[00:00:04]
[CALL TO ORDER]
GOOD EVENING.THIS IS A MEETING OF THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION, JANUARY 24TH, 2022.
I AM THE LONE RANGER COMMISSIONER UP HERE TONIGHT.
THE REST OF THE COMMISSION, YOU WILL SEE, UH, VIRTUALLY AND I WILL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
I'M THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMISSION COMMISSIONER HAIM.
SETH IS THE VICE CHAIR AND HE IS HERE.
PRESENT ANESSA CASTILLO, I BELIEVE IS ABSET WIT FEATHERSTON.
I'M SORRY, PETER ALSO, BUT PRESENT.
WE'RE HAVING A LITTLE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY.
COMMISSIONER COOK, COMMISSIONER LAROCHE RESIN.
I BELIEVE TREY MCWHORTER HERE.
THIS MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER THE FIRST ITEM.
I WANT TO EXPLAIN TO THOSE WHO HAVEN'T BEEN IN A COMMISSION MEETING BEFORE WE HAVE SOME OR ITEMS OF BUSINESS.
AND THEN WE WILL GO INTO PUBLIC HEARINGS.
WE WILL GO THROUGH THE AGENDA AND CALL OUT ITEMS THAT ARE OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
IF YOU WANT TO PULL SOMETHING FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR GET MY ATTENTION.
AND WE'LL ADD THAT AS A DISCUSSION ITEM TO OUR AGENDA.
WE WILL GO WHEN WE GO THROUGH THE, UM, THE CASES, WE WILL THEN TAKE A VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ALL THOSE WHO HAVE HAD THEIR, UH, APPLICATIONS APPROVED ON CONSENT CAN THEN LEAVE.
UM, WITH STIPULATIONS, SUCH AS A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, UH, NEEDS TO BE PREPARED FOR A BUILDING.
IF, UM, SAY IT'S UP FOR DEMOLITION, UH, THERE ALSO STAFF AND COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SOME PROPERTIES AS WELL, BUT WE'LL LET YOU KNOW, UM, THAT THE ITEM HAS PASSED ON THE CONSENT.
AND THEN YOU CAN, YOU CAN LEAVE THE ROOM.
[CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
ON OUR AGENDA IS CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS GENERAL.THAT, UM, IS IF ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WANTS TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM THAT IS NOT ON OUR AGENDA TONIGHT, IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS? WE HAVE TWO SPEAKERS SIGNED UP MADAM CHAIR.
THE FIRST IS MIKE MCKONE, UH, WHO IS THE SECOND OLIVER SHUTTLES WORTH.
OKAY, LET ME HOLD OFF ON, ON MR. MCKOWN.
HIS ITEM IS SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT THAN CITIZEN'S COMMUNICATION.
UM, MR. SHUTTLESWORTH, ARE YOU HERE? NO.
YEAH, IF THE ITEM IS ON THE AGENDA, THEN, UM, WE DON'T, UM, CITIZENS COMMUNICATION DOESN'T APPLY.
WE DO HAVE, UH, AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO MAKE SINCE OUR LAST LANDMARK COMMISSION MEETING OUR LONG TIME PRESERVATION OFFICERS, STEVE SEDOWSKY HAS PASSED AWAY IN, IN HONOR OF STEVE, THE S THE CITY OF AUSTIN RECOGNIZED AS HIS LONG TIME SERVICE TO THE CITY.
AS THE PRESERVATION OFFICER, WE RECOGNIZED HIM AS WELL LAST MONTH, AND PRESERVATION AUSTIN GAVE HIM THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD.
BUT TONIGHT WE HAVE MR. MIKE MCKOWN IS HERE TO, UM, SAY SOMETHING, UH, ON BEHALF OF STEVE.
COME ON DOWN, MR. MCKOWN THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
MY NAME IS MIKE MCALLEN, AND FOR YEARS I'VE WORKED WITH STEVE.
STEVE WAS A VERY UPSTANDING AND GRACIOUS PERSON WHO ALWAYS TREATED EVERYONE FAIRLY AND KEPT HIS WORD ABOUT HOW HE WOULD WORK WITH YOU.
AND IT'S DONE MORE TO SAVE BUILDINGS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN THAN ANY OFFICER BEFORE HIM.
[00:05:01]
MISSED.STEVE'S FINAL WISH TO ME CAME, AND I'M GOING TO READ FROM MY TEXT THAT ON THURSDAY OF DECEMBER, I MET WITH HIM LAST YEAR AND WE TALKED ABOUT A CASE AND HIS HEALTH, AND HE SAID HE WAS NOT DOING WELL AND WAS GOING ON TO BE TREATED AT THE HOSPITALS IN HOUSTON.
AND THEN ON NOVEMBER THE 28TH, I GOT ANOTHER TEXT FROM HIM THAT, UH, HIS HEALTH HAD DETERIORATED SUBSTANTIALLY AND THAT HE HAD ONE FINAL WISH.
AND THAT WAS TO HAVE A MARKER PLACED ON THE JACOB FONTAINE BUILDING.
HISTORICALLY, THE JACOB FONTAINE BUILDING HAD BEEN LABELED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN AS THE FRENCH ZETI STORE FOR THE ITALIAN COUPLE THAT OPERATED A GROCERY STORE THERE.
MR. FONTAINE, THAT REVEREND JACOB FONTAINE WAS A FREED AFRICAN SLAVE WHO STARTED A NEWSPAPER THERE AND WAS VERY INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, LIKE COMMUNITY, AND EVEN THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN AND PUBLISHED THE NEWSPAPER THERE UNTIL 1898.
HE ALSO TOLD ME THAT HE HAD GONE INTO HOSPICE, MY FRIENDS AND I, JOHN TRUBE AND EDWARD JOHNSON ON THE BUILDING AND DAVID CONNIE, WHO HAD WORKED WITH STEVE.
AND I GOT TOGETHER TO WORK OUT SOME TAPE OF WORDS THAT STEVE HAD WRITTEN.
WE ADDED TO THOSE A LITTLE BIT, EDITED THEM, ADDED SOME MORE FACTS, GOT THAT TO STEVE.
AND HE APPROVED OF IT AND TOLD US TO PUT IT UP AND DEDICATED TO HIM.
I WAS NOT AWARE THAT THE MEETING WAS THAT HE STILL HAD A, THIS ITEM WAS ON THE AGENDA FOR OTHER USES, BUT, UH, WHAT STEVE WANTED WAS JUST RECOGNITION OF THE PROPER HISTORIC REFERENCE TO THIS BUILDING BECAUSE HE FELT THE CITY HAD MADE A GREAT MISTAKE AND NOT DOING THAT WHEN IT INITIALLY DESIGNATED THE BUILDING AS HISTORIC.
I WANTED TO COME TO THE COMMISSION TONIGHT TO TELL YOU THAT THAT PLAQUE HAS BEEN APPROVED BY STEVE, AND WE WILL ERECT IT AND DUE COURSE WITH THE PERMISSION OF THE OWNERS, UH, AND WANT THIS COMMISSION TO KNOW THAT WE WILL BE TRYING TO HAVE IT PUBLIC CEREMONY TO DO THAT.
I THANK YOU COMMISSION FOR YOUR TIME AND ALL OF YOUR HEART SERVICE.
AND, UH, I WISH STEVE WELL, THANK YOU.
IS MY MIC STILL ON THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES THAT WILL BE OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
SECOND ITEM PRESENTATIONS, DISCUSSIONS, AND POSSIBLE ACTION.
WE HAVE ONE ITEM TO CONSIDER THE NOMINATION OF BRADFORD PATTERSON FOR A THREE-YEAR TERM ON THE AUSTIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COURT BOARD.
UM, IN CASE YOU HAD QUESTIONS SINCE THIS CAME TO US, NOT ALL THAT LONG AGO, UH, THE BOARD SET UP WITH STAGGERED TERMS AND AT THIS TIME, UM, THE QUESTION BEFORE US IS WHETHER TO, UM, RE NOMINATE MR. PATTERSON FOR THIS BOARD, DOES STAFF HAS HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT? OKAY.
UM, MR. PATTERSON IS HERE IN CASE ANYONE, UM, WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK WITH HIM, HIS BIO, HIS RESUME.
UM, OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT HIM ARE, UH, ONLINE, BUT HE'S HERE SOME MR. PATTERSON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO, UM, SPEAK TO THE COMMISSION, SIR? SURE.
UH, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO CONTINUE TO SERVE, UH, AND REPRESENT HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND THE CITY AT LARGE WITH THE AUSTIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
UH, I HAPPENED TO DRAW ONE OF THE, OR THIS POSITION DREW ONE OF THE SHORT STRAWS FOR A ONE-YEAR TERM, OR AS IT'S TURNING OUT A LITTLE BIT LESS
[00:10:01]
THAN A ONE-YEAR TERM, BECAUSE IT TOOK A WHILE FOR EVERYTHING TO GET SEATED.UM, BUT I DO WANT TO ASSURE YOU THAT, UH, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT'S ME OR SOMEBODY ELSE, UH, THE AEDC THE US AND MECCA MAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS ACTUALLY NOW STARTING TO FIRE ON ALL CYLINDERS.
UH, WE HAVE A NEW, UH, CEO THAT HAS BEEN HIRED, WHO WILL START IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
WE HAVE A CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER WHO WILL BE MOVING OVER FROM THE CITY.
AND, UH, IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, WE HAVE AN GATLING HAYNES WHO YOU MET WHEN I WAS HERE.
LAST TIME IS OUR CHIEF TRANSACTIONAL OFFICER.
AND I BELIEVE THERE'S ONE MORE POSITION THAT'S POSTED.
UM, SO THERE'S NOW GETTING FULLY STAFFED.
THERE ARE MULTIPLE DIFFERENT THINGS WORKING, GOING ON.
UH, WE HAVE AN RFP OUT CURRENTLY FOR ARTS AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS TO APPLY TO BE PART OF THAT PROGRAM.
WE ARE WORKING WITH THE, UH, CITY OF AUSTIN'S URBAN RENEWAL BOARD OR RENEWAL AUTHORITY BOARD, UM, TO, UH, WORK WITH BLOCK 16 AND BLOCK 18, WHICH ARE OVER ON EAST 11TH STREET, UH, IN THE VICINITY WELL SURROUNDING THE OLD VICTORY GRILL, UH, AS WELL AS OTHER FACILITIES OVER THERE, THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE AND CULTURAL AND HERITAGE, UH, CENTER OF THE CITY, UH, SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT OVERLAY, UH, IS ALSO GOING ON.
AND WE MAY BE INVOLVED IN CAPTAIN STITCH IN SOME LIMITED CAPACITY.
SO, UH, THERE ARE QUITE A FEW THINGS GOING ON.
NOT ALL OF THEM DIRECTLY RELATE TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AT LEAST NOT TRADITIONALLY.
UM, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME OF THAT STARTING TO HAPPEN.
SO I'D BE HONORED TO CONTINUE TO SERVE IF THAT'S YOUR DESIRE.
THANK YOU, MR. PATTERSON, PLEASE REMAIN AT THE PODIUM.
UM, COMMISSIONED MEMBERS, UH, YES.
WELL, AND THERE MAY BE SOME OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSIONS, BUT BRAD, IT'S BEEN GREAT WORKING WITH YOU.
AND, UH, I, I'M GOING TO BE VERY PROUD TO, UH, UH, HAVE YOUR NAME AND NOMINATION AND, AND MOVE APPROVAL.
UH, BUT I WILL, I WILL LET YOU KNOW THE MINUTE YOU DON'T WANT TO DO IT ANYMORE.
CAUSE, UH, I'M QUITE WILLING TO, UH, PICK UP WHERE YOU'RE LEAVING OFF DULY NOTED.
WAS THAT A SECOND? YES, MA'AM OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO RENOMINATE MR. PATTERSON, TO THIS POSITION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND ANY OPPOSED? OKAY.
AND WE'LL EXPECT A PERIODIC REPORTS FROM YOU FROM THE COMMISSION.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THE AGENDA UNDER PUBLIC HEARINGS.
AGAIN, IF YOUR ITEM IS, UM, IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
IF SOMEONE FROM THE AUDIENCE OR THE COMMISSION WANTS TO PULL THE ITEM FOR DISCUSSION, PLEASE LET ME KNOW, GET MY ATTENTION AND WE'LL PULL IT FOR DISCUSSION.
OTHERWISE IT WILL BE OFFERED FOR CONSENT WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OR STIPULATIONS THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA, AND THAT WILL BE, UM, DISCUSSED WITH YOU BY STAFF.
AFTER THE MEETING ITEM ONE IS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTIONS ON APPLICATIONS FOR HISTORIC ZONING.
WE HAVE ONE ITEM IS 1505 FOREST TRAIL.
THAT'S THAT WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM UNDER B DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON APPLICATIONS FOR CERTIFICATES OF APPROPRIATENESS, THE REVEREND JACOB FONTANE BULL DOLLAR BUILDING, UH, THAT IS GOING TO BE A CONSENT POSTPONEMENT CASE UNDER C DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON APPLICATIONS FOR PERMITS WITHIN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS.
SEE 1 9 0 6 EAST 14TH STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
NOW THERE ARE, THERE IS CON UH, COMMITTEE FEEDBACK ON THAT.
SO PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO IT.
IF IT PASSES, SEE 2 18 0 8 WEST SIXTH STREET, THAT'S OFFERED FOR CONSENT C3 2 0 1 PARK LANE.
THAT ITEM IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
MADAM CHAIR, WE DO HAVE A SPEAKER, UH, SIGNED UP IN OPPOSITION OF ITEMS C3.
SO WE'LL PULL THAT FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM C3 2 0 1 PARK LANE WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM.
RUTHERFORD PLACE IS A DISCUSSION ITEM
[00:15:02]
ITEM C 5 5 12 IS MONROE STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.MADAM CHAIR, WE HAVE SPEAKERS REGISTERED TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION OF ITEM C5.
ITEM C FIVE WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM ITEM C6 84 RAINY STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEM C 7 5 22 CONGRESS AVENUE.
IT WAS OFFERED FOR CONSENT, BUT I'D LIKE TO PULL THAT ITEM FOR DISCUSSION UNDER D DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON APPLICATIONS FOR DEMOLITION OR RELOCATION ITEM D 1 45 28 AVENUE F IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEM D 2 16 17 NEW YORK AVENUE WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM ITEM D 3 46 0 8 AVENUE H IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
WE DO HAVE A SPEAKER REGISTERED IN OPPOSITION FOR ITEM D THREE.
THAT WILL BE, UM, PULLED FOR DISCUSSION ITEM D 4 12 0 8 SOUTH FIFTH STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEM D 5 36 21.
WINDSOR ROAD WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM ITEM D 6 904.
CHRISTOPHER STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEM D 7 17 0 5.
EVA STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEM D A 6 0 8 EAST 41ST STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEM D 9 6 0 7 EAST 38TH STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT, BUT I'D LIKE TO PULL IT FOR DISCUSSION ITEM D TEN THREE OH SEVEN EAST FIFTH STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEM D 11 3 11 EAST FIFTH STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ITEM D 12 28 0 9.
FRENCH PLACE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
D 13 1700 LAVACA STREET WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM.
AND OUR LAST CASE UNDER PUBLIC HEARINGS ITEM D 14, 17 0 4, LAVACA STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
UM, AMBER, COULD YOU PLEASE, UH, LIST THE ITEMS FOR, UH, FOR DISCUSSION FOR ME? THE ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION ARE AS FOLLOWS A ONE C THREE C FOUR C FIVE C SEVEN D TWO D THREE D FIVE D NINE AND D 13, ALL OTHER ITEMS EXCEPT ITEM B 1 24 0 2 SAN GABRIEL STREET ARE OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? OKAY.
I SEE THAT MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER MCWHORTER.
I'M SORRY, JUST, JUST ONE CLARIFICATION.
UM, SO THAT THERE'S NO MISUNDERSTANDING.
UH, THE CONSENT AGENDA DOES INCLUDE THE BE ONE ITEM.
HOWEVER, THAT IS A CONSENT POSTPONEMENT.
ALL THE REST OF THE CONSENTS ARE CONSENT APPROVALS.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT MY MOTION SAYS THAT, OKAY, YOU WANT TO ADD THE CONSENT POSTPONEMENT TO THE, TO YOUR MOTION? BASICALLY WE'LL APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ALL OF THOSE ITEMS ARE ON THAT AGENDA.
THE MINUTES ARE ALSO OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
[Consent Agenda]
FOR CONSENT, WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER HEIM, SETH A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER MCWHORTER, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE CONSENT AGENDA, PLEASE SAY, AYE, RAISE YOUR HAND.IF YOUR ITEM WAS PASSED ON CONSENT, YOU MAY LEAVE.
[00:20:01]
THOSE, UM, THOSE APPLICANTS WHO WORKED WITH THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, UM, A NUMBER OF ITEMS WERE RESOLVED AT THAT COMMITTEE MEETING.AND, UH, WE OFFERED THEM FOR CONSENT HERE TONIGHT ON THIS AGENDA.
[3.A.1. PR-2021-137925 – 1505 Forest Trl. – Discussion Council District 10]
RAMIT STAFF FOR THE PRESERVATION OFFICE.UH, PRESUMING WE ARE READY TO MOVE ON TO ITEM A ONE.
I AM HERE TO MAKE THE STAFF PRESENTATION AGAIN.
THIS IS ELIZABETH BRUMMETT WITH THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE.
THIS IS A PROPERTY THAT WAS ON THE COMMISSION'S AGENDA LAST MONTH.
UH, THE COMMISSION INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING AND INSTRUCTED STAFF SPECIFICALLY TO LOOK AT, UH, CHARLES GREEN'S CAREER DURING THE TIME IN WHICH HE LIVED IN THIS HOUSE BETWEEN 1935, WHEN IT WAS BUILT AND HIS MARRIAGE TO FLOYD ROBINSON IN 1941, UH, STAFF FINDS THAT THE PROPERTY MEETS THE CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION FOR ITS UNIQUE ARCHITECTURE, ITS LANDSCAPE FEATURES AND FOR ITS HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION WITH CHARLES GREEN EDITOR OF THE AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
HOWEVER, THE COMMISSION MAY WANT TO CONSIDER THE CHARACTER OF BRENE'S WRITINGS AND DETERMINING WHETHER TO RECOMMEND HISTORIC SETTING.
UH, I WILL ELABORATE ON THAT SOME, BUT, UM, JUST TO, TO PREFACE THE REMARKS, UM, STAFF HAS HEARD FROM SOME COUNCIL OFFICES REGARDING, UH, THE, THE PREPARATION OF STAFF REPORTS AND THE CONVERSATIONS AT THE COMMISSION LEVEL, UH, FOR PROPERTIES THAT HAVE ANY ELEMENTS OF RACISM OR ANY, ANY MIXED HISTORY THAT THEY MAY REPRESENT IN TERMS OF HAVING SOME POSITIVE AND SOME NEGATIVE ASPECTS.
THEY'VE ASKED THAT, THAT, UH, RECEIVE FULL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND STAFF'S REPORT TO THE COMMISSION AND BE DISCUSSED BY THE COMMISSION IN YOUR DELIBERATIONS.
UH, SO THE HOUSE AT 1,505 FOREST TRAIL WAS BUILT IN 1935 FOR CHARLES GREEN PRINCIPAL EDITOR OF THE AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN FOR OVER 30 YEARS, GREEN WAS FOUNDER OF THE HEADLINERS CLUB, A LONG TIME SUPPORTER AND FRIEND OF LYNDON JOHNSON.
AND HE WAS INVOLVED IN MULTIPLE CIVIC AFFAIRS.
WELL, HIS PRIMARY ROLE AT THE AMERICAN STATESMAN WAS THIS EDITOR.
HE ALSO READ A DAILY LOCAL INTEREST COLUMN AND OCCASIONAL NEWS PIECES.
SOME OF HIS WRITING USES OFFENSIVE STEREOTYPES REGARDING AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND DEMEANING LANGUAGE ABOUT WOMEN AND THE WORKFORCE.
SO AGAIN, THAT'S SOMETHING THE COMMISSION MAY WISH TO CONSIDER.
NEVERTHELESS, GREEN'S POWER AND INFLUENCE AS THE LONGEST SERVING EDITOR OF THE AMERICAN STATESMAN MEETS THE CRITERIA FOR HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS.
GREEN LIVED IN THIS HOUSE FOR ONLY A FEW YEARS ABOUT SURVIVING HOME, MOST CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH HIS PRODUCTIVE CAREER, MULTIPLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS COINCIDE WITH HIS TIME IN THE HOUSE INCLUDE INCLUDING BEING NAMED MANAGER, MANAGING EDITOR OF THE AUSTIN UN-AMERICAN IN ADDITION TO BEING EDITOR OF THE, UH, STATESMEN.
UH, HE ALSO, AT THAT TIME IN 1935 BECAME THE EDITOR OF THE SUNDAY EDITION OF THE AMERICAN STATESMAN COMBINED.
UH, HE ALSO WAS APPOINTED TO MANY POLITICAL ROLES DURING HIS TIME AT THE HOUSE.
UH, AS I MENTIONED, THE PREVIOUS, UM, PRESENTATION, UH, HE BRIEFLY LIVED IN ANOTHER HOUSE AT, ON MOUNTAIN VIEW ROAD, 1942.
UM, BUT IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T, UM, ASSOCIATED WITH HIM AND THE SAME WAY AND THE HOUSE THAT HE LIVED IN FOR THE LATER PART OF HIS CAREER, UM, BETWEEN 1941 AND HIS DEATH IN 1967 WAS DEMOLISHED IN 2002.
UH, SO THIS IS THE HOUSE, YOU KNOW, BEST ASSOCIATED WITH AN EARLY AND PRODUCTIVE PORTION OF HIS CAREER IN TERMS OF ITS ARCHITECTURE OF THE HOUSE, RETAINS A HIGH DEGREE OF INTEGRITY AND DOES A UNIQUE EXAMPLE OF ITS STYLE AND CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS.
YOU PLAN BRICK VENEER HOUSE WITH WEEPING MORTAR CORNERS OF REBEL, VOLCANIC STONE, AND A CENTRAL STONE CHIMNEY.
THE INTERIOR OF THE HOUSE IS ALSO REMARKABLY INTACT, INCLUDES A RUSTIC ELEMENTS LIKE HEAVY TIMBER TRUSSES AND WARM WOOD WALL PANELING AND THE LIVING ROOM, A BATHROOM TILE, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY WE DON'T HAVE A PHOTO OF THESE ARE PHOTOGRAPHS WE FOUND ONLINE, UH, BUT REPORTED AT THE LAST COMMISSION MEETING.
THERE'S A BATHROOM TILE THAT DEPICTS A COWBOY, SMOKING A CIGARETTE WELL IN ARCHITECTURE,
[00:25:01]
THE HOUSE IS NOT KNOWN.THE HOUSE CLEARLY EXPRESSES THE PERSONALITY OF CHARLES GREEN FOR HIM.
IT WAS ANNOUNCING A HOUSE WARMING PARTY AND THE AUSTIN AMERICAN, UH, GOSSIP COLUMNISTS RELAYED THAT THE HOUSE WAS CALLED EL RANCHO VERDE, A PLAY ON GREEN'S NAME.
SHE WROTE TO FIND CHARLIE'S HOUSE, JUST DRIVE OUT WEST UNTIL YOU CATCH THE GLEAM OF THE LITTLE BLUE SHUTTERS.
UH, STAFF BELIEVES IT ALSO MEETS THE CRITERIA FOR LANDSCAPE FEATURE STONE WORK ON THE SITE, INCLUDES LANDSCAPE BOARDERS, A LOW STONE WALL AT THE STREET AND TO TOAST AND WALL ALONG THE SOUTHERN BOUNDARY OF THE PROPERTY AND AN OUTDOOR FIREPLACE AND PARTICULAR THAT, UH, BOUNDARY WALL AND THE FIREPLACE RESEMBLE THE REBEL VOLCANIC ROCK WORK AT THE CORNERS OF THE HOUSE AND ARE PRESUMED TO BE HISTORIC FEATURES.
IF YOU'D LIKE, JUST TALK TO ONE ANOTHER, PLEASE.
I JUST WANT TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON CHARLES GREEN AND THEN WE'LL TURN IT OVER FOR, UM, FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS, CHARLES GREEN, WHO WAS BORN IN 1901 AND MINERAL WELLS, TEXAS.
HE EARNED A DEGREE IN JOURNALISM FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA, AND THEN BEGAN WORKING AS A POLICE REPORTER FOR THE FORT WORTH PRESS LATER, THE FORT WORTH STAR TELEGRAM.
HE ALSO WORKED AS A REPORTER AT THE, UH, ODESSA NEWS AND TIMES AND THE LAREDO TIMES WHERE HE BECAME MANAGING EDITOR IN 1929.
HE STARTED AS MANAGING EDITOR OF THE AUSTIN STATESMAN.
UH, THE AUSTIN AMERICAN AND THE AUSTIN STATESMAN HAD MERGED UNDER A SINGLE OWNERSHIP AND 1924.
SO AGAIN, UM, GREEN WAS BROUGHT ON AS EDITOR OF THE STATESMAN.
HE BECAME EDITOR OF THE AMERICAN AS WELL WHEN RAY LEE, WHO HAD BEEN THE EDITOR OF THE AUSTIN AMERICAN RESIGNED.
SO THAT COINCIDES WITH THE YEAR THAT THIS HOUSE WAS BUILT, THAT HE BECAME MANAGING EDITOR OVER ALL THREE PAPERS.
UH, BY THE TIME IN ACCOUNT OF THE, UH, AMERICAN STATESMAN'S HISTORY WAS WRITTEN IN 1956, GREEN WAS, ARE ALREADY THE LONGEST SERVING EDITOR TO DATE BY THE TIME OF HIS DEATH.
AND 1967, IT COUNTED OVER 30 YEARS AS EDITOR.
UM, SOCIALLY GREEN WAS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE BACHELORS CLUB, WHICH ORGANIZED DANCES AND OTHER ENTERTAINMENT.
AND HE HAS TO HAVE MEETINGS OF THE CLUB AND HIS HOME.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, HE WAS ALSO VERY POLITICALLY WELL-CONNECTED AND SERVED IN MANY CIVIC ROLES.
MAYOR TOM MILLER APPOINTED GREEN TO MULTIPLE POSTS, INCLUDING, UM, AND I'VE LISTED FAR MORE THAN THE Y I'M GOING TO READ OFF IN THE STAFF REPORT THAT THIS INCLUDES CHAIRMAN OF A CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON AVIATION MATTERS THAT HE WAS APPOINTED TO IN 1940.
UH, HE SERVED AS A NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN THE 1930S, AND SERVED AS A DELEGATE TO THE U S CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN 1938.
HE ALSO TRAVELED TO WASHINGTON DC WITH AN AUSTIN DELEGATION TO DISCUSS FEDERAL AID PROJECTS FOR THE CITY IN 1940.
AND HE REGULARLY GAVE PUBLIC TALKS ON JOURNALISM AND CURRENT EVENTS, INCLUDING NEWS COVERAGE OF WORLD WAR TWO GREEN FOUNDED THE HEADLINERS CLUB IN 1954 AND ESTABLISH THEIR JOURNALISM AWARDS PROGRAM ANNUALLY.
THE HEADLINERS FOUNDATION OF TEXAS STILL CONTINUES TO SELECT WINNERS OF THE CHARLES GREEN AWARDS TO HONORS TEXAS JOURNALISTS REPORTING AND COMMENTARY.
SO I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS NOW OR, UM, ONCE YOU GET TO DISCUSSION, UM, MS. , COULD YOU, UM, PLEASE BRIEF THE COMMISSION ON THE LAST TIME THIS CASE CAME TO THE COMMISSION, UH, THE, THE PRIOR INSTANCE, UM, OR LAST MONTH, THE PRIOR INSTANCE? YES.
UH, THERE WAS A DEMOLITION REQUEST, UM, IN 2017, UH, WHERE STAFF HAD RECOMMENDED THAT MET THE CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
UH, THE COMMISSION POSTPONED THE CA CASE A COUPLE OF TIMES BEFORE IT WAS ULTIMATELY WITHDRAWN FROM THE AGENDA.
AS I RECALL, THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION BETWEEN THE OWNER AT THE TIME AND THE, UM, AND THE STAFF, UM, AND IT WAS RESOLVED THAT THEY WOULD NOT GO FORWARD WITH THE DEMOLITION AT THAT TIME.
THAT'S, THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING AS WELL.
AND THAT THE COMMISSION WOULD, WOULD TAKE NO FURTHER ACTION AT THAT TIME.
UM, ARE THERE QUESTIONS OF STAFF FROM THE COMMISSION, UH,
[00:30:01]
COMMISSIONER HEIM, SETH, UH, MS. BRAMLETT REGARDING THE WRITINGS? UM, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU OR THE STAFF, UH, OR OTHERS THAT YOU MIGHT BE RELYING ON, UH, HAVE HAD TIME TO ASSESS? UH, ARE WE TALKING ABOUT, UH, EXPRESSIONS OF WHAT WOULD BE SADLY, UM, GENERALLY OPINIONS THAT WOULD BE CASUALLY DISCUSSED BY ANYBODY, UH, IN LEADERSHIP, UH, THAT WERE DISMISSIVE OF WOMEN OR MINORITIES, UH, JUST BECAUSE THAT WAS ACCEPTED DISCOURSE OF THE DAY, OR ARE WE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT WAS MORE, UM, EITHER AGGRESSIVE OR DEMONSTRATIVE LILLY, UH, HARMFUL IN THE WAY THAT, UH, CERTAIN TYPES OF ACTIONS WERE BEING PROMOTED THAT WERE ACTIVELY, UH, UM, FACILITATING SOME OF THESE VERY THINGS WHERE WE, WE NOW HOLD IN SUCH A, UH, DISCUSSED? SURE.SO THERE, THERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES INCLUDED IN THE BACKUP MATERIALS.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT I, I, I THINK UNFORTUNATELY THEY'RE FAIRLY TYPICAL OF THE ATTITUDES OF THE TIME.
UH, SO GREENE WROTE A COLUMN, HIS PRIMARY WORK WITH THE AMERICAN AND STATESMAN WAS AS THE EDITOR, BUT HE ALSO WROTE A DAILY COLUMN CALLED TOWN TALK, WHICH WAS, UM, NOT EXACTLY A GOSSIP COLUMN, BUT IT WAS JUST A VERY CASUAL COLUMN, VERY DESCRIPTIVE WRITING, UM, TALKING ABOUT WHATEVER ANECDOTES HE FELT COMPELLED TO BRING FORWARD THAT DAY.
SO IT'S, IT'S NOT, UM, IT'S NOT, HE, HE, HE WAS NOT WHILE HE WAS CERTAINLY VERY INVOLVED IN THE NEWSROOM IN TERMS OF HIS ROLE AS MANAGING EDITOR.
UM, HE DID NOT DO A LOT OF ACTUAL NEWS REPORTING HIMSELF UNDER HIS OWN NAME.
UM, SO I MEAN, I THINK YOU COULD SEE IT AS, AS BEING EQUIVALENT OF SOMEBODY TODAY WITH THE TWITTER ACCOUNT, HE WROTE DAILY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
AND, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN, IT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT THE COMMISSION WANTS TO, UM, SPEND OR ARE ASKED THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME BE SPENT JUST TO MAKE SURE, UH, THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT, UM, YOU KNOW, A WRITER THAT WOULD BE A CONTEMPORARY, FOR EXAMPLE, JAMES THURBER, UH, YOU'LL GO THROUGH HIS WRITINGS.
UH, SOME CAN BE QUITE WITTY AND AMUSING AND SOME CAN BE VERY DEPLORABLE, UH, PARTICULARLY IN DEMEANING WOMEN AND, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, OTHER, UH, DOMESTIC TROPES, WHICH WOULD BE COMMON FOR THAT DAY, BUT WOULD BE UNACCEPTABLE TODAY.
UH, BUT THAT'S VERY DIFFERENT THAN OTHERS.
UH, IN THAT SAME PERIOD OF TIME WHO WERE LAUDING, UH, OUTRIGHT VIOLENCE, UH, OR OTHER, UH, HEINOUS ACTS AGAINST, UH, MINORITIES OR OTHER TYPES OF, UH, OUTRIGHT DISCRIMINATION.
WE KNOW BOTH OF THOSE WOULD HAVE BEEN, UH, AVAILABLE AND PROBABLY EVEN DISCUSSED AMONG CERTAIN TYPES OF, UH, INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THESE COMMUNITIES.
UH, I THINK I, I'M VERY COMFORTABLE SAYING THAT, UM, WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE TIMES, YOU'RE GOING TO BE A HARD PRESSED TO FIND SOMEBODY WHO, UH, WOULD HAVE CHARACTERISTICS THAT WE TODAY WOULD FIND THOROUGHLY LAUDABLE, BUT THAT'S, UH, THAT, THAT, THAT I THINK IF WE PUT IT IN THAT CONTEXT, UH, IS, IS ENOUGH THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID ABOUT THIS ISSUE, BUT I WOULD BE VERY S UH, UH, CONCERN IF WE FIND OUT THAT IN FACT, UM, THIS WAS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS MUCH MORE AGGRESSIVE AND AMONG THOSE WHO, UH, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO PROMOTE A DESTRUCTIVE LEGACY.
AND, UH, I THINK THAT THAT'S THE DISTINCTION THAT I, I FEEL NEEDS TO BE MADE IN MY MIND BEFORE.
I KNOW WE CAN PUT THAT ISSUE TO BED.
I THINK COMMISSIONER, I, I THINK THAT, UM, I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTARY.
AND I THINK, I THINK THAT MOST OF US ON THE COMMISSION WOULD AGREE.
UH, THIS IS A, THIS IS A TOUCHY ISSUE.
YOU MIGHT LOOK AT THE BACKUP, SOME OF THE ARTICLES, UM, UH, TOWARDS THE END OF THE BACKUP, UM, WHILE WE LISTENED TO THE APPLICANT, UM, MAKE HIS PRESENTATION HERE.
UM, ARE THERE ANY, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF STAFF AT THIS POINT, AND WE CAN DISCUSS THIS FURTHER, UM, ONCE WE, ONCE WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE CASE.
IS THERE SOMEONE HERE TO SUPPORT THIS APPLICATION? THE APPLICANT IS NOT HERE.
IS THERE ANYONE IN OPPOSITION? OKAY.
WE MAY GET TO THAT DISCUSSION SOONER THAN LATER.
UM, MR. HEIM, SETH, UM, SINCE THERE'S NO ONE HERE TO SPEAK EITHER IN FAVOR OR OPPOSITION
[00:35:01]
OF THE CASE, DO I HEAR A MOTION ON, UH, ON THIS APPLICATION? UH, MADAM CHAIR, I'LL MOVE THE CLOSING OF THE PUBLIC HEARING.UM, HOWEVER, UM, AND MAYBE WE CAN HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AND I'LL CHANGE MY MIND, UH, UNLESS THERE'S A TIME CONSTRAINT, I WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE THAT WE HAVE A MORE DEFINITIVE DISCUSSION, UH, OR I SHOULD SAY THE MORE DEFINITIVE RESEARCH ABOUT THOSE TYPES OF WRITINGS THAT, UH, THE STAFF IS FLAG, UM, AND THAT WE, UH, THEN POSTPONE THIS TO NEXT MONTH'S MEETING.
WE DO HAVE THAT OPTION OF TIME.
WE CAN POSTPONE IT TO NEXT MONTH, UM, WITHOUT RUNNING UP AGAINST A DEADLINE COMMISSIONER TALLAGHT I WOULD SECOND, I WOULD SECOND THE MOTION, UH, AND I, I, TO, UH, LIKE THE COMMENTS THAT COMMISSIONER HOM SAYS MADE, UH, I'M VERY MUCH IN AGREEMENT WITH THE, MY, I DON'T THINK WE'RE, I'D LIKE TO, I THINK WHAT HE WAS TRYING TO SAY IS WE'RE NOT TRYING TO EXCUSE THE WORDS AND ACTIONS NECESSARILY FROM THOSE FROM THOSE TIMES.
UH, YOU CAN S YOU CAN SEE THAT.
I MEAN, I REMEMBER AS A CHILD OUT IN WEST TEXAS GOING TO THE COURTHOUSE AND YOU'D SEE TWO WATER FOUNTAINS, AND ONE WOULD MARK COLOR AND ONE SMART WHITE.
SO IT, I THINK IT'S NECESSARY.
IT WOULD BE, I THINK I AGREE THAT IT'D BE, I'D BE MORE COMFORTABLE.
ALSO, IF WE FOUND OUT THAT THIS WAS THE, THE MR. GREEN WAS NOT AN OUT AND OUT RACIST OR AN OUT, OUT SEXIST OF SOME SORT, AND THAT THIS WAS, YOU KNOW, WHO KNOWS, BUT WHERE YOU, SOMETIMES YOU READ A BREAD THINGS FROM THAT PERIOD.
AND THEY WERE TRYING TO, AS COMMISSIONER HAMSA SAID, SOME OF THAT, THEY THOUGHT IT WAS AMUSING.
THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A, THAT WAS THE WAY FOLKS, FOLKS TO ADDRESS THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND IT'S, I'M NOT SAYING IT'S RIGHT OR WRONG.
I THINK IT'S PERSONALLY, I THINK IT'S WRONG, BUT THAT I DON'T, I WOULD BE, AGAIN, I, I, THAT'S WHY I WAS SECONDED.
I THINK WE NEED A POSTPONEMENT TO GIVE THE, GIVE STAFF A CHANCE TO LOOK BACK AGAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DEPTH AND TO SEE, UH, SEE WHAT THIS MEANS, WHAT THIS MEANS.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO POSTPONE IN A SECOND COMMISSIONER LAROCHE.
I, I THINK IT'S, WHILE I DON'T DISAGREE WITH MR. HINDSIGHT, I THINK STAFF HAS PROVIDED DOCUMENTATION HERE, AND NOW THEY, I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR TO ASK THEM TO INTERPRET.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S YOUR INTENT COMMISSIONER HIRED SETH, BUT THEY HAVE CERTAINLY PROVIDED EVIDENCE OF WHAT'S BEEN BROUGHT TO LIGHT AS A CONCERN WITH THE, WITH THE CHARACTER MR. GREEN.
AND I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO PROVIDE THEM WITH A LITTLE BIT MORE DIRECTION, UH, BECAUSE I, I FEEL LIKE IT'S OUR OBLIGATION TO INTERPRET THE INFORMATION AND, AND WEIGH IN ON WHETHER WE THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE OR NOT APPROPRIATE, OR EVEN WEATHER.
UM, THERE IS ALSO THE POSSIBILITY THAT IT BE THAT ITS SIGNIFICANCE LIES IN ARCHITECTURE AND ARCHITECTURE.
UM, DESPITE, UH, SOME MISGIVINGS ABOUT, UM, ABOUT THE EDITOR, UH, STAFF HAS APPROACHED THE PODIUM, MS. BRUMMETT IT'S, UM, TWO, TWO COMMENTS, ONE PROCEDURAL, WHICH IS IF THE MOTION IS TO POST, TO POSTPONE THE DECISION OF WHETHER TO RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING, THE PUBLIC HEARING SHOULD REMAIN OPEN RATHER THAN BE CLOSED.
UM, THE OTHER IS THAT I, I SPENT BETTER THAN A DAY COMBING THROUGH, UH, THERE ARE A LOT OF HITS FOR SOMEBODY WHO IS THE EDITOR OF THE PAPER FOR SUCH A LONG TENURE.
I SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME COMING THROUGH THOSE.
I FOUND THINGS THAT I FOUND, UM, UNSETTLING, AND THEN USE SOME SEARCH TERMS TO TRY TO TARGET ANYTHING THAT, UM, MIGHT TURN UP IT'S.
SO THEY'RE THERE, IT'S A RELATIVELY, IN TERMS OF PERCENTAGE OF OVERALL ARTICLES WRITTEN A RELATIVELY SMALL SUBSET TO THAT, UM, USE SOME DEMEANING LANGUAGE AND, UH, YOU SOME, SOME DEMEANING STEREOTYPES, UH, TO DESCRIBE PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OR WORK ETHIC OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN PEOPLE.
UH, WHAT I FELT WAS THE MOST EGREGIOUS OF THOSE IS IN THE BACKUP.
[00:40:01]
I'M NOT SO CONCERNED BASED ON WHAT WAS IN THE BACK, UH, BUT I APPRECIATE YOU CLARIFYING BECAUSE I WAS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT MIGHT NOT BE IN THE BACKUP.UH, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY, UM, ADDITIONAL, UH, LEVELS OF EXPERTISE THAT WE CAN DRAW ON, PERHAPS, UH, EVEN, UH, WITHIN THE STATEMENT ITSELF, UH, INDIVIDUALS WHO WOULD KNOW, UH, OR HAVE RESEARCHED, UH, GREEN'S HISTORY AND BE BETTER ABLE TO SPEAK FOR, UM, THE, UH, GENERAL CHARACTER THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE.
I MEAN, THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT HIS, UH, INFLUENCE WOULD WARRANT FOR SURE THAT HE HAS THE STATURE NECESSARY TO, UM, BE RECOGNIZED AND THE HOUSE AND THE, AND THE, UH, DESIGNATION CONTINUE TO BE, UH, UH, CELEBRATED BECAUSE OF HEAD ASSOCIATION.
UM, BUT THERE AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S, UM, IT'S WHAT WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE, UH, THAT, UH, I CONCERNS ME AND I THINK IT WOULD ONLY BE, UH, SPECIFICALLY A POSTPONEMENT FOR THE PURPOSE OF DOING OR ALLOWING YOU OR OTHERS ON STAFF TO DO SOME ADDITIONAL RESEARCH, IF THAT WOULD BE WARRANTED, OR, UM, IF WE DON'T WANT TO PUT THE OWNERS ON STAFF, A POSTPONEMENT COULD GIVE COMMISSIONERS MORE TIME TO CONSIDER AND PONDER THE RAMIFICATIONS OF A DESIGNATION, UM, ASSOCIATED WITH THE EDITOR.
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD, UH, CHOOSE, BUT, UM, LET'S HEAR FROM EVERYONE WHO MIGHT HAVE AN OPINION ON THIS, ON THE COMMISSION COMMISSIONER COOK.
UM, THIS IS A COMPLICATED REFERENCE, BUT JUST GIVEN HIS SUPPORT OF LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON AND JOHNSON SUPPORT THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT, UH, TO ME, SOMEWHAT TELLING IS ABOUT SOMEONE WHO WASN'T AT THEIR CORE AGAINST, UH, YOU KNOW, THE ADVANCEMENT OF MINORITIES.
SO THAT'S JUST ONE FACT THAT I COULD SEE THAT WOULD WEIGH IN NOW THAT MIGHT SPEAK TO HIS CHARACTER, BUT, UM, IT WOULD BE NOT LITTLE MORE TIME TO LOOK AT IT.
IT'S ALSO NICE TO HEAR THE CONTEXT OF ACTUALLY HAVING TRIED TO SEARCH FOR WRITINGS THAT WERE DEROGATORY, BECAUSE AS HAS BEEN STATED AT THE TIME, IT WOULDN'T BE HARD.
YOU COULDN'T THROW A STICK WITHOUT PROBABLY FINDING SOMETHING IN THE PUBLIC FORUM THAT WAS, THAT WAS DEROGATORY.
SO HAVING TO LOOK FORWARD AND SEEING WHAT'S WHAT WAS FOUND AS A HIT, I FEEL FAIRLY, FAIRLY CONFIDENT THAT, THAT AT HIS CORE, UM, SUPPORTING LBJ WHO SUPPORT IT AS COMPLICATED AS HE WAS, HE SUPPORTED THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT, UM, IS TELLING ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO POSTPONE THIS CASE TO OUR NEXT MEETING AND TO, UM, I NEED TO HAVE THE MAKER AND THE SECOND AGREED TO LEAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN OR NOT.
AMENDMENT MOTION TO REFLECT THAT.
UM, I THINK WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF POSTPONING, THIS CASE TO OUR FEBRUARY 20TH MEETING, PLEASE SAY, AYE, AND RAISE YOUR HAND.
[3.C.3. HR-2021-193601 – 201 Park Ln. – Consent Travis Heights – Fairview Park National Register District Council District 9]
NEXT CASE, C3 2 0 1 PARK LANE.THIS IS, THIS CASE IS TO DEMOLISH A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING AND THE YES.
COMMITTEE MOTION TO ENCLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING THE MOTION WAS TO LEAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN.
IT'S OPEN AS POSTPONED AND POSTPONED.
UH, SO THIS CASE IS, UM, TWO, UH, ONE PARK LANE IS, UH, APPLICATION TO DEMOLISH A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING.
AND THE RECENTLY, UM, LISTED TRAVIS HEIGHTS, HISTORIC DISTRICT, IS THERE SOMEONE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION TO DEMOLISH THE HISTORIC BUILDING? OKAY.
UM, SEEING NONE, IS THERE ANYONE, I'M PRETTY SURE MS. CONTRAREZ FROM STAFF HAS A PRESENTATION SINCE IT WAS PULLED FOR DISCUSSION.
WAS THAT YOUR LOVELY FACE? I SAW ON HERE.
[00:45:01]
ITEM C3 AND APPLICATION TO DEMOLISH A 1939 DUPLEX.UH, CAN EVERYBODY AT CITY HALL HEAR ME OKAY.
UM, THIS IS A ONE STORY MINIMAL TRADITIONAL DUPLEX WITH A SYMMETRICAL PLAN.
EACH SIDE OF THE DUPLEX FEATURES ACROSS GABLED ROOF LINE WITH SHALLOW EASE ASBESTOS SHINGLE SIDING AT ONE OVER ONE WINDOWS.
UH, THIS DUPLEX WAS BUILT IN 1939 BY SOPHIA SULLIVAN, WHO LIVED IN HALF OF THE DUPLEX PART-TIME WHILE RENTING OUT THE OTHER HALF, HER SON AND HIS FAMILY ALSO INHABITED ONE HALF OF THE DUPLEX FOR SOME TIME.
MOST OF THE HOMES EARLY RENTERS WERE THERE SHORT TERM, INCLUDING A MECHANIC, A BARBERSHOP MANAGER, INSURANCE SALESPEOPLE, AND THE SECRETARY TREASURER OF THE SHERIFF'S ASSOCIATION.
CERTAINLY AFTER THE DUPLEX IS BUILT, SOPHIA SULLIVAN BECAME INVOLVED IN A HIGH PROFILE INVESTIGATION WHEN HER SIGNIFICANT OTHER WHO WAS A MARRIED CABINET MAKER FROM ARKANSAS WAS FOUND DEAD OF A SHOTGUN BLAST IN HER CAR.
DESPITE THE INTENSIVELY COVERED INQUIRY, THE CULPRIT WAS NEVER FOUND PROPERTY CONTRIBUTES TO THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS, FAIRVIEW PARK, NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
UM, BUT THAT'S NOT FINE THAT IT, UH, MET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARKING THERE.
THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION WAS TO ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE THEN RELOCATION, BUT TO APPROVE THE DEMOLITION APPLICATION UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UM, AND BECAUSE IT IS IN A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, THE DEMOLITION PERMIT MAY NOT BE RELEASED UNTIL PLANS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION ARE REVIEWED BY THIS COMMISSION.
THANK YOU, MS. CONTRARAS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF FROM THE COMMISSION? UM, ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? OKAY.
NOW, IS THERE AN APPLICANT TO SPEAK TO THIS APPLICATION IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION? YES.
WELL IF YOU, IF YOU WANT THIS DEMOLITION REQUEST APPROVED, YOU MIGHT WANT TO COME DOWN AND SPEAK TO THAT ONE AT A TIME.
THE FIRST SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
WELL, WE DO APPRECIATE THAT THIS IS IN A HERITAGE AREA.
THE HOME IS ONLY 1,350 SQUARE FEET.
UM, THE WINDOWS HAVE BEEN ALL CHANGED TO VINYL.
THE BATHROOMS AND KITCHEN HAVE ALL BEEN RENOVATED.
SO ANY OF THE HISTORICAL CONTENT IS NOT REALLY THERE ANYMORE.
THERE IS KIND OF A BACK PORCH AREA THAT WAS ALSO CLOSED IN, UM, PROBABLY FAIRLY RECENTLY.
AND WHAT WE WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW IS WE DO APPRECIATE THAT THIS IS A HERITAGE AREA.
AND WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO WITH AN ARCHITECT IS ACTUALLY BUILD A 1960S MID-CENTURY STYLE HOME THERE.
SO IT'S NOT, SO IT ACTUALLY FITS IN WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WOULD YOU MIND STATING YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD PLEASE? YES.
AND YOU UNDERSTAND THAT YOU CANNOT GET A DEMOLITION PERMIT UNTIL YOUR PLANS ARE PREPARED AND REVIEWED BY THIS COMMISSION.
YES, BUT WE DON'T EVEN WANT TO START THAT UNTIL WE SEE WHAT THIS BOARD IS, HOW THIS IS GOING TO TURN OUT.
MY COMMENT TO YOU WOULD BE THAT THIS IS LARGELY AN EARLY 20TH CENTURY, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, 19 TEENS, THE 1930S.
ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? OKAY.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THE DEMOLITION REQUEST, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME.
UM, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER OR CHAIR MYERS CITY STAFF FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER, LEAVING ME SPEAK ABOUT THIS.
I DRIVE BY THIS HOUSE QUITE OFTEN.
IT'S IN A PROMINENT LOCATION FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND AS HAS BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED, IT IS A CONTRIBUTING PROPERTY TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, 1939.
[00:50:01]
UM, I UNDERSTAND TOO, THAT IT'S A DUPLEX AND IT COULD BE SOME AFFORDABLE HOUSING.I THINK THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE COMMISSION SHOULD ENCOURAGE THE PRESERVATION OF THE REHABILITATION OF IT, AND IT LETS YOU REUSE.
ANY QUESTIONS OF UH, MR. LAD? OKAY.
WOULD THE APPLICANT LIKE TO REBUT? NO.
UM, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY.
YOU HAVE TO COME DOWN TO THE PODIUM, STATE YOUR NAME.
I'M THE CO-OWNER TO THIS PROPERTY.
THE ONE THING I WOULD WANT TO STATE IS THAT IT HAS NOT BEEN OPERATING AS A DUPLEX.
IT'S BEEN A SINGLE FAMILY HOME FOR, FOR MANY YEARS.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING COMMISSIONER LAROCHE.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? DON'T BE SHY.
SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER COOK.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING, PLEASE SAY AYE.
UH, IS THERE A MOTION ON THE CASE? I NEED A MOTION FOR DISCUSSION COMMISSIONER COOK TO FOLLOW STAFF RECOMMENDATION TO, UM, ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION, UH, BUT TO RELEASE THE PERMIT UPON THE COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER VALANZUELA? WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION EITHER THE MAKER OR THE SECOND? UM, I'LL SPEAK.
IT'S NOT A, UM, EMOTION THAT I MAKE WITH ANY JOY WHATSOEVER, BUT, UH, IT'S, IT'S CLEAR THAT HE DOES NOT QUALIFY AS A LANDMARK.
AND SO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT TOOLS THERE ARE IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT IN WALLACE SIX MONTH DELAY IS AVAILABLE TO US.
UM, THESE ARE ALWAYS CHALLENGING TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, AT ONE, ONE END WE COULD IMPOSE A SIX MONTH DELAY ON EVERY SINGLE DEMOLITION THAT COMES UP IN EVERY NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
UH, I THINK THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE A LITTLE HARSH, JUST WORK WHERE THIS FALLS IN TERMS OF, UM, THE ADJACENT PROPERTIES, THE STREET ITSELF IS SOMEWHAT DEGRADED.
UM, THE ARCHITECTURE IS NOT OUTSTANDING, ALTHOUGH I LIKE IT, BUT IN LARGE PART, IT'S THE INTEGRITY.
IF WE WERE TO DO THIS AGAINST OWNER'S WISHES, UH, I THINK IT WOULD BE A HARD, A HARD ARGUMENT TO MAKE WITH, WITH THE LOSS OF THE ORIGINAL WINDOWS, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON, I JUST HAVE TO, UM, SAY, WELL, I'LL, I'LL AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER COOK.
AND IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE THIS ARISES TO THE STATE STANDARDS THAT WE KEEP AS, UM, POSSIBLY BEING HISTORIC, BUT THAT THIS USED TO BE A DUPLEX AND THEN BECAME A SINGLE FAMILY HOME.
I THINK THAT THEY WERE TAKING A FIFTH OF AN ACRE, UH, SO CLOSE TO THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE'VE INVESTED THERE AS A COMMUNITY AND A SOCIETY.
AND IT'S GOTTA BE A SINGLE FAMILY.
SO SAY MY PIECE, I WOULD JUST ADD, UM, TO THE APPLICANTS, IF THIS PASSES, I WOULD HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO REHABILITATE IT RATHER THAN DEMOLISH IT.
UM, THIS IS REALLY SAD THING TO SEE AFTER SO MANY YEARS OF PUSHING FOR A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT IN TRAVIS HEIGHTS.
IS THERE IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, UM, THE MOTION IS TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON, UH, APPROVAL OF THE, UM, DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE, AND RAISE YOUR HAND ANY OPPOSED IT PASSES, UH, THE NEXT ITEM,
[3.C.4. HR-2022-001198 – 804 Rutherford Pl. – Discussion Travis Heights – Fairview Park National Register District Council District 9]
C4 8 0 4 RUTHERFORD PLACE.I JUST THOUGHT THROUGH CLARIFY THAT, UM, THAT SAID ALICIA PERMIT WILL NOT BE APPROVED
[00:55:01]
UNTIL WE SEE AN APPROVED THE, UM, NEW THAT'S CORRECT IN THE APPLICANT.THE APPLICANT IS AWARE OF THIS.
WE SAID IT OR EARLIER IN THE DISCUSSION.
UM, ITEM FEE FOR 8 0 4 OF OTHER FOOD PLACE IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CONTRIBUTING DUPLEX AND ATTACHED CARPORT ALSO IN THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS, FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
UM, AND TO CONSTRUCT A NEW SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE WITH A POOL, HOLD ON.
UH, PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CONTRIBUTING DUPLEX AND ATTACHED CARDBOARDS AS WELL AS TO CONSTRUCT A NEW SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE, UH, WITH A POOL AND A TWO-STORY CABANA AT THE REAR.
UM, THE PROJECT INCLUDES TOTAL DEMOLITION OF THE EXISTING CONTRIBUTING DUPLEX AND ATTACHED CARPORT AS WELL AS CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE WITH A POOL AND A TWO-STORY CABANA.
THE PROPOSED PRIMARY BUILDING IS TWO STORIES WITH A HABITABLE ATTIC AND A ROOF DECK.
IT FEATURES ANY REGULAR FLAT GABLE TO SHED ROOF LINE SIX PAIN AND CASEMENT, FULL LIGHT FENESTRATION AND IRREGULAR PATTERNS, STUCCO CLADDING, AND A FRONT FACING GARAGE AND TIGHT.
CAN WE GET THE PHOTOGRAPH BACK OF THE HOUSE UNDER CONSIDERATION? THANK YOU.
UH, THE CABANA IS TWO STORIES IN HEIGHT WITH STUCCO CLADDING, A GABLED ROOF LINE AND FIXED PANE WINDOWS ON TWO ELEVATIONS, UH, AND THE WEST AND SOUTH SECONDARY ELEVATIONS, UH, OF THAT AID.
UH, SECONDARY BUILDING ARE WINDOWLESS.
THE EXISTING BUILDING IS LISTED OUT CONTRIBUTING IN THE 2020 TRAVIS HEIGHTS, FAIRVIEW PARK, NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATION.
UM, AND UH, THAT NOMINATION STATES THAT THIS BUILDING IS THE ONLY EXEMPLAR OF A REPRESENTATIVE DOMESTIC PROPERTY CONSTRUCTED WITH A MIXED ARCHITECTURAL STYLE.
UM, AND THIS UNIQUE ECLECTICISM INCLUDES MISSION TO, TO REVIVAL AND SWISS INFLUENCES.
UM, THE NOMINATION DESCRIBES IT AS A SMALL APARTMENT BUILDING, UM, AND A GOOD EXAMPLE OF AN ECLECTIC MIX DESIGN THAT DRAWS FROM THREE STYLES.
THE BUILDING IS TWO STORIES IN HEIGHT WITH BUSS AND TAN COLORED BRICK WALLS AND A FLAT ROOF.
THE FRONT ELEVATION HAS A SYMMETRICAL ARRANGEMENT WITH A ONE-STORY PARTIAL WITH ENTRANCE VOLUME EXTENDING FROM THE RECTANGULAR MAIN BUILDING.
THE PROJECTING ENTRANCE HAS TWO TO REVIVAL DETAILS, INCLUDING AN ARCHED ENTRANCE DOOR ARCH HOOD MOLDING OVER THE DOOR, NARROW WINDOWS WITH DECORATIVE SHUTTERS AND FLARED ROD IRON STAIR RAILING.
THE MAIN TWO STORY VOLUME HAS LITTLE DECORATION AS A SINGLE ONE UPPER ONE WINDOWS ON THE FIRST FLOOR AND TWO SETS OF PAIRED ONE OVER ONE WINDOWS ON THE SECOND FLOOR.
IT'S MODEST MISSION REVIVAL DETAILS ARE LIMITED TO A NARROW DIVIDED LIGHT ARCHED WINDOW IN THE CENTER OF THE UPPER FLOOR AND A STEPPED PARAPET.
THIS WITH DETAILING INCLUDES THE SCALLOPS BARGE BOARD.
ALL WINDOW OPENINGS HAVE BRICK SPILLS AND THE PARAPET COPING IS ALSO BRICK NOTABLY THE BUILDING AT 8 0 2 WEATHERFORD PLACE IS CONSTRUCTED WITH A SIMILAR PLAN FORM AND FENESTRATION PATTERN THOUGH 8 0 2 WEATHERFORD SHOWS ONLY MISSION INFLUENCES 8 0 4 RUTHERFORD PLACE WAS CONSTRUCTED AROUND 1931 BY 80 ALLIE.
IT WAS A RENTAL PROPERTY THROUGHOUT THE 20TH CENTURY.
NOTABLE OCCUPANTS INCLUDED PHYSICIAN ROBERT BRATTON AND DSP AND VELMA HILL A HILL FORMERLY A FARMER AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGER WITH AN AUSTIN BROKER AND POLITICIAN.
A POPULAR PICK FOR HIGHWAY COMMISSIONER HILL WAS EVENTUALLY APPOINTED TO THE STATE INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT BOARD BY GOVERNORS, JAMES B ALLRED AND W O'DANIEL, UH, IN A JOINT NOMINATION, HE'LL SHARE THE DELICACY TO THE DEMOCRAT CONVENTION DURING HIS TENANCY AT 8 0 4 RUTHERFORD, UH, WHICH WAS UNFORTUNATELY CUT SHORT DUE TO HIS DEATH BY CAR ACCIDENT IN 1946.
UM, DURING THE STAFF EVALUATION OF THE PROPOSED NEW CONSTRUCTION, UM, STAFF FOUND THAT THE PROJECT MEETS A FEW APPLICABLE STANDARDS, UH, IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS FOR NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS.
UM, AND THIS WAS A CONTRIBUTING PROPERTY.
UM, STAFF DETERMINED THAT THE PROPERTY MAY NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA, UH, THOUGH THE, UH, THE BUILDING IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF A VERY UNIQUE ARCHITECTURAL STYLE, UM, AND A RAPIDLY DISAPPEARING BUILDING TYPE.
UM, STEPH DID NOT FIND THAT THE ASSOCIATIONS WERE EXTRAORDINARILY STRONG.
UH, HOWEVER, THE COMMISSION MAY WISH TO CONSIDER ITS ASSOCIATION WITH TB HILL, UM, AND THE BUILDING'S ASSOCIATION WITH HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS AND TRAVIS HEIGHTS, FAIRVIEW PARK MAY ALSO BE OF NOTE.
UM, THEREFORE THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONTINUE TO CONSIDER POSTPONEMENT TO FEBRUARY'S MEETING, TO ALLOW FURTHER RESEARCH OF THE BUILDING'S
[01:00:01]
CONTRIBUTION TO THE HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT PATTERN ON RUTHERFORD PLACE.UH, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE SIMILAR DUPLEX TO 8 0 2 RUTHERFORD.
SO THE COMMISSION DECIDED AGAINST POSTPONEMENT, UH, COMMENT ON AND RELEASE THE PLANS AND RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
SO THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO POSTPONE TO FEBRUARY 28TH MEETING.
ARE THERE ANY, UH, QUESTIONS OF, UH, MS. CONTRARAS FROM THE COMMISSION? I DON'T, UM, SEE IT, THE COMMISSION BEFORE ME COMMISSIONER LAROCHE, COMMISSIONER LAROCHE.
WE CAN'T HEAR YOU WHEN I'M LOOKING AT THE PHOTOGRAPH OF THE, OF THE HOUSE, THE EXISTING HOME.
WHAT ELEVATION AM I LOOKING AT AT THE ENTRY? THE ENTRANCE, UH, WOULD BE THE SOUTH ELEVATION SOUTH ELEVATION.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OF STAFF? OKAY.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANYONE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE DEMOLITION OF THIS BUILDING? OKAY.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THE DEMOLITION OF THE BUILDING? OKAY.
IT WON'T TAKE THAT LONG AGAIN.
MY NAME IS CLIFTON LAD, AND I'M HERE TO OPPOSE THIS DEMOLITION AND THIS IS A VERY UNIQUE HOUSE IN OUR NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT.
THERE'S I CAN'T THINK OF ANOTHER ONE THAT LOOKS ANYTHING LIKE IT.
WE CAN HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION BY MS. CONTRARES TO POSTPONE IT.
SO YOU CAN LOOK AT THIS FURTHER TO FURTHER CONSIDER THE ARCHITECTURAL THIS CRUCIFIX.
ANY QUESTIONS OF MR. LAD? OKAY.
UH, THE OTHER SPEAKER, UM, AN OPPOSITION, PLEASE GET HIM DOWN.
I'M A PRESERVATIONIST, I'M A NEIGHBOR.
AND I WALKED PAST THIS HOUSE ON A REGULAR BASIS AND I SEE PEOPLE THAT STOP THERE'S THERE'S IT JUST STRIKES YOU.
IT'S JUST A VERY UNIQUE PLACE.
I COULDN'T HAVE DONE A BETTER JOB OF DESCRIBING THEM AS CONTRASTED.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT BECAUSE I WASN'T QUITE SURE WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY ABOUT IT.
UH, BUT IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DESCRIPTION OF WHAT IT WAS, UH, WHAT REPRESENTS THAT ARCHITECTURAL STYLE.
THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT IT'S A, IT'S AN AMAZING PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
PEOPLE LITERALLY LIKE WALK PAST MANY OTHER UNIQUE HOUSES IN THE AREA OF BUNGALOWS AND OTHER BEAUTIFUL HOUSES.
AND THEN THEY'LL STOP AT THAT ONE.
THERE'S SOMETHING THAT STANDS OUT AS A, AS A, FROM A DIFFERENT PART OF TIME IN DIFFERENT PART OF THE COUNTRY.
EVEN IT FEELS LIKE IT DOESN'T QUITE, UM, FEEL LIKE A TRADITIONAL SORT OF TEXAS HOUSE, BUT I THINK THAT'S WHAT, UM, IS QUITE UNIQUE ABOUT IT.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS I DO KNOW THAT IT HAS BEEN USED AS A DUPLEX UNTIL EVEN VERY RECENTLY.
UM, AND SO IT'S ONE OF THE FEW SORT OF AFFORDABLE RENTALS IN THAT PART OF TRAVIS HEIGHTS.
UH, ANYONE HAVE QUESTIONS OF THE SPEAKER? THANK YOU, SIR.
SINCE THERE WAS NO ONE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR, WE DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR REBUTTAL.
UM, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING OR DO WE WANT TO LEAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF POSTPONING THIS COMMISSIONER LAROCHE? I WOULD MOVE TO POSTPONE IT TO POSTPONE.
DO I HEAR A SECOND? SECOND? OKAY.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD MY SUPPORT TO THE POSTPONEMENT.
UH, PERHAPS STAFF CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
I DID THE ORIGINAL ASSESSMENT OF THIS BUILDING.
CERTAIN BUILDINGS WERE CONSIDERED HIGH PRIORITIES, MEANING THAT THEY WERE, UM, POTENTIALLY ELIGIBLE FOR INDIVIDUAL LISTING IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER.
THIS WAS SINGLED OUT, UM, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS, UH, ONE OF THE,
[01:05:01]
UM, BEST EXAMPLES OF ITS TYPE, UM, VERY INTACT.SO I SUPPORT THE, UH, NOMINATION.
ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK MR. HEIM, SETH, WE DO HAVE A QUESTION OF STAFF, UH, AND THIS IS SOMETHING PERHAPS THEY COULD ADDRESS IF THIS MOTION PASSES, UH, WHEN WE GET THE PRESENTATION NEXT TIME.
UH, BUT BECAUSE THE, UM, THE, THE PERSON WHO SUBMITTED THIS APPLICATION IS NOT HERE.
UH, I WANT TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT INFORMATION THEY RECEIVED ABOUT THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, UM, BECAUSE I DON'T SEE ANY EVIDENCE OF THAT, UH, BEING SOMETHING THAT THEY WERE SENSITIVE TO IN THE REPLACEMENT PLAN.
BUT AGAIN, WE CAN JUST HAVE THAT ADDRESS AT THE, UH, IF THIS, IF THIS MOTION PASSES, UH, WHEN, WHEN THE PRESENTATION IS MADE NEXT, NEXT MONTH.
NO, I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT, MR. HINDSIGHT.
THAT'S WHY I ASKED MY QUESTION ABOUT THE ELEVATION RIGHT OUT.
WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT THE SOUTH ELEVATION, I WAS CONFUSED.
LIKE, YOU'RE KIDDING, RIGHT? YOU'RE NOT GOING TO PRESERVE THE ENTRY OR ANYTHING LIKE, SO IT'S A TOTAL DEMOLITION AND REPLACEMENT WITH NEW CONSTRUCTION, UM, MODERN CONSTRUCTION.
I, I CAN SHED SOME LIGHT ON THAT.
UM, THE APPLICANT, UH, DID COMPLETE THE HISTORIC REVIEW APPLICATION, UM, IN TIME TO GET ON THIS AGENDA.
SO, UM, THEY WERE AT LEAST AWARE OF ITS, UH, ITS POSITION IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
SO THEY'RE AWARE OF, AND AGAIN, THIS IS PROBABLY NEXT MONTH CONVERSATION, BUT IF THE APPLICANT IS LISTENING, UM, IF I LOOK AT THE SITE AND I'M JUST EVEN LOOKING AT GOOGLE, UM, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THE BACK AND THE, UH, ABILITY TO USE THIS SITE FOR AN ADU.
IS IT ALL HINDERED BY KEEPING THE EXISTING BUILDING AND THE QUALITY OF THAT CONSTRUCTION IN THE AMOUNT OF SQUARE FOOTAGE IS I THINK, EQUAL TO, AND IN SOME CASES, PERHAPS SUPERIOR TO WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO REPLACE IT WITH.
IT JUST SEEMS LIKE WHAT WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE HERE IS SOME BROADER THINKING AND PERHAPS MORE CREATIVITY WHERE, UH, ACTUALLY A, A GOOD DEAL, IF NOT, UH, ALL OF WHAT THIS OWNER IS TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH COULD BE, UH, ACTUALLY, UH, DONE WITH A VERY SIMPLE AND, AND PERHAPS VERY SUCCESSFUL RESTORATION, UH, AND STILL BE ABLE TO DO THE KINDS OF DEVELOPMENT THAT THEY WANT ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.
WE HAVE A MOTION, UH, TO POSTPONE THIS UNTIL THE FEBRUARY 28TH MEETING AND A SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE AND RAISING YOUR HAND.
[3.C.5. HR-2021-200516 – 512 E. Monroe St. – Consent Travis Heights – Fairview Park National Register District Council District 9]
TO C FIVE, ANOTHER CONTRIBUTING BUILDING IN THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS, HISTORIC DISTRICT FIVE 12 EAST MONROE STREET.UM, THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A 1921 BUILDING, UH, IN TRAVIS HEIGHTS, FAIRVIEW PARK.
UH, THIS IS A ONE STORY CRAFTSMAN BUNGALOW WITH DOUBLE FRONT DOORS, ONE OVER ONE WOOD WINDOWS, EXCUSE ME, WITH A NINE OVER ONE SCREEN EXPOSED RAFTER TAILS, A TRIANGULAR BRACKETS AT THE GABLE END OF THOSE PARTIAL WITH FRONT PORCH, THE CROSS GABLED ROOF IS COVERED WITH CORRUGATED METAL AND THE BUILDING'S EXTERIOR CLOD AND HORIZONTAL WOOD SIDING.
THE HOUSE AT 5 1 2 EAST MONROE WAS CONSTRUCTED AROUND 1921 AS A RENTAL PROPERTY, THEN SOLD TO BUFORD AND MABEL BROWN IN 1928.
YOU FRED BROWN WORKED AS A LIFE INSURANCE SALESMAN, A LOAN OFFICER AND A CASHIER AT THE AMERICAN NATIONAL BANK.
HE HELD THE LATTER POSITION UNTIL SHORTLY BEFORE HIS DEATH, UNTIL IN 1960 MABEL BROWN WAS A MUSICIAN WHO WAS ACTIVE IN AUSTIN'S MUSIC CLUBS AND THE DELTA KAPPA SIGMA SOCIETY.
UH, STAFF EVALUATED THIS PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT DID NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
UH, WHILE IT IS AN EXCEPTIONAL EXAMPLE OF A CRAFTSMAN STYLE, IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS.
THEREFORE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO STRONGLY ENCOURAGED REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE, THEN RELOCATION OVER DEMOLITION, BUT TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, UM, AS WITH THE OTHER DEMOLITIONS IN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS PLANS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION MUST BE REVIEWED BY THIS COMMISSION PRIOR TO DEMOLITION PERMIT RELEASE.
THANK YOU, MS. CONTRARAS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF COMMISSIONER COOK? I HAD A QUESTION
[01:10:01]
IF, IF THE, IF STAFF FELT THAT THE ISSUE OF THIS BEING AN EARLY FEMALE MUSICIAN AND POSSIBLE THAT HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS HAVE BEEN FULLY EXPLORED IN TERMS OF THEIR IMPORTANCE TO THE AUSTIN MUSIC SCENE, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER COOK.UM, THERE WAS RELATIVELY LITTLE INFORMATION ON MABEL BROWN, UM, IN THE STATE ARCHIVE.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, UH, THERE, THERE COULD BE OTHER SOURCES THAT, UH, WE COULD LOOK AT.
UM, SHE WAS ACTIVE, UH, IN THE ARTS COMMUNITY AS WELL.
UM, AT LEAST WE KNOW SHE DONATED AT LEAST ONE PAINTING, UH, TO THE TEXAS MEMORIAL MUSEUM.
UM, I BELIEVE IT WAS AN HEIRLOOM, BUT THERE, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN OTHER INSTANCES, UM, THAT JUST WEREN'T DOCUMENTED IN THE STATEMENT.
UM, SHE PRESENTED ON THE RADIO, I BELIEVE, UH, AT LEAST ONCE.
UM, AND THAT WAS THAT IT WAS ALL STAFF CONFINED, UH, AT LEAST IN THE REGULAR STATESMEN ARCHIVE.
UM, IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION TO DEMOLISH PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME? YOU HAVE THREE, UH, HI, MY NAME'S INGRID GONZALEZ FEATHERSTON, NO RELATION TO COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON.
UM, BUT WE WANTED TO, UM, SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY.
UM, WE ARE REALLY JUST TRYING TO LEARN AND UNDERSTAND THE ALLOWABLE DEVELOPMENT SINCE THIS IS A NEW HISTORIC DISTRICT THAT WAS APPLIED TO THE OWNER'S PROPERTY PRIOR TO THEM WHEN THE PRIOR TO THEM PURCHASING IT.
UM, SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS ALLOWABLE.
WE DON'T HAVE A CURRENT DESIGN YET, UM, ON THE PROPERTY.
WE REALLY JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO FURTHER DEVELOP THE LOT OR NOT, OR UNDERSTAND THE CONSTRAINTS THAT WE NEED TO WORK WITH IT.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION OF, YES, I HAVE A QUESTION AS THE APPLICANT.
SO IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, IF THERE ARE NO IMMEDIATE PLANS, UH, THIS IS A VERY DEEP LOT AND IT DOES LOOK LIKE THERE AND I HAVEN'T BEEN ON THE PROPERTY.
SO PLEASE FORGIVE ME IF I'M, IF I MISTAKE THIS, BUT JUST FROM THE ARIEL, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE IS A, UH, DRIVEWAY ACCESS THAT CLEARS THE SIDE OF THE EXISTING HOUSE.
AND THEN, UH, IF THERE'S NOT TOO MUCH SLOPE, AS IT LOOKED LIKE, IT APPEARS TO ME THAT IT LOOKS LIKE YOU CAN GET BACK TO THE BACK PART OF THE PROPERTY IF THE GARAGE WERE NOT IN A WAY, RIGHT TO THAT END.
IF, UH, THE OWNER I SHOULD ASK, IF THE OWNER HAS CONSIDERED THE POSSIBILITY OF DOING A, UH, SOMETHING WITH THE EXISTING HOUSE THAT WOULD BE IN LINE WITH A RESTORATION, UH, OR POSSIBLY AN ADDITION, AND THEN, UH, POSSIBLY REMOVING THE GARAGE SO THAT YOU COULD MAKE, UH, AND USE THE BACK OF THE HOUSE, UH, THE BACK OF THE PROPERTY FOR DOING SOME TYPE OF, UH, ADDITIONAL ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT, UH, WITH NEW CONSTRUCTION.
IS THAT BEEN SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT OR WOULD BE CONSIDERING? WE ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN STUDYING THE LOT TO UNDERSTAND THE FULL EXTENT OF HOW FAR BACK WE CAN BUILD ON IT.
THERE ARE TWO, ACTUALLY THREE LARGE HERITAGE TREES THAT DO CONSTRICT, UH, ALLOWABLE BUILDING AREA.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THE NARROW DRIVEWAY THAT WOULD HAVE TO EXTEND PAST IT.
SO WE ARE KIND OF, THERE'S, THERE'S A TREE THAT WE SAW IN THE IMAGE THAT YOU SHARED THAT IS THE FRONT TREE THAT IS LARGER IN SIZE.
AND ACTUALLY THE TREE THAT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LOT IS THE LARGEST, UM, WHICH WE'VE HAD AN ARBORIST REVIEW JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S IN GOOD STANDING, THAT THE TREES HEALTHY AND WHAT, UM, WHAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO DEVELOP AROUND THAT.
SO ACTUALLY THE ROOT ZONES OF THOSE KIND OF IMPEDE A LITTLE BIT OF HOW FAR WE CAN MAKE A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE FRONT HOUSE, IF IT'S TO REMAIN.
UM, AND ANYTHING THAT'S CONNECTED IN THE BACK, YOU KNOW, I THINK, I THINK DEPENDING ON, UH, HOW DEEP THIS IS, THAT WHERE YOU TO CLEAR THE CENTRAL, UH, TREE, WHICH DOES IT LOOK LIKE IT'S OFF TO ONE SIDE AND JUST EXTEND THE EXISTING DRIVEWAY, WHICH OF COURSE WOULD BE GRANDFATHERED FOR ITS EXISTING CONDITION.
UH, OF COURSE AFTER THE, UM, ANY EXTENSION BEYOND THAT, WE STILL HAVE TO STAY OUT OF THE CRITICAL ROOT ZONE, BUT IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE JUST FROM THE PICK OVERVIEW THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH ALL OF THAT.
UH, AND THEN DEPENDING ON THE CONDITION OF THE HOUSE, WHICH AT LEAST FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHS APPEARS TO BE PRETTY, PRETTY INTACT THAT, UH, YOU COULD DO QUITE A BIT IN A RESTORATION, UH, RENOVATION PROGRAM.
UH, THAT WOULD BE A LOT, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF IT WEREN'T IN A, IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT, WHAT WOULD POSSIBLY BE, UH, BENEFICIAL JUST IN
[01:15:01]
TERMS OF THE COST COMPARED TO DEMOLITION AND NEW CONSTRUCTION, AND THEN, UH, TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE, OF THE FURTHER BACK PART OF THAT, OF THE LOT, UH, IN ORDER TO HAVE THE NEW CONSTRUCTION FOCUSED THERE.UH, I RE I REALLY, THIS IS THE KIND OF DISCUSSION THAT, UM, IF THE OWNERS WERE WILLING, UH, WE HAVE, YOU MAY HAVE HEARD US REFER TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMISSION, UH, COMMITTEE.
WE HAVE A COMMITTEE THAT COULD MEET WITH THEM AND MAYBE WORK THROUGH A LITTLE BIT MORE CREATIVELY.
SOME OF THE ANSWERS THAT, UH, YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME, UH, OR SOME QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE AND SOME IDEAS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE ONLY BEGUN THINKING ABOUT, BUT COULD PERHAPS BE FLESHED OUT MORE THOROUGHLY.
AND IF, IF WE, IF WE WERE TO, UH, DELAY THIS FOR THE NEXT MONTH, OKAY.
YES, I DO BELIEVE THAT THE OWNER IS, YOU KNOW, OPEN AND WILLING TO UNDERSTANDING HOW WE COULD WORK WITH THE HLC AND, AND WHAT THAT WE WOULD NEED TO, UM, FURTHER DEFINE IN TERMS OF WHAT WE CAN BUILD ON THE LOT.
WE HAVE DONE INITIAL STUDIES FOR JUST UNDERSTANDING WHERE THOSE ROUTES ZONES ARE AND WITH THE SLOPE AND GRADE THAT ARE ON THERE, UH, AN ATTACHMENT OR, YOU KNOW, A PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT THAT ATTACHES TO THE EXISTING HOUSE WITH THAT DRIVEWAY, UM, MAKES IT RATHER SLIM IN TERMS OF LIKE HOW MUCH AREA YOU CAN LINK TOGETHER.
UM, BUT AGAIN, AS YOU MENTIONED, THERE MIGHT BE SOME CREATIVE THINKING, UM, THAT WE COULD WORK WITH HLC ON ANY EFFORT WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
YES, IT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
THIS IS A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING.
UM, I'M SURE YOUR NEIGHBORS WOULD APPRECIATE THAT, UH, ANY CONSIDERATION TO RETAINING THE FRONT HOUSE.
UM, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF DEMOLITION OF THIS HISTORIC BUILDING? OKAY.
ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THE DEMOLITION? OH, OKAY.
UH, I'M SARAH JOHNSON, UH, HERE WITH MY COLLEAGUE INGRID, AND I JUST WANTED TO ADD IN RESPONSE TO THE SLOPE ON THE SITE, THERE IS A FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT SLOPE BACK TOWARDS THE BACK OF THE LOT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS OWNER INTENDS TO HAVE A FAMILY IN THIS PROPERTY AND IS LOOKING FOR SQUARE FOOTAGE TO ACCOMMODATE THAT GROWING FAMILY.
SO THE LOGISTICS OF HOW WE WORK AROUND THE TREE ROOT ZONES IS INGRID SAID LINCOLN BUILDING TO THAT AND DEAL WITH THE SLOPE IN THE BACK TO NOT HAVE A DETACHED UNIT.
UM, BUT A SINGLE HOUSE, UH, WITH A LARGER SQUARE FOOTAGE IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE STUDYING AND HOW TO GET THAT ON THE LOW.
BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY NEED, THIS WAS, UH, THIS WAS ALREADY LISTED WHEN THEY BOUGHT THE HOUSE.
IT WAS NOT, NO, THEY BOUGHT THE HOUSE LAST FALL.
AND WE ONLY, UH, WHEN WE DID OUR INITIAL RESEARCH OF THE PROPERTY SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, THE OVERLAYS HAD NOT YET BEEN EVEN POSTED ON THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S WEBSITE.
AND IT'S LISTED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER AS OF JULY 30TH.
WELL, AT THE, THE, CITY'S A WEBSITE THAT SHOWS THE OVERLAYS OF THESE DISTRICTS.
UH, WE SPOKE WITH, I BELIEVE ANDREW, UM, AND HE NOTED AND ADMITTED THAT, UH, THAT HAD NOT YET BEEN UPDATED EVEN TO THIS DATE.
SO, UM, THIS IS, THIS IS NEW INFORMATION THAT WE IN OUR OWNER ARE WORKING, BUT OKAY.
YEAH, IT WAS, IT WAS LISTED, UH, JULY 3RD YEAR.
AND I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHEN THEY BOUGHT THE PROPERTY.
I KNOW THEY BOUGHT IT THIS LAST YEAR.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF DEMOLITION? ANYONE OPPOSED IS A DEMOLITION, PLEASE COME DOWN AND STATE YOUR CASE, STATE YOUR NAME, STATE YOUR CASE.
JUST LET ME START BY SAYING YOUR NAME.
OH, MY NAME IS JOHN TROWBRIDGE AND I LIVE AT 5 0 8 EAST MONROE.
AND, UH, I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE ALWAYS DONE HERE IN AUSTIN.
UM, SO I'M THE PROPERTY OWNER AND RESIDENT.
UH, THE FORMER OWNER WAS MY NEIGHBOR FOR 20 YEARS.
THE, THAT STRUCTURE AT FIVE 12 IS CHARMING CRAFTSMEN WITH VINTAGE ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES.
I'M A BIG FAN OF THE TEARDROP HARDWOOD SIDING.
AND THEN THE INTERIOR SHIPLAP WALLS.
THE HOUSE IS STRUCTURALLY SOUND.
UM, IT WAS EITHER BUILT IN, IN 21 OR 28.
THEIR CITY WEBSITE SAID 28, THE TRAVIS COUNTY, UM, UH, TAX BOARD, THERE'S DENSE LONG LEAF PINE LUMBER, THIS ABOUT A HUNDRED YEARS OLD AND IT HAS STRUCTURAL AND AESTHETIC QUALITIES SUPERIOR TO MODERN BUILDING MATERIALS.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE NEW OWNERS INCORPORATE AS MUCH AS
[01:20:01]
THAT STRUCTURE AS POSSIBLE, POSSIBLY PRESERVING IT.THE, A DEMOLITION AT THE OTHER END OF THE BLOG AT 500 EASTMAN ROW WAS DENIED BY THIS COMMISSION ABOUT IN 2008.
THOSE BUILDERS ENDED UP COMPLETING THEIR RENOVATION AND THEY WERE PRAISED FOR, UH, FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DID.
IT WAS AUSTIN'S FIRST HISTORIC RENOVATION.
FIVE-STAR GREEN BUILDING RATING FROM, UH, AFTER ANYWAY, UM, THE, UH, THAT HOME AT 500, IT WAS DEEMED AS HISTORIC.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS WAS THE, THE PERSON WHO LIVED THERE WHO ACTUALLY BUILT IT WAS A CITY OF AUSTIN CLERK FOR SOME 40 YEARS.
THAT'S THE SAME PERSON WHO BUILT THIS STRUCTURE AT 5 0 8.
THIS IS SOMETHING I LEARNED FROM MY NEIGHBOR CLIFF JUST NOW.
IT, IT, UM, I WOULD LOVE, I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING MY NEW NEIGHBORS, UH, WHATEVER IS DONE WITH THIS PROPERTY.
YOU KNOW, I, I STILL LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING TIME WITH THEM.
UM, MY LOT IS, UH, THE SAME SIZE IS THIS ONE.
WE'RE BOTH ABOUT A QUARTER ACRE, BUT ONLY 50 FOOT FRONTAGE, 200 FEET BACK.
THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD SCREENS.
I'M SORRY, CAN YOU WRAP THAT UP? I'M SORRY, YOUR TIME IS UP.
SO ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE SPEAKER? OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I'D JUST LIKE TO POINT OUT TO MR. TROWBRIDGE.
I'M GLAD HE BROUGHT UP THE GREEN BUILDING ISSUE AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ON THE PRESERVATION SIDE DON'T MENTION OFTEN ENOUGH, IT'S SOMETHING IN THE PRESERVATION PLAN RE REWRITE THAT AT LEAST IS COMING UP AND TRYING TO DO MORE IN, IN PROMOTING THE GREEN BUILDING ASPECT OF PRESERVATION, YOU KNOW, NOTHING, NOTHING IS MORE, UH, EFFECTIVE IN CARBON CAPTURE AND REUSING A BUILDING THAT'S ALREADY THERE.
UH, AND, UH, SO IN ADDITION TO THE PROJECT DOWN THE STREET, UH, THAT CLEARLY DEMONSTRATED OTHER, UH, ASPECTS OF GREEN BUILDING, UH, REALLY BEING ABLE TO, UH, KEEP THOSE PIECES OF THE BUILDING OUT OF THE LANDFILL AND THEN RE MAKE USE OF, UH, AN EXISTING BUILDING OF THIS KIND, PARTICULARLY ONE THAT WAS, WAS BUILT WITH QUALITY AND IS IN GOOD SHAPE, UH, HAS AN, UH, AN ENORMOUS, UH, IMPLICATION WHEN IT COMES TO GREEN BUILDINGS.
SO I, I APPRECIATE THE, UH, THE NEIGHBOR BRINGING THAT UP.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, PLEASE.
THE NEXT SPEAKER AGAIN, CLIFTON LAD, I LIVE AT 1509 NOONAN.
IT'S JUST AROUND THE CORNER FROM THIS.
AND I'D LIKE TO CONFIRM A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT JOHN SAID.
THIS IS A COPY OF THE AUSTIN STATESMAN FROM DECEMBER 2ND, 1933.
AND IT SAYS THAT, UM, FRED MULLOON DIED.
THIS IS NOT, I MEAN, THIS IS THE GUY WHO WAS ON THE FRONT PAGE, NOT JUST ON THE FRONT PAGE.
THIS IS THE GUY WHO BUILT THAT HOUSE.
SO I THINK WE DO HAVE A CONNECTION WITH THIS HISTORICAL FIGURE.
UM, THIS HOUSE IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION.
IT'S STURDY AND HAS GOOD SOLID BONES.
THERE'S ROOM IN THE BACK TO EXPAND TO UNDERSTAND.
I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT SOMEBODY WANTS TO HAVE A FAMILY IN HERE.
I LOVE HAVING FAMILIES FROM MY NEIGHBORS.
SO BRING IT ON THIS HOUSE CAN BE FIXED AND, AND MADE, UH, A GOOD STURDY HOUSE FOR THEIR FAMILY.
THE IN 2008, WHEN, UM, SOMEBODY BOUGHT THE HOUSE AT 500 EAST MONROE, 5 0 4 AND 5 0 6 EAST MONROE.
AND THEY CAME IN WITH DEMO PERMITS FOR ALL OF THEM.
THE HOUSE AT 500 EAST MONROE, WHICH IS AT THE CORNER WITH NOONAN IS THE ONE THAT WAS KEPT THE BUILDER AFTERWARDS TOLD ME, THANK YOU.
WE'RE MAKING MORE OFF OF THIS HOUSE.
AND WE ARE ON THE OTHER TWO BECAUSE THEY PROTECTED IT.
THEY, THEY UPDATED IT, THEY MODERNIZE IT.
THEY MADE IT A FIVE STAR GREEN ENERGY HOUSE.
SO THERE IS ROOM TO DO THIS ON THIS LOT.
UM, I THINK THE HERITAGE TREES CAN BE WORKED AROUND WITH, YOU KNOW, IN ADDITION IF THEY WANT IT AND THAT THERE IS AN ADDITION ON THE BACK OF THE HOUSE, BUT THERE'S THERE'S ROOM FOR MORE OR TO TAKE OFF THAT PART OF THE ADDITION AND
[01:25:01]
BUILD UP IS A ONE STORY ADDITION THAT'S ON THERE NOW.UM, THAT'S ABOUT ALL I HAVE, I THINK, UH, I'D JUST ENCOURAGE YOU THE COMMISSION TO, UH, WORK WITH THE APPLICANT TO REFURBISH THIS HOUSE.
KEEP IT, KEEP IT AS AN OLD HOUSE CONTRIBUTING TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THANK YOU, MR. LAD, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO DEMOLITION? OKAY.
UM, THOSE IN FAVOR, UH, THE FIRST SPEAKER MAY, UH, REBUT.
AND DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THE CASE COMMISSIONER COOK? I WOULD MOVE TO KEEP THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN POSTPONE THE CASE TO OUR FEBRUARY 28TH MEETING.
AND INVITE THE APPLICANTS TO MEET WITH THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER OPTIONS FOR, UH, ADDING ONTO THIS PROPERTY WHILE RETAINING THE HISTORIC PORTION.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION TO KEEP THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN? POSTPONE IT, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO KEEP THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN AND POSTPONE THIS CASE TO THE FEBRUARY 28TH MEETING, INVITING, UH, THE APPLICANTS TO MEET WITH THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, UM, WHICH PROBABLY MEETS IN TWO WEEKS ON MONDAY.
UM, ANY DISCUSSION ON THE, ON THE MOTION.
SEEING NONE HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE AND RAISING YOUR HAND COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON.
AND YOU, WE, WE DO INVITE YOU AT THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
UM, WE HAVE SEVERAL ARCHITECTS ON OUR STAFF AND IT'S A MORE INFORMAL KIND OF SETTING WHERE WE CAN KIND OF GET TOGETHER AND TALK ABOUT THE CONSTRAINTS OF THE SITE AND, AND POSSIBILITIES FOR RETAINING THE HISTORIC HOUSE.
AND, UM, WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL ATTEND THAT.
[3.C.7. HR-2021-200636 – 522 Congress Ave. – Consent Congress Avenue Historic District Council District 9]
TO C7 5 22 CONGRESS AVENUE BEFORE I BEGAN, JUST TO CLARIFY, THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE WILL BE IN THREE WEEKS.WE'VE GOT A SPECIAL BONUS MONDAY OF THE MONTH, NEXT WEEK, UM, WHERE THE 31ST FALLS ON A MONDAY.
SO IT WILL BE IN THREE WEEKS ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14TH AT 4:30 PM.
EXCUSE ME, MS. FEATHERSTON, IT'LL BE IN THREE WEEKS ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14TH.
VALENTINE'S DAY WE'LL LET'S COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT MAKES US ALL HAPPY.
THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO INSTALL A SCULPTURE AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF SIXTH STREET AND CONGRESS AVENUE.
THE SCULPTURE WILL BE LOCATED WITHIN AN EXISTING STREET PATIO ALONG CONGRESS, ADJACENT TO THE SCARBOROUGH BUILDING, WHICH IS A HISTORIC LANDMARK.
THE SCULPTURE IS APPROXIMATELY 12 FEET TALL AND READS KEEP AUSTIN WEIRD, DEPENDING ON THE ANGLE OF VIEW.
UM, AMBER, IF YOU COULD PULL, ACTUALLY SWITCH FOR A MOMENT TO THE FINAL PAGE OF THE STAFF REPORT, UH, FOR A MAP.
UH, SO THE SCULPTURE WILL REQUIRE A LICENSE AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, BECAUSE IT IS IN THE RIGHT OF WAY OF CONGRESS AVENUE.
A LICENSE AGREEMENT IS FOR A TEMPORARY ENCROACHMENT ON THE RIGHT OF WAY.
IT REQUIRES ANNUAL RENEWAL AND CAN BE REVOKED BY THE CITY AT ANY TIME WITH NOTICE, UH, THE SCULPTURE WILL BE SECURELY INSTALLED, BUT BY NECESSITY IS MOVEABLE AND IT'S IN THREE PIECES TO FACILITATE THAT, SHOULD IT NEED TO BE MOVED.
SO THIS CAME BEFORE THE COMMISSION PREVIOUSLY IN 2018, AND AT THAT TIME IT WAS PRESENTED AS A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS CASE IN REVIEWING THE LANDMARK FILE.
UM, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING ON THE SCREEN IS THE MAP FROM THE HISTORIC DESIGNATION IN 1986.
SO, UM, THIS IS THE BUILDING FOOTPRINT EXCLUSIVELY.
IT DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY OF THE RIGHT OF WAY THAT IS DESIGNATED AS PART OF THE SCARBOROUGH BUILDING LANDMARK.
UH, SO THE, THE COMMISSION CERTAINLY STILL HAS THE ABILITY TO COMMENT ON THIS APPLICATION
[01:30:01]
AS PART OF THE CONGRESS AVENUE HISTORIC DISTRICT.UM, BUT THERE IS NOT A NEED FOR A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS IN THIS CASE.
UM, IF WE COULD SWITCH BACK TO THE, UH, THE RENDERING, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS ARE WHAT WE USE TO EVALUATE, UH, PROJECTS IN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS.
UH, BUT THEY DO NOT INCLUDE PROVISIONS FOR REVIEW OF PUBLIC ART WITHIN THE DISTRICT STANDARDS FOR NEW STREETSCAPE ELEMENTS.
TALK ABOUT COMPATIBILITY OF STYLE DESIGN AND MATERIALS WITH THE SURROUNDING DISTRICT.
THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD APPLY FOR SAY NEW BENCHES STREET FURNITURE, STREET LIGHTING, UM, KIND OF MORE TYPICAL STREET SCAPE ELEMENTS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN PRESENT IN SOME FORM HISTORICALLY IN TERMS OF PUBLIC ART.
UM, IT'S, IT'S A DIFFICULT TO EVALUATE A PIECE OF ART RELATIVE TO THOSE SAME STANDARDS.
UH, SOME ART MAY SEEK TO PLAY OFF OF ITS ENVIRONMENT AND INCORPORATE ELEMENTS WHILE OTHER PIECES OF ART MAY INTENTIONALLY CONTRAST WITH THAT ENVIRONMENT.
IT IS STAFF'S OPINION THAT THE COMMISSION SHOULD FOCUS SOLELY ON IMPACTS TO THE SETTING OF THE CONGRESS AVENUE, HISTORIC DISTRICT, AND NOT COMMENT ON THE ARTISTIC MERIT OF A PROPOSED ART PIECE.
WELL, THERE IS NOT HISTORIC PRECEDENT FOR PUBLIC ART WITHIN THE CONGRESS AVENUE, HISTORIC DISTRICT, MULTIPLE SCULPTURES CURRENTLY EXIST WITHIN THE DISTRICT.
AND, UH, STAFF BELIEVES THE, THE IMPACT OF AN ADDITIONAL PIECE WILL BE MINIMAL ON THE OVERALL CHARACTER OF THE DISTRICT, UH, WITHIN THE OVERALL STREETSCAPE.
THIS IS, UM, KIND OF TAKING THIS, THIS BROAD VIEW WHERE YOU SEE THE SCARBOROUGH BUILDING IN THE BACKGROUND.
THIS IS A RELATIVELY SMALL ADDITION COMPARED TO THE OVERALL HEIGHT OF THAT MAJOR, UM, EIGHT STORY BUILDING AT THE PEDESTRIAN LEVEL.
UH, CERTAINLY THIS IS LARGER THAN HUMAN SCALE, UH, BUT THE SCULPTURE WILL BE ALIGNED WITH THE STREET TREES AND IS ULTIMATELY LOWER THAN THE TREE CANOPY, UH, OR THE, THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS OR, UM, STREET LIGHTING.
UM, MS. , ARE THERE STREET TREES THERE NOW? OKAY.
WHAT YOU'RE SEEING ON THE LEFT ON THE SCREEN IS WHAT EXISTS CURRENTLY AND THE RIGHT SHOWS, THE PROPOSED SCULPTURE.
UM, SO, UH, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO COMMENT ON AND RELEASE THE PLANS FOR THE PROJECT.
WELL, YOU SAID THIS IS IN THE CITY RIGHT OF WAY.
NOT WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF THE HISTORIC LANDMARK ITSELF.
THIS IS A CITY LANDMARK AND IT IS THE CITY RIGHT OF WAY.
SO I THINK IT MAY BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE COMMISSION TO, TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, UH, ON THE SETTING PUBLIC RIGHT AWAY.
IT'S A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
UM, I THINK IT WOULD SET A PRECEDENT.
YOU SAY THERE'S NOT ANOTHER, UH, SCULPTURE IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
THERE, THERE ARE OTHER SCULPTURES IN THE NATIONAL AND THE CONGRESS AVENUE DISTRICT.
AND I BELIEVE THE APPLICANT IS HERE AND HAS A PRESENTATION THAT WILL COVER THAT.
AND WHEN THIS CAME TO THE COMMISSION, BEFORE IT WAS DENIED, IT WAS NOT DENIED.
IT WAS, UM, SO THE, THE POCKET PARK WAS APPROVED.
THIS PIECE WAS PULLED OUT AND POSTPONED.
THAT WAS POSTPONED A SECOND TIME.
AND THEN AT THAT POINT, THE APPLICANT SOUGHT TO FOCUS ON CREATION OF THAT INFILL PARK WITHIN THE PARKING SPACES AND, UM, BACKED AWAY FROM DOING THE PROJECT AT THAT TIME.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS NOW THE RENEWED REQUEST.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, UH, FROM THE COMMISSION TO MS. BERMAN? OKAY.
IS THERE, UH, IS THE APPLICANT HERE TO SPEAK TO THIS APPLICATION? IF THERE ARE OTHER SPEAKERS EITHER IN FAVOR OR POSE, PLEASE GET YOURSELVES READY.
THE FIRST SPEAKER HAS THREE MINUTES.
HI, MY NAME IS SEAN O'BRIEN AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING IN ADDITION TO WHAT MS. BRUMMETT, UH, HAD TO SAY, BUT I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE, UM, COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS OF,
[01:35:01]
UH, ARE YOU THE OWNER OR, UH, WHAT, WHAT'S YOUR ROLE IN THIS PROJECT? I REPRESENT THE LANDLORD.UH, COMMISSIONER HAIM, SETH WE'D UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS A FURTHER PRESENTATION FROM THE APPLICANT OR FROM A, HE SAID THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING FURTHER.
SO, UH, THIS IS TO DEMONSTRATE WHAT WE'VE DONE, UH, DURING OUR OWNERSHIP WITH THE BUILDING ON THE LEFT IS BEFORE WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE CARS ARE, UH, PREDOMINANT IN THE STREETSCAPE AND THE S UH, PHOTO ON THE RIGHT SHOWS, THE NEW POCKET PARK THAT WE, UH, ACHIEVED THE LICENSE AGREEMENT FOR.
AND WE'VE BUILT AN, UH, UH, ESTABLISHED AS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE TO EAT AND, UH, JUST VISIT OUTSIDE SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE OF THEIR OFFICE BUILDING.
UH, AND THIS IS JUST, AGAIN, A SIMILAR PRESENTATION.
THE LEFT SIDE SHOWS THE CARS THAT USED TO BE PRESENT.
AND ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE, YOU CAN SEE THE PLANTERS AND DECKS AND WORKING AROUND THE TREES THAT ARE ALL THERE.
THIS SHOWS THE LAYOUT OF THE POCKET PARK.
UH, WE IMPROVE THE ADA SPOT WORKING FROM THE LEFT RIGHT HERE.
WE IMPROVE, UH, AN ADA SPOT ON THE LEFT AND BUILT A DECK OVER THE TOP OF THE RIGHT-AWAY HERE.
AND IT'S ALL FULLY DEMOUNTABLE AND IT HAS TABLES AND CHAIRS, PLANTS.
UM, AND THEN WE, UH, DID THE SAME THING.
UH, THE HASHED AREA, THE RECTANGLE, UH, DEPICTS WHERE THE SCULPTURE WOULD GO IN RELATION TO THE STREET CORNER AND THE REST OF THE POCKET PARK.
AND THIS IS THE FINISHED POCKET PARK.
UM, IT'S A FULLY ADA ACCESSIBLE SHOWN BY THE RAMP THERE ON THE LEFT, UH, THE TABLES AND CHAIRS AND SOME, UH, UH, UH, AS I MENTIONED, THE PLANTINGS HERE AND THE FAR RIGHT PHOTO SHOWS THAT WE'RE MAINTAINING THE PUBLIC SIDEWALK IN BETWEEN THE BUILDING AND THE POCKET PARK.
AGAIN, THIS JUST SHOWS ON THE LEFT, THE APPROXIMATE LOCATION OF THE SCULPTURE, AND THEN ON THE RIGHT HIGHLIGHTING THAT SAME RECTANGLE, THIS IS A SORT OF INSPIRATION FOR, UH, THE SCULPTURE, UH, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT, UM, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS SCULPTURE FROM, FROM ONE PERSPECTIVE, YOU CAN SEE THAT IT, UH, PRODUCES AN IMAGE AND ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE, IF YOU LOOK AT IT FROM ANY OTHER ANGLE, IT JUST LOOKS LIKE, UH, POSTS.
UH, THIS IS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT WE HAVE ENGINEERED THIS.
CAN YOU WRAP IT UP, PLEASE? YOUR TIME IS UP.
THIS IS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT WE HAVE ENGINEERED THE SCULPTURE AND THAT IT WOULD BE SUITABLE IN A PUBLIC SPACE.
UM, DID WE NOT GIVE THIS APPLICANT FIVE MINUTES? IS THIS FIVE MINUTES? YES.
WE COULD GIVE THIS APPLICANT FIVE MINUTES.
AND, UH, IN PARTICULAR, I'M INTERESTED ABOUT THE OTHER PUBLIC ART IN THE DOWNTOWN AND HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
I SEE THOSE SLIDES ARE COMING.
HERE'S A DEMONSTRATION TO SHOW, UH, FROM ONE PERSPECTIVE, IT WILL SAY WEIRD.
UH, IF YOU TILT YOUR HEAD TO THE LEFT, THAT SAYS WEIRD FROM LEFT TO RIGHT.
AND THEN FROM ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE, IT, UH, IS RATHER ABSTRACT.
AND, UH, DOESN'T READ UP ANYTHING, UH, NEXT IMAGE.
UH, WE'VE UH, LOOSELY CONSTRUCTED IT IN ONE OF OUR WAREHOUSES.
THIS IS TO SHOW THE, UM, AGAIN, THE PERSPECTIVE OF HOW APPEARS IN, UH, ONE DIRECTION VERSUS THE OTHERS.
THIS IS WHERE WE BEGIN, UH, SHOWING OTHER PIECES OF ARTWORK THAT HAVE BEEN INSTALLED IN A DOWNTOWN AREA WHILE THIS IS OUTSIDE THE CON CONGRESS DISTRICT.
THIS IS IN FRONT OF A HISTORIC BUILDING, AND IT'S A NEON HORSE OF SUBSTANTIAL SIZE.
THIS IS AT THE CORNER OF COLORADO AND EIGHTH STREET.
HERE'S ANOTHER SCULPTURE AT NINTH AND CONGRESS.
THIS IS ANOTHER POCKET PARK, BUT I THINK IT, UH, ALSO IS, UH, ARTISTIC AND SCULPTURAL IN A WAY.
THIS IS IN FRONT OF THE 8 23 CONGRESS BUILDING AT NINTH AND COLORADO OR NINTH AND CONGRESS.
[01:40:01]
PLANTINGS AND, UH, AND, UH, A SCULPTURAL PIECE THAT DIVIDES THE SIDEWALK AND THE TABLES AND CHAIRS AND THE PLANTINGS.HERE'S A MURAL AT THE CESAR CHAVEZ AND CONGRESS AVENUE ON THE SIDE OF THE HOTEL.
UH, MORE SCULPTURAL AND THAT'S FINE.
SOME SCULPTURAL ART IN THE RIGHT OF WAY HERE AT THIRD STREET NEAR CONGRESS.
IT SAYS THOSE OF SUBSTANTIAL SIZE AS WELL.
UM, AND AGAIN, I BELIEVE THIS IS OUR FUNNEL, UH, IMAGE.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THE LITTLE FIELD BUILDING, WHICH IS ALSO HISTORICAL AND THE DRISCOLL HOTEL, WHICH IS THE KIND OF THE WHITE STRUCTURE IN THE BACKGROUND WILL BE VISIBLE.
UH, WHEN YOU ARE VIEWING THIS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE WHERE YOU PICK UP THE, UH, READING OF WEIRD ON THE NEXT SLIDE, IF THERE IS ONE, AGAIN, THIS IS JUST SHOWING THE PERSPECTIVE.
IF YOU'RE COMING DOWN THE SIDEWALK APPROACHING IT, THIS IS FROM ACROSS THE STREET, OR MAYBE FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION.
AND IS THAT OUR FINAL SLIDE? YES.
AND YOUR TIME IS, UH, BUT ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? NOPE.
LET ME JUST ADDRESS ONE, I THINK.
AND I HAVE TO ADMIRE THE APPLICANT'S TENACITY, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, LATER ON, I THINK WE CAN, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE POCKET PARK AND JUST HOW, UH, WHAT A WONDERFUL ADDITION IT IS TO THE DOWNTOWN.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T NECESSARILY MAKE IT EASY FOR THEM, BUT WE SEPARATED IT OUT.
AND IT'S JUST BEEN A GREAT ADDITION TO THAT AREA, UH, HATS OFF TO THEM.
UH, BUT CLEARLY THERE'S A VISION THAT'S DRIVING THIS APPLICANT.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THERE'S SOME OTHER ASPECTS OF THIS THAT, UH, THEY WOULD LIKE TO GET IN, IN ANSWERING MY QUESTION.
BUT, UH, THIS CLEARLY MEANS A LOT MORE TO YOU THAN JUST WHETHER THIS, THIS MIGHT POSSIBLY HELP, UH, INCREASE RENTS IN THE SCARBOROUGH BUILDING.
DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF PRACTICAL QUESTIONS, ONE TO CONFIRM THAT IT'S, IT'S DESIGNED TO BE REVERSIBLE REVERSIBLE AS AN UNINSTALLED, THE AMOUNT.
AND IN FACT, EVERY ASPECT OF THE POCKET PARK IS DESIGNED IN THAT WAY.
IT'S ALL VERY DEMOUNTABLE SO THAT, UH, SHOULD WE HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH UTILITIES? THE CITY GIVES US SOME NOTICE AND WE CAN ACTUALLY TAKE IT OUT AND IN PIECES IN A SPECIFIC SECTION.
SO WE COULD TAKE OUT THE MIDDLE PART OF THAT, UH, POCKET PARK IN ORDER TO WORK ON UNDERGROUND UTILITIES AND THEN POTENTIALLY PUT THEM BACK.
AND IN THE FUTURE, FOR ANY REASON, IT COULDN'T BE RE-INSTALLED ELSEWHERE IN THE CITY, TOO.
UM, AND JUST ON THE LAST IMAGE, THE W SEEMS LIKE IT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE OBSCURED BY THE, BY THE FENCE.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO NECESSARILY READ BACKWARDS FROM CONGRESS.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S SUPER IMPOSED, JUST A PRACTICAL ISSUE.
I DON'T KNOW IF FROM THAT PROPER VIEWING ANGLE THAT THE W IS GOING TO BE VISIBLE, JUST SOMETHING TO CONSIDER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
IS THERE SOME, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS PROPOSAL? COME ON DOWN.
CHAIRMAN MYERS AND COMMISSIONERS.
I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF URBAN DESIGN FOR THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE.
AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE.
UH, WE'D LIKE TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR KALEENA WEST'S REQUEST FOR A TEMPORARY PERMIT FOR THE INSTALLATION OF THIS NEW SCULPTURE TITLED KEEP AUSTIN WEIRD AT THE SCARBOROUGH BUILDING POCK PATIO ON THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF SIXTH AND CONGRESS.
TWO OF THE PRIORITIES OF THE ROADMAP TO RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE FOR DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ARE TO SUPPORT THE PRESERVATION AND RECOVERY OF DOWNTOWN SMALL LOCALLY-OWNED BUSINESSES IN LIVE MUSIC SCENE AND TO ELEVATE INCLUSIVE AND ENGAGING EXPERIENCES IN DOWNTOWN'S PUBLIC PLACES.
BY ACTIVATING THEM WITH ART CULTURE AND MUSIC, WE SUPPORT THE INSTALLATION OF THE SCULPTURE AS A TACTICAL STRATEGY THAT WILL HELP ACHIEVE THESE GOALS.
IT WILL PROVIDE A NEW ENGAGING SOCIAL MEDIA EXPERIENCE AT SIXTH AND CONGRESS THAT WILL DRAW PEOPLE TO SHOP AT THE NEARBY BUSINESSES AND EXPLORE THE RICH, CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL HISTORY OF THE CONGRESS AVENUE, NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
IT WILL ENHANCE AND COMPLIMENT THE DESIGN OF THE SCARBOROUGH BUILDINGS, POCKET PATIO, AS WELL AS THE SERIES OF POCKET PATIOS, PUBLIC ART INSTALLATIONS AND MURALS ALREADY ON THE AVENUE.
WE SUPPORT THEIR REQUEST FOR THEIR TEMPORARY PERMIT AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING VISITORS AND LOCALS ENJOY THE SCULPTURE WANTS IT HAS BEEN INSTALLED.
[01:45:03]
OKAY.ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR? OKAY.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION OF THIS SCULPTURE? OKAY.
DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THE CASE? I'M NOT EVEN SURE WHAT WE CAN, WHAT KIND OF MOTION, UH, WE CAN MAKE, UH, STAFF IS ASKING IS MERELY TO COMMENT, UH, COMMISSIONER HAIM, SETH.
WELL, IT'S, IT'S LISTED, UH, SINCE IT'S AN OBJECT IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, IT IS OUR PURVIEW TO, UM, REVIEW AND, AND, AND, UH, COMMENT.
AND IN THIS CASE, UH, OFFER APPROVAL, UH, AS I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST WITH MY MOTION AND YOUR MOTION IS APPROVED BASED ON, UH, UH, COMMENT AND RELEASE THE PLANS AS PER STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT, UH, WITH A FAVORABLE, UH, W BASICALLY F TO, TO ISSUE THE PLANS WITH APPROVAL.
LET'S TAKE COMMISSIONER MCWHORTER.
IF EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT I, I, WHEN THIS CAME UP LAST TIME, I THOUGHT THAT, UH, WE WEREN'T IN THE BUSINESS OF DICTATING, UH, ARTISTS STATICS NECESSARILY, BUT I DO THINK THAT, UH, STEVE SADOWSKY, UH, AGAIN, ANOTHER VERY POIGNANT MOMENT IN, UH, UH, ILLUSTRATIVE OF HIS, HIS INSIGHT WAS, UH, OFFERING, UH, SOME GUIDANCE TO THE ART THAT, UH, IS IN HISTORIC DISTRICTS IN OTHER CITIES.
IF I RECALL HE REFERENCED, UH, PORTLAND, AND I THINK THIS PROBABLY DOES INDICATE TO US THAT, UH, IF WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE MORE AND, UH, BE ENGAGED IN A MORE COLLABORATIVE WAY, UH, AS A COMMISSION THAT, UH, HAVING SOME, UH, MORE ARTICULATE, UH, DIRECTION AND STANDARDS, UH, PROBABLY BE A GOOD IDEA.
BUT I THINK EVEN IN THAT REGARD, UM, EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS, THE INSTALLATION WHERE IT WILL BE WHAT ITS INTENT IS THE THOUGHTFULNESS THAT WENT INTO THE CREATION OF THIS ART.
UH, YES, I COULD IMAGINE OTHER TYPES OF ART HERE, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE BEING ASKED TO CONSIDER.
UM, WE WERE ASKED TO CONSIDER A, UH, INSTALLATION THAT WILL HAVE A VERY POSITIVE IMPACT, AND I THINK WE SHOULD DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ENCOURAGE THAT.
SO THAT'S THE REASON FOR MY MOTION.
I THINK IT WOULD BE PERFECTLY APPROPRIATE AND, UH, AN AREA OF NEW CONSTRUCTION.
I THINK THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ADDITIONS, XI, HISTORIC BUILDINGS, WE ASK THAT THEY BE SECONDARY, THAT THEY RECEDE INTO THE BACKGROUND, THAT THEY NOT STAND OUT, THAT THEY, THAT THEY ALLOW THE HISTORIC BUILDING TO SHINE.
AND I THINK THAT, I THINK THAT THIS, THIS PARTICULAR SCULPTURE, UM, DETRACTS FROM THE HISTORIC CHARACTER, WE'RE LOOKING AT A HISTORIC LANDMARK.
THIS IS A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
I THINK THAT IT TAKES AWAY FROM THE DISTRICT'S ABILITY AND THE BUILDING'S ABILITY TO CONVEY A TRUE SENSE OF HISTORY.
AND I, UM, I CAN'T, I CANNOT MORE STRONGLY STATE MY OBJECTION.
I THINK THAT IT IS IN CONGRUOUS TO HAVE A SCULPTURE THAT SPELLS OUT THE WORD WEIRD IN FRONT OF THE SCARBOROUGH BUILDING COMMISSIONER TO IT.
UH, ACTUALLY I WOULDN'T MAKE COMMON ALSO, BUT I THINK WE NEED A SECOND FOR HIS MOTION FIRST COMMISSIONER MCWHORTER.
UH, I'M NOTHING FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH.
AND THE REASON WHY I WOULDN'T SUPPORT IT IS BECAUSE IT'S BEEN BROUGHT TO US A SECOND TIME, TWO PARTS.
UH, THEY HEARD FROM US THE FIRST TIME, UH, THEY SAID, OKAY, WE'LL JUST DO THE POCKET PARK.
AND NOW THEY'RE COMING BACK WITH THE SCULPTURE THAT THEY ORIGINALLY WANTED.
I DON'T LIKE THE WAY THAT'S PROCESSED.
UH, THAT'S MY OBJECTIVE MAIN OBJECTIVE.
UM, ANYONE ELSE COMMISSIONER COOK THE PROCEDURAL CLARIFICATION.
THIS ISN'T NECESSARILY GOING TO BE IN UPVOTE OR DOWNVOTE AT THIS TIME.
WE'RE JUST GIVING COMMENT, ALTERNATIVE, UM, MOTION TO POSTPONE AND DELAY IT, UM, WHICH I WOULDN'T SUPPORT.
BUT, UH, I DID WANT TO CLARIFY THAT THIS ISN'T GOING TO BE, UH, YOU KNOW, UPLOAD OR DOWN VOTE ON THE PROJECT AS A WHOLE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S COMING BACK NOW, NOT AS A CERTIFICATE
[01:50:01]
OF APPROPRIATENESS, BUT AS A, YOU KNOW, IT IS WHAT IT IS.UM, IT'S THE PROPER WAY TO DO IT, EVEN THOUGH IT DOES SEEM LIKE IT'S COMING BACK AROUND A SECOND TIME.
FIRST TIME, I WAS MORE HESITANT TO SUPPORT IT BECAUSE I WAS UNDERSTOOD THAT LICENSE AGREEMENTS EFFECTIVELY ARE IN PERPETUITY.
UM, I JUST WANT TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO BE INSTALLING ART, PARTICULARLY ON CONGRESS AVENUE THAT MAY BECOME FIXED, YOU KNOW, FOR MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS, BECAUSE IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY.
WE HAVE AN ANGELINA EBERLY STATUTE AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO PLAY STATUES OF, UH, YOU KNOW, MEMORIAL STATUES THAT ARE WELL THOUGHT OUT AND THAT WE WANT TO BE THERE IN TWO OR 300 YEARS.
THAT, UM, LESS THAN A, YOU KNOW, I FIND THESE INTERESTING AND ENGAGING SOCIAL MEDIA OPPORTUNITY.
IT MAKES IT FUN TO BE DOWNTOWN.
I AGREE IF IT'S, IT DOES CLASH WITH THE BUILDING.
UH, BUT MY MAIN CONCERN WAS THAT IT WON'T BE THERE FOREVER, AND THIS IS NOT APPROVAL OF AN ARTWORK IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THAT'S MEANT TO BE HERE AND WILL BE REMOVED ONE DAY.
AND SO I, I FEEL THAT I FEEL THAT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO HAVE ART SCULPTURE THAT CONVEYS A SENSE OF HISTORY.
I THINK THAT THE POCKET PARK IS NOT INAPPROPRIATE.
IT, UH, DOESN'T DETRACT FROM THE HISTORIC CHARACTER SIGNIFICANTLY.
IT'S NOT EYE-CATCHING IN THE WAY THAT THOSE, THAT THE SCULPTURE IS, AND IT SITS, THE SCULPTURE WILL BE HERE AT THE INTERSECTION OF SIXTH STREET AND CONGRESS AVENUE.
UM, I THINK THAT IT CONVEYS, UH, A MESSAGE THAT IS IN CONFLICT WITH THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UH, MS. BRUMMETT, I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS IN TERMS OF THE PROCESS PREVIOUSLY, UM, THIS WAS, THIS WAS SPLIT INTO TWO APPLICATIONS IN ESSENCE, BY THE COMMISSION'S ACTION TO APPROVE THE POCKET PARK AND TO POSTPONE THE SCULPTURE PIECE.
UM, SO I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS CLEAR.
MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT IT WAS DENIED OR THAT WE, WE APPROVED THE, WE APPROVED THE POCKET PARK AND DID NOT APPROVE THE SCULPTURE.
SO IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT AN, MY UNDERSTANDING.
AND I SHORTLY AFTERWARDS WAS IN CONTACT WITH THE, UH, SCULPTOR AND I WAS AWARE THAT THEY WERE INTERESTED IN HAVING THIS BROUGHT UP.
UH, I'M NOT SURE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THIS TIMING, BUT, UH, I KNEW THAT THEY WERE VERY ATTACHED TO THIS AND THOUGHT IT WAS APPROPRIATE, UH, AND, AND WANTED TO HAVE A FULL HEARING ON THE ART ITSELF.
UH, I THINK IN SOME WAYS, UH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO PUT WORDS IN THEIR MOUTH, BUT I THINK IN MANY WAYS THE IDEA WAS LET'S FINISH THE POCKET PARK AND SHOW SOME LEVEL OF SOPHISTICATION AND UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S CAPABLE.
UM, MANY PEOPLE WOULD LOOK AT THE POCKET PARK AND SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, WHERE DOES THAT FIT IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT? BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY THEY'VE ACCOMPLISHED THEIR, THEIR GOAL AND THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO SHOW FOR IT.
AND NOW WE'RE COMING BACK TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WITH SOME CONFIDENCE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR IS PRETTY SOUND, WE MAY DISAGREE SPECIFICALLY ON SOME OF THE APPROACHES, BUT, UH, I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THIS WILL BE DONE WITH THE SAME QUALITY, UH, WHEN THEY GO FORWARD COMMISSIONER LAROCHE.
I JUST HAVE A QUESTION FOR MS. BRAVA, BUT JUST BECAUSE OF MY INVOLVEMENT IN THE CONGRESS AVENUE BRIDGE, I KNOW THERE'S A, YOU KNOW, A CONCEPT OR MASTER PLAN FOR CONGRESS AVENUE.
AND HAS THAT YET BEEN DEVELOPED ANYTHING BEYOND A SCHEMATIC, OR I'M JUST KIND OF WONDERING HOW THIS IS IN KEEPING WITH ALL THAT MAYBE SHE CAN EDUCATE ME ON THAT.
THAT IS UNFORTUNATELY NOT A QUESTION I'M ABLE TO ANSWER.
DID YOU HEAR THAT COMMISSIONER LAROCHE? SHE SAID THAT SHE, I DID, AND I, I, I'VE SEEN A FEW RENDERINGS AND I KNOW THAT THEY'RE CERTAINLY CHANGING THE, THE, THE CONSTRUCT OF CONGRESS AVENUE, THEY'RE CHANGING THE FLOW AND THE CHARACTERISTIC AND THE NUMBER OF LANES.
AND, AND SO I ONLY KNOW THAT BECAUSE I WAS INVOLVED ON THE BRIDGE PORTION OF THAT CONCEPT.
SO, AND IT'S, IT'S ANOTHER PROJECT I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE INVOLVED WITH, TO, TO DATE.
[01:55:03]
OKAY.UM, IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, WE'LL VOTE ON THE MOTION TO APPROVE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE, AND RAISE YOUR HAND.
AND RAISE YOUR HAND OR NAN, RAISE YOUR HAND.
THOSE IN OPPOSITION, COMMISSIONER LAROCHE COMMISSIONER TO LET COMMISSIONER MYERS THE MOTION PASSES, GOING ON
[3.D.2. PR-2021-195456 – 1617 New York Ave. – Discussion Council District 1]
TWO D 2 16, 17 NEW YORK AVENUE.CHAIR MYERS ITEM D TWO, IS IT APPLICATIONS PARTIALLY FOR KNOWLEDGE AND CONSTRUCT A ONE STORY ADDITION AND A TWO STORY ADDITION TO A CIRCA 1889 TO 1910 BUILDING, AS WELL AS ADDING A CHIMNEY, UM, THIS PROJECT SPECIFIES THAT THEY WILL ADD A BRICK CHIMNEY TO THE WEST ELEVATION CONSTRUCT A SUNROOM AT THE EAST ELEVATION ON THE LAY ON A STREET SIDE.
UM, AND THIS PROPOSED SUNROOM HAS A SHELL, EXCUSE ME, A SHALLOW HIPPED ROOF, UH, FRAMED, DIVIDED GLAZING, AND A STEP-DOWN ENTRY.
UH, THE PROPOSAL ALSO INCLUDES CONSTRUCTION OF A TWO-STORY ADDITION AT THE WEST END REAR ELEVATION, THE PROPOSED ADDITION OF CLOT AND SHINGLES AND STUCCO AND FEATURES A COMPOUND CROSS GABLED ROOF LINE ONE OVER ONE AND TWO OVER TWO FIXED IN CASEMENT WINDOWS, AS WELL AS THE SECONDARY SIDE YARD ENTRYWAY, EXISTING HOUSES, A ONE STORY FOLK VICTORIAN WITH PARTIAL WIDTH PORCH SUPPORTED BY CLASSICAL COLUMNS.
ONE OVER ONE SCREENED WINDOWS, GABLED ROOF CAPPED WITH REPLACEMENT, STANDING SEAM METAL, UM, DECORATIVE SHINGLES AT THE GABLE END HORIZONTAL WOOD SIDING AS THE MAJORITY OF THE CLADDING AND AN ENTRANCE WITH TRANSOM AND SIDELIGHTS.
THE NEW DIRECTORIES INDICATE THAT THIS HOME WAS FIRST CONTINUOUSLY OCCUPIED IN THE EARLY 19 HUNDREDS.
SO AN 1889 DIRECTORY DOES LIST TO POTENTIAL FIRST OWNER AS THOMAS ANG, A PIANO DEALER BUILDING.
SO VICTORIAN STYLING, FURTHERMORE IS CONSISTENT WITH SIMILAR PROPERTIES CONSTRUCTION AT THE END OF THE 19TH CENTURY, RATHER THAN TO GET THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH IN 1912, THE HOME IS OCCUPIED BY ANDREW COLEMAN, A DRIVER AND OWNED BY THOMAS AND LULA OVERTON.
THOMAS OVERSHOOT, UH, WORKED AS A PORTER FOR M SCARBOROUGH AND LULA OVERTON WORKED AS A MAID BY THE 1920S.
UH, THOMAS HAD TAKEN A JOB WITH THE L STACK COMPANY AND HAD MARRIED, UH, BETSY VAN SANT, WHO WORKED AS A COOK.
THOMAS OVERSHARE REMAINED WOULD BE ILL SET COMPANY UNTIL HIS DEATH IN 1958, LAUD DOXY OVERSEND HIS LAST WIFE REMAINS IN THE HOME UNTIL AFTER HIS DEATH, UH, IN THAT UNTIL AT LEAST 1959, THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, DESIGN STANDARDS FOR YOU TO EVALUATE THIS PROPOSED PROJECT, UH, WHICH MOSTLY MEETS APPLICABLE STANDARDS DETAILED IN THE STAFF REPORT.
UH, THE 2016 EAST AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY RECOMMENDS THE PROPERTY IS ELIGIBLE FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION AS WELL AS INDIVIDUAL LISTING IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES.
UH, THE, UH, THE 2016 SURVEY DETERMINED THAT THE BUILDING IS ASSOCIATED WITH HISTORIC AFRICAN-AMERICAN SETTLEMENT PATTERNS THAT AUSTIN, UM, AND IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF FOLK VICTORIAN ARCHITECTURE DEF IS TO CONSIDER INITIATING HISTORIC ZONING BASED ON THAT 2016 RECOMMENDATION, UH, SHOULD THE COMMISSION CHOOSE NOT TO INITIATE A THEN STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THEY ENCOURAGE THE APPLICANT TO RELOCATE ROME AT THE CHIMNEY AND POTENTIALLY REDUCE THE SCALE OF THE TWO STORY ADDITION, THEN RELEASE THE PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF MS CONTRARAS OKAY.
UM, IS THERE SOMEONE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE PROJECT? COME DOWN, PLEASE QUICKLY STATE YOUR NAME AND YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
AND FOR YOUR REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OUR PROJECT.
MY NAME IS HOLLY ARTHUR, AND I'M THE ARCHITECT FOR THIS PROJECT.
OUR CLIENTS CAME TO US WITH THE GOAL OF PRESERVING THE HOME AND ITS INTEGRITY.
WE HAVE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED THE DESIGN OF THE ADDITION AND RENOVATION THROUGH THE FOLLOWING WAYS.
FIRST, WE HAVE SET THE TWO-STORY ADDITION TO THE REAR OF THE HOME AND HAVE HYPHENATED ITS CONNECTIONS TO THE EXISTING HOME BY SETTING THE NEW WALLS BACK BY MORE THAN ONE FOOT.
[02:00:01]
FLOOR OF THE ADDITION HAS BEEN DROPPED BY SIX INCHES AND THE SECOND LEVEL TRUSSES HAVE BEEN DESIGNED TO A MINIMUM IN ORDER TO KEEP THE OVERALL HEIGHT DOWN.YOU CAN SEE IN OUR PRESENTATION, THE PRESENTATION.
YOU CAN SEE IN OUR PRESENTATION HOW THE REAR ADDITION IS BARELY VISIBLE FROM NEW YORK AVENUE.
IT'S FURTHER DOWN IN THE SLIDES.
UM, BUT IF YOU WANT TO JUST KEEP SCROLLING, I'M OKAY WITH THAT.
THIRDLY, WE WILL BE RESTORING THE MAJORITY OF THE EXISTING WINDOWS AND OUR NEW WINDOW PROPORTIONS ON THE EDITION HAVE BEEN DESIGNED WITH THE GOLDEN RATIO AND REFERENCE TO THE EXISTING WINDOWS.
ALSO, THE ROOF SLOPES ON THE ADDITION ARE MATCHING THAT OF THE ORIGINAL HOME AND THE NEW MATERIALS TAKE CUES FROM THE VICTORIAN HOME.
FOR INSTANCE, WE'RE USING CEDAR SHINGLES THAT CAN BE SEEN AT THE GABLES OF THE VICTORIAN HOME.
YOU CAN SEE SOME EXAMPLES OF IMAGES THERE.
UM, LASTLY, THE CHIMNEY THAT'S BEING PROPOSED IS ON THE INSIDE OF THE PROPERTY TO MINIMIZE ITS IMPACT ON THE STREET FACADES.
UH, WE HAVE SET THIS BACK FROM THE PRIMARY FACADE BY 15 FEET.
UH, ADDITIONALLY I DO HAVE A BRIEF STATEMENT FROM THE OWNERS WHO CANNOT BE HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE THEY HAVE DEVELOPED COVID.
SO IF YOU DON'T MIND, I TAKE A FEW MINUTES, JUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES TO READ THEIR STATEMENT.
AND IT SAYS, DEAR COMMISSIONERS, WE REGRETFULLY WERE UNABLE TO ATTEND TONIGHT'S MEETING.
AS WE RECENTLY CONTRACTED COVID.
WE ARE TIME AUSTIN RESIDENTS AND HAVE SPENT YEARS TRYING TO FIND THE RIGHT HOME FOR OUR FAMILY.
WHEN WE LEARNED ABOUT 16, 17 NEW YORK AVENUE, WE IMMEDIATELY FELT A CONNECTION TO ITS DESIGN, VINTAGE AND HISTORY, AND WE'RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE SELECTED BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER.
AFTER WE CLOSED ON THE HOUSE, WE SPENT SEVERAL HOURS ON THE PHONE WITH THE PREVIOUS OWNER AND HAVE BEEN IN REGULAR CONTACT WITH HER TO OUR PLEASANT SURPRISE.
SHE SELECTED US STRICTLY BECAUSE OF OUR PLANS TO PRESERVE THE HOME.
SHE RECOUNTED HER FAMILY'S HISTORY AND TOLD MANY TALES ABOUT THE AREA AND HAS EVEN SET ASIDE THE HOME'S ORIGINAL DOOR, WHICH WE PLAN ON PRESERVING AND USING OUR MAIN GOAL WITH THIS HOME WAS AND IS TO PRESERVE ITS HISTORICAL RELEVANCE AND DESIGN IN THE MOST RESPECTFUL WAY TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND ITS HOMES.
WE BELIEVE THERE ARE PLANS ACHIEVE THIS GOAL, AND WE ARE PROUD OF THE DESIGN THAT STUDIO HALL HAS PUT BEFORE YOU TODAY THAT SAID, PRESERVING A HOME IS QUITE AN EXPENSIVE ENDEAVOR.
AND THEREFORE WE MUST ENSURE THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAXIMIZE THE ECONOMICS OF THE PROJECT.
NEARLY EVERY HOME BUILDER WE HAVE MET WITH HAS ASKED US WHY WE ARE NOT AIMING TO SCRAPE THE HOUSE AND START FROM SCRATCH.
WE PURCHASED THIS HOME BECAUSE WE WANTED TO BE PART OF AUSTIN SOLUTION, NOT PROBLEM TO PRESERVING ITS HISTORY.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOUR APPROVAL OF OUR PLANS.
SINCERELY MAGGIE AND PATRICK BUCKLEY.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS FOR HEARING ME.
UM, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR FEEDBACK AND QUESTIONS.
WHAT ARE THE FRONT STEPS NOW? THEY'RE BRICK.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? YES.
IF YOU KNEW, IF THE OWNERS LIKED THE RELOCATING THE WINDOW TO ADD A CHIMNEY FOR AESTHETIC EXTERIOR PARENTS OR FOR INTERIOR FUNCTION MORE FOR INTERIOR FUNCTION.
AND, AND IF THEY HAD CONSIDERED POSSIBLY A, A GAS INSERT WITH A SMALLER AND LESS INTRUSIVE EXTERIOR TREATMENT ON THE CHIMNEY, THERE HAS BEEN CONSIDERATION FOR THAT.
BUT, UM, MY OWNER LOVES THE IDEA OF BUILDING A REAL FIRE AND HAVING IT PRESENT IN THE HOME.
UM, SO WE WERE ACTUALLY PLANNING TO, UM, CONSTRUCT, UH, A TRUE MASONRY FIREPLACE THAT, UM, IS ACTUALLY REMINISCENT OF THOSE TIMES.
UM, WE PLAN ON USING, YOU KNOW, RUTHERFORD DESIGNED FIREPLACE.
AND DO YOU KNOW IF THEY WOULD HAVE ANY INTEREST IN LANDMARK STATUS FOR THE PROPERTY THERE HAS BEEN DISCUSSION AROUND IT? YES.
AND YOU CAN'T REALLY SPEAK FOR THEM, I GUESS, IN TERMS OF THEIR LEVEL OF INJURY.
I DON'T WANT TO, I MEAN, THERE, THERE HAS BEEN DISCUSSION SO THAT, THAT I KNOW.
[02:05:01]
ON COMPLIMENTS WHERE THEY'RE DUE.UM, IN A PREVIOUS MEETING, I FELT LIKE, UH, THE APPLICANT HAD GONE AN EXTRA LENGTH AND MAKING IT CLEAR WHAT WAS BEING PROPOSED.
AND I THINK THE DIAGRAMS THAT, UH, UH, MS ARTHUR, YOU HAVE PROPOSED HERE MADE IT VERY EASY FOR US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S INVOLVED.
AND IT REALLY LET ME, LET ME TELL YOU HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE THAT.
UH, I DON'T SEE THE PLANS, HOWEVER, UH, WERE THOSE NOT SUBMITTED OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT, UH, YOU'RE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING ON? I ASSUME IT'S BEEN FAIRLY WELL WORKED OUT FROM THE MASSING.
UM, THEY WERE SUBMITTED, UH, THEY SHOULD BE ON THE MAIN CITIES WEBSITE FOR, UM, IN THE ABC PORTAL UNDER THE PERMITTING DOCUMENTS.
UM, THEY DID NOT MAKE IT IN OUR BACKUP PACKAGE.
WE JUST GOT YOUR DIAGRAMS, WHICH AGAIN, I'M A VERY WELL PRESENTED AND VERY EASY TO UNDERSTAND, BUT I WOULD APPRECIATE IT WOULD HAVE APPRECIATED SEEING HOW THE PLANS WORKED AND FLOW TOGETHER, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR PURVIEW IN MANY WAYS.
AND, AND I THINK THAT THIS IS ONE OF THOSE WHERE WE'RE AT TO BE ALREADY A DESIGNATED HOUSE.
AND YOU WERE COMING TO US, UH, WITH THIS AS AN ADDITION TO THE LANDMARK, UH, WE WOULD HAVE A PRETTY ROBUST DISCUSSION.
UH, YOU WOULD MEET IN SOME PEOPLE'S OPINION, UH, TO THE LETTER OF THE LAW, THE SECRETARY OF INTERIOR STANDARDS IN MANY CASES, UH, WHERE IT IS CLEARLY A DISTINCT, UH, STRUCTURE, ADDITION, UM, ALLOWING THE EXISTING STRUCTURE TO STAY INTACT.
UH, THERE WOULD INEVITABLY BE SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT SCALE, BUT, UH, EVEN THOUGH YOUR DIAGRAM SHOW THE SCALE, UH, AT, FROM THE REAR YARD, YOU ALSO POINT OUT IN YOUR PRESENTATION THAT THAT'S NOT WHAT IS PERCEIVED FROM THE STREET.
SO, UH, I THINK THAT WE, I CAN SEE, UH, THIS WOULD BE THE KIND OF CONVERSATION THAT WE WOULD ENJOY.
UH, I IT'S IMPRESSIVE TO ME THAT THIS IS NOT THE CONVERSATION WE HAVE TO HAVE HERE BECAUSE, UH, AT THIS POINT IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, IT IS, IS THE, UH, CONSTRUCTION HERE, UH, PREFERABLE TO YOUR OTHER ALTERNATIVES.
AND, UH, I WOULD VERTICALLY SAY YES, BUT I WOULD SAY, UM, I, I, I ENJOY IT EVEN MORE IF WE WERE HAVING ALSO A LANDMARKS CONVERSATION.
WELL, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
I'LL JUST LEAVE THAT AS A STATEMENT FOR YOUR OWNERS.
I ALSO JUST WANT TO EXPRESS MY COMPLIMENTS TO A VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT PRESENTATION AND, AND APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS IN KEEPING WITH THE, WITH THE STANDARDS.
UM, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION? NO.
IS THERE ANYONE? WELL, IS THERE ANYONE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? OKAY.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY I'VE FOUND THE PLANS AND THE ORIGINAL PERMIT, AND I WILL FORWARD THEM TO YOU ALL NOW.
UM, IS THERE A MOTION ON THE CASE? GET OUR SCREENS ALL FREEZE UP? YES.
COMMISSIONER COOK FOR THE SAKE OF DISCUSSION.
I'LL MOVE TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING.
DO I HEAR A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING.
UM, LET'S JUST SPEAK TO THAT MOTION.
I MOVED TO INITIATE BECAUSE IT WAS RECOMMENDED IN THE 2016 SURVEY.
AND WE HAVE OWNERS THAT MAY BE INTERESTED IN IT.
IT IS, I THINK IT'S ORACLE ASSOCIATIONS THAT PROBABLY WOULDN'T MAKE IT THROUGH THE UPPER TIERS, UM, AGAINST OWNER OPPOSITION, BUT COULD BE A RARELY TOLD STORY AND A REALLY, UH, GREAT BUILDING, UH, IN A PART OF TOWN THAT'S GOING TO BE UNDER INCREASING PRESSURE OF DEVELOPMENT.
SO IT COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY AND, AND NOT KNOWING, YOU KNOW, IF I KNEW THAT THEY WERE STAUNCHLY AGAINST IT, I PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE MADE THAT MOTION, BUT I'M, I'M KIND OF PUTTING IT OUT THERE FOR, UH, JUST TO PROVIDE THAT LAST OPPORTUNITY TO, TO, UM, TO GET THIS LANDMARK.
UH, I THINK THAT THIS, I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN SPEAK TO IT, BUT I THINK THE CHOICE IS GOING TO COME DOWN TO WHETHER YOU HAVE THE CHIMNEY OR WHETHER YOU HAVE THE LANDMARK STATUS QUITE HONESTLY.
UH, BUT I CAN BE A DISCUSSION TO BE HAD LATER, BUT I'M MOSTLY INTERESTED TO HEAR, UH, WHAT, WHAT THE OWNERS MIGHT HAVE TO SAY WHEN WE BRING THIS UP AGAIN NEXT MONTH.
UM, I DO I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION OF STAFF, UH, REGARDING THE SECOND TO MY EMOTION, TO, TO THAT EMOTION, UH, IN THAT, UH, OTHER THAN THE RESEARCH THAT WOULD GO ON IN THE COURSE OF, UH, THIS
[02:10:01]
MONTH OR SO.AND THEN WE, WE PICK THIS UP IN FEBRUARY.
UH, ARE WE LOOKING AT ANY ADDITIONAL DELAYS FOR THE APPROVAL OF THIS PROJECT? BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THIS IS ALSO AN OWNER THAT WANTS TO GET, GO FORWARD WITH A PROJECT.
AND I WOULDN'T WANT TO DO SOMETHING IN THE COURSE OF LANDMARKING, THIS THAT WOULD PUT, UH, UH, AN EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF, UH, DELAY IN THE PROCESS.
IN OTHER WORDS, CAN WE, CAN WE, IS THERE SOME WAY WE CAN CONTINUE TO INITIATE ZONING AND ALLOW B UH, AT LEAST THE BULK OF THE, UH, ADDITION TO GO FORWARD UNLESS THE APPLICANT WERE TO, UH, SPLIT UP THE EXISTING PERMIT APPLICATION? I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT WOULD BE POSSIBLE AT THIS POINT.
UM, IF THEY WERE TO, UH, SEPARATE THE CHIMNEY FROM THE EXISTING PERMIT DOCUMENTS, I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT THAT WOULD ENTAIL.
UH, IT MAY END UP TAKING LONGER ANYWAY.
UM, SO I DON'T THINK SO, UH, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, IF I, IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY AND WE HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE, WHERE THE OTHER ALTERNATIVE WAS TO APPROVE THE, UH, THE PROJECT AND THEN UPON ITS COMPLETION, UH, THEN HAVE, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY TO DESIGNATE THE COMPLETED PROJECT, UH, BASED ON ITS MERITS AS A LANDMARK.
UH, IF Y'ALL FEEL THAT, UH, THE ADDITIONS, UH, WOULD NOT PRECLUDE THE ABILITY OF THIS BUILDING TO CONVEY ITSELF AS A LANDMARK.
SO IF I MIGHT ADD, UH, THE ADVANTAGE OF TAKING A LANDMARK FORWARD AT THIS TIME WOULD BE A, THE PROPERTY OWNER WOULD NOT NEED TO PAY THOSE FEES FOR, UM, THE HISTORIC ZONING CASE THEY'VE ALREADY PAID.
THE PUBLIC HEARING FEES DO APPEAR BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.
UM, I THINK INITIATION OF HISTORIC ZONING REALLY LEAVES THE POSSIBILITIES OPEN TO FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH THAT PROPERTY OWNER BEFORE THE COMMISSION MAKES A RECOMMENDATION AND TO, TO, TO DISCERN THEIR WISHES REGARDING LANDMARK DESIGNATION, WE COULD ALSO INVITE THE OWNERS OR THE, UM, THE ARCHITECTS TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS THE, THE ISSUES THAT STAFF HAS, UM, AT THAT TIME.
AND THEN IT COULD COME TO THE LANDMARK COMMISSION.
WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF INSTANCES TONIGHT, UH, FOR ONE AND A COUPLE IN THE PAST WHERE WE HAVE NOT, UH, GONE THE ROUTE OF INITIATING HISTORIC ZONING AND IT'S COME BACK TO SORT OF HAUNT US.
UM, I, I SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE KIND OF MADE THESE, THESE SORT OF DEALS WHERE WE WOULDN'T CONTINUE WITH THE LANDMARK, UH, DESIGNATION, IF THEY WOULD PULL BACK THEIR DEMOLITION REQUEST AND THEN, UH, YOU KNOW, WE STOPPED AND, AND THEN IT COMES BACK LATER.
SO I WILL SUPPORT THE, UM, THE MOTION TO, UH, INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING.
AND JUST WITH, UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO INVITE THE APPLICANTS TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, BUT IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT.
NO, I'M ENCOURAGED BY THAT AND ENCOURAGED BY COMMISSIONER HINES.
I THINK THIS IS EXACTLY THE TYPE OF COLLABORATION WITH THE OWNERSHIP AND PRESERVATION OF OUR LANDMARKS, THAT THE TYPE OF DIALOGUE AND APPROACH WE WANT TO HAVE.
AND I, I, UH, I ALSO SUPPORT THAT.
THE MOTION IS TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING, WHICH WE WOULD THEN TAKE UP AT THE NEXT MEETING FEBRUARY 28TH.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE, RAISING AND RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND MADAM CHAIR, MAY WE CONVEY TO THE OWNERS WHO I HOPE ARE WATCHING TONIGHT, UH, A VERY SPEEDY RECOVERY FROM, UH, YOUR, YOUR, ABOUT WITH COVID.
AND WE DO HOPE THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO, UH, PARTICIPATE FULLY WITH US, UH, IN THE PROCESS.
AND WE'LL, UH, UH, AT LEAST I CAN SPEAK FOR ME PERSONALLY, WE'LL TRY TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO, UH, ALLOW YOUR VISION TO TAKE PLACE, UH, IN A TIMELY WAY, EVEN AS WE ALL WORK TOGETHER, UH, TO MEET THE GOALS OF PRESERVING THE EXISTING HISTORIC HOUSE.
AND THEN THE MEETING OF THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE IS, UM, VALENTINE'S DAY, FEBRUARY 14TH.
[02:15:02]
THAT'S FINE.I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT, UM, WE DO NOT WANT TO DELAY OUR PERMIT.
AND IN FACT, MY CLIENT IS COMMUNICATING WITH ME, UM, IN HOPES THAT WE DON'T DELAY THE PERMIT.
THEY'RE HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT LANDMARK STATUS.
SO WE'D LIKE TO, UM, TALK ABOUT OPEN THE FLOOR TO WAYS WE CAN, YOU KNOW, MOVE FORWARD WITH A PERMIT IN HAND, BECAUSE AS TIME PROGRESSES, UM, YOU KNOW, MONEY'S KEEP FLYING OUT THE WINDOW BECAUSE OF THE MARKET.
AND, UM, THEY'RE NOT LIVING IN THIS HOUSE RIGHT NOW, SO THEY'RE, THEY'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE IT, EVERY MONTH IS MONEY, IS WHAT I'M SAYING.
I THINK, WELL, I THINK WHAT YOU HAVE FROM THE COMMISSION TONIGHT IS SOMETHING AKIN TO APPROVAL IN CONCEPT.
AND THERE ARE SOME, THERE ARE SOME ISSUES, UH, IN THE, IN THE DESIGNS THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO WORK OUT AT THAT ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING, IF YOU CAN MAKE THAT, UM, WE CAN CERTAINLY MAKE, MAY NOT BE ABLE TO RESOLVE THOSE TONIGHT.
SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE PERMIT GOING FORWARD? BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT, UM, THE REST OF THE BUILDING REVIEWER AND ZONING REVIEWERS HAVE COMPLETED THEIR FIRST ROUND OF COMMENTS.
SO IS THAT GOING TO HOLD US UP? THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE SEEN THIS.
IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S BEEN POSTPONED BEFORE.
UM, THAT MIGHT NOT, WE CAN ASK STAFF CLARIFY, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS, UH, UH, OBVIOUSLY YOU TAKE A SLIGHT RISK IN CASE THERE IS SOMETHING THAT GETS CHANGED, BUT, UH, AGAIN, BASED ON WHAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM OUR CONVERSATION, UH, I DO BELIEVE YOU COULD RESPOND TO THOSE COMMENTS AND CONTINUE THE APPLICATION PROCESS, UM, BECAUSE OF OUR, UM, REVIEW, UH, YOU WOULD NOT BE ISSUED A PERMIT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER UNTIL, UH, UH, OUR REVIEWS ARE COMPLETE.
SO, UM, THAT, THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH US PROBABLY AS QUICKLY AS YOU WOULD HAVE IN ANY CASE.
WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE STILL ABLE TO GET THE, THE FIRST ROUND OF COMMENTS FROM THE CITY SO WE CAN BEGIN ADDRESSING THOSE.
AND, UM, IT'S NOT CLEAR THAT WE WILL RECEIVE THOSE WITHOUT YOUR APPROVAL TO MARVEL.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE THERE YET.
UM, MS. BRUMMETT, UM, A COUPLE OF THINGS IS, UM, THERE, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY WITHIN THE PERMITTING SYSTEM TO ISSUE COMMENTS MIDSTREAM.
THIS IS A CYCLE ONE SUBMISSION, I BELIEVE.
SO WE SHOULD BE, WE CAN, WE CAN WORK WITH THE PERMITTING STAFF AND ENSURE THAT ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM OTHER DISCIPLINES GET TO THE ARCHITECT AND ARE ABLE TO BEGIN WORKING ON REVISING THOSE PLANS.
THE ONLY OPTION THAT WE WOULD HAVE AT THIS JUNCTURE, WITH THE HISTORIC ZONING INITIATED TO SEND THAT PERMIT ON ITS WAY WOULD BE TO ISSUE A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS, GIVEN THAT THIS IS NOW A PENDING CASE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE COMMISSION WOULD WANT TO CONSIDER A SECOND MOTION TO APPROVE CERTAIN PIECES OF THE PROJECT.
IT SOUNDS LIKE, AND THIS IS NOT MY REVIEW.
BUT IF SAY THE CHIMNEY IS THE MAIN AREA OF CONCERN.
THERE COULD BE AN APPROVAL OF A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FOR THE ADDITION IN GENERAL.
UM, IF THERE'S A FEELING THAT THE PROJECT OVERALL NEEDS NEEDS, THOSE COMMENTS THAT WOULD NEED TO COME BACK TO THE COMMISSION NEXT MONTH, THERE WAS ALSO A PART OF THE RECOMMENDATION WAS TO REDUCE THE SCALE OF THE TWO-STORY ADDITION WAS TO EITHER OMIT OR RELOCATE THE CHIMNEY AND REDUCE THE SCALE OF THE TWO STORY ADDITION.
I THINK, I THINK MY, MY THOUGHT AND IN INVITING THE APPLICANTS TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE WOULD BE TO RESOLVE THOSE BEFORE GOING FORWARD TO THE LANDMARK COMMISSION AND THE OWNER, JUST AGAIN, TO LAY OUT OPTIONS HERE, NOT NECESSARILY TO SUGGEST A DIRECTION, THE ONLY OTHER OPTIONS I COULD FORESEE THAT WOULD SEND THIS PROJECT ON ITS WAY WOULD BE TO WITHDRAW THAT INITIATION, UM, COMMENT ON AND APPROVED THE PLANS AND GO, GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS ESSENTIALLY AFTER THE FACT AND COME BACK TO LANDMARKING LATER, THAT WOULD REQUIRE THAT THE OWNER COME FORWARD WITH AN APPLICATION AND ADDITIONAL FEES, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER.
UM, I THINK, I THINK THAT, UH, LET ME TAKE, UH, COMMISSIONER VILLAINS AND SHE HASN'T SAID ANYTHING TONIGHT AT ALL.
I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, THIS IS NOT A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS CASE.
[02:20:02]
NOT WITHIN A DISTRICT OR AN INDIVIDUAL LANDMARK.SO OUR PURVIEW HERE, UNLESS WE INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING IS JUST TO EITHER APPROVE THE DEMOLITION OR INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING.
THOSE ARE OUR ONLY OPTIONS RIGHT NOW, BUT THE COMMISSION, THE COMMISSION JUST INITIATED HISTORIC SETTINGS.
SO AS OF THIS MOMENT, IT IS A PENDING LANDMARK AND WOULD REQUIRE A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS.
IT EITHER REQUIRES A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FOR THE COMMISSION NOT TO RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING AT THE NEXT MEETING.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
UM, I, I THINK FROM THE APPLICANT'S POINT OF VIEW, UH, MS. BERMAN, YOU'VE, YOU'VE PROBABLY ANSWERED THEIR BIGGEST CONCERN, WHICH IS SO LONG AS THEY CAN GET THEIR FIRST ROUND OF COMMENTS AND THOSE WON'T BE HELD UP.
AND IF YOU AND STAFF CAN WORK WITH THE PLAN REVIEW FOLKS AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT CAN BE EXPEDITED, THEN, UH, REALLY THAT NOTHING IS LOST IN THE COURSE OF THIS MONTH.
UM, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE NOT ASSUMING MAJOR DRASTIC CHANGES TO THIS EDITION IN THE COURSE OF, OF HAVING THOSE REVIEW COMMENTS SO THAT THEY CAN START COMMENTING ON THEM, BUT PERHAPS SOMETHING MORE MINOR.
UH, CERTAINLY THE, THE, THE ISSUE OF THE FIREPLACE IS NOT CONTINGENT UPON WHETHER THEIR PLANS ARE GOING TO GET APPROVED OR NOT.
THEY CAN MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS RATHER RATHER READILY.
SO, UM, IF, IF, IF THOSE PLANS CAN BE THOSE FIRST COMMENTS CAN STILL BE REVIEWED, EVEN AS WE'RE INITIATING OUR ZONING.
I, I BELIEVE WE'LL HAVE OUR OPTIONS IN FRONT OF US AND WE WON'T LOSE ANYTHING FOR A ONE MONTH DELAY, NOR WILL THE OWNERS, THE OWNERS WOULD BE HAPPY TO, UH, DO A LIGHTER CHIMNEY, IF THAT WOULD GET THEM THROUGH TONIGHT, IF THAT WOULD PASS YOUR APPROVAL FOR TONIGHT, WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE COMMISSION? WE HAVE INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING AT THIS POINT AND HAVE GIVEN FEEDBACK TO THE, TO THE APPLICANT HAVE INVITED THEM TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE IS OF DISCUSSION.
I'M GOING TO MOVE TO WITHDRAW THE INITIATION.
WELL, WE'D HAVE TO RESCIND THE MOTION AND AS THE SECONDARY, I'M NOT SURE I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
I WOULD FEEL IT WOULD BE MUCH MORE APPROPRIATE FOR US TO APPROVE A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FOR THE AMOUNT OF THE PROJECT THAT WE COULD FEEL COMFORTABLE APPROVING.
I WOULD AGREE I'LL MAKE THAT EMOTION IN THAT CASE, IF THAT'S APPROPRIATE.
BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOT SECOND, IT, BECAUSE YOU, AS THE SECONDER WOULD NOT FOLLOW THAT MOTION, THEN WE CAN TAKE UP ANOTHER MOTION AT THIS POINT.
UM, AND THAT'S MY SECOND, THE SECOND MOTION.
I, AS A SECONDARY DID NOT AGREE TO RESEND THE FIRST MOTION.
SO THEREFORE I OFFER AN ALTERNATIVE, WHICH IS THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FOR THE TWO-STORY ADDITION ONLY.
UM, AND THE, AND THE, THE, THE WRAP AROUND ONE STORY ENTRY, BUT NOT THE, UH, OKAY.
AND WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER LAROCHE.
WELL, HOLD ON WHILE I SAW YOUR TWO FINGERS AND HE STARTED ADDING MORE THINGS TO THE LIST.
NO, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY EVERYTHING BASICALLY APPROVE.
WHAT'S BEEN PRESENTED TO US TONIGHT EXCEPT FOR THE FIREPLACE.
SO YOU'RE GOING AGAINST STAFF RECOMMENDATION TO REDUCE THE SCALE OF THE TWO-STORY ADDITION.
UM, I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S, UH, ANYTHING, UH, THAT IT, BASED ON THE WAY IT'S SITED ON THE LOT, IN THE WAY IT WAS PRESENTED VERY THOROUGHLY.
I DON'T BELIEVE A SMALL ADJUSTMENTS TO THE MAGAZINE WOULD MAKE MUCH DIFFERENCE AT ALL.
I THINK THE PRESENTATION HAS CONVINCED ME SAY YOUR MOTION IS TO APPROVE A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FOR THE PLANS EXCEPT FOR THE CHIMNEY.
AND COMMISSIONER LAROCHE, SECOND SET.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY.
HISTORICALLY WE HAVE INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING THAT HAS BEEN INITIATED.
LET, LET ME, LET ME SPEAK TO THE MOTION.
AND I KNOW IT SEEMS A LITTLE BIT, UM, OUT OF SORTS, BUT, UH, I THINK IT, IT, IT'S, IT'S, UH, A RARE OCCURRENCE, UNFORTUNATELY, WHERE WE HAVE AN OWNER WHO'S ON THEIR OWN, UH, FIGURED OUT HOW TO DO VIRTUALLY ALL THE RIGHT THINGS.
I MEAN, HOW MANY ITEMS ON THIS AGENDA ARE
[02:25:01]
JUST, YOU KNOW, THIS IS CARNAGE GUYS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO ALTERNATIVE HERE.WE LOSE A BUILDING COMPLETELY OR A VERY RARE OCCASION.
WE HAVE SOMEBODY WHO COMES IN AND WANTS TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
UH, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE AT THAT POINT, QUIBBLING OVER SMALL DETAILS.
UH, I THINK IN THIS CASE, IT'S NOT EVEN SMALL, IN MY OPINION, UH, EVERYTHING THEY'VE PRESENTED, UH, AT WAY THEY'VE GONE ABOUT THIS.
WHAT I, AS AN ARCHITECT OF DESIGN THAT TWO-STORY ADDITION IN THE BACK SOMEWHAT DIFFERENTLY.
IT'S NOT GOING TO DETRACT FROM THE HOUSE.
AND I SURE AS HECK WOULD RATHER HAVE THAT AS A HISTORIC HOUSE, EVEN WITH THAT ADDITION THAN TO LOSE THE WHOLE THING.
UH, I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE AND IT'S NOT AN IN CONSEQUENTIAL DISCUSSION FROM THE OWNER'S POINT OF VIEW.
UH, AND I GET THIS FROM MANY, MANY OWNERS AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S PROCESS IS CONVOLUTED AND DELAY LADEN AND BURDENSOME.
AND SO TO ASK THEM TO GET SOMETHING GOOD AT THE OTHER END, BUT ONLY AFTER THEY TAKE MORE DIFFICULTY WITH THE CITY'S PERMITTING PROCESS, I THINK WE NEED TO REASSURE THEM THAT THEIR, THEIR GOOD GESTURE IS BEING REWARDED APPROPRIATELY.
FEEL REASSURED COMMISSIONER COOK, AND I'LL CALL THIS NOTE.
UM, I AGREE WITH THOSE COMMENTS, MY END WAS KIND OF THE SAME, BUT TO LEAVE THEM CLEANER WITHOUT AN INITIATION.
CAUSE IT SOUNDED TO ME LIKE THEY WOULD, THEY WOULD RATHER MOVE ON WITH, WITHOUT THAT.
AND EITHER WAY, THEY'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THESE PLANS AS APPROVED.
IT'S JUST GOING TO BE A MATTER OF WHETHER THEY HAVE THESE PLANS WITHOUT THE CHIMNEY AND POTENTIAL LANDMARK OR THESE PLANS WITH THE CHIMNEY, BUT STILL THE MAJORITY OF THE HOME IS STILL SAVED.
UM, BUT WE CAN HAVE THAT DISCUSSION NEXT MONTH.
UM, AND THEY CAN MOVE ON DOWN THE ROAD WITH THE, WITH THE INTERIM PORTION OF THE WORK.
WITHOUT FURTHER DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO APPROVE, EXCEPT FOR THE CHIMNEY, PLEASE SAY AYE.
AND WE SHOULD CLARIFY, WE SHOULD CLARIFY THAT WE STILL ARE.
WE'D LOVE TO HAVE THE ARCHITECT AND THE OWNERS AT THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE AND DISCUSS THE FIREPLACE AND THAT ALL COULD BE TAKEN UP ALONG WITH THE HISTORIC ZONING DISCUSSION AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT? UH, MY PROS AND AGAIN, SORRY.
[3.D.3. PR-2021-176664 – 4608 Avenue H – Consent Council District 9]
D 3 46 0 8 AVENUE, H THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1949 HOUSE.UH, THE HOUSE IS A ONE-STORY MINIMAL TRADITIONAL CROSS GABLED BUNGALOW WOOD, WOOD SIDING, DOUBLE HUNG, GOOD WINDOWS AND A PARTIAL WIDTH PORCH WITH IRON LATTICE POSTS.
THE HOUSE AT 4,608 AVENUE H WAS BUILT IN 1959 BY FELIX WILLIAMS, A HOME BUILDER WHO WORKED IN THE NORTH HYDE PARK AND OTHER AREAS OF AUSTIN.
THE HOUSE WAS OCCUPIED BY SHORT-TERM RENTERS WITH VARIOUS OCCUPATIONS THROUGHOUT THE 1950S.
THE, UH, HISTORIC SURVEY REPORT FOR NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN, UH, COMPLETED IN 2021 WAS THE PROPERTY IS CONTRIBUTING TO A POTENTIAL NORTH HIGH PARK HISTORIC DISTRICT, WHICH IS RECOMMENDED ELIGIBLE FOR LISTING IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES.
AND AS A LOCALLY DESIGNATED HISTORIC DISTRICT, UH, THE BUILDING APPEARS TO RETAIN HIGH INTEGRITY.
HOWEVER, STAFF DOES NOT FEEL THAT IT NEEDS TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
IT IS A TYPICAL EXAMPLE OF A MINIMAL TRADITIONAL HOUSE AND DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS.
UH, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE THAN RELOCATION EVER DEMOLITION, BUT TO RELEASE THE PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF FROM THE COMMISSION? OH, CAN WE GET THE COMMISSION BACK ON SCREEN? OKAY.
UM, WERE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY.
DO WE, UM, DO WE HAVE SOMEONE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS APPLICATION TO DEMOLISH PLEASE STATE
[02:30:01]
YOUR NAME? YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES.I'M THE OWNER APPLICANT FOR THE DEMOLITION OF THE HOME.
UH, THE, UH, HOME IS 754 SQUARE FEET, THREE SMALL.
UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH THE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS.
UH, I WILL MOVE THE HOUSE IF I CAN.
I'VE ALREADY BEEN IN TALKS WITH PEOPLE TO DO SO IT'S NOT REALLY A GUARANTEED THING.
UH, BUT LIKE I SAID, I WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
UM, LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON THIS.
IF THIS PASSES, YOU UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WOULD NEED TO DO A CITY OF BOSTON DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
AND YOU CAN WORK WITH STEPH ON THAT.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? OKAY.
IS THERE ANYONE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THIS APPLICATION, PLEASE COME FORWARD, STATE YOUR NAME AND MAKE YOUR CASE.
I AM THE HOMEOWNER NEXT DOOR TO THE PROPERTY AT 46 10 AVENUE, H AND I MUST SAY THAT I WAS BLINDSIDED BY THIS APPLICATION.
I HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY UNAWARE THAT THERE WAS ANY INTENTION TO REMOVE OR DEMOLISH THE PROPERTY UNTIL I RECEIVED THE OFFICIAL NOTICE FROM THE CITY.
I AM VERY DISTURBED AND CONCERNED ABOUT THIS.
WE HAVE HAD ALREADY ONE CASE OF A REMOVAL.
I WILL PUT IT THAT KINDLY, WHICH WAS TURNED INTO A RENTAL HIGH THEREAFTER AND HAVING THOUGHT THROUGH THE, THE NCCD PROCESS WHEN THAT WAS DONE AND HAVING FOUGHT TO KEEP MY OWN PROPERTY TOGETHER.
I AM SERIOUSLY CONCERNED THAT I AM LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF A TWO OR TWO AND A HALF STORY MONSTER, WHICH WILL SHADE OUT MY HOUSE AND WILL PRECLUDE SUCH PROPOSED, UH, IMPROVEMENTS AS TRYING TO INSTALL SOLAR PANELS.
YOU CAN INSTALL A SOLAR PANEL.
IF YOU HAVE A SHADE FROM YOUR NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE, YOU KNOW, HIGH PARK AND NORTH HYDE PARK, THE ANNEX HAVE ALL BEEN SUBJECT TO MOUSE BURGERS, RING BY IRRESPONSIBLE VIOLATIONS AND REMOVALS FOR THE LAST, NEARLY 50 YEARS THAT I HAVE LIVED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND I CANNOT STAND SILENT WHEN I HEAR THAT.
IT'S ABOUT TO HAPPEN LITERALLY IN MY BACKYARD.
THANK YOU, MR. WARING, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE SPEAKER? THANK YOU.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THIS APPLICATION? OKAY.
THE, UH, FIRST SPEAKER MAY REBUT.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT WE WILL DESIGN AND BUILD THE HOME IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN PERMITTING.
MY FIRM REBEL ARCHITECTURE HAS BEEN FEATURED ON THE AA HOME TOUR.
WE WILL BUILD A BEAUTIFUL HOUSE.
YOU CAN BAIL A, YOU A COUPLE HOURS, WHICH IS INAPPROPRIATE THE PROPERTY ALSO.
IS THERE, UM, IS THERE A MOTION ON THE CASE COMMISSIONER LAROCHE? YES.
I MOVED TO APPROVE STAFF RECOMMENDATION AND THAT RECOMMENDATION IS TO RELEASE THE PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
IS THERE A SECOND, A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY.
I WOULD SAY THAT, UH, I KNOW THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE, UM, SHARE THESE KINDS OF OPINIONS WHEN IT HAPPENS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, THIS PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED, UH, IN THE PAST.
UH, HAD A SURVEY DONE PREVIOUS
[02:35:01]
TO THE 2021 SURVEY AND, UM, ENCOURAGED TO DO A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT, BUT THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED YET AT THIS TIME.UM, COMMISSIONER COOK, DID YOU WANT TO, UH, MAKE A COMMENT OR COMMENT ON THOSE LINES THAT I, I APPRECIATE THE ADVOCACY, BUT THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION, IF IT'S NOT A LANDMARK, WE HAVE TO LET IT GO.
AND LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS ARE THE ONLY OTHER WAY TO SAVE AREA AT THE CHARACTER OF THEIR HISTORIC CHARACTER AREAS.
MATT HAS TO COME FROM THE PROPERTY OWNERS THEMSELVES AND THE NEIGHBORS.
SO I'M JUST PUTTING IN A PLUG FOR LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS TO COMPATIBLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS OF AUSTIN.
I THINK WE CAN, YOU KNOW, WE CAN REQUEST OF THE APPLICANT THAT THEY'RE DESIGNED, BE IN KEEPING WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, BUT NOT REQUIRE IT, UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, WHICH IS TO RELEASE THE PERMIT, SAY, AYE, AND RAISE YOUR HAND.
[3.D.5. PR-2021-191341 – 3621 Windsor Rd. – Discussion Council District 10]
36 21 WINDSOR ROAD.COMMISSIONERS AT MC FIVE IS THE PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCUIT 1948 HOUSE AND GARAGE APARTMENT.
THIS IS A ONE-STORY CROSS GABLED BRICK RESIDENCE.
SO THE BASEMENT AS CENTRAL COPPER ROOF BAY WINDOW, A PARTIAL WITH COVERED PORCH AND MOLD IN SINGLE BOLTS, THE LIGHT WOOD WINDOWS, A TWO-STORY GARAGE APARTMENT CLAD IN BRICK AND BOARD AND BATTEN SIDING IS BEHIND PRIMARY BUILDING THE HOUSE AT 36 21 WINDSOR ROAD WITH DESIGNED BY CH PAIGE AND SUN AND CONSTRUCTED IN 1949 FOR ALMA LANG AND TOM THOMAS, ALONG WITH THE BEER ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT ORIGINALLY JUST SERVED AT THE QUARTERS.
A FORMER RANCHER SCHOOL PRINCIPAL AND OIL WOMAN WAS A PROMINENT PHILANTHROPIST AND CIVIC CONTRIBUTOR DURING HER TENURE IN THE HOME BORN A RANCHER'S DAUGHTER AND MARRIED TO RANCHER, ER, THOMAS WHO DIED IN THE 1920S.
THOMAS SPENT HER EARLY LIFE IN OKLAHOMA AND WEST TEXAS UPON MOVING TO AUSTIN TO ATTEND THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AGE 38.
ALONG WITH HER TWO SONS, THOMAS COMPLETED A MASTER'S DEGREE AND RETURNED TO MIDLAND TO WORK AS A SCHOOL PRINCIPAL TO MOVED BACK TO AUSTIN IN 1948, AFTER OIL WAS DISCOVERED ON HIS FAMILY'S RANCH LAND CHILD EXTENSIVELY FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE, DONATING ART OBJECTS FROM OUR TRAVELS TO UNIVERSITY COLLECTIONS THROUGHOUT THE STATE, IT WAS THE FIRST WOMAN APPOINTED TO SOUTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY'S EXECUTIVE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
IT WAS ALSO ORDERED FROM THE PHILANTHROPIC CONTRIBUTIONS TO ARTS EDUCATION WITH A THEATER BUILDING BEARING HER NAME IN 1956 AT SOUTHWESTERN AND AUSTIN TO THE LEADING PATRON OF THE FINE ARTS SERVING ON THE BOARDS OF THE AUSTIN ARTS COUNCIL, AUSTIN WOMEN'S CLUB, TEXAS FINE ARTS ASSOCIATION AND AUSTIN SYMPHONY STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONSIDER INITIATION OF HISTORIC ZONING BASED ON THE HOMES ASSOCIATION ON THE THOMAS.
BUT THE COMMISSION DECIDED AGAINST HISTORIC ZONING.
A STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO ENCOURAGE ADAPTIVE, REUSE, AND REHABILITATION OR RELOCATION IF POSSIBLE, THEN RELEASED TO DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
THANK YOU, CAROLYN, ARE THERE ANY, UH, ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION OF STAFF? OKAY.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION TO DEMOLISH MICHAEL WHALEN? I BELIEVE, UH, SET THE TIMER TO FIVE MINUTES AS THE APPLICANT.
UH, AND I'LL JUST SAY NEXT SLIDE, IF THAT'S OKAY THEN.
MICHAEL WHALEN ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT, I'M HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS THE DEMOLITION PERMIT FOR 36 21 WINDSOR ROAD IN THE WEST AUSTIN TARRYTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD.
NEXT SLIDE STAFF HAS ARGUED THAT THIS STRUCTURE MAY MEET ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORIC ASSOCIATION CRITERIA AND HAVE ASKED YOU TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING.
HOWEVER, WE RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE WITH THAT ASSESSMENT.
FIRST, THE STRUCTURE HAS BEEN MEANINGFULLY ALTERED SINCE THE TIME THAT ALMA THOMAS, THE WOMAN AT THE CENTER OF THIS CASE LIVED THERE.
AND SECOND, WE BELIEVE THAT THE RATIONALE FOR HISTORIC ZONING IN THIS CASE, IF APPLIED CONSISTENTLY HAS IMPLICATIONS FOR EQUITABLE POLICY IN AUSTIN.
NEXT SLIDE, YOU CAN SEE THE SITE ON THE SCREEN HERE FROM 1977, THE YEAR THAT MS. THOMAS PASSED AWAY, IT IS A TARRYTOWN RESIDENCE ONCE OWNED BY OIL WOMAN, AS YOU HEARD AND PHILANTHROPIST ALMA, THOMAS STAFF'S BACKUP NOTES THAT THE STRUCTURE WAS BUILT IN THE NINETIES IN THE LATE 1940S PER $52,500 FOR REFERENCE THAT WAS ROUGHLY 12 TIMES THE MEDIAN HOME VALUE IN AUSTIN.
AT THAT TIME, ACCORDING TO THE CENSUS BUREAU, NEXT SLIDE HERE, YOU CAN SEE THE OUTLINE ON THE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
YOU CAN SEE THE OUTLINE OF THE ONSITE STRUCTURES THAT WE COULD DETERMINE
[02:40:01]
FROM THIS ARIEL A MAIN HOUSE, ALONG WITH THE SERVANT'S QUARTERS, THE ORIGINAL PLAT ACTUALLY PROHIBITED ANY GARAGE APARTMENTS FROM THE LOT THAT WOULD MADE AN EXCEPTION FOR SERVANT'S QUARTERS.AND THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT IN THE, UH, UH, PURPLE THERE, WE THEN COMPARE THAT WITH A MORE RECENT ARIEL SHOWN HERE TO DETERMINE WHICH STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS WERE BUILT SINCE THAT TIME, INCLUDING EXPANDED LIVABLE AREA AND EXPANDED COVERED DECK SPACE.
IN OTHER WORDS, THE STRUCTURE HAS BEEN MEANINGFULLY ALTERED SINCE THE TIME THAT DENNIS THOMAS LIVED THERE.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE RATIONALE FOR HISTORIC ASSOCIATION AND SOME OF THE UNINTENDED IMPLICATIONS.
I BELIEVE IT BRINGS STAFF BACKUP DOCUMENTS, MS. THOMAS' PHILANTHROPIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS, HER SERVICE AS A PRINCIPAL IN MIDLANDS, IN THE MIDLAND, TEXAS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
HER LOVE FOR EXPLORING THE WORLD AROUND HER IN THE WAYS IN WHICH SHE USED HER WEALTH TO SUPPORT LOCAL CAUSES.
HOWEVER, WE DISAGREE THAT THIS RATIONALE IS SUFFICIENT TO BE THE KEY BASIS OF IMPOSE IMPOSING THE HIGH RESTRICTIONS OF HISTORIC ZONING.
NEXT SLIDE, WE BELIEVE THAT ADOPTING THIS RATIONALE WOULD DISPROPORTIONATELY FAVOR HISTORIC ZONING IN AFFLUENT WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOODS, WHERE RESIDENTS HAD GREATER ACCESS TO SOCIAL NETWORKS AND GREATER CAPACITY TO PARTICIPATE IN LARGE SCALE FULL-ON PHILANTHROPY.
THAT IS TO SAY ADOPTING THIS RATIONALE WOULD FAVOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION BASED ON INDICATORS OF PAST.
ADDITIONALLY, IF WE FOLLOW THIS RATIONALE TO ITS CONCLUSION, CONSISTENTLY APPLYING HISTORIC DESIGNATION TO THESE AREAS WOULD ALSO CONSISTENTLY EXTEND TAX EXEMPTIONS AND ABATEMENTS TO THE, THESE MORE AFFLUENT AREAS, THUS SHIFTING PROPERTY TAX BURDEN TOWARD LESS AFFLUENT COMMUNITIES.
NEXT SLIDE, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THERE WERE ALREADY SIX LANDMARKS WITHIN HALF A MILE OF THIS PROPERTY.
FINALLY, I WOULD NOTE THAT ALMA THOMAS HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROPRIATELY HONORED BY SOUTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY WITH THE ALMA THOMAS FINE ARTS CENTER, WHICH SHE FINANCED AND THAT MS. THOMAS, HIS GRANDDAUGHTER, WHO HAS NO FINANCIAL INTEREST WHATSOEVER IN THIS CASE OR IN THE PROPERTY OPPOSES HISTORIC DESIGNATION HERE AND HAS WRITTEN.
AND THIS IS IN THE BACKUP THAT THIS CASE WOULD QUOTE, CONNECT MY GRANDMOTHER TO A HOUSE RATHER THAN TO THE WORLD SHE EXPLORED IN THE TRAIL BLAZING WORK THAT SHE DID.
IN CONTRAST, THE ALMA THOMAS FINE ARTS CENTER ALREADY CONNECTS MS. THOMAS TO THE WORK SHE DID AND TO THE CAUSES SHE SUPPORTED, ESPECIALLY THE ARTS AND EDUCATION.
SO TO RECAP, THE OWNER ASKS THAT YOU RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT AND THE MS. THOMAS'S GRANDDAUGHTER SUPPORTS THAT REQUEST.
NEXT SLIDE, WHILE STAFF ARGUES THAT THE STRUCTURE MAY MEET ARCHITECTURAL CRITERIA, AERIALS INDICATE THAT IT HAS BEEN MEANINGFULLY EXPANDED AND CHANGED SINCE THOMAS' LIFETIME.
ADDITIONALLY, WE BELIEVE THAT STAFF'S RATIONALE FOR HISTORIC ASSOCIATION IN THIS CASE RAISES A NUMBER OF POLICY QUESTIONS THAT MAY HAVE UNINTENDED IMPLICATIONS FOR EQUITY AND PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT OF HISTORICALLY AFFLUENT COMMUNITIES.
I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT I DON'T SEE THIS AS THE INTENT OF THIS RATIONALE, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS WHERE THE, THIS RATIONALE IF APPLIED CONSISTENTLY LEADS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, AND PLEASE VOTE TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT I'M AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
I KNOW WE HAVE ONE OTHER SPEAKER.
UM, PLEASE STAY AT THE PODIUM.
AND SO I CAN SEE IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE COMMISSION COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF MR. WHELAN? OKAY, COOL.
AND THE NEXT SPEAKER IN FAVOR OF DEMOLITION, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME.
MY NAME IS CAROLYN HANEY AND MY HUSBAND, MATT AND I ARE THE APPLICANTS FOR THE DEMOLITION AT 36 21.
I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT YOU DO NOT INITIATE IS A HISTORIC ZONING CASE.
AND INSTEAD, PLEASE RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT.
WE BOUGHT THIS PROPERTY LAST DECEMBER SO THAT WE COULD BUILD A NEW HOME HERE.
WE MOVED TO AUSTIN NEARLY 20 YEARS AGO AND HAVE LIVED IN ROSEDALE FOR THE LAST 16 YEARS.
WE BOUGHT THIS HOME FROM DOROTHY THOMAS BOYKIN, THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF ALMA THOMAS.
WHO'S THE WOMAN AT THE CENTER OF THIS CASE.
THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT ALMA THOMAS WAS AN IMPRESSIVE WOMAN WHO USED HER WEALTH TO SUPPORT IMPORTANT CAUSES.
AND WHILE THIS IS CERTAINLY ADMIRABLE, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT IT RISES TO A LEVEL THAT WOULD JUSTIFY RESTRICTING OUR HOME.
I THINK THAT IF WE WERE USING THINGS LIKE PHILANTHROPY AS A JUSTIFICATION, WE'RE GOING TO BE FINDING A WHOLE LOT OF THESE CASES LANDING IN FRONT OF YOU BECAUSE AUSTIN HAS A HISTORY OF LOCAL WEALTH AND LOCAL PHILANTHROPY.
I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THE DOROTHY THOMAS BOYKIN ALMOND THOMAS' GRANDDAUGHTER HAS WRITTEN TO YOU DIRECTLY ASKING YOU TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT.
I WOULD LIKE TO READ TO YOU ONE EXCERPT FROM MRS. BOYKINS LETTER THAT I FOUND STRIKING IN WHICH
[02:45:01]
HE CONTRASTS THIS CASE AGAINST SOUTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY, MEMORABLE MEMOIR MEM, OR ALIGNING MEMORIALIZING, MS. THOMAS WITH THE ALMA THOMAS FINE ART CENTER.SHE WROTE QUOTE THE FINE ARTS CENTER, ESPECIALLY APPROPRIATE APPROPRIATELY CONNECTS MY GRANDMOTHER'S MEMORY WITH TWO OF THE CAUSES.
SHE WORKED SO HARD TO SUPPORT DURING HER LIFE ARTS AND EDUCATION.
SHE THEN GOES ON TO SAY, QUOTE, THIS REVIEW CASE IN CONTRAST WOULD CONNECT MY GRANDMOTHER TO A HOUSE RATHER THAN TO THE WORLD SHE EXPLORED.
AND THE TRAYS OF TRAILBLAZING WORK THAT SHE DID.
UNQUOTE, AS I MENTIONED, WE BOUGHT THIS PROPERTY FROM MRS. THOMAS BOYKIN LAST YEAR AND SHE AND HER FAMILY HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO FINANCIAL INTEREST WHATSOEVER IN THIS CASE FINALLY, ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, THE FUTURE OF MY FAMILY'S HOME IS NOW IN YOUR HANDS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? OKAY.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS APPLICATION? IS THERE ANYONE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? OKAY.
UM, DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THE CASE COMMISSIONER COOK? I'LL MOVE TO RELEASE A DEMOLITION PERMIT PENDING A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
DO I HEAR A SECOND, A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON, MR. COOK, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS YOUR MOTION? UH, I JUST, WITH THE, UM, AGAINST OWNER'S WISHES AND WITH THE, THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF, OF THE WOMAN WHO WOULD BE THE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION SPEAKING OUT AGAINST IT, HER NAME ALREADY BEING ON A PROPERTY THAT WAS PRODUCT OF HER PHILANTHROPY.
UH, ALTHOUGH IT IS DESIGNED BY CH AND PAIGE, I DON'T THINK THE ARCHITECTURE IS, IS IT'S A NICE, IT'S A LOVELY HOME, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S STRONG ENOUGH TO, TO TIE A STRUCTURE AND A PERSON TOGETHER IN A WAY THAT NEEDS TO BE MORE MEMORIALIZED IN AN AREA.
UH, THAT'S ALREADY FAIRLY DENSE AND, AND LANDMARKS.
JUST A QUICK NOTE, WE HAVEN'T BEEN CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING OF THE PAST FEW CASES IF WE WANTED TO DO THAT WITH THIS ONE.
SO RIGHT NOW OUR MOTION IS TO RELEASE THE PERMIT.
UH, CAN I ASK THE MAKER AND THE SECONDER, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AS PART OF THAT MOTION? I WOULD LIKE TO AMEND MY MOTION TO INCLUDE CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
WELL, THE SECOND SECONDARY AGREES.
SO THE MOTION IS TO RELEASE THE, THE DEMOLITION PERMIT WITH THE, UM, PROVISOR THAT A DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE BE PREPARED, AND THIS WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, UH, ANY FURTHER, UH, I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT THERE SEEMS TO BE EVIDENCE THAT THE BUILDING HAS CHANGED HAS BEEN INCREASED, UH, AFTER THE ORIGINAL OWNERS, UM, PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE COMMISSIONER.
UM, I THINK WE HAD A VERY PERSUASIVE PRESENTATION AS REGARDS TO THE, UH, THE PROVINCE PROVIDENCE OF THE HOUSE AND ITS SEQUENCE OF BUILDING.
UH, BUT I DO THINK IT'S WORTH FOR THE RECORD TO ADDRESS THIS ASSERTION THAT, UH, IF WE SINGLE OUT THE ASSOCIATION IN THIS PARTICULAR FASHION THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME LEVEL SOMETIMES OF, UH, SOFT HISTORY WHERE YOU STARTED MAKING AN ABSURD APPLICATION OF A PARTICULAR POINT AND IT, IT DOES START SEEMING ABSURD.
BUT I THINK JUST TO ADDRESS MR. HEARTLAND'S POINT, UH, I THINK THAT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS NOT EXCLUSIVE TO ANY ONE COMMUNITY AND PART OF OUR WORK WITH EXPANDING THE PRESERVATION PLAN IS TO EXPAND THE NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES AND, UH, COMMUNITY ASPECTS THAT WE CELEBRATE.
SO IN THIS REGARD, BECAUSE WE HAVE CLEARLY LEADERSHIP WITHIN A COMMUNITY OF SUPPORTING THE ARTS, UH, IN, UH, MS ELMO'S DAY AND ALSO IN PHILANTHROPY, UH, THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE ALSO EXCLUDING OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT ALSO, UH, WE LOOK FOR INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR PROMINENCE WITHIN THOSE GROUPS.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T START HAVING THAT BECOME A REGULAR DISCUSSION POINT.
UH, EITHER THIS INDIVIDUAL WAS PROMINENT IN THEIR CIRCLE AND THAT IS A VALUE TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN OR IT'S NOT.
AND I, I JUST, I THINK THAT THAT'S WORTH MAKING SURE THAT THE RECORD IS CLEAR IN THAT REGARD.
I HEARTEDLY, I THINK, I THINK THAT WE WOULD DO AN INJUSTICE TO, UM, FUTURE PRESERVATION EFFORTS IN AUSTIN.
IF WE HAD A QUOTA, UH, ON, ON THE NUMBER OF LANDMARKS OR HISTORIC
[02:50:01]
DISTRICTS, UM, JUST PURELY BASED ON, UM, ON SUCH CRITERIA.I THINK WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE REPRESENTATION FROM OTHER PARTS OF AUSTIN, UM, VERY MUCH.
AND, UH, HOPEFULLY, UH, CAN DO SO GOING FORWARD WITH THE NEW PRESERVATION PLAN.
BUT I AGREED THAT, UM, UH, WE SHOULDN'T JUST SAY, WELL, THESE PEOPLE HAD A GREATER, UM, GREATER WEALTH AND THEREFORE SHOULD BE, UM, PERHAPS NOT CONSIDERED.
DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR HAND SAYING I THANK YOU.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY GOING ON TO ITEM
[3.D.9. PR-2021-202292 – 607 E. 38th St. – Consent Council District 9]
D 9, 6 0 7 EAST 38TH STREET.THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1935 DUPLEX.
IT'S A ONE-STORY SIDE GABLE DUPLEX WITH RACE CONCRETE STOOPS AT EITHER END OF THE FACADE, THE DUPLEX EXHIBITS, MODEST CRAFTSMEN, STYLISTIC INFLUENCES, INCLUDING THE EXPOSED RAFTER TAILS AND THE KNEE BRACES.
YOU SEE HERE SUPPORTING THE GABLED ROOFS OVER THE PORCH, STOOPS THE DUPLEX AT 6 0 7 EAST 38TH STREET WAS BUILT IN THE MID 1930S.
THE FIRST RECORDED OWNER WAS LUCILLE MARLO, A BOOKKEEPER AT AUSTIN METAL AND IRON COMPANY.
THE OTHER OCCUPANTS OF THE DUPLEX WERE VARIOUS RENTERS MADE UP OF MILITARY PERSONNEL, STUDENTS AND ADMINISTRATORS, A DRAFT HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY OF THIS AREA LIST.
THIS PROPERTY IS A MEDIUM PRESERVATION PRIORITY STAFF FINDS.
I REALIZED THERE WAS A MISTAKE AND THE STAFF REPORT STAFF FINDS THAT THE PROPERTY DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION.
THE BUILDING IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF A CRAFTSMEN STYLE DUPLEX, WHICH IS A RELATIVELY RARE BUILDING FORM.
HOWEVER, THE PROPERTIES, THIS DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS THAT WOULD WARRANT LANDMARK DESIGNATION AS SUCH.
THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE THAN RELOCATION EVER DEMOLITION, BUT TO RELEASE THE PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
AND CAN YOU TELL US HOW MANY, UM, HOW, HOW MANY EMAILS OR, UM, UH, WHAT ARE THEY, WHAT ARE THE, THE, THE OBJECTION FORMS CAME IN, UH, OPPOSED TO THE DEMOLITION? I THINK AMBER IS LOOKING FOR THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU HAD FOUR OFFICIAL.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF, UH, MS. OF STAFF FROM THE COMMISSION? OKAY, THANK YOU.
UH, YES, I'M SCRATCHING MY HEAD OVER THIS, UM, COMMENT ABOUT THIS BEING A RARE BUNGALOW DUPLEX, AND I, I JUST, I I'M, I'M TRYING TO THINK OF OTHER EXAMPLES AROUND THE CITY AND I'M, I JUST, I AGREE.
I'M JUST, UH, I'M SURPRISED THAT IT IS, UH, SUCH A, UM, SUCH AN ITEM, BUT, UM, OTHER THAN THAT, THERE'S REALLY VERY LITTLE, I FIND REMARKABLE ABOUT THE ARCHITECTURE, BUT, UM, MAYBE THERE'S SOME OTHER, IT'S NOT BECAUSE THERE WERE LOTS OF THEM AND THEY'VE ALL BEEN DESTROYED.
IT'S JUST, THIS MUST BE ANOTHER SORT OF A QUIRKY EXAMPLE OF SOMEBODY TAKING WHAT WASN'T VERY COMMON AND USING THE, UM, THE DESIGN STYLE OF THE DAY TO CREATE SOMETHING NEW.
IS THAT ABOUT RIGHT? THERE ARE SOME OTHER, UM, CRAFTSMEN OR TUTOR, REVIVAL STYLE, UH, DEEP PLACES IN THE LARGER NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT THIS ONE IS PARTICULARLY INTACT.
AND, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE, UH, THOSE IN FAVOR, UH, THE PUBLIC ON THIS BEFORE I, UH, KIND OF GO INTO A RATIONALE FOR WHY I PULLED IT FOR DISCUSSION.
UM, IS THE APPLICANT HERE, PLEASE COME DOWN AND SPEAK IN FAVOR OF YOUR APPLICATION, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
[02:55:02]
I BOUGHT THIS ROUGHLY SEVEN MONTHS AGO.UM, WHEN I FIRST VISITED THE PLACE, IT, UM, IT WAS BASICALLY DESTROYED.
UH, MY INITIAL THOUGHTS SINCE IT'S A GREAT LOCATION WAS TO RENOVATE THE PLACE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY IT'S IN REALLY BAD CONDITION.
UH, MY ENGINEER IT'S IT'S HERE WITH ME IS TO SUPPORT HIS ARGUMENTS.
AND, UH, THE PROBLEM WITH TH WITH THE PROPERTY IS THE, UH, THE STRUCTURE, THE ELECTRICAL, THE PLUMBING, EVERYTHING THAT'S IN REALLY ABOUT THE CONDITION.
I ONLY PAINTED THAT TO GET SOME INCOME BECAUSE THE HOLDING COST OF, OF, OF THE PROPERTY IS REALLY HIGH.
SO I, I DECIDED TO DO A SHORT LEASE CONTRACT WITH THE TWO TENANTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY LIVING IN THE, IN THE, IN THE DUPLEX, JUST TO AFFORD THE, IN THE MEANTIME, TRYING TO GET MY PERMITS TO DO A NEW CONSTRUCTION.
AGAIN, I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO, TO KEEP IT IN TERMS OF, OF THE STRUCTURE, BUT IT'S, MY KNOWLEDGE WAS VERY LIMITED OF, OF WHAT I WAS BUYING.
WHOEVER SOLD IT TO ME, THEY SAID IT WAS CLEARLY, I MEAN, POSSIBLY RAN IT.
UH, IT HAD CHANCES TO BE RENOVATED, BUT THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE.
UH, GEORGE GONZALEZ, HE'S MY ENGINEER AND THE, HE, HE'S MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE THAT WILL DO THINGS.
AND, UH, FOR THAT REASON, I ASKED HIM TO COME TONIGHT WITH ME.
AND IN THIS CASE, I, I WOULD BE REALLY GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL IF YOU CAN RELEASE THAT PERMIT SO I CAN BUILD SOMETHING THAT CAN STAND LONGER.
THIS IS JUST ABOUT TO FALL APART.
I RECEIVED PHONE CALLS FROM THE TWO TENANTS EVERY OTHER WEEK, COMPLAINING ABOUT EVERYTHING IN THE PROPERTY.
UH, TODAY I RECEIVED ONE WHERE THEY SAID, WELL, THERE ARE TERMITES.
WE'RE FINDING TERMITES IN THIS STRUCTURE.
SO IT'S HARD TO, AGAIN, IN TERMS OF, OF MY DECISION, THERE WAS NO WAY TO KEEP THE, THE, THE STRUCTURE.
I MEAN, I IT'S COSMETIC THAT I DID, I PUT PAINT, BUT IT'S COVERING SOMETHING WHICH CAN BE, I MEAN, WILL NOT LAST TOO MUCH TIME.
DO YOU HAVE PLANS OF PREPARED FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION ON THE SITE AND NOT HERE YET, BUT, BUT YES, WE'RE, WE, WE HAVE PLANS FOR THAT.
IT'S A, UM, I WANTED TO, AGAIN, ONE THING WHICH I REALLY LIKED IS I WANT TO BE SOMETHING TO BUILD SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL, WHICH DOESN'T STAND OUT, WHICH BLENDS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT SOMETHING WHICH IT'S LIVABLE RIGHT NOW.
UH, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO MEET WITH THE NEIGHBORS? I HAVE THE, UM, I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL TWO DAYS AGO FROM A LADY AT 7:00 AM.
UH, IT'S ONE OF THE EMAILS WHERE SHE WAS STATING THAT THE, THAT THE PROPERTY IS IN GREAT CONDITION.
AND SHE, FIRST OF ALL, SHE TOLD ME YOU'RE FROM SAN ANTONIO AND YOU'RE BUILDING, YOU'RE GOING TO BUILD SOME HORRIBLE THINGS.
I MEAN, SHE WAS VERY AGGRESSIVE ON THE PHONE.
I JUST TOLD HER, I JUST WANTED TO BE A PEACEFUL NEIGHBOR, THAT MY INTENTION, I HAVE TWO, TWO KIDS, WELL, TWO OLDER KIDS, WHICH WOULD LIKE TO LIVE IN AUSTIN RIGHT NOW.
THEY'RE NOT IN AUSTIN, THEY'RE IN NEW YORK AND THERE ARE NOT HERE, BUT I BASICALLY, BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION, I WOULD LIKE THAT HOUSE TO BE KEPT IN MY FAMILY.
SHE SAID, NO, YOU'RE A BUILDER.
YOU'RE GOING TO BUILD SOMETHING.
AND SHE SAID, WELL, PUT ME IN WRITING THAT YOU WILL, WE'LL BUILD A HOUSE ACCORDING TO MY TASTE.
AND I SAID, WELL, I WILL, I CAN PUT IN WRITING THAT I WILL FOLLOW BECAUSE I ALWAYS FOLLOW THE RULES AND I WILL FOLLOW THE CODES AND I WILL FOLLOW WHATEVER THE CITY OR DANCE.
SO IT WAS REALLY, IT WAS A VERY, IT WAS 45 MINUTES OF JUST RECEIVING.
I MEAN, SHE, SHE OLD HER ARGUMENTS ON YOU.
YOU WILL FIND THOSE ON THE EMAILS WERE BASICALLY THAT I SHOULD BUILD AFFORDABLE, AFFORDABLE LIVING.
I SAID, WELL, I WISH I CAN CONTROL AFFORDABILITY IN THE CITY, BUT THAT'S NOT IN MY HANDS.
I JUST WANT TO BUILD SOMETHING LIVABLE FOR MY FAMILY.
SIDE-BY-SIDE I MEAN, TO HAVE FROM, FROM, FOR MY SON AND MY DAUGHTER.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE ONLY THING I'M JUST WILLING TO DO.
UM, THAT'S MY, THAT'S MY STORY.
AND I HAD ASKED AS, UM, I RECEIVED A NUMBER OF CALLS AND, UM, UH, AN EMAILS FROM CONCERNED NEIGHBORS, NOT, NOT JUST THAT ONE, BUT, UH, OTHERS WHO WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING IN KEEPING WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION.
UM, SO THAT WAS THE REASON I HAD ASKED YOU THAT.
DOES ANYONE, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? WELL, WE'LL TAKE HIM, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[03:00:01]
OKAY.UH, THE NEXT SPEAKER IN FAVOR.
MADAM CHAIR, UH, COMMISSIONER SCOTT, GOOD EVENING.
I'M A GEORGE GONZALEZ AND I'M A CIVIL, A CONSULTING ENGINEER, AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF, UH, MR. AL SAGA.
AND, UH, I DID AN EVALUATION OF A STRUCTURE, BUT TWO WEEKS AGO, AND I AM SUPPORTING AN, UH, SUPPLEMENT.
AND WHAT HE SAID IS THAT THE ONLY GOT TO SEE THE OUTSIDE OF THE STRUCTURE AND ONLY UNIT B, WHICH IS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FRONT OF THE PROPERTY.
AND, UH, AT THAT, UH, DO CONCUR THAT THERE'S SOME OF THE SYSTEMS OR THE INFRASTRUCTURE ARE IN A POOR, POOR CONDITION.
AND, UH, DEFINITELY WOULD TAKE A LOT OF REHABILITATION, NOT BRINGING THEM UP TO STANDARD BECAUSE ONCE YOU GO OVER 50% OF THE REHABILITATION, THE NICO SUPPLY TO THE, TO THE CONSTRUCTION AND, UH, PRIMARILY THE FOUNDATION IS A PREMIUM BEAM, CEDAR POSTS, AND IT'S A LOT OF REHAB.
THIS ORIGINAL FOUNDATION, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS A STANDARD.
UH, DOESN'T HAVE A CENTRAL AIR CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONING UNITS AND JUST WINDOW UNITS AND A CENTRAL FURNACE.
AND, UH, THERE'S, UH, HE DID MENTION, UH, RECENTLY THAT TERMITES WERE DISCOVERED ON THE REAR PORTION OF THE STRUCTURE.
THERE'S ALSO A SMALL SHARED STORAGE STRUCTURED TOWARDS THE BAG THAT I WANT THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN USED AS A, UM, A ONE CAR GARAGE, BUT IT'S SORT OF THE LAB DID.
AND IT WON'T, IT'S NOT GOING TO LAST MUCH LONGER.
SO TO RECAP, IT'S JUST THAT I BELIEVE THAT IT, UH, IT, UH, IT WOULD TAKE AN AMAZING AMOUNT OF EFFORT AND MONEY TO REHAB THE STRUCTURE, BRING IT UP TO STANDARDS, BRING IT UP TO CODE ACCORDING TO THE CITY OF, UH, ADOPT THE CODES.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE, UH, UH, PROPOSING FOR THE RELEASE OF THE MOTION PERMIT.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE SPEAKER? OKAY.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR? OKAY.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? OKAY.
UM, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
CAN I GET A SECOND SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER VILLAINS, VILLA, THANK YOU.
THAT HELPED TO PUT YOUR, UM, YOUR TWO AGAINST YOUR, AGAINST YOUR DARK CHAIR.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
IS THERE A MOTION ON THE CASE? I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO POSTPONE FOR ONE MONTH TO ASK THE APPLICANT, TO MEET WITH THE NEIGHBORS, TO DISCUSS PLANS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION ON THE SITE.
I'M NOT SURE MADAM SHERIFF, THAT'S GOING TO ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING.
I'M READING WHAT THE TONE OF SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS COMMENTS ARE.
UM, IT'S, IT'S NOT A MATTER OF WHETHER SOME OF THE DETAILING OR THE LOOK OF THIS MIGHT FIT.
IT'S THE WHOLE NATURE OF WHAT IT WOULD MEAN TO REPLACE THIS WITH WHAT ARGUABLY IS CERTAINLY A JUSTIFIABLE MARKET DRIVEN SOLUTION ON THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY.
UM, UM, UH, OTHER, OTHER THAN PROLONGING SOME OF THE, UH, ACRIMONY, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S GOING TO ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING.
AND I THINK ULTIMATELY IT COMES DOWN TO THE TOOLS WE HAVE.
UH, THIS IS NOT IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT.
IT IS NOT IN MY OPINION, WORTHY OF HISTORIC ZONING, EVEN THOUGH IT DOES HAVE A SOMEWHAT INTERESTING DISTINCTION OF BEING A RARE, UH, DUPLEX, BUNGALOW.
UH, I THINK IT'S IT'S PHYSICAL CONDITION.
UH, AND AGAIN, I'M GENERALLY THE ONE WHO SAYS YOU CAN RESTORE ANYTHING, BUT, UM, I I'M, I AM AWARE OF WHAT THAT WOULD TAKE IN THIS CASE.
AND I JUST DON'T SEE THAT THE BUILDING WOULD JUSTIFYING.
I UNDERSTAND THAT I UNDERSTAND THIS IS NOT A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
WE, UM, WE DON'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE PLANS, UM, TO EVEN COMMENT ON THEM.
BUT I THINK THERE WERE, UH, NEIGHBORS, UM, THE ONE NEIGHBOR, UM, NOT INCLUDING THE ONE NEIGHBOR WHO WAS SOMEWHAT
[03:05:01]
AGGRESSIVE WITH THE APPLICANT, WHO WOULD LIKE TO SORT OF WEIGH IN ON, ON A DESIGN.THIS NEIGHBORHOOD WAS LOOKING FOR LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT STATUS AND WAS WAITING FOR THE, UM, FOR THE ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY TO BE MADE PUBLIC, UM, TO GO FORWARD WITH, UH, WITH POSSIBLE LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
SO RIGHT NOW THAT NEIGHBORHOOD DOESN'T HAVE ANY OPPORTUNITY, UM, AND JUST WANTED THAT TO, UH, POSSIBLY APPROACH THE APPLICANT ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS, THAT IT, THAT IT BE IN CHARACTER WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT MAY BE ENOUGH THAT I EXPRESSED THAT HERE.
WELL, SINCE WE HAVE TO MAKE AN ACTION, I'LL GO AHEAD FOR DISCUSSION SAKE TO, UM, HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.
WE CERTAINLY WILL ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION, ADAPTIVE REUSE IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, UH, AND RELOCATION OVER DEMOLITION, BUT RELEASE THE PERMANENT BOND COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
DO I HEAR A SECOND? I HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER TO LET ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.
I WILL, FROM THE, FROM THE DIAS, ASK THE APPLICANT TO PLEASE BE COGNIZANT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF THE DESIGN OF THE, OF THE IMPACT OF NEW CONSTRUCTION, UH, ON THE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I ASKED THAT JUST AS A, UM, SOMEWHAT AS A POLITE REQUEST FROM THE DYESS.
AND, AND MADAM CHAIR, WE COULD USE THIS YET AS, AGAIN, A PERFECT EXAMPLE WHERE WE'RE THIS TO HAVE BEEN IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT AS ADJACENT PROPERTIES ARE, WE WOULD HAVE HAD MORE TOOLS.
UH, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO POINT TO THIS CLEARLY AS A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE AT THE VERY LEAST.
AND, UH, SINCE THOSE ARE ABSENT IN THIS CASE, IT, ONCE AGAIN, IT'S SORT OF AN ALL OR NOTHING UP OR DOWN, BUT, UH, I THINK IN THIS CASE, THAT'S THE REASON FOR MY MOTION.
I THINK THE, THE LOCAL INSTRUCT DISH DISTRICT INITIATIVE HAS BEEN KIND OF ON HOLD, WAITING FOR THE RESULTS OF THE ARCHITECTURAL RE UH, SURVEY.
SO, YOU KNOW, THEN WE HAVE, THERE ARE THESE CASES THAT COME UP AND SO WE'RE SORT OF IN A, ANOTHER LAND THERE.
UM, UH, CERTAINLY THEY COULD GO FORWARD AND WE COULD PROBABLY GET THOSE RESULTS, UH, IF, IF THAT WERE THE CASE.
BUT, UM, IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO RELEASE IT, SAY, AYE, ALL THOSE OPPOSED, NAY.
[3.D.13. DA-2022-001289 – 1700 Lavaca St. – Discussion Council District 9]
ON TO OUR LAST PUBLIC HEARING D 13, 1700 LAVACA.THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH THE CIRCA 1883 COMMERCIAL BUILDING AT 1700 LAVACA STREET.
THIS IS A ONE STORY COMMERCIAL BUILDING WITH A CHAMFERED CORNER ENTRY.
THE LOAD BEARING MASONRY BUILDING HAS DISTINCTIVE BRICK WORK, INCLUDING SEGMENTAL ARCHED, WINDOWS, AND DOOR OPENINGS, AND A CORBEL.
THE BRICK CORNICE OF THE PARAPET, THE MULTI LIGHT WINDOWS AND DOORS EXISTS CURRENTLY ARE NOT ORIGINAL, BUT ARE WITHIN THE ORIGINAL OPENINGS ON THE STREET FACING SIDES.
THE COMMERCIAL BUILDING AT 1700 LAVACA STREET WAS, UH, CONSTRUCTED FOR A MILL HANDLE.
I HOPE I'M SAYING THAT NAME CORRECTLY AROUND 1883 IS A GROCERY STORE BY 1903.
HAINO BUILT AND ADJOINING BUILDING AT 1702 TO 1706 LAVACA STREET AND EXPANDED HANDLES CASH STORE TO INCLUDE GENERAL MERCHANDISE, SUCH AS KITCHEN ITEMS, LAWN, AND GARDEN EQUIPMENT AND TOYS.
AND AUGUST W HANDLE CONTINUED TO RUN THE BUSINESS AFTER THEIR FATHER'S DEATH.
IN 1924, ACCORDING TO AUGUST HANDLED THE STORE WAS THE FIRST IN AUSTIN TO ADHERE STRICTLY TO CASH SALES, WHICH ALLOWED THEM TO PASS SOME SAVINGS ONTO THEIR CUSTOMERS.
THE STORE REMAINED IN OPERATION FOR APPROXIMATELY 70 YEARS UNTIL THE EARLY 1950S A MALE HANDLE SENIOR WAS A GERMAN IMMIGRANT WHO ARRIVED IN AUSTIN AND 7, 18 73.
HIS SONS WERE AVID BOWLERS IN THE AUSTIN SACCHARIN DAY AND OTHER LEADS LEAGUES AND THEIR WIVES WERE ACTIVE IN CHARITABLE WORK.
AFTER 1924 HANDLES CASH STORE CONSOLIDATED INTO 1702 TO 1706 LAVACA STREET AND TO CLOTHING
[03:10:01]
CLEANERS OCCUPIED 1700 LAVACA FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE HISTORIC PERIOD, OR AT LEAST UP UNTIL THE POINT AT WHICH WE STOP OUR CITY DIRECTORY RESEARCH.THE BUILDING APPEARS TO RETAIN MODERATE INTEGRITY.
CANOPIES OVER THE SIDEWALKS MAY HAVE CHANGED DURING THE HISTORIC PERIOD BASED ON SANBORN MAPS, AND THEY ARE NOT EXTANT FENESTRATION ON THE STREET.
FACING ELEVATIONS HAS BEEN REPLACED WITHIN THE ORIGINAL OPENINGS.
THE PROPERTY MAY MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION.
UH, THE BUILDING IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF A SMALL SCALE COMMERCIAL BUILDING WITH DISTINCTIVE BRICK WORK AND WITHIN THE SECTION OF DOWNTOWN, IT'S ONE OF THE LAST COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS OF ITS ERA THAT RETAINS INTEGRITY IN TERMS OF ITS HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS.
THE PROPERTY IS ASSOCIATED WITH AN EARLY AND LONG STANDING CENTRAL AUSTIN GROCERY HANDLES CASH STORE.
WELL, THE STORE MOVED INTO THE ADJOINING BUILDING AND ITS LATER YEARS, 1700 LAVACA IS THE BUILDING ORIGINALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE BUSINESS.
THE ADJACENT BUILDING THAT'S ACTUALLY SHOWN ON THE RIGHT HERE, UH, DOES NOT RETAIN HISTORIC INTEGRITY.
AND, UH, THE COMMISSION VOTED TO RELEASE ITS DEMOLITION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UM, SO THE SEPARATE COMMENDATION IS TO CONSIDER INITIATION OF HISTORIC ZONING.
IF THE COMMISSION FEELS IT MEETS THE CRITERIA FOR ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS WITH HANDLES CASH STORE AND EARLY IN LONGSTANDING CENTRAL AUSTIN GROCERY, IF THE COMMISSION CHOOSES NOT TO INITIATE THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE, BUT TO RELEASE THE PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UM, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF FROM THE COMMISSION? OKAY, THANK YOU.
UM, IS THERE SOMEONE HERE TO SPEAK, UH, IN FAVOR OF THE DEMOLITION AND HAD FIVE MINUTES? CORRECT.
I AM DREW RAVEL WITH THE JENNER GROUP.
UM, I AM PRESENTING, UH, FOR THE DEMOLITION PERMIT RELEASE AT 1700 LAVACA ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT AGENT LEAH BOGGIO, WHO COULD NOT BE WITH US THIS EVENING.
UM, WE UNDERSTAND THAT STAFF HAS PRESENTED THIS AS A DISCUSSION ITEM, BUT WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THE STRUCTURE DOES NOT MEET THE CITY'S CRITERIA TO BE DESIGNATED AS HISTORIC BEFORE.
BEFORE I GO INTO THE HISTORY OF THE BUILDING, HERE'S AN AERIAL OF THE SITE JUST ORIENT YOU WITH THE PROPERTY.
UH, 1700 LAVACA IS LOCATED HERE AT THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF LAVACA AND WEST 17TH STREET AND THE UPTOWN CAPITOL DISTRICT OF DOWNTOWN NEXT, PLEASE.
THIS IS A VERY SMALL BUILDING ON A VERY SMALL LOT, APPROXIMATELY 1100 SQUARE FEET STRUCTURE THAT IS CURRENTLY A PORTION OF THE EL MERCADO RESTAURANT.
THE ZONING IS DOWNTOWN MIXED JUICE AS CONSTRUCTION WAS CIRCUIT 1883 IT'S HISTORICAL USES ARE WITH A GROCER AND A CLEANERS.
HERE'S WHAT THE BUILDING LOOKS LIKE TODAY.
THE BRICK FACADE IS ALL THAT IT'S REMAINING.
THIS STORK FEATURES ON THIS BUILDING HAVE BEEN REMOVED.
HERE'S ANOTHER VIEW PRIOR ADDITIONAL STRUCTURES THAT WERE ON THE SITE OR ATTACHED TO THE STRUCTURE HAVE ALSO BEEN REMOVED AROUND THE TIME OF CONSTRUCTION.
THERE WAS AN ACCESSORY BUILDING THAT EXISTED, WHICH HAS SINCE BEEN REPLACED BY A SURFACE PARKING LOT.
IN ADDITION, FRAME TRIMMINGS OF THE BUILDING HAVE ALSO BEEN REMOVED.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, IN ORDER TO BE DESIGNATED HISTORIC, THE BUILDING MUST MEET TWO OF THE LISTED CRITERIA BY CODE ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORICAL INTERPRETATIONS ARE THE TWO THAT STAFF STATE MAY BE MET IN THIS INSTANCE.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE BEGINNING WITH THE ARCHITECTURE.
WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT UNFORTUNATELY, THIS STRUCTURE RETAINS A HIGH DEGREE OF INTEGRITY AS STATED IN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
THERE'S NO DISTINCTIVE ARCHITECTURAL STYLE HERE.
IT DOES NOT SHOWCASE A PARTICULAR INNOVATION IN DESIGN OR ITS CONSTRUCTION IS NOT A RARE BUILDING AND IT IS NOT DESIGNED BY A SIGNIFICANT ARCHITECT OR A NOTABLE BUILDER, OR DOES IT REPRESENT A ONE OF A KIND BUILDING NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
UH, SEVERAL OF ITS ORIGINAL NOTABLE FEATURES MOST NOTABLE IS THE ORIGINAL PORCH AND AWNING, A KEY FEATURE AND A KEY COMPONENT OF THE STYLE OF THE BUILDING.
THE SANBORN MAPS NOTED, UM, METAL CORNICES ON THE FRONT FACADE.
THERE WERE SOME SUPPORTING COBBLER STRUCTURES AND, UH, OUR SUPPORTING COBBLER STRUCTURE IN THE EARLY DAYS IN THE EARLY 19 HUNDREDS, THERE WERE ALSO SEVERAL SMALL FRAME ADDITIONS THAT, UH, SUPPORTED THE GROCERY AND CLEANER STRUCTURE USES, UM, THE DOORS AND WINDOWS ON THE BACK OF THE STRUCTURE, UH, PER THE OWNER APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN MODIFIED OR RECONSTRUCTED
[03:15:01]
AS WELL AS ON THE, UM, SOUTHERN ELEVATION.WE, THE OWNER HAS NOTED THAT THERE ARE TWO ORIGINAL WINDOWS THAT HAVE BEEN BRICKED UP AND THE WINDOW ON THE SOUTHERN ELEVATION WAS IN ADDITION SOMETIME IN THE MID 19 HUNDREDS.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, YOU CAN SEE FROM AN EARLY SANBORN MAP HERE OF THE STRUCTURE AND PINK, THAT THE ORIGINAL BUILDING HAD A WOOD PORCH THAT NOTABLY WRAPPED AROUND THE FRONT CORNER, SUCCEEDING MAPS SHOW THE PORCH BEING MODIFIED RECONFIGURED OVER TIME, AND THEN ULTIMATELY BEING REMOVED ENTIRELY.
ADDITIONALLY, IT HAD SOME ASSOCIATED, UH, RESIDENTIAL DWELLING THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER, EARLIER, PROVIDING CONTEXT OF THE TIME, WHICH ONCE SERVED AS THE RESIDENCE TO THE SHOP OWNER.
THIS PHOTO CIRCA 1900 IS PROBABLY THE MOST NOTABLE.
AND HERE YOU CAN SEE THE PORCH CONSTRUCTED OF METAL AND WOOD WAS A KEY COMPONENT BECAUSE IT ACCENTUATED THE SHAMPOO THIRD CORNER ENTRY, AS WELL AS THE KORBEL BRICK CORNICE, WHERE IT MEETS THE PARAPET.
THIS ORIGINAL FEATURE WAS VERY NOTABLE TO THE ORIGINAL ARCHITECTURE.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A QUOTE FROM A QUOTE FROM A US DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR PRESERVATION BRIEF ABOUT AWNINGS THAT SAYS GROTE AWNINGS NOT ONLY PLAYED AN IMPORTANT FUNCTIONAL ROLE, THEY HELPED DEFINE THE VISUAL CHARACTER OF OUR STREETSCAPES.
THIS PHOTO ALSO FROM BACKUP IS DATED 1903.
AND HERE AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE METAL PORCH TO THE BUILDING OVERALL SO MUCH THAT IT WAS CONTINUED ONTO THE NEWLY CONSTRUCTED ADJACENT BUILDING.
AND HERE IN THE POST 1903 PHOTO, YOU CAN SEE 1700 IN THE BACKGROUND.
THE METAL PORCH WITH WOOD POSTS HAS BEEN REMOVED AND REPLACED BY A FLAT SUSPENSION STYLE AWNING THAT WAS ANCHORED INTO THE PARAPET OF THE BUILDING.
IN MORE RECENT TIMES IN 1975, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE AWNINGS WERE REMOVED ENTIRELY AND REPLACED WITH INDIVIDUAL AWNINGS, WHICH MAKE THE WINDOWS AND DOORS APPEAR MUCH MORE PROMINENT THAN THEY WERE WHEN IT WAS CONSTRUCTED.
THE NEXT CRITERIA THAT STAFF IS PROPOSING THAT THE BUILDING MAY MEET IS A LAW, HAVING A LONGSTANDING SIGNIFICANT ASSOCIATION WITH A PERSON.
UNFORTUNATELY, THESE ASSOCIATIONS ARE PRETTY TENUOUS AND I THINK IT'S HARD TO LOOK AT THEM AND SAY THAT THEY HAVE LONG STANDING HISTORICS ASSOCIATION.
CAN YOU WRAP UP PLEASE? NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
THE THREE REMAINING CRITERIA ARE NOT MET, UM, ARCHEOLOGY AND COMMUNITY VALUE AND LANDSCAPE FEATURE.
AND WITH THAT, PLEASE, WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOUR RELEASE OF THE DEMOLITION PERMIT FOR THE STRUCTURE, WITH THE COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
DOES THE COMMISSION HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF THIS APPLICANT? OKAY.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE DEMOLITION REQUEST? IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THE DEMOLITION OF THIS BUILDING? OKAY.
UM, DO WE WANT TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING COMMISSIONER COOK? WAS THAT EMOTION? OKAY.
DO I HAVE A SECOND, A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER LAROCHE? ALL IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING, PLEASE SAY, AYE, RAISE YOUR HAND.
IF THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED, DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THE CASE? YES.
I'LL MOVE TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT PENDING THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER LAROCHE? ANY DISCUSSION? THAT'S JUST WANTED TO SAY I DO IT VERY REGRETFULLY AGAIN, BUT I JUST DON'T THINK THE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS ARE STRONG ENOUGH OR THAT THE ARCHITECTURE IN THIS REMNANT OF THE BUILDING, UM, WOULD WARRANT A LANDMARK CASE AGAINST THE OWNER'S WISHES.
UNLIKE OTHER CASES, WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, PICK WHICH ONES ARE WORTH IT AND THERE'S INTEGRITY ISSUES.
AND, UH, I'LL BE VERY SAD TO SEE DEL MERCADO THOUGH, AS MUCH AS ANYTHING, BUT, UH, AND ANOTHER HIT IN THIS PART OF TOWN.
BUT, UH, I JUST DON'T THINK IT RISES TO THE LEVEL OF A LANDMARK.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER HAIM, SETH.
UH, YES, I'VE BEEN DOING EVERYTHING I CAN TO RAISE THE ALARM ABOUT THIS VERY ISSUE, UH, WITH COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS IN OUR DOWNTOWN CORE.
UM, THE ECONOMICS ARE SUCH THAT, UH, IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING, JUST HIT THE SCALE.
THE OTHER WAY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE VERY LITTLE LEFT AND EVEN, UH, BUILDINGS HAVE MUCH HIGHER INTEGRITY
[03:20:01]
AND HAVING, UH, STRONGER CASES TO THE MADE, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE LOSING GROUND ON THOSE.UH, I WISH THIS, UM, DID MEET SOME OF THE OTHER CRITERIA IN A, IN A MORE MEANINGFUL WAY.
UH, I'M NOT COMPLETELY SOLD ON THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE NO AWNING, THEREFORE YOU HAVE NO HISTORIC INTEGRITY.
UH, THE AWNINGS, UH, WERE OFTENTIMES REBUILT, UH, BECAUSE JUST MAINTENANCE AND BEING ABLE TO RECREATE THOSE, UH, WOULD BE CERTAINLY APPROPRIATE IN MANY CASES.
IN FACT, ADJACENT BUILDINGS THAT ARE HISTORIC HAVE LOST THEIR AWNINGS, AND WE DID NOT REQUIRE THAT OF THEM, UH, IN ORDER TO, TO, UH, GO FORWARD.
UM, AND I ALSO KIND OF WISH THAT YOU HADN'T TOLD ME THAT ALL THE RENOVATIONS TOOK PLACE IN THE EIGHTIES, BECAUSE I WAS THINKING OF WHETHER THEY WERE 50 YEARS OF MARGARITA IS BEING SERVED AT EL MERCADO THAT MIGHT MEET SOME CULTURAL DEFINITION THERE, BUT I DON'T THINK WE CAN CATCH THAT UP EITHER.
SO, UH, ANYWAY, I I'M, I WISH THERE WAS MORE WE COULD DO.
AND I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT THIS IS YET ANOTHER DOMINO FALLING.
UH, I REALLY CAN'T EMPHASIZE ENOUGH, UH, THAT WE NEED MORE TOOLS, PARTICULARLY FOR THE THREATENED BUILDINGS IN THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT.
I THINK THE, THE BUILDING AS, AS PER THE PHOTOGRAPH 1975, THAT SHOWS THE INDIVIDUAL AWNINGS, I THINK THE BUILDING IS, IS, IS PRETTY INTACT FROM THAT, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY THE END OF THE, UH, HISTORIC AGE FOR NATIONAL REGISTER DESIGNATION.
UM, I AGREED THE AWNINGS AWNINGS CAME AND WENT, UM, SOMETIMES WERE WOODEN AND METAL AND BACK TO WOODEN.
I THINK THAT THE, THE, THAT TO SAY, THIS IS NOT AN EXAMPLE OF A RECOGNIZED ARCHITECTURAL STYLE.
IT IS AN EXAMPLE, ALTHOUGH NOT IN THE SOUTHWEST OF, OF A SORT OF TERRITORIAL STYLE THAT, UM, THAT YOU SEE IN THE BRICK CORNERS, THE BRICK DENTAL WORK, UH, THE SEGMENTAL ARCH WINDOWS THAT ARE MORE COMMON TO, UM, THE EL PASO REGION ON, UH, SOUTHERN ARIZONA, NEW MEXICO, UM, THAT THEY CALLED TERRITORIAL STYLE.
AND I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT'S PRETTY INTACT FROM THAT PERIOD.
I ALSO KNOW THAT, UM, THE EMO HAN HANDLE WAS A PROMINENT, UM, GROCER AND BUSINESSMAN, AND, UM, AUSTIN'S EARLY COMMERCIAL HISTORY, UH, FROM THE LATE 19TH CENTURY INTO THE 20TH CENTURY.
AND FINALLY, I HAVE HAD MANY MARGARITA'S HERE AT HAPPY HOUR AND IT DOES HAVE A COMMERCIAL, OR IT HA HAS CULTURAL VALUE FOR ME AND THE DOG AND DUCK GANG, UM, FROM LONG AGO.
BUT, UM, I DO THINK, I WISH HE WOULD TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
I KNOW THE, THE ZEITGEISTS IS PROBABLY GOING TOWARDS RELEASING THE DEMO PERMIT, BUT I, I THINK THAT IT IS, I THINK THAT IT IS SHORTSIGHTED TO THINK THAT THIS DOES NOT HAVE, BECAUSE IT'S NOT HIGH STYLE ARCHITECTURE, THAT IT DOESN'T HAVE ARCHITECTURE ABOUT ARCHITECTURAL VALUE IN THE VERNACULAR EXPRESSION OF THE BRICK WORK AND THE SEGMENTAL ARCH WINDOWS, THE SHAFFORD CORNER.
UM, THIS IS A UNIQUE BUILDING, UH, AND THE SMALL NATURE OF IT SHOULDN'T, UH, DETER US, I THINK FROM CONSIDERING, UM, ITS HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? OKAY.
UM, THE MOTION IS TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF AN AUSTIN CITY, BOSTON DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR HAND, ANY OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND JUST BEYOND THE RECORD.
LOOK, SOMEBODY HAS TO SAY SOMETHING RIGHT.
I'M OPPOSED, UH, COMMISSIONER HEIM, SOUTH, AS OPPOSED.
UM, THE MOTION PASSES AND ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST.
UM, THAT'S THE END OF OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS.
WE HAVE NO, UH, CASES FOR DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE, UH, AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY DISCUSSION FOR APPLICATIONS
[03:25:01]
FOR TAX ABATEMENT COMMISSION[4.A. Discussion and Possible Action on Committee Reports]
AND STAFF ITEMS, A COMMITTEE REPORTS, ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, UM, COMMISSIONER COOK.THERE WERE A NUMBER OF THAT PASSED ON CONSENT HERE THAT WE SAW, UM, 84 RAINY.
UM, IF YOU ALL LOOK AT THE BACKUP WAS, WAS AN INTERESTING APPROACH.
IT WAS, UH, WE PREFER NOT SEEING RELOCATIONS, BUT IT WAS A RELOCATION OF A, UM, HISTORIC HOME ON THE SAME SITE.
UH, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE ADDING A PASEO THAT TIES BACK TO THE MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER AND KIND OF CREATING A SIDE STREET THERE.
SO, AND THERE, THEY WERE LEAVING DECENT AMOUNT OF DISTANCE BETWEEN THE HOMES, SO THAT MIDDLE STILL, YOU KNOW, THE HUMBLE STILL BE THERE AND PEOPLE WILL STILL BE WALKING BY IT AND IT MAY HELP TIE A MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER IN, INTO RAINY STREET THERE.
SO, UH, THAT WAS AN INTERESTING APPROACH.
UM, AND THEN THE JACOB FONTANE GOLD DOLLAR BUILDING, WE DO HAVE A, UM, A TENANT.
UH, WHO'S GOING TO BE OPENING A RESTAURANT THERE.
WHO'S TALKING TO US ABOUT OPENING UP THAT SECOND PORCH.
AND IT'S AN INTERESTING CASE BECAUSE I THINK WE ALL HAVE COME TO KNOW IT, TO BE ENCLOSED WITH THE WEATHERED WOOD LIKE WE'VE SEEN, BUT, UH, MS. BERMAN AND I, UM, TOURED IT WITH THE OWNER AND, UM, IT HAD A PREVIOUS APPROVAL TO REMOVE THE WINDOWS AND THE WINDOWS ARE JUST A LOWER SASH, NO UPPER STASH.
UH, THERE IS A TRACK WHERE THE LOWER SASHA GO RISE UP AND MAKE IT AN OPEN AIR.
UM, I'M ASSUMING IT WAS A SLEEPING PORCH, UH, BUT SINCE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY APPROVED, THAT WAS APPROVED ADMINISTRATIVELY AND, UM, THEY ARE GONNA BE DOING SOME DEMO OF INTERIOR.
PEOPLE WERE TO UNCOVER WHAT APPEARS TO BE AN ORIGINAL 1920 SECOND FLOOR, UM, CONSTRUCTION.
SO WE'RE GOING VERY CAREFULLY WITH THIS ONE.
UH, WE WANT TO BRING THAT BUILDING BACK TO LIFE AND HAVE PEOPLE OCCUPIED AGAIN.
UM, BUT, UH, THEY SHOULD BE COMING BACK, UH, IN THREE WEEKS AS WELL, AND PROBABLY HAVE ANOTHER SITE VISIT TO, TO VERY CAREFULLY LOOK AT HOW THAT UPPER PORT SHOULD BE TREATED.
UM, I'D ADD, WE SAW, UM, THE 14TH STREET, UM, PROPERTY IN SWEDISH HILL AND ALSO THE EIGHT CONDOMINIUMS, UM, ON THE WEST END OF THE WESTLINE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UM, AND, UH, THAT WAS, THEY BROUGHT SOME, UM, CONCEPTUAL PLANS THAT WERE PRETTY, UH, PRETTY NICELY, UH, ADOPTED SOME OF THE, THE ROOF LINES AND OTHER CHARACTERISTICS OF THE, OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, THE HISTORIC DISTRICT IN WHICH IT, IT LIES.
UM, I ALMOST PULLED 84 RAINY STREET JUST TO TALK ABOUT IT, BUT I'M GLAD THAT YOU DID, UH, COMMISSIONER COOK BECAUSE, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT WAS AN INTERESTING APPROACH.
AND, AND WHILE WE, WE DON'T LIKE TO SEE, UM, CONTRIBUTING PROPERTIES MOVED.
IT WAS, IT LOOKED LIKE DOWN THE LINE IF IT WERE LEFT IN PLACE THAT IT WOULD BE SUBJECT TO DEMOLITION, UM, ULTIMATELY, AND, UH, AND THIS LOOKED TO BE A GOOD, UH, RESPONSE TO THAT.
DO WE HAVE, UH, ANY REPORTS FROM OPERATIONS COMMITTEE? I DON'T THINK SO.
BEFORE, BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE, WE DO HAVE THREE MORE STAFF PRESENTATIONS, UH, TWO WITH THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE AND ONE WITH A HYBRID MEETING FORMAT.
DID WE WANT TO EXTEND THE MEETING? UH, NOW? UM, JUST SO WE HAVE AMPLE TIME TO GET THROUGH THESE PRESENTATIONS, ARE WE GOING TO HAVE A PRESENTATION BY KARA BERTRAN? YES, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THAT.
UM, WELL, LET'S GO AHEAD AND EXTEND.
UH, LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GET THROUGH THE 20 MINUTES, BUT, UM, WE CAN VOTE.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO EXTEND OUR TIME LIMIT BEYOND 10 O'CLOCK TO EXTEND THE TIME TO 10 30? OKAY.
OH, DO I HEAR A SECOND SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER TO LET THE MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER COOK? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF EXTENDING THE TIME TO 10 30, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
WE HAVE, UH, THREE OPPOSE COMMISSIONER LAROCHE, FEATHERSTON, AND .
SO WE BETTER, UM, IT PASSES, BUT WE BETTER HURRY UP.
PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE UPDATE ON PRESERVATION PLAN WORKING GROUP BY CARA BERTRAN.
KARA, ARE YOU WITH US? I AM GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
[03:30:02]
UM, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOUR FACE SINCE I'M GOING TO TRY, I'M GOING TO TRY TO TALK QUICKLY.UM, BUT I'M ALSO, I'M VERY PLEASED TO, UM, GIVE YOU ALL THIS UPDATE.
UM, SO, UH, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, AMBER, THANK YOU.
UH, FIRST I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO VISIT THE PROJECT WEBSITE AND REVIEW THE DOCUMENTS, WHICH ARE UPDATED EVERY MONTH.
THESE INCLUDE MEETING AGENDAS, BACKGROUND, BRIEF PRESENTATIONS AND MEETING SUMMARY.
SO I'M GOING TO KIND OF SKIM OVER WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING, BUT I REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO DIG IN CAUSE IT'S SOME REALLY INTERESTING INFORMATION NEXT SLIDE.
SO HERE'S WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING THE EQUITY-BASED PRESERVATION PLAN.
WE'RE ROUGHLY HALFWAY THROUGH PHASE ONE, WHICH FOCUSES ON DRAFTING A FRAMEWORK FOR THE PLAN WITH THE PRESERVATION PLAN WORKING GROUP, UH, PHASE TWO WILL INCLUDE EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT, AND WE'LL BEGIN THIS FALL.
NEXT LINE IS THE GOAL OF THE PLAN, AS YOU MAY REMEMBER, IS TO REPLACE OUR 1981 PRESERVATION PLAN WITH AN INCLUSIVE EQUITY FOCUSED IN COMMUNITY ORIENTED PROCESS AND OUTCOME.
AND HERE IS THE VISION FOR THE PLAN AS IT'S NEW CONTENT AS OF LAST FALL, BUT I'M NOT SURE YET YOU MAY NOT HAVE SEEN IT BEFORE.
SO THE VISION IS THAT HISTORICAL PRESERVATION IN AUSTIN ACTIVELY ENGAGES COMMUNITIES IN PROTECTING AND SHARING IMPORTANT PLACES.
PRESERVATION USES THE PAST TO CREATE A SHARED SENSE OF BELONGING AND TO SHAPE AN EQUITABLE, INCLUSIVE, SUSTAINABLE, AND ECONOMICALLY VITAL FUTURE FOR ALL NEXT SLIDE.
SO THAT VISION STATEMENT WAS DRAWN FROM THE COMMUNITY HERITAGE SURVEY THAT WE, UM, WE DID LAST SEPTEMBER, WE'VE GOT NEARLY 170 RESPONSES AND THE LANGUAGE AND THE IDEAS FROM THAT VISION STATEMENT PRETTY MUCH CAME, UM, WERE DISTILLED DIRECTLY FROM THAT SURVEY.
THE SURVEY HAD A REALLY ROBUST RESPONSE, UM, LIKE YEAH, 170 RESPONSES.
IT'S NOT STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT, BUT THEY WERE 170 VERY THOUGHTFUL RESPONSES FROM FOLKS WHO CAME FROM ALL OVER THE CITY AND WHO WERE PRETTY RACIALLY AND ETHNICALLY DIVERSE.
UM, SINCE THEN THE WORKING GROUP HAS MET THREE TIMES AND WE'LL COME, UH, YOU CAN SEE THE COMMUNITY HERE DID SURVEY IN THERE.
UH, NEXT SLIDE WE TALKED IN OCTOBER ABOUT HERITAGE IN AUSTIN, KIND OF A BACKGROUND, UH, TO GET EVERYONE ON THE SAME PAGE, WHAT'S CURRENTLY REVIEWED THE TYPES OF DISTRICT PROPERTIES, HOW HISTORY, HOW HISTORICAL VIEW HAPPENS IN BROAD STROKES AND WHO WAS DOING THE REVIEWING.
SO YOU MAY REMEMBER WE HAD A SURVEY FOR STAFF AND HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSIONERS TO GET SOME KIND OF DEMOGRAPHIC AND INCOME INFORMATION.
YOU BUILT THAT UP IN NOVEMBER, THE WORKING GROUP TALKED ABOUT TANGIBLE BUILT HERITAGE, INCLUDING HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEYS AND CONCEPTS AROUND INTEGRITY.
UM, DIGGING IN NOT SUPER DEEP, BUT, BUT, UH, DEFINITELY GETTING INTO SOME OF THE WEEDS TO HELP, UM, WORKING GROUP MEMBERS UNDERSTAND, UH, WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING AND WHAT'S WHAT'S POSSIBLE.
AND WE MIGHT MOVE TOWARD GREATER EQUITY AND JUST SOME CHALLENGES AROUND, UH, TYPICAL PRACTICES AND PRESERVATION, NEXT SLIDE.
AND THEN IN DECEMBER LAST MONTH WE EXPLORED, UH, INTANGIBLE HERITAGE.
SO THE TRADITIONS PRACTICES, CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS, AND MORE THAT ADD MEANING TO PLACES, THESE SLIDES, UM, AS I, THE PAST FEW SLIDES, UH, HAVING IT SPREADS FROM THE BRIEFS THAT STAFF PUT TOGETHER, UM, AS BACKGROUND EVERY MONTH.
AGAIN, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE A LOOK THERE ON THE WEBSITE AND IT'S JUST REALLY A CHEESER.
SO I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THE WORKING GROUP IS COMING UP WITH DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ALL TO UNDERSTAND, UM, EVERY MONTH THE GROUP CHAPELS A NEW TOPIC WITH A BACKGROUND BRIEF BACKGROUND PRESENTATION IN THE MEETING, UM, AND DISCUSSION THEN THE FULL GROUP PROVIDES A DIRECTION TO THE DRAFTING COMMITTEE, WHICH THE NINE, NINE MEMBERS OF COMMITTEE OF THE FULL WORKINGS.
AND THEY ACTUALLY COME UP WITH DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS.
THIS IS A LITTLE SUBSET OF THE DRAFTING COMMITTEE.
UH, SO TO TRY TO ENSURE THAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS DON'T NEGATIVELY IMPACT MR. OAKLEY, UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES, SCREEN PEOPLE WHO HAVE GROUPS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HARMED BY CITY POLICIES IN THE PAST, THE COMMITTEE USES THE EQUITY EVALUATION FRAMEWORK AS A GUIDE.
AND I MENTIONED THIS IN THE SEPTEMBER UPDATE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE USED IT SINCE FOR SEVERAL SETS OF RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, AND IF A RECOMMENDATION HAS A NEGATIVE SCORE ON ANY OF THESE IT'S DISCUSSED IN GREAT DETAIL, AND WE TRY TO FIGURE OUT IF THE RECOMMENDATION NEEDS TO BE, UM, ADAPTED OR, OR SCRAPPED NEXT SLIDE.
[03:35:01]
SO THEN, UH, THE DRAFT RECOMMENDS TO THE EQUITY.SO THE DRAFTING COMMITTEE COMES UP WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS, DOES THAT COMMITTEE EVALUATION FRAMEWORK.
AND THEN WE PASS THE DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS TO A FEW KEY GROUPS OF STAKEHOLDERS, THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE OF THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION, THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP OF CITY STAFF OF BOTH DEPARTMENTS, UH, OUR DEPARTMENT LEADERSHIP AND FOCUS GROUPS.
WHEN, UM, WHEN RELEVANT WE HAVE THREE FOCUS GROUPS, CULTURAL AND HERITAGE ORGANIZATIONS, LEGACY BUSINESSES, AND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, EACH OF WHICH IS MEETING TWO OR THREE TIMES FOR REAL, REAL TARGETED TIMES.
UM, LET'S SEE, I MENTIONED EARLIER, PHASE TWO IS WHEN THE REAL WIDESPREAD COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WILL HAPPEN.
AND WHEN MORE, DO MORE INTENSIVE ENGAGEMENT LIKE WITH ALL OF YOU COMMISSIONERS WILL HAPPEN.
SO THIS IS A VERY, VERY FOCUSED FEEDBACK THAT WE'RE GETTING THAT FEEDBACK HAS COMPILED AND THEN PRESENTED IT TO THE PRESERVATION AND I'M WORKING GROUP ALONG WITH THE DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REVIEW.
UM, AND THEN THE DRAFTING COMMITTEE PROVIDES THE DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON FEEDBACK, UM, FROM THE WORKING GROUP.
AND SO WE ENDED UP WITH THAT RECOMMENDATIONS BOX.
THESE ARE STILL DRAFT, RIGHT? THESE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WILL GO INTO A DRAFT PLAN FOR ENGAGEMENT, FOR DISCUSSION, FOR A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH, UM, AND FEEDBACK FROM LOTS OF OTHER FOLKS.
SO, UM, WE ARE WORKING UP TO THE FEBRUARY MEETING ON INCENTIVES.
UM, THE FEBRUARY MEETING WILL BE A BIG ONE.
I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT LOTS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT IN THE WORKING GROUP, IN THE COMMUNITY FOR AWHILE.
AND THEN IN THE COMING MONTHS, WE'LL TACKLE ENFORCEMENT ENFORCEMENT AND PROTECTION PROCESSES AND FEES AND OUTREACH, EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT.
THAT WILL ALSO BE, I THINK, A REALLY HEFTY TOPIC.
AND THEN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS WILL BE SPENT, UM, REVIEWING RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, KIND OF LOOKING AT EVERYTHING, HOW EVERYTHING FITS TOGETHER AND THEN TALKING ABOUT NEXT STEPS.
UM, WE DO, UH, HAVE YET WE NEED TO GET FINAL APPROVAL FROM THE WORKING GROUP TO SHIFT, UM, TO HAVE A FINAL MEETING IN JULY BECAUSE WE DID SHIFT, UH, THE SCHEDULE BACK BY A MONTH BY NOT HAVING A MEETING IN JANUARY.
SO THAT MAY CHANGE, BUT THAT'S OUR HOPE NEXT SLIDE.
SO THIS POINT, UM, ROUGHLY HALFWAY THROUGH THE PROCESS, HERE'S HOW WE STAND BY THE NUMBERS, WHICH IS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE IN TERMS OF TIME THAT PEOPLE ARE DEDICATING TO THIS PROJECT.
UH, IT IS A RELATIVELY SMALL GROUP, BUT IT IS, UH, AN INTENSIVE COMMITMENT, PARTICULARLY FROM THE WORKING GROUP.
UM, WE DON'T DON'T HAVE NUMBERS FROM THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE, BUT I MIGHT, I MIGHT COLLECT THOSE FROM YOU ALL AT SOME POINT, SO WE CAN INCLUDE THOSE, UM, NEXT SLIDE.
SO WE SURVEYED WORKING GROUP MEMBERS.
UM, LAST, I GUESS, EARLY MUST HAVE BEEN LAST MONTH.
TIME HAS BEEN A LITTLE FUZZY, UM, TO SEE HOW THEY THOUGHT THE PROCESS WAS GOING HALFWAY THROUGH.
UM, THIS WAS A SUGGESTION OF A WORKING GROUP MEMBER, WHICH IS A REALLY GOOD ONE.
WE HAVEN'T DUG DEEPLY INTO THE RESULTS, BUT I'M HAPPY TO SHARE SOME RESPONSES WITH Y'ALL.
UH, THIS EVENING YOU CAN SEE THAT HERE THAT MOST PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THE PROCESS IS GOING WELL AND THAT THEIR VOICES ARE HEARD.
UM, AS YOU MENTIONED, WE RECEIVED 17 RESPONSES FROM OUR 26 WORKING GROUP MEMBERS.
SO IT'S A DECENT REPRESENTATION, BUT NOT 100% COMPLETE.
UM, AND THE ONE PERSON WHO DISAGREED IS THAT I, I BELIEVE THE PERSON WHO ACTUALLY SUGGESTED HAVING THIS CHECK-IN SURVEY AND HAS BEEN ENGAGING IN DIALOGUE WITH US ON SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN DO BETTER AROUND EQUITY PRACTICES.
SO THAT'S, UM, ENCOURAGING NEXT SLIDE FOLKS SUGGESTED A HANDFUL OF CHANGES TO MAKE THE PROCESS MORE EFFECTIVE, MAKING SURE THAT DISCUSSIONS REMAIN FOCUSED, YOU KNOW, REALLY EXPLICITLY TALKING AS A GROUP ABOUT, ABOUT BALANCING IDEALISM VERSUS WHAT CAN ACTUALLY GET DONE, UM, PROVIDING SOME CLARITY ON WHAT THE FINAL PRODUCT AND IMPLEMENTATION, UM, HAVING MORE PUBLICITY AROUND THE PLANNING PROCESS, WHICH I THINK IS GOING TO BE HELPFUL JUST TO DISCUSS WHAT PHASE TWO LOOKS LIKE MORE WITH THE GROUP AND THEN SOME ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES, NEXT SLIDE.
UM, AND WE ALSO ASKED HOW EQUITY COULD BE BETTER CENTERED IN THE PROCESS.
AND SO I THINK IT'S EASY FOR US TO STAFF SOMETIMES WITH THE BEST OF INTENTIONS TO SLIP INTO BUSINESS AS USUAL.
AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO BE, UM, ABOUT IT AND ALSO HEAR FROM FOLKS WHO WERE, WHO WERE, UH, SPEND SMARTER THAN WE ARE ABOUT THESE THINGS.
UM, SO THEY FOLKS HAD SOME GOOD SUGGESTIONS, UM, IN TERMS OF, UM, MAKING SURE WE GET FEEDBACK AGAIN.
I THINK THAT IT'S GONNA, UM, WE'LL REALLY DIG MORE INTO THAT IN PHASE TWO.
UM, THINKING ABOUT WITH PHASE TWO, THAT PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT IN EDUCATION ABOUT PRESERVATION, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT EQUITY MEANS, PUTTING HONEST DISCUSSIONS, UM, ACKNOWLEDGING THE PAST, UH, RECOGNIZING CHALLENGES
[03:40:02]
THAT ARE OUT OF OUR CONTROL OR ON STATE LINES, UM, AND CHALLENGE THAT MAYBE WITHIN OUR CONTROL AROUND, AROUND ROADBLOCKS TO ACCESSING LOCAL RESOURCES, UM, CREATING MORE TANGIBLE INCENTIVES FOR PRESERVATION AND TO MAKE SURE THAT PRESERVATION IS IN PRICING FOLKS OUT.UM, SO OUR NEXT STEPS, UH, ARE TO CONTINUE THE WORKING GROUP MEETINGS, TO COLLABORATE CLOSELY WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN SUPPORT AND IMPLEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS THAT FALL OUTSIDE THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE AND HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSIONS PER VIEWS.
UM, IT'S REALLY, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A PLAN FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION ACROSS THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND NOT JUST FOR FOLKS FOR WHOM PRESERVATION IS THE TOP PRIORITY THAT STAFF IS COMPILING THE DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS SO FAR AND SOME SUPPORTING INFORMATION INTO A FRAMEWORK FOR THE DRAFT PLAN WITH THE WORKING GROUP WE'LL REVIEW.
UM, IT STARTS BEGINNING TO PUT, UH, PUT THE SKELETON, THE GOLDENS TOGETHER INTO A SKELETON.
UH, AND WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO PHASE TWO, WHICH WILL BE THAT EXTENSIVE AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WORK TO ENSURE THAT IT'S SET UP FOR SUCCESS.
UM, STAFF IS DEVELOPING A SCOPE NOW AND WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR COLLEAGUES, UH, IN OUR DEPARTMENTS COMMUNICATIONS TEAM.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT, UH, WHAT THEY CAN DO, WHAT WE CAN DO AND WHAT FUNDS WILL BE NECESSARY TO HIRE CONSULTANTS TO DO THE REST OF IT.
I WANTED TO SHOW YOU ALL THE, UH, THE PROJECT WEBSITE AND, UH, POSSIBLY USE THE VERB, IMPLORE YOU TO CHECK IT OUT.
UM, I THINK THIS, UH, YEAH, THERE'S SO MUCH MORE GOING ON THAN I'M ABLE TO SHARE AND MORE DETAIL.
UM, SO I HOPE YOU WILL GO TO THAT WEBSITE.
THE, UM, WEBSITE ADDRESS IS CASE SENSITIVE FOR THE SHORT LENGTH.
UM, YOU CAN ALSO SEARCH AUSTIN CONSERVATION PLAN AND IT SHOULD COME UP.
UM, TOMORROW I'M GOING TO BE SENDING OUT A MEMO, UH, WITH A BRIEF UPDATE TO RELATED BOARDS IN COMMISSIONS, UH, ABOUT THE PLAN, SOME OF, SOME OF THESE OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS HAD ASKED, UM, FOR UPDATES, UH, A PRESENTATION TO UPDATE THEM ON THE PLAN.
AND WE THOUGHT THAT IT MADE THE MOST SENSE TO SEND HIM A WRITTEN UPDATE SINCE WE'RE NOT QUITE, WE'RE NOT AT A WATERSHED POINT YET, WE'RE HAPPY TO GO AND TALK TO HIM ABOUT IT.
UM, WE WANTED TO GIVE THEIR INFORMATION IN WRITING, UH, AND, AND LET THEM KNOW WE WILL BE DOING FORMAL ABORIGINAL FALLING.
WE'RE HAPPY TO DO A PRESENTATION NOW IF THEY LIKE.
SO ANYWAY, I'M GONNA BE SENDING THAT OUT TO MYRIAD BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
UM, AND, UH, I WILL SEND Y'ALL A COPY, SO YOU CAN HAVE THAT AS WELL.
UM, THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT YOU WISH TO POINT A TO PASS ONTO YOUR APPOINTING COUNCIL MEMBERS TO KEEP THEM APPRISED OF THE PROCESS.
IT'S PRETTY SUCCINCT AND, UM, AND MAYBE HELPFUL FOR THEM COMMUNICATION TO Y'ALL.
THAT'S THE PRESENTATION DO YOU HAVE OR WHAT QUESTIONS DO YOU HAVE OR COMMENTS? OKAY, GUYS, THIS IS YOUR BIG CHANCE.
ANY QUESTIONS? WELL, THANK YOU, KARA, FOR THIS PRESENTATION UPDATE TO, TO THE WHOLE GROUP.
UM, I THINK, I THINK WE'RE ALL INTERESTED IN AN EXCITING, EXCITED ABOUT THE, UM, THE PROGRESS THAT YOU'VE MADE, UM, WHICH IS CONSIDERABLE.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, COMMISSIONER COOK THE NOTE FROM THE WORKING GROUP THAT IT'S, IT'S KIND OF A LOT TO SWALLOW SEEING THE BIG PICTURE, BUT, UH, KARA IS LEADING IT VERY WELL AND, UM, SEEING AS MANY PEOPLE INVOLVED AND HAVE HAVING THE INPUT CONSOLIDATED.
SO, SO WELL HAS, HAS BEEN WONDERFUL TO SEE, AND IT'S, IT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS AND IT'S A LONG ROAD TO HOE.
SO WE'RE A GOOD WAYS IN, BY GETTING A LOT OF INFORMATION AND SHOULD HAVE A LOT OF GOOD PERSPECTIVES TO SHARE.
I JUST, I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE KEEPING UP WITH THIS AND THE MEETING SCHEDULE THAT KARA HAS BEEN MOST, UH, INVOLVED IN, IN THIS.
AND I, I JUST, I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU THAT AS A, AS A COMPLIMENT MAYBE, OR, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST TO, AS A PUSH TO KEEP YOU GOING HERE.
CAUSE I KNOW SOMETIMES YOU'VE BEEN BURNING THE MIDNIGHT OIL ON IT TO GET THESE, UH, UPDATES TO US AND GET THE WORKING GROUPS, UM, GOING, SO THANK YOU.
UM, IS THERE ANYTHING, UH, I KIND OF SKIPPED OVER THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE AND, UH, BETH FELONS WILLA, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO ADD? I JUST
[03:45:01]
WANTED TO ECHO THE SENTIMENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN SAID, BUT ALSO TO PUT A PLUG IN ANOTHER PLUGIN FOR, UM, COMMISSIONERS TO VISIT THE WEBSITE, TO SPEAK UP WEBSITES THAT HAS, UM, ALL OF THE MEETING DOCUMENTS, UM, ON THERE AND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE WORKING GROUP.UM, THE, UH, BRIEF THAT STAFF ARE PUTTING TOGETHER, UH, TO HELP THE WORKING GROUP PREPARE FOR THOSE MEETINGS OR OUTSTANDING AND A GOOD PRIMER FOR ALL OF US.
UM, THERE'S JUST A LOT, A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION THAT'S SINCE SYNTHESIZED, UM, IN THOSE BRIEFS AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND GOING THROUGH, UM, AND, AND TAKING A LOOK AT THOSE.
UM, THE LATEST ONE, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK IT'S UP YET, UH, BUT ON SCENT, ON IT'S ON INCENTIVES HAS A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE GREAT FOR US TO PASS ON, UM, TO APPLICANTS, UM, AS WE'RE KIND OF GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
SO I JUST WANT TO PUT, PUT A PLUG IN FOR THAT AS WELL.
AND THANKS TO COMMISSIONER COOK FOR MEETING WITH THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE FROM THE WORKING GROUP.
UM, SO HE'S DOING A TRIPLE DUTY HERE AS WELL.
SO ON THE NEXT ITEM, UH, WE HAVE HERE IS PRO PREPARATION OF THE HLC BUDGET PROPOSAL.
AND, UH, I ALSO WANT TO ECHO THE, THANKS TO KARA, BOTH FOR MAKING THE PRESENTATION TONIGHT AND FOR THE INCREDIBLE WORK ON THE, UH, PRESERVATION PLAN WORKING GROUP.
UH, SO THIS NEXT ITEM IS ALSO RELATED TO THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE AT THE PREVIOUS MEETING.
THE COMMITTEE REQUESTED THAT THE COMMISSION DELEGATE RESPONSIBILITY FOR PREPARING THE COMMISSION'S BUDGET REQUEST, UM, THAT WILL GIVE US SOME, SOME MORE NIMBLENESS FOR STAFF IN THAT COMMITTEE TO MEET AND DISCUSS A PROSPECTIVE BUDGET REQUEST BEFORE THAT NEEDS TO BE PASSED BY THE FULL COMMISSION.
SO I GUESS WE ARE JUST, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF THOSE COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD, BUT I THINK WHAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR IS A, A VOTE TO DELEGATE RESPONSIBILITY FOR AT LEAST DRAFTING THAT, UM, BUDGET PROPOSAL TO THE COMMITTEE.
I WOULD ENTERTAIN SUCH A MOTION TO DELEGATE.
WOULD YOU READ THESE WORDS? IT'S TOO LATE FOR ME, I'M TRYING TO, I'M TRYING TO BE VERY FAST.
TO, TO DELEGATE RESPONSIBILITY TO THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE, TO COME BACK TO THE COMMISSION WITH A DRAFT, A BUDGET PROPOSAL.
I THOUGHT WE WERE DELEGATING TO STAFF.
SO THE PR THE MOTION IS TO DELEGATE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE TO COME BACK WITH A BUDGET PROPOSAL TO THE HLC.
AND DOES ANYBODY WANT TO MAKE THAT MOTION? DO I HEAR A SECOND SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER MCWHORTER? THE MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER COOK, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING, AYE, RAISING YOUR HAND.
IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY AND THAT'S DONE.
I WAS HOPING THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY QUITE 10, BUT WE WE'RE SO CLOSE.
[4.B. Hybrid meeting format]
THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS AN UPDATE ON THE HYBRID MEETING FORMAT, AND THAT IS, AND THE BRIEFEST WAY POSSIBLE THAT SIMPLY TO SAY THAT, UM, YOU ARE YOU'RE ENGAGED IN A HYBRID MEETING CURRENTLY BY A MERRITT OF THE FACT THAT THE COMMISSIONERS ARE PARTICIPATING REMOTELY, THAT WAS ENABLED BY RECENT ACTION BY CITY COUNCIL TO STEP UP AN EFFECTIVE DATE.IT ALSO GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, ALLOW TELEPHONE PARTICIPATION FROM THE PUBLIC.
WE WERE NOT ABLE TO DO THAT TONIGHT BECAUSE WE HAD ALREADY MAILED NOTIFICATIONS THAT CLEARLY SAID, YOU MUST COME TO CITY HALL TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS MEETING.
SO THOSE NOTIFICATIONS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN VALID IF WE WERE TO TRY TO SWITCH TO A HYBRID SYSTEM FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING, BUT WE WILL BE, WE ARE INTENDING TO IMPLEMENT THAT FOR THE NEXT MEETING IN FEBRUARY, UM, DETAILS TO BE WORKED OUT IN TERMS OF EXACTLY HOW THAT WILL OCCUR, BUT I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
I DON'T KNOW IF I WILL BE ABLE TO ANSWER THEM.
UM, AND WHEN SOMEONE SAID SOMEONE ASKED, UH, IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO PRESENT, WHEN WE'VE BEEN DOING THE VIRTUAL MEETINGS, WE HAVE, WE HAVE REDUCED THE AMOUNT OF TIME.
UM, AND SO HERE WE ARE TONIGHT WITH ALL THE COMMISSIONERS VIRTUAL AND THE PEOPLE IN PERSON, HOW ARE WE GOING TO FOR THE VIRTUAL MEETINGS THAT WE'VE HAD? WE'VE, WE'VE ASKED THEM TO REDUCE THEIR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES FOR THE FIRST PERSON, AND THEN TWO MINUTES AFTERWARDS,
[03:50:01]
OR ONE MINUTE.SO WE HAVE GONE BACK AND FORTH ON THIS.
AND I KINDA LIKE TO KNOW, UM, GOING INTO, UH, INTO OUR NEXT MEETING.
I, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO HAVE THE COMMISSION'S DIRECTION ON THAT.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT WE ARE GOING TO ATTEMPT TO DO SOMETHING THAT MAY BE CHALLENGING LOGISTICALLY, WHICH IS WHEN WE DID THE FULLY VIRTUAL MEETINGS PREVIOUSLY, WHERE THE ONLY WAY FOR THE PUBLIC TO PARTICIPATE WAS CALLING IN AT THE CITY CLERK'S RECOMMENDATION.
WE, ALONG WITH MOST OTHER COMMISSIONS TOOK ALL OF THAT PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, IT WAS CHALLENGING FOR STAFF.
I KNOW IT WAS VERY CHALLENGING FOR YOU AS COMMISSIONERS, CHALLENGING FOR THE APPLICANTS AND THE PUBLIC AS WELL, TO BE SO DIVORCED FROM THE READING OF THE AGENDA TO THE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, TO TAKING THE COMMENTS TO THE ACTUAL AGENDA ITEMS, RIGHT? SO AGAIN, WE NEED STILL NEED TO HAVE SOME INTERNAL CONVERSATIONS REGARDING HOW THAT WILL WORK OUT.
UM, I BELIEVE WE'LL JUST NEED TO WARN PEOPLE THAT THEY MAY BE ON THE PHONE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
AND, UM, I, I THINK IT WOULD BE BEST TO TAKE THE APPLICANTS WITH THEIR CASE AT, TO TAKE THE COMMENTS, THE PUBLIC COMMENTS OF ANY SORT WITH THE CASE, TO WHICH THEY'RE SPEAKING COMMISSIONER HOME, SETH VERY QUICKLY, ABSOLUTELY EMPHATICALLY.
IF WE CAN, IF WE COULD GET THAT WORKED OUT, THAT WOULD BE, I THINK, A VERY BIG IMPROVEMENT OVER THE PREVIOUS FORMAT.
AND SO I THINK THAT WILL PRESENT SOME LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES IN TERMS OF THE ORDER OF SPEAKERS RELATIVE TO PHONE VERSUS IN PERSON.
WE'LL, WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU BY EMAIL IN ADVANCE OF THE NEXT MEETING.
UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF IT MAKES SENSE TO HAVE A SHORTER COMMENT PERIOD IN ORDER TO STREAMLINE THE PROCESS, BUT AT TONIGHT'S MEETING, I WOULD SAY IT WAS FAIRLY MANAGEABLE WITH 10 DISCUSSION CASES AND TAKING THOSE COMMENTS AND ORDER.
YEAH, I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO HAVE PUBLIC INPUT BOTH BY PHONE AND BY, UM, BY IN-PERSON THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN JUGGLING, WE'VE BEEN JUGGLING THE VIRTUAL MEETINGS FROM EXCEPT FOR THE VERY FIRST MEETING WHERE I THREW MY PHONE ACROSS THE ROOM BECAUSE I COULDN'T GET ON ZOOM.
UH, I THINK WE'VE DONE FAIRLY WELL, JUGGLING, YOU KNOW, JUGGLING THESE THINGS, BUT, UM, I THINK DOING PHONE IN AND IN-PERSON, THERE'LL BE REALLY HARD TO KEEP, AND THAT, THAT IS WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT DOING.
THAT'S WHAT THE, UM, THE ACTION FROM CITY COUNCIL ENABLES.
SO, UM, THE REASON WE WERE ABLE TO DO PHONE ONLY PREVIOUSLY IS BECAUSE THE GOVERNOR HAD WAIVED CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT TOMA IS CURRENTLY FULLY IN EFFECT.
AND SO, UM, THE CITY COUNCIL'S ACTION WAS TO TAKE AWAY SOME REQUIREMENTS OF CITY CODE THAT WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT WAS REQUIRED BY THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT LIKE HAVING A QUORUM ON THE DAYAS THAT'S NOT IN TYPE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
WE ARE, WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THIS MEETING TONIGHT.
IT WAS A REQUIREMENT AND CITY CODE THAT NOW HAS BEEN LIFTED.
SO THIS WAS ALSO DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL, GIVEN THE POPULARITY OF BEING ABLE TO CALL IN, PARTICULARLY GIVEN THAT WE'RE IN STAGE FIVE CURRENTLY, UH, TO GIVE PEOPLE THAT FLEXIBILITY, DEPENDING ON WHAT THEY ARE NOT, ARE NOT COMFORTABLE DOING.
SOME PEOPLE WILL STILL WANT TO COME IN PERSON AND WE DO HAVE TO ALLOW THAT AS WELL.
DO WE HAVE, UM, ANY ITEMS OUR LAST, UH, UNDER
[4.C. Future Agenda Items]
COMMISSIONING AND STAFF ITEMS SEE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS SAY, NO, I'LL BE QUICK.I JUST, BASED ON OUR CONVERSATION AND REMEMBERING STEVE , UH, COMMENTS ABOUT PUBLIC ART AND HISTORIC DISTRICTS, UH, I DON'T WANT TO BURDEN STAFF, BUT I DO THINK WE SHOULD PUT THAT ON AS AN AGENDA ITEM AND, UM, BE ABLE TO GET SOME PROGRESS IN THIS AREA.
UH, POSSIBLY EVEN A DISCUSSION ITEM.
I HADN'T THOUGHT OF IT UP UNTIL NOW, BUT PERHAPS EVEN WITHIN THE DISCUSSION GROUP, THE PRESERVATION PLAN TO DO WHAT DO YOU LOOK INTO PUBLIC ART IN HISTORIC DISTRICTS AND COMING UP WITH STANDARD.
WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S A GOOD SUGGESTION.
I THINK THAT, UH, CARA'S PRESENTATION.
I UNDERSTAND IF THAT, UM, WHEN STAFF PUTS TOGETHER THE AGENDA THAT THEY KNOW THE CORRECT PLACE FOR THOSE THINGS TO GO, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT TO
[03:55:01]
HAVE RIGHT OFF THE TOP ON THEIR PRESENTATIONS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION.JUST, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO HAVE IT UPFRONT.
UM, SO I JUST CAME BACK FROM A FOUR DAY FAMILY REUNION, BABY SHOWER EXTRAVAGANZA.
SO I'M JUST, YEAH, I'M NOT ALL HERE.
I, I HAD, I HAD CONTEMPLATED THAT IT WAS, IT WAS MY DECISION TO PUT IT AT THE END.
UM, I MOSTLY DIDN'T WANT TO HOLD AN ENTIRE ROOM FULL OF PEOPLE, HOSTAGE WAITING TO HEAR THE OUTCOME OF THEIR CASE FOR US TO, TO HAVE A PRESENTATION WHEN WE WEREN'T GIVING THAT OPTION FOR PHONE, PHONE, UH, PARTICIPATION.
SO DULY NOTED FOR THE NEXT TIME WE COME BACK, WE'LL PUT THAT UPFRONT.
IT'S NOT JUST BECAUSE IS IN THE DOGHOUSE FOR SOME REASON, RIGHT? NO, NO.
KAREN THE IS, AS THEY USED TO SAY IN RALEIGH WHERE I GOT MY EARLY TRAINING, SHE IS, SHE IS A HARD WORK IN SOMEBODY.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO ADJOURN COMMISSIONER COOK.
LET'S GET A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER LAROCHE.
YOU CAN JUST GET AWAY DOWN A PARK, RUDE BY TALK ABOUT ANYTHING THAT CAME TO MIND.
SHE GIGGLED HEAD'S NERVOUS WAY.