[00:00:04]
[CALL TO ORDER ]
THE, LET'S SEE, FEBRUARY 7TH MEETING OF THE HISTORIC LANDMARKS COMMISSION.AND WE'RE VERY PLEASED TO BE BACK AT OUR REGULAR HUNTS AND CITY HALL, UH, WHICH BY THE WAY, WILL BE OUR REGULAR MEETING SPACE FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.
SO WE THANK THE FOLKS OVER AT THE PERMITTING CENTER WHO ACCOMMODATED US FOR A COUPLE OF, UH, MEETINGS THERE.
BUT, UH, THIS IS OUR PERMANENT LOCATION AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THE PUBLIC IS AWARE.
UH, THIS IS WHERE WE'LL BE MEETING IN THE FUTURE.
WE'LL START THIS EVENING WITH A ROLL CALL.
AND LET ME GO AHEAD, SAM, IF YOU GO AHEAD AND TAKE ROLL.
START WITH COMMISSIONER HEIM PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER WHIT FEATHERSTON PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER KEVIN COOK, PRESENT COMMISSIONER CARL LAROCHE.
HE IS SUPPOSED TO BE ONLINE, BUT HE IS ABSENT RIGHT NOW.
COMMISSIONER TRANE, QUARTER COMMISSIONER, HARMONY GROGAN PRESENT, COMMISSIONER JAIME ALVAREZ.
COMMISSIONER ROXANNE EVANS IS ALSO SUPPOSED TO BE ONLINE, BUT NOT CURRENTLY PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER RAYMOND CASTILLO, COMMISSIONER JUAN RAYMOND RUBIO.
COMMISSIONER TARA DUDLEY PRESENT.
AND, UH, COMMISSIONERS, YOU HAVE YOUR, UM, WE, WE GOT A MEMO FROM THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.
UH, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU SIGNED THE NO CONFLICT, UH, DOCUMENT THAT GOES AROUND HERE ON THE DAIS.
AND FOR THE COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE DIALING IN REMOTELY, I BELIEVE, SAM, YOU'LL BE SENDING THEM IF THEY HAVEN'T ALREADY, UH, AN EMAIL.
UH, WE DO NEED YOUR AUTHORIZATION, UH, IN ORDER TO ALLOW YOU TO PROCEED, UH, WITH ANY FEW COMING UP VOTES ACCORDING TO THE CITY CLERK.
SO JUST A LITTLE BIT OF HOUSEKEEPING THERE.
ALRIGHT, I WILL, UH, GO AHEAD AND GO THROUGH THE AGENDA.
OH, I GUESS BEFORE WE DO THAT, DO WE HAVE ANYONE
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL ]
SIGNED UP FOR A CITIZEN'S COMMUNICATION? UH, THESE ARE ITEMS THAT WOULD NOT BE SPECIFIC TO THE AGENDA, BUT, UH, SOMEBODY MIGHT BE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.WE HAVE SANTIAGO WHO DOES NOT SEEM TO BE HERE TODAY.
LET ME GO GRAB THE BINDER REAL QUICK.
AND JUST PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF IN THE MICROPHONE.
UH, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU, COMMISSIONERS.
I APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE HERE.
UM, I'M ARRIVING HERE TODAY WITH A, A DEEP LEVEL OF GRATITUDE FOR, UH, CIVIL SERVANTS AND A LOT THAT I'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS OVER THE PAST, UH, SIX MONTHS OR SO.
UM, I THINK THE, THE MAIN TOPIC OF ISSUE I'D LIKE TO BRING UP IS WITH REGARD TO BOUNDARIES.
AND, UH, IN PARTICULAR, UH, I'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH, UH, AT THE AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER, REALLY ENJOYING THE STAFF THERE AND, UM, WHAT'S AVAILABLE THERE FOR THE PUBLIC TO, TO REVIEW.
AND, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S EMERGED FOR ME IS, UH, THIS NOTION OF INTERPRETATIONS.
UM, AND, UH, TO, I GUESS LIKE CHANGE LANES A LITTLE BIT.
UM, TEXTILE HAS, HAS PROPOSED A NEW, UH, EXPANSION TO I 35.
THEY WANT TO DECONSTRUCT THE BRIDGE.
IT'S GOING THROUGH, UH, A PARK THAT HAS NRHB ELIGIBILITY, NEARLY 700 ACRES IF YOU INCLUDE THE TOWN LAKE SAN DIEGO.
YEAH, I'M GONNA HAVE TO CUT YOU OFF BECAUSE, UH, AS YOU MAY BE AWARE, WE HAVE AN ITEM POSTED ON OUR AGENDA.
THAT IS SPECIFIC TO THE ISSUE.
YOU ARE, YOU HAVE, UH, BROUGHT UP.
SO THE POINT OF CITIZEN'S COMMUNICATION IS IF THERE'S SOMETHING YOU'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THAT'S NOT SPECIFIC TO THAT ITEM.
I, THERE'S NO BACKUP ON ONLINE, SO I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT, WHAT THE DISCUSSION HAS TO DO.
SO IF I CAN COMMUNICATE, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE PROTOCOL IS FOR THAT.
CAN YOU INFORM ME? WE HAVE, UH, SEVERAL COMMISSIONERS WHO HAVE, UH, EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN THE POSSIBILITY OF A RESOLUTION.
AND, UH, AT THAT POINT ON THE AGENDA, WE WILL BE ABLE TO, UH, GO THROUGH IN MORE DETAIL WHAT THAT MIGHT BE AND SOME OF THE PARAMETERS AND CERTAINLY, UH, IN ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS OR HAVING ANY CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT, IT WOULD BE IN ORDER FOR YOU.
NOW, AGAIN, IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK MORE GENERALLY IN CITIZENS' COMMUNICATION, YOU'RE CERTAINLY WELCOME TO DO THAT FOR THE REST OF YOUR TIME.
MY TIME IS PAUSED AND SO I CAN CONTINUE, PLEASE.
SO, UM, LITTLE HISTORY ON TOWN LAKE.
UH, UM, BACK IN THE FIFTIES, THERE WAS A COMPANY CALLED AUSTIN SAND GRAVEL COMPANY.
THEY MADE A CONTRACT WITH, UM, CITY OF AUSTIN TO DREDGE, UH, THE COLORADO RIVER TO 18 FEET.
UM, CREATED A SOMETHING CALLED SNAKE ISLAND.
THEY HAVE NOW BEEN RE OVER THE NEXT 12 YEARS.
UM, THEY DECIMATED THE ECOLOGY OF
[00:05:01]
THE RIVER, UM, AND ARE NOW CALLED CAPITAL AGGREGATE STILL EXISTS, UM, IN THE DOG HEAD.UM, NOT SURE THAT WAS MY TIME, BUT THAT IS YOUR TIME.
BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, LET'S GIVE YOU ANOTHER MINUTE 'CAUSE I DID INTERRUPT YOU.
UM, SO IN 1952, UH, UM, SOME MAJOR CHANGES OCCURRED.
UM, THE RESERVE, UM, ROBERTA CRENSHAW WAS INSTRUMENTAL WITH THE PARKS BOARD IN SHAPING, UH, THE TOWN LAKE TRAIL, UM, AND PRESERVING THE NATURAL BEAUTY.
UM, AND, UH, YEAH, I GUESS I'M, I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF THAT AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT, UM, SOME GOOD RECOMMENDATIONS ARE MADE TO, UH, STAFF AND TO CITY COUNCIL TO, UH, MAINTAIN THAT LEGACY, UM, OF WHAT'S BEEN BROUGHT FORTH.
WELL, WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, SAM, IS THERE ANY, ANYONE ELSE SIGNED UP? THERE IS, BUT BEFORE I DO, SO I'D LIKE TO REQUEST THAT EVERY COMMISSIONER THAT IS CURRENTLY ONLINE TO PLEASE TURN ON THEIR CAMERAS.
UH, SO WE HAVE YOU PRESENT AND ACCOUNTED FOR.
AND ALSO SPEAKERS, IF YOU COULD PLEASE SIT HERE AT THIS TABLE THAT I'M POINTING AT, UM, AND SPEAKING TO THAT MICROPHONE, UH, THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC.
SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE ASKING THEM TO SEE, UH, AT THE MICROPHONE AT THE TABLE NOW, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
AH, WE'VE GOT OUR CAMERAS ALL LINED UP A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY THAN THE PAST.
AND AGAIN, COMMISSIONERS AT HOME, UM, THE CITY CLERK HAS INFORMED US THAT IN ORDER FOR YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY PARTICULAR ITEM, UH, DURING THE PERIOD OF TIME THERE'S A PUBLIC HEARING OR THAT ITEM IS UNDER CONSIDERATION, WE WILL NEED TO HAVE YOUR CAMERAS ON.
UH, IF YOU ARE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, FOR WHATEVER REASON, NEEDING TO MUTE YOUR CAMERA WHEN YOU'RE AT HOME, THAT WILL BE CONSIDERED BEING OFF THE DAIS FOR THAT PERIOD.
IT'S OKAY, YOU CAN COME BACK ON.
BUT FOR THE ITEM THAT YOU'VE BEEN OFF THE DAIS, WE WILL ASK YOU NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN A VOTE.
SO THAT, THAT'S SORT OF THE CLARIFICATION OF THE PROTOCOL THERE.
UH, AND WE, I SEE WE HAVE, UH, UH, ALREADY COMMISSIONER EVANS HAS MADE IT, SO THANK YOU.
AND, UH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND PROCEED WITH THE NEXT CITIZEN'S COMMUNICATION.
NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. STEVE WALTHALL.
I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR A HISTORICAL MARKER TO BE PLACED AT THE INTERSECTION OF 360 AND 2222.
AS IT BECOMES DEVELOPED, THE, WHERE I LIVE IS THE OLD PLEASANT VALLEY SCHOOLHOUSE THAT WAS BUILT IN 1932.
NOW I RENT THERE, I RENT FROM RENTED FROM THE CHAMPIONS, JOSIE CHAMPION, AND SHE'S GONE NOW.
ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO, HER NEPHEW TOOK IT OVER AND LET ALL THE PROPERTIES GO.
AND WHO NOW HAS IT? UH, THE CORPORATION WHERE I'M SENDING MY RENT NOW, UM, THIS WILL BE COMING UP LATER WITH THE CITY COUNCIL FOR ZONING, BUT I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR A HISTORICAL MARKER TO BE PLACED WHERE FOR THE, UM, FOR POSTERITY FOR THE PLEASANT VALLEY SCHOOLHOUSE.
IT'S CLOSE TO WHERE THE COUNTY LINE RESTAURANT IS.
THE LAND WAS ALLOWED BY MR. CHAMPION, UH, 1932 TO, TO HAVE THE SCHOOL BUILDING BUILT FOR THE CHILDREN AROUND THAT AREA.
UM, THERE'S SOME WONDERFUL PICTURES, UH, AT THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION DOWNTOWN WHERE WE'VE FOUND, UH, OF STUDENTS IN THE, THE SCHOOLHOUSE AND OUTSIDE THE SCHOOLHOUSE AND THE TEACHERS, AND JUST, I THINK OF IT OFTEN AS I LIE IN BED AT NIGHT, THIS SPACE WAS OCCUPIED BY, BY STUDENTS AND TEACHERS.
AND, UH, OF COURSE, IT, LIKE I SAY, IT'S AT, AT A DIFFERENT LOCATION NOW.
IT'S MOVED DOWN ABOUT 20 FEET AWAY FROM THE 15 FOOT BANK OF, UM, BULL CREEK, WHERE BULL CREEK AND LAKE AUSTIN, UH, UNITE.
TECOM, TOM WOOTEN USED IT FOR A WHILE TOO, I THINK, FOR STORAGE.
SO WHEN IT WAS A SCHOOL IN THIRTIES, FORTIES, UH, FIFTIES, I, I, I'M, AS I UNDERSTAND, AS I ASSUME, I DON'T HAVE ALL THE DATES ON THERE, BUT, UM, AFTER WORKING WITH JOSIE CHAMPION FOR YEARS, 30 YEARS AND, AND FOR THE LAST, UH,
[00:10:01]
FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, UH, STILL RENTING THERE.AND I WAS TOLD WHEN WE WERE, UH, THINKING ABOUT THE BUILDING THAT, WELL, STEVE, YOU CAN JUST HAVE THAT BUILDING, BUT NOTHING WAS EVER PUT IN WRITING.
BUT THE BUILDING IS IN A FLOODPLAIN THERE, IT GOES UP ABOUT, I THINK, 600 FEET.
JOSIE TOLD ME THAT I MIGHT HAVE TO MOVE AT SOME POINT AND THEN LATER SAID, NO, YOU FLOODPLAIN.
YOU CAN'T BUILD ANYTHING THERE.
BUT THAT LAND IS, UH, IS FLOODPLAIN.
SO, UM, I WAS TOLD I COULD HAVE IT, BUT NOTHING IN WRITING.
AND, UH, I DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO MOVE IT AND CERTAINLY CAN'T AFFORD IT.
UM, LET'S SEE, THE OWNERSHIP CHANGED A YEAR AGO, FEBRUARY.
UM, BUT WHILE THAT WAS GOING ON, I-A-I-S-D CAME OUT SO WELL, WE KINDA LIKE THE WINDOWS AND THE FLOOR, BUT NOTHING ELSE.
AND THEN THEY HAD IT INSPECTED SOME MORE AND, AND THEY DIDN'T E EVEN EVEN WANT THAT.
AND MR. EVANS, THAT'S, THAT'S TIME.
WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR CALLING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION.
IT IS QUITE THE STORY, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE.
DO I TURN THIS OFF NOW? ANY, ANY ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS? YES, WE HAVE MR. DEWEY PETITE.
PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE, IDENTIFY YOURSELF.
UH, I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE SAME PROPERTY THAT MR. WALT IS, UH, UH, TALKING ABOUT.
I LIVE RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET.
UM, I, I JUST WANNA BRING IT TO Y'ALL'S ATTENTION THAT, UH, THE SONY CHANGE THAT IS BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND I, I THINK PRETTY MUCH A DONE DEAL, BUT, UH, UH, IT WILL, I BELIEVE INEVITABLY MEAN THE DESTRUCTION OF THIS PROPERTY UNLESS IT'S SAVED.
NOW, STEVE SAYS, SAYS, YOU KNOW, A HISTORICAL MARKER, AND THAT'D BE GREAT AND THAT'D BE MINIMAL, BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK Y'ALL MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AND SEE, IS THIS PLACE WORTHY OF SAVING THE TWO ROOM SCHOOLHOUSE SYSTEM? YOU KNOW, THE ONE ROOM, A TWO ROOM SCHOOLHOUSE SYSTEM IS CERTAINLY HISTORICAL.
AND, UH, THIS PARTICULAR ONE WAS BUILT IN 1932.
IT REPLACED THE BULL CREEK SCHOOLHOUSE, WHICH ORIGINAL BULL CREEK SCHOOLHOUSE WAS IN THE SAME LOCATION, OR RIGHT CLOSE BY THERE, UH, BUILT IN THE 1850S.
IT BURNED DOWN, GOT REPLACED, THAT ONE BURNED DOWN, GOT REPLACED.
IT GOT, THE NAME GOT CHANGED FROM BULL CREEK SCHOOL TO PLEASANT VALLEY SCHOOLHOUSE.
AND IT'S, UM, MY DAD TAUGHT IN A TWO ROOM SCHOOLHOUSE.
HE WAS THE PRINCIPAL AND ONE OF THE TEACHERS OUT IN WEST TEXAS.
SO, UH, MY COUSIN, MY COUSIN WHO, UH, WAS A EDUCATION PROFESSOR AT TCU, WROTE A BOOK CALLED THE EMPTY SCHOOLHOUSE ABOUT THE ONE ROOM SCHOOLHOUSE SYSTEM.
IT'S TRULY HISTORY WORTH PRESERVING.
AND THIS PARTICULAR BUILDING, AS STEVE SAID, IT SITS IN A SUB FLOODPLAIN.
UM, BUT IF IT'S NOT MOVED, IT WILL BE GONE WITHIN A COUPLE OF YEARS IF THE ZONING CHANGE GOES FORWARD.
WHICH, UH, THE ZONING CHANGES BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL ON FEBRUARY 15TH.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT MIGHT GET DELAYED BECAUSE THEY'RE DRAFTING UP THE PAPERS TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
BUT, UM, UH, IF IT GOES FORWARD, A BIT OF HISTORY WILL BE GONE.
UH, IF I HAVE ANY MORE TIME, I'D CERTAINLY TURN IT UP BACK OVER TO STEVE.
WE DON'T, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS.
BUT, UH, WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
UH, CERTAINLY, UH, SOME OF THE COMMISSIONERS MAY HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU OR, UH, MR. EVANS.
SO, UH, GO AHEAD, MR. IS THAT PROPERTY 56 17 RANCH ROAD? 2222, YOU SAID? UH, I BELIEVE THAT'S CORRECT.
THAT'S STEVE'S MAILING ADDRESS THERE.
AND HE LIVES IN THE LITTLE, IN THE, IN THE SCHOOLHOUSE.
AS FOR 30 SOMETHING YEARS, UM, THE, THE, IT'LL BE BECOME A PART WITH THIS ZONING CHANGE.
IT WILL BECOME A PART OF, UH, I BELIEVE AN EIGHT EIGHT ACRE TRACT.
AND THERE WILL BE A THREE STORY HOTEL AND RESTAURANT BUILT THERE.
UH, AND THE SWIMMING POOL WILL BE A KIND OF NEAR WHERE THIS SCHOOL HOUSE WAS.
WOULD YOU ALL MIND SENDING ANY INFORMATION OR PHOTOS OR PACKET TO THE CITY OFFICE SO THAT WE COULD GET THAT SENT TO US? UM, I KNOW I'M HAVING A HARD TIME LOOKING FOR PHOTOS ONLINE, SO IF YOU CERTAINLY CAN SEND WHAT YOU HAVE TO THE CITY, CERTAINLY, THAT'D BE GREAT.
ONE, ONE BIT OF HISTORY, I, I WOULD RECOMMEND TO YOU, IF YOU GOOGLE UP PLEASANT VALLEY SCHOOLHOUSE TRAVIS COUNTY, AND THERE'LL BE A, I THINK IT SAYS BLOGGER OR SOMETHING, BUT IF YOU CLICK ON IT, IT'S, IT'S SOMEBODY'S BLOG POST ABOUT THIS THING.
AND IT HAS WONDERFUL PICTURES, BOTH OF, AS IT WAS IN 1932 AND AS IT IS TODAY.
AND, UH, SO, UH, BUT IF YOU'D LET ME KNOW WHERE, WHERE SHOULD WE SEND INFORMATION TO? PROBABLY TO SAM'S
[00:15:01]
EMAIL.AND THANK YOU BOTH FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, APPRECIATE IT.
ALRIGHT, ANY FURTHER? UH, CITIZENS COMMUNICATION? YES, WE HAVE MEGAN KING, IT'S KING, COME ON DOWN.
IS THIS ON? OKAY, I LOVE THE NEW SETUP.
HI, MEGAN KING, UH, POLICY AND OUTREACH PLANNER FOR PRESERVATION.
AUSTIN, UH, WE JUST ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK THAT TICKETS ARE ON SALE FOR OUR 2024 HOMES TOUR, WHICH WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT.
UM, WE'RE ALSO REALLY GRATEFUL TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HERITAGE GRANT PROGRAM FOR SOME FUNDS TO HELP US MARKET THE PROGRAM THIS YEAR.
UM, WE'RE REPEATING OUR, UH, TWO DAY ALL WEEKEND LONG TOUR ON APRIL 20TH AND 21ST.
UM, THERE'LL BE 10 HOUSES TOTAL, AND WE HAVE A FEW OTHER FUN ELEMENTS.
WE'LL HAVE A VIP PARTY AGAIN AT, UM, SOUTH WIND, WHICH IS, UH, THE PHONE, THE HOME OF ARTISTS, SEYMOUR FOGLE.
UM, THAT HOUSE IS NOT GONNA BE ON THE TOUR, SO IT'S VERY EXCLUSIVE.
AND WE'LL BE HAVING A BIG BLOCK PARTY IN THE ROGERS, WASHINGTON HOLY CROSS LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT TO CELEBRATE ALL THE GREAT WORK AND PRESERVATION THAT THEY'RE DOING THERE AND THEIR GREAT HISTORY.
SO IF ANYONE'S INTERESTED, UM, IN BUYING EARLY BIRD TICKETS, THEY'RE DISCOUNTED NOW UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH.
YOU CAN DO SO@PRESERVATIONAUSTIN.ORG.
AND AGAIN, COMPLIMENTS TO, UH, PRESERVATION AUSTIN FOR ALL THE ACTIVITIES.
ALRIGHT, SAM, ANY FURTHER SIGNUPS FOR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION? ALRIGHT, MY APOLOGIES.
UH, NOBODY ELSE HAS SIGNED UP FOR GENERAL COMMUNICATION, SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
COMMISSIONERS, UH, MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE.
WHAT I WILL BE DOING NOW IS REVIEWING
[Consent Agenda]
THE, UH, AGENDA.I WILL, UH, CALL OUT THOSE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED FOR CONSENT, DISCUSSION, OR POSTPONEMENT.
UH, AND THEN, UH, WE'LL REVIEW FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA, UH, AFTERWARDS.
SO, UH, LET ME START WITH THE ITEM NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS OUR DECEMBER 13TH MINUTES.
THOSE ARE OFFERED FOR CONSENT APPROVAL.
ITEM NUMBER TWO IS OUR JANUARY 10TH MINUTES.
THOSE ARE OFFERED FOR CONSENT APPROVAL.
WE HAVE A PRESENTATION ITEM NUMBER THREE, A BRIEFING, UH, ON THE EQUITY BASED PRESERVATION PLAN, UH, THAT REQUIRES NO ACTION.
THESE NEXT ITEMS ARE, UH, HISTORIC ZONING APPLICATIONS.
UH, ITEM NUMBER FOUR, UH, 1201 EAST SEVENTH STREET.
THAT'S THE GREEN AND WHITE GROCERY.
AND WE WILL HAVE THAT AS A DISCUSSION ITEM.
WE HAVE, UH, TWO ITEMS REGARDING OUR HERITAGE GRANT APPLICATION PROGRAM.
UH, ITEM NUMBER FIVE, THAT'S 4 21 EAST SIXTH STREET THAT'S OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
AND ITEM NUMBER 6 4 12 CONGRESS AVENUE.
THAT'S THE CHRYSLER BUILDING THAT'S ALSO OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
THE NEXT ITEMS ARE ITEMS, UH, FOR CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS, UH, FOR A HISTORIC LANDMARK BUILDING, OR ONE, UH, THAT IS LOCATED IN A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND AT ITEM NUMBER SEVEN AT 1211 ST.
BERNARD STREET, UH, THE GI STARK STORE, UH, THAT IS POSTED FOR A DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER EIGHT.
THE HAYNES DEL AWA HOUSE, UH, THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
UH, THAT'S REGARDING LANDSCAPE WORK.
UH, ITEM NUMBER 9 5 0 9 EAST SIXTH STREET.
THAT'S THE REISER ROCHE BUILDING.
A, UH, THIS IS, UH, PROPOSAL TO REBUILD THE BUILDING AND, UH, REPAINT THE PAINTED BRICK, UH, THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER TEN FIVE ELEVEN EAST SIXTH STREET.
UH, AGAIN, THE ER ROCHE BUILDING.
THIS IS BUILDING B UH, AGAIN, THE SAME THING.
REHABILITATE THE BUILDING THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 11 25 0 6 GIVENS AVENUE.
UH, THIS IS A PROPERTY IN THE ROGERS, WASHINGTON HOLY CROSS LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UH, AND THAT IS OFFERED FOR DISCUSSION.
UH, THERE'S AN ADDITION REMODEL PROPOSAL.
THESE NEXT ITEMS ARE REQUESTS IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
AND THE FIRST ONE, ITEM NUMBER 12, IS THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THE PROPERTY IS AT 10 10 HARWOOD PLACE.
THIS IS A PROPOSAL FOR A DEMOLITION OF THE BUILDING AND NEW CONSTRUCTION.
AND THIS WAS POSTPONED FROM OUR JANUARY 10TH MEETING.
[00:20:01]
LOCKHART DRIVE, UH, AGAIN, IN THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.UH, THIS IS A PROPOSAL FOR DEMOLITION OF BUILDING WITH NEW CONSTRUCTION.
AND THIS IS PROPOSED FOR DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER 14 14 0 9.
BY THE WAY, THAT WAS ALSO POSTPONED FROM OUR JANUARY MEETING.
UH, ITEM NUMBER 14 14 0 9 ALTA VISTA AVENUE.
AGAIN, TRAVIS HEIGHTS, FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
UH, THIS IS A REQUEST FOR ADDITION AND REMODEL AGAIN, POSTPONED FROM JANUARY 10TH.
THE APPLICANT HAS REQUESTED A POSTPONEMENT ON THIS ITEM.
ITEM NUMBER 15 16 0 4 NILES ROAD, IN THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NATIONAL REGISTER.
THIS IS THE CONSTRUCTION OF ADDITIONS, A POOL AND AN A DU.
THIS IS 500 EAST SIXTH STREET, THE SIXTH STREET NATIONAL REGISTER, HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THIS IS A PROPOSED REMODEL AND REPAIR FOR, UH, AN EXISTING BUILDING OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 17, 5 13 EAST SIXTH STREET, AND THE SIXTH STREET NATIONAL REGISTER.
HISTORIC DISTRICT, UH, THIS IS A REMODEL AND REPAIR AND IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 18, 5 14 EAST SIXTH STREET IN THE SIXTH STREET NATIONAL REGISTER.
UH, THIS IS OFFERED, UH, A REMODEL OF THE BUILDING, UH, AND ALSO REPAINTED BRICK.
UH, THIS IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT CHAIR.
I'D LIKE TO PULL ITEM NUMBER 18 AND 19.
WE WILL NOT HAVE ON THE CONSENT.
WE'LL HAVE THAT FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM NUMBER 19, ALSO FOR DISCUSSION IS AT 6 0 3 RED RIVER.
THIS IS THE SIXTH STREET NATIONAL RISE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND THIS IS A PROPOSED REMODEL.
UM, ITEM, UH, IN THE NEXT SECTION ARE DEMOLITION AND RELOCATION PERMIT APPLICATIONS THAT ARE NOT SPECIFIC TO HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
ITEM NUMBER 20 AT 28 0 2 PIERCE ROAD.
UH, THIS IS A DEMOLITION REQUEST AND THAT IS POSTED FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM NUMBER 21, UH, AT 1206 EAST 13TH STREET.
THIS IS A PARTIAL DEMOLITION AND IT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 22 14 0 3 ELTON LANE.
UH, AGAIN, A REQUEST FOR DEMOLITION.
ITEM NUMBER 23 5 0 8 EL PASO STREET.
THIS IS A DEMOLITION REQUEST POSTED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 24 7 11 WEST MONROE STREET.
THIS IS A REQUEST FOR TOTAL DEMOLITION.
ITEM NUMBER 25, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER.
THIS IS A DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION, UH, REGARDING THE, UH, PLANNED EXPANSION OF I 35.
UH, THIS IS OFFERED FOR DISCUSSION AND THIS ITEM, UH, I KNOW COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON IS, UH, WITH US REMOTELY, BUT HE DOES HAVE SOME FAMILY OBLIGATIONS LATER THAT MIGHT TAKE HIM AWAY.
SO, UH, HAS ASKED, UH, COMMISSIONERS, WE CAN DEAL WITH THIS IN A SECOND, UH, THAT WE TAKE THAT OUT OF ORDER, UH, JUST JUST IN CASE HE HAS TO, UH, ATTEND TO FAMILY.
UH, ITEM NUMBER 26, UH, THE GRANTS COMMITTEE AND 27, 28 AND 29.
OUR OTHER COMMITTEE'S, UH, REPORTS DO NOT REQUIRE ANY ACTION.
SO WHILE I'LL DO IT AGAIN, IS READ THROUGH THE CONSENT ITEMS. AND, UH, THIS IS, IF, IF THE ITEM IS PASSED ON CONSENT, JUST TO BE CLEAR, IT HAS BEEN APPROVED AND WHAT IS RECOMMENDED IN THE AGENDA FROM THE STAFF HAS BEEN, UH, WILL, WILL, WILL BE PART OF THE, UH, ACTION THEN THAT WE'LL HAVE TAKEN WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
IF YOUR ITEM IS ON THAT AGENDA, IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS OR IF YOU HAVE SOME REASON THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO PULL FROM THAT AGENDA, THIS IS THE LAST CHANCE.
PLEASE GET MY ATTENTION AS I GO THROUGH.
THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS, UH, CONSENT AGENDA, ITEM NUMBER ONE AND NUMBER TWO, THE DRAFT MINUTES.
ITEM NUMBER FIVE AT 4 21 E SIXTH STREET.
ITEM NUMBER 6 4 12 CONGRESS AVENUE.
ITEM NUMBER 8 12 0 9 ROSEWOOD AVENUE.
ITEM NUMBER 9 5 0 9 E SIXTH STREET.
ITEM TEN FIVE ELEVEN EAST SIXTH STREET.
I'M SORRY, WOULD THAT ONE YOU'D LIKE THAT TO BE POLLED? DID WE SIGN UP FOR? OKAY, WE WILL HAVE THAT FOR DISCUSSION.
NO, 13 IS A DISCUSSION AS WELL.
ITEM NUMBER 15 16 0 4 NILES ROAD.
ITEM NUMBER 16, 500 EAST SIXTH STREET.
ITEM NUMBER 17, 5 13 EAST SIXTH
[00:25:01]
STREET.ITEM NUMBER 18 AND 19 HAVE BEEN PULLED FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM NUMBER 21, 12 0 6 EAST 13TH STREET.
ITEM 22 14 0 3 ELTON LANE, ITEM NUMBER 23 5 0 8 EL PASO STREET.
AND THOSE ARE THE ITEMS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
I MOVE TO PASS THE CONSENT AGENDA AS NOTED.
UH, MOTION BY COMMISSIONER COOK.
UH, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MCWHORTER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
UH, I SEE ALL HANDS AT A UNANIMOUS.
SO THE CONSENT AGENDA HAS PASSED.
WE HAVE ONE CONSENT POSTPONEMENT.
UH, AND THAT IS ITEM, I'LL GET TO IT IN A SECOND.
ITEM NUMBER 14, 14 0 9 ALTA VISTA AVENUE.
THIS IS, AGAIN, A REQUEST FROM THE APPLICANT.
AND, UH, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO POSTPONE THAT TO OUR, UH, NEXT MEETING.
IS THERE A SECOND? AGAIN? UH, COMMISSIONER COOK AND COMMISSIONER HORTER.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
UH, UH, THAT HAS BEEN, UH, POSTPONED THEN TO OUR, UH, MARCH MEETING.
[3. Presentation on the Equity-Based Preservation Plan ]
THE, UH, POINT WHERE WE ARE READY FOR ITEM NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS THE, UM, BRIEFING ON OUR, UM, EQUITY BASED PRESERVATION PLAN.AND FIRST OFF, UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO, UH, OUR STAFF MEMBER HERE.
UH, CAROL, YOU, UH, HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED AND WE, UH, WE THINK IT'S LONG OVERDUE THAT YOUR GOOD WORK WOULD BE, UH, GIVEN YOU A PAT ON THE BACK.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU FOR THAT.
AND, UH, ALSO THANK YOU TO THE COMMISSIONERS, UH, OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME WHO'VE WEIGHED IN ON THIS AND HAVE HAD, UH, SUCH AN IMPACT.
SO THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT MILESTONE, AND WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING TO MAKE THIS BRIEFING.
I'M WITH THE CITY'S PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE.
AND I'M SO PLEASED TO BE HERE TO GIVE YOU THIS BRIEFING.
AS, AS COMMISSIONER SSAS SAID, IT IS SUCH A MILESTONE.
AND I WANTED TO START BY THANKING THE COMMISSION FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN INITIATING THIS PLANNING PROCESS.
A FEW OF YOU ARE HERE, UM, AND THE REST OF YOU, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS ALONG THE WAY.
WE'RE HAVING JUST A LITTLE BIT OF HARD TIME WITH THE VOLUME.
UH, FOR SOME REASON IT'S A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AWAY AND IT'S, WE'RE JUST NOT HEARING IT CLEARLY.
I DUNNO IF THERE'S AN ADJUSTMENT THAT COULD BE MADE.
WE DON'T WANNA MISS YOUR PRESENTATION.
IT'S LESS DIGNIFIED, BUT WE MAY, WE MAY NEED YOU TO DO THAT HERE.
WE MAY HAVE TO ASK THE SPEAKERS TO, TO SPEAK AS DIRECTLY INTO THE MIC AS YOU CAN.
WE'RE JUST NOT GETTING THE FULL VOLUME HERE AS, AS WE MIGHT LIKE.
IS THIS BETTER? IS THIS BETTER? THAT WORK? YEAH, ISH.
UM, WELL THANK YOU FOR, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME AT YOUR MEETING THIS EVENING.
OH, I HAVE, THERE'S A QUICK, AND I CAN, I CAN DRIVE THIS THING MYSELF.
ALRIGHT, SO I WANNA START WITH THE PLAN VISION.
THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN AUSTIN ACTIVELY ENGAGES COMMUNITIES IN PROTECTING AND SHARING IMPORTANT PLACES AND STORIES.
PRESERVATION USES THE PAST TO CREATE A SHARED SENSE OF BELONGING AND TO SHAPE AN EQUITABLE, INCLUSIVE, SUSTAINABLE, AND ECONOMICALLY VITAL FUTURE FOR ALL.
SO, AS YOU KNOW, UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS PRESENTED TO THE COMMISSION AT YOUR RETREAT LAST JULY.
AND THIS IS A QUICK REFRESHER.
UM, AND ALSO LETTING, LETTING COMMUNITY MEMBERS KNOW THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION AND INITIATED THIS PLANNING PROCESS IN 2021.
UM, TO REPLACE AUSTIN'S 1981 HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN, THE COMMISSION IN 2021 APPOINTED A 26 MEMBER COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP, THE PRESERVATION PLAN WORKING GROUP IN CHARGED IT WITH DEVELOPING A DRAFT DRAFT EQUITY BASED PRESERVATION PLAN.
A NUMBER OF PEOPLE CONTRIBUTED TO THAT PROCESS.
SO THE 26 PEOPLE WERE KIND OF AT THE HEART OF THE PROCESS.
BUT, UM, THERE WAS A COMMUNITY HERITAGE SURVEY VERY EARLY ON TO SHAPE THE PLAN'S VISION.
THERE WAS A TECHNICAL ADVISOR GROUP OF CITY STAFF FROM 12 DEPARTMENTS.
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REPRESENTING CULTURAL AND HERITAGE ORGANIZATIONS, LEGACY BUSINESSES AND NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS.THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION'S PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE.
UM, RIGHT NOW, MEMBERS OF THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE ARE COMMISSIONER CASTILLO, COMMISSIONER HY AND COMMISSIONER DUDLEY.
PAST MEMBERS WHO ARE STILL IN THE COMMISSION, UH, INCLUDE COMMISSIONER GROGAN AND COMMISSIONER LAROCHE.
MANY PEOPLE HAVE CONTRIBUTED FROM THE COMMISSION, UM, AND ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THE WORKING GROUP, UH, RIGHT NOW, INCLUDING COMMISSIONER COOK AND COMMISSIONER RUBIO.
THERE WAS ALSO AN URBAN LAND INSTITUTE, THE ULIA TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PANEL IN SUMMER OF 2022 THAT LOOKED AT OLDER BUILDINGS AND AFFORDABILITY.
AND THAT WAS JOINTLY SPONSORED WITH PRESERVATION AUSTIN AND THE CITY'S DISPLACEMENT PREVENTION DIVISION.
IT WAS A HUGE PROCESS, I THINK IN SHORT, THAT'S THE NUTSHELL VISION.
MANY PEOPLE WERE INVOLVED A TON OF TIME TO CREATE THE DRAFT PLAN THAT IS AVAILABLE TODAY.
THESE ARE THE MEMBERS OF THE WORKING GROUP, PHASE ONE.
AND PHASE ONE IS THE, THE GROUP THAT DEVELOPED THE DRAFT PLAN.
I ALWAYS WANT TO INCLUDE SOME, UH, FOLKS NAMES AT THE BEGINNING.
I KNOW THEY'RE, THEY'RE PRETTY SMALL.
UM, BECAUSE THIS GROUP WAS REALLY AT THE CENTER OF DEVELOPING THE PLAN.
THEY DID, THEY DID THE MOST IN THE HARDEST WORK HERE.
THERE ARE, UM, SOME OF THE MEMBERS FROM PHASE ONE STEP BACK WHEN THE DRAFT WAS COMPLETED.
UH, AND SO NEW MEMBERS WERE APPOINTED TO REPRESENT, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT A VARIETY OF STAKEHOLDER VIEWPOINTS WERE REPRESENTED.
UM, THE GROUP IS, UH, RACIALLY AND ETHNICALLY DIVERSE, ROUGHLY MIRRORING THE DEMOGRAPHIC DEMOGRAPHICS OF AUSTIN.
MEMBERS OF PHASE ONE LIVED LIVE IN 19 ZIP CODES ACROSS THE CITY.
SO VERY GEOGRAPHICALLY DIVERSE AS WELL.
AND WE HAD ABOUT A THIRD RENTERS IN THAT GROUP.
I NEED TO RUN THE NUMBERS FOR THE SECOND PHASE.
UM, BUT ALTOGETHER, THIS IS A REALLY REPRESENTATIVE GROUP OF AUSTINITES WHO DEVELOPED THE, THE DRAFT PLAN THAT IS AVAILABLE TODAY.
SO, SOME OF THE FOLKS IN THE WORKING GROUP HAD PARTICIPATED IN MANY CITY PROCESSES BEFORE.
SOME, THIS WAS THEIR FIRST TIME.
SOME OF THE, OF THE MEMBERS OF THE WORKING GROUP, UH, HAVE DEEP, DEEP EXPERTISE IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
THIS WAS THEIR, THEIR FIRST TIME COMING TO THE TABLE AND ENGAGING IN ANYTHING PRESERVATION RELATED IN A FORMAL WAY.
SO WE DEVELOPED THESE BRIEFS TO PROVIDE BACKGROUND TO THE WORKING GROUP MEMBERS AND ENSURE THAT EVERYONE FELT EQUIPPED TO PARTICIPATE IN DISCUSSIONS AND DECISION MAKING.
THERE WAS, I THINK, 11 BRIEFS, 10 OR 11 BRIEFS DEVELOPED OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.
UM, THESE ARE SCREENSHOTS FROM SOME OF THEM.
THEY EXPLAIN THE ESSENTIAL CONCEPTS.
THEY TALK ABOUT HOW WE DO THINGS IN AUSTIN NOW, AND THEY, THEY PULL IN BEST PRACTICES FROM CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SO THAT WAS A BIG PART OF THE INPUT FOR THE PRESERVATION PLAN WORKING GROUP, AS I MENTIONED, THERE WERE ALSO, THEY ALSO HEARD FROM MANY, MANY OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UM, IN TOTAL, ABOUT 300 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN DRAFTING THIS PLAN IN SOME WAY.
THESE ARE THE CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS.
UM, I WON'T SPEND A LOT OF TIME READING THROUGH THEM, BUT I WANTED TO MENTION AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE PLANNING PROCESS, THE WORKING GROUP DEVELOPED THESE CRITERIA AND WE CAN USE THEM TO EVALUATE THE DRAFT PLAN AND TO SHAPE REVISIONS TO THE DRAFT PLAN IN THE FINAL FORM.
SO THEY'RE VISION, PROCESS, EDUCATION, EXPANSION, EFFECTIVENESS, PRACTICALITY, ACCESSIBILITY, EQUITY, CONNECTION, AND SUPPORT.
THOSE CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS WERE PUT THROUGH AN EQUITY LENS TO CREATE AN EQUITY FRAMEWORK.
AND THIS EQUITY FRAMEWORK WAS USED TO EVALUATE THE DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS THROUGHOUT THE PLANNING PROCESS.
SO MAKING SURE THAT, UM, BOTH THE CRITERIA AND THIS EQUITY LENS WERE APPLIED THROUGHOUT, NOT, NOT JUST TO KIND OF A SEPARATE CHAPTER OR SOMETHING THAT WAS CONSIDERED A PART.
UM, AND THEY, THEY REALLY LOOK AT IF DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS.
WELL, THEY AIM TO, UM, TO IDENTIFY DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS THAT MIGHT HARM COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN HARMED BY PUBLIC POLICIES IN THE PAST.
SO THE GOAL HERE WAS TO HAVE A PLAN FULL OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT EITHER HAD NEUTRAL IMPACTS ON HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES.
UM, CERTAINLY COMMUNITIES OF COLOR ARE, ARE FOREMOST AMONG THE, THE GROUP.
ALSO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, LGBTQIA PLUS COMMUNITY, UM, LOW INCOME FAMILIES AND RENTERS.
UM, SO TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THOSE DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS EITHER HAD NEUTRAL IMPACTS OR POSITIVE IMPACTS.
I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH THIS WHOLE CHART.
YOU CAN SEE THE EQUITY EVALUATION FRAMEWORK IS, UH, EARLY ON IN THE PROCESS OF CREATING THE DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS.
IT'S THE SECOND KIND OF ITEM DOWN.
THE OTHER THING THAT I WANNA EMPHASIZE HERE
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IS THAT IS HOW MANY PEOPLE REVIEWED DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS DURING THIS PROCESS? MEMBERS OF THE WORKING GROUP TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP, MEMBERS OF THAT CITY STAFF, MEMBERS OF FOCUS GROUPS, THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE.UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE LOOKING AT THIS PLAN AS IT WAS BEING SHAPED.
ALRIGHT, SO DIVING INTO THE DRAFT PLAN.
I'M NOT GONNA DIVE TOO DEEP INTO THE DRAFT PLAN BECAUSE WE HAVE 108 DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND, UM, Y'ALL PROBABLY DO NOT WANT TO TALK ABOUT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM HERE, BUT I DO WANT TO GIVE A BIRD'S EYE VIEW.
SO THE PLAN INCLUDES A NUMBER OF SECTIONS.
THERE'S AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, THERE'S A SECTION ON WHY PRESERVATION MATTERS THAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, IT IS SOMETHING I THINK Y'ALL AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE STAFF AND THE STEWARDS OF OUR HISTORIC PROPERTIES SPEND A LOT OF TIME MAINTAINING THOSE HISTORIC PROPERTIES AND STEWARDING THEM.
UM, BUT NOT ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT WHY THAT MATTERS AND KIND OF THE BROADER BENEFITS THAT THAT WORK HAS, UM, IN, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THERE ARE, UH, THIS IS A SECTION, IT'S A SHORT SECTION, BUT IT INCLUDES A LOT OF FIGURE FACTS AND FIGURES THAT I THINK WILL BE INTERESTING FOR YOU TO REVIEW.
THERE'S ALSO AN EQUITY TIMELINE.
THIS IS, THESE ARE TWO PAGES, UH, OF A 10 PAGE SECTION THAT LOOKS AT PUBLIC POLICIES AT THE LOCAL AND FEDERAL LEVEL.
AND ALSO SOME PRIVATE PRACTICES THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY, UH, HARMED PEOPLE, UH, THOSE HISTORIC, HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES THAT I MENTIONED BEFORE.
AND I THINK THIS WAS IMPORTANT TO PUT TOGETHER, UH, AND TO HAVE EARLY ON IN THE PLAN BECAUSE IT CREATES ACCOUNTABILITY.
IT SAYS WE WANT TO DO BETTER MOVING FORWARD.
UM, AND I THINK IT, IT ALLOWS US TO GO INTO A COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT WINDOW SHOWING THAT WE ARE AWARE OF, OF WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE PAST.
AND, AND, UM, YEAH, IN OUTREACH THAT WE'VE DONE, IN TRAININGS THAT WE'VE DONE THAT MY COLLEAGUE GREG FERRA FERRA AND I HAVE DONE WITH COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS AND MANY GRANT ORGANIZATIONS, MORE THAN A COUPLE PEOPLE HAVE SAID HOW GREAT IT IS TO SEE THIS TIMELINE IN THE PLAN AND UPFRONT, UH, FOR THAT ACCOUNTABILITY PIECE.
AND SO THIS IS GONNA BE VERY HELPFUL GOING INTO THE COMMUNITY, UH, WHERE COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE LONG MEMORIES AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T EVEN NEED TO BE LONG MEMORIES TO REMEMBER HOW, HOW, UM, CITY POLICIES HAVE HAVE IMPACTED THEM NEGATIVELY.
OKAY, SO I MENTIONED DRAFT PLAN GOALS.
THEY ARE, UH, I HOPE YOU WILL READ THE PLAN AND COMMENT ON ALL OF THEM.
WHAT I WANNA TALK ABOUT TONIGHT IS, IS SOME OF SORT OF OVERVIEWS OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THESE THREE BUCKETS THAT WE'VE ORGANIZED THE PLAN INTO WHAT WE PRESERVE, WHO PRESERVES AND HOW WE PRESERVE.
SO UNDER WHAT WE PRESERVE, THERE ARE FIVE RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND I THINK THE SUMMARY REALLY, UH, OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS IS TO THINK BROADLY, TO THINK BIG ABOUT, ABOUT PRESERVATION'S IMPACTS AND WHO IT CAN BENEFIT.
SO TO, UM, AND ALSO TO, TO RECOGNIZE JUST THE COMPLICATED HISTORY OF OUR CITY.
AND IN A WAY, UH, WHERE EVERYONE IS INVITED TO SHARE THEIR STORY.
SO, RECOGNIZE AUSTIN'S RICH AND COMPLEX HISTORY THROUGH ACTIVE LISTENING, INCLUSIVE RESEARCH AND INTERPRETATION.
BETTER RECOGNIZE AND PROTECT CULTURAL HERITAGE, LIKE LEGACY BUSINESSES, MURALS, UM, AND ALSO PROVIDE MORE RESOURCES FOR ARCHEOLOGICAL, UH, STEWARDSHIP.
AND TO USE PRESERVATION TOOLS TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY STABILIZATION SUCH AS ANTI DISPLACEMENT WORK AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY.
THESE ARE KIND OF, SOME OF THE GOALS ARE GLOM TOGETHER HERE, YOU'LL NOTICE, BUT AGAIN, TRYING TO BE EFFICIENT.
SO FROM Y'ALL'S RETREAT IN ONE BACK, Y'ALL'S RETREAT IN JULY, UM, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE PRIORITIES THAT YOU HAD NAMED WAS, UM, PROTECTING AND RECOGNIZING LEGACY BUSINESSES.
SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT FOR YOU.
IN THE WHO PRESERVE SECTION, THE, UH, SO I THINK THE SUMMARY WOULD BE TO INVITE MORE PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE AND SUPPORT THEM IN, SUPPORT THEM IN THAT PARTICIPATION.
AND ALSO TO SUPPORT PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING THE WORK.
SO HELP PEOPLE ACCESS KNOWLEDGE, RESOURCES, AND DECISION MAKING POWER TO STREAMLINE AND EXPLAIN HISTORIC REVIEW PROCESSES AND HISTORIC DESIGNATION PROCESSES TO SUPPORT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE, WHO ARE DOING THE WORK ON THE GROUND, WHETHER THAT'S CRAFTSPEOPLE, WHO ARE REHABILITATING HISTORIC BUILDINGS AND OR OLDER BUILDINGS.
UM, YOU AS COMMISSIONERS AND, UH, HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE STAFF AND OTHER CITY STAFF WHO DO PRESERVATION WORK OUTSIDE THE PRESERVATION OFFICE.
AND FINALLY, TO ENGAGE NEW PARTNERS AND AUDIENCES IN OUTREACH AND IN, IN, UM, CULTURAL PRESERVATION AND IN THE PHYSICAL PRESERVATION AS WELL.
UM, THE ITEM THAT OVERLAPS WITH YOUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES FROM LAST SUMMER IS TO ENGAGE NEW PARTNERS AND AUDIENCES, I THINK, IN EXPLAINING
[00:40:01]
WHY PRESERVATION MATTERS AND INCLUDING MORE PEOPLE IN, IN THE WORK OF COLLECTING, SHARING STORIES AND, AND, UH, PRESERVING BUILDINGS.THE FINAL KIND OF BUCKET, HOW WE PRESERVE, I WOULD SAY THE SUMMARY IS TO BE STRATEGIC AND TO BE EFFECTIVE.
THE, UH, THERE'S A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS ON UPDATING DESIGNATION CRITERIA TO REFLECT MORE MODERN STANDARDS AND MORE EQUITABLE STANDARDS.
WHAT, WHILE ALSO, UM, MAKING SURE THAT WE, NOT TRYING TO DESIGNATE THE WHOLE CITY, BUT MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE, WE ARE, UM, DESIGNATING PROPERTIES THAT ARE IMPORTANT AND THAT REFLECT OUR, THE CITY'S FULL HISTORY TO, UH, TO SUPPORT THE STEWARDS OF AUSTIN'S HISTORIC PROPERTIES TO BE STRATEGIC WITH THE REVIEW THAT WE DO TO IMPROVE ENFORCEMENT PROPER PROCESSES AND TO IMPLEMENT THE PLAN IN A COLLABORATIVE WAY.
I WANNA MENTION ON THE UPDATING DESIGNATION CRITERIA, I THINK ONE FIGURE THAT WILL BE HELPFUL AS WE TALK TO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THIS PLAN IS THAT ABOUT 0.7% OF THE CITY'S PROPERTIES ARE DESIGNATED HISTORIC.
THAT INCLUDES BOTH LANDMARKS AND HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
SO IT'S A VERY, VERY SMALL NUMBER RIGHT NOW.
I THINK EVEN IF IT WERE DOUBLED, THEN IT WOULD BE 1.4%, WHICH IS STILL, UH, STILL VERY SMALL.
AND I THINK THAT'S HELPFUL AND HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW PRESERVATION BALANCES WITH OTHER COMMUNITY PRIORITIES.
UM, AND ALSO A, A PARTICULAR INTEREST TO THE AUDIENCE, I THINK WILL BE THE RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND SUPPORTING THE STEWARDS OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
THAT'S THE SECTION, UH, WHERE WE TALK ABOUT INCENTIVES.
UM, AND THAT THAT INCLUDES FINANCIAL INCENTIVES AND AN EXPANDED SUITE OF FINANCIAL INCENTIVES.
UH, MORE INFORMATION, UH, FOR FOLKS AND MORE RESOURCES FOR, FOR HISTORIC PROPERTY OWNERS.
AND ALSO LOWERED FEES AND, UH, EXPEDITED REVIEW PROCESSES.
SO THESE, WHERE THESE OVERLAP WITH YOUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES FROM LAST SUMMER ARE TO SUPPORT, SUPPORT THE STEWARDS OF AUSTIN'S HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
I THINK Y'ALL WERE THINKING ABOUT, UM, LOWER FEES AND FASTER PROCESSES THERE AND TO IMPROVE ENFORCEMENT PROCESSES.
AND THAT WAS, UH, I THINK A BIG, A BIG THING THAT WAS DISCUSSED LAST SUMMER.
AND THERE'S SOME REALLY GOOD RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, IN THE PLAN ABOUT THAT.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S OUR RUN THROUGH THE PLAN.
LAST SECTION, I WANNA TALK, SPEND A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
SO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT REALLY HAS HAPPENED IN THREE PHASES HERE.
SO THE FIRST PHASE WAS THE CREATION OF THE PLAN AND ALL THE FOLKS, THOSE 300 PEOPLE WHO PARTICIPATED IN SOME WAY IN SHAPING THE DRAFT PLAN THAT WE HAVE.
THIS, WE HAD A SECOND PHASE OF, OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STARTING IN FALL OF 2022.
THAT WAS A VERY, UM, KIND OF CREATIVE RESOURCE, LIGHT LEANING ON PARTNERS TO SAY, UM, TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THE PLAN WAS COMING.
AND ALSO, UH, TO INVITE THEM TO SIGN UP FOR UPDATES, TO RAISE AWARENESS GENERALLY OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
SO I TALK ABOUT THAT AS HOW CAN WE MAKE THE TENT BIGGER SO THAT WHEN WE START THE RODEO OR THE CIRCUS, THEN WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE WHO ARE PAYING ATTENTION.
SO THAT WAS, UH, A, UH, A LENGTHY TIME.
AND NOW WE ARE IN THE, I THINK THE MORE, MOST OFFICIAL PHASE OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WHICH IS TO SAY, HERE IS THE DRAFT EQUITY BASED PRESERVATION PLAN.
WHAT DID, WHAT DO YOU THINK? WHAT DID WE GET RIGHT? WHAT'S MISSING? WHERE SHOULD WE START? ALRIGHT, NEXT SLIDE.
SO THE BIG GOALS OF THIS FINAL PHASE OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ARE TO INFORM THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE PLAN AND ALSO TO RAISE AWARENESS OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION, TO GET COMMUNITY FEEDBACK THAT WILL BE USED TO REVISE THE PLAN INTO A FINAL FORM.
AND FINALLY, TO MOVE THE PLAN FORWARD BY BUILDING SUPPORT, NOT ONLY FOR ADOPTION BY CITY COUNCIL, BUT ALSO FOR IMPLEMENTATION, WHICH WILL REQUIRE, UM, POLITICAL SUPPORT AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND, AND PROBABLY SOME RESOURCES.
SO WE HAVE A FOUR MONTH ENGAGEMENT WINDOW THAT STARTED YESTERDAY.
THE PLAN WAS RELEASED YESTERDAY.
UM, WE'LL HAVE MONTHLY EVENTS THAT ARE FOCUSED ON PRIORITY STAKEHOLDER GROUPS.
UM, THOSE PRIORITY STAKEHOLDER GROUPS ARE HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, PEOPLE WHO WILL BE AFFECTED BY THE PLAN, LIKE HISTORIC PROPERTY OWNERS AND, AND, UH, ARCHITECTS, DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONALS, AND, UH, DECISION MAKERS.
ALTHOUGH WE, WE ARE REACHING OUT TO EVERYONE WE WANT, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM EVERYONE.
SO WE'LL HAVE THESE FOUR MONTHLY EVENTS.
WE'RE HAVING A COMMUNITY KICKOFF EVENT NEXT TUESDAY.
UM, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA ASK FOR A SHOW OF HANDS WHO'S PLANNING TO ATTEND? SO CHECK YOUR CALENDARS WHILE I'M TALKING.
UM, IN MARCH, WE'LL HAVE A, A SORT OF NUTS AND BOLTS OPEN HOUSE FOR PROPERTY OWNERS AND HISTORIC PROFESSIONALS.
ANYONE WILL BE WELCOME, BUT I THINK THIS WILL BE OF SPECIAL INTEREST TO HISTORIC PROPERTY OWNERS WHO SAY, IF THIS PLAN IS ADOPTED, IF IT'S IMPLEMENTED, WHAT MIGHT CHANGE FOR ME IN APRIL.
UM, WE, UH, WILL BE, WE ARE CO-SPONSORING THE
[00:45:01]
PRESERVATION AUSTIN HOMESTORE BLOCK PARTY THAT MEGAN MENTIONED ON APRIL, UH, 20TH.SO I THINK THAT WILL BE A REALLY EXCITING AND FUN TIME.
THERE WILL BE PRESERVATION RELATED GAINS, WHICH WILL BE EXTREMELY FUN.
UH, AND THEN IN MAY WE'LL HAVE AN EVENT THAT'S FOCUSED ON PRESERVATION, AFFORDABILITY, AND DENSITY.
UH, WE ARE FINALIZING RIGHT NOW A PRESERVATION EQUITY ANALYSIS TO INFORM THAT CONVERSATION.
I THINK IT'LL BE, WE ALSO VERY INTERESTING.
WE'LL ALSO BE DOING PRESENTATIONS AT EXISTING MEETINGS.
YOU KNOW, VERY SHORT STAND UP AND SAY, THIS IS THE PLAN.
HERE'S HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED.
PLEASE, PLEASE PROVIDE FEEDBACK.
UM, WE'LL BE DOING, UH, ALSO DEEP DIVES WITH SOME STAKEHOLDER ORGANIZATIONS AND SAYING, OKAY, WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS AFFECT YOU? AND WHAT'S YOUR, WHAT IS YOUR FEEDBACK ON THOSE? I HAVE, RIGHT NOW, I THINK BOOKED A LITTLE BIT OF A ROAD SHOW WITH 11 CITY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
I'M WAITING ON CONFIRMATION FROM THREE MORE IN THE NEXT, UH, COUPLE OF MONTHS.
UM, WE ARE PRESENT, WE WILL BE PRESENTING TO COMMUNITY GROUPS.
I I MENTIONED THE DEEP DIVES WITH STAKEHOLDER ORGANIZATIONS.
AND WE ARE DOING A TRAINING WITH A ISD PARENT SUPPORT SPECIALISTS TO, UM, TO INFORM DISTRICT-WIDE OUTREACH THROUGH TO PARENTS AND FAMILIES IN A ISD.
FINALLY, WE'LL BE DOING POP-UP EVENTS AT COMMUNITY, UH, POP-UP OUTREACH AT COMMUNITY EVENTS.
SO, UH, PEOPLE WHO AREN'T PLUGGED INTO ANOTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION OR GROUP AND WHO AREN'T INCLINED TO COME TO A PRESERVATION PLAN BRANDED EVENT.
HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO REACH LOTS OF PEOPLE THROUGH THAT.
OUR FIRST ONE IS THIS SATURDAY.
WE'RE GOING TO A LUNAR NEW YEAR EVENT, WHICH SHOULD BE FUN.
UH, AND WE'RE ALSO DOING, UM, WE'RE, UH, THIS MONTH WE'RE GOING TO ANOTHER TWO LUNAR NEW YEAR EVENTS AND TWO BLACK HISTORY, UH, MONTH EVENTS.
SO OUR OUTREACH, WE'RE VERY, VERY EXCITED THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS TO SPREAD THE WORD THROUGH THEIR NETWORKS WITH THE GOAL OF ADDING RESOURCES TO REACH HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES.
WE HAVE 10 COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS THAT, UH, MY COLLEAGUE GREG IS WORKING WITH PRIMARILY.
THEY'LL BE DOING SMALL SCALE OUTREACH, ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS, SMALL GROUP CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE PLAN.
AND WE ARE WORKING ALSO WITH FIVE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH MANY GRANTS.
THE, THAT'S, UH, CREATIVE ACTION, THE ANDERSON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, EAST AUSTIN CONSERVANCY, TAIWANESE AMERICAN PROFESSIONALS, AUSTIN CHAPTER AND TOMORROW'S PROMISE FOUNDATION.
AND THESE ARE THE MINI GRANT ORGANIZATION REPRESENTATIVES THAT YOU SEE IN THE PHOTO.
THEY'LL BE DOING, UH, I THINK SOME DIRECT MAILING MEETING, UH, SHARING INFORMATION AT EXISTING EVENTS, HOLDING FOCUS GROUPS AND LARGER MEETINGS, DOING SOME ART BASED PROJECTS.
UH, THAT'S CREATIVE ACTION AND HAVING A BOBA TEA THEMED, UH, SERIES OF EVENTS.
THAT'S THE TAIWANESE AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL.
SO VERY EXCITED TO WORK WITH THE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS AND THE COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS TO, UM, SPREAD THEIR WORD THROUGH TRUSTED PARTNERS.
SO THERE ARE LOTS OF WAYS, WELL, WELL, THERE ARE MORE THAN ONE WAY.
THERE ARE MULTIPLE WAYS TO GIVE INPUT AND FEEDBACK ON THE DRAFT PLAN.
THERE'S, THE WEBSITE IS COMING UP.
UM, IT'S ALSO AVAILABLE IN PRINT.
WE HAVE IT IN PRINT AND ONLINE IN, UM, ENGLISH AND SPANISH ONLINE.
IT IS ALSO AVAILABLE, UH, IN MANY, MANY OTHER LANGUAGES THROUGH MACHINE TRANSLATION.
SO IF SOMEONE FEELS MOST COMFORTABLE IN A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE, THEN THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE PLAN THROUGH THE LANGUAGE THAT THEY'RE MOST COMFORTABLE IN.
THE, UM, SOMETHING THAT'S PRETTY EXCITING ABOUT THE PLATFORM THAT WE'RE USING.
AND YOU CAN SEE A SCREEN, A SORT OF FUZZY SCREENSHOT TO THE RIGHT, AND PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO GO ONLINE AND DOWNLOAD THE PLAN AS A PDF AND EMAIL US AND LET US KNOW WHAT THEY THINK.
BUT THEY CAN ALSO GO THROUGH THE PLAN RECOMMENDATION BY RECOMMENDATION AND SAY, I SUPPORT THIS RECOMMENDATION.
I REALLY DON'T LIKE THIS RECOMMENDATION.
HERE'S WHAT I THINK COULD BE BETTER.
REALLY RECOMMENDATION BY RECOMMENDATION.
UM, AND THEY CAN JUMP TO THROUGH THE PLAN, UH, ACCORDING TO GOALS THAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN.
SO I THINK THAT'S HOPEFULLY WILL MAKE IT MUCH MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR FOLKS WHO AREN'T MOVED TO SIT DOWN AND READ THROUGH THE WHOLE THING, BUT REALLY WANT TO WEIGH IN ON, SAY, ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY.
THERE'S ALSO A COMMUNITY SURVEY THAT HAS BEEN UP SINCE FALL OF 2022.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT ONLINE THAT ASKS PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT THEY THINK IS IMPORTANT, UH, IN THEIR KIND OF SEVEN OVERARCHING THEMES THAT PEOPLE ARE INVITED TO, TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A PRIORITY FOR ME.
THIS IS LESS OF A PRIORITY FOR ME.
AND SO THAT'S KIND OF, UH, I THINK A MORE ACCESSIBLE GATEWAY.
AND, UH, AND A REALLY, IT WILL, WE WILL USE THAT FEEDBACK AS WELL IN REVISING THE PLAN.
UM, SO THAT'S ONLINE AND WE'LL ALSO HAVE PAPER COPIES AT COMMUNITY EVENTS AND FOR THE AMBASSADORS IN THE MINI-GRANT ORGANIZATIONS.
AND FINALLY, PEOPLE CAN COME TO EVENTS AND TELL US WHAT THEY THINK.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, UH, FOR MS. BERTRAN? UH, HIT YOUR MICROPHONE.
[00:50:01]
GO AHEAD.UH, COMMISSIONER EVANS, GO AHEAD.
UH, I'M, IT'S, UH, STARTED A LITTLE BIT BEFORE I CAME ON BOARD, BUT I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD TELL ME WHAT THE APPLICATION PROCESS OR SELECTION PROCESS WAS FOR FORMING THAT, UH, 26 MEMBER WORKING GROUP, AND ALSO HOW ARE PEOPLE BEING REPLACED? YOU MENTIONED THAT SOME OF THEM WERE FALLING OFF.
SO THE WORKING GROUP WAS APPOINTED BY THE, UH, WELL, IT WAS, MEMBERS WERE FORMALLY APPOINTED BY THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION, BUT THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE EVALUATED APPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDED THE SLATE WE RECEIVED.
IT WAS, IT WAS VERY WIDELY PUBLICIZED WHEN APPLICATIONS WERE OPEN IN SPRING OF 2021.
WE GOT A LOT OF NEWS COVERAGE.
I THINK THE FACT THAT WE WERE OFFERING COMMUNITY COMPENSATION OF $25 PER HOUR REALLY CAUGHT PEOPLE'S ATTENTION AND HELPED, UH, MADE MEDIA MEDIA MORE INTERESTED IN BROADCASTING IT.
UM, THE, WE HAD A COUPLE OF STORIES IN THE CHRONICLE, I THINK.
UM, UH, A COLLEAGUE, A FORMER COLLEAGUE HAD A, UH, A TV INTERVIEW AND I WENT ON KZI, WE GOT 150 APPLICATIONS, WHICH IS REALLY REMARKABLE FOR ANY CITY PROCESS.
AND I THINK ESPECIALLY REMARKABLE FOR A PRESERVATION PROCESS, WHICH CAN BE THOUGHT OF AS MORE NICHE.
SO THERE WERE FOLKS FROM ACROSS THE CITY, MANY, THERE WAS A REALLY, REALLY STRONG DEGREE OF INTEREST, LOTS OF STRONG APPLICATIONS, UM, THAT RESULTED IN, IN THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEES, AND THEN THE LANDMARK COMMISSION'S APPOINTMENT OF THOSE 26 WORKING GROUP MEMBERS FOR THE PHASE TWO MEMBERS, UH, THEY WERE, THEY STARTED THEIR SERVICE, I GUESS, IN EARLY 2023.
UH, THAT, THAT PROCESS, UH, THAT APPLICATION PROCESS HAPPENED IN FALL OF 2022.
UM, WE GOT A GOOD NUMBER, NOT 150, BUT A GOOD NUMBER.
AND AGAIN, THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE EVALUATED THEM AND THEY WERE APPOINTED BY THE LANDMARK COMMISSION.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, UH, BEING ON THE, THE PRESERVATION, UH, COMMITTEE, UM, I'D LIKE TO THANK KARA, YOU AND SAM AND YOUR TEAM FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE TO DATE.
UM, AND JUST, JUST TO, JUST TO COMMENT, IT'S NICE TO KNOW THAT, UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS CONTINUING TO PUSH, UM, EQUITY BASED PROGRAMS, UM, WHEN OUR STATE LEADERSHIP DOES NOT.
AND SO I'D JUST LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND, UM, UM, YEAH, IT'S JUST BEEN, IT'S BEEN AN, UH, A NICE WAY TO, TO LOOK THROUGH THE PROCESS AND, AND SEE ALL THE, ALL THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING TO GET THIS THING DONE.
SO, JUST A COMMENT, NOT A, NOT A QUESTION.
AND COMMISSIONER CASTILLO, THANK YOU FOR ASSUMING THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE NOW.
SO, UH, WE THANK YOU FOR THE WORK AS WELL.
UM, I'M JUST GONNA MAKE ANY, ANY OTHER COMMENTS, COMMISSIONERS? I, I, I DID WANNA MAKE ONE COMMENT, SORT OF PUT THIS IN CONTEXT, BECAUSE OFTENTIMES I THINK PRESERVATION HAS SOMETIMES BEEN THOUGHT OF AS A LITTLE BIT, UH, YOU KNOW, PRECIOUS OR, OR MAYBE NOT AS EFFECTIVE AS IT COULD BE.
AND OF COURSE, ANY OF YOU WHO FOLLOWED OUR MEETINGS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE AT TIMES CHAFED AT SOME OF THE LIMITATIONS THAT WE HAVE ON US BECAUSE OF THE WAY OUR CODES AND ORDINANCES WERE ENACTED.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO PUT IT IN CONTEXT.
UH, THIS IS A MOVABLE, CHANGING AND DYNAMIC MOVEMENT.
UH, IT WAS ONLY A COUPLE OF GENERATIONS BACK, IN FACT, AND WE THINK PRESERVATION'S ALWAYS BEEN HERE, AND WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN HONORING OUR PAST THIS WAY.
BUT, UM, ONLY A COUPLE OF GENERATIONS BACK, UH, CLARA DRISCOLL WAS TRYING TO SAVE THE ALAMO FORM OTHERWISE WOULD'VE BEEN DESTROYED.
UH, SO, YOU KNOW, LET'S PUT IT IN THAT CONTEXT.
UH, I'M OLD ENOUGH TO HAVE BEEN IN THE AUDIENCE, UH, WHEN MY PREDECESSOR AT THE CHAIR OF THE LANDMARKS COMMISSION TOLD ME THAT BUNGALOWS WEREN'T WORTH SAVING, UH, OR DESIGNATING HIS LANDMARKS BECAUSE HE WAS OLDER THAN MOST OF THEM.
UH, SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, THIS IS MOVING, IT'S TAKING TIME.
AND I THINK WE HAVE IN FACT A NUMBER OF TOOLS THAT ARE EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE, BUT THEY ARE LIMITED.
THEY DON'T EXPAND TO THE FULLEST EXTENT TO HELP US WITH WHAT REALLY DOES IN THIS GENERATION NEED TO BE UNDERSTOOD AS VALUED.
THE PEOPLE WHO, UH, HAVE PERHAPS ON THEIR OWN MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR MANY OF THESE TRADITIONS, MANY OF THESE BUILDINGS, MANY OF THESE CULTURAL ITEMS, AND EVEN ARCHEOLOGY, ARCHEOLOGICAL ITEMS TO STILL BE HERE.
THIS IS DEFINITELY A, A VERY IMPORTANT INFLECTION POINT WHERE PRESERVATION, UH, CAN DO SO MUCH MORE AND BE MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE.
AND SO, UH, THE WORK THAT THIS COMMITTEE HAS DONE, ALL OF THE VOLUNTEER TIME, THE WORK OF THE, THE PLANNING GROUP, UH, JUST ABSOLUTELY IT'S EXCITING TO SEE WE'RE AT THIS POINT.
[00:55:01]
A LOT OF WORK AHEAD OF US, UH, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THE PAYOFF IS A MORE EFFECTIVE, UH, SET OF CODES AND A MORE EFFECTIVE, UH, USE OF ALL OF OUR TIME.UH, THOSE OF US WHO'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN PRESERVATION AND THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN PRESERVATION AND WANT TO SPEND AND KNOW HOW TO GET INVOLVED.
SO, UM, MS. BERTRAN, UH, THAT, THAT MEETING YOU MENTIONED ON TUESDAY, LET'S REALLY PLUG THAT ONE THAT'S GONNA BE AT HOUSTON TILLISON, COULD YOU GO THROUGH AND JUST MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNOWS THEY'RE INVITED? YES.
SO OUR, THE COMMUNITY KICKOFF EVENT FOR THE PLAN IS GOING TO BE TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13TH AT HOUSTON TILLS TILLSON KING SEABROOK CHAPEL.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL SPACE.
AND IT WILL FEATURE A LINEUP OF COMMUNITY LEADERS TALKING ABOUT HOW THEIR WORK INTERSECTS WITH HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND THE PLAN SCHOOLS.
I THINK IT'S GONNA BE QUITE WONDERFUL, AND I HOPE YOU WILL.
THERE WILL BE SNACKS AND THERE WILL BE PEOPLE AND IDEAS AND, UM, COMRADERY.
DO WE NEED TO HAVE A, A COMMUNITY NOTICE? IF THERE'S MULTIPLE MEMBERS FROM THE COMMISSION, THAT'LL BE THERE.
I WILL BE FILING A COMMUNITY NOTICE.
HAS HAS BEEN POSTED? OH, IT HAS.
THERE'S, THEY'RE ASSUMING THAT ENOUGH OF US TOGETHER.
I THINK THEY'RE POSTING IT ALREADY.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE BRIEFING, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, OF COURSE, COURSE THAT BRIEFING DOESN'T REQUIRE ANY ACTION.
[25. Discussion and possible recommendation to City Council regarding the Texas Department of Transportation’s planned expansion of IH-35. ]
REGULAR AGENDA.AND WE DID HAVE A REQUEST FROM, UH, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON THAT, UH, THE ITEM THAT HE AND COMMISSIONER EVANS HAVE, UH, PUT ON THE AGENDA.
THE ITEM NUMBER 25, UH, BE TAKEN OUT OF ORDER.
I'LL NEED A MOTION TO TAKE IT OUT OF ORDER FIRST BEFORE WE CAN ACTUALLY PICK UP, UH, THAT ITEM.
IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COMMISSIONER COOK, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER CASTILLO.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
UH, EXCUSE ME, COMMISSIONER RUBIO
YEAH, THANK, THANK YOU FELLOW COMMISSIONERS.
UM, SO I'LL, I'LL JUMP RIGHT IN.
UM, AND, AND SANTIAGO ALMOST TOUCHED ON IT EARLIER IN THE, UH, PART OF THE PROGRAM THAT WAS DEDICATED TO ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, HE'S MADE US AWARE OF THIS GROVE OF TREES THAT, UH, LOOKS LIKE IT WILL BE LOST DUE TO THE EXPANSION OF I 35.
AND THERE IS A GRANITE MARKER THERE, UM, DEDICATING THAT GROVE OF TREES DATING TO 1964 BY THE CITY.
UM, SO HE HAS PROVIDED A LOT OF INFORMATION AND, UM, DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH INTO DIFFERENT AVENUES THAT, UM, WE COULD PURSUE OR NOT PURSUE BECAUSE OF OUR LIMITED JURISDICTION, UH, TO PROTECT THIS GROVE OF TREES.
UH, SO WORKING WITH STAFF AND WITH, UH, STAFF'S, UM, LEGAL SUPPORT WITHIN THE CITY TO GET THIS, UH, LETTER DRAFTED CORRECTLY.
UM, I'D LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, READ IT INTO THE RECORD AND THEN WE CAN DISCUSS IT, MAYBE ACKNOWLEDGE THE, THE THINGS THAT, UM, SAN DIEGO SANGO RESEARCHED AND, UH, BUT WE COULD NOT PUT IN THE LETTER 'CAUSE IT IS BEYOND OUR JURISDICTION.
I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA READ THIS INTO THE RECORD, UH, TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS FROM THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION, UM, WITH TODAY'S DATE, UH, SUBJECT TO HISTORIC PECAN GROVE THREATENED AT EDWARD RENDON SENIOR PARK.
UH, THE BODY OF THE LETTER READS, THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION HAS BEEN MADE AWARE OF A PECAN GROVE LOCATED IN EDWARD RENDON SENIOR PARK AT FESTIVAL BEACH, THAT THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION'S I 35 EXPANSION ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT PROPOSES TO REMOVE AS PART OF A CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT OUTSIDE OF THE EXISTING RIGHT OF WAY.
THE GROVE IS IDENTIFIED BY A GRANT MARKER DEDICATED TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN 1964.
AS PART OF EARLY EFFORTS BY CITY COUNCIL'S TOWN LAKE BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE, WE BELIEVE THIS GROVE OF PECANS RISES TO THE STATUS OF A LOCAL CHARACTER DEFINING CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTING RESOURCE OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AND TRUST CITY STAFF WITH THE HELP OF THE URBAN FOREST, INCLUDING ACCURATE TREE DATA, GROUND SURVEYS OF HERITAGE TREES, ACCORDING TO CITY OF AUSTIN ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA MANUAL 3.3 0.2 GENERAL TREE SURVEY STANDARDS.
WE RECOMMEND DIRECTION BE GIVEN TO THE CITY ARBORIST TO IDENTIFY INDIVIDUAL SPECIMENS AND ASSESS THE OVERALL LIKELY BOUNDARIES OF THIS PECAN GROVE IN ORDER TO FACILITATE OUR BEST EFFORTS AT PRESERVING THIS IRREPLACEABLE RESOURCE.
AND THAT'S THE END OF THAT LETTER.
UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE OPEN-ENDED BITS THERE IS WHAT ARE OUR BEST EFFORTS? UH, I'M NOT SURE REALLY WHAT THEY ARE.
I THINK THAT, UH, TO REQUEST THEM OF ANY OF THE BODIES THAT WE HAVE A DIRECT LINE OF
[01:00:01]
COMMUNICATION TO AREN'T REALLY WITHIN OUR PURVIEW.UM, I WONDER IF ANYBODY ON THE COMMISSION HAS ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD OR IF SANTIAGO MIGHT LIKE TO, UH, DISCUSS THE RESEARCH HE'S DONE IN THE SECTION 1 0 6 REVIEW PROCESS THAT IS, IS VERY MUCH A FEDERAL LEVER TO BE PULLED AND NOT WITHIN OUR PURVIEW, BUT, UM, I'D LIKE TO GIVE THEM THE CHANCE TO, TO SPEAK TO THOSE.
UM, THIS IS AN ITEM THAT'S POSTED AS COMMISSION ITEMS, SO IT'S NOT A PUBLIC HEARING NECESSARILY, BUT WE CERTAINLY CAN HAVE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ANSWERING QUESTIONS.
SO, UH, IF MR. SANTIAGO, IF YOU WOULD, ARE HERE AND WOULD LIKE TO, UH, RESPOND TO THAT QUESTION, YOU'RE WELCOME.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE OTHERS AS WELL.
SO THE FIRST QUESTION IS POSED TO YOU, MR. SANTIAGO.
UH, JUST, UH, GO AHEAD, MR. FEATHERSTONE.
YEAH, SANTIAGO, THANKS FOR YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS.
AND, UM, I JUST WONDERED IF, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVING HEARD THAT DRAFT LETTER, UH, IF YOU WOULD, UH, LIKE TO SPEAK TO ANY OF THE RESEARCH YOU'VE DONE THAT UNFORTUNATELY COULDN'T MAKE IT INTO THAT LETTER? UH, CERTAINLY.
UH, I BELIEVE THE THING THAT'S, UH, SORT OF, UH, CONTROVERSIAL RIGHT NOW IS THE SECTION 1 0 6 PROCESS WITH REGARD TO, UM, WHAT THE CITY CAN DO LEGALLY.
UH, FOR SORT OF FULL DISCLOSURE, I'VE ALREADY, UH, CONTACTED THE ADVISORY COUNCIL OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND CON CONSULTATION FROM, UM, THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION, UH, REVIEWER, UM, OR LIAISON, UH, FROM A CHP, WHO IS INTERESTED IN SITTING DOWN, UH, WITH TXDOT REPRESENTATIVES TO ENSURE THAT THE SECTION 1 0 6 PROCESS IS BEING, UM, TAKEN SERIOUSLY.
AND, UM, THERE WAS AN INTENSIVE HISTORIC SURVEY THAT WAS REQUESTED BY PARKS, UM, STAFF, UH, TO LOOK AT THIS, UM, COMPREHENSIVELY.
UH, I DON'T, AND IN SPEAKING WITH, UM, THE REVIEWER FROM TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION, JUSTIN, UH, S UH, HAS MADE ME AWARE THAT, UM, RESOURCES SUCH AS THE PECAN GROVE, UH, DESERVE AND, AND WITH ACH HP'S, UM, UH, VALIDATION AS WELL, THAT RESOURCES SUCH AS THIS PECAN GROVE DIVER DESERVE, UH, THE LEVEL OF, UM, RIGOR AND EVALUATION THAT WAS ABSENT IN THE INTENSIVE SURVEY.
UM, AND THAT THE REVIEWERS ARE LOOKING AT STRUCTURES AND BUILDINGS, NOT AT OBJECTS SUCH AS, UH, NATURAL OBJECTS.
UM, AND, AND I BELIEVE THE MARKER IS, UH, 1965, BUT I'LL DOUBLE CHECK.
THIS IS PART OF LIKE A NATIONAL MOVEMENT WITH REGARD TO THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND.
THAT WAS IN 1964, UH, IN TERMS OF, UH, REALLY PROTECTING OUR, OUR NATURAL RESOURCES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
AND YOU HAVE A COLLEAGUE WITH YOU.
UM, LET ME ASK MY QUESTION, WHICH IS, WHAT WOULD YOUR COLLEAGUE LIKE TO SAY IF SHE WILL INTRODUCE HERSELF FOR THE RECORD? I ACTUALLY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK FOR THIS ITEM AS WELL.
I KNOW, UM, I'M COMMISSIONER, UH, CITY OF AUSTIN HOUSING COMMISSIONER BERTHA IN DON DELGADO.
I'M ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF EAST TOWN LAKE CITIZENS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
UH, THE ASSOCIATION WAS NOT AWARE, UH, THAT TDOT WAS REMOVING, UH, ANY OF OUR TREES.
UM, I'M ALSO A, UH, THE DAUGHTER OF ED, A GRANDDAUGHTER OF EDWARD RENDON SR.
PARK, AND A DAUGHTER OF CHICANO BROWN BERET WHO FOUGHT DURING THIS MOVEMENT TO PRESERVE THIS PARK.
SO YES, THIS LAND THAT WE'RE SPEAKING OF IN THESE TREES THAT WE'RE SPEAKING OF ARE VERY, VERY HISTORICAL IN OUR COMMUNITY AND IN OUR CITY.
I WOULD LIKE, UH, THIS DAIS TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE 1980 TOWN LAKE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, UM, WHICH IS THE MASTER PLAN THAT WAS CREATED, UH, FROM, UH, THE CHICANO MOVEMENT THAT TOOK PLACE IN 1978.
UM, ALSO THERE'S AN ADOPTION OF THE MASTER PLAN, UH, WHICH IS NOW NAMED EDWARD RENDON AND HOLLY SHOR'S MASTER PLAN.
IN THAT MASTER PLAN, UM, WE DO HAVE MERITS TO PROTECT THESE TREES, WHICH, UM, I'M NOT QUITE SURE THAT AN ARBORIST HAS EVEN EVALUATED THESE TREES, BUT THESE, THESE PECAN TREES ARE HISTORICAL, UH, NOT JUST TO TEXAS, BUT TO OUR CITY AND TO THIS PARK.
AND TO HEAR THAT SIX TREES WILL BE REMOVED ADJACENT TO IH 35, AS WELL AS THE LAND PARTIAL ADJACENT TO I 35 WILL BE USED FOR A CONSTRUCTION SITE.
AND THE ENTIRE PARTIAL OF THAT LAND, UH, WILL, WILL HAVE TO ENDURE, UH, CONSTRUCTION, UH, MATERIAL, UM, AS A STAGING BASE FOR WHATEVER I 35 IS TRYING TO DO.
[01:05:01]
AND SO WE HAVE GREAT CONCERN.UM, THIS HAS BEEN, UM, BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION, UH, AS WE DID FILE CIVIL RIGHTS COMPLAINT.
AND WE ARE GEARING UP, UH, WITH THE FINDINGS TO MOVE FORWARD ON A CIVIL RIGHTS, UM, LAWSUIT AGAINST TDOT AND POSSIBLY PARKS DEPARTMENT FOR NOT, UM, UH, BEING TRANSPARENT AS WELL AS NOT INCLUDING, UH, THE TAXPAYERS AND RESIDENTS, UM, OF THIS CITY AND ADJACENT TO THIS, UM, PARK.
UM, COMMISSIONER EVANS, YOU ALSO, UH, WERE COS CO-SPONSOR FOR THIS.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD OR ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE FOR THE PRESENTERS? YES.
UH, WHAT I'D LIKE TO ADD IS THAT, UH, CERTAINLY THESE TREES DESERVE TO BE PRESERVED AND PROTECTED.
UH, THEY'RE BOTH HISTORICALLY AND CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT.
AND FOR ME IT'S A QUESTION OF EQUITY BECAUSE I'VE BEEN AROUND A LONG ENOUGH THAT THERE SEEMS TO BE KIND OF AN IMPLICIT CLASS OR CASTE SYSTEM FOR WHICH TREES AND NATURAL RESOURCES ARE PRESERVED.
AND SO I'M HOPING TO HELP IN THAT.
ALRIGHT, WELL, UH, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON, UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER LAST ITEM AND THEN I'LL OPEN IT TO OTHER COMMISSIONER'S COMMENTS? NO, I THINK THAT THE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE DOING THIS CORRECT.
NORMALLY, WE, WE GIVE A MOTION, I THINK MY MOTION WOULD BE TO SEND THIS LETTER, UM, TO, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO, UM, AND THEN I, I THINK WHAT WE'RE SAYING HERE IS TWOFOLD THAT WE CARE, AND TWO, THAT, UM, IT WOULD, THE, THE BEST EFFORTS THAT SANTIAGO DESCRIBED OF, UM, YOU KNOW, REACHING OUT TO CONSTITUENTS BOTH, UH, WITH AND WITHOUT THE POWER TO DO THINGS, UM, FORMALLY, UH, THAT THIS SURVEY DONE BY THE CITY ARBORIST WOULD, WOULD HELP THEM.
UM, SO REQUESTING THAT THE, THAT WORK BE DONE.
UH, SO I MOVE TO PUT THIS, UM, TO PLANNING COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL BASED ON THE, WITH THE TEXT OF THE LETTER AS YOU READ TO THE RECORD? CORRECT.
AND STAFF HAS THE DRAFT OF THAT? YES.
THERE'S A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON.
COMMISSIONER EVANS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SECOND, SECOND IT.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE A MOTION, UH, LET'S DISCUSSION.
CAN I SAY SOMETHING JUST REAL QUICK? UM, I'M, I'M INVOLVED IN IT AND I THINK MAYBE WE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE.
UM, IT'S BEEN A WHILE, BUT I'M INVOLVED WITH A GROUP CALLED TREE FOLKS AND THEIR WHOLE MISSION IS TO PLANT TREES ALL OVER CENTRAL TEXAS.
AND, YOU KNOW, WITH THE BASTROP FIRES A LONG TIME AGO, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S KIND OF, UM, BUT THEY HAVE A LOT OF ADV ADVOCACY, UM, ARMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO IF, IS IT APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO REACH OUT TO THEM ABSOLUTELY DIRECTLY TO TALKING AND OBVIOUSLY WE'LL BE TAKING OFFICIAL, WE'LL BE TAKING OFFICIAL ACTION WITH THIS LETTER.
IF WE APPROVE, IF IT IS APPROVED.
UH, BUT AS INDIVIDUALS WE CERTAINLY CAN CONTINUE TO EXPAND BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE HEARING.
AND IF THAT WARRANTED FURTHER FOLLOW UP AT FUTURE AGENDAS, WE CERTAINLY WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT ON FUTURE AGENDAS, UH, BASED ON PERHAPS WHAT YOU FIND.
UH, MR. SANTIAGO, YOU MENTIONED REACHING OUT TO ADVISORY COUNCIL.
I'M JUST CURIOUS IF THEY'RE ALSO GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THE HISTORIC STRUCTURES OR OTHER HISTORIC RESOURCES AS PART OF THAT SECTION 1 0 6, THAT T DOT, UH, DID.
ARE THEY JUST LOOKING AT THE TREES ON YOUR BEHALF, OR ARE THEY ALSO LOOKING AT THE HISTORIC STRUCTURES ALONG THE HIGHWAY THAT ARE GONNA BE AFFECTED? UM, FROM WHAT I HAVE GATHERED IN THE, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND THEM DO THAT, BUT IT, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF AGREEMENTS MADE WITH, UM, WITH VARIOUS PROPERTY OWNERS, UH, INDIVIDUALLY.
UM, WHICH IS SORT OF THE SILOING EFFECT THAT I'VE SEEN DONE WITH THE CITY AS WELL IS, UH, CITY STAFF IS NOT RESPONDING COMPREHENSIVELY TO, UM, THE PROJECT AS A WHOLE.
AND I, I'M SPEAKING WITH SEVERAL OTHER COMMISSION, UH, BODIES, UH, TO REQUEST A, A DEEPER LEVEL OF ACCOUNTABILITY FROM THE STATE AGENCY.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE LETTER AS WAS READ INTO THE RECORD.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, UH, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON, ARE YOU RAISING YOUR HAND? YES, I SEE IT THERE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED? NO, THERE'S NO, ALL, ALL HANDS ARE UP.
ALRIGHT, WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.
UH, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON AND COMMISSIONER EVANS AND SANTIAGO AND SWINDON, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, YOUR EFFORTS.
OKAY, COMMISSIONERS, UH, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US THE, BEING ABLE TO TAKE THAT OUT OF ORDER.
[4. C14H-2023-0136 – 1201 E 7th St. Green & White Grocery ]
WITH THE FIRST CASE.UH, THIS IS ITEM NUMBER 4 12 0 1 EAST SEVENTH STREET.
THIS IS THE GREEN AND WHITE GROCERY AND CALLAN, UH, YOU'RE,
[01:10:01]
YOU'RE HOLDING UP PRETTY WELL OVER THERE.WE HAVE OUR STAFF HAVING TO WORK FROM HOME.
UH, WE HOPE YOU'RE FEELING BETTER.
THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND I APPRECIATE Y'ALL, UH, BEARING WITH ME AS I WORK THROUGH SOME, SOME HEALTH ISSUES.
UM, SO, UM, PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU'RE ABLE TO HEAR ME AND IF YOU'RE NOT, JUST, UM, HOLLER OUT AND I WILL ADJUST AS NEEDED.
UM, ITEM NUMBER FOUR, UH, IS ONE THAT, UH, I AM VERY PROUD TO PRESENT AND VERY HAPPY TO SEE ON OUR AGENDA TONIGHT.
THIS IS CASE NUMBER C 14 H 20 23 0 1 3 6, UM, THE GREEN AND WHITE GROCERY.
UM, THIS IS AN, UH, OWNER SUPPORTED HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION INITIATED, UH, HISTORIC ZONING CASE AT 1201 E SEVENTH STREET AND 6 0 7 WALLER STREET.
STAFF CAN RECOMMEND THE PROPOSED ZONING CHANGE FROM TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN TO TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, HISTORIC LANDMARK, COMBINING DISTRICT ZONING, UM, ON THE BASIS OF ARCHITECTURE, COMMUNITY VALUE, AND HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS AT THE, UH, 2016 EAST AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY ALSO RECOMMENDS THIS STORE BUILDING IS ELIGIBLE FOR DESIGNATION AS A LOCAL LANDMARK AND INDIVIDUALLY ELIGIBLE FOR LISTING ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER.
THE GREEN AND WHITE GROCERY IS AN INTACT EXAMPLE OF A NEIGHBORHOOD GROCERY STORE, RAPIDLY DISAPPEARING PROPERTY TYPE IN AUSTIN.
IT'S VERNACULAR CONSTRUCTION, IT'S EYE CATCHING SIGN, AND ITS DISTINCTIVE CLIPPED GABLE ARE ICONIC SYMBOLS OF EAST AUSTIN COMMERCE.
AS IS TYPICAL FOR SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE EARLY TO MID 20TH CENTURY IN AUSTIN, THE PROPRIETOR'S HOME WAS BUILT BEHIND THE STORE AND IT'S STILL USED AS A FAMILY RESIDENCE TODAY AS A RARE SURVIVING EXAMPLE OF THIS HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT PATTERN.
ACCORDING TO THE EAST AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY, THE PROPERTY IS SIGNIFICANT FOR ITS HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS WITH EAST AUSTIN'S TRANSPORTATION HISTORY, NAMELY THE ASSIST FROM STREET CARS TO AUTOMOBILES AND BUSES, AS WELL AS WITH THE SEGREGATION AREA NECESSITY OF RESIDENTS OF COLOR TO OPEN THEIR OWN BUSINESSES.
THE SURVEY DESCRIBES HOW THE GREEN AND WHITE GROCERY WAS A SYMBOL OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND RESILIENCE IN A RAPIDLY CHANGING, BUT STILL SEGREGATED AUSTIN, WITH THE DIVISIONS THAT EXISTED BETWEEN THE EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY AND THE REST OF THE CITY, AS WELL AS THE SHORTAGE OF JOBS DURING THE DEPRESSION ERA, MANY RESIDENTS RESORTED TO OPENING THEIR OWN BUSINESSES DURING THE THIRTIES AND FORTIES.
THIS TREND REFLECTS THE SELF-RELIANCE, INDUSTRIOUSNESS AND AMBITION THAT MEMBERS OF THE EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY DEVELOPED AND DREW UPON AMIDST THE SEGREGATED ENVIRONMENT.
BEGINNING IN THE THIRTIES, THE LOCATIONS OF BUSINESS BUSINESSES WERE DETERMINED NOT ONLY BY THE LOCATIONS OF STREETCAR LINES AND PAVED ROADS, BUT ALSO BY THE LOCATIONS OF BUS ROUTES.
BY 1940, THE STREETCAR FELL OUT OF SERVICE AND BUS LINES PROVIDED THE ONLY FORM OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
THE ROUTES PRIMARILY FUNCTION TO TRANSPORT THE RESIDENTS OF EAST AUSTIN TO JOBS DOWNTOWN AND IN WEST AUSTIN.
BUT THE ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC THEY GENERATED ALSO ENCOURAGED THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW BUSINESSES LIKE THE GREEN AND WHITE.
AND, UH, IT OPENED, UH, AT 1201 EAST SEVENTH STREET, RIGHT AT THE TERMINUS OF THE NEW BUS LINE, BUILT BEFORE THE DAYS OF CHAIN GROCERY STORES, SMALL GROCERIES SERVE THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF AUSTIN.
UM, AND HEREIN LIES THIS PROPERTY'S COMMUNITY VALUE.
NEIGHBORHOOD GROCERIES DECLINED QUICKLY WITH THE RISE IN POPULARITY OF HOUSEHOLD AUTOMOBILES AS FAMILIES WERE MORE ABLE TO TRAVEL OUTSIDE OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD FOR SHOPPING.
HOWEVER, DURING THE 20TH CENTURY, EAST AUSTINITES WERE SUBJECT TO THE SYSTEMIC LIMITATIONS OF SEGREGATION.
NEIGHBORHOOD GROCERIES LIKE THE GREEN AND WHITE, DID MORE THAN PROVIDE GROCERIES AT A REASONABLE PRICE WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE.
IT PERFORMED A GOOD DEAL OF HEAVY LIFTING AS A MEXICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY ASSET AND CULTURAL TOUCHSTONE AS ONE OF THE FEW PLACES THAT WOULD EXTEND CREDIT TO CUSTOMERS OF COLOR AS A PROVIDER OF INGREDIENTS FOR MEXICAN COOKING AND HOMEMADE TAMALES AS A PLACE TO OBTAIN SPIRITUAL AND HEALTHCARE NEEDS.
WHEN THE RACIST TRAPPINGS OF 20TH CENTURY MEDICINE DENIED THE CULTURAL IMPORTANCE OF YERBAS AND FOLK REMEDIES, AND AS A MEETING PLACE FOR EAST AUSTIN RESIDENTS WHOSE BUSY LIVES COULD OFTEN MAKE NEIGHBORLY SOCIALIZING DIFFICULT, UH, THEIR THEREFORE STAFF CAN RECOMMEND, UH, THIS HISTORIC ZONING CHANGE TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND TO CITY COUNCIL.
AND, UH, I THINK ALSO, AND A BIG SHOUT OUT TO, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, JUAN RAYMOND RUBIO FOR, UH, HELPING TO PUT THIS TOGETHER AND, AND THE, UH, THE OWNERSHIP, UM, OF THE GREEN AND WHITE AS WELL.
AND ALSO WE APPRECIATE, UH, COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ ALSO YOUR LETTER OF SUPPORT, UH, BEING ABLE TO PUT THIS ON OUR AGENDA AS WE DID AT OUR, UH, PREVIOUS MEETING.
THANK YOU FOR THE ADDITIONAL RESEARCH.
AND, UH, AT THIS POINT, UH, COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION OF STAFF BEFORE I OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY.
HEARING NONE, UH, LET ME, UH, ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE, UH, GREEN AND WHITE GROCERY.
NO, I HAVE, I ONLY NEED A MOTION TO CLOSE IT, RIGHT?
[01:15:01]
IT'S ALREADY POSTED.PUBLIC HEARING IS ALREADY OPENED.
THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN CALLEN'S GONE.
SO IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE GREEN AND WHITE GROCERY FOR HISTORIC ZONING? YES.
FIRST OFF, WE HAVE MS. MEGAN KING.
MEGAN KING, UM, WITH PRESERVATION.
I'M SURE YOU ALL SAW OUR LETTER OF SUPPORT IN THE BACKUP MATERIALS.
UM, CALLAN LAID IT ALL OUT, UH, HOW SPECIAL THIS PLACE IS, AND WE JUST WANTED TO SAY HOW HONORED WE ARE AS AN ORGANIZATION TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH MR. CRES, WHO'S THE OWNER, UM, OF THE, OF GREEN AND WHITE GROCERY, AND SEVERAL REALLY IMPORTANT INITIATIVES WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, INCLUDING OUR EAST AUSTIN BARRIO LANDMARKS PROJECT, WHICH BERTHA WAS ALSO A BIG CONTRIBUTOR TO, UM, THAT HIGHLIGHTED SOME REALLY AMAZING MEXICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE SITES ACROSS EAST AUSTIN AND DOWNTOWN.
AND ALSO IN OUR, UM, LEGACY BUSINESS MONTH PASSPORT THIS PAST OCTOBER.
UH, WE HAD GREEN AND WHITE AS ONE OF OUR FEATURED BUSINESSES, WHICH WAS SUPER FUN.
AND WE'RE JUST HONORED TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH GREEN AND WHITE, AND WE'RE PROUD THAT OUR INTERN MATTHEW MEDINA, UM, AND OUR BOARD MEMBER AND COMMISSIONER JUAN RAYMOND, UH, RUB
SO YEAH, WE'RE VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT AND WE JUST WANTED TO, TO VOICE THAT HERE TONIGHT.
AND MS. DELGADO, I THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE YOU AT THE SEAT.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE, THE TECH PEOPLE HAVE THAT'S, OTHERWISE WE DON'T GET YOU ON CAMERA.
I IT'S SO MUCH EASIER TO HAVE YOU IN FRONT.
BUT THIS IS WHAT THEY, WE HAVE FOR TODAY.
I WOULD LIKE TO AGAIN, INTRODUCE MYSELF, UH, EAST AUSTIN NATIVE, 44 YEARS, VERY PROUD.
UM, YOU, YOU COMMISSIONERS, I THINK COMING TO PER TO THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION ALL THESE YEARS, UM, THIS LAST YEAR.
AND SINCE YOU ALL TOOK YOUR SEATS, I MEAN, I'VE SEEN SO MUCH GREAT WORK YOU ALL HAVE DONE, AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL.
I ALSO WANNA THANK PRESERVATION AUSTIN.
UM, MEGAN, THE TEAM, THEY HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY INSTRUMENTAL AND POWERFUL IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, DOING THE 21 HISTORICAL EAST AUSTIN SITES WAS A HUGE VICTORY.
AND THE, UH, GREEN AND WHITE STORE WAS ONE THAT WAS IDENTIFIED.
AND TO SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU ALL, YOU KNOW, HISTORICALLY LANDMARK, IF IT GETS APPROVED, IS A VICTORY FOR EAST AUSTIN.
THESE ARE THE VICTORIES THAT I THINK MANY OF US THAT ARE GENERATED FROM THERE THAT WE CALL OUR HOME THAT WE'VE SEEN DESTROYED, THAT WE'VE SEEN US BE ROBBED TO SEE A VICTORY LIKE THIS IS, IT BRINGS US JOY AND HAPPINESS.
AND SO WHEN I LEAVE HERE, I'M GONNA CRY, NOT CRY RIGHT NOW, BUT, UM, I'M VERY, VERY GRATEFUL TO SUPPORT, UM, THIS INITIATIVE.
THE EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY IS TOTAL SUPPORT AND BACKS UP, UM, THIS HISTORICAL LANDMARK.
WE WANNA SEE MORE OF THESE HISTORICAL LANDMARKS, UH, IN EAST AUSTIN.
AS YOU SEE THAT WE'RE STILL FACING GENTRIFICATION IN A HUGE, LARGE OF DISPLACEMENT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE I 35 EXPANSION.
UM, OUR, OUR AREA WILL, WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THAT IF THAT HAPPENS.
UM, SO YOU WILL BE SEEING MORE OF ME, UH, COMING TO THE COMMISSION AS WELL AS, UM, TRYING MY BEST TO ORGANIZE IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, TO SUPPORT INITIATIVES OF HISTORICAL LANDMARK LIKE WE'RE DOING HERE TODAY.
SO, UH, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AS COMMISSIONER EAST AUSTIN NATIVE AND COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES OF EAST AUSTIN THAT I REPRESENT, UH, WE ARE IN FULL SUPPORT OF THIS HISTORICAL LANDMARK.
AND WE WANNA THANK ALL OF YOU ALL, ESPECIALLY COMMISSIONER RUBIO, UH, WHO HAS REALLY WORKED VERY HARD TO GET THIS DONE BECAUSE THIS IS NOT AN EASY PROCESS.
I'VE BEEN THROUGH IT MANY TIMES.
ANY OTHER SPEAKERS SIGNED UP? IS THERE ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST? ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS.
NOW I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? OKAY, COMMISSIONERS, UH, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
UH, COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ, WOULD YOU LIKE TO PROPOSE, UH, THAT MOTION? AYE, I'M SORRY.
UH, COMMISSIONER RUBIO, I'M LOOKING OVER HERE AT YOU.
[01:20:01]
ON SECOND.UM, WE NEED TO REOPEN PUBLIC HEARING, RIGHT? YOU, AS PART OF YOUR MOTION IS TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
MOVE TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING FOR THE GREEN OR WHITE GROCERY BASED ON THE CRITERIA OF ARCHITECTURE, HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION, AND COMMUNITY VALUE.
AND, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER UH, RUBIO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? YOU KNOW, JUST VERY BRIEFLY, UH, I HOPE EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO READ THIS DOCUMENT.
THERE IS SO MUCH HISTORY THAT I LEARNED IN THE PROCESS OF THIS, AND THERE'S, THERE'S SO MUCH MORE HISTORY TO BE TOLD.
UM, IT'S LIKE A SPIDERWEB IS WHAT THE OWNER JOHN HAD, HAD MENTIONED TO ME.
UH, YOU COULD KEEP GOING DOWN AND DOWN INTO THE, THE ROOTS OF EAST AUSTIN.
AND I LOVED THE HISTORY THAT I WAS ABLE TO LEARN.
YOU KNOW, BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THIS PLACE HAS BEEN AN INSTITUTION FOR THREE GENERATIONS BECAUSE OF THE HARD WORK DETERMINATION AND FORTITUDE OF NOTTO LOPEZ AND HIS FAMILY AND THEIR DESCENDANTS.
NOT JUST THEIR DESCENDANTS, BUT THE COMMUNITY THAT UPLIFTED THEMSELVES.
THIS COMMUNITY IN EAST AUSTIN.
THESE LATINOS BANDED TOGETHER TO CREATE, UH, THEIR COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY HAD TO EMPLOY THEMSELVES.
IT WAS A SEGREGATED DISTRICT IN THOSE TIMES.
THEY CAME TOGETHER, SUPPORTED THEIR PEOPLE, SUPPORTED THEIR FAMILIES.
UM, AND THROUGH THAT PERSEVERANCE, THESE BUSINESSES POPPED UP ON THE EAST SIDE, BLACK AND BROWN, WITHIN THE CONFINES OF SEGREGATION.
AND I JUST THINK THAT THE FACT THAT WE STILL HAVE A FAMILY, UH, TODAY, WHO, WHO IS SHOW SHOWING US THAT THEY'RE STILL THERE IN EAST AUSTIN, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THEM, UPLIFT THEM.
AND SO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE SUPPORT.
THANK YOU PRESERVATION AUSTIN FOR HELPING US GET THIS DONE.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ.
UH, KAYLIN, YOU KNOW, LAID OUT A FULL DESCRIPTION OF, UH, ALL THE QUALIFICATIONS.
AND THEN, UH, COMMISSIONER RUBIO, UH, YOU KNOW, FURTHER EMPHASIZED THAT.
SO, UH, I, I THINK IT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
I THINK THE ONE THING I'D LIKE TO ADD, UH, AS AN ARCHITECT WHO HAS A PARTICULAR EXPERTISE IN CRAFTSMAN ARCHITECTURE, IT'S REALLY REMARKABLE.
NOT ONLY, UH, OF COURSE THE CONDITION THAT THE BUILDING HAS BEEN MAINTAINED IN AND HOW WONDERFULLY WELL PRESERVED IT HAS COME TO US TODAY.
BUT I THINK IT ALSO SPEAKS TO EXACTLY, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, RUBIO AS YURT SAYING THE PRIDE IN THE QUALITY THAT WENT INTO PUTTING THAT BUILDING TOGETHER, THAT WOULD'VE BEEN AMONG ONE OF THE FINEST GROCERIES OF ITS TIME IN ANYWHERE IN AUSTIN.
UH, AND THE FACT THAT IT WAS IN THE EAST AUSTIN, THE FACT THAT IT WAS A COMMUNITY LANDMARK, THE FACT THAT IT REPRESENTED THE PRIDE OF THE COMMUNITY, UH, THAT SCREAMS LOUD AND CLEAR EVEN ALL THESE YEARS LATER.
AND I THINK WE'RE JUST SO FORTUNATE THAT IT HAS PERSEVERED THAT THE FAMILIES HAVE PERSEVERED TO KEEP IT.
AND ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP THAT, UH, I THINK IS LONG OVERDUE.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYBODY WHO'S WORKED ON THIS AND, UH, CERTAINLY WILL SUPPORT THE MOTION.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, WE HAVE A, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED, UH, FOR THE, UH, DESIGNATION OF LANDMARK STATUS FOR THE GREEN AND WHITE GROCERY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
AND I DON'T SEE ANY HANDS DOWN, SO I, I NEED IT OPPOSED.
IT IS UNANIMOUS AND THE MOTION PASSES.
CONGRATULATIONS TO, TO YOU ALL A VERY BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT.
AND I'LL BE REACHING OUT TO, UM, COMMISSIONER RUBIO AS WELL AS MR. CA FOR OUR NEXT STEPS AT PLANNING COMMISSION AND COUNSEL FOR SCHEDULING.
ALRIGHT, UH, ITEM NUMBER SEVEN,
[7. HR-2023-004371 – 1211 San Bernard St. Giese-Stark Store]
UH, IS NEXT STEP.UH, THIS IS ITEM THAT HAS BEEN PULLED FOR DISCUSSION.
IT IS THE 1211 SAN BERNARD STREET.
UH, THIS IS AN, UH, ITEM, UH, IN A HISTORIC, UH, THIS IS THE, UH, EXCUSE ME, THE, THE GEY STARK STORE.
UH, THE PROPOSAL AT 1211 SAN BERNARD STREET.
ITEM SEVEN, UM, IS TO REPAIR THE STORE BUILDING, REPLACE THE DOORS AND WINDOWS, UM, RECONFIGURING SOME AND ADD A PORCH AT THE REAR OF THE BUILDING.
THIS IS A ONE STORY FRAME STORE BUILDING WITH A COVERED PORCH, TRANSOM WINDOWS AND DOORS, AND A CIRCO 2010 UPPER FLOOR ADDITION, AS WELL AS SOME, UM, SECONDARY ELEVATION CHANGES OF THAT SAME VINTAGE.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS ARE BASED ON THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR STANDARDS FOR REHABILITATION AND ARE USED TO EVALUATE PROJECTS IN HISTORIC LANDMARKS.
UM, THIS PROJECT MOSTLY MEETS THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS, UM, AND COMMITTEE FEEDBACK, UH, FROM THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE INCLUDED USING PHOTOS TO CORROBORATE CHANGES WHERE NEEDED AT THE PARAPET.
AND TO ENSURE THAT THE AWNING IS MINIMALLY VISIBLE FROM THE STREET AT THE SECONDARY ELEVATIONS.
UH, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? OKAY.
[01:25:01]
SEE, I SEE SOME FOLKS READY TO SPEAK ON THIS.WOULD YOU PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND, UH, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, THIS, UH, WAS PULLED BY ONE OF THE COMMISSION MEMBERS.
DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION OF THE APPLICANT? YEAH, THIS, THIS IS, IS I PULLED THIS, I I MOSTLY HAD A QUESTION.
I WASN'T, I WASN'T SURE THAT THIS WENT TO A RC 'CAUSE THIS IS PROBABLY THE ONE I MISSED.
SO DO, ARE, WERE ALL THE COMMENTS ADDRESSED? MY PARTICULAR CO OR CONCERN WAS MAYBE THE STUCCO AT THE 2010 OR 22 THOUSANDS EDITION.
I JUST WASN'T SURE IF YOU ALL HAD, HAD COMMENTED ON THAT, AND IF, IF THAT WAS ALREADY DISCUSSED.
I'M OKAY WITH, UM, WITH MOVING ON COMMISSIONERS.
YES, THEY, THEY DID COME, UM, AND WE DISCUSSED ALL THE DETAIL.
UH, I MEAN, THE, THE STUCCO IS NOT A HISTORIC TREND.
THERE, THERE IS SOME ON THE ADJACENT HISTORIC NON HISTORIC PROPERTY THAT THEY'RE ALSO MAINTAINING, BUT THE FACT THAT IT WAS RECESSED AND IT WAS THE BEST WAY TO MAKE IT KIND OF BALANCED AGAINST IT, UM, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING ELSE THAT USED WOOD WOULD HAVE PATTERN TO IT.
AND SO, UM, THERE MAY BE SOME PHILOSOPHICAL DISAGREEMENTS ON THAT CHOICE, BUT WE FELT IT WAS THE BEST WAY TO MAKE THE HISTORIC STRUCTURE STAND OUT.
SORRY FOR HOLDING YOU ALL HERE.
WELL, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING, SO, UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE? UH, OR IS THERE ANOTHER SPEAKER? IF SO, PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD.
OH, UH, MY NAME'S TODD PICKERS.
I'M A NEIGHBOR, UM, AND A BUYER OF THE PROPERTY.
SO I'M HERE JUST TO WORK WITH FRANCOIS AND FIELD.
ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UH, I, I TELL YOU WHAT I, MY QUESTION PROBABLY ISN'T REALLY FOR YOU, BUT AS THE OWNER, UH, THIS IS A BUILDING THAT'S BEEN IN OUR PROGRAM AND IT JUST DEFIES ANY KIND OF LOGIC AS TO WHY IT WOULD'VE GOTTEN IN THIS CONDITION.
UM, OBVIOUSLY IT WASN'T GETTING A TAX IN, IT WASN'T PART OF OUR TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM FOR SURE, BUT, UH, THE FACT THAT SOMEBODY ALREADY HAD A DESIGNATED LANDMARK AND WOULD ALLOW IT TO DETERIORATE THE EXTENT IT WAS, IT'S JUST, UM, I'M SURPRISED WE HAVEN'T BEEN HEARING A LOT MORE ABOUT IT SOONER.
UH, BUT I, I UNDERSTAND YOU ARE A NEW OWNER AND THIS IS A CHANCE TO, UH, MAYBE RIGHT THE WRONGS AND GET US GET THIS THING BACK INTO BEING A REAL ASSET.
UM, JUST TO CLARIFY, I'M NOT THE OWNER YET.
I'M IN ESCROW, AND IF WE GET CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS, I WILL CLOSE ESCROW.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR PERSEVERANCE.
ALRIGHT, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THEN OF THE ARCHITECT OR THE APPLICANT? I, I JUST HAD A QUESTION FOR OUR GROUP.
THIS IS, UM, THIS IS NOT A CITY OF AUSTIN LANDMARK, SO IT, IT, IT IS, YEAH.
SO THEY'RE NEEDING A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FOR THE WORK THEY'RE DOING NOW TO BASICALLY TAKE IT BACK FROM THE BRINK, REALLY IS WHAT, IT'S MORE THAN ANYTHING.
UM, ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? IF NOT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER COOK? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
NO OPPOSED? UH, THE HEARING IS CLOSED.
I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS APPLICATION.
UH, MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RUBIO, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER COOK.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? NOW THIS, JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF, UM, HISTORIC LANDMARKS BEING ABLE TO BE FULLY ENJOYED, UH, BY THEIR OWNERS, THAT, UM, THEY CAN BE ADDED ONTO SENSITIVELY AND, UH, USES CONVERTED IN A WAY THAT KEEPS THE HISTORY LIVING, UM, EVEN TO SECOND STORY ADDITIONS.
[01:30:01]
THAT, UM, YEAH, A A HISTORIC LANDMARK CAN, CAN CONTINUE TO CHANGE AND GROW AND STILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I MAY HAVE TO DROP OFF SHORTLY TO RELIEVE THE BABYSITTER, BUT YEAH, I DID WANT TO COMMEND THE, THE HOPEFULLY FUTURE LANDOWNER.
UM, IT'S NICE TO HAVE SOMEONE WHO'S NOT THAT SOPHISTICATED TO BE AWARE THAT THEY SHOULD, UH, COME TALK TO US FIRST AND, UH, MAKE SURE WE'RE ON BOARD.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, UH, WE HAVE A MOTION AND, UH, I'LL CALL THE QUESTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS, UH, INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
I DO NOTE THAT COMMISSIONER DUDLEY IS MUTED, SO WE'LL HAVE HER OFF THE DAIS, BUT OTHERWISE IT IS UNANIMOUS, SO CONGRATULATIONS.
[11. HR-2023-132220 – 2506 Givens Ave. Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross Local Historic District ]
UH, WE ARE AT ITEM NUMBER 11, WHICH IS 25 0 6 GIBBONS AVENUE.UH, THIS IS A PROPERTY THAT'S IN THE ROGERS, WASHINGTON HOLY CROSS LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND WE HAVE A REQUEST FOR AN ADDITION AND A REMODEL.
KARA, DO YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR US? UH, I, I, NO, NO.
I'M LOOKING, I'M LOOKING AT YOU AND SAYING DON'T PANIC KARA.
UH, IF SHE'S STILL IN THE AUDIENCE.
UM, ITEM 11, UM, IS 25 0 6 GIVENS AVENUE.
THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO REMODEL AND CONSTRUCT AN ADDITION TO A CONTRIBUTING HOUSE.
UM, THE EXISTING BUILDING IS A ONE STORY RANCH HOUSE WITH HORIZONTAL VINYL SIDING, AN INSET PORCH, AND AN INTEGRAL CARPORT ALUMINUM WINDOWS AND A STONE VENEER WATER TABLE.
THE ROGERS, WASHINGTON HOLY CROSS DESIGN STANDARDS RE USED TO EVALUATE PROJECTS WITHIN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UM, AND THIS PROJECT MEETS MOST OF THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS FOR THE REAR AND SIDE EDITION, BUT NOT THE STANDARDS FOR THE ALTERATIONS OF THE, THE PROTECTED FACADES OF PROTECTED FACADES.
UM, CALL, IF I COULD JUST TAKE, JUST PAUSE FOR A MOMENT HERE IN THE, UH, AUDIENCE.
WE'RE NOT SEEING THE CASE ITEM COME UP.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE, UH, SAM, CAN YOU BRING UP THE PHOTOGRAPHS THAT WE'RE REFERRING TO? THANK YOU.
SORRY FOR THAT, BUT, UM, IT'S EASIER FOR US TO FOLLOW WITH THE IMAGES.
AND ALL OF THE PLANS AND, UH, PRESENTATION MATERIALS ARE IN YOUR BACKUP AS WELL.
UM, IF YOU GUYS ARE ABLE TO VIEW THOSE ON THE SCREENS TOO, UM, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO INVITE THE APPLICANT TO THE NEXT MEETING OF THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, UH, TO DISCUSS ALTERNATIVES TO THE PROPOSED PROTECTIVE FACADE MODIFICATIONS.
UM, ULTIMATELY, IF THE COMMISSION, UM, DOESN'T BELIEVE THAT THE PROJECT AS PROPOSED RENDERS, THE BUILDING NON-CONTRIBUTING, UM, STAFF IS ALSO AMENABLE TO APPROVAL OF THIS ONE AS WELL.
UM, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? ALL RIGHT.
I THINK THE, UM, ISSUE AS I UNDERSTAND IS THAT, UM, THERE THE MODIFICATIONS WITH THE CARPORT AND WITH SOME OF THE STONE WORK ON THE FACADE, I THINK THAT THAT'S UP ON OUR SCREEN HERE, BUT I DON'T NECESSARILY SEE THAT THOSE ARE GOING OUT.
BUT THE, THE, THE, THE QUESTION SPECIFICALLY IS THE TREATMENT OF THE FACADE, THE FRONT FACADE.
AND, UH, I, I THINK THOUGH IT'S NOT, FROM WHAT I CAN TELL, RENDERED BACK IN A COMPLETELY HISTORIC MANNER, I THINK THE QUESTION REALLY IS WHETHER THIS, UH, DETRACTS AS A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE ENOUGH, UH, TO WARRANT MORE WORK.
AND I THINK THAT'S MAYBE A, A, AN ITEM THAT WE COULD DISCUSS HERE OR PERHAPS REFER TO THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE.
BUT, UM, I'LL DEFER TO THE COMMISSIONERS ON THAT.
SO, UM, ANY, ANY MORE QUESTIONS OF STAFF? UH, IF NOT, DO WE HAVE THE APPLICANT HERE TO SPEAK, UH, TO YOUR REQUEST? PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF AT THE MICROPHONE.
GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
I'M WITH CBA DESIGN AND BUILD, AND WE ARE THE BUILDERS AND DESIGNERS OF THIS HOUSE.
AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH ALL THE HOMEOWNERS IN THE AREA TO COME UP WITH A COHESIVE WAY OF RESTORING THE HOUSE BACK TO A PLACE WHERE THEY FEEL THAT IT'S ACCEPTABLE TO THEM.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY IS TO TRY TO MAYBE ANSWER ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS REGARDING THE FACADE.
UM, THERE HAD BEEN SOME CHANGES IN A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS TO TRY TO GET EVERYBODY TO A COMFORTABLE PLACE.
UM, REGARDING THE TWO ISSUES THAT THEY REALLY HAD WAS PUTTING THE BAY WINDOW BACK
[01:35:01]
INTO THE ORIGINAL PLAN AND CONTINUING THE ROCK FACADE ACROSS THE LOWER ONE THIRD PART OF THE STRUCTURE.UM, THE ONLY THING THAT WE RAN INTO WAS MATCHING THE STONE.
WE FOUND SOMETHING THAT'S VERY, VERY, VERY CLOSE, BUT NOT EXACT.
SO AT THAT POINT, EVERYBODY SEEMED TO BE, UM, HAPPY IF WE JUST EDITED THE PLANS TO HAVE THE BAY WINDOW BACK IN IT AND TO CONTINUE THAT ROCK FACADE THROUGHOUT THE, UM, ADDITION.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, I THINK YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK OVER THIS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? I HAVE A QUESTION.
WHAT WAS THE NEED? UH, WELL FIRST DID YOU READ THE, UH, DISTRICT'S HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS? WE DID, AND I WENT OVER 'EM WITH A LOT OF THE HOMEOWNERS, UM, IN ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF LONG ZOOM CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD.
AND WE WENT BACK AND FORTH ON A FEW THINGS.
AND THIS LIKE, AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE ORIGINAL PHOTOS, IT'S IN DISREPAIR.
IT'S HAD RODENTS IN IT, HAD HOLES IN THE ROOF, AND, UM, ALL WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS FIX IT, MAKE IT LOOK PRESENTABLE, AND FOR THAT, THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO FEEL HAPPY ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
THERE ARE OTHER PROPERTIES ON THE STREET THAT ARE A DU TYPE LOOKING THAT I KNOW THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT TO GO IN THAT DIRECTION.
I'VE DONE ABOUT A HUNDRED HOMES IN THE AUSTIN AREA, AND I TRY TO PUT 'EM BACK TO THE WAY THAT THEY WERE ORIGINALLY AS CLOSE AS I CAN WITH KEEPING WITH CURRENT AUSTIN CODES, MEANING FIRE EGRESS AND JUST CURRENT CODES.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIND A GOOD BALANCE TO MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY.
WELL, WE DEFINITELY APPRECIATE YOU HAVING CONTACTED THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT OUR JOB HERE IS TO ENSURE APPLICATION OF THE STANDARDS AND, UH, SECTION 1.0, 1.1, RETAIN AND PRESERVE PROTECTED FACADE.
SO I UNDERSTAND THE ROOF MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED AND THE RODENTS MAY NEED TO BE ABATED, BUT IS THERE ANYTHING PARTICULAR ABOUT THE FRONT FACADE? WAS, IS THE STONE DELAMINATING? IS THERE FAILURE IS, UM, UH, THE SIDING? I COULDN'T TELL IF THAT WAS AN OVERLAY OF A LATER VINYL SIDING.
AND IF SO, IS THE ORIGINAL SIDING UNDERNEATH? UH, DOES IT LOOK ANYTHING LIKE THE HARDY, UH, THAT'S BEING PROPOSED TO REPLACE IT? UM, IT'S THAT, THAT 1.1 IS JUST PRETTY, PRETTY KEY TO EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IN THESE DISTRICTS.
AND SO, UM, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO KIND OF MAKE THE ARGUMENT FOR THE REAL NEED TO REPLACE ANY ORIGINAL MATERIAL.
WELL, THE ORIGINAL NEED FOR SOME OF THE MATERIAL WOULD BE TO MAKE EGRESS WINDOWS IN BEDROOMS. THAT'S ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO CUT INTO THE ROCK AND REPAIR IT.
THERE ARE PLACES WHERE IT'S LIFTED OFF THE HOUSE FROM FOUNDATION MOVEMENT.
UM, THE SIDING ON THE HOUSE IS A VINYL OVERLAY AND WHAT'S UNDERNEATH IT DOESN'T LOOK SO GOOD.
SO THAT NEEDS TO BE STRIPPED OFF AND WE NEED TO PUT JUST HARDY PLANK THAT WILL MATCH THE ORIGINAL SIZE AND WIDTH AND TEXTURE OF WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY THERE.
THE ROOF PITCH, NONE OF THAT IS CHANGING.
THE FOOTPRINT IS NOT CHANGING.
UM, THE ONLY THING THAT WE'RE DOING IS IN CLOSING THE CARPORT AND CONTINUING THE FACADE.
AND LIKE I SAID, I HAVE FOUND A ROCK, UM, THAT ALMOST EMULATES THAT, NOT EXACT, BUT PRETTY DARN CLOSE IN COLOR AND TEXTURE.
AND I HAD CIRCULATED AROUND TO SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS AND THEY SEEM TO BE VERY HAPPY WITH IT.
UM, AT THIS POINT, I'M JUST LOOKING FOR A LITTLE DIRECTION FROM Y'ALL TO TELL ME WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO DO TO MAKE YOU HAPPY SO THAT WE CAN PUSH THIS THING FORWARD BECAUSE IT IS FALLING APART.
THE REST OF IT DOESN'T WELL, AND WE APPRECIATE IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, A FAIRLY MODEST HOUSE, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND OF COURSE, UM, UNFORTUNATELY, AS YOU MAY SEE IN OUR AGENDA, WAY TOO MANY LANDOWNERS COME TO US WITH THE ASSUMPTION THAT IT HAS TO BE BULLDOZED.
SO WE, WE REALLY DO APPLAUD YOU AND WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE STANDARDS THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH, UH, REALLY DO SUPPORT THE LONG-TERM, UH, INTENTIONS.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE DOING A LOT TO KEEP THAT STRUCTURE IN TERMS OF SCALE, UM, AND WORKABILITY, I THINK THE FACT THAT THE WINDOWS ARE BEING CHANGED BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO FOR SAFETY PURPOSES IS UNDERSTANDABLE.
UM, CERTAINLY THE, UM, FACADE IF IT'S, UH, MATERIAL IS MATCHING EXISTING, UM, THE VINYL'S NOT ORIGINAL TO BEGIN WITH.
[01:40:01]
QUESTION IS, IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS, UH, DO WE NEED A DEEPER DIVE AND SUGGEST THAT WE HAVE THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE MEET WITH WITH YOU? UM, MY ONLY HESITATION IS FOR A PROJECT LIKE THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S A, IF IT'S A SMALL TWEAK HERE OR THERE, DO WE NEED A DELAY? UM, AND MAYBE THERE'S A WAY TO BE ABLE TO, UH, EITHER ANSWER THE QUESTIONS FROM THE DIOCESE HERE OR BE ABLE TO DO A REVIEW IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE CAN STILL DO AN, AN EARLY RELEASE AND KEEP YOU ON YOUR SCHEDULE.YEAH, I, I, UM, I HATE TO POSTPONE, BUT I DO THINK THIS IS MORE THAN SMALL TWEAKS.
UM, WE'RE LOSING, ALTHOUGH IT WAS SMALL, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE LOSING A FRONT PORCH.
SO IS THERE ANY OTHER FURTHER QUESTION OF THE APPLICANT, UH, AS YOU ARE MAKING YOUR COMMENTS? I, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IT SEEMS LIKE, I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT EGRESS AND ALL OF THAT, BUT THE, THE FRONT DOOR HAS SHIFTED, THE PORCH HAS BEEN ELIMINATED.
IT SEEMS LIKE ALL THE OPENINGS HAVE, HAVE REALLY KIND OF SHIFTED AROUND.
SO THE, TO ME, THE FRONT FACADE HAS DRASTICALLY CHANGED.
UM, AND I, I'M JUST CURIOUS WHY THAT WAS NECESSARY.
I, I THINK IF YOU CAME AND SAID, WELL, THIS ONE CERTAIN WINDOW NEEDS TO BE MADE BIGGER FOR EGRESS, THAT WOULD BE UNDERSTANDABLE.
BUT TO ME, UM, THE FACADE LOOKS VERY DIFFERENT.
WELL, OF COURSE, I'M TRYING TO, I WORKED IN AN ARCHITECTURE FIRM FOR A LONG TIME ABOUT, I DON'T WANT TO TELL YOU HOW MANY YEARS AGO, BUT, UM, I WAS TRYING TO CREATE A LITTLE BIT OF SYMMETRY IN THE HOUSE.
UM, I WAS TRYING TO CREATE A LITTLE BIT BETTER FLOOR PLAN ONCE YOU ENTERED THE HOUSE.
UM, YOU KNOW, PUTTING, I RECESSED THE DOOR AT THE FRONT TO CREATE A LITTLE BIT OF A FRONT PORCH TO KIND OF WHATEVER WE TOOK AWAY.
I WAS TRYING TO GIVE SOMETHING BACK TO IT, UM, BY LEAVING THE BAY AND THE ROOF LINE.
AND IF WE DO CONTINUE THE STONE, I DON'T THINK IT'LL LOOK THAT MUCH DIFFERENT EXCEPT MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE SYMMETRICAL, YOU KNOW, LIKE, LIKE I SAID, I'M OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS.
IF YOU SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, JEFF PUT THE FRONT DOOR BACK TO WHERE IT WAS AND TWEAK THIS AREA, I'M CREATIVE ENOUGH WHERE I COULD FIGURE THAT OUT.
I HAVE A QUESTION BEFORE WE CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE OUR DRAWINGS ONLY HAVE A DEMOLITION PLAN.
WHERE'S THE PROPOSED PLAN? DO YOU HAVE THAT? AND IF SO, IT SHOULD.
UM, THAT, THAT HAD, THAT WAS SUBMITTED, UH, WE DID TALK TO STAFF ABOUT THIS.
AND UNLESS THERE'S A SPECIFIC REQUEST, UH, TYPICALLY THOSE, JUST FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, WE DON'T LIKE TO PUBLISH, UH, PLANS THAT OF PEOPLE'S HOUSES.
SO IT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE, BUT THAT'S WHY IT WAS, UH, STAFF MADE THE CALL JUST TO HAVE DEMO ONLY.
WELL, IT'S HARD TO COMMENT ON THE WINDOWS AND ALL THESE ITEMS WITHOUT EVEN KNOWING WHAT THE PLAN IS.
SO, I MEAN, I THINK WE CAN MOVE ON AND CLOSE AND, YEAH.
UH, IS THERE ANOTHER, UH, SPEAKER ON THIS ITEM? JEFF, YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS.
WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, THERE'S NO OTHER SPEAKERS.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE A PUBLIC HEARING MOVE.
COMMISSIONER COOK, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GROGAN.
AND SO, UH, IT IS, UH, CLOSED.
ALRIGHT, UH, COMMISSIONERS, WHAT WOULD YOUR MOTION BE? I MOVE TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, POSTPONE THIS CASE TO OUR MARCH 6TH MEETING, AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO OUR FEBRUARY 13TH ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
AND CAN I ADD THAT A FLOOR PLAN IS BROUGHT TO THE A RC.
AND, UH, COMMISSIONER COOK, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? SURE.
I THINK A LOT HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID.
YEAH, WE WOULD NEED TO SEE THE FLOOR PLAN.
UM, UH, WE DEFINITELY APPRECIATE YOU REACHING OUT TO THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, WE, WE, OUR JOB IS TO ENFORCE THE STANDARDS, AND THE NUMBER ONE IS THAT THE PROTECTED FACADE DOESN'T CHANGE IN ANY WAY UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.
SO I WOULD COME KIND OF PREPARED TO THAT, THAT WOULD BE THE MAIN POINT.
UH, OTHERWISE IT'S VERY SENSITIVE.
I, I AGREE THAT THE DESIGN OVERALL IS SENSITIVE TO THE SPIRIT AND FEEL OF THE ORIGINAL HOME, BUT THERE ARE SOME DETAILS, LIKE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, ONE OF THE TRADITIONAL PATTERNS IS AN OPEN CARPORT WITH THE REAR DOOR.
AND THERE WAS KNOWN AS THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE BACK DOOR WAS WHERE IF SOMEONE KNOCKED ON YOUR BACK DOOR, YOU KNEW IT WAS A FRIEND.
IF SOMEONE KNOCKED ON YOUR FRONT DOOR, YOU KNEW NOT TO ANSWER
AND THAT'S KIND OF WRITTEN INTO THE HISTORY, UH, OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO IT'S LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, YEAH, IT KIND OF LOOKS LIKE THE SAME HOUSE, BUT THERE ARE LITTLE DETAILS THAT, THAT REALLY CONTRIBUTE TO IT.
SO, UH, I WOULD JUST FOCUS PRIMARILY, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING, THE ROOF, THE BACK, THE ROOF LINE.
IT'S JUST, WE'RE REALLY GONNA WANT, IF ANYTHING CHANGE THE, THE SIDING BEING VINYL, WHAT'S UNDER IT,
[01:45:01]
WHAT CONDITION IT'S IN, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING IN THAT SPIRIT COULD DEFINITELY BE DISCUSSED.UH, BUT THAT STONE IS VERY PARTICULAR AND OF THE PERIOD, SO WE'D WANNA SEE THE SAMPLES TO, YOU KNOW, IF IT A, TO KNOW IT HAS TO GO B UH, IF IT HAS TO GO THAT THE, THE REPLACEMENT REALLY DOES LOOK LIKE IT, UM, BUT FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE'RE GONNA WANT TO KEEP THE FRONT SAW EXACTLY THE WAY IT'S SO, OKAY.
AND IF I SAY WE DON'T WANNA KEEP IT THAT WAY, THE STANDARDS SAY IT HAS TO BE THAT WAY,
SO, AND OUR JOB IS TO ENFORCE THE STANDARD.
SO MY, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IS SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT THE CARPORT CONVERSION IS NOT ALLOWED? PRETTY MUCH.
IF, IF YOU GO TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, IN OUR DESIGN STANDARDS, IT TALKS ABOUT HOW TO TREAT CARPORTS AND GARAGES.
IT'S, IT, IT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE, BUT THERE'S VERY CLEAR GUIDELINES THERE IN THOSE STANDARDS.
UM, SO CHECK THE STANDARDS AGAIN.
SO, AND THESE ARE ITEMS THAT THE, THE VALUE OF THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE IS THAT IT IS A MUCH MORE INFORMAL SETTING AND WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO BOUNCE IDEAS BACK AND FORTH, AND WE HOPE, UH, I THINK MOST OFTEN CONSIDERING THE EXPERTISE THAT'S AROUND THE TABLE, UH, THAT OWNERS ARE ENRICHED BY THE EXPERIENCE AND GET A GOOD, UH, UNDERSTANDING BOTH OF WHAT'S BEING ASKED OF THEM, BUT ALSO, UH, ABLE TO EXPRESS WHAT LIMITATIONS THEY ALSO MAY HAVE, SO THAT BY THE TIME WE WOULD GET A PROPOSAL BACK FROM YOU, UH, EVERYBODY WOULD BE WELL AWARE THAT WE'VE DONE THE BEST WE CAN.
AND THAT WOULD EXPEDITE GETTING YOU THROUGH THE PROCESS.
SO, UH, WE APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO COME AND WORK WITH US.
THANK YOU ALL THREE TIME IF THE, THE MOTION PASSES.
AGAIN, COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE A MOTION TO POSTPONE IN ORDER TO, UH, ALLOW FOR A REFERRAL TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
UH, ALL THOSE IN, UH, IF THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY, UH, SAYING AYE OR RAISING YOUR HAND AND ALL OF US HERE RAISING HANDS, IT'S HARD TO SEE FROM THE HOUSE.
UH, COMMISSIONER EVANS, YOU'RE RAISING YOUR HAND, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
UH, AND COMMISSIONER DUDLEY, UH, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN WITH US, I'M AFRAID YOU CAN'T VOTE ON THIS.
UH, AND IN, IN FACT, IF WE GET, UH, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON BACK, HE'S WELCOME TO JOIN US, BUT, UH, OBVIOUSLY HE WOULD HAVE TO BE, UH, PRESENT FOR THIS AS WELL.
SO AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE THE 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, AND WITH COMMISSIONER EVANS, THAT'S EIGHT.
SO THAT IS DEFINITELY, UH, THE, UH, MOTION TO POSTPONE IS PASSED.
[12. HR-2023-122500 – 1010 Harwood Pl. Travis Heights-Fairview Park National Register Historic District ]
IS A NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT PERMIT APPLICATION.UH, WE ARE BEING ASKED TO, UH, REVIEW BOTH THE DEMOLITION OF A BUILDING AND THE NEW CONSTRUCTION.
THIS WAS POSTPONED FROM OUR JANUARY 10TH MEETING.
UH, SO NOW I MAKE SURE THAT CALLAN IS OVER THERE READY TO DO HER PRESENTATION.
ITEM 12 AT 10 10 HARWOOD PLACE IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1935 HOUSE AND CONSTRUCT A NEW RESIDENCE, A DU AND POOL.
UH, THIS PROPOSAL CAME BEFORE Y'ALL AT THE JANUARY MEETING.
UM, THE ORIGINAL PORTION OF THE HOUSE AT 10 10 HARWOOD IS ONE STORY WITH A SYMMETRICAL PLAN AND A SIDE GABLE ROOF.
IT'S CENTRAL STOOP IS SHELTERED BY A GABLE PORTICO WITH A CLASSICAL, WITH CLASSICAL REVIVAL COLUMNS, UM, AND TRADITIONAL CORNICE RETURNS.
THIS HOUSE HAS A TWO STORY REAR EDITION AND GABLE SIDE EDITION WITH A FIREPLACE MOSTLY CONSTRUCTED WITHIN THE PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE.
10 10 HARWOOD WAS CONSTRUCTED AROUND 1935 AND EARLY RESIDENCE INCLUDED HOYT AND JESSE HENDERSON WHO RENTED THE PROPERTY.
YOU'ALL HEAR ME? NO, WE GETTING YOU BACK AGAIN, BRI.
HOW ABOUT NOW? UH, WELL IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE, YOU'RE SOMEWHAT MUTED.
UH, WE'RE NOT SURE WHAT SPEAKER YOU'RE COMING OUT ON, BUT, UH, WE CAN AT LEAST WE CAN HEAR YOU.
IT JUST, UH, A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN IT WAS.
UH, WEBEX HAS DECIDED TO CHANGE MY SPEAKER.
UH, SO, UH, COMMISSIONER DUDLEY, I THINK WE MIGHT BE HAVING THE SAME KIND OF PROBLEMS HERE, BUT, UM, IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, PLEASE, UH, LET ME KNOW AND I WILL.
UM, HOYT HENDERSON WAS THE CHIEF OPERATOR AT THE WESTERN UNION TELEPHONE COMPANY.
UH, AND THE HOUSE WAS SOLD TO C MORLEY AND FRANCIS BARTHOLOMEW, WHO LIVED THERE UNTIL THE 1940S.
[01:50:01]
MORLEY BARTHOLOMEW WORKED AS A SALESMAN AND AN ENGINEER, AND DURING THE 1950S, RAYMOND WILLIAMS, UM, WHO WORKED FOR THE WESTERN REPUBLIC LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, PURCHASED THE HOME FROM BARTHOLOMEW.THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS ARE BASED ON THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR STANDARDS FOR REHABILITATION AND ARE USED TO EVALUATE PROJECTS IN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS.
UM, STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT THE PROPOSED NEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECT DOES NOT MEET MOST OF THE STANDARDS.
UM, HOWEVER, STAFF HAS ALSO EVALUATED THE PROPERTY TO OUR HISTORIC LANDMARK DESIGNATION CRITERIA AND DETERMINED THAT THE EXISTING BUILDING DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
THEREFORE, THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO ENHANCE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE AND RELOCATION OVER DEMOLITION, BUT TO RELEASE THE PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
DO WE HAVE THE APPLICANT HERE TO SPEAK TO THIS ITEM? THE APPLICANT IS NOT HERE.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP IN OPPOSITION TO THE REQUEST FOR DEMOLITION? YES, WE HAVE A MR. CLIFTON LAD.
MR. LAD, PLEASE COME TO THE TABLE THERE AND, UH, INTRODUCE YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD.
MY NAME IS CLIFTON LAD AND I OPPOSE THE ISSUANCE OF A DEMOLITION PERMIT FOR 10 10 HARWOOD PLACE AND SPEAK AS A MEMBER OF THE SOUTH RIVER CITY CITIZENS HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE.
AND WE APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
THIS HOME IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, IS NOT NEED TO BE DEMOLISHED.
THE HOME THAT THE APPLICANT WISHES WISHES TO DESTROY IS A COLONIAL REVIVAL HOME BUILT IN 1935.
IT'S A CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE IN THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THE SOUTH RIVER CITY CITIZENS HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE IS STRUGGLING TO PROTECT THE HISTORY OF THIS AREA AND PREVENT THESE UNNECESSARY DEMOLITIONS AS DESCRIBED IN DETAIL BY THE STAFF REPORT REGARDING THIS APPLICATION.
THE PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION DOES NOT MEET THE APPLICABLE DESIGN STANDARDS.
THE PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION INCLUDES A BIG MAIN HOUSE ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT OR A DU GARAGE, ALL OF WHICH ARE LARGER IN SCALE AND TOLERANT HEIGHT THAN THE SURROUNDING CONTRIBUTING BUILDINGS.
THEIR MASSING DOES NOT FIT WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, THE PROPOSED BUILDINGS PROPORTIONS ARE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE SURROUNDING CONTRIBUTING BUILDINGS PROPORTIONS.
THE DESIGN AND STYLE ARE INCONSISTENT WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD HISTORIC DISTRICT.
I WOULD LIKE TO URGE THE APPLICANT AND THE HLC TO CONSIDER THE PRESERVATION INCENTIVE OF THE RECENTLY APPROVED HOME INITIATIVE.
THE PRESERVATION BONUS IN THE HOME INITIATIVE WOULD EXEMPT HOMES CONSTRUCTED BEFORE 1960 FROM A SITE'S FLOOR AREA RATIO FOR PROJECTS ADDING NEW HOUSING UNITS TO A PROPERTY.
HOMEOWNERS OR DEVELOPERS COULD USE THAT FAR FOR THEIR NEW HOUSING UNITS IN EXCHANGE FOR PRESERVING 100% OF THE PRE 1960 HOLMES STREET FACING FACADE, IN ADDITION TO PRESERVING AT LEAST 50% OF THE PRE 1960 HOME STRUCTURE.
OVERALL, UH, WE SUGGEST THAT THE APPLICANT WORK WITH THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE TO COME UP WITH A PLAN THAT IS, UH, FOR THIS HOME THAT IS MORE CONSISTENT WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK MR. LAD.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS? OKAY.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK FOR THIS? ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? OKAY.
UM, THIS WAS POSTPONED FROM OUR JANUARY 10TH MEETING THAT WAS, UH, INITIATED BY THE COMMISSION, AS I UNDERSTAND.
SO, UH, THERE IS A TIME CLOCK THAT IS ON THIS.
IS THAT CORRECT? UH, CALLEN? YES, COMMISSIONER.
UM, THIS IS A 180 DAY DEMOLITION DELAY FOR THE CONTRIBUTING BUILDING AND A 75 DAY DELAY FOR, UM, PLANS.
UH, R YOUR MAXIMUM POTENTIAL, UM, POSTPONEMENT OPTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I MOVED MR. RUBIO SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE OR RAISING YOUR HAND.
UH, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, WHAT IS YOUR PREFERENCE ON THIS?
[01:55:01]
I DON'T KNOW.I'M JUST GONNA STICK THIS OUT THERE AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
I MOVE TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING ON THE CRITERIA OF ARCHITECTURE AND COMMUNITY VALUE.
UH, COMMISSIONER RUBIO HAS A MOTION TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING.
IF THERE'S NO SECOND, THEN I'LL ENTERTAIN A DIFFERENT MOTION.
WE ALWAYS HAVE THE ABILITY TO POSTPONE, UH, IF, UH, THAT'S, UH, NO, NO BETTER OPTION HERE.
I'M GONNA MOVE TO, UM, OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND POSTPONE.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND TO POSTPONE TO THE MARCH MEETING.
UH, IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER COOK ALL THOSE IN.
UH, IS THERE ANY CONVER UH, ANY DISCUSSION REGARDING THE MOTION? I JUST HAVE A QUESTION.
DID, DID THIS ALREADY, DID I MISS IT? DID IT GO TO OUR ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE OR NOT? THEY'VE BEEN INVITED, BUT THEY HAVEN'T COME.
AND THEY KIND OF MADE THEIR ARGUMENT IN THE INITIAL PRESENTATION THAT THE NEIGHBORING PROPERTY IS VERY MODERN AND THAT THE OWNER HAS NO INTEREST IN DOING ANYTHING OTHER THAN WHAT'S BEING PRESENTED.
BUT I, I WOULD ADD TO MY MOTION THAT THEY'RE WELCOME.
CAN WE EXTEND ANOTHER INVITE? SO, NOTED.
THE APPLICANT WAS, UH, I BELIEVE OUR LAST MEETING AND, UH, I THINK SOMEBODY DID MENTION THE BENEFITS OF THE HOME AMENDMENT, UH, AS DID MR. LAD JUST NOW.
SO HOPEFULLY THEY'RE, THEY'RE DIALING IN TO HEAR THIS, SO.
ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? OKAY, COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE A MOTION TO POSTPONE TO THE MARCH MEETING, UH, AND REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND SEEING ALL HERE ON THE DAS AND COMMISSIONER.
SO 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 8 IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED.
AND COMMISSIONER RUBIO OPPOSED? SO, UH, THAT IS POSTPONED ON AN EIGHT TO ONE VOTE.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
[13. HR-2023-001087 – 402 Lockhart Dr. Travis Heights-Fairview Park National Register Historic District ]
THE NEXT CASE.UH, THIS IS, UH, ANOTHER TRAVIS HEIGHTS, FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER, HISTORIC DISTRICT, UH, PROPERTY AT 4 0 2 LOCKHART DRIVE.
UH, ONCE AGAIN A REQUEST FOR DEMOLITION OF A BUILDING WITH NEW CONSTRUCTION.
AND ONCE AGAIN, THIS WAS POSTPONED FROM OUR JANUARY 10TH MEETING.
AND REMIND ME AGAIN, UH, MS. CONTRERAS, THIS WAS AGAIN, POSTPONED BY COMMISSIONERS, IS THAT CORRECT? UH, YES.
COMMISSIONER, WE HAVE ONE APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT.
UM, AND I BELIEVE, LET'S SEE, WE HAVE ONE APPLICANT, POSTPONEMENT AND ONE COMMISSION POSTPONEMENT.
UM, AND SAM CAN, UH, CAN CLARIFY THAT WHILE I, UH, DO THE PRESENTATION AS WELL.
UM, 4 0 2 LOCKHART DRIVE IS A PROPOSAL TO PARTIALLY DEMOLISH AND REMODEL A CIRCA 1939 HOUSE.
UH, THIS IS A ONE AND A HALF STORY CROSS GABLED HOUSE WITH A MODERN SHED ROOF.
TWO STORY ADDITION AT THE REAR, UH, IT HAS HORIZONTAL WOOD SIDING, A PARTIAL WOOD PORCH AND WHATEVER, ONE WOOD WINDOWS.
THE HOUSE AT 4 0 2 LOCKHART WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1939 BY TC STEINER.
ITS FIRST OWNER ELECTRICIAN DERWOOD WAGONER LIVED THERE ONLY A YEAR BEFORE SELLING THE HOME TO MOEL AND JOHN T. WARREN, JOHN WARREN WORKED AS A PUBLIC HEALTH INSTRUCTOR.
THE WARRENS LIVED IN THE HOME UNTIL THE END OF THE 1950S AND THE HOUSE THEN BECAME A RENTAL PROPERTY, HOUSING SHORT-TERM OCCUPANTS, INCLUDING A CONSTRUCTION FOREMAN AND A NATIONAL GUARDSMAN.
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 IN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS.
THIS PROJECT MEETS SOME OF THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS, UH, THOUGH IT DOES CHANGE THE CONTRIBUTING BUILDING VERY SIGNIFICANTLY.
STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE EXISTING PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
THEREFORE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO COMMENT ON PLANS AND REQUEST A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE AS WELL.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS OF STAFF? DOES THIS GO TO A RC OR NO? NO, THEY WERE INVITED, UH, LAST MEETING, BUT I DO NOT THINK THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO ATTEND.
UM, AND SAM YOU MIGHT CORRECT ME ON THAT TOO.
UM, NO OTHER QUESTIONS THEN I'LL, UH, AND OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, IS THE APPLICANT HERE TO PRESENT? OKAY.
PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF NOW.
[02:00:02]
UH, HELLO EVERYONE.UM, I GUESS IN FIRST COMMENT TO THE A RC UH, MEETING THAT WAS HELD LAST MONTH, I WAS IN ATTENDANCE AT IT.
I WAS ON THE PHONE AND THEY, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE PEOPLE THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO SPEAK WITH DID NOT SHOW UP.
WELL I DID MY PART TO I GUESS HEAR OUT THE COMMITTEE'S, UM, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS ON THERE, BUT I TOOK IT UPON MYSELF TO, UM, REVIEW THOROUGHLY THE HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS AS WELL.
THE PDF, UM, THAT'S OUT THERE.
PAGES 64 THROUGH 74 PRIMARILY.
AND THE, UH, DESIGN STANDARDS THAT Y'ALL HAVE BEEN MENTIONING PREVIOUSLY, UM, ON THIS AS WELL.
AND I'D JUST LIKE TO MENTION THAT, UM, IN LOOKING AT IT, UH, THE THINGS THAT WE DO MEET, WE MEET THE SETBACK STANDARDS, WE MEET THE ORIENTATION REQUIREMENTS, WE MEET THE DESIGN AND STYLE REQUIREMENTS, WE MEET THE EXTERIOR WALL REQUIREMENTS, WE MEET THE WINDOWS AND SCREENS AND DOORS REQUIREMENTS AS WELL.
UM, ALSO I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION BASED ON STAFF EVALUATION ON THIS, AS CALLAN MENTIONED, THAT UM, WE DO NOT MEET THE HISTORIC LANDMARK, UM, TWO CRITERIA EITHER.
AND WE ARE IN A NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT, SO NOT A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UM, I FEEL THAT, UM, IN TALKING WITH MY NEIGHBORS AS WELL, WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO REALLY, UM, CONSTRUCT A HOME THAT FLOWS WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS AS WELL.
SO, UM, WANNA STAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND EVERYTHING TOO.
SO WE'VE DONE AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN TO, UM, MAKE THIS ALL WORK.
UM, ONE OF THE COMMENTS FROM THE LAST MEETING THAT WE WERE AT, AND THIS, THIS WAS SUBMITTED FOR THE 1213 AGENDA AS WELL AS THE OTHER, UM, PIECE ON THERE THAT I WANTED TO ADD, BUT ONE OF THE COMMENTS WAS THE GARAGE DOOR ON THE FRONT.
I DID LOOK AT THAT AND, AND AS PART OF THIS HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS, IT'S IF WE COULD LOOK AT DOING ENTRY ON THE SIDE WITH THAT, THAT WOULD BE DESIRABLE FOR THE HLC, UNFORTUNATELY, DUE TO IMPERVIOUS COVER.
AND WE HAVE A REALLY NICE PECAN TREE, ALMOST A HERITAGE TREE ON SITE THERE WHERE THE ROOT SYSTEM, IT'S RIGHT NEXT TO THE SITE WHERE THERE WOULD BE, UM, A PORTION TO GO.
UM, SO THE, HOW IT'S LAID OUT IS REALLY THE BEST THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY DO.
UM, AND AGAIN, I MEAN, I'M, I'M SAYING IT FOR, FOR THIS NOT ONLY DOES DO THE HOUSES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE REALLY NICE HISTORIC HOMES THAT NEED TO BE PRESERVED AND EVERYTHING THIS, THAT WE HAVE IS, UM, DOESN'T MEET THOSE CRITERIA.
UM, BUT AGAIN, WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO DO SO.
SO, UM, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS.
UM, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? COMMISSIONER, COOK? I WAS JUST CURIOUS WHAT THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE NEW VERSUS THE EXISTING HOME WOULD BE.
SO, UM, EXISTING HOME TODAY IS 2,500 SQUARE FEET.
WE'RE KEEPING 1300 SQUARE FEET OF THE 2017 PART THAT WE BUILT.
AND WE'RE ADDING 1300 SQUARE FEET, SO IT'LL BE 2,600 SQUARE FEET IN TOTAL.
SO IT'S EFFECTIVELY IT'S 100 SQUARE FEET MORE.
UM, AND JUST WANTED, YOU HAD NOTED THAT THE, THE WINDOW, THE WINDOWS MEET THE STANDARDS, BUT DO YOU THINK THE SIX FOOT BY SIX FOOT WINDOW IN THE FRONT NEXT TO THE GARAGE DOOR MEETS THE STANDARDS? HMM.
BASED ON MY REVIEW OF THE HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS, YES.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? OKAY.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE TO HERE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. DALEY.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE? ABSOLUTELY.
HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS APPLICATION.
IS THERE ANYBODY HERE? SORRY, I DO HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
EXCUSE ME, MR. DO, IS THERE A, A REASON THAT THE, UM, GARAGE FINISHED FLOOR IS, IS SO HIGH? THE GARAGE? SORRY, SAY THAT AGAIN? UM, IT LOOKS LIKE THE GARAGE FINISHED FLOOR IS, IS A COUPLE FEET HIGHER THAN, UM, THE OTHER DOORS ON EITHER SIDE, AND I WAS JUST CURIOUS WHY THAT WAS SO OUT OF GRADE THERE.
SO THE, FROM THE FRONT OF OUR LOT TO THE BACK OF OUR LOT, THERE'S A SEVEN FOOT DROP AND THAT'LL ALL BE SUCCINCT.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA COME OUT OF THE GARAGE AND DO LIKE A RAMP OR ANYTHING, BUT, UM, IT'LL ALL BE,
[02:05:01]
I GUESS, UM, LOOK HOW IT SHOULD LOOK, I GUESS.UM, IS THERE ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THIS APPLICATION? YES, WE HAVE MR. CLIFTON LADD.
MY NAME IS CLIFTON LADD AND I'M HERE TO ASK YOU, UH, TONIGHT TO WORK WITH APPLICANT TO FIND A WAY TO PROTECT THE HOME AT 4 0 2 LOCKHART LOCKHART DRIVE WITH APPROPRIATE REMODELING.
I SPEAK AS A MEMBER OF THE SOUTH RIVER CITY CITIZENS HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE AND APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I ALSO APPRECIATE THE APPLICANT'S WORK TO CREATE A HOME THAT FITS WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND DO SUGGEST THAT THEY WORK WITH AN ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE AS APPROPRIATE AS WAS STATED AT THE JANUARY MEETING.
UM, I ALSO URGE THE APPLICANT AND HLC TO CONSIDER THE PRESERVATION INCENTIVES IN THE HOME OR, UM, HOME INITIATIVE THAT I DESCRIBED A FEW MINUTES AGO IN A DIFFERENT ITEM.
UM, THE PRESERVATION BONUS BONUS WOULD, EXEMPT HOMES CONSTRUCTED BEFORE 1960 FROM A SITE'S FLOOR AREA RATIO FOR PROJECTS ADDING NEW HOUSING UNITS TO A PROPERTY.
THE HOMEOWNERS OR DEVELOPERS COULD USE THAT FAR FOR THEIR NEW HOUSING UNITS IN EXCHANGE FOR PRESERVING A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE PRE 1960 HOME STREET FACING FACADE, IN ADDITION TO PRESERVING AT LEAST 50% OF THE PRE 1960 HOME STRUCTURE.
OVERALL, UH, WE SUGGEST THAT THE APPLICANT AND ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE WORK TOGETHER TO DEVELOP A PLAN FOR HOME THAT IS MORE CONSISTENT WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING THIS REQUEST.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE SPEAKER? OKAY, APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
UH, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK? ALRIGHT, UH, WE ACTUALLY HAVE, UM, MY TRADITION, UH, ALLOW FOR A REBUTTAL.
UH, MR. DALEY, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GET BACK, YOU CERTAINLY CAN ADDRESS ANY COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE.
UM, ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, UH, WE CAN ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COMMISSIONER RUBIO, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MC MORDER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND I SEE, UH, ALL HERE ON THE DIOCESE AND TO, UH, REMOTE.
ALRIGHT, UH, COMMISSIONERS, WHAT IS YOUR ACTION HERE? I MOVE THAT WE POSTPONE TO NEXT MONTH'S MEETING AND INVITE THEM, RE-INVITE THEM TO THE A RC UH, MEETING.
IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER GROGAN.
UM, COMMISSIONER RU, BEFORE YOU SPEAK, I DO WANT TO CLARIFY, UH, PERHAPS, UH, SAM, YOU COULD, UH, I, WE DIDN'T HAVE YOUR MICROPHONE ON AND THERE WAS AN EXCHANGE, EVIDENTLY THERE WAS SOME, UH, MISCOMMUNICATION IN THE LAST ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
WE THOUGHT WE HAD HIS NUMBER IN THE SYSTEM.
HOWEVER, HE COULDN'T UNMUTE HIMSELF, SO HE WAS UNABLE TO SPEAK.
SO I, I I WAS NOT AWARE THAT WE ALLOWED FOR REMOTE, UH, DIAL IN FOR THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE.
I KNOW OUR OTHER COMMITTEES AREN'T ABLE TO DO THAT, SO THAT, THAT IS ALLOWED.
SO THE TECHNOLOGY FAILED US IN, IN, IN ON THIS ONE.
IS THAT WHAT HAPPENED? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
WELL, AND OUR APOLOGIES THEN TO THIS APPLICANT BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE MISSED AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, THAT HAVING BEEN SAID, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY, BUT STILL, UH, WAITING.
SO, UH, COMMISSIONER RUBIO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? YEAH, UH, WE WERE THERE.
I KNOW WE HAD SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, SO SORRY.
UM, BUT I THINK THE ROOF LINES, THE WINDOWS AND THE GARAGE WEREN'T ENOUGH THAT WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT THIS AT A RC.
COMMISSIONER GROGAN, I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS.
I I DO APOLOGIZE ABOUT THAT, BUT, UM, I THINK WE'D, WE'D LOVE TO SEE YOU AT THE NEXT MEETING, UM, OVER PHONE OR IN PERSON.
UM, ONLY IF WE HAVE A QUESTION OF THE APPLICANT, UH, WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO ASK THE APPLICANT A QUESTION? DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY AT THIS POINT?
I MEAN, I JUST, I'D LIKE TO BE COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT WITH Y'ALL AND NOT BE CHANGING, SO I'M LIKE, I CAN GO AND LISTEN.
UH, I FEEL LIKE I'VE GOTTEN ALL THE FEEDBACK, EVERYTHING THAT I'VE NEEDED, AND I'VE GONE THROUGH THESE, THE HISTORIC DESIGN, THICK AND THIN.
I'M JUST BEING TRANSPARENT WITH Y'ALL.
I'VE DONE THIS TO THE PROFESSOR, UM,
[02:10:02]
AS MUCH AS I CAN.I JUST DON'T KNOW GOING TO THE A RC WILL DO.
I I'M FAMILIAR WITH IF I WAS IN A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT, COMPLETELY VALUE CLIFF'S SIDE OF IT.
UM, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR NEIGHBOR DEALING WITH AT THE MOMENT.
MR. DALEY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT.
AND AGAIN, APOLOGIES THAT THERE WAS A, UM, A GLITCH, IF YOU WILL, THAT THAT KEPT THE, THE EXCHANGE.
IT MAY EVEN BE THAT IN THE COURSE OF, UH, CONVERSATION, UH, SOME OF THOSE EFFORTS THAT YOU'VE MADE ALREADY TO MEET THE STANDARDS, UH, MAY BE SOMETHING THAT IS ADDED TO THE DIALOGUE AND MAY PERHAPS, UM, AGAIN, UM, WE, WE HAVE LIMITED TOOLS AT OUR DISPOSAL AND ONE OF THEM IS TO USE THIS PERIOD OF TIME TO TRY TO MAKE SURE WE'VE DONE THE BEST WE CAN.
SO WE DO HAVE A MOTION AT THIS POINT, UH, FOR POSTPONEMENT AND, UH, REFERRAL TO THE A RC UH, COMMISSIONERS.
UH, I'LL, UNLESS ANY OF THERE'S ANY FURTHER CONVERSATION, AND I WILL CALL THE QUESTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
OKAY, I SEE, UH, WITH THE DAIS AND, UH, AT, UH, REMOTE, THAT IS UNANIMOUS.
AND SO, UH, WE DO WISH YOU THE BEST AND HOPE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE YOU AT THE A RC, UH, AND THEN BACK HERE, UH, IN A MONTH.
ALRIGHT, THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER 14.
THIS IS 1409 ALTA VISTA AVENUE.
NO, THAT WAS THE POSTPONEMENT.
WE ALREADY HAD THAT POSTPONED.
THE NEXT DISCUSSION ITEM IS D DEMOLITION AND RELOCATION PERMIT APPLICATION.
THIS IS FOR 28 0 2 PIERCE ROAD, AND THIS IS A APPLICATION FOR TOTAL DEMOLITION.
AND, UH, THIS IS THE POSTPONED 18 AND 19.
OH NO, YOU, HOW DID I DO THAT? OKAY.
UH, WE DID HAVE 18 AND 19 POLL FOR DISCUSSION.
[18. HR-2023-005097 – 514 E 6th St. Sixth Street National Register Historic District ]
FIVE 14 EAST SIXTH STREET.UH, AND THIS IS, UH, A REMODEL AND REPAINT, UH, PROPOSAL.
UH, AND AT THIS POINT, UH, MS. CONTRERAS, DO YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION? THANK YOU, CHAIR.
ITEM 18 AT FIVE 14 EAST SIXTH STREET IS A PROPOSAL TO REMODEL AND CONVERT A CIRCUIT 1885 COMMERCIAL BUILDING TO A RESTAURANT.
THIS IS A TWO STORY BRICK STRUCTURE WITH BRICK MOLD AND A ZIGZAG PATTERN IN A DETAILED BRICK CORNICE.
THE FACADE HAS BEEN PAINTED SINCE THE 1975 NATIONAL REGISTER SURVEY, UM, AND THE EXISTING STOREFRONT HAS BEEN ALTERED WITH CHANGES BEGINNING DURING THE 1950S.
ACCORDING TO CITY PERMITS BUILT BEFORE 1885, THIS ADDRESS APPEARS ON SANBORN MAPS AS ONE OF THE EARLIEST TWO STORY BUILDINGS CONSTRUCTED ENTIRELY OF BRICK ON THE BLOCK.
UH, ITS ELABORATE DETAILING ON THE SECOND FLOOR AND EMPHASIZES THAT IT WAS, WAS LIKELY AN EXTENSIVELY CRAFTED SHOWPIECE DESIGNED TO DROP CUSTOMERS.
IT WAS LISTED AS A GROCERY STORE WITH LIVE-IN TENANTS UNTIL 1889, INCLUDING DR.
QUENTIN NEIL, AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON WHO OFFICE WHO OFFICE, AND LIKELY LIVED IN THE BUILDING.
AND THEN AS A SALOON IN 1894 WHEN IT SOON TRANSITIONED INTO HOUSING NEARLY A HUNDRED YEARS OF RETAIL SALES.
ADDIE AND ALBERT REISINGER BLACK BUSINESS OWNERS WHO WORKED AS A MILLINER AND A SHOEMAKER, OPERATED THEIR BUSINESS ALONGSIDE A TAILOR SHOP, RESTAURANT, AND BAKERY AT FIVE 14 E SIX FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS UNTIL ADDIE REISINGER, UM, APPEARS TO HAVE TAKEN OVER THE RESTAURANT PORTION OF THAT BUSINESS.
BY THE 1920S, A SERIES OF FURNITURE STORES, A STOVE REPAIR COMPANY, AND A PLUMBING AND HEATING BUSINESS OCCUPIED THE BUILDING.
BY THE THIRTIES, AFRICAN AMERICAN BUSINESSMAN, WD ALLIANCE HAD PURCHASED A BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTED A NEW SISTER BUILDING NEXT DOOR AT FIVE 16 EAST SIX, WHICH EVENTUALLY BECAME A PAINT STORE.
NOTABLY, EITHER THE UPPER FLOOR OR REAR BUILDING WAS THE HOME OF THE AMERICAN WOODMAN, UH, WHO ARE A BLACK FRATERNAL AND BUS BENEFITS ORGANIZATION BEGAN IN AUSTIN BY CASSIUS AND WHITE IN GRANDVILLE W NORMAN AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY.
BY THE 1950S, THE WOODMAN BOASTED ABOUT 50,000 MEMBERS BY THE SIXTIES, BOTH BUILDINGS CONTAINED, BUSINESSES OWNED BY THE OS AND FAMILY UNDER THE SOUTHERN INVESTMENTS UMBRELLA, FIVE 14 FOCUSED ON APPLIANCES AND FOREIGN CAR SALES WHILE FIVE 16 HOUSE THE FINANCE OFFICES, THE DESIGN STANDARDS ESTABLISHED BY ORDINANCE 20 23 0 7 2 60, AND BASED ON THE
[02:15:01]
CITY CITYWIDE HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS FOR PROPERTIES IN THE 500 AND 600 BLOCKS OF EAST SIXTH STREET APPLY, UM, STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROP, THE PROPOSED PROJECT BASED ON THOSE STANDARDS AND FOUND THAT IT MEETS THE STANDARDS.STAFF HAS ALSO EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT MAY MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION, UM, AS A TWO-PART COMMERCIAL BLOCK ASSOCIATED WITH THE SHIFT IN DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS AND SETTLEMENT PATTERNS AROUND THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY, UM, AS SMALL SHOPS GAVE WAY TO AUTOMOBILE BASED BUSINESSES.
UM, AND IT IS ALSO ASSOCIATED WITH THE REISINGER FAMILY WHO ARE LONG-TERM TENANTS.
AND BRIEFLY WITH THE AMERICAN WOODMAN, UH, THE PROPERTY APPEARS TO BE ONE OF THE OLDEST EXIT BUILDINGS ON THE BLOCK AND IS ASSOCIATED WITH EARLY BLACK BUSINESS PEOPLE AND ENTREPRENEURS ON EAST SIXTH STREET.
UH, COMMITTEE FEEDBACK INCLUDES CONTINUING THE MASONRY PATTERNS RATHER THAN KEEPING TILES OR CORRUGATED METAL ACCENTS AND PERFORM PAIN ANALYSIS IF POSSIBLE, UM, AS WELL AS INVESTIGATE THE FEASIBILITY OF EXPOSING THE MASONRY.
UM, STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONCUR WITH COMMITTEE FEEDBACK AND COMMENT ON THE PLANS AND TRAIN THE APPLICANT TO CONSIDER USING HISTORIC PHOTOS WHEN RE WHEN REPLACING THE STOREFRONT AND THE AWNING.
UM, AND I BELIEVE THE APPLICANT, UM, IS AMENABLE TO, UM, AMENDING THE DESIGN TO ENHANCE COMPATIBILITY.
UM, AND THEY ARE HERE TO SPEAK TO THAT AS WELL.
UM, ONE QUICK QUESTION OF STAFF BEFORE WE OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I'M NOTING THAT, UM, ON THE RESURVEY IN 2020, THIS WAS NOTED AS NON-CONTRIBUTING.
IS THAT BASED ON ITS CURRENT CONDITION? UH, YES.
THE 2020, UH, RESURVEY WAS BASED ON, I THINK THE STOREFRONT MODIFICATIONS.
THEY APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN DONE AFTER THE ORIGINAL MODIFICATIONS, UM, BACK I THINK IN THE FIFTIES.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF STAFF? ALRIGHT, UM, WE'LL HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT COMMISSIONERS.
MY MS. SKY CURRY, I WORK WITH CLAYTON CORDY.
WE'RE THE ARCHITECTS THAT ARE REPRESENTING STREAM, UH, FOR THIS PROPERTY AND ALL THE OTHER SIX STREET PROPERTIES.
UH, I KNOW WE'VE PUT THIS PROPERTY IN FRONT OF THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, SO HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS YOU HAVE.
COMMISSIONER RUBIO SPECIFICALLY? YEAH, THANKS FOR, THANKS FOR COMING.
I MEAN, WE'VE, WE'VE REALLY ENJOYED LOOKING AT THESE PROPERTIES AT A RC.
UM, I THINK THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT STOOD OUT TO ME IS, UM, THE CORRUGATED METAL WHERE WE ORIGINALLY HAD SOME TRANSOM WINDOWS, AND THEN I KNOW WE'VE GOT A PROPOSED AWNING THERE.
I THINK WE ACTUALLY MADE SUGGESTIONS, YOU KNOW, TO GO BACK TO THOSE TRANSOM WINDOWS.
AND THIS WAS BEFORE WE HAD THAT HISTORIC PHOTO THAT'S IN OUR PACKET.
I DON'T THINK WE HAD THAT HISTORIC PHOTO WHEN WE WENT TO A RC, SO THIS IS, WE DID NIA, THAT WAS NEW.
YEAH, THIS IS NEW, WHICH TO ME IS EXCITING.
IT'S CLEAR EVIDENCE AND I CANNOT, UM, I CANNOT SEE US NOT GOING BACK TO THAT.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE PULLED IT.
I THINK WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE THAT NEW PIECE OF INFORMATION.
UH, FOR SOME REASON WHEN WE DID OUR HISTORIC RESEARCH AND, UH, KALAN AND HER TEAM DID IT, THAT PHOTO DIDN'T SHOW UP.
UH, SO I THINK WE WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE EMBRACED IT AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO DO SO.
UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? UH, ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? I WAS, DO YOU KNOW IF THE OWNER WITH THE RESTORATION WOULD BE INTERESTED IN LANDMARK DESIGNATION FOR THIS PROPERTY? UH, I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT AT THIS SETTING, BUT I CAN GET THAT FEEDBACK AND REPORT BACK.
UH, I THINK I CERTAINLY BE A, A, A, CERTAINLY A REQUEST TO BE WORTH CONSIDERING.
UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THEN? ALRIGHT, IS THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKER? NO ONE ELSE HAS SIGNED UP.
THEN I'LL MOVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 18 MOVED COMMISSIONER RUBIO, UH, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COOK.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND IT IS UNANIMOUS.
UH, NONE OPPOSED HEARING IS CLOSED.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, WHAT IS YOUR, UH, YOUR INTEREST HERE? ARE WE ABLE TO FRAME THAT APPROVAL TO CONTINGENT UPON RESTORING THE TRANSOM WINDOW PER THE PHOTO? I BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE A QUESTION FOR STAFF, BUT I BELIEVE SO.
UH, YES, THIS IS AN ITEM IN A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT COMMISSIONER, SO YOU'D HAVE TO, UM, MOTION TO INCLUDE IT IN YOUR COMMENTS AS, UH, AS THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, UH, MOTIONS ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IN THAT, UM, THERE IS NO APPROVE OR DENIABILITY OF THE COMMISSION HERE.
[02:20:05]
UH, I'LL MOVE IN GOOD FAITH TO REGISTER THESE COMMENTS ON THIS PROPERTY.SO SHALL WE MAKE THAT A MOTION TO CONCUR WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION, INCLUDING AND INCLUDE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS TO, UH, ENCOURAGE THE, UH, UH, INCLUSION OF THE TRANSO WINDOWS AS PER THE HISTORIC PHOTOGRAPH? THAT SOUNDS MUCH BETTER.
SO IS THAT A MOTION THAT I JUST HEARD FROM YOU? COMMISSIONER COOK? YES, I SECONDED.
ALRIGHT, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? YEAH, IT'S, UH, AN UNUSUAL MOVE FOR ME TO ACT IN SUCH GOOD FAITH.
UM, BUT GIVEN ALL THE OTHER PROPERTIES AND THE LEVEL TO WHICH, UH, THIS PROPERTY OWNER HAS BEEN TRULY, UH, FOCUSED ON, UM, PRESERVATION RESTORATION, FAITHFUL TO THE ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION, I TRUST THAT THEY WILL DO THE SAME HERE.
UM, I, I KNOW THEY'RE EAGER TO GET MOVING ON THESE PROPERTIES AND I UNDERSTAND AND BEGIN BY OPENING SOME RESTAURANTS.
UM, I I, I WOULDN'T WANNA HOLD IT UP.
I DO, GIVEN THE HISTORY HERE AND THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION THAT THIS COULD BE A LANDMARK AND ESPECIALLY GIVEN, GIVEN THE, THE, THE EQUITABLE SITUATIONS WITH THE, THE BLACK HISTORY AND THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY, I WOULD BE INCLINED TO, UM, TO MOVE TO PUT THIS UP FOR DESIGNATION, BUT I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW TO SLOW THINGS DOWN.
BUT PLEASE CONVEY THAT TO THE OWNERS AND LET US KNOW IF THEY'RE INTERESTED.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND TO THE COMMITTEE FOR, UH, YOUR TIME AND YOUR FEEDBACK, UH, BOTH IN THIS PROCESS AND IN A RC.
IT'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL, SO THANK YOU.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, I'M GONNA CALL THE QUESTION.
WE HAVE A, I HAVE A COMMENT, I HAVE A QUESTION, PLEASE.
UM, SO IN OUR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEY, UM, ADHERE TO COMMENTS ON THE STORE FRONT, UM, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE TRANSOM, BUT WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE OTHER FENESTRATION, THE STOREFRONT WINDOWS AND THE DOOR AND THAT ARRANGEMENT OR ORIENTATION OR JUST BEING SPECIFIC TO THE TRANSOM.
UM, COMMISSIONER DUDLEY, THANK YOU FOR THAT, UH, EXPANSION OF THIS, UH, SET OF COMMENTS.
UH, I THINK PERHAPS, UH, ADDING, ADDING MORE EMPHASIS ON, UH, PER THE HISTORIC PHOTO MM-HMM.
IF I MAY, UH, WOULD THE APPLICANT LIKE TO RESPOND? WELL, I JUST, WE, WE WILL BE BACK IN FRONT OF THE A RC COMMITTEE VERY SOON, SO I'M HAPPY TO BRING OUR REVISED DESIGN IN FRONT OF Y'ALL TO GIVE Y'ALL AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT, UH, IF EVEN THOUGH IT'LL BE APPROVED, UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER, UH, SO CLOSELY WITH THIS SET OF BUILDINGS, I'M HAPPY TO ENGAGE AND CONTINUE TO GET FEEDBACK IN GOOD FAITH AS WELL.
COMMISSIONER DUDLEY, DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YES, THANK YOU.
UH, I'LL CALL THE QUESTION THEN, UH, FOR APPROVAL WITH THE, UH, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION AND THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE, UH, ADDITIONAL MODIFICATIONS BASED ON THE HISTORIC PHOTOGRAPH.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND ONCE AGAIN, I SEE IT IS UNANIMOUS, SO, UH, OBVIOUSLY ANY OPPOSED? THERE ARE NONE OPPOSED.
[ 19. HR-2023-005147 – 603 Red River St. Sixth Street National Register Historic District ]
THIS IS 6 0 3 RED RIVER.UH, THIS IS AGAIN, A REMODEL, UH, AND APPROVAL, UH, UH, UH, EXCUSE ME, A MODEL, UH, APPLICATION IN THE SIXTH STREET NATIONAL REGISTERED HISTORIC DISTRICT.
RED RIVER IS A PROPOSAL TO REMODEL A CIRCA 1889 TO 1900 BUILDING, UH, FROM A BAR TO A RESTAURANT.
THIS IS A ONE STORY MASONRY GARAGE WITH TWO BAY DOORS, A METAL AWNING WITH ENLARGED BRACKETS, SYMBOL CORNICE DETAILING, AND INFILLED ARCHED OPENINGS AT THE SECONDARY ELEVATIONS.
THIS BUILDING, UM, 6 0 3 RED RIVER WAS ALTERNATELY ADDRESSED AS 6 0 1 AND 6 0 5 THROUGHOUT HISTORY, AND IT WAS MOST LIKELY FIRST CONSTRUCTED AS A ONE BAY FRAME STRUCTURE WITH A STOVE PIPE VISIBLE.
IN 1889 SANDBORN MAPS BY 1900, THE BUILDING WAS RECL AND A MASON RE EDITION HAD BEEN BUILT TO ADD THE, UH, SECOND NORTHERNMOST BAY.
IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN BUILT AND USED AS A BLACKSMITH SHOP, UM, UNTIL ABOUT 1920 WHEN IT WAS CONVERTED INTO AN AUTO SERVICE STATION.
UM, BY 1935, THEY HAD CONSTRUCTED A SECOND EDITION, UM, SO A MOTORCYCLE AND AUTOMOBILE REPAIR SHOP SHARED THE BUILDING UNTIL 1927 WHEN BOTH HALVES WERE OCCUPIED BY RAVEN'S GARAGE.
RAVEN STAYED IN BUSINESS UNTIL AT LEAST 1959.
JESSE RAVEN WAS A WORLD WAR I VETERAN, WHO ENLISTED AT 18, OPENED THE SHOP UPON HIS RETURN FROM THE WAR.
RAVEN WAS ALSO AN OFFICER OF THE AMERICAN LEGION AND EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE TEXAS STATE RIFLE ASSOCIATION,
[02:25:02]
UM, WHERE HE REMAINED A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED TOP MARKSMAN FOR MUCH OF THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY.ACCORDING TO A 2015 STAFF REPORT BY HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER STEVE SADOWSKI FOR THE RAVEN FAMILY HOME IN TRAVIS HEIGHTS, WHICH WAS UNFORTUNATELY LATER DEMOLISHED, UH, THE RAVEN'S GARAGE LEGACY CONTINUED AFTER IT STAYS AS THE FUNCTIONAL GARAGE ENDED.
UH, SADI STATES THAT JESSE RAVEN, ALONG WITH HIS BROTHER LEWIS, GREW UP IN AUSTIN AND WERE AUTO MECHANICS FROM A VERY EARLY AGE.
THEY OPENED RAVEN'S GARAGE AT 6 0 5 RED RIVER IN THE EARLY 1920S, AND WERE IN BUSINESS AT THAT LOCATION UNTIL AROUND 1980.
THE BUILDING ON RED RIVER WAS THEN A LIVE MUSIC CLUB CALLED RAVEN'S GARAGE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS IN THE EIGHTIES, AND THEN LATER BECAME EMO AS THE STALWART OF AUSTIN'S DOWNTOWN PUNK MUSIC SCENE.
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 IN NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICTS.
UH, THIS PROPERTY MOSTLY, OR THIS PROJECT MOSTLY MEETS THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS AND THE APPLICANT HAS AMENDED THE PROPOSAL TO REDUCE MASON RE ALTERATION AT THE BUILDING'S FACADE, UM, AND HAS AGREED TO OMIT, UM, THE MASONRY RETAIN OR, AND HAS AGREED TO, UM, RESTORE THE AWNING, UH, BRACKETS ON SITE AS PART OF, UM, THE COMMITTEE FEEDBACK STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT MEETS THE CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
UM, AS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF EARLY AUTO AUTO ORIENTED ARCHITECTURE, IT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SHIFT IN DEVELOPMENT ENTITLEMENT PATTERNS AROUND THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY.
AS TRANSPORTATION SHIFTED FROM HORSES TO AUTOMOBILES, THE SHIFT FROM A BLACKSMITH SHOP TO AN AUTO SERVICE CENTER EXEMPLIFIES THIS WIDESPREAD TREND.
THE BUILDING ALSO APPEARS TO BE ELIGIBLE UNDER CRITERION G FOR PROPERTIES OF EXCEPTIONAL SIGNIFICANCE, UH, ACHIEVING SIGNIFICANCE WITHIN THE PAST 50 YEARS.
UM, AS ITS ASSOCIATION WITH AUSTIN'S PUNK SCENE BEGAN AROUND 1980, ONLY SIX YEARS SHY OF THE 50 YEAR CUTOFF FOR TYPICAL LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
UM, THE ARCHITECTURAL COMMITTEE, UH, REVIEWED THIS PROJECT AND PROVIDED FEEDBACK INCLUDING RETENTION OF THE HISTORIC AWNING BRACKETS, UM, PAINTING THE BRICK ONLY IF PREVIOUSLY PAINTED, AND INVESTIGATING THE FEASIBILITY OF REMOVING THE EXISTING PAINT FROM THE BRICK.
UM, THEY ALSO RECOMMENDED RETENTION OF AUTO ORIENTED BUSINESS ELEMENTS TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE, UM, AND TO AVOID ENLARGING EXISTING OPENINGS.
UH, THEREFORE THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO COMMENT ON PLANS CONCURRING WITH COMMITTEE FEEDBACK, UM, AND REQUESTING THAT THE APPLICANT OMIT THE DOOR ENLARGEMENT AND THE BRICK DETAILING AT THE CENTER BAY, UM, AS THESE MODIFICATIONS TO MASONRY MAY PRECLUDE FUTURE LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
UM, AND I BELIEVE THE APPLICANT IS AMENABLE TO THESE CHANGES, UM, AND THEY ARE HERE TO SPEAK TO THEM.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? RIGHT, UH, LET'S HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT COMMISSIONER SCOTT CURRY AGAIN.
UH, COMMISSIONER RUBIO, YOUR THOUGHTS? YEAH, WE PULLED THIS ONE BECAUSE OF THE AWNING.
I KNOW CALLAN HAD SAID THAT WE WERE GOING TO KEEP THAT AWNING AND BRACKETS, BUT THE UPDATED DRAWINGS PACKET SAYS THAT'S TO BE REMOVED AND REPLACED.
WELL, WE'RE GONNA REMOVE THE AWNINGS AND WE'RE GONNA CREATE A NEW AWNING, BUT WE'RE GONNA STORE THE EXISTING BRACKETS IN A CLIMATE CONTROLLED CONDITION SO THAT IN THE EVENT THAT THE BUILDING DOES EVER BECOME LANDMARKED, IT CAN BE REPURPOSED.
THAT WAS WHAT WE HAD DISCUSSED AS A, AN EQUITABLE COMPROMISE.
UH, LET ME GET THE CLARIFICATION.
SO YOU, WHAT, WHAT IS SHOWN AS AN AWNING IN THE CURRENT RENDERING IS STILL PLANNED, BUT THE BRACKETS ARE IN STORAGE IN THE EVENT THAT IT BECOMES A LANDMARK OR WHERE YOU'RE SAYING THAT WHEN YOU ACTUALLY PUT THE NEW AWNING ON, YOU WILL USE THE ORIGINAL BRACKETS AGAIN, THE ORIGINAL BRACKETS WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE BUILDING AND STORED, AND SO WE WILL NOT BE REPURPOSING THEM CURRENTLY, BUT IN THE EVENT THAT THE BUILDING DOES BECOME HISTORICALLY LANDMARKED, THEY COULD BE REPURPOSED.
SO OUR PROPOSAL IS A NEW AWNING WITHOUT THE ORIGINAL BRACKETS.
WOULD YOU BE AMENABLE TO I I, I MEAN, YOU'RE SO CLOSE.
IT, IT JUST, IT'S SORT OF ALMOST LIKE A
WHY DON'T WE JUST, JUST PUT THOSE WONDERFUL BRACKETS BACK ON EVEN WITH YOU WITH A NEW AWNING? YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE, UH, WE'VE DONE OUR BEST TO A ACCOMMODATE AND RECEIVE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMITTEE.
UH, AND I THINK IN MOST CASES HAVE, HAVE BEEN HAPPY TO ACCOMMODATE.
IN THIS ONE INSTANCE, OUR OWNER, FOR AN AESTHETIC REASONS, UH, HAVE ASKED IF WE COULD PRESERVE, UH, THE PROPOSED AWNING, UH, AND STILL SOMEHOW ACCOMMODATE THE POTENTIAL HISTORIC NATURE OF THE BUILDING, UH, WHICH IS WHAT OUR PROPOSED, UH, SOLUTION DOES.
UM, I THINK THAT IT IS POSSIBLE, HOWEVER, AGAIN, JUST FROM AN AESTHETIC CHOICE, THEY FELT STRONGLY ABOUT IT.
YEAH, I MEAN, THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT TO THIS BUILDING THAT DATES FROM THAT PERIOD THAT IS CHARACTER DEFINING AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, BIG OPENINGS AND THIS WONDERFUL METAL,
[02:30:01]
UH, ARRANGEMENT, WHICH IS TYPICAL OF THE TIME YOU ARE RENDERING, SHOWING THE NEW ONE IS NOT.AND SO IT'D BE ONE THING IF THERE WAS NEVER AN AWNING AND YOU WERE ADDING TO IT, BUT THE FACT THAT IT REPLACES SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN QUITE SERVICEABLE AND VERY BEAUTIFUL, UH, AND AND INTEGRAL TO THE BUILDING'S DESIGN, UM, ANYWAY, THAT, YES, I WOULD CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE THAT THEY DO MORE THAN JUST SIT IN A WAREHOUSE.
UM, THEY OUGHT TO BE ON THE BUILDING.
ANYWAY, UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OR COMMENTS, UH, QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? UM, I, I KNOW I MENTIONED THIS WHEN LAST MEETING THAT, UM, I, I WAS, I THOUGHT THE, THE BRACKETS WERE VERY IMPORTANT TO THIS BUILDING.
UM, I FEEL LIKE WITHOUT THEM, IT LOOKS A LITTLE TOO SLEEK.
UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED BEFORE ABOUT THE CHARACTER OF SIXTH STREET, AND I THINK THOSE BRACKETS ADD SOME
SO, UM, I, I, I JUST, I, I DON'T SEE, UM, I DON'T SEE THE NEGATIVE IMPACT THOSE HAVE, UM, AESTHETICALLY AND, AND I WOULD JUST REALLY, REALLY ENCOURAGE, UM, THE OWNER TO KEEP THOSE.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE, I DON'T KNOW.
THEY'RE, UH, TO ME ONE OF THE MOST INTRIGUING FEATURES OF THAT STRUCTURE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE, OF APPLICANT? DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER RESPONSE TO THESE COMMENTS? NO, WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
UM, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? IF NOT, THEN I WILL MOVE THAT WE CLOSE, UH, UH, TAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
COMMISSIONER RUBIO SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COOK.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND SO THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
COMMISSIONERS, WHAT IS YOUR RECOMMENDATION ON THIS ITEM? WHAT'S OUR TIMELINE ON THIS ONE? CALLAN STAFF, THIS IS A 75 DAY TIMELINE, AND ONCE AGAIN, UH, OUR ABILITY HERE IS TO, UH, MAKE THIS RELEASED WITH OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, WHICH I THINK WE MADE VERY CLEAR.
THAT'S SO, UH, IT MIGHT MAKE SENSE GIVEN THE HISTORY WITH THIS OWNER THAT, UM, WE HAVE EXPRESSED OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND EXPECT TO CONTINUE THE DIALOGUE, UH, EVEN IF IT'S SOMEWHAT UNOFFICIAL.
AND, UM, TO CLARIFY THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION, I'M NOT SURE THAT I WAS, UH, SUPER CLEAR EARLIER.
UM, THE, UH, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO COMMENT ON THE PLANS, UM, WITH THE KNOWLEDGE NOW THAT, UM, THE APPLICANT HAS AGREED TO OMIT THE MASONRY CHANGES TO THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING, UH, IN EXCHANGE FOR BEING ALLOWED TO STORE RATHER THAN REINSTALL THE EXISTING BRACKET.
I'M GONNA MOVE TO POSTPONE THIS TO NEXT MONTH'S MEETING, NOT SO THAT WE CAN GET ANOTHER A RC REVIEW, BUT SO THAT YOU CAN TALK TO THE OWNER AND OR USER OF THIS BUILDING TO LET THEM KNOW, UM, TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE THIS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
UH, COMMISSIONER RUBIO HAS A MOTION TO POSTPONE TO OUR NEXT MEETING, UH, SECONDED BY, UH, COMMISSIONER COOK.
I ASSUME THAT THAT MOTION INCLUDES TO, UH, REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING? YES.
UM, I, I JUST SO THAT THE PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, IS AWARE, THIS IS NOT ABOUT A BRACKET OR LITTLE PIECES OF IRON OR METAL
AND SO I, I THINK KNOWING THAT THIS BUILDING IS, HAS SUCH AN EARLY DATE WITH SUCH LOW, YOU KNOW, LOW STYLE I GUESS, FEATURES, WE'VE GOT SOME, YOU KNOW, REALLY NICE BRICK BRICK WORK AT THE, AT THE CORNICE, SMALL AWNING WITH THESE BRACKETS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT CHARACTER DEFINING FEATURES, IT'S THE ROOF LINE.
IT'S THIS CANOPY, IT'S THE BRACKETS.
AND SO FOR US TO TAKE NOT ONE, BUT TWO OF THOSE ITEMS OUT, THAT IS GOING AGAINST THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR STANDARDS STANDARDS.
AND SO I THINK IT'S WORTH COMMUNICATING THAT, UH, TO THE OWNER.
UM, THAT'S WHAT OUR BODY HAS TO FOLLOW AS THESE RULES AND STANDARDS.
SO, AND I SECONDED, I MEAN, I THINK WE'VE HAD A GREAT PARTNERSHIP.
WE'VE, WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT DONE ON SIXTH STREET.
I THINK, UH, SIXTH STREET IS GONNA BENEFIT.
UM, THE OTHER REASON I SECONDED IS BECAUSE OF THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION THAT IT DOES MEET TWO CRITERIA, AND IN PARTICULAR THAT ONE OF THOSE CRITERIA IS RELATED
[02:35:01]
TO AUSTIN'S PUNK SCENE.AND THE FACT THAT WE'RE TURNING OFF OF SIXTH STREET AND GOING ONTO RED RIVER AND THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT, AND WE'RE GETTING INTO, WELL, ONE IS WE HAVE THE OPTION OF POTENTIALLY ADDING SOME MORE LANDMARKS IN THIS AREA, WHICH IS THE ONLY TRUE PROTECTION, UH, IN THIS NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT.
UM, I, I HAD SAID IN THE LAST CASE, I'M NOT INCLINED TO DO THAT ON SIXTH STREET.
WE'RE, WE'RE STARTING TO TURN NOW INTO RED RIVER, WHICH I THINK HAS MORE LEVELS OF FRAGILITY AND MORE LEVELS OF CONCERN THAT WITHIN AND BEYOND OUR PURVIEW, UM, THAT I THINK IT DESERVES SOME MORE, SOME MORE DISCUSSION BECAUSE I BELIEVE THERE MAY BE MORE PROPERTIES COMING ON RED RIVER, AND I KNOW THERE'S A, A MOVEMENT IN THE MUSIC COMMISSION AND OTHER BODIES THAT ARE CONCERNED ON LEVELS THAT COULD BE, UH, REINFORCED BY THE HISTORIC PROTECTIONS OR POSSIBLY SOMETIMES IN OPPOSITION TO THE HISTORIC PROTECTION.
SO I, I THINK IT'S 30 DAYS TO HAVE A THOUGHTFUL DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS AND TO LEAVE THAT, HONESTLY LEAVE THAT WINDOW OPEN FOR, UM, INITIATING HISTORIC ZONING.
UH, BASED ON THAT RECOMMENDATION, I PERSONALLY FELT LIKE STORING THE BRACKETS WAS A REASONABLE CONCESSION BECAUSE IF THEY'RE THERE, THEY CAN BE RESTORED.
UM, AND THEY ARE ATTACHMENTS THAT ARE NOT INTEGRAL TO THE STRUCTURE OF THE PROPERTY.
UM, AND MAY NEED TO BE RAISED.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF HEAD CLEARANCE WE HAVE, BUT, UH, JUST SEEING THE RECOMMENDATION OR THE, THAT IT DOES MEET CRITERIA, I THINK IT WARRANTS A LITTLE MORE DISCUSSION AS WE'RE TURNING THAT CORNER.
AND, UH, HAVING SPOKEN OUT ON THIS, LET ME JUST SAY THAT AS MUCH AS I APPRECIATE THE INTENT OF THE STORAGE, UH, BEEN ON THIS COMMISSION WAY TOO LONG AND DATE FROM THE NINETIES FROM MY FIRST TENURE, AND, UH, ALL IT TAKES IS A CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP AND SOMEONE CLEANING OUT THEIR WAREHOUSE AND THOSE WHO ARE GONNA BE LOST.
I THINK THAT BECAUSE THIS AND THE PRIOR, UH, EXAMPLE THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, BOTH HAVE VERY DEEP ASSOCIATIONS WITH THEM AND HAVE AN OWNER WHO IS IN SO MANY WAYS DOING THE RIGHT THINGS.
I THINK IT MAY BE NOT A FUTURE DATE THAT WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT, BUT VERY MUCH IF YOU COULD CONVEY TO THE OWNER, UM, I THINK THE APPLICATION FOR HISTORIC ZONING FOR BOTH OF THESE PROPERTIES WOULD BE WARRANTED, UH, AS PART OF YOUR WORK.
BECAUSE WITH THE COMPLETION OF THESE RENOVATIONS, BASED ON OBVIOUSLY THE RECOMMENDATIONS WE'RE MAKING, UH, THEY WOULD BE VERY, VERY, UH, UH, VALUABLE, UH, CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE, THE LANDMARK COLLECTION HERE IN AUSTIN.
UH, SO, UH, I JUST, I, I, AGAIN, I'LL SUPPORT THE MOTION, BUT I THINK MORE THAN JUST THE AWNINGS, EVEN THE INITIATION, IF YOU WOULD, UH, AND, AND USING THIS AS A, AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME FORWARD AND, AND HAVE THEM LANDMARKED, I, I THINK WOULD BE SOMETHING WE'D ENCOURAGE AS WELL.
WELL, I APPRECIATE THOSE COMMENTS, UM, AND CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THESE ARE SIGNIFICANT AND, UH, BEAUTIFUL BUILDINGS AND WORTHY OF PRESERVATION.
UH, AND SO, WE'LL, I'LL BE HAPPY TO TALK AND RELAY THAT MESSAGE BACK TO OUR OWNERS AND, UH, GET SOME FEEDBACK BACK TO THE COMMISSION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
BUT THANK YOU CHAIR, MR. CURRY.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? OKAY, ANYONE AT HOME? NOPE.
UH, UH, WE HAVE A MOTION, UH, TO POSTPONE, UH, TO OUR NEXT MEETING, UH, AND AT LEAST IF NECESSARY, AN A RC MEETING, THOUGH IT MAY NOT BE NECESSARY.
AND, UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND ONCE AGAIN, ALL I, ALL MEMBERS HERE, UNANIMOUS, UH, THERE ARE NO, NO OPPOSITION.
THANK FOR YOUR TIME, APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
[20. PR-2023-158329 – 2802 Pearce Rd. ]
IS ITEM NUMBER 20.UH, NOW WE ARE READY FOR 28 0 2 PIERCE ROAD, AND THIS IS A REQUEST FOR A DEMOLITION.
UH, THIS WAS POSTPONED FROM OUR, UH, JANUARY 10TH MEETING.
UM, I'LL BE BRIEF ON THIS ONE.
I'M FADING A LITTLE BIT HERE, Y'ALL.
UM, 28 0 2 PIERCE LANE IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1910 HOUSE, UM, AND A LATER OUTBUILDING.
THIS IS THE ONE STORY RUSTIC CABIN WITH A CRAFTSMAN STYLE SHINGLE CLOUD FRONT GABLE, UH, DEEP FRONT PORCH, SUPPORTED BY SIMPLE POSTS ATOP MASSIVE TAPERED STONE PIERS, SIX OVER SIX WOOD WINDOWS AND RUSTIC STONE CLADDING THROUGHOUT THE LOT.
ALSO CONTAINS SMALL WINDOW OF STONE OUTBUILDING.
UM, AND COMMISSIONER HEIN SA UM, HAS DONE A SITE VISIT ON THIS BUILDING.
AND, UM, ONCE I'M DONE, HE CAN OFFER A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, IN DEPTH, UM, INFORMATION ABOUT THE, UH, THE DATES OF THE OUTBUILDING AND THE BUILDING ITSELF.
UM, THIS PROPERTY WAS ANNEXED IN 1982.
UM, SO HISTORIC AGE RESEARCH IS LARGELY UNAVAILABLE FROM PUBLIC DOCUMENTARY SOURCES.
[02:40:01]
INDICATE THAT THE BUILDING'S LEGAL DESCRIPTION IS LOT ONE OF THE LEASE SUBDIVISION, UM, WITH THE PLAT FILED IN 1968.AND THAT MRS. AMELIA LEE, WHO HIS WIFE OF THE LATE HORACE R LEE, OWNED THE PROPERTY DURING THE 1940S.
THE LEAVES LIVED IN GONZALEZ, AND DURING THE FIFTIES, THEY LIVED ACROSS THE RIVERBEND ON MOUNT BARKER DRIVE.
THIS BUILDING IS DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THE SKI SHORES MARINA AND AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS SHOW THAT THE BUILDING WAS ASSOCIATED WITH SMALL SCALE FARMLAND INTO THE 1940S.
UM, THOUGH AGAIN, TCAD RECORDS INDICATE THAT IT WAS BUILT IN 1910, UM, STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT MAY MEET TWO CRITERIA.
UM, WE STILL NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE RESEARCH, THOUGH, WHICH I THINK COMMISSIONER SOFF CAN, UM, CAN HELP FILL IN SOME OF THE GAPS AS WELL AFTER HIS SITE VISIT.
UM, THIS BUILDING IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF TEXAS VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE, UM, WITH CLASSIC CRAFTS AND STYLING, UM, COMBINED WITH ROUGH RUSTIC STONE AND UNPAINTED WOODWORK.
UM, AND THOUGH THE PROPERTY WAS NOT ABLE TO BE EVALUATED FOR ITS ASSOCIATIONS DUE TO LIMITATIONS AND AVAILABLE PUBLIC RESEARCH MATERIALS AT THE TIME OF THE STAFF REPORT, UM, IF IT WERE, UH, ONE OF THE FIRST OF ITS KIND AS KIND OF A FISH CAMP OR, UH, UH, SECONDARY HOME, UM, FOR A FAMILY, UM, AS A, UH, CRAFTSMAN STRUCTURE, IT WOULD, UH, CONSTITUTE SIGNIFICANCE AS, UH, ONE OF THE EARLIEST EXAMPLES STILL EX EXTENT IN AUSTIN.
UM, THEREFORE, THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO EITHER ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE, UM, BUT TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, OR TO POSTPONE TO MARCH 6TH, 2024 TO ALLOW ADDITIONAL TIME.
UH, I, I WAS, UH, INVITED BY THE OWNER TO TOUR THE PROPERTY, AND, UH, I HAVE TO SAY THAT THE, UH, AND YOU'VE, YOU ALL HAVE IN YOUR BACKUP, THE, THE ENGINEER'S CONDITION REPORT.
UM, THE FACT IS, IS THAT THE ADDITION ON THE BACK DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE, UH, IS IN, IS IN TERRIBLE SHAPE.
AND, BUT IT DOESN'T ALSO APPEAR TO BE, UH, FROM THE ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION.
THE ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION IS, UH, CLEARLY WAS PUT THERE AS A RECREATIONAL, UH, BUILDING.
UM, I QUESTION WHETHER 1910 WAS ACTUALLY ITS ORIGIN, BECAUSE IF IT WAS, IT PREDATES MY OLD HOUSE ON, UH, SPEEDWAY, THE BAILEY HOUSTON HOUSE, WHICH WAS BUILT IN 1914 AND, UH, HAD RIVERSTONE PIERS AND, UH, MANY OF THE SIMILAR CHARACTERISTICS.
UH, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT WOULD PREDATE, UH, IT PROBABLY IS THE OTHER WAY AROUND THAT HAVING BEEN SAID, EVEN IF THIS DATES FROM THE PRE FORTIES, UH, AND EXHIBIT SOME OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF OTHER WPA ERA, UH, RECREATIONAL, UM, BUILDINGS, UH, AS STAFF HAS SAID, UH, THIS IS A, MAYBE A LONELY EXAMPLE OR A RARE EXAMPLE OF RECREATIONAL USE OF THE RIVER, UH, WHICH OF COURSE PUTS THAT FAMILY A WHOLE GENERATION IN FRONT OF ANYTHING THAT CAME LATER, UH, ONCE THE DAMS WERE IN PLACE.
AND THEN OVER TIME, UH, THE WHOLE CHANGE OF AN ATTITUDE AND USE OF THE TOWN LAKE, UH, CERTAINLY HAS, UH, CONTRIBUTED TO ITS RESIDENTIAL, ITS RECREATIONAL VALUE, BUT TO HAVE A FAMILY THAT WOULD BE THAT FARSIGHTED TO BUILD A, A PROPERTY OF THIS KIND, UH, IT IS ONE ROOM.
UH, THERE'S A STONE FIREPLACE IN THE MIDDLE.
UH, YES, THE PHOTOGRAPHS DO SHOW, UH, SOME DETERIORATION OF THE ROOF, SOME SETTLING OF SOME OF THE, UH, UH, RAFTERS.
UH, AND THERE ARE SOME QUESTION OF THE RUBBLE STONE CONSTRUCTION, BUT IT IS NOT, UH, AGAIN, UM, IN, IN ANY WAY, UH, LESSENING ITS VALUE BECAUSE OF ITS UNIQUENESS IN THIS AREA.
SO, UH, I, I, I CERTAINLY WAS IMPRESSED AND I THANK THE OWNER FOR TAKING THE TIME TO SHOW ME.
UH, BUT I CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE THEM TO, UH, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE INCORPORATE THAT BASE, UH, BUILDING INTO THEIR PLANS.
UH, BUT I UNDERSTAND AT THE SAME TIME THEY HAVE SOME URGENCY WITH THEIR PLANS.
AND, UH, I BELIEVE WHEN WE HEAR FROM THEM, WE'LL UNDERSTAND, UH, WHAT IS MOTIVATING THEM, UH, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A SYMPATHY FOR, UH, THE HISTORY HERE.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I UNDERSTAND THERE'S ALSO SOME DIFFICULTY IN TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE, UH, WHAT, WHAT MAY ALLOW FOR THIS BUILDING TO REMAIN.
BUT, UH, SO I'LL SUPPLEMENT THE STAFF REPORT WITH THAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
UH, AT THIS POINT, WE CAN HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT AND, UH, I'LL ALLOW YOU TO INTRODUCE YOURSELVES, PLEASE.
OH, UH, MAKE SURE THE MIC IS ON.
I'M WITH CORNERSTONE ARCHITECTS.
I'VE BEEN ASSISTING THE OWNER IN, UH, DESIGNING THEIR, UH, RETIREMENT HOME ON THIS PROPERTY.
AND I'M HERE TO, UH, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SUBMITTALS THAT WERE MADE IN THE
[02:45:01]
TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF THE, THE PROPERTY VERSUS THE CODES AND ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE.UM, AND THEN SHOULD WE HEAR FROM THE OWNER FIRST, THEN AS A WAY OF, UH, UH, UNDERSTANDING THE, UH, NEED TO, UH, HAVE THE DEMOLITION REQUEST? YES.
UM, MY WIFE VICKI AND I HAVE, UH, VIEWED THIS PROPERTY FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
UH, WE WOULD GO DOWN TO SKI SHORES PRETTY REGULARLY.
WE LIVED IN NORTHWEST AUSTIN TO HAVE LUNCH.
UM, AS WE RAISED OUR SONS, SPENT A LOT OF TIME THERE AND WAS ALWAYS CURIOUS WHEN WE'D GO BY WHY THIS PROPERTY WAS EMPTY.
AND I DON'T HAVE ALL THE DETAILS, BUT FROM NEIGHBORS THAT WE'VE MET AND TALKED TO, IT APPEARS TO HAVE NOT BEEN OCCUPIED FOR MAYBE FOUR OR FIVE DECADES.
UM, WHAT DREW IT TO US WAS THE TREES.
I HEARD COMMISSIONER CASTILLO MENTION EARLIER ABOUT YOUR EFFORT AND THE FOLKS THAT WERE HERE EARLIER.
UM, THESE TREES ALWAYS GET OUR ATTENTION.
UH, WHEN A NEIGHBOR CALLED AND SAID THAT PROPERTY YOU'VE ALWAYS LOVED IS GOING UP, UP FOR SALE, WE WENT DOWN AND, UH, OF COURSE DID OUR DUE DILIGENCE OF, IS THIS PROPERTY FREE OF ANY ENCUMBRANCES, LIENS, UH, ANY DESIGNATIONS FOUND THAT IT WASN'T AND MADE THE DECISION TO SPEND A FAIR AMOUNT OF OUR RETIREMENT INCOME ON PURCHASING IT WITH THE INTENT TO BUILD A HOME ON IT.
UM, THE TREES ON THIS PROPERTY, THE ARBORIST TELLS US THEY'RE 400 TO 400 50-YEAR-OLD OAKS, AND THEY'RE MAJESTIC.
UH, WHEN WE HIRED RODNEY, THE INTENT WAS, AND THE FIRST PART OF THE DISCUSSION WAS, WE WANNA PROTECT THESE TREES.
WE WANNA DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE, WOULD LIKE TO BUILD A STRUCTURE THAT MY WIFE, WHO IS HANDICAPPED, UH, AND IN A WHEELCHAIR FULL TIME.
SHE HASN'T WALKED IN THE PAST THREE YEARS, UM, COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.
AND THE INTENT OF THE PROPERTY, UH, THE CURRENT HOME WE'RE IN IS NOT A DA COMPLIANT.
UM, IT PROVIDES SOME CHALLENGES FOR MY WIFE AND MYSELF AS WELL AS A, A NURSE THAT HELPS US OUT AT THE HOME.
RODNEY'S WORKED WITH US TO DESIGN A PROPERTY THAT WOULD HAVE A ZERO DEGREE SLOPE ACROSS IT, A SINGLE STORY HOME.
THE ACTUAL AREA TO BUILD ON, AND, AND I THINK IT'S IN YOUR MATERIALS, IS FAIRLY LIMITED ON THAT PROPERTY BECAUSE OF THOSE TREES.
UH, THE FLOOD PLAIN AMONG OTHER THINGS.
BUT AGAIN, REALLY TRYING TO, UH, TO BUILD A PROPERTY THAT SHE CAN ENJOY AND, UH, EXTEND HER LIFE IN OUR HOME AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.
A LOT OF THINGS THAT, UH, I TAKE FOR GRANTED, MOST OF US DO SIMPLE THINGS, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, USING A SINK, UH, GETTING IN BATHROOMS, CLOSETS THAT AREN'T FACILITATED FOR IT IS, IS A REAL CHALLENGE TO US.
SO, UH, IMPORTANT PROJECT FOR US AGAIN, UH, AND WHAT WE'VE DESIGNED WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT, IS ACCESS A VERY OPEN AREA FOR HER.
UH, ALSO, RODNEY HAS DONE A WONDERFUL JOB OF THE PLACES THAT MY WIFE, VICKI, SPENDS MOST OF HER TIME BE IN THE LIVING AREA.
THE KITCHEN AREA WOULD HAVE ACCESS THROUGH WINDOWS OUT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT VIEW AND THOSE TREES.
UM, AGAIN, AND WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE PROPERTY AND THE INITIAL DISCUSSION OF WHAT CAN BE DONE HERE, IS THERE ANYTHING WE COULD DO TO RETAIN OR SAVE IT? UH, THE, THE STRUCTURE IN TERMS OF INSULATION, UM, VICKI REQUIRES A, A CONSTANT LEVEL OF TEMPERATURE AND TEMPERATURE FLUCTUATIONS IMPACT HER HEALTH.
UH, SO THAT IT JUST BECAME CHALLENGING.
I WANNA SAY THE SQUARE FOOTAGE MAY BE AROUND 700 SQUARE FOOT AS, AS A CHAIRMAN SAID, IT'S A, IT'S A SMALL, UH, PROPERTY.
UM, I THINK INITIALLY IN THE LAST MEETING, THERE'S A SIDE BUILDING THAT WAS VIEWED AS A POTENTIAL SMOKEHOUSE, AND I, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S A CASE.
AND I, I THINK THE CHAIRMAN AGREED WHEN HE CAME OUT AND SAW THAT IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S ACTUALLY SIGNED INTO CONCRETE WITH THE FAMILY, THE LAYS THE LEASE, UH, IN THE LATE SEVENTIES, UM, FOR STORAGE.
SO I'D LIKE TO ASK, UH, THAT THE COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL, UH, PLEASE CONSIDER OUR MY WIFE AND I'S PERSONAL SITUATION, UH, AS YOU MAKE A DECISION ON, ON WHETHER WE'RE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD OR NOT.
UH, WE'VE, WE'VE GONE OUT OF OUR WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING EVERY REQUIREMENT FOR THIS PROPERTY.
WE'VE NOT BUILT A HOME IN AUSTIN BEFORE, UM, WE PURCHASED HOMES.
I, I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT IT, BUT, UH, I FOUND AN ARCHITECT WHO DID AND HAS DONE A LOT OF WORK DOWN THERE.
UH, AND SO TO THE REQUIREMENT PIECE, WE'VE SPENT, UH, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY THIS PAST YEAR GETTING TO THE POINT OF TRYING TO GET THIS PROCESS STARTED, UH, AND DEMO.
AND, AND WHILE I HAVE A VERY HEALTHY RESPECT FOR THE PROPERTY, AND IT'S STILL NOT CLEAR TO ME, UH, AS THE CHAIRMAN SAID WHEN IT WAS BUILT, UM, WE WOULD, WE WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD AND, AND APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION.
UM, AND THEN NOW IF YOUR ARCHITECT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, I WAS HERE JUST TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
[02:50:01]
PRIMARILY REGARDING, THERE'S, THERE'S REALLY NOT ANY ROOM ON THE PROPERTY WHEN THE, THE LA ZONING OVERLAY, THE STANDARD ZONING ORDINANCE, SETBACKS, THERE'S A UTILITY EASEMENT ON THE PROPERTY, THE CRITICAL ROOT ZONES OF THE TREES, THE TREE SHADOWS OF THE ROOT ZONES, EXCUSE ME.THERE IS SIMPLY NO ROOM LEFT ON THE SITE TO BUILD AROUND IT AND TO LEAD THAT STRUCTURE.
AND I DID NOT EVALUATE THAT STRUCTURE INITIALLY TO BE WORTH, WELL, TO BE SALVAGEABLE.
WHEN MR. MCCAIN FIRST, UH, YOU FIRST SPOKE WITH ME, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU AND I TALKED AND I SAW, WELL, MAYBE THAT WE CAN HELP YOU WITH SOMETHING AND GET SOME, UH, RELIEF ON, ON YOUR TREE SETBACKS.
AND THEN I WAS ON THE SITE AND SAW THE TREES, AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY MAJESTIC OAKS.
THEY ARE STUNNING, AND CERTAINLY YOU WOULD NOT WANT TO DO ANYTHING TO, UH, JEOPARDIZE THEIR CONTINUED LONGEVITY.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT YOU REALLY ARE AS YOU SHOW, UH, HEMMED IN.
UH, LET ME ASK THE ARCHITECT THOUGH, AS A FOLLOW UP.
UM, YES, I'M ABSOLUTELY, UH, THE, UH, OUTBUILDING IS A, AS WE SAW THERE ON SITE, UH, AS OF DIFFERENT CONSTRUCTION, THERE'S CLEARLY A 1970S DATE IN THE SLAB.
SO, UH, THAT'S NOT OF ANY CONCERN TO US.
UH, THE REAR EDITION THAT YOU AND I TOURED IS IN THE MOST TERRIBLE SHAPE, UH, BUT IT'S A POOR CONSTRUCTION AND VERY MUCH A LATER EDITION AS WELL.
BUT IS THAT, THAT ONE ROOM AND JUST IT'S LOCATION, IS, HAVE YOU EXPLORED OR WOULD THERE BE ANY CHANCE OF BEING ABLE TO, UH, MEET YOUR CLIENT'S NEEDS AND BE ABLE TO ALSO PRESERVE THAT IN SOME CAPACITY, UH, EVEN AS, UH, A, A CAMP TYPE BUILDING WITH THE RUBBLE WALL CONSTRUCTION AND THE RESTORATION OF, OF THOSE, UH, ORIGINAL ELEMENTS? WELL, WE DID THE STRUCTURAL REPORT AFTER THE INITIAL MEETING LAST MONTH TO BACK UP MY ASSESSMENT THAT THAT WAS NOT SALVAGEABLE.
AND, UH, I THINK THOSE MAJESTIC TREES ROOTS HAVE CERTAINLY DEGRADED THE, THE WALLS THAT'S, I THINK BELIEVE THAT'S WHY THEY'RE CRACKING TO SOME DEGREE.
UM, AND THEY'RE JUST HEAVY WALLS ALSO, YOU KNOW, FOR STARTERS.
BUT, UH, FOR THE, YOU KNOW, THE PROGRAM THAT I WAS GIVEN AND THE CHARGE THAT I WAS TRYING TO CARRY OUT WAS TO, YOU KNOW, BUILD A ONE STORY HOUSE, A FAIRLY SMALL ONE.
IT'S, IT'S BARELY OVER 3000 FEET.
UH, THERE WAS SIMPLY NO OTHER AREA TO DO IT.
AND THERE, AND IN GIVEN VICKY'S CONDITION THAT THAT IS AN UNINSULATED STRUCTURE AND SUSCEPTIBLE TO MOLD, YOU KNOW, THAT IS LIMESTONE ON THOSE EXISTING WALLS, THAT THE MOISTURE JUST MOVES THROUGH THOSE PRETTY QUICKLY.
SO WE DID NOT CONSIDER THAT FOR VERY LONG.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO, OR ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER, UH, QUESTIONS OF THIS APPLICANT OR THE ARCHITECT? AND IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? OKAY, IF NOT, I, OH, SORRY, GO AHEAD.
UM, NOT THAT, UM, IT'S A HUNDRED PERCENT NECESSARY, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DIDN'T RECEIVE LIKE A, UM, PROPOSED FLOOR PLANS OR SITE PLANS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IS THAT CORRECT? UM, THIS IS NOT IN A REGISTERED DISTRICT, AND SO THAT WOULD NOT BE REQUIRED OF THE APPLICANT.
UH, I DID SEE VERY BRIEFLY, UH, JUST BECAUSE OF THE COURTESY ON THE TOUR, UH, WHAT THEY WERE PROPOSING AND, AND CONSIDERING THE APPLICANT'S WIFE'S CONDITION, UH, THIS IS ACTUALLY FOR THE AREA, A FAIRLY MODEST BUILDING, AND THEY ARE LIMITING TO SQUARE FOOTAGE ONLY ON THE ONE GRADE.
UH, THEY CAN'T, I THINK I WAS JUST ASKING IN CASE THIS WENT AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, IT, IT WAS SUGGESTED AN A RC RECOMMENDATION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, A DISCUSSION OF, I THINK CIRCULATION ACROSS THE SITE, ESPECIALLY WITH ACCESSIBILITY, MIGHT HELP OUR CONVERSATION OF, OF HOW TO WORK AROUND AN EXISTING STRUCTURE.
SO THAT'S THE ONLY REASON I'M ASKING.
YEAH, THE ONLY THING I CAN PROVIDE FROM WHAT I SAW WAS THAT THE, UH, DRIVE ACCESS ONTO THE SITE ACTUALLY IS, IS LIMITED TO THE POINT WHERE THIS IS REALLY THE ONLY PLACE TO ARRIVE IS RIGHT ABOUT WHERE OUR BUILDING IS HERE.
YOU COULDN'T MOVE IT, UH, OFF ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER, UH, BECAUSE OF THE TREES AND BECAUSE OF THE, UM, THE SETBACKS FROM THE LAKE.
SO ANYWAY, UH, IT IS A DILEMMA AND, UH, I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE FOURTH RIGHT, UH, NATURE THAT THIS, UH, APPLICANT, UH, HAS GONE THROUGH IN BEING COMPLETELY, UH, AVAILABLE.
UH, BUT I ALSO, UM, CERTAINLY BELIEVE THE, UH, THE UNIQUENESS OF THIS BUILDING, UH, WAS CERTAINLY NOT WHAT I WAS EXPECTING.
AND VERY DELIGHTED TO FIND, UNFORTUNATELY, UM, IN A CONDITION THAT STILL WOULD NEED SOME SIGNIFICANT REPAIRS AND INVESTMENT.
UH, AND OBVIOUSLY AN OWNER THAT COULD BE ABLE TO, UH, AFFORD AND MAKE USE OF THAT.
[02:55:01]
MOTION TO CLO TO MOVE THE PUBLIC HEARING.IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER COOK.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY MIKE.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THIS REQUEST FOR DEMOLITION? I'LL MOVE TO RELEASE A DEMOLITION PERMIT PENDING A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UM, JUST IN ORDER TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION, I'LL GO AHEAD AND SECOND THAT.
UH, AND COMMISSIONER COOK, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? SURE.
I THINK IT'S, UH, REALLY UNIQUE AND GREAT PROPERTY.
THE WAY THOSE STONES ARE PUT TOGETHER ARE PRETTY REMARKABLE.
UM, BUT I THINK IT'S UNLIKELY THAT WE WILL MEET A SECOND CRITERIA GIVEN THE LACK OF INFORMATION AVAILABLE AND, UM, THE APPARENT HISTORY THAT WE DO KNOW.
UH, IT JUST SEEMS UNLIKELY AND I DON'T SEE ANY ALTERNATIVES WITH THE PLACEMENT OF THE TREES AND THE PLACEMENT OF THE STRUCTURE, UH, TO INCORPORATE IT IN, IN ANY CONSTRUCTION THAT WOULD BE NECESSARY, UH, ON THIS PROPERTY.
I THINK THE BEST WE COULD HOPE FOR IS A REALLY HIGH QUALITY DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, POSSIBLY REUSING OR ECHOING, UH, THOSE CONSTRUCTION DETAILS.
BUT I JUST DON'T THINK IT, UH, IS GONNA RISE TO THE LEVEL OF A LANDMARK.
AND I, I DON'T SEE ANY PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW TO INCORPORATE THIS, UM, GIVEN THE SIGHTING.
I I WENT AHEAD AND SECONDED IT JUST SO WE COULD HAVE IT ON THE TABLE.
UM, I APPRECIATE AND CERTAINLY THE CURRENT STRUCTURAL CONDITION OF THE BUILDING IS, UM, COMPROMISED.
UM, EVEN THE, UH, PHOTOGRAPHS AS YOU SEE, THE TWO, UM, FRONT WOODEN PORCH ELEMENTS ARE, HAS SIGNIFICANTLY MOVED.
UH, UH, YOU KNOW, A UN A UNFORTUNATE WINDSTORM MIGHT BRING THIS THING DOWN.
SO IT IS, IT IS A PRECARIOUS BUILDING IN ITS CURRENT CONDITION.
UH, ITS VALUE IF IT WERE TO BE RESTORED AND IF IT COULD BE RESTORED AND IF IT COULD BE INTEGRATED, I JUST, AGAIN, UM, FOR THAT ERA, IT'S RARITY, UH, AND ITS IMPORTANCE.
EVEN MOST LIKELY BY THE TIME WE FINISH LOOKING AT WHO WOULD'VE BUILT THIS, IT WOULD'VE BEEN ONE OF THE OBVIOUSLY MORE PROMINENT FAMILIES THAT WOULD BE CAPABLE OF DOING KI A BUILDING LIKE THIS AND MAKING IT THEIR SECONDARY HOME.
THAT HAVING BEEN SAID, I THINK THIS OWNER HAS GONE WAY, UH, INTO A PROCESS, UH, AND HAS BEEN VERY FORTHRIGHT IN THE PRESSURE THAT HE'S UNDER AND HIS FAMILY IS UNDER.
AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH HE AND HIS ARCHITECT HAVE DONE THEIR VERY LEVEL BEST TO TRY TO, UH, FIND A WAY TO INTEGRATE OR KEEP, OR EVEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALKED ON THE PHONE, POSSIBLY MOVE THIS, UH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MASSIVE RUBBLE WALL CONSTRUCTION.
IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO MOVE THIS, EVEN TAKING IT APART STONE BY STONE.
UH, YOU HAVE HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS OF LITTLE STONES THAT ARE MAKING UP THESE BIG RUBBLE WALLS.
SO I I I, I MEAN, UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCE, I CAN FAST FORWARD, UH, AS MUCH AS I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THIS IN THE LONG RUN, UH, PRESERVED, I DON'T SEE IN THIS SCENARIO A WAY THAT THAT COULD BE POSSIBLE.
SO, UM, AGAIN, I, I'M A, A RELUCTANT SECOND, BUT I ALSO, UH, PERHAPS AT THE SAME TIME I'M SPEAKING FOR THE MOTION, I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING THIS MOTION.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS OBSERVATION REPORT, OBVIOUSLY WE CAN SEE THOSE FRONT TWO COLUMNS FAILING.
UM, IT, IT, THERE WASN'T ANY DETAILED INFORMATION ON STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF EXISTING MEMBERS.
UM, THIS WAS ALL BASED OFF OF VISUAL EXAMINATION.
OF COURSE IT'S GONNA HAVE MILDEW SMELLS AND MOLD AND STUFF.
IT'S BEEN SITTING VACANT POSSIBLY FOR 40, 50 YEARS.
THE FACT THAT IT'S STILL STANDING SHOULD ATTEST TO THE FACT THAT IT'S STURDY ITSELF.
UM, IF THIS WAS A CCC BUILDING IN THE 1930S, WE'D ALL BE PROBABLY ADVOCATING FOR IT.
BUT IF THIS IS POSSIBLY BEFORE 1930, EVEN MORE OF A REASON TO GET THE RESEARCH, GET THE HISTORY, LET'S FIGURE OUT THE, WHAT THIS BUILDING KIND OF HAS.
UM, I THINK, I THINK EVEN IF THERE'S NOT A POSSIBILITY TO WORK WITH THE OWNER, GIVEN THAT WE, WE WANT TO ACCOMMODATE WHAT YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING FOR IN YOUR RETIREMENT HOME, UM, I, I DON'T SEE, I THINK WE COULD LOOK MORE INTO THAT RELOCATION.
[03:00:01]
I THINK PLENTY OF OTHER BUILDINGS HAVE FIGURED THIS OUT, BUT WHAT WOULD THAT COST, WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? IS WE HAVE A PARK JUST DOWN THE STREET.I THINK IT'S M ALONG, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE AS SIMILAR CONTEXT RIGHT ALONG THE, THE RIVER.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT, UH, WE COULD HAVE THE OWNER DONATE TO THE CITY AND THE CITY CAN DO IT COST STUDY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO MOVE.
SO JUST, JUST THROWING THINGS OUT THERE.
IF THIS IS THE LAST WE HEAR OF IT, COMMERS ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ITEM, UH, DISCUSSIONS ON THIS ITEM? OKAY, HEARING NONE, UH, WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE AND RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT WITH A REQUEST FOR AN EXTENSIVE, UH, DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND THEN, UH, LET'S SEE, FIVE THERE AT HOME.
SO THAT IS FIVE IN FAVOR AND FOUR OPPOSED.
AND SO THE MOTION CARRIES AND WE RELEASE.
UH, COMMISSIONER, WE NEED SIX TO PASS PER OUR BYLAWS.
SO COMMISSIONERS, UH, I, I WILL HAVE TO SAY THAT A VOTE OF FIVE IN FAVOR IS NOT A QUORUM VOTE, AND THEREFORE THE MOTION IS NOT APPROVED.
SO, UH, I WILL ENTERTAIN ANOTHER MOTION.
UM, I WOULD PUT, UH, MY MISSION WOULD BE TO, UM, SORRY.
OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND, UM, POSTPONE TILL OUR NEXT MEETING.
WITH AN INVITATION TO THE A RC IF THEY, BUT IT ALL BE OPEN TO TALKING ABOUT PRESERVING ANY PART OF THE STRUCTURE.
UH, OR THE, EVEN THE, I I DON'T, I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE PRACTICAL TO MOVE THIS, BUT AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, MAYBE EXPLORE THAT EVEN AS A POSSIBILITY.
I THINK IT'D BE EASIER TO INCORPORATE, BUT YEAH.
UH, SO THERE'S A MOTION TO POSTPONE TO THE NEXT, UH, MEETING AND, UH, ALSO AN INVITATION TO THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE.
ADDING SECOND FROM, FROM ADDITIONAL RESEARCH FROM CITY STAFF AND A REQUEST OF ADDITIONAL RESEARCH FROM CITY STAFF.
UH, I DID TAKE SOME PHOTOGRAPHS.
UH, UH, KARA, UH, CALLAN, I WILL SEND THOSE TO YOU, UH, AS WELL.
AND SECOND IT, UH, IS THERE A DISCUSSION? OKAY.
HEARING NONE, UH, I'LL CALL THE QUESTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
SO THE MOTION DOES CARRY, THIS WILL BE, UH, TAKEN UP AGAIN AT OUR MARCH MEETING, AND WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, ALSO, UH, THE APPLICANT FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
ALRIGHT, UM, COMMISSIONERS, I HAVE THE NEXT
[24. PR-2024-000257– 711 W Monroe St. ]
ITEM, UH, DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER 24, WHICH IS SEVEN 11 WEST MONROE STREET, AND THIS IS A DEMOLITION REQUEST.UH, ITEM 24 AT SEVEN 11 WEST MONROE IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1906 HOUSE.
L PLAN HOUSE IS A DOUBLE HIP ROOF AND A PARTIAL WIDTH PORCH SUPPORTED BY BOX COLUMNS, AND HAS TWO OVER TWO, UH, WOOD AND ALUMINUM WINDOWS AND HORIZONTAL SIDING.
UM, IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN BUILT BETWEEN 1904 AND 1906.
ITS FIRST OCCUPANTS FOR THE WIMBERLEY FAMILY WHO REMAINED IN THE HOME UNTIL 1934.
JIM WIMBERLEY WORKED AS A CARPENTER, A SALOON OPERATOR, AND A GROCER.
HE AND HIS WIFE MATILDA, ALSO OWNED THE WIMBERLEY FILLING STATION ON SOUTH FIRST STREET FOR A SHORT TIME.
AFTER BUILDING A NEW HOUSE ON SOUTH FIRST IN 1934, WIMBERLEY SOLD THE HOUSE TO CHARLES DOUGLAS AND MARY BENSON.
CHARLIE BENSON WORKED AS A CARPENTER, MACHINIST, AND A SUPERINTENDENT AT THE, UH, WAGNER MEMORIAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, UH, WHERE HE ALSO SERVED AS A DEACON.
AND MARY BENSON WORKED AS A BOOK BINDER AT THE STACK COMPANY.
THEY HAD FOUR CHILDREN AND LIVED IN THE HOME UNTIL AT LEAST 1959.
THE 2016 BOLDEN CREEK SURVEY LISTS THE PROPERTY AS A MEDIUM PRIORITY AND CONTRIBUTING TO A POTENTIAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
HOWEVER, STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION.
THEREFORE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO STRONGLY ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE, THEN RELOCATION OVER DEMOLITION, BUT TO RELEASE THE PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UH, WERE WE ABLE TO GET A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE BUILDING ON THE SCREEN? AND, UH, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF?
[03:05:02]
OKAY.UH, IF NOT, I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS.
IS THERE ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? YES.
PLEASE, UH, COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND IF, AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
UH, I'M, I'M MAINLY HERE JUST TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
I'M THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY.
UM, I CAN PROVIDE SOME COMMENTS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MY PERSONAL BACKGROUND IS, IS HELPFUL IN THIS DECISION, BUT, UH, I, I DO HAVE A LONG HISTORY HERE.
I LIVE IN BOLDEN, UH, CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD CURRENTLY.
AND WHEN I MOVED BACK FROM GRAD SCHOOL, I WAS SERVED ON THE AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER FOR MANY YEARS AND I WAS ON THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND THAT WAS DRIVEN BY UM, MY DAD'S TERMS AS CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR OF AUSTIN, AND IT'S A LITTLE CRINGEY TO SIT HERE AND TELL YOU ALL THAT, BUT I DO, BECAUSE I DO THINK IT GIVES ME AT LEAST A SLIVER OF CREDIBILITY WHEN I SAY THAT I LOVE THIS CITY.
I LOVE THE HISTORY OF THIS CITY.
I COMMEND WHAT THIS COMMISSION DOES.
I WAS A PART OF IT TANGENTIALLY WITH THE AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER ASSOCIATION.
AND THAT A SLIVER OF CREDIBILITY WHEN I JUST DON'T SEE THE HISTORICAL VALUE OF AN EXTREMELY DLA DILAPIDATED HOUSE THAT MY FUTURE NEIGHBORS, THIS WILL BE MY HOME, HAVE PRAISED THAT SOMETHING IS BEING DONE.
UM, IT IS APPEARS VERY UNUSABLE.
AND I KNOW THAT WHAT THE COMMISSION CARES ABOUT IS THE CRITERIA FOR THE LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
IT WAS FENCED WHEN IT WAS ON THE MARKET.
IT WAS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED NOT TO ENTER THE HOME.
SO I DIDN'T, BECAUSE OF HOW UNSAFE IT WAS.
THERE'S A TRAILER IN THE BACK, UM, WHERE HOMELESS FOLKS WERE ALLEGEDLY SQUATTING.
SO I THINK THE ONE COMMENT THAT WAS PROVIDED, UM, ON THIS MATTER WAS AN UNSOLICITED BY ME COMMENT IN FAVOR OF ISSUING THE, THE PERMIT.
AND AGAIN, TO WHAT THIS COMMISSION, UM, IS CONCERNED WITH IS THE CRITERIA WHICH I, I BELIEVE THE STAFF HAS NOTED THAT IT DOESN'T MEET TWO OF THE HISTORICAL LANDMARK CRITERIA.
I I DON'T EXACTLY KNOW WHAT THE DEFINITION OF HIGH INTEGRITY IS.
UH, I I, IF IT'S WITH RESPECT TO THE INTEGRITY OF THE STRUCTURE, I, I DON'T BELIEVE IT MEETS THAT.
UM, BUT FOR THOSE REASONS, UM, I WOULD JUST RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT THE COMMISSION TONIGHT RELEASE AND, UH, APPROVE, UH, THE PERMIT.
UM, AND I'M WELCOME TO ALL COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS.
AND I DO HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION.
UH, WOULD YOU JUST IDENTIFY YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD? UH, YEAH.
UM, AT THIS POINT, UH, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? COMMISSIONERS? OKAY.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK FOR THIS? ALRIGHT, UM, UH, COMMISSIONERS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION THEN TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
A AND I THINK THE COMMISSIONER'S AT HOME.
UH, THAT'S UNANIMOUS AND THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
COMMISSIONERS, WHAT IS YOUR ACTION THAT YOU WOULD LIKE ON THIS ITEM? I'LL MOVE TO RELEASE A DEMOLITION PERMIT PENDING A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
AND, UH, COMMISSIONER COOK, GO AHEAD AND SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION.
YEAH, I'M USUALLY A CHAMPION FOR THESE WING AND GABLE STYLE HOMES BECAUSE THEY'RE ROCK SOLID.
BUT I CAN JUST TELL FROM, UH, STREET PHOTOS AND PHOTOS WITHOUT EVEN AN ATTEMPT TO SHOW THE CONDITION IT'S IN THAT THE FOUNDATION IS FAILING.
UH, THE WINDOWS PROBABLY AREN'T RESTORABLE.
UM, IT'S LISTED AS MEDIUM PRIORITY ON THE, UH, SURVEY.
UM, AS MUCH AS I LOVE HOMES OF THIS AGE, UH, AND CELEBRATE THAT IT'S BEEN HERE THIS LONG, UH, AND THE FACT THAT STAFF IS UNDERSTAFFED AND DOESN'T SUPPORT IT, UM, ALL THOSE REASONS JUST TEND TO AGGREGATE.
I, I DON'T SEE ENOUGH LEFT ON THIS TO EVEN, UH, POSTPONE AND HAVE AN ARCHITECTURAL AGREE COMMITTEE MEETING ABOUT TRYING TO INCORPORATE THIS, UH, WITH AN ADDITION IN THE REAR COMMISSIONER CASTILLO.
YEAH, I, I DON'T HAVE REALLY MUCH TO ADD TO THAT, BUT WITH THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION, I, THAT'S WHY I'M OKAY.
COMMISSIONER, DOES ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS MOTION? OKAY.
WITH UH, NO FURTHER DISCUSSION THEN I'LL CALL
[03:10:01]
THE QUESTION.UH, THE MOTION IS TO APPROVE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION TO RELEASE THE, UH, DEMOLITION AND, UH, ENCOURAGE THE RELOCATION OVER DEMOLITION, BUT RELEASE THE PERMIT ON THE COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
IS THERE SIX? IS THAT RIGHT? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
UH, WITH, UH, DEAR COMMISSIONER EVANS.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED? AND, UH, OKAY.
UH, COMMISSIONER DUDLEY AND COMMISSIONER RUBIO OPPOSED? SO THAT IS A VOTE OF SEVEN TO TWO AND THAT MOTION DOES PASS.
SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR, UH, MR. FRIEDMAN.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR BEING HERE.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, WE TOOK ITEM 25 OUT OF, UH, ORDER.
SO WE ARE NOW UP TO THE DISCUSSION ITEMS AND WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER 26, THE GRANTS COMMITTEE.
AND DO WE HAVE, UH, DISCUSSION ON THAT ITEM? SAM, THIS IS STILL IN TALKS WITH, UH, MELISSA ALVARADO.
UH, I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANYTHING TO DISCUSS AT THIS PRESENT MOMENT.
I KNOW WE'LL BE GETTING THINGS SCHEDULED SHORTLY.
[27. Architectural Review Committee – Updates from previous meeting. ]
UPDATES? ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE? UM, I THINK WE SAW MOST OF THEM, ALL THE SIX STREET PROPERTIES WE DISCUSSED, AND THEN THE, THE TWO THAT ARE ON, ON THEIR WAY DOWN THE SIX MONTH DEMOLITION DELAY IN TRAVIS HEIGHTS.SO IT WAS A FAIRLY SHORT MEETING.
SO, UH, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON HAD TO SIGN OFF.
UH, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S BEEN ANY, UH, MEETING THERE.
AND, UH, COMMISSIONER CASTILLO, I KNOW WE JUST HAD A REPORT FROM THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE.
I DON'T MEAN I DO ANY BETTER THAN WHAT, WHAT KARA DID, SO.
WE WOULDN'T WANT YOU TO TAKE AS LONG EITHER.
WELL, COMMISSIONERS, I THINK WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'VE MADE IT TO THE END OF OUR AGENDA.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE NEED TO COVER? I JUST HAD A QUESTION.
WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM DOWNTOWN COMMISSION AN UPDATE, SO MAYBE NEXT MONTH IF COMMISSIONER LAROCHE COULD PROVIDE AN UPDATE FROM THAT.
UH, SAM, WOULD YOU MAKE SURE WE REMIND, UH, COMMISSIONER LAROCHE AND JUST MAKE SURE THAT HE'S CONNECTED OVER THERE TO THE DOWNTOWN FRONT FOLKS? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
ALRIGHT, WELL, WITH NOTHING ELSE.
OH, DO WE HAVE SOME OTHER ITEM? OH, OKAY.
DID WE, DID WE MISS ANYTHING? OKAY.
UH, WELL, SORRY FOR ANY MISUNDERSTANDING, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
MR. RUBIO AND COMMISSIONER PORTER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS AND, UH, WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT MONTH.