[00:00:07]
[CALL TO ORDER]
AND YOU'RE AT THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.THE DATE IS WEDNESDAY, MAY 1ST, AND I THINK THAT, UH, SAM HAS STEPPED AWAY FOR A MOMENT, BUT WHEN HE GETS BACK, WE'LL, WE'LL PROCEED WITH CALLING THE ROLE AND BEGIN THE MEETING.
SAM, I BELIEVE WE HAVE ALL THE COMMISSIONERS IN ATTENDANCE THAT, UH, CONFIRMED THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE IT.
DO YOU WANNA GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED AND CALL THE ROLL? LET'S DO IT.
COMMISSIONER WHIT FEATHERSTON PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER KEVIN COOK, PRESENT.
PRESENT, COMMISSIONER RE, MAY PORTER PRESENT, COMMISSIONER HARMONY GROGAN PRESENT, COMMISSIONER HEMA ALVAREZ.
PRESENT, COMMISSIONER ROXANNE EVANS, PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER RAYMOND CASTILLO IS NOT CURRENTLY HERE.
COMMISSIONER JUAN RAYMOND RUBIO, PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER TARA DUDLEY PRESENT.
UH, I THINK WE'LL GET STARTED WITH,
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
UH, PUBLIC COMMUNICATION BEFORE WE READ THROUGH THE AGENDA.THIS IS THE TIME WHEN MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CAN SPEAK ON AN ITEM THAT IS NOT POSTED ON THE AGENDA.
IF IT'S POSTED ON THE AGENDA, WE'LL WAIT UNTIL THAT MOMENT COMES.
UM, SAM, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP UNDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? WE DO.
FIRST WE HAVE, I THINK ANDREA HILL.
UM, I WAS, WILL YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD? MY NAME'S ANDREA HILL, AS SHE JUST SAID.
UM, I WAS HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 12, BUT I SEE THAT IT'S BEEN MOVED TO NEXT, NEXT MONTH'S HEARING.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON IS JUST THE GENERAL TOPIC OF HISTORIC VALUE.
THE LAST TIME YOU GUYS GRANTED A DEMO, DEMOLITION PERMIT IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, IT'S BEEN REPLACED BY AN UGLY HALF-BUILT SERIES OF FOUR LITTLE SQUARE BOXES WITH THE WOODEN FRAME AND INSULATION AROUND IT.
APPARENTLY THEY'VE RUN OUTTA MONEY AND THEY'RE NOT GONNA FINISH IT.
THERE'S TRASH AND PORTA-POTTIES, AND IT'S A DISRUPTION TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ALTOGETHER.
THIS WAS A DEMOLITION PERMIT YOU GUYS GRANTED FOR 80 AND 82 SAN MARCO STREET, WHICH IS RIGHT ACROSS THE ALLEY FROM MY HOUSE.
NOW YOU'RE CONSIDERING NEXT MONTH I'LL SPEAK ABOUT ITEM NUMBER 12, WHICH HAS BEEN MOVED.
BUT IN GENERAL TERMS, THIS IS A NATIONAL HISTORIC REGISTER.
I KNOW THAT IT'S NOT RECOGNIZED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN THEIR SCHEME OF HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IF NATIONAL PEOPLE CONSIDERED IT IMPORTANT, THEN WE SHOULD TOO.
WHETHER IT'S MY NEIGHBORHOOD OR SOME OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD IN AUSTIN THAT HAS NATIONAL REGISTER, PLEASE, PLEASE DON'T GRANT DEMOLITION PERMITS.
AUSTIN IS BECOMING A SERIES OF UGLY BOX HOUSES AND SKYSCRAPERS.
PLEASE HELP US PRESERVE THE FEW HISTORIC AREAS THAT ARE STILL ALIVE AND STILL IN CENTRAL AUSTIN.
PLEASE DON'T GRANT THESE DEMOLITION PERMITS.
I MEAN, AS I SAY, YOU GRANTED THIS ONE, TWO YEARS AGO, DESPITE THE PROTEST OF THE NEIGHBORS, THEY TOOK AWAY TWO, MAYBE NOT REALLY FABULOUS HOUSES, BUT THEY WERE CLASSIC BUNGALOW HOUSES AND THEY WERE HISTORIC ALMOST A HUNDRED YEARS OLD.
AND NOW WE'VE GOT UGLY SQUARE BOXES THAT JUST RUINED THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD COMPLETELY.
PLEASE, PLEASE HELP ME AND EVERYBODY ELSE TO KEEP AUSTIN'S HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE ALIVE.
DO NOT JUST GRANT DEMOLITION PERMITS IN HISTORIC REGISTERED NEIGHBORHOODS.
IT'S REALLY DISTURBING AND WE, THE NEIGHBORS GET FRUSTRATED ABOUT IT.
WE'RE PROBABLY THE LAST HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD ANYWHERE NEAR DOWNTOWN, AND A LOT OF IT'S TURNED INTO ILLEGAL AIRBNBS, BUT AT LEAST THEY'VE KEPT THE HOUSES AS THEY ARE STRUCTURALLY.
SO PLEASE HONOR THE PEOPLE FROM THE NATIONAL HISTORIC REGISTER WHO WENT TO ALL THE TROUBLE TO RATE THIS AS IMPORTANT, AND YOU SHOULD CONSIDER IT AS IMPORTANT AND DO NOT GRANT DEMOLITION PERMITS IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD OR OTHER PARTS OF AUSTIN THAT ARE SIMILARLY
[00:05:01]
REGISTERED.YEAH, THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN.
AND UH, IT'S, IT'S SORT OF A COUNTERINTUITIVE THAT A NATIONAL REGISTER, REGISTERED HISTORIC DISTRICT, WE ACTUALLY HAVE LESS TOOLS AT OUR DISPOSAL ON A NATIONAL DISTRICT THAN WE DO A LOCAL DISTRICT.
WELL, HERE'S, HERE'S THE THING THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAS GOTTEN UPSET ABOUT.
AT SOME POINT WHEN WE TESTIFIED ABOUT THIS, THEY SAID, WELL, WHY DON'T YOU REGISTER AS AN AUSTIN LOCAL HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD? THERE'S TWO THINGS STOPPING THAT.
NUMBER ONE IS YOU HAVE TO PAY TWO TO $3,000.
SO THAT'S KIND OF A DETERRENT.
AND NUMBER TWO, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CERTAIN PERCENT OF THE NEIGHBORS AGREE TO IT.
AND THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE ANYMORE BECAUSE THERE'S VERY FEW ACTUAL NEIGHBORS WHO OWN AND LIVE IN THEIR HOUSE.
A LOT OF THE HOUSES ARE ILLEGAL.
SO WE CAN'T HAVE 60% OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AGREED TO DO IT BECAUSE THERE AREN'T NEIGHBORS LIVING THERE.
JUST A FEW OF US STILL THERE, ACTUALLY OWNER OCCUPIED.
SO EVEN IF WE WANTED TO REGISTER UNDER THE AUSTIN, YOU KNOW, REQUIREMENTS, WE COULD NOT.
BUT REALLY IN MOST EVERYTHING ELSE IN LIFE, NATIONAL RECOGNITION IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN LOCAL.
SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT CAN'T BE HERE.
AND MY SECOND COMMENT WAS THAT YOU MIGHT, UM, LOOK INTO CALLING CODE ENFORCEMENT ON A, UH, DEAD CONSTRUCTION SITE.
WELL, WE DO, WE'VE DONE THAT MANY TIMES.
NO RESPONSE BECAUSE MOST OF THE AIRBNBS ARE RENTED OUT FOR THE WEEKEND AND CODE ENFORCEMENT ONLY WORKS DURING THE WEEK.
OH, I MEANT FOR THE NEGLECTED CONSTRUCTION SITE.
OH, WELL THAT ONE'S ALREADY BEEN CITED FOR SOME WORK VIOLATIONS.
BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
I DO, I DO HAVE A COUPLE CO COMMENTS.
UM, WELL, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING HERE.
THIS IS A BIG ISSUE, UH, IN THE CITY AND MY SHORT TIME BEING HERE, SO I DO APPRECIATE YOU COMING TO SPEAK UP.
UM, STAFF CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
I THINK FOR A LOCAL, UH, HISTORIC DISTRICT, WE NEED MINIMUM ONE BLOCK, UM, TO HAVE PROPERTIES, UH, WITHIN ONE BLOCK.
SO IF YOU CAN FIND ONE BLOCK, UH, OF, OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, OWNING OWNERS THAT COME TOGETHER AND MAKE THAT HAPPEN, HAVE ONE BLOCK.
THERE'S ABOUT 10 HOUSES, AND THERE'S THREE ACTUAL OWNER OCCUPIERS
SO THAT'S NOT ENOUGH PERCENTAGE.
I KNOW IT'S A TOUGH CHALLENGE, UM, BUT ONE BLOCK AND THE, AND THE FEES ARE FRUSTRATING.
I THINK THERE ARE CERTAIN CASES WHERE THE COMMISSION CAN INITIATE THINGS AS WELL.
UM, BUT I THINK CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO HEAR THESE WORDS.
WE HAVE A CASE THAT'S GOING AGAIN, UH, TOMORROW AGAINST OWNER WISHES FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION AND THAT'S PERHAPS SOMETHING THAT YOU SHOULD CONSIDER.
I THINK IT'S ITEM NUMBER 84, UH, TOMORROW CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
SO THIS, YOU'RE KIND OF, YOU'RE SPEAKING TO PREACHING TO THE CHOIR IN SOME CASES.
WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD IS THAT IN? THAT IS, UH, ON EAST EAST SECOND STREET, EAST SECOND STREET, 1100 EAST SECOND STREET.
SO, SO I THINK CITYWIDE THESE KIND OF ISSUES COME UP AND, UH, IT MAY BE SOMETHING IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD NEXT WHERE WE'RE INITIATING SOMETHING.
WELL, THAT'S MY NEIGHBORHOOD ACTUALLY.
EAST SECOND IS ONLY A FEW BLOCKS FROM WHERE I AM.
SO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AGENDA ITEM.
I THINK CITY COUNCIL SHOULD, SHOULD HEAR FROM MORE CITIZENS.
SO I PROBABLY CAN'T COME TO THAT MEETING BECAUSE OF WORK, BUT THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME KNOW.
ALRIGHT, AND SAM, DO WE HAVE ANY MORE SPEAKERS ON, UH, PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? WE DO.
WE HAVE MR. CLIFTON LED GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
I'M A CO-CHAIR OF THE SOUTH RIVER CITY CITIZENS HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE.
AND, UM, I'M A RESIDENT IN THE TRAVIS SCIENCE FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT, JUST ABOUT A HUNDRED YARDS FROM 4 0 9 EAST MONROE, WHICH, UM, Y'ALL HAD PREVIOUSLY CONSIDERED.
AND, UM, THEY WERE DENIED A, UH, DEMOLITION PERMIT.
BUT THE HOUSE IS VACANT AND IS FALLING APART.
UH, THIS IS A MATTER THAT I, I KNOW Y'ALL KNOW ABOUT.
I JUST HAD PLANNED TO COME DOWN HERE, UM, TO HEAR THE CODE ENFORCEMENT PRESENTATION, WHICH HAS BEEN POSTPONED, UM, A, A SECOND TIME, I GUESS.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO, TO HEARING THAT.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO HOPEFULLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS HOUSE PRETTY SOON.
WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A WHOLE LOT LONGER TO WAIT.
CAN YOU REPEAT THE ADDRESS AGAIN? YEAH, UM, 4 0 9 EAST MONROE.
IT'S AT THE SOUTH WEST CORNER OF, UM, NEWING IN MONROE.
NEXT UP WE HAVE MS. SAMANTHA SMOOT.
I ALSO AM COMING, UH, TO SPEAK VERY QUICKLY ABOUT 4 0 9 EAST MONROE.
I LIVE IN AN ADJOINING PROPERTY.
[00:10:01]
PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS HOUSE.WHILE IT IS CERTAINLY STILL, UH, VERY MUCH STRUCTURALLY SOUND, UM, UH, IT IS, UM, UH, UH, KIND OF JUST STUCK BECAUSE WHILE CODE ENFORCEMENT DID ISSUE CITATIONS LAST OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER, THERE'S BEEN NO ENFORCEMENT, UH, TAKEN AND THEY'VE HAD SOME STAFF TURNOVER IN THE INSPECTOR POSITIONS.
UM, I WANT TO BE VERY SENSITIVE TO THAT, BUT I WONDER IF YOU ALL MIGHT CONSIDER, UH, IN YOUR CAPACITY AS COMMISSIONERS SENDING A WORD, UH, TO CODE ENFORCEMENT TO ASK THEM.
AND I, I KNOW THAT, UH, UH, YOU'VE BEEN EXPECTING A BRIEFING FROM THEM ON THE OVERALL ISSUE OF DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT AND THEIR, THEIR PROCESS IN THIS PROPERTY IN PARTICULAR.
AND I WISH IT WAS A HIGH PRIORITY FOR THEM AND HOPE TO SEE THEM AT YOUR MEETING, UH, NEXT MONTH.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A A 20 FOOT PILE OF RUBBLE IN THE SIDE YARD.
THERE'S UPSIDE DOWN FURNITURE IN THE FRONT YARD, AND THE CITY HAS MANY TOOLS AT ITS DISPOSABLE TO, UH, PROTECT THIS HOUSE THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY LOOKED AT AND DECIDED IT'S WORTH PROTECTING.
AND WE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD CERTAINLY BELIEVE IT'S PROTECT, WORTH, PROTECTING, AND VERY MUCH SOUND.
AND HOPEFULLY, UH, SINCE IT HAS A COMING SOON FOR SALE SIGN IN FRONT OF IT, WE VERY MUCH HOPE A NEW OWNER, UH, WILL BE IN PLACE SOON, WHO, UH, IS READY TO KEEP THE ENVELOPE OF THE HOUSE, UH, UH, WHILE THEY PUT IN A MONITOR INSIDE, WHICH IS A, A PLAN THAT YOU ALL HAVE ALREADY APPROVED.
SO THAT'S ALL, JUST KEEPING IT ON YOUR RADAR.
AND WE ARE EXPECTING A PRESENTATION FROM CODE ENFORCEMENT AT THE NEXT MONTH'S MEETING.
UM, IT MIGHT BE WORTH, UH, LETTING THEM KNOW THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT 4 0 9 EAST MONROE, AND IF THEY WANTED TO USE THAT SORT OF AS A CASE STUDY TO TALK ABOUT THE WAY THEY APPROACH PROJECT, THAT MIGHT BE VERY HELPFUL.
OKAY, NEXT UP WE HAVE MEGAN KING.
UM, MEGAN KING, POLICY AND OUTREACH PLANNER FOR PRESERVATION AUSTIN, UM, WITH YOUR MONTHLY UPDATE.
UM, WANTED TO SHARE, UM, WORDS OF THANKS TO THOSE OF YOU WHO CAME OUT AND SUPPORTED THE HOMES TOUR A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
WE HAD LIKE 2000 PLUS TICKETS SOLD OR SOMETHING CRAZY LIKE THAT.
UM, SO IT WAS, IT WAS WONDERFUL AND WELL ATTENDED EVENT, SOME GREAT, UM, HOUSES IN, ON THE EAST SIDE AND ALL AROUND TOWN THAT WE WERE REALLY EXCITED TO CELEBRATE.
SO WE'RE REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
UM, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF PROGRAMS COMING UP, WALKING TOURS OF UNDERREPRESENTED HERITAGE SITES OVER THE SUMMER.
I'LL SHARE MORE ABOUT THAT, UM, IN THE COMING MONTHS.
AND ALSO OUR, UM, SUMMER GRANT DEADLINE IS COMING UP ON JUNE 15TH.
SO, UM, IT'S FOR PRESERVATION PROJECTS ALL AROUND TOWN.
UM, WE OFFER MATCHED GRANT FUNDING OF UP TO $10,000 IN CATEGORIES OF EDUCATION, BRICKS AND MORTAR AND PLANNING.
SO IF ANYBODY WANTS TO MAKE A HISTORIC DISTRICT
AND YOU CAN GET MORE INFORMATION ON THAT@PRESERVATIONAUSTIN.ORG.
OKAY, LASTLY, WE HAVE ROBIN SANDERS.
SAM, I ALSO WANTED TO TAG ALONG TO PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
MY NAME IS ROBIN SANDERS AND I'M A NEIGHBOR ALSO OF THE 4 0 9 MONROE PROPERTY.
I DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT TO ADD.
I'D LIKE TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO SAM, WHO'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL IN HELPING ME UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE PROCEDURALLY WITH THIS, BECAUSE I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT DELAYS CONSTITUTING, UH, GRANTING BY DEFAULT BECAUSE OF THE RUNNING OF DEADLINES.
SO WE HAVE CLARIFIED THAT THERE'S NOT ACTUALLY ANYTHING BEFORE YOU, OTHER THAN THIS ISSUE OF CODE VERSUS THE DENIAL OF THE DEMOLITION PERMIT AND HOW WE MIGHT GO ABOUT ENFORCING, UM, WHAT THE NEIGHBORS AND I THINK THE COMMISSION AS WELL, UH, WANTS TO SEE COME OUT OF THAT.
SO I APPRECIATE SAM, UH, THE INFORMATION I HAVE IS THAT THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE IS GONNA ADDRESS THIS.
I DON'T KNOW WHO'S ON THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, BUT I HOPE YOU CAN GET IT TOGETHER SOON TO, TO TALK ABOUT THIS.
WE'VE BEEN CONCERNED, UH, THAT THE COMMISSION DENIED THE DEMOLITION PERMIT REQUEST 15 MONTHS AGO AT THE FEBRUARY, UH, I BELIEVE IT WAS FEBRUARY, COULD
[00:15:01]
HAVE BEEN MARCH, I THINK IT WAS FEBRUARY 23 MEETING.AND WE HAVE BEEN A SAMANTHA SAID, STUCK, UH, BECAUSE THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY REAL MOVEMENT BY CODE.
IT'S CERTAINLY AN EYESORE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'M A COUPLE OF HOUSES AWAY AND WE JUST MOSTLY WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS, BUT REMIND YOU THAT CONTINUING DELAY DOES CONTRIBUTE TO BOTH THE BLIGHT ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE LACK OF REHABILITATION OF THIS VERY SPECIAL AND STATUES CAST.
SO, UH, WE DON'T FEEL LIKE IT'S FALLING APART.
WE FEEL LIKE IT'S STRUCTURALLY SOUND.
WE'VE HAD ASSESSMENTS BY, UH, BUILDERS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT AFFIRMED THAT.
SO WE JUST WANT TO KEEP IT ON YOUR RADAR.
LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU NEXT MONTH WITH A BRIEFING FROM CODE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET A LITTLE BIT OF A RIGHT HAND, LEFT HAND MESHING IN ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE.
AND, UH, UNDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION, MY NAME'S WHIT FEATHERSTON.
I'M THE VICE CHAIR OF THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION.
UM, I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOMETHING THAT I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE IS BOTH A LITTLE BIT WONKY AND PARTIALLY OVERCOME BY EVENTS, BUT, UH, I THINK I'LL SPEAK FOR MYSELF AS A MEMBER OF THIS COMMISSION, THAT WHEN I SUPPORTED THE HOME INITIATIVE, IT WAS CONTINGENT ON THE PRESERVATION BONUS BEING INCLUDED AND BEING INTERPRETED IN A CERTAIN WAY THAT MEANT THAT A THREE UNIT DEVELOPMENT WOULD HAVE AND ALLOWED FAR OF 0.65, BUT A PRESERVED STRUCTURE ON THAT SITE WOULD BE EXEMPTED FROM THAT 0.65 FAR, THUS, ALLOWING THE TWO ADDITIONAL NEW UNITS TO BE LARGER AND THUS BEING AN INCENTIVE TO PRESERVATION.
UM, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT AS WRITTEN STAFF HAS INTERPRETED THAT SCENARIO TO ACTUALLY BE A TWO UNIT PROJECT, UH, AND THEREFORE ONLY ALLOWING A 0.55 FAR EVEN THOUGH THE EXISTING UNIT WOULD BE EXEMPTED.
IT WOULD ALSO JUST BE NOT INCLUDED AS PART OF, UM, THE PLAN AND THEREFORE IT WOULDN'T ALLOW FOR AN ADDITIONAL FLOOR AREA RATIO.
SO ESSENTIALLY THE INCENTIVE IS NO LONGER INCENTIVIZING PRESERVATION.
UM, I THINK THAT WHEN I SAID THIS HAS BEEN PARTIALLY OVERCOME BY EVENTS PLANNING COMMISSION HAS ALREADY TAKEN THIS UP AND SENT WORD TO COUNCIL THAT THEY SHOULD CORRECT THIS.
AND SO I'M JUST SORT OF PILING ONTO THAT AND SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, UM, FOR MY INTENT WHEN WE VOTED ON A LETTER TO BE SENT UP TO COMMISSION IN SUPPORT OF THE HOME INITIATIVE, UM, LINDSEY DARRINGTON, THE HEAD OF PRESERVATION AUSTIN, WAS, YOU KNOW, QUOTED RECENTLY AND I'LL, I'LL PARAPHRASE.
BASICALLY THE INCENTIVE IS TO GET PEOPLE WHO WOULD NOT OTHERWISE BE INTERESTED IN PRESERVATION TO PARTICIPATE IN PRESERVATION.
SO YOU NEED A LITTLE KICKER TO GET THEM TO ENGAGE.
UM, WE'RE NOT WORRIED ABOUT GETTING PRESERVATIONISTS TO ENGAGE.
WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT GETTING THE AVERAGE DEVELOPER WHO MAY NOT THINK OTHERWISE TO ENGAGE.
WITH THAT, I WILL JUMP INTO THE
[Consent Agenda (Part 1 of 2)]
READING OF THE AGENDA.I WILL ACKNOWLEDGE AS I READ THROUGH THE WHOLE AGENDA WHICH ONES ARE PROPOSED FOR CONSENT AND CONSENT POSTPONEMENT.
UM, AND I WILL REITERATE THOSE SEPARATELY AT THE END.
BUT JUST FYI IF THEY ARE PROPOSED FOR CONSENT, UM, THAT IS TO TAKE STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
SO TAKE A LOOK AT STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
UM, NUMBER ONE AGENDA ITEM IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE APRIL 3RD, 2024 MEETING.
AGENDA ITEM TWO IS A BRIEFING FROM THE CODE DEPARTMENT, WHICH I BELIEVE IS NOT ACTUALLY HAPPENING TODAY, CORRECT.
AGENDA ITEM THREE IS 21 0 2 4 OAKS LANE.
THAT IS A COMMISSION INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING.
AND THAT IS PROPOSED FOR DISCUSSION.
AGENDA ITEM 4 8 0 1 LYDIA STREET IS A CONSENT POSTPONEMENT, UM, A TOTAL DEMOLITION OF THAT STRUCTURE.
UH, AGENDA ITEM FIVE 1000 BLANCO STREET, UH, BUILD NEW CONSTRUCTION OUTBUILDING AND CONCRETE PAD IS AGAIN A CONSENT POSTPONEMENT ITEM, UH, AGENDA ITEM 6 1 0 0 6 CONGRESS AVENUE, UH, TO PAINT A MURAL THAT IS OFFERED UP FOR CONSENT.
AGENDA ITEM 7 12 0 1 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.
THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
AGENDA ITEM 8 4 1 1 0 AVENUE F THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT AND ADDITION TO THE MAIN HOUSE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
[00:20:03]
UH, AGENDA ITEM 9 1 4 0 9 ALTA VISTA AVENUE, UH, IS A TOTAL DEMOLITION.WE HAVE A SPEAKER AND OPPOSITION, SO THAT WILL BE PULLED FROM CONSENT AND WE'LL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM.
AGENDA ITEM TEN TWO FIVE TWO ONE HARRIS BOULEVARD, NEW CONSTRUCTION.
THAT ITEM IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
AGENDA ITEM 11 5 1 6 EAST EAST SIXTH STREET.
THE ALTERATION AND RENOVATION OF THE PROPERTY IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
AGENDA ITEM 12 9 0 0 SPENCE STREET, TOTAL DEMOLITION IS A CONSENT POSTPONEMENT.
AGENDA ITEM 13 3 0 0 7 OAKMONT BOULEVARD.
PARTIAL DEMOLITION, IN ADDITION IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
AGENDA ITEM 14 1 1 0 2 CHARLOTTE STREET.
NEW CONSTRUCTION IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
AGENDA ITEM 15, UH, 1 0 0 8 SPENCE STREET, PARTIAL DEMOLITION, ADDITION TO THE MAIN HOUSE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
AGENDA ITEM 16 2 3 0 7 WINDSOR ROAD.
NUMBER TWO, THE TOTAL DEMOLITION OF THAT PROJECT, UM, THAT HAS BEEN PULLED BY THE APPLICANT THAT IS THE DEMOLITION PERMIT HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN, SO IT'LL NO LONGER BE HEARD TONIGHT.
SO THAT IS NOT AN ACTIONABLE ITEM.
DO YOU WANT ME TO, I HAVE, I HAVE THINGS THAT I'D LIKE TO SAY ABOUT THIS.
WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO SAY THEM NOW OR SHOULD WE SAY THEM IN ORDER? LIKE AS AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 16? I THINK NOW, PROBABLY NOW I'M GONNA FINISH READING THE AGENDA AND I'LL COME BACK TO THIS ONE.
AGENDA ITEM 17 3 2 0 5 TOM GREEN STREET.
UM, THAT IS A TOTAL DEMOLITION AND THAT WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM.
AGENDA ITEM 18, 400 WEST LIVE OAK STREET AS A SITE PLAN EXEMPTION.
AND THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
I WOULD LIKE TO, COMMISSIONER, I'D LIKE TO PULL NUMBER 18.
AND IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO PULL ANYTHING THAT I'M READING, YOU CAN JUST HOLLER AND I'LL MARK IT DOWN.
ALSO, IF YOU KNOW WE'VE ALREADY GONE PAST IT, I WILL REREAD THE ITEMS OFFERED FOR CONSENT AND AT THAT TIME YOU CAN JUMP BACK IN AND AND PULL ONE.
AGENDA ITEM 19 7 3 0 4 KNOX LANE IS A RELOCATION THAT IS GOING TO BE A DISCUSSION AGENDA.
ITEM 28 0 1 WEST 29TH STREET, A PARTIAL DEMOLITION THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
AGENDA ITEM 21 5 0 1 TEXAS AVENUE, A PARTIAL DEMOLITION.
WE HAVE A SPEAKER SIGNED UP IN OPPOSITION.
SO THAT WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM.
AGENDA ITEM 22 8 0 3 RIVER ROAD A TOTAL DEMOLITION.
THAT ONE IS A DISCUSSION AGENDA.
ITEM 23 5 5 1 4 MONT VIEW STREET TOTAL DEMOLITION.
THAT ONE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
AGENDA ITEM 24 2 8 0 6 PECO STREET A TOTAL DEMOLITION, THAT ONE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
AGENDA ITEM 25 1 2 0 5 COTTON STREET.
THAT ONE IS A DISCUSSION ITEM.
AND THEN WE HAVE COMMISSION ITEMS. ITEM 26, APPROVE BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FY 24 25.
ITEM 27, VOTE TO APPROVE A LETTER TO COUNSEL ON THE UNIVERSITY JUNIOR HIGH.
ITEM 28, VOTE TO NOMINATE A COMMISSIONER TO SERVE ON THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION MISSION AGENDA.
ITEM 29 IS AN UPDATE FROM THE GRANTS COMMITTEE.
30 IS AN UPDATE FROM THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
31 IS THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, AND 32 IS THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE.
SO THOSE ARE OUR AGENDA ITEMS THIS EVENING ON AGENDA
[16. PR-2024-018182 – 2307 Windsor Rd. #2 Old West Austin National Register Historic District]
ITEM 16.OKAY, THIS IS WHAT I'M GONNA CHIME IN AND, AND SAY MY PIECE ON THIS ONE BRIEFLY.
UM, WE, WE HAD A LOT OF COMMENTS ON, ON THAT PROPERTY.
UM, THE OWNER OF THAT PROPERTY, WHO WOULD'VE BEEN THE HISTORIC ASSOCIATION, UH, AT A TIME, I MEAN, HE HAD, HE HAD AN ILLUSTRIOUS CAREER IN THE PUBLIC EYE.
THERE WAS A TIME WHEN HE MADE VERY DISPARAGING REMARKS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS, SPECIFICALLY THE AWA TRIBE.
AND IT, IT WAS INTERESTING TO ME THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR THAT, WOULD WE CONSIDER HIS HISTORIC ASSOCIATION WITH
[00:25:01]
THIS STRUCTURE? AND I THINK THAT IT'S ALMOST IN SPITE OF THAT, THAT WE WOULD, THAT HEARING HIS STORY COMPELLED ME TO DO RESEARCH ABOUT THE TOWA AND, AND TO A DEPTH THAT I WOULD NOT HAVE DONE OTHERWISE.AND OUR HISTORY IS COMPLICATED.
UM, THERE ARE HEROES AND VILLAINS, AND SOMETIMES THEY'RE BOTH THE SAME PERSON.
AND I, I READ THIS ARTICLE A LONG TIME AGO BY A POP CULTURE WRITER, CHUCK STERMAN.
HE'S WRITING AN ARTICLE ABOUT A BA UH, A BASKETBALL GAME THAT ONLY HE AND A FEW OTHER DOZEN PEOPLE WITNESSED.
AND IT WAS BETWEEN THE UNITED TRIBES TECHNICAL COLLEGE AND NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY SAID, AND THIS WAS A FOOTNOTE TO THAT STORY, HE SAID, NO, AMERICAN MINORITY IS LESS REPRESENTED IN THE NATIONAL CONSCIOUS THAN NATIVE AMERICANS.
WANT PROOF RECALL OF THE MILITARY MISSION THAT KILLED OSAMA BIN LADEN? WHAT CODE NAME DID THE US NAVY SEALS ASSIGNED TO BIN LADEN THE MOST HATED MAN IN THE WORLD? GERONIMO.
THEY REFERRED TO BIN LADEN AS GERONIMO FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER.
NOW, I REALIZE REFERRING TO AN ENEMY TARGET AS GERONIMO IS NOT EXACTLY A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY.
YET, HOW MANY MEMBERS OF THE MASS MEDIA COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS? HOW MANY OF US EVEN NOTICED CONVERSATIONAL BIAS AGAINST NATIVE AMERICANS IS SO INGRAINED THAT NOBODY EVEN RECOGNIZED WHEN THEY ARE INSULTED? AND MR. O'QUINN, THE MAN WHO HAD HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS WITH THIS PROPERTY, UM, SAID MANY HISTORICALLY INACCURATE AND OFFENSIVE THINGS ABOUT THE KOWA.
BUT THE ONE THAT STRUCK ME WAS, HE SAID, AS FAR AS HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE, THEY HAD NONE.
THEY WERE A SMALL, INSIGNIFICANT TRIBE, WHICH IS ALSO INACCURATE.
I THINK IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT HE GOT WHAT HE WANTED BY DIMINISHING THEIR HISTORY.
AND I THINK THAT ONE WAY TO RIGHT THAT WRONG IS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS MAN AND HIS BIGOTRY TOWARDS THE NATIVE AMERICANS.
UM, AGAIN, THAT'S SORT OF COUNTERINTUITIVE, BUT, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I HAD TO SAY, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS EVEN NO LONGER ON OUR AGENDA.
SO THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THAT TIME.
[Consent Agenda (Part 2 of 2)]
AGAIN, I WILL, I WILL RE-REVIEW THE CONSENT ITEMS WE HAVE.AND THEN COMMISSIONER RUBIO, WHICH ONE WAS IT THAT YOU PULLED? 16.
OTHERWISE THEY WILL PASS ON CONSENT WITH THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.
SO I HAVE ITEM NUMBER 6 1 0 0 6 CONGRESS AVENUE, ITEM 7 12 0 1 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.
ITEM TEN TWO FIVE TWO ONE HARRIS BOULEVARD, ITEM 11 5 1 6 EAST SIXTH ITEM 13, 3 0 0 7 OAKMONT BOULEVARD.
ITEM 14 1 1 0 2 CHARLOTTE ITEM 15, 1 0 0 8 SPENCE STREET, ITEM 28 0 1 WEST 29TH.
ITEM 23 5 5 1 4 MON VIEW STREET ITEM 24 2 8 0 6 PECO STREET.
DO I HEAR, AND ITEM ONE, THE APRIL 23RD, OR, YEAH, APRIL 20, 24 MINUTES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT ETCHING THAT, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO PASS THE CONSENT AGENDA? SO MOVED.
DO I HAVE A SECOND WITH A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER LAROCHE AND A SECOND FROM MCCARTER? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
AND THEN WE WILL, UH, RUN THROUGH THE CONSENT POSTPONEMENT ITEMS. SO ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT POSTPONEMENT 8 0 1 LYDIA STREET, ITEM NUMBER 5 1 0 0 0 BLANCO STREET.
AND ITEM NUMBER 12 900 SPENCE ARE ALL OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
POSTPONEMENT, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT POSTPONEMENTS? SO MOVED.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND, UH, MOTION BY COMMISSIONER LAROCHE AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COOK.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I RAISE YOUR HAND.
THE CONSENT POSTPONEMENT PASSES AGAIN, IF YOUR AGENDA ITEM WAS ON THE CONSENT OR CONSENT POSTPONEMENT, UM, YOU'RE FREE TO STICK AROUND FOR THE REST OF THE MEETING AND PARTICIPATE IN SOME WONDERFUL CONTENT.
[3. PR-2024-008278 – 2102 Four Oaks Ln.]
ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER 3 2 1 0 2 4 OAKS LANE.[00:30:08]
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.ITEM NUMBER THREE, UM, IS A COMMISSION INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING, UH, REQUEST, UM, UH, 21 0 2 4 OAKS LANE BLUFF VIEW HOUSE, UH, THE COMMISSION RECOMMEND, OR THE COMMISSION INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING, UM, ON THE BASIS OF ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS AT OUR APRIL 3RD, 2024 MEETING.
UM, THIS BUILDING IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF CONTEMPORARY MID-CENTURY DESIGN WITH SPANISH ECLECTIC STYLISTIC INFLUENCES.
IT WAS DESIGNED AND CONSTRUCTED BY DEVELOPER JACK BROWNING FOR THE 1969 PARADE OF HOMES HOSTED BY THE AUSTIN HOME BUILDER BUILDERS ASSOCIATION IN THE GROWING BARTON HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT IS A HOME, ESPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR A SPECIFIC SITE, STATES BROWNING IN A 1969 ARTICLE.
THE BUILDING IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BARTON HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD, EMBLEMATIC OF THE CITY'S OVERALL POST-WAR CHANGES AND DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS.
THE BUILDING EXEMPLIFIES THE GOALS OF THE PARADE OF HOMES, A SITE SPECIFIC DESIGN WITH UNIQUE FINISHES AND FEATURES THAT REPRESENTED AN EXCELLENT MARKETING OPPORTUNITY FOR JACK BROWNING'S RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AND ENDEAVORS.
THE STATESMAN PUBLISHED AN ARTICLE CELEBRATING THE PARADE'S SUCCESS AT SECURING A BUYER FOR THE HOUSE NAMED BLUFF VIEW.
THE NEW HOMEOWNER, JACK MAGNERS WORKED AS AN AERONAUTICAL ENGINEER FOR TRICORE AND HAD MOVED TO AUSTIN WITH HIS FAMILY TWO YEARS PRIOR 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.
ACCORDING TO THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT RECORDS, THE PROPERTY WAS OWNED BY THE SAME FAMILIES FROM 1994 TO 2023.
AND FROM 1978 TO 1994, THE MASSIVE STECCO FIREPLACE AND MARRIOT ACCENT WHILE DESCRIBED IN THE 1969 BARTON HILLS PARADE OF HOMES ADVERTISEMENTS MARINE REMAIN IN C TWO.
UH, THE BUILDING DISPLAYS HIGH INTEGRITY, THOUGH THE DECORATIVE UPPER FLOOR RAILING HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH A SIMPLER WOODEN RAILING AND THE PANELING ABOVE THE DOOR HAS BEEN REPLACED.
A SMALL ADDITION WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1974.
AND 'CAUSE THIS IS A INITIATION OF EXOR HISTORIC ZONING.
DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS IN FAVOR OF THE HISTORIC ZONING? DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS OPPOSED TO THE HISTORIC ZONING? DO
OR, OR SHOULD WE MOVE TO, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? HOW ABOUT THAT? SO MOVED.
UH, FIRST BY COMMISSIONER RUBIO AND SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ROCHE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING, SAY, AYE.
AYE, AYE, UH, THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
UH, DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THE CASE SO WE CAN OPEN UP DISCUSSION? OKAY.
I, I THINK WE HAVE TO REOPEN IF WE'RE RECOMMENDING.
SO I MOVE TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING BASED ON ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS.
AND DO I HEAR A SECOND? I'LL GIVE YOU A SECOND FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE DISCUSSION.
AND A SECOND FROM COMM COMMISSIONER LAROCHE FOR THE PURPOSES OF DISCUSSION.
COMMISSIONER RUBIO, DO YOU WANNA SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? UM, UM, I THINK THE PACKET WAS, WAS FOR ME WAS ENOUGH RESEARCH INFORMATION, UM, TO KIND OF BRING SOME HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS TO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT ALSO TO THE CITY AND ITS GROWTH AT LARGE.
I THINK THAT IN AND OF ITSELF, UH, ALONG WITH ARCHITECTURE IS, IS WORTHY ENOUGH.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY, UM, HOUSES WE SEE IN MAGAZINES OR NEWSPAPERS THAT AREN'T CONSIDERED HISTORIC OR WORTHY OF SOME KIND OF HISTORY.
SO I THINK ALL THAT DOCUMENTATION IN THE PACKET SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WERE HOPING, I THINK AS WELL AS LAST MONTH BY INITIATING THAT MAYBE WE'D GET SOME OWNER CONTACT.
UH, IT DOESN'T SEEM TO APPEAR THAT ANYBODY'S HERE TONIGHT, BUT, UM, YEAH.
COMMISSIONER LAROCHE, DO YOU HAVE A PERSPECTIVE AS THE SECONDER? WELL, I, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION.
MR, COULD YOU, CAN YOU TURN ON YOUR, THERE YOU GO.
COULD YOU BRIEF ME AS TO, WE INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING AT THE LAST MEETING.
YEAH, THAT WAS A NINE TO ONE VOTE.
IT SAYS COMMISSIONER MCCARTER OPPOSED THE MOTION NINE TO ONE AND IT PASSED.
AND SO TONIGHT'S ACTION BEFORE US IS RECOMMENDATION.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
[00:35:03]
I HAVE MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT THIS ONE.I THINK THAT IT COULD HAVE GONE EITHER WAY FOR ME AND I, I, I WAS HOPING THAT, UM, MOVING IT ALONG IN THE PROCESS WOULD PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION FOR, FOR ME, THAT WOULD MAKE MY DECISION EASIER AND ALSO TIME TO GET ANYBODY HERE FOR OR AGAINST, UM, TO SHED SHED SOME LIGHT ON THEIR POSITIONS.
AND OBVIOUSLY THAT, UH, DID NOT HAPPEN.
UM, IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT THIS BEING A RECOMMENDATION OF HISTORIC ZONING, WE WOULD NEED TO REACH A SUPER MAJORITY, WHICH WOULD BE NINE OF THE 11 SEATED MEMBERS, UM, INDEPENDENT OF WHO'S PRESENT, IT IS THE NUMBER OF SEATED MEMBERS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE VOTE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.
IS THERE ANY OTHER FURTHER DISCUSSION? CAN WE GET A STAFF TIMELINE UPDATE, UM, FOR HOW MANY MORE MONTHS WE HAVE, OR WEEKS COMMISSIONER MCC QUARTER AS THE, UH, LOAN DISSENTER OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING? DO YOU HAVE ANY INSIGHT THAT YOU'D LIKE TO PROVIDE? I THINK THAT THE BAR SHOULD BE PRETTY HIGH FOR THIS KIND OF THING, AND I'M, I'M JUST NOT PERSUADED THAT BEING ON THE PARADE TO HOMES IS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO MAKE IT WORTH GOING AGAINST AN OWNER'S WISHES.
I WISH THE OWNER WAS HERE, THAT WOULD'VE BEEN BETTER.
BUT, UM, I'VE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH.
MY NEIGHBORHOOD HAD THE VERY FIRST PARADE TO HOMES IN 1956.
UM, MANY OF THOSE HOMES ARE STILL STANDING.
IT'S HARD FOR ME TO APPLY THIS LOGIC TO ALL OF THOSE HOMES.
THERE HAVE BEEN HUNDREDS OF HOMES ON PARADES OVER THE COURSE OF 60, 70 YEARS.
IT'S HARD FOR ME TO, AND, AND ALL OF THEM GET ARTICLES AND SPOTLIGHTS IN THE STATESMEN OR THE AUSTIN AMERICAN.
SO IT'S HARD FOR ME TO SAY THAT THIS HOUSE, JUST BECAUSE, UH, IT'S BEFORE US, UM, IS WORTHY OF THAT.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I STAND ON IT.
JUST TO CHIME IN, IT WILL TIME OUT ON JUNE 17TH.
AND IF I MAY, UM, I'M NOT INCLINED TO SUPPORT THIS EITHER.
I, I APPRECIATE THE CONCERN THIS, UM, I ATTENDED A, A STATE SALE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND DROVE AROUND, AND THIS IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE HOUSES THAT, THAT CAUGHT MY EYE.
BUT, UM, I, I'VE SEEN OVER THE YEARS THE IMPACT EVEN HIGHLY JUSTIFIABLE, UH, DESIGNATION EFFORTS HAVE MADE ON LOCAL AND STATE LEVELS.
AND, UH, I THINK WE SHOULD BE VERY CAREFUL WITH APPLYING THIS.
I DO AGREE THE OWNER BEING HERE TO SPEAK WOULD'VE DEFINITELY HELPED IN THAT REGARD.
UM, BUT I JUST DON'T SEE THAT THIS PARTICULAR HOUSE HAD A HUGE IMPACT ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD ITSELF.
UH, I DON'T, YOU KNOW, THE FIREPLACE INSIDE IS REALLY INTERESTING, BUT THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE COULD EVEN PROTECT.
UM, I, I JUST DON'T SEE THAT THIS, YOU KNOW, IS INDICATIVE OF A MOVEMENT OR A PART OF OUR HISTORY THAT IS RISES TO THE LEVEL OF, UH, THE IMPACT THAT A RECOMMENDATION WOULD CAUSE.
ANY FURTHER COMMENT? I WILL CALL THE VOTE.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE ONE COMMISSIONER.
WE GO, UM, ALTHOUGH SUPPOSE RAISE YOUR HAND.
SO THE COMMISSION, THE MOTION DOES NOT PASS.
SO 1 7 1, DO WE HAVE TO TAKE UP AN ALTERNATE MOTION OR THAT'S WHERE THIS ENDS? WE HAVE TO TAKE UP A MOTION TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF A, UH, CITY OF AUSTIN, WHAT'S THE WORD I'M LOOKING FOR? DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO RELEASE A DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE? SO MOVED.
I'LL SECOND, AND I'LL JUST SPEAK TO THIS, THAT, UH, I DO LIKE THIS HOUSE VERY MUCH, AND I LIKE MANY OF THE FEATURES.
[00:40:01]
THAT I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT'S, IT'S GONNA MEET THE CRITERIA.BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, UH, MY, UH, OPPOSITION TO, UH, LANDMARK STATUS IS NOT NECESSARILY MY, UH, ENTHUSIASM FOR DEMOLITION
UM, I MADE THE MOTION BECAUSE AS MUCH AS I WOULD ENJOY PARTICIPATING IN HEROIC EFFORT TO SAVE MORE, UM, I'M BEING PRAGMATIC ABOUT IT.
UH, WHICH ALSO MEANS HAVING TO DO SOME OF THE MORE DISTASTEFUL THINGS THAT WE ARE FORCED TO DO, UH, WHICH INCLUDES RECOMMENDING OR RELEASING DEMOLITION PERMITS WHERE WE DON'T BELIEVE IT RISES TO THE STANDARD OF A LANDMARK, WHICH IS THE CASE HERE.
I THINK THAT WE AS A COMMISSION, UH, AND MAYBE INDIVIDUALS AS WELL, ACKNOWLEDGE THE HEAVY LIFT THAT WOULD BE BEFORE US IF WE WERE TO RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING AS WE SEND THIS ON TO PLANNING COMMISSION AND ON TO, UM, COUNCIL.
AND WITHOUT SIGNIFICANTLY MORE SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY OR, OR OTHER PUBLIC SPEAKERS, IT'S JUST HARD TO SEE THAT, THAT, UM, JUICE WOULD BE WORTH THE SQUEEZE, SO TO SPEAK.
YEAH, AND I'LL, I'LL NOTE THAT, YEAH, COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR AND AGAINST DEFINITELY PLAYS A BIG ROLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COMMUNITY VALUE.
BUT I'VE JUST SEEN A NUMBER OF OUR CASES THAT I THOUGHT WERE INSIGNIFICANT CASES KIND OF COME BACK TO ME IN SOCIAL SETTINGS WHERE, YOU KNOW, I HEARD THE SO-AND-SO CASE ON, ON THE LISTSERV WHERE THIS HAPPENS AND, YOU KNOW, THE FACTS GET ULTIMATELY TWISTED, WHICH WE CAN'T CONTROL.
BUT ANYTIME WE DO THIS, WE ARE, UH, PUTTING OURSELVES OUT THERE FOR, FOR JUDGMENT IN A FORUM THAT WE CAN'T OFTEN CONTROL.
AND I THINK WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL TO PICK THE STRONGEST, UH, CASES THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO SAFE.
I'M JUST GONNA ADD FOR ANY PUBLIC COMMUNITY THAT'S HEARING THESE, THESE IDEAS THAT WE NEED YOUR ALL SUPPORT, UM, I THINK WE HAD A THREAT OF ALMOST 70 PEOPLE TO COME ON THIS OTHER MID-CENTURY PROPERTY THAT GOT PULLED.
THE PUBLIC GATHERED THEIR NEIGHBORS TOGETHER TO MAKE IT A STAND AND OPPOSITION AGAINST THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSES BEING TORN DOWN.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE STRAPPED IN OUR RULES, BUT WE NEED THE PUBLIC TO COME OUT.
WE NEED THE COMMUNITY TO COME OUT.
IT'S CRAZY TO ME THAT WE CAN LOOK AT ONE MID-CENTURY HOUSE AND SAY, YEAH, THAT'S GREAT.
AND THEN THE NEXT ONE, IT HAS A REAL HIGH PROFILE NAME, WE WANT TO KEEP IT, OR IT HAS HISTORY ASSOCIATED WITH THE VERY PROMINENT FIGURE OR L-G-B-T-Q HISTORY, AND WE WANNA KEEP IT.
BUT THERE'S A LOT OF HOUSES THAT DON'T HAVE THAT NAME ASSOCIATION.
AND IT'S, IT'S EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING AND UNFORTUNATE THAT WE CAN BE FOR THESE HOUSES BEING SAVED, BUT WE ARE STRAPPED WITH WHAT WE CAN DO.
SO WE NEED THE PUBLIC TO ACTUALLY COME OUT AND SPEAK UP AGAINST, UH, THESE THINGS.
WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF A DEMOLITION DI UH, DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY, AYE, I JUST HAVE A, I HAVE LIKE A MUSCLE THING TO RAISE MY HAND EVERY TIME I SAY IT OUT LOUD.
ONTO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM I HAVE.
[9. PR-2024-033568 – 1409 Alta Vista Ave. Travis Heights-Fairview Park National Register Historic District]
ALTA VISTA.UH, 1 4 0 9 ALTA VISTA AVENUE.
THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1926 HOUSE IN THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THIS IS A ONE STORY CRAFTSMAN WITH HORIZONTAL WOOD SIDING, SCREEN WOOD WINDOWS, DECORATIVE SHUTTERS, A HOODED ENTRYWAY WITH DECORATIVE BRACKETS AND EC CLIPPED GABLE ROOF.
THE HOUSE AT 1409 ALT VISTA WAS BUILT AROUND 1926 UNTIL 1947.
ITS OCCUPANTS WERE MOSTLY SHORT-TERM OWNERS AND RENTERS, INCLUDING AN ENGINEER, A STATE HIGHWAY INSPECTOR, AN OFFICE MANAGER, AND A MECHANIC.
THE HOME WAS THEN PURCHASED BY FRANK AND LAURA CONNOLLY.
FRANK WAS THE EDITOR, OWNER AND PUBLISHER OF THE TEXAS TAX JOURNAL.
WHILE AURORA WORKED AT BOTH AT THE JOURNAL AND AS A RED CROSS NURSE.
THE CONNOLLY SOLD THE HOME IN THE LATE 1950S TO ANNA AND WILLIAM DUNCAN.
WILLIAM DUNCAN WORKED AS A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER.
THE PROPERTY CONTRIBUTES TO THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
UM, HOWEVER, STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
THEREFORE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO STRONGLY ENCOURAGE ADAPTIVE REUSE AND REHABILITATION, THEN RELOCATION OVER DEMOLITION BET TO RELEASE THE PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UM, AND JUST A NOTE, THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION MUST REVIEW PLANS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION AND NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS BEFORE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT IS RELEASED.
[00:45:02]
THANK YOU.CALL AND BECAUSE THIS IS A, THE PROPOSAL IS A TOTAL DEMOLITION, SPEAKERS IN FAVOR WOULD BE SUPPORTING THAT APPLICATION.
DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS IN FAVOR? SEEING NONE.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS OPPOSED? YES, WE HAVE MR. CLIFTON LEAD.
MY NAME IS CLIFTON LATT AND I'M CO-CHAIR OF THE SOUTH RIVER CITY CITIZENS HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE IN A RESIDENT OF THE TRIBAL HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER.
HISTORIC DISTRICT INCLUDES 353 ACRES OF THE SOUTH RIVER CITY CITIZENS NEIGHBORHOOD AREA.
IT INCLUDES THE CORE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND MOST OF THE OLDEST HOMES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE DISTRICT WAS APPROVED IN JULY, 2021 BECAUSE IT MEETS THE REQUIRED ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR PROTECTION ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER.
I URGE YOU TO DISAPPROVE THE APPLICATION FOR DEMOLITION OF 1409 ALT VISTA.
ALT VISTA IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT STREETS IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE RECENT PRESERVATION AUSTIN HISTORIC STORE FEATURED THE MABEL DAVIS HOME AT 1308 ALTA VISTA, JUST ABOUT A BLOCK AWAY FROM THIS HOME.
PROPOSED FOR DEMOLITION 1409 ALTA VISTA IS A BEAUTIFUL ONE STORY CRAFTSMAN HOME BUILT IN APPROXIMATELY 1926.
I APPRECIATE THE STAFF REVIEW OF THIS HOME AND THEY FOUND SOME GOOD INFORMATION, THOUGH I BELIEVE THE PROPERTY MAY YET, UH, MEET THREE OF THE REQUIRED DESIGNATION CRITERIA FOR HISTORIC LANDMARK STATUS.
SO I URGE YOU TO EVALUATE THIS FURTHER.
UM, AS CAN BE SEEN IN THE PHOTOS WITH YOUR BACKUP MATERIAL, THERE IS NO SIGNIFICANT VISIBLE EVIDENCE OF STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS OR MAJOR MAINTENANCE NEEDS OF THIS HOME.
IN FACT, THE MINUTES OF THE APRIL 3RD HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION MEETING THAT Y'ALL APPROVED EARLIER TONIGHT STATED THAT THIS HOME WAS UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR ADDITION AND REMODEL, NOT DEMOLITION BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING IN THE BACKUP MATERIAL FOR THIS MEETING SHOWING ANY STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS OR PLANNED IMPROVEMENTS OR ANYTHING ELSE REGARDING THEIR INTENTIONS.
WE HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING WHAT, IF ANYTHING IS WRONG WITH THE EXISTING HOME.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT BOTH THE HOUSE AND THE SEPARATE BUT ASSOCIATED GARAGE ARE IDENTIFIED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT LISTING AS CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES.
AS SUCH, I BELIEVE THEY WOULD NEED SEPARATE APPLICATIONS FOR DEMOLITION PERMIT.
I REQUEST THAT YOU DENY A DEMOLITION PERMIT FOR THIS HOME.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
I DUNNO IF I'VE GOT MY CADENCE DOWN, BUT ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE SPEAKER? NO.
JUST TRYING TO REMEMBER ALL THE THINGS THAT BEN SAYS.
UM, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? NOPE.
DO I OR DO I HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? SO MOVED.
A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER COOK AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER LAROCHE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY AYE.
DO I HAVE A MOTION ON THE CASE TO SO WE CAN OPEN UP DISCUSSION? I'LL MOVE TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND POSTPONE THE CASE TO OUR JUNE MEETING.
SECOND, UH, MOTION TO POSTPONE FROM COMMISSIONER COOK AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER RUBIO.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO DISCUSS YOUR MOTION? COMMISSIONER COOK? YES, I, UH, THIS IS WITH THE INTENT OF STARTING A SIX MONTH DEMOLITION DELAY.
THIS IS REALLY DISAPPOINTING BECAUSE IN I'M PREPARING KIND OF A LIST OF GOOD, UH, EXAMPLES OF ADDITIONS, SENSITIVE ADDITIONS AND HISTORIC DISTRICTS WHERE YOU CAN RETAIN CHARACTER AND ADD PLENTY OF ROOM.
SO I WAS REALLY DISAPPOINTED TO SEE THAT IT CHANGED FROM A REALLY NICE ADDITION SENSITIVE ADDITION DESIGN THAT YOU USED THE TOPOGRAPHY OF THE SITE AND FOLLOWED EVERY ONE OF OUR STANDARDS TO A TOTAL DEMOLITION.
UM, I WAS GONNA COMPARE THIS TO ANOTHER CASE WITH A VERY SIMILAR HOUSE OF SIMILAR SIZE, UM, THAT WAS BEING TORN DOWN TO CREATE A HOUSE OF THE SAME SIZE WITH NO CHARACTER.
AND, UM, NOW THEY'RE BOTH DEMOLITION.
SO YEAH, IT WAS REALLY DISAPPOINTING.
UM, THE, THE CASE PRESENTED TO US IN APRIL IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF HOW THIS HOUSE COULD BE REUSED, UH, TO, TO FULL, FULL USE.
COMMISSIONER RUBIO? UM, NO, JUST THAT YOU HAD MENTIONED THERE MIGHT BE SOME MORE RESEARCH THAT WE'RE MISSING.
UM, SO IF THERE'S ANY OTHER RESEARCH THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN PROVIDE FROM TRAVIS HEIGHTS, UM, YOU'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE SUPPORT FROM THE NEIGHBORS, YOU KNOW, THAT GOES
[00:50:01]
A LONG WAY.SO, UM, YEAH, I'D LIKE TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE PROPERTY COMMISSIONER COOK BASED ON YOUR COMMENTS.
DO I UNDERSTAND? DID, DID WE SEE THIS ONE LAST TIME OR, I BELIEVE IT WAS IN OUR APRIL, UH, WHEN IS THIS PULLED UP? WOW.
THE, UH, JANUARY MEETING, UH, WE HAD, AH, WE PASSED.
WELL THAT MIGHT NULLIFY MY COMMENTS, BUT I WAS GONNA SAY THAT, UM, THIS WOULD'VE BEEN A CANDIDATE THAT I COULD HAVE MADE ALL MY COMMENTS ABOUT THE HOME INITIATIVE HERE INSTEAD OF AT THE TOP OF THE MEETING.
UM, AND THAT I, I SUPPORT THE MOTION TO POSTPONE BECAUSE WITHOUT ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK TO IT, I'M NOT SURE IF THE OWNER IS AWARE THAT THERE IS A PRESERVATION INCENTIVE.
AND IT'S POSSIBLE THAT ALSO IF WE CAN KICK THIS CAN DOWN THE ROAD A LITTLE BIT, MAYBE WE WILL CLEAN UP, UM, THE MECHANICS OF THAT INCENTIVE AND MAKE IT MORE OF AN INCENTIVE.
UH, SO WITH THAT SAID, I WILL SUPPORT THE MOTION.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? AND WITH THAT, I'LL, I'LL CALL A VOTE, UM, TO, TO RESTATE THE MOTION TO, TO POSTPONE TO OUR JUNE MEETING REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING POSTPONE TO OUR JUNE MEETING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY AYE.
AND THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY WITH COMMISSIONER DUDLEY OFF THE DAIS.
UM, OUR NEXT DISCUSSION ITEM IS
[17. PR-2024-025110 – 3205 Tom Green St.]
17 32 0 5 TOM GREEN STREET.TOM GREEN STREET IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1937 DUPLEX WITH A DETACHED GARAGE.
THIS IS A TWO STORY SQUARE PLAN DUPLEX WITH HORIZONTAL WOOD SIDING.
A SCREENED OR SCREENED ONE OVER ONE AND SIX OVER SIX WOOD WINDOWS AND HIPPED ROOF.
THE DUPLEX AT TOM GREEN WAS BUILT AS A RESI, A RENTAL PROPERTY IN 1937.
ITS PROXIMITY TO THE UNIVERSITY AND TO STATE OFFICES MADE IT AN ATTRACTIVE HOME FOR STUDENTS, STATE OFFICIALS AND BOOKKEEPERS.
SEVERAL INSURANCE INDUSTRY EMPLOYEES ALSO LIVED IN THE HOME.
MOST TENANTS WERE SHORT TERM AND MOST WERE EITHER SINGLE OR LIVED ONLY WITH ONE OTHER PERSON OR THEIR SPOUSE.
THIS TYPE OF BUILDING WAS TYPICAL.
AS NEW AND PART-TIME RESIDENTS MOVED INTO THE AREA AND SOUGHT SMALLER APARTMENTS AND DUPLEXES TO GET STARTED IN THE CITY.
THE NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN SURVEY LISTS THE PROPERTY AS CONTRIBUTING TO A POTENTIAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
PROPERTIES MUST MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINE THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR 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.
AND DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS IN SUPPORT OF RELEASING THE DEMOLITION PERMIT? THAT'D BE THE APPLICANT.
MY NAME IS DAVID WHITWORTH AND, UM, I'M BACK FROM LAST MONTH.
I MET WITH THE NEIGHBORS AT YOUR REQUEST, AND AS FAR AS I KNOW, NOBODY THAT WAS PRESENT AT THAT MEETING, UM, SUBSEQUENTLY SENT IN AN OBJECTION OTHER THAN THE INDIVIDUAL THAT, UM, REQUEST POSTPONEMENT LAST MONTH.
UM, A COUPLE AT THE MEETING LIVE IN A LANDMARK.
UH, THE, THE AREA HAS 11 LANDMARKS.
IT'S SURROUNDED BY HISTORIC DISTRICTS, ALDRIDGE PLACE AND HYDE PARK.
THERE ARE MANY, UH, THERE ARE MANY, UH, HOMES THAT ARE PROTECTED BY HISTORIC ZONING IN THE AREA.
I REALLY HOPE WHAT WE PLAN TO DO, UH, BRINGS SOME SOMETHING VALUABLE AND SOMETHING OF INTEREST TO THE AREA.
WE'LL BE REPLACING THE TWO UNITS WITH THREE UNITS.
UH, AND, UH, I REALLY BELIEVE IN THAT.
AND WHILE I DO APPRECIATE THIS STRUCTURE AND WE HOPE TO MOVE IT, AND I THINK WE CAN TO SAVE IT, I BELIEVE THAT, UH, THIS, THIS SITE IS APPROPRIATE NEAR CAMPUS IN A WALKABLE, UH, CENTRAL NEIGHBORHOOD WITH AMENITIES FOR
[00:55:01]
WHAT WE HAVE IN MIND.I DO APPRECIATE THE CONCERN, CHANGE BEING SURPRISED BY SOMETHING IN THE MAIL.
I MET WITH PEOPLE, I SPOKE WITH THEM AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE RESEARCH THAT WAS DONE BY THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER AND THE WORK DONE BY THE COMMISSION.
AND OTHER THAN THAT, I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT COME UP DURING THIS AGENDA ITEM.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE SPEAKER? AND IS THERE ANYONE OPPOSED TO THE DEMOLITION? GOOD EVENING.
UH, GOOD EVENING, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS MARY INGLE AND I LIVE IN THE NORTH UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOOD IN THIS PARTICULAR SUBDIVISION, WHICH IS THE OLDEST SUBDIVISION IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, THE STAFF REPORT SAYS THAT THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE, THE 20TH CENTURY DUPLEX AND THE BUILDING APPEARS TO RETAIN HIGH INTEGRITY.
MOST OF ALL OF THE REMAINING DUPLEXES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ARE SINGLE STORIES WITH DOUBLE ENTRANCE IN THE FRONT.
IT'S FANCY THE HOUSE AT, UH, 32 0 5.
TOM GREEN IS UNIQUELY PLACED ON A LOT, RELATIVELY CENTERED ON A SINGLE LOT, WHICH WOULD INDICATE THAT IT'S NOT A SECONDARY STRUCTURE LIKE THE FOUR OR THE THREE OTHER HIP ROOF DUPLEXES, EX EXTANT IN THE GROOM'S ADDITION.
THIS PLACEMENT OF THE DUPLEX ON THE LOT IS UNUSUAL.
IT DOESN'T GO ALL THE WAY TO THE SETBACKS TO ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER.
UM, NOT ONLY DOES THE BUILDING HAVE RELATIVELY HIGH STYLE, BUT THE FRONT DOOR I NEED THE NEXT PHOTO IS FRAMED WITH DECORATIVE MOLDINGS AND A STYLIZED FLATTENED RENDITION OF COLUMNS.
AND YOU CAN SEE THEM OUTLINED ON THE MOLDING THAT SURROUNDS THE DOOR.
UM, THIS IS HIGHLY STYLIZED FOR, FOR A DUPLEX FROM THE DEPRESS THE DEPRESSION ERA.
IT'S A CLASSY STRUCTURE AND IT HAS STREET PRESENCE AFTER SOME REFLECTION ABOUT THE HISTORY, THE PLACEMENT OF THE HOUSE ON ITS LOT, AND IT'S BEING BUILT DURING A DIFFICULT FINANCIAL TIME IN OUR HISTORY.
OUR AUSTIN HISTORY, THE DEPRESSION.
I THINK THAT THIS RENTAL DUPLEX HOME MAY MERIT A SECOND LOOK FOR LANDMARK STATUS.
IT'S NOT ONLY A ONE OF A KIND, UH, BECAUSE OF ITS CAREFUL PLACEMENT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT IT'S A STRUCTURE THAT REPRESENTS THE DEPRESSION AND THAT'S PART OF AUSTIN'S HISTORY.
NOT MANY OF THESE STRUCTURES ARE LEFT IN THE GROOM'S EDITION BECAUSE OF DEMOLITIONS.
I DID AN INFORMAL COUNT SINCE WE LAST SAW EACH OTHER.
AND THERE ARE FOUR ELIGIBLE DUPLEXES WITH THE SAME ROOF LINE.
HOWEVER, ONLY TWO WERE BUILT DURING THE DEPRESSION.
UM, AND AS I SAID BEFORE, TOM GREEN, UH, THE DUPLEX AT TOM GREEN IS UNIQUE BECAUSE IT WAS BUILT AS A PRIMARY STRUCTURE ON A SINGLE LOT.
KEEPING THE STRUCTURE WOULD RETAIN MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
MANY OF MY NEIGHBORS AND I WOULD LIKE TO ADVOCATE FOR REPURPOSING THE STRUCTURE RATHER THAN ALLOWING A FULL-BLOWN, UH, DEMOLITION REPURPOSING IS MORE, AS YOU KNOW, ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY.
AND IT'S THE GREENEST ARCHITECTURE THERE IS.
THIS HOUSE HAS ENOUGH ARCHITECTURAL INTEGRITY AND CONTRIBUTING HISTORICAL CONTEXT TO BE SAVED AND REPURPOSED INTO A THOUGHTFUL DEVELOPMENT.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE SPEAKER? AND MR. WHITWORTH? I THINK YOU'RE OWED A REBUTTAL IF YOU'D LIKE TO TAKE IT.
ANY OTHER SPEAKERS OPPOSED? DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? SO MOVED.
A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER COOK, OR A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER COOK A SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UNANIMOUS AND THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THE CASE? I'LL MOVE TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PER PACKAGE, DEMOLITION PERMIT PENDING THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? IS A MOTION
[01:00:01]
FROM COMMISSIONER COOK TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF A DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE? AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER LAROCHE.COMMISSIONER COOK, WOULD YOU LIKE TO DISCUSS YOUR MOTION? AND THIS IS ANOTHER ONE OF THE UNPLEASANT THINGS WE HAVE TO DO.
UM, LARGELY I AM MAKING THIS MOTION BECAUSE IT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED BY STAFF AND IT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED, UH, IN THE SURVEY.
UM, I AM, ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE DRAFT PRESERVATION PLAN IS BEING PROACTIVE AND BEING PROACTIVE WITH SURVEYS AND USING SURVEYS TO IDENTIFY WHAT REALLY IS MOST IMPORTANT SO THAT BUYERS, SELLERS, ADVOCATES, EVERYONE KNOWS IT'S KIND OF PRE PREDETERMINED IF, YOU KNOW, IF THE SURVEY WANTS TO BE CHALLENGED, THAT COULD BE A SEPARATE PROCESS.
BUT IT'D BE BEST FOR US TO DE DEFINE NOW WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT TO SAY.
SO WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT EVERY SINGLE CASE UP HERE OUT OF CONTEXT.
YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T WANT TO BE DEFEATIST AND I ESPECIALLY DON'T WANT TO DEFEAT, UH, ADVOCATES.
BUT I'M, AFTER SEVEN YEARS ON THIS COMMISSION, I'VE BECOME A REALIST AND KNOW THAT OUR POLICIES ARE WRITTEN SUCH THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE BUILDINGS THAT WE SEE ARE, ARE GOING TO BE DEMOLISHED.
UH, AND THE BEST THING WE CAN DO IS BE PROACTIVE WITH OUR SURVEYS ABOUT THE ONES WE WANNA SAVE.
IN THIS CASE, IT WASN'T ON THE SURVEY TO PROTECT.
UM, I DO VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE, THE SHOW OF ADVOCACY HERE AND THE RESEARCH, BUT YOU KNOW, IN, AND, AND I LISTEN TO EVERY WORD, BUT YOU KNOW, IN, IN THE INPUT IN THE RESEARCH, THERE ARE TWO SIMILAR DUPLEXES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD BUILT DURING THE DEPRESSION THAT ARE NOTED AS ELIGIBLE.
THOSE ARE THE ONES WE SHOULD FOCUS OUR ENERGY ON.
IF, IF THEY DO COME UP, THAT'S, UM, THAT'S HOW I FEEL ABOUT IT.
MR. LAROCHE, THAT WAS SUBSTANTIAL COMMENTARY.
SO I HAVE NOTHING MORE TO ADD TO THAT
UM, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR MR. WHITWORTH.
IF THERE'S, I UNDERSTAND THE, THE SIGHTING OF THIS IS IN THE, THE MIDDLE OF THE LOT, SO, UM, I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADD A UNIT AND, AND UM, USE SOME SORT OF HOME PRESERVATION BONUS.
UH, ALSO I WONDER IF YOU'VE HAVE, I DON'T WANT TO PIN THIS ON YOU IF YOU DON'T WANT TO DIG INTO IT, BUT, UM, AFFORDABILITY UNLOCKED WHEN YOU'RE THERE WITH A, ASSUMING THIS MOTION PASSES AN EMPTY LOT, IF THERE'S WAYS TO ADD ADDITIONAL UNITS THAT WOULD BE AFFORDABLE.
I MEAN, I, I THINK THAT WE'RE GONNA LOSE TWO EXISTING UNITS.
I ASSUME THE THREE NEW WOULD NOT BE AS RELATIVELY AFFORDABLE AS THE TWO EXISTING.
BUT I WONDER IF YOU'VE LOOKED INTO THOSE ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS THAT THE CITY HAS JUST RECENTLY GIVEN US.
I LOOKED AT THE, I DEFINITELY LOOKED AT THE PRESERVATION BONUS.
UM, THERE IS POTENTIAL SPACE, BUT IT GETS TOO TIGHT BECAUSE THIS IS ALSO A FIRST STORY AND SECOND STORY TOP BOTTOM DUPLEX THAT PUSHES THIS SITE INTO AN INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE REVIEW, WHICH IS COMMERCIAL, WHICH WILL REQUIRE SITE PLAN, WHICH IS VERY EXPENSIVE AND EXTENSIVE.
AND I, HAVING DONE THIS FOR 20 YEARS, I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE THE SKILLS TO DO A SITE THAT HAS BOTH INTERNATIONAL BUILDING, UH, CODE AND INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTIAL CODE.
IN ADDITION TO WHAT YOU WERE SAYING ABOUT THE BONUS, MATH IS NOT, DID NOT WORK OUT.
AND HOPEFULLY THAT'LL GET FIXED.
THE, I HAVE LOOKED AT AFFORDABILITY UNLOCKED BEFORE.
I'M NOT SURE THAT IT WORKS FOR, FOR SALE PRODUCT.
IT'S EASIER TO REACH THE AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENTS IN FOR RENT PRODUCTS.
AND AS MUCH AS I LIKE THE SOUNDS OF BOTH OF THOSE, UH, PROGRAMS, I FEEL LIKE I WOULD BE ABLE TO BRING THREE UNITS TO MARKET.
THEY'RE GONNA BE 1450 SQUARE FOOT CLOSE TO THE CITY, ALL UNDER THE SAME CODE.
SO YES, I HAVE CONSIDERED THOSE OTHER OPTIONS IN THE PAST AND ON THIS PROJECT, BUT I WOULD PREFER TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THREE NEW, UH, PRODUCTS UNDER HOME ONE.
AND THEN ANOTHER THOUGHT THAT I HAD WAS, UM, JUST GONNA TRY AND BRING UP AS MANY ESOTERIC CODE THINGS THAT THE CITY HAS.
UH, YOU CURRENTLY HAVE A TOP DOWN OR TOP BOTTOM DUPLEX.
I ASSUME THAT THE THREE UNITS THAT WOULD BE BUILT WOULD ALL BE VISITABLE EACH IN THEIR OWN RIGHT? CORRECT.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE VISITABILITY ORDINANCE STILL IS IN EFFECT YEAH, UNDER HOME ONE.
AND THE NEW UNITS THAT WE PLAN TO BUILD WOULD BE SIDE
[01:05:01]
BY SIDE, WHICH IS TOWN HOME, WHICH IS IRC, WHICH I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH.AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO GO TO COMMERCIAL REVIEW.
YEAH, I JUST, AGAIN, I JUST WANTED TO BRING UP AS MANY ESOTERIC CODES THAT WE HAVE, BUT ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT OBVIOUSLY THAT'S A PRIORITY FOR THE CITY, THAT WE HAVE VISITABLE UNITS AND WE WILL BE NET POSITIVE TOO ON THOSE.
I'LL JUST ADD, UM, I WON'T BE SUPPORTING THIS MOTION.
IF WE POLL HALF THE STUDENTS AT UT, HOW MANY OF THEM WOULD, WOULD PREFER IT TO BE IN A RENOVATED UNIT LIKE THIS AS OPPOSED TO THEIR WINDOWLESS CONDO, MODERN HIGH RISES THAT ARE REALLY WORTH NOTHING TO, UH, TO THE CITY'S CULTURE OR ANYTHING? UH, YES, WE'RE SLOWLY CHANGING THOSE RULES, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE FOOLS THAT HAVE MADE SUCH RULES OVER THE PAST FEW DECADES HAVE GOTTEN US TO WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY, UH, TO WHERE WE'RE LOSING THESE PROPERTIES.
AND I THINK THERE IS A GENERATIONAL DIVIDE.
'CAUSE A LOT OF THESE YOUNGER GENERATIONS, MILLENNIALS, THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T WANT THESE BUILDINGS TURNED DOWN.
SO IT'D BE INTERESTING TO GET SOME DATA ON THAT, THOSE KIND OF THINGS TO, UH, TO REALLY GET A FEEL FOR WHAT STUDENTS WANT AND WHAT STUDENTS WOULD PAY FOR.
UH, I'M SURE THIS IS GONNA BE OUT OF POCKET FOR REASONABLY PRICED STUDENTS THAT ARE LOOKING FOR A NICE PLACE TO LIVE.
UH, SO IT'S, IT'LL BE INTERESTING PART OF THAT AFFORDABLE CONVERSATION.
UM, BUT UH, IT LOOKS LIKE WE MIGHT LOSE ANOTHER ONE.
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, I'LL CALL THE VOTE ON A MOTION TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY AYE.
WE HAVE SIX IN SUPPORT AND ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY AYE.
[18. DA-2024-025871 – 400 W Live Oak St. ]
ON OUR AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION IS ITEM NUMBER 18 400 WEST LIVE OAK STREET.ITEM NUMBER 18 AT 400 WEST LIVE OAK STREET IS A SITE PLAN EXEMPTION.
UH, THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH SEVEN BUILDINGS ASSOCIATED WITH ST.
JOHN'S LUTHERAN CHURCH, UH, WHICH OPERATED THERE FROM 1950 TO 1966 AND THE MARY LEE SCHOOL.
UH, IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS, THE 1951 CHURCH BUILDING IS CROSS GABLES AND CLAD AND STRUCTURAL CLAY TILE DEEP BE SPRAY'S LARGEST FRONT FACE AND GABLE AND TWO TO REVIVAL STYLE WOODWORK ORNAMENTS.
THE SMALLER GABLE ABOVE THE ENTRYWAY WINDOWS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND SOME OPENINGS ALTERED THOUGH THE ORIGINAL WINDOWS THAT REMAIN APPEAR TO BE MULTI LIGHT STEEL CASEMENTS.
LATER BUILDINGS BD AND E ARE CONSTRUCTED OF RED BRICK WITH GABLE ROOF LINES AND VERTICAL WOOD ACCENTS.
FENESTRATION HAS BEEN ALTERED OVER THE YEARS.
BUILDINGS C AND F ARE CLAD AND HORIZONTAL VINYL SIDING AND HAVE REPLACEMENT WINDOWS.
UH, BUILDING G IS A NON HISTORIC PORTABLE STRUCTURE.
THE MAIN CHURCH BUILDING ON THE PROPERTY WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1951 FOR THE ST.
JOHN'S LUTHERAN CHURCH CONGREGATION.
IT SERVED AS THE CHURCH'S SOUTH AUSTIN CAMPUS UNTIL 1966 WHEN A NEW SANCTUARY WAS COMMISSIONED AT 3 0 1 WEST BEND WHITE BOULEVARD IN 1966.
THE CAMPUS WAS PURCHASED BY CHARLENE CRUMP, OWNER AND DIRECTOR OF THE MARY LEE SCHOOL.
CRUMP FOUNDED THE SCHOOL IN 1963 AS A HALFWAY HOUSE AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING FACILITY FOR GIRLS AND WOMEN WITH INTELLECTUAL OR DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.
THE PROGRAM QUICKLY OUTGREW THE ONE STORY HOUSE IN WHICH IT BEGAN, AND 31 STUDENTS MOVED INTO THE FORMER CHURCH CAMPUS IN 1966.
THOUGH OTHER BRANCHES OF THE MARY LEE SCHOOL WERE ITS ESTABLISHED ELSEWHERE THROUGHOUT THE SIXTIES AND SEVENTIES.
400 WEST LIVE OAK REMAINED ITS HEADQUARTERS.
THE ORIGINAL BRANCH FOCUSED ON REHABILITATING WOMEN WITH IDD SO THAT THEY COULD LIVE INDEPENDENTLY A GROUNDBREAKING MODEL FOR THE TIME.
BY 1973, THE SCHOOL HAD 81 STUDENTS.
HE EACH LIVED THERE AN AVERAGE OF 18 MONTHS LATER THAT YEAR, THE MARY LEE SCHOOLS RURAL RANCH OUTSIDE MANCHACA CAME UNDER FIRE FOR ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE, HEALTH HAZARD SEGREGATION, AND OTHER VIOLATIONS OF ITS PEOPLE SAFETY BY REPRESENTATIVE LANE DENTON, CHAIRMAN OF A TEXAS HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE INVESTIGATING TEXAS CHILDCARE FACILITIES.
HOWEVER, THE 400 WEST LIVE OAK CAMPUS WAS DECLARED IN GOOD ORDER BY DENTON.
AND NO FORMAL INVESTIGATION OF THE RANCH FACILITY WAS EVER CONDUCTED.
THE ORGANIZATION WEATHERED FURTHER LAWSUITS IN 1975 AND CONTINUED TO GROW, OFFERING MORE SERVICES AND LOCATIONS.
BY 1985, THE MARY LEE FOUNDATION, UH, ENCOMPASSED SEVEN RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS.
IN 2013, THE FOUNDATION AND CHARLENE CRUMP WERE HONORED BY THE TEXAS STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE ORGANIZATION'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY.
THIS PROPERTY IS WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE 2016 BOLD CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD SURVEY.
UH, HOWEVER, NO RECOMMENDATION FOR DESIGNATION WAS MADE AT THAT TIME.
PROPERTIES MUST MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK
[01:10:01]
DESIGNATION.STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINE THAT THIS BUILD, THAT BUILDING A, UH, DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION.
UH, WHILE IT IS A MID-CENTURY ECCLESIASTICAL BUILDING WITH SIMPLIFIED TAT REVIVAL DETAILING, IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE ARCHITECTURALLY DISTINCT AND HAS BEEN ALTERED.
UH, THE OTHER BUILDINGS EITHER DO NOT MEET THE CRITERIA FOR ARCHITECTURE OR FOR AGE.
THE PROPERTY IS ASSOCIATED WITH ST.
JOHN'S LUTHERAN CHURCH IN THE MARY LEE SCHOOL, WHICH WAS AN EARLY EXAMPLE OF A REHABILITATIVE VOCATIONAL FACILITY FOR CHILDREN WITH IDD ESTABLISHED BY CHARLENE CRUMP.
HOWEVER, IN THE ABSENCE OF TWO CRITERIA, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE FOR BUILDING A, BUT TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT ONLY UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE FOR THAT BUILDING.
AND DO WE HAVE ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE DEMOLITION APPLICATION CHAIR MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION? MY NAME'S RICHARD SU.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF A PERSON LOOKING AT THE SITE AND THE PHOENIX HOUSE, WHICH THE OWNER, WHICH IS TO, UH, PROCESS THE DEMOLITION.
BEFORE WE EVEN CAME TO CALLEN TO TALK ABOUT THIS, WE DID OUR OWN RESEARCH ON IT.
FOUND SOME, BUT NOT ALL THE RESEARCH THAT, THAT SHE FOUND AND, AND DETERMINED THAT IT WAS, UH, A, A CANDIDATE TO BE TAKEN DOWN.
UM, WE ALSO, SIMILAR TO THE CASE PREVIOUS TO YOU, WE FOUND THAT IT WAS PART OF THE SURVEY, BUT WAS NOT MENTIONED IN THE SURVEY.
AND IT, IT, IT DOESN'T MEET THE CRITERIA OF, OF HISTORIC ZONING.
SO WE WOULD URGE YOU TONIGHT TO RELEASE.
ARE YOU AT THE GROCERY STORE? NO, I'M AT COMMISSIONER EVANS.
I THINK YOU'RE UN COMMISSIONER EVANS.
OH, YOU MIGHT WANNA MUTE YOURSELF.
AND DO WE HAVE ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THE APPLICATION FOR DEMOLITION? NO.
UM, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER RUBIO AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER LAROCHE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY AYE.
I PASSES UNANIMOUSLY THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THE CASE? I MOVE TO POSTPONE TO NEXT MONTH'S MEETING.
DO I HAVE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING? I ALREADY FORGOT.
I, UH, MOVED TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND POSTPONE TO NEXT MONTH'S MEETING.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? IF I DON'T HAVE A SECOND, DO I HAVE AN ALTERNATE MOTION? ALTERNATE MOTION TO RELEASE THE MILITIAN PERMIT PENDING THE CITY POST AND DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE? DO I HAVE A SECOND ON THAT MOTION? OKAY, I'LL SECOND IT.
UM, I HAVE A COMMO A MOTION THAT HAS BEEN SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER LAROCHE FROM COMMISSIONER COOK TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UH, COMMISSIONER COOK, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? UH, YEAH.
I'M REALLY HAVING TO BE THE, THE BAD GUY TONIGHT.
I THINK THE THE MOTIONS ARE, ARE SLOW IN BOTH DIRECTIONS BECAUSE I THINK WE ALL REALIZE THAT, UH, I WAS A LITTLE BIT CONFLICTED ON THIS ONE BECAUSE THE HISTORY WAS REALLY, REALLY INTERESTING.
UM, BUT AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S THE, THE, THE SURVEY THAT, THAT GOT ME.
AND, UM, SO I DON'T THINK THERE WAS PARTICULAR FERVOR TO TRY TO GO TO LANDMARK WITH THIS AGAINST STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND THERE'S NOT NEVER FERVOR TO LET GREAT OLD BUILDINGS GO.
BUT, UM, AGAIN, I'M GONNA GO TO THE SURVEY AND I JUST DON'T THINK IT RISES TO THE LEVEL OF LANDMARK STATUS, PARTICULARLY ON A PROPERTY OF THIS SIZE, UM, IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, IT'S, I THINK THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE WITH THIS THAT WOULD BETTER SERVE THE COMMUNITY, ALTHOUGH IT'S MOST LIKELY GONNA BE EXPENSIVE CONDOS, BUT WE DON'T CONTROL THAT.
NO, I JUST, I THINK THE, THE ONE THING IN FAVOR OF PRESERVING THIS PROPERTY WAS IN FACT THE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION, BUT I, I, I FAILED TO SEE THE, THE ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE IN THIS PARTICULAR STRUCTURE.
SO, UM, CONCURRING WITH COMMISSIONER COOK'S MOTION.
[01:15:02]
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION? I PULLED THIS ONE.UM, I WAS INTERESTED IN THIS TUTOR KIND OF WEIRD STRUCTURE.
I, I FELT LIKE WE NEEDED A LITTLE BIT MORE RESEARCH ON IT AND A LITTLE BIT MORE HISTORIC, MAYBE SOME HISTORIC PHOTOS TO LOOK AT INTEGRITY.
I THINK WE AT LEAST OWED IT THAT, UM, THIS IS A BIG LOT OF PROPERTIES THAT WILL BE TORN DOWN AND, AND I'M, I'M ACTUALLY SURPRISED THAT WE DIDN'T GET ANY CITIZEN OR COMMUNITY LETTERS.
UM, IT'S, UH, IT'S, YOU KNOW, REALLY TIED INTO THAT RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED THAT THIS IS PART OF THE NEW E TODD OVERLAY ON SOUTH FIRST, WHERE WE CAN GO WITH A LITTLE BIT MORE HIGH DENSITY AND MORE, MORE HIGH RISES.
UM, AND SO I KNOW THAT'S A BIG ISSUE RIGHT NOW WITH SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND SO I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE, UH, POSITIVE TO POSTPONE TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE FEEDBACK FROM THEM.
UM, BUT THAT WAY THEY GET A CHANCE TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THIS WHOLE BLOCK.
UM, BECAUSE IT, MAYBE I'LL BE TORN DOWN AND REPLACED WITH CONDOS AND THEY MAY NOT WANT THAT.
SO YEAH, THAT'S WHAT THUNDER SOUNDS LIKE IN THE FUTURE.
UM, DO ANY OTHER FURTHER DISCUSSION OR I'LL CALL THE VOTE ON THE MOTION TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
A AND ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY, AYE.
EITHER THE VOTE IS SIX TO TWO, THE MOTION PASSES.
[19. PR-2024-021145 – 7304 Knox Ln. ]
ITEM FOR DISCUSSION ON OUR AGENDA IS 7 3 0 4 KNOX LANE.ITEM 19 7 3 0 4 AND OH SIX KNOX LANE.
UM, THIS IS A PROPOSAL, UH, ON A PROPERTY THAT CAME BEFORE Y'ALL BACK IN 2023 FOR DEMOLITION.
AND NOW IT COMES BACK FOR RELOCATION.
UM, THE PROPOSAL IS TO RELOCATE AN EARLY 20TH CENTURY HOUSE WITH 1940S OF VERNACULAR ADDITIONS TO OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS THE BUILDING AT 73 0 4.
KNOX IS AN ECLECTIC HOUSE WITH EARLY RANCH AND VERNACULAR STYLISTIC INFLUENCES APPLIED TO WHAT APPEARS TO BE AN EARLY 20TH CENTURY VERNACULAR FARMHOUSE.
IT IS ONE AND A HALF STORIES IN HEIGHT WITH AN L-SHAPED PLAN AND INTERSECTING PARTIAL WIDTH PORCHES.
ITS COMPOUND ROOF LINE FEATURES DEEP EAVES WITH CEDAR SHAKES AT THE GABLE ENDS.
FENESTRATION INCLUDES EIGHT OVER EIGHT WOOD WINDOWS OF VARYING DIMENSIONS.
THE HOUSE AT KNOX LANE AND RUNNING ROPE LANE, KNOWN AS 73 0 4 OR 73 0 6.
KNOX WAS CONSTRUCTED IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY AND AUGMENTED BY THE KNOX FAMILY IN THE 1940S.
THE LAND WAS PURCHASED IN THE 1930S BY MARY LOU AND WARREN PENN KNOX.
WP KNOX, THE DISTRICT COMMISSIONER FOR THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA, TURNED THE PROPERTY INTO A DAY CAMP FOR BOYS CALLED RUNNING ROPE BRANCH KNOX WAS A VERMONT NATIVE WHO MOVED TO AUSTIN AFTER WORLD WAR I.
AFTER SERVING AS AN ARMY CAPTAIN IN WORLD WAR II, HE BECAME INVOLVED IN CENTRAL TEXAS OUTDOOR YOUTH ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING WIR IS THE OFFICIAL OPERATOR OF THE ARROWHEAD RANCH CAMP IN KERRVILLE.
BEFORE OPENING RUNNING ROPE RANCH IN THE 1940S, THE RANCH OFFERED RIDING LESSONS, HIKING AND SURVIVAL TRAINING, SWIMMING IN THE SPRING FED POOL.
UH, AND THE LAND BOASTED SEVEN NATURAL SPRINGS, WHICH WERE LATER IDENTIFIED BY MARGARET THOMAS KNOX AS A HABITAT OF THE THREATENED JOLLYVILLE PLATEAU SALAMANDER, UM, AS WELL AS OTHER OUT OUTDOORS MANSHIP TRAINING.
FROM 1959 TO 1966, LEGENDARY AUSTIN HORSEWOMAN GINGER POOL TAUGHT AT THE RANCH.
THE KNOX FAMILY OPERATED THE DAY CAMP FOR 10 YEARS.
WP KNOX NOTED AS LARGER THAN LIFE AND POSTHUMOUS PUBLICATIONS HAD ECLECTIC INTERESTS.
HE ENTERTAINED HIS PUPILS BY SHOWCASING ROPE TRICKS HE LEARNED AS A RODEO PERFORMER.
AFTER WORLD WAR I, HE WAS A LIFE MEMBER OF THE MARSHALL FORD GAME PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION VOLUNTEERED ON THE COUNCIL OF THE TEXAS CONFEDERATE HOME FOR MEN AND TAUGHT SUNDAY SCHOOL AT UNIVERSITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH.
IN LATER YEARS, JAMES AND MARGARET THOMAS KNOX AND THEIR CHILDREN MOVED TO THE PROPERTY.
MARGARET KNOX, WHO WAS CAPTAIN KNOX'S DAUGHTER-IN-LAW, WAS THE DAUGHTER OF FAMED AUSTIN ARCHITECT ROYAL THOMAS.
SHE MARRIED AVIATOR AND POW JAMES KNOX IN 1944.
AFTER HE RETIRED FROM THE MILITARY, THE COUPLE MOVED BACK TO HIS FAMILY HOME IN 1966.
THERE, MARGARET KNOX WORKED AS A SEAMSTRESS, A BEEKEEPER, A CHILDREN'S BOOK AUTHOR, AND A WILDLIFE REHABILITATOR.
UNTIL HER DEATH IN 2022, UH, PROPERTIES MUST MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
STAFF HAS EVALUATED THIS PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT MAY MEET TWO CRITERIA.
THE BUILDING IS AN ECLECTIC, ONE OF A KIND HOUSE WITH EARLY RANCH AND VERNACULAR STYLISTIC INFLUENCES.
[01:20:01]
THE KNOX FAMILY AND RUNNING ROPE RANCH.AND RESEARCH INDICATES A HIGH PROBABILITY OF SIGNIFICANT ARCHEOLOGICAL DATA, INCLUDING EVIDENCE OF NATIVE AMERICAN MOUND BUILDING ACTIVITY AND SPRINGS PURPORTED TO BE USED BY NATIVE AMERICAN RESIDENTS OF THE LAND.
ADDITIONALLY, THE PROPERTY MAY POSSESS UNIQUE LOCATION, PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTIC OR SIGNIFICANT FEATURE THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THE CHARACTER, IMAGE OR CULTURAL IDENTITY OF THE CITY, THE NEIGHBORHOOD OR PARTICULAR DEMOGRAPHIC GROUP.
AS IT HAS BEEN NOTED IN SEVERAL NORTHWEST AUSTIN CIVIC ASSOCIATION PUBLICATIONS OVER THE YEARS, THE PROPERTY MAY FUNCTION AS A SIGNIFICANT NATURAL OR DESIGN LANDSCAPE WITH ARTISTIC, ARTISTIC, AESTHETIC, CULTURAL OR HISTORICAL VALUE TO THE CITY.
WHILE SOME OF THE ORIGINAL RANCH HAS BEEN DEVELOPED AND SOME OUTBUILDINGS REMOVED NATURAL SPRINGS AND A SPRING FED SWIMMING POOL REMAIN, THEREFORE THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONSIDER INITIATION OF HISTORIC ZONING.
SHOULD THE COMMISSION DECIDE AGAINST HISTORIC ZONING, RELEASE THE RELOCATION PERMIT ONLY UPON RECEIPT OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE AND A PLAN FOR ARCHEOLOGICAL MONITORING.
DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS IN SUPPORT OF THE RELOCATION PERMIT? YES, WE HAVE RICKA KEEPERS.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
YES, MY NAME IS RICKA KEEPERS AND I'M THE APPLICANT FOR 7 73 0 4 KNOX LANE.
AND I WON'T TAKE UP MUCH OF YOUR TIME, BUT I WILL SAY THAT WE DID COME BACK BEFORE AND WE ARE REQUESTING TO RELOCATE THE BUILDING, UM, TO SAVE THE BUILDING.
IT HAS BEEN REMODELED AND IT ADDED ON TO OVER THE YEARS, MANY DIFFERENT TIMES.
AND SO STRUCTURALLY IT'S JUST IN A REALLY DIFFICULT POSITION TO ACTUALLY REMODEL IT PROPERLY AND SAVE IT IN THE WAY IT IS.
SO WE ARE ASKING THAT IT BE RELOCATED.
UM, IN ADDITION, THE OWNER IS HERE, SO I'M GONNA GIVE MY REST OF THE TIME TO THE OWNER, MR. JIM SEWER, BUT HIS GOAL IS TO ACTUALLY BUILD SOMETHING ON THIS PROPERTY THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD CAN ENJOY AND, AND FIND.
I GUESS I, I I'M, DO YOU HAVE CURIOUS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE SPEAKER? I, I DO.
'CAUSE I I, I'VE LOOKED AT THIS CAREFULLY AND I'M INTERESTED TO HEAR HOW THIS HOUSE GETS RELOCATED.
IT'S ACTUALLY KIND OF COMPLICATED,
SO, AND WE HAD TO FIND A PARTICULAR BUILDER WHO CAN ACTUALLY RELOCATE THEM, AND HE ACTUALLY HAS TO CUT IT INTO TWO PIECES AND RELOCATE IT AND THEN SALVAGE AND REPURPOSE WHAT HE CAN DO.
AND HE'S ACTUALLY SPECIALIZES IN THAT.
AND HE LOVES PRESERVING BUILDINGS.
SO WE KIND OF FOUND SOMEONE WHO LOVES TO DO THIS.
BUT, UM, I'LL, I'LL GIVE IT OVER TO THE OWNER 'CAUSE HE MAY HAVE MORE SPECIFICS ON THAT FOR YOU.
MY NAME IS JIMMY NEER AND I'M THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY.
AND TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, UH, THE MR. WOODWORTH IS HIS NAME, AND HE'S, HE'S DONE A LOT OF THIS AND HE'S GOT A PLAN TO, TO, TO RELOCATE THE HOUSE.
UH, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT ASKING FOR THE HOUSE TO BE DEMOLISHED.
I'M ASKING FOR A PERMIT TO HAVE THE HOUSE RELOCATED SO A NEW FAMILY CAN OCCUPY THIS HOME, YOU KNOW, IN A DIFFERENT LOCATION.
UH, I'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS PROCESS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BEFORE.
I OWN PROPERTIES THAT ARE HISTORIC.
UH, AND, BUT HOWEVER, THE, THE SUBJECT PROPERTY, YOU KNOW, MY OPINION DOES NOT REALLY RISE TO THE LEVEL NECESSARY FOR SUCH A DESIGNATION.
AND FRANKLY, TO DO SO, I THINK WOULD, WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, BIT OF A REACH.
BUT, UM, AFTER 14 YEARS, UM, OF HURDLES WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TCUQ ENVIRONMENTAL BOARDS AND MORE, UH, I'VE ATTAINED A 13 LOT SUBDIVISION FOR THIS PROPERTY.
SO IT'D BE 13 NEW HOMES, UM, BUILT ON THIS PROPERTY.
AND PART OF THE DELAY IN GETTING THE SUBDIVISION APPROVED HAS BEEN WHAT YOUR STAFF HAS ADDRESSED.
AND THAT'S THE ARCHEOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES WITH THIS PROPERTY.
AND THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS THAT WE'RE HAVING TO PUT IN PLACE, MAINLY ARE THERE TO PROTECT, UH, THE SPRING AND SO FORTH.
WE HAVE MORE SETBACKS, UH, MORE PROTECTIONS ONCE THIS THING IS REMOVED AND THE HOUSE HAS NOW FOR, FOR CERTAIN.
SO ALL OF THAT, THAT WAS A REQUIREMENT.
WE HAD TO GET ALL THE STUDIES DONE.
UM, SCIENTISTS WERE OUT THERE, THE CITY OF AUSTIN, ENVIRONMENTAL PEOPLE.
BUT, UH, THAT TOOK YEARS TO DO AND, AND WAS FINALLY, UH, APPROVED.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT, THE, THE, THE TWO PRONGS NECESSARY TO MAKE THIS THING HISTORIC.
I'M, I'M NOT AN EXPERT IN THIS AT ALL, BUT I JUST DO WANNA SPEAK, UH, TO ONE THING.
I I DON'T THINK THAT THE, UM, UM, THE ARCHEOLOGICAL AND LANDSCAPE ISSUES ARE AN ISSUE 'CAUSE THAT'S ON THE LAND AND THAT'S ALL PROTECTED AND IT'S GONNA REMAIN INTACT.
UH, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, I DO NOT WANT MY COMMENTS,
[01:25:01]
UH, TO MINIMIZE THE LIVES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF MR. AND MRS. KNOX THAT I KNEW WELL.UH, AND I'VE KNOWN FOR OVER 15, 20 YEARS.
AND BOTH OF THEM KNEW WHAT I I, WHEN I, WHEN I ACQUIRED THE PROPERTY, I GAVE THEM A LIFE ESTATE.
THEY STAYED THERE UNTIL THEY, THEY PASSED.
THEY SIGNED OFF ON ALL THE THINGS THAT I WAS DOING.
BUT WE DIDN'T WANNA DO ANYTHING UNTIL, UH, AFTERWARDS.
MR. MR. KNOX WAS A VERY DECENT GENTLEMAN.
HE WAS A WORLD WAR II VETERAN VETERAN, UH, AS WAS MY FATHER.
UH, BUT I, I DON'T THINK THAT REALLY, THAT THAT PROMINENCE RISES TO THE LEVEL NECESSARY TO, TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
BUT, BUT I DON'T WANT THAT TO MINIMIZE, YOU KNOW, MY RESPECT, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR THE KNOX FAMILY, BECAUSE THEY WERE CONTRIBUTED A LOT, UH, AND, UH, AND ACCOMPLISHED A LOT.
BUT I DO REQUEST FOR A RELOCATION PERMIT.
WE DO WANT TO KEEP THIS HOUSE.
WE WANT A NEW FAMILY TO BE IN THE HOME.
AND DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS OPPOSED TO THE RELOCATION? SIR, PLEASE COME UP AND STATE YOUR NAME.
I'M A RESIDENT ADJACENT TO THE PROPERTY, UH, IN QUESTION THAT HOUSES THIS HISTORIC HOME.
UM, I, I REALLY JUST WANTED TO COME HERE TODAY TO LISTEN BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN VERY LITTLE INFORMATION SHARED TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TO THE NEIGHBORS ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT ON THIS PROPERTY, OR THE REMOVAL OF THIS HISTORIC HOME.
I KNEW MRS. KNOX, I VISITED HER WHEN SHE WAS BEDRIDDEN IN HER HOME.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL, OLD HISTORIC HOME, AND I CERTAINLY LOVE THE FACT THAT IT CAN POSSIBLY BE MOVED AND, AND ALLOW SOMEONE ELSE TO LIVE IN IT.
SO I HAVE NO REAL CONCERN THERE.
BUT I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY NEIGHBORS HAVE COME TO ME ASKING ME, HEY, DO YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON BACK THERE? WHAT'S HAPPENING BACK THERE? IT HAS BEEN COMPLETELY UNMAINTAINED UNKEPT THERE.
THERE'S A BARN VERY NEAR THE HOME, HAS THREE FALLEN TREES THAT FELL ON IT OVER TWO YEARS AGO DURING THE FREEZE.
THERE'S BEEN NO ATTENTION TO IT.
SEVERAL NEIGHBORS HAVE CONTACTED CODE ENFORCEMENT TO ASK FOR SOMETHING TO BE DONE.
AND THERE JUST HAS BEEN NO OUTREACH IN THE COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE ABOUT 30 HOMES, RESIDENTS THAT SURROUND THIS PROPERTY THAT'S GONNA BE DEVELOPED.
TODAY IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I LEARNED THAT A PLAN HAD ACTUALLY BEEN APPROVED BY THE CITY TO DEVELOP THIS INTO 13 LOTS.
AND SO, AGAIN, I'M NOT NECESSARILY, I'M NOT ANTI-DEVELOPMENT.
I'M NOT OBJECTING TO A REASONABLE DEVELOPMENT PLAN, BUT I DO THINK THAT THERE IS, UH, UH, SOME EXPECTATION THAT THE DEVELOPERS COMMUNICATE WITH THE LOCAL RESIDENTS, THE PEOPLE THAT BACK UP TO THIS PROPERTY ON NUMEROUS STREETS.
IT IS OF HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE.
THE HOME, THE SPRINGS, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY HAVE HEARD OF DEER THAT BET ON THIS PROPERTY, BIRDS THAT, THAT, UH, THAT, UH, DAWN MESA OAKS IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND THERE'S JUST BEEN NO OUTREACH TO THE RESIDENTS.
WE HAVE ELDERLY PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY ATTENDED THE BOY SCOUT CAMP THERE WHEN THEY WERE CHILDREN.
THEY'VE BEEN LIVING THERE FOR OVER 50 YEARS, AND THEY'RE UNABLE TO ACTUALLY COME.
AND, UH, SO THEY ASKED ME IF I CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO I CAME HERE REALLY TO LISTEN.
AND I LEARNED TODAY THAT THERE'S A PLAN APPROVED AND ABOUT THE MOVING OF THIS LOCATION.
IT WAS VERY UNCLEAR OTHER THAN THE CITY NOTIFICATIONS OF A PUBLIC HEARING, THERE'S BEEN NO INFORMATION ABOUT THE PLAN, THE DEVELOPMENT, OR THE REMOVAL OR THE MOVING OF THIS PROPERTY.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS,
AND, UH, UH, HAS A CHANCE TO ROBOT.
I DON'T KNOW THIS, UH, THIS GENTLEMAN HERE, AND I'M SORRY HE DIDN'T GET, YOU KNOW, NOTICE OF IT, BUT OVER THE YEARS, WE'VE HAD NUMEROUS MEETINGS WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, SENT PLANS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, CHARLIE GALVIN, WHO WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE NEIGHBOR OR THE ASSOCIATION THERE.
EVERYONE HAD MORE NOTICE THAN WAS REQUIRED.
I JUST DON'T KNOW ABOUT THIS, UH, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HIM NOT BEING ABLE TO DO IT.
BUT THE SPRING THAT'S THERE, OVER HALF THE PROPERTIES BEING SET ASIDE TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT, UH, THE CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES THAT ARE THERE.
WE'RE GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S REQUIRED AND, AND SURELY MORE THAN WHAT IS THERE NOW.
UH, BUT I DO WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT, THAT THOSE PROTECTIONS, YOU KNOW, ARE GOING TO BE IN PLACE.
AND THE FIRST TIME YOU WERE UP, YOU DIDN'T MENTION THAT SPECIFIC, THAT THERE'S, I MEAN, YOU MENTIONED THERE WOULD BE PROTECTIONS IN PLACE,
[01:30:01]
BUT YOU DIDN'T SAY A A ANY CERTAIN AMOUNT OF THE PROPERTY THAT WOULD BE SET ASIDE.IS THERE ANY PART OF THAT THAT, AND THIS MIGHT BE COUNTERINTUITIVE THAT YOU'RE PROTECTING THE NATURAL RESOURCES.
ARE, IS THERE ANY RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS FROM THE PUBLIC TO THOSE? FROM THE PUBLIC? YES.
WELL, ACTUALLY FROM THE PUBLIC, YES.
UH, THE, UM, UH, IT'S ALL, THIS IS ALL PRIVATE PROPERTY.
UH, IT'S 5.77 ACRES AND ABOUT, UH, UH, THREE ACRES OF IT IS PRESERVED.
IT'S A LONG, IT STARTS OFF AS BEING KIND OF A LONG, SKINNY TRACK, AND THEN IT KIND OF WIDENS UP.
THE SPRING IS BACK OVER HERE, SO ALL THIS AREA IS PROTECTED.
AND THEN WE HAVE SETBACKS FROM THOSE CEFS THAT PUSH INTO, UH, UH, THE SUBDIVISION, YOU KNOW, BACK OVER THERE.
UM, IS THERE A REASON THAT, I MEAN, THIS IS A, A BIG SITE.
IS THERE A REASON THE, THE HOUSE CAN'T BE SAVED IN ITS LOCATION? THE, THE SUBDIVISION CANNOT BE APPROVED WITH THE HOUSE UNLESS THE HOUSE IS MOVED OR TORN DOWN BECAUSE OF WHERE IT SITS.
COULD, OR YOU, YOU SAY IN ITS CURRENT LOCATION, I WAS THINKING MORE OF ON THE SITE.
COULD IT BE MOVED ON THE SITE? I DON'T KNOW.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S POSSIBLE.
IT COULD, BUT THE PROBLEM IS THE LOTS ARE SMALL AND IT WOULD TAKE PROBABLY THREE LOTS TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
BUT THE HOUSE IS GOING TO BE RELOCATED.
UM, NEW FAMILY WILL BE IN THERE.
UH, THERE'S GONNA BE 13 NEW HOMES HERE AND POSSIBLY 20 WITH ADUS.
I MEAN, THE BENEFIT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS EXTENSIVE IS, AND WE'RE NOT, IT IS NOT AT A LOSS IN A HOUSE.
WE'RE GONNA BE REPLACING JUST REPLACING THE LOCATION OF THE HOUSE.
YOU'RE CONSIDERING SETTING ASIDE, UH, A PART OF THE PROPERTY FOR, YOU MENTIONED LIKE THIS, UH, NATURE AREA, COULD THAT OVERLAP POTENTIALLY WITH THE, UH, THE HISTORIC HOME SO THAT IT'S NOT MOVED TOO FAR AWAY FROM ITS, UH, ORIGINAL LOCATION? I, I, I'M SORRY.
SAY, SAY, I THINK THAT WAS IN LINE WITH MY THOUGHTS THAT YOU COULD, IF YOU COULD MOVE THE HOME ON THE SITE AND PUT IT IN A SPOT THAT IS NOT ON ONE OF THOSE 13 LOTS, BUT IN THE PROTECTED AREA, UM, IS THERE A SPOT ON THE PROTECTED AREA THAT YOU COULD PUT THIS, THAT IT WOULD YEAH, THERE, THERE'S A PROHIBITION AGAINST ANY TYPE OF IMPERVIOUS COVERAGE IN THAT AREA.
IT'S A VERY STRICT, UM, THE, THE, IN FACT, THE, THE OLD CONCRETE POND, UH, THAT, THAT THE, UH, THE ORIGINAL SWIMMING POOL IS STILL BACK THERE.
UH, AND THEY WERE PUSHING, THE NEIGHBORS WERE COMPLAINING BECAUSE IT, IT'S KIND OF CREATING A MOSQUITO, UH, ISSUE THERE.
SO THEY, THEY WE'RE BEING ASKED TO MOVE THAT, BUT THEY DO NOT WANT ANY ES COVERAGE IN THAT SETASIDE AREA.
COMMISSIONER LAROCHE, WOULD YOU MIND TURN ON YOUR MICROPHONE THERE? THANK YOU.
YOU MAY KNOW THAT, SIR, IT'S A QUESTION FOR STAFF.
I, I THOUGHT ALWAYS ON SUBDIVISION, UH, DEVELOPMENT ONCE APPROVED THAT THE ADJACENT NEIGHBORS WOULD GET NOTIFICATION.
THAT WAS A QUESTION THAT I HAD.
ALSO, UM, ONE OF MY MANY QUESTIONS, UM, THAT MIGHT, IT'S MORE DIRECTED TO STAFF THAN TO YOU, BUT OKAY.
I, IF ANYBODY KNOWS BETWEEN STAFF OR THE APPLICANT, WHAT IS THE REQUIRED NOTIFICATION FOR A SITE PLAN SUBDIVISION TO THE NEIGHBORS? THAT, THAT, OKAY, THAT'S ONE QUESTION THAT MAY OR BE OUTSIDE OF OUR PURVIEW, THE COMMISSION AND THE STAFF.
IT IS, I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER.
I, UH, I DON'T KNOW THE, UH, THE SITE AND SUB, UH, NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES.
UM, I EXPECT THERE SIMILAR TO THE, UH, NOTICE OF FILING FOR REZONING, UM, THAT WE HAVE.
UM, YEAH, I, I, I CERTAINLY THOUGHT THEY HAD TO GIVE PUBLIC NOTICE.
I, I MAY BE WRONG IN THAT, BUT I, THAT WAS MY REC MY OTHER QUESTION TO STAFF IS REGARDING THE ARCHEOLOGY ARCH ARCHEOLOGICAL, UM, RESOURCES THAT MAY EXIST ON THE SITE.
AND I MEAN, THAT'S OBVIOUSLY A CRITERIA FOR HISTORIC ZONING THAT WE SEE, WE SEE ON OUR LIST, AND WE RARELY EVER INVOKE IT.
UM, IT'S SUCH A TECHNICAL COMPONENT THAT IS JUST SORT OF BEYOND OUR EXPERTISE AND MAY OR MAY NOT BE ALSO BEYOND THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE EXPERTISE.
HOW DO WE, I, I HEARD THE APPLICANT SAY THAT THERE WILL BE PROTECTIONS IN PLACE BEYOND WHAT ARE CURRENTLY THERE.
HOW DO WE KNOW THAT AND HOW DO WE, UM, HAVE CONFIDENCE? YEAH, ARCHEOLOGY, QUESTION MARK.
[01:35:03]
I CAN BRIEFLY ADDRESS THAT BECAUSE WE'VE HAD, WE HAD TO HAVE TWO, UH, ACTUALLY THREE ARCHEOLOGICAL STUDIES ON THE PROPERTY, AND THERE'S A RESTRICTIVE COVENANT THAT'S BEING IMPOSED AND AS PART OF THE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT AS TO WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS ARE, YOU KNOW, ON THE MAINTENANCE OF THE, UH, OF THE SPACE.ARE YOU WILLING TO SHARE THAT WITH THE COMMISSION? SURE, SURE.
ALONG HONESTLY, ALONG WITH PLANS FOR THE SUBDIVISION.
I MEAN, ALL OF THIS INFORMATION I THINK IS HELPFUL, RIGHT? YEAH.
AND WHICH BODIES ARE THOSE AGREEMENTS SET UP WITH AND ESTABLISHED? CITY OF AUSTIN.
NOW THERE'S TCUQ OR, UH, YEAH, THE STUDIES THAT WERE DONE, BUT THERE'S NO STATE, UH, AGREEMENT.
AND WHICH DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN DID YOU NEGOTIATE? WATER QUALITY ENVIRONMENTAL? I, I, I DON'T REMEMBER ALL THE, UH, OKAY.
I DIDN'T REALIZE ARCHEOLOGY WAS IN THERE PER, NO, I DON'T THINK ARCHEOLOGY.
IT'S, IT WAS IN, IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I'LL, I'LL GIVE IT TO COMMISSIONER GROGAN 'CAUSE AND THEN, UH, A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RUBIO TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
THE COMM THE, UH, PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THIS CASE SO THAT WE CAN START DISCUSSION? COMMISSIONER LAROCHE, I'D LIKE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND, AND MOVE TO POSTPONE TO THE JUNE MEETING.
I, I FEEL LIKE THERE'S FAR TOO MANY PARTS AND PIECES OF THIS WHOLE DEVELOPMENT THAT WE DON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND.
AND, AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION ON WHAT WAS CONVEYED TO THE NEIGHBORS.
I THINK, I, I THINK ALL THESE PIECES, WHAT DOES THE ACTUAL DEVELOPMENT LOOK LIKE THE APPLICANT HAS OFFERED TO PROVIDE US WITH THAT INFORMATION.
YEAH, I, I, I WOULD, THAT'S MY, YOU WANNA HEAR A SECOND? SECOND.
I THINK COMMISSIONER RO JUST SPOKE TO HIS MOTION, BUT COMMISSIONER RUBIO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO? YEAH.
UM, YOU, I MEAN, YOU MENTIONED YOU STARTED OFF WITH THE CRITERIA, YOU KNOW, THE HIGH BAR, YOU JUST HEARD TWO, THREE CASES TONIGHT, SO I THINK YOU FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT BAR IS.
UM, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO JUMPING THE GUN ON HISTORIC ZONING.
SO AGAINST THAT JUDGMENT, JUST LOOKING AT THE, THE FACTS THAT WE DON'T HAVE, I THINK IT, IT DOES NEED TO BE POSTPONED.
UM, BUT HOW OFTEN DO WE GET A PROPERTY THAT IS CHECK MARKED BY STAFF FOR ARCHITECTURE, HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION, ARCHEOLOGY, COMMUNITY VALUE AND LANDSCAPE FEATURE? I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PROPERTIES, I HAVEN'T BEEN HERE LONG ENOUGH TO SEE THAT, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE A HANDFUL OF PROPERTIES THAT HAVE ALL THOSE BOXES CHECKED.
AND IF THE COMMUNITY, I DON'T KNOW WHO TO BELIEVE, I HONESTLY, IT DOESN'T EVEN MATTER.
JUST WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION.
SO HOW SOMEONE COULD COME UP HERE WITH ALL THIS LAND AND SAY THERE'S PROTECTIONS, NOT PROVE IT.
NOT SAY THAT A HOUSE CAN'T BE RELOCATED A HUNDRED FEET TO THE OTHER LOT BECAUSE YOU MIGHT END UP WITH 12 UNITS OR 11 NEW UNITS INSTEAD OF 13.
SO YEAH, I'LL SUPPORT THE MOTION.
I THINK THAT, UH, AND A UM, CASE CAN BE MADE FOR NOT JUMPING THE GUN.
THAT, UM, SOMETIMES THESE HISTORIC PROPERTIES FEEL LIKE THEY DESERVE THE TIME AND THE CONSIDERATION THAT WOULD MEAN POSTPONING NOW AND, AND NOT INITIATING NOW.
UM, AND I THINK THAT THE OWNER CAN APPRECIATE THAT GIVEN THE, THE LONG PLAY THAT HE'S HAD ON THIS PROPERTY.
AND I'M GONNA SUPPORT THE MOTION AS WELL.
I WAS NOTE THIS IS A RELOCATION OUT OF TOWN AS I UNDERSTAND IT, WHICH IS TANTAMOUNT TO A, A TANTAMOUNT TO A DEMOLITION THAT'S TAKING OUTTA CONTEXT B TANTAMOUNT TO DEMOLITION.
'CAUSE ONCE IT'S REMOVED, WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER WHERE IT HAPPENS.
IF IT GETS RELOCATED TO A LANDFILL OUTSIDE OF TOWN, WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THAT.
I DID WANT TO CONFIRM WITH STAFF THE TIMELINES ON THIS BECAUSE THIS IS, NOW, IT'S BEEN BEFORE US A NUMBER OF TIMES, AND THIS IS IN PARTICULAR, WHAT WE'RE HEARING TONIGHT IS A RELOCATION PERMIT.
UH, AND IF YOU COULD ALSO CONFIRM THAT IN A MONTH, IF, UM, THE OPTIONS TO US WILL BE TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION, THE RELOCATION PERMIT OR INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING, I THINK THOSE ARE GONNA BE THE TWO OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO US WHEN IT COMES BACK TO US.
COMMISSIONER POINT OF CLARIFICATION, THIS IS A NEW APPLICATION FOR RELOCATION.
UM, SO WE'RE STARTING THE TIMELINE OVER.
UH, FROM 75 DAYS FROM, UH, THIS AGENDA.
AND DOES THAT MEAN IF WE INITIATED IN 30 DAYS, THAT WE WOULD HAVE 45 DAYS TO RECOMMEND? YES.
AND SAM CAN GET YOU AN EXACT DATE ON THE, ON THE TIMELINE.
[01:40:01]
AND WE'LL NEED A SUPER MAJORITY, BUT, UM, I, I WAS ALSO CONSIDERING SUPPORTING INITIATION AS WELL, BUT, UH, I STRATEGICALLY, I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE IS BE, IS BETTER IN THIS CASE, BUT GIVEN THE NUMBER OF QUESTIONS, I DEFINITELY THINK A POSTPONEMENT WOULD, WOULD SUFFICE HERE.DO WE NEED TO LIKE, MAKE A PLUG RIGHT NOW FOR OUR JULY MEETING, WHICH IS ON JULY 3RD? MM-HMM.
WHICH COMMISSIONER COOK WILL NOT BE HERE FOR
OH, I HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING NOW.
UM, WE CAN'T MAKE ANOTHER MOTION.
UH, I MEAN, I'M STILL INCLINED TO SUPPORT THE MOTION UNLESS THE MAKER OF THE MOTION, UM, IS HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS.
I, I I THINK WE STILL HAVE OPTIONS BEFORE US.
I THINK WE CAN INITIATE THE NEXT MEETING IF WE CHOOSE TO.
I, I THINK OUR INTENTIONS HERE ARE, ARE FAIRLY TRANSPARENT.
I THINK THE APPLICANT UNDERSTANDS WHERE WE'RE AT.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS REALLY HINGES ON BEING JUDICIOUS WITH THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION TO PROVIDE US.
AND, AND I THINK THE MORE INFORMATION WE CAN BE PROVIDED, THE MORE INFORMED OF A DECISION WE CAN MAKE.
AND I, SO I CONTINUE TO BELIEVE THAT POSTPONEMENT IS THE BEST WAY FORWARD.
ON THAT, I WILL, UH, TAKE A MOTION, TAKE A VOTE ON THE MOTION TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND POSTPONE UNTIL OUR JUNE MEETING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY AYE.
[21. PR-2024-037714 – 501 Texas Ave. ]
NEXT, UH, ITEM ON OUR AGENDA THAT IS UP FOR DISCUSSION IS, I BELIEVE THAT IS AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 21 5 0 1 TEXAS AVENUE PARTIAL DEMOLITION 5 0 1 TEXAS AVENUE.ITEM 21 IS A PROPOSAL TO PARTIALLY DEMOLISH, REMODEL AND CONSTRUCT AN ADDITION TO A CIRCA 1922 DUPLEX.
UM, THE PROJECT SPECIFIES REMODEL AND ADDITION, UH, UH, OF A TWO STORY ADDITION AND A FRONT FACING GARAGE.
THE EXISTING DUPLEX, THE PROPOSED PROJECT ALSO INCLUDES WINDOW AND SIDING REPLACEMENT.
THE EXISTING BUILDING IS A DUPLEX WITH CRAFTSMAN DETAILS AT THE FIRST AND SECOND FLOORS, INCLUDING EXPOSED RAFTER TAILS, TRIANGULAR BRACKETS AT THE GABLE ENDS AND DECORATIVE GABLE VENTS.
IT HAS ONE OVER ONE WOOD WINDOWS AND HORIZONTAL WOOD SIDING.
THE HOUSE AT 5 0 1 TEXAS ADDRESSED ORIGINALLY AS 5 0 1 EAST 37TH STREET WAS CONSTRUCTED AROUND 1922.
LP RANKIN AND HIS FAMILY WERE ITS FIRST OCCUPANTS.
RANKIN WORKED AS A TRAVELING REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SOUTHWEST DRUG CORPORATION.
AFTER HIS DEATH IN 1938, MRS. LESLIE RANKIN TOOK OWNERSHIP OF THE HOUSE AND ATTENDED NIGHT SCHOOL.
SHE AND HER TWO DAUGHTERS ALL ATTENDED THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS RANKIN, LATER JOINED THE FEDERATED BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL WOMEN'S CLUB WITH HER DAUGHTER, MARY HELEN.
SHE RENT OUT HALF THE DUPLEX THROUGH HER TENURE IN THE HOME UNTIL AT LEAST 1952.
UH, THE 2020 NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN SURVEY LISTS THE PROPERTY AS A MEDIUM PRIORITY, UH, BUT DOES NOT RECOMMEND ITS INCLUSION IN A DISTRICT.
STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
UM, THEREFORE THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO RELEASE THE PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
AND DO WE HAVE SPEAKERS IN FAVOR OF THE, THE APPLICATION? AND PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
I'M THE DESIGNER AND ALSO THE APPLICANT.
I'M HERE WITH THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY RAMIT, UM, UH, A
AND, UH, I THINK THAT THE QUESTION IS THE MAIN HOUSE, RIGHT? UM, WELL, THE IDEA IS, UM, THERE ARE TWO BUILDINGS.
EACH BUILDING HAS BEEN USING, BEEN USED AS A DUPLEX.
SO WE ARE PROPOSING TO, UM, BRING IT BACK TO SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES, EACH OF THEM.
IN ADDITION, WE ARE ADDING A THIRD BUILDING AS A SINGLE FAMILY.
UH, THE MAIN HOUSING QUESTION, WE ARE PROPOSING AN INTERIOR REMODEL, UM, EXCHANGE, CHANGING SOME SIGHTINGS
[01:45:01]
AND JUST BRING IT UP A LITTLE BIT TO, UM, UP TO DATE.I WOULD SAY IT'S A REALLY NICE HOUSE.
UH, WE WERE TRYING TO KEEP THE CHARACTER OF THE HOUSE AS MUCH AS WE CAN, BUT WE ARE ADDING A GARAGE AND A MAIN BEDROOM, UM, I'M SORRY, A MAIN BATHROOM AND CLOSET UPSTAIRS JUST TO, UM, BRING IT UP TO THE MODERN LIFESTYLE FOR A SINGLE FAMILY.
CAN I ADD ONE MORE THING? YEP.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS IN FAVOR? YEAH, YEAH, I'M, PLEASE COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME.
I JUST BOUGHT THIS PROPERTY AND IT, LIKE MY ARCHITECT SAID, IT WAS CONVERTED INTO TWO UNITS, A TOTAL FOUR UNITS.
AND THIS HOUSE IS LIKE, WE THINK, I THINK IT'S, IT WOULD BE REALLY GOOD FOR SINGLE FAMILY.
SO WE ARE JUST ADDING ONE GARAGE.
AND THE WHOLE IDEA IS TO PRESERVE THOSE TWO BUILDINGS RATHER THAN DEMOING IT OUT.
THAT WAS THE WHOLE INTENT HERE.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE OWNER.
WOULD YOU BE OPEN TO ATTENDING AN A RC MEETING? POSSIBLE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE? AND THAT HASN'T COME UP YET IN THIS MEETING, BUT YEAH, IT'S A GREAT RESOURCE THAT WE HAVE THAT, UM, THEY MEET ON THE INTERIM BETWEEN OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETINGS, THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, UH, IT'S A LESS FORMAL MEETING WHERE MEMBERS OF THIS BODY CAN TALK TO YOU DIRECTLY ABOUT, UM, YOUR DESIGN AND HOW IT MIGHT WORK BETTER WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND, AND DO BETTER TO PRESERVE THE HISTORIC CHARACTER OF THE, THE BUILDINGS.
I DON'T, DO WE WE TALK TO NEIGHBOR OR RIGHT.
YEAH, NO, THAT WOULD, THEY'RE PROPOSING TO HAVE A, A DIFFERENT MEETING WITH THEM JUST TO WHAT THEY WOULD SUGGEST.
YEAH, I'M OPEN TO OPEN FOR THAT.
BUT LIKE I SAID, I'M NOT DOING ANY DEMO.
YEAH, I, I APPRECIATE THE EXISTING, IT'S A MUCH LESS FORMAL SETTING WHERE IDEAS CAN BE DISCUSSED OPENLY.
AND THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT, THERE WAS SOME COMMUNITY COMMENTS.
I, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL HAVE SEEN THE FEEDBACK ON ONLINE, SO THERE'S COMMUNITY COMMENTS MOSTLY AROUND THE GARAGE AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE WE SHOULD BE DISCUSSING UP HERE ON DESIGN, SO, YEP.
THAT'S WHY I ASK IF YOU'RE OPEN TO ACTUALLY SOLVING SOME OF THE COMMUNITY'S ISSUES ON THIS DESIGN.
OH YEAH, I, I SAW THOSE COMMENTS AND WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT PARK, ACTUALLY, THAT'S WHY I WANT TO CONVERT IT INTO SINGLE FAMILY HOME SO THAT IT WILL BE LESS CROWDED BECAUSE THE DUPLEX AND MULTI-FAMILY PEOPLE PUT 2, 3, 4 STUDENTS AND IT BECOMES VERY CROWDED SPACE AND THAT NEIGHBORHOOD IS PRETTY NICE.
SO THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO CONVERT IT SINGLE FAMILY AND WE ARE PUTTING GARAGE BECAUSE WHENEVER I GO THERE, THERE IS NO PARKING SPACE.
UM, IS THERE ANYONE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? YES, WE HAVE BARBARA EPSTEIN WHO IS ONLINE, AND BARBARA, IF YOU WANNA PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
MS. EPSTEIN, IF YOU COULD PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX ON YOUR PHONE, THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
I THINK SHE WAS ON THE MUTE, SO CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I THINK STAFF CAN SEE THAT SHE IS ON THE LINE.
SHE'S JUST MAYBE HAVING A TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY AT THE TIME.
CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME NOW? YES, MA'AM.
SO MY NAME IS BARBARA SINE, I'M ONLY SPEAKING AS A NEIGHBOR.
WE ONLY GOT THE NOTICE FOR THIS.
UM, I AS THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT ON THE 20TH, AND I COULDN'T GET ENOUGH, UH, RESPONSE FROM NEIGHBORS TO CALL A MEETING BEFORE THIS MEETING.
I REACHED OUT TO THE OWNER'S REPRESENTATIVE AND I EXPLAINED THAT I HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE HOUSE LOSING ITS ARCHITECTURAL, UH, HISTORIC DESIGNATION.
UM, TERRY MEYERS HAS TOLD ME IN THE PAST THAT TEXAS AVENUE AND CAROLINE AVENUE, BOTH WERE SURVEYED TO BE DESIGNATED AS HISTORIC STREETS.
AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT, UH, THE HOUSES ONLY CONTRIBUTE IF THEY KEEP THEIR ORIGINAL FACADE.
SO I DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW IF ADDING A GARAGE WOULD SUBSTANTIALLY CHANGE THE CHARACTER OF THE HOUSE TO LOSE ITS HISTORIC DESIGNATION.
AND OF COURSE, I DON'T KNOW IF THE CITY IS INTERESTED IN DESIGNATING ANY STREETS AS HISTORIC,
[01:50:01]
BUT SINCE THIS IS ONLY A THREE BLOCK STREET, I'M TRYING TO KEEP AS MANY HOUSES HISTORIC AS POSSIBLE.AND THEN ANOTHER NEIGHBOR HAS RAISED A QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS A TREE THAT IS TAGGED TO BE, UM, CUT DOWN.
UH, WHEN I REACHED OUT TO THE REPRESENTATIVE, THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE SAVING TREES AND THAT'S WHY THEY WERE CREATING A DRIVEWAY IN THE FRONT.
I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO VERIFY WITH THE CITY WHAT THE ORANGE, UM, BAND ON THE TREE IN THE BACK REPRESENTS.
BUT, UM, I DO TRY TO PROTECT ALL OF OUR, UH, PROTECTED TREES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE WE'VE HAD SO MANY CUT DOWN.
UM, AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, WE WANT FAMILIES TO LIVE HERE.
THIS IS GONNA BE A SINGLE FAMILY HOME, THAT'S GREAT.
BUT I'VE HAD NEIGHBORS SAY THAT THEY WERE WORRIED IT WOULD BECOME A FRATERNITY HOUSE.
AND WITH THE HOME INITIATIVE, WHAT I THINK EVERYBODY WHO HAS LIVED HERE A LONG TIME IS WORRIED ABOUT IS WHETHER WE SUDDENLY HAVE 16 PEOPLE IN A HOME.
BUT, UM, THOSE ARE MY CONCERNS.
I REALIZE THE STAFF DOESN'T, DIDN'T RECOMMEND THIS FOR PRESERVATION.
WE HAVEN'T HAD MUCH LUCK LATELY, UH, WITH TRYING TO GET HISTORIC HOMES PRESERVED.
BUT, UH, IT, IT, UH, I FIGURE IT'S, IT'S MY, UH, UH, MY OBJECTIVE TO SAVE AS MANY AS I CAN.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE, UH, HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION OR ON THE PHONE? YES, WE HAVE, I BELIEVE IT'S PRONOUNCED KYLE MONTGOMERY, UH, WHO IS ONLINE.
UH, AND IF YOU WANTED TO PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF, IS THAT MR. MONTGOMERY? HI, AND THIS IS STEELE MONTGOMERY ALSO.
YEAH, MY NAME IS STEELE MONTGOMERY, ALSO KNOWN AS VIRGINIA MONTGOMERY.
I LIVE ACTUALLY DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE PROPERTY, AND I HAVE REGISTERED MY OPPOSITION.
UM, I, I ACTUALLY WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE THAT THIS HOUSE BE CONSIDERED FOR HISTORIC ZONING.
UM, I THINK IT QUALIFIES, IT, IT'S VERY INTACT AND IN GOOD CHARACTER.
AND, UM, I'VE SEEN THE PLANS THAT, THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED FOR THE PROPERTY.
AND THEY, THEY RECOMMEND SIGNIFICANT MODIFICATIONS THAT WOULD ALTER THE CHARACTER OF THE HOUSE AND THAT ARE NOT IN KEEPING WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, SOME, UM, SIGHTING OPTIONS THAT ARE QUITE DIFFERENT TO WHAT IS IN CHARACTER WITH THE CURRENT DESIGN OF THE HOUSE.
UM, ALSO, YOU KNOW, JUST CONTINUING ON THE HISTORIC FOCUS, UM, THERE, THERE IS A REMOVAL OF WINDOWS AND A SIGNIFICANT LACK OF WINDOWS ON THE PROPOSED NEW ADDITIONS TO THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE OUT OF CHARACTER WITH A HISTORIC NATURE OF THE BUILDING.
AND THEN THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THING IS THE ADDITION OF A FRONT LOADED GARAGE AND A CURB CUT ON TEXAS AVENUE.
I WANNA REMIND EVERYONE THIS HOUSE IS ALLEY LOADED.
IT ALSO HAS A CURRENT CURB CUT ON DUVAL STREET.
AND UM, AND THIS PROPERTY OWNER IS RECOMMENDING A SMALL PARKING PAD OFF THE ALLEY THAT WILL BE MAINLY OCCUPIED BY A DUMPSTER.
THEY'RE RECOMMENDING REMOVAL OF THE CURB CUT ON DUVAL STREET AND THEN THE ADDITION OF A FRONT LOADED GARAGE AND A, UM, A DRIVEWAY ON TEXAS AVENUE, WHICH IS DEFINITELY NOT IN KEEPING WITH THE STYLE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, IS NOT PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY.
UM, AND CERTAINLY HAS, DOES NOT HAVE A LOT OF CONSIDERATION FOR THE HISTORIC, UM, KIND OF LAYOUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE WAY THAT THINGS LOOK TODAY.
SO, UM, WITH THAT IN MIND, YOU KNOW, AND, AND ALSO THERE IS THIS PRE CONCERN AS WELL.
UM, THERE'S SOME TREES THAT HAVE BEEN MARKED RED AND THEN HAVING LOOKED AT OR ORANGE AND HAVING LOOKED AT THE PLANS, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THERE REALLY IS ANY WAY THAT THEY COULD POSSIBLY BUILD ON THE GARAGE ADDITION WITH THE MAIN BATHROOM THAT THEY'RE ALSO PROPOSING WITH LIKE A HIS AND HERS GIANT CLOSET.
UM, I DON'T THINK ANY OF THAT WOULD BE POSSIBLE WITH THE TREES IMPACT.
UM, BUT I AM RECOMMENDING, I MEAN, IF THE HOUSE IS BEAUTIFUL, IT, IT STILL HAS ITS ORIGINAL CHARACTER AND I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT IT BE CONSIDERED
IT'S RAINING PRETTY HARD HERE.
UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS OPPOSED AND THE APPLICANT IS OFFERED THE CHANCE TO REBUT IF THEY'D LIKE TO? YEAH, YEAH, JUST TO RESPOND, ESPECIALLY I KNOW THAT THERE WAS A CONCERN OF THE TREES.
SO ALL THE PROTECTED TREES HAS BEEN, UH, WILL REMAIN.
[01:55:01]
THEY'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH THE TREE DEPARTMENT AND WE ARE FOLLOWING ALL THE SPECS THAT THEY REQUIRE.UH, FOR THE PARKING, WE HAD COMMENTS OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE PARKING OUTSIDE AND WE HAVE, UH, WITH THE DRIVEWAY IN FRONT.
I MEAN, THAT'S THE OPTION THAT WE HAVE FOR A GARAGE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT OR DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? COMMISSIONER LAROCHE.
AND DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER RUBIOS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY AYE, AYE THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THE CASE TO OPEN UP DISCUSSION? COMMISSIONER LA ROCHE? I, I MOVE TO, UH, POSTPONE THIS AND FOR THE PURPOSES OF HAVING THE APPLICANT MEET WITH THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
SECOND, THAT IS A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER ROCHE TO PROPOSE THIS OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING TO REOPEN.
HE, HE JUST ADDED TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND COMMISSIONER RUBIO, DO YOU SECOND THAT? YEP.
UM, TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, TO POSTPONE THIS TO OUR JUNE 5TH MEETING AND EXTEND AN INVITATION TO THE APPLICANT TO ATTEND OUR NEXT ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING, WHICH IS SCHEDULED FOR MAY 8TH.
UH, DO I HAVE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT MOTION? JUST THAT I, I ASKED THE OWNER WHEN YOU COME TO THE A RC MEETING, THAT YOU BE OPEN TO SOME CHANGES IN YOUR DESIGN.
UM, I, I APPRECIATE THAT THE HOUSE IS THERE STILL INTACT.
UM, I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY, MAYBE A GOOD CASE WHERE WE COULD TRY TO COME UP WITH THE BEST POSITIVE SITUATION FOR, FOR EVERYONE.
SO YEAH, IT'S NOT REALLY IT THAT'S A MUCH BETTER FORUM FOR THE KIND OF CONVERSATION THAT THIS, UM, PROPERTY NEEDS.
I UNDERSTAND THE COMPETING INTERESTS OF THE NEIGHBORS MIGHT BE UPSET AT YOU AT ONE WAY I'M PARKING AND UPSET AT YOU IN THE EXACT OPPOSITE WAY AT THE EXACT SAME TIME.
UM, I'M, I'M NOT HEARTENED BY THE NET LOSS OF HOUSING UNITS, UH, BUT I'LL LEAVE THAT UP TO THE A RC, UM, TO HAVE THAT FURTHER DISCUSSION.
UH, IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OR SHOULD WE TAKE A VOTE, UM, ON THE MOTION TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING POSTPONE TO THE JUNE 5TH HLC AND INVITE TO THE NEXT A RC? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY AYE.
THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[22. PR-2024-038253 – 803 River Rd.]
DISCUSSION ITEM IS AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 22 8 0 3.RED RIVER RIVER, RIVER ROAD, NOT RED RIVER, 8 0 3 RED RIVER WOULD BE A BAR, I ASSUME.
ITEM 22 AT 8 0 3 RIVER ROAD IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A 1970 HOUSE.
THIS IS A ONE STORY MID-CENTURY MODERN HOUSE WITH A UNIQUE HEXAGONAL PLAN AND A PROJECTING AND PROJECTING SYMMETRICAL WINGS.
IT IS CLA WITH RUSTIC STONE AND VERTICAL WOOD SIDING WITH APPLIED GEOMETRIC ORNAMENTATION AT THE GABLE ENDS.
ASSOCIATED OUTBUILDINGS APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED AFTER 1997.
THE HOUSE AT 8 0 3 RIVER ROAD WAS BUILT IN 1970.
ITS EARLIEST OCCUPANTS WERE ANN L. SANFORD AND HER FAMILY.
ANN SANFORD WAS A SOCIAL WORKER ASSISTANT TO THE EDITOR OF CONTEMPORARY PSYCHOLOGY, A JOURNAL OF BOOK REVIEWS AND MANAGING EDITOR OF SIX MORE PSYCHOLOGY JOURNALS.
AT THE TIME OF HER DEATH IN 1976, SANFORD'S LATE HUSBAND, PHILMORE H SANFORD WAS THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION AND CHAIRMAN OF THE UNI, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS PSYCHOLOGIC PSYCHOLOGY DEPARTMENT UNTIL HE DIED IN 1967, AT LEAST TWO OF THE SANFORD SEVEN CHILDREN, DR.
SARAH ANN KAHN AND ROBERT SANFORD ALSO WORKED IN THE FIELD OF PSYCHOLOGY.
STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT MAY MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION, AS IT IS A UNIQUE EXAMPLE OF MID-CENTURY MODERN DESIGN WITH AN UNCOMMON PLAN, UH, AND IS ASSOCIATED WITH SOCIAL WORKER AND JOURNAL JOURNAL EDITOR ANN L. SANFORD.
HOWEVER, THE HOME WAS COMPLETED ONLY SIX YEARS BEFORE SANFORD'S DEATH.
UM, IT APPEARS TO HAVE REMAINED IN THE FAMILY UNTIL 1984 IF THE COMMISSION FEELS THAT SANFORD'S RESIDENCE AT THE PROPERTY WAS OF SUFFICIENT LENGTH TO ESTABLISH SIGNIFICANCE.
STAFF RECOMMENDS CONSIDERING INITIATION OF HISTORIC ZONING.
IF NOT, THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO STRONGLY ENCOURAGE ADAPTIVE REUSE, BUT TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
AND DO WE HAVE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION
[02:00:01]
TO DEMOLISH THE PROPERTY? YES, WE HAVE JIM LARUE AND CHRIS HOUSELY ONLINE.IF YOU WANNA PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
ARE THEY TOGETHER OR ARE YOU ASKING FOR ONE OF THEM TO UNMUTE FIRST? THEY BOTH REGISTERED WITH THE SAME PHONE NUMBER, SO I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHO IT IS ON THE OTHER OF THE LINE, BUT
UH, WHOEVER'S SPEAKING FIRST, THANK YOU.
UM, I'M THE PROJECT ARCHITECT FROM
I WANT TO TOUCH ON TWO ITEMS RELATED TO THE ARCHITECTURE.
UH, THE FIRST BEING THE MODIFICATION OF THE CURRENT RESIDENCE OVER THE YEARS, UH, IN CONTRIBUTION THAT THE HEXAGON DESIGN HAS ON THE RESIDENCE.
IN MY VIEW WITH BLUE ARCHITECTS, THE STRUCTURE AT 8 0 3 RIVER ROAD HAS BEEN ALTERED SO MUCH SO THAT IT DOES NOT CURRENTLY REPRESENT A MID-CENTURY RESIDENCE.
WHEN CONSIDERING THE AERIAL IMAGES, UH, THE EARLIEST AERIAL IMAGES, UH, PRESENTED BY THE COUNCIL AND, AND THAT WE COULD FIND AS WELL THE STRUCTURE FROM 1984.
UM, AND THEN MORE RECENT ONES FROM 2009.
THE SHADOW PATTERNS SHOW A DIFFERENT ROOF, ROOF SHAPE AND TYPE.
IT'S OUR OPINION THAT YOU SIMPLY COULD NOT CAST THE SAME SHADOW PATTERNS FROM 1984 WITH THE GABLE ROOF THAT YOU SEE ON THE STRUCTURE TODAY.
UH, TO THAT END, WE BELIEVE THE BOX IN FASCIAS, UM, ARE ARE NOT ORIGINAL.
WE DO NOT BELIEVE THEM TO BE CONSISTENT WITH MID-CENTURY DESIGN.
UH, IN FACT, FIND HOME BUILDING PUBLICATION CONSIDERS THAT DETAIL TO BE A CLASSICAL INFLUENCE AS MOST OFTEN USED ON TRADITIONAL HOMES.
WE BELIEVE THE VERTICAL WOOD SIDING AND ORNAMENTATION, UH, LOCATED AT THE GABLE ROOF ENDS WAS ADDED AT THE SAME TIME AT THE ROOF, UH, SHAPED AND TYPE CHANGED.
WE KNOW THAT THE EXTERIOR ROOFS SOFFITS ARE NOT ORIGINAL AS THE BUILDING PRODUCT USED WAS NOT INTRODUCED TO THE MARKET UNTIL WELL AFTER THE BUILDING WAS ORIGINALLY CONSTRUCTED.
UM, WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THAT MATERIAL, UH, WAS REPLACED IN PINE.
WE THINK THAT'S A FURTHER EVIDENCE THAT, UH, THE GABLE ROOFS, UM, WERE, WERE REPLACED IN, IN TOTALITY IN REGARD TO THE HEXAGONAL DESIGN WE BELIEVE IN COMPARED TO OTHER WELL EXECUTED DESIGNS THAT THE HEXAGONAL PLAN FOR THIS RESIDENCE DOES NOT EXPRESS ITSELF AT ALL UPON ARRIVAL.
IT'S NOT COMMUNICATED AS A DESIGN ELEMENT THAT IS PART OF THE FRONT ENTRY EXPERIENCE.
IT DOESN'T, UM, INFLUENCE ANY OF THE EXTERIOR ORNAMENTATION.
AND WHEN VIEWED FROM FROM THE REAR YARD, IT IS, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT BUILDING.
UM, AS HAVING A HEXAGONAL DESIGN SIGN.
WE, WE BELIEVE THE ONLY LOCATION THAT YOU CAN SEE THAT ARE FROM AERIAL VIEWS, YOU CAN'T QUITE TELL THAT FROM THE FRONT OF THE RESIDENCE.
AND YOU CAN'T TELL THAT FROM THE REAR YARD.
SO WE BELIEVE, UH, IN SUMMARY THAT THE ALTERATIONS HAVE, HAVE NOT BEEN ADDITIVE, BUT THEY'VE BEEN SUBTRACTED IN NATURE IN REGARDS TO ANY HISTORIC RELEVANCE THAT THIS PROJECT HAS.
AND IS THE OTHER SPEAKER ON THE LINE WANT TO CHIME IN? YES, I'M HERE.
MY NAME IS JAMES LARUE AND I'M IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION FOR DEMOLITION OF THE BUILDING AT 8 0 3 RIVER ROAD.
UM, I'VE WORKED WITH CHRIS INTANDEM ON THIS PROJECT, UH, AS THE PROJECT ARCHITECTS.
UH, I THINK CHRIS TOUCHED ON REALLY THE HEART OF EVERYTHING WE, WE REALLY WANT TO EXPRESS ABOUT HOW WE FEEL ABOUT THE BUILDING.
SO I WILL SAY THAT, THAT THE, THAT ENTRY EXPERIENCE, THE BUILDING PRESENTATION FROM THE FRONT TO THE STREET, WHICH IS, WHICH IS A LONG, LONG WAYS AWAY, THAT DOESN'T OF, OF THE BUILDING TO US, DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE OF A, OF A HIGH QUALITY MID-CENTURY STYLE.
UH, IT'S, THE BUILDING ITSELF IS QUITE SYMMETRICAL UNTIL YOU GET TO THE CRITICAL MOMENT AT THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING WHERE THE DOOR IS SORT OF AWKWARDLY MISPLACED
[02:05:01]
AND, UH, OBVIOUSLY NOT OF ITS, UH, ORIGINAL DESIGN.UH, THERE'S BEEN A NUMBER OF PIECES ADDED OVER THE YEARS, WHICH THAT DIDN'T CONTRIBUTE.
AND YOU CAN SEE IS THAT, THAT WHAT WE BELIEVE THE GABLE ROOF ADDED LATER HAS BURIED ANY, ANY, UH, EXPRESSION OF THE HEXAGONAL SHAPE IN THE REAR OF THE HOUSE.
WE BELIEVE THAT ALL THE WINDOW OPENINGS AS THEY'RE SHOWN TODAY IN THE IMAGE, ARE NOT FROM THE ORIGINAL DESIGN IN THAT THOSE WHAT APPEARS TO BE GLASS, ACTUALLY PLEXIGLASS OR ACRYLIC SET IN A HOMEMADE WINDOW FRAME, UH, ALONG THE SIX OR SEVEN WINDOWS THAT'S FACE THE REAR OF HALF OF THE HEXAGON THAT'S EXPRESSED.
UH, ALL THE OTHER OPENINGS ARE MILL FINISH, ALUMINUM SLIDING WINDOW OR DOOR PRODUCTS.
AND THEN, AND THESE CLEARLY ARE NOT.
SO IT'S BEEN, UH, IT'S BEEN EVEN FURTHER REMOVED FROM ITS ORIGINAL ROOTS.
UH, WE'RE, WE'RE CERTAINLY HAPPY TO, TO DISCUSS ANY OF THIS.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE, THE SPEAKERS ON THE LINE? DO WE HAVE ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THE APPLICATION? WE DO NOT.
UM, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER COOK, SECOND, SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER ROCHE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND TO SAY AYE.
DO I HAVE A MOTION ON THE CASE TO OPEN DISCUSSION? I'LL MOVE TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT PENDING A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
AND DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
SO A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER COOK TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF A DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UM, COMMISSIONER COOK, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? YEAH, I, UM, I APPRECIATED THE PRESENTATION.
UH, I THINK THERE'S INTEGRITY ISSUES.
I THINK THERE'S ISSUES WITH THE STRENGTH OF THE MID-CENTURY MODERN CONNECTION ON THE DESIGN, ESPECIALLY WITH THE INTEGRITY ISSUES.
UH, AND IT'S ALSO FAR FLUNG OUTSIDE OF TOWN, NOT VISIBLE FROM THE ROAD.
UH, YOU MIGHT SEE THE ACRYLIC HOMEMADE WINDOWS FROM A BOAT IF YOU HAVE A BOAT, BUT IT JUST DOESN'T RISE TO THE LEVEL OF LANDMARK, UH, IN MY, IN MY OPINION.
I WILL ECHO THOSE COMMENTS AND ADD THAT I FEEL THAT THE HISTORIC ASSOCIATION IS NOT AS STRONG AS WE MIGHT NORMALLY LIKE TO SEE ON SOMETHING THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH.
UH, IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION TO BE HAD? COMMISSIONERS? I'LL JUST ASK THE QUESTION.
IS THERE ANY KNOWLEDGE ABOUT WHO THE ORIGINAL ARCHITECT WAS? I SAW THAT WAS NOT PART OF THE PACKAGE? I'M JUST CURIOUS.
THAT'S PROBABLY A QUESTION BOTH TO STAFF AND TO THE APPLICANTS ON THE LINE.
EITHER ONE, IF THERE'S ANY INFORMATION.
UM, THIS PROPERTY WAS ANNEXED LATER, SO WE DON'T HAVE THE ORIGINAL PERMITS, UH, FOR THE PROPERTY THAT MIKE KI INTO.
UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER FURTHER COMMENTS? I'LL CALL THE VOTE, UM, ON A MOTION TO, UH, RELEASE A DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY AYE.
THAT IS SEVEN IN FAVOR AND ALL THOSE OPPOSED IS ONE.
[25. PR-2024-042274 – 1205 Cotton St. ]
LAST DISCUSSION AGENDA ITEM IS NUMBER 2 5 1 2 0 5 COTTON STREET.THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1909 HOUSE.
IT'S A ONE STORY CRAFTSMAN BUNGALOW WITH HORIZONTAL SIDING, ONE OVER ONE WOOD WINDOWS AND A PARTIAL WITH PORCH SUPPORTED BY TAPERED POSTS, TOP STECCO PIERS.
IT FEATURES EXPOSED RAFTER TAILS BENEATH THE GABLE ROOF.
STEEP EAVES REAR ADDITION, MOVED ON TO THE LOT IN 1950.
COTTON STREET IS CURRENTLY USED AS A GARAGE.
THE HOUSE AT 1205 COTTON WAS CONSTRUCTED AROUND 1909.
ITS FIRST OCCUPANTS FOR THE PETER FAMILY WHO LIVED THERE ONLY FOR ABOUT A YEAR.
HENRY PETER SOLD THE HOUSE TO EDWARD, EDDIE T AND FE ESLER WHITE YEARWOOD IN DECEMBER OF 1912.
THE YEARWOOD NEWLYWEDS WERE BOTH EDUCATORS.
[02:10:01]
ET YEARWOOD WAS THE PRINCIPAL OF THE WEST AUSTIN SCHOOL AND THE DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT OF THE SUNDAY SCHOOL CONVENTION OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.FAE YEARWOOD WAS A TEACHER OF HISTORY AT ELSIE ANDERSON.
PROFESSOR YEARWOOD DIED ON MARCH 1ST, 1917.
UH, MRS. YEARWOOD COMPLETED TEACHING COURSEWORK AT GUADALUPE COLLEGE IN TEXAS COLLEGE IN SGU AND TYLER.
SHE ATTENDED TILSON COLLEGE AND RECEIVED HER BA FROM SAMUEL HOUSTON COLLEGE SHORTLY THEREAFTER BECAUSE BLACK TEACHERS COULD HONOR IN TEACHING CERTIFICATES IN TEXAS AT THE TIME.
SHE ALSO STUDIED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO AND THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA.
YEARWOOD TAUGHT AT ELSIE ANDERSON FROM 1917 UNTIL 1954 IN A 1971 RETROSPECTIVE ON HER YEARS OF SERVICE WITH ANDERSON HIGH, WITH HOME ECONOMICS DEAN MADDIE DERMAN.
DURDEN YEARWOOD RECOUNTS THE DISPARITY BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE SCHOOLS DURING THE ERA OF SEGREGATION.
YEARWOOD AND DURDEN ALSO RECALLED THE SIGNIFICANT DISCREPANCY BETWEEN WHITE TEACHERS PAY IN THEIR OWN AND HOW SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIONS EXPLAINED AWAY THIS INJUSTICE BY STATING THAT BLACK TEACHERS HAD A LOWER COST OF LIVING THAN WHITE ONES DURING THE 1950S.
AS SHE NEEDED RETIREMENT, YEARWOOD PURCHASED A SMALL HOUSE FROM NEXT DOOR AT 1203 COTTON STREET AND USED IT AS A RENTAL UNIT TAKING ON THREE RENTERS AT A TIME DURING THE FIFTIES TO SUPPLEMENT HER INCOME.
IN 1952, SHE BECAME ONE OF THE CHARTERED MEMBERS OF THE AUSTIN RETIRED TEACHERS ASSOCIATION, WHICH PREDATED THE STATEWIDE TEXAS RETIRED TEACHERS ASSOCIATION BY THE BY A YEAR THROUGHOUT HER LIFE, YEARWOOD SERVED WITH MANY CHARITABLE AND CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS AND INCLUDING SERVICE FOR 51 YEARS AS SECRETARY AND FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE LETTY MADISON CHAPTER OF THE ORDER OF THE EASTERN STAR AND SERVICE AS SECRETARY OF THE COMMUNITY WELFARE ASSOCIATION ALONGSIDE BOARD OF TRUSTEES PRESIDENT MADDIE DURDEN.
THE COMMUNITY WELFARE ASSOCIATION WAS FORMED IN 1927 TO PROVIDE MEETING SPACE AND HEALTH RESOURCES TO AFRICAN AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS, AND THEY OPENED THE HOUSE AND COMMUNITY CENTER IN 1929.
FES OR WHITE YEARWOOD REMAINED IN HER HOME AT 1205 COTTON UNTIL HER DEATH IN 1977.
UH, COMMISSIONER COOK, I'M, UH, GOING TO KIND OF GO AGAINST YOUR SURVEY, UM, COMMENTS EARLIER BECAUSE THE EAST AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY, UH, LIST THE PROPERTY AS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR INDIVIDUAL, LOCAL, OR NATIONAL DESIGNATION.
UM, HOWEVER, STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT MAY MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
UM, IT'S AN INTACT EXAMPLE OF A MODEST CRAFTSMAN BUNGALOW AND IS ASSOCIATED WITH MRS. EE YEARWOOD EDUCATOR AND FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE AUSTIN RETIRED TEACHER TEACHERS ASSOCIATION, TREASURER OF THE APA ALPHA, ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY M 51 YEAR VETERAN AND CHARTER MEMBER OF THE LETTING MADISON CHAPTER OF THE ORDER OF THE EASTERN STAR.
UM, THEREFORE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONSIDER INITIATION OF HISTORIC ZONING SHOULD THE COMMISSION DECIDE AGAINST INITIATION.
STAFF RECOMMENDS STRONGLY ENCOURAGING REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE, THEN RELOCATION OVER DEMOLITION, BUT RELEASE OF THE DEMOLITION PERMIT ONLY UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION FOR DEMOLITION? YES, WE HAVE SARAH DINI.
UH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS FOR HEARING.
UM, ME ON WE'RE OWNERS OF THE HOME.
UH, WE LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
MY PARTNER ERICA AND I, WHO'S IN THE, THE BACK THERE.
WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING IN EAST AUSTIN FOR A HOME FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF.
WE CURRENTLY RENT IN AN APARTMENT THERE.
UM, WE ACTUALLY LIVE RIGHT ACROSS FROM FRANKLIN BARBECUE, SO VERY NEAR THIS PROPERTY.
UM, WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE, THE ORIGINAL CHARACTER, UH, THROUGHOUT OUR LITTLE POCKET.
UM, SAN MARCO NINTH, EIGHTH STREET.
UM, AND AGAIN, UH, ON COTTON AND, AND AROUND THAT AREA.
UM, WE PURCHASED THIS HOUSE IN JANUARY OF, OF THIS YEAR.
UM, AND WE PURCHASED IT FROM OWNERS WHO BOUGHT IT AROUND 14 YEARS AGO.
AND RIGHT AS THEY BOUGHT IT, THEY NEVER OCCUPIED IT.
IT HAS BEEN RENTED IN THAT TIME.
AND REALLY THE CONDITION, UM, DETERIORATED.
THERE WERE NO UPGRADES TO THE HOME.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO SINCE WE'VE BOUGHT IT, WE HAVE HAD VARIOUS INSPECTORS OUT THERE, BUILDERS, ARCHITECTS.
I'VE ACTUALLY CONTACTED, WELL, TRIED TO CONTACT THE HISTORIC COMMISSION THROUGH EMAIL, UM, TO, TO KIND OF JUST TALK THROUGH SOME OF THIS, UM, AND MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, ANY DEMOLITION WOULDN'T VIOLATE ANY RULES.
UM, IN ANY EVENT, UH, AS THE, THE COMMENTS FROM, UM, STAFF MENTIONED, THERE WAS, UH, A GARAGE THAT WAS ADDED AFTER THE ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION OF THIS HOME.
[02:15:01]
I THINK IN, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GREAT WITH THE RECORDS AND I HAVEN'T SPENT MUCH TIME INVESTIGATING.I THINK SOMEWHERE IN THE EIGHTIES THERE WAS, UM, AN ADDITION FROM THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE THAT TIES IT TO THE GARAGE.
AND THE GARAGE IS A LOWER, UM, ROOF LINE.
SO YOU HAVE THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE WITH THE ORIGINAL ROOF LINE.
AND THEN AT SOME POINT THERE WAS AN ADDITION ADDED THAT WAS DONE KIND OF, UM, HAPHAZARDLY.
SO WHEN YOU'RE IN THE HOME, YOU ACTUALLY, UM, THERE'S THE, THE BACK OLD EXTERIOR WALL AND EXTERIOR EXIT, WHICH THEN IS ENCLOSED BY THIS ADDITION THAT WAS DONE KIND OF LIKE I MENTIONED IT HAPHAZARDLY.
UM, SO THE OLD EXTERIOR WALL STILL EXISTS IN THE HOME, UM, DURING OUR INSPECTIONS AND JUST VISIBLE INSPECTION, YOU CAN SEE WOOD ROT, YOU CAN SEE TERMITE DAMAGE, THERE ARE ACTIVE TERMITES, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, DETERIORATING THE HOME.
THERE'S MOLD VISIBLE THROUGHOUT THE HOME.
AND WE HAVE EVALUATED, YOU KNOW, PRESERVATION BECAUSE WE BELIEVE, YOU KNOW, IN BUILDING NICE THINGS WE WANNA LIVE IN NICE, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT FIT THE, THE INNATE.
DOES THAT MEAN I'M DONE? YES, IT DOES.
UH, IS ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE DEMOLITION APPLICATION? IS THERE ANYONE HERE IN OPPOSITION TO SPEAK? NO.
UM, WE HAD QUESTIONS IF YOU CAN COME BACK.
YEAH, SORRY, WE MADE, YEAH, SORRY.
I THINK WE BOTH HAVE QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONERS, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
WELL, YOU, YOU PROVIDE A LOT OF INFORMATION ON THE HOLMES' CONDITION.
MY QUESTION IS, DO YOU HAVE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS THAT, THAT YOU CAN DOCUMENT THOSE CONDITIONS.
YOU CAN DOCUMENT THE MOLD, YOU CAN DOCUMENT THE, THE TERMITE INFESTATION.
DO, DO YOU HAVE ALL THOSE? I HAVE, UM, A FORMAL INSPECTION THAT WAS COMPLETED AT THE TIME WE WERE EVALUATING WHETHER TO PURCHASE.
SO THAT, YES, IT DOES COMMENT ON ALL OF THOSE ITEMS. WE DO, I DON'T KNOW WHAT LEVEL OF DETAIL IT GOES IN FROM THE, TALKING ABOUT THE EIGHT, WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE AROUND THE EIGHTIES, THE, THE ADDITION THAT TIES TO THE GARAGE.
I DON'T RECALL WHAT IT SAYS IN REGARDS TO THAT.
BUT WE DO HAVE, UM, AN INSPECTION REPORT AND YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, WE'VE HAD ROOFERS OUT THERE.
WE'VE HAD HVAC CONTRACTORS, WE'VE HAD BUILDERS, ARCHITECTS, UM, THAT I, I GUESS WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR IS THE ACTUAL DOCUMENTATION.
YEAH, WE HAVE AN INSPECTION REPORT, BUT THE NOT WITH ME.
I I DIDN'T NO, I KNOW, BUT THE, THE BUILDERS, THE CONTRACTORS, YOU DON'T, THAT'S NOT DOCUMENTED.
THAT'S ALL N NO, THAT IS NOT DOCUMENTED.
HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE AN INSPECTION REPORT THAT IS VERY DETAILED IN THIS REGARD.
DOES THAT, UH, DOES THIS INSPECTION REPORT KNOW ANY STRUCTURAL DEFICIENCIES? UM, I'M ALSO CURIOUS IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE, WE'RE MISSING AND WE, WE NEED MORE INFORMATION ON STRUCTURE OR IF YOUR REPORT HAS ENOUGH.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS A VERY LONG REPORT.
UM, IT CAN CERTAINLY BE PROVIDED.
UH, I DON'T RECALL WHAT LEVEL OF DETAIL IT GOES INTO THE STRUCTURE IN, YOU KNOW, CANDIDLY, I DIDN'T THINK THAT THIS WOULD BE HISTORICALLY DESIGNATED 'CAUSE OF THE CRITERIA.
IT DIDN'T SEEM TO MEET IT FROM A STRUCTURE STANDPOINT, BUT HAPPY TO PROVIDE WHATEVER YOU WOULD WANT TO SEE THAT I HAVE.
HAVE YOU ALREADY DRAWN UP PLANS FOR WHAT'S GOING HERE OR? NO, PART OF THE, THE PROBLEM IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, THIS IS VERY COST SENSITIVE.
SO, YOU KNOW, I WAS, WHEN TALKING TO THE ARCHITECTS ABOUT HOW TO MOVE FORWARD, THEY RECOMMENDED, UM, YOU KNOW, APPLYING FOR A DEMOLITION PERMIT BECAUSE THEY KNEW THIS WOULD GO THROUGH HISTORIC REVIEW AS KIND OF A PROTECTIVE MEASURE RATHER THAN SPENDING MONEY ON PLANS TO THEN, YOU KNOW, HAVE TO GO, UM, SPEND ADDITIONAL DOLLARS TO KIND OF REDESIGN IT.
SO, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO TREAD LIGHTLY WITH COSTS HERE.
'CAUSE WE ALL KNOW THE AFFORDABILITY ISSUE.
WELL CONSIDER YOURSELF LUCKY THAT YOUR ARCHITECT GAVE YOU THAT WARNING.
'CAUSE UM, THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN HERE VERY OFTEN.
UH, I, I AM VERY GRATEFUL FOR IT, TO BE HONEST.
THE NEXT BATTLE IS IF, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE OUTCOME IS, IS ACTUALLY PUTTING SOMETHING APPROPRIATE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
'CAUSE UH, THIS IS A PRETTY IMPORTANT, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD.
YOU GOT SAN BERNARD STREET AND ALL THAT.
SO YEAH, I, I, CAN I COMMENT BACK ON THAT? MM-HMM.
[02:20:01]
BOXES.THAT'S WHY WE'VE BEEN RENTERS FOR A YEAR AND A HALF.
IT'S BEEN REALLY DIFFICULT TO FIND SOMETHING THAT IS QUALITY.
THERE'S ACTUALLY A HOUSE ACROSS THE STREET FROM THIS HOUSE THAT IS A, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH IT.
HOPEFULLY THAT NEIGHBOR'S NOT WATCHING.
UM, IT'S A BLUE HOUSE THAT IS JUST, THERE IS NO SOUL TO THIS HOUSE.
AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE HOPING THAT ONE DAY SOMEBODY COMES AND DOES SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, IN LINE WITH, UH, WHAT THE, WHAT THE AREA DESERVES.
IN YOUR DISCUSSIONS WITH YOUR ARCHITECT, HAVE YOU CONSIDERED REHABILITATION RESTORATION OR MAYBE REAR ADDITION? YES.
SO WE HAVE OF, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT WAS, WE WERE EVALUATING ALL OPTIONS.
THE PROBLEM WITH REHABILITATION IS, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF DEFICIENCIES AND THE FACT THAT THIS THING WAS LEFT IN DISREPAIR AND DEALING WITH THAT BACK EIGHTIES ADDITION THAT NEEDS TO BE TORN OFF.
LIKE THAT HAS TO BE TORN OFF AND RECONFIGURED.
WHAT THAT WOULD BASICALLY TAKE US TO IS A COMPLETE TAKING DOWN TO THE STUDS.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS ALL TALKING TO CONTRACTORS COULD TAKING IT DOWN TO THE STUDS COM STUDS COMPLETELY, YOU KNOW, FIGURING OUT THE EXTENT OF THE MOLD, THE, NOT THE MOLD, THE, UM, ROTTING FIGURING OUT THE EXTENT OF THE TERMITE DAMAGE BEHIND THE WALLS.
UM, SO WE WOULD BASICALLY BE TAKING IT DOWN TO THE STUDS AND MORE.
UM, AND WHEN WE RAN THOSE NUMBERS, IT QUICKLY BECAME EVIDENT THAT WE HAVE A COST ISSUE.
AND BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION OF WHERE THE HOUSE IS ON ITS SET BACK FURTHER THAN ITS PEERS ON THAT SAME STREET.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT, IF WE COULD ADD A SECOND UNIT, UM, YOU'RE REALLY, YOU KNOW, TO HELP WITH THE COST ISSUE, IT WE'RE REALLY PROHIBITED.
SO WE, WE REALLY EVALUATED ALL OPTIONS.
WE'VE SPENT FOUR, FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS NOW ON THIS.
ARE THESE NUMBERS YOU'RE WILLING TO SHARE? UM, SO WE CAN GET A BETTER IDEA OF THE REPAIR COST AND
WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO? SO, YOU KNOW, IT IS ALWAYS, IN TERMS OF BALLPARK NUMBERS, UM, I CAN CERTAINLY, IF, IF THAT'S DESIRED, I CAN CERTAINLY, IF KNOW, COMPILE THE INFORMATION THAT WAS GIVEN TO US.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, WE CAN GO FROM THERE.
AGAIN, I DIDN'T, WE DID NOT, WE REALLY DID NOT THINK THIS WOULD BE CAUGHT UP IN HISTORICAL, JUST GIVEN THE, THE, WHAT IT IS AND THE CONDITION AND THE CRITERIA.
WE WERE AWARE OF THE CRITERIA BEFORE WE PURCHASED THE HOME.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? SO MOVED AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER GROGAN, UH, MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER LA ROCHE.
SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER GROGAN TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
A AYE THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
DO I HEAR A MOTION ON THE CASE? I MOVE TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND POSTPONE TO NEXT MONTH'S AGENDA? UM, I I HAVE TO SECOND THAT.
AS MUCH AS I DON'T WANT TO KEEP KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
I, THERE'S A LOT WE JUST DON'T KNOW.
UH, COMMISSIONER RUBIO, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? YEAH, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T GET A LOT OF STRONG HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS.
WE HAVE SEEN THAT, UH, TO SEE THIS OWNER THAT'S BEEN THERE FOR THIS LONG AND HAVE SUCH AN IMPACT TO THE COMMUNITY.
I THINK WE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE RESEARCH.
I'D LIKE TO, UM, I THINK WE ALSO NEED TO TALK, GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM MAYBE COMMUNITY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, ALL THAT STUFF.
UM, THERE, YEAH, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WE WE SHOULD DIG INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE ARE OFTEN CONFRONTED WITH, WHILE THE HOUSE IS OF COMPLETE DESPAIR WITHOUT ANY SUBSTANTIVE DOCUMENTATION TO SUBSTANTIATE THAT CLAIM.
AND SO IT MAY BE THAT IS THE CASE.
UH, THE OWNER HAS STATED THAT THEY HAVE THE INFORMATION, SO IT'S JUST, I GUESS JUST A MATTER OF PROVIDING IT AND
[02:25:01]
GIVING US A CHANCE TO REVIEW IT AND, AND GO FROM THERE.COMMISSIONER EVANS LOOKS LIKE SHE WANTS TO SAY SOMETHING.
COMMISSIONER EVANS? YES, I SUPPORT, UH, POSTPONEMENT.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE INSPECTION REPORT AND MAYBE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
UH, I BELIEVE THERE'S A COMMUNITY EFFORT UNDERWAY TO, UH, GET THE SAN BERNARD AREA.
UH, HAVE IT BECOME A HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND IF MY GEOGRAPHY IS CORRECT, THIS COULD BE A, A CONTRIBUTING PROPERTY IN THAT DISTRICT.
AND ALSO, UH, BECAUSE OF THE ASSOCIATION WITH THE YEARWOOD FAMILY, ONE OF THE FOUNDING FAMILIES.
AND MS. SHERWOOD, ALTHOUGH SHE HAD LIMITED FINANCIAL MEANS, WAS QUITE A PHILANTHROPIST, UH, IN HER, IN HER OWN RIGHT.
SO, UM, I WOULD LIKE US TO GIVE A LITTLE MORE THOUGHT TO SOME OF THESE ISSUES.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? JUST ENCOURAGE THE APPLICANT TO ATTEND THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING.
UH, POSSIBLY IF YOU HAVE INFORMATION, WE CAN LOOK AT THAT INFORMATION, PROVIDE FEEDBACK.
UH, IT'S JUST A GOOD NEXT STEP TO PREPARE YOU FOR THE NEXT MEETING AND TALK WITH THREE OF US INFORMALLY NORMALLY.
YEAH, THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE IS REALLY GREAT, UM, FOR DISCUSSIONS AROUND DESIGN, UH, THAT AREN'T REALLY APPROPRIATE FOR THIS MEETING.
BUT ALSO, LIKE COMMISSIONER COOK JUST SAID, SOMETIMES IT'S JUST A GREAT HEAD START ON THIS MEETING AND, AND HAVING THAT INFORMAL SETTING TO GET INTO THE WEEDS A LITTLE BIT.
UM, YEAH, I'LL SAY THAT I THINK THE HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS ARE GREAT.
UM, I'D ALSO, YOU KNOW, TRY AND PLUG A A, A REWORKED HOME PRESERVATION INCENTIVE THAT COULD WORK HERE.
I WAS AFRAID THAT MAYBE THIS WAS A LITTLE TINY LOT AND THAT WOULDN'T MAKE SENSE, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE GOT A REASONABLY SIZED LOT.
UM, I THINK THAT THE MECHANICS OF IT WOULD BE, LET'S SAY THAT THE, UH, HOMEOWNER WANTS TO MOVE FORWARD USING THE INCENTIVE AS I ENVISIONED IN THE, THE HOME INITIATIVE, UM, THAT WOULD COME TO US AS A PARTIAL DEMOLITION APPLICATION.
AND SO JUST TOTALLY HYPOTHETICALLY, UM, IF THE OWNER WAS TO BE ABLE TO USE THAT INCENTIVE, WE WOULD STILL SEE THIS AND WE WOULD STILL JUDGE IT BASED ON THOSE MERITS.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, POSTPONE THIS TO OUR JUNE 5TH MEETING AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO OUR MAY 8TH ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY, AYE.
AND THAT WAS OUR FINAL DISCUSSION ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
UM, WE HAVE, WELL I SHOULDN'T SAY DISCUSSION ITEM 'CAUSE THE NEXT ONES ARE ALSO DISCUSSIONS.
[26. Approve budget recommendation for FY 2024-25. ]
APPROVE BUDGET RECOMMENDATION FOR FY 24 25.UM, I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR DRAFTING THIS, SO I'LL SPEAK TO IT, UH, THAT IT IS VERY MUCH AN ECHO OF PREVIOUS YEARS.
ASK, UM, TO CONTINUE SUPPORT OF THE EQUITY BASED PRESERVATION PLAN AND A LITTLE EXTRA ASK FOR FUNDING SO THAT WE MAY JOIN THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF PRESERVATION COMMISSIONS EACH INDIVIDUALLY AS HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS DOCUMENT? I JUST HAD A QUESTION ON SURVEYS OVERALL.
I KNOW WE'RE IN PROCESS OF DOING A SURVEY IN THE CENTRAL PART OF THE CITY, KIND OF DOWNTOWN AREA, RIGHT? UM, IS IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE WE'RE ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR MORE SURVEYS.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL TALKED ABOUT OR CONSIDERED? ESPECIALLY IN SOME OF THESE REGIONS? WE HAD A LOT OF HOUSES TONIGHT IN NORTH AUSTIN THAT WERE, YOU KNOW, NEWLY ANNEXED AREAS.
AND I DON'T THINK, EXCUSE ME, I DON'T THINK WE'VE SEEN MUCH IN LIKE DEEP SOUTH AUSTIN, YOU KNOW, SLAUGHTER BEN WHITE AND ALL THAT SOUTH OF THAT AREA.
UM, NOT BEN WHITE, SORRY, WILLIAM CANNON
UM, SO I'M JUST CURIOUS IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU ALL DISCUSSED THAT IS NOT, UH, WITHIN THIS DOCUMENT? THAT IS A GREAT COMMENT.
UM, I'M NOT SURE IF, LIKE WHAT, DO WE UNDERSTAND WHAT EXISTING FUNDING THERE IS FOR THOSE EFFORTS? AND I MEAN, WE DO SORT OF GENERICALLY ASK THAT EXISTING FUNDING BE MAINTAINED.
[02:30:05]
COULD WE ASK, COULD WE MODIFY THIS DOCUMENT TO ADDITIONAL PARAGRAPH THAT SAYS WE'D LIKE TO REQUEST ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO FACILITATE SURVEYS IN PREVIOUSLY UN SURVEYED AREAS OF AUSTIN THAT MAY CONTAIN HISTORIC RESOURCES? UH, YES, Y'ALL CAN MODIFY THAT.UM, OUR CURRENT SURVEY IS FUNDED THROUGH HOT TAX, UM, GRANT FUNDING.
SO, UM, THAT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT CAN BE CONSIDERED.
UM, BUT, UH, SAM, DO WE HAVE A TIMELINE ON WHEN THESE ARE DUE? WE DON'T HAVE AN EXACT DATE, BUT THIS IS PRETTY MUCH THE MEETING THAT WE NEED TO DECIDE.
I, MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE'RE OVERDUE AND SORT OF GETTING A BY THINK BY THE GRACE OF THAT'S CORRECT.
WE ARE ABOUT A MONTH LATE, BUT YEAH.
UM, WELL I'M INCAPABLE OF REPEATING WHAT I JUST SAID, BUT I THOUGHT IT SOUNDED GREAT AT THE TIME.
UM, I MOVED TO INCORPORATE THAT, UH, PER THE RECORDED RECORD INTO, UH, THIS DOCUMENT.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF RECORDING WHAT I PREVIOUSLY SAID IN, INTO THIS DOCUMENT.
UM, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY AYE AYE, AYE.
THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
UM, AND THEN THAT WAS A MOTION TO AMEND THIS DOCUMENT.
NOW WE DO NEED TO HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS BUDGET RECOMMENDATION AS AMENDED.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO DO THAT? SO MOVED.
I HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER RUBIO AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER COOK TO APPROVE THE BUDGET RECOMMENDATION AS VERY RECENTLY JUST AMENDED FOR FY 20 24, 25.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? I JUST WANTED TO NOTE IT WOULD BE NICE TO ASK FOR MORE STAFF, BUT SINCE WE ARE SO SEVERELY UNDERSTAFFED DUE TO STAFFING ISSUES IN GENERAL, UH, I THINK NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO ASK FOR MORE POSTINGS THAT WE CAN'T
WELL, I DO HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS.
UM, WE'VE EXTENDED OFFERS TO TWO POTENTIAL STAFFERS, UM, SENIOR PLANNER AND, UH, PLANNER THREE.
UM, HOPEFULLY THAT ALL WORKS OUT.
AND, UM, YEAH, IT'S UH, BEEN A LONG TIME COMING, SO GET READY TO SEE SOME NEW FACES.
Y'ALL DON'T HAVE TO JUST LISTEN TO ME ALL THE TIME ANYMORE.
WITH, WITH THOSE TWO POTENTIAL NEW HIRES, WILL WE STILL HAVE VACANCIES OR NO, I CAN'T KEEP UP WITH ALL OUR NUMBERS.
WE WILL STILL HAVE ONE OPEN VACANCY FOR THE DIVISION MANAGER.
UM, AND WE STILL WILL HAVE LOST ONE POSITION, UM, THAT WAS LOST IN 2020, UM, WHICH WAS ANOTHER SENIOR PLANNER POSITION.
ALRIGHT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO, UH, APPROVE THIS BUDGET RECOMMENDATION AS AMENDED FOR FY 20 24, 25, PLEASE SAY AYE OR RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
AND THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[27. Vote to approve letter to Council on University Junior High. ]
ITEM 27 IS VOTE TO APPROVE THE LETTER TO COUNSEL ON UNIVERSITY JUNIOR HIGH.UM, I WAS NOT AS INTEGRAL IN THIS AS I WAS IN THE LAST ONE.
I, AS A COMMISSIONER WANNA SPEAK TO THIS.
UM, YEAH, WE HAD NOTED IT WAS IN THE NEWS THAT THE ANTIQUITIES ADVISORY BOARD OF THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION HAD RECOMMENDED DESIGNATION OF THE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL.
UH, WE HAD A SPEAKER FORGOTTEN HIS NAME THAT WAS HERE IN OCTOBER, I THINK IT PRESENTED TO US AND KIND OF THE DISCUSSION ON THE DIOCESE, IT'S OUT OF OUR JURISDICTION, NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT.
BUT THAT SPEAKER WENT ON AND MA MADE THE APPLICATION HIMSELF AND GOT THE RECOMMENDATION FOR A DESIGNATION.
SO I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE NOW IS THE TIME FOR US TO, TO PITCH IN EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE AS KIND OF AN AMICUS BRIEF AS IT WERE, THAT EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE NO AUTHORITY.
AND SO, UH, COMMISSIONER RUBIO AND I DRAFTED THIS LETTER AND I DON'T THINK EVERYONE HAS SEEN IT.
AND GOD HELP ME IF I HAVE TO READ THE WHOLE THING RIGHT NOW.
I DIDN'T SEE IT WAS LISTED THERE, SO HOPEFULLY YOU'VE ALL SEEN IT.
UM, IT GOT A LITTLE WORDY, BUT UM, JUST THINKING IT THROUGH IS SUCH GREAT CONTEXT.
IT'S THE CONNECTION OF THE CITY AND THE STATE.
UH, IT TIES WITH THE CAMPUS, IT JUST CHECKS ALL THE BOXES, WHICH IS WHY I THINK, UM, THE ANTIQUITIES ADVISORY BOARD MADE THE EXTRAORDINARY, UH, RECOMMENDATION, UH, WHICH IS NOT TYPICAL FOR UNIVERSITY PROPERTIES WHERE WE TEND TO LET THEM MANAGE THEIR OWN BUSINESS.
UM, AND I THINK WE SHOULD PUT OUR 2 CENTS IN.
AND JUST FOR YOUR AWARENESS, IT IS IN THE BACKUP.
IT IS NOT NUMBERED WITH ITS AGENDA ITEM, BUT IT'S THE DRAFT HLC LETTER UNIVERSITY JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL.
[02:35:01]
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? I THINK THIS IS, THIS IS GREAT.I, I'LL JUST ADD, UM, YEAH, I REMEMBER WHEN WE HEARD THIS COME UP TO, TO COMMISSIONER A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, JUST, YOU KNOW, FILL IN HELPLESS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE JURISDICTION.
UM, BUT KUDOS TO THE, TO THE COMMUNITY FOR TAKING THIS UP, UH, TO, TO OUR TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION.
AND NOW, I MEAN, ESSENTIALLY IT'S BECOME A STATEWIDE ISSUE BECAUSE, UH, OUR TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION, YOU KNOW, HAS REPRESENTED US ALL OVER THE STATE.
SO, UH, AT LEAST WE'RE DOING OUR PART BY BEING ON RECORD FROM, FROM THIS JURISDICTION AND SAYING, UH, THIS PLACE DOES MATTER, UH, BEYOND WHAT'S WRITTEN IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER.
UH, I'M, I KNOW THAT THERE'S MANY PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT THIS BUT ARE AFRAID OF THE BIG BAD WOLF.
UH, BUT, UH, AT LEAST, UH, HOPEFULLY WE CAN SLOWLY HELP, UH, HELP THE PUBLIC DO THIS OUTREACH.
SO I MOVE TO APPROVE THE LETTER.
I WILL SECOND IT WITH THE CONDITION THAT WE, UM, JUST COMMEND THE INDIVIDUAL WHO WE DON'T HAVE THEIR NAME AT THE TIP OF OUR TONGUE, WHO CAME AND SPOKE TO US IN OCTOBER AND HAS DONE SO MUCH HARD WORK THEMSELVES.
I KNOW COMMISSIONER RUBIO ACKNOWLEDGED THAT PERSON AS THE COMMUNITY THAT REALLY WAS ONE PERSON BUSTING THEIR BUTT TO DO GREAT WORK.
UM, SO I'LL SECOND WITH THAT ADDITION, IF YOU'RE OKAY WITH THAT.
AND, UH, ON THAT, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF VOTING TO APPROVE THE LETTER TO COUNSEL ON THE UNIVERSITY JUNIOR HIGH, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY, AYE.
I'M GETTING DOWN TO THE REALLY HARD ONE GUYS AGENDA, ITEM
[28. Vote to nominate a Commissioner to serve on the Downtown Commission. ]
NUMBER 28, VOTE AND NOMINATED COMMISSIONER TO SERVE ON THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.UNFORTUNATELY, WITHIN OUR AGENDA THERE WASN'T AN INDIVIDUAL NAMED, SO MAY, MAY I ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THAT? DID, DID, DID THIS COME ABOUT AS TO MY ABSENCE IN THE FIRST QUARTER BECAUSE I WAS THAT DESIGNEE? AH, I'M NOT SURE.
AND I, I HAD SOME HEALTH ISSUES THAT I'M OVER NOW AND YEAH, SO IF THAT'S THE ISSUE, I I THINK IT'S RESOLVED.
UM, THE COMMISSION LIAISON REACHED OUT TO US TO ASK THAT WE, UH, FURNISH THE DESIGN COMMISSION WITH A COMMISSIONER FROM THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION.
UM, I BELIEVE THEY THOUGHT THE POSITION WAS VACANT.
SO, UM, THAT SEEMS LIKE WE'VE RESOLVED THAT ISSUE.
I'M HAPPY TO MAKE A MOTION TO RENOMINATE COMMISSIONER LAROCHE TO SERVE AS OUR REPRESENTATIVE TO THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER COOK? UM, I'LL, I'LL AMEND MY MOTION TO SAY HOW HAPPY I AM THAT COMMISSIONER LAROCHE IS IN GOOD HEALTH.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY AYE.
AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE, UH, HOW MANY IS THAT? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
AND I ASSUME WE HAVE ONE ABSTAINING, IS THAT CORRECT? COMMISSIONER ROCHE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
[29. Grants Committee]
UPDATES, UM, THE GRANTS COMMITTEE.UM, SAM, DO WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON WHEN WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO PULL THAT MEETING TOGETHER? YES, WE ARE MEETING ON MAY 6TH AND WE SHOULD HAVE A FULL ATTENDANCE THAT IS THIS COMING MONDAY? THAT'S CORRECT.
I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE THAT ON MY CALENDAR YET.
UM, AT WHAT TIME? 11:00 AM TO 1:00 PM OKAY.
UH, CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT, UH, ONE, I GUESS THAT I'M ON THE COMMITTEE AND THAT I GOT THE INVITE? YES,
I'LL FORWARD THE INVITE TO YOU IF IT DIDN'T MAKE IT TO YOU.
UM, OH, I, YOU KNOW WHAT, I SKIPPED OVER GRANTS AND I WENT STRAIGHT TO OPERATIONS, SO I, THAT WAS MY CONFUSION.
I'M NOT ON THE GRANTS COMMITTEE.
WHERE ARE YOU SURE YOU'RE ON THE GRANTS COMMITTEE?
GRANTS COMMITTEE IS MEETING ON MONDAY.
AND I'M NOT ON THAT COMMITTEE.
NO, THIS IS OUR FIRST MEETING IN A LONG TIME.
I REALLY LOST MYSELF THERE FOR A MINUTE.
[30. Operations Committee]
LET'S MOVE ON TO OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.WE KEEP SETTING UP, UH, INVITES, BUT NOTHING HAS WORKED FOR EVERYBODY SO FAR, SO WE'LL, WE'LL KEEP ON TRYING.
[31. Architectural Review Committee]
FROM THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.UM, YOU SAW FRUITS OF OUR LABOR ON A NUMBER OF CASES.
UH, PARAMOUNT STATE THEATER IS PRESENTED TO US.
UM, THEY'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE REPLICA OF THE STATE THEATER
[02:40:01]
SIGN IN LED, WHICH I AM PROBABLY LEADING THE CHARGE IN.ANY CONCERN ABOUT THAT MATCHING? WELL, AND SO I'M, I'M KIND OF WORKING WITH THEM OFFLINE IN TERMS OF WHAT I THINK WOULD BE BEST PRACTICES THERE.
AND ALSO THE REPLACEMENT OF THE BALCONY AND, AND WOOD REPAIR.
WE'RE CONVINCING THEM TO KIND OF TONE, TONE DOWN THAT SCOPE OF WORK SO IT'S NOT A FULL REPLACEMENT OF ORIGINAL, UH, CHARACTER DEFINING FEATURE OF THE BUILDING AND, AND JUST REPAIR WHAT NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED IN THE WAY THAT WILL PRESERVE THE BUILDING INTO THE FUTURE.
AND, AND THE, THE MURAL DISCUSSION ON THE OLD BAKERY WAS INTERESTING TOO, AND COULD SET SOME STANDARDS.
UH, THERE WAS A RECOMMENDATION TO USE MINERAL PAINTS INSTEAD OF ACRYLIC PAINTS TO ALLOW THE STONE TO CONTINUE TO BREATHE.
UM, THIS IS COULD BE KIND OF A STUDY FOR THE FUTURE OF MURALS, WHICH ARE ALSO ONE OF THE ITEMS LISTED IN THE DRAFT PRESERVATION PLAN.
GREAT SEGUE AND AN UPDATE FROM THE
[32. Preservation Plan Committee]
PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE.WE MAY HAVE TO ADD ON STATUS OF THAT.
I THINK OUR OTHER, OUR TWO MEMBERS WOULD BE COMMISSIONER CASTILLO AND I HEIM OTHER, BOTH NOT PRESENT AT THE MOMENT.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT, UH, WHEN IT CAME TO THE WINDSOR ROAD PROJECT, UM, I HAD SO MUCH TO TALK ABOUT WITH THAT ONE THAT I, I HOPE I DID IT JUSTICE IN THAT BRIEF MOMENT BEFORE WE ACTUALLY REALLY GOT INTO THE AGENDA.
I DID REFER TO THE DRAFT, UM, EQUITY BASED PRESERVATION PLAN AS TO HOW TO APPROACH, UM, A PROPERTY OR A HISTORIC ASSOCIATION WITH A COMPLICATED PAST.
AND IT WAS A USEFUL RESOURCE IN THAT REGARD.
UM, SO THANK YOU TO THOSE PEOPLE'S HARD WORK.
UM, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING? WE MIGHT WANNA JUST NOTE FROM THAT COMMITTEE, SINCE NO ONE'S HERE, WE HAVE A, A BLOCK PARTY THAT THE CITY IS HELPING TO SPONSOR MAY 18, 19TH, IT'S A SATURDAY.
UM, I KNOW KARA IS WORKING REALLY HARD ON THAT, SO I'M SURE SHE'D LOVE OUR SUPPORT AND SUPPORT FROM, UH, A LOT OF THE PRESERVATION PLAN, WORKING, UH, WORKING GROUP AND ALL THAT STUFF.
SO THOUGHT I'D AT LEAST MENTION IT.
AND ALSO THE OPEN HOUSE AT THE BROKEN SPOKE FROM FOUR TO SIX 30 SHOULD BE AN INTERESTING ONE.
THIS IS THE LAST MONTH OF THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT SECTION, SO THEY'RE REALLY PUSHING TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE HEARS THAT WE WANT TO HEAR FROM THEM.
UM, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED A SECOND AND, UH, LET'S JUST GET TO IT.