[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.