE, BUT, UM, STAFF,
[4.B. Committee Appointments]
DID YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS? WE'RE COMING DOWN HERE UNTIL THE LAST TWO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA? YEAH.SO I JUST WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO NIGHT AND IT SEEMS TO BE VERY TIMELY WITH A, UH, REQUEST FOR THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE TO MEET.
UM, WE HAVE SOME NEW COMMISSIONERS ON THE DIASEND, UM, VIRTUALLY PARTICIPATING AND, UH, JUST WANTED TO, UM, TALK ABOUT THE VARIOUS COMMITTEES THAT THE COMMISSION HAS AS WELL AS IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED.
WHO'S NOT CURRENTLY SERVING ON ONE OF THOSE COMMITTEES, IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO GO AHEAD AND POINT FOLKS.
UM, THE ONE REALLY OBVIOUS GAP IS THE, UM, THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE HASN'T MET IN SOME TIME.
UH, CURRENTLY THE MEMBERS OF THAT COMMITTEE ARE WHAT FEATHERSTON AND KELLY LITTLE, UH, THE TWO OTHER COMMISSIONERS WHO WERE ON THAT COMMITTEE, UM, ARE NO LONGER ON THE COMMISSION.
SO, UH, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO GET TO A ROSTER OF THREE ON ALL OF OUR COMMITTEES.
UM, OUR OTHER COMMITTEES ALL HAVE THREE PEOPLE SERVING CURRENTLY.
UM, BUT IF THEY'RE, UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN CYCLING OFF, BUT THIS WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE, UM, IF THERE IS A COMMISSIONER WHO IS INTERESTED IN REPLACING ANY OF THE EXISTING FOLKS.
SO IT JUST, JUST WANTED TO OPEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT EACH OF THESE COMMITTEES DO, AS WELL AS, UM, POTENTIALLY SEE IF WE CAN FILL THAT.
UM, THE GAP FOR THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE ARE WE'RE NOT RESTRICTED TO HAVING ONLY THREE MEMBERS ON THESE COMMITTEES.
ARE WE, SO THE CHALLENGE WE'RE FACING CURRENTLY AS COMMITTEES HAVE TO MEET IN PERSON, THERE IS NO HYBRID OPTION.
THERE IS NEW VIRTUAL OPTION FOR COMMITTEES AT PRESENT.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING FOR, FOR COMMISSIONERS TO BE MINDFUL OF, UM, IN TERMS OF CONSIDERING, UM, POTENTIAL SPOTS WHERE YOU MAY WANT TO SERVE, UM, WHEN YOU, SO A QUORUM IS A MAJORITY OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
SO IF WE HAVE THREE MEMBERS ON THE COMMITTEE, WE HAVE TO HAVE TO PRESENT IN PERSON IN ORDER TO MEET.
IF WE GO UP TO FOUR, WHICH WE CERTAINLY CAN CONSIDER, WE THEN WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THREE OF THOSE FOUR ABLE TO MEET TO MAKE CORAL.
SO IT MAY JUST BE MORE OF A LOGISTICAL CHALLENGE, UH, PARTICULARLY IN THESE TIMES TO GET TO, TO COORDINATE THAT MANY FOLKS SCHEDULES.
PEOPLE ARE INTERESTING AND WE CAN DO MUSICAL CHAIRS.
IF WE WENT ON A LEAVE ONE COMMITTEE OR SOMEBODY WANTS TO JOIN A COMMITTEE, ESPECIALLY THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
UM, I THINK WE HAD A COUPLE OF THINGS TONIGHT ON OUR AGENDA.
THAT MIGHT WELL BE, UM, FOOD FOR THOUGHT FOR AN OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
[4.C. Future Agenda Items]
ARE THERE ANY FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS?[03:40:03]
YES.I'D LIKE A CUP OF ONE KIND OF PROCEDURE.
THERE WAS A GUEST HERE TONIGHT THAT WAS NOT WEARING HIS MASK AND HE SIT HERE THE ENTIRE TIME ENTIRE MEETING WITHOUT HIS MASK.
UH, HE LEFT HIS MASK ON, I, I ASSUME HE WAS LET INTO THE BUILDING WITH A MASK ON, IS, IS THERE SOMETHING WE SHOULD POINT OUT ONLY IT HAD? HOW DID Y'ALL WANT TO HANDLE THAT? UH, WE WOULD LIKE FOR EVERYONE TO HAVE MASKS ON THE ENTIRE MEETING, INCLUDING WHEN THEY ARE TESTIFYING, I THINK THAT'S A CHALLENGE TOO.
OF COURSE I WASN'T TALKING ABOUT THE GUESTS TOO.
YEAH, NO, I, I DID SEE HIM AND I DIDN'T QUITE KNOW HOW TO APPROACH THAT EITHER.
I'M AT SECURITY WHEN FOLKS ARE COMING INTO THE BUILDING, THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE LED INTO A CITY FACILITY WITHOUT A MASK.
UM, THERE ARE SIGNS SAYING THAT MASKS ARE AVAILABLE.
WHEN I CAME IN, THEY ASKED ME, THEY SAID, DO YOU HAVE A MASK? YEAH.
I PRESUME THAT PERSON REMOVED THEIR MASK.
I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF YOU WANT IT POINTED OUT TO YOU.
ARE YOU ALL GOING TO HANDLE THAT? I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY I'M NOT, IT'S KIND OF THING, REGARDLESS OF YOUR PERSONAL OPINION OF THAT MAN'S PERSONAL OR THAT PERSON'S, GUEST'S PERSONAL OPINION.
EVERYBODY ELSE IN HERE HAD A MASK THAT'S COOL.
THE MASKER REQUIRED IN CITY FACILITIES.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO, AS STAFF MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT VERY CLEARLY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, UM, SO THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THEIR MASK SHOULD REMAIN ON.
I MEAN, IF THEY, IF THEY DON'T WANT TO, UH, YOU KNOW, THEIR GUESTS HERE.
UH, BUT ANYWAY, I HAVE A SECOND QUESTION IS, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL HANDLE IT LAST MONTH.
UM, I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE STANLEY HOMESTEAD OUTBUILDING THAT WAS DESTROYED.
AND I DON'T, I DON'T, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT THIS EVERY MONTH BECAUSE I'M AFRAID.
I'M NOT SAYING Y'ALL, BUT I, SOMETIMES CITY IS HESITANT TO PRESS WHEN SOMETHING'S OBVIOUSLY CAN BE RECTIFIED THROUGH ACTION.
I, I, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING I WANT TO DISCUSS AND, AND THIS OPEN FORUM, BUT, UM, WE OWE YOU AN UPDATE.
I JUST, BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT TO SEE IT DROPPED.
I ALL ADDING, UM, RELATED TO THAT, THE FACT THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY ITEMS ON DUMB UNDER E DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT, WE STILL HAVE THE C ROOM SNEAD HOUSE OUT, SITTING OUT THERE LIKE A BUMP ON A PICKLE.
AND I THINK IT SHOULD STAY ON OUR AGENDA, RIGHT? YES.
I NEED TO VISIT WITH THE LAW DEPARTMENT ABOUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO GET IT BACK ONTO THE AGENDA.
IT WAS AN INADVERTENT OMISSION THAT IT WAS DROPPED FROM THE AGENDA.
WELL, I THINK WE DO NEED TO FOLLOW UP HOW, WHAT, WHAT IS OUR NEXT STEP TO I DON'T, I, WHAT IT KIND OF LOOKS LIKE NOW THAT IT SAYS THERE'S NO ITEMS AND IT SAID THAT LAST TIME AS WELL, IS THAT IT'S BEEN RESOLVED.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT STAY ON OUR AGENDA.
I WANT TO THANK THE STAFF HERE, EVERYBODY FOR HELPING US SET UP THIS HYBRID MEETING AND, UH, HAVING THE AGENDA REVIEW WITH, UM, WITH AMBER AND ELIZABETH EARLIER WAS REALLY PRODUCTIVE.
AND THANK YOU GUYS ALL FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO.
UM, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO ADJOURN? NO.
I WANT TO SAY, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO, UH, CHAIRPERSON BUYERS AND ALL THE COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF THAT ARE THERE IN PERSON.
AND, UH, I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS BEING THERE, BEING THERE TO MAKE QUORUM AND, UM, MAKING IT SO THAT, UH, THE THREE OF US CAN, COULD BE REMOTE AND VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IT.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR, WELL, THANK YOU GUYS.
UM, VIRTUALLY I THINK THIS WORKED OUT A LOT BETTER THAN I EXPECTED COMMISSIONER CASTILLO.
IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A VACANCY IN THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE AS HAPPY TO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THAT? I WOULD LOVE TO APPOINT YOU THE RACK I'D LOVE.
IT'S IT IS BASICALLY THE COMMITTEE THAT SORT OF MAKES THE RULES, UM, FOR, UH, WHAT, HOW WE OPERATE.
SO THEN YOU CAN MAKE SOME RULES AND, AND MAKE ME OBEYED THEM.
HAVE HAPPY TO HELP BE ON TRACK.
THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE VIRTUAL TO YOU'RE VERY WELCOME.
UM, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, I THINK ALL OF US WERE, WERE IN LIMBO AND, UM, I THINK SOME PEOPLE ARE REALLY,
[03:45:01]
I I'M WILLING TO COME DOWN HERE AND SO THAT SOME OF YOU CAN, CAN BE VIRTUAL.AND IT'S ALSO EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO THE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO TESTIFY BECAUSE IT'S, I HAVE HAD, I'VE HAD TO TESTIFY IN PUBLIC MEETINGS AND IT'S, IT'S MADDENING TO HAVE TO GIVE YOUR GIVE INFORMATION BEFORE THE MEETING EVEN STARTS.
AND THEN YOU DON'T HAVE IT UNLESS, YOU KNOW, UNLESS YOU'RE, UNLESS YOU, UNLESS REALLY IN THE KNOW, AND YOU'VE ALREADY TALKED TO STAFF FIRST, YOU DON'T HAVE A CHANCE TO COME BACK AND ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS AND THEY'RE NOT EVEN, THEY JUST THINK I'VE BEEN TAKEN OFF THE LINE AND I'M JUST SITTING THERE GOING, WHAT, WHAT I JUST, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS, THIS WAS SO MUCH BETTER HAVING THE PEOPLE SPEAK OR WITH THE CASE, WE GET ANSWER QUESTIONS, THEY GET ASKED QUESTIONS.
UM, THIS WAS EARLIER, IT'S A LESS, LESS FRUSTRATING FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO COME BEFORE US BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE ANGRY ENOUGH.
NO, THANK YOU ALL FOR MAKING THE TRACK.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO ADJOURN SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MCWHORTER? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? UH, I I'M GOING TO THE MINIBAR.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO CROSS THIS OFF.