[00:00:06]
[CALL TO ORDER]
I'D LIKE TO CONVENE THIS MEETING OF THE HISTORIC LANDMARKS COMMISSION.TODAY IS WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6TH.
WE ARE AT CITY HALL, AND I WILL GO AHEAD AND CALL ROLL AND, UH, THEN WE'LL BEGIN WITH CITIZENS COMMUNICATION.
UH, OR ACTUALLY, I THINK MS. ALLEN, WE STARTED THE PROCESS WHERE YOU CALL ROLE.
PRESENT, VICE CHAIR, COMMISSIONER FIT, UH, WITT FEATHERSTON,
UH, COMMISSIONER KEVIN COOK IS ABSENT.
UH, COMMISSIONER CARL LA ROCHE PRESENT.
HERE, COMMISSIONER HARMONY GROGAN PRESENT, COMMISSIONER JAIME ALVAREZ.
COMMISSIONER ROXANNE EVANS IS ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER RAYMOND CASTILLO.
PRESENT, COMMISSIONER JUAN RAYMOND RUBIO, PRESENT.
AND THEN COMMISSIONER TARA DUDLEY PRESENT.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
UH, PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.AND I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE A SPEAKER THIS EVENING.
AND WOULD YOU PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF? HI THERE.
MY NAME IS MARGARET DMU MASAD.
I'M A PROUD NATIVE LIFELONG AUSTINITE IN 19 48, 3 DMU BROTHERS OPEN A MINIATURE GOLF COURSE AT 1207 BARTON SPRINGS ROAD, ORIGINALLY CALLED VARSITY LINKS.
THE NAME AND THEME SOON EVOLVED AND BECAME PETER PAN MINI GOLF.
ONE OF THOSE BRO BROTHERS, WAS MY FATHER, GLEN DIMS. IN ADDITION TO THE DESIGNING THE COURSE LAYOUT, MY FATHER WAS THE TALENTED ARTIST BEHIND ALL THE ORIGINAL SCULPTURES, INCLUDING PETER PAN AND THE T-REX, WHICH HAVE STOOD WATCHOVER BARTON SPRINGS ROAD FOR SO MANY YEARS.
STILL, STILL OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE DISNEY FAMILY.
THIS YEAR MARKS OUR 75TH YEAR IN CONTINUOUS OPERATION TODAY.
THE DAY-TO-DAY MANAGEMENT IS COVERED BY MY HUSBAND JULIO MOSSAD.
AND, UM, HE DOES THAT ON BEHALF OF OUR FAMILY.
IN 2011, THE DISM FAMILY PROUDLY RECEIVED THE MERIT AWARD FROM THE HERITAGE SOCIETY OF AUSTIN FOR MAINTAINING AN AUSTIN CULTURAL LANDMARK.
AND IN 2021, PETER PAN WAS AWARDED UNIQUELY AUSTIN BY THE CHAMBER'S, GREATER AUSTIN BUSINESS AWARDS, AN AWARD ENTIRELY VOTED ON AND DETERMINED BY THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN.
MOST RECENTLY, PETER PAN HAS BEEN SELECTED BY PRESERVATION AUSTIN AS A LEGACY BUSINESS TO BE FEATURED IN NEXT MONTH'S LEGACY BUSINESS MONTH CAMPAIGN.
AND OF COURSE, PETER PAN HAS BEEN FEATURED IN COUNTLESS VISITOR GUIDES, BEST OF LIST MAGAZINE AND NEWSPAPER ARTICLES, PHOTO SHOOTS, AND SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS.
WE'VE HOSTED GENERATIONS OF VISITORS, TOURISTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, COUNTLESS FIRST DATES AND BIRTHDAY PARTIES, CORPORATE CELEBRATIONS, BACHELOR PARTIES, AND QUITE A FEW MARRIAGE PROPOSALS.
GENERATIONS OF PEOPLE RETURN OFF, OFTEN CELEBRATING KIDS AND GRANDKIDS BIRTHDAYS IN THE SAME PLACE THEY ONCE DID.
AND THE SECRET OF OUR SUCCESS IS SIMPLE.
WE RESIST CHANGE, WE KEEP IT OLD SCHOOL NOSTALGIA IS IN PLENTIFUL SUPPLY AT PETER PAN.
SIMPLY PUT, PEOPLE LOVE TO STEP BACK AND REMEMBER A TIME WHEN LIFE WAS SIMPLER AND AUSTIN WAS PERHAPS A BIT MORE WEIRD SINCE NEWS BROKE THAT OUR UPCOMING LEASE RENEWAL IS UNCERTAIN.
THE OUTPOURING FROM THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE.
WE HAVE RECEIVED UNBELIEVABLE SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY THROUGH EMAIL, SOCIAL MEDIA, MEDIA, CUSTOMERS ON SITE, SHARE WITH US THEIR OWN HAPPY MEMORIES MADE AT PETER PAN, AND BEG US TO KEEP PETER PAN ALIVE FOR THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN, AND THAT WE HAVE EVERY INTENTION OF DOING.
AND THAT'S THREE MINUTES, SO PLEASE WRAP UP.
[00:05:01]
AGAIN, MS. MOAD, THANK YOU AND WELCOME.I'M THE LESSER HALF OF MARGARET MOSSAD.
I MANAGE IT ON BEHALF OF THE FAMILY.
SO, UH, AS YOU HEARD, IF ANYTHING WOULD BE CONSIDERED, UH, COMMUNITY VALUE, UH, A LEGACY BUSINESS, WE'D LIKE TO THANK PETER PAN IS CERTAINLY, UH, A BIG CANDIDATE.
SO WE ALSO WANNA HIGHLIGHT VERY QUICKLY AS PART OF THE OUTPOURING OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT, NATALIE BECKER AND JESSE DENE.
THEY ACTUALLY, ON THEIR OWN, CREATED AN ONLINE PETITION WHEN THE NEWS STARTED TO BREAK ABOUT THE, THE ISSUE WITH THE RENEWAL, UH, AS OF LITERALLY A FEW MINUTES AGO, WE ARE WELL NORTH OF 11,700 SIGNATURES, AND I THINK WELL ON OUR WAY TO, WE HOPE 20,000.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, NATALIE AND JESSE.
UM, SO WHY ARE WE HERE? OUR GOAL, OUR HOPE, UH, COMMISSION MEMBERS IS IF WE COULD HAVE YOUR ASSISTANCE AND EXPERTISE IN, UH, OBTAINING HISTORIC LANDMARK DESIGNATION STATUS.
UH, WE'VE STARTED THE PROCESS.
WE VERY MUCH LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR HELP AND YOUR ASSISTANCE MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
WE UNDERSTAND THE BROKEN SPOKE MAY SERVE AS A, AS A GOOD EXAMPLE, HOPEFULLY, OF PUSHING THIS THING ALONG.
SO WE'RE VERY THANKFUL FOR THE STAFF WHO'VE ALREADY BEEN INVOLVED IN HELPING US AS WELL AS BEN AND THE COMMISSION MEMBERS.
UM, IN ADDITION, ANYTHING Y'ALL CAN DO TO HELP WITH, UH, HOW WE WOULD ENGAGE CITY COUNCIL IN OBTAINING THEIR HELP IN ENSURING THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PUSH THIS ALONG.
I MEAN, THE IRONY IS THIS, IT'S PLACES LIKE PETER PAN MINI GOLF THAT MAKE AUSTIN WHAT AUSTIN IS.
AND WE'VE LOST SO MANY BUSINESSES.
I'VE ALSO BEEN HERE 40 PLUS YEARS.
OUR KIDS WENT TO ANDERSON HIGH SCHOOL, SO WE'RE, WE'RE FROM HERE TOO.
WE'RE ALSO HOPEFUL, UH, BEN, IF THE, THE CITY ATTORNEY WOULD, UH, PROVIDE SOME KIND OF A RULING ON JURISDICTION AS TO WHETHER THE CITY DOES HAVE JURISDICTION OR NOT.
UH, UH, SOME OF THE COMMISSION MEMBERS MAY, MAY KNOW THE LAND IS ACTUALLY OWNED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS, BUT IT WAS DEEDED OVER BY AN INDIVIDUAL NAMED JOHN WEND.
SO IT'S ON BEHALF OF THE TRUST THAT THE STATE MANAGES IT.
SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE INFORMATION THAT Y'ALL MIGHT BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH US ON WHETHER THE, UH, THE CITY ATTORNEY WAS ABLE TO DEEM THAT WE DO HAVE SOME KIND OF JURISDICTION SO YOU CAN HELP.
UM, BY THE WAY, THE SITE HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED AS A STATE ARCHEOLOGICAL LANDMARK BY THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION.
THEY ACTUALLY FOUND REMNANTS OF BONES AND POTTERY, LITERALLY DATING BACK TO 3000 BC TO 1000 AD THAT'S HOW HISTORIC THAT SITE IS.
SO WE ARE VERY OPEN TO YOUR HELP, YOUR ASSISTANCE ON MOVING ALONG TO GET THAT HISTORIC LANDMARK DESIGNATION STATUS.
THE, THE, THE BIG ISSUE FACING US IS THAT WE ARE, UH, OUR, OUR LEASE WILL BE RENEWED AND WE'RE WAITING FOR RENEWAL OF THE LEASE.
AND THIS, THIS FACTOR MAY HELP PUSH ALONG A RENEWAL OF THE LEASE, UH, AS IT AS IT IS WILL OUR LEASE EXPIRES MARCH OF 2024.
AND JUDGE, COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY, UH, QUESTIONS OF THE MASSAGE? LET, LEMME JUST SAY THANK YOU.
I THINK YOU'RE GOING ABOUT EXACTLY THE RIGHT WAY.
UM, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE VERY UNIQUE OPERATIONS THAT, UH, UH, DEFINES A WHOLE COMMUNITY.
UH, CERTAINLY NOT JUST THE STRUCTURES THERE, BUT ALL THAT HAPPENS THERE AND THE, THE, THAT THAT LEGACY IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF IT.
AS LUCK WOULD HAPPEN, UH, HAVE IT, WE, WE DO HAVE, I THINK, SOME INFORMATION FROM STAFF.
I'M GONNA CALL UPON, UH, OUR STAFF, UH, CALL CONTRERAS TO JUST GIVE US A QUICK UPDATE.
AND, UM, I'D LIKE TO ECHO YOUR THANK YOU TO, UH, MS. DUS MOSSAD AND MR. MOSSAD, UM, FOR COMING OUT TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
UM, WE DO HAVE SOME INFORMATION.
UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR, UH, LEGAL DEPARTMENT, UM, AS THIS IS A LEGALLY COMPLICATED CASE.
UM, THERE'S A, THERE'S A COMPLICATED LITTLE PIECE OF LAND UNDER, UM, ALL THOSE SCULPTURES, UM, AND THE, UH, THE GOLF COURSE.
UM, SO THE LAW DEPARTMENT HAS DETERMINED THAT, UM, THE STATE AS A TRUSTEE, UM, IS NOT TECHNICALLY THE LEGAL PROPERTY OWNER.
SO THE COMMISSION DOES TECHNICALLY HAVE ZONING JURISDICTION OVER THIS PROPERTY.
UM, HOWEVER, AS MR. MOSSAD SAID, UM, THE LEGISLATURE RECENTLY PASSED A BILL REQUIRING A NEW TRUSTEE.
UM, SO WE'VE BEEN ADVISED TO ALLOW LEGAL TO CONNECT WITH, UH, THE STATE TRUSTEE, THE CURRENT TRUSTEE, UM, AS THEY GO THROUGH THE TRANSFER PROCESS.
[00:10:02]
TERRIFIC.WELL, ONCE AGAIN, UM, SO THAT, THAT AT LEAST GIVES US SOME CLARITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT, IT, IT DOES HAVE ZONING AND SO, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY OUR HISTORIC DESIGNATION IS A ZONING DESIGNATION.
SO I THINK THAT PUTS US IN THE RIGHT COURT.
UH, I WILL SAY THIS IS NOT AN AGENDA ITEM, BUT, UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I KNOW A NUMBER OF COMMISSIONERS HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING, AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF COMMUNITY INTEREST.
AND IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES, UH, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE FAIRLY RARE AND IT'S RATHER EXCEPTIONAL.
BUT, UH, WE ACTUALLY HAPPEN TO HAVE ANOTHER ONE ON OUR AGENDA TODAY THAT WE INITIATED, AND WE HAVE THAT OPTION COMMISSIONERS.
UH, SO AS WE LOOK OVER THIS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, UH, THERE MAY BE OPPORTUNITIES, UH, IF COMMISSION MEMBERS ARE SO INCLINED TO GO AHEAD AND PLACE THIS ON AGENDA FOR THAT TYPE OF CONSIDERATION.
BUT, UH, I UNDERSTAND THE MOSSAD HAVE ALREADY BEGUN THE PROCESS AND ARE, UH, AT LEAST WILLING TO HELP ON THAT IN THAT REGARD.
ANY OTHER, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? WELL, I, YEAH, I WAS JUST GONNA COMMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, I, I PERSONALLY DON'T EXACTLY UNDERSTAND THE ROLE OF THE, THE TRUSTEE IN THIS AND WHO, UH, YOU GUYS ARE NECESSARILY NEGOTIATING WITH FOR YOUR LEASE EXTENSION.
I'M NOT GONNA, I'M NOT GONNA FORM A QUESTION I
UM, I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY IMPORTANT, UM, THAT WE, WELL, AT LEAST THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT IS.
UH, AND YEAH, I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS COMING IN THIS EVENING.
AND I, I HAVE TO SAY, I, I THINK I'VE BEEN QUOTED A NUMBER OF TIMES ALREADY, UH, SAYING THAT WHAT DECISIONS WE MAKE ARE GOING TO DETERMINE WHAT FUTURE GENERATIONS GET TO SEE ABOUT THIS LEGACY, THIS WONDERFUL PLACE CALLED AUSTIN.
AND I, I REALLY HOPE THAT, UH, MY GRANDKIDS, UH, KIDS GET TO GO OUT THERE JUST LIKE MY KIDS DID
AND WE'LL HAVE THAT AS PART OF THEIR EXPERIENCE WHEN THEY COME AND VISIT.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN, VERY MUCH.
I WAS GONNA SAY, DO WE HAVE, YES, DO WE HAVE MORE SPEAKERS, PLEASE? UH, SANTIAGO, AND PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
I AM SPEAKING, I SUPPOSE, ON BEHALF OF THE TREES.
UM, I LEARNED ABOUT A HERITAGE TREE OVER ON TOWN LAKE ADJACENT TO I 35, UH, THAT WAS, UH, SLATED AMONGST SIX OTHER PECAN TREES TO BE REMOVED.
UM, I'M NOT ANTI-PROGRESS OR ANTI-DEVELOPMENT.
UM, I KNOW THAT THE CAPITAL MOBILITY 35 PROJECT HAS BEEN QUITE CONTENTIOUS, UH, AND, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF BALANCE THAT HAS TO OCCUR THROUGH THAT.
UM, AND I'VE, I'VE SPOKEN WITH JUSTIN, UH, COCKER, I BELIEVE WITH THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION WITH REGARDS TO, UM, THE SECTION 1 0 6 REVIEW PROCESS OF, UH, THIS CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT THAT'S A SIX MONTH TEMPORARY NON-CONFORMING USE OF, UH, N H R P ELIGIBLE PARKLAND.
UM, AND UPON FOR THE RESEARCH, I DISCOVERED A MARKER, UH, THAT WAS, UH, DATED 1965, UM, DESIGNATING UP A CON GROVE, UH, AT THIS LOCATION, UM, LESS THAN A HUNDRED FEET FROM, UM, THIS CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT AND WITHIN TX DOTS, UH, E I S IT WAS RECENTLY RELEASED, UM, BURIED WITHIN 160 PAGES.
THERE'S A SINGLE SENTENCE, UH, MENTIONING THIS MARKER, WHICH FELT LIKE, UH, OBFUSCATION OF SORT OF A RELEVANT PIECE OF INFORMATION THAT'S, UH, ADJACENT TO THESE HERITAGE TREES.
UM, SO I'M HERE TODAY TO SORT OF INTRODUCE THAT, THAT HERITAGE TREE THAT'S INSIDE OF A, A WATER OR PROTECTED WATERSHED.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF, A LOT OF AGENCIES THAT HAVE, UH, UM, UH, OVERSIGHT HERE.
UM, CONSULTING WITH TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT.
THEY DON'T SEEM TO REALLY KNOW EITHER.
UM, NATIONAL PARKS SOCIETY HAVE HAD, UH, RESPONSE FROM THEM, UH, AND TRYING TO APPEAL HERE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL TO ASK FOR, UH, ADVOCACY AND, AND PRESERVING THIS HERITAGE TREE THAT'S ON THE EDGE OF THE, UH, CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT.
AND TO, UM, IF AT BEST, PRESERVE ALL OF THE, THE PECAN TREES THAT ARE SLATED TO BE REMOVED, UM, AND REQUEST TEXDOT TO REEVALUATE, UH, THEIR CONSTRUCTION OF THE BRIDGE OVER LADY BIRD LAKE.
UH, TO EXAMINE AN ALTERNATIVE, WHAT ALTERNATIVES ARE PRESENT THERE THAT WOULD, UH, NOT REQUIRE THIS CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT.
UM, THE SITE IS, UH, SITE OF THE OLD, UH, HATCHERY, UH, HISTORIC HATCHERY PARK.
IT'S, UM, I I'M LOOKING TO CON CONTACT, UH, INDIGENOUS, UH, POPULATIONS TO FIND OUT IF THERE'S ANY OTHER SIGNIFICANCE HERE WITH REGARDS TO LOW WATER
[00:15:01]
CROSSINGS.UH, THE, THE I 35 REPRESENTS AS A BARRIER OR, UM, CONNECTING TO THE SOUTH SIDE.
UH, I THINK IT'S A CONTENTIOUS, UH, NEXUS OF, UM, THAT HAS NOT LACKED A LOT OF PUBLIC ATTENTION.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYONE SPEAKING FOR THE TREES.
UH, I KNOW THAT PAR PARD HAS HAD SOME INFORMATION ON IT, BUT IT'S, I WOULD, UH, LIKE TO BRING THAT TO THIS COMMISSION HERE AND, AND REQUEST ANY SORT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO REEVALUATE THAT SANTIAGO.
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS? UH, YES.
UH, COMMISSIONER CASTILLO, UM, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS APPROPRIATE, BUT I'M, I, I SIT ON THE BOARD OF, UH, UH, AN ORGANIZATION CALLED TREE FOLKS HERE IN AUSTIN THAT, UM, THEY, UM, THEY CAME ABOUT AFTER THE, THE, THE FIRES IN, IN BASTROP BACK IN I THINK 2011.
UM, AND THEY ARE COMMITTED TO REPLANTING AND PROTECTING TREES IN CENTRAL TEXAS.
SO, IF YOU DON'T MIND IF, IF WE TALK AFTER THE MEETING, UM, IF THAT'S APPROPRIATE.
THEN YEAH, I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SET YOU UP WITH, UM, UM, MEETING WITH, WITH PEOPLE IN THAT ORGANIZATION TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
IT SOUNDS YOU DON'T HAVE TO STAY THROUGH THE WHOLE MEETING.
YOU CAN CONTACT STAFF AND THEY CAN PUT YOU IN CONNECTION WITH THE COMMISSIONER.
SO, AND THE OTHER THING TO REPORT, I'M SORRY, WERE THERE OTHER COMMENTS? I, GO AHEAD.
I WAS JUST GONNA SAY THAT I THINK COMMISSIONER CASTILLO MIGHT HAVE BAITED HIM INTO STAYING FOR THE WHOLE THING, BUT OH, YOU CAN SAY FOR THE WHOLE, I, I INTENDED ON STAYING ANYWAYS.
UH, MY BIG CONCERN IS ACTUALLY I'VE TALKED WITH TROOPER RESERVATION AND I'VE TALKED WITH A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS AND THE IDEA THAT, UH, TO JUST PAY A, A FEE IN LIEU OF CUTTING DOWN THESE TREES RATHER THAN PRESERVING URBAN CANOPY, WHICH IS, UH, A MUCH MORE VALUABLE, UH, UH, YEAH.
AND THE COMMISSIONERS SHOULD BE AWARE, UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS SORT OF LURKING THERE.
WE HAVE, WE ARE AWARE OF THE, UH, REPORT THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO, AND WE, MOST LIKELY IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET A REPORT, EVEN IF WE DON'T HAVE A COMPLETE JURISDICTION, WE DO WANT TO HAVE A REVIEW WITH TXDOT AS THERE ARE A NUMBER OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES AND, AND NEIGHBORHOODS IN ADDITION TO THE TREES.
BUT, UH, ALL OF THAT CONCERNS, OBVIOUSLY, THESE LEGACY AREAS, THESE HISTORIC AREAS, AND WHAT'S APPROPRIATE, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE TO MAKE TRADE-OFFS, HOW TO DO IT THE RIGHT WAY.
SO WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION.
JUST A QUICK NOTE FROM STAFF, UM, THAT THE CITY ARBORIST, THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOES HAVE A CITY ARBORIST.
AND THEN, UM, I CAN GIVE YOU MY CARD AND I CAN CONNECT YOU WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER RAYMOND CASTILLO AND ALSO TDOT IS DOING, UH, IS GIVING A BRIEFING TO THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION ON NOVEMBER 2ND.
SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME, IS IT PUBLIC? IT'S A PUBLIC HEARING.
SO SAME PLACE, SAME TIME, NOVEMBER 2ND.
UM, THEY'LL BE HERE GIVING A BRIEFING TO THE COMMISSIONERS.
DO WE HAVE MORE COMMUNICATION? I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED THE CITIZEN'S COMMUNICATION IS FOR ITEMS JUST LIKE THESE THAT ARE NOT PART OF OUR REGULAR AGENDA.
SO IT IS APPROPRIATE FOR US TO BRING UP ISSUES THAT ARE RELEVANT.
BUT IF, OF COURSE, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT'S SPECIFIC TO OUR AGENDA, THOSE WILL WAIT UNTIL THE CASES ARE COMING UP IN THEIR SEQUENCE.
SO, DO WE HAVE ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS? YES, WE HAVE MEGAN KING, PRESERVATION AUSTIN.
COMMISSIONERS MEGAN KING WITH PRESERVATION.
UM, ONE BIG ANNOUNCEMENT FOR TONIGHT.
UM, PRESERVATION AUSTIN IS REALLY EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE'LL BE LAUNCHING A NEW PROGRAM CALLED LEGACY BUSINESS MONTH.
THIS OCTOBER, UM, LEGACY BUSINESS MONTH UNTIL DURING OCTOBER, 2023, FULFILLS OUR ADVOCACY PRIORITY FOCUSED ON ICONIC BUSINESSES IN OPERATION FOR 20 PLUS YEARS THAT HAVE SHAPED AUSTIN'S CULTURE.
THIS PROGRAM WILL SPREAD AWARENESS OF LEGACY BUSINESSES AS THEIR OWN CLASS OF UNIQUE HISTORIC PLACES WORTH CELEBRATING AND PATRONIZING, AND ALSO THE CHALLENGES THAT THEY FACE AS OUR CITY GROWS.
THE PROGRAM ENCOURAGES AUSTINITES TO EXPLORE PARTICIPATING LEGACY BUSINESSES IN FOUR CATEGORIES, RESTAURANTS, BARS, RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS, AND ENTERTAINMENT.
PARTICIPANTS WILL BE ABLE TO PICK UP FREE LEGACY BUSINESS MONTH PASSPORTS AT TWO LOCATIONS, ZILKER BREWING AND BOOK PEOPLE THROUGHOUT OCTOBER, THEY'LL RECEIVE AN OFFICIAL PRESERVATION AUSTIN STAMP IN EXCHANGE FOR PURCHASES AT 13 PARTICIPATING LEGACY BUSINESSES AROUND TOWN.
AND FOLKS WITH THE MOST STAMPS WILL BE ENTERED TO WIN SPECIAL PRIZES.
UH, LEGACY BUSINESS MONTH KICKS OFF WITH A PARTY AT ZILKER BREWING ON OCTOBER 5TH AND CLOSES AT VICTORY GRILL ON OCTOBER 30TH.
ZILKER IS BREWING A SPECIAL PRESERVATION AUSTIN BEER IN OCTOBER AS WELL WITH A PORTION OF THE PROCEEDS BENEFITING PRESERVATION.
WE'LL FOCUS ON POLICY ISSUES RELATED TO LEGACY BUSINESSES ON OUR BLOG AND SOCIAL MEDIA.
THROUGHOUT THE MONTH, WE HAVE 13 AMAZING BUSINESSES FEATURED IN
[00:20:01]
THE PASSPORT, UM, INCLUDING PETER PAN.A LITTLE PREVIEW, BUT WE'LL BE ANNOUNCING OFFICIALLY NEXT WEEK.
UM, SO IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE UPDATES ON LEGACY BUSINESS MONTH, THEY CAN FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA AT PRESERVATION AUSTIN AND SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER ON PRESERVATION AUSTIN.ORG.
AND, AND I, I TAKE IT THERE'S AT LEAST ONE BARBECUE PLACE.
YOU KNOW WHAT? I DON'T THINK SO.
WE HAD A LOT OF, WE'RE WORK ON THAT.
WE HAD A LOT OF AMAZING BUSINESSES SUBMIT.
SO WE ACTUALLY WENT OVER OUR, UM, QUOTA OF 10.
WE GOT 13 IN THERE THIS YEAR, BUT IT'S GONNA BE GREAT.
WE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE PROBABLY OUGHT TO DO IS JUST ONE YEAR, IT'S NOTHING BUT LEGACY BARBECUE PLACES.
YOU COULD FILL UP THE WHOLE PASSPORT.
WE SHOULD CELEBRATE THAT FOR SURE.
UH, BORN AND RAISED AUSTINITE.
UM, AT THIS POINT I THINK I'M PREACHING TO THE CHOIR.
I DIDN'T EXPECT SUCH POSITIVITY FOR PETER PAN, BUT, UH, MY PARTNER AND I STARTED A CHANGE.ORG PETITION AT THE BEGINNING OF LAST MONTH.
THE SECOND WE HEARD ABOUT, UH, THE POTENTIAL LOSS OF PETER PAN.
MY MOM WENT ON HER FIRST DATE EVER THERE.
I'VE BEEN ON WAY MORE THAN ONE FIRST DATE THERE,
UM, AND I HOPE THAT MY GRANDKIDS CAN GO ON A FIRST DATE THERE.
SO I THINK EVERYBODY WANTS IT TO STAY, SO WON'T WASTE ANY MORE TIME.
WELL, AND THANK, THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORT AND LET'S HOPE THAT, UH, EVEN MORE PEOPLE CAN FIND THEIR WAY TO THAT CHANGE.ORG PETITION.
UH, LET'S GREATLY APPRECIATED.
AT THIS POINT, UM, WE, WE DON'T HAVE, UH, MS. ALLEN ANY MORE SPEAKERS.
ALRIGHT, THEN LET ME REVIEW THE AGENDA.
UH, WHAT WE'LL DO IS GO THROUGH ALL OF THE ITEMS, UH, THAT WE HAVE POSTED, AND I WILL ALSO INDICATE WHAT IS THE CURRENT STATUS.
UH, BE AWARE THAT IF THERE IS AN ITEM THAT IS POSTED FOR CONSENT, THAT THAT WOULD MEAN A FOLLOW-UP MOTION CAN HAVE THAT, UH, ALL THE CONSENT ITEMS APPROVED AT ONCE.
UH, IF YOUR ITEM IS A CONSENT ITEM AND YOU'RE INTERESTED IN PULLING THAT OR HAVING US DISCUSS IT, AND YOU DON'T WANT THAT TO, TO HAVE, UH, AN AUTOMATIC APPROVAL, PLEASE GET OUR ATTENTION.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, OF COURSE, CAN ALSO PULL ANY ITEM AT ANY TIME.
UM, I WILL SAY AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE A FAIRLY CROWDED AGENDA, SO WE MAKE VERY GOOD USE OF THE CONSENT AGENDA,
BUT LET ME RUN THROUGH EACH ONE OF THE CASES AS WE HAVE THEM POSTED.
UM, WE CAN START WITH THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM AUGUST 2ND.
UH, ITEM NUMBER TWO, THE BRIEFING.
I THINK WE'RE SKIPPING THAT ONE.
WE, WE, YES, MS. MS. KING GAVE US A, A GOOD UPDATE ON SOMETHING REALLY SPECIAL.
SO WE, WE CAN, WE CAN TAKE THAT AS OUR PRESERVATION.
UH, THESE ARE PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR POSSIBLE ACTION ON, UH, HISTORIC ZONING.
UH, IS A DISCUSSION ITEM THAT'S 2101 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.
UH, WE THEN HAVE ITEMS THAT ARE REQUIRING, UM, EITHER CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS BECAUSE OF HISTORIC LANDMARK STATUS OR LOCATION IN HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
AND ITEM NUMBER FOUR 11, UH, ONE 15 EAST FIFTH STREET.
THAT APPLICATION ACTUALLY WAS WITHDRAWN.
AND SO THERE WILL BE NO ACTION ON THAT.
I WILL MAKE SURE, UH, THE, UH, FOLKS WHO'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS CASE AS WELL AS THE OWNERS ARE AWARE THAT, UM, WITH NO ACTION, WITH THE WITHDRAWN AND NO ACTION, THERE CAN BE NO ACTION ON THAT PROPERTY, UH, WITHOUT ACTUALLY, UH, COMING TO THIS COMMISSION.
ON ITEM NUMBER 5 4 0 2 WEST 12TH STREET.
UH, THAT IS A POSTPONEMENT REQUEST, UH, BY THE APPLICANT.
ITEM NUMBER SIX, UH, 1403 WEST NINTH STREET.
UH, THAT IS, UH, ALSO A POSTPONEMENT REQUEST BY THE APPLICANT.
UH, ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH IS 2,900 TER UH, TERRY TRAIL, UH, THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR STAFF REALLY QUICKLY ABOUT THAT.
YES, THAT'S CORRECT, COMMISSIONER.
UM, STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE REAR ALTERATIONS, UM, THAT Y'ALL WERE OKAY WITH AT THE COMMITTEE.
UM, BUT REQUEST THAT, UH, THE APPLICANT TURN IN, UM, AN UPDATE TO THE APPLICATION, UH, THAT REFLECTS, UH, SOME OF Y'ALL'S FEEDBACK.
SO THEY WILL BE REQUIRED TO DO THAT.
I'D LIKE TO OPEN THAT DISCUSSION.
[00:25:01]
OKAY.WE HAVE, WE HAVE A, A MEMBER OF THE AUDIENCE WHO'D LIKE THAT TO BE PULLED FOR DISCUSSION.
SO WE WILL HAVE ITEM SEVEN, UH, FOR DISCUSSION.
THAT IS, UH, 40 14 AVENUE G THAT IS, UH, OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
UH, THE NEXT SET OF APPLICANTS ARE PROPERTIES WITHIN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS.
THESE ARE PERMIT APPLICATIONS, UH, ITEM NINE, UH, THAT'S FIVE 12 EAST MONROE STREET.
UH, ONCE AGAIN, UH, THERE CAN BE NO WORK ON THE PROPERTY.
THERE IS NO PERMIT IF ANY ACTION DOES TAKE PLACE WITHOUT A PERMIT, THAT IS A CODE VIOLATION AND NEEDS TO BE REPORTED.
UH, OBVIOUSLY IF THERE'S PLANS THAT THE OWNER WOULD LIKE TO HAVE, UH, PROCEED, THEY NEED TO COME BEFORE THIS COMMISSION.
AND THAT WOULD REQUIRE A NEW APPLICATION.
YES, AS THAT PREVIOUS ONE HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN.
ITEM NUMBER 10 14 0 9 ALTA VISTA AVENUE.
THIS IS AGAIN, AN APPLICANT REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM NUMBER 1196 RAINY STREET.
THAT IS POSTED FOR A DISCUSSION.
ITEM NUMBER 12 8 0 1 WINDFLOW DRIVE.
UH, THAT'S IN THE WESTLINE NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 13, UH, 1800 KENWOOD AVENUE IN THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT.
UH, THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
WE HAVE A REGISTERED SPEAKER WHO WOULD LIKE TO PULL THAT.
THEN THAT WILL BE PULLED FOR DISCUSSION.
UH, THAT IS 81 WALLER STREET, UH, IN THE WILLOW SPENCE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
UH, I BELIEVE THAT WE HAD SOMEBODY WHO WANTED TO DISCUSS THAT.
IS THAT RIGHT? WAS THERE A DISCUSSION? WE DON'T HAVE ANY REGISTERED SPEAKERS, UM, IN OPPOSITION FOR THAT, UH, PROJECT, BUT THE COMMISSION IS WELCOME TO PULL IT IF THEY SO CHOOSE.
AS I UNDERSTAND THAT ONE DID GO IN FRONT OF THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE ALREADY, BUT THE OWNERS WERE NOT PRESENT.
YEAH, THEY WERE INVITED BUT DID NOT ATTEND.
SO THAT NOTE'S ACTUALLY TO ME, I WANNA PULL THAT
UH, THE, THE NEXT SECTION ARE FOR DEMOLITION AND RELOCATION PERMIT, UH, APPLICATIONS.
UH, ITEM NUMBER 15, THAT'S 400 BRADY LANE, UH, THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
UM, ITEM NUMBER OH, AND I DO HAVE A QUICK COMMENT FOR STAFF.
UH, I KNOW YOU, YOU'RE, UH, MS. CONTRERAS, YOU'RE PUTTING A BUNCH OF THESE NOTES TOGETHER QUICKLY.
BUT, UH, I KNOW ON SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS YOU SPECIFICALLY SAY, ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION IN ADDITION TO THE DEMO PERMIT REQUIREMENTS.
AND, UH, WE CERTAINLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE REAL, UH, RE THE, THE REHABILITATION IF AT ALL POSSIBLE ON THIS ONE AS WELL.
THAT WAS A, JUST A NOTE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S THERE AS, AS PART OF THE RECORD.
ITEM 16, THAT'S NINE 15 COLUMBUS STREET THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM 17, THAT'S 9 0 8 JOSEPHINE STREET THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM 18, THIS IS 7 0 1 SPARKS AVENUE THAT IS OFFERED FOR DISCUSSION.
THE APPLICANT HAS REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT, OH, SORRY.
THE APPLICANT HAS REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT FOR THAT ITEM.
OKAY, THAT'S, UH, POSTPONEMENT AND WE HAVE NOT HAD THAT BEFORE.
SO THAT IS AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT.
UH, ITEM 18 7 0 1 SPARKS, UH, ITEM 19 20 44 EAST CESAR CHAVEZ, UH, THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM 20 11 18 AZ MORTON ROAD, UH, THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
UH, ITEM 21, THAT IS 46 0 1 RO TRAIL.
UH, THAT IS A DISCUSSION ITEM.
AS I UNDERSTAND THAT IS AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT.
UH, OKAY, REQUEST FOR POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM NUMBER 23 27 0 2 ENFIELD ROAD.
UH, WE'LL GO AHEAD TO ITEM NUMBER 24.
UH, THIS IS 11, UH, HUNDRED EAST SECOND STREET THAT IS OFFERED FOR, THAT IS POSTED FOR DISCUSSION.
THIS IS, UH, 2009 SOUTH SECOND STREET.
THAT'S UNIT A AND THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM 26, 1800 FERDINAND STREET THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
AND THEN, UH, THE FINAL COMMISSION ITEM, UH, WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER 27 POSTED.
[00:30:01]
THAT'S SEVEN 19 CONGRESS AVENUE, THE STATE THEATER.AND THAT IS POSTED FOR DISCUSSION.
UH, THE REST OF THE AGENDA ITEMS PERTAIN TO, UH, WORK OF OUR COMMITTEES.
UH, SO AT THIS POINT, COMMISSIONER RUSH.
YES, CHAIR, I WOULD MOVE TO, UH, APPROVE THE CONTENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED BY THE CHAIR.
AS A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER ROCHE.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
UH, THAT'S SECONDED BY COMM COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON.
WE'LL DOUBLE CHECK THAT I'VE GOT THESE RIGHT.
UM, THE CONSENT, FIRST CONSENT ITEM IS ITEM ONE OUR MINUTES.
THE SECOND IS THE, UM, ITEM EIGHT.
THAT'S THE 40 14 AVENUE G UH, ITEM 12, THAT'S 8 0 1 WINDFLOW DRIVE.
THAT'S ITEM 15, 400 BRADY LANE.
ITEM 16, 9 15 COLUMBUS STREET, ITEM 17, 9 0 8 JOSEPHINE ITEM 19, 20 44 EAST CESAR CHAVEZ.
ITEM 23 27 0 2 ENFIELD, ITEM 25, 20 0 9 SOUTH SECOND STREET, 26, 1800 FERDINAND STREET.
AND THOSE ARE THE CONSENT ITEMS COVERED BY THE MOTION.
IS THERE, UH, A VOTE? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THOSE ITEMS HAVE PASSED ON CONSENT, IF THAT'S ONE OF YOUR ITEMS HERE IN THE AUDIENCE, UH, WE APPRECIATE.
UH, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT REQUIRES FOLLOW UP WITH STAFF, PLEASE UH, BE IN CONTACT WITH THEM AFTER THE MEETING.
STAFF WILL CONTACT YOU TOMORROW.
AND THEN, UM, WE CAN NOW GO TO THE POSTPONEMENT ITEMS. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF ITEMS THAT WERE REQUESTED FOR POSTPONEMENT.
UH, WE START WITH ITEM NUMBER FIVE, THAT'S 4 0 2 WEST 12TH STREET, ITEM 6 14 0 3 WEST NINTH.
THOSE ARE BOTH APPLICANT, UH, REQUESTED.
ACTUALLY ALL OF THESE ARE APPLICANT REQUESTED.
POSTPONEMENTS, UH, THIS IS 1409 ALTA VISTA AVENUE, NUMBER 10.
UH, THE NEXT ONE, ITEM 18 7 0 1 SPARKS ITEM 22 11 0 1 GARNER AVENUE AND CHAIR.
I DID, DID WE, DID WE MISS, DID I MISS 24? NO.
YES, COMMISSIONER, I MOVED TO APPROVE.
ALRIGHT, THESE WILL BE POSTPONED TO OUR NEXT MEETING.
UH, AND NONE OF THEM HAVE BEEN POSTPONED BEFORE, IS THAT CORRECT? UH, A COUPLE OF THEM HAVE, BUT SINCE THEIR APPLICANT REQUESTED POSTPONEMENTS, IT DOES NOT AFFECT THE CLOCKS IF THERE ARE ANY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO POSTPONE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE OR RAISE YOUR HAND.
UM, WE CAN NOW GO TO OUR FIRST DISCUSSION ITEM, AND THAT WILL BE ITEM NUMBER THREE.
[3. C14H-2023-0085 – 2101 Travis Heights Blvd. – Discussion Burks-Challstrom House]
THAT'S 2101 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.UH, MS. CONTRERAS, THANK YOU CHAIR.
UH, ITEM THREE, CASE NUMBER C 14 H 2 2 2 8 5 IS THE BERKS STROM HOUSE AT 2101 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.
UH, THIS IS A REQUEST FOR HISTORIC ZONING.
UM, THE APPLICATION LISTS THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION, UH, UNDER ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS.
UH, THIS HOUSE IS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF THE TUDOR REVIVAL STYLE, EMBODYING NEARLY ALL THE DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS OF ITS TYPE.
IT IS SPECIFICALLY NOTED AS AN EXEMPLAR OF THE TUDOR REVIVAL STYLE IN THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER, HISTORIC DISTRICT NOMINATION.
UM, AND THE APPLICATION FOR HISTORIC ZONING FURTHER DESCRIBES THE BUILDING'S ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE.
UM, AND NOTES THAT, UH, A BUILDING REPRESENTATIVE OF AN ARCHITECTURAL STYLE AND SPECIFICALLY CALLED OUT BY THE HISTORIANS AND SURVEYORS WHO WRITE A NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT NOMINATION, RECEIVES THIS RECOGNITION BECAUSE THE BUILDING REPRESENTS NOT JUST THE FINEST EXAMPLE IN THE POTENTIAL DISTRICT, BUT BUILDINGS CONSIDERED NOTEWORTHY REGIONALLY, IF NOT STATEWIDE AND BEYOND.
UM, THIS HOME IS A TEXTBOOK TUTOR REVIVAL HOUSE.
UM, THIS STYLE WAS POPULAR THROUGHOUT THE US FROM 1890 TO 1940.
AND THIS HOUSE ILLUSTRATES THE CHARACTER DEFINING FEATURES OF THAT STYLE.
UH, IT'S RECTANGULAR AND VOL IN VOLUME WITH A STEEPLY PITCHED ROOF IN A REAR OUTLET.
ITS NORTHEAST CORNER WITH A GABLE FACING A SIDE STREET FORMING THE ATTACHED GARAGE.
THE HOUSE IS CONSTRUCTED OF AUSTIN COMMON BRICK WITH WEEPING OR EXTRUDED MORTAR AND STECCO GABLE ENDS WITH FAUX HALF TIMBERING.
THE HOUSE IS ALSO ASSOCIATED WITH MULTIPLE LONG-TERM
[00:35:01]
AUSTIN BUSINESSES.RP BURKES RAN THE WOODWARD MANUFACTURING COMPANY, AUSTIN'S LARGEST MANUFACTURING BUSINESS DURING ITS 20TH CENTURY HEYDAY, BRINGING IT OUT OF THE DEPRESSION AS ONE OF THE CITY'S LARGEST EMPLOYERS.
ITS NEXT DOCUMENT FOSTERED A THREE GENERATION 60 YEAR FAMILY BUSINESS IN AUSTIN.
THE BUILDING HAS HIGH INTEGRITY.
UM, NOTABLE ALTERATIONS INCLUDE A METAL CARPORT THAT WAS ADDED TO THE FRONT OF THE GARAGE AROUND 1956, WHICH IS WITHIN THE BUILDING'S PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE.
THEREFORE, STAFF CAN RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED ZONING CHANGE FROM SSF THREE NP TO SSF THREE H N P.
UM, THIS IS, UM, AN APPLICANT INITIATED, UH, ZONING.
AND I'M ASSUMING THAT WE CAN HAVE THE, UH, HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT.
MR. PETERS, THANK YOU COMMISSION.
I'M THE OWNER OF THE HOUSE ALONG WITH MY WIFE JOELLEN PETERS.
UM, AND LORI MARTIN ACTUALLY IS THE APPLICANT, BUT, UH, SHE WAS ABLE TO PUT IT TOGETHER FOR US 'CAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT.
UM, I'M HERE TO, OBVIOUSLY IN SUPPORT OF THIS.
THIS IS A HOUSE WE FELL IN LOVE WITH, UH, IN 91 WHEN WE FIRST MOVED TO AUSTIN.
MY WIFE AND I MOVED TO TRAVIS HEIGHTS AND JUST, UM, WE'D BOTH BEEN, WE BOTH WERE RAISED IN THE MIDWEST WHERE TUDOR STYLE IS A LOT MORE COMMON.
AND WHEN WE WERE, WE, WE, WE DIDN'T BUY THIS HOUSE.
UH, WE, WE WERE ON CHELSEA LANE AND THEN THIS HOUSE CAME AVAILABLE IN 2011.
WE HAD, UH, TWO YOUNG BOYS AND WE NEEDED A YARD AND WE NEEDED SOME SPACE.
AND OUR REAL REAL ESTATE AGENTS SAID, OH YEAH, THAT HOUSE IS AVAILABLE.
I MEAN, AND WE'D BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS HOUSE FOR YEARS, UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'M FROM, FROM BEING FROM MINNEAPOLIS AND HER FROM CINCINNATI.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE IS NEAR AND DEAR TO OUR HEART THAT, THAT STYLE OF HOUSE, UM, SO MOVING WE, WE'VE GOT THE HOUSE IN 2011.
I MEAN, THE BIG THE BIG THING ABOUT IT IS THAT IT HAS SUCH A, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER THAT EVERYBODY USES IT AS KIND OF A LANDMARK AND A REFERENCE POINT FOR BOTH CHRISTMAS AND HALLOWEEN.
FOR THE, FOR THE DECORATIONS, FOR THE HOUSE CALL.
PEOPLE CALL IT THE GINGERBREAD HOUSE DURING CHRISTMAS.
AND IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE, UM, JUST THINGS THAT I DIDN'T KNOW I WOULD EVER FEEL TO OWN SOMETHING THAT I WOULD FALL IN LOVE WITH THIS MUCH.
UM, SO MY, I'M HERE OBVIOUSLY IN SUPPORT.
I WANT TO, UH, DO THE, DO THE, THE RIGHT THING FOR THE HOUSE.
IT IS BASICALLY, SO MANY PEOPLE TELL ME IT IS, IT IS ONE OF THEIR FAVORITES.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, WELL, MR. PETERS, WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR? YES.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I DRIVE BY THIS HOUSE ALL THE TIME.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL HOUSE AND THE OWNERS HAVE OBVIOUSLY TAKEN VERY LOVING CARE OF IT.
I, I DO HOPE THAT YOU WILL APPROVE THIS REQUEST FOR HISTORIC ZONING.
UH, ARE THERE OTHER SPEAKERS AND DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP IN OPPOSITION? I WOULDN'T EXPECT.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN WE WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE ACTION.
COMMISSIONER LAROCHE, UH, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
UH, AND I TAKE IT OUR, THERE WE GO.
OUR GUYS REMOTE ARE THEIRS TOO.
UH, SO THAT WAS APPROVAL FROM THE TWO OF YOU.
UH, THEN THE HEARING IS CLOSED.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION OR IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER, UH, QUESTIONS, BUT IDEALLY WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE.
AMBER, SINCE THIS IS OWNER INITIATED.
AND THIS IS NOT AGAINST OWNER.
WE DO NOT HAVE TO BE OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING HEARING, AND WE CAN GO STRAIGHT TO RECOMMENDING AND STORAGE ZONING.
IN THIS SAME MOTION, YOU CAN REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING.
SO WE CAN GO ON TO PLANNING COMMISSION.
UH, YES, I MOTION TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING BASED ON ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS.
AND THAT IS THEN, UH, COMMISSIONER RUBIO.
UH, AND SECONDED BY, UH, COMMISSIONER GROGAN.
UH, COMMISSIONER RUBIO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO DISCUSS YOUR MOTION? YOU KNOW, UM, I DON'T HAVE MUCH TO TO SAY
[00:40:01]
ON, ON THIS, UH, HISTORIC ZONING.I JUST THANK YOU TO THE OWNERS.
UM, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A, AS A FELLOW MID-WESTERNER COMING FROM OUT OF TOWN AND ALSO JUST, YOU KNOW, COMING HERE INTO THE CITY AND RECOGNIZING WHAT WE HAVE, UM, I APPRECIATE THAT.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WITHIN AUSTIN, EVEN OUTSIDE OF TOWN, THAT DON'T RECOGNIZE WHAT WE HAVE.
SO I JUST APPRECIATE YOU ALL FOR HELPING US SAVE A PIECE OF AUSTIN.
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU, WHY YOU FELL IN LOVE, UM, I'M SURE WITH THE CITY AND WITH, WITH THAT HOUSE.
UM, I'M JUST GONNA, UH, I, I AGREE WITH, WITH THAT AND I, UM, APPRECIATE THE STORY FROM THE OWNER.
GREAT STORY, BUT THIS IS AN A, A RARE EXAMPLE I THINK OF, OF THE TUDOR ARCHITECTURAL STYLE THAT WE HAVE HERE IN AUSTIN.
UM, AND I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT, UM, PRESERVED IN A NEIGHBORHOOD TOO, WHERE WE SEE A LOT OF DEMOLITION.
ANY, ANY OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE CALL THE VOTE? UH, LET ME JUST ADD, UH, MY, MY GRATITUDE TO THESE OWNERS FOR, UM, NOT ONLY THE WORK YOU HAVE DONE, BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THIS AS BEING PASSED ON FROM A PREVIOUS GENERATION THAT CARED FOR THE HOUSE, PRESERVED THE HOUSE, AND MADE THAT THE ICONIC HOUSE THAT IT IS FOR TRAVIS HEIGHTS.
UH, YOU'RE RIGHT, IT'S, IS, WAS COMMENTED IN, UH, THE BACKUP.
UH, THIS IS A LANDMARK IN EVERY WAY.
AND THE FACT THAT NOW YOU'RE WILLING TO ENTER AS THIS INITIATION OF ZONING, UH, ASSUMING WE'RE SUCCESSFUL, WE'RE ENTERING INTO A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND WE HAVE REQUIREMENTS OF YOU.
BUT TO MEET THOSE REQUIREMENTS, YOU ALSO WILL BE GETTING, UH, OUR EXPERTISE, OUR REVIEW, AND, UH, SOME LEVEL OF TAX ABATEMENT THAT MAKES THAT PARTNERSHIP, IF YOU WILL, POSSIBLE FOR THIS HOUSE TO BE CARRIED FORWARD.
FOR THE REST OF THE TIME YOU ALL OWN IT, BUT PASSED ON.
SO THIS WOULD BE PASSED ON TO FUTURE OWNERS AS WELL.
SO, UH, IT'S AN VERY IMPORTANT, UH, PART OF WHAT WE ARE ABLE TO OFFER AND WE ARE VERY, VERY PLEASED THAT YOU WILLING TO, WILLING TO ENTER THAT PARTNERSHIP, UM, AND OF COURSE HAVE TAKEN GOOD CARE TO, TO, TO PRESENT SUCH A FINE HOUSE, UH, FOR CONSIDERATION.
AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, I'M PLANNING TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION.
ANY OTHER CONVERSATION OR DISCUSSION BEFORE I CALL THE QUESTION? OKAY, COMMISSIONERS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE, UH, APPLICANT REQUESTED HISTORIC ZONING INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
AND ANY OPPOSED? ALRIGHT, CONGRATULATIONS.
AND, UH, WE STILL HAVE, IT'S A ZONING CHANGE, SO IT'S STILL WILL GO TO, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION AND COUNCIL, UH, BUT WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE AND, AND, UH, WISH THE WHOLE PROCESS VERY WELL.
LET'S GO ON TO, UH, THE NEXT ITEM, UH, WE HAVE POSTED FOR DISCUSSION AND THAT IS, UH, THE ONE THAT WAS PULLED AT 2,900, UH, TERRY TRAIL.
UH, WE HAD A MEMBER OF THE AUDIENCE THAT ASKED FOR IT TO BE POLLED.
WE HAD SOME CONVERSATION FROM COMMISSIONERS, BUT WE'LL START WITH A STAFF PRESENTATION.
[7. HR-2023-087195 – 2900 Tarry Trl. – Consent Gatewood House ]
UH, PROPOSAL AT 2,900 TERRY TRAIL.UM, THIS PROJECT IS TO CONSTRUCT FENCE WITH GATES, UH, AND INSTALL NEW LANDSCAPING AT THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE, UM, AS WELL AS AT THE REAR.
UM, THE 2002 HISTORIC ZONING REVIEW DESCRIBES THE HOUSE AS A HIGH STYLE TUDOR COTTAGE COMPLETE WITH LIMESTONE EXTERIORS ACROSS GABLE ROOF WITH STEEPLY PITCHED GABLES, A HAND CUT WOOD SHAKE ROOF, HALF TIMBERED EFFECTS, DECORATIVE WOOD BRACKETS, WOODMEN AND S SASH WINDOWS FRONT AND REAR TURRETS WITH CONICAL ROOFS AND PORCHES WITH SUBSTANTIAL HANDCRAFTED BRACKETS.
UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS ARE BASED ON THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR STANDARDS FOR REHAB AND ARE USED TO EVALUATE PROJECTS AT HISTORIC LANDMARKS.
UM, THE PROPOSED PROJECT DOES NOT APPEAR TO AFFECT ANY OF THE CHARACTER DEFINING PERMANENT LANDSCAPE FEATURES OF THIS PROPERTY.
UH, WHILE THE PROPOSAL DOES NOT REPLACE THE FRONT LAWN, THE FENCE WILL ALTER ITS OPEN CONTEXT.
THE PROPOSED MATERIAL STYLE AND SCALE ARE COMPATIBLE WITH THE ARCHITECTURAL STYLE AND PERIOD OF THE BUILDING, BUT THEY DO NOT APPEAR ADEQUATELY DIFFERENTIATED FROM THE HISTORIC STRUCTURE.
UH, THEREFORE, STAFF HAS DETERMINED THAT THE PROJECT MEETS SOME, BUT NOT ALL OF THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS.
UH, THIS PROJECT WENT BEFORE THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE WHOSE FEEDBACK INCLUDED, UM, REQUESTING THE APPLICANT TO DIFFERENTIATE THE FRONT FENCE AND THE GATE MATERIAL FROM, FROM THE HISTORIC FABRIC BY USING METAL INSTEAD OF WOOD.
AND TO PULL THE FENCE FURTHER FROM THE HOUSE WHERE OPEN LAWN EXISTS.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONCUR WITH COMMITTEE FEEDBACK AND APPROVE THE REAR LANDSCAPE ALTERATIONS, BUT REQUEST THAT THE APPLICANT RETURN WITH A STREET ELEVATION DESIGN THAT RETAINS MORE OF THE OPEN FIELD OF THE FRONT LAWN AND SIMPLIFIES THE EXISTING GATE DESIGNS.
UM, UH, WE AT THIS POINT WILL START A PUBLIC HEARING,
[00:45:01]
UH, HOWEVER IT DID GO IN FRONT OF THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE.SO, UH, AT ANY POINT IF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS ALSO WANNA WEIGH IN ON THEIR DISCUSSIONS, THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE AS WELL.
UH, BUT WE COULD WAIT TILL THE APPLICANT SURE.
JUST MAKES THEIR PRESENTATION OR, OR ANY OTHER CONVERSATION.
SO, UH, WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS? UH, WE DO HAVE AN APPLICANT OWNER SIGNED UP AS TY JEFFREY.
JUST INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND, YEAH.
MY NAME IS TY JEFFREY AND I WORK WITH DAVOS CONSTRUCTION COMPANY.
UM, I'M HERE TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT THE FRONT LAWN PARTITION.
UM, FIRST OFF, I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THE CLIENT AND THE HOUSE.
UH, THIS CLIENT HAS GONE TO CONSIDERABLE LINKS TO RESTORE THIS HOUSE TO ITS PREVIOUS GLORY.
UH, JUST A FEW OF THOSE EXAMPLES ARE, YOU KNOW, $800,000 WAS SPENT SOLELY ON THE WINDOWS TO MATCH THE ORIGINAL SINGLE PANE, SINGLE HUNG HANDMADE STICK WINDOWS, UH, FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER A HUNDRED, 250,000 ON HANDBUILT DOORS.
TO MATCH THE ORIGINAL CONTEXT, UH, THE ORIGINAL FLOORS HAVE BEEN SAVED AND ARE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING RESTORED.
150,000 WAS SPENT ON THE ORIGINAL STONE TO BE REMOVED FROM THE EXTERIOR FACADE OF THE HOME CLEANED AND REAPPLIED.
UH, TWO 50 WAS SPENT ON THE COMPOSITE SHINGLE THAT EXACTLY MATCHED THE WOOD SHAKE ROOF THAT WOULD'VE BEEN APPROPRIATE FOR THE TIME PERIOD OF THIS HOUSE BEING BUILT.
ALSO, DURING THE REMODELING OF THE HOUSE, WE FOUND ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS RELATED TO THE LAND, THE HOUSE DATING BACK TO THE 1880S.
UM, OUR CLIENTS VALUE THIS HISTORY AND REQUESTED THAT WE SAVE THIS DOCUMENTATION.
WE CONTACTED THE AUSTIN LIBRARY AND THEY RECOMMENDED US TO ACCOMPANY, TO ARCHIVE, CATALOG, DIGITIZE, AND RESTORE THE DOCUMENTATION TO BE SAVED INDEFINITELY.
THIS IS NOT A CHEAP SERVICE, BUT FURTHER HIGHLIGHTS THE OWNER'S COMMITMENT TO THE HISTORY OF THIS HOUSE AND THE LAND.
UM, I DON'T SAY THIS STUFF TO HIGHLIGHT THE WALLET OF THE OWNER.
I BRING THESE FEW ITEMS TO CLARIFY THAT THIS OWNER IS WILLING TO DO WHAT IT TAKES TO BUILD THIS HOUSE CORRECTLY AND IN THEME WITH THE HISTORICAL SIGNI SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PROPERTY.
UM, AS FAR AS THE PLAN AND THE DESIGN, WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH AN AWARD-WINNING LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT JIM JAMES HYATT.
OUR PLAN FOR THE LANDSCAPE PORTION OF THIS JOB IS NOT ONLY TO REVITALIZE THE SITE, BUT ALSO TO HIGHLIGHT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PROPERTY.
UH, THE DESIGN OF THE STONEWALL WAS INSPIRED BY THE REBEL WALLS THAT CAN STILL BE FOUND ALL OVER TEXAS FROM THE HOUSES DATING BACK TO THE 19 HUNDREDS.
THIS WALL IS INTENDED TO ACCENTUATE THE HOUSE, NOT DRAW AWAY FROM OR BLOCK THE VIEW OF THE PROPERTY.
IN ADHERING TO THE HISTORICAL GUIDELINE, UH, SECTION 2.4, THE MATERIALS SELECTED OF SAID WALL ARE COMPATIBLE WITH THE HOUSE STONE, BUT DIFFERENTIATE IN THE SHAPE CONSTRUCTION AND TYPE OF STONE USED.
THIS WAS DONE TO AVOID THE TERM FALSE HISTORICISM.
UH, FURTHER ADHERING TO THESE GUIDELINES OF NOT CONSTRUCTING A WALL OVER FOUR FEET.
THIS WALL WILL BE BUILT THREE FEET HIGH, INCLUDING THE FOOTER, AND THAT WALL WILL APPEAR TO BE SHORTER IN AREAS DUE TO THE UNDULATION OF THE SITE TOPOGRAPHY.
UM, AND JUST KIND OF WRAPPING EVERYTHING UP, WE VIEW THIS AS REALLY JUST A PARTNERSHIP WHERE WE WANT BOTH PARTIES TO BE HAPPY WITH WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING.
UM, AND WE DO, YOU KNOW, WANNA MAINTAIN THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE.
I THINK PART OF THIS WHOLE PROBLEM IS PEOPLE ARE TAKING THE TERM WALL AND MAKING IT TOO LITERAL WHEN IT'S MORE OF A PARTITION.
I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING THREE FEET, SO IT'S, IT'S NOT REALLY GONNA COVER MUCH OF THE HOUSE, ESPECIALLY EVEN SITTING IN A CAR.
UM, AND A LOT OF THAT LANDSCAPE TOO IS, IS MATCHING WITH THE, LIKE, NO WATERING TYPE LANDSCAPE.
SO IT'S NOT GONNA BE, I KNOW A LOT OF OUR NEIGHBORS HAVE SAID IT'S GONNA STICK OUT, IT'S GONNA LOOK WAY TOO NICE.
I DON'T REALLY THINK THAT
AND YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA BE LOW WATERING.
THERE IS SOME GREEN LAWN, BUT FOR THE MOST PART WE'VE, WE'VE PICKED PLANTS THAT, THAT DO NOT REQUIRE A LOT OF LANDSCAPING.
UH, THANK YOU, UH, MS. JEFFREY, MR. JEFFREY.
AND, AND I DO APPRECIATE THE LEVEL OF, UH, THOUGHTFULNESS AND, UH, A LOT OF, OBVIOUSLY SENSITIVITY TO THE ERA.
UH, YOU CERTAINLY ARE WORKING IN A WAY WHERE JUST FROM THE PLANS, WHAT I CAN SEE FROM THE PRESENTATION, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE BEING VERY SENSITIVE TO THE PERIOD OF TIME.
IT ON MANY LEVELS HAS, UH, CLEARLY BEEN WELL THOUGHT THROUGH, UH, AS, AS SOMETHING THAT IS WORKS FOR THAT TYPE OF STRUCTURE.
AND BY ALL MEANS, WE, I CAN'T TELL YOU, UH, ALL OF US HAVE TO SAY HATS OFF TO THE OWNERS WHO ARE WILLING TO TAKE THE TIME AND CARE, OBVIOUSLY, NOT ONLY FOR THE HOUSE ITSELF, BUT EXTENDING THAT CARE ALL THE WAY INTO THESE GROUNDS.
SO, UH, HAVING THIS CONVERSATION AND ALLOWING OUR EXPERTISE AND THE PERSPECTIVE FROM THE BROADER PERSPECTIVE OF THE WHOLE CITY, UH, TO ENTER INTO THE DIALOGUE, I THINK IS IMPORTANT.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THESE OWNERS FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
UM, I KNOW THAT THE COMMITTEE DELVED INTO THESE, UH, ISSUES MUCH MORE DEEPLY THAN WE'LL HAVE TIME FOR HERE.
BUT, UH, PERHAPS THE, THE TWO MEMBERS, UH, WHO WERE AT THAT MEETING MAY WANNA EXPAND ON SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS YOU HAD, OR MAYBE IN LIGHT OF YOUR PRESENTATION HAVE SOME OTHER THOUGHTS.
UH, SO I, I'LL CALL UPON Y'ALL IF, UH, COMMISSIONER GROVE, DO YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING?
[00:50:02]
HI, YEAH.THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I THINK, UM, WHAT IS THAT ISSUE HERE? AND, AND I'LL ASK, UH, COMMISSIONER RUBY BE ABLE TO BACK ME UP HERE IF, UH, IF I, UM, STATE ANYTHING INCORRECTLY.
BUT THIS IS, UH, A LANDMARK PROPERTY AND SO THERE ARE RULES WE HAVE TO FOLLOW.
AND THIS BEING A, A NEW WALL PARTITION FENCE, UM, IS A, IS IS DIFFERENT FROM THE HOUSE BECAUSE IT, IT IS A, IT'S A NEW ADDITION MM-HMM.
SO I, I DON'T SEE A WAY TO ARGUE THAT A, A STONE WALL PROVIDES THAT, UM, EVEN AT THREE FEET IN HEIGHT TO, TO ME THAT WE NEED MORE OF A, UM, A METAL FENCE THAT COULD, YOU KNOW, ALLOW SOME TRANSPARENCY AND SO THAT WE CAN SEE THE HOME.
UM, AND I THINK THE OTHER ISSUE WE HAD WITH THE STONE FENCE IS AS STONEWALLS IS LOVELY AS IT IS, IT, IT VERY MUCH, UM, IS TRYING TO LOOK LIKE IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THERE, WHICH, UM, AS ODD AS IT MAY SEEM IS AGAINST THE RULES.
WE, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO CLEARLY SEE THAT THE HOME IS HISTORICAL AND THIS NEW WALL IS NEW.
I HAVE SOME THOUGHTS MYSELF ABOUT THAT, BUT, UH, COMMISSIONER RUBIO, DID YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS YOU WANTED TO SHARE? I'LL ECHO, UM, COMMISSIONER GROGAN, YOU KNOW, I, I I THINK I'D BE MORE OPEN TO, YOU KNOW, SOME OF, SOME, SOME COMPROMISE IF ALL ANY OF OUR COMMENTS WERE TAKEN FROM THE A R C.
BUT IT DOESN'T APPEAR THAT, UM, ANY OF THOSE COMMENTS MADE IT IN THIS KIND OF DESIGN PACKAGE.
UM, WE, WE DID HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE, THE TYPE, THE TYPE OF CUT STONE AS WELL.
UM, I THINK A LOT MORE MODERN STONES THAT COULD BE, AGAIN, UM, DIFFERENTIATING IT AND APPEARING IT FROM FALSE HISTORICISM AS WELL AS EVEN JUST DIFFERENT TYPES OF METAL OR I'M SORRY, GATES AND ALL THAT.
SO I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHERE, I'M NOT SURE WHERE THOSE, THOSE IDEAS KIND OF JUST, UM, FELL OFF THIS PROJECT.
BUT I AGREE WITH, WITH COMMISSIONER GROGAN, SO.
MR. JEFFREY, DO YOU HAVE ANY, ANY THOUGHTS OR RESPONSE? UM, AGAIN, NOT ALL OF US WERE AT THAT MEETING.
UM, BUT THERE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, AND I, HOW, HOW YOU RESPOND TO THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, BEFORE CHANGING PLAN SETS AND GOING THROUGH ALL THAT, WE WANTED TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION BEFORE GETTING TO THAT POINT.
UM, I DO UNDERSTAND THE, I GUESS WITHOUT SOUNDING RUDE, THE OPINIONS OF, UM, OF WANTING TO, TO LOOK NEW, I JUST, TO ME, I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT, I KNOW IT'S WITHIN THE RULES, BUT I FEEL LIKE PUTTING A, AN IRON FENCE IN THE FRONT IS TAKING AWAY FROM THE DESIGN.
IF ANYTHING, YOU'RE FOCUSING ON THE FACT THAT WHAT IS THIS STICKING OUT IN FRONT OF THE YARD AT THAT POINT? I, I JUST, I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.
UM, I CAN UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, LET MAYBE LOWERING THE WALL, UM, DOING SOMETHING TO REALLY OPEN UP AND SEEING THE LAWN.
ONE THING THAT WE HAVE MADE A CHANGE ON, I KNOW THAT THEY COMMENTED WAS HOW FAR THE FENCE WAS AND BRINGING IT CLOSER TO THE STREET VIEW.
AND WE ARE INTENDING TO DO, BRING IT FIVE FEET CLOSER FORWARD.
SO IT IS GIVING IT MORE OF A LAWN UP FRONT, NOT AT THE STREET, BUT BRINGING THE WALL TO THE STREET SO THAT YOU'RE EVEN GONNA SEE MORE OF THE HOUSE.
UM, OTHER THAN THAT, THAT WOULD BE MY, MY FEEDBACK.
UM, AND WE'RE, WE, WE'VE BEEN CAUTIONED OUR, OUR JOB, OF COURSE YOU HAVE ARCHITECTS UP HERE AS AS WELL.
SO WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO DESIGN FROM THE S
BUT, UH, I DO THINK MAYBE A A A REPEAT AT THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE, IF THE OWNERS ARE WILLING TO BE PATIENT, UH, MIGHT ALLOW US TO FLESH OUT MORE CREATIVE SOLUTIONS.
SEEMS TO ME, UH, AS I'M PICKING UP SOME OF THIS, UH, THE IDEA OF A STONEWALL OF A CERTAIN TYPE WOULD'VE BEEN CONSISTENT IN THAT ERA, BUT PROBABLY NOT THAT MANY OF THEM IN AUSTIN, THERE ARE SOME, UH, IT MAY BE VERY WELL THAT WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH IS LESS A WALL AND A GATE CONDITION AND MUCH MORE HAVING TO DO WITH LANDSCAPING AND YOUR PLANTING.
AND SO LOWERING, I THINK MAYBE, UH, MEETING WHAT COMMISSIONER GROGAN POINTED OUT, THE DESIRE FOR MORE TRANSPARENCY, UH, ALSO LESSENING THE IDEA THAT IT REALLY WAS ONE OF THESE LARGER BARRIER TYPE WALLS.
AND IT HAS MORE TO DO WITH YOUR PLANTING, UH, AND LANDSCAPING.
UM, THAT HAVING BEEN SAID, I FRANKLY, I LIKED YOUR GAIT DESIGN, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THE COMMITTEE FEELS LIKE ONE OBVIOUSLY WAY OF DISTINGUISHING THAT FROM A HISTORIC GATE IS TO MAKE IT METAL, BUT MAYBE THERE ARE OTHER WAYS THAT YOU COULD ADAPT THAT GATE.
SO IT WOULD NOT BE AS, AS OBVIOUSLY CONNECTED POSSIBLY AS A HISTORIC ELEMENT AND BE MISTAKEN AS A HISTORIC ELEMENT, BUT DISTINCT FROM THAT EVEN AS IT CELEBRATES THOSE HISTORIC, UH, MOTIFS.
SO, I, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR YOU OTHER THAN IF YOU WERE WILLING THAT MIGHT BE, UH, WORTHY OF, OF EVERYONE'S TIME.
[00:55:01]
ABSOLUTELY.UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? BECAUSE OTHERWISE I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO, WE HAVE MORE SPEAKERS.
UH, I, I'M NOT GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING IF WE HAVE MORE SPEAKERS.
MR. JEFFREY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ALRIGHT, THE NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE.
UM, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS IN OPPOSITION.
IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS, UH, IN FAVOR AND LIKE TO SPEAK.
UH, WE HAVE A SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION JOINING US BY PHONE.
MS. HERDON, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO UNMUTE YOUR OWN PHONE.
I JUST DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT.
UH, WELL I WANNA THANK YOU'ALL VERY MUCH.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES, MA'AM.
UM, WE, MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE OWNED A HOUSE ACROSS THE STREET.
WE BUILT IT LIKE 43 YEARS AGO.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THIS HOUSE IS, PEOPLE DRIVE BY 20 TO 900 ALL THE TIME.
THEY'VE WATCHED EVERY SECOND OF THE CONSTRUCTION, ALWAYS ASKING QUESTIONS.
AND, YOU KNOW, OTHER THAN OUR UPSTAIRS PORCH, WE DON'T REALLY KNOW MUCH EXCEPT I CAN TELL YOU AS A LIFELONG PRESERVATIONIST, THEY'VE DONE SOME VERY SIGNIFICANT, UM, LARGE HOMES.
AND I, I WANT TO COMMEND THE OWNERS FOR THE, THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.
UM, WE HAVE NO OBJECTION TO ANYTHING IN THE BACK.
WHILE WE'VE BEEN HERE, THERE'VE BEEN FOUR OWNERS AND THEY'VE DONE SOMETHING MASSIVE IN THE BACK ABOUT FIVE TIMES.
UM, YOU KNOW, PUT IN AND THEN REMOVE POOLS, WHATEVER.
SO WE DON'T CARE WHAT'S IN THE BACK 'CAUSE WE WON'T SEE IT.
AND THAT'S KIND OF IN LINE WITH THE PRESERVATION.
THE HOUSE IS JUST, IT'S JUST BEING, THEY, THEY ARE TAKING BEAUTIFUL CARE OF THE HOUSE AND DOING WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
BUT OUR OBJECTION IS, AND WE DID NOT SEE THIS PLAN OR HEAR IT WAS IN THE WORKS OR ANYTHING UNTIL ABOUT A WEEK AGO.
AND I, LAST FRIDAY WE GOT THE, THE INFORMATION FINALLY OVER THE INTERNET, UM, FROM THE COMMISSION.
SO, UM, I, I FEEL BAD THAT WE HAVE NOT SAID ANYTHING BEFORE, BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW, I EVEN ASKED THE CONTRACTOR WHAT THEY HADN'T PLANNED AND HE SAID HE DIDN'T KNOW.
SO, UM, THE, OUR OBJECTION IS THAT THIS HOUSE HAS ALWAYS BEEN OPEN IN THE FRONT WITH A GRASS LAWN.
AND THAT IS SO TYPICAL OF HISTORIC HOMES, ESPECIALLY IN TEXAS BECAUSE THERE WASN'T ANY WATER.
NOW I DON'T EXPECT A DIRT YARD.
UM, BUT A, A VERY SIMPLE YARD LIKE'S ALWAYS BEEN THERE IS REALLY I THINK WHAT'S CALLED FOR.
UM, THAT'S WHAT WE DID AT THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION.
WE DID THE, IN GLORIA, WE DID IT AT OTHER HOMES THAT I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN BECAUSE IF IT'S THAT PERIOD, THAT'S WHAT IT WAS.
AND ESPECIALLY THIS HOME, WHICH WAS A RANCH HOUSE OUT IN THE COUNTRY, PROBABLY ONE OF THE EARLIEST HOMES IN TARRYTOWN.
UM, SO WE JUST THINK IT'S OVER LANDSCAPED AND OVER DESIGNED.
LIKE, UM, LIKE THE CHAIRS SAID, I REALLY LIKE THE GATES
THAT'S NOT REALLY TOO BAD, ISN'T TOO BAD, BUT SHORTER WOULD BE BETTER.
UM, I THINK THE LANDSCAPING IS COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTEXT.
UM, IT'S, IT'S JUST A LOT OF PLANTS AND, UM, AND SO IT'S VERY DISTRACTING FROM THE, THE HISTORIC HOME.
UM, SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, ADMITTEDLY WE AND EVERYONE ELSE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOREVER HAS THOUGHT OF IT WITH A GRASS LONG.
BUT, UM, I, AND AND I, I'VE NEVER INTERFERED AT ALL WITH WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
I'VE NEVER EVEN BEEN ON A TOUR OF THE HOUSE.
I'VE NEVER ASKED TO MEET THE OWNER.
UM, I DON'T THINK THAT'S ANY OF MY BUSINESS, BUT THIS IS ON THE STREET WHERE EVERYBODY'S GONNA SEE IT AND IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT LOOK THAN WHAT THAT HISTORIC HOME HAS ALWAYS HAD.
SO I DON'T REALLY WANT TO, TO DELAY THE OWNERS.
THEY'VE BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB, BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
NOBODY EVER ASKED, NOTHING WAS EVER ADVERTISED.
UM, THERE'S NO POSTING UNTIL, UH, THE 25TH OF, AND THEN THERE WAS NOTHING ONLINE.
SO IT JUST SEEMS TO ME LIKE IT REQUIRES A LITTLE MORE CONVERSATION.
[01:00:01]
OF THAT IS, YOU KNOW, DO YOU REALLY WANT AN IRON FENCE OUT FRONT? AND IF SO, IT SEEMS, IT SEEMS TO ME IT CALLS FOR A REALLY, UH, UNUSUAL AND, AND DESIGN FENCE, NOT JUST A STANDARD IRON FENCE 'CAUSE THEY'RE SO OUT OF PLACE.UM, BUT I JUST THINK, I THINK IT NEEDS MORE THOUGHT.
I THINK WHAT'S, WHAT'S DESIGNED RIGHT NOW FOR THE FRONT IS NOT APPROPRIATE.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY? YES.
UH, COMMISSIONER LA ROCHE, WE HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.
HOW ARE YOU? IT IS VERY NICE TO HEAR FROM YOU.
UH, SO I'M GONNA NICE TO KNOW YOU'RE THERE.
I'M GOING TO DISCLOSE TO THE COMMISSION THAT YOU WERE MY FORMER EMPLOYER.
SO I'M LIKELY GOING TO RECUSE MYSELF FROM THIS CONVERSATION, BUT VERY NICE TO HEAR FROM YOU.
YEAH, I, I DON'T THINK THERE'S AN ACTUAL CONFLICT, UH, COMMISSIONER LA ROCHE, BUT IF YOU WANT TO STEP BACK SO THAT YOU DON'T MAKE A, A, A NEIGHBOR MAD.
THAT, THAT, THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE TOO.
UM, I, I DO, COMMISSIONER GROVER, I WOULD, UM, ENCOURAGE THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE STREET VIEW OF THIS HOUSE FROM 2019 SO YOU CAN SEE THE LAWN AND WHAT AN IMPACT OF A WALL MIGHT BE.
UM, JUST WANNA THROW THAT OUT THERE.
UH, THOSE ARE COMMENTS THAT WE'LL, WE CAN ADD TO WHEN WE HAVE A MOTION.
UH, AT THIS POINT, ARE THERE OTHER SPEAKERS SIGNED UP? I'M SO SORRY.
THEN IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE, I DON'T KNOW IF WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING TO DO A POSTPONEMENT, IF THAT IS, UH, THE, THE, UH, APPLICANT SO HAS INDICATED THAT THEY COULD REFER AGAIN TO THE, THE MOTION WOULD BE TO A R C MOTION TO KEEP THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN AND THEN POSTPONE WITH AN INVITATION TO A R C.
UH, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT? COMMISSIONERS? SO MOVED.
IS THERE A SECOND? UH, COMMISSIONER BOARD SECOND.
UH, SO THIS WOULD ACTUALLY ALLOW THE, UH, EXTEND THE CONVERSATION, IF YOU WILL, UH, WITH FOLLOW UP AT THE A R C MEETING.
AND POTENTIALLY SOME OF THESE IDEAS THAT WE ARE BRINGING OUT TODAY COULD ALLOW US TO HAVE SOME ALTERNATES, UH, BEFORE WE DO OUR FINAL APPROVAL.
UH, SO IF THAT'S EVERYONE'S UNDERSTANDING, UH, THEN LET ME CALL THE VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
SO, UH, COMMISSIONER ROCHE IS ABSTAINING.
BUT THAT PASSES AND THAT IS POSTPONED TO THE NEXT MEETING AND WITH A REFERRAL TO THE A R C.
ALRIGHT, THE NEXT DISCUSSION ITEM.
[11. PR-2023-076607 – 96 Rainey St. – Discussion Rainey Street National Register District (noncontributing]
11.THIS IS YOUR CALL, COMMISSIONERS WAS POSTPONED FROM OUR JULY MEETING.
THANK, AND I BELIEVE THERE IS A 75 DAY CLOCK THAT IS TICKING HERE.
UH, JUST TO CONFIRM THE CLOCK, THE 75 DAY CLOCK FOR THE DEMOLITION, UH, STARTED LAST MONTH, WHICH MEANS THERE ARE TWO MORE MEETINGS.
THIS ONE AND THE NEXT ONE BEFORE IT IS RELEASED BY STAFF.
AND THEN THE NEW CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS, THE 75 DAY CLOCK BEGINS TODAY.
SO, INCLUDING THIS MEETING, THERE ARE THREE, UM, MEETINGS BEFORE IT'S RELEASED BY STAFF.
UH, THIS IS A PROPOSAL FOR DEMOLITION, UH, OF A CIRCA 1887 HOUSE THAT CAME BEFORE Y'ALL LAST MONTH.
AND NOW WE HAVE, UM, A SET OF PLANS, UH, TO CONSTRUCT A NEW COMMERCIAL BUILDING IN ITS PLACE.
UH, THE EXISTING HOUSE IS A ONE STORY FOLK VICTORIAN L PLAN HOUSE WITH HORIZONTAL WOOD SIDING.
TRADITIONAL CORNERS RETURNS AT THE GABLE END, A PARTIAL WIDTH FRONT PORCH WITH A SHED ROOF AND WOOD.
TWO OVER TWO WINDOWS A WOOD DECK LEANED TO AND COVERED PATIO HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED TO SHELTER THE PATRONS OF THE BAR.
UM, THE PROPOSED NEW BUILDING IS TWO STORIES IN HEIGHT, CLAD AND MASONRY VENEER PANELS, UH, METAL PANELS AND WOOD SIDING WITH BREEZE BLOCK ACCENTS.
ELEVATIONS ARE WINDOWLESS FENESTRATION AT NORTH AND EAST ELEVATIONS IS A REGULAR CONSISTING OF FULLY GLAZED DOORS BENEATH MASONRY ARCHES, DIVIDED LIGHT RECTANGULAR AND ARCHED FIXED WINDOWS AND FRENCH DOORS AT THE SECOND FLOOR BALCONY.
THE EXISTING HOUSE AT 96 RAINY STREET, ALSO ADDRESSED AT 6 0 3 DRISCOLL STREET WAS CONSTRUCTED DURING THE LATE 1880S.
ITS FIRST RESIDENCE WERE VICTOR AND ELLA KLEB.
VICTOR KLEB WAS A BARBER FROM SAN ANTONIO, AND HE WAS THE SECRETARY OF THE FIRST STATE BARBERS BOARD OF TEXAS.
AND A UNION LEADER WHO LED THE STATE'S BARBERS AND HAIRDRESSERS IN PASSING HYGIENE LAWS
[01:05:01]
AND ESTABLISHING WORKER PROTECTIONS FOR BARBERSHOP EMPLOYEES AS THE CORRESPONDING AND FINANCIAL SECRETARY OF THE AUSTIN BARBERS LOCAL 180 3.UH, HE WAS ONE OF THE CITY'S EARLIEST PROPONENTS OF SANITARY STANDARDS, FAIR LABOR, AND MODERN SAFETY PROVISIONS FOR SKILLED BARBERS.
UH, CLEVE WAS TASKED WITH VETTING APPLICATIONS TO OPERATE BARBERSHOPS, UH, IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND NOTABLY, HE APPROVED, UM, BLACK AND WOMEN BARBERS DURING AN ERA WHEN MANY PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS EXCLUDED ALL BUT WHITE MEN.
CLEVES OM SHOP WAS DISPLACED IN 1909 AS THE CORONER OF SIX, AND CONGRESS WAS RAISED TO MAKE WAY FOR THE SCAR ROW BUILDING AUSTIN'S FIRST SKYSCRAPER.
AFTER CLEVE DIED AT HOME IN 1816, HIS WIFE, ELLA CLEVE, CONTINUED TO LIVE AND WORK AS A HAIRDRESSER THERE UNTIL HER OWN DEATH IN 1922.
UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS ARE BASED ON THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR STANDARDS FOR REHA REHABILITATION, AND ARE USED TO EVALUATE PROJECTS IN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS.
UM, THE PROJECT DOES NOT MEET THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS PER STAFF REVIEW.
UM, AND NOTABLY THIS, UM, PROPERTY IS NON-CONTRIBUTING TO THE 1985 RAINY STREET NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UM, HOWEVER, IT MAY HAVE GAINED SIGNIFICANCE IN THE LAST 38 YEARS AND SHOULD BE CAREFULLY EVALUATED GIVEN THE REVERSIBLE NATURE OF MANY OF THE NON HISTORIC ACCRETIONS.
WHILE IT HAS ACCUMULATED SOME NON HISTORIC ADDITIONS DURING ITS TIME AS A BAR, THE UNDERLYING FORM OF THE HOUSE REMAINS, PROPERTIES MUST MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
UM, AND STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT MAY MEET THESE TWO CRITERIA.
UH, THE BUILDING'S CONSTRUCTED WITH NATIONAL FOLK AND VERNACULAR, VICTORIAN INFLUENCES, AND IT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THE TEXAS STATE BARBERS BOARD, UH, SECRETARY AND UNION ACTIVIST VICTOR CLE.
THEREFORE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONSIDER WHETHER THE BUILDING SUFFICIENTLY MEETS THE DESIGNATION CRITERIA, AND IF SO, INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING.
SHOULD THE COMMISSION FEEL THAT THE BUILDING DOES NOT ADEQUATELY MEET THE CRITERIA.
UH, STAFF RECOMMENDS A STRONG RECOMMENDATION OF ADAPTIVE REUSE AND REHABILITATION, THEN RELOCATION OF DEMOLITION OVER DEMOLITION, UM, BUT TO RELEASE THE PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UM, SNAP ALSO RECOMMENDS, UM, THE COMMISSION COMMENT ON NEW CONSTRUCTION PLANS AS THIS IS NEW CONSTRUCTION AND A NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT.
AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE SEEN THOSE NEW PLANS? THAT'S CORRECT.
THE, THE DEMOLITION REQUEST HAS BEEN IN FRONT OF US PRIOR.
UH, THIS IS A POSTED FOR PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? UM, FROM THE APPLICANT OWNER TEAM, WE HAVE SEAN FRICK.
SEAN, BUT I BELIEVE HE'S JUST HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
THEY SPECIFICALLY TO ADD, I'M JUST HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR OWNERSHIP.
YOU CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF I CAN.
IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, SIR, WE'LL ASK YOU TO COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
UM, ARE THERE, ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS IN FAVOR OR OPPOSITION? AND WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, THAT'S WHAT TRIGGERED OUR REVIEW.
AS STAFF HAS TOLD US, THOUGH, WHEN THE ORIGINAL REGISTER DISTRICT WAS PUT TOGETHER, THIS WAS NOT INDICATED AS A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE.
I THINK BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE MODIFICATIONS AT THE TIME, WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY HAVE BEEN REMOVED, WHICH ACTUALLY CONSIDERING ITS CONDITION, UH, NOW, UH, WERE THAT TO HAVE BEEN THE EVALUATION, MOST LIKELY IT WOULD'VE BEEN A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE.
UH, IT CERTAINLY WOULD BE A GREAT LOSS.
UH, THERE ARE MANY LOSSES THAT THE RAINY STREET DISTRICT HAS SUFFERED, SO THIS WOULDN'T BE THE FIRST.
UH, BUT THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE QUESTION OF HOW APPROPRIATE, UH, IS THE PLAN NOW THAT WE'RE SEEING FOR THE NEW CONSTRUCTION? AND, UH, THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE POSTED FOR.
UM, I DON'T THINK WE NECESSARILY NEED A MOTION TO HAVE A CONVERSATION.
UH, DO WE NEED TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? BUT WE SHOULD PERHAPS CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I'LL MOVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ROCHE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR CLOSING PUBLIC HEARING INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? MY, UH, DO WE NEED A MOTION TO SPEAK? I'M GONNA, YEAH, WE NEED A MOTION BEFORE DISCUSSION CAN START.
I'LL MOVE TO POSTPONE TO THE NEXT MEETING FOR THE SAKE OF DISCUSSION.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? SECOND.
WE'LL HAVE THAT, UH, UH, SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER DUDLEY.
UH, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTONE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? Y YEAH.
MY THOUGHT IS THAT IF, UH, CONTRIBUTION TO A HISTORIC DISTRICT IS RELATIVE AND WE TAKE THAT IN LIVE TIME, THIS PROPERTY'S LIKE, UH, VERY MUCH CONTRIBUTING
[01:10:01]
THE FABRIC THAT WAS THERE WHEN THAT DISTRICT WAS CREATED.UM, IT'S A SHAME THAT THIS IS, THIS IS WHERE IT'S AT.
AND THAT'S JUST MY, THAT'S MY THOUGHT.
IS IT MORE, MORE OF AN IRONIC TWIST TO THE QUESTION OF RELATIONSHIP
IF THE, IF THE DENOMINATOR HAS JUST CONTINUALLY GOTTEN SMALLER, THEN THIS, THIS NON-CONTRIBUTING BUILDING IS SOMEHOW REALLY PUNCHING ABOVE ITS WEIGHT FOR CONTRIBUTING TO THAT DISTRICT.
COMMISSIONER DUDLEY? I, I AGREE.
I MEAN, I JUST FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CONVERSATION SHOULD BE HAD IF THIS COULD BE, YOU KNOW, SOMEHOW THE, THE DISTRICT NOMINATION, UM, AMENDED TO INCLUDE THIS BUILDING AS A CONTRIBUTING FEATURE, THAT WOULD BE REALLY IMPORTANT.
WELL, I WOULD HOPE THAT, UH, AND MAYBE THE REPRESENTATIVE HERE, IF YOU'RE TAKING THIS AWAY FOR THE OWNER, UH, WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING IN ITS PLACE REALLY HAS VERY LITTLE TO DO WITH THE HISTORIC FABRIC THAT WE ARE TRYING TO REPRESENT.
WHERE IT WAS MOSTLY A RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT, SMALL BUSINESSES, UH, THE SCALE OF THAT BUILDING IS NOT SO LARGE THAT CONCEIVABLY YOU COULD INTEGRATE A SIMILAR TYPE OF PROGRAM IN A RESTORED BUILDING WITH POSSIBLY AN ADDITION.
AND THAT WOULD MEET OUR CRITERIA AND THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE WOULD REQUIRE, WE WOULD ENCOURAGE.
UH, SHORT OF THAT, UH, I DON'T THINK I CAN OFFER ANY, UM, ENCOURAGEMENT FOR WHAT WE'RE SEEING.
UH, WE'RE GONNA LOSE A BUILDING THAT OBVIOUSLY SHOULD BE THOUGHT OF AS A CON CONTRIBUTING BUILDING TO THAT, UH, EVEN FLEETING DISTRICT THAT WE HAVE.
AND THE NEW BUILDING THAT WILL REPLACE IT WILL HAVE VERY LITTLE TO DO WITH ANYTHING HISTORIC IN THAT AREA AT ALL.
SO, UM, UH, AGAIN, OUR ONLY TOOL AT THIS POINT, WE ALREADY WENT THROUGH, UH, THE DISCUSSION.
THIS PROPERTY, I THINK WE ALL AGREE, DOESN'T RISE TO THE LEVEL OF A LANDMARK BUILDING, BUT OUR ONLY TOOL THEN IS TO ASK THE OWNER TO CONSIDER DURING THIS DELAY, WHICH WE WILL IMPOSE IF THIS MOTION PASSES, UH, CONSIDER THE ALTERNATIVES AND SEE IF WE CAN'T BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO PRESERVE THAT BUILDING.
MAYBE EVEN HAVING IT MOVE WOULD BE AN, UH, UH, MUCH LESS DESIRABLE, BUT AT LEAST BETTER THAN HAVING IT ALL GO INTO LANDFILL.
SO, I'D LIKE TO CLARIFY, UM, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTONE'S MOTION, UH, IT IS TO POSTPONE, DID YOU ALSO WANT TO INCLUDE REOPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING? YES.
UM, POSTPONED TO OUR OCTOBER MEETING AND REOPEN PUBLIC HEARING.
AND, AND THE SECONDER, UH, COMMISSIONER DUDLEY, THAT'S APPROVED AS, AS WELL? YES.
UH, THE MOTION TO POSTPONE AS A FURTHER CONVERSATION.
DO WE WANNA SPEAK AT ALL TO THE, UM, THE PROPOSED PLANS OR? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, SETTING ASIDE, I THINK, UM, REHABBING THE HISTORICAL STRUCTURE AND, YOU KNOW, UM, SAY YOU, YOU ARE GONNA MOVE FORWARD WITH THESE PLANS.
I, YOU KNOW, I WOULD JUST REALLY LIKE TO SEE THE ARCHITECT THINK ABOUT THE MASSING OF THE STRUCTURE.
UM, I, I DON'T THINK IT FITS THE CONTEXT OF, OF RAINY STREET, UM, TWO STORY BLANK WALL.
UM, I'M NOT SURE IT'S TO THE SCALE OF PEDESTRIANS.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, IF WE GET THIS FAR AGAIN, I'D LOVE TO SEE THE EXISTING STRUCTURE, UM, STAY, BUT I, I WOULD PROPOSE AN INVITE TO THE A R C TO, TO TALK, UH, ABOUT, UM, A DESIGN FOR A NEW STRUCTURE IF, IF WE GET TO THAT POINT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COMMISSIONERS? UH, I, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ECHO WHAT, UH, THE CHAIR SAID.
UM, YEAH, THE, THE BUILDING THAT'S BEING PRESENTED HERE IS NOT, IT'S NOT ENORMOUS.
I THINK THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SOME REVISIONS FOR, UH, SCALE AND CONTEXT AND TO BECOME A BETTER FIT INTO THIS DISTRICT.
UH, CERTAINLY WE WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU DURING THIS TIME, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS ASK STAFF, UH, AND THEY COULD MAKE ROOM FOR YOU ON THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE AGENDA.
WE'RE UP TO 10 CASES FOR NEXT WEEK.
SO, UM, MAYBE UP TO THE WEEKS, THE WEEKS AFTER.
IT WOULD HAVE TO BE THE OCTOBER A R C 'CAUSE WE JUST, WE CANNOT ADD ANYMORE.
BUT AGAIN, UM, WE'D, WE'D HOPE THAT THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE WOULD ENCOURAGE.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR CONVERSATION? THEN I'LL CALL, UH, THE MOTION THE QUESTION AND WE WILL HAVE, UH, A MOTION TO POSTPONE TO THE NEXT MEETING.
AND ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
AND ANY OPPOSED? ALRIGHT, THAT MOTION PASSES AND WE WILL CONTINUE.
LET ME GO TO ITEM NUMBER 13 IS THE NEXT ITEM THAT WE'VE POLLED FOR DISCUSSION.
THAT IT'S ACTUALLY, UH, OH, YEAH, IT IS.
[01:15:01]
1800 KENWOOD AVENUE, AND I BELIEVE SOMEONE FROM THE AUDIENCE ASKED THAT, THAT BE PULLED.[13. HR-2023-104361 – 1800 Kenwood Ave. – Consent Travis Heights – Fairview Park National Register District]
PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH THE CIRCA 1947 HOUSE AND CONSTRUCT A NEW BUILDING AT 1800 KENWOOD AVENUE.UH, THIS IS A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING IN THE, UH, TRAVIS HEIGHTS, FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UM, THE PROPOSED NEW BUILDING IS CLAD AND BRICK WITH A SHINGLE ROOF, AND THE CARPORT IS CLAD AND CEMENT BOARD SIDING.
THE PROPERTY IS SURROUNDED BY A CEDAR FENCE.
THE EXISTING BUILDING IS A ONE-STORY MINIMAL TRADITIONAL HOUSE CLAD AND ASBESTOS, AND KEPT BY A COMPOUND CROSS GABLED ROOF.
THE FEATURES DECORATIVE VERTICAL SIDING AT THE GABLE END AND ONE OVER ONE'S GREENED WOOD WINDOWS.
THIS HOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1947 FOR ANITA T TON, A WIDOW WHO WORKED AS AN ANALYST AT THE STATE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT.
IT APPEARS THAT SHE BUILT THE HOME AFTER HER DEATH OF HER SON MURRAY, WHO WAS SHOT DOWN OVER ITALY IN 1944.
SHE WAS ACTIVE IN VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORTING OTHER GOLD STAR MOTHERS.
BY 1959 TON'S DAUGHTER, ANNA WAS LISTED AS THE SOLE OWNER OCCUPANT OF THE HOUSE.
THIS PROJECT HAS MEANT EVALUATED, UH, BASED ON THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS.
UM, AND THE PROJECT MEETS MOST OF THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS FOR NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICTS.
UM, THE BUILDING IS MORE THAN 50 YEARS OLD AND APPEARS TO RETAIN HIGH INTEGRITY.
UH, HOWEVER, STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
UM, THEREFORE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO RELEASE THE PERMIT UPON COMPLETION AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, AND TO COMMENT ON PLANS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION.
UM, SO THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE SOMEONE FIRST, THOUGH, WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS APPLICATION? SO WE DO HAVE THE PROPERTY OWNER HERE, UH, DAVID CARR AND HIS WIFE ASHLEY CARR.
UM, WHOEVER WANTS TO GO FIRST.
MR. CARR, INTRODUCE YOURSELF, PLEASE.
UH, MY WIFE ASHLEY CARR IS, UH, IN THE AUDIENCE BEHIND ME AS WELL.
UM, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR, UH, ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF OUR, UH, HOUSE THIS EVENING.
UM, I SAY HOUSE, MAYBE I SHOULD SAY HOME.
UM, ASHLEY AND I HAVE LIVED IN AUSTIN SINCE, UH, 2012, UM, IN THE SOUTH OF MY AREA.
AND WE'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO LIVE IN THE, UM, TRAVIS HEIGHTS.
IT'S BEEN A, A MAJOR FAVORITE OF OURS EVER SINCE MOVING TO THE CITY.
UM, I, FOR US, THIS IS A, IT'S A MAJOR OPPORTUNITY FOR US.
UH, WE ARE, WE'RE OBVIOUSLY NOT DEVELOPERS.
WE INTEND TO LIVE IN THIS HOME.
UM, OUR FAMILY IS VERY HOPEFULLY GROWING SOON.
AND, UM, WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO, UH, HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, TO JOIN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
I THINK THE, IT'S JUST A WONDERFUL PLACE TO BE AND THE PARKS ARE WONDERFUL AND IT'S GREAT FOR A, FOR A GROWING FAMILY.
UM, I HOPE YOU CAN SEE, UH, WE'VE TRIED VERY HARD TO REPRESENT WHAT WE THINK ARE SOME OF THE, THE WONDERFUL STYLISTIC ELEMENTS OF THE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD AND OUR DESIGN.
UM, THE LOT IS, IS A BIT OF A CHALLENGE.
IT'S ACTUALLY SUBDIVIDED IN THE FIFTIES FROM EVEN FROM A SMALL TRAVIS HEIGHTS LOT TO A EVEN SMALLER TRAVIS HEIGHTS LOT.
AND, UH, AND WE'VE TRIED TO WORK WITHIN THAT CONSTRAINT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
UM, BUT, UH, WE DO, UH, THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING OUR, OUR, UH, DESIGN AND OUR, UM, UH, PROPOSAL.
UM, WE'VE ALSO MADE AN EFFORT TO ENGAGE WITH OUR NEIGHBORS.
UH, WE HAVE SPENT, UM, A COUPLE OF EVENINGS WALKING AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD, GOING DOOR TO DOOR AND, AND MEETING WITH THE NEIGHBORS AND, UM, SHOWING THEM OUR, OUR PLANS AND TALKING WITH THEM ABOUT THEIR THOUGHTS.
AND, UM, UH, EVERYONE THAT WE'VE SPOKEN TO IN PERSON HAS ACTUALLY BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT WE'VE DONE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE BROUGHT THE DRAWINGS AND, AND SHOWN THEM, UM, AND IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL ACTUALLY TO MEET THE NEIGHBORS.
SO, IN SOME WAYS, I'M ACTUALLY THANKFUL FOR THE PROCESS BECAUSE IT'S A GOOD EXCUSE TO GO AROUND AND KNOCK ON SOMEONE'S DOOR AND, AND GET TO KNOW THEM A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
SO, UM, WE'D LOVE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE FOR US.
AND, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION MR. CARR.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? COMMISSIONERS? ALRIGHT, UH, ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? UH, MRS. CARR, DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK? OKAY.
AND THEN WE HAVE, I BELIEVE, A NEIGHBOR JU UH, JUDY PAINTER.
PLEASE COME DOWN AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
MY NAME IS JUDY PAINTER AND I, I LIVE ON THE OTHER HALF OF THE LOT NEXT TO THEM.
UM, AND I KNEW THE GONZALEZ'S THAT LIVED THERE.
AND, UM, I CAN TELL YOU THAT MRS. WHITTINGTON, WHO BUILT THE HOUSE ORIGINALLY, SHE WAS THE ONE WHO SOLD HALF THE LOT TO MRS. KAISER IN, UH, THE LATE FORTIES.
AND SHE BUILT THE HOUSE THAT I LIVE IN.
UM, AND AN INTERESTING FACT ABOUT THAT IS THAT SHE HAD TO GO TO COURT TO BE DECLARED FEM SOUL BECAUSE YOU COULDN'T SIGN A CONTRACT OR HIRE AN ARCHITECT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AT THAT TIME.
IF YOU WERE A MERE WOMAN AND YOUR HUSBAND WAS LIVING AND HERS WAS ALIVE, HE WAS JUST IN AUSTIN STATE HOSPITAL,
SO THAT SAID, UM, I, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS FOR OVER 30 YEARS AND, UM, I'D LIKE
[01:20:01]
TO JUST READ A STATEMENT IF I CAN DO IT WITHOUT MY READERS REAL QUICKLY, AND WE'LL GO FROM THERE.UM, MY NAME IS JUDY PAINTER AND I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT IN TRA TRAVIS HEIGHTS ON FAIRMOUNT AVENUE FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
AND I'M HERE TONIGHT SPEAKING CONCERNING THE APPLICATION FOR DEMOLITION OF 1800 KENWOOD AVENUE, A HOUSE THAT IS DIRECTLY BESIDE MINE.
FIRST, LET ME SAY, I'M SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF GRANTING THE APP APPLICATION, THOUGH I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS.
THE HOUSE IN QUESTION IS PROBABLY NOT CONSIDERED A HISTORICAL HOME, THOUGH IT HAS BEEN ON THE CORNER OF KENWOOD AND FAIRMOUNT SINCE AT LEAST THE FORTIES, AND LIKELY BEFORE THAT, POSSIBLY IN MY TIME IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT HAS SOLD AND RESOLD A NUMBER OF TIMES WITH VARIOUS SMALL IMPROVEMENTS IN REMODELS OCCURRING.
EACH OWNERSHIP, IT'S IN FAIR CONDITION OVERALL.
BUT THE, THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE ON IT HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT AVERAGE AND IT'S SEEN ITS BETTER DAYS.
UM, BUT IT HAS HAD CHANGES MADE OVER IT OVER TIME THAT HAVE NOT REALLY WEATHERED WELL.
UM, SADLY THOUGH, I, IN MANY OF THE OLDER NEIGHBORHOODS, NEIGHBORS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAVE SEEN THE SMALLER TRADITIONAL HOMES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WIPED OUT ONE BY ONE ONLY TO BE REPLACED BY MUCH LARGER HOUSES THAT DON'T LOOK ANYTHING LIKE THE TRADITIONAL HOMES AROUND THEM.
RECENTLY, A COMPLETELY BLACK MODERN HOUSE WITH A BLACK ROOF WAS ADDED AROUND THE CORNER, WHICH CLEARLY MEANS THE FOLKS WHO BUILT IT AREN'T FROM HERE IN TEXAS, MOST LIKELY.
AND WITH THE TEMPERATURES WE'VE HAD THIS SUMMER, I'M GUESSING THEY'RE QUESTIONING SOME OF THE DI DESIGN CHOICES NOW.
SO, MR. CAR AND HIS WIFE HAD TOLD US FROM THE BEGINNING THAT THEY HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO LIVE IN TRAVIS HEIGHTS BECAUSE OF THE HOMES HERE.
AND AFTER SEEING THE PLANS THEY'VE BUILT OR THEY'VE PUT TOGETHER FOR THE NEW HOUSE, IT'S CLEAR THEY DO UNDERSTAND THE TRADITION OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD HOMES.
IT DOES LOOK SOMEWHAT MORE MODERN, BUT THEY'VE INTENTIONALLY INCLUDED SOME FEATURES THAT GIVE IT A MORE TRAVIS HEIGHTS LOOK.
THAT'S WHY I PRETTY MUCH SUPPORT THEIR APPLICATION, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS A BUT.
I STILL HAVE ISSUES THAT I WANTED TO BRING TO THIS BOARD, AND IT'S MORE ABOUT THE PROCESS ITSELF.
FIRST, IT'S EQUALLY IMPORTANT THAT IF A HOME IS DEMOLISHED IN FAVOR OF A NEW HOUSE BEING BUILT, THAT STRICT REQUIREMENTS REGARDING ELEVATIONS, DRAINAGE, ROOF RUNOFF, AND EXTERIOR LIGHTING BE LOOKED AT A SMALL HOUSE LIKE MINE OR ANYONE ELSE'S, SHOULDN'T SUFFER ANY ILL EFFECTS FROM RUNOFF, FLOODING OR OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT.
WHEN A NEW HOUSE IS BUILT NEXT DOOR OR NEARBY, THAT CAUSES TROUBLE FOR AN EXISTING HOME AND THE CITIZENS THAT LIVE THERE.
SECOND, OH, CAN I FINISH THIS REAL QUICKLY? GO AHEAD AND WRAP UP PLEASE.
SECOND, I WOULD URGE THAT FURTHER ION OR HARDER SCRUTINY BE GIVEN TO DEVELOPERS THAT COME INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO BUILD ON SPEC BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT STAYING, THEY'RE BUILDING SOMETHING AND THEY'RE LEAVING.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A HIGHER SCRUTINY LEVEL APPLIED TO SOMEONE WHO'S NOT GONNA LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT THEY'RE BUILDING THE HOME IN.
LASTLY, THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND SPEAK, UM, WHEN YOU HAVE A, A APPLICATION FOR DEMOLITION.
BUT WHAT MADE A DIFFERENCE TO ME IS THAT I HAD A RENDERING TO LOOK AT IS WHAT, TO WHAT WAS GONNA REPLACE IT.
AND I WOULD URGE THE, THE BOARD TO CONSIDER REQUIRING THAT IF SOMEONE'S GONNA APPLY TO DEMOLISH AN EXISTING HOME, THAT THEY HAVE TO SHOW WHAT THEY'RE GONNA REPLACE IT WITH.
BECAUSE THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY CHANGE THE MINDS OF THE PEOPLE AROUND THEM, EITHER IN FOR, IN FAVOR OF OR AGAINST IT, BUT WITHOUT KNOWING ANYTHING.
IT'S JUST ABOUT KNOCKING DOWN THE HOUSE AND IT'S NOT ABOUT WHAT IS GONNA BECOME PART OF YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT INCLUDED YOU.
AND JUST TO COMMENT, WE, WE DO HAVE THE REVIEW FOR BOTH THE DEMOLITION AND THE NEW CONSTRUCTION UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE DON'T HAVE THE, THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE SUBMITTED TOGETHER.
RIGHT? THAT'S, WE GET, WE GET THE, WE GET THE REVIEW, BUT THE SEQUENCE IS NOT SOMETHING WE CAN DICTATE.
BUT BY THE TIME YOU'VE AGREED TO DEMOLISH THE HOUSE, RIGHT, UH, WE ARE AWARE
AT LEAST THE WAY THE RULES ARE AT THIS POINT.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS OF MS. PAINTER, COMMISSIONERS? ANY OTHER COMMENTS? UH, ANYBODY ELSE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS IN FAVOR? ALRIGHT.
AND THEN WE DO, UH, THE PERSON WHO PULLED THIS ITEM, CLIFTON LADD, UH, TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION.
UM, CLIFTON LADD, I, UM, LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, I SEE THIS HOUSE IN MY TRAVELS THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ON A PRETTY MUCH DAILY BASIS.
UM, I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO WITHHOLD APPROVAL, UM, OF THIS DEMO PERMIT.
UH, THIS HOUSE AS, AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, IT, IT IS A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE THINGS THAT COULD BE DONE TO IMPROVE IT.
UM, AND, AND PERHAPS, UH, IN WAYS THAT WOULD ACTUALLY BE BENEFICIAL, MORE BENEFICIAL TO THE OWNERS AND MAKE IT A, A, A BETTER HOME IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEY COULD ENLARGE IT SOME, THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT.
WHAT THEY HAVE PROPOSED, UM, IN I, I THINK IS AN EXCEPTIONALLY LARGE HOME FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE MASSING OF IT IS PRETTY OVERWHELMING
[01:25:01]
TO THE STREETSCAPE.IT JUST DOESN'T REALLY FIT IN WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT LOOKS MORE LIKE A MILK CARTON HOUSE WITH A BRICK EXTERIOR, AND IT JUST DOESN'T REALLY FIT.
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU, AGAIN, JUST TO WITHHOLD APPROVAL OF THIS AND WORK WITH THE APPLICANTS TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING BETTER THAT THEY CAN DO WITH THAT HOUSE.
AND BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. LADD? OKAY.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING I FORGOT TO DO EARLIER, BUT THE, UH, FIRST SPEAKER IN FAVOR ACTUALLY DOES GET A REBUTTAL AFTER AN OPPOSING SPEAKER.
I FORGOT TO DO THAT FOR 2,900 TERRY, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
BUT, UM, DAVID CARR, IF YOU WANTED TO SPEAK, YOU DO HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR A REBUTTAL IF YOU WISH.
I WANNA START BY THINKING, MR. LAD, I HOPE I GOT YOUR NAME CORRECT, UH, FOR, FOR COMING AND ENGAGING IN THE COMMUNITY.
I THINK THAT'S OBVIOUSLY THE MAIN POINT OF THESE HEARINGS.
UM, I, I DO APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR FEEDBACK ON THE HOUSE.
UM, AS THE OWNER OF THE HOUSE, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE HOUSE IS PERHAPS NOT IN AS GOOD A CONDITION AS IT MIGHT APPEAR FROM THE OUTSIDE.
UM, IT'S, UH, IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE LOOK VERY THOROUGHLY INTO, UM, BOTH WITH AN ENGINEER AND WITH OUR DESIGNER TO SEE IF THERE WAS SOME WAY THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO REPURPOSE THE EXISTING STRUCTURE.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CONSTRAINTS ON THE PROPERTY.
THERE'S A LARGE HERITAGE TREE ON THE LEFT SIDE THAT FORCED US AS AWAY FROM THAT PROPERTY LINE.
THE, UH, WE'RE FORCED AWAY FROM THE OPPOSITE PROPERTY LINE BY THE SETBACK FROM THE SIDE STREET.
UM, AND A RESULT, THERE'S, THERE'S VERY LITTLE TO BUILD ON IN THE VERY MIDDLE.
UM, IT MAY APPEAR THAT THE MASSING THE HOUSE IS LARGE.
UM, I INCLUDED A IN CONTEXT RENDER THAT HOPEFULLY WE'LL ADDRESS SOME OF THAT.
AND I THINK THE CITY, UH, REPORT, UM, ACKNOWLEDGED THAT AS WELL.
UM, THE HOUSE ISN'T, ISN'T ACTUALLY THAT BIG, BUT, UM, UH, THE DISTANCE FROM THE STREET I THINK HELPS TO, UH, MAKE IT FEEL MORE, UH, IN PLACE.
AND, UM, THE FACT THAT THE EXISTING HOUSE IS BUILT ON AN ELEVATED PER BEAM FOUNDATION, AND THIS ONE IS BUILT ON GRADE, ACTUALLY ACTS TO REDUCE THE RELATIVE INCREASE IN HEIGHT.
UM, AND WE HAVE TRIED VERY HARD, LIKE I SAY, TO, UM, TO BUILD SOMETHING THAT FEELS LIKE THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND, UM, SEVERAL OF THE OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS OR OTHER NEIGHBORS ON BOTH SIDES.
AND ACTUALLY ALL THREE OF OUR BE NEIGHBORS HAVE NOW, UM, WEIGHED IN, IN SUPPORT OF THE PROJECT.
SO I HOPE THAT THE COMMISSION WILL, UH, RECOGNIZE THEIR INPUT AS WELL.
ANY COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS OR QUESTIONS BEFORE WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY.
UH, SO NOW IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A MOTION.
BUT THIS, THAT MOTION WON'T REQUIRE PUBLIC HEARING TO BE CHANGED DEPENDING ON WHAT IT IS.
SO LET'S, LET'S, THANK YOU MR. CARR.
UH, FIRST MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, DO I HEAR A MOTION? SO MOVED.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING INDICATE BY SAYING AYE OR RAISE YOUR HAND.
COMMISSIONERS, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO? I MO MOVE TO, UH, TAKE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION AND RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
AND, UH, TAKE, PUT OUR COMMENTS ON THE RECORD.
UH, IS THERE A SECOND TO THE MOTION? COMMISSIONER LAROCHE? UH, OKAY.
COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTONE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? IT, I MEAN, I THINK THAT THE, IT'S SAD TO SEE, UH, A HOUSE, A, A WORTHY LOOKING HOUSE GO.
I DON'T THINK IT REACHES THE STANDARDS OF HISTORIC ZONING.
UM, AND FROM THERE, YOU KNOW, WE SOMETIMES WHEN THE OWNER IS, UH, FACELESS OR, YOU KNOW, WON'T, WON'T SHOW UP TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THEIR PROJECT.
UM, A DELAY FEELS APPROPRIATE.
UH, HERE, IT, IT SIMPLY DOESN'T.
UM, I'M NOT A BIG FAN OF THE SIDE YARD ELEVATION.
I THINK THAT, UH, WE, WE COULD, YOU KNOW, DISCUSS THAT AND GO ON THE RECORD ABOUT IT.
BUT I THINK THAT ULTIMATELY, UM, THAT THE, THE MERITS OF THE CASE LEND IT TO BEING RELEASED AS A DEMOLITION PERMIT.
COMMISSIONER LAROCHE, I AGREE ON THE MERITS OF THE CASE THAT IT JUST, WHILE UNFORTUNATE IT, IT DOESN'T REACH TO THE LEVEL YOU'RE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE EXISTING BUILDING? THAT'S CORRECT.
THE, THE NEW BUILD IS A DIFFERENT, WE'LL LET THE ARCHITECTS DISCUSS THAT.
YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY, ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? NO, SIR.
UH, COMMISSIONERS ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, UH, ON THE MOTION AND ALSO ON THE POTENTIAL FOR COMMENTS ON THE NEW PLAN?
[01:30:03]
I, I'LL BE VOTING AGAINST THIS MOSTLY BECAUSE THIS IS A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING AND A NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT.AND I WOULD ARGUE THAT A SECOND, UM, CRITERIA WOULD, SHOULD BE CONSIDERED COMMUNITY VALUE BECAUSE IT IS A PART OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, A CULTURAL PART OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND JUST, JUST BECAUSE OUR HANDS ARE TIED WITH, WITH STATE AND LOCAL RULES, UM, SHOULD NOT PREVENT US FROM PUSHING FORWARD THESE ALREADY DESIGNATED LANDMARKS.
UM, OF COURSE, ON ITS OWN, IT'S GONNA LOOK ARCHITECTURALLY, UM, NOT ENOUGH TO MANY OF US, BUT THAT IS WHY IT'S IN A DISTRICT.
SO, UM, I THINK THESE PROPERTY OWNERS IN THIS DISTRICT WILL ONLY, UM, CONTINUE TO RECOGNIZE WHAT THEY'RE DOING AS THEIR NEIGHBORS HOUSES GET DEMOLISHED ONE BY ONE, UM, CONTRIBUTING BUILDINGS ONE BY ONE, AND THEY'RE ALL REPLACED AT
UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? UM, I, I HAVE THE, I I WILL SUPPORT THE MOTION.
UM, I AM AWARE AND CERTAINLY SYMPATHETIC IN THE SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE A HOUSE THAT HAS SOME MERIT.
AND WILL, WOULD WERE IT TO BE PRESERVED, CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE HISTORIC DISTRICT? UH, OUR PREFERENCE, OF COURSE, FOLLOWING OUR STANDARDS WOULD BE TO ALLOW THAT TO BE MAINTAINED.
UH, BUT WE DO HAVE A REVIEW PROCESS FOR THESE REPLACEMENT STRUCTURES, UH, FOR GOOD REASON.
AND I THINK THOUGH OUR PREFERENCE WOULD BE THAT THIS STAYS, UH, I THINK THE ALTERNATE ISN'T THAT MUCH OF A STEP DOWN.
UH, YOU HAVE A HOUSE THAT'S GOT PROBLEMS, IT IS NOT AT THE LEVEL OF A HISTORIC LANDMARK.
UH, AND THE DESIGNATION CRITERIA WOULD BE WEAK AT BEST.
SO, UH, IN THIS CASE, UH, CALL IT A, YOU KNOW, ONE IN THE HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH.
UH, WE CAN PREDICT WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN HERE.
WE HAVE A WILLING OWNER, UH, NOT A PERFECT NEW SET OF CONSTRUCTIONS, BUT ONE THAT CERTAINLY WOULD REINFORCE ALL THE OTHER ASPECTS OF THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, INCLUDING THE USE OF MATERIALS AND SCALE AND SOME OF THE DETAILINGS THAT WE'RE SEEING HERE.
SO FOR THAT REASON, I, I, UH, I, I WILL BE VOTING FOR IT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER GROGAN? UM, I GUESS I JUST WANNA GO ON RECORD SAYING THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE OWNER BEING HERE AND SPEAKING AND, AND TALKING ABOUT THEIR PASSION FOR THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT I, I REALLY WISH FOLKS WOULD, UM, RECOGNIZE WHEN THEY'RE PURCHASING IN A NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT AND, AND WHAT THAT MEANS.
UM, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES, UM, TRAVIS HEIGHTS SO SPECIAL.
AND, AND ONCE WE LOSE THESE HOMES, WE DON'T GET THEM BACK.
AND, AND WE CAN'T NECESSARILY ARGUE THAT TRAVIS HEIGHTS IS GONNA BE THE SAME TRAVIS HEIGHTS IT
SO I, I WOULD JUST, UM, I WOULD ENCOURAGE FOLKS OUT THERE WHO ARE SHOPPING TO, TO BE EDUCATED AND, AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR PURCHASING AND, AND REALIZE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY ARE TAKING AWAY A, A, A PIECE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, A A, A FABRIC THAT WAS, WAS THERE AND, UM, COULD POTENTIALLY BE REHABBED OR ADDED ONTO.
I WILL PROBABLY VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH I AM NOT, UM, A HUNDRED PERCENT BEHIND THE NEW ARCHITECTURE, I DO THINK IT'S MORE SENSITIVE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAN SOME OTHER THINGS WE'VE SEEN
UM, AND I APPRECIATE THAT THE OWNER CAME HERE TODAY, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, BUT I, I JUST WANNA THROW OUT THAT I, I, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK WHAT MAKES TRAVIS HEIGHTS SPECIAL IS, IS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE HOMES, THE CURB APPEAL, THE QUAINTNESS, THE, UM, CONTEXTUAL FABRIC THAT I THINK IS DISAPPEARING.
ALRIGHT, UH, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COMMISSIONERS? WE HAVE A MOTION TO FOLLOW STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION FOR APPROVAL, UH, AND RELEASE OF THE PERMIT.
AND, UH, OBVIOUSLY WE'VE HAD COMMENTS ON THE PLANS.
UH, THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
AND SO THAT WOULD BE THE COMMISSIONERS HERE ON THE DAAS, UH, IN FAVOR.
AND THEN COMMISSIONER DUDLEY AND COMMISSIONER RUBIO.
OPPOSED? SO THAT WOULD BE THE MOTION.
YEAH, WE REACHED A SIMPLE MAJORITY.
WELL THANK YOU ALL AND, UH, GOOD LUCK WITH THE PROJECT.
UH, THAT MOVES US ON TO THE NEXT DISCUSSION ITEM.
[14. PR-2023-071143 – 81 Waller St. – Consent Willow-Spence National Register District ]
14.UH, THAT WAS, AGAIN, PULLED FOR
[01:35:01]
CONVERSATION.THE PROPOSAL AT 81 WALLER STREET IS TO CONSTRUCT A NEW RESIDENCE.
UM, LAST MONTH Y'ALL, UM, APPROVED THE DEMOLITION OF THE EXISTING PROPERTY.
UM, SO NOW THE PROPOSED HOUSE IS ONE STORY WITHIN A REGULAR SHED AND SIDE GABLE ROOF LINE.
IT IS CLOUD IN FIBER CEMENT SIDING WITH FIXED ENCASEMENT ALUMINUM WINDOWS.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS ARE BASED ON THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR STANDARDS FOR REHAB AND ARE USED TO EVALUATE PROJECTS AND NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICTS.
AND THIS PROJECT MEETS SOME, BUT NOT ALL OF THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS.
UH, COMMITTEE FEEDBACK INCLUDED, UM, REQUESTING THAT THE APPLICANT REWORK THE ROOF LINE, UM, REWORK THE PORCH ARTICULATION, AND, UH, CONSIDER CHANGING THE HORIZONTAL WINDOW AT THE SECONDARY ELEVATION.
AND THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONCUR WITH THE COMMITTEE FEEDBACK, UM, AND REQUEST THE COMMISSION TO COMMENT ON THE PLANS.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY HERE TO DISCUSS THIS MOTION? YEAH, I BELIEVE WE HAVE THE PROPERTY OWNER, MARIA GONZALEZ.
UH, MS. GONZALEZ, COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
I'M MORE COMPOSED TODAY THAN I WAS THE LAST MEETING.
UM, THANK YOU FOR REVISITING THIS.
I'M SO SORRY WE DIDN'T ATTEND THE A R C MEETING.
I BELIEVE THAT IT WAS TOLD BY US WHEN IT WAS HELD MAYBE A FEW DAYS BEFORE, SO WE COULDN'T MAKE IT, BUT I'M HOPING MY LITTLE ONE STORY, 1000 SQUARE FOOT HOME, UM, DESIGN, OF COURSE, IS SUITABLE FOR YOU ALL.
I KNOW THERE'S A PROPERTY OWNER, OR SHOULD I SAY A HOME BUILD BEHIND THE PROPERTY THAT KIND OF LOOKS SIMILAR WITH THE ROOF ANGLES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, BUT, UM, I DO HOPE YOU CONSIDER THE NEW BUILD AND THE NEW DRAWINGS.
IF NOT BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD.
WE'LL GO, UM, DIDN'T WANNA MAKE ANYTHING BIG ELABORATE OUT OF THE ORDINARY, JUST SOMETHING THAT WAS ABLE TO BE ENJOYED BY ME AND MY FAMILY, UM, FOR YEARS TO COME.
OF COURSE, UP TO CODE, UM, WORKING LIGHT SWITCHES AND, YOU KNOW, WORKING PLUMBING WOULD BE GREAT.
AND SO AGAIN, NOT LOOKING FOR ANYTHING EXTRAVAGANT.
UM, OF COURSE MODERN TO THE POINT TO WHERE IT WILL GROW WITH THE COMMUNITY AROUND.
BUT I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE LOCATED, UM, WE'RE SURELY AROUND NOT ONLY RESIDENTIAL, BUT ALSO THERE'S A SCHOOL CATTY CORNER, SANCHEZ ELEMENTARY.
UM, THERE ARE SEVERAL HOMES THAT I THINK TURNED INTO BUSINESSES AROUND THAT AREA TOO.
SO NOT QUITE SURE WHAT THE COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE OR WANT OR NEED, BUT HOPEFULLY WHAT WE PRESENTED WILL BE, UM, WELL ENOUGH TO, OF COURSE, DEMOLITION MY CHILDHOOD HOME AND THEN BUILD SOMETHING THAT ME AND MY FAMILY CAN ENJOY.
I DO WANNA CLARIFY THE VOTE TO ALLOW YOU TO TAKE DOWN THE ORIGINAL HOUSE.
NOW WE DO HAVE, BECAUSE YOU ARE IN A NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT, AND FROM THE CONVERSATION ON THE LAST CASE, YOU CAN SEE HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS.
WHAT GOES IN THAT HISTORIC DISTRICT NOW IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE FOCUSING ON.
AND I THINK YOU'RE, AS, AS STAFF MENTIONED JUST NOW IN THEIR COMMENTS, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ITEMS THAT YOU ARE ADHERING TO THAT WOULD MEET OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
BUT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT REALLY AREN'T OKAY.
UH, THE ROOF BEING ONE OF THEM.
UH, SO I, I DO THINK, UH, THAT WERE YOU TO HAVE THE PATIENCE AND WERE, YOU'D BE ABLE TO SCHEDULE AND WE COULD GET YOU BACK IN FRONT OF THE A R C, THAT MIGHT BE VERY VALUABLE.
I THINK IT WOULD SAVE EVERYONE A LOT OF TIME.
AND I, I DON'T SEE THAT THE ADJUSTMENTS, UH, AGAIN, I PUT ON MY DESIGN HAT AND I LOOK AT WHAT COULD HAPPEN BASED ON WHAT YOU'RE SHOWING US.
AND I DON'T THINK YOU'RE THAT FAR OFF.
BUT IT WOULD, IT WOULD REQUIRE SOME, SOME RETHINKING OF THE WAY YOU'RE PRESENTING THIS.
I DUNNO MUCH ABOUT MATERIALS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
MY BUILDER IS HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THAT.
UM, IT MIGHT START WITH THE OFFSET ROOF, THAT, THAT MIGHT BE THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE CONVERSATION, BUT, UH, HOW, HOW THOSE ALTERNATES MIGHT WORK.
UH, AGAIN, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE A R C SO WE CAN GET INTO MORE DETAIL.
SO, UH, AGAIN, WE'RE HAVING A PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF MS. GONZALEZ? OKAY.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK HERE, UH, IN FAVOR OF THIS? YES.
MY NAME IS JOSH ALVAREZ WITH ALVAREZ CONSTRUCTION.
I'M SORRY, THE, I'M SORRY, WE MISSED THE A R C MEETING.
YOUR, YOUR CONSTRUCTION COMPANY AGAIN IS AL CONSTRUCTION ALVAREZ.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. ALVAREZ.
[01:40:01]
WE MISSED THE A C MEETING.THE KIDS WERE THREE TODDLERS WERE SICK AND WE WEREN'T SURE IF IT WAS COVID OR NOT, SO WE DIDN'T WANNA RISK IT.
WE DIDN'T SEE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE A R C.
UM, THIS IS MY FIRST TIME HEARING 'EM, BUT THEY ARE PRETTY SIMPLE CHANGES, SO I THINK THE NEXT GO AROUND WE SHOULD BE A OKAY.
WELL LET ME ASK, UH, STAFF, DO WE, DO WE HAVE A WAY TO MAKE THAT PROCEEDINGS AVAILABLE TO THE OWNER? YEAH, OF COURSE.
THOSE COMMENTS WERE STUCK IN MY DRAFTS.
THAT'S ON ME A HUNDRED PERCENT.
SO IF WE POSTPONE, IT MAY BE THAT YOU CAN SEE THE COMMENTS THAT THE COMMITTEE MADE IN YOUR ABSENCE AND THEY'LL MAKE SENSE TO YOU MM-HMM.
UH, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO, AND I DON'T KNOW, IS ONE OF THE 10 CASES, THIS ONE, ARE WE ASSUMING IT'S COMING BACK, UM, IF THIS GOES TO A R C IT WOULD BE CASE NUMBER 11.
WE ONLY HAVE THE ROOM FOR SO LONG, SO, AND WE DON'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, KEEP EVERYBODY AT FIVE MINUTES.
THE A R C IS FOR LONGER DISCUSSIONS, IT'S FOR 15 MINUTES A CASE.
UM, SO IT'S, IT'S PRETTY, YOU KNOW, WE COULD DO 11 CASES, BUT WE GOTTA KEEP IT SNAPPY
WELL, AGAIN, YOU MAY WANNA LOOK AT THE COMMENTS.
IF THOSE MAKE A LOT OF SENSE AND YOU WANNA JUST RESPOND TO THEM WITH NEW SUBMISSION, YOU WILL NOT NEED TO COME TO THE COMMITTEE.
UH, WE COULD MAKE IT AVAILABLE IF YOU REALLY FEEL LIKE THAT'S NECESSARY.
UM, SO I, I COULD LEAVE, WE COULD OFFER THAT AGAIN, ASSUMING THAT THERE'S A POSTPONEMENT AND THAT THAT IS THE WAY THE COMMITTEE WANTS TO COMMISSION, WANTS TO PROCEED.
BUT ON BEHALF OF STAFF, I WILL SEND THOSE COMMENTS TO YOU TOMORROW.
SO, UH, BUT YOU'RE, WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY IS YOU'RE WILLING TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS, OBVIOUSLY.
WELL, WE, WE CAN MAKE ANY CHANGES QUICKLY AND SEND 'EM BACK TO, TO THE COMMISSION, AMBER.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE HERE FOR, WE'RE HERE TO, TO WORK WITH YOU GUYS, NOT AGAINST Y'ALL.
UH, THANK YOU COM COMMISSIONERS.
COMMISSIONER, I, YEAH, I, I WOULD, I WOULD URGE THE A R C TO MAKE ACCOMMODATIONS GIVEN IT WAS OUR ERROR IN THAT.
WELL, WE, WE KIND HAVE TO, WE HAD, WE HAD THE MEETING, WE HAD THE HEARING AND THE MEETING AND THEY COULDN'T MAKE IT, BUT THEN THE COMMENTS DIDN'T GET SENT OUT.
I HAD, I JUST, JUST TO CLARIFY THE COMMITTEE, WELL, I UNDERS I UNDERSTAND.
IF, IF HE WASN'T, IF HE WASN'T PRIVY TO THE COMMENTS, I THINK HE SHOULD BE GIVEN TIME AT THE A R C TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND.
PARTICULARLY IF, AS YOU SEEM VERY AMENABLE TO THE COMMENTS THAT ALTHOUGH YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THEM, YOU SEEM AMENABLE TO WORKING WITH THE A R C AND, AND WORKING THROUGH THAT.
SO YEAH, I WOULD JUST ASK YOUR INDULGENCE.
BUT, UM, I THINK THIS IS A, UM, A SIMPLE FIX.
I JUST HONESTLY WANNA, UM, SAY I LOVE THE SCALE OF THIS HOUSE,
UM, BUT YEAH, I WOULD, I WOULD SAY, AMBER, IF WE CAN, I THINK THIS WILL BE A QUICK CONVERSATION, UM, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, HAVE YOU THERE IF YOU CAN MAKE IT.
AND I JUST CHECKED THE, UH, ROOM RESERVATION.
WE CAN EXTEND IT ANOTHER HOUR SO WE CAN, I KNOW YOU GUYS DON'T WANNA STAY THAT LONG, BUT
I'LL GET YOU GUYS ON THE AGENDA AND I WILL SEND YOU INFORMATION ABOUT ATTENDANCE, LOCATION, TIME, ALL THAT JAZZ TOMORROW.
WELL, I STILL, WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE, UH, COMMENTS YES.
UH, COMMISSIONER RUBIO, I STILL WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK AT THOSE COMMENTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU, IF YOU COME BACK WITH THE SAME THING, YOU, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANNA WASTE YOUR TIME, BUT IF YOU CAN COME BACK WITH THOSE MODIFICATIONS IN HAND SO WE CAN GIVE YOU THAT FINAL DIRECTION, THAT'S EVEN BETTER.
UM, I, I'VE THOUGHT THE A R C MEETINGS WERE RECORDED, AMBER, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
I HAVE NOT PULLED THAT RECORDING YET.
I HAVE TO GO IN AND LIKE SEPARATE THE AUDIO FROM THE VIDEO.
I HAVEN'T DONE THAT YET TO UPLOAD, BUT I DO HAVE THE COMMENTS WRITTEN, UM, THAT I CAN SEND IN AN EMAIL.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU HAVE IT, IT MAY BE ON THE WEBSITE SOMEWHERE JUST LOOKING THROUGH, UH, THAT, IS THAT CORRECT AMBER? THAT IF YOU DON'T PULL IT, HE CAN ACCESS THAT THROUGH OUR WEBSITE? YES.
SO I, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ THAT OR I MEAN, SORRY, LISTEN TO THAT, UH, FIRST AND THEN LET'S, LET'S SEE HOW YOU CAN MODIFY THAT PRIOR TO COMING TO THE NEXT MEETING.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, WE'RE STILL IN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, WE THANK YOU MR. ALVAREZ FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
UH, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS MOTION, UH, ON THIS ITEM? ALL RIGHT.
HEARING NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
[01:45:01]
THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.UH, WE NOW ARE OPEN TO A MOTION COMMISSIONERS COMMISSIONER GROGAN, I, I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION BEFORE YOU GUYS MAKE A MOTION THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE THIS IN THE PAST WHERE YOU HAVE INVITED APPLICANTS TO THE A R C AND THEN UPON RECEIPT OF REVISIONS, HAVING STAFF ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVE INSTEAD OF WAITING TO THE NEXT MEETING.
SO WE DON'T HAVE AS LONG AN AGENDA AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO WAIT AS LONG IN ORDER TO TAKE SOME ACTION.
I'M JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE.
I'M JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE.
COMMISSIONERS THAT'S SORT OF OUT THERE LINGERING IF ANYBODY WANTS TO PICK IT UP, ONE OF THE A R C MEMBERS, PERHAPS I'LL ASK COMMISSIONER RUBIO HOW HE FEELS.
COMMISSIONER RUBIO, DO YOU HAVE A WHY? WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND MAKE THE MOTION? GOSH, THANKS.
THANKS COMMISSIONER GROGAN
UM, SO WE WANT TO INVITE YOU, I GUESS THE MOTION IS TO HAVE AN INVITATION FOR YOU ALL TO COME TO A R C AND THEN STAFF CAN'T ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVE THE CHANGES.
SO WHAT I THINK WE, I THINK THE WAY TO SAY THIS IS THAT YOU WOULD, UH, MOVE APPROVAL WITH THE CONDITION THAT, AND THEN YOU CAN ADD YOUR COMMENTS.
SO IT'S, IT'S A CONDITIONAL APPROVAL.
THEY MEET THE CONDITION, THEN STAFF CAN RELEASE, THEY DON'T MEET THE CONDITION, AND THEN IT HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED.
IF WE DO NOT RECEIVE REVISIONS AND IT IS NOT ADMINISTRATIVELY, UM, CANNOT BE ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED, THEN IT WILL APPEAR BACK ON THE AGENDA.
SO COMMISSIONER RUBY, YOU WANNA GIVE THAT A TRY?
SO I DON'T HAVE PEN AND PAPER LIKE YOU DO.
UM, I THINK I, I THINK I HAVE IT, AMBER.
SO I MOVE TO APPROVE THE, THE, UH, APPLICANT'S REQUEST CONTINGENT UPON, UH, THE, THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEES AND THE OWNER'S ADOPTION OF THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE'S COMMENTS AND REVIEW BY STAFF AND APPROVAL BY STAFF AND APPROVAL BY STAFF.
WE'VE GOT A MOTION COMMISSIONERS FROM COMMISSIONER, UH, LA LAROCHE.
AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON.
UH, ANY DISCUSSION? COMMISSIONER LAROCHE? DO YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING ELSE? NO, SIR.
ANYBODY ELSE NEED TO SAY ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE? ALL RIGHT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, UH, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE OR RAISING YOUR HAND.
ANY OPPOSED? THAT IS UNANIMOUS.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH AND WE DO APPRECIATE YOU WORKING WITH US.
HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET SOME VERY QUICK GOOD PLANS AND YOU'LL BE ON YOUR WAY.
ALRIGHT, THAT BRINGS US UP TO THE NEXT ITEM THAT WAS, UH, DISCUSSION ITEM.
AND I'M NOT MISTAKEN THAT COMES ALL THE WAY TO ITEM 21, IS THAT RIGHT? YES, SIR.
[21. PR-2023-089804 – 4601 Chiappero Trl. – Discussion]
UH, CHAPARRO TRAIL SOUTH 46 0 1, UH, MS. CONTRERAS 46 0 1 CHAPARRO TRAIL.UH, THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1960 HOUSE.
UM, THIS IS A MID-CENTURY MODERN DESIGN, CONSTRUCTED AS A FAMILY HOME BY ARCHITECT WARREN A WILHOIT IN 1960.
UM, WILHOIT LIVED IN THE HOME UNTIL HIS DEATH IN 1995 AND HIS WIFE JULIA, REMAINED THERE UNTIL SHE PASSED IN 2021.
WARREN AUGUST WILL HEIGHT WAS EMPLOYED WITH C H PAGE DURING THE 1950S.
HE BUILT HIS FAMILY HOME ON THE EDGE OF A SIGNIFICANT GROUPING OF SIMILAR HOMES DESIGNED IN THE PREVIOUS DECADE BY HERBERT CROOM CROOM AND WILL HOYT BOTH WORKED WITH ARTHUR FAIR AND BOTH, BOTH MRS. CREME AND MRS. WILHOIT SERVED WITH THE WOMEN'S ARCHITECTURAL LEAGUE.
WILL, WILL HOYT WAS AN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION SPECIALIST WHO WORKED AS DIRECTOR OF ALLSTATE'S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL SCHOOL AND SERVED TWO TERMS ON TEXAS'S ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.
UH, THIS BUILDING IS MORE THAN 50 YEARS OLD AND RETAINS HIGH INTEGRITY PROPERTIES MUST MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
AND STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY, UH, AND DETERMINE THAT IT MAY MEET THOSE TWO CRITERIA AS THE BUILDING IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF MID-CENTURY MODERN DESIGN AND IS ASSOCIATED WITH ARCHITECT WARREN A AND EDUCATOR JULIA O WILL HOYT.
UH, THEREFORE, STAFF RECOMMENDATION, UH, IS TO CONSIDER WHETHER THE HOME'S HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS ARE SUFFICIENT FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
AND IF SO, INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING.
SHOULD THE COMMISSION DECIDE AGAINST INITIATION, UH, RELEASE THE PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN
[01:50:01]
DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.OKAY, MS. CONTRERAS, THANK YOU.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM OF STAFF COMMISSIONERS? OKAY.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
IS THERE SOMEBODY HERE TO SPEAK, UH, IN FAVOR OF THIS? UH, WELL IN THIS CASE, THE, THE, UH, COMMISSIONERS, JUST TO REMIND EVERYBODY, NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INDIVIDUAL CASES.
THESE ARE NOT NATIONAL REGISTER OR LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
THESE ARE JUST OLDER BUILDINGS THAT GET OUR REVIEW.
AND WE ARE, UH, AS A RESULT, UH, ASKED TO CONSIDER IF, UM, ESSENTIALLY OUR ONE TOOL WOULD BE TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING.
OTHERWISE, UH, WE CAN DELAY THE PROCESS.
BUT WE ARE BEING ASKED HERE FOR A TOTAL DEMOLITION, UH, RIGHT.
UH, THE APPLICANT IS AVAILABLE.
YEAH, WE HAVE BOTH DAVID AND EMILY TUCKER, WHOEVER WANTS TO GO FIRST.
ALRIGHT, WOULD YOU PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF? GOOD EVENING.
UM, MY WIFE EMILY AND I ARE THE OWNERS OF 46 0 1 CHIRO OR CHIP ROWS.
I'VE ALSO LEARNED IT'S CALLED, UM, WE'RE BOTH DESIGNERS.
MY WIFE IS A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT AND WE ARE MEMBERS OF THE ALLENDALE COMMUNITY.
WE'VE LIVED ON WEST 50TH STREET FOR JUST OVER FIVE YEARS WITH OUR CHILDREN AND OUR TWO DOGS.
UM, FIRST I JUST WANNA SAY I HAD SOME GOOD CONVERSATIONS WITH, UM, SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS ON CHIA PERRO OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS THAT ARE PART OF THE ALLEN DALE LAND USE COMMITTEE.
UM, CHRISTINE CHANG AND JOE REYNOLDS, WHO BOTH SUBMITTED EMAILS FOR PUBLIC DOCUMENT FOR, UH, THIS REVIEW.
UM, AND IT'S ENCOURAGING THAT WE HAVE NEIGHBORS THAT ARE, UH, PASSIONATE ABOUT THEIR HOMES AND THE FABRIC OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, OUR DRAWINGS AND OUR APPLICATION DO, UH, PROPOSE TO DEMOLISH THIS HOME.
UM, THOUGH WE'VE VERY MUCH STRUGGLED TO ADVOCATE FOR THAT ACTION.
UM, WE BOUGHT THE PROPERTY FROM THE WILL HOYTS, UH, BECAUSE WE LOVE THE CHARACTER OF BOTH THE HOUSE AND THE LOT THAT IT'S ON.
UM, AND FROM THE BEGINNING WE WANTED TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF BOTH.
UM, I CERTAINLY WON'T ARGUE THAT THE HOUSE IS NOT SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT CLEARLY IS TO THOSE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE WILL HOYT FAMILY AND NOW OURSELVES.
AND IT IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF MID-CENTURY ARCHITECTURE.
UM, OUR TASK AS THE DESIGNERS FOR THE RENOVATION OR REPLACEMENT OF THIS HOME, WE FELT WAS TO RESPOND TO THE ORIGINAL HOUSE IN A RESPECTFUL WAY, UH, THAT PRESERVES ITS SPIRIT WHILE ALSO MEETING THE, THE NEEDS OF OUR FAMILY AND CONTEMPORARY BUILDING ENERGY AND SUSTAINABLE SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES.
UM, WE'VE WORKED ON THE DESIGN FOR THIS HOUSE FOR THE BETTER PART OF TWO YEARS, AND THAT'S INCLUDED SEVERAL ITERATIONS THAT ATTEMPT TO PRESERVE PART OR WHOLE OF THE ORIGINAL HOUSE, UM, INCLUDING CONSULTING WITH A MECHANICAL ENGINEERING FIRM TO SEE WHAT KIND OF OPPORTUNITIES WE WOULD HAVE TO, UH, RETROFIT THE HOUSE THAT WAS BUILT WITH NO AIR CONDITIONING.
UH, PARTIALLY AIR CONDITIONING WAS INTRODUCED IN THE EIGHTIES, I BELIEVE, BUT YOU CAN SEE IN THE IMAGES THAT ALL OF THE WINDOWS IN THE HOUSE ARE JY WINDOWS AND THERE IS NO, UM, INSULATION TO SPEAK OF IN THE WALLS OR THE ROOF STRUCTURE.
UM, DEMOLISHING PORTIONS OF THE HOUSE HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST STRUGGLE OF THAT DESIGN PROCESS AND NOT SOMETHING WE WANTED TO DO OR TAKE LIGHTLY.
UH, BUT WE FOUND THAT THE CHALLENGES OF MODERNIZING THE EXISTING HOME WHILE ALSO TRYING TO MEET OUR FAMILY'S NEEDS, UM, MADE PRESERVING THE ORIGINAL HOME UNFEASIBLE.
UM, AND I SHOULD CLARIFY, WE'RE NOT TOTALLY DEMOLISHING THE HOME.
THE ORIGINAL FOUNDATION IS TO REMAIN AND WE ARE BUILDING BACK ON, ON THE SAME FOOTPRINT OF THE ORIGINAL HOUSE.
UM, PART OF OUR PROCESS WAS OF COURSE RESEARCHING WARREN WILHOIT, WHO WE KNEW WAS AN ARCHITECT WHEN PURCHASING THE HOME, BUT DIDN'T KNOW MUCH MORE.
WE KNOW HE WAS A CONTEMPORARY COLLEAGUE OF CREME, UM, AND THAT THE FAMILIES KNEW EACH OTHER AND LIVED CLOSE TO EACH OTHER.
THERI DESIGNED HOMES ON LAR ARE OF COURSE WELL KNOWN AND EXCELLENT EXAMPLES OF MID-CENTURY DESIGN.
UM, WHILE WE DID FIND SOME NEWS CLIPPINGS SIMILAR TO THOSE SHOWN IN THE PRESENTATION AND A MENTION OR TWO IN A UT ARCHIVE, UH, WE COULD NOT FIND OTHER KIND OF EXTENT EXAMPLES OF MR WILL HO'S WORK.
AND, UH, WHILE THIS DOESN'T DIMINISH AT ALL THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HOUSE AS AN EXAMPLE OF, UH, THE PERIOD OF ARCHITECTURE, WE DID FEEL IT WAS APPROPRIATE TO WORK FROM AND RESPOND TO THE HOUSE IN OUR DESIGN RATHER THAN PRESERVE THE HOME ENTIRELY WHEN WE DETERMINED THAT IT WASN'T FEASIBLE FOR US TO DO SO.
UM, AND OUR GOAL IN DESIGNING A NEW HOUSE FOR, UH, 46 0 1 IS TO PROVIDE A HOUSE THAT ECHOES THE INTENT OF THE ORIGINAL AND THE MID-CENTURY
[01:55:01]
DESIGN ETHIC.UM, CREATING SOMETHING THAT WOULD COMPLIMENT AND ENRICH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND SERVE AS A RESPECTFUL NEIGHBOR TO THE SIGNIFICANT CLUSTER OF CREW HOUSES THAT ARE ADJACENT.
UM, SO THIS IS A STATEMENT JUST TO EXPLAIN WHERE WE'VE BEEN COMING FROM AND PROPOSING THIS ACTION AND WHAT WE SEE AS A ATTEMPT TO REBUILD THIS HOUSE.
UM, AND WE'RE VERY EAGER TO JOIN THE COMMUNITY ON CHIA PERRO.
UH, AND SO WHATEVER DECISION IS MADE, WE'RE JUST COMMITTED TO BE TO THE CONTINUED STEWARDSHIP OF 46 0 1 CHIRO AND, UH, HOPE TO CREATE A HOME THAT OUR FAMILY, NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THE CITY CAN BE PROUD OF.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I DON'T THINK EMILY IS PLANNING TO SPEAK.
IF WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE'LL CALL YOU BACK TO THE MICROPHONE.
UM, IS THERE ANYBODY HERE IN OPPOSITION? NO OTHER SPEAKERS.
UH, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING INDICATE BY SAYING AYE OR RAISING YOUR HAND.
ANY OPPOSED? AND THAT'S, UH, HEARING IS CLOSED.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS ONE? AGAIN? UM, THIS IS NOT A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
THERE WAS MENTION IN STAFF'S, UH, BACKUP THAT THERE WERE OTHER ARCHITECTS IN PROXIMITY THAT WERE ALSO DESIGNING THEIR OWN HOMES.
UH, WHETHER THAT IS EVER ESTABLISHED IN SOME OTHER FASHION, BUT IT HAS THE POTENTIAL OF BEING RECOGNIZED.
UH, MS. CONTRERAS, DO YOU HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS ON THAT? YES.
I JUST WANT TO, UH, CLARIFY THAT A LITTLE BIT.
UM, THIS HOUSE IS ADJACENT TO, UH, LARON CIRCLE, I BELIEVE.
UM, AND MANY OF THE HOUSES, UM, IN AND AROUND, UH, THIS CUL-DE-SAC WOULD BE, UM, CONTRIBUTING TO A POTENTIAL LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UM, IT'S A LARGELY INTACT AREA OF SIMILAR MID-CENTURY MODERN HOMES.
UM, MANY FEATURING THE DESIGNS OF, UH, MR. KRUM, WHO WAS A PROMINENT MID-CENTURY ARCHITECT IN AUSTIN.
OH, I CAN I COMMISSIONER OH, GO AHEAD.
COMMISSIONER GROGAN, GO AHEAD.
COMMISSIONER GROGAN, I'M GONNA PUT FORWARD A MOTION TO, UM, INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING BASED ON ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION.
AND THAT WOULD, UH, REQUIRE A SECOND.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I WILL SECOND.
BUT WE, I BELIEVE WE HAVE TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AS CORRECT.
YOUR MOTION SHOULD ALLOW YOU TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND I WILL ADD, CAN WE REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY.
SO, UH, A MOTION HAS BEEN MADE BY COMMISSIONER GROGAN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER RUBIO.
AND THEREFORE, UM, WE ARE OPEN FOR DISCUSSION.
SO COMMISSIONER GROGAN, I JUST THINK THIS IS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF MID-CENTURY ARCHITECTURE.
UM, IF ANY OF YOU LOOKED AT THE BACKUP MATERIAL, THE INTERIORS, THEY'RE JUST STUNNING.
UM, THIS STREET AND THE CUL-DE-SAC IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AROUND, UM, IT'S JUST SO STRONG.
UH, I WOULD JUST HATE TO SEE THE LOSS OF THIS.
UM, I DID LOOK AT, UM, CITY PERMITTING AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOUR CURRENT DESIGN STILL HOLDS OF WHAT'S BEEN SUBMITTED, BUT IT LOOKED LIKE THAT WAS A TWO STORY STRUCTURE, WHICH TO ME JUST IS, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH YOU, YOU KNOW, COULD ARGUE IT HAS SOME MID-CENTURY FEATURES, UM, WOULD DWARF EVERYTHING AROUND IT AND, AND, AND NO WAY REPRESENT WHAT WAS HERE.
UM, I JUST, I REALLY THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE SAVED AND I'M GONNA REPEAT WHAT I SAID TO THE LAST FOLKS IS, I FEEL LIKE IF YOU PURCHASE ON THE STREET AND PURCHASE SOMETHING LIKE THIS, YOU SHOULD BE A GOOD STEWARD OF THAT PROPERTY.
UM, AND, AND I, I, I WOULD, I REALLY WANNA SEE IT STAY.
UM, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER, UH, RUBIO, ANY COMMENTS ABOUT YEAH.
YOU KNOW, 1, 1, 1 THING IN PARTICULAR IS THAT THIS HOME IS, UM, AN ASSET TO THE COMMUNITY, TO ITS NEIGHBORS AND TO THE PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY.
UM, YOU'VE GOT A LETTER, AN EMAIL THERE FROM CHRISTINE CHANG, WHO'S HIGHLY REGARDED FROM ROGERS O'BRIEN CONSTRUCTION.
YOU'VE GOT CUPPA KILPATRICK, WHO THEY DO THIS FOR A LIVING.
THEY ALSO UNDERSTAND, UM, A GEM WHEN THEY SEE IT.
AND I, I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, MID-CENTURY, UM, BUILDINGS HITTING AROUND TOWN.
UM, BUT ONE THING THAT WE CAN TAKE PRIDE IN IS OUR MID-CENTURY HOUSES.
AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO, TO, TO KEEP.
UM, AND SO I THINK THAT'S WHY, THAT'S WHY WE SHOULD, UH,
[02:00:01]
SUPPORT THIS SUPPORTUH, ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, I, I THINK THAT ALSO AS, UH, COMMISSIONER RUBIO COMMENTED EARLIER, JUST, UH, THERE'S THE INDIVIDUAL VALUE OF THE HOUSE, BUT THEN IT'S CONTEXT WITH THE OTHER HOMES THAT ARE CLOSE BY.
AND THIS IS A UNIQUE CASE WHERE YOU HAVE AN INTACT SECTION OF HOMES THAT ARE ALL VERY MUCH OF A SIMILAR AESTHETIC AND STYLE.
AND IT WOULD BE A SHAME TO LOSE ONE.
COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTONE, I, I JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE MAYBE, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THE, THE IRONY OR THE POETICS OF, UH, THIS HOUSE WAS BUILT BY, UH, DESIGNER FOR HIMSELF AND HIS FAMILY.
AND HERE WE HAVE A DESIGNER, UM, LOOKING TO, TO BUILD A HOUSE FOR HIS FAMILY ON THE SAME PROPERTY.
AND, UM, THE OP OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THAT ON A LOT IN AUSTIN ARE FINITE.
AND, UH, I, I DO, I'M NOT SURE HOW I'M GONNA VOTE YET.
UM, IF I VOTE IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION, I, I WILL HAVE A PART OF ME THAT REGRETS TAKING AWAY THAT OPPORTUNITY FROM, FROM A DESIGNER, UM, THAT WAS AFFORDED TO THE DESIGNER THAT BUILT THE HOUSE ORIGINALLY.
OTHER COMMENTS? COMMISSIONERS? UH, I'M, LET ME JUST SAY I'M, I'M TORN AS WELL.
UM, AND PARTICULARLY SINCE THESE ARE ARCHITECT DESIGNED AND VERY PERSONAL COMPOSITIONS, UH, WILL HOYT BEING A, A, ONE OF THE, THE, THE KEY PLAYERS AT PAGE FOR MANY, THE, THE PAGE SUTHERLAND PAGE FIRM FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
UH, SO HE MAY NOT BE SHOWN AS THE AUTHOR SPECIFIC OF ANY ONE BUILDING ASSOCIATED WITH HIM, BUT CERTAINLY CONTRIBUTED TO A FIRM THAT HAS A, A, YOU KNOW, A MIGHTY FOOTPRINT ALL AROUND THE CENTRAL TEXAS AREA AND BEYOND.
UM, THAT SAID, I'M VERY HESITANT WHEN WE HAVE AN OWNER WHO IS AN EXPERT, HAS LOOKED THIS OVER, WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO PRESERVE THAT AND MAKE THAT SOMETHING THAT THEY AS OWNERS WOULD BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN AND USE FOR THEIR OWN PURPOSES.
UM, IT'S, AS YOU ALL ARE AWARE, AND WE'VE MENTIONED THIS MANY TIMES, THIS IS OUR ONLY TOOL, BUT THAT TOOL ALSO IS HEAVILY STACKED AGAINST HISTORIC ZONING WHEN AN OWNER OBJECTS.
SO I THINK WE SHOULD BE VERY REALISTIC.
THE LIKELIHOOD, IN FACT, RIGHT NOW, THE TRACK RECORD IS ZERO.
THE LIKELIHOOD OF THIS GOING THROUGH THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THEN TO COUNSEL, UH, AND ALL OF THE OTHER STEPS ALONG THE WAY, IF AN OWNER IS VOCIFEROUSLY AGAINST, UH, YOU KNOW, THEN THIS BECOMES A BIT OF A, YOU KNOW, QUIXOTIC QUEST FOR US.
UH, THEN I HAVE TO ASK MYSELF, WELL, WHAT'S THE END RESULT? UH, ARE WE HELPING TO SAVE THIS BUILDING? OR ARE WE JUST GETTING A BUNCH OF PEOPLE MAD ABOUT PRESERVATION? 'CAUSE WE'RE MAKING IT HARD FOR SOMEONE TO DO WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO ANYWAY? UH, THAT HAVING BEEN SAID, I THINK IF THE OWNERS TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE SERIOUSNESS WITH WHICH WE AS A COMMISSION ARE PLACING THIS BUILDING AND IT'S VALUE, UH, BEYOND JUST YOUR OWN VALUE, BUT THAT AS A COMMUNITY ASSET, UH, IN AN IDEAL WORLD, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE MODERNIST BUILDINGS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, THE OWNERS POOL TOGETHER, RECOGNIZE THEY HAVE A TREASURE, AND TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF OUR PROGRAMS, UH, AND PUT TOGETHER A NATIONAL, A REGISTERED DISTRICT, UH, A A HISTORIC DISTRICT THAT WE COULD IN, UH, WE COULD IMPLEMENT A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WOULD ADVANTAGE THOSE HOMES, UH, TO SEE THEM SAVE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
BUT THAT, THAT IS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE HOPE.
UH, BUT THAT DOES REQUIRE OWNERS THAT WOULD SEE THE EXISTING BUILDINGS AND THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY IN MAINTAINING THEM IN THEIR HISTORIC CONDITION, UH, TO BE THE HIGHEST PRIORITY.
SO I, I THINK I'VE WALKED MYSELF THROUGH BOTH SIDES OF THE ARGUMENT.
CHAIR, SETH, IF I MAY? YES, COMMISSIONER.
AND CAN YOU REMIND ME AGAIN THE LIMITING FACTORS ON THIS PARTICULAR SITE THAT WOULD, WOULD NOT ALLOW THEM TO EXPAND THAT FOOTPRINT? UH, I'M, I'M, I THINK THAT MAY BE EVEN SOMETHING THAT YOU MIGHT ASK THEM.
UH, I CAN SEE YOU'VE GOT A TREE IN THE WAY, AND I DO THINK THAT THERE'S SOME SLOPE ISSUES FROM, I JUST LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, SUPERFICIALLY, BUT I'VE HARDLY HAD A TIME TO, TO ANSWER THAT WITH
[02:05:01]
ANY, ANY CERTAINTY.IS THAT, SO QUESTION YOU'D LIKE TO ASK OF THE HONOR, IT, IT'S A DIFFICULT VOTE, AND I, I KIND OF, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED THEIR POSITION AS BEING A DESIGNER WITH EXPERTISE ON WHAT LIMITS THEM FOR A FULL RESTORATION ON THIS PROPERTY, AND I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THAT BETTER.
UH, IF THE, IF THE APPLICANT IS WILLING TO, UH, ANSWER THAT QUESTION, UH, YOU'RE CERTAINLY WELCOME TO, UH, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
SO, COMMISSIONER LAROCHE, GO AHEAD.
UH, AND WHY DON'T YOU RESTATE YOUR QUESTION.
I THINK YOU UNDERSTAND MY QUESTION.
MY QUESTION IS, WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE THOSE LIMITING FACTORS THAT, THAT WOULD REQUIRE DEMOLITION AS OPPOSED TO REHABILITATION AND, AND, UH, IN ADDITION IN A, IN A THOUGHTFUL MANNER, IN KEEPING WITH THE MID-CENTURY MODERN ARCHITECTURE OF THE HOME? SURE.
AND I GUESS I WOULD, I WOULD POINT OUT THAT BECAUSE OUR DESIGN OF THE HOUSE IS NOT BEING SHOWN OR REVIEWED, UM, WE'VE WORKED VERY HARD TO MAINTAIN THAT MID-CENTURY MODERN AESTHETIC, UH, DOWN TO MAINTAINING THE SAME TYPES OF EXTERIOR MATERIALS AND, UM, DEEP EAVES, ET CETERA, FLAT ROOFS, UM, TO TRY TO, TO DO THAT.
UM, I WOULD ALSO SAY THE TWO STORY MASSING OF THE HOUSE IS SET BACK FROM THE STREET, UH, BEHIND THE CANOPY OF THE 40 INCH OAK THAT WE HAVE.
UM, AND I BELIEVE WOULD ACTUALLY MEET THE CRITERIA OF THE HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS FOR A TWO STORY ADDITION.
E EXCUSE ME, SIR, BUT THAT WASN'T MY QUESTION, RIGHT.
THE CONSTRAINTS THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH, UM, UH, FIRST THE, YEAH, THE FOOTPRINT, UM, WHICH WE'VE EMBRACED AS A CONSTRAINT.
WE HAVE A 38 AND A HALF INCH MULTI STEM, LIVE OAK RIGHT IN THE CRUX OF THE HOUSE.
UM, AND ANOTHER, UH, I BELIEVE ABOUT 36 INCH OAK, UH, NOT FAR OFF THE BACK OF THE HOUSE.
UM, SO THAT IS A LIMITING FACTOR AS FAR AS EXPANDING THE FOOTPRINT OF THE HOME.
UM, WE WOULD BE WITHIN CRITICAL ROOT ZONES, REALLY IN ANY DIRECTION THAT WE EXPANDED IF WE WANTED TO KEEP THE HOUSE AS A SINGLE STORY.
UM, FOR THE HOUSE CONSTRUCTION ITSELF, UM, IT IS A PARTIAL FLAT ROOF, PARTIAL SHED ROOF WITH ABOUT AN EIGHT INCH CLEAR STORY THAT RUNS THROUGH MOST OF THE HOUSE.
UM, AND THE ENTIRETY OF THE HOUSE WAS BUILT TO BREATHE TO OPEN THE LOUVRE WINDOWS TO YOU COULD REMOVE THOSE SMALL CLEAR STORY PIECES, WHICH ARE JUST ACRYLIC SCREWED INTO THE RAFTERS.
AND, UM, WHICH, UH, ONE OF THE WILL HOY FAMILY MEMBERS SAID IT WAS STILL SUPER HOT IN THERE, BUT THAT IT WAS AN INNOVATIVE WAY TO APPROACH IT.
UM, WE ALSO RENOVATED A HOUSE IN SAN ANTONIO, AND WE LIVED THERE THAT WAS A MUCH OLDER VICTORIAN, AND DEALT WITH THE SAME ISSUE OF TRYING TO, UH, SEAL THE ENVELOPE OF A HOME AND INSULATE IT TO, UH, MODERN REQUIREMENTS AND COMFORT LEVELS, UH, WITH A HOUSE THAT IS MEANT TO GET WET AND DRY OUT AND GET WET AND DRY OUT AND, UM, BREATHE THE WAY THAT THIS ONE WAS.
UH, SO THE, ALL OF THE SIDING IN THE HOUSE IS APPLIED DIRECTLY TO SHEATHING.
THERE'S NO WATERPROOFING LAYER ON THE SHEATHING THAT INCLUDES ALL OF THE LEDGE STONE, WHICH IS APPLIED DIRECTLY TO THE SHEATHING, AND THEN ALSO APPLIED DIRECTLY TO THE FOUNDATION.
UM, REUSING THAT MATERIAL WOULD MOST LIKELY REQUIRE US TO SURGICALLY REMOVE THAT LEDGE STONE PIECE BY PIECE AND REAPPLY IN ORDER TO GET SOME KIND OF DRAINAGE PLANE, UM, BEHIND THAT MATERIAL.
UH, BECAUSE WE WOULD NOT WANT TO GO BACK IN WITH THIS HOUSE AND TRY TO SEAL IT UP, UM, FULLY INSULATED AND THEN CREATE CONDITIONS THAT WOULD ENCOURAGE MOISTURE TO BE TRAPPED IN THE WALLS OF THE ROOF OF THE HOUSE, UH, WHICH IS A VERY REAL RISK, UM, AND THAT KIND OF THING.
SO I, I THINK YOU, I THINK YOU'VE ANSWERED MY QUESTION.
SORRY TO GET INTO THE WEEDS ON IT, BUT I, I APPRECIATE THE GRANULARITY.
I, I, UH, WELL, I GUESS, UH, THE, THE LOT RESTRICTIONS WITH THE, WITH THE LIVE OAKS IS, IS, IS CERTAINLY A, A FACTOR, BUT THANK YOU.
YEAH, I, I JUST WANNA SPEAK TO SOME THINGS, BEN, THAT, THAT YOU BROUGHT UP.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I'M, I'M AN ARCHITECT MYSELF, SO I, I VERY, UH, MUCH APPRECIATE, UM, DESIGNING YOUR OWN HOME.
AND I LIVE IN AN OLD HOME THAT THERE'S, UM, THERE'S NO SHEATHING AND THERE'S NO INSULATION.
BUT, UM, I GUESS THE OTHER PART OF ME, AND IN NO WAY AM I TRYING TO BE RUDE HERE, BUT I JUST, I, I QUESTION WHY SOMEONE WITH YOUR EXPERTISE WOULD PURCHASE A HOME LIKE THIS, KNOWING THAT GOING INTO IT, YOU KNOW, THERE IS NO INSULATION.
THERE COULD BE, UM, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE HOT, THERE COULD BE
[02:10:01]
MOISTURE, UM, AND, AND, AND WHY YOU WOULD WANT TO, TO, TO DEMOLISH THIS.I GUESS WHEN I DO THINK THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE THEN WHO MIGHT STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND, AND WANNA SAVE IT.
AND SO WHEN YOU SAY, YOU KNOW, I, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE STUFF AGAINST US AND WE DON'T WANNA MAKE PEOPLE ANGRY ABOUT, UM, PRESERVING I'M, I'M READY TO MAKE PEOPLE ANGRY ABOUT PRESERVATION.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I GUESS I JUST FEEL THAT, UM, THERE ARE OTHER LOTS THAT POTENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, UM, WOULD BE A BETTER CANDIDATE TO, TO, FOR DEMOLITION AND TO REDESIGN.
AND, AND, SORRY, THAT'S JUST
I, I JUST, I REALLY FEEL PASSIONATE ABOUT SOME OF THESE OLDER HOMES THAT, UM, AGAIN, IT'S JUST THIS NEIGHBORHOOD CONTEXT AND ONCE IT'S GONE, WE, WE DO NOT GET THIS BACK.
COMMISSIONERS, OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE VOTE ON THE MOTION? JIM, MAYBE JUST ONE LAST COMMENT.
ECHOING COMMISSIONER GROGAN, YOU KNOW, OUR, AGAIN, WHEN WE SEE, WE SEE A LANDMARK, WE INITIATE THAT.
AND YES, WE ALL UNDERSTAND THE X, Y, Z THAT COMES AFTER, BUT THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO SEE US DESIGNATE THESE AS HISTORIC.
THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THE RULES AND THE LAWS THAT ARE PROHIBITING US FROM DOING THIS.
AND THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN YOU'RE COMING INTO THE CITY TO PURCHASE THESE GEMS, THESE 1850 HOUSES, THESE 1930S HOUSES, THESE MID-CENTURY MODERN GEMS, THE PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THIS CITY.
AND IT IS OUR TASK TO FIND THESE GEMS LIKE THIS HOUSE AND TO DESIGNATE THAT HISTORIC.
COMMISSIONERS, ARE WE READY FOR A VOTE ON THE MOTION? THE MOTION IS TO INITIATE, UH, HISTORIC ZONING, AND THAT, IN EFFECT WOULD ALSO DENY THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST FOR THE DEMOLITION.
UH, IT, IT WOULD NOT DENY IT WOULD POST POSTPONE UNTIL AN ACTION WAS TAKEN.
UH, MS. CONTRERAS, UM, YES, COMMISSION, JUST TO CLARIFY, UH, INITIATION OF HISTORIC ZONING, UM, WILL, UH, PLACE THIS ITEM ON NEXT MONTH'S AGENDA FOR RECOMMENDATION, UM, BECAUSE THIS IS INITIATION, UM, OVER THE OWNER'S WISHES.
AND DURING THAT TIME, STAFF WILL TRY AND FIND, UM, MORE INFORMATION, MORE RESEARCH ON THE PROPERTY, UM, TO, UH, BOLSTER OR NOT A POTENTIAL, UM, HISTORIC ZONING APPLICATION.
DO BOTH INITIATION AND RECOMMENDATION REQUIRE THE SUPER MAJORITY NUMBER, OR IS THAT ONLY THE RECOMMENDATION? I BELIEVE IT'S ONLY THE RECOMMENDATION, BUT LET ME CHECK ON THAT.
I'M PRETTY SURE THAT THE INITIATION NEEDS A SIMPLE MAJORITY AND RECOMMENDATION NEEDS A SUPER MAJORITY.
SO TONIGHT TO, FOR THE INITIATION TO SUCCEED, IT WOULD NEED SIX VOTES.
UM, AND THEN NEXT TIME YOU'D NEED NINE FOR THE RECOMMENDATION TO GO THROUGH.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, IS EVERYONE CLEAR ON THE MOTION? AND THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO BEGIN THE PROCESS BY INITIATING A HISTORIC ZONING ON THE PROPERTY AT 46 0 1 CHIRO TRAIL INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
OKAY, WE HAVE 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, UH, IN FAVOR.
AND, UH, UH, MS. ALLEN, YOU HAVE THE NA THE NAMES.
DO I NEED TO READ THEM OUT? OKAY.
1, 2, 3 OPPOSED? AND IS THERE AN, UH, ABSTENTION WITH ONE ABSTENTION? ALRIGHT, SO IF I'M READING THE VOTES CORRECTLY, THAT IS A SIX, UH, FIVE IN, UH, IN FAVOR.
THREE OPPOSED, ONE ABSTENTION.
AND SO WE HAVE NOT MADE THE, THE THRESHOLD TO SIX.
NOW THAT WOULD MEAN THAT I NEED ANOTHER MOTION.
YOU COULD ALL, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE ARE SEEING THIS, YOU DO HAVE THE OPTION TO POSTPONE.
UH, SO YOU HAVE 75 DAYS, SO YOU DO HAVE THREE MEETINGS.
I I THINK COMMISSIONERS, IN LIGHT OF THE DISCUSSION THAT MAY BE, UH, WORTHWHILE, AND IF ONE OF THE MOTIONS THAT WE MIGHT CONSIDER IS A POSTPONEMENT, UH, WE COULD ENTERTAIN THAT AT THIS TIME.
YEAH, I WOULD MOTION THAT WE POSTPONE, UM, THIS CASE TO THE NEXT MONTH'S MEETING.
AND JUST TO INCLUDE REOPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING, UH, YEAH.
REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND, UM, YEAH, POSTPONE THIS TO NEXT MONTH'S MEETING.
[02:15:01]
OKAY.IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THAT.
UH, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON.
ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT MOTION? I'M, I'M HESITANT TO KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD, BUT I THINK THAT GIVEN THERE'S ONLY NINE OF US PRESENT RIGHT NOW, I WOULD HOPE THAT MAYBE IF ALL OF 11 OF US MAKE IT TO THE NEXT MEETING, THAT WE WOULD HAVE A DIFFERENT YEAH, IT'S GOOD.
A DIFFERENT SETUP OR BREAK THE STALEMATE.
SO I'M SUPPORTIVE OF A POSTPONEMENT BECAUSE OF THAT.
COMMISSIONER RUBIO, DID YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING TO YOUR MOTION? NO.
JUST TO, TO TRY TO GET TO FULL DS THERE.
AND I DO HOPE THAT THE TIME CAN BE USED EFFECTIVELY, BOTH WITH STAFF'S TIME AND WE APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT STAFF YOU'LL BE DOING TO ADD ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, BUT ALSO THE WORK WITH THE OWNER, UH, AND USE THAT TIME CONSTRUCTIVELY TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE OWNER'S INFORMATION.
UH, IT'S HARD TO SORT OF SHARE THAT QUICKLY FROM THE DAAS.
SO, UH, HOPEFULLY WE'LL MAKE VERY GOOD USE OF THAT, UH, INTERIM TIME.
SO, UH, ASSUMING THE MOTION PASSES, BUT WE HAVE A MOTION TO POSTPONE TO THE NEXT MEETING, ALL THOSE FAVOR AND, AND REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND, AND IT WAS ALSO TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, CORRECT? Y WE'RE GETTING THAT RIGHT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND OR SAYING, AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? THERE ARE NONE OPPOSED.
WE'LL BE SEEING YOU NEXT MONTH.
UH, THAT BRINGS US NOW TO THE NEXT DISCUSSION ITEM, ITEM NUMBER 24.
THAT'S, UH, 1100 EAST SECOND STREET.
ALRIGHT, THIS IS OUR, UH, FINAL, UH, DEMOLITION PERMIT OF THE EVENING ITEM 24 11 0 2 EAST SECOND STREET, UNITS A AND B, UH, WHICH ARE ALSO ADDRESSED HISTORICALLY AS 2 0 1 AND 2 0 5 MEDINA STREET.
THIS IS AN APPLICATION TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1900 HOUSE, UH, MOVED ON TO THE REAR OF THE LOT IN 1949 AND A CIRCA 1888 HOUSE, WHICH IS CURRENTLY USED AS A DUPLEX.
EINA DAY IS A ONE STORY FOLK VICTORIAN STYLE HOUSE WITH A PARTIAL WOOD PORCH, WIDTH PORCH, AND AN L PLAN.
IT FEATURES INTACT DETAILS OF THE ERA, INCLUDING STICK STYLE BRACKETS AT THE PORCH, SUPPORTS DOOR OVER FOUR SCREENED WOOD WINDOWS, TRADITIONAL CORNICE RETURNS AT THE GABLE ENDS AND DOUBLE ENTRY DOORS WITH TRANSOMS. UNIT B IS A ONE STORY SHOTGUN STYLE HOUSE WITH A PARTIAL WIDTH PORCH, DECORATIVE TRIM, AND A GABLE ROOF LINE.
THE PRIMARY BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED BETWEEN 1888 AND 1897.
THE LOT AT THE CORNER OF MEDINA AND SECOND STREET WAS USED AS AN AUCTION YARD IN 1887.
AND THE EARLIEST MENTION OF A HOUSE ON THE LOT IS 1888, UH, WHEN IT WAS CONSTRUCTED AND OCCUPIED BY CONTRACTOR AND BUILDER JONAH VAN V FROM 1889 TO 1891, THE PROPERTY WAS OCCUPIED BY A BUSINESSMAN AND A CLERK FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
BRICKLAYER AND PLASTER JAMES E PALUS, WHO WAS AFFILIATED WITH SOUTH AUSTIN PROPERTY INVESTOR.
CHARLES NING, LIVED AND WORKED AT THE PROPERTY RECORDS OF THE DEBT SETTLEMENT SHOW THAT PALUS AND HIS WIFE OWNED THE PROPERTY AT SECOND I MEDINA, ALONG WITH NING AND MOR MORTGAGE AGENT RL BROWN.
UH, THEY WERE REQUIRED TO SELL, UH, WITH THE PROCEEDS GOING TO CONTRACTOR RC LAMBY IN 1894.
BLEUS REMAINED IN THE HOME UNTIL AFTER 1895, BUT BY 1897, CHARLES S SINON, WHO WAS LAMB'S CARPENTRY FOREMAN, HAD PURCHASED THE HOME.
SEN HAD WORKED AS A STAGE MANAGER AND THE CARPENTER FOR BOTH THE MILLET OPERA HOUSE AND THE HYDE PARK PAVILION BEFORE MOVING TO EAST AUSTIN AND WORKING FOR LAMBE.
HE AND HIS WIFE, MARY ELIZABETH, RENTED OUT PART OF THEIR HOME TO TENANTS, INCLUDING SEVERAL NURSES AND A FAMILY OF STONE CUTTERS.
SINEK SIN WAS THE SON OF LOCAL GERMAN PIONEERS, AND HE APPLIED HIS TRADE AS A CARPENTER AND CABINET MAKER WELL INTO HIS SEVENTIES.
OVER THE COURSE OF HIS CAREER, HE BECAME A PROMINENT AUSTIN BUILDER AFTER HIS DEATH IN 1934, MARY ELIZABETH SINSON REMAINED IN THE HOME UNTIL HER OWN DEATH IN 1938.
UM, AT THAT TIME, JOHN NASH PURCHASED THE LOT AND HE ADDED ONTO THE MAIN HOUSE PER CITY PERMITS.
HE RENTED OUT THE MAIN HOUSE AND MOVED THE SECONDARY DWELLING, ADDRESSED AS 2 0 5 MEDINA ONTO THE LOT FROM THE WEST LINE NEIGHBORHOOD IN 1949 FOR USE AS, AS, AS A THIRD RENTAL UNIT.
BOTH BUILDINGS WERE RENTED UNTIL AT LEAST 1959 WITH TENANTS INCLUDING A MAINTENANCE WORKER, DRIVERS CLERKS, AND A PHARMACIST.
THE 2016 EAST AUSTIN RESOURCE SURVEY LIST, BOTH OF THESE BUILDINGS IS ELIGIBLE FOR LOCAL LANDMARK DESIGNATION AND INDIVIDUAL LISTING.
UM, IN ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES.
THE SURVEY DESCRIBES THE BUILDINGS AS GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE FOLK VICTORIAN STYLE AND NOTES.
THE PROPERTIES ASSOCIATION WITH CHARLES SEN, CARPENTER AND BUILDER MAY ALSO BE ASSOCIATED WITH EARLIER CARPENTERS VAN V AND PALUS.
THOUGH THEIR ASSOCIATIONS WITH THE HOME ARE MUCH SHORTER THAN SEN, UM, THEREFORE THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONSIDER INITIATION OF HISTORIC ZONING PER SURVEY.
RECOMMENDATIONS, SHOULD THE COMMISSION DECIDE AGAINST HISTORIC ZONING, UH, STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO STRONGLY ENCOURAGE ADAPTIVE REUSE AND REHABILITATION, THEN RELOCATION OVER DEMOLITION, BUT TO RELEASE THE PERMIT UPON RECEIPT OF A CITY
[02:20:01]
OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE FOR EACH STRUCTURE ON THE LOT.ANY, UH, QUESTIONS OF STAFF COMMISSIONERS? OKAY.
UH, WE'RE POSTED FOR A PUBLIC HEARING THEN.
UH, IS THERE SOMEBODY HERE TO SPEAK IN? WELL, THE MOTION IS FOR A DEMOLITION.
SO SOMEONE WHO IS HERE TO SPEAK, UH, IN FAVOR OF THAT MOTION, WE DO HAVE THE APPLICANT PRESENT JOSHUA BROMAN.
UH, MR. BRONSMAN, WOULD YOU PLEASE COME TO MICROPHONE AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF? HI.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR, UH, THE EFFORT ON THAT.
I'VE ALWAYS, UH, APPRECIATE THE, THE HISTORY OF EAST AUSTIN, ESPECIALLY.
UH, I'M A EAST AUSTIN RESIDENT.
I'VE BEEN OVER THERE FOR ABOUT 14 YEARS.
UM, I FOCUS ON LAND DEVELOPMENT AND, UH, THIS HOME IS A GEM, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, UM, THE, THE HOME IS IN VERY BAD SHAPE.
AND IF YOU DON'T MIND, CAN WE PULL UP THOSE, UM, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION? UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE HOME HAS BEEN ADDED ON SCABBED ON OVER THE YEARS.
UM, I ORIGINALLY LOOKED AT THIS HOME AS A PRESERVATION OP, YOU KNOW, PATH, BUT WALKING IT IN DEPTH AND SEEING HOW MUCH HAS BEEN ADDED ONTO THE HOME.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE T ONE 11 SIDING THAT'S UNDER, THAT'S NOT ORIGINAL.
UM, THE ONLY PART OF THIS HOME THAT HAS THE AESTHETICS IS KIND OF THE FRONT.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY THE HOME IS IN, AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S IN REALLY BAD SHAPE.
SO, UM, LOVE TO MOVE THIS SOMEWHERE ELSE, BUT THERE'S JUST NOT A POSSIBLE WAY TO MOVE THIS HOME WITHOUT IT FALLING APART ON THE STREETS.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, I PERSONALLY FEEL, UM, THIS HOME JUST ISN'T, ISN'T IN A POSITION TO BE ABLE TO BE, UH, SAVED.
UM, AS A LOT OF THE OTHER HOMES IN THIS AREA, UM, HAVE DETERIORATED OVER THE YEARS.
THIS HOME HAS DEFINITELY KIND OF BEEN LEADING THAT CHANGE.
BUT I, I'M HERE TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF THE OWNER TO REQUEST, UM, YOU KNOW, WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE DEMOLITION APPLICATION.
I THINK THE HOME HAS SERVED ITS TIME AND ITS PURPOSE.
UM, AND UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK JUST THE NEGLECT OVER THE LAST 30, 40 YEARS, UM, HAS JUST KIND OF LEFT IT IN THIS POSITION.
UM, UNLESS THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS OR QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT, NO.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM FOR OR AGAINST? OKAY.
UH, WELL, WE'VE HAD A STAFF PRESENTATION.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING INDICATE BY SAYING AYE, OR RAISE YOUR HAND.
UH, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? DO I HAVE A MOTION? I MOTION THAT WE POSTPONE THIS TO NEXT MONTH'S, UH, MEETING, RE REOPEN THE, UH, PUBLIC HEARING AND POSTPONE TO NEXT MONTH'S MEETING.
UH, THAT'S A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER RUBIO.
IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ SECOND.
UH, COMMISSIONER RUBIO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? UH, YES.
I THINK WE'VE GOT, I THINK WE'VE GOT A, A TOUGHER CASE THAN THE LAST ONE.
UH, THESE ARE TWO BUILDINGS IN EAST AUSTIN THAT WE HAVE ALREADY REALLY DETERMINED THAT THEY BOTH MEET ARCHITECTURE AS WELL AS HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION CONTEXT.
UM, POSSIBLY EVEN INDIVIDUAL LISTING IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER, WHICH IS, UH, PRETTY HUGE.
SO, UM, BEING CONCERNED WITH OUR NUMBERS, I'D LIKE TO SEE THIS BE POSTPONED UNTIL NEXT MONTH.
UM, COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE MOTION? UH, I ECHO COMMISSIONER RUBIO'S COMMENTS AS WELL AS, WHEN I LOOK AT THIS, I SEE TWO STRUCTURES, AND IF THERE'S AN INTEREST IN BUILDING SOMETHING LARGER, MAYBE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO, IN A, A TASTEFUL, IN A PRESERVATION MINDED WAY TO ACCOMPLISH BOTH THE OWNER'S DESIRES AND ALSO, UM, PRESERVE WHAT WE CAN.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY MORE DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS ITEM? OKAY.
UM, I THINK IF WE USE THE, IF, IF THIS MOTION PASSES, UH, I THINK I WOULD HOPE THAT WE COULD USE THIS PERIOD OF TIME, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE, WE'RE NOT TAKING AN ACTION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER REGARDING OUR, OUR, OUR ONLY ACTION OF THIS CASE WOULD BE TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING.
BUT, UH, WE MAY GATHER BETTER INFORMATION, UH, IF WE, FOR EXAMPLE, HAD MORE
[02:25:01]
SPECIFIC INFORMATION FROM THE OWNER, UH, OR THE APPLICANT REGARDING SOME OF THESE, UH, STRUCTURAL CONDITIONS THAT YOU WOULD BE LOOKING AT.UH, RECOGNIZE YOU HAVE A ARCHITECTS AND STRUCTURAL ENGINEER EXPERTISE HERE ON THE COMMISSION.
SO WE, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT SOMEBODY TO, UH, WRITE A LETTER SAYING, I THINK THE HOUSE DOESN'T LOOK VERY GOOD AND CONSIDER THAT TO BE AN EXPERT OPINION, BUT ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHS AND SOME ADDITIONAL WAY FOR US TO EVALUATE MORE THOROUGHLY THE CONDITION OF THE HOUSE, UH, I THINK WOULD BE VERY, WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO US IF THAT WERE POSSIBLE.
AND THEY ENTERED SUING, UH, PERIOD OF TIME, ASSUMING THIS, THIS PASSES THAT, THAT CERTAINLY WOULD BE, I WOULD LOOK FOR.
SO ANY OTHER CONVERSATIONS BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE? OKAY.
UH, THERE'S A MOTION TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND POSTPONE TO THE NEXT, UH, NEXT MEETING OF THE COMMISSION.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND OR SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? NOW THAT, UH, MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY AND WE WILL SEE YOU NEXT MONTH.
COMMISSIONERS, THOSE ARE ALL OF OUR CASES, UH, THAT WERE INITIATED, UH, UP TO THE ITEM NOW 27
[27. 719 Congress Ave. – Discussion State Theatre]
THAT WE INITIATED.AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THIS IS A RARE CONDITION.
THERE HAS TO BE A LOT OF REASONS WHY A BUILDING IS IMPORTANT ENOUGH AND HAS ENOUGH PUBLIC INTEREST FOR US TO WARRANT, UH, HAVING, UH, THE INITIATION OF HISTORIC ZONING.
UH, BUT WE'VE HAD COMMISSIONERS, UH, SEND LETTERS TO THAT EFFECT.
SO,
IT'S NOW COME UP FOR DISCUSSION AND LET ME CALL UPON STAFF TO, UH, MAKE A PRESENTATION.
I AM JUST USING THE PRESENTATION FROM LAST MONTH THAT WAS PROVIDED BY, UM, CLAYTON COURT.
WELL, AND, UH, COMMISSIONER, WE DON'T HAVE A PRESENTATION THIS MONTH, UM, BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS APPEARED.
UM, SO WE WILL COLLECT MATERIALS, UH, FROM THE PROPERTY OWNER AND HAVE THAT PRESENTATION FOR YOU NEXT MONTH.
UM, WHEN THIS IS UP FOR RECOMMENDATION.
SO OUR PROPOSAL IS OFFICIALLY TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING.
WE TALKED ABOUT IT, BUT IT WASN'T POSTED.
WE HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY HAD, UH, MORE THAN TWO COMMISSIONERS INDICATE THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT ON THE AGENDA.
SO Y'ALL WILL NEED TO VOTE ON, UH, WHETHER OR NOT YOU INITIATE TONIGHT AND, UH, WE'LL SEE IT AGAIN NEXT MONTH.
WELL, COMMISSIONER, SINCE WE DID HAVE A RATHER THOROUGH PRESENTATION ON THAT, UH, WE CAN OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING EVEN THOUGH IT'S OUR INITIATION, THAT'S STILL A PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THAT CORRECT? UH, IS THERE A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC THAT WANTS TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THIS? NO.
SO LET ME, UH, WELL, IF WE INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING, THEN WE'LL HAVE TO OPEN THE HEARING AGAIN.
SO I DON'T THINK I NEED TO CLOSE THE HEARING.
IS THAT RIGHT? THAT SHOULD BE CORRECT.
I MEAN, PUBLIC NOTICE, I MEAN, THE CLERK'S OFFICE HAS WANTED US TO CLOSE IT, BUT THEN THEY WANT US TO BACK, OPEN IT BACK UP AGAIN.
MAYBE THERE'S SOME WAY WE CAN GET THAT CLARIFIED.
I'M GOING TO SAY SINCE WE HAVE NOT FORMALLY SUBMITTED OR SENT OUT PUBLIC NOTICE AS FAR AS MAILED NOTICE, POSTED NOTICE, UM, IT'S ON THE AGENDA FROM LETTERS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS, BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED TO THE PUBLIC PER CITY OF CODE NOTIFICATION STANDARDS.
UM, SO THIS WOULD BE THE ACTION TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING AND FORMALLY OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING WHEN, WHEN IT COMES BACK THERE, THEN, THEN WE WOULD HAVE THE TIME TO YES.
PROPERLY NOTIFY FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.
WHICH HAS NOT HAPPENED UP TO NOW.
NOTIFICATION WILL BE SENT OUT PRIOR TO NEXT MONTH'S MEETING.
WHEN WE ACTUALLY HAVE AN APPLICATION IN FRONT OF US.
'CAUSE WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE ONE.
I, IT WAS APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO ASK IF ANYBODY WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IT.
OFFICIALLY WE HAVE NOT HAD A PUBLIC HEARING 'CAUSE THAT WAS NOT PROPERLY NOTIFIED, CORRECT? NO, BUT THAT'S WHAT I'M GONNA MOVE.
THAT WE OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING AND WE INITIATE.
I DON'T THINK YOU NEED, DO WE, I DON'T THINK WE NEED THE MOTION TO OPEN A NO.
ONCE MAIL NOTICE GOES OUT, THAT OFFICIALLY OPENS IT UP.
SO, UM, WE'LL MAIL THE LETTERS OUT IN TWO WEEKS.
SO YOU JUST, IF WE WANNA INITIATE, THAT'S ALL WE NEED.
YEAH, THAT WAS A MOTION, JUST A MOTION TO INITIATE.
COMMISSIONER, UH, LAROCHE, UH, HAS A MOTION TO INITIATE THE HISTORIC ZONING ON THIS PROPERTY.
UH, COMMISSIONER LA ROCHE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO DISCUSS YOUR MOTION? NO, I, I, I THINK IT'S, IT'S CLEAR THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE FOLKS ON THIS DIOCESE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
THE, UH, THE OWNER'S AN ADVOCATE AND SO THIS IS, UH, JUST A REAL WIN FOR THE, THE CITY AND, AND THE LANDMARK COMMISSION COMMISSIONER RUBIO.
[02:30:02]
YEAH.UM, I'M THANKFUL THAT THE OWNER AND COMMISSIONER COOK AND NOW, YOU KNOW, STAFF HAS NOTIFIED US OF THIS, UH, PROJECT.
UH, BUT ALSO NO NOTIFYING US THAT IT'S NOT A LANDMARK AND THAT THAT IS THE DESIRE OF THE OWNERS.
AND I JUST HOPE THAT THIS IS PRECEDENT FOR MANY MORE THAT WE CAN FIND OUT THERE THAT OWNERS ARE WILLING TO DO THIS AND THEY HAVE MERIT, THEIR BUILDINGS HAVE MERIT, UM, AND LET'S CONTINUE TO GET THESE CO COOPERATIVE DESIGNATIONS DONE WITH THESE TYPES OF OWNERS.
SO I HOPE THAT'S A GOOD PRECEDENT FOR US.
ANY OTHER CONVERSATIONS OR ANY DISCUSSIONS? COMMISSIONERS? I THINK A LOT WAS SAID AT THE PRIOR MEETING.
ALL I'LL SAY IS AGAIN, I'M, I WAS REALLY SURPRISED THAT IT WASN'T A LANDMARK.
SOMEHOW IT ESCAPED, UH, AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, IT WOULD JUST BE AN OBVIOUS CANDIDATE.
WE'RE NOT ALWAYS INITIATING, BUT, UH, UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, IT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT BUILDING THAT I THINK IT IS WORTHY OF OUR INITIATION.
SO ANY OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE CALL A VOTE? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE VOTE TO INITIATE THE HISTORIC ZONING ON THE STATE THEATER INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
UH, AND, UH, I, AGAIN, I'M EXCITED TO SEE THIS GO FORWARD.
COMMISSIONERS, THAT BRINGS US UP TO THE WORK OF THE COMMITTEES AND, UH, WE HAVE SEVERAL OF THEM THAT ARE SCHEDULED, SEVERAL THAT ARE NEED TO BE SCHEDULED.
AND, UH, I THINK MAYBE WE JUST WANNA DO A QUICK REVIEW STARTING WITH THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE.
UH, EITHER COMMISSIONER RUBIO OR ROGAN.
YOU JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THE, THE, THE LAST MEETING.
UM, WE HAD A FAIRLY, UM, SHORT MEETING, UM, LAST MONTH, BUT, UM, WE HAD FOLKS RETURN HERE.
UM, I'M NOT SURE THEY TOOK ALL OUR ADVICE THE FIRST ROUND, BUT WE'RE GONNA
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE A VERY, VERY FULL AGENDA COMING UP NEXT WEEK.
AND I WANT TO REMIND THOSE COMMISSIONERS WHO WILL BE AT THE A R C NEXT WEEK.
UH, WE'RE SHOOTING FOR FOUR O'CLOCK.
UM, I AM ABLE TO EXTEND THE RESERVATION OF THE ROOM BECAUSE WE HAVE 11 CASES TO HEAR.
UM, AND THE LAST ONE IS A SIX PARTER.
SO
CAN YOU REMIND US TO DO ALL THREE OF US NEED TO BE THERE FOR THE ENTIRETY? UH, JUST, JUST TWO OF THE THREE OKAY.
SO IF SOMEONE NEEDS TO LEAVE EARLY, SO IF WE NEED TO ROTATE OFF
IF WE NEED TO ROTATE OFF TO TAKE A LITTLE BREAK.
UM, THIS IS THE LONGEST A R C AGENDA I HAVE SEEN IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND I DID EMAIL EVERYONE TO CONFIRM LIKE, HEY, ARE YOU SURE YOU'RE GONNA COME? AND EVERYBODY'S COMING
EVERYBODY'S, EVERYBODY'S GONNA SHOW UP.
SO, UM, YEAH, I WILL HAVE EXTENSIVE, UH, I'LL BE POSTING THE AGENDA TOMORROW AND THE BACKUP THAT I HAVE, UH, THE APPLICANTS HAVE UNTIL THE DAY OF THE MEETING TO GET ME THEIR STUFF OR JUST BRING HARD COPIES.
SO WHATEVER BACKUP IS UP UP, UM, AHEAD OF TIME IS ALL THAT I HAVE.
UM, OTHERWISE WE REALLY APPRECIATE OUR A R C MEMBERS.
THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH FOR YOUR, YOUR EXPERTISE.
AND, UH, I HOPE YOU'RE, I HOPE YOU'RE HAVING A GOOD TIME AS WELL AS, UH, I I KNOW IT CAN BE VERY PRODUCTIVE AS, AS MUCH AS, AS, AS IT'S, UH, A LOT OF WORK.
UH, THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, UH, UM, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON AND, UH, UH, JUMP IN ON THAT OR, YEAH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'VE DISCUSSED A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT SHOULD BE PUT ON OUR AGENDA AND, UH, TALKED TO AMBER AND JUST SAID, YOU KNOW, WE KIND OF NEED TO FORMALIZE WHAT WE THINK WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT AND THEN GET ONE OF THOSE MEETINGS ON THE BOOKS.
I KNOW THAT WE'VE PREVIOUSLY MADE A, AN EARNEST START ON, UM, OUR SIGNAGE, UH, POLICIES, AND WE DEFINITELY WANNA KEEP THAT WORK GOING.
UM, THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE CHANGES TO CODE REGARDING THREE UNITS ON A LOT AND MINIMUM LOT SIZES.
I THINK THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT AND SEE HOW HISTORIC PRESERVATION CAN PLUG INTO THAT.
UM, I FEEL LIKE THERE IS A THIRD ONE THAT IS ESCAPING ME AT THIS MOMENT.
WE ALWAYS, WHEN WE HIT, WHEN WE HIT SOMETHING HARD, SOMETIMES WE SAY, I'LL GIVE IT TO THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
AND I, I FORGET WHAT THAT WAS LAST TIME, BUT THERE WAS DEFINITELY A GOOD ONE.
AND, AND WE'VE HAD SOME EARLY CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME OF THE COUNCIL OFFICES REGARDING THE, UH, SUBDIVISION CHANGE.
AND, UH, SO FOLLOWING UP ON THAT A MEETING.
WHAT'S THAT? DID I MISS A MEETING? NO, NO, NO.
WE HAD, UH, UH, IN BETWEEN, UH, UH,
[02:35:01]
A COUPLE OF COUPLE OF CONVERSATIONS.WE TALKED, TALKED ABOUT, TALKED, BUT WE ALSO HAD, WE DID HAVE, UH, AT ONE POINT AT A MEETING, UH, I REMEMBER THERE WAS ONE ADDITIONAL ITEM OF, WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, JUST REVISITING THE INCENTIVES ASSOCIATED WITH PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM.
UM, GOD, IT JUST ROLLED UP MY TONGUE SO EASILY AND IT'S PROBABLY LIKE A REALLY BIG HARD THING TO ACTUALLY TACKLE
THE, THE, THE BIG, THE BIG, THE BIG ISSUE.
WHAT'S THE, WHAT IS THE BENEFITS AND HOW DO YOU BALANCE PEOPLE WHO ARE OWNERS OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES IN THE PROGRAM? YEAH, YEAH.
GOOD THING FOR YOU TO BE WORKING ON.
IN THE DISTANT PAST, WE'VE TRIED TO TACKLE ENFORCEMENT WHEN, UM, INDIVIDUALS GO ASTRI ASTRAY OF CODE OR OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WE'VE GIVEN THEM.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAME UP WITH MUCH THERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE CLOSED THE LOOP ON IT JUST BY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TEETH, THAT WE RELY ON OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE CITY GOVERNMENT TO BE THE TEETH AND IT, IT JUST IS WHAT IT IS.
BUT WE COULD PROBABLY REVISIT THAT.
AND THEN WE'RE OPEN TO ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION.
WE NEED TO, NOW THAT'S, NOW THAT THINGS ARE HOPEFULLY SETTLING OUT A LITTLE BIT FOR STAFF, WE JUST NEED TO BE ABLE TO GET A TIME SCHEDULED.
NOW THAT I HAVE, UH, SOMETHING TO PUT ON AN AGENDA, WE CAN MEET
I'LL TRY TO SCHEDULE SOMETHING.
YEAH, SO THERE'S A COMMISSIONER.
UH, WELL, WHY DON'T WE MAKE SURE, UH, MS. ALLEN, WHY DON'T YOU REMIND US SO EACH OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS? YEAH.
[28. Architectural Review Committee]
REVIEW COMMITTEE, IT'S COMMISSIONER GROGAN, UH, RUBIO AND COOK.AND THEN FOR THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE,
[29. Operations Committee]
IT IS COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON LAROCHE, AND COOK.UM, AND, YOU KNOW, I'LL SEE WHAT'S AVAILABLE AT THE P D C OVER THE NEXT MONTH AND HOPEFULLY TRY TO MEET BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING.
UM, BUT IT'LL JUST DEPEND ON ROOM AVAILABILITY AND, UH, GETTING AT LEAST TWO OF Y'ALL IN ONE ROOM, AND THEN WE CAN GET IT GOING.
AND THEN ON ALL THESE COMMITTEES, KEEP ME IN THE LOOP, UH, OF COURSE, BECAUSE I, I PROBABLY ON AT LEAST THE FIRST ONE, I THINK I COULD JOIN YOU ALL.
YEAH, WE HAVE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS REGARDING SOME OF THAT.
THAT WOULD BE, I'LL BE SURE TO MAKE A NOTE AND INVITE IN.
UM, SO LET'S GO TO THE GRANTS COMMITTEE.
[30. Grants Committee]
COMMITTEE.THAT IS, UM, COMMISSIONERS, I BELIEVE EVANS.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE ON MC QUARTER AND ALVAREZ AND ALVAREZ.
AND THAT ONE, I THINK YOU'RE GONNA BE GEARING UP RIGHT NOW WITH SOME OF THE GRANTS THAT ARE COMING UP.
SO MELISSA, ACTUALLY, UM,
SO I'M GONNA GET WITH MELISSA AND SEE KIND OF WHAT THE TIMELINE IS FOR APPLICATIONS AND SEE IF YOU GUYS CAN MEET AND KIND OF GET MORE INVOLVED IN MAYBE THE SELECTION PROCESS OR THE REVIEW PROCESS, UM, AND GET THAT SCHEDULED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AS WELL.
AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE YOU GUYS WANNA PUT ON AN AGENDA FOR A GRANTS COMMITTEE, JUST LET ME KNOW.
UH, MELISSA, YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB OF LETTING THE PEOPLE KNOW THAT THIS EXISTS AND THAT THEY AUTO APPLY.
UH, I THINK IT'S NOT BECAUSE I, I SUBSCRIBE TO A LOT OF HISTORIC LANDMARK LISTS.
MOST OF THE TIME I'VE BEEN SEEING YOUR NOTICES.
IT'S ACTUALLY JUST MY STANDARD, UH, YOU KNOW, SOCIAL MEDIA.
UH, SO I THINK THAT'S A GOOD START.
BUT I DO THINK THAT IF THE COMMITTEE COULD ALSO THINK ABOUT YOUR PURVIEW OF PROMOTING THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE CYCLE AND HAVE BEEN AWARDED GRANTS MM-HMM.
AND THE MORE, THE MORE WE CAN RAISE THE, UH, AWARENESS OF HOW EFFECTIVE THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN AND CONTINUES TO BE.
UH, I THINK THAT THAT'S MORE THAN WHAT STAFF ALONE CAN DO.
AND I THINK WE CAN HELP OUT A LOT.
SO, AND I, AND YOU KNOW, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THIS, UH, CELEBRATION OF SUCCESSES THAT WE'RE PUTTING AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR AGENDA.
I SEE THE GRANTS COMMITTEE HELPING US TO FEED THAT
I NEED ALL THE HELP WITH MORE INFORMATION.
SO YES, IF WE CAN GET THAT SITUATED, UH, BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING WOULD BE IDEAL.
AND THEN THE LAST IS THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE.
[31. Preservation Plan Committee]
AND, UH, GO AHEAD.UH, LET'S, THAT IS, UM, COMMISSIONERS, GROGAN CASTILLO AND DUDLEY.
UM, AND I BELIEVE KARA HAS ALREADY SCHEDULED A MEETING FOR THREE WEEKS FROM TODAY.
I THOUGHT THERE WAS ONE NEXT WEEK.
IS IT NEXT WEEK? YEAH, IT'S, OH, NO, NO, YOU'RE RIGHT.
IT'S THE WEEK OF, IT'S THE 20TH.
SO SHE'S ALREADY SCHEDULED THAT FOR YOU GUYS.
I'LL BE THERE AS WELL, TAKING NOTES.
UM, SO YEAH, THAT'LL BE EXCITING TO GET EVERYBODY TOGETHER.
AND I KNOW WE HAD STAFF THAT WAS GOING TO BE, UH, STARTING TO WORK WITH US.
IS THAT, IS THAT STARTING ALONG THE WAY? KARA WILL HAVE UPDATES ON THAT AT YOUR MEETING.
[02:40:01]
AND THERE'S SOME HEAVY LIFTING THERE AND THEY'VE GOT, UH, OBVIOUSLY THE, THE WORKING GROUP CHOMPING AT THE BIT READY TO GET GOING.SO THAT'S, THAT'S GONNA BE AN IMPORTANT, UH, FOLLOW UP ON SOME, A LOT OF WORK THAT'S HAPPENED UP TONIGHT.
OH, AND JUST A REMINDER FOR THOSE OF YOU ON THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE, UM, IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY REVIEWED THE DRAFT PLAN, MAKE SURE YOU GET WITH K R S.
YOU CAN GET A COPY OF IT AND GO THROUGH IT.
I DID COMPLETE MY SWEARING IN FOR THE DOWNTOWN GROUP.
WOULD YOU MAKE SURE WE KEEP NOTING THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION AND THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER LAROCHE IS YEAH.
I WILL ACTUALLY PUT THAT DOWN FOR FUTURE AGENDAS.
ANY UPDATES? COMMISSIONER LAROCHE? I FINISH THE SWEARING IN.
ALRIGHT, I JUST WANNA HAVE A QUICK REMINDER FOR Y'ALL, UM, A REMINDER THAT COMMITTEE MEETINGS ARE, UH, PUBLICLY POSTED MEETINGS.
UM, SO WE NEED TO HAVE ALL OF YOUR AGENDA ITEMS TOGETHER AND READY TO GO AT LEAST 72 HOURS BEFORE, UH, THE MEETING, UM, EARLIER IF POSSIBLE.
SO AS YOU'RE, UH, COLLECTING THESE IDEAS AND SENDING THEM TO STAFF, UH, PLEASE BE MINDFUL OF THAT DEADLINE, UM, FOR SOMETHING TO APPEAR ON THE AGENDA, UM, SO THAT IT IS, UH, POSTED AND NOTIFIED FOR PROPERLY.
ALSO COMMITTEES, UH, BECAUSE WE ARE BASICALLY REFORMULATING THESE, UH, WITH SO MANY NEW MEMBERS THAT, UH, ONE OF THE FIRST ACTIONS THAT I THINK MOST OF THE COMMITTEES WILL TAKE IS TO SELECT THE CHAIR.
AND THEN PROBABLY FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT, UM, CONTINUOUSLY SCHEDULED TO MAKE A MONTHLY SCHEDULE ON MEETING DAYS.
AND THEN TO LOOK AHEAD FOR THE SCHEDULE.
UH, OBVIOUSLY THE CHAIR'S DUTIES ARE NOT EXTENSIVE OR, OR ONEROUS, WE HOPE, BUT THAT WAY WE HAVE SOMEBODY WHO CAN KEEP THINGS MOVING AND MEETING AND IDEALLY, UH, ABLE TO BE THERE AND HELP REPORT ON THE PROGRESS.
SO I, I THINK WE'VE DISCUSSED THAT WITH SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY WILLING TO BE IN THAT ROLE FOR MOST OF THE COMMITTEES.
BUT I'LL JUST REMIND YOU THAT'S, UH, SOMETHING THAT STAFF WILL ASK YOU TO FORMALIZE CHAIR IS KING
WHAT A WAY TO END THE MEETING, SORT OF PLEASE.
SO IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT NEEDS TO BE HANDLED AT THIS MEETING? COMMISSIONERS.
I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
ALRIGHT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY HERE'S IN YOUR HAND, YOU'RE SAYING.