[00:00:04]
[CALL TO ORDER ]
UH, I AM BEN HEIM, THE CHAIR OF THE HISTORIC LANDMARKS COMMISSION.I WILL CALL THIS MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3RD, UH, OF THE HISTORIC LANDMARKS COMMISSION TO ORDER.
UM, WE WILL, UH, TAKE VOTES ON THE, UH, CONSENT AGENDA AND POSTPONEMENTS BEFORE WE PROCEED TO CASES.
BEFORE THAT, UH, WE WILL ALSO HAVE A PUBLIC, UH, COMMUNICATION.
SO IN ORDER TO GET STARTED, UH, SAM, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE? ABSOLUTELY.
FIRST, WE HAVE COMMISSIONER HEIM, S PRESENT, COMMISSIONER WHIT FEATHERSTON PRESENT, COMMISSIONER KEVIN COOK, PRESENT COMMISSIONER CARL LAROCHE IS ABSENT TODAY.
COMMISSIONER RE MC, ORDER COMMISSIONER HARMONY GROGAN PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER ROXANNE EVANS IS NOT HERE YET.
SHE IS DELAYED IN TRAFFIC, BUT SHOULD BE HERE SHORTLY.
COMMISSIONER RAYMOND CASTILLO.
COMMISSIONER JUAN RAYMOND RUBIO.
COMMISSIONER TARA DUDLEY IS ABSENT.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL ]
PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? WHY DON'T WE GO TO THAT FIRST? YES, WE DO.FIRST WE HAVE MR. SCOTT HENSON, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF.
AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, THESE ARE ITEMS THAT ARE NOT PERTAINING TO A SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM TONIGHT, BUT ARE MORE GENERAL IN NATURE.
I DO HAVE SOME FOR Y THE OTHER TWO, SIR.
HELLO, MY NAME IS SCOTT HESSON.
UM, I LIVE IN CENTRAL EAST AUSTIN ON HEWLETT AVENUE.
AND I WANT TO JUST LET Y'ALL KNOW ABOUT A VERY STRANGE LITTLE PROJECT I'VE UNDERTAKEN HERE IN THE PAST FEW YEARS.
THIS IS NOT ASKING Y'ALL TO MAKE ANYTHING A LANDMARK OR, OR TAKE ANY ACTION, PARTICULARLY AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
BUT, UM, I HAD, UH, AS A VERY SHORT INTRODUCTION, UH, I HAD RIGHT BEFORE THE PANDEMIC HIT HAD UNDERTAKEN CANCER SURGERY AND TREATMENT.
AND SO WHEN IT CAME OUT, I WAS NOT REALLY ABLE TO GO BACK AND DO TOO MUCH OUT IN THE WORLD AT ALL.
AND, AND AS A, A PROJECT THAT MAINTAINED SANITY DURING THIS PERIOD, UM, BEGAN RESEARCHING LITTLE STORIES FROM MY LITTLE NEIGHBORHOOD IN CENTRAL EAST AUSTIN.
THE FIRST ONE WAS THIS LITTLE SMALL BOOKLET, UM, YOU HAVE THERE, WHICH IS ABOUT A GROCERY STORE THAT TURNED 100 YEARS OLD LAST YEAR, UM, UM, AND IS STILL OPERATING A SMALL GROCERY STORE, TWO BLOCKS FROM MY HOUSE.
THE SECOND ONE IS ABOUT A MURDER MYSTERY FROM THE FORTIES THAT TURNED OUT TO BE POLITICALLY CONSEQUENTIAL AND WAS PRIMARILY COVERED AT THE TIME BY ARTHUR DEWITTE, WHO YOU PROBABLY HAVE HEARD OF AS AN NAACP ACTIVIST.
BUT HIS DAY JOB FOR 23 YEARS WAS AS A, A REPORTER FOR THE HOUSTON AND FORMER NEWSPAPER.
AND ALL OF HIS WRITINGS HAVE BEEN LOST.
THEY, YOU, THEY'RE NOT IN ANY ARCHIVES OR, OR YOU KNOW, ANYWHERE.
UM, BUT I DID FIND, UH, TWO OF HIS ARTICLES OR FRAGMENTS OF THEM IN THE DA'S FILES AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH.
AND SO, UM, ALL THIS TO SAY, I'M GONNA BE GENERATING SEVERAL MORE OF THESE CRAZY LITTLE THINGS.
UM, WE'RE JUST GONNA ROLL 'EM OUT ONE AT A TIME HERE OVER THE NEXT YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF.
AND, UH, SO, AND I WANTED TO SHARE THESE WITH Y'ALL JUST TO, UM, UH, UH, SORT OF MAKE THE COMMUNITY AWARE OF 'EM THAT IT DEALS WITH SOME OF THIS.
'CAUSE I REALLY DID JUST DO THIS SORT OF ISOLATED ON MY OWN.
AND FINALLY, I WANTED TO LEAVE SOME, NOT JUST HERE FOR THE COMMISSIONERS, BUT FOR THE STAFF TO WORK ON THIS AND SOME TO PASS ALONG, PLEASE.
BECAUSE THIS ONE, THE LARGER ONE ACTUALLY WAS GENERATED BASED ON ME READING AN ANALYSIS THAT ONE OF THE CITY STAFF DID ON A DEMOLITION PERMIT.
AND, UM, AND SOMEONE HAD FOUND REFERENCE TO THIS MURDER AND FOUND A MONEY QUOTE FROM THE STATESMAN THAT, THAT SORT OF CAPTURED SOME OF THE CRAZINESS THAT WOULD MAKE YOU REALLY PERK UP AND SAY, WOW, THERE'S A STORY TO TELL THERE.
AND THAT IS 100% HOW I FOUND THAT.
AND SO I'M GONNA LEAVE A FEW ALSO TO
[00:05:01]
PLEASE PASS ALONG TO WHOEVER THE STAFF ARE WHO DO THAT WORK BECAUSE YAY THEM.AND THAT WAS A FUN THING TO FIND AND A FUN THING TO DO.
SO THAT'S WHAT I GOT, WANTED TO SHARE THOSE WITH Y'ALL AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.
AND LET ME ALSO PUT A PLUG, SINCE YOU DROPPED ONE OF THESE OFF AT THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE MEETING, AND I'VE HAD A CHANCE TO READ THEM ALREADY.
UH, YOU REALLY BRING THE HISTORY TO LIFE.
AND, UH, IT'S AMAZING BECAUSE, UH, THIS ISN'T A FAR IN A WAY DISTANT PLACE.
WE'RE READING ABOUT, THESE ARE ALL STREETS THAT WE KNOW IN TRAVERSE EVERY DAY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND TO KNOW THERE'S THIS RICH HISTORY, UH, AND, AND TO MAKE IT AS, UH, UH, EXCITING IF YOU WILL, UH, AS YOU HAVE, UH, MY CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND, AND CERTAINLY, UH, UH, HOWEVER, HOWEVER, THEY NEED TO FIND YOU TO GET COPIES OR TO CONTACT THE PRESERVATION OFFICE TO MAKE REFERENCE.
WELL, THERE'S A, UM, I MEAN THERE'S A, UH, I'M, YOU CAN ORDER 'EM MAIL ORDER, UM, AT GB PUBS.COM.
UM, UH, ACTUALLY THEY SELL 'EM AT THE LITTLE STORE WHERE THEY'RE
WHERE THEY'RE, BUT WE, WHERE YOU'RE WRITING ABOUT.
BUT I HAVEN'T REALLY GOTTEN A LOT OF GREAT, UM, DISTRIBUTION WORK DONE YET, MAINLY 'CAUSE I'M JUST KIND OF PUTTING THESE OUT AT THE MOMENT, AND HADN'T HADN'T FOCUSED THAT MUCH ON THAT PART.
WELL, LET ME ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO MORE, UH, MEET ME AT HUDSPETH CORNER IS THE ONE I READ.
I'M NOW LOOKING FORWARD TO ICARUS AND HEELS AND FUR.
AND OF COURSE THE ILLUSTRATIONS ARE AWFULLY CUTE, SO.
AND, AND IT'S A WEIRD PLACE IN AUSTIN TO WRITE ABOUT THAT THE LITTLE STORE, THE HUDSPETH CORNER STORE THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, WHEN THEY CREATED THE NEGRO DISTRICT IN 1928, OF COURSE, THE NORTHERN BOUNDARY THERE WAS, IT WAS SOUTH OF OAKWOOD CEMETERY WAS THE, WAS THE LOCATION WELL SOUTH, THAT BOUNDARY IS 14TH STREET, AND THAT WAS 14TH STREET TO THE EDGE OF TOWN.
WELL, THIS IS AT 14TH AND CEDAR.
SO THIS LITTLE STORE IS RIGHT THERE, YOU KNOW, AT THE NORTHERN BOUNDARY ON THE WHITE SIDE OF THE, OF, OF THE DISTRICT, ONE THAT'S CREATED.
AND IT JUST CREATED THIS VERY INTERESTING LITTLE LOCATION TO STUDY THAT WASN'T QUITE ONE OR THE OTHER PLACE, YOU KNOW, AND, AND YOU DUG HAVE SOME VERY INTERESTING PERSONALITIES, PARTICULARLY SIE MA BARTON.
UM, I HOPE WE'LL ALL BE TALKING ABOUT HER A LOT MORE.
WELL, I DON'T WANT TO KEEP YOU UP.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
UH, SEE, DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE? YES, WE HAVE A WOLF SITLER.
PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
UH, MR. CHAIRMAN MEMBERS, UH, MY NAME IS WOLF SITLER.
I'M A, UH, RESIDENT OF TRAVIS HEIGHTS AND HAVE BEEN INTERESTED IN THE NORWOOD HOUSE FOR THE, SINCE 2008.
UM, AND I AM NOW A MEMBER OF, UH, A NEW VOLUNTEER GROUP WORKING TO REVIVE THE NORWOOD HOUSE.
IT'S CALLED A REVIVED NORWOOD ALLIANCE.
AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IN AN EFFORT TO, UH, PERSUADE THEM TO GO ALONG WITH OUR VISION OF REPURPOSING THE HOUSE.
UH, OUR ORIGINAL THOUGHT WAS TO CREATE A DUPLICATE OF THE HOUSE.
IT WAS A ARTS AND CRAFTS BUNGALOW, ONE OF THE MOST NOTABLE HOUSES IN AUSTIN.
UH, SINCE THEN, WE'VE CONCLUDED THAT DUPLICATING THE HOUSE WOULD PROBABLY COST TWICE AS MUCH AS REPURPOSING IT IN ANOTHER WAY.
AND SINCE WE'RE USING, WE'RE THINK IF IT GETS DONE, IT REQUIRES SOME TAX MONEY.
WE WANT TO USE, UH, SMART STRATEGIES IN TERMS OF SPENDING TAX MONEY SO WE GET THE MOST FOR THE LEAST.
SO AT THIS POINT, THERE IS NO COMMITMENT ON THE PARKS DEPARTMENT OR BY THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO, UH, FIX THE HOUSE AND MAKE IT USABLE AS A COMMUNITY EVENT CENTER AND A RENTAL, UH, VENUE SIMILAR TO THE ZILKER CLUBHOUSE.
SO WE'RE WORKING, WE'RE HOPING THAT, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY JURISDICTION ON THESE THINGS, WHERE YOU CAN ENCOURAGE THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO, UH, GO ALONG WITH A PLAN TO, UH, FIX UP THE HOUSE.
IT HAS A NEW FOUNDATION, IT HAS A NEW SUBFLOOR.
IT'S BASICALLY, UH, FROM A CONTRACTOR PERSPECTIVE, IT'S 25% DONE.
AND, UH, THE, UH, PARKS DEPARTMENT IS, SAYS THEY'RE NOT SURE ABOUT WHAT THEY WANNA DO WITH IT.
MAYBE FIX IT UP, MAYBE TEAR IT DOWN AND, AND PUT A VIEWING PLATFORM THERE.
SO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU HAVE A LETTER THERE FROM, UH, SOUTH RIVER CITY CITIZENS, UH, WHO HAVE ALWAYS ENDORSED THE REPURPOSING OF THIS HOUSE.
AND, UH, THE COMMUNITY WOULD APPRECIATE IF, UH, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WOULD JUST SIGN, SIGN UP TO GO ALONG WITH IT AND HELP US MAKE IT HAPPEN.
[00:10:01]
IT'S, IT'S A SITE THAT IN THAT PART OF TOWN, THERE'S NOTHING COMPARABLE AS AN EVENT CENTER OR A COMMUNITY CENTER.AND SO IT WOULD SERVE NOT JUST OUR COMMUNITY, BUT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY OF AUSTIN, JUST LIKE THE ZILKER CLUBHOUSE.
WELL, WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME YOU'RE PUTTING IN.
UH, THAT IS AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, UH, STRUCTURE.
AND, UH, I, MYSELF, I'M NOT PROBABLY THE ONLY ONE, UH, WHO'S ALREADY INVESTED VOLUNTEER HOURS TO TRY TO MOVE THINGS ALONG.
I'VE NEVER HEARD THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WOULD CONSIDER OUTRIGHT DEMOLITION.
UH, THAT WOULD NOT BE ACCEPTABLE.
THAT HAVING BEEN SAID, IT IS LANGUISHED, UH, THE BEST WE COULD DO.
UH, UH, WELL, I CAN'T SAY I WAS RESPONSIBLE, BUT CERTAINLY WAS INVOLVED SLIGHTLY WHEN THEY MOVED IT TO THE CURRENT REMOVED IT, I SHOULD SAY, FROM ITS SITE WHERE IT HAD BEEN, UH, PARKED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND THEN REPLACED IT ON ITS ORIGINAL SITE.
BUT THAT IS AUSTIN'S PREMIER BUNGALOW.
AND IF IN ITS HEYDAY THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE LIKE IT.
UM, AND THE DREAM OF PUTTING THAT BACK IN SOME FASHION AND GIVING THAT, UH, RESOURCE AGAIN TO THE PUBLIC, I, I'M DELIGHTED IT'S NOT DEAD AND
AND I, I, COMMISSIONERS, I'M, I'M, I'M SPEAKING OUT OF TURN PERHAPS FOR ALL OF THE COMMISSION, BUT IN THIS CASE IT'S VERY PERSONAL SINCE, UH, WE'VE HAD QUITE A BIT OF TIME ALREADY PUT IN TO TRYING TO GET IT AS FAR ALONG AND, AND INDEED OBVIOUSLY IT, IT HAS NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
THIS SOMETHING THAT'S AUSTIN DEPARTMENT OR AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION OR SOMETHING THAT WE COULD REACH OUT TO BOTH.
YEAH, PLEASE LET US, I KNOW PART OF COURSE IS THE OWNER, UM, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THE PARKS FOUNDATION IS INVOLVED AT ALL.
THE, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS, OR, OR THE PARKS FOUNDATION IS THAT THEY WILL HELP US WITH FUNDRAISING IF WE GET THE GREEN LIGHT TO GO AHEAD.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST TRYING TO, UH, SET THE STAGE FOR GETTING APPROVAL FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO PROCEED WITH FIXING IT UP.
ANY QUESTIONS OF, UH, UH, FURTHER DISCUSSION ON QUESTION OF THE, UH, PRESENTER? NOT FOR THE PRESENTER, BUT I HAVE A QUESTION FOR STAFF.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE PARD IS DOING A ANOTHER ASSESSMENT THIS WINTER AND THEN, UM, WE'LL AT SOME POINT DO A CITY COUNCIL PRESENTATION ON FINDINGS.
WOULD PARD BE COMING HERE BUT BEFORE CITY COUNCIL, OR IS THAT SOMETHING WE'RE NOT SURE OF? STAFF.
CALLEN, WOULD YOU WANT TO ADDRESS THAT? THANK YOU.
UM, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I'VE HEARD OF THUS FAR, BUT I CAN CERTAINLY INVITE THEM TO, UH, TO COME AND SPEAK TO Y'ALL, UH, BEFORE WE GO, UM, AND SEE WHAT THEY HAVE AT COUNCIL.
UM, AND LET THE RECORD SHOW THAT, UH, IN THE MIDST OF THIS PRESENTATION, UH, COMMISSIONER EVANS HAS SUCCESSFULLY FOUGHT TRAFFIC AND ARRIVED, AND, UH, COMMISSIONER DUDLEY IS, IS WITH US.
WELCOME YOU BOTH AS WELL AS COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ.
OH, AND COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ MADE IT TOO.
ALRIGHT, NOW, NOW WE'RE EVERYBODY UP AND RUNNING.
UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, LAROCHE IS THE ONLY ONE ABSENT.
UM, IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL CITIZEN THIS, UH, UH, PRESENTATION WE DO, UM, ACTUALLY, MRS. SMOOT, UM, WE JUST RECEIVED WORD THAT WE WILL NEED TO POSTPONE THE 4 0 9 EAST MONROE BRIEFING.
UM, SO YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT MORE IN MAY.
UM, BUT YOU ARE FREE TO, IS SHE FREE TO SPEAK? YEAH, FEEL FREE TO SPEAK
YOUR COMMENTS WILL STILL BE ON THE RECORD.
I AM, I AM, UM, UH, BACK AGAIN TO, UH, JUST KEEP ON YOUR RADAR.
AND FOR THE RECORD, LET'S MAKE SURE YOU READ YOUR NAME IN THE RECORD.
AH, MY NAME IS SAMANTHA SMOOT.
UH, AND, UH, I AM, UM, HERE TO JUST KEEP THE PROPERTY AT 4 0 9 EAST MONROE ON YOUR RADAR.
THIS IS THE HOUSE THAT, UH, NEIGHBORS ARE CONCERNED THAT, UM, EVEN THOUGH YOU ALL, UM, UH, REJECTED, UH, UH, DEMOLITION REQUEST LAST YEAR, AND APPROVED A PLAN THAT WOULD PRESERVE THE EXTERIOR STRUCTURE OF THIS HISTORIC AND WONDERFUL PROMINENT HOME, UM, THAT THE LANDLORD HAD LEFT THE PROPERTY UNSECURED, AND WE WERE CONCERNED THAT WE WERE WITNESSING A DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT, UH, AND, UM, FURTHER CONCERNED THAT THE CODE ENFORCEMENT PROCESS, RATHER THAN, UH, LEADING TO AN OUTCOME OF ENFORCING THE CODE AND REQUIRING THE BUILDING TO BE SECURED AND MAINTAINED WAS INSTEAD, UH, IT SEEMED PERHAPS, UH, MOVING
[00:15:01]
TOWARDS THE CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT, UH, RECOMMENDING DEMOLITION.AND SO WE, THIS WAS A PLEA TO HELP US HELP, UH, DIFFERENT ARMS OF THE CITY WORK TOGETHER AND ALSO ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE OF DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT, WHICH I THINK HAS BROADER INTEREST AND IMPLICATION.
SO I WANTED TO JUST KEEP IT ON YOUR RADAR.
I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW A QUICK UPDATE WITHIN DAYS OF YOUR LAST MEETING, UM, A FOR SALE SIGN COMING SOON, UH, HOUSE WAS PLACED IN FRONT OF THE PROPERTY.
THERE HAS BEEN SOME CLEANUP OF THE GROUNDS.
UM, THE DOORS ARE NOW CLOSED SECURELY, WHICH IS GREAT.
A COUPLE OF WINDOWS ARE STILL OPEN.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE OWNER IS HOPEFUL THAT HE CAN BE PART OF A SALE AND BE THE CONTRACTOR FOR THE RENOVATION.
SO, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HOPEFUL AND YET WE'RE ALSO STILL CONCERNED THAT THERE'S A CODE ENFORCEMENT PROCESS IN PLACE AND A LANDLORD WHO, UM, UH, AN OWNER WHO'S INTERESTED IN ULTIMATELY IN DEMOLITION.
SO, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY, THAT'S REALLY ALL.
AND I GUESS THE BRIEFINGS GONNA BE NEXT MONTH NOW FROM CODE ENFORCEMENT.
SO NO SPECIFIC REQUEST, JUST KEEPING IT ON THE RADAR FOR YOU.
ANY, ANY QUESTION FROM THE PRESENTER? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANY FURTHER PRESENTATION? YES, WE HAVE MEGAN KING.
MEGAN KING, UM, POLICY OUTREACH PLANNER FOR PRESERVATION AUSTIN WITH MY MONTHLY UPDATE FOR YOU ALL.
UM, JUST ONE UPDATE I SUPPOSE.
UM, WE HAVE OUR 2024 HOMES TOUR COMING UP IN A FEW WEEKS ON SATURDAY, APRIL 20TH AND SUNDAY APRIL 21ST.
IT'S A TWO DAY TOUR CITYWIDE WITH 10 HOMES.
UM, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
IT'S LIKE OVER A HUNDRED YEARS WORTH OF HOMES.
UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A VIP PARTY, THE, UM, THE SAME WEEK ON THE 16TH AT SOUTH WIND, THE HOME OF TEXAS, MODERNIST PAINTER, SEYMOUR FOGLE.
AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED THIS YEAR TO HAVE OUR FIRST EVER BLOCK PARTY, WHICH WE'RE PUTTING ON WITH THE CITY'S PLANNING DEPARTMENT, UM, ON SATURDAY, APRIL 20TH AS PART OF THE HOME TOUR.
AND IT'LL BE IN THE ROGERS, WASHINGTON HOLY CROSS HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND THERE'S GONNA BE FOOD AND MUSIC AND TOURS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
SO ANYBODY WHO IS INTERESTED CAN GET TICKETS@PRESERVATIONAUSTIN.ORG.
ALRIGHT, ANY FURTHER PRESENTATIONS? NO FURTHER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION OR PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS.
ALRIGHT, WELL THEN COMMISSIONERS,
[Consent Agenda]
LET ME PROCEED TO REVIEW THE AGENDA AND THEN WE WILL BEGIN, UH, UH, WITH OUR CONSENT ITEMS. UH, LET ME START WITH ITEM NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS THE MARCH 6TH, 2024 MINUTES, UH, THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.UH, ITEM NUMBER TWO IS A BRIEFING PRESENTATION AND RESOLUTION, UH, REGARDING THE INSTALLATION OF LG LGBTQIA PLUS HISTORICAL MARKER AT FOURTH IN COLORADO.
UH, WE'LL ALSO HAVE A, A NUMBER THREE, UH, PRESENTATION ON THE CODE DEPARTMENT PROCESSES.
UH, THOSE WILL NOT REQUIRE ANY ACTION.
UH, THE CODE PROCESSES BRIEFING HAS BEEN POSTPONED.
THE, THE, UH, CODE PROCESS BRIEFING HAS BEEN POSTPONED.
SO WE WILL NOT HAVE THE CODE DEPARTMENT PROCESS.
SO WILL THAT BE, UH, ON OUR AGENDA NEXT MONTH? OKAY.
THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT.
WE HAVE, UM, PUBLIC HEARINGS DISCUSSIONS ON HISTORIC ZONING APPLICATIONS.
UH, ITEM NUMBER FOUR, THIS IS, UH, AT 1206 EAST 13TH STREET, UH, AND 1209 BOB HARRISON, THE FASHION AT BEAUTY SHOP.
UH, THIS WAS POSTPONED FROM OUR MARCH 6TH AGENDA.
AND THAT WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM.
ITEM NUMBER 5 3 10 WEST AVENUE.
UH, THE RUSSELL AND JEAN LEE HOUSE.
UH, THIS IS AN OWNER INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING AND THAT IS ALSO POSTED FOR DISCUSSION.
THE NEXT ITEMS ARE, UH, ITEMS FOR HIS, UH, UH, CERTIFICATES OF APPROPRIATENESS, EITHER HISTORIC LANDMARKS OR LOCATED IN A NA IN A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UM, FIRST ITEM NUMBER SIX IS 42 0 4 AVENUE H.
UH, THIS, UH, WAS POSTPONED FROM OUR MARCH 6TH MEETING, WAS REFERRED TO THE, UH, ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
AND I BELIEVE, UH, STAFF, DID WE GET NEW PLANS? I KNOW THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT, UH, IN TIME FOR THE PO FOR THE, UH, PACKETS.
OKAY, AS OF LAST NIGHT, I BELIEVE.
UM, LET ME, LET ME HAVE THAT ONE AS A DISCUSSION THEN.
I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE RECOMMENDING SO THAT WE CAN AT LEAST REVIEW THE NEW, THE UPDATES.
UH, ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, UH, 4 0 0 4
[00:20:01]
AVENUE H UH, THIS IS IN THE HYDE PARK LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.A CON, UH, PROPOSAL FOR AN ADDITION OF A PORCH AND ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 8 11 14 WEST NINTH STREET, SHELBY HOUSE.
A PROPOSAL TO REPLACE THE SHINGLE ROOF WITH A METAL ROOF, UH, IS RECOMMENDED THAT THAT IS A DISCUSSION ITEM.
ITEM NUMBER 9 15 0 4 WEST LYNN STREET.
UH, THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO CONSTRUCT AN ADDITION REMODEL AND REPAINT, UH, THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 10 AT 8 0 1 LYDIA STREET IN THE ROBERTSON, STEWART AND MAYOR LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UH, THAT IS A DEMOLITION, UH, REQUEST.
AND THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO DENY THE DEMOLITION REQUEST.
AND THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
IS THAT, THAT IS AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT? BEG YOUR PARDON? IT IS AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT.
THE APPLICANT HAS ASKED FOR A POSTPONEMENT.
UH, THESE NEXT ITEMS ARE PROPERTIES, NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS, UH, WHICH WARRANT OUR REVIEW, UH, ITEM NUMBER 11, WHICH IS 1409 ALTA VISTA AVENUE.
UH, THIS IS A ADDITION AND A REMODEL.
IT WAS POSTPONED FROM OUR MARCH 6TH.
AND IS, UM, BEING OFFERED AS A CONSENT.
UH, LET'S SEE, WAS THAT A CONSENT POSTPONEMENT? YES.
THE APPLICANT HAS ASKED FOR A POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM NUMBER 12 23 21 HARTFORD ROAD.
NOW THIS IS IN THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT AND THAT IS, UH, ADDITION AND A REMODEL AND IT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 13 AT 10 0 8 SPENCE STREET IN THE WILLOW SPENCE NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THIS PROPOSAL IS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION, UH, FOR AN ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT.
AND THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 14 15 10 WILDRIDGE DRIVE IN THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
UH, THAT IS A PROPOSED PARTIAL DEMOLITION AND ADDITION, AND THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 15, UH, THAT IS, UH, 2307 WINDSOR ROAD NUMBER TWO IN THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
AND I BELIEVE THAT ONE IS A DISCUSSION POSTPONEMENT.
SO, UH, WE'LL HAVE THAT, UH, OFFERED FOR POSTPONEMENT, BUT WE'LL DISCUSS, UH, WHETHER THAT'S APPROPRIATE.
ITEM NUMBER 16 27 15 WILDRIDGE DRIVE AND THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NATIONAL REGISTER.
HISTORIC DISTRICT, UH, THAT IS A PROPOSAL FOR A DEMOLITION AND THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
UH, THESE NEXT ITEMS ARE DEMOLITION AND RELOCATION PERMIT APPLICATIONS.
UH, ITEM NUMBER 17, UH, 2,200 WEST NINTH STREET.
UH, THAT IS A DEMOLITION REQUEST AND THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 18 21 0 2 4 OAKS LANE.
THAT IS ALSO A DEMOLITION REQUEST THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT CHAIR.
I'D LIKE TO PULL ITEM NUMBER 18 21 0 2 4 OAKS LANE.
OKAY, WE'LL POST THAT INSTEAD.
WE'LL PULL THAT AND HAVE THAT FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM NUMBER 18 AT, UH, 2102 FOR OAKS LANE.
UH, ITEM NUMBER 19 14 0 1 ELTON LANE.
UH, THAT IS A PARTIAL DEMOLITION REQUEST AND THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
THAT IS A TOTAL DEMOLITION AND I BELIEVE THERE IS A REQUEST FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR A POSTPONEMENT.
AND SO THAT WILL BE A ANOTHER DISCUSSION.
THAT IS 24 0 7 SOUTH THIRD STREET.
UH, THAT I BELIEVE IS THAT A DISCUSSION IS SOME, DID WE HAVE SOMEONE PULL THAT? NO.
UNLESS THAT'S, UH, SOMEONE HAS, HAS REQUESTED THAT, THEN THAT WILL ALSO BE OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
UM, ITEM NUMBER 22 53 0 4 WESTERN HILLS DRIVE.
UH, THAT ITEM IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 23 34 0 5 WILLOW SPRINGS ROAD.
THAT IS A RELOCATION PERMIT AND THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
AND THE REMAINING ITEMS, UH, WE HAVE ITEMS FOR COMMISSIONERS.
UH, THERE'S, UH, ACTIONS REQUIRED TO, UH, ALLOW PRESERVATION PLAN, WORKING GROUP AND THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE COMMISSION.
UH, YOU HAVE LANGUAGE ON THAT AND WE CAN DISCUSS THAT BEFORE WE TAKE ACTION.
[00:25:01]
HAVE, UH, MEMBERSHIP CHANGES OF THE COMMITTEES, UH, THAT WE'LL TAKE ACTION ON ITEM 26.UH, BUDGET RECOMMENDATION, UH, IT BEING PROPOSED THAT WE HAVE A WORKING GROUP, WE STILL HAVE TIME TO MAKE THAT BUDGET REQUEST.
ITEM 27, UH, THERE IS A LETTER FOR COUNSEL, UH, FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY THAT, UH, SEE, UM, WE'LL BE ABLE TO DISCUSS THAT AND TAKE ACTION.
UH, COMMITTEE UPDATES WILL BE GRANTS OPERATIONS, ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW AND PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT WERE ON CONSENT THAT ANYONE WOULD WANT ME TO, UH, POLL FOR DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT, AND HEARING NONE, WHAT I'LL DO IS I'LL REVIEW THOSE ITEMS SPECIFICALLY AND THEN I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA.
SO THE FIRST ITEM, AS WE MENTIONED WAS, UM, ITEM NUMBER ONE.
THOSE ARE THE MARCH 6TH, 2024 MINUTES.
THE NEXT ONE IS ITEM NUMBER 7 40 0 4 AVENUE H IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 9 15 0 4 WEST LYNN STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 12 23 21 HARTFORD ROAD IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 13 10 0 8 SPENCE STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
1510 WILDRIDGE DRIVE OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
WILDRIDGE DRIVE IS ALSO OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM 17, 2200 WEST NINTH STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 19 14 0 1 ELTON LANE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
21 24 0 7 SOUTH THIRD STREET, OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
22 53 0 4 WESTERN HILLS DRIVE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
23 23 0 5 WILLOW SPRINGS ROAD IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
UH, 27 15 WILDRIDGE DRIVE AS WELL IS ALSO OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
I DUNNO HOW I MISSED THAT ONE.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
I'LL MOVE THAT WE PASS THE CONSENT AGENDA.
SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COMMISSIONER COOK CENTERED, UH, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HORTER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING AYE OR RAISING YOUR HAND.
ALRIGHT, UM, THESE NEXT ITEM, IT, WE DO HAVE A, UH, CONSENT POSTPONEMENT AND THAT I DON'T BELIEVE WE'D NEED ANY ACTION FOR THE POSTPONING OF THE BRIEFING.
IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S JUST GONNA HAPPEN.
ALRIGHT, SO THEN THE POSTPONEMENT REQUESTS THAT WE HAVE, UM, ITEM NUMBER 11 14 0 9 ALTAVISTA AVENUE.
UH, IS THAT CORRECT? AND ITEM NUMBER 10? I BEG YOUR PARDON? ITEM NUMBER 10 AS WELL.
AND THAT'S NOT A DISCUSSION POSTPONEMENT, THAT'S A, THAT'S A CONSENT AS WELL.
ALRIGHT, SO ITEM 10 AND ITEMS, UH, WHICH IS 8 0 1 LYDIA STREET AND ITEM 11 14 0 9 ALTA VISTA AVENUE.
BOTH OF THOSE ARE REQUESTS FOR POSTPONEMENTS TO OUR NEXT MEETING, UH, WHICH WILL BE IN MAY.
UH, SO I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? ALRIGHT, SO THAT IS, UH, CONSENT POSTPONEMENTS.
[15.PR-2024-018182 – 2307 Windsor Rd. #2 Old West Austin National Register Historic District ]
WE HAVE ARE THE DISCUSSION POSTPONEMENTS.AND THE FIRST ITEM, UM, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, IS ITEM 15.
UH, 2307 WINDSOR ROAD NUMBER TWO.
NOW BE AWARE THAT DISCUSSION IS ONLY ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE POSTPONE THAT OR WHETHER WE HEAR THIS PO THIS CASE TONIGHT.
SO THIS IS NOT A PUBLIC HEARING, BUT WE CERTAINLY CAN HEAR FROM THE, UH, APPLICANT IF THERE IS A, UH, REASON NOT TO HAVE A POSTPONEMENT.
AND WE CERTAINLY CAN OPEN THIS TO DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT ITEM BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE.
SO IS THERE SOMEBODY HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST WHETHER THIS SHOULD BE POSTPONED? YES.
AND FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF.
HELLO, UH, COMMISSION MEMBERS? I'M JULES KAPLAN.
AND, UH, MAY I ASK PLEASE? UH, THE REASON FOR THE POSTPONEMENT, IT'S SOMEONE FROM THE, UM, COMMISSION
[00:30:01]
REQUEST A POSTPONEMENT OR WHAT IS THE REASON FOR THE POSTPONEMENT REQUEST? UH, I'M, I'M NOT GONNA SPECULATE.STAFF, DO YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC, UH, REQUEST? WE HAVE SPEAKERS IN OPPOSITION.
WE HAD, WE HAD A REQUEST FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THERE'S BEEN A REQUEST FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, TYPICALLY WE WILL LOOK FAVORABLY UPON, UH, THOSE REQUESTS, BUT, UH, IT IS NOT A, AN AUTOMATIC, SO, OH, I SEE.
IF THE, IF THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS REQUESTED THAT IT BE COME IN MAY.
WELL THAT'S CERTAINLY JUST FINE.
AND, UH, WE'LL, UH, UH, HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL BACK IN MAY.
OKAY, SO IF THERE'S NO FURTHER OPPOSITION, THEN LET ME BY ACCLIMATION JUST SAY THAT, UH, IF THERE'S ANY, ANY COMMISSIONERS OPPOSED OR IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WANTS TO SPEAK ON THAT? OKAY.
HELLO, MY NAME IS ELIZABETH GALIK.
THE INFORMATION PACKET THAT WAS SENT OUT REGARDING THIS PROPERTY IS INACCURATE.
IT SHOWS THE WRONG PROPERTY BEING MARKED FOR DEMOLITION.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT BY POSTPONING IT, UM, AND IF YOU ALERT STAFF, THEN WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT.
YES, THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES, BUT THAT, THAT IS ONE THING I WANTED TO POINT OUT TO YOU REGARDING THE POSTPONEMENT.
WE DO APPRECIATE YOU LETTING US KNOW.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, WE'VE HAD, UH, AN AGREEMENT FROM THE OWNER.
WE'VE HAD REQUESTS FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE POSTPONE THIS TO OUR, UH, MEETING IN MAY.
UH, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION MOVE TO POSTPONE THIS CASE TO R MAY MEETING.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
[20.PR-2024-025110 – 3205 Tom Green St. ]
FOR A DISCUSSION, POSTPONEMENT WOULD BE ITEM NUMBER 20, AND THAT'S AT 32 0 5 TOM GREEN STREET.AND I BELIEVE THIS ALSO WAS A NEIGHBORHOOD REQUEST, AND IS THE OWNER IS HERE AND WOULD LIKE TO, AGAIN, WE'RE NOT TAKING THE CASE, BUT JUST, UH, THIS HAS NOT BEEN POSTPONED PREVIOUSLY.
IF THERE IS A REASON WHY WE SHOULD NOT POSTPONE THIS, UH, AND HEAR THE CASE TONIGHT.
MY NAME IS MARY INGLE AND I LIVE IN THE NORTH UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOOD.
I WOULD LIKE TO RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR POSTPONEMENT FOR ONE MONTH, JUST BECAUSE THE NEIGHBORHOOD WASN'T NOTIFIED, BUT THE CONTACT TEAM WAS.
THAT'S HOW I LEARNED ABOUT IT.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THE OWNER TO COME TO OUR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING IN MAY, IN WHENEVER IT IS IN MAY.
AND, UH, PROPOSE, YOU KNOW, TALK TO US ABOUT IT BECAUSE A GOOD NEIGHBOR WOULD DO THAT.
AND HE WILL, HE OWNS THE PROPERTY AND I AM INVITING HIM TO THIS MEETING.
UM, WE'D LIKE TO KNOW HIS PLANS AND WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO ENCOURAGE HIM, UM, TO RELOCATE IF THE PROPERTY CAN'T BE REPURPOSED OR WHATEVER.
SO, UM, I'M JUST EXTENDING THE OLIVE BRANCH TO MR. WHITWORTH.
UH, IS THE OWNER HERE OR THE APPLICANT HERE? AND AGAIN, THIS IS NOT HEARING THE CASE.
THIS IS JUST, UH, IF YOU AGREE, THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO GO ANY FURTHER.
WE CAN POSTPONE THIS, IF NOT, UH, THIS IS A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE HEAR THE CASE TONIGHT.
I'M THE OWNER OF 32 0 5 TOM GREEN.
AND I WOULD PREFER IF WE COULD HEAR THIS CASE TONIGHT.
UM, THE, THE PERSON REQUESTING A POSTPONEMENT IS HERE.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE ALMOST, UH, FULLY SEATED ON THE COMMISSION.
UM, THIS IS A VERY WELL-INFORMED NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, LEADERSHIP.
THEIR EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE HISTORY OF THE AREA IS WRITTEN, EXPLORED, AND POSTED ON THEIR WEBSITE.
THIS ISN'T, THIS ISN'T A SURPRISE.
THEY'VE REQUESTED A HISTORIC DISTRICT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE PAST.
I KNOW THEY HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION THEY NEED AND THEY COULD SPEAK ON, UH, SPEAK ON IT IF NEEDED.
UM, AND THAT'S REALLY EVERYTHING ABOUT IT.
I JUST, I, THIS NEIGHBORHOOD'S READY TO GO.
THEY KNOW THE HISTORY AND, UH, IT'S JUST
[00:35:01]
WANTING TO POSTPONE IT FOR A MONTH.UM, FOR, NO, THEY'RE NOT GONNA LEARN ANYTHING ELSE.
BUT, UH, I'LL LEAVE IT TO YOU.
UM, PART OF THE IDEAL REASON FOR A POSTPONEMENT IS THAT THERE'D BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PARTIES TO VISIT AND, AND HAVE PERHAPS SOME MEETING OF THE MINDS OR, UH, UNDERSTAND BETTER, UH, BEFORE THEY COME HERE.
BUT IF, IF YOU HAVE NOT MET WITH THEM OFFICIALLY, I, THAT'S POSSIBLE.
I JUST, YOU KNOW, IF, I ONLY WANNA SPEAK TO THE POSTPONEMENT HERE, BUT THE, UM, THE, THE REQUEST IS THAT WE DISCUSS THE PLANS FOR THE PROPERTY AND WE CAN, I DON'T THINK IT'S PERTINENT.
I'VE BEEN DOING THIS 20 YEARS AND I TOLD MARY WHEN SHE CALLED ME LAST WEEK, I, I DON'T GET IN MY CAR AND DRIVE SOMEWHERE TO GET BEAT UP ANYMORE.
WE WE'RE PREPARED, WE'RE ADULTS.
WE KNOW THE HISTORY OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, WE KNOW THIS PROPERTY, AND WE DON'T NEED TO WASTE THE COMMISSION'S TIME.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, UH, WE HAVE A REQUEST FOR THE POSTPONEMENT.
UH, AND YOU'VE HEARD THE DISCUSSION.
UH, WHAT IS THE DESIRED ACTION? I HAD A QUICK QUESTION FOR STAFF.
CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT THIS WAS ALL PROPERLY NOTIFIED PER CITY ORDINANCE? YES.
THIS ONE WAS, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO HEAR THIS CASE TONIGHT AS A DISCUSSION ITEM.
I'LL SECOND I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.
SO WE HAVE A SECOND TO GO AHEAD AND HEAR THE CASE, WHICH IS BASICALLY TO DENY THE, UH, POSTPONEMENT REQUEST.
UH, WE CAN DISCUSS THAT IF YOU WOULD LIKE.
AND THEN HAVE, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER RUBY, THEN HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION, UH, AS WELL.
UH, I JUST ALWAYS TEND TO SUPPORT, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD INTERACTION.
AND IF SOMEONE COMES UP HERE, UH, AND MAKES THE TIME, I, I, I DON'T WANNA KNOCK IT DOWN, BUT THEY ARE HERE AND, UH, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT WAS NOTIFIED PROPERLY.
UM, AND IT'S BEEN POSTED PROPERLY.
UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE ARE ACTUAL MISTAKES OR MISSED POSTINGS, I, I'M PUSHING IT TO THE POINT OF, UH, YOU KNOW, COMMUNICATION WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS A BIT TOO FAR, I THINK, BUT, UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE EVERYTHING WAS DONE PROPERLY AND, AND I DON'T WANT TO MAKE THE APPLICANT WAIT LONGER IN THIS CASE.
COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTONE, NOTHING TO ADD.
I'M INTERESTED IN WHAT, UH, COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER RUBIO QUESTION WAS.
DID YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER RUBIO? I GUESS MY QUESTION WAS JUST, IS STAFF PREPARED TO ANSWER POTENTIAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ADJACENT HOUSE OR IT'S, IT'S THE HISTORY OF ITS LOT IF THIS WAS A, A DUPLEX GARAGE ORIGINALLY, OR NEIGHBORS, MAYBE STAFF.
DO YOU HAVE, DO YOU WANT TO RESPOND? AGAIN, THIS IS PERTINENT TO THE QUESTION OF POSTPONEMENT.
UM, COMMISSIONER, THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE IS AVAILABLE IN YOUR BACKUP AND THE STAFF REPORT.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THE ADJACENT LOTS, UM, JUST THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY.
ANY MORE DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION TO, UH, DENY THE POSTPONEMENT REQUEST? AGAIN, TYPICALLY THIS IS DONE MORE AS A COURTESY, BUT I UNDERSTAND, UH, VERY MUCH THE, UH, PARTIES BEING HERE, THE CASE CAN BE UNDER, UH, CAN BE PRESENTED IF, IF THIS MOTION, UH, IS, IS APPROVED THE WAY IT IS, IS WORDED.
UH, BUT I DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT BOTH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE APPLICANT ARE AWARE WE CAN STILL GO AHEAD AND POSTPONE THIS EVEN AFTER WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE PUBLIC HEARING OF THE PRESENTATION.
SO THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A FINAL RESOLUTION TONIGHT.
IT WOULD ONLY BE THAT WE WOULD HEAR THE CASE TONIGHT.
COMMISSIONERS, UH, WE HAVE A MOTION TO GO AHEAD AND HEAR THE CASE TONIGHT AND TO DENY THE POSTPONEMENT REQUEST.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
WELL, I'M THE ONLY ONE WHO'S OPPOSED.
UH, IT PASSES AND WE WILL HEAR THE CASE.
UH, ITEM NUMBER 20, UH, AS IT COMES UP IN THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
I BELIEVE THAT IS ALL THE ACTION THAT WE CAN TAKE AT THIS TIME.
[2.Presentation on Resolution no. 20230914-078 regarding the installation of an LGBTQIA+ historical marker at 4th & Colorado]
ARE READY FOR OUR, UH, FIRST BRIEFING ITEM NUMBER TWO.AND I BELIEVE THAT'S BY, UH, TOBY JOHNSON.
YOU, IS HE DIALING IN? HI, UH, I'M TOBY JOHNSON.
I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE, UH, AUSTIN, UH, LGBT,
[00:40:01]
UH, COMMITTEE, UM, COALITION ON AGING.UH, WE'RE A, A COMMITTEE OF, UH, UH, CONCERNED, UH, CITIZENS, MOST OF THE SENIOR CITIZENS WHO'VE BEEN IN PART OF THE GAY COMMUNITY FOR MANY YEARS.
UM, ONE OF OUR PROJECTS IS, UH, PRESERVING HISTORY OF THE COMMUNITY.
LAST YEAR SOMETIME CITY COUNCIL PASSED A RESOLUTION, UH, THE, UH, CALLING FOR, UH, A, UH, L LGBTQIA PLUS HISTORICAL MARKER AT THE, UH, FOURTH AND COLORADO AREA.
UM, AND, UH, THE RESOLUTION CALLED FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO GATHER INPUT FROM, UH, COMMUNITY LEADERS, UM, THAT GOT TO, UH, THE COALITION ON AGING.
I AM MANAGING THE, UH, UH, HISTORY PROJECT.
AND SO WE, UH, WERE ASKED OR TOOK IT UPON OURSELVES TO, UH, PREPARE A SAMPLE TEXT TO SUBMIT.
UM, I SPOKE TO YOU LAST MONTH, UH, ASKING WHAT TO, UH, TO DO WITH THIS.
UM, SINCE THEN I'VE HAD A VERY GOOD COMMUNICATION WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER COOK AND A, AND A NICE PHONE CALL TODAY.
AND, UH, I AM SATISFIED THAT HE UNDERSTANDS THE DIRECTION AND THAT, UH, THE SAMPLE TEXT THAT WE SUBMITTED WILL BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.
AND I WILL, UH, BE HAPPY TO CONSULT FURTHER AND BRING THIS BACK TO MY COMMITTEE.
SO I, UH, I I, I'M HAPPY WITH WHAT'S HAPPENED OVER THE MONTH AND I GOT WHAT I ASKED FOR.
UH, YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO NOTE, UM, I, THIS TRIGGERED SOME RESEARCH BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S, UM, DISCOVERY.
THERE'S NOT REALLY A PROGRAM FOR CITY HISTORICAL MARKERS THAT AREN'T ASSOCIATED WITH LANDMARKS OR DISTRICTS.
UM, AND THERE'S MULTIPLE PLAYERS IN THIS AND THERE'S GONNA BE ISSUES OF PUBLIC WORK.
SO I THINK IT'S GONNA NEED SOME, SOME SHEPHERDING.
UH, I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE L-G-B-T-Q-I-A, UH, QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSION WHO'S GONNA ALSO BE INVOLVED IN, IN SHEPHERDING THIS.
I DID HAVE ON THE TEXT JUST A FEW COMMENTS TO MAKE.
ONE, UH, BEING THAT IT'S LIKELY THAT THE TEXT WILL HAVE TO BE ABRIDGED FOR WHATEVER THE ULTIMATE, UH, MARKER IS OR IS GONNA BE TEXT LIMITS.
AND, AND MR. JOHNSON HAD NOTED THAT, THAT THAT WASN'T A RESTRICTION ON THE DRAFT.
UH, I HAD SUGGESTED LEAVING OFF THE VERY LAST SENTENCE, WHICH TALKS ABOUT, UH, CURRENT DAY STATUS, WHICH MAY NOT HOLD TRUE INTO THE FUTURE, AND HAD MADE A SUGGESTION THAT A COMMENT BE MADE BE ADDED.
THAT THERE HAS BEEN A DOCUMENTED SEXUAL MINORITY PRESENCE IN THIS AREA'S 1874 WHEN THIS AREA WAS THE RED LIGHT DISTRICT KNOWN AS GUY TOWN.
AND THERE, THERE ARE NEWS ARTICLES THAT DOCUMENT THAT TO SHOW THE DEEPER HISTORY THERE.
UH, OF COURSE THAT'S ADDING SOMETHING, BUT I'M ALSO SUGGESTING THAT IT'S LIKELY TO HAVE TO BE ABRIDGED.
BUT I KNOW THERE'S GONNA BE SOME WORDSMITHING ON THIS, HOWEVER IT GOES DOWN AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO BE, CONTINUE TO BE INCLUDED.
AND I COMMITTED TO KEEPING MR. JOHNSON AND HIS COMMITTEE, UH, INCLUDED AS WELL AS WE SHEPHERD THIS.
UH, WE DISCUSSED WITH STAFF THE POSSIBILITY OF USING THIS TO START A LOCAL LANDMARK PROGRAM, WHICH IS ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, FOR STORYTELLING AND HERITAGE IN THE PRESERVATION PLAN.
BUT AT THIS EARLY STAGE IN CURRENT STAFFING, THAT'S NOT REALLY FEASIBLE.
THAT'S, THAT'S QUITE AN ENDEAVOR TO SET UP AN ENTIRE PROGRAM FOR REVIEWING LANDMARKS, UH, REVIEWING MARKERS, MUCH LESS THE LOGISTICS OF GETTING ONE CASTS MUCH LESS PAID FOR.
SO THE SUGGESTION IS IT MADE THAT THIS MIGHT BE A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR A STATE HISTORICAL MARKER, PARTICULARLY THE UNDERTOLD STORIES PROGRAM WITH THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION, UH, WHICH IS JUST STARTING IN SEPTEMBER FROM WHAT I SEE.
SO THIS MAY BE A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR ONE OF THOSE EARLY STORIES.
SO IT'S PROBABLY A LONG ROAD AHEAD FOR THIS.
UH, BUT I THINK THE TEXT THAT WAS DRAFTED WAS, WAS OUTSTANDING.
I THINK IT WAS VERY BALANCED, IT WAS BROAD ENOUGH TO COVER THE WHOLE HISTORY WHILE STILL FOCUSED ON THE LOCAL HISTORY OF, UH, THAT BLOCK, UM, IN THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT.
UM, AND JUST HAD THOSE THREE COMMENTS TO MAKE.
AND UNLESS ANYONE HAD ANY COMMENTS, I DON'T KNOW, IS IS THERE ANY FORMAL PROCESS FOR SUBMITTING THOSE COMMENTS OR IS THIS GONNA BE AN INFORMAL COMMUNICATION TO THE OTHER MEMBERS? SO, UH, THERE'LL PROBABLY BE, I IMAGINE SOMEWHERE WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THE FINAL APPROVAL THAT THERE, IT MIGHT COME BACK TO US FOR FINAL APPROVAL OF THE FINAL TEXT.
SO, UH, THIS IS THE BEGINNING STAGE AND, UH, THANKS TO MR. JOHNSON, I THINK WE AND HIS COMMITTEE, WE HAVE A VERY GOOD START.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALRIGHT.
AND MR. JOHNSON? WE DO THANK YOU AS WELL.
[4. C14H-2024-0011 – 1206 E 13th St/1209 Bob Harrison Fashionette Beauty Shop ]
THAT BRINGS US TO THE HISTORIC ZONING APPLICATIONS.WE HAVE AN ITEM THAT WAS POSTPONED FROM OUR MARCH 6TH AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR, THAT'S 1206 EAST
[00:45:01]
13TH STREET AND 1209 BOB HARRISON STREET, THE FASHION AT BEAUTY SHOP.THANK YOU CHAIR, AND A BIG THANK YOU TO, UH, BOTH MR. JOHNSON AND COMMISSIONER COOK FOR, UH, SHEPHERDING OUR PART OF THIS RESOLUTION.
UM, I THINK IT'S REALLY A WORTHWHILE ENDEAVOR, AND I WAS, UM, REALLY EXCITED TO SEE MR. JOHNSON'S TEXT AND COMMISSIONER COOK'S INPUT.
UM, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, TO SEEING THIS MARKER ON FOURTH STREET.
CASE NUMBER C 14 H 20 24 0 0 1 1 IS A, UH, APPLICANT INITIATED OR OWNER INITIATED APPLICATION, UH, FOR THE FASHION BEAUTY SHOP AND THE ELMER AND ETHEL MCDONALD JACKSON HOME.
UM, THIS IS AN ITEM THAT CAME BEFORE Y'ALL LAST MONTH, AND, UH, STAFF STILL RECOMMENDS THE PROPOSED HISTORIC ZONING FOR THIS PROPERTY.
UM, THIS PROPERTY WENT TO A RC LAST MONTH, AND THE OWNER HAS CONFIRMED THE WINDOW CONFIGURATION OF THE BACK HOUSE, WHICH WAS THE QUESTION, UM, BACK IN APRIL, UM, THE 2016 EAST AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY RECOMMENDS THIS PROPERTY IS CONTRIBUTING TO POTENTIAL LOCAL AND NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS.
AND THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION ARE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS AND COMMUNITY VALUE.
THE BUILDINGS AT 1206 EAST 13TH AND 1209 BOB HARRISON ARE ASSOCIATED WITH AFRICAN AMERICAN BUSINESSWOMAN AND COSMETOLOGISTS.
ETHEL ETHEL MCDONALD JACKSON, WHO RAN A SUCCESSFUL HOME-BASED BUSINESS FROM 1944 TO 1974, AND WHOSE FAMILY SERVED THEIR COMMUNITY AS CIVIC LEADERS THROUGHOUT THE 20TH CENTURY.
THE FASHION AT BEAUTY SHOP IS A SIGNIFICANT REMINDER OF THE RESILIENCE, CREATIVITY, AND BUSINESS ACUMEN OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS IN SEGREGATION ERA AUSTIN HOME-BASED BUSINESSES WERE AN IMPORTANT PART OF LIFE IN EAST AUSTIN, THOUGH FEW RESIDENTS HAD THE CAPITAL TO CONSTRUCT BRAND NEW COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS.
MANY BUSINESS OWNERS USED OWNERS USED THEIR HOMES TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES THAT CUSTOMERS OF COLOR COULD NOT ACCESS ELSEWHERE.
BEAUTY AND BARBERSHOPS WERE PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT AS THEY BOTH PROVIDED A GATHERING SPACE FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR AND AN ESSENTIAL SERVICE TAILORED TO AFRICAN AMERICAN BEAUTY AND STYLE IN AN AREA WHERE AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN WERE STRUGGLING AGAINST ALL ODDS TO BREAK PROFESSIONAL BARRIERS.
SALONS OWNED AND OPERATED BY BLACK COSMETOLOGISTS GAVE OTHERS A CHANCE TO LOOK AND FEEL THEIR BEST.
THEIR SUCCESSES WERE NOT ONLY IMPORTANT TO THEIR CUSTOMERS, BUT ALSO TO THE FUTURE SUCCESSES OF ENTREPRENEURS IN ROBERTSON HILL AND BEYOND.
IN ADDITION TO THE SHOP SERVING AS A NEXUS FOR THOSE IN NEED OF COSMETOLOGY SERVICES AND COMMISERATION, THE JACKSONS ALSO OPENED THEIR HOME TO THOSE IN NEED, INCLUDING THOSE WHO COULD NOT FIND ACCOMMODATIONS ELSEWHERE.
BECAUSE OF AUSTIN SEGREGATION LAWS, THEY HOUSE THEIR EXTENDED FAMILIES FROM RURAL AREAS, INCLUDING ETHEL MCDONALD, JACKSON'S YOUNGER BROTHERS, SO THAT THEY COULD HAVE ACCESS TO AUSTIN SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES.
THEY BOTH FED THE HUNGRY, HOUSED THE HOMELESS, CARED FOR THE SICK RIGHTS APPLICANT, BELINDA DAVIS OF HER PARENTS, THEY STRIVE TO MAKE SURE THE NEEDS OF OTHERS WERE MET.
THEY SACRIFICED TO PROVIDE FOR THOSE WHO NEEDED EDUCATION, HOUSING, FOOD, AND LOVE.
OUR NEIGHBOR'S NEW COMPASSIONATE ASSISTANCE WAS AVAILABLE AT OUR HOME, 1206 EAST 13TH.
ACCORDING TO THE EAST AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY, THE BUILDING AT 1206 EAST 13TH IS A CRAFTSMAN BUNGALOW THAT RETAINS THE BUILT ELEMENTS, DEFINING IT NOT ONLY AS A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY, BUT ALSO AS A HOME-BASED BUSINESS WITH DOUBLE ENTRANCES AND A SIDE ADDITION.
THE SURVEY DEFINES THE REAR BUILDING AT 1209.
BOB HARRISON HISTORICALLY USED AS OTHER RENTAL PROPERTY OR THE JACKSON FAMILY RESIDENCE AS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF A CENTRAL PASSAGE NATIONAL FOLK STYLE BUILDING.
THAT CONCLUDES THIS STAFF PRESENTATION.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE, THERE WAS RENOVATIONS THAT WERE GOING ON AND WE HAD SUGGESTED MAYBE AN UPDATE WITH PHOTOGRAPHS OR SOME OTHER PRESENTATION.
IS THAT, UH, DO WE HAVE ANYTHING NEW ABOUT THE PROGRESS? UH, YES.
CHAIR, WE HAVE THE APPLICANT HERE TO SPEAK ON THE PROPERTY.
UM, BOTH STRUCTURES ARE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING RESTORED AFTER FIRE DAMAGE WITH CERTIFICATES OF APPROPRIATENESS ISSUED BY Y'ALL, UM, BACK IN FEBRUARY.
UM, AND THE APPLICANT IS HERE TO OKAY, WELL THEN WE, HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET A STATUS REPORT.
PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF.
UM, AND I DON'T HAVE PHOTOS WITH ME, BUT THE 1209 BOB HARRISON PROPERTY IS 95% COMPLETE AND WE'RE, UH, MAKING GREAT STRIDES WITH 1206 EAST 13TH.
IT'S BEEN PAINTED, I MEAN, THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF PAINTING IT NOW AND NEW ROOF'S BEEN PUT ON AND SO WE ARE RENOVATING IT AND WE WANT IT, WELL, I DESIRE THAT IT LOOKS AUTHENTIC TO HOME.
[00:50:01]
I THINK WE'VE DONE THAT.UH, WE'VE ACHIEVED THAT AT 1209 BOB HARRISON.
SO, ANY QUESTIONS OF ME? ANY QUESTION? THE APPLICANT? UH, I JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING YOU, YOU HAD ATTENDED, UH, VIRTUALLY AND WE ASKED ABOUT THE TRIPARTITE WINDOW, THE TRIPLE WINDOW IN THE FRONT, AND THAT WAS ONE CONCERN THAT I HAD HAD.
AND YOU CONFIRMED FROM YOUR PERSONAL LIVED EXPERIENCE THAT IT WAS A THREE PART WINDOW, SO IT WAS OKAY.
AND I DON'T HAVE ANY PHOTOS OF THAT FRONT WINDOW, WINDOW FROM WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL.
UH, I HAVE PICTURES OF THE HOUSE, BUT NOT THAT FRONT WINDOW.
BUT AS I REMEMBER IT FROM THE LATE 1950S, I LIVED THERE FROM 1956 UNTIL 1960.
IT, IT WAS A THREE PART A BIG AND THEN TWO PANELS ON EACH SIDE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS? I APPRECIATE YOUR HELP.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? ANYONE IN FAVOR? ALRIGHT.
UH, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, SO, OKAY.
AND, UH, IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, UH, INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED? ALRIGHT, UH, COMMISSIONERS, WE MAY TAKE A MOTION ON THIS ITEM.
THE OWNER INITIATED, UH, HISTORIC ZONING.
UH, AGAIN, THE CASE WAS HEARD, UH, WITH MORE PRESENTATION AT OUR MARCH MEETING.
AND THEN, UH, SUBSEQUENTLY SOME DISCUSSION AT THE A RCI MOVE TO RECOMMEND THE PROPOSED ZONING CHANGE FROM FAMILY RESIDENTS NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN SF THREE NP TO FAMILY RESIDENTS, HISTORIC LANDMARK NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN SF THREE HNP ON THE BASIS OF HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS AND COMMUNITY VALUE.
AND A QUICK CLARIFICATION FROM STAFF.
WOULD WE, WOULD WE BE ABLE TO INCLUDE THE ARCHITECTURE ONCE THE WORK IS COMPLETE? CAN THAT BE AN AMENDMENT THAT WE MAKE? OR DO WE, UH, CAN WE ADD THAT BASED ON, UH, WHAT WE'VE BEEN TOLD SO FAR? UH, YES.
CHAIR, YOU CAN ABSOLUTELY ADD THAT IT IS AT THE COMMISSION'S DISCRETION.
COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON, YOU, YOU'RE WELCOME TO ADD THAT AS WELL.
IF YOU WOULD BE INCLINED JUST, JUST FOR ROBERT RULES PRACTICE, I'LL LET SOMEONE ELSE PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT.
WELL WE CERTAINLY NEED A SECOND TO YOUR, UH, MOTION BEFORE WE CAN DO ANY AMENDMENT OF MOTION.
SO IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
IS THAT COMMISSIONER RUBIO? RUBIO.
UH, SO COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? I THINK THAT, UM, I, I FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT THE HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS AND THE COMMUNITY VALUE, UM, CONTRIBUTING TO THIS PROPERTY.
UH, AND IT NECESSITATING BEING ZONED HISTORIC AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I CHOSE TO STICK, STICK WITH THOSE TWO.
I THINK THEY'RE, THEY'RE VERY SELF-EVIDENT BASED ON, UH, STAFF'S PRESENTATION AND I WAS HAPPY TO MAKE THE MOTION.
COMMISSIONER RUBIO, UH, I JUST APPRECIATE THE OWNER WORKING WITH US AND TAKING THE TIME TO PUT THIS THROUGH.
UM, THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT, UH, REALLY IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER IN, IN THIS PART OF THE TOWN, SO THANK YOU.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS? UM, I'M, I'M GONNA MAKE THE PLUG, BUT I DON'T THINK I'LL TURN IT INTO A MOTION THAT THE ARCHITECTURE, UH, IN PARTICULAR THE BEAUTY SHOP AND ITS ENTRANCE, UH, THAT'S VERY DISTINCTIVE.
IT'S STILL CONSISTENT WITH THE HISTORIC PHOTOGRAPHS.
AND I THINK THAT MY CONCERN IS NOT SO MUCH THAT WE WOULD BE REMISS IN OUR ACTION BECAUSE IT WOULD STILL BE HISTORIC ZONING, BUT I WOULD HATE FOR THE RECORD TO, UH, BY PERHAPS IMPLICATIONS SUGGEST THAT THERE WAS SOME SLIGHT THERE OR THERE'S SOME CONCERN THAT WE HAD REGARDING THE ARCHITECTURE.
IT'S STRICTLY JUST A MATTER OF, YOU KNOW, IT'D BE A LOT EASIER IF EVERYTHING WAS FINISHED AND WE WERE SHOWN THE PERFECTLY FANCY PHOTOGRAPHS.
BUT, UH, FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN SO FAR, I'M COMFORTABLE AND I THINK THERE'S SOME VALUE TO ALSO INCLUDING THE ARCHITECTURE, UH, THAT COULD BE A, UH, A FRIENDLY, UH, AMENDMENT TO THE MAKER OF THE MOTION IF THEY AGREED.
BUT THE SECONDER WOULD ALSO HAVE TO AGREE.
IS THAT, IS THAT THE, IS IT UPON ME AS THE MAKER OF THE ORIGINAL MOTION TO MOVE? YOU CAN MOVE TO AMEND YOU.
YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR MOTION IF YOU ARE SO INCLINED,
[00:55:01]
OR WE CAN MAKE YOU DO IT IF SOMEBODY ELSE WANTS YOU TO HAVE, I'LL, I WILL LET SOMEONE ELSE MAKE ME DO IT.I MEAN, WE'RE GETTING SORT OF SEMANTIC AND TECHNICAL, BUT WE ONLY EVER REQUIRE TWO OF THE, THE FIVE COMPONENTS.
UM, AND SO I HEAR YOU THAT YOU DON'T WANNA BY IMPLICATION, DIMINISH THE ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS BUILDING.
I'M TRYING TO LOOK AT IT THAT WE NEED TO, AND WE, WE DO HAVE TWO VERY STRONG ONES.
UH, WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, GIVE WEIGHT TO ANY ONE OF THE FIVE OVER THE OTHERS.
THERE'S JUST LIKE A CLASSICAL TWO BETWEEN ASSOCIATIONS AND ARCHITECTURE.
BUT I THINK THE COMMUNITY VALUE HERE STANDS ON ITS OWN.
SO, UH, I WOULD SUPPORT THE AMENDMENT.
UM, I HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT INTEGRITY, UH, AFTER THE FIRE AND WITH THE WINDOWS GONE, BUT WITH THE SIDING THERE AND PRIMARILY THE, THE MASSING AND THE RETENTION OF THE MASSING AS IT IS, UM, I THINK WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WITH, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY CALL THE, THE BIG HOUSE ON THE HILL SYNDROME WHERE WE ONLY THINK THE GRAND HOUSES MEET THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW.
I, I THINK ARCHITECTURAL STANDARD, I THINK, UH, THE MODESTY OF THESE STRUCTURES IN THEMSELVES, UH, SPEAK TO THE ARCHITECTURE.
I, I, I DID STRUGGLE WITH THE INTEGRITY, UH, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE WINDOWS.
BUT I THINK THE FORM, THE SIZE AND, AND THE FEW KEY DETAILS, THE SIDING AND THE MASSING AND THE LOCATION OF THE WINDOWS, EVERYTHING ELSE IS THERE EXCEPT FOR THE WINDOWS THEMSELVES.
UM, AND AGAIN, THE MODESTY OF THESE BUILDINGS AND THE, THE ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY AND PRACTICALITIES BUILDINGS AND RUNNING A BUSINESS, I THINK THAT ARCHITECTURE SPEAKS TO THE USE.
SO SINCE I DIDN'T ACTUALLY MAKE AN AMENDMENT THEN, WOULD YOU SAY YOUR COMMENTS WERE TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT FOR THE THIRD CRITERIA? I WOULD MOVE TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT OR MOVE, YES.
MOVE TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO ADD THE THIRD CRITERIA FOR THE REASONS I'VE STATED.
AND THEN WE'LL NEED A SECOND AND THEN WE'LL HAVE TO VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT FIRST.
WE HAVE A, UM, COMMISSIONER COOK ALREADY SPOKE.
I YOU, YOU'RE WELCOME TO SAY ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT YOUR AMENDMENT.
COMMISSIONER DUDLEY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD? NO, I JUST AGREE WITH THE, YOU KNOW, THE, HAVING THE MORE MODEST FEATURES AND COMPONENTS OF THE ARCHITECTURE BE RECOGNIZED AS SIGNIFICANT BASED ON, YOU KNOW, IN TANDEM WITH THE CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE, UM, COMMUNITY VALUE, UM, IN THE HISTORIC FUNCTION.
WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? NOW LET'S VERY, VERY CLEAR.
THE MOTION IS NOT THE ACTUAL, UH, CASE ITSELF.
IT IS STRICTLY A MATTER OF DO WE AMEND COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTONE'S MOTION BY ADDING THE ARCHITECTURAL CRITERIA, YES OR NO? AND IF IT'S YES, THEN THAT MOTION WILL HAVE BEEN CHANGED.
IF IT'S NO, THAT MOTION STAYS AS IS AND THEN ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, WE'LL TAKE UP THAT MOTION.
SO JUST SO WE'RE, WE'RE VERY CLEAR ABOUT WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON, IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, THEN I'LL CALL THE QUESTION THE MOTION ON WHETHER OR NOT, UH, WELL, IN, IF YOU ARE IN FAVOR, THEN YOU WILL BE ADDING THE THIRD CRITERIA, UH, AS PER COMMISSIONER COOK'S MOTION.
SO THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ACTUALLY, I BELIEVE IT'S UNANIMOUS.
SO, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON, UH, WE NOW WILL TAKE UP YOUR MOTION, WHICH IS TO, UH, ACCEPT THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION, BUT TO ALSO NOW ADD THE THIRD CRITERIA FOR, UH, ARCHITECTURE AND, UH, TO GO AHEAD AND, AND, AND, UH, MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION FOR HISTORIC ZONING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND ONCE AGAIN, THAT IS UNANIMOUS.
ALL RIGHT, WELL CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH.
UH, WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOUR WORK.
[5.C14H-2024-0016 – 3110 West Ave. Russell and Jean Lee House ]
COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE A SECOND ONLY, OR INITIATED CASE.THIS ONE, UH, ITEM NUMBER FIVE AT 31 10 WEST AVENUE.
THIS IS THE RUSSELL AND JEAN LEE HOUSE AND STAFF.
DO YOU HAVE PRESENTATION CASE NUMBER C 14 H 20 24 0 0 1 16 IS AN OWNER INITIATED APPLICATION FOR HISTORIC ZONING.
UM, FOR THE RUSSELL AND JEAN LEE HOUSE, EXCUSE ME, AT 31 10 WEST AVENUE STAFF RECOMMENDS THE PROPOSED ZONING CHANGE ON THE BASIS OF ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS.
THE 2020 NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY RECOMMENDS 31 10 WEST AS ELIGIBLE FOR INDIVIDUAL LANDMARK DESIGNATION, ELIGIBLE FOR INDIVIDUAL LISTING ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES AND CONTRIBUTING TO POTENTIAL LOCAL AND NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS.
THE HOUSE AT 31 10 WEST AVENUE IS DESCRIBED IN THE WEST CAMPUS, NORTH UNIVERSITY HERITAGE BRECKER WOODS AND NORTH HYDE PARK RESOURCE
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SURVEY, UH, CONCLUDED IN 2020 AS ARCHITECTURALLY SIGNIFICANT FOR ITS DESIGN BY DEVELOPER AADA PENN.IT'S CHARACTERISTIC, IT'S CHARACTERISTIC OF PENN'S DESIGNS, WHICH OFTEN INCORPORATED ELEMENTS FROM THE CRAFTSMAN AND PRAIRIE STYLES.
IT'S RIBBON WINDOWS, AND RUSTIC STONE PORCH PIERS ARE INDICATIVE OF STYLISTIC TENDENCIES.
31 10 WEST IS PRIMARILY ASSOCIATED WITH NATIONALLY RENOWNED PHOTOGRAPHER RUSSELL LEE AND TEXAS POLITICAL STRATEGIST JEAN SMITH LEE WHO OCCUPIED THE HOME BETWEEN 1949 AND 1993.
BOTH LEE'S WERE EXTRAORDINARILY NOTEWORTHY OCCUPANTS FROM MARK PROPERTY OWNER AND ARCHITECT ROBIN ABRAMS AND HER SUMMARY OF THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS.
RUSSELL LEE WAS ONE OF THE FOREMOST DEPRESSION ERA PHOTOGRAPHERS AND PHOTOJOURNALIST IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND IN 1965, HE BECAME THE FIRST INSTRUCTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.
JEAN LEE WAS A PIVOTAL FIGURE IN THE TEXAS DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
SHE BEGAN HER PROFESSIONAL LIFE AS A JOURNALIST AND WORKED FOR THE OFFICE OF WAR INFORMATION DURING WORLD WAR II.
AFTER THE WAR, THE LEES MOVED TO AUSTIN WHERE JEAN BECAME A NOTED POLITICAL ORGANIZER WHO SERVED AS CAMPAIGN MANAGER FOR EMMA LONG.
THE FIRST WOMAN ELECTED TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
LEE WAS ALSO GOVERNOR ANN RICHARDS MENTOR.
DURING THAT TIME, THE HOUSE AT 31 10 WEST CONTRIBUTES TO THE CHARACTER OF THE HERITAGE NEIGHBORHOOD AS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL HOUSES BUILT BY DESIGNER AND DEVELOPER ADA PENN AND SHARES A LOT WITH THE PENN'S HERITAGE HOUSE, ONE OF THE OLDEST RESIDENCES IN AUSTIN.
AFTER HER HUSBAND'S DEATH, PENN BECAME A DRAFTSPERSON AND BEGAN TO DESIGN AND SELL HOMES ON PORTIONS OF HER OWN PROPERTY.
THE CONSTRUCTION RENTAL AND USE IS COLLATERAL OF THE HOME AT 31 10 WEST PROVIDED A SIGNIFICANT REVENUE STREAM THAT BOLSTERED PENN GROWING PEN'S, GROWING BUSINESS.
IN ITS FORMATIVE YEARS, THE BUILDING HAS HIGH INTEGRITY.
A SECONDARY APARTMENT WAS CREATED AT THE REAR IN THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS, BUT ALTERATIONS OCCURRED ONLY AT THE REAR INSIDE AND WERE DESIGNED TO BE REVERSIBLE AND NOT VISIBLE FROM THE STREET.
THEREFORE, STAFF CAN RECOMMEND TO STORE ZONING FOR THIS PROPERTY.
UM, DO WE HAVE THE OWNER HERE TO SPEAK TO THIS, UH, APPLICATION? NO, SHE'S IN, SHE'S IN ENGLAND.
DO WE HAVE SOMEBODY, SHE HERE, SHE'S DOING SOMETHING MATTER.
LET'S UH, HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT THEN.
OH, ARE WE GETTING THERE? ROBIN ABRAMS? HELLO? HELLO.
ARE ARE YOU HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? ROBIN ABRAMS IS WORKING ON ANOTHER CASE.
THIS YOU THINK THAT I CAN SPEAK.
UH, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO IDENTIFY YOURSELF AND SPEAK TO THIS ITEM.
I LIVE NEXT DOOR IN THE PENTHOUSE.
UH, ROBIN ABRAMS IS AN ARCHITECT WHO WORKS ON, UM, HISTORIC PROJECTS IN MANY LOCATIONS AND IS FIGHTING ANOTHER LANDMARK CASE THIS EVENING.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT THERE MAY BE SOME CONNECTION THAT'S BROKEN DOWN, BUT I THINK EVERYTHING'S BEEN SAID BY THE STAFF.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT BUILDING IN ITS OWN RIGHT BECAUSE IT IS NOT ONLY PART OF THE LAYOUT OF THE PENN FAMILY, BUT THE ARCHITECTURE THAT THEY DEVELOPED IS DISTINGUISHED IN THE WAY THAT THEY USED A STONE DRESSING COLUMNS AND FOR CHIMNEY PIECES.
AND THAT IS STATED IN ITS ORIGINAL CONDITION.
BUT OF COURSE THE CENTRAL POINT IS, UH, RUSSELL AND JEAN LEE, AND I DON'T WANT TO REITERATE EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID.
I JUST QUICKLY SAY RUSSELL IS TEXAS AS MOST SIGNIFICANT PHOTOGRAPHER AND WORK FROM THE HOUSE, JEAN COULD BE SEEN AS ONE OF THOSE PIONEERING WOMEN OF TEXAS, A FIGHTER.
UM, SHE WAS THE MENTOR TO ANN RICHARDS DID ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF GOOD IN, UH, THE CITY.
BUT IT'S A HISTORY THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN THAT I NEED TO
[01:05:01]
MENTION, UH, WHICH IS THAT PRESIDENT KENNEDY WAS ASSASSINATED THE EVENING THAT HE WAS ASSASSINATED.HE WAS GOING TO BE HOSTED BY JEAN AND RUSSELL LEE, UM, RUSSELL'S WORK.
UM, SHE PUT IN THE TEXAS STATE MUSEUM TO RUSSELL.
I THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT CASE AND UH, I HOPE THAT YOU'LL SUPPORT IT.
AND I'D BE HAPPY TO SPEAK ON THOSE.
AND UH, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF.
INTO THE, INTO THE MICROPHONE.
HELLO, MY NAME IS THERESA CLARK.
I'VE LIVED IN AUSTIN FOR 30 YEARS, AND, UM, I ORIGINALLY LIVED ON TOWN LAKE NEXT TO THE FOUR SEASONS, AND I CURRENTLY LIVE IN THE HERITAGE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS, AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR CITY TO PRESERVE SOME OF THE OLD AUSTIN THAT WE STILL HAVE.
JUST OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE HISTORY OF AUSTIN, WHEN I MOVED HERE, I WORKED WITH ANN RICHARDS, BOB BULLOCK, AND FRANK MADELA.
AND I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE FOR YOU TO PRESERVE THIS HOUSE WITH THE HISTORICAL LANDMARK.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? OKAY.
HEARING NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
PLEASE INDICATE, RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT IS, UH, NOW, UH, OPEN FOR A ACTION.
COMMISSIONERS I'LL MOVE TO RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING BASED ON THE CRITERIA OF ARCHITECTURE, HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS, AND COMMUNITY VALUE.
UH, COMMISSIONER COOK, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? UH, I THINK THE APPLICATION AND THE TESTIMONY HERE, UH, SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
UH, THIS IS KIND OF A, A UNDERAPPRECIATED NEIGHBORHOOD, I THINK, AND I THINK IT'S GREAT TO HAVE THIS CORE OF THE HERITAGE HOUSE PENTHOUSE NEXT DOOR.
AND, AND THIS ONE SIDE BY SIDE, UH, HOPEFULLY COULD BE THE CORE OF A DISTRICT IN THE FUTURE.
UH, WE CAN HOPE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE ASSOCIATIONS ARE OUTSTANDING, THE INTEGRITY'S OUTSTANDING, UM, AND THE COMMUNITY VALUE THERE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE UNIQUE LOCATION HAS TO DO WITH A TO PENN AND, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH TELLS A GREAT STORY.
IT'S JUST A, AN IDEAL CANDIDATE.
I JUST, UH, WOULD LIKE IN THE FUTURE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS TO THE LARGE WALL THAT PREVENTS THEM FROM BEING APPRECIATED FROM THE STREET.
BUT, UH, THAT IS AN ITEM FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATION.
UH, PROTECTING THE HOMES WAS A, WOULD BE AN OUTSTANDING THING FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND COMMISSIONER RUBIO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR SECOND? I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING COMMISSIONER COOK SAID.
UM, I'M JUST EXCITED THAT WE'RE ONE STEP CLOSER TO FOLLOWING WHAT OUR CITY OF AUSTIN HISTORIC BUILDING SURVEY BY HHM RECOMMENDS.
THE, THIS IS A LOCAL LANDMARK AND, UH, POTENTIAL FUTURE CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE TO A, UH, A LOCAL HERITAGE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY, ANY OTHER CON DISCUSSION? UH, I, I'LL ONLY ADD THAT THE ADDITION ON THE BACK, UH, THOUGH IT IS NEW, UH, YOU KNOW, IN SOME SITUATION LIKE THIS, WOULD IT BE SOMETHING THAT WE MIGHT APPROVE IF THIS HOUSE WAS ALREADY A LANDMARKED BUILDING AND THE FACT THAT IT'S NOT VISIBLE FROM THE BACK, UH, FROM THE FRONT, EXCUSE ME, UH, AND THAT IT IS DONE SENSITIVELY I THINK IS IMPORTANT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALREADY THERE.
WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT, BUT IT, IT PROBABLY WOULD MEET MOST OF OUR CRITERIA EVEN IF THIS WERE ALREADY LANDMARKED.
ALRIGHT, ANY FURTHER CONVERSATION? DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT, I'LL CALL THE QUESTION THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, UH, TO APPROVE HIS, TO RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING BASED ON ARCHITECTURE, HISTORIC ASSOCIATION, AND COMMUNITY VALUE.
UH, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
SO THE MOTION PASSES AND CONGRATULATIONS.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU OWNERS, UH, FOR THIS AND THANK YOU NEIGHBORS FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
[6. HR-2024-007660 – 4204 Avenue H Hyde Park Local Historic District ]
TO ITEM NUMBER SIX.UH, THIS IS AN ITEM, UH, UNDER OUR REVIEW AS IT IS PART OF THE HYDE PARK LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UH, THIS HAS BEEN POSTPONED FROM OUR MARCH 6TH
[01:10:01]
MEETING, AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THERE WERE SOME UPDATED PLANS.SO THE REASON THAT WE HAVE THIS POLLED IS SO WE HAVE POTENTIALLY A CHANCE TO SEE WHAT THOSE LOOK LIKE.
UH, YES, THIS ITEM, UM, WE GOT SOME NEW PLANS ON THIS AFTER THE STAFF REPORT WAS WRITTEN AND POSTED.
SO, UM, PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THE NEW PLANS HAVE NOT YET BEEN REVIEWED, UM, BY STAFF.
AND THE REPORT DOESN'T NECESSARILY REFLECT WHAT, UH, WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO I'LL BRIEFLY GO THROUGH THIS REPORT AND THEN WE CAN DISCUSS.
UM, THE PREVIOUS PROPOSAL WAS TO CONSTRUCT A SECOND FLOOR ADDITION, REPLACE THE FOUNDATION IN THE ROOF, RESTORE FRONT WINDOWS, CONSTRUCTION, NEW GARAGE, AND CONSTRUCT A POOL.
THE BUILDING IS A ONE STORY CRAFTSMAN BUNGALOW WITH A COVERED ENTRY HORIZONTAL WOOD SIDING, ONE OVER ONE WOOD WINDOWS AND TRADITIONAL CRAFTSMAN DETAILING.
UH, THIS ITEM WENT TO A RC AND COMMITTEE FEEDBACK INCLUDED, UM, ENCOURAGING THE APPLICANT TO REWORK THE ROOF LINE TO APPEAR LESS TOP HEAVY AND TO BETTER COMPLY WITH THE DESIGN STANDARDS.
MOVING THE ADDITION BEYOND THE RIDGE LINE, CONSIDER ROTATING THE ADDITION TO REDUCE ITS IMPACT.
USE AN L-SHAPED PORCH RATHER THAN THE CURRENT REBUILT PORCH TO KEEP THE FRONT ELEVATIONS PROPORTIONS CONSISTENT WITH THE HISTORIC BUILDING AND TO REDUCE ITS OVERALL IMPACT.
UM, THE PREVIOUS STAFF RECOMMENDATION WAS TO POSTPONE THE PUBLIC HEARING TO ALLOW ADDITIONAL TIME TO RECEIVE PLANS.
UM, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE GOT THOSE, UM, POSTED RIGHT NOW.
SO, UM, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO THE COMMISSION.
OKAY, WELL, UM, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THE APPLICANT HERE, AND IS THERE A CHANCE TO SEE THE NEW PLANS? PLEASE COME TO THE, COME TO THE, UM, MICROPHONE AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF.
IT'S NICE TO SEE ALL THE COMMISSIONERS HERE AGAIN TONIGHT.
UM, I HAVE A COUPLE OF HARD COPIES.
UM, IF ANY OF THE PEOPLE HERE IN PERSON WOULD LIKE 'EM, I, AND ARE THESE THE SAME AS WHAT WE'RE SEEING ON THE ON YES, SIR.
UM, I WANTED TO THANK THE DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE.
UM, AT FIRST, YOU KNOW, WHEN SOMEONE TEARS INTO YOUR PLANS, IT KIND OF RIPS OUT YOUR HEART, BUT HONESTLY, I THINK SOME OF THE CHANGES WE MADE ACTUALLY MAKE, UH, QUITE AN IMPROVEMENT.
AND I ACTUALLY PREFER THE NEW PLANS OVER THE OLD ONES.
SO, UM, I, WE TOOK EVERYTHING IN CONSIDERATION AND WE, UH, CHANGED THE ROOF LINE.
UM, UH, THE MAIN COMPLAINT WAS THAT WE, WE HAD THE PITCH OF THE ROOF, RIGHT? BUT WE CONTINUED THE PITCH UP FURTHER ORIGINALLY THAN WE, UH, THAN THEY LIGHT.
UM, AND WENT PAST THE ORIGINAL HEIGHT OF THE ORIGINAL ROOF.
AND SO NOW, EXCUSE ME, UM, THE ROOF, UM, MAINTAINS ITS ORIGINAL HEIGHT.
UH, THE ADDITION STARTS AT THE PEAK AND WE ALSO CUT OFF A CORNER ON THE NORTH SIDE SO YOU COULD SEE MORE OF THE ORIGINAL ROOF.
UM, THE, UH, THE OTHER THING AT THE DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE, THEY MENTIONED THE, UM, THE SIDE PORCH, UH, BEFORE IT EXTENDED ALL THE WAY ACROSS, AND NOW IT'S THE ORIGINAL SIZE OF THE PORCH.
AND AS MUCH OF THE ORIGINAL MATERIAL, IT'S NOT ROTTEN, WILL BE REUSED.
ACTUALLY THAT'S, THAT IS, UM, NOT WHAT WE'RE SEEING ON THE MONITOR.
THIS IS STILL THE PRIOR PLANS OF WHAT YOU'RE SHOWING US IN THE HANDOUT.
ARE YOU SURE? WELL TAKE A LOOK BEHIND YOU.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE CURRENT, THAT'S THE NEW PLAN, UH, UP ON THE MONITOR CHAIR.
IS THAT THE ELEVATION? UH, THIS VARIES A LITTLE BIT.
IT DOESN'T HAVE THE WINDOWS IN THE CLEAR STORY IN THESE PLANS.
I, I MEAN, MAYBE I, I MIGHT HAVE MADE A MISTAKE AT UPS, LIKE I WAS KIND OF IN A RUSH TO PRINT.
I HOPE I DIDN'T PRINT THE OLD ONES.
UH, PLEASE IGNORE THOSE PLANS.
THEY LOOK LIKE, LOOK, I, I'M SO SORRY.
YEAH, LOOKS LIKE IT'S PARTIALLY DONE THERE.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS THE ONE YOU WANT US TO TAKE A LOOK AT.
THAT LOOKS LIKE I DID NOTHING THERE.
THAT'S WHAT WE HAD, THAT'S WHAT WE STARTED WITH.
WELL, THE PORCH IS ALTERED IN THIS ONE, BUT NOT, THAT'S A BIG BLUNDER ON MY PART.
[01:15:01]
THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE, UH, WOULD WANNA SPEAK.UH, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE ALL SEEING THIS FOR THE FIRST TIME, BUT, UH, PERHAPS YOU ALL WANNA TAKE A, JUST AS A QUICK LOOK OR ASK QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT, UH, JUST TO CONFIRM WHAT IT IS WE'RE SEEING.
NO, I, I, I THINK ALL OF OUR COMMENTS WERE MET.
UH, THIS IS A, A CASE WHERE IT'S A VERY SMALL HOUSE AND IT'S DIFFICULT PROGRAM TO FIT IN.
UM, THE PORCH ORIGINALLY ON THE ADDITION IN THE REAR WAS ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE FRONT, WHICH MADE IT LOOK LIKE THE PRIMARY HOUSE.
THE ORIGINAL HOUSE HAD A SIDE PORCH, UH, IN THE SAME CONFIGURATION.
SO THAT BASICALLY WAS, WAS RESTORED.
UH, WE KNEW THE, THE PEAK WAS GONNA BE AN ISSUE.
IT LOOKS LIKE THE, THE PEAK HAS BEEN RESTORED.
THE WINDOWS ABOVE MIGHT BE AN ISSUE, BUT WE'LL SEE WHEN, UH, WHEN THE MOTION IS MADE, HOW, HOW THAT COMES DOWN.
BUT I, I WOULD SAY ALL OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS WERE FOLLOWED SHORT OF, YOU KNOW, REDUCING THEIR PROGRAM, WHICH IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WANTED TO REQUIRE.
I HOPE YOU'LL CONSIDER THE WINDOWS.
UM, SOMETIMES WHEN YOU MOVE ONE THING, IT CHANGES 20 OTHER THINGS.
AND IN THE PROCESS OF CHANGING THE ROOF, UM, AND GETTING EVERYTHING CORRECT, THE PITCH RIGHT AND EVERYTHING, UM, WE LOST MULTIPLE WINDOWS, UH, UPSTAIRS AND IT'D JUST BE NICE TO HAVE SOME WINDOWS AND HAVE SOME LIGHT COME IN AND NOT BE JUST A DARK BOX.
BUT, UM, COULD WE SEE THE NEXT, THE SIDE ELEVATION? I SEE.
SO YEAH, NOW ON, ON THE SIDE ELEVATION THERE, ON THE NORTH SIDE, YOU CAN SEE THE ORIGINAL ROOF.
IT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SEE THE, THE WHOLE THING BECAUSE OF THE WAY WE CUT OFF THE RIGHT TOP CORNER ON THE NORTH PART.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? JUST ONE QUESTION, QUESTION, WHICH MAY COME UP AFTER THE MOTION IS MADE, BUT ON THE WINDOWS IN THAT CLEAR STORY, IS IT POSSIBLE THEY MIGHT BE MADE TALLER TO MATCH THE PROPORTIONS OF, UH, THE SMALLER WINDOWS ON THE HISTORIC HOUSE INSTEAD OF BEING SQUARE? ARE YOU LOOKING AT THIS ELEVATION? COMMISSIONER COOK? NO, THE ONE ABOVE THE, THE FRONT ELEVATION.
WITH THE CLEAR STORY WITH THE WINDOWS AND THE CLEAR STORY ABOVE THE PEAK OF THE ROOF, THOSE ARE ALL SQUARE WINDOWS, WHICH IS NOT A PROPORTION THAT WOULD'VE BEEN IN THE HISTORIC HOUSE, BUT IF THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT TALLER TO BE MORE IN LINE WITH THE PROPORTIONS OF THE HISTORIC WINDOWS.
WE'LL, WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN DISCUSSION, BUT, UM, I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS ROOM TO MAKE THEM SLIGHTLY TALLER.
IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT, LIKE THE WINDOWS THAT FLANK THE FIREPLACE IN THE HISTORIC HOUSE.
THERE, THERE MIGHT BE A HEADER ISSUE, BUT I COULD, IF, IF YOU WANT I IF I CAN GIVE 'EM LARGER, I COULD SEE TO THEM IF THEY'RE LARGER.
UH, NO COMPLAINTS WITH MORE LIGHT.
ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE ONES, UH, ABOVE THE RIDGE? MM-HMM.
SO THAT THEY WERE TO BE PROPORTIONALLY, THEY BASICALLY HAVE TO BECOME NARROWER.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION, UH, QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? NO.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? OKAY, HEARING NONE.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER MWATER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
WE'LL NEED TO SEE THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS.
WE CAN'T SEE THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS RIGHT NOW.
WE JUST SAW PLANS FOR A MOMENT.
AND SO, UH, COMMISSIONERS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THIS ITEM.
UH, WOULD ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE A RC LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? I WILL MOVE TO APPROVE THE PLANS AS PRESENTED.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GROGAN.
UH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION NOW? I'LL, I'LL, UM, THIS IS A SMALL HOUSE.
THIS IS ONE THAT'S IN REALLY BAD SHAPE AND, AND NEEDS AN OWNER THAT'S GOING TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
I ALWAYS GO TO THE LETTER OF THE STANDARDS RATHER THAN TRYING TO INVOKE MY OWN PERSONAL OPINION ABOUT THE DESIGN.
I THINK THIS MEETS THE LETTER OF ALL THE STANDARDS, UH, TWO STORY ADDITIONS TO ONE STORY HOUSES AVOIDING.
THOSE ARE A RECOMMENDATION, NOT A REQUIREMENT.
IT'S MORE THAN 15 FEET FROM THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE.
UM, I THINK THE ONLY THING IN QUESTION IS MAINTAINING USING PROPORTIONS OF WINDOWS, UH, THAT MATCH THE HISTORIC HOUSE.
[01:20:01]
I THINK THE SQUARE WINDOWS DON'T REALLY MATCH THAT.UM, I WOULD ENCOURAGE THAT THEY RECONSIDER THOSE, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, ELIMINATING THEM AND HAVING JUST A WALL WOULD, WOULD NOT BE GREAT.
YOU KNOW, MAKING THEM SMALLER, BUT PROPORTION WON'T BE GREAT.
UH, I THINK THIS IS A CASE WE'RE SHORT OF ASKING THEM TO ELIMINATE HUNDREDS OF SQUARE FEET OF PROGRAM.
SO IN TOTALITY, GIVEN THE SENSITIVITY OF THE ADDITION IN STYLE AND, UH, MATERIALS AND, UH, GIVEN THE SIZE OF THE HOUSE, GIVEN THE CONDITION OF THE HOUSE, I I CAN OVERLOOK THAT, THAT EXCEPTION, ESPECIALLY GIVEN, UH, THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD HASN'T VOICED OPPOSITION AND WE HAD IN THE LAST, UH, ROUND AN ACTUAL, UM, LETTER OF SUPPORT AS I RECALL.
COMMISSIONER GROGAN? UH, WELL SAID.
I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD.
UH, COMMISSIONERS ANY MORE DISCUSSION? AND, UH, JUST MR. RUBIO, I WANNA MAKE DOUBLE I APPRECIATE THE OWNER TRYING TO WORK WITH THE A RC.
UH, I, I, I HAVE A HARD TIME WITH THE HEIGHT AND THE ROOF LINES AND THE AMOUNT OF PROGRAM WE'RE TRYING TO FIT ONTO THIS HOUSE.
I THINK IT'S STRANGE TO ME THAT YOU, WE COME INTO A COMMUNITY LIKE HYDE PARK.
UM, WE'RE NOT COMING TO THIS, TO THIS COMMUNITY TO, YOU KNOW, DEMOLISH THESE HISTORIC SMALL HOUSES AND, AND ADD IN OUR TWO OR TWO AND A HALF STORY, YOU KNOW, MANSIONS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
BUT IT'S FRUSTRATING BECAUSE THAT'S TOTALLY ALLOWED.
UM, EVEN THOUGH OUR RULES NOW ARE TRYING TO PROMOTE MORE SMALLER HOUSING FOR PEOPLE, THAT BECOMES MORE AFFORDABLE.
BUT THAT'S ALL BESIDES THE POINT.
UM, I JUST THINK IT'S A, IT'S REALLY AN APPROPRIATE ADDITION TO, UM, A REALLY, REALLY BEAUTIFUL, QUAINT HOUSE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SO I'LL JUST, UH, COMMENT THAT THIS HOME WAS ACTUALLY MARKETED IN MOS AS A A LOT VALUE, UH, DEMO.
SO I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WE'RE NOT LOSING IT ENTIRELY.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? UH, I WILL WEIGH IN ON THE QUESTION OF THE WINDOWS THERE AT THE RIDGE.
AND I THINK IT IS, EVEN AS, AS COMMISSIONER COOK SAID, YOU KNOW, SQUARE WINDOWS CERTAINLY ARE NOT HISTORIC.
UH, IT IS, IT'S ANOTHER INDICATION, HOWEVER, THAT IT IS AN ADDITION.
UH, BUT I, I HAVE TO SAY TO THE OWNER, I, I THINK THOSE EIGHT WINDOWS GANGED TOGETHER ARE THE RIGHT WAY TO GO.
UH, EVEN IF YOU WANT TO TINKER WITH THOSE PROPORTIONS AS COMMISSIONER COOK, UH, SUGGESTS, I THINK YOU'LL GET A LOT SMALLER WINDOW.
BUT, UH, I, I WANT TO CAUTION THAT ANOTHER APPROACH MAY HAVE BEEN TO TRY TO INTRODUCE A MODERN WINDOW, WHICH WOULD BE ENTIRELY JUST ONE BIG HORIZONTAL SLAB.
AND THAT WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S CLARITY THERE, THAT BECAUSE WE'RE TINKERING WITH THE WINDOWS, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THROW THAT OUT ENTIRELY AND, AND TRY SOMETHING ELSE, 'CAUSE THAT, THAT WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE.
UH, BUT I, I'M ACTUALLY HAPPY WITH THE ELEVATION WITH THE WINDOWS.
I THINK IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE THAT THEY'RE THERE.
UH, AND CERTAINLY WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THE PRIOR PLANS THAT HAD NO WINDOWS THERE AT ALL.
AND I JUST WANTED TO NOTE ON THE COMMENT OF, UH, YOU KNOW, THE PROGRAM, THESE STANDARDS WERE DEVELOPED, YOU KNOW, TO THE FORM CONSENSUS FROM THE, FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, PER SQUARE FOOT ISSUES OF AFFORDABILITY ISSUES.
WE HAVE THE FACT THAT TREES TRUMP HISTORIC HOUSES IN THE CITY AND THERE IS A LARGE TREE IN THE BACKYARD.
AND SO THE PROGRAM HAS TO GO UP AND, UH, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES TWO STORY ADDITIONS TO ONE STORY HOUSES, WHILE NOT IDEAL, UH, AND WE WOULDN'T, NONE OF US WOULD CHOOSE IT, I THINK ARE A NECESSARY EVIL TO MAINTAIN THE, THE STREET FRONT FACADE, UH, IN, IN THE PARAMETERS THAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITHIN.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? COMMISSIONERS? I'LL, UH, WE HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE, UH, REVISED PLANS AND, UH, A SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
IT LOOKS LIKE COMMISSIONER DUDLEY IS OFF THE DAIS.
SO IT'S ONE, TWO, OH, SHE'S THERE.
UH, ANY OPPOSED? SO, UH, ALL IN FAVOR WITH COMMISSIONER RUBIO.
OPPOSED, AND, BUT THAT MOTION PASSES.
[8. HR-2024-029019 – 1114 W 9th St. Shelby House ]
UH, ITEM NUMBER EIGHT IS 1114 WEST NINTH STREET.AND THIS IS A DISCUSSION OF REPLACING A SHINGLE ROOF WITH A METAL ROOF.
AND, UH, STAFF, DO YOU HAVE MATERIAL FOR US? UH, YES.
ITEM EIGHT, UH, THE SHELBY HOUSE 1114 WEST NINTH STREET IS A PROPOSAL TO REPLACE THE ROOF AND THE GUTTERS.
UM, THE ROOF IS PROPOSED TO BE REPLACED, UH, WITH A STANDING SEAM, METAL ROOF AND CHARCOAL GRAY.
[01:25:01]
THE EXISTING COMPOSITE SHINGLE ROOF.ACCORDING TO THE LANDMARK DESIGNATION APPLICATION, THE BUILDING IS A TWO STORY IRREGULAR PLAN.
PARAMETAL HIP ROOF, HIP, HIP ROOF FRAME HOUSE WITH MINIMAL PRAIRIE STYLE INFLUENCES.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS ARE BASED ON THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR STANDARDS FOR REHAB AND ARE USED TO EVALUATE PROJECTS AT HISTORIC LANDMARKS.
UH, BECAUSE THE DESIGN STANDARDS SPECIFY, UM, THAT STANDING SEA METAL ROOFS ARE GENERALLY NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR HISTORIC LANDMARKS UNLESS THE OWNER CAN DOCUMENT THAT THE BUILDING HISTORICALLY HAD A STANDING STEAM ROOF.
THE PROJECT MOSTLY DOES NOT MEET THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS.
THEREFORE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO POSTPONE THE PUBLIC HEARING TO ME FIRST AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO A RC, UM, TO DISCUSS ALTERNATIVE PERIOD APPROPRIATE ROOFING OPTIONS, UM, OR TO REQUEST THAT THE APPLICANT INVESTIGATE, UH, THE REPLACEMENT WITH LIKE, FOR LIKE ARCHITECTURAL SHINGLES OR METAL SHINGLE ROOF RATHER THAN TRADIT, RATHER THAN THE TRADITIONAL METAL ROOFING.
ALTERNATELY REQUEST THAT THE APPLICANT PROVIDE HISTORIC PHOTOS OF THE ORIGINAL ROOFING TO SUBSTANTIATE THE REQUEST FOR METAL ROOFING.
UM, IS THE APPLICANT HERE AND CAN DISCUSS THEIR REQUEST? MS. AMANDA IS ONLINE.
YOU ARE, WE'RE READY TO HEAR YOU.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES, WE CAN.
UM, YEAH, WE, UM, OUR ROOF IS DUE FOR REPLACEMENT.
UM, AFTER THE, UH, BIG STORM IN FEBRUARY, 2021, A BUNCH OF GRITS CAME DOWN OFF THE ROOF AND ALL OVER OUR PROPERTY AND OUR DRIVEWAY.
UM, I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF THAT.
UM, WE'VE HAD IT INSPECTED AND IT'S, IT'S DUE, IT'S DUE TO BE REPLACED.
SO, UM, I WAS HOPING TO UPGRADE OUR ROOF WITH A METAL ROOF, WHICH WILL, UH, BE MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY.
WE HAVE A 5,000 SQUARE FOOT HOUSE THAT COSTS A LOT TO HEAT AND COOL.
AND, UM, WE CANNOT PUT IN SOLAR PANELS, UM, BECAUSE OF ALL THE PITCH CHANGES.
UM, THE THIRD FLOOR HAS FOUR DORMERS.
UM, AND IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE WITH CURRENT TECHNOLOGY TO DO THAT.
UM, BUT WE ARE TOLD WE CAN PUT IN ISO BOARD AND THEN A METAL ROOF.
A METAL ROOF WILL COOL AT NIGHT WHERE A SHINGLED ROOF DOES NOT.
UM, WE, YOU CANNOT SEE OUR ROOF FROM THE STREET.
UM, JUST WITH THE, THE WAY THE HOUSE IS DESIGNED, IF YOU WALKED UP OUR STEEP HILL OF A DRIVEWAY, YOU COULD SEE THE SHINGLED ROOF THAT'S ON OUR CARPORT.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE THE SHINGLED ROOF FROM CERTAIN ROOMS INSIDE THE HOUSE.
LIKE, UM, OUR DAUGHTER'S BEDROOM.
YOU CAN LOOK OUT ONTO THE ADDITION ON THE BACK AND YOU CAN SEE THE SHINGLED ROOF FROM HER BEDROOM.
UM, AND SO WE ARE JUST FOR THESE REASONS, WE'RE HOPING TO UPGRADE OUR ROOF AND UM, AND, UH, RELIEF GET A LITTLE BIT OF RELIEF WITH THOSE UTILITY BELLS.
AND ACTUALLY I'M HOPING THAT, UM, WITH A METAL ROOF, I WILL NEVER HAVE TO DO THIS AGAIN IN MY LIFETIME
UM, ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? I HAVE A QUESTION.
UH, HAVE YOU CONSIDERED METAL ROOFS THAT SIMULATE SHAKE SHINGLES? UM, THAT WAS JUST NOT PRESENTED AS AN OPTION TO ME WHEN I MET WITH THIS ROOFING COMPANY.
UM, I WENT, WANTED TO GO WITH WILSON ROOFING, DID OUR PREVIOUS ROOF, AND THEY WERE A LONG STANDING COMPANY HERE IN AUSTIN.
I'M HOPING TO HAVE A LONGSTANDING, WELL-KNOWN COMPANY.
UM, AND THIS WAS THE, THE OPTIONS PRESENTED TO ME.
THESE WERE THE OPTIONS PRESENTED TO ME.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I'M, I'M SEEING FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHS AND APPARENTLY FROM WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, WHETHER IT WAS METAL OR TEXTURED OR ANYTHING, IT LITERALLY IS, UH, ONLY VISIBLE IN TERMS OF ITS INTERFACE ALONG THE FASCIA.
AND IS YOUR UNDERSTANDING THAT IF THE ROOF YOU'RE PROPOSING, UH, WOULD NOT INCREASE OR CHANGE THE, THE PERIMETER FASCIA, IS THAT RIGHT? THE OVERHANG WOULD STAY THE SAME IN THE PROFILE WHERE THE, UH, ROOF IS, UH, UH, INTERFACING WITH THE PERIMETER GUTTERS THAT WOULD ALL STAY THE SAME, IS THAT CORRECT? Y YEAH.
AND WE ARE REPLACING THE GUTTERS.
[01:30:01]
MUCH NEEDED UPGRADE.UM, WE HAD A LOT OF AREAS, UM, OF WOOD WROUGHT ON OUR HOUSE BECAUSE RAIN HAD COME IN CONTACT, UM, WITH OUR HOUSE.
UM, BUT THE GUTTER DESIGN WILL BE THE SAME FROM, YOU KNOW, UH, FROM THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE.
YEAH, YOU WILL, YOU WILL NOT SEE THAT DIFFERENCE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? OKAY, WE APPRECIATE THAT.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? OKAY, COMMISSIONERS, UH, WE HAVE NOBODY ELSE TO SPEAK ON THIS.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
OH, I'LL GET COMMISSIONER DUDLEY.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
UH, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION COMMISSIONERS, I WILL NOTE ONE ITEM.
AND SO THAT IS THE REASON WHY A DETAIL OF THIS TYPE, UH, IS A CONCERN.
UH, BUT OBVIOUSLY THE OWNER HAS MADE THE CIRCUMSTANCES KNOWN TO YOU.
SO WE'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE SAKE OF DISCUSSION, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE METAL ROOFING.
SECOND, UH, MADE BY COMMISSIONER, UH, FEATHERSTON.
SECOND ADVISE THAT COMMISSIONER RUBIO? YES.
UH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO DISCUSS YOUR MOTION? UH, I HAVE, UM, THE LITTLE ANGEL OR, AND OR DEVIL DEPENDING ON YOUR PERSPECTIVE OF, UH, FORMER CHAIR TERRY MEYER ON MY SHOULDER TELLING ME RIGHT NOW THAT I'M A BAD PRESERVATIONIST, BUT, UH,
UM, I FEEL LIKE IT'S A MATERIAL UPGRADE THAT, UH, ACTUALLY, I MEAN, HELPS TO PRESERVE THE REST OF THE STRUCTURE.
AND IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, I SEE A PRO AND A CON, UM, BEING THAT ONE, THIS IS LITERALLY A HISTORIC BUILDING, NOT JUST IN A DISTRICT OR SOME OTHER SITUATION.
UM, AND THEN ON THE OTHER SIDE, IT, IT'S REALLY NOT THAT VISIBLE FROM THE STREET.
UH, SO IMBALANCE AND TAKING INTO ACCOUNT MY OWN BIAS, UM, I MADE THE MOTION RIGHT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S NO ORIGINAL MATERIAL HERE.
UM, I, I MEAN WE HAVE BEEN PUTTING A LOT OF STANDING SEAM METAL ROOFING ON A LOT OF HISTORIC LANDMARKS, UH, ACROSS THE STATE.
AND SO I DON'T FEEL THAT IT'S COMPLETELY OUT OF THE QUESTION.
IT'S NEVER THE BEST RECONSTRUCTION, YOU KNOW, IDEAL MATERIAL, OBVIOUSLY, BUT LIKE COMMISSIONER JUST SAID, WE'RE DOING THIS TO PROLONG SOMETHING.
I MEAN, WHEN THERE'S A REASON WHY SOMETIMES WE CAN'T PUT, UM, THESE SEATED ROOFINGS ON THESE HISTORIC BUILDINGS, SOMETIMES THEY'RE NOT EVEN INSTALLED, RIGHT? THE CRAFTSMEN, UH, MAINTENANCE, ALL THOSE REASONS OR WHY SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO SHIFT TO THIS.
SO, UH, THAT IN ADDITION TO IT BEING ON THE SECOND FLOOR, UM, YOU KNOW, YES, WE COULD GO WITH A, A STAMPED PATTERN.
I WAS LOOKING AT BARRAGE 'CAUSE WE'VE USED THEM AT ST.
EDWARDS UNIVERSITY, BUT THERE'S ONLY THREE PATTERNS.
A FISH SCALE, WHICH, WHICH LEANS TOWARDS A SPANISH RENAISSANCE KIND OF CLAY TILE, A VICTORIAN SHINGLE, WHICH DOESN'T SEEM APPROPRIATE AND IT'S SOME KIND OF CLASSIC SHINGLE.
SO, I DON'T KNOW, I JUST, I'M SURE THERE'S OTHER MANUFACTURERS THAT JUST, JUST THOUGHT IN MY HEAD, WHAT WOULD THESE METAL PRE PRESS METAL, UH, SHINGLES LOOK LIKE HERE? AND, UM, SURE IF WE COULD IMITATE THE, THE CEDAR, BUT, UM, I THINK IT, I THINK IT SHOULD BE IMPROVED.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I'LL NOTE I WAS TEAM LEANING TOWARD, UH, POSTPONEMENT AND ASKING THAT THEY CONSIDER, UH, SHAKE, SIMULATED SHAKE METAL, WHICH I SEE A FEW MANUFACTURERS OF.
UH, AND I COULD SEE THE ROOF IN GOOGLE STREET VIEW, BUT GIVEN THE MOUNTING OF THE CAMERA, I COULD ALSO LOOK DIRECTLY DOWN ON THE ROOF OF A FORD EXPLORER AND A CHEVY SILVERADO SILVERADO.
SO I'M PRETTY SURE THAT WAS A GOOD EIGHT, NINE FEET IN THE AIR.
UH, AND IT WAS A VERY GLANCING VIEW.
SO, AND I'LL NOTE THAT THE CITYWIDE STANDARDS ALSO SAY STANDING SEAM METAL ROOFS, DESPITE THEIR HISTORIC LOOK ARE GENERALLY NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR HISTORIC LANDMARKS.
UNLESS AN OWNER CAN DOCUMENT THE BUILDING HISTORICALLY AT A STANDING SEAM ROOF, BUT SEEING AS HOW NO ONE DRIVING BY WILL EVER SEE OR KNOW I WILL SUPPORT THE MOTION.
ANY MORE DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
[01:35:01]
I WILL NOTE TO THE OWNER, UH, UH, CONGRATULATIONS.UH, WE'VE APPROVED, UH, I HAVE A STANDING SEAM METAL ROOF THAT I AM REPLACING OR HAVE JUST REPLACED BECAUSE THE HAIL THAT HIT IT WAS ABOUT SOFTBALL SIZE AT HIGH VELOCITY.
SO IT'S NOT, YOU'LL NEVER HAVE TO REPLACE IT.
YOU JUST HOPE YOU NEVER HAVE TO.
I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT IT, IT WOULD'VE BEEN IF I DIDN'T HAVE THAT KIND.
THERE'S BEEN A FOOT OF SNOW OUTSIDE BEFORE, SO THAT I'VE SEEN
ALRIGHT, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[18. PR-2024-008278 – 2102 Four Oaks Ln. ]
THANK YOU.IS THAT CORRECT? UH, 21 0 2 4 OAKS LANE.
AND THIS WAS, UH, PULLED AT THE REQUEST OF COMMISSIONER.
ITEM NUMBER 18 IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1969 HOUSE AT 21 0 2 4 OAKS LANE.
THIS IS A MID-CENTURY MODERN HOUSE WITH SPANISH ECLECTIC STYLISTIC INFLUENCES.
IT WAS DESIGNED IN CONSTRUCTED BY DEVELOPER JACK BROWNING FOR THE 1969 PARADE OF HOMES HOSTED BY THE AUSTIN HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION IN THE GROWING BARTON HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT IS A HOME, ESPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR A SPECIFIC SITE.
STATES BROWNING IN A 1969 ARTICLE CELEBRATING THE PARADE SUCCESS AT SECURING A BUYER FOR THE HOUSE NAMED BLUFF VIEW, THE NEW HOMEOWNER, JACK MAGNERS WORKED AS AN AERONAUTICAL ENGINEER FOR TRA CORE AND HAD RELOCATED TO AUSTIN WITH HIS FAMILY.
TWO YEARS PRIOR, BUFFY WAS HEAVILY MARKETED AS A SHOWPIECE AND INCLUDED INTERIOR DESIGN ELEMENTS AND FURNITURE PROMOTED BY LOCAL FIRMS AND RETAIL SHOWROOMS. INTERNATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATION FOR A NORTHWEST HILLS MODEL HOME.
KAREN TWAR DISCUSSES THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PARADE OF HOMES IN AUSTIN'S DEVELOPMENT HISTORY BY BUILDING MODEL HOUSES.
FOR EVENTS LIKE THE PARADE OF HOMES, BUILDERS AND DEVELOPERS COULD HIGHLIGHT THE ATTRACTIVE AND LIVABLE QUALITIES OF THEIR VOLUME BUILT HOUSES AND MARKET NEW SUBURBAN DEVELOPMENTS TO MASSES OF POTENTIAL HOME BUYERS AS A KIND OF CONCEPTUAL SHOW WINDOW.
THEIR MODEL HOUSES NEEDED TO BE CENTRALLY LOCATED, NOT BOUNDED BY THE EXISTING URBAN LANDSCAPE.
DEVELOPERS COULD CREATE THE KIND OF NEIGHBORHOODS SECOND TIME MIDDLE CLASS HOME BUYERS WERE SEEKING BY HOSTING PARADE OF HOMES EVENTS IN OUTLYING AREAS OF GROWING CITIES.
DEVELOPERS AND BUILDERS WERE INFLUENTIAL IN SHAPING THE SUBURBAN DEVELOPMENT OF EXPANDING CITIES LIKE AUSTIN.
ACCORDING TO REALTOR MICHELLE ROY, THE PROPERTY HAS BEEN OWNED BY THE SAME FAMILY FOR 30 YEARS.
THE MASSIVE STUCCO FIREPLACE AND MIRRORED ACCENT WALL DESCRIBED IN THE 1969 BARTON HILLS PARADE OF HOME ADVERTISEMENTS REMAIN IN C.
THE BUILDING APPEARS TO RETAIN HIGH TO MODERATE INTEGRITY.
THE UPPER FLOOR RAILING HAS BEEN REPLACED FOR THE SIMPLER WOODEN RAILING, AND THE PANELING ABOVE THE DOOR HAS BEEN REPLACED.
STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
WHILE THE BUILDING IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF CONTEMPORARY STYLE, MID-CENTURY DESIGN, THE SPANISH ECLECTIC STYLISTIC INFLUENCES THE PROPERTY DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS WITH INDIVIDUAL OWNERS OR EVENTS.
HOWEVER, THE COMMISSION WE WISH MAY WISH TO CONSIDER ITS ASSOCIATION WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BARTON HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD, EMBLEMATIC OF THE CITY'S POST-WAR CHANGES AND DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS.
THE BUILDING DOES EXEMPLIFY THE GOALS OF THE PARADE OF HOMES WITH A SITE SPECIFIC DESIGN FULL OF UNIQUE FINISHES AND FEATURES THAT REPRESENTED AN EXCELLENT MARKETING OPPORTUNITY FOR JACK BROWNING'S RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT ENDEAVORS.
THEREFORE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO STRONGLY ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE, BUT TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
IS THE OWNER HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP OR ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? OKAY.
UM, HEARING NONE, I WILL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE, UH, WAIT, I NEED A MOTION
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
UH, IT'S UNANIMOUS AND THE HEARING IS CLOSED.
UH, COMMISSIONER RUBIO, I BELIEVE YOU PULLED THIS ONE.
UM, AND IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THE OWNER'S THERE, BUT YOU KNOW, I KNOW THERE'S A CLOCK ON THIS, SO I, I WOULD HATE TO POSTPONE THIS, UH, JUST TO MAKE THE OWNER SHOW UP AND THEN TIE OUR HANDS IN A MONTH NOW WHEN, WHEN WE ARE HAVING ATTENDANCE PROBLEMS TO GET PEOPLE TO, UH, TO EVEN INITIATE.
SO I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE THE MOTION TO INITIATE THIS, REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING ON THE BASIS OF ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS.
UH, WE'LL NEED A SECOND FOR THAT MOTION.
OKAY, COMMISSIONER RUBIO, UH, GO AHEAD AND, UH, IF YOU WOULD LIKE
[01:40:01]
TO EXPAND ON YOUR MOTION.THIS IS, WOW, HOW THE MIGHTY HAVE FALLEN.
I MEAN, LOOKING AT THIS HOUSE, UM, I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING THAT'S SAYING THAT THIS IS IN DISTRESS.
UH, WE'VE GOTTEN NO REPORTS ON STRUCTURAL OR ANYTHING.
IT LOOKS TO BE IN PRISTINE CONDITION.
YOU KNOW, THE ARTICLES, ALL OF THE, ALL THIS HISTORY SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
I ENCOURAGE, IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THIS IN YOUR PACKET TO READ IT ALL, UM, YOU KNOW, COME, COMING FROM THIS HANDSOME PARADE OF HOMES HOUSE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THIS, THIS IS, UH, THAT'S A PART OF OUR HISTORY HERE IN AUSTIN AND IT TOTALLY DESERVES TO BE SAVED.
UM, AND SO WE SHOULD BE STICKING OUR NECK OUT FOR THIS ONE.
COMMISSIONER DUDLEY? OH, I THINK YOU'RE MUTED.
UM, YES, I'M TOGGLING ON MY PHONE AND LIKE DOING THINGS I DON'T NORMALLY DO.
I THINK THE HISTORIC DOCUMENTATION THAT WE HAVE ON THIS SITE AND JUST THE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION BASED ON, UH, STAFF RECOMMENDATION WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, NOT NECESSARILY AN INDIVIDUAL IS PRESENT AND REALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, SO I DEFINITELY AM IN FAVOR OF, UH, HISTORIC ZONING FOR THIS PARTICULAR.
UM, I HAVE A QUESTION OF STAFF.
UH, WOULD YOU ADDRESS THE QUESTION OF THE TIMING ON THIS? UH, TYPICALLY FOR, THIS IS NOT IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT, SO THE CLOCK, UH, IF WE, UH, POSTPONED THIS, WOULD THERE STILL BE ENOUGH TIME TO INITIATE AT A FUTURE MEETING AND STILL BE ABLE TO TAKE ACTION BEFORE THE CLOCK RUNS OUT? UH, YES.
THIS IS THE FIRST MEETING AT WHICH THIS ITEM HAS APPEARED.
SO CONCEIVABLY, UH, WE COULD INITIATE HERE, BUT IF WE WANTED TO HAVE MORE, UH, OR IF WE ALLOW THE OWNER TO HAVE, UH, A CHANCE TO DISCUSS THEIR INTENTS, UH, THEN THAT AN ALT AN ALTERNATIVE OF POSTPONEMENT IS ALSO POSSIBLE, I BELIEVE SO WE CAN CONFIRM.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? YEAH, I, I, I JUST, LET ME JUST SAY, I AM HESITANT TO, UM, PULL THIS WHEN AN OWNER MAY HAVE BEEN THINKING THAT THEY WERE GETTING A CONSENT DEMOLITION.
NOT THAT I SUBSTANTIALLY DISAGREE WITH SOME OF THE LOGIC, UH, BUT I DO THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE TO EXPLORE THIS, UH, TO PRESENT THE REASONING THAT WE WOULD, MIGHT BE HAVING, UH, FOR OUR ACTION TO AN OWNER AND SEE IF WE CAN, UH, FIND OUT, UH, AS COMMISSIONER RUBIO SAID, UH, A HOUSE THAT APPEARS TO HAVE QUITE A BIT OF INTEGRITY AND IS A FAIRLY SUBSTANTIAL PROPERTY, UH, WHY IS DEMOLITION PREFERABLE TO SOME TYPE OF REHABILITATION OR RENOVATION OR EVEN A, A POTENTIAL ADDITION? UM, SO THAT, THAT'S MY FIRST INDICATION IS, IS, UH, I THINK WE MAY, WE MAY COME OUT BETTER WITH AN OWNER IF WE GIVE THEM TIME TO RESPOND, BUT I, IT'S ALL THE RESPECT CHAIR.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE OWNER DIDN'T KNOW THAT THIS WAS GONNA BE ON, ON CONSENT AGENDA, UH, BEFORE COMING TO THE TONIGHT'S MEETING.
SO THEY JUST CHOSE NOT TO SHOW UP.
UH, TWO, YES, YOU KNOW, WE WILL GIVE THEM TIME TO COME SHOW PRESENT, PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION ON STRUCTURAL WHATEVER.
AND I DON'T THINK IT'S A SURPRISE THEM, THEM OR SENDING THIS TO THE COMMISSION KNOWING THAT THEY HAVE A GEM.
THIS, THIS CANNOT BE A SURPRISE.
SO I, I, AGAIN, I JUST CAUTION KNOWING WHERE WE'VE HAD PROBLEMS TRYING TO GET THAT, UH, THAT THAT NUMBER ACROSS THAT BARRIER.
I WOULD HATE FOR US TO POSTPONE THIS COME BACK IN TWO, THREE MONTHS AFTER LENGTHY DISCUSSIONS AND THE CLOCK RUNS OUT.
UH, SO NOTED THAT WE'VE HAD THAT PROBLEM.
I, I APOLOGIZE IF I MISSED, OH, I'M SORRY.
I, I APOLOGIZE IF I MISSED THIS, BUT HAVE THEY BEEN TO THE A RC UH, AND, AND GONE THROUGH PROCESS WITH THE A RC? NO, BUT IN THIS CASE THE, THE REQUEST IS FOR A TOTAL DEMOLITION.
SO I'M, UM, OTHER THAN WHAT THEIR NEW PLANS MIGHT BE, SO, YEAH.
SO IT WOULDN'T, YEAH, I WOULDN'T.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? YEAH, I, I WOULD BE HESITANT TO APPROVE THE, UH, DEMOLITION IN ADDITION TO THE POINTS THAT COMMISSIONER ROBIO MADE.
I, I, I SEE AT LEAST THE FRONT OF THIS STRUCTURE IS SURROUNDED BY TREES THAT LOOK GREAT.
SOME OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY VERY CLOSE TO THE BUILDING, UH, TO THE STRUCTURE.
UM, SO I, I DON'T KNOW IF, SAY IF YOU WERE GONNA BUILD SOMETHING NEW, YOU ARE PROBABLY INTRUDING IN A LOT OF THEIR CRITICAL ROOT ZONES.
THEY MAY, THEY MAY FIND THE VALUE OF KEEPING THE FOOTPRINT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE HISTORIC VALUE, BUT JUST TO DO WITH THE FACT
[01:45:01]
THAT THEY'VE GOT A TOUGH SITE TO BUILD ON AND THEY'RE GONNA GIVE UP, UH, THEIR ADJACENCY TO THOSE TREES WOULD GIVE UP QUITE A BIT OF SQUARE FOOTAGE.YOU MAY END UP WITH A SMALLER FOOTPRINT THAN WHAT YOU HAVE, SO, GOOD POINT.
ALRIGHT, UH, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION MADE BY, UH, COMMISSIONER RUBIO, UH, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER DUDLEY TO, UH, INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING NOW THAT IS INSTRUCTING STAFF TO BEGIN FURTHER INVESTIGATION, COME BACK WITH A MORE DETAILED PRESENTATION.
OBVIOUSLY, THE OWNER WOULD BE ENGAGED DURING THIS PERIOD OF TIME.
UH, IT WOULD BE OUR HOPE THAT THE OWNER WOULD SEE THIS IN A POSITIVE LIGHT.
UH, THIS IS NOT TAKEN LIGHTLY.
UH, THE CITY, UH, HAS A PRETTY HIGH BARRIER TO INITIATING PUBLIC ZONE, UH, UH, INITIATING THESE HISTORIC CASES, THE PREVIOUS CASES WE HAD ON THE AGENDA, IN FACT WHERE OWNER INITIATED.
AND THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO THIS.
SO, UH, AGAIN, IT HAS TO BE A PRETTY HIGH BAR, UH, FOR THIS TO BE IMPORTANT ENOUGH FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO SAY, YES.
THIS IS, UH, SOMETHING WE WOULD LIKE TO INITIATE.
UH, THAT SAID, IF AN OWNER THEN AGREES THERE IS A VERY HIGH PERCENTAGE CHANCE THAT THIS WILL THEN BE ADDED TO THE LANDMARKS OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UH, SO, UM, I, I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND AND I THINK I WILL BE SUPPORTING THE MOTION, UH, BUT ALSO UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE GONNA GET NEXT MONTH, UH, AFTER SOME OF THESE, UH, DISCUSSIONS HAVE TAKEN PLACE.
SO, UH, WITHOUT ANY OTHER QUESTION, UH, UH, ANY DISCUSSION, I'LL CALL THE QUESTION.
THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
UH, IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS UNANIMOUS.
UH, ALL, ALL OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE MADE THE, UH, UH, UH, VOTE IN FAVOR.
AGAIN, THAT IS NOT THE ACTUAL RECORD VOTE FOR THE HISTORIC ZONING.
THIS IS JUST TO INITIATE THE PROCESS.
I'D LIKE TO NOTE THAT COMMISSIONER HORTER DID NOT SUPPORT THE MOTION, I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER MCM MORTER, I MISSED YOU.
IT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY SEE YOU RIGHT NEXT TO ME.
SO THE, THE VOTE IS, UH, UH, WOULD THAT BE 9, 9 1.
[20. PR-2024-025110 – 3205 Tom Green St. ]
30, UH, ITEM NUMBER, UH, 20.AND THAT'S, UH, 32 0 5 TOM GREEN.
AND THIS IS ANOTHER DEMOLITION REQUEST.
TOM GREEN STREET IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH THE CIRCA 1937 DUPLEX AND DETACHED GARAGE.
THIS IS A TWO STORY SQUARE PLAN.
DUPLEX WITH HORIZONTAL WOOD SIDING, SCREENED ONE OVER ONE AND SIX OVER SIX WOOD WINDOWS AND A HIP ROOF.
THIS DUPLEX WAS BUILT AS A RENTAL PROPERTY IN 1937.
ITS PROXIMITY TO THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AND TO STATE OFFICES MADE IT AN ATTRACTIVE HOME FOR STUDENTS, STATE OFFICIALS AND BOOKKEEPERS.
SEVERAL INSURANCE INDUSTRY EMPLOYEES ALSO LIVED IN THE HOUSE.
MOST TENANTS WERE SHORT TERM AND MOST WERE EITHER SINGLE OR LIVED ONLY WITH ONE OTHER PERSON OR SPOUSE.
THIS TYPE OF BUILDING WAS TYPICAL.
AS NEW AND PART-TIME RESIDENTS MOVED INTO THE AREA AND SOUGHT SMALLER APARTMENTS AND DUPLEXES.
STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR HISTORIC LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
THEREFORE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE, THEN RELOCATION OVER DEMOLITION, BUT TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UH, WE HAVE MEMBERS HERE TO DISCUSS THIS, UH, IS, UH, THE APPLICANT HERE.
PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND GO AHEAD AND, UH, INTRODUCE YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD.
I'M THE OWNER OF 32 0 5 TOM GREEN.
AND, UM, IS THIS MY THREE MINUTES HERE? UH, WE HAVE FIVE FIVE.
UM, WE'RE A VERY SMALL, MY WIFE AND I HAVE A HOME BUILDING IN PHIL COMPANY.
UM, WE'RE A VERY SMALL OPERATION.
UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING IN CENTRAL NORTH AUSTIN FOR 20 YEARS NOW.
WE'VE BUILT 47 NEW HOMES AND OVER THE CO COURSE OF THOSE YEARS, WE'VE MOVED OR SAVED 12 HOMES AND WE'VE ONLY DEMOLISHED FIVE HOMES.
THAT'S A, THAT'S ALMOST A 10 X RATIO OF DEMOLISHING TO PROVIDING NEW HOUSING FOR PEOPLE.
AND, UM, I'M, I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT.
AUSTIN HAS BEEN GOOD TO US AND IT'S, WE, WE REALLY TRY TO TREAD LIGHTLY AND WE TRY
[01:50:01]
TO, UH, BE BENEFICIAL, UH, ADDITION TO THE COMMUNITY.UM, THIS PARTICULAR STRUCTURE IS VERY CUTE.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN IN TALKS WITH A HOME MOVER, UM, A BROKER THAT WOULD SELL TO A NEW OWNER TO HAVE THE HOME MOVED.
UM, SOMEBODY WE'VE WORKED WITH FOR 20 YEARS, UH, WARREN WELLBORN.
IF HE CAN MOVE IT, IT'LL GET MOVED.
UM, WE'RE HERE, UH, SEEKING A RELEASE OF THE DEMOLITION PERMIT JUST SO WE UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR ENTITLEMENTS ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH AN ARCHITECT AND, UH, MAKING THE INVESTMENT TO, UH, GET THE BUILDING PERMITS GOING.
UM, AGAIN, SO ARCHITECTURE NICE.
THE REST OF THE CRITERIA DOESN'T MEET.
UM, THIS SITE IS NOT IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UM, THERE ARE 11 LANDMARKS IN THIS VICINITY.
UM, THERE ARE OTHER BETTER CANDIDATES FOR LANDMARKS IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD THAT ARE NOT LANDMARKED.
UM, THIS PROPERTY IS NOT LISTED IN THE 2021 HARDY HECK MOORE, UM, HISTORIC BUILDING SURVEY REPORT FOR NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN.
THIS BUILDING IS NOT LISTED IN ANY OF THE NORTH UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS.
UM, THERE WAS A QUESTION BY COMMISSIONER RUBIO, UM, WONDERING IF THIS WAS A GARAGE APARTMENT, IF MAYBE THE TAX RECORDS MIGHT HAVE MISSED SOMETHING PRIOR, PRIOR TO 1935.
I PULLED THE 1921 SANDBORN MAP AND THERE IS NO, UH, THERE ARE NO IMPROVEMENTS ON THIS PROPERTY.
SO THIS IS AN ELE THIS WAS A BUILT TO RENT PROPERTY, UM, AND IT SERVED ITS PURPOSE AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE A PROPERTY THAT SERVES ITS PURPOSE ELSEWHERE.
BUT BECAUSE OF THE RENTAL FROM DAY ONE, UM, UH, ELEMENT TO THIS PROPERTY HISTORIC ASSOCIATION IS VERY DIFFICULT TO MEET.
UM, THERE IS SOME DEFERRED MAINTENANCE.
IT IS NOT UP TO CURRENT BUILDING CODE.
UM, I'M OVER THERE AFTER THE FREEZES FIXING LEAKING PIPES.
AND, UM, UH, WHILE VERY CUTE, IT IS NOT UP TO CURRENT CODE AND WE WOULD LOVE TO REPLACE IT IN THIS LOCATION WITH A, UM, A PRODUCT THAT IS ALLOWED BY THE CURRENT CODE THAT IS UP TO NEW CODE.
UM, AND I THINK I VERY QUICKLY WENT THROUGH, UH, THE LIST OF ITEMS. I, I TRIED TO GIVE YOU SOMETHING CONCRETE TO WORK WITH.
AS MUCH AS, UM, YOU MIGHT LOVE THE PHOTOS.
UH, I HOPE YOU CAN CONSIDER US A REALLY BENEFICIAL PLAYER IN TOWN.
UM, WE CAN'T HANG OUR HAT ON ANY CONCRETE, UH, HISTORIC ASSOCIATION OR OTHER ELEMENTS OUTSIDE OF THE ARCHITECTURE, BUT LUCKILY WE WILL BE ABLE TO MOVE IT, HOPEFULLY, AND THE STRUCTURE WILL, UH, BE A BENEFIT TO SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE ELSE.
AND WE'LL BRING IN SOME NEW UP TO CURRENT CODE, UH, PROPERTIES FOR THE FUTURE THAT HOPEFULLY SOMEBODY WILL BE READING ABOUT 90 YEARS FROM NOW.
UH, COMMERS, ANY QUESTION OF THE APPLICANT? OKAY.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK ON? YES.
UH, SO IT LOOKS LIKE, UH, IS THE INTENT TO BUILD THREE UNITS AND REMOVE TWO? UH, THIS IS A QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT.
WOULD YOU PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE? UH, IS IT COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ? IS THAT RIGHT? YES.
SO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FROM COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ? GO AHEAD.
THE ANSWER IS YES, IF WE CAN MAKE IT WORK AND IF WE FEEL THAT IT'S UP TO, UH, THE QUALITY THAT WE WANT TO BUILD, BUT THIS SITE IS, UH, ZONED AND ENTITLED FOR A SINGLE, UH, REPLACEMENT OF THE TWO.
UH, REPLACE TWO FOR TWO OR A REPLACE THREE FOR TWO, WHICH IS WHAT WE DO PREFER.
UH, IS THERE SOMEBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM IN FAVOR? OKAY.
SPEAKING AGAINST, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
I LIVE IN THE GROOMS EDITION OF THE NORTH UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS, THIS AREA WAS PLOTTED IN 1880 AND 1890.
[01:55:01]
FULL OF MODEST HOMES AND IT'S ALSO HAS SOME HISTORICAL LANDMARKS.UM, AND I DON'T DISAGREE, UM, ABOUT DAVID'S PROPOSALS, BUT I'M HERE.
I'M STILL ADVOCATING FOR A CONVERSATION WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE THE OFFICERS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD DID NOT KNOW UNTIL I GOT, UM, A NOTIFICATION FROM THE CONTACT TEAM, WHICH IS COMPOSED OF THE SEVEN NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.
I'M ALSO, UM, DISPUTING SOME OF THE FACTS ABOUT THIS PROPERTY.
I DON'T BELIEVE IT WAS BUILT ORIGINALLY AS A DUPLEX.
IT IS A DUPLEX NOW, BUT I THINK IT WAS, IT WAS A MODEST STRUCTURE BUILT IN 1935.
PERHAPS I NEED TO ACTUALLY VERIFY THIS, UM, AT THE COUNTY.
AND IT WAS BUILT FOR A MAN NAMED SAM SAXON WHO LIVED THERE.
UM, HE ALSO SERVED IN, UH, WORLD WAR II AND HE WAS STARTING A FAMILY.
THIS IS SOMEWHAT OF A FANCY HOUSE, UH, A SMALL FANCY HOUSE.
IT HAD, UM, HAS KIND OF NICE MOLDING OVER THE, OF THE DOORS AND THE WINDOWS.
THESE 12, THE SIX PANE WINDOWS ARE NOT COMMON IN THE AREA.
IT HAS A HIP ROOF, WHICH TOOK VERY PRECISE CALCULATIONS TO BUILD.
AND THAT MEANS IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY TO DO.
WE HAVE, UM, SEVERAL HIP ROOF STRUCTURES STILL LIVING OR STILL EXISTING IN THE AREA.
BUT ONCE YOU REMOVE A HOUSE LIKE THIS, WHICH COULD BE POTENTIALLY CONTRIBUTING TO, UM, THE, TO OUR DREAM OF HAVING A HISTORIC DISTRICT IN THE GROOM'S EDITION, UM, IT'S GONE.
IT'S LIKE LOSING YOUR FRONT TEETH.
SO, UM, I'M NOT NECESSARILY OPPOSED TO RELOCATION OR REPURPOSING, BUT I REALLY, REALLY WANT THE APPLICANT TO COME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO JUST EXPLAIN WHAT HE'S DOING AND WHAT HE WANTS TO DO TO THE PROPERTY BECAUSE CONVERSATIONS CAN ACTUALLY CHANGE THE COURSE OF ACTION.
SOMETIMES DAVID DOESN'T HAVE TO DRIVE, HE CAN WALK FOUR BLOCKS 'CAUSE HE LIVES IN HYDE PARK AND WE DON'T BEAT PEOPLE UP AT OUR MEETINGS.
UM, SO I HOPE HE FEELS COM MORE COMFORTABLE.
AND I GUESS THAT'S ALL THAT I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE PROPERTY.
BUT I WAS, I'M STILL SORT OF ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER A POSTPONEMENT.
AND IF MAYBE HE'LL HAVE BETTER PLANS BY THAT TIME.
ANY QUESTIONS OF THE PRESENTER? ALRIGHT.
UM, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? UH, BY COURTESY WE, UH, EXTEND THE, UH, OWNER A CHANCE TO REBUT IF THERE HAS BEEN, UH, AN OPPONENT.
AND YOU'RE WELCOME TO TAKE A MINUTE OR TWO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO REBUT ANYTHING THAT WAS SAID.
UM, I DO KNOW THIS IS EMOTIONAL AND I, I KNOW I'VE DONE THIS A LONG TIME.
I UNDERSTAND, UM, CHANGING NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE NERVE THAT TOUCHES AND THIS BEGINNING PART IS ALWAYS THE MOST SCARY PART.
UM, WE'VE ALWAYS EXPERIENCED WHEN WE TURN THE KEYS OVER AND LEAVE THAT, UH, WE'RE ALWAYS, WE'RE NEVER SURPRISED THAT EVERYBODY'S HAPPY, EVEN SURROUNDING NEIGHBORS.
UM, AND I COULD TELL ANECDOTES ABOUT THAT, BUT I I HAVE DONE A VERY DEEP DIVE ON THIS PROPERTY.
UM, THE LAND HISTORY AROUND HERE IS AMAZING AND, AND I WOULD LOVE TO JUST HANG OUT AND TALK ABOUT THAT STUFF ALL NIGHT.
UM, THIS HOUSE IS NOT PART OF THAT.
UM, PROBABLY THE CLOSEST THING TO IT IS THE 1894 WHITNEY KELNER HOUSE A BLOCK OVER.
UM, AS MARY SAID, THIS IS NOT A LANDMARK.
UM, WE DID DISCUSS ME ATTENDING A MEETING LAST WEEK.
I BELIEVE THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE HAD A MEETING SINCE WE SPOKE BEF THERE WAS A MEET, THEY DIDN'T HAVE A MEETING.
THE, UM, THAT'S WHY HE DIDN'T CALL ME BACK
BUT, UM, AND DON'T FORGET, UH, YOU DID KICK ME OUT OF A MEETING ONE TIME.
SO THERE SOME OF MY, UH, PLEASE ADDRESS THE
[02:00:01]
COMMISSION, THE, THE, I APOLOGIZE, I APOLOGIZE.BUT THIS, UM, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KEEP THIS HIGH LEVEL AND NOT PIT US AGAINST EACH OTHER IN A ROOM WITH PEOPLE WHO AREN'T HERE TONIGHT.
UM, I DID FIND, UH, SAM SAXON, ONE OF THE EARLY RESIDENTS, AND HIS WIFE LIVED THERE, UM, BRIEFLY, I BELIEVE, AND BELIEVE ME, I READ, UM, MRS. SAM SAXON HAD A BRIDAL SHOWER FOR A FRIEND.
THESE ARE YOUNG, A YOUNG COUPLE STARTING OUT.
I DON'T THINK THIS WAS EVER A SINGLE HOME.
I DON'T SEE HOW IT COULD HAVE BEEN.
I DON'T, I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THE STRUCTURE WOULD SUPPORT THAT THE STAIRS ARE EXTERIOR, UM, TO MOVE THOSE STAIRS INSIDE IT.
I BELIEVE THIS WAS BUILT TO RENT.
AND THERE ARE FABULOUS STORIES OF RENTERS ALONG THE WAY.
NOT HISTORIC, BUT, UM, SAM AND HIS WIFE.
UM, AS YOU'RE READING THESE OLD NEWSPAPER ARTICLES, YOU GET DRAWN IN AND YOU LOVE IT.
AND THEN I, THEY HAD THEIR BABY ANNOUNCEMENT BY NOW THEY'RE LIVING IN BREER WOODS.
AND I, YOU KNOW, YOU KIND OF LIKE YOU'RE HAPPY FOR HIM.
AND THEN YOU KEEP CLICKING AND THEN YOU'RE READING ABOUT MRS. SAXON'S, UH, OBITUARY AND HEARING FROM ALL HER LOVED ONES.
UM, THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT THE ONLY REALLY INTERESTING PEOPLE THAT LIVED IN THIS HOME.
UM, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE FABRIC OF THEIR LIFE AND THE CONNECTION OF THE FAMILY THEY, THEY RAISED WAS, UH, CONNECTED WITH THIS HOME.
I SEE IT, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT, UM, I KNOW MR. WHITWORTH IS A FORMER MEMBER OF THIS COMMISSION.
UH, I'M NOT SURE IF ANYBODY ELSE KNOWS THAT OR MAYBE HE'S JUST LETTING ON BASED ON THE QUALITY OF THE RESEARCH HE DID.
BUT, UH, IT'S WORTH SAYING OUT LOUD.
WE, WE DO APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE AND, UH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTONE FOR NOT ACKNOWLEDGING ABSOLUTELY.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, UH, WE HAVE NOBODY ELSE TO SPEAK.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
UH, AND WE'LL NEED TO MAKE SURE WE CAN SEE THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS SO I CAN TAKE A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, WHAT, WHAT ACTION WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE ON THIS ITEM? NO, I THOUGHT THERE'D BE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY HEARING THIS TONIGHT.
AND I'M LEFT WITH A HUNDRED MORE QUESTIONS, SO I THINK IT'S ONLY RESPONSIBLE TO POSTPONE THIS TO NEXT MONTH.
MOTION TO POSTPONE THE NEXT MONTH'S HEARING.
MOTION TO POSTPONE FROM COMMISSIONER RUBIO.
IS THERE A SECOND? UH, COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ.
UH, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO POSTPONE TO OUR MAY MEETING.
UH, COMMISSIONER RUBIO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? YEAH.
YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY THIS WAS A GARAGE, UM, OR, UH, YOU KNOW, OR SOME KIND OF UTILITY UTILITARIAN STRUCTURE.
IT'S NOT BEST PRACTICE TO, UH, TO TRY TO, UH, FIT THAT INTO CRITERIA FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION WITHOUT LOOKING AT ITS PRIMARY STRUCTURE.
SO THEN THAT'S WHY I ASK QUESTION OF, WELL, WHAT, WHAT'S ITS ORIGINAL HOUSE? WHAT DO THE SANDBORN MAPS SAY? SO THERE'S QUESTIONS THERE.
IF POTENTIALLY LIKE SOMEONE FROM THE COMMUNITY SAYING THIS WAS AN INDIVIDUAL HOUSE, WELL THEN LET'S TREAT IT AS SUCH.
UM, THERE'S SOME SIMILARITIES IN THE HOUSE NEXT DOOR TO SOME OF THE TRIM.
I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF THEY'RE TRYING TO MATCH AGAIN, CERTAIN, YOU KNOW, AESTHETIC IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THERE'S OTHER TWO STORY STRUCTURES IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, THAT ARE SECONDARY.
UM, IT'S KIND OF CRAZY 'CAUSE YOU HAVE THE BEST POSSIBLE DUPLEX RIGHT NOW THAT FITS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEN YOU WANNA TEAR IT DOWN.
SO IT'D BE A LOT EASIER IF YOU COULD WORK WITH YOUR TEAM, DEMO THAT ONE STORY GARAGE, MOVE THIS OVER, ROTATE IT HOWEVER YOU NEED TO, AND THEN BUILD WHAT YOU WANT ON THIS SITE.
COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ? UH, YEAH, UH, AGREE WITH WHAT COMMISSIONER RUBIO SAID.
AND THEN IN ADDITION WITH OUR RECENTLY PASSED HOME AMENDMENT, UH, FIRST PHASE.
AND THEN WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE SECOND PHASE THERE.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES HERE TO KEEP THE EXISTING STRUCTURE, WHICH I THINK HAS SOME VALUE TO IT, AND AT THE SAME TIME ACCOMPLISH, UH, THE OWNER'S GOALS OF, UH, RIDING, YOU KNOW, AND BUILDING SOME ADDITIONAL HOUSING THERE.
UH, STAFF, DID YOU HAVE A ADDITIONAL COMMENT THAT YOU NEEDED TO ADD? UH, YES.
A QUICK POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
THIS MAY NOT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE, BUT WE DO HAVE A PERMIT ORIGINALLY, UH, FROM 1937 THAT DOES STATE THAT THE BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED AS A DUPLEX.
UM, WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS PRIMARY OR SECONDARY,
[02:05:01]
THE PERMIT DOESN'T SAY, BUT, UH, IT WAS IN FACT CONSTRUCTED PURPOSELY AS A DUPLEX.THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
ANY, UH, QUESTIONS OF STAFF OR THE OWNER, UH, THE APPLICANT OR THE NEIGHBORS? WE HAVE A MOTION, UH, TO, UH, OR ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, WE HAVE A MOTION TO POSTPONE TO OUR MAY MEETING.
UM, AND AT THIS POINT I'LL CALL THE QUESTION, UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND THOSE OPPOSED, 1, 2, 3 OPPOSED? UH, THAT MOTION PASSES SEVEN TO THREE AND THAT HAS BEEN POSTPONED.
AND WE WOULD ENCOURAGE DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME FOR THE, UH, APPLICANT AND THE NEIGHBORS TO DISCUSS SOME OF THESE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP.
AND IF THERE ARE ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT EITHER RELOCATING ON THE SITE OR EVEN IF THERE'S A RELOCATION REQUEST, IT WOULD CERTAINLY MAKE THAT, UH, CONVERSATION SIMPLER.
UH, AND RIGHT NOW, I KNOW ONE OF THE ISSUES IS, UH, IF YOU HAVE A DEMO APPLICATION AND YOU WISH TO CHANGE IT TO A RELOCATION, IT'S NOT AS SIMPLE FLIP THE SWITCH AND WE CAN AUTOMATICALLY DO THAT.
UH, BUT IF THAT IS YOUR INTENT, IF THAT'S THE APPLICANT'S INTENT, THERE CERTAINLY WOULD BE WAYS THAT WE WOULD TRY TO ENCOURAGE THAT AND MIGHT EVEN KNOW SOME OF THAT, UH, BY THE NEXT MEETING.
SO, BUT THAT, THAT MOTION HAS PASSED AND SO WE WILL HEAR IT IN OUR MAY MEETING.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, THOSE ARE THE LAST OF OUR CASES.
[24.Vote to approve members of the Preservation Plan Working Group and Preservation Plan Committee to speak on behalf of the Commission in presentations to boards, commissions, and community groups about the Preservation Plan. ]
DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS AND COMMISSIONERS, UH, I'LL CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO ITEM 24.I DON'T BELIEVE KARA IS HERE TO PRESENT.
UH, THIS IS ACTUALLY, UH, I GUESS MORE OF A PROCEDURAL ITEM.
UH, PERHAPS, UH, AS CHAIR OF THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE.
UH, COMMISSIONER CASTILLO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO JUST QUICKLY WALK THROUGH THE WORDING OF THE MOTION THAT WE'RE REQUESTING FROM OUR COMMITTEE? UH, SURE.
JUST, UH, LOOKING FOR APPROVAL FOR THE PRESENTATION PLAN, UH, MEMBERS TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE COMMISSION.
UM, AND JUST A LITTLE ADDITIONAL, UM, INFORMATION.
WE HAD A GREAT, UH, OUTREACH EVENT, UH, THIS PAST WEEK, UH, GIVING THE COMMUNITY AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, GIVE FEEDBACK ON WHAT OUR PLANS ARE, UM, FOR THE PRESENTATION PLAN.
AND, AND WE'RE GONNA ROLL THAT OUT.
SO, UM, IN ADDITION TO THE LANGUAGE, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK STAFF FOR, FOR ALL THEY DID, UM, FOR THE EVENT AND, AND HOW IT, IT ACTUALLY ROLLED INTO THIS REALLY GOOD TURNOUT AND, UM, A LOT OF GOOD FEEDBACK.
SO, AND, AND, UM, COMMISSIONER HAMSTEAD, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD.
I KNOW YOU WERE THERE AS WELL.
UH, ACTUALLY WE CAN SAVE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, UH, TO THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE IF WE NEED TO.
UH, BUT AS FAR AS THE MOTION GOES, WE'VE ALREADY STARTED MAKING PRESENTATIONS TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
THEY'RE MORE GENERAL IN NATURE RIGHT NOW.
UH, BUT WE'VE BEEN VERY PLEASED.
NOT ONLY HAVE COMMISSIONERS BEEN THERE, UH, SPEAKING ON OUR BEHALF, UH, OR SHOULD SAY, NOT SPEAKING ON OUR BEHALF THEY'VE ATTENDED IN ORDER TO GIVE SOME FURTHER INDICATION OF THE PROCESS THAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT.
UH, BUT, UH, I THINK WE'VE BEEN, UH, REMINDED THAT IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE IN FACT AT THESE PRESENTATIONS, ABLE TO SPEAK ON OUR BEHALF, BOTH, UH, YOU AS INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONERS, UH, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE AND THE PRESERVATION PLAN, WORKING GROUP MEMBERS, UH, THIS MOTION WILL ALLOW THAT TO BECOME OFFICIAL.
AND, UH, I THINK WE, ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP, UH, ENCOURAGE THAT, UH, WOULD MAKE A LOT OF SENSE.
SO THIS IS BEING BROUGHT UP FROM THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE.
THEREFORE, I DON'T THINK WE NEED, UH, A SECOND.
UH, DO WE, DO WE PRESENT THIS AS A MOTION WITH A SECOND? IS THAT RIGHT OR IS IT JUST COMING FROM THE COMMISSION? WE A MOTION.
SO COMMISSIONER CASTILLO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION AND THEN SEE IF WE HAVE A SECOND? YES.
SECOND PRESERVATION PLAN MEMBERS SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE COMMISSION AS, AS, AS WORDED BY STAFF, AS WORDED IN YOUR BACKUP? YES.
IS THERE A SECOND I'LL SECOND.
UH, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND NOW IT'S OFFICIAL.
AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONER CASTILLO'S AND, AND THANK MEMBERS WHO'VE BEEN INVOLVED.
UH, THERE HAVE BEEN OTHERS WHO'VE BEEN THERE.
COMMISSIONER RUBIO, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN PART OF THE PRESENTATIONS ALREADY, AND, UH, UH, WE HAD
[02:10:01]
A GREAT TURNOUT AT THE WORKING, UH, GROUP AS WELL.[25.Vote on membership changes to Grants Committee and Preservation Plan Committee. ]
25, UH, MEMBER CHANGES TO THE GRANTS COMMITTEE AND PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE.UH, I HAVE TO SAY THIS WAS SOMETHING BASED ON AVAILABILITY AND SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE COMING UP FOR THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE.
BUT THIS MOTION IS TO ACTUALLY, UH, SWAP COMMISSIONER, UH, UH, BUTLER AND COMMISSIONER, UH, EVANS, AND, UH, JUST HAVE THEM SWAP COMMITTEES.
DUDLEY, BEG YOUR PARDON? COMMISSIONER DUDLEY.
I'M SORRY, WHEN I SAY BUTLER DUDLEY AND COMMISSIONER EVANS.
UH, AND, UH, THEY BOTH AGREED.
SO IF THAT MAKES SENSE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
UH, THOSE IN FAVOR OF HAVING COMMISSIONER, UH, EVANS ON THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE.
AND, UH, LISTEN TO ME AND, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, UH, DUDLEY ON THE GRANTS COMMITTEE.
PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
SO THAT IS NOW OFFICIAL AS WELL.
[26.Create a working group to form budget recommendations for FY 2024-25. ]
THE NEXT ITEM THAT WE HAVE IS, UH, TO CREATE A WORKING GROUP.UH, WE ARE ALLOWED TO, UH, MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OUR BUDGET FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.
UH, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME DEADLINES THAT HAVE COME IN THE PAST.
UH, THIS HAS BEEN HANDLED DIFFERENTLY, BUT, UH, IT IS NOW SQUARELY ON OUR SHOULDERS.
UH, I'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS, UH, AS COMMISSIONERS TO MAKE THESE REQUESTS.
I'VE HAD SOME, UH, CONVERSATION WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, OUR VICE CHAIR HERE, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON, AND HE'S AGREED TO LEAD UP THIS TASK FORCE SO THAT WE CAN, UH, LOOK AT WHAT HAS BEEN GRANTED, UH, IN OUR REQUESTS FROM THE PAST.
AND THEN, UH, EITHER CONTINUE WITH THESE REQUESTS, UH, PARTICULARLY THE WORK OF THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE, UH, THAT THOSE, UH, FUNDS HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY IMPORTANT, UH, BUT ALSO POSSIBLY SUPPLEMENT WITH OTHER AREAS, UH, IN SOME OTHER, UH, RELATED ACTIVITIES.
UH, IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT, UM, WE COULD GET, UM, PARTICULARLY SINCE, UH, I SHOULD SAY THE, UM, WORK OF THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE IS GOING TO BE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THESE REQUESTS.
UH, I WAS THINKING JUST THROUGH THIS OUT THAT THE WORKING GROUP MIGHT, UH, CONSIST OF COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON, UH, MYSELF AND COMMISSIONER CASTILLO.
UH, AND WE CAN MAKE THAT A MOTION AND WE CAN SET THAT IN, UH, ACTION SO THAT, UH, THE THREE OF US CAN MEET ON YOUR BEHALF AND COME UP WITH A FINANCIAL REQUEST AND THEN RUN IT BY AT THE NEXT MEETING.
SO I THINK THAT IS ALSO REQUIRING A MOTION.
WOULD WOULD ANY STAFF BE, UM, PART OF THAT, OR ARE THEY JUST KIND OF, UH, THEY CAN PROVIDE US INFORMATION ONLY AND THEY ARE QUITE WILLING TO DO SO AND ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS.
UH, BUT IT'S BEEN MADE CLEAR TO US THAT THIS IS A COMMISSION REQUEST.
UH, THAT'S BEEN MOVED BY COMMISSIONER COOK.
IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER, UH, MCW.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
UH, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JUMPING IN ON THIS AND JUST LET US KNOW, SEND US AN EMAIL AND WE'LL FIGURE OUT WHEN WE CAN ALL MEET.
[27.Vote to approve a letter to Council on Resolution no. 20240215-025 for environmental sustainability. ]
UH, ITEM THAT WAS POSTED, UH, BY TWO COMMISSIONERS, A VOTE TO APPROVE A LETTER, UH, TO COUNSEL ON RESOLUTION, UH, NUMBER 2 0 2 4 0 2 15 0 2 5 FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY.UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, RUBIO AND COMMISSIONER, UH, MY WIT,
SO WOULD YOU ALL LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR REQUEST? I'LL SAY THAT, UH, TWO THINGS.
ONE, COMMISSIONER RUBIO DID THE HEAVY LIFTING AND I WAS HONORED THAT HE REACHED OUT TO ME TO, UM, ADD SUPPORT TO IT.
AND, UH, SECOND MY COMPUTER BATTERY HAS DIED, SO I I, I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO READ IT RIGHT NOW.
I, I APPRECIATE, UH, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON FOR SECOND THIS, TO GET THIS ON THE AGENDA.
UM, IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO READ THE BACKUP, UH, THERE IS A RESOLUTION BACK IN FEBRUARY FOR CITY COUNCIL TO STUDY THE, UH, IMPACT, UM, I GUESS THE, THE IMPACT, I GUESS, OF ALL THIS CLIMATE CHANGE HAPPENING AND WHAT, WHAT ARE WAYS THAT THE CITY CAN ACTUALLY START TO COHESIVELY BRING SOME OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS
[02:15:01]
THAT ARE IN MULTIPLE PLANS TO ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, MAKE A MEANINGFUL CHANGE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN? SO THERE WAS A PUBLIC MEETING WITH THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COUNT OR COMMISSION ON MARCH, AND ACTUALLY THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR CITY COUNCIL, WHAT HAPPENED MAY 30TH AND NOTICEABLY ABSENT FROM THIS, UH, RESOLUTION WAS ANYTHING ASSOCIATED WITH PRESERVATION.AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT STAFF WORK ALONG WITH THOSE IN OUR WORKING GROUP FOR THE PRESERVATION PLAN, BECAUSE THE PRESERVATION PLAN DOES HAVE, UH, A FEW, UH, SUSTAINABLE, UM, A SECTION ON SUSTAINABLE MEASURES THAT ARE INCORPORATED.
AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT THE BASIS OF THIS LETTER IS FOR.
SO THAT WE CAN REMIND COUNCIL AND THE SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE, HEY, TAKE A LOOK AT OUR PRESERVATION PLAN.
HERE'S WHERE WE'RE, UH, RECOGNIZING IS OUR WAYS THAT PRESERVATION CAN HELP, UH, US ACHIEVE THOSE SUSTAINABLE GOALS.
SO, UM, I'M, I'M HAP I, I DON'T, I DON'T FEEL I HAVE TO READ IT ALL, BUT, UM, YOU ALL LET ME KNOW IF THAT'S, UH, NECESSARY.
AND, UM, WHAT WE SEE HERE ON THE SCREEN TONIGHT, UH, JUST THOSE, THE THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS THAT I HAVE THAT ARE REFLECTED IN THOSE WORDS DO INFORM THE VOTES THAT I DO MAKE HERE ON THE COMMISSION AND, AND DIRECTLY INFORM THE VOTE THAT I TOOK ON 21 0 2 4 OAKS LANE.
UH, THERE WAS A TIME PREVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS MAYBE JUST STARTING OUT ON THIS COMMISSION, MAYBE SIX YEARS AGO NOW, THAT I I I DISCOUNTED THE, THE WEIGHT OF A VOTE ON A SINGLE FAMILY HOME THAT WAS GONNA BE REPLACED BY A LARGER SINGLE FAMILY HOME, UM, RELATIVE TO THE COMMUNITY VALUE OF HOUSING LOST OR GAINED.
AND I THINK I, I THINK ABOUT I, ANYWAY, THE THINGS THAT ARE, AGAIN, HERE, HERE IN THIS NOTE THAT WE'RE PUTTING UP TO COUNCIL AND HOW IT'S ALL PART OF A BIGGER PICTURE AND IT'S IMPORTANT STUFF.
AND AGAIN, AT, AT, AT 21 0 2 4 OAKS LANE, THOSE THOUGHTS ARE A, A, A DIRECT THROUGH LINE TO, TO HOW I VOTED ON THAT AGENDA ITEM.
SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER RUBIO FOR DOING THE HARD WORK AND LOOPING ME IN.
COMMISSIONERS, ARE THERE OTHER DISCUSSION ITEMS? UH, ANY ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS? UH, AGAIN, I'M ABSOLUTELY THRILLED THAT, UH, NOT ONLY WE HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE AT THIS, BUT I THINK IT ALSO IS AN INDICATION, UH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER RUBIO FOR BIRD DOGGING US BECAUSE, UH, IT IS EASY AS SO MANY NEW THINGS THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED, UH, WE'RE VERY ACTIVELY ENGAGED WITH BY THE COUNCIL TO, UH, MAKE AUSTIN MORE AFFORDABLE, MAKE IT MORE LIVABLE, OFFER NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UH, HOUSING IN PARTICULAR AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UH, BUT THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE OF MAKING PRESERVATION OF EXISTING FABRIC, UH, LESS DESIRABLE IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING IN OTHER AREAS AND PARTICULARLY IN THE PRESERVATION PLAN.
SO, UH, TO HAVE THAT REMINDER IN THIS RESOLUTION TO HAVE, HOPEFULLY THE LANGUAGE INCLUDED IN THE CITY'S SUSTAINABILITY GOALS, I THINK WILL PUT THESE EFFORTS FRONT AND CENTER, UH, AND DEFINITELY GO A LONG WAY TO REINFORCING THE CONTINUING WORK THAT SO MANY COMMISSIONERS HAVE BEEN DOING.
WE HAVE A REQUEST THEN TO, UH, APPROVE THE LETTER, UH, ADDRESSING A COUNCIL RESOLUTION ON ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY.
UH, IS THAT A MOTION THEN AND A SECOND? IS THAT CORRECT? CAN WE SAY FROM COMMISSIONER? CORRECT.
OKAY, THEN ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
[28.Grants Committee]
UPDATES AND THE GRANTS COMMITTEE, UH, THAT'S, UM, COMMISSIONER WARD AND NOW COMMISSIONER DUDLEY AND COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ.I BELIEVE WE NOW ARE GETTING CLOSE TO A FIRST MEETING.
SO WE HAVE SOMETHING TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR MAY 9TH.
UM, I BELIEVE IF THAT WORKS FOR COMMISSIONER DUDLEY, UH, THEN WE WILL HAVE EVERYBODY IN.
WELL, WE, UH, ONE OF THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA WILL BE TO, UH, I BELIEVE WE NEED TO SELECT A CHAIR FOR THAT COMMITTEE.
'CAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE THEY'VE HAD A CHANCE TO MEET YET.
SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S POSTED AS WELL.
AND ALSO TO MINUTE, IT WAS MAY 6TH, NOT MAY 9TH, I BEG YOUR PARDON.
BUT YOU, YOU'LL CERTAINLY KEEP US POSTED.
[02:20:01]
UH, THAT GROUP WILL BE ABLE TO, UH, PLAN IN ADVANCE FOR THE NEXT GRANT CYCLE, UH, WORK WITH STAFF ON SOME OF THE ELEMENTS THAT ARE COMING FORWARD.AND IN ADDITION, UH, MAYBE GIVE US SOME IDEAS FOR BROADENING WHAT THE PROGRAMS MIGHT EVEN BE.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE WORK OF THAT COMMITTEE.
[29.Operations Committee]
COMMITTEE THAT'S, UH, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON IS CHAIR, UH, COMMISSIONER LAROCHE AND, UH, COMMISSIONER COOK.AND I BELIEVE YOU ARE SCHEDULING A MEETING.
WE ARE ACTIVELY SCHEDULING A MEETING.
UM, I BELIEVE WE'VE, FOR THE MOST PART SUBMITTED OUR AVAILABILITY TO STAFF AND WE'RE WAITING TO HEAR BACK OF WHERE WE ALL ALIGN.
AND WE'VE THROWN SEVERAL THINGS IN YOUR DIRECTION THE LAST COUPLE OF MEETINGS, SO WE APPRECIATE GETTING YOUR RESPONSE.
YEAH, WE'RE EXCITED TO GET TO IT.
THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE,
[30.Architectural Review Committee]
UH, COMMISSIONER COOK, UH, COMMISSIONER GROGAN AND COMMISSIONER RUBIO.YEAH, WE HAD A, A GOOD LONG MEETING AND YOU CAN SEE THE RESULTS OF THE KIND OF CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAVE THERE.
UH, IN THE CASES THAT WE REVIEWED THAT YOU SAW THE 200, THE CIRCLE WAS A REALLY INTERESTING ADDITION TO A LANDMARK THAT I'M SURE ALL OF YOU REVIEWED IN PREPARATION 1008 SPENCE STREET SAVING, A CONTRIBUTING RESOURCE, A NATIONAL REGISTRY DISTRICT, UH, I THINK THEY'LL BE COMING WITH AN ADDITION TO THAT FRONT HOUSE, BUT WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED WHAT WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE AND WHAT WOULDN'T TO PRESERVE THAT CONTRIBUTING RESOURCE.
UH, FOURTH AND COLORADO MARKER, WE STARTED THAT DISCUSSION, UH, FOUR 19 CONGRESS AVENUE, NEW MEXICO CARTE MUSEUM CAME TO US AND, UM, WILL BE SOMETHING INTERESTING WE'LL BE KEEPING OUR EYE ON.
IT'S A CONTRIBUTING RESOURCE OF THE, UH, CONGRESS AVENUE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, AND THEY ARE COMMITTED TO PRESERVING THE FRONT FACADE, BUT NOT MUCH ELSE, AND TRYING TO FIT A LOT OF PROGRAM IN.
SO I THINK WE CLEARLY VOICE VOICED OUR, UM, OPINIONS ABOUT THAT APPROACH.
UH, APPRECIATED THE PRESERVATION OF THE FRONT FACADE, BUT REALLY PUSHED BACK ON TRYING TO SAVE MORE OF THE BUILDING AND, UH, BETTER BALANCE THE, THE NEEDS OF THE MUSEUM, WHICH IS IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY WITH THE NEEDS OF THE DISTRICT, WHICH IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER AND, UH, THE PRESERVATION
[31.Preservation Plan Committee ]
PLAN COMMITTEE.UH, COMMISSIONER CASTILLO, YOU MENTIONED THAT, UH, WORKING PRESENTA, THE, THE, THE, UH, OPEN HOUSE AT THE, AT THE BAKER SCHOOL LAST WEEK.
AND THEN PRIOR TO THAT, UM, JUST A, A GOOD, UM, WORKING SESSION WITH THE WORKING GROUP, UH, A COUPLE OF WEEKS BEFORE THAT.
UM, JUST, IT'S JUST BEEN A LOT OF, UH, REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK AND, AND REALLY GOOD INPUT FROM EVERYBODY.
UM, AND, UM, LIKE I SAID, LIKE YEAH, THE, THE LAST, UH, EVENT WAS THIS PAST THURSDAY, UM, AT THE BAKER SCHOOL IN HYDE PARK, UM, TO GET FEEDBACK FROM JUST EVERYBODY AND, AND IT WAS A GREAT TURNOUT.
AND, UM, JUST REALLY EXCITED TO SEE EVERYONE'S, UH, ENTHUSIASM ABOUT, ABOUT THE PLAN.
UM, AND THEN, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS SOMETHING, BUT, UM, I'M MEETING WITH, UM, CONGRESSMAN OR CONGRESS COUNCILMAN, UH, UH, VELA ON FRIDAY.
UH, HE'S WANTING TO LOOK AT THE, UH, THE ST.
JOHN'S REGULAR, UH, MISSIONARY BAPTIST DISTRICT ASSOCIATION, THE TABERNACLE HERE IN ST.
UM, BECAUSE, UH, IT'S JUST BEEN SITTING THERE KIND OF BOARDED UP AND, AND HE WANTS TO LOOK TO SEE HOW WE CAN, UM, UM, HOW WE CAN HELP, HOW WE CAN HELP THE FACILITY.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S COMING UP.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS WOULD LIKE TO JOIN, BUT IT'S, UM, IT'S FRIDAY MORNING.
AND LET ME, LET ME JUST CHECK REAL QUICK AND, AND LET YOU KNOW WHAT TIME YOU'RE HAVING COMMISSIONER EVANS, RAISE YOUR HAND.
BUT IT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S ON HIS RADAR FOR A WHILE, UM, AND HE'S BROUGHT IT UP SEVERAL TIMES.
UH, IS THAT SOMETHING, UH, COMMISSIONER CASTILLO, COULD YOU SEND US, UH, TO OUR, UH, YEAH, I'LL COMMISSION EMAILS.
JUST, I'LL SEND THE MEETING REQUEST.
I, I DON'T WANNA LOOK FOR IT NOW AND KEEP EVERYBODY WAITING RIGHT NOW.
BUT YEAH, I'LL SEND, I'LL SEND IT TO THE COMMISSION AND IF ANYBODY WANTS TO SHOW UP, UM, AND HE'S HAVING, UH, SEVERAL OF THE, UH, THE, UH, CONGREGATION LEADERS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD JOIN AS WELL.
AND SO, UM, I JUST THINK IT'D BE A REALLY, A REALLY COOL EXPERIENCE.
I'VE BEEN AROUND THE FACILITY, BUT I'VE NEVER BEEN INSIDE.
BUT I HEAR IT'S, IT'S AMAZING.
SO IT'S VERY, YEAH, IT IS VERY WORTHY AND IT'S TERRIFIC TO HAVE THAT INTEREST.
AND I KNOW STAFF YOU'RE GONNA TELL US THAT IF MORE THAN HOW MANY OF US ARE ATTENDING THAT WE HAVE TO POST IT, FIRST OF ALL, UH, IT IS AT 10 O'CLOCK ON FRIDAY.
[02:25:01]
THE NEXT QUESTION.LIKE, UM, IT IS AT 10 O'CLOCK ON FRIDAY ON MY CALENDAR, AND I CAN SEND IT TO Y'ALL, BUT PLEASE, UM, ENSURE THAT A QUORUM IS NOT PRESENT.
SO IF MORE THAN, IF MORE THAN SIX OF US, ARE THERE TROUBLE? YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.
YOU'RE ON, YOU'RE ON THE INVITE.
BUT, UH, ALL RIGHT, I'LL, I'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE A QUORUM
AND, UH, WE HAVE MORE COMING UP, UH, WITH MORE PRESENTATIONS.
THE OPEN HOUSE, UH, THAT, UH, MS. KING MENTIONED FROM PRESERVATION AUSTIN, UH, THE PRESERVATION WORKING GROUP AND STAFF, UH, WILL BE THERE WITH THE PLAN IF YOU ALL CURRENT MEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE DRAFT YET, THIS IS A PERFECT TIME FOR YOU TO PULL UP THE DRAFT AND MAKE COMMENTS.
WE'VE GOT ANOTHER MONTH OR SO, I BELIEVE IT IS THAT WE'LL BE, OR MAYBE IT'S TO THE END OF THIS MONTH THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO TAKE COMMENTS.
UH, AND YOU WILL GET AN UPDATE FROM, UH, STAFF, UH, AS WE THEN SYNTHESIZE AND PROCESS SOME OF THE FEEDBACK WE GOT AT THE OPEN HOUSE, BUT ALSO SOME OF THE RESPONSES THAT WE'RE STARTING TO GET ONLINE.
SO A VERY CRITICAL TIME IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PRESERVATION PLAN.
UM, AND AGAIN, JUST TO PIGGYBACK THE, UH, THE PRESERVATION PLAN WILL BE TABLING AT THAT EVENT.
UM, THE BLOCK PARTY IS A FREE PUBLIC EVENT THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THE HOME STORE.
UM, SO, UH, NO TICKET OR PURCHASE IS REQUIRED TO, UH, TO ATTEND AND, UH, TO SEE THE TABLE THERE.
WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT REQUIRED TO POST ON THAT ONE 'CAUSE WE CAN ALL JUST WANDER AROUND.
IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
BUT PLEASE TRY AND AVOID A VISIBLE QUORUM.
YEAH, BUT DON'T ALL, DON'T ALL SIX PEOPLE HANG OUT AT THE SAME PLACE AT THE SAME TIME.
PLEASE ENJOY THE REST OF THE DOOR.
AND IT'D BE A WONDERFUL TIME TO CELEBRATE THE OPEN HOUSE.
ALRIGHT, IS THERE ANY OTHER ITEM THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS? I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
IS THERE A SECOND? ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONER SECOND.
AND ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.