[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:07]
WE ARE, UH, ON JULY 3RD, 2024 AT 6:00 PM STARTING THE, UH, MEETING OF THE HISTORIC LANDMARKS COMMISSION.
UH, I AM GOING TO, UH, READ OVER THE AGENDA AND WILL, UH, HAVE AN INDICATION OF, UH, ACTIONS THAT WE WILL TAKE.
UH, THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE AN ACTION THAT IS POSTED ON CONSENT, IF WE PASS YOUR ITEM WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA, IT'LL BE A VOTE WE'LL TAKE LATER IN THE MEETING.
PLEASE BE AWARE, THAT MEANS YOUR ITEM HAS BEEN APPROVED, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO STICK AROUND UNLESS YOU WANT TO.
UH, THERE ARE GONNA BE SOME ITEMS THAT WILL BE POSTED FOR POSTPONEMENT, AND THOSE WE WILL HAVE SPECIFIC MEETING DATES THAT WE'LL POSTPONE THOSE TWO IF THAT'S THE CASE, AND THE REST OF THE ITEMS WILL BE POSTED FOR DISCUSSION AND WHATEVER APPROPRIATE ACTION WILL BE TAKEN.
SO, UH, WELCOME TO THE MEETING AND APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING HERE ON THE DAY BEFORE THE 4TH OF JULY.
BEFORE WE GET STARTED, LET ME CALL ON STAFF TO, UH, CALL ROLL.
ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONER BEN HEIM PRESENT, COMMISSIONER WIT FEATHERSTON PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER KEVIN COOK IS ABSENT TODAY.
COMMISSIONER CHUCK LAROCHE IS ALSO ABSENT TODAY.
COMMISSIONER HARMONY GROGAN PRESENT.
SEEMS TO BE AWAY FROM HER CAMERA.
COMMISSIONER RAVEN CASTILLO IS NOT PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER JUAN JUAN RAVEN RUBIO.
COMMISSIONER TARA DUDLEY PRESENT.
AND THAT DOES CONSTITUTE A QUORUM SO THE MEETING CAN PROCEED.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
UH, HOWEVER, WITH PUBLIC COMMUNICATION, THESE, UH, ARE THREE MINUTE SLOTS THAT ARE ALLOTTED TO PEOPLE WHO WISH TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION ON ITEMS THAT ARE NOT PERTAINING TO ANYTHING ON THE AGENDA.THIS IS NOT A CHANCE TO DISCUSS ANYTHING ON THE AGENDA, BUT MORE GENERAL ITEMS THAT MIGHT BE OF INTEREST OR CONCERN, UH, TO THE COMMISSION.
SO, UM, SAM, DO WE HAVE, UH, ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? YES.
MS. ORRIN, WOULD YOU PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE? UH, IDENTIFY YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD.
MY NAME IS BONNIE ORR AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE HOUSE AT 4 0 9 EAST MONROE STREET.
I LIVE NEXT DOOR TO THIS HOUSE, AND I'M CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT.
I'M SURE YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THIS HOUSE BECAUSE SEVERAL OF US FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THIS HOUSE OVER THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF OR TWO YEARS.
IT'S A SUR, A STURDY, SOLID, HISTORIC HOME BUILT UP HARDWOOD AND BUILT TO LAST.
AND THE, UM, THIS COMMITTEE AGREED THAT IT'S WORTH SAVING.
THE OWNER BOUGHT THE HOUSE TWO YEARS AGO AND PROMISED TO RESTORE IT.
UH, HE ATTEMPTED TO DEMOLISH THE HOUSE IN JANUARY OF 2023, BUT HE WAS STOPPED AND THE DEMOLITION WAS DENIED BY THE LANDMARK COMMITTEE COMMISSION.
UH, HE THEN SUBMITTED A PLAN TO RESTORE THE HOUSE, AND THE PLAN WAS APPROVED BY YOU IN MARCH OF 2023.
HOWEVER, SINCE THEN, NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO PRESERVE THE HOUSE OTHER THAN A FENCE.
A CHAINLINK FENCE WAS PUT AROUND THE HOUSE TO PREVENT TRESPASSING AFTER SQUATTERS WERE FOUND TO BE LIVING IN THE GARAGE APARTMENT.
ABOUT THREE MONTHS AGO, A REAL ESTATE AGENT SIGN APPEARED, UM, OUTSIDE THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE.
THE GARAGE APARTMENT WAS CLEANED OUT, AND THERE'S A LARGE PILE OF DEBRIS IN THE SIDE YARD NEXT TO US, INCLUDING TABLES, CHAIRS, SHELVES, MATTRESS SHEET ROCK, BAGS OF TRASH AND WEEDS GROWING AROUND IT.
THERE'S AN UPHOLSTERED COUCH SITTING IN THE FRONT YARD.
UH, THIS DEBRIS IS BREEDING MOSQUITOES IN THE RAIN AND INVITING SMALL ANIMALS TO NEST WHO COULD ALSO DO DAMAGE TO THE HOUSE.
IT'S BEEN THERE FOR THREE MONTHS NOW.
WE HAVE CALLED 3 1 1 TWICE ABOUT IT, BUT IT'S STILL THERE.
UM, SEVERAL UPSTAIRS WINDOWS HAVE BEEN OPEN CONTINUALLY, AND THEN ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO, WE NOTICED THREE DOWNSTAIRS DOORS TO THE OUTSIDE WERE WIDE OPEN ALSO.
UM, I CALLED THE REAL ESTATE AGENT, WHOSE NAME IS IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE TO LET HIM KNOW THAT THE HOUSE WAS OPEN AND THAT ANIMALS AND INSECTS COULD GET IN AND DO SOME DAMAGE TO THE INSIDE.
[00:05:01]
HE SAID NOT TO WORRY THAT THEY WERE ABOUT TO BEGIN RENOVATION OF THE HOUSE, UM, BUT THE DOORS WERE OPEN FOR TWO MONTHS AFTER THAT.UM, I NOTICED A FEW DAYS AGO THAT THE DOORS WERE NOW CLOSED, BUT THE, THE SAME WINDOWS ARE STILL OPEN UPSTAIRS.
OUR NEIGHBORS ALSO TALKED TO, UM, AND EMAILED WITH, UH, THE CODE INSPECTORS ABOUT OUR CONCERNS.
UM, WE THINK THIS APPEARS TO BE A DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT, AND MY QUESTIONS ARE, IS THERE A CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING WHAT A DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT IS? UH, IS THERE ANY ENFORCEMENT THAT CAN BE DONE TO STOP A DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT? AND WHO WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ENFORCEMENT? UH, WE'VE WATCHED THIS HOUSE BE NEGLECTED FOR TWO YEARS NOW, AND WE WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO SEE THIS HISTORIC HOME RESTORED.
SO I THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION.
AND, UM, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS NOT A POSTED ITEM, BUT JUST WHAT YOU'VE RAISED, THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS ARE THE APPROPRIATE PLACE.
AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP REINFORCE OR, OR ADD TO YOUR REQUESTS THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE, BUT ALL ENFORCEMENT GOES THROUGH CODE OFFICIALS AND EVEN THE BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION HAS THE ABILITY TO TAKE ANY KIND OF DEFINITIVE, PUNITIVE ACTIONS OR, UM, RE REMEDIAL ACTIONS IF NECESSARY.
UH, I KNOW THAT'S MORE EXTREME CASE.
THE VERY THING YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT ON A CITYWIDE BASIS.
SO WE THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT UP BECAUSE, UH, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTONE WHO CHAIRS THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, YOU MAY WANNA HAVE A COMMENT OR TWO ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE AWARE OF WITH THE DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT.
UH, BASICALLY IT, SINCE THERE, IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE'VE WORKED ON IT.
UH, THERE ARE ITEMS THAT ARE GETTING, THEY'RE FALLING BETWEEN THE CRACKS AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT.
UH, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON, DID YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTION OR COMMENT BASED ON THAT? YEAH, I'D SAY THAT, UM, FOR REFERENCE, YOU COULD LOOK AT THE, UH, OUR MEETING FROM LAST MONTH WHEN WE HAD, UH, SOMETHING FROM CITY STAFF COME HELP US EXPLAIN HOW THEY RESPOND TO CODE COMPLAINTS, UM, AND DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT.
AND I THINK IN THAT PRESENTATION, WE REALIZED, UH, I MEAN, IT'S GONNA BE A HEAVY LIFT, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS WE COULD BE DOING THAT BETTER.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S A LOT OF ENTRENCHED, UM, CITY PROCEDURES AND POLICY AND BUREAUCRACY.
UH, AND WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO DIG INTO THAT SOME AT OUR OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING, WHICH IS SCHEDULED FOR JULY 22ND.
AND WE'RE JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A, A BETTER WAY FORWARD THAT WE CAN WORK WITH THE REST OF THE CITY TO ENSURE THAT THIS STOPS HAPPENING OR IS WE HAVE GOT MORE OF A, UM, CONSEQUENCES, AS I SAY TO MY TODDLERS, UH, CONSEQUENCES FOR ACTIONS.
AND AGAIN, WE APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION.
UM, IN THE MEANTIME, WHAT ACTIONS CAN WE TAKE ON THIS CASE? IS IT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN BRING FORTH ON A FUTURE AGENDA? UM, WE'VE HEARD FROM MULTIPLE CITIZENS.
THIS CASE HAS OBVIOUSLY BEEN IN THE CITY, YOU KNOW, ISSUE OR FOR MINE FOR OVER A YEAR NOW.
I SHARE IN THEIR FRUSTRATIONS.
IT'S KIND OF CRAZY THAT WE'RE HERE.
SO WHAT CAN WE DO?
UM, IT'S MOSTLY IN THEIR HANDS.
SO, UM, I'LL REACH OUT TO, UM, INSPECTOR MOORE, UH, DIVISION DIRECTOR MOORE, WHO WAS HERE LAST MONTH TO SEE, UM, WHAT, IF ANYTHING WE CAN DO AT THIS JUNCTURE AND THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN, CAN DO NOW, UM, WHAT ACTIONS WE CAN TAKE IN THE FUTURE TO HOPEFULLY, UM, CATCH THESE THINGS EARLY.
UM, WE, WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE BEING FINED OR ANYTHING ELSE, IF THERE'S ANY VIOLATIONS THAT'S A, A QUESTION FOR MORE.
WELL, WE'LL HOPEFULLY GET MORE INFORMATION AND WORK ON THIS AS AN OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, BUT I THINK AT SOME POINT WE PROBABLY ALSO NEED TO VISIT THE, THE BUILDING COMMISSION, UM, BUILDING CODE COMMISSION AS WELL, AND LET THEM KNOW THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT'S COMING INTO OUR, YOU KNOW, MEETINGS AS WELL.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER OPERATIONS COMMITTEE GETS THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS, I THINK IT'S WORTH SOME FACE TIME WITH THAT COMMISSION AS WELL TO SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, CAN WE MAKE THINGS HAPPEN AND MAKE THINGS WORK? SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEING HERE.
WE, WE, AGAIN, WE, I, WE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT, SO WE DO.
UH, LET THE RECORD NOTE THAT COMMISSIONER
[00:10:01]
ALVAREZ, UH, IS NOW SIGNED IN WELCOME AND, UM, COMING WITH US FOR JOINING US VIRTUALLY.UH, DO WE HAVE SOMEONE ELSE SIGNED UP FOR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION? YES.
I'M SORRY, I CAN'T READ THE HANDWRITING VERY WELL, BUT A MR. OR MRS. THOMPSON, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE IF YOU'RE HERE IN THE ROOM IS SOMEBODY WHO, WHO SIGNED THAT WAS IT.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE GOING TO SIGN YOU'RE, YOU'RE READY TO SPEAK ON ONE, ONE OF THE CASES, IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY, WE'LL WAIT FOR YOU THEN.
UM, AND IS THERE ANYBODY WHO'S, UH, PHONED IN WHO WISHES TO PROVIDE CITIZEN COMMUNICATION? UH, I'D LIKE TO TAKE THE MOMENT DURING THIS PERIOD OF TIME, UH, AS CHAIR TO ALSO RECOGNIZE, UH, THE PASSING OF ONE OF OUR FORMER MEMBERS, CAROLYN WRIGHT.
UH, SHE WAS A LONGTIME LANDMARKS COMMISSION MEMBER, SERVED, UH, ON MANY COMMITTEES, INCLUDING I KNOW THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE, AND, UH, WAS A MEMBER OF THE TEXAS HISTORIC COMMISSION, UH, STAFF.
UM, SO AGAIN, I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE TO ACKNOWLEDGE HER, UH, LONGSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS, UH, BOTH TO THIS COMMISSION, BUT TO THE FIELD OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION AS A PROFESSIONAL.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME PUT THAT ON THE RECORD.
UH, LET ME NOW GO THROUGH THE AGENDA AND THE ITEM NUMBER ONE, UH, WILL BE THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES.
AND AS WE MENTIONED, THAT WILL BE A CONSENT ITEM.
UH, THAT'S NOT NORMALLY ONE THAT WE DISCUSS, SO IT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
UM, ITEM NUMBER TWO DOESN'T REQUIRE ANY ACTION.
THAT WILL BE A BRIEFING ON OUR EQUITY BASED PRESERVATION PLAN AND THE OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT, UH, PROCESS.
UH, AND WE HAVE STAFF HERE THAT WILL BE PRESENTING SHORTLY.
UH, THE NEXT ITEMS ARE, UH, APPLICATIONS, UH, EITHER OF A HISTORIC LANDMARK OR A PROPERTY THAT'S IN A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND THESE REQUIRE CERTIFICATES OF A, UH, OF APPROPRIATENESS.
UH, THE FIRST ITEM, ITEM NUMBER THREE IS 8 0 1 LYDIA STREET.
AND THE APPLICANT HAS REQUESTED A POSTPONEMENT.
UH, SO THAT WOULD BE, UH, IF THAT IS APPROVED, THAT WOULD BE POSTPONED TO OUR NEXT, UH, AUGUST MEETING ITEM NUMBER 4 18 0 7 EAST CESAR CHAVEZ STREET.
UH, THAT IS THE BURNER CLARK MERCADO HOUSE.
UH, THAT IS ALSO A POSTPONEMENT REQUEST BY THE APPLICANT, AND THAT WOULD AGAIN BE TO THE AUGUST 7TH MEETING.
UH, ITEM NUMBER FIVE, THIS IS 10 0 3 EAST NINTH STREET.
THIS IS A PROPERTY IN THE ROBERTSON, STEWART AND MAYOR LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UH, THIS IS A PARTIAL DEMOLITION WITH AN ADDITION REMODEL TO BUILD NEW CONSTRUCTION OF AN ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT.
UH, THIS HAS BEEN POSTPONED FROM OUR JUNE 5TH MEETING.
I DO BELIEVE THAT THEY, UM, HAVE MET WITH THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE.
THE NEXT ITEMS ARE ITEMS THAT ARE IN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS.
THESE ARE PERMITS THAT, UH, WE ARE ABLE TO REVIEW ITEM NUMBER SIX AT SIX 11 EAST SIXTH STREET.
UH, THIS IS IN THE SIXTH STREET NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
IT'S A NEW CONSTRUCTION, UH, PROPOSAL, UH, THAT WAS POSTPONED FROM OUR JUNE 5TH MEETING.
THEY ALSO MET WITH THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE.
UH, I HAVE SEEN THE REVISED PLANS, AND I DO BELIEVE THERE WAS A POSITIVE RESPONSE FROM, UH, THAT COMMITTEE AS WELL.
SO THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 7 15 19 ALAMEDA DRIVE, THAT'S IN THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
THIS IS NEW CONSTRUCTION, UH, THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
I DO BELIEVE WE HAVE SOMEBODY WHO WANTS TO SPEAK ON THAT.
IS THAT CORRECT? I HAVE SOMEHOW I HAVE DISCUSSION ON MY LIST.
WE HAVE A SPEAKER AND OPPOSITION.
WE DO HAVE A SPEAKER AND OPPOSITION, AND IF THEY'RE HERE TONIGHT, THEN WE WILL GO AHEAD AND NOT HAVE THAT ON CONSENT, BUT IN FACT HAVE THAT AS A DISCUSSION.
CASE ITEM NUMBER 8 2100 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.
THAT'S IN THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER.
HISTORIC DISTRICT, UH, THIS IS AN APPLICATION FOR A PARTIAL DEMOLITION AND AN ADDITION.
UM, THIS IS ANOTHER GROUP THAT, UH, HAVE CONSULTED WITH OUR ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE.
UH, THEY WERE POSTPONED FROM THE JUNE 5TH MEETING, AND THAT IS NOW OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER NINE, 900 SPENCE STREET IN THE WILLOW SPENCE NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UH, THIS IS AN APPLICATION FOR TOTAL DEMOLITION AND THIS ITEM IS POSTED FOR
[00:15:01]
DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER 10 14 0 9 ALTA VISTA IN THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER.HISTORIC DISTRICT, UH, AGAIN, WE HAVE A PROPOSED A REQUEST FOR TOTAL DEMOLITION.
THIS WAS POSTPONED FROM OUR JUNE 5TH, UH, MEETING, AND IT IS POSTED FOR DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER 11.
THIS IS A 1607 KENWOOD AVENUE IN THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UH, THIS IS THE PROPOSAL FOR CONSTRUCTION OF AN ADDITION.
AND WE HAVE A SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION AND IT IS POSTED FOR DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER 12 17 0 1 WEST 32ND STREET IN THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
UH, THIS IS A FIRE DAMAGED PROPERTY.
WE ARE, THEY ARE REQUESTING TOTAL DEMOLITION AND NEW CONSTRUCTION.
UM, LET SEE, THIS WAS, I SEE THIS WAS POSTED FOR CONSENT.
ALRIGHT, ITEM NUMBER 13 4200 WILSHIRE PARKWAY, THE WILSHIRE WOOD NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT, UH, THIS IS A DEMOLITION, UH, PROPERTY, UH, REQUEST OF THE PROPERTY.
AND THAT IS POSTED FOR CONSENT CHAIR.
I'D LIKE TO PULL ITEM NUMBER 13 4200 WILSHIRE PARKWAY.
ALRIGHT, SO THAT WILL BE FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM NUMBER 14 12 0 5 WEST 10TH STREET, WEST LINE NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UH, THIS AGAIN IS TOTAL DEMOLITION WITH A NEW CONSTRUCTION, AND THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT CHAIR.
THIS ITEM IS A APPLICATION FOR A PARTIAL DEMOLITION AND REHAB.
I BEG YOUR PARDON ON NUMBER 14, YOU SAID ITEM 14 IS FOR A PARTIAL DEMOLITION AND REMODEL.
SOMEHOW IT'S A TOTAL, A PARTIAL DEMOLITION AND REMODEL.
THAT'S 1205 WEST 10TH STREET, ITEM NUMBER 14.
AND IT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
THE NEXT ITEMS ARE PROPERTIES THAT ARE REQUESTING DEMOLITION OR RELOCATION PERMITS.
AND UH, THE FIRST ONE IS ITEM NUMBER 15 73 0 4 KNOX LANE.
AND THAT IS OFFERED FOR, UM, OH, THE APPLICANT HAS REQUESTED A POSTPONEMENT.
THIS WAS POSTPONED FROM OUR JUNE 5TH MEETING.
THE APPLICANT NOW IS, UH, ASKING FOR A REQUEST, UH, FOR POSTPONEMENT TO OUR AUGUST MEETING.
ITEM NUMBER 17, UH, TEN FOUR THIRTEEN TEN ONE OH FOUR ONE THREE SOUTH IH 35 SERVICE ROAD.
AND THIS IS A CITY OWNED PROPERTY.
UH, THE APPLICANT IS PARRED AND THEY ARE ASKING FOR A POSTPONEMENT, UH, TO THE AUGUST MEETING.
ITEM NUMBER 18 AT 4,700 SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE, NUMBER 10.
THIS IS A DEMOLITION REQUEST AND THIS IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
THE APPLICANT HAS REQUESTED A POSTPONEMENT FOR THIS.
THE APPLICANT WOULD LIKE A POSTPONEMENT, RIGHT? ALL RIGHT.
NUMBER 19 17 0 2 EAST MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
UH, THIS IS A DEMOLITION REQUEST.
IT WAS, UH, POSTPONED FROM OUR JUNE 5TH MEETING, AND THAT IS OFFERED FOR, UH, THAT IS REQUESTING AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT.
AND ITEM NUMBER 20, UH, 1704 EAST MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
UH, ONCE AGAIN, A DEMOLITION REQUEST.
UH, THIS ALSO HAS, UH, POSTPONEMENT REQUEST FROM THE APPLICANT.
ITEM NUMBER 21 37 11 GILBERT STREET.
THIS IS A DEMOLITION REQUEST AND THE ITEM IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 22 47 0 4, SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE, NUMBER 16.
THAT ITEM IS OFFERED, THAT IS A RELOCATION REQUEST, AND THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 23 47 0 4 SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE.
[00:20:01]
15.UH, THIS IS ALSO A RELOCATION REQUEST THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 24 46 0 5 CASWELL AVENUE.
THAT IS, UH, RELOCATION REQUEST THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 25 46 20 CREST WAY DRIVE.
UH, THIS IS A DEMOLITION REQUEST THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT CHAIR.
I'D LIKE TO PULL ITEM NUMBER 25 46 2 OH CREST WAY DRIVE.
THAT WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY, IS ITEM NUMBER 24 CASWELL AVENUE A DEMOLITION OR RELOCATION? I, UH, IT SAYS IN OUR MATERIAL HERE IT IS A RELOCATION.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
UM, ITEM NUMBER 26 1500 EAST 12TH STREET.
THIS IS A TH THIS IS, UH, A DISCUSSION ITEM, ITEM NUMBER 27 18 14 ARROW WAY.
UH, PARTIAL DEMOLITION REQUEST.
AND THAT IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 28 33 10 BOWMAN AVENUE.
UH, THIS IS A PARTIAL DEMOLITION REQUEST THAT IS OFFERED FOR DISCUSSION.
UH, WE DO HAVE SEVERAL COMMISSION ITEMS. UH, ITEM NUMBER 29.
UH, WE HAVE, UM, PROPOSAL FOR THE INITIATION OF HISTORIC ZONING FOR THE ANNE AND ROY BUTLER HYKEN BIKE TRAIL.
UH, THAT IS THE, ON THE, ON THE BIKE TRAIL, THE FANNIE DAVIS TOWN LAKE GAZEBO.
AND, UH, IN YOUR BACKUP COMMISSIONERS, YOU'LL SEE A LETTER FROM, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, RUBIO AND COMMISSIONER COOK, UH, SUPPORTING THAT ACTION.
AND THAT WILL BE POSTED FOR ACTION ITEM NUMBER 30, UH, 1300 SPRINGDALE ROAD, THE BETHANY CEMETERY.
UH, THAT IS ALSO A SUGGESTION OR REQUEST FOR INITIATION OF HISTORIC ZONING.
UH, AND YOU'LL SEE IN YOUR BACKUP A LETTER FROM COMMISSIONER RUBIO.
I DO BELIEVE WE ALSO HAVE, UH, COMMISSIONER EVANS, WHOSE, UH, ADDED HER REQUEST AS WELL.
IS THAT CORRECT? I SEE COMMISSIONER EVANS NODDING HER HEAD YES,
ALRIGHT, SO AGAIN, THAT WILL BE POSTED FOR, UH, ACTION.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE A, UM, RECOMMENDATION REGARDING THE SCULPTURE GARDEN AND MUSEUM, UH, AT THE, UM,
THAT HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO AUGUST.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE ACTUALLY PUT OFF OFFICER ELECTIONS.
SO WE ARE POSTED FOR OFFICER ELECTIONS TONIGHT.
WE HAVE TWO POSITIONS, CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR.
SO WE'LL TAKE THAT UP AT THAT TIME.
AND THEN BEFORE THE MEETING IS OVER, WE'LL HAVE REPORTS FROM OUR GRANTS OPERATIONS ARCHITECTURE REVIEW AND PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEES.
ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE I GO THROUGH THE CONSENT AGENDA? OKAY.
[Consent Agenda]
THOSE ITEMS THAT CURRENTLY WE HAVE POSTED FOR CONSENT.THE FIRST ONE IS ITEM NUMBER ONE, UH, THE MINUTES FROM, UM, JUNE 5TH, OUR LAST MEETING.
THE NEXT CONSENT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
THAT IS 10 0 3 EAST NINTH STREET.
THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER 6 6 11 EAST SIXTH STREET.
NEXT CONSENT ITEM IS 1519 ALAMEDA DRIVE.
THAT ONE HAS A SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION.
OH, WE HAVE A SPEAKER IN OPPOSITION.
OKAY, SO WE'LL TAKE, REMOVE THAT FROM THE, AND BY THE WAY, IF ANYBODY IS HERE TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM AND DOES NOT WISH IT TO STAY ON CONSENT, LET ME KNOW.
WE WILL REMOVE IT FROM THE AGENDA AS I, AS I REVIEW IT RIGHT NOW.
SO, UH, THAT WILL NOT BE PART OF THE CONSENT.
NUMBER SEVEN WILL NOT BE PART OF THE CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER 8 2100 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.
UH, THAT IS, UH, ADDED TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THE NEXT CONSENT ITEM, ITEM NUMBER 14 12 0 5 WEST 10TH STREET.
UH, CHAIR ITEM NUMBER 12 IS ALSO ON THE CONSENT.
OH, I DID NOT SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER, I DID NOT HAVE THAT.
AND ITEM, UH, THAT IS ITEM NUMBER
[00:25:01]
12 17 0 1 WEST 32ND STREET.THANK YOU I FOR CATCHING THAT.
ITEM 14, THAT IS 1205 WEST 10TH STREET.
UH, ITEM NUMBER 21 37 11 GILBERT STREET, ITEM NUMBER 22 47 0 4 SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE NUMBER 16 23 47 0 4 SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE NUMBER 15 24, 46 0 5 CASWELL AVENUE.
ITEM NUMBER 27 18 14 AERIAL WAY.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THOSE ARE THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I'LL MOVE TO, UH, APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UH, MOVED BY COMMISSIONER HORTER.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GROGAN.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND I SEE THAT IT IS UNANIMOUS.
ALRIGHT, THE NEXT ITEMS WILL BE THOSE ITEMS THAT HAVE REQUESTED POSTPONEMENTS.
UH, IN FACT, ALL OF THESE HAVE BEEN REQUESTED BY YES.
THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE, UH, HAD ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, THEY HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
AND YOU'RE WELCOME TO JOIN US IF YOU ARE SO INCLINED, BUT YOU MAY GO HOME,
ALL THOSE ITEMS THAT, UH, WE HAVE AS POSTPONEMENTS, I BELIEVE WERE ALL REQUESTED BY THE APPLICANTS.
UM, ITEM NUMBER THREE IS, UH, 8 0 1 LYDIA STREET.
AND BY THE WAY, ALL OF THESE ARE REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT TO OUR AUGUST MEETING ITEM NUMBER 4 18 0 7 EAST CESAR CHAVEZ STREET.
THE NEXT ONE IS ITEM NUMBER 15, I BELIEVE IS THE NEXT ONE.
THAT'S 73 0 4 KNOX LANE, 16 12 0 5 COTTON STREET.
THE TEN FOUR THIRTEEN SOUTH I 35 SERVICE ROAD, NB, UH, THAT IS OFFERED FOR POSTPONEMENT, UH, 4,700 SOUTH, SOUTH, SOUTH, SOUTH, 4,700 SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE NUMBER 10, ITEM 18, UM, 1702 EAST MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
BOULEVARD, ITEM 19, ITEM 20 17 0 4 EAST MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
AND I BELIEVE THAT, OH, ITEM NUMBER 31, UH, THE RECOMMENDATION REGARDING THE, UM, LAF SCULPTURE GARDEN.
SO, UH, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO POSTPONE THE PREVIOUS ITEMS. COMMISSIONER MWATER, IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER GROGAN.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE POSTPONEMENTS INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
SO WHAT IS UNANIMOUS? THANK YOU.
ALRIGHT, I BELIEVE THAT BRINGS
[2. Briefing on community outreach and engagement for the Equity-Based Preservation Plan]
US UP TO OUR FIRST ITEM, WHICH IS ITEM NUMBER TWO, A BRIEFING ON THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT FOR THE EQUITY-BASED PRESERVATION PLAN.AND WE HAVE TRON AND GREG, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
I'M KARA BERTRAN WITH THE CITY'S PLANNING DEPARTMENT IN THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE.
I'M HERE WITH MY COLLEAGUE GREG FERRA, AND WE ARE EXCITED TO GIVE Y'ALL AN UPDATE ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR THE EQUITY BASED PRESERVATION PLAN.
THE NEXT SLIDE, WELL, THIS, I'LL SAY THIS, UM, THIS WHAT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT TODAY WITH SOME CONTENT, POSSIBLY, UM, OR NOT.
UH, IT, IT IS PART OF A LONG PROCESS.
UM, AS Y'ALL KNOW, THE COMMISSION INITIATED THE CREATION OF A COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP IN SPRING OF 2021 AND CHARGED THE 26 COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THAT GROUP WITH DEVELOPING A NEW DRAFT PRESERVATION PLAN.
A LOT HAS HAPPENED SINCE THE SPRING OF 2021.
THE, UM, WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDED THE DRAFT PLAN TO THE COMMISSION IN THE FALL OF 2022.
[00:30:01]
DID A VERY LIGHT KIND OF RESOURCE, A RESOURCE LIGHT, UM, EFFORT AT THAT TIME TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND THE DRAFT PLAN.AND THEN WE STARTED INTENSIVE OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT, UH, IN EARLY 2024, STARTING IN FEBRUARY.
AND I'LL HAND IT OVER TO GREG TO TALK MORE ABOUT THAT.
UM, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
SO THE ENGAGEMENT OBJECTIVES FOR THIS PROJECT WERE THE FOLLOWING.
UM, INFORM THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE EXISTENCE OF THE DRAFT PLAN, GATHER COMMUNITY FEEDBACK ON THE PLAN'S, GOALS, RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, AND COMMUNITY PRIORITIES.
AND FINALLY, UH, MOVE THE PLAN FORWARD.
UH, PRIORITY GROUPS WERE ACTUALLY IDENTIFIED BY THE WORKING GROUP STAFF AND ADVISORS.
UH, THESE GROUPS INCLUDED HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, UH, LGBTQIA PLUS COMMUNITIES, LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS AND RENTERS.
UH, PRIORITY GROUPS ALSO INCLUDED PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THE PLANT.
SO HISTORIC PROPERTY OWNERS AND TENANTS, DESIGNERS, DEVELOPERS, BUILDERS, AND OTHER REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS, UH, AND CITY DEPARTMENTS.
SO, COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT.
WE HAD A FOUR MONTH LONG, UH, ENGAGEMENT WINDOW FROM FEBRUARY 6TH WHEN THE PLAN WENT PUBLIC, UM, WHEN IT WAS RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH THE END OF MAY.
UH, IN TOTAL WE HAD ABOUT 45 POPUPS AT COMMUNITY EVENTS.
UH, 42 PRESENTATIONS TO THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, UH, COMMUNITY GROUPS AND PROFESSIONAL STAKEHOLDER, UM, ORGANIZATIONS.
WE HAD 29 SMALL GROUP AND ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS.
UM, WE ALSO HAD 17 BOARDS AND COMMISSION BRIEFINGS, UH, SEVEN DEEP DIVES.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAD FOUR, UH, CITY HOSTED EVENTS, INCLUDING OUR COMMUNITY KICKOFF ON FEBRUARY 13TH AT HOUSTON TILLSON, THE NUTS AND BOLTS OPEN HOUSE AT THE BAKER SCHOOL IN HYDE PARK ON MARCH 28TH.
THE BLOCK PARTY WITH PRESERVATION AUSTIN IN THE ROGERS, WASHINGTON HOLY CROSS HISTORIC DISTRICT ON MAY 18TH.
AND FINALLY, THE COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE AT THE BROKEN SPOKE ON MAY 25TH.
SO, UM, THE COMMUNITY AMBASSADOR AND MINI GRANT PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS WERE INTENDED TO ENGAGE HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES AND WERE EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL.
UH, OUTREACH BY TRUSTED ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS IS AN IMPORTANT, UH, PART OF MAKING SURE WE HEARD FROM AS MANY DIVERSE GROUPS OF PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.
WE HAD NINE ACTIVE COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE ENGAGEMENT PERIOD.
AND THESE COMPENSATED COMMUNITY MEMBERS PROVIDED DIRECT OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT TO THEIR PERSONAL NETWORKS, TO FRIENDS, FAMILY, NEIGHBORS, UH, THE GENERAL PUBLIC, AS WELL AS ASSISTING CITY STAFF AT, UH, CITY HOSTED EVENTS.
UM, ENGAGEMENT INCLUDED AMBASSADOR LED EVENTS, INCLUDING FOCUS GROUPS, WORKSHOPS, PRESENTATIONS, DISCUSSIONS, AND, UH, WEBINARS.
AMBASSADORS ATTENDED COMMUNITY MEETINGS, TABLE THAT POPUP EVENTS AND DISTRIBUTED A MULTITUDE OF MATERIALS INCLUDING FLYERS, POSTCARDS, AND COMMUNITY SURVEYS.
AMBASSADORS WERE INITIALLY TRAINED IN JANUARY, HAD MONTHLY COHORT MEETINGS, WEEKLY CHECK-INS WITH STAFF, AND PROVIDED FEEDBACK ON WHAT THEY HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS PROVIDING IMPORTANT FEEDBACK ON THE PROGRAM ITSELF.
AND FINALLY, THE MINI GRANTS WERE AWARDED TO FIVE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS IN A COMPETITIVE PROCESS, WHICH INCLUDED COMMISSIONER EVANS AS A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE GRANTS COMMISSION, UH, COMMITTEE, EXCUSE ME.
THE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS DEVELOPED THEIR OWN STRATEGIES TO ENGAGE THEIR COMMUNITIES AROUND THE PRESERVATION PLAN.
UH, ANDERSON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION ORGANIZED FOR FOCUS GROUPS WITH HISTORICALLY BLACK CHURCHES IN EAST AUSTIN.
UH, THEY ALSO SPOKE ABOUT THE PLAN AT EVENTS, FOCUS ON PROPERTY TAX, UH, PROTESTS, CREATIVE ACTION, ENGAGE THEIR STAFF, YOUTH AND SENIORS ABOUT THE PRESERVATION PLAN THROUGH AN ART SHEET, SOCIAL MEDIA GRAPHICS AND TEACHING ARTISTS AT LOCAL SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY CENTERS.
UH, TIME WEESE AMERICAN PROFESSIONALS.
THE AUSTIN CHAPTER ORGANIZE A PEARLS AND PRESERVATION, UH, SERIES AT BOBA TEA SHOPS WITH CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN ASIAN AMERICAN HERITAGE.
UH, THE OTHER TWO ORGANIZATIONS WERE TOMORROW'S PROMISE FOUNDATION, WHICH ENGAGED BLACK YOUTH AND PARENTS THROUGH TABLING CONVERSATIONS.
AND, UH, FINALLY THE EAST AUSTIN, UH, CONSERVANCY, WHICH REACHED OUT TO EAST AUSTIN SENIORS THROUGH ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS AND A PARTNERSHIP WITH
[00:35:01]
MEALS ON WHEELS.AND I WILL PASS IT BACK TO KARA.
SO HERE ARE THE NUMBERS FOR ALL OF THAT WORK THAT GREG TALKED ABOUT.
MORE THAN 2,400 PEOPLE WERE ENGAGED ABOUT THE DRAFT PLAN FROM ACROSS BOSTON.
WE HAD A COMMUNITY SURVEY THAT WAS SORT OF A REALLY GOOD ENTRY POINT FOR FOLKS, NOT TOO TECHNICAL.
IT TOOK ABOUT FIVE MINUTES TO COMPLETE, AND NEARLY 2,700 PEOPLE FILLED THAT OUT.
WE TALKED TO MORE THAN 1000 PEOPLE AT POPUP TABLING EVENTS.
THE COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS IN THE MINI GRANT ORGANIZATIONS, NEARLY 600 PEOPLE WERE ENGAGED BY THOSE COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS AND MINI GRANT PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS.
AND ABOUT 350 PEOPLE CAME TO THE FOUR CITY HOSTED EVENTS THAT GREG MENTIONED.
SO A LOT, WE, THERE'S A LOT THAT HAPPENED.
A LOT OF FOLKS LEARNED ABOUT THE PLAN.
GREG MENTIONED THE PRIORITY GROUPS.
SO THIS IS THE, THE PRIORITY GROUP.
NUMBER ONE, HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE PERCENTAGE OF THE COMMUNITY SURVEY RESPONDENTS.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO GET DEMOGRAPHICS FROM THE SURVEY RESPONDENTS AND COMPARE THEM TO THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
SO WE HAVE SLIGHTLY, A SLIGHTLY HIGHER PROPORTION OF COMMUNITIES OF COLOR ANSWERING THE SURVEY THAN IN AUSTIN.
A HIGHER PROPORTION, A NOTICEABLY HIGHER PROPORTION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND PEOPLE FROM THE LGBTQIA PLUS COMMUNITIES, A LOWER PROPORTION OF RENTERS.
SO 30 PER, ABOUT 30% OF RENTERS COMPARED TO THE CITY'S 55, 50 6%.
THAT IS NOT UNUSUAL FOR A CITY PROCESS.
ACTUALLY, WE SHOULD, WE ARE GONNA KEEP TRYING WITH, WITH ENGAGEMENT AROUND THE PLAN, BUT 30% IS NOT, THAT'S ACTUALLY NOT BAD.
HERE'S A BREAKDOWN OF THOSE COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, THE RACE, RACE AND ETHNICITY.
YOU CAN SEE THE PROPORTION OF THE FOLKS WHO ANSWERED THAT SURVEY QUESTION ABOUT 1400 PEOPLE COMPARED TO THE PERCENTAGES, UH, IN AUSTIN.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT, UH, I'M NOT GONNA RUN THROUGH ALL THE PARTICULAR NUMBERS, BUT THE BLACK COMMUNITY, UM, THE ASIAN OR ASIAN AMERICAN AND THE NATIVE AMERICAN, ALASKAN NATIVE OR INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES, THOSE ARE ALL AROUND THE CITY'S PERCENTAGE OR HIGHER, UM, HISPANIC COMMUNITY.
WE GOT ABOUT 20% OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS COMPARED TO ABOUT 32, 30 3% IN THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
SO NOT QUITE WHERE WE'RE AIMING FOR, BUT STILL, STILL SOLID.
UM, STEPPING INTO, INTO SORT OF TENURE AND GEOGRAPHY.
HERE IS A PIE CHART SHOWING THE PERCENTAGE OF FOLKS WHO HAVE, UH, HOW LONG SURVEY RESPONDENTS HAVE LIVED IN AUSTIN.
SO TWO THIRDS OF OF THE SURVEY RESPONDENTS HAVE BEEN IN AUSTIN A. LONG TIME, HAVE LIVED IN AUSTIN MORE THAN 20 YEARS.
UM, ANOTHER 18% HAVE LIVED HERE MORE THAN 10 YEARS.
SO A LOT OF FOLKS WHO'VE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME AND HAVE A REALLY GREAT HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE.
YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT MAP OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS ZIP CODES.
WE HAVE 64 ZIP CODES IN AUSTIN, AND IN 41 OF THOSE, WE HAD MORE THAN FIVE PEOPLE RESPOND.
THE INITIAL MAP SHOWED, UM, THERE WAS A, A CIRCLE FOR ONE RESPONDENT.
I WAS LIKE, WE SHOULDN'T, WE SHOULDN'T SHOW THAT, BUT, SO WE WANTED TO PUT SOME KIND OF THRESHOLD THERE.
BUT YOU CAN SEE EVEN, EVEN WITH THAT THRESHOLD, THERE'S STILL A PRETTY GOOD RESPONSE FROM ACROSS THE CITY.
UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF THE, THE MOST RESPONDENTS CAME FROM EAST AUSTIN, UM, AT 7 8, 7 0 2 ZIP CODE.
UH, A LOT OF OF FOLKS FROM, UM, KIND OF NORTH OR EAST AUSTIN, MUELLER AND THAT AREA.
UM, A GOOD AMOUNT FROM SOUTH AUSTIN AS WELL AND ALL AROUND THE CITY.
SO HERE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEARD WE WERE GONNA LIST, UM, THEMES.
GREG AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION EARLIER TODAY AND THINKING LIKE, WELL, WHAT WERE SOME THEMES WE HEARD AND WE THOUGHT IT'D BE MORE POWERFUL TO SHARE THESE IN, UH, PEOPLE'S OWN WORDS.
UM, ACTUALLY NOT WEARING MY GLASSES SO Y'ALL CAN KIND OF SEE THEM ABOUT AS POSSIBLY BETTER THAN I CAN.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF COMMUNITY FEELING THAT THERE'S, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF LOSS ALREADY AND SOME PEOPLE FELT LIKE IT WAS TOO LATE.
SOME PEOPLE SAID IT IS, IT IS VERY LATE.
LIKE THERE'S STILL WORK TO BE DONE AND THERE'S STILL HOPE.
UM, PEOPLE APPRECIATED, UH, LOOKING AT CULTURAL HERITAGE LANDMARKS, LEGACY BUSINESS LIKE COMMUNITY LANDMARKS AND LEGACY BUSINESSES.
UM, YEAH, I THINK SOME REAL, PRETTY MUCH UNIVERSAL AWARENESS OF THE CHALLENGES THAT THAT MANY FAMILIES FACE IN STAYING IN PLACE.
UM, BUT I THINK A LOT OF FOLKS WANTED TO SEE THIS HAPPEN.
I WOULD SAY THERE'S, THERE'S ALSO A HEALTHY, HEALTHY SKEPTICISM ABOUT WHETHER IT WOULD HAPPEN THAT THE OUTREACH PROCESS SOUNDS GOOD, THE PLAN LOOKS GOOD, IS THE CITY GOING TO DO ANYTHING? SO I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE ONGOING TRUST BUILDING THAT, UH, WE AS STAFF NEED TO DO.
AND Y'ALL AS A COMMISSION NEED TO DO, UM, IN CONTINUING PARTNERS, PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION.
SO WE JUST FINISHED THAT SPRING 2024 OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT WINDOW.
WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE RIGHT NOW OF THE PROCESS OF REVISING THE DRAFT PLAN.
WE ARE, WE'VE HAD TWO OF FOUR JOINT MEETINGS BETWEEN THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE OF THE LANDMARK COMMISSION AND THE PRESERVATION
[00:40:01]
PLAN WORKING GROUP THAT DEVELOPED THE PLAN.WE HAVE TWO MORE OF THOSE MEETINGS.
UM, WE ARE HAVING DRAFTING COMMITTEE MEETINGS IN BETWEEN THOSE MEETINGS.
SO SMALLER GROUP PEOPLE MEET TO HAMMER OUT LANGUAGE BASED ON DIRECTION FROM THE FULL GROUP.
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO IN AUGUST, A JOINT MEETING WITH THE FULL COMMISSION AND THE PRESERVATION PLAN WORKING GROUP.
SO SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO, TO IN YOUR INBOXES TONIGHT.
I WILL SEND IT TONIGHT, IS A SCHEDULING SURVEY FOR THAT MEETING.
IT'LL HAPPEN IN THE, WE'RE HOPING IT'LL HAPPEN IN THE SECOND OR THIRD WEEK OF AUGUST.
THERE WILL BE WE'RE, IT COULD BE IN PERSON, IT'D BE GREAT IF IT COULD BE IN PERSON, IT COULD BE VIRTUAL.
SO LET'S, SO PLEASE FILL THAT OUT BY NEXT WEDNESDAY AND I'LL INCLUDE THAT INFORMATION.
BUT WE, THAT'LL BE, I THINK, AN IMPORTANT STEP BEFORE WE BRING THE PLAN TO THE COMMISSION IN A FORMAL WAY ON SEPTEMBER 4TH, UM, FROM THEN THERE'S GOING TO BE A REAL GALLUP OF, UH, BOARD AND COMMISSION BRIEFINGS FOR 17, UH, 16 OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS IN ADDITION TO THE LANDMARK COMMISSION THAT WERE ALL, HAVE ALL BEEN BRIEFED ON THE DRAFT PLAN IN THE SPRING, WE'LL BE GOING BACK TO THEM AND THEY WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL ON, ON, UM, ADOPTION OF THE PLAN.
WE EXPECT TO, RIGHT NOW, OUR TARGET DATE FOR TAKING THE PLAN TO COUNCIL IS NOVEMBER 21ST.
UM, AND THEN, THEN WE START THE REAL WORK ALTOGETHER.
UM, FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE, I WANNA MENTION, THERE IS A QR CODE IN THE BACK.
THERE ARE SOME POSTCARDS AND THERE'S A SIGNUP SHEET.
SO IF YOU'RE JUST LIKE, AH, THIS PRESERVATION PLAN, CAN I, HOW CAN I LEARN MORE? YOU CAN SIGN UP AND WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU ON THE EMAIL LIST.
UH, WE WILL, THIS HAS BEEN A COLLABORATIVE PROCESS TO DEVELOP THE PLANET AND IT'S GOING TO NEED TO BE, UH, A COLLABORATIVE PROCESS TO IMPLEMENT IT.
SO INVITE Y'ALL TO, TO GET INVOLVED.
HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
COMMISSIONERS, I JUST HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.
UM, I'M NOT SURE WHAT ENGAGEMENT LOOKS LIKE FOR OTHER PLANS IN THE CITY.
HAVE YOU, DO YOU GUYS HAVE THAT DATA? ARE YOU ABLE TO COMPARE IT? AND IF SO, ARE YOU HAPPY WITH WHERE WE'RE AT OR DO YOU FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, COMPARED TO OTHER PLANS AND THEIR OUTREACH, I'M CURIOUS TO WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
WE HAD A RECENT CONVERSATION WITH THE FOLKS WHO DID THE FOOD PLAN.
UM, I REMEMBER, I DON'T REMEMBER THE SPECIFICS OF THE CONVERSATION, BUT I, THEY DID, UM, A SIMILAR COMMUNITY-BASED APPROACH WITH THE AMBASSADORS, UM, AND A NUMBER OF ROUNDS OF, OF OUTREACH.
UM, AND I REMEMBER BEING IMPRESSED BY THEIR WORK AND ALSO FEELING LIKE OUR WORK REALLY STOOD UP TO THAT.
WE HAVEN'T DONE A FORMAL SURVEY OF OTHER, UM, ENGAGEMENT.
WE, UH, WE DID WORK WITH AN ENGAGEMENT CONSULTANT THAT WORKS WITH A LOT OF CITY DEPARTMENTS AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES, AND THEY WERE REALLY IMPRESSED AND PLEASED BY THE RESULTS.
AND NEXT QUESTION IS, AS FAR AS OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, YOU'RE GOING TO THEM IN THE FALL TO SEEK APPROVAL FOR THE PLAN.
AND IDEALLY WE'D GET LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION OR SUPPORT FOR THEM TO APPROVE IT, RIGHT? CITY COUNCIL ARE, ARE THERE ANY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT ARE LOOKING FOR MORE INFORMATION OR THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, HESITANT OR WE NEED MORE TIME WITH THEM AS A LANDMARK COMMISSION OR STAFF TO SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN WE DO TO ENSURE THAT WE GET THAT LETTER OF SUPPORT IN THE FALL, UM, IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS? I DON'T THINK SO.
SO THERE WERE A LOT OF BRIEFINGS THAT HAPPENED IN THE SPRING AND, UM, I THINK IT WAS HELPFUL FOR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS TO HAVE A, A LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WAS LIKE, WE THINK THESE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHY WE'RE HERE.
THESE, WE THINK THESE ARE RELEVANT TO YOU.
I THINK THAT WAS A SUGGESTION THAT YOU MADE.
UM, BUT, AND COMMISSION SOME COMMISSIONS HAD QUESTIONS, BUT NOTHING THAT, THAT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO ANSWER OR RESPOND TO.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I, I JUST WANTED TO FIRST OFF, UH, THANK THE COMMISSIONERS WHO'VE WORKED ON THIS AS WELL AS ALL OF THE VOLUNTEERS.
BUT, UH, COMMISSIONER GROGAN WAS ON THE RESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE FOR, UH, SEVERAL YEARS.
AND, UH, OF COURSE, UH, RAY'S NOT HERE TONIGHT, BUT AS THE CURRENT CHAIR AND COMMISSIONER, UH, UH, EVANS, WHO'S ALSO SERVING ON THE COMMISSION, AND, UH, THE NUMBER OF HOURS THAT VOLUNTEERS OF ALL KINDS HAVE PUT IN IS REALLY IMPRESSIVE.
AND, UH, I THINK PROBABLY STACKS UP FAVORABLY, IF NOT SURPRISINGLY WELL, COMPARED TO NOT JUST OTHER AUSTIN EFFORTS, BUT EFFORTS OF THIS KIND AND OTHER PLACES.
UH, I WILL TAKE JUST A MOMENT.
I, I, I'VE BEEN THINKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THOSE COMMENTS THAT YOU HAD UP ON THE WALL ABOUT WHAT LOSS WE ALREADY ARE FEELING.
UH, THE AMOUNT OF FEEDBACK THAT YOU GOT.
IT'S NOT SURPRISING THAT PEOPLE WOULD APPROPRIATELY FIND THIS AS A WAY OF EXPRESSING THAT GRIEF OR THAT SADNESS.
UH, BUT IT ALSO OCCURS TO ME THAT THE PRESERVATION MOVEMENT IN THE UNITED STATES IS FAIRLY YOUNG.
UH, WE THINK THAT WE'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO SAVE THE ALAMO.
WELL, IT'S ONLY BEEN A COUPLE OF GENERATIONS WHERE WE EVEN THOUGHT THAT WAS VALUABLE.
AND MANY TIMES THE MOVEMENT HAS ADVANCED BECAUSE OF LOSS.
[00:45:01]
I THINK IN THIS CASE, IT'S APPROPRIATE TO TURN THAT ENERGY INTO NOW SOMETHING POSITIVE.WE WON'T NECESSARILY BE ABLE TO FIX EVERYTHING, BUT BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS AND BECAUSE THERE'S STILL SO MUCH THAT IS WITH US, IT'S UP TO US TO PASS THAT ON TO FUTURE GENERATIONS.
AND CURRENTLY WHAT I'M HOPING WILL HAPPEN IS WE'LL FALL INTO TWO, THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WILL FALL INTO TWO CATEGORIES.
AND ONE OF THEM IS WE EXPRESS A NUMBER OF TIMES OUR FRUSTRATION THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH A 1980 PLAN.
UH, AND EVEN BEFORE THAT, IT WASN'T THAT ROBUST BEFORE THE 1980S.
BUT THE TOOLS WE HAVE, THEY'RE VERY, VERY LIMITED.
THERE ARE A FEW THINGS WE CAN DO.
UH, THE ONES WE DO HAVE AND WE CAN USE IN THE RIGHT CASES CAN BE REALLY EFFECTIVE.
BUT THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF WHICH JUST KIND OF FALLS THROUGH OUR FINGERS 'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TOOLS.
SO THE FIRST HOPE IS THAT THIS WILL ALLOW US TO EITHER PROVIDE NEW TOOLS OR TWEAK OR UPDATE SOME OF THESE TOOLS TO MAKE THEM EVEN MORE EFFECTIVE THAN THEY HAVE BEEN.
THE SECOND, WHICH IS I THINK THE APPROPRIATELY WHY WE'RE PROMOTING THIS AS THE EQUITY BASED PLAN, IS THAT THESE TOOLS HAVE NOT ALWAYS BEEN ACCESSIBLE AND EASILY, UH, ACCESSED BY OR, OR EASILY EMBRACED BY A NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES.
AND I THINK IN EVERY SINGLE WAY, THE MORE WE IN THESE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE ABLE TO LOWER THE BARRIERS TO ACCESS.
AND SOME OF THESE ARE ADMINISTRATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS, SOME OF THEM ARE PROCEDURAL, UH, SOME OF THEM ARE JUST PLAIN OLD OUTREACH.
WE JUST HAVE TO START AND, AND BUILD ON EFFORTS TO REACH NEWER AND, UH, LESS ENGAGED COMMUNITIES.
I THINK THIS IS NOT A, WE GO TO COUNCIL AND WE'RE DONE EFFORT, UH, BUT I THINK IT OFFERS US THE ROADMAP TO ACCOMPLISH VERY EFFECTIVELY BOTH OF THESE LEVELS OF RECOMMENDATION, HAVING NEW AND MORE EFFECTIVE TOOLS, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, HAVING THEM, UH, BEING USED EFFECTIVELY BY MORE AND MORE COMMUNITIES ALL ACROSS AUSTIN.
SO AGAIN, KARA, GREG, ALL THE VOLUNTEERS AND COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR EFFORTS.
I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, I THINK THIS IS ALSO JUST A HUGE OPPORTUNITY TO INVITE MORE PEOPLE INTO THE FIELD OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, FOR, FOR THE BRIEFING AS WELL AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO MORE.
[7. HR-2024-048021 – 1519 Alameda Dr. ]
GET ONTO OUR CASES.AND THE FIRST ITEM THAT WE HAVE FOR DISCUSSION, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, IS IT NUMBER ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.
IS THAT RIGHT, CHRISTINE? YES.
CHAIR ITEM SEVEN IS OUR FIRST DISCUSSION ITEM.
UH, BUT BEFORE WE BEGIN, I'D ALSO LIKE TO EXTEND A WARM WELCOME TO OUR NEW CASE MANAGER AUSTIN LOOPS.
UH, HE COMES TO US FROM THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION AND WE'LL BE HEARING FROM HIM LATER TONIGHT.
UM, BUT, UH, EVERYBODY GETS TO BE EMBARRASSED BY ME ON THEIR FIRST, UH, HLC MEETING, SO, UH, IT'S HIS TURN NOW.
UM, BUT WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL TO HAVE YOU AND, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR PRESENTATION LATER.
KARA, THANK YOU FOR DOING THE HONORS AND UH, YOU JUST SPARED ME FROM HAVING TO DO IT.
THANK YOU FOR, FOR, FOR YOUR, YOUR SERVICE.
ALRIGHT, MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, UH, 1519 ALAMEDA DRIVE.
THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO CONSTRUCT A NEW HOUSE AND A POOL THAT CAME BEFORE US FIRST, UH, IN JUNE.
UM, THE PROPOSED NEW HOUSE IS THREE STORIES TALL WITH A HABITABLE BASEMENT AND GARAGE BENEATH TWO MAIN FLOORS.
MATERIALS INCLUDE CONCRETE AND STUCCO WITH VERTICAL WOOD ACCENTS.
UM, AND ALTERNATELY VERTICAL SEAMED, METAL AND STONE ARE PROPOSED AS OPTIONAL ACCENTS.
UH, THE PROPOSED BUILDING COMPRISES THREE RECTANGULAR MASSES WITH FLAT ROOTS OF VARYING HEIGHTS.
FENESTRATION INCLUDES UNDIVIDED CORNER AND VERTICAL WINDOWS, A FRONT FACING GARAGE AND AN OBSCURED FRONT DOOR ATOP OF WALLED STAIRCASE.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS ARE BASED ON THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR STANDARDS FOR REHABILITATION AND ARE USED TO EVALUATE PROJECTS IN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS.
THE PROJECT, ACCORDING TO STAFF EVALUATION, DOES NOT MEET MOST OF THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS.
THIS ITEM CAME TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE AND COMMITTEE FEEDBACK INCLUDED USING DARK COLORS TO DISGUISE, MASSING AND SCALE, UM, USING THE OPTION WITHOUT WOOD SIDING AND TO ENSURE THAT THE GARAGE BLENDS.
UM, HOWEVER, THIS PROPERTY IS A NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT, THEREFORE THE COMMISSION'S PURVIEW IS ADVISORY ONLY OVER THE NEW DESIGN.
THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO COMMENT ON.
AND THIS WAS POSTPONED FROM OUR LAST MEETING, BUT WE ALSO, UH, KEPT THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN.
SO, UH, AT THIS POINT WE CAN HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT IF THEY'RE HERE.
IS THERE SOMEBODY HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS REQUEST? OKAY, HEARING NONE.
IS THERE SOMEBODY HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION
[00:50:04]
THERE? ANYBODY ONLINE? YES, WE HAVE SOMEBODY ONLINE.THIS IS SUSAN ARMSTRONG FISHER.
I'M A RESIDENT OF TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT, AND I'M ALSO CHAIR OF THE SOUTH RIVER CITY CITIZENS SRCC, HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE.
AND I APOLOGIZE THAT I CAN'T BE IN THERE IN PERSON, BUT DID WANNA WANNA SPEAK ABOUT THIS PROPERTY THIS EVENING? I'M HERE TONIGHT TO OPPOSE THE NEW CONSTRUCTION.
THE APPLICANT'S REPRESENTATIVE MENTIONED AT THE LAST HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION MEETING THAT I DID NOT RESPOND TO HIS OCTOBER EMAIL WHEN HE REACHED OUT TO THE COMMITTEE LAST FALL, SEEKING INFORMATION ABOUT THE DESIGN STANDARDS AND TIMELINES, I HAD RESPONDED TO HIM AND TWO DAYS AFTER THE JUNE MEETING, I REFORWARDED MY OCTOBER RESPONSE TO HIM AGAIN, OFFERING OUR ASSISTANCE, THE COMMITTEE'S ASSISTANCE, AND INCORPORATING THE DESIGN STANDARDS.
AND I HAVE NOT HEARD A RESPONSE.
I'LL REPEAT OUR OFFER AGAIN, THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH THEM TO INCORPORATE THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S DESIGN STANDARDS INTO THE CURRENT DESIGN.
UNFORTUNATELY, THOUGH THE APPLICANT REACHING OUT TO US BACK IN OCTOBER SEEMS TO HAVE HAD LITTLE CONSEQUENCE SINCE THE DESIGN SHOW.
VERY LITTLE INDICATION OF HONORING THE DESIGN STANDARDS.
WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT PORTION OF ALAMEDA IS RIFE WITH MODERN NEW BUILDS IN THAT PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT THOSE ARE FROM AN EARLIER ERA OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN LESS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS PAYING ATTENTION AND WE WERE NOT PART OF A NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT.
OUR COMMITTEE HOPES THAT THIS MESSAGE IS CLEAR THAT WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION AND WE'RE TRYING TO PRESERVE THE LAST OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD'S HISTORY THAT WE CAN WITH THE DESIGN STANDARDS THAT ARE IN PLACE.
AT THE VERY MINIMUM, WE ASK FOR THEM TO FOLLOW STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION, WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN QUOTED, BUT I'LL REPEAT AGAIN TO USE DARK COLORS TO DISGUISE THE MASSING AND SCALE, NOT USE THE OPTION WITH WOOD SIDING AND ENSURE THE GARAGE BLENDS.
ANY QUESTION OF THE SPEAKER? OKAY, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? OKAY, UM, COMMISSIONERS, UH, JUST BY CLARIFICATION, THIS WAS POSTPONED FROM THE LAST MEETING.
UH, THIS IS A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
SO OUR ROLE HERE IS TO COMMENT ON THE PLANS.
THERE IS A TIME FACTOR IF THIS IS DELAYED.
UH, WHAT IS, WHAT IS THE CURRENT ARRANGEMENT? WHAT, WHAT IS THE CURRENT TIMING ON THIS ONE? AUGUST 7TH IS THE LAST PUBLIC HEARING AT WHICH THE SIDE
SO AFTER THE, IF, IF THIS WERE TO BE DELAYED, THEN IT WOULD TIME OUT AFTER THE AUGUST 7TH MEETING.
UM, OR WE COULD TAKE, UH, ACTION ON IT OR WE COULD SAY OUR COMMENTS ARE COMPLETE AND TAKE NO ACTION.
COMMISSIONERS, UH, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
THE HEARING IS CLOSED AND I WILL ENTERTAIN WHATEVER MOTION COMMISSIONERS WOULD LIKE.
I MOVE TO POSTPONE THIS TO AUGUST MEETING THE AUGUST 7TH MEETING.
IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING? OH, I'D LIKE TO
THANK YOU STEPH, FOR CATCHING THAT.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THE MOTION TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND POSTPONE TO THE AUGUST 7TH MEETING? ALRIGHT, HEARING NONE, UH, IS THERE ANOTHER MOTION OR SHOULD WE JUST, WE ARE POSTED FOR DISCUSSION.
WE CAN GO AND DISCUSS THIS ITEM, UH, AND NOT TAKE ANY ACTION.
UM, IF WE TOOK NO ACTION, WOULD THAT AUTOMATICALLY BE A POSTPONEMENT OR WOULD THEY, BECAUSE IF WE DIDN'T POSTPONE IT, I THINK YOU WOULD HAVE TO LET IT TIME OUT IF YOU, AND THEN IT WOULD JUST BE TIMED OUT EITHER.
POSTPONE AND THEN THAT'S A NEW ONE.
WE'VE NOT TRIED THAT BEFORE, JUST HAD HAD OUR COMMENTS, BUT NOT, NOT DO ANYTHING ELSE WITH IT.
THAT MIGHT BE A QUICK QUESTION OF LEGAL
YOU CAN ISSUE COMMENTS AND RELEASE IT, BUT WE COULD ISSUE COMMENTS AND RELEASE.
IT WOULDN'T BE THE SAME EFFECT AS A POSTPONEMENT.
WELL, UH, I, I WILL ENTERTAIN COMMENTS EVEN IF I CAN'T GET A MOTION.
[00:55:02]
UM, SO THE, THIS PROJECT CAME BEFORE THE A RC.UM, IT, IT SEEMS VERY MUCH THAT THE ARCHITECT AND OWNER IS, IS NOT WILLING TO RE-LOOK AT THIS DESIGN.
UM, AND I, I KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ONLY MAKE COMMENTS HERE
BUT, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO POSTPONE OR NO ACTION JUST TO GIVE MORE TIME FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO TALK TO THEM AND MAYBE THE ARCHITECT AND HOMEOWNER POSSIBLY CONSIDER SOMETHING.
WELL, THERE WAS A MOTION AND SO IF YOU THINK MAYBE A POSTPONEMENT WOULD BE AN ORDER.
WAS THAT A SECOND TO THE MOTION? I GUESS I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT BETTER TO TIME IT OUT OR, YEAH, I WILL SECOND THE MOTION WITH THAT.
BECAUSE WE STILL CAN
SO WE DO HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND POSTPONE TO THE APRIL 7TH, UH, THE AUGUST 7TH MEETING.
UH, SO, UH, ONCE AGAIN, COMMISSIONER RUBIA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO DISCUSS YOUR MOTION? YEAH.
UM, I, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE ON RECORD AS APPROVING THIS.
YOU KNOW, EVEN IF THE ARCHITECT AND OWNER DON'T WANT TO COME AND, YOU KNOW, MAKE ANY CHANGES, UH, WE SHOULDN'T, IT JUST SHOULDN'T BE A PRECEDENT THAT WE'RE APPROVING ANY OF THESE.
THEY SHOULD KNOW THAT THEY'RE COMING HERE AND WE'RE GONNA WAIT THESE OUT AND WE'RE GONNA POSTPONE THE OWNER'S.
SHOWS YOU HOW MUCH THEY EXPECTED AS WELL.
SO THAT'S WHY I MOVED TO POSTPONE.
DID YOU WANT TO ADD TO YOUR COMMENTS ANY OTHER, UH, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTONE? YEAH, I DON'T, UH, I'LL GO ON RECORD AS SAYING I'M, I DON'T ENTIRELY AGREE WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, RUBIO'S SENTIMENT AND I WAS INCLINED TO NOT SUPPORT THIS MOTION, BUT IT WAS ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT COMMISSIONER GROGAN SAID ABOUT GIVING THE NEIGHBORHOOD ADDITIONAL TIME TO TRY AND SWAY, UM, THE DESIGN AND OWNERSHIP TEAM, UH, TO MAKE CHANGES THAT IN THAT VEIN, I DO THINK IT'S WORTH, UM, POSTPONING THIS.
I MEAN, WE'VE GONE ON RECORD WITH WHAT WE THINK IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
IT'S, IT'S UNFORTUNATELY WHAT'S LEFT IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD TRYING TO IMPRESS UPON THEM THAT THIS MATTERS TO THEM.
SO I THINK GIVING THEM THAT TIME IS WORTH IT.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? UH, I WOULD LIKE TO WEIGH IN.
I THINK THAT, UH, I WILL SUPPORT THE MOTION AND, UH, I THINK AS COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON SAID, THIS AT LEAST GIVES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION, WHICH WE ABSOLUTELY SHOULD ENCOURAGE IN THIS CASE.
AND I CAN CERTAINLY APPRECIATE AN OWNER WHO TAKES THE TIME TO CREATE THE KIND OF HOUSE THAT IS BEING PRESENTED HERE, BUT THEY ARE DOING IT ON A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT THEY PURCHASED IN A NATIONAL HISTORIC REGISTERED DISTRICT.
AND ALL OF THE NEIGHBORS WORKED TOGETHER FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS TO TAKE THE CONTINUITY THAT ALREADY EXISTS HISTORICALLY BETWEEN ALL OF THEIR HOUSES AND REINFORCE THAT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE RESPECTED.
THERE ARE DESIGN STANDARDS THAT ARE RECOMMENDATIONS OF COURSE, BUT THEY'RE THERE FOR A REASON.
SO THAT NEW CONSTRUCTION WOULD REINFORCE THE SAME SCALE AND THE SAME KIND OF, UH, COMMUNITY THAT IS BEING BROUGHT FORWARD FROM THE HISTORIC PAST.
THIS DESIGN DOESN'T DO ANY OF THAT, AND IT'S IN THE WRONG PLACE.
AND I DO BELIEVE WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN.
OBVIOUSLY THIS IS ONE OF THOSE TOOLS THAT'S NOT VERY EFFECTIVE, UNFORTUNATELY.
BUT I THINK THE MESSAGE NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT FORWARD THAT A NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT IS THERE FOR A REASON.
THE NEIGHBOR SENTIMENT IS NOT A NIMBY, THIS IS A GROUP THAT IS VALUING OUR HISTORY AND THEY'VE PUT THEIR OWN PROPERTIES AND THEIR OWN EFFORTS AND THEIR OWN, UH, CONCERNS AS LOCAL EXPERTS INTO PRESERVING THIS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS OF AUSTIN.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO, TO DO MORE TO RESPECT THAT AND TO REINFORCE THAT.
UNFORTUNATELY, RIGHT NOW, THE BIGGEST TOOL WE HAVE FOR THESE TYPES OF PROPERTIES IS A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THOSE ARE BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE IMPEDIMENTS THAT WE HAVE IN THE WAY OUR ENABLING LEGISLATION WAS WRITTEN.
UH, THOSE ARE HARD TO GET IMPLEMENTED AND HAVE BEEN MADE A LITTLE HARDER IN RECENT, UH, LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT, UH, UH, UH, ACTIONS.
BUT I STILL THINK IT'S THE RIGHT WAY TO GO AND I STILL THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE IN OUR FORUM SHOULD REINFORCE.
SO, UH, I I WILL SUPPORT THE DELAY AND I WOULD HOPE THAT THIS OWNER MIGHT FIND ANOTHER PIECE OF PROPERTY TO BUILD THEIR DREAM HOUSE BECAUSE IT, IT'S NOT PART
[01:00:01]
OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT DOES NOT DO ANYTHING TO IT AT ALL, BUT COMPETE.SO I, I ALSO WANNA JUST ADD THOUGH THAT, UM, I'LL EXTEND THE INVITATION AGAIN TO COME TO THE NEXT A AR A RC IF THEY WANNA DISCUSS ANY REVISIONS OR ANY NEW THOUGHTS, UM, WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO MEET WITH THEM.
YEAH, NO, I, I GET WHY THEY LIKE THEIR BUILDING.
I I UNDERSTAND TOO, BUT YOU DON'T PURCHASE THE SPOT.
IT SHOULD BE IN A DIFFERENT LOCATION.
ALRIGHT, UH, THERE IS A MOTION TO DELAY TO THE NEXT MEETING.
AND BY, BY THE WAY, WE WILL BE REOPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING, SO WE CERTAINLY WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FURTHER CONVERSATION AT THE NEXT MEETING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND I SEE ALL HANDS RAISED, SO THAT IS UNANIMOUS.
[9. PR-2024-026690 – 900 Spence St.]
HAVE IS ITEM NUMBER NINE.ITEM NUMBER NINE IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH THE CIRCA 1915 BUILDING CONTRIBUTING TO THE WILLOW SPENCE, UH, NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
UM, THAT NOMINATION DESCRIBES THIS PROPERTY AS A ONE STORY WOOD FRAME HOUSE WITH A HIP ROOF.
UM, A PORCH SUPPORTED BY WOOD COLUMNS IS LOCATED ACROSS THE EASTERN THREE FIFTH, THE FRONT FACADE.
THE HISTORIC RESOURCES OF EAST AUSTIN, UH, NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATION DESCRIBES THE BUILDING AS AN EXEMPLAR OF THE PARAMETAL COTTAGE STYLE.
THE HOUSE AT 900 SPENCE ORIGINALLY ADDRESSED AS EIGHT 10.
SPENCE WAS BUILT IN 1915 BY ALFRED AND CAROLINE JOHNSON.
ALFRED JOHNSON WORKED AS AN ENGINEER AT THE SOUTHLAND ICE COMPANY.
THE JOHNSONS LIVED IN THE HOME FOR 20 YEARS, AFTER WHICH TIME IT BECAME A RENTAL.
MARTHA ANN S SPEAR KNOWN AS MADDIE, PURCHASED THE HOUSE AFTER THE DEATH OF HER HUSBAND IN 1943.
SHE TOOK IN RENTERS FOR EXTRA INCOME AND LIVED IN THE HOME UNTIL HER DEATH.
BASTROP NATIVES BERNARD BERNARDINO, CASAR, ROMO, AND SANTOS SIL ROMO PURCHASED THE HOUSE IN 1957, MARRIED IN 1945, THE ROMA FAMILY HAD EIGHT CHILDREN.
BERNARDINO ROMO SERVED ON THE PALM SCHOOL.
PTA BOARD BERNARDINO CAS ROMO WORKED AS AN, AS A, AS AN UPHOLSTERER.
WHEN THE FAMILY MOVED INTO 900 SPENCE AROUND 1959, ROMOS RETAINED OWNERSHIP TOGETHER UNTIL BERNARDINO ROMO'S DEATH AT AGE 97 IN 2017.
AND SANTOS ROMO KEPT THE HOUSE UNTIL HER DEATH IN 2021.
THE PROPERTY CONTRIBUTES TO THE WILLOW SPENCE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT AND THE EAST AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY RECOMMENDS THE PROPERTY IS INDIVIDUALLY ELIGIBLE FOR LOCAL LANDMARK STATUS.
STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT MAY MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
UM, THE BUILDING IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE NATIONAL FOLK STYLE AND THOUGH THE PROPERTY DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS, THE HOUSE'S OCCUPANCY HISTORY IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE SETTLEMENT PATTERNS OF THE DISTRICT PER THE EAST AUSTIN SURVEY.
THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION, UM, YOU HAVE SEVERAL OPTIONS HERE.
UM, YOU CAN ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE, THEN RELOCATION OVER DEMOLITION, BUT RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT ONLY UPON RECEIPT OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UM, AND NOTE THAT DEMOLITION PERMITS AND NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS MAY NOT BE PULLED UNTIL THE PLANS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION HAVE BEEN REVIEWED BY THE COMMISSION.
ALTERNATIVELY, UH, STAFF RECOMMENDS POSTPONING THE PUBLIC HEARING TO AUGUST 7TH TO INVITE THE APPLICANT TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS ALTERNATIVES TO TOTAL DEMOLITION, UM, AS HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED ELSEWHERE ON STREET.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? GIVE US A TIMELINE.
I AM IN THE MIDDLE OF CALCULATING THAT RIGHT NOW.
UM, I THINK IT WILL BE, UH, AT LEAST TWO SEPTEMBER.
UM, BUT I NEED TO CONFIRM THAT.
AND IS THERE, UH, THE APPLICANT HERE TO DISCUSS THEIR REQUEST? ARE THEY ONLINE? NO ONE'S HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR.
IS THERE ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? IS THERE ANYBODY ONLINE? OKAY.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, WE, UH, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
[01:05:02]
I MOVED.AND SECOND TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ALL THOSE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR, UH, WELL I CAN'T SEE.
SO, UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
AND I SEE ALL, UH, HANDS RAISED.
UM, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THIS ONE.
AGAIN, THIS IS A DEMOLITION REQUEST AND THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL HISTORIC REGISTERED DISTRICT, AND THIS WAS POSTPONED FROM THE JUNE 5TH MEETING.
I DO BELIEVE THERE WAS A REQUEST THAT THEY ATTEND THE A RC.
WAS THAT, WERE THEY ABLE TO ATTEND? I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE TIMELINES, BUT I MOVED TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING BASED ON ARCHITECTURE.
THERE IS A MOTION TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING AND THAT WILL NEED A SECOND.
I'LL SECOND, I'M SORRY, A SECOND.
IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER DUDLEY.
SO THAT, UH, MOTION, UH, COMMISSIONER RUBIO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO DISCUSS YOUR MOTION.
UM, THIS PROPERTY OBVIOUSLY IS LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE.
THE RED LINE MAP STILL LISTED THIS STREET, I THINK AS STILL DESIRABLE.
SO EVEN THOUGH IT IS THE EAST SIDE, IT WASN'T NECESSARILY IN RED DISTRICT HAZARDOUS.
NEVERTHELESS, OUR RESOURCE SURVEY, WHICH IS PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE FOR ALMOST EIGHT YEARS, I THINK, SAYS THAT THIS IS ELIGIBLE AS A LOCAL LANDMARK.
SO SHOULD NOT BE AS A SURPRISE TO THE OWNER.
I THINK WE NEED TO FOLLOW THE AUSTIN LANDMARK SURVEY AND RECOMMEND AND LOCAL HISTORIC ZONING FOR THE PROPERTY.
UH, BASED ON THE ASSOCIATIONS IT MIGHT BE TREATED WITH THE PERSON OF HISPANIC DESCENT, WHICH WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF THESE PROPERTIES REPRESENTED GROUP IN OUR CATALOG OF LOCAL LANDMARKS.
ADDITIONALLY, SORRY IF YOU CAN'T HEAR ADDITIONALLY, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE EVERYBODY ON THE DAIS.
UM, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, WE JUST NEED SIMPLE MAJORITY FOR INITIATION AND SUPER MAJORITY FOR RECOMMENDATION, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE'D HAVE TO TACKLE NEXT MONTH, AT LEAST TO GIVE OUR OTHER COMMISSIONERS A CHANCE THAT ARE IN HERE.
AND I KNOW FEEL SIMILARLY TO GET CONVERSATIONS WITH LAN ABOUT FOLLOWING THE RESOURCE SURVEY AND INITIATING SHORT ZONING.
UM, COMMISSIONER DUDLEY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR SECOND? UM, I HAD A LITTLE BIT OF DIFFICULTY UNDERSTANDING COMMISSIONER
UM, AND I'D BE INTERESTED IN ADDITIONAL LOOK INTO THE, UM, HOUSE'S OCCUPANCY HISTORY, UM, IS INDICATIVE OF THE SETTLEMENT PATTERNS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE OF COURSE, IT'S THESE SETTLEMENT PATTERNS, THESE FAMILIES THAT HISTORY, UM, AS A COLLECTIVE THAT ARE, HAVE MADE THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE DISTRICT SIG SIGNIFICANT.
UM, AND SO I THINK IT, IT THAT WE HAVE A LOOK AT THIS, UM, AND THEREFORE SUPPORT THE, UM, INITIATION, INFRAS ZONING.
AND, UH, WE'RE JUST HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF TROUBLE HEARING YOU, SO I, I THINK IT'S PARTLY THE SPEAKERS IN THE ROOM.
SO ALL OF YOU AT HOME WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO JUST SPEAK A LITTLE LOUDLY.
SO WE, BUT I THINK, I THINK MOST OF US GOT WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT.
UH, DID, DID EVERYBODY CATCH THAT? OKAY.
UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER, UM, ITEM, UH, ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THE MOTION? I, I JUST WANNA SAY I HEARD TARA PRETTY WELL, BUT I I DIDN'T HEAR JUAN RAMON, SO I THINK WE'RE JUST HAVING A BACK AND FORTH PROBLEM.
SO WE'LL HAVE TO ALL YELL IN OUR MICROPHONE
UH, LET, LET ME JUST ADD, I, I AM CONCERNED ALWAYS ABOUT WHAT I THINK SHOULD BE A VERY HIGH BAR TO INITIATE, UH, ANY HISTORIC ZONING ON BEHALF OF THE CITY, THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN.
UH, I THINK IT SHOULD BE AN EXTRAORDINARY MOMENT WHEN, UH, THE CITY SAYS IT'S IMPORTANT ENOUGH THAT IT, IT, IT SHOULD BE, UH, OUR PUBLIC INITIATIVE TO START THE ZONING PROCESS.
UM, WE HAVE SEVERAL OF THOSE THAT HAVE HAPPENED RECENTLY, THE GREEN AND WHITE GROCERY, OF COURSE, JUST RECENTLY, AND SEVERAL THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING THAT I'LL, I'LL BE VERY EXCITED ABOUT.
[01:10:01]
UH, IT ALSO ADDS A LITTLE BIT OF CONCERN, THOUGH.IT'S, I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER RUBIO.
IT IS STILL, UM, SHOULD BE SOMEWHAT OF A SECONDARY CONCERN, UH, WHEN AN OWNER OBJECTS BECAUSE THE TOOL WE HAVE, UH, TOOLS WE HAVE RIGHT NOW MAKE IT HARDER, MUCH HARDER WHEN AN OWNER OBJECTS.
UH, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS OWNER IS GOING TO DO.
UH, I THINK IT, THERE'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY IF THEY WISH TO PRESERVE THIS HOUSE.
THAT HAVING BEEN SAID, I'M NOT CONVINCED IT RISES TO THE LEVEL OF HISTORIC ZONING.
UH, SO I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK WE, WE CAN'T AT LEAST EXPLORE IT FURTHER, BUT I'M NOT INCLINED TO THINK THAT THIS WOULD MEET THAT HIGHER BAR.
JUST AN UPDATE ON THE TIMELINE.
UM, WE HAVE AT LEAST UNTIL THE SEPTEMBER 4TH PUBLIC HEARING, UM, AND I'M JUST WAITING ON LAW TO CONFIRM.
UM, I BELIEVE WE ALSO HAVE UNTIL THE OCTOBER MEETING TO POSTPONE 'CAUSE THERE WAS ONE APPLICANT POSTPONED.
SO, UM, HANG ON TIGHT AND, UH, KNOW THAT YOU HAVE THE AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER MEETINGS BEFORE YOU ACT OUT YOUR HUNDRED FEET, AT LEAST.
I AM CURIOUS, COMMISSIONER CHAIR, UM, OF THIS BAR, RIGHT? IF WE WENT THROUGH THE TROUBLE TO HIRE A CONSULTANT FOR OUR SURVEY TO HELP US QUANTIFY THESE PROPERTIES AND DETERMINED WHAT'S ELIGIBLE AT OUR LOCAL LEVEL, UM, WE HAVE A PROPERTY JUST A COUPLE BLOCKS AWAY ON, ON EAST SECOND STREET THAT HAS SOME SIMILAR STYLE ARCHITECTURE, RIGHT? SIMILAR TIME PERIOD, DIFFERENT HISTORICAL LOCATION THOUGH.
SO IF BOTH ARE RECOMMENDED AT THE SAME LEVEL, THAT ONE BEING AGAINST OWNER AS WELL, AND AT THE CITY COUNCIL, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE HERE TO OUR COMMISSION WHEN THE INTEL TOLD, ACCORDING TO THE RESEARCH QUALIFIES? WELL, AGAIN, I THINK WE'LL KNOW MORE IF THIS IS INITIATED AND WE'LL HAVE MORE IN-DEPTH RESEARCH, UH, COMPARED TO OTHERS.
THAT'S A, THAT, THAT WILL BE ONE OF THE QUESTIONS.
BUT I ALSO THINK THAT, UH, YOU'VE, YOU'VE, YOU'VE MENTIONED IT RIGHT THERE AS A, UM, IDENTIFICATION OF ELIGIBLE.
IT, IT JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING'S ELIGIBLE, UH, WOULDN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THE CITY ITSELF HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY.
UH, IF SOMETHING'S ELIGIBLE, A HOMEOWNER IS GIVEN OPPORTUNITIES AND THOSE COULD BE INCENTIVIZED EVEN MORE THAN THEY CURRENTLY ARE, BUT THERE'S STILL SOME VERY SIGNIFICANT INCENTIVES.
UH, HOWEVER, THERE ARE RESOURCES THAT, YOU KNOW, IT LITERALLY, IF THEY'RE LOST, ARE GOING TO BE A LOSS TO THE CITY, UH, ENOUGH SO THAT THE CITY SHOULD TAKE THE LEAD.
AND WHERE THAT EDGE IS, WE, IT'S UP TO US TO DETERMINE, I THINK THAT IS APPROPRIATE.
SO I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION AND, UH, I THINK IF THIS MOTION DOES PASS, UH, I WILL BE VERY INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT ADDITIONAL RESEARCH PROVIDES.
UH, AGAIN, I, I WILL START BY SAYING, UH, THIS DOESN'T IN MY MIND, UH, ALL AUTOMATICALLY, UH, ADHERE TO THAT THRESHOLD JUST FOR THE RECORD,
IS, UH, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS MOTION TO, UH, INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING ON THE, UH, 1409 ALTA VISTA AVENUE, UH, PROPERTY, UH, THAT IS IN RESPONSE OR IT IS AN ACTION IN RESPONSE TO THE REQUEST THE APPLICANT HAS MADE FOR A TOTAL DEMOLITION? YES.
POINT OF CLARIFICATION ON THE TIMELINE.
OCTOBER 2ND IS THE LAST DATE AT WHICH THIS ITEM MAY BE.
THAT DATE WOULD BE OUR LAST TO INITIATE IF WE DECIDED TO POSTPONE.
THAT WOULD BE YOUR LAST DAY TO RECOMMEND.
UM, SO INITIATION WOULD NEED TO TAKE PLACE IN SEPTEMBER.
IF THIS FAILS, WE GOT ANOTHER MONTH OR TWO.
SOMEONE WANTS TO POSTPONE IT AFTER
WE DO HAVE A MOTION TO, UH, INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING, UH, BY COMMISSIONER UH RUBIO, AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER DUDLEY.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
ANY, UH, IS THERE ANY OPPOSED? NO, UH, NO OPPOSED? SO IT IS UNANIMOUS WITH, UH, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 OF US.
SO THAT WOULD BE SHORT OF THE SUPER MAJORITY, BUT, UH, AGAIN, THAT'S NOT AN INDICATION.
WE STILL HAVE MORE RESEARCH AND WE STILL HAVE ANOTHER, UH, PRESENTATION AND PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THAT.
BUT WE'LL SEE IF THAT WOULD BE PRESENTED TO US AT THE NEXT, UH, ON THE, UH, AUGUST MEETING.
[01:15:01]
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.OKAY, COMMISSIONERS, UH, ITEM NUMBER 11 16 0 7 KENWOOD AVENUE.
THAT IS A PROPERTY IN THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
AND THERE IS A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN ADDITIONAL REQUEST FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN ADDITION CHAIR.
OH, WE SKIPPED NUMBER 10, EXCUSE ME.
UH, THAT IS A DEMOLITION REQUEST.
SO DID I READ IN THE RECORD THE WRONG ONE? I'M SORRY.
THE INITIATING OF HISTORIC ZONING.
THAT WAS FOR ITEM NUMBER? THAT WAS FOR ITEM NUMBER NINE 900 SMITH STREET 900.
AND THEN, MY APOLOGIES, I WAS OFF BY A, A SINGLE ITEM AND I'M SURE IN THE RECORD I SAID 1409 ALTA VISTA AND I DID NOT MEAN TO.
SO MY, IF, IF, IF THERE'S ANY MISUNDERSTANDING FOR THE RECORD, JUST MAKE SURE.
ITEM NUMBER NINE, WE'VE INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING AT 900 SMITH STREET.
ANY, ANY NEED TO CORRECT MY MISTAKE.
[10. PR-2024-033568 – 1409 Alta Vista Ave.]
LET'S GO TO ITEM NUMBER 10 14 0 9 ALT VISTA AVENUE.AND AGAIN, MY APOLOGIES FOR, UH, MISTAKE, UH, MISSTATING, UH, THE ADDRESSES ON, UH, ON THAT ITEM.
SO, UH, STAFF ITEM NUMBER 10 AT 1409 ALTA VISTA AVENUE IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1926 HOUSE.
UH, THIS IS A ONE STORY CRAFTSMAN OF HORIZONTAL WOOD BITING, SCREENED WOOD WINDOWS, DECORATIVE SHUTTERS, HOODED ENTRYWAY WITH DECORATIVE BRACKETS AND ECLIPSED GABLE ROOF.
UH, THIS ITEM HAS COME BEFORE US, UH, A NUMBER OF TIMES, SO I'LL KEEP THE RESEARCH DISCUSSION BRIEF.
UM, ITS OCCUPANTS WERE MOSTLY SHORT TERM OWNERS AND RENTERS UNTIL 1947.
UH, AND THEN THE HOME WAS PURCHASED BY FRANK AND LAURA CONY.
FRANK CONNOLLY WAS THE EDITOR, OWNER AND PUBLISHER OF THE TEXAS TAX JOURNAL, AND LAURA WORKED BOTH AT THE JOURNAL AND AS A RED CROSS NURSE.
THEY SOLD THE HOME IN THE LATE FIFTIES TO ANNA AND WILLIAM DUNCAN.
AND WILLIAM DUNCAN WORKED AS A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER.
THIS PROPERTY CONTRIBUTES TO THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR INDIVIDUAL LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
THEREFORE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO STRONGLY ENCOURAGE ADAPTIVE REUSE REHAB, THEN RELOCATION OVER DEMOLITION, BUT TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT ON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION MUST ALSO REVIEW PLANS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION IN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT BEFORE THE DEMO PERMIT IS RELEASED.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA ASK YOU ABOUT THE TIMING ON THIS ONE.
UH, THE SEPTEMBER HEARING, I BELIEVE IS THE LAST HEARING AT WHICH THIS ITEM IS SEEN.
UH, IS THE APPLICANT HERE TO SPEAK TO THIS ITEM, THE REPRESENTATIVE? PLEASE, UH, PROCEED.
WHAT DATE DID YOU START FROM? I BELIEVE THIS WAS ON THE MIKE.
FOR THE RECORD, WOULD YOU READ YOUR NAME INTO THE MY NAME IS MIKE MACONE.
I AM A REPRESENTATIVE FOR MR. RAUL LABBAN, WHO BOUGHT THE PROPERTY IN LAST DECEMBER.
UH, THIS, HE ACQUIRED THE PROPERTY FROM A GENTLEMAN, I BELIEVE, WHO HAD BEEN BEFORE THIS COMMISSION BEFORE TALKING ABOUT, UH, A REHABILITATION.
APPARENTLY SOMETHING OCCURRED LIKE, UH, MAYBE IT GOT TOO COSTLY AND HE PUT IT ON THE MARKET.
THIS WAS ALSO POSTPONED FROM THAT MEETING.
UH, YES, MR. MCCONE, THIS ITEM IS GONNA BE CALCULATED FROM THE DATE OF INTAKE.
SO I'M GONNA THAT UP REAL QUICK.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE YOU'LL BE ASKING ME IN A FEW MINUTES.
UH, MR. LEBAN HAS DONE A COMPLETE TREE SURVEY OF THIS PROPERTY AND IS WORKING WITH THE CITY ARBORISTS.
MANY OF THE NEIGHBORS HAVE, UH, SENT, UH, UH, ISSUES WITH THE, UH, TREE SUR, UH, WITH EXISTING TREE PRESERVATION.
UH, THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT HE WANTS TO DO.
HE WANTS TO PRESERVE THE TREES.
AFTER THE SURVEY, UH, LAST MONTH WHEN WE WERE HERE, I JUST MENTIONED THAT HE WOULD BE MAXIMIZING UNDER THE HOME.
[01:20:01]
HOME AND A 81 SINGLE A DU IN THE REAR, UH, WHICH WOULD HELP WITH THESE CITIES', UH, DESIGN AND, UH, DESIRE TO HAVE MORE IN, UH, HOUSING IN THE INNER CITY.UH, HE IS ALSO, BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE HOUSE IS SITUATED, IT REALLY CAN'T BE TAKEN OFF OF THE SITE WITHOUT DEMOLISHING A HERITAGE TREE.
UH, WE DON'T WANNA DO THAT, BUT HE HAS BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE REUSE PEOPLE AND THEY HAVE MADE AN, UH, AN OFFER TO, UH, DISASSEMBLE THE HOUSE AND REUSE, UM, MATERIALS THAT ARE SALVAGEABLE.
AND SO HIS, BECAUSE OF ALL OF THESE FACTORS, HE NEEDS TO, WANTS TO AND THINKS IT'S BEST TO REBUILD A NEW HOUSE, A NEW HOME, AND TO GO FORWARD WITH THE A DU, UH, HE UNDERSTANDS THAT, UH, HE WILL HAVE TO COME BACK TO THIS COMMISSION WITH PLANS, BUT HE DOESN'T WANT TO BEGIN THE PLANS UNTIL HE, UH, FINDS OUT IF HE WILL BE GRANTED THE DEMOLITION.
AND SO HE'S WANTING TO WORK AT A STEP BY STEP, UH, IN HIS INVESTMENT IN, UH, REDEVELOPING THE PROPERTY.
UH, SO THAT'S WHAT HE WOULD LOVE TO DO.
HE'D LOVE STARTED ON THIS FAIRLY SOON.
A RECOMMEND A DEMOLITION, UH, APPROVAL BY THIS COMMISSION WILL START IT IMMEDIATELY.
AND HE WILL BE COMING TO YOU IN THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMISSION TO COMMITTEE, I MEAN, TO, UH, GO OVER ALL THE PLANS.
UH, HE WILL, HE IS VERY INTERESTED IN MAKING SURE THAT HE FOLLOWS THE DESIGN CRITERIA OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, AND TRY TO GET BOTH A NEW HOME AND A DU THERE WITH ENTRANCES OFF OF THE ALLEY FOR THE MOST PART.
UH, BECAUSE THE STEEPNESS OF THIS LOT, UH, IT'S ALREADY SET BACK OVER 25 FEET.
AND THEN THERE'S A HERITAGE TREE THAT'S GROWING RIGHT UP TO THE, UH, FRONT OF THE HOUSE THAT HE'S IN THE CRITICAL ROOT ZONE OF.
SO HE NEEDS TO GET RID OF THAT.
AND SO IT'S A CHALLENGING SITE, BUT IT'S A BEAUTIFUL SITE WITH ALL THE TREES AND HE WANTS TO KEEP ALL OF THEM IF HE CAN.
I HAVE NO OTHER INFORMATION FROM THAT, UH, THAN THAT.
AND HOPE HE CAN SEE THAT HE IS TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING, GIVEN THAT HE CAN'T MAKE THE NUMBERS WORK FOR THE, UH, RESTORATION OF THE HOUSE.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT HAVING DONE IT MYSELF SEVERAL TIMES, IT'S ALWAYS MORE EXPENSIVE TO REHAB THAN IT WOULD BE TO REBUILD A HOUSE.
SO THAT'S WHERE HE AS WELL COMB.
IS THERE ANY QUESTION, UH, OF THE SPEAKER? OKAY.
SORRY,
AND WE HAVE DONE A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF THAT.
UH, AND IT JUST, IT DOESN'T WORK.
I MEAN, WE'RE AT, UH, WE'RE OVER AT OVER $300 A SQUARE FOOT TO, AND SO I HEAR YOU.
WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE JUST LOOKING FOR IS STRUCTURAL INVESTIGATION AND A COST ESTIMATE.
I DON'T THINK WE'VE SEEN ANYTHING IN BACKUP, SO THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING.
YEAH, NO, WE HAVE NOT DONE THAT BECAUSE, THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? RIGHT.
ANYONE HERE ELSE, UH, HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS APPLICATION? JUMP IN TO ANSWER THE QUESTION THAT WAS POSED, UH, INTAKE GOT THIS TO US ON MARCH 19TH, 2024.
AND THAT TRIGGERS A 180 DAY PERIOD, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
WHICH PUTS, UH, THAT DATE AT SEPTEMBER 15TH, WHICH MEANS THAT THE SEPTEMBER 4TH, UH, HLC HEARING IS THE LAST PUBLIC HEARING TO THIS ITEM HEARD.
UH, FOR THE DEMO, THE NEW CONSTRUCTION PLANS WHEN RECEIVED, WE'LL START OVER WITH A FRESH GLOCK OF 75 DAYS.
AND IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THE REQUIREMENT IS THAT A SET OF PLANS FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION MUST BE SUBMITTED BEFORE THE DEMO CAN BE RELEASED.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
THE DEMOLITION PERMIT CAN'T BE PULLED UNTIL THE HLC HAS, UH, REVIEWED, REVIEWED, REVIEWED THE, THE NEW PLANS.
BUT I UNDERSTAND FROM THE APPLICANT THAT THEY WOULD LIKE A SENSE OF WHAT, WHAT WILL APPROVE BEFORE THEY'RE
[01:25:01]
GOING TO SUBMIT PLANS, IF THAT'S CORRECT.UH, IS THERE AGAIN, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR? ALRIGHT, IS THERE ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? YES, WE HAVE SUSAN ARMSTRONG FISHER.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE AS WELL.
MS. FISHER, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED, UH, GO AHEAD AND LET'S GET YOU STARTED.
UM, THIS IS SUSAN ARMSTRONG FISHER, AGAIN, RESIDENT OF TRAVIS HEIGHTS, FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER, HISTORIC DISTRICT, AND PART OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE BACKUP, THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION SRCC HAS TAKEN THE TIME TO DRAFT AND VOTE ON A RESOLUTION IN OPPOSITION TO THE DEMOLITION OF THIS HOUSE.
UM, AS MENTIONED BY THE APPLICANT'S REPRESENTATIVE, THE CONCERN IS FOR THE TREES, BUT ALSO FOR THE CONTRIBUTING FACADE.
AND WHILE WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT COST IS A FACTOR, WE, WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE COST OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD'S LAND VALUES ARE PROBABLY CLOSE TO ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS.
SO WE FEEL THAT AT THAT PRICE POINT, SPENDING A LITTLE MORE TO MEET THE DESIGN STANDARDS AS BEST THEY CAN.
TO ACTUALLY ADD ONTO THE FACADE OF AN EXISTING STRUCTURE MIGHT BE SLIGHTLY MORE, BUT WOULD BE THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE AND A GREAT WAY TO ENTER THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, IN, UM, WITH, WITH THE NEIGHBOR'S BLESSINGS.
UM, THE NEIGHBORHOOD DOES HAVE AN EYE ON THIS ONE, AS MENTIONED BY THE SRCC RESOLUTION, AND WE JUST ASK THAT BEFORE WE CONSIDER DEMOLITION THAT WE CONSIDER IN ADDITION, KEEP THE FACADE.
THIS WOULD BE THE PERFECT HOME FOR THE HOME INITIATIVE WITH THE PRESERVATION BONUS.
AND THANK YOU SIR ARMSTRONG FISHER.
UM, THERE ARE OTHERS HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION.
UH, WOULD YOU PLEASE COME FORWARD AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF IN THE MICROPHONE? UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
UM, I'M ALSO A RESIDENT OF TRAVIS HEIGHTS AND AN OWNER OF A HOME ON, UH, ALTA VISTA AVENUE.
UM, I AM HERE TO, UH, EXPRESS MY CONCERNS ABOUT THE DEMOLITION OF THE 1409 ALTA VISTA HOME.
UM, SEEK MORE ENGAGEMENT REGARDING DEVELOPMENT PLANS FOR THE PROPERTY, UH, AND SEEK A POSTPONEMENT OF THE DEMOLITION APPROVAL FOR 1409 UNTIL A DEVELOPMENT PLAN IS SHARED WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, AND OUR, UH, CONCERNS ARE ADDRESSED.
UM, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I RECENTLY SPOKE WITH THE OWNER OF 1409, UH, AND HE STATED THAT HE IS NO LONGER BUILDING TO, UH, PLANNING TO BUILD A TRIPLEX.
AND HE ALSO, UH, EXPRESSED THAT HE VALUES THE HERITAGE TREES, UH, THE FEEL OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE, UH, HI.
HIS REPRESENTATIVE TONIGHT ECHOED THAT SENTIMENT.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE HE IS, UM, MAKING MOVES IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, WHICH IS, WHICH IS GREAT TO HEAR.
UM, WHILE THE COMMUNICATION IS PROMISING, I BELIEVE IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE OWNER ENGAGED WITH OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS AND SHARE DEVELOPMENT PLANS BEFORE PROCEEDING, THIS WILL ENSURE THAT THE PROJECT ALIGNS WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S CHARACTER AND ADDRESSES NEIGHBOR'S POTENTIAL CONCERNS.
AND THAT THE HISTORIC HOME CURRENTLY AT 1409 IS NOT FULLY DEMOLISHED IN VAIN.
UM, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF IN HERE THAT PROBABLY IS ADDRESSED BY COMMENTS ALREADY MADE, UH, BY SUSAN.
UM, BUT I'M CONFIDENT THAT WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT AND CAREFUL CONSIDERATION, A COMPROMISE CAN BE REACH THAT BENEFIT BENEFITS ALL PARTIES INVOLVED.
UM, AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THE CONCERNS AND I'M, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE, WITH THE OWNER ON THIS ONE.
ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE ON ONLINE? ALL RIGHT, THERE.
I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
[01:30:01]
BY COMMISSIONER GROGAN.ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND IT'S UNANIMOUS.
UH, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THIS ITEM.
IT HAS ALREADY BEEN POSTPONED FROM OUR JUNE 5TH MEETING.
YEAH, I'LL, I'LL PUT ONE OUT THERE, UM, BEFORE A MOTION TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND POSTPONE THIS TO THE NEXT, UM, MEETING.
UM, I, I DO, UM, WELL, I'LL PUT IT OUT THERE AND THEN DISCUSS RIGHT.
UH, AND SO THERE'S A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER ROGAN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER.
UM, UH, LISTEN TO ME,
UH, COMMISSIONER ROGAN, DO YOU WANNA DISCUSS YOUR MOTION NOW? YEAH.
UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE COMMUNITY, UM, OUTREACH ON THIS.
AND I FEEL LIKE, UM, WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION,
SO I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR, UM, THE OWNER OR REPRESENTATIVE TO COME TO THE A RC AND TALK TO US AND SEE IF, IF MAYBE WE CAN WORK ABOUT WITH SAVING SOME OF THAT FRONT FACADE.
UM, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO BRING YOUR TREE SURVEY IF YOU CAN.
UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT AS AN ARCHITECT AND
SO I, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD TALKING POINT.
UM, AND YEAH, I WOULD JUST, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, GIVE THE OWNER A LITTLE MORE TIME TO WORK WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WORK WITH US, AND, AND SEE WHERE WE END UP.
RUBY, I'LL ECHO THOSE SENTIMENTS.
I REALLY APPRECIATE SRCC AND THIS LETTER THAT YOU ALL PUT TOGETHER.
UH, FOR, FOR COMING OUT AND SPEAKING, I THINK THIS LETTER, WHAT REALLY STOOD OUT TO ME IN THIS LETTER, YOU KNOW, IS, UH, THE MENTION OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT MENTIONING LANDSCAPE AND TREE CANOPY AND DENSE VEGETATION.
THIS, I DUNNO, THIS HAS COME ACROSS MY, MY BRAIN LATELY THAT YES, TREES ARE NOT IN OUR JURISDICTION, BUT CULTURAL LANDSCAPES AND CERTAIN LANDSCAPES ARE.
AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ALL MENTIONING THAT, UM, BECAUSE THAT IS TECHNICALLY PART OF, PART OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, RIGHT? SO THANKS FOR MENTIONING THAT TO US.
UM, ALSO, I JUST HAVE A HARD TIME, WHICH I'M SURE YOU KNOW, MAYBE COMMISSIONER LAROCHE, IF HE WAS, WELL, I CAN'T PUT WORDS IN HIS MOUTH, BUT AS OUR STRUCTURAL, YOU KNOW, GUY, UH, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE SIT HERE AND SAY, YES, THERE'S NOTHING HERE WORTH SAVING ON THIS HISTORIC PROPERTY WHEN WE'VE SEEN NOTHING? I MEAN, YOU'RE, YOU'RE TALKING TO PEOPLE UP HERE WHO HAVE RESTORED THE WORST BUILDINGS IN THE STATE.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE CRUMBLING DOWN.
AND SO YOU HAVE TO COME UP HERE WITH DATA.
YOU HAVE TO COME UP HERE WITH NUMBERS.
AND I, I HOPE EVERYONE, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZES THAT WHEN YOU'RE COMING WITH HISTORIC PROPERTY THAT'S GOING TO BE DEMOLISHED, YOU HAVE TO BACK IT UP.
WHERE ARE THE NUMBERS? WHERE IS THE STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS? UM, AGAIN, WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF THINGS THAT CAN BE SAVED.
SO I HAVE A HARD TIME JUST SAYING, YEAH, IT, IT'S FINE.
SO THAT'S GONNA PROBABLY BE ACROSS THE BOARD ON ANY OTHER CASE SIMILAR TONIGHT.
SO COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION ITEMS ON THIS MOTION TO POSTPONE? I'M GONNA SUPPORT THE MOTION, BUT I, I REALLY WANNA REINFORCE COMMISSIONER GROGAN, WHICH YOU'D MENTIONED WITH THE TREES, AND SORT OF TAKE IT ONE STEP FURTHER.
UH, THE APPLICANT'S REPRESENTATIVE, UH, MIKE, YOU MENTIONED THE, THE, UH, HERITAGE TREE ISSUE.
UH, AGAIN, I, I, I HAVEN'T REALLY STUDIED THIS VERY MUCH, BUT JUST TAKING A QUICK LOOK.
UH, I THINK THERE'S EXTRA VALUE TO AN EXISTING BUILDING THAT'S IN A NON-CONFORMING CONDITION BECAUSE ONCE THAT BUILDING IS REMOVED, THERE'S GONNA BE A WHOLE SECTION OF THE SITE THAT'S NOT GONNA BE BUILDABLE.
AND IF YOU'RE DOING AN ADDITION TO IT, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WOULD BE GRANDFATHERED.
SO, UH, I THINK THERE MAY BE A SORT OF A ROUNDABOUT WAY THAT THAT FACADES, UH, VALUE CAN BE ON MANY LEVELS, UH, BENEFICIAL NOT JUST TO THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, BUT POSSIBLY TO THIS OWNER AS WELL.
I HAVE NO PROBLEM AT ALL WITH THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE A DU.
UH, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS AN OWNER WHO'S ALREADY AWARE AND WOULD BE SYMPATHETIC, I'M SURE, FOLLOWING THE DESIGN STANDARDS.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHY THE A DU ORDINANCES HAVE BEEN WRITTEN THE WAY THEY HAVE AS FOR CONDITIONS SUCH AS THIS.
SO WE MAY VERY WELL HAVE THE MAKINGS OF, UH, SOMETHING THAT WOULD WORK, UH, AS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF A SUCCESS FOR EVERYONE.
UH, SO I, I'M HOPING THAT THAT EXTRA TIME WILL BE USED EFFECTIVELY.
SO AGAIN, THAT'S WHY I'M SUPPORTING THE MOTION.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF REOPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING AND POSTPONING TO OUR AUGUST MEETING INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND, AND ONCE AGAIN, I SEE ALL HANDS RAISED SO THAT IT'S UNANIMOUS.
[01:35:01]
YOU VERY MUCH.ALRIGHT, AND THAT BRINGS US TO ITEM NUMBER
[11. HR-2024-055618 – 1607 Kenwood Ave.]
11, UH, 1607 KENWOOD AVENUE.ITEM 11 AT 16 0 7 KENWOOD AVENUE.
THE PROPOSAL IS TO CONSTRUCT A SIDE EDITION TO A CIRCA 1940 HOUSE ENCLOSING A DETACHED STUDIO BUILDING.
THE NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATION DESCRIBES THE HOUSE AS AN INTACT CONTRIBUTING EXAMPLE OF THE MINIMAL TRADITIONAL STYLE BUILT IN A RECTANGULAR PLAN.
THE FRONT ELEVATION FEATURES A DOOR AT CENTER WITH A 1 0 1 WINDOW ON EITHER SIDE.
A SIDE GABLE ROOF IS PRESENT WITH A FRONT GABLE PROJECTING OUTWARDS COVERING THE FRONT ENTRYWAY TO THE SOUTHEAST OF THE MAIN HOUSE IS A SMALL DETACHED STUDIO SPACE WITH A FRONT GABLE ROOF EXTENDING TOWARDS THE FRONT OF THE PROPERTY.
THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE PROPERTY IS ENCLOSED BY A WOOD FENCE THAT FORMS A PATIO SPACE BEHIND IT.
THE HOUSE AT 1607 KENWOOD AVENUE WAS CONSTRUCTED AROUND 1938 AND WAS ADVERTISED AS A FIVE ROOM BUNGALOW RENTAL FOR $32 AND 50 CENTS A MONTH.
NO RECORDS ARE PRESENT INDICATING WHO OCCUPIED THE PROPERTY UNTIL 1941 WHEN IT HOUSED ROY AND RUTH CRESTOR.
MR. CRESTOR WORKED AS AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER AT THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY AT THIS TIME, AND MRS. CRESTOR WAS ACTIVE IN AUSTIN SOCIAL GROUPS, INCLUDING JUNIOR HELPING HAND AND ST.
MARTIN'S MARTIN'S LUTHERAN CHURCH.
LATER ROY WORKED IN A MANAGERIAL ROLE AS WELL AS AN ADJACENT ADJUNCT PROFESSOR, PROFESSOR FOR ENGINEERING.
AND RUTH GAVE BIRTH TO THREE CHILDREN BY THIS TIME.
THEY WERE NO LONGER LISTED AS RESIDING IN THE MODEST BUNGALOW AND KENWOOD AVENUE AND LISTINGS HAD THE CURTIS FAMILY OCCUPYING SPACE AT SOME POINT AFTER THIS, IT IS ASSUMED THAT THE UNATTACHED STUDIO WAS BUILT OR OTHERWISE ENCLOSED.
SEVERAL STUDIOS HAVE SINCE BEEN REPLACED IN 2010 AND 2011.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HISTORIC HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS ARE BASED ON THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR STANDARDS FOR REHABILITATION AND USED TO EVALUATE PROJECTS OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS.
THIS PROJECT DOES NOT MEET THE APPLICABLE STANDARDS LISTED ABOVE.
AND DUE TO WORK HAVING ALREADY STARTED, A VAST AMOUNT OF HISTORIC MATERIAL HAS ALREADY BEEN LOST.
STAFF REVIEWED THE, HAS REVIEWED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGN DESIGNATION.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO COMMENT ON THE PLANS AND GET FURTHER UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE REVERSIBILITY OF TREATMENTS, UM, WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT IT'S, UH, CURRENTLY, UH, UH, BEING, UH, LOOKED AT FOR, UM, WORK WITHOUT A PERMIT.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR IN INITIAL, UH, STAFF PRESENTATION.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? UH, MAYBE YOU WOULD ELABORATE JUST A LITTLE BIT ON THE, UH, FACT THAT WORK HAS ALREADY BEGUN, UH, AS WE HAD OUR PRE-MEETING.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THIS IS CURRENTLY RED TAGGED THAT THEY BEGAN THIS WORK WITHOUT A BUILDING PERMIT, NOT JUST WITHOUT A HISTORIC REVIEW.
IS THAT CORRECT? UH, YES, SIR, THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, THE, UH, CITY WAS NOTIFIED ON MARCH 26TH, 2024, AND A SITE VISIT WAS MADE BY CITY STAFF ON MARCH 29TH, 2024.
SO, UH, IS IT SAFE TO SAY THAT OUR REVIEW AND COMMENTS MAY BE THE LEAST OF THEIR CONCERNS RIGHT NOW OTHER THAN WHATEVER, WHATEVER WE RECOMMEND? THEY SHOULD CERTAINLY SHOULD AT LEAST BE LISTENING, I WOULD SAY THAT IS FAIR, YEAH.
UH, IS THERE ANYBODY HERE, UH, THIS IS OPEN OPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING, SO IS THERE ANYBODY HERE, UH, TO SPEAK FOR THE APPLICANT? WE HAVE A FEW FOLKS ONLINE.
UM, I CAN, CAN YOU, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.
UH, WOULD YOU PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF? YES, THIS IS MICKEY AND I'M THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY.
UH, SO YOU, YOU'VE HEARD YOU'VE HEARD OUR QUESTIONS.
SO IT'S BEEN A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE SITUATIONS THAT HAVE COME UP.
SO I, I HAVE, UM, BEEN RESIDING IN ON LAKE TRAVIS AND, UM, WITH MY SON HERO AND MY EX-HUSBAND, UM, ANDREW.
AND, YOU KNOW, IN OUR LOVING UNCOUPLING, WE, UM, MY SON AND I, UM, WANTED TO MOVE CLOSER TO THE CITY TO BE NEAR OUR FRIENDS AND, UM, COMMUNITY.
AND SO, SO MANY OF OUR FRIENDS LIVE IN TRAVIS HEIGHTS, SO THEY WERE LIKE, YOU NEED TO MOVE HERE.
SO WE KIND OF, ON A VERY QUICK WHIM, BOUGHT THIS, BOUGHT THIS PROPERTY, UM, UH, FROM SOME MUSICIAN FRIENDS AND DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, AND I HIRED A CONTRACTOR VERY QUICKLY AND, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY GAVE HIM ALL THE MONEY.
AND HE AND I WAS GOING THROUGH MY DIVORCE PROCESS AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT BEING A SINGLE MOM, THE WHOLE THING.
AND NOT TO MAKE IT A SOB STORY, BUT IT REALLY, I JUST TRUSTED THAT HE WOULD DO THE RIGHT THING, LIKE WHEN, YOU KNOW, JUST TO GET THE PROPER PERMITS AND ALL OF THAT.
BUT WHAT HE DID INSTEAD WAS TAKE MY MONEY, RAN WITH IT, AND
[01:40:01]
LEFT ME WITH A, A BIG MESS.AND, AND SO WHEN WE FOUND OUT WHAT HAPPENED, UM, WE BROUGHT IN A NEW CONTRACTOR AND, UM, AND HE STARTED TO ASSESS THE PROPERTY.
BUT IN THAT PROCESS, SOMEONE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAD CALLED, UM, TO SAY, OR SOME, I DON'T KNOW HOW, HOW, BUT MAYBE THE OFFICIALS REALIZED THAT THIS HOME WASN'T BEING PROPERLY PERMITTED.
AND SO AS SOON AS WE FOUND THAT OUT, WE WENT THROUGH THE ALL THE PROPER HOOPS TO DO RIGHT BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND WE, WE HAVEN'T CHANGED ANYTHING EXCEPT FOR REMOVE THE FRONT THE WOOD, AS IN WE HAVE, WE, WE, WE, YOU KNOW, MY, THE OLD CONTRACTOR STARTED WORKING ON A, IN ADDITION, BUT FROM A LENS OF HISTORIC, LIKE, THEY DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, TEAR THE BUILDING DOWN OR ANYTHING.
WE WANTED TO MAINTAIN AND PRESERVE THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT WE WANTED TO GET, TO GET RID OF THE, THE MOLD.
I'M, I'M VERY ALLERGIC TO MOLD AND SO IS MY SON.
AND THE, THE, THE, THE WOOD SIDING WAS JUST MOLDY AND OLD.
AND SO WE, WE DIDN'T TEAR IT DOWN, WE JUST REPLACED THE WOOD AND UM, AND, AND PUT IN, YOU KNOW, UH, JUST EXTENDED THE FRONT WALL SO WE CAN ATTACH THE, THE LITTLE STUDIO TO THE HOUSE.
AND WE'VE BEEN DOING EVERYTHING ABOVE BOARD AND WE JUST KEEP GETTING THE RUN AROUND.
AND I, I KEEP SPENDING SO MUCH MORE MONEY TO GET TO THIS BOARD MEETING AND THAT REVIEW AND THIS MORE, AND I, IT'S JUST, AND WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO NOT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MANY BUILDINGS, HOMES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT ARE KIND OF GETTING ABANDONED BECAUSE OF ALL THE HOOPS TO GO THROUGH.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO, I MEAN, I, I'VE SPENT MONEY ON THIS HOME I, WITH MY ADORABLE 6-YEAR-OLD NAMED HERO, AND WE JUST WANNA MOVE IN AND, AND, AND DO, DO OUR BEST HERE.
AND SO MY, MY CONTRACTOR'S ON THIS PHONE AS WELL, AND ON THIS CALL, AND WE'RE, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, AGAIN, I'M NOT TEARING ANYTHING DOWN, WE JUST TOOK OUT THE MOLDY SIDING AND PUT IN NEW WOOD SO WE CAN NOT BE MOLDY.
AND, UM, AND NOW WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE BOARD REVIEW PROCESS.
WE HAVE MEETINGS ON MONDAY WITH THE, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THE VARIANCE COMMITTEE TO, YOU KNOW, JUST APPROVE THE EXTENSION.
YOU KNOW, JUST, JUST THE, THE ADDITION THAT WE HAD PUT.
AND IT'S JUST BEEN SO MANY PHONE CALLS, SO MANY EMAILS, SO MANY VISITS TO THE CITY, AND JUST TRYING TO LEARN THE VARIANCES, WHAT EVEN IT MEANS AND THE, ALL OF IT.
AND WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DON'T WANNA ABANDON THIS BUILDING.
WE DON'T WANT IT TO BECOME A DILAPIDATED MESS THAT BECAUSE WE CAN'T, YOU KNOW, AFFORD CONTINUE TO TRY AND DO THIS AND THAT, AND WE JUST WANNA MAINTAIN, WE JUST WANNA MOVE INTO CLOSE WITH OUR FRIENDS AND, AND, AND, AND, AND, AND, AND DO RIGHT BY THE CITY.
AND, AND, AND RIGHT BY WHAT, WHAT, WHAT THE, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE PREVIOUS CON I'M SUING THE LAST CONTRACTOR.
I'M TRYING TO FIND HIM TO GET MY MONEY BACK, BUT IT'S JUST WHILE GOING THROUGH DIVORCE, WHILE I'M TRYING TO BECOME A SINGLE, BECOMING A SINGLE, IT'S JUST A LOT OF, IT'S LIKE I'M, I HAVE A LUMP IN MY THROAT.
IT'S A LOT TO, TO DO AND MANAGE.
SO I'M LOOKING FOR YOUR HELP TO CREATE A FRESH START FOR ME, FOR, FOR US.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PRESERVE, WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO PRESERVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND YEAH, WE JUST NEED YOUR HELP
IT'S LIKE, I, I'VE GOTTA TAKE MY KID TO SCHOOL.
JUST, I JUST, I JUST NEED TO KNOW WHAT, WITHOUT HAVING TO SPEND LIKE SO MUCH MORE MONEY.
LIKE, WHAT ELSE, WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO? LIKE, IT'S JUST, IT'S TOO MUCH.
ALRIGHT, WELL, MICKEY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND WE APPRECIATE THE DILEMMA, UH, THAT YOU'VE GOTTEN YOURSELF, THAT YOU FOUND YOURSELF IN.
UM, YOU KNOW, IDEALLY ALL OF THESE PROCEDURES THAT YOU'RE NOW FINDING OUT ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, DONE IN THE RIGHT SEQUENCE, HELP ANSWER THE QUESTIONS AT THE RIGHT TIME AND AVOID THIS TYPE OF DIFFICULTY.
I, I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE, YOU'RE BASICALLY ALREADY RUNNING THE TRAIN AND YOU'RE TRYING TO FIND THE TRACKS ALL AT THE SAME TIME, SO I I, I APPRECIATE IT.
IT'S MORE COMPLICATED THAN IT WOULD HAVE TO BE.
IT'S, IT'S NOT AN EASY PROCESS TO BEGIN WITH, BUT IT, UH, IT, IT CERTAINLY IS MORE COMPLICATED BECAUSE OF THAT.
UH, LET ME SEE IF ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE, UH, QUESTIONS OF YOU FOR WHILE YOU'RE ON THE PHONE.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, MY ONE QUESTION IS, WHEN DID YOU PURCHASE THE PROPERTY, NIKKI, ARE YOU, ARE YOU THERE? THE OWNER IS THE OWNER THERE? SHE'S DROPPED OFF.
IS THERE ANYBODY HERE, UH, ALSO TO, UH, SPEAK TO THE, UH, APPLICATION IN FAVOR?
[01:45:04]
OKAY, WELL, SHE COMES BACK, LET US KNOW.IS THERE ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION, PLEASE? HI, MY NAME IS YANO.
I'M NOT SURE YOU WERE ON THE PHONE.
UH, SO COMMISSIONER RUBIO, GO AHEAD AND ASK AGAIN.
YEAH, MY QUESTION IS SHE PROPERTY? AND AND WOULD YOU PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF, SIR? HI, YES.
I AM HELPING OUT MICKEY AGARAL WITH THIS PROCESS.
UM, SHE ACTUALLY JUST SAID THAT SHE'S BACK ON, SO SHE'S GONNA UNMUTE HERSELF.
AND ARE YOU THE CONTRACTOR? IS THAT CORRECT? I'M NOT THE CONTRACTOR.
NO, YOU'RE JUST ASSISTING YOU.
YOU'RE ALSO A, A, AN SOMEONE ASSISTING.
MY QUESTION FOR THE OWNER IS, WHEN DID YOU PURCHASE THE PROPERTY? I, I AM SO SORRY.
THERE'S SOMETHING, I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED WITH MY PHONE.
CAN YOU HEAR, DID YOU HEAR THE QUESTION? THE QUESTION IS, UH, GO AHEAD.
CAN YOU TELL US WHEN YOU PURCHASED THE PROPERTY, PLEASE? YEAH, I AM TRYING TO REMEMBER.
IT WAS, UM, YANO, CAN YOU, IT'S LIKE, IT WAS LIKE ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO NOW.
I THINK IT WAS LIKE AUGUST OF 22 OR SOMETHING.
WHAT, WHAT, WHAT MONTH? IT MAY, IT MAY HAVE BEEN OCTOBER, ACCORDING TO ONLINE RECORDS, OCTOBER, 2022.
SO IT WAS, IT WAS IN 2022 AND IT'S 2024.
I MEAN, I'M LIKE, I, I FEEL SO STUCK.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE OWNER? AND IS, UH, AGAIN, IS THERE SOMEBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? OH, I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER GROGAN.
UM, I THINK YOU MENTIONED THAT, THAT THE ONLY THING THAT HAS BEEN DONE IS REPLACED SIDING, BUT IT, IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE THE FRONT WINDOW PROPORTIONS HAVE CHANGED AND THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT ADDITION.
SO WE REPLACED THE SIDING BOAT, BUT I SAID WE EXTENDED THE FRONT TO KIND OF BASICALLY CONNECT THE, THE, THE FRONT HOUSE WITH THE LITTLE STUDIO.
SO WE BASICALLY DEMOED TWO WALLS ON THE STUDIO IN THE BACK SO WE CAN JUST MAKE A LIVABLE SPACE FOR MY SON AND I.
THE LOT, THE LOT SIZE, THE LOT WAS ACTUALLY ILLEGALLY SUBDIVIDED, LIKE 1978.
AND THAT'S ANOTHER HUGE NIGHTMARE OF A PROBLEM THAT WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT WHEN I BOUGHT THE HOUSE.
AND SO NOW BECAUSE OF THAT, THE ACTUAL, THE LOT SIZE IS ACTUALLY IN QUESTION.
AND SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO MAKE IT A LIVABLE SPACE.
I DON'T WANNA HAVE A SEPARATE SPACE FOR MY KID TO BE LIKE, THAT'S NOT ATTACHED TO THE HOMES.
I JUST LINKED THE BACK, THE BACK STUDIO TO THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE AND, AND, AND, AND EXTENDED IT SO IT COULD BE A SQUARE, A RECTANGLE.
SO IT'S NOT JUST A A, A WEIRDLY SHAPED HOUSE.
SO I JUST TURNED IT INTO LIKE A BIG RECTANGLE BASICALLY, SO THAT IT'S JUST 1, 1, 1 SPACE INSTEAD OF TWO THAT MY SON, I DON'T WANT HIM TO LIKE GO OUTSIDE TO GO TO THE OTHER LITTLE STUDIO IN THE BACK.
I JUST WANTED IT TO BE, BE LINKED.
AND SO I'M JUST LOOKING FOR A FRESH START, YOU GUYS, LIKE, I JUST, I JUST NEED LIKE, LIKE THE LOT SUBDIVISION DIVISION FROM 1978 WAS LIKE ILLEGALLY DONE.
I DIDN'T KNOW, LIKE NO ONE KNOWS WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT.
WE NEED THE LOT TO BE APPROVED A LOT, THE LOT SIZE AND, AND, AND JUST THE, THE, LIKE WE, WE DIDN'T TEAR IT DOWN.
WE COULD HAVE, BUT, BUT I, I MEAN, I COULDN'T REALLY AFFORD TO TEAR IT DOWN ANYWAYS, BUT I EXTENDED IT SO THAT I COULD JUST MAKE IT A LIVABLE SPACE.
I CAN HAVE A ROOM FOR, FOR ME, FOR MY SON AND, AND A LIKE A ROOM TO, TO WORK.
IT'S LIKE ONE, LIKE LITTLE ROOM SO I CAN HAVE A SPACE TO WORK.
AND, AND I REALLY LIKE, WE, WE, WE JUST GOT APPROVED TO DO THE FRONT, THE FRONT LAWN SO THAT WE, THAT, THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE CITY.
WE'RE JUST OUR, OUR CONTRACTORS JUST, UM, GETTING THAT PART READY SO WE CAN START TO GET THE FRONT, THE FRONT, UM, PART DONE, AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT IT'S IN THE VIBE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
LIKE, I WANT TO BE PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I LOVE MY FRIENDS WHO LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I, I WANNA BE IN THE COMMUNITY.
I'M SUCH A COMMUNITY BUILDER TOO, SO I'M CONVINCED 20 FRIENDS TO MOVE TO AUSTIN FROM NEW YORK CITY,
SO LIKE, I'M HERE TO LIKE, HELP BUILD THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, AND I JUST, I'M JUST LIKE, I'M JUST OF A PIT IN MY STOMACH WITH HOW MANY HOOPS I'M, I, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
AND I, I JUST NEED A FIRST START.
SO LIKE, LIKE HELPING, HELPING WITH THE LINE, LIKE JUMP IN.
[01:50:01]
MAY, EXCUSE ME.UH, JUST TO CLARIFY, SO THERE'S NO MISUNDERSTANDING.
THE HISTORIC LANDMARKS COMMISSION IS REVIEWING THIS BECAUSE YOU ARE IN A NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT AND THERE ARE HISTORIC HOMES AND CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES THROUGHOUT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THE POINT OF OUR REVIEW IS THE DESIGN AS IT IS SHOWN, AND ITS LEVEL OF APPROPRIATENESS IN MEETING THE CRITERIA OF YOUR NEIGHBORS AS A STRUCTURE WITHIN THAT NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT.
SO ANYTHING THAT YOU NEED HELP WITH ON SOME OF THOSE OTHER ITEMS, UH, WE CAN APPRECIATE THE NUMBER OF HOOPS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
BUT THAT'S, UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE NO WAY TO HELP YOU.
AND THAT'S NOT OUR JURISDICTION, RIGHT? HOWEVER, WE ARE SURE IN A POSITION OF MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON THE FACT THAT YOU'VE MODIFIED AN EXISTING HOME, AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH WE MIGHT MAKE COMMENTS, UH, OR IF THERE ARE CONCERNS, WE MIGHT DELAY THE PROJECT TO SEE IF THERE'S WAYS WE CAN ENHANCE YOUR PROJECT.
UH, THOSE ARE REALLY THE TOOLS WE HAVE AT OUR DISPOSAL FOR THIS HEARING.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YEAH, I, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND I, AND I RESPECT AND, AND APPRECIATE YOUR DESIRE TO MAINTAIN HISTORIC AESTHETIC.
AND THIS IS WHY I, I HAVEN'T DEMOLISHED OR DIDN'T, I, YOU KNOW, WE, WE JUST REPLACED THE SIDING AND EXTENDED IT.
WE'RE NOT THE, THE ROOF OF THE SAME HEIGHT AS WHATEVER THE EXTENDED THAT WE WE PUT IN JUST TO MAKE IT A A RECTANGLE IT.
THIS, IT'S THE SAME HEIGHT AS IT WAS.
WE DIDN'T MAKE IT BIGGER OR MORE OSTENTATIOUS.
IT'S LITERALLY THE, IT'S A SMALL HOUSE.
IT'S JUST GOT A LITTLE BIT EXTENDED TO CONNECT THE TWO, TWO SPACES WITH A LITTLE BIT OF AN EXTENSION AND THAT, AND THEN JUST REPLACE THE SIDING.
WE, WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING ELSE.
AND, AND WE HAVEN'T EVEN FINISHED IT.
LIKE IF THE SIDING IS RIGHT NOW, KIND OF LIKE A WOOD COLOR, BUT IT JUST WOULD, BUT WE'RE GONNA, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT IT, IT FITS.
AND, AND THE, THE OTHER HOUSE WAS A YELLOW WOOD SIDING.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA NOT MAKE IT YELLOW AND WOOD, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL MAKE IT NICE AND QUAINT AND, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT IT FITS.
BUT, BUT WE CANNOT DELAY THIS LIKE, IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS, SIR.
I, I, I'M, I NEED TO MOVE FORWARD.
I NEED TO MOVE, MOVE IN, AND I JUST, I, I NEED, I NEED SUPPORT HERE AND, AND MAKING THIS, THIS HAPPEN WITHOUT DELAY.
LIKE BEEN TWO YEARS OF, OF GOING TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT.
AND I, I, I, I, I LIKE THE ONLY OTHER OPTION ABANDON SHIP AND IT'LL JUST GO DILAPIDATED UNTIL SOMEONE ELSE BUYS IT AND HAS TO DEAL WITH IT, WHICH I DON'T KNOW ANYONE ELSE WOULD BUY IT.
THERE'S NO PROPER PERMIT IF ALL THESE THINGS ARE A PROBLEM.
SO I'M TRYING TO DO RIGHT BY THE CITY HERE AND BY YOU, BUT BY EVERYONE, BY TRYING TO, TRYING TO DO IT ABOVE BOARD.
BUT IT'S JUST, I I I, IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS AND I, I, I'M LIKE AT THE POINT WHERE I'M LIKE, EITHER I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
LIKE I DON'T WANNA ABANDON IT, BUT IT'S, IT, IT'S, SO, I, I JUST WANTED TO KNOW, IDEALLY IF YOU GUYS CAN FIND, IF YOU CAN SORT FIND A WAY TO HELP ME NOT DELAY IT AND JUST, IT, WE JUST GONNA, I MEAN, WE LITERALLY DIDN'T CHANGE ANYTHING EXCEPT FOR, EXCEPT FOR, I MEAN, EXTEND IT, BUT, BUT NOT THE, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE SIDING AND WE DIDN'T MAKE IT OSTENTATIOUS OR CHANGE THE MATERIAL.
IT'S JUST WOOD AND WE JUST REPLACE THE WOODS.
LET, LET, JUST LET ME JUMP IN HERE.
SO I, UH, I THINK AT THIS POINT, UH, LET ME SEE IF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS OF YOU.
BUT WE DO APPRECIATE, UH, THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'VE SHARED WITH US.
UH, BUT AT THIS POINT, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, SEE IF THERE'S ANY OTHER SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM.
AND IF NOT, THEN I WILL ASK THE COMMISSIONERS TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, THEN I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THERE A SECOND? SO MOVED AND SECONDED.
UH, COMMISSIONERS IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
OR RAISING YOUR HAND, I GUESS I CAN'T SEE.
NOW WE CAN SEE ALL HANDS ARE RAISED.
UH, SO IT IS UNANIMOUS, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
UM, BEFORE I CALL FOR A MOTION, I DO THINK THAT THIS IS A UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCE, AND I THINK THAT CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE SHOULD TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.
UH, I, I WILL WAIT UNTIL THERE'S A MOTION, BUT I THINK THE OWNER HAS INDICATED WHY THEY'RE IN THE CONDITION THEY ARE, UH, CUTTING TO THE CHASE.
IT COULD CERTAINLY BE A LOT WORSE, LET'S PUT IT THAT WAY.
IN TERMS OF OUR JURISDICTION, I'M NOT SURE IF IT COULD FOR ALL THE OTHER JURISDICTIONS, BUT AS FAR AS WE'RE CONCERNED THEY KEPT THE BUILDING, UH, MAYBE THERE'S SOME THINGS WE COULD OFFER TO MAKE IT BETTER, BUT I, I DON'T KNOW IF ADDING EXTRA TIME IS GOING TO BENEFIT ANYBODY, BUT I'LL, I'LL JUST LEAVE THAT AS MY COMMENTS BEFORE I ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
AM I SEEING ANY OF THE VIRTUAL
[01:55:01]
PARTICIPANTS RAISING THEIR HAND FOR A MOTION? SORRY.SO WE'VE ALREADY CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING.
WE'VE CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING.
WELL, CAN I ASK A QUESTION FOR STAFF? UH, WHAT ARE OUR OPTIONS? I MEAN, WELL, WHAT ARE WE, WHAT ARE WE DOING? UM, SO THIS IS AN APPLICATION FOR A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING IN A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
UH, YOU HAVE UP TO 180 DAYS TO POSTPONE, UH, WHICH WOULD PUT US AT, UH, THE END OF OCTOBER.
UM, SO OCTOBER'S MEETING WOULD BE YOUR LAST PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, YOU CAN CHOOSE TO COMMENT ON THE PLANS.
UM, THAT'S, AND, AND WE COULD RELEASE THE APPLICATION, RIGHT? YOU COULD RELEASE THE APPLICATION, UM, WITH COMMENTS ON THE PLANS, WITH COMMENTS ON THE PLAN, UM, OR YOU COULD INITIATE A STORE.
SO POSTPONE, WAIT, SO THIS IS, SO I, I'M SORRY.
UH, WE'VE CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IF THERE'S A SPECIFIC QUESTION OF THE APPLICANT, WE CERTAINLY CAN ASK, UH, THAT, BUT AT THIS POINT, THE COMMISSIONERS WILL BE DISCUSSING IT AMONG THEMSELVES.
THIS IS JUST THE, THIS IS THE OWNER, SO I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I, WHAT I NEED, WHAT I NEED TO DO.
UH, AND, AND SO AT THIS POINT, UH, MICKEY IS THE OWNER.
UH, WE HAVE HEARD YOUR TESTIMONY.
AND WE ARE ASKING COMMISSIONERS WHAT ACTION THEY WOULD LIKE TO TAKE.
IF THERE IS A SPECIFIC QUESTION OF YOU, WE CAN GET YOU BACK ON AGAIN, BUT OTHERWISE AT THIS POINT IT IS UP TO THE COMMISSIONERS TO SPEAK.
SO OUTSIDE OF THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE WITHOUT A PERMIT, DO WE THEN TREAT THIS AS, UH, SOMETHING THAT HAD BEEN, AS A PROJECT THAT HAD BEEN SUBMITTED TO, UH, FOR AN ADDITION OR MODIFICATION, UH, WHERE WE MIGHT DISCUSS IT, ACCEPT IT, OR MAYBE POSTPONE AND SEND TO THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE TO RECONSIDER IT AND SEE WHAT IT MIGHT GO BACK TO, TO PERHAPS RESTORE SOME OF THE ORIGINAL MASSING FOOTPRINT? JUST SOMETHING, UH, MORE COMPATIBLE.
UH, AND YES, THERE'S THE WHOLE WORK WITHOUT A PERMIT ISSUE TO THAT, THAT NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH, BUT THAT'S NOT OUR, OUR JURISDICTION.
THAT'S A, THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S A FAIR STATEMENT, IS THAT UNDERSTANDING, I THINK WHERE THIS TO COME IN FRONT OF US BEFORE ANY WORK HAD BEEN DONE.
I THINK CERTAINLY THE MATERIALS AND, UH, THE OPENINGS WOULD BE A DISCUSSION.
IT IS A CONTRIBUTING, UH, BUT YOU KNOW, THE FACT IS, IS THAT THEY KEPT THE MASSING AND THEY KEPT THE ORIGINAL BUILDING.
UH, SO WE PROBABLY GIVE THEM CREDIT FOR THAT AND MAKE COMMENTS ON THE OTHER.
THAT'S SORT OF MY FEELING SO RELATIVE NOW TO THE FACT THAT THAT'S ANY, ANY ADJUSTMENT THAT WE MIGHT MAKE REQUIRES THEM TO CHANGE SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY BEEN BUILT THAT MAY ACTUALLY CHANGE THE WAY WE WANT TO CONSIDER OUR COMMENTS.
AND I DO HAVE AN IDEA IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO RELEASE THIS, I HAVE SOME COMMENTS THAT I WOULD LOVE TO PUT INTO THE RECORD.
'CAUSE I THINK I COULD APPROVE IT WITH SOME SMALL CHANGES.
BUT IF NOBODY WANTS TO DO THAT, UH, I'M NOT GONNA MAKE THAT MOTION.
'CAUSE I'LL ENTERTAIN, I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND POSTPONE, UH, TO THE NEXT MONTH'S MEETING IN, IN HOPES THAT THEY CAN ATTEND THE A RC FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION.
I DO THINK THERE HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT CHANGE HERE.
UM, WELL, LET'S SEE IF THERE'S A SECOND.
OKAY, SECOND, COMMISSIONER GROGAN AND COMMISSIONER RUBY.
UH, JUST LOOKING BETWEEN THE TWO PHOTOS BEFORE AND AFTER, I MEAN, EXTREME CHANGE.
UM, I, I, I, I GET THAT, UM, THIS IS CHALLENGING FOR THE OWNER AND I RESPECT THAT, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD AT LEAST HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS ABOUT HOW WE COULD POSSIBLY, UM, HELP WITH THIS ADDITION AND CHANGES.
UM, AND, AND I THINK IT WOULD TAKE MORE THAN JUST COMMENTS HERE.
UM, AND, AND I'M ALSO JUST GONNA THROW OUT THAT I REALLY THINK THEY NEED TO HIRE AN ARCHITECT THAT COULD OVERSEE THIS WHOLE PROJECT.
UM, AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE THE SUBDIVISION AND, AND ALL OF THIS PROCESS.
THEY NEED SOMEONE TO OVERSEE AND GUIDE THEM, UM, START TO FINISH.
COMMISSIONER RUBIO, I'LL QUICKLY ECHO THOSE COMMENTS.
THERE'S PROBABLY A COUPLE TWEAKS THAT WE CAN MAKE THAT MIGHT BRING THIS BACK INTO COMPLIANCE AS A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING.
I HEAR THE TIMELINE, I HEAR EVERYTHING, BUT THIS HAS BEEN IN THE OWNER'S PROPERTY FOR TWO YEARS.
[02:00:01]
IN MY OPINION, PLENTY OF TIME TO DO THIS PROPERLY.UM, I'VE WORKED WITH PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE DONE IT THE WRONG WAY.
I'VE BEEN, I'VE SERVED ON OTHER VARIANCE COMMITTEES.
BUT IN A CITY LIKE AUSTIN, THIS IS NOT THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT WERE DONE WRONG, WHICH IS BESIDES THE POINT, BUT WE CAN MAKE THIS BETTER, I THINK AT A RC, HOPEFULLY SO.
AND I'M ALSO GONNA ADD, I I BELIEVE THIS IS GONNA NEED A VARIANCE.
SO, UM, THEY HAVE A LOT OF TIME AHEAD OF THEM.
THE, THE VARIANCE REQUEST IS REQUIRED BEFORE THEY CAN GET THEIR RED, RED TAG REMOVED.
WELL, A VARIANCE BECAUSE OF THE SIZE OF THE LOT, RIGHT? THAT'S NOT, THAT'S GONNA GO ON WAY LONGER THAN OUR PROCESS.
SO WE HAVE, SO WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO, TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT TIME.
COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTONE? YEAH, WELL, I MEAN, WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY, I VERY MUCH AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER RUBIO'S COMMENTS.
UM, I WAS THINKING ABOUT IF THERE WAS A WAY THAT WE COULD SAY THAT, UH, WE COULD EMPOWER THE A RC TO RELEASE THIS ONCE THEY'VE HAD A CHANCE TO MEET IN PERSON.
UM, THIS IS NOT IN A LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICT AND WE'RE FOR A, UH, CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS.
THIS IS MORE OF JUST US BEING ABLE TO COMMENT ON THE PLANS.
UM, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT EVEN MATTERS IF THEIR OVERALL TIMELINE.
LIKE WE, WE ARE NOT CRITICAL PATH TO ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO GET DONE.
UM, BUT IF WE WERE, I WOULD, UH, I'D SUPPORT EMPOWERING THE A RC TO RELEASE THE PERMIT ADMINISTRATIVELY.
ANY, ANY OTHER ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION? THE MOTION IS TO POSTPONE TO OUR AUGUST HEARING, BUT WITH THE RECOMMENDATION THAT IT GO TO THE A RC AND AT LEAST THE DISCUSSION ITEM, THE POTENTIAL OF HAVING THE A RC, UH, HAVE THE DISCRETION, IF YOU WILL, TO RELEASE THE RELEASE THE PERMIT.
I, I THINK WE'VE DONE THAT BEFORE.
I'M NOT SURE HOW THE LANGUAGE HAS WORKED IN THE PAST.
I'M SORRY, I MISSED THE QUESTION.
UH, IS IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE THE A RC AFTER ITS REVIEW GO AHEAD AND RELEASE THE PERMIT? UH, OR AT LEAST OUR RE OUR REVIEW AND NOT HAVE IT HAVE TO COME BACK ON OUR AGENDA? UH, THE COMMISSION CAN DIRECT STAFF TO RELEASE THE, UH, APPLICATION IN A MOTION TONIGHT, UM, AFTER THE APPLICANT HAS ENDED THE A RC.
BUT THAT, BUT IF A, IF THE A RC WASN'T HAPPY, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN IT COMES BACK ONTO THE AGENDA.
SO I JUST DON'T THINK THAT'S NECESSARY.
WHEN WE HAVE OUR A RC IN A WEEK OR TWO, WE NEVER GET IMMEDIATE REVIEW UNTIL THE FOLLOWING, UM, COMMISSION MEETING, WHICH IS USUALLY THEN WHEN IT'S POSTED ON CONSENT.
SO IT, I THINK THAT POINT IS JUST, DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, DOESN'T HELP, ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAVE TO GO TO OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
YEAH, AND MY DISTINCTION WOULD'VE BEEN IF THIS WAS A FORMAL CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS, WE CERTAINLY WOULD'VE WANTED TO SEE IT BACK.
BUT SINCE OUR ROLE HERE IS MORE TO COMMENT AND ADVISE THAT MAYBE NOT SO MUCH, BUT AGAIN, I'LL, I TRUST YOU GUYS WHO ARE PRESENT IN THE ROOM TO UNDERSTAND MORE WHAT'S GOING ON THAN MYSELF.
WELL, THAT, THAT WOULD BE A DIFFERENT MOTION, UH, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND.
SO YEAH, RIGHT NOW THE MOTION IS TO POSTPONE TO THE AUGUST MEETING.
WHEREAS, UM, WHAT I UNDERSTOOD IS THE OTHER ALTERNATIVE WOULD BE TO, UH, INSTRUCT STAFF TO RELEASE THE PERMIT, BUT ONLY AFTER A REVIEW AT THE A RC.
UH, AND AGAIN, THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THIS OWNER'S GONNA BE ABLE TO START BUILDING BECAUSE COMMISSIONER GROGAN INDICATED THE VARIANCE PROCESS IS CERTAINLY NOT A QUICK ONE.
UM, AND PROBABLY IS MUCH MORE, UH, INVOLVED.
SO WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE IN THAT PROCESS YET, BUT IT CERTAINLY WOULD INDICATE THAT, UH, IF IF THEY'RE NOT VERY FAR THROUGH IT, THAT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE SEVERAL MONTHS AT LEAST.
SO AT THIS POINT STILL, WE ONLY HAVE, UH, LET, LET'S, THAT'S A QUESTION OF THE OWNER I THINK IS APPROPRIATE.
WOULD THE OWNER BE ABLE TO TELL US WHERE THEY ARE IN THE VARIANCE PROCESS? YES, EXACTLY.
I WAS JUST GONNA, I, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T WANNA INTERRUPT.
SO, UM, I, OUR MEETINGS ON MONDAY
SO WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS.
WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION BEEN SUBMITTED, WE'VE LETTERS HAVE GONE OUT TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE'VE, SO WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE MEETING WITH THEM ON MONDAY.
I, I'M MEETING IN PERSON ON MONDAY EVENING WITH A VARIANCE COMMITTEE, SO THIS COMING MONDAY.
SO IT, IT COULD BE HOPEFULLY, I MEAN, THIS IS WHY I'M LIKE, I'M PRAYING THAT YOU GUYS CAN, YEAH, I, I, I, YOU KNOW, UM, DO THE ALTERNATIVE AND RELEASE THE PERMIT AND IF WE GET, YOU KNOW, AND, AND AFTER WE MEET THE IRC, WHICH I DON'T KNOW WHAT A RC IS, BUT I WILL FIND OUT.
UM, AND, AND THEN, AND THEN, UM, AND THEN WE HAVE THE VARIANCE COMMITTEE MEETING ON MONDAY,
[02:05:01]
UM, TO, TO EXPRESS, YOU KNOW, ALL THE LOT LINE NONSENSE THAT GOING ON IN 1978 AND, AND, YOU KNOW, AND HAVE THAT GET SOLVED.SO, SO MONDAY, WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE, WE'LL HAVE A, A REALLY GOOD, GOOD ANSWER.
AND, AND THAT IS A, UH, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HAVING A VARIANCE, UH, THAT IS A JURISDICTIONAL BODY, AND SO THERE POSITIVE APPROVAL WOULD, WOULD BE ALL THAT WOULD BE NECESSARY.
THE, THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, HOWEVER, YOU, IS A COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT BODY AND THAT'S OBVIOUSLY, THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO REJECT THE REQUEST OR ALSO, UH, HAVE A POSTPONEMENT AS WELL, BUT POTENTIALLY THEY COULD APPROVE IT ON MONDAY.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? COMMISSIONERS? RIGHT NOW, THE CURRENT, UH, MOTION IS FOR POSTPONEMENT TO THE AUGUST MEETING AND AN INVITATION TO THE A RC.
UM, WE COULD HAVE AN AMENDMENT TO THIS, UH, AND IF IT WAS, UH, THE MOTION, UH, IF, IF THE MAKER OF THE MOTION WOULD BE AGREEABLE, THAT AMENDMENT COULD BE TO AGAIN, RELEASE, UH, BY STAFF, UH, WITH, UH, AFTER THE A RC REVIEW.
BUT, UH, THAT IS A SEPARATE MOTION AT THIS POINT, AND IT'S NOT WHAT'S ON THE TABLE.
IF YOU WANT US TO VOTE ON THE CURRENT MOTION, I'LL VOTE ON.
LET'S VOTE ON THE CURRENT MOTION, WHICH IS THE MOTION TO POSTPONE TO THE AUGUST MEETING WITH A RECOMMENDATION THAT THIS APPLICANT ATTEND THE A RC, THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING FOR FURTHER COMMENT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 3 THEM, THREE OF THEM.
UH, AND THEN, THEN HE OPPOSED.
I WILL BE IN OPPOSITION, BUT SIX IS ENOUGH FOR THAT TO PASS.
SO, UH, THE APPLICANT WILL, UH, BE ENCOURAGED TO DISCUSS THEIR PLANS WITH THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE.
UH, BUT WE WILL ALSO NOT BE TAKING ACTION UNTIL THE AUGUST MEETING.
THAT IS, LET'S SEE IF I'M RIGHT.
THAT'S KENWOOD, IS THAT RIGHT? SO THE NEXT ITEM
[13. PR-2024-064449 – 4200 Wilshire Pkwy. ]
ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM NUMBER 13 4200 WILSHIRE PARKWAY.AND THIS IS A PROPERTY IN THE WILSHIRE WOOD NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
AND THIS IS A DEMOLITION REQUEST.
ITEM 13 AT 4,200 WILSHIRE PARKWAY IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH THE CIRCA 1947 HOUSE.
UH, THIS IS A ONE STORY CROSSCAP HOUSE PLAID IN SIDING AND CUT STONE VENEER WITH MULTI LIGHT STEEL CASEMENT WINDOWS AND A FRONT FACING GARAGE.
THIS HOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1947 BY DEVELOPERS, BRADFIELD AND BRUSH.
ITS EARLIEST OCCUPANTS WERE WILLIAM AND RACHEL WILLIS.
WILLIAM WILLIS WORKED AT THE BARLEY'S BEVERAGES BOTTLING PLANT ON FIFTH STREET.
UH, BY THE LATE FIFTIES, THE WILLIS HAD SOLD THE PROPERTY TO CHARLES L AND BESSIE SIMONSON.
THE SIMONSON'S WERE A RETIRED COUPLE, UH, WHO HAD MOVED TO PITTSBURGH TO BE CLOSER TO THEIR SON, WHO TAUGHT CHEMISTRY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.
THIS PROPERTY CONTRIBUTES TO THE WILSHIRE WOOD NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
HOWEVER, STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA NECESSARY FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION, UH, THE BUILDING.
UH, SO STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO ENCOURAGE REHABILITATION AND ADAPTIVE REUSE AND RELOCATION OR, OR DECONSTRUCTION OVER DEMOLITION, BUT TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT ONLY UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION MUST ALSO REVIEW THE PLANS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION PRIOR TO THE RELEASE OF THE, THE DEMOLITION PERMIT, UM, AS THIS PROPERTY IS LOCATED WITHIN A NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
UM, WE'VE OPENED THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THE APPLICANT HERE TO, UH, DISCUSS THIS ITEM? PLEASE COME TO THE FRONT AND, AND, UH, IDENTIFY YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD EACH OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
UH, SO WHOEVER WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FIRST IS THOUGHT OF AS THE PRIMARY OR MAIN SPEAKER.
I'M THE OWNER OF 4,200 WILSHIRE PARKWAY.
I AM THE ARCHITECT AND I WOULD BE THE PRIMARY SPEAKER.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW? YOU LIKE US TO RUN, TO RUN YOU THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, PLEASE.
UM, SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH MEGAN.
SHE HAS BEEN LIVING HERE FOR OVER 17 YEARS.
UM, YOU CAN SKIP FEW OF SLIDES PLEASE.
UM, FIRST SLIDE WAS JUST AN INTRODUCTION TO THE TEAM.
UM, WE'VE ALREADY ENGAGED A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER.
WE'VE ENGAGED A GENERAL CONTRACTOR.
MEGAN HAS HAD A THIRD PARTY HOME INSPECTION.
[02:10:01]
WE'VE DONE GEO TECHNICAL ENGINEERING REPORT OF THE EXISTING SOILS DUE THE S PROXIMITY TO THREE.UM, AND HAD, UH, AN OPEN HOUSE RECENTLY WHERE PROVIDED THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD OVER TO SEE THE PROPOSED PLANS CHANGES, UH, AS WELL AS ASK ANY QUESTIONS OF THE DESIGN TEAM.
UM, SHE'S PERSONALLY GONE DOOR TO DOOR TO INTRODUCE HERSELF TO THE TEAM, UH, PROVIDE INFORMATION ON PROJECT.
UM, OUR PROPOSAL IS A TOTAL DEMOLITION IN ORDER TO BUILD A NEW SINGLE STORY HOME THAT IS KEEPING WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, AND KEEPING WITH THE LIMESTONE SODS.
WE WILL PLAN TO REUSE THE EXISTING LIMESTONE SODS, WHEREVER AVAILABLE, UH, AND SUPPLEMENT IT WITH ADDITIONAL NEW LIMESTONE.
UH, ONE STORY HOME, UH, LOW WALLS AT THE PROPERTY LINES THAT ARE, UM, SHARED WITH NEIGHBORS AND THE HIGHEST PORTION OF THE HOME CENTER, LIKE SKIP AHEAD.
A FEW SLIDES HAD A FEW, UM, SPECIAL IMAGES OF JUST SHOWING THE HOME'S EXISTING CONDITIONS.
UM, DESPITE THE BEST EFFORTS OF ALL THE PREVIOUS OWNERS, RESIDENTS, AND I CAN AS WELL.
UM, MOST OF THE SYSTEMS ARE FAILING AND MOST OF THE SYSTEMS ARE COST PROHIBITIVE TO REPAIR OR REPLACE.
UM, STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING DOCUMENTATION WILL SHOW THAT WE'VE HEARD ANECDOTAL INFORMATION THAT SOME OF THE HOMES IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD EXCLUDE STEEL REINFORCING FOUNDATIONS.
UM, AND SO WITH THE STONE BEING MOUNTED TO THE STUDS WITH LITTLE SHEATHING, UH, INSULATING THE HOME, REPAIRING THE HOME IS QUITE DIFFICULT.
AS PART OF THE DEMOLITION PROPOSAL, WE ARE ALSO OFFERING UP, UH, THE HOME TO THE NEARBY FIRE STATION FOR THEM TO PRACTICE ON.
UH, THEY WILL ALSO BE USING SOME NEW LIFE SAVING TECHNOLOGY, UH, GIVES THEM GREAT EXPERIENCE ON HOUSES WHERE THEY DON'T USUALLY GET TO HAVE THIS KIND OF ACCESS TO A PROJECT.
UM, OTHER DECONSTRUCTION EFFORTS INCLUDE UTILIZING STONE AGAIN, BUT ALSO MEGAN'S GONE OUT OF HER WAY TO TRY TO FIND SOMEBODY TO RE UTILIZE INTERIOR, UH, HARDWOOD FLOORING.
UM, DESPITE THE FREE OFFER, UH, SEVERAL PEOPLE, NOBODY'S GONE FOR IT.
UM, THE NEW HOME HERE, THIS IS A ROOF PLAN SHOWING THE SITE PLAN.
UH, WE ARE NOT PROPOSING TO REMOVE ANY PROTECTED OR HERITAGE SIZED TREES.
UH, WE UNDERSTAND WORKING WITH THE CRITICAL ROOT ZONES OF THE TREES NEAR THE CREEK.
UM, SO WE'VE LOCATED THE HOME IN A WAY THAT IT FITS NEATLY IN BETWEEN THE ROOT ZONES.
SO DEMOLISHING THE CURRENT HOME WOULD PRECLUDE US FROM REBUILDING THIS, UH, PROPOSAL HERE.
UH, IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, SHOWS A FLOOR PLAN THAT'S IN KEEPING WITH A LOT OF THE EXISTING CONDITIONS OF THE HOME PARKING AREA REMAINS IN THE SAME PLACE.
FRONT DOORS ROUGHLY IN THE SAME PLACE HAVE A FRONT PORCH, UH, WHICH IS REQUIRED BY THE COVENANT.
UH, AND WE HAVE A NICE LONG LINEAR BAR ALONG THE SOUTH, UH, WITH THE LOWEST END OF THE WALL FACING THE NEIGHBORS.
SO IT'S TO NOT PROVIDE TO THE SOUTH.
UH, THIS ALSO GIVES US AN OPTIMAL SOLAR ORIENTATION FOR SOLAR PANEL IN THE FUTURE.
THIS IS A BRIEF SKETCH OF THE EXISTING CONDITION.
THE EXISTING STONE IS, IS SHOWN ON THE TOP RIGHT IMAGE.
UM, WE'LL BE REUSING THAT WHEREVER POSSIBLE IN THE FACADES WITH A BLEND OF NEW SMOOTHER CUT STONE TO BLEND THE OLD AND THE NEW WHEREVER WE CAN.
WE'LL ALSO BE UTILIZING STONE, UH, IN LOW PLANTER WALLS, UH, PROBABLY FOR SOME WALK SURFACES, WHEREVER WE CAN ON THE SODS, THE BOTTOM RIGHT IMAGE, IT'S NOT OUR DESIGN, IT'S AN EXISTING BUILDING IN AUSTIN, BUT GIVES YOU AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THAT SORT OF ROUGH CUT EXISTING STONE PLUS AN, UH, HONE STONE.
MUCH LIKE WHAT'S IN THIS ROOM HERE, UH, COULD LOOK LIKE WE HAVE SOME PERSPECTIVE IMAGES OF THE HOMES HERE.
UH, THESE ARE, THESE ARE GOOD AS REFERENCE, BUT THE NEXT SLIDES WILL SHOW, UH, ELEVATIONS WITH SOME COLOR, PROBABLY MORE INFORMATIVE.
THE TOP IMAGE WOULD BE THE ELEVATION AT THE STREET, UH, SHOWS THE HIGHER POINT OF THE ROOF CENTER OF THE PROPERTY WITH A LOWER PLATE HEIGHTS SIDE, PREDOMINANTLY STONE AT THE FRONT WITH A NATURAL WOOD IN CARPORT.
UH, THE LOWER IMAGE WOULD BE THE SOUTH FACING FACADE, WHICH INCLUDES NATURAL STONE, PAINTED SIDING, WOOD, UM,
UM, KEEPING WINDOWS PRIVATE, BUT ACCESS TO DAYLIGHT AND STILL HAVING THE LARGE WINDOW THAT EXISTING HOME CREATES A VIEW THROUGH THE PARK AND THROUGH THE HOME.
UM, THERE ARE ADDITIONAL SLIDES, UH, PERHAPS THE OWNER WOULD LIKE TO WALK US THROUGH THOSE IF YOU'D LIKE TO CONTINUE THE PRESENTATION.
UM, UH, THESE ARE JUST SOME IMA INSPIRATION IMAGES OF HOMES THAT EXIST MOSTLY IN AUSTIN, UM,
[02:15:01]
UTILIZING THE LIMESTONE FACADE IN THE FRONT.AND, UM, WE'RE ADDING THE CARPORT A TWO, OUR PART AS WELL.
AND THEN FOR THE RECORD, WOULD YOU READ YOUR NAME AND TO THE YES.
I'M THE OWNER OF 4,200 WILSHIRE PARKWAY.
AND IS THERE ANYTHING ADDITIONAL THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY IN FAVOR OF THIS APPLICATION? WHATEVER ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO TELL US? UM, YEAH, I MEAN, I'VE OWNED THE HOUSE FOR 17 YEARS AND I, UM, I'VE BEEN WORKING HARD TO RECREATE, UM, SOMETHING THAT'S IN KEEPING WITH THE HISTORIC NATURE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'M A GOOD STEWARD OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I, UM, HAVE ADOPTED THE CREEK AT BOGGY CREEK AND AIRPORT AND CLEAN THE CREEK MONTHLY.
I ALSO, UM, VOLUNTEER IN THE PARK.
I HAD A GARDEN PLOT FOR A LONG TIME IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD GARDEN AT PATTERSON PARK.
I PLAY TENNIS AT PATTERSON PARK ACROSS THE STREET.
UM, I'M FRIENDS WITH MANY OF MY NEIGHBORS AND, UM, I HAD MANY NEIGHBORS COME OVER WHEN WE HAD OUR OPEN HOUSE TO DISCUSS THE PLANS FOR THE RENOVATION.
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I WAS BEING FULLY TRANSPARENT ABOUT THE GOAL FOR THE HOUSE AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO AND THAT WE ARE IN KEEPING WITH, UM, THE REQUIREMENTS BY THE DEED RESTRICTION OF A ONE STORY HOUSE AS WELL AS, UM, THE LIMESTONE THOUGHT IN THE FRONT.
UH, IS THERE ANY QUESTION, UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTION OF THE, UH, APPLICANTS OR THE ARCHITECT? WOULD YOU BOTH BE OPEN TO ATTENDING THE NEXT A RC ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING SO THAT WE CAN REVIEW THIS DESIGN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL? UM, NEXT, OR THIS MONTH, I GUESS, WHICH IS NEXT WEEK, IS THAT AN OPTIONAL QUESTION? THAT WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO, IF WE POSTPONE THIS CASE, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO ATTEND THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING, UM, NEXT WEEK, I THINK, SO THAT WE COULD FURTHER REVIEW THIS PROPOSED DESIGN AND ENSURE THAT IT COMPLIES WITH OUR HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARD? I'M AVAILABLE.
AND JUST A POINT OF VERIFICATION ON THIS, UM, THIS ITEM IS ONLY POSTED FOR DEMOLITION TODAY.
UM, I HAVEN'T RECEIVED THE COMPLETED OFFICIAL APPLICATION FOR THE NEW INSTRUCTION.
SO THAT WILL COME BEFORE YOU AT A LATER DATE.
SO FOR YOUR INFORMATION, THE DEMOLITION PERMIT, EVEN IF WE APPROVE IT WILL NOT BE ISSUED UNTIL WE HAVE THE NEW PLANS FOR REVIEW.
SO THOSE WERE NOT PART OF YOUR APPLICATION.
WHAT YOU'RE SEEING, WHAT YOU'RE SHOWING US NOW, UH, IS VERY USEFUL.
UH, BUT EVEN IF WE HAVE YOU VISIT WITH THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE, WE'LL STILL NEED YOU TO SUBMIT THOSE PLANS FOR APPROVAL AS WELL.
SO JUST, JUST SO YOU, YOU'RE AWARE, UH, IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS PROCESS WORK.
UH, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? ANYBODY IN FAVOR? ANYBODY OPPOSED? ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND I THINK I CAN SEE THE SCREEN AT HOME.
ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
I MOVE TO, OH, REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND POSTPONE TO NEXT MONTH'S MEETING AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE WE DO HAVE SOME DRAWING DESIGN DRAWINGS FOR REVIEW SO THAT WE COULD BE OF BETTER USE.
AND IT MAY BE VERY WELL THAT WE GET AN APPLICATION, UH, FOR THOSE PLANS.
AND WE CAN TAKE BOTH UP AT THE SAME TIME.
YOU WON'T BE READY WITH, WITH THEM? UH, NO.
WE ARE TRYING TO GET APPROVAL FOR DEMOLITION AHEAD OF TIME BEFORE GOING THROUGH A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF DESIGN, ENGINEERING AND COST ANALYSIS BEFORE FINDING OUT IT MAY NOT.
ISN'T PAGE 17, 18 20 OF THIS PRESENTATION THAT YOU JUST WENT THROUGH, OR ISN'T THIS THE PROPOSED DESIGN OR NO? AM I, YES.
WE HAVE ENOUGH WHAT WE NEED FOR A RC FOR SURE.
WE DO NOT INTEND TO RADICALLY CHANGE THAT.
THEN I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO, TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE THAT APPLICATION.
THAT'S WHAT WE NEED FOR COMMENT AT OUR, OUR COMMENT IS
[02:20:01]
HAVING TO DO WITH ITS COMPATIBILITY WITHIN THE WILSHIRE WOOD NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.AND, UM, WITH THAT TYPE OF INFORMATION YOU GIVE US PLENTY TO WORK WITH.
AND THAT HOPEFULLY WILL EXPEDITE YOUR PROCESS AS WELL.
UM, AGAIN, THAT JUST CLARIFICATION.
UH, LET'S SEE WHO MADE THE MOTION? UH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO DISCUSS YOUR MOTION? DID IT GET SECONDED? IT DID.
UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, UH, TREY OVER HERE.
UH, YEAH, SO I PULLED THIS CASE FROM CONSENT.
I'M A LITTLE, I I HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS THAT I THINK I'D LIKE, AGAIN TO GET OTHER COMMISSIONERS, UM, TO REVIEW THIS INSPECTION DETAIL REPORT OR INSPECTION REPORT A LITTLE BIT MORE CLOSER TO DETAIL FROM WHAT I READ.
UH, THERE'S NO QUESTIONS ON THE FOUNDATION.
I THINK MAYBE THE BIGGEST ARGUMENT WOULD BE SOME SIDING AND, YOU KNOW, THERMAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY QUESTIONS.
THIS REPORT, UH, OR THIS LETTER BY FORT STRUCTURES, I WAS A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED BY IT.
UM, THERE'S NOTHING HERE THAT SUGGESTS THAT THE FOUNDATION, YOU KNOW, IS HAVING THESE PROBLEMS. AND YOU ALLUDED TO OTHER PROPERTIES IN THE AREA, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT BE THE CASE.
SOME OF THEM YOU SAID DIDN'T HAVE REBAR.
IT WAS PRETTY CLEAR FROM THIS INSPECTION REPORT THAT THERE'S REBAR.
SO I'M GETTING THESE CONFLICTING THINGS THAT I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF STRUCTURAL ENGINEER IS REALLY LOOKING AT THIS AS A, OH, LET'S SAVE IT.
AND THIS LETTER IS, IN MY OPINION TOO GENERAL, ESPECIALLY THOSE LAST STATEMENTS SAYING, ANTICIPATE A LIFESPAN OF A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE THAT'S 50 YEARS OLD.
AND THE STRUCTURE HAS TO PASS THAT, UM, TO, TO ME, A STATEMENT LIKE THAT IS A LITTLE WILD.
UH, WE HAVE MANY, MANY QUESTIONS ON WHAT MAKES A BUILDING LAST A HUNDRED, 150 YEARS.
WE HAVE HOUSES IN THIS CITY THAT LASTS MORE THAN 50 YEARS.
SO FOR A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER TO WRITE THIS AND SAY THIS, IF IT'S FLAGGED RIGHT, IT'S FLAGGED BECAUSE THESE ARE, AGAIN, PROFESSIONALS UP HERE THAT ARE WORKING ON BUILDINGS THAT ARE OVER 200 YEARS OLD.
SO THOSE ARE THE REASONS WHY I PULLED IT, FLAGGED IT.
AND NOW THAT WE HAVE A DESIGN, FROM WHAT I'M SEEING, I THINK WE, WE NEED TO AT LEAST LOOK AT IT AND TRY TO MAKE IT COMPILE A LITTLE BIT MORE IF WE'RE GOING THE DEMO ROUTE WITH THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
AND THEN IT WAS SECONDED, UM, ORDER BETRAY.
DO YOU WANT TO GUESS YOUR SECOND? ACTUALLY, I THINK HIS, UH, PUBLIC HEARING.
HEARING, BUT I'M YOU DID OKAY, THEN I MADE A MISTAKE.
BUT YOU WILL SECOND HIS, I'M HAPPY TO SECOND HIS MOTION TO POSTPONE.
AND I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
AND, AND I THINK, I DON'T THINK THEY'RE VERY FAR OFF.
I THINK THAT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO SEE ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'VE PROVIDED.
UH, THERE IS SOME ARGUMENT THAT CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES IN A NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT, THERE'S A REASON THEY'RE FLAGGED AS CONTRIBUTING.
UH, WE'D LIKE TO HELP PRESERVE AS MUCH AS WE CAN OF THAT EXISTING FABRIC.
UH, BUT IT'S UP TO INDIVIDUAL OWNERS TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
AND IF AN INDIVIDUAL OWNER, FOR THEIR OWN REASONS DECIDES THAT, UH, A PROPERTY THAT'S NOT IN AND OF ITSELF A LANDMARK, I THINK WE'RE PROBABLY PRETTY SAFE TO SAY THAT NOTHING THAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED IN MY MIND AT LEAST RAISES THIS TO THE LEVEL OF AN INDIVIDUAL HISTORIC LANDMARK.
UM, IF YOU'RE GONNA REPLACE IT, REPLACE IT WITH SOMETHING THAT IT'S LEAST COMPATIBLE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I THINK FROM WHAT I'M SEEING, AT LEAST IN THE PRELIMINARY, I THINK WE'RE OFF TO A VERY GOOD START.
I DO THINK THAT ADDITIONAL CONVERSATION WITH THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE WILL BENEFIT EVERYBODY.
AND, UH, HOPEFULLY WE'LL SEE THIS, UH, VERY QUICKLY, UM, THROUGH OUR, UH, PROCESS.
AND WHEN IT COMES BACK, UH, IN OUR AUGUST MEETING, WE CAN, WE CAN KEEP YOU ON YOUR WAY.
UM, BUT THAT'S ASSUMING THAT THE MOTION PASSES, UH, WOULD ANY OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS LIKE TO DISCUSS YES, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTONE? YEAH.
I HESITATE TO ASK HOW WE COULD DO THIS THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY POSSIBLE AND ONLY JUST MAKE IT MORE CONFUSING AND LESS EFFICIENT.
BUT, UH, DO WE HAVE WHAT WE NEED TO APPROVE THE NEW CONSTRUCTION AT THIS POINT? IS THAT NOT A FORMALITY? THAT IT IS ACTUALLY LIKE THE BUILDING PERMITS? I MEAN, WE HAVE LIKE A SORT OF PRETTY WELL-FORMED, UH, IDEA OF WHAT THE DESIGN IS AND A AND A VERBAL FROM THE APPLICANT THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA CHANGE IT TOO MUCH.
BUT I DON'T, I MEAN, LIKE, THIS MAY BE A QUESTION FOR STAFF.
CAN WE ACTUALLY, ARE WE ACTUALLY AT A PLACE WHERE WE COULD, UM, OR, OR ARE WE PRESUPPOSING THAT THEY'RE COMING TO THE A RC AND THAT COMMENTS WILL BE MADE AND INCORPORATED AND WE'LL GET A COMPLETE PACKAGE NEXT MONTH? AND WELL, I MEAN, TO JUST WRAP UP, MY WHOLE THOUGHT HERE IS THAT ON ITS MERITS, I WOULD APPROVE THE DEMOLITION.
[02:25:01]
CAN APPROVE EVERYTHING AT ONCE IN ONE MONTH AFTER HAVING INCORPORATED COMMENTS FROM THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, THAT'S, THAT'S FINE.BUT, UH, I'M, I THINK I'M LEANING TOWARDS NOT SUPPORTING THE MOTION.
'CAUSE I THINK THAT ON THE MERITS I WOULD SUPPORT RELEASING THE DEMOLITION PERMIT AT THIS TIME.
VICE CHAIR, THIS ITEM HASN'T BEEN NOTICED, UH, FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION.
IT'S ONLY BEEN NOTICED FOR DEMOLITION AND POSTED ON THE AGENDA FOR DEMOLITION.
SO THE COMMISSION CANNOT TAKE ACTION ON, UM, ANYTHING OTHER THAN DEMOLITION COMMISSIONER.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? IT DOES, BUT IT, YEAH, IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE MOTION ON THE TABLE, BUT
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? COMMISSIONERS? I MEAN, ANY COMMENTS IN A RC REALLY DON'T GO TOWARDS THIS MOTION WHEN IT COMES BACK? NO.
UH, THIS MOTION MAY BE POSTPONED, BUT WE STILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO NOTICE IN THE NEXT MEETING WITH BOTH THE DEMOLITION AND THE NEW PLANS.
SO THIS HEARING, UM, IT, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT COMES TO A RC.
UM, WE HAVE PEOPLE COME TO A RC WITHOUT ANY APPLICATION AT ALL.
UM, IT'S JUST A PRELIMINARY, INFORMAL, UM, MEETING.
THEY'LL BE POSTED ON THE AGENDA FOR, UM, A BRIEFING BASICALLY.
UH, SO WHETHER OR NOT THEY COME TO A RC, WHETHER OR NOT Y'ALL INVITE THEM, REALLY DOESN'T HAVE ANY BEARING ON THE, UH, ACTION THAT Y'ALL THAT HELP
YEAH, I'LL, I'LL SAY THAT YOU, YOU CAN INVITE THEM.
I'M JUST SAYING IF WE'RE COMMENTING ON NEW CONSTRUCTION DURING A RC WHEN IT COMES BACK NEXT MONTH IN FRONT OF US, WE'RE STILL JUST VOTING ON DEMOLITION.
WE'RE NOT VOTING ON NEW CONSTRUCTION.
IT DEPENDS ON WHETHER OR NOT THAT AREA.
SO TO ME, IT'S, THE VOTE TONIGHT IS REGARDING DEMOLITION.
HOWEVER, A VOTE TO DELAY THE DEMOLITION ALSO ALLOWS THIS APPLICANT TO GET THE NEW PLANS IN TIME FOR BOTH THE A RC REVIEW AND FOR THE AUGUST MEETING.
SO THAT IS POTENTIALLY SOMETHING THAT WE COULD TAKE UP.
BUT I DO THINK THEY, THAT'S, THEY HAVE TO SUBMIT A PERMIT SET, UNFORTUNATELY, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE PREPARED TO DO THAT.
SO FOR THIS COMMISSION, WE DON'T REQUIRE A PERMIT THAT OKAY.
SO THEY CAN DO IT SEPARATE, THEY CAN SUBMIT TO HISTORICAL REVIEW WITHOUT SUBMITTING TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
IT'S TWO SEPARATE APPLICATIONS.
SO, AND THEN IF THAT'S CASE, THEN I, I DO SEE THE EFFICIENCY THERE AND I WOULD SUPPORT THE MOTION IF THAT HELPS WIT, I THINK THAT THERE'S EFFICIENCY BUILT INTO THIS MOTION.
AND TO CLARIFY FOR THE OWNER, WHEN YOU DO SUBMIT YOUR, UH, PERMIT SET, THERE WILL BE STAFF LOOKING AT IT, MAKING SURE IT'S STILL CONSISTENT WITH ASSUMING THERE WAS AN APPROVAL WITH WHAT WE WOULD'VE APPROVED IN YOUR DESIGN SET.
SO IT'S NOT A GET OUT OF JAIL FREE, BUT IT, IT DEFINITELY GETS YOU WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE GONE AHEAD AND SAID, THIS IS THE WAY WE'D LIKE YOU TO PROCEED.
OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE THE, THE ADDED BENEFIT IF THIS MOTION PASSES OF EVEN HAVING THE REVIEW WITH THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE BY THE TIME YOUR NEW PLANS AND YOUR INTENT WOULD COME UP IN THE AUGUST MEETING, BUT THEN WHEN YOU FINALLY ARE READY TO GET YOUR PERMIT, BASICALLY OUR APPROVAL, IF IT'S, IF IT'S, IF IT'S BEEN APPROVED, WOULD BE WAITING THERE FOR YOU.
IN ESSENCE, IS THAT IF I STATE THAT RIGHT STAFF? YEAH.
I CAN, I JUST REALLY ENCOURAGE THE OWNER TO COME READY TO WORK WITH THE A RC.
AND I KNOW THERE WAS A COMMENT THAT WE'RE NOT MAKING MAJOR CHANGES AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA ASK FOR MAJOR CHANGES, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE WINDOW DIFFERENT SIZING AND THINGS LIKE THAT, UM, THAT WILL JUST MAKE EVERYTHING MORE SPEEDIER SO YOU CAN GET THIS APPROVED.
UH, SO I JUST GIVE A PLEA TO BE WILLING TO WORK WITH US.
YOU'VE SEEN OTHER PROPERTY OWNERS HERE THAT JUST DON'T COME, DON'T WANNA WORK WITH US, AND THEY'RE GONNA WAIT.
ALRIGHT, WELL WE HAVEN'T MADE A WE HAVEN'T MOVED, WE HAVEN'T FINALIZED THE MOTION.
SO IS THERE MORE CONVERSATION? YES.
COMMISSIONER PETERSON? WELL, I'LL, I'LL SUPPORT THE MOTION EITHER WAY.
I WOULD'VE ALSO SUPPORTED A MOTION TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT KNOWING THAT IT WOULD BE HELD UP PENDING APPROVAL OF THE NEW CONSTRUCTION.
UM, AND YOU CAN, UH, APPROVE THE DEMOLITION OF THE, AND ALSO RECOMMEND THEM COMING TO A RC.
UH, I THINK THAT THE APPLICANT WAS LOOKING FOR AN ASSURANCE THAT THE DEMOLITION WOULD BE APPROVED BEFORE THEY INVESTED MORE TIME AND ENERGY INTO THIS.
I THINK I, I'LL JUST SPEAK FOR MYSELF AND SAY I, I WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT AND THAT I THINK THEY SHOULD CONTINUE TO PUT THE TIME AND ENERGY INTO DEVELOPING THIS.
[02:30:02]
OKAY.COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT, JUST TO BE CLEAR, THE MOTION CURRENTLY IS A MOTION TO POSTPONE TO OUR AUGUST MEETING WITH A RECOMMENDATION THAT THIS APPLICANT, UH, MEET WITH THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE.
IN THE INTERIM, UH, I'LL CALL THE QUESTION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THIS MOTION INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH AND WE WILL LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THE REVIEW COMMITTEE AND YOU ALL YOUR COMMENTS.
[25. PR-2024-063913 – 4620 Crestway Dr.]
THE NEXT ITEM FOR DISCUSSION, I THINK WE GO ALL THE WAY TO NUMBER 25.IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S 46 20 CREST WAY DRIVE.
THIS IS A DEMOLITION REQUEST AND THAT WAS, UH, PULLED BY RUBIO.
SO ITEM 25 AT 46 20 CREST WAY DRIVE IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1958 HOUSE.
THIS IS A ONE STORY MODERN STYLE HOUSE, CLA AND RUSTIC STONE AND VERTICAL WOOD SIDING WITH FULL AND HALF HEIGHT RIBBON WINDOWS, A LOW SLOPE SIDE GD ROOF WITH DEEP BES AND A MONOLITHIC STONE CHIMNEY.
THIS HOUSE WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1958 FOR JOHN E IN MILDRED WILLIAMS. DOUGLAS.
DR. JOHN DOUGLAS WAS AN ENT WITH A PRACTICE IN THE MEDICAL ARTS SQUARE ON RED RIVER STREET.
HE ALSO SERVED AS CHAIR OF THE MENTAL HEALTH COMMITTEE OF THE TRAVIS COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY AND WAS BRIEFLY PRESIDENT OF THE AUSTIN FLIGHT CLUB.
UM, STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT DOES NOT MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
UM, ALTHOUGH THE BUILDING IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF MID-CENTURY MODERN ARCHITECTURE WITH ITS EXPANSIVE GLAZING, RESTING RUSTIC MATERIALS IN A LOW SL FORM, RESPONDING TO THE TOPOGRAPHY OF THE SITE, UH, THE PROPERTY DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION.
THEREFORE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO ENCOURAGE, RE ENCOURAGE REHAB AND ADAPTIVE REUSE, THEN RELOCATION OR DECONSTRUCTION OVER DEMOLITION, BUT TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UH, I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THE APPLICANT HERE TO DISCUSS THIS ITEM? OKAY.
IS THERE ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION OR ANYBODY ONLINE? ALRIGHT, IS THERE ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST? OKAY.
UH, AGAIN, COMMISSIONER RUBIO, I THINK YOU PULLED THIS FOR DISCUSSION.
SO, UM, DID YOU, UM, I, I, AT THIS POINT I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
THOSE IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND PLEASE.
AND I'M ASSUMING ALL HANDS ARE RAISED, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
SO THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED, AND NOW I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION, UH, IN ORDER THAT WE CAN BEGIN DISCUSSION.
UH, MOTION TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND POSTPONE TO AUGUST MEETING.
IS THERE A SECOND? I DO NOT SEE A SECOND.
UH, SO I'LL ENTERTAIN ALTERNATE MOTION.
I MOVE TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT ON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTONE.
IS THERE A SECOND? IN ORDER TO ALLOW DISCUSSION, I WILL GO AHEAD AND SECOND THAT MOTION.
AND, UH, LET US, UH, ASK, UH, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTONE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? OH, IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, SAD TO SEE THIS ONE GO, BUT I DON'T THINK IT RISES TO THE STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE GIVEN TO US AND THAT WE KEEP FOR OURSELVES.
AND THEREFORE ALLOWING THIS ONE TO MOVE ALONG, I THINK IS THE RIGHT THING AND TAKING STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION AS SUCH.
AND I, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HAD SOMETHING WE COULD DISCUSS.
SO,
I'VE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH ON THE ARCHITECTS THAT HAVE BUILT, DESIGNED THINGS IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND ANYTHING ABOUT THIS ONE.
UM, IT HAS SOME REALLY COOL FEATURES, BUT, UM, I JUST, I HAVEN'T FOUND ANYTHING ABOUT WHO DESIGNED IT AND THERE ARE SOME GREAT THINGS ABOUT IT, BUT I'M NOT SURE WHETHER IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA RISE TO THE LEVEL OF, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO SAVE IT.
[02:35:02]
UNFORTUNATELY, UH, SAY THAT I WOULD, YOU KNOW, MOVE TO, UH, LANDMARK IT OR ANYTHING, SO THANK YOU.UM, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? I, I, I THINK IT'S ARCHITECTURE ALONE IS PRETTY SPECTACULAR.
UM, AND I HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT ARCHITECT ANOTHER RESEARCH, AND SO I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, HEY, ANOTHER MONTH MIGHT GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME, MAYBE HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY, GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO COME OUT AND SPEAK IF THEY, YOU KNOW, WEREN'T NOTIFIED ABOUT IT ON THIS HOLIDAY WEEKEND.
BUT, UM, I'LL BE, I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING THIS DEMOLITION.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? YEAH, I, I THINK AS IT'S BEEN PRESENTED TO US, UH, THOUGH WE DON'T HAVE A STRUCTURAL REPORT, I LOOKS LIKE THE CONDITION IS PRETTY POOR AND POSSIBLY SOME MODIFICATIONS THAT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PART OF THE ORIGINAL, UM, SO ON, ON ITS FACE.
AND UNLESS THERE WAS SOME ASSOCIATION THAT WAS VERY STRONG, UM, I, I THINK I, COMMISSIONER MCWHORTER, I THINK YOU'RE, YOU'RE RIGHT, THE IDEA THAT IT'S, IT'S GOT COOL FEATURES, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THAT IT RISES TO THE, AND IT'S NOT IN A, A REGISTERED DISTRICT, SO IT'S REALLY OUR ONLY OPTION IS LANDMARKING.
AND I DON'T THINK IT RISES TO THAT.
DOES, DOES ANYBODY REALLY FEEL A HUNDRED PERCENT CONFIDENT THAT WE HAVE THE ANSWERS WE NEED? YOU KNOW, I WORRY WHAT IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT COMES TO LIGHT IN THREE WEEKS THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THIS PROPERTY AND WE'RE THE ONES WHO DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, INITIATE MORE RESEARCH ON IT? I, I, I COULDN'T SLEEP WITH THAT.
SO, NOT THAT I DON'T TRUST YOUR RESEARCH SKILLS, RIGHT, BUT THERE'S, I RESEARCH IS TOUGH.
ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? I WILL CALL THE QUESTION, UH, THE MOTION ON THE TABLE FROM COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON SECONDED BY ME IS TO RELEASE THE, UH, DEMOLITION PACKAGE WITH THE, UH, UH, COMPLETENESS OF THE, UH, CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
2, 3, 4, 5, 6 IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED, ONE OPPOSED.
AND SO THEREFORE THE MOTION PASSES.
UH, THAT IS BRINGS US TO THE NEXT
[26. PR-2024-064274 – 1500 E 12th St. ]
ITEM.UH, ITEM NUMBER 26 1500 EAST 12TH STREET.
ITEM 26 AT 1500 EAST 12TH STREET IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A STORE BUILDING CONSTRUCTIVE BETWEEN 1889 AND 1911.
UH, THIS TWO STORY STORE BUILDING HAS ONE STORY REAR ADDITIONS AND A HIP ROOF WITH A CENTRAL HIP DORMER AT THE 12TH STREET ELEVATION.
ONE OVER ONE WOOD AND VINYL WINDOWS AND HORIZONTAL WOOD SIDING COVERED WITH VINYL SIDING THAT'S BEEN PARTIALLY REMOVED.
A SHALLOW FRAME AWNING SHARE SHELTERS THE TWO ENTRY STOOPS AT 12TH STREET.
WHILE THE TWO ENTRANCES ON KAMAL REMAIN UNCOVERED, THE BUILDING'S SECOND FLOOR PORCH WAS ORIGINALLY OPEN.
THIS BUILDING WAS ORIGINALLY ADDRESSED AS 1400 EAST 12TH, AND IT'S ESTIMATED TO HAVE BEEN BUILT AROUND 1910 PER THE 2016 EAST AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY.
HOWEVER, THE BUILDING'S EARLIEST OCCUPANT BROCHURE CHRISTIAN J WILHELM IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ADDRESS.
AS FAR BACK AS 1889 WILHELM, A NATIVE OF BURNETT LIVED ABOVE HIS SHOP AND SOLD GROCERIES AND BEER.
HE ALSO BARTENDED BRIEFLY ON CONGRESS AVENUE.
HE WAS ACTIVE IN POLITICS AND RAN FOR SEVERAL CIVIC ROLES, INCLUDING TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER.
IN 1910, HE AND HIS FAMILY MOVED TO HOUSTON AND SOLD THE PROPERTY AT 1400 EAST 12TH TO DESA MERCHANTS, ERNEST AND LOUISA EISEN ADVISOR, THE EISEN ADVISOR STORE FUNCTION, UH, AS A PRODUCE AND DRY GOOD STORE, AS WELL AS A SALON AND RESTAURANT, A SALOON AND RESTAURANT.
THE EISEN ADVISOR FAMILY LIVED ABOVE THE STORE AND OCCASIONALLY RENTED OUT LIVING SPACE FOR TENANTS DURING PROHIBITION.
THE SALINE WAS CLOSED BY CITY ORDINANCE, THOUGH IT LATER REOPENED BY 1934.
IT WAS A POPULAR SPOT FOR GERMAN FOOD, MUSIC AND BEER BOASTING NOVELTIES LIKE A MARBLE BEER VAULT, AND A RESIDENT ACCORDION BAND.
IMPROVEMENTS TO THE BUILDING WERE MADE DURING THIS TIME, UH, POTENTIALLY INCLUDING THE ENCLOSURE OF THE OPEN SECOND FLOOR PORCH.
AFTER I'S ADVISOR DIED IN 1947.
HIS WIFE LOUISA, CONTINUED TO RUN THE BUSINESS FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS.
AND BY 1950, SHE HAD SOLD THE BUILDING TO AFRICAN AMERICAN BUSINESSMAN, BEAUFORT JOHNSON AND ITS FURNISHINGS TO WIDOW EEM.
BART JOHNSON PRIMARILY OWNED GROCERY STORES, BUT BY THE MID FIFTIES, THE BUILDING AT 1500 EAST 12TH HAD GREATLY EXPANDED ITS OFFERINGS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE 1500 BEAUTY AND BARBERSHOPS OPERATED OUT THE, OUT OF THE BUILDING ALONG WITH CLUB 1500, A BAR AND MUSIC VENUE.
[02:40:01]
THE GAMMA AIDED ALPHA CHAPTER OF THE ALPHA PHI ALPHA ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY ALSO TOOK UP RESIDENCE THERE, THE OLDEST FRATERNITY TO ALLOW BLACK MEMBERS THE ALPHA'S BOASTED IN A ILLUSTRIOUS MEMBER ROSTER IN AUSTIN AND NATIONWIDE, INCLUDING RENOWNED NAACP PRESIDENT, LIEUTENANT COLONEL ULMA OVERTON, SENIOR JAY MASON BREWER JR.THE THEN OF FAMED AFRICAN AMERICAN FOLKLORE, JAY MASON BREWER, REVEREND DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
THOUGH THE APAS TOTAL TENURE AT 1500 EAST 12 WAS NOT CONFIRMED DURING RESEARCH.
THEY REMAINED IN THE BUILDING FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS, BEGINNING IN 1956.
BY THE EARLY SIXTIES, THE BUILDING BUILDING WAS OWNED BY HOUSTON TILLSON ALUMNI JC AND GRACE NEED JEFFERSON BC.
JEFFERSON WAS ALSO A DISTRICT COMMISSIONER OF THE BOY SCOUTS.
THROUGHOUT THE SIXTIES, THE JEFFERSON'S CONSTRUCTED EDITIONS AND MADE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE BUILDING.
THE 2016 EAST AUSTIN RESOURCE SURVEY LISTS THE PROPERTY AS ELIGIBLE FOR LOCAL LANDMARK LISTING BASED ON HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS AND COMMUNITY VALUE.
AN INDIVIDUAL LISTING IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES FOR ITS SIGNIFICANCE IN THE AREA OF LAND DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING.
THE BUILDING APPEARS TO RETAIN MODERATE INTEGRITY.
WINDOWS AND DOORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND THE FINAL SIDING HAS BEEN REMOVED TO REVEAL HISTORIC AGE WOOD SIDING BENEATH THE ADDITIONS IN THE PORCH.
ENCLOSURES APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED DURING THE HISTORIC PERIOD.
UH, STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT DOES MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION, UM, AS DISTINGUISHED IN THE EAST AUSTIN HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY.
THEREFORE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING.
UH, OTHERWISE, UH, STAFF RECOMMENDS REQUIRING A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE BEFORE RELEASING THE DEMOLITION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
ANY QUESTION OF STAFF? ALRIGHT, UH, I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND LET US HEAR FROM THE, UH, APPLICANT IF THEY'RE HERE.
AGAIN, THIS IS A REQUEST FOR DEMOLITION.
UH, IS THE APPLICANT AVAILABLE? HI, UH, APPLICANT.
IF UH, YOU ARE ON THE PHONE, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
UH, APPLICANT, IF YOU ARE ON THE PHONE, PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
I'M THE ENGINEER FOR THE APPLICANT.
I THINK THERE ARE SOME OTHER FOLKS IN PERSON THAT MAY BE SPEAKING, BUT, UM, I, I, UH, WANTED TO JUST GO OVER SOME THINGS, UM, TO, UH, CONFIRM.
I'M THE PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER WHO PROVIDED THE SEALED DEMOLITION PLANS AND THE DEMO PERMIT.
I WOULD'VE BEEN IN PERSON, UH, I APOLOGIZE.
I HAVE A HAD RIGHT KNEE SURGERY AND COULD NOT DRIVE DOWN THERE.
UM, AS NOTED AS IN OUR LETTER, WE'RE IN SUPPORT OF THE DEMO PERMIT FOR SEVERAL ENGINEERING REASONS AND REQUIREMENTS, AND I'VE REVIEWED THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION'S CRITERIA AND UNDERSTAND THE REASONS WE'RE DISCUSSING THE STRUCTURE.
I APPRECIATE THE MISSION OF THE HLC AND HOPE TO BE OF ASSISTANCE TO Y'ALL.
WITH OUR FAMILIARITY OF THE SITE, WE RECENTLY ANALYZED THE STRUCTURE AND FOUND A NUMBER OF MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES.
AS DETAILED, DETAILED, IN MY SUPPLIED SEALED LETTER, AS A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, I HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY FOR STATE LAW TO PROTECT THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE OF THE PUBLIC, WHICH INCLUDES THIS PROPERTY.
THE MAIN ITEM I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU ARE THE PUBLIC POWER LINES, UH, BUILT OUT OF CODE, UH, IN VIOLATION OF THE NATIONAL ELECTRIC, UH, CODE AND THE CITY AUSTIN ENERGY CODE AS WELL.
UM, THIS IS ADJACENT TO THE VACANT STRUCTURE.
THE MEASUREMENTS AND DATA IN THE PLAN SHOW THE STRUCTURE WELL WITHIN THE REQUIRED SAFETY SETBACKS.
AUSTIN ENERGY, WITH RESPECT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SPACING LIKELY HAD THE EXPECTATION THAT THE UNINHABITABLE AND VACANT STRUCTURE WOULD BE DEMOLISHED BECAUSE OF THE SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARDS THAT WE'RE ALL AWARE RELATED TO THE PROXIMITY TO PUBLIC POWER.
THIS STRUCTURE CAN'T REMAIN RELOCATION IS ALSO NOT A CONSTRUCTABLE OPTION.
AND SAFE DEMOLITION ALLEVIATES ALL OF THE SAFETY CONCERNS, WHICH WE HAVE SEVERAL OTHERS NOTED IN THE LETTER.
UM, I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S CONSIDERATION AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
I'M CERTAIN THAT THERE'S SOME OTHER FOLKS THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, BUT THOSE ARE THE MAIN THINGS THAT I WANTED TO KIND OF COVER VERBALLY WITH YOU GUYS.
IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS ON OUR LETTER OR ABOUT THE DEMOLITION PERMIT, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
OKAY, COMMISSIONERS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE ENGINEER ON THIS ITEM? I, I HAVE A QUESTION, GROGAN.
UM, SO CAN YOU ADDRESS A LITTLE MORE THE, THE ISSUE OF THE, UM, PROXIMITY OF THE STRUCTURE TO THE ELECTRIC LINES AND, UM, AND WHAT THAT MEANS? DOES THAT MEAN THE YEAH, SO LIKE THE SPECIFIC, IT CAN'T BE OCCUPIED, CORRECT? THAT'S RIGHT.
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SIGNIFICANT POWER POLES AT THE INTERSECTION WHERE THIS BUILDING IS LOCATED.AND OF SOME OF THE RECENT, UM, INSTALLED POWER LINES, THEY'RE WELL WITHIN THE 15 FOOT SETBACK FROM THE POWER POLES, UH, THE SETBACK FROM THE POWER LINES THEMSELVES, AND THEN THE CROSSBARS, WHICH WERE CONSTRUCTED IN A FASHION TO AVOID THE STRUCTURE ALSO DO NOT MEET SEPARATION.
AND, UH, IT JUST DOES NOT APPEAR THAT ANY MODIFICATION WOULD ALLEVIATE, UH, THOSE, THOSE SEPARATION DISTANCES.
AND SO, I APOLOGIZE, I HAVE TO BE ON THE PHONE.
OTHERWISE, I'D, UH, PERHAPS SHOW LIKE A, A STREET VIEW IMAGE THAT THAT WOULD CONFIRM.
UM, YEAH, WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT.
SO, SO I UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, IF, IF YOU WERE BUILDING NEW, THAT THERE'S OBVIOUSLY THOSE SETBACKS, BUT I, UM, I'M JUST CURIOUS IF YOU HAVE ANY, UM, DOCUMENTATION FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN SAYING THAT THIS, UM, THIS STRUCTURE CANNOT BE INHABITED OR OCCUPIED IN ANY WAY DUE TO THE EXISTING POWER LINES.
I, I COULD PROVIDE THAT, THAT'S DETAILED SPECIFICALLY IN THE AUSTIN ENERGY CRITERIA.
UM, THAT'S, UH, THERE'S A, A PRETTY INFORMATIVE DIAGRAM WITHIN THAT THAT SHOWS THE SETBACKS REQUIRED FOR THESE, UM, THESE POWER LINES.
SO AS FAR AS WHAT OTHER INFORMATION SURE, NO, UNDERSTOOD.
I'VE JUST WORKED ON SIMILAR, WOULD BE HAPPY TO SEND THAT PROJECTS WHERE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE THE STRUCTURE'S IN PLACE AND HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR YEARS.
OR I, UM, WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANYTHING ELSE.
THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE, OF THE ENGINEER? I, I THINK JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT, UH, I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE USING THE CITY OF AUSTIN ENERGY'S CRITERIA, BUT THAT'S NOT THE SAME THING AS THE CITY OF AUSTIN SAYING THAT BASED ON THEIR OWN ACTION, BECAUSE THEY PUT THE LINES IN AFTER THIS BUILDING WAS BUILT, THAT SOMEHOW THEY REQUIRE AN OWNER TO CONDEMN A BUILDING.
UH, I DOUBT THEY WOULD ISSUE THAT KIND OF LETTER AND I DON'T THINK THAT HAS BEEN ISSUED, BUT, UH, SORT OF THE, THE, THE NEXT, IF I COULD SPEAK TO THAT.
I, I CAN DEFINITELY PROVIDE SITUATIONS, UH, WHERE, UH, THIS, THIS AUSTIN ENERGY DOES REQUIRE, UH, FOR ANY OCCUPANT TO, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU, YOU CAN'T OCCUPY A BUILDING THAT WOULD BE A HAZARD NEXT TO THREE PHASE POWER.
UM, SO I THINK, I THINK THERE'S HARD AND FAST RULES THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'D BE HAPPY TO, UM, PROVIDE MORE DOCUMENTATION THAT WOULD WELL, I, I THINK ACTUALLY CONSIDERING THE ISSUE, I, I THINK THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE, IF, IF THIS CLAIM, UH, IS SOMETHING THAT IS DECISIVE IN OUR CONVERSATION, I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COULD BE RESOLVED BY ASKING AUSTIN ENERGY DIRECTLY AND WE WOULD, WE WOULD TAKE IT TO THEM.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS, IS THAT YOUR APPRAISAL OF THIS BUILDING IS THAT ITS PROXIMITY TO THE LINES MAKE IT NON-COMPLIANT, THEREFORE IT REQUIRES DEMOLITION.
THAT'S THE LOGIC THAT I'M UNDERSTANDING FROM YOUR LETTER.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE MOST, UH, IMPORTANT REASON.
I, I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE OTHER, UM, PROXIMITY TO THE RIGHT OF WAY AND, AND PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES AS WELL AS SITE DISTANCE AT THE INTERSECTION.
SO I THINK THERE ARE A LIST OF ENGINEERING ITEMS THAT WILL, UH, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT THE DEMOLITION.
NO, WE, WE DO APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, ARE THERE OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE ENGINEER COMMISSIONERS? IF NOT, DO WE HAVE OTHER SPEAKERS WHO WILL SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE APPLICATION TO DEMOLISH THIS STRUCTURE? YES, WE HAVE DANNY THOMPSON.
UH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME SPEAK TO THIS MOTION? UH, YES, ACTUALLY.
THE BUILDING THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING OF, I'VE WORKED IN.
AND FOR THE RECORD, YOU WOULD YOU, MY NAME IS DANNY THOMPSON.
I'VE LIVED IN, IN OH SIX YEARS, UH, AS A, AS A HISTORIC GROCERY.
[02:50:01]
YEARS THAT I, THAT, THAT I REMEMBER, IF THERE WAS ANY GROCERY STORE THAT WAS HISTORIC IN THAT AREA, IT WOULD'VE BEEN, UH, STARKS GROCERY, UH, AT MARTIN LUTHER KING INUH, AS FAR AS I KNOW, I'VE, I'VE BEEN A MUSICIAN SINCE I WAS LIKE 13.
AND THAT AREA WAS BASICALLY, UH, ENTERTAINMENT THAT, THAT BUILDING AS FAR AS I'VE EVER KNOWN, IT WAS USED FOR ENTERTAINMENT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT SAYS ON PAPER, BUT IT WAS BASICALLY A PLACE THAT YOU CAME BY ON YOUR WAY TO 11TH STREET.
IT WAS A CROSSOVER OF THE STREET AND THERE WAS NOTHING HISTORIC ABOUT IT.
UH, BUT I MEAN, THAT'S, MAYBE THAT'S WHO OWNED IT.
I MEAN, THOSE, THOSE, THOSE GENTLEMEN MAY HAVE OWNED IT, BUT IT WAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT GOING ON THERE.
I WENT TO HARLEM THEATER THERE RIGHT UP THE STREET, WHICH WAS VERY HISTORIC, YOU KNOW, AND I CAN TELL YOU THE OLDER MUSICIANS THAT I PLAYED WITH, THEY ALL HUNG OUT FROM 12TH AND CHACON.
AND RIGHT THERE AT THAT CORNER OF AL YOU WOULD GO ACROSS, OVER AND GO DOWN 11TH STREET.
AND THAT WAS JUST, IT WAS JUST ENTERTAINMENT IN THAT AREA.
YOU KNOW, THAT BUILDING IS, WELL, PRETTY MUCH THE WHOLE TIME THAT I'VE WORKED IN IT FOR THE MAYBE LIKE SEVEN YEARS I'VE DONE WORK OFF IN THAT BUILDING.
IT'S, I THINK THE MOLD, IF NOTHING ELSE SHOULD MAKE IT BE DEMOLISHED.
IT'S BEEN RAINING IN THAT BUILDING FOR, CAN'T TELL HOW LONG.
I JUST DON'T SEE IT BEING THAT I DON'T SEE IT BEING LOGICAL TO BRING IT BACK.
AND THE POWER LINES THAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT, I PAINTED THAT BUILDING A NUMBER OF TIMES.
I COULD SEE THAT GOING UP LIKE A BOX OF MATTRESS.
THIS, LET'S SEE, I GOING, I WANT TO SAY WHICH CORNER, BUT THEY'VE, THEY'VE HAD A FEW OF THE, THE POWER DEALS EXPLODE IN THAT AREA IF IT HAPPENED BY THAT BUILDING RIGHT THERE, IT'S DONE.
UH, MR. THOMPSON, IS THERE ANY LAST COMMENT YOU'D LIKE TO, TO ADD? UH, NO, I JUST, I BELIEVE THAT, THAT, UH, THE ENGINEER WILL GIVE YOU EVERYTHING ELSE YOU NEED.
I MEAN, YOU, YOU CAN PROBABLY TRY TO PULL UP SOME HISTORY ON IT, BUT, UH, UH, I KNOW THE PEOPLE THAT WERE DEAF AND IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT WHAT IT READS.
THAT BUILDING IS NOT WHAT IT READS TO.
WELL, WE THANK YOU, UM, COMMISSIONERS.
IS THERE ANY QUESTION OF THIS SPEAKER? ALRIGHT, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK, UH, ON THIS ITEM? YES, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
UH, MY NAME'S ELLIOT DE I'M A LOCAL IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, ENTREPRENEUR, UH, FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS.
UH, LIVE ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE BUILDING THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UM, IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY HISTORIC VALUE.
IT'S SMELLS AND IT'S DERELICT AND AROUND IT.
THERE'S STUFF BEHIND THE FENCES BUILT UP.
IT, IT'S, IT IS A NUISANCE ON THE LOCAL AREA.
LIKE THERE'S NOT REALLY ANYTHING THAT IT ADDS IN VALUE.
UM, AND I WOULD ARGUE THAT IT ALSO KIND OF IN A HOLE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE COUPLE OF BLOCKS, UH, EAST AND WEST OF ME ON THE STREET, IT IS, UH, EYESORE HONESTLY.
UM, BUT THAT, THOSE, THAT'S ALL I HAVE PRETTY MUCH TO SAY ABOUT IT.
UM, I THINK IT COULD JUST SERVE AS A MUCH BETTER PURPOSE,
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A SINGLE FAMILY HOME OR LIKE, JUST ANYTHING ELSE THAT'S NOT, UM, SMELLING BAD AND, AND COLLECTING, UH, IT'S A LACK OF AIR, UH, IN THE SEVEN YEARS THAT I'VE JUST SEEN PEOPLE TRY TO CLEAN STUFF UP ABOUT IT.BUT IT'S JUST OVERALL READY TO BE BOLD IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
AND, UH, DO YOU KNOW WHO THE OWNERS ARE? UM, I DON'T KNOW WHO THE OWNERS ARE.
I HAVEN'T SEEN THEM BE PRESENT.
IS THERE ANY, UH, ANY QUESTION OF THE SPEAKER? OKAY.
ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? WE DO HAVE, UH, SOMEONE ONLINE WHO'S, UH, REGISTERED AS BEING OPPOSED.
UH, I THINK IF, IF WE ARE READY FOR THE OPPOSITION, THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE THAT, UH, THAT SPEAKER.
UH, MS. WHITT, IF YOU COULD PLEASE, UH, PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
UH, I'M TRACY WHITTY, SECRETARY FOR THE ORGANIZATION OF CENTRALLY AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOODS AND A 24 YEAR RESIDENT OF SWEET HILL AND CENTRAL EAST.
I WANNA THANK YOUR STAFF FOR THEIR RESEARCH AND RECOMMENDATION TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING FOR 1500 EAST 12TH STREET.
IT SITS ON A PROMINENT CORNER ON A KEY MIXED USE CORRIDOR, AND HAS UNDERGONE SO MANY REBIRTHS SINCE THE EARLY 19 HUNDREDS TO INVITE THE PUBLIC IN FOR FOOD, DRINK, PERSONAL BEAUTIFICATION, SHELTER AND HEALING.
REGARDING THE ENGINEERING LETTER JUST POSTED TODAY, THE C'S HAD NO TIME TO PROBE SANDLINGS CLAIMS. WOULD YOU PLEASE ASK THE OWNER'S REPRESENTATIVE WHAT THEY PLAN TO BUILD? AND WHEN THE DEMO FOLDER REFERS ONLY TO FUTURE POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, NO PLANS HAVE BEEN SHARED WITH NEIGHBORS OR THE CONTACT TEAM FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, AT LEAST FIVE LOBBYISTS HAVE SPENT THEIR TIME TELLING OCEAN AND NEIGHBORS, QUOTE, NO PLANS AT THIS TIME FOR ANY EUREKA OWNED PROPERTY.
THEY DON'T BUILD STRUCTURES FOR MORE THAN A DECADE.
THEY BUILD FENCES AND PARKING LOTS BEYOND ASKING WHAT THEY PLAN TO BUILD AND WHEN.
PLEASE ASK THEM TO DETAIL FOR THE RECORD WHAT ISSUES AND SAFETY HAZARDS MENTIONED IN THEIR LETTER CANNOT BE ADDRESSED, ABSENT DEMOLITION, AND WHY NOT THEY OWN PROPERTY ALL AROUND THIS SITE THAT MAYBE COULD HELP ADDRESS THE CONCERNS THAT THEY HAVE.
IN MY OPINION, A REAL SAFETY HAZARD TO THIS COMMUNITY THAT MIGHT NEVER BE ADDRESSED IS NEGLECT OF DOZENS OF PROPERTIES OVER MORE THAN A DECADE, INCLUDING THE MUCH PUBLICIZED WINTER STORM URI DEBACLE AND MOUNT CARMEL APARTMENTS ON EAST 12TH AND CALLOUS DISREGARD FOR NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS AND URBAN RENEWAL PLAN THAT FAVORS HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND ALL THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ORDINARY RESIDENTS HAVE MADE WHILE EUREKA DOES NOTHING, INCLUDING ON THE STABILIZATION AND PRESERVATION OF THE LANDMARK.
1416, THE IQ HURDLE HOUSE A 2019 DEMO BY NEGLECT CASE BEFORE THIS COMMISSION.
CONSIDER THE ORDINARY CITIZENS WHO TOOK WHAT THEY HAD AND MADE THE STRUCTURE AT 1500 EAST 12TH STREET WORK FOR DECADES.
THEY WEREN'T HOLDING COMPANIES WITH TENS OF MILLIONS IN LOANS ON EAST 12TH STREET PROPERTIES.
THEY WEREN'T PEOPLE WHO OWNED HUGE SWATHS OF LAND IN WESTLAKE HILLS AND LEANDER PLUS ALL THE PROPERTY ON TENT ON EAST 12TH.
THESE REGULAR FOLKS MADE IT WORK WITH MODEST RESOURCES AND THEY MADE THE PROPERTY USEFUL.
ADAPTIVE REVIEWS AGAIN AND AGAIN THAT SERVES THE COMMUNITY, PREVAILING DESPITE SO MANY ECONOMIC CHALLENGES, NEGLECT, AND EVEN HOSTILE POLICY IN THIS AREA.
I WANNA THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO AT EVERY MEETING.
I APPRECIATE YOUR EMPHASIS ON THE RESPONSIBILITY TO RECOMMEND SAVING STRUCTURES THAT IS THE MISSION.
PLEASE INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING.
ANY QUESTION OF THIS SPEAKER? OKAY, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? OKAY.
UM, BASED ON OUR, UM, BASICALLY OUR, OUR PROCEDURES, UH, THE APPLICANT, UH, HAS A CHANCE TO REBUT, UH, ANY OPPOSING SPEAKERS.
AND SO, UH, IF THE MAIN APPLICANT WOULD LIKE TO, UH, USE THEIR TIME, THEY ARE ABLE TO, UH, OFFER A REBUTTAL.
UH, THAT WOULD BE THE MAIN SPEAKER HERE, UH, SIT.
NICK SANDLIN, IS THAT CORRECT? YOU'RE NOT REQUIRED TO.
CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME? YES, YOU'RE, YOU.
WE GONNA OFFER YOU, UH, UP TO THREE MINUTES TO, UH, OFFER A REBUTTAL.
YEAH, I APPRECIATE WHAT'S BEEN SAID IN THE MISSION TO, UH, PRESERVE THE EAST SIDE AND, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP THE FOCUS ON THIS PARTICULAR
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BUILDING AND THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY WITH, UM, THE UNFORTUNATE CHALLENGES.AND, UH, I THINK THERE'S SOME CHECKERED PAST WITH THIS BUILDING.
I, I DON'T SEE IT AS A, A VIABLE OPTION.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE OF JUST TRYING TO KEEP THE FOCUS ON THE, ON THE BUILDING, I, I THINK THOSE ARE THE SPECIFIC THINGS I WOULD WANT TO ADDRESS.
BUT, UM, I'M NOT SURE THAT I, I, YOU KNOW, COULD SPEAK TO ANY OF THAT BASED ON WHAT WAS PREVIOUSLY SAID.
I, I WILL ASK, YOU'RE, YOU'RE HERE REPRESENTING, UH, THE OWNERS WHO ARE OUT OF, OUT OF TOWN, IS THAT CORRECT? UH, YES.
AND, AND AS I UNDERSTOOD, THEY ACTUALLY ARE OWNERS OF OTHER PROPERTIES IN THE AREA, AND WE DO HAVE A HISTORY WITH THIS OWNER WITH THE, UH, HC HUDDLE HOUSE.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S AN AWARENESS THAT THIS IS THE SAME ENTITY.
IS THAT CORRECT? UH, YEAH, I, I DON'T HAVE ANY HISTORY WITH THE OWNER AS RELATED TO THESE OTHER, THESE OTHER PROPERTIES.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WERE, UM, HIRED TO WORK ON THE DEMOLITION PERMIT AND FROM WHAT WE'VE SEEN FOR GOOD REASON, UM, SO I, I GUESS I'M NOT SURE UNDERSTANDING THE PURPOSE OF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
NO, THAT I, I JUST WANTED CLARIFICATION.
IF THE, UH, OWNER WERE HERE, THEY COULD OFFER THAT.
UM, STAFF CAN CONFIRM THAT THE OWNERS ARE THE SAME.
THAT STAFF CAN CONFIRM THAT THIS PROPERTY IS ALSO OWNED BY THE SAME OWNER AS THE IQ HURDLE HOUSE.
UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER, UH, QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT COMMISSIONERS? IF NOT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND ALL HANDS ARE RAISED.
UH, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO, UH, INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING ON THIS PROPERTY.
UH, I WILL ENTERTAIN, UH, WHATEVER MOTION THE COMMISSION WOULD LIKE.
I, I, I'D LIKE TO MAKE AN OBSERVATION, UM, JUST IN LOOKING AT THE PHOTOGRAPHS PROVIDED HERE IN THE PACKET AND THEN ALSO IN WHAT'S IN, UH, STREET VIEW.
RECENT PHOTOS ON STREET VIEW ARE DATED MARCH, 2024, WHERE THE BUILDING APPEARS TO HAVE WHITE CLINIC.
THE WINDOWS HAVE THEIR, UH, YOU KNOW, THEIR BUG SCREENS AND THEY'RE ALL CLOSED.
AND THEN I LOOK AT THE SECOND SET OF PHOTOS IN THE PACKET.
THE FIRST SET SEEMED TO BE THE SAME ONES AS IN STREET VIEW, SO MARCH OF THIS YEAR.
AND IT SEEMS IN A VERY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME, THE VINYL SIDING ON, I GUESS MULTIPLE FACADES HAS BEEN STRIPPED OFF.
THE WINDOWS ARE OPEN, THE, UH, MOSQUITO NETTING IS DAMAGED.
THIS LOOKS, UH, I THINK THIS IS, THIS STRENGTHENS THE CASE THAT THIS MAY BE ANOTHER CA THAT THIS MAY BE DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT, UH, OUTSIDE OF WHAT, UH, NORMAL DETERIORATION MIGHT HAPPEN IN SUCH A SMALL PERIOD OF TIME.
UH, COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ, UH, I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS.
UH, WE DO NEED TO HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR IN ORDER TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION.
IS THERE A MOTION THAT ANY COMMISSIONER WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ON THIS ITEM? AND I'M SEEING COMMISSIONER DUDLEY.
UM, I'D LIKE TO MAKE, MAKE A MOTION TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING ZONING.
UH, MOTION TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING.
IS THERE A SECOND? AND REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND, OH, EXCUSE ME.
AND REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE, MOVE THAT WE REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND INITIATE PUBLIC ZONING.
UH, WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER DUDLEY.
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER RUBIO.
COMMISSIONER DUDLEY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? I'M SORRY.
YOU'LL HAVE TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT LOUDER SO WE CAN, WE CAN HEAR YOU HERE IN THE ROOM.
I JUST TOOK OFF MY HEADPHONES.
UM, CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME? YES, MUCH BETTER.
SORRY IF YOU HEAR LIKE A DOG OR IT'S A MAJOR.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK COMMISSIONER AEZ FOR THAT.
UM, THE NOTE ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHS, BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO QUESTION THE SAME THING, UM, AS FAR AS THE SAME YEAR, UM, BUT WE'RE ONLY A FEW MONTHS REMOVED FROM MARCH.
UM, AND I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT GOOGLE AERIALS AND WHATNOT TO THIS PROPERTY.
[03:05:01]
THE PACKAGE SPEAKS FOR ITSELF AS TO THE HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY.WHILE IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE ANY HIGH STYLE FEATURES, IT ALSO IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE KIND OF COMMERCIAL ARCHITECTURE THAT WOULD'VE BEEN SIGNIFICANT AND IMPORTANT FOR THE, UM, ORIGINAL, UM, INITIAL OWNERS OF THIS PROPERTY.
AND THEN THE SUBSEQUENT AFRICAN AMERICAN OWNERS AND OCCUPANTS OF THIS BUILDING.
UM, IN ADDITION TO BEING A LANDMARK OF THE EAST 12TH STREET DISTRICT, UH, JUST THAT CORNER IN AND OF ITSELF ASIDE, OF COURSE, OBVIOUSLY, UM, THE MAJOR BRAND GAS STATION THAT'S PAT CORNER IS, UM, A SIGNIFICANT, UM, YOU KNOW, FOCAL POINT OF, UH, WHAT THAT THAT HISTORY IS REPRESENTED IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, AND, AND AGAIN, I THINK THE PACKAGE JUST SPEAKS FOR ITSELF AS FAR AS THE OCCUPANCY AND THE HISTORY, UM, OF THAT BUILDING AND ITS, ITS SIGNIFICANCE TO THE EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY OVER THE YEARS.
UM, COMMISSIONER RUBIO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR SECOND? YEAH, I AM, I'M APPALLED.
I'M APPALLED THAT I'M APPALLED THAT WE'RE HERE.
UH, EUREKA, WHOEVER THEY'RE CALLED NOW THAT OWNS 75 PLUS PROPERTIES ON THE STREET, THIS IS NOT A SURPRISE.
THIS IS OBVIOUSLY DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT.
THEY KNOW THIS PROPERTY IS HISTORIC.
THEY'VE, UH, BEEN WARNED ABOUT THAT DECADE, OR, YOU KNOW, YEARS AGO, PROBABLY 2019 EARLY ON, THAT THEY NEED TO GET AN INVENTORY OF THESE HISTORIC RESOURCES.
THEY'RE IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND SOME MAY SAY THEY HAVE NO HISTORIC VALUE.
THAT IS JUST WILD TO ME AGAIN.
BUT THE FACT THAT WE'RE HERE AND, AND ALLOWING THE DEVELOPERS TO DO THIS, ALLOWING DEVELOPERS TO, TO, TO COME IN, UH, WE DID GET SEVERAL LETTERS OF SUPPORT, I WANNA NOTE FROM THE COMMUNITY SAYING THIS NEEDS HISTORIC ZONING.
SO ALTHOUGH WE DIDN'T HEAR MANY PEOPLE FROM IN FAVOR OF THIS, UH, THAT'S WHAT THE COMMUNITY HAS REACHED OUT TO US AND SAID, UH, SOME OF THOSE LETTERS NOTED THAT THIS IS A HIGH PRIORITY FOR D ONE COUNCIL MEMBER.
AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT AS WELL.
CITY COUNCIL IS DEFINITELY INTERESTED IN IT.
IN THIS CASE, PROBABLY THIS IS AN ANCHOR.
THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THESE THREE HISTORIC PROPERTIES ON THIS CORNER, I, I I'M JUST APPALLED THAT WE'RE EVEN HERE WITH AN OWNER THAT IS ALLOWED TO GET THIS FAR AND BE SO NEGLECTFUL.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S APPALLING.
IS THE, IS THE APPLICANT STILL ONLINE? THE, THE, THE GENTLEMAN WHO SPOKE FIRST? IT, UM, MR. SANDLIN ARE, ARE YOU HERE? ARE YOU AVAILABLE? YES.
I MEAN, I, I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT HE COULD HEAR ME.
THAT THE OWNERS THAT YOU REPRESENT ARE ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WHY WE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO IMPLEMENT MORE SEVERE CONSEQUENCES FOR ACTIONS LIKE THIS.
CAN, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT ACTIONS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? THE, IS THAT THE, THE SOMETHING BY NEGLECT SEQUENCE SEQUENCES FOR DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT? YEAH.
IS, IS DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT ASSOCIATED WITH HISTORIC DESIGNATED PROPERTIES? YES.
I, I, AGAIN, THIS IS NOT SPECIFIC TO OUR DISCUSSION, UH, BUT IT IS GERMANE IN THE SENSE THAT A LONG-TERM OWNER THAT HAS NOT MAINTAINED THEIR PROPERTY AND MAY VERY WELL BE DOING SO KNOWING THAT IT HAS HISTORIC VALUE AND THEY ARE MAKING IT HARDER AND HARDER FOR A PROPERTY TO BE RESTORED.
UH, THIS IS A PATTERN THAT WE RECOGNIZE AND THERE ARE SOME TOOLS THAT WE HAVE AT OUR DISPOSAL TO TRY TO REMEDY THESE ACTIONS.
UH, BUT AS YOU CAN TELL, THEY'RE CLEARLY FRUSTRATING TO US BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT AS ROBUST AS WE WOULD LIKE.
UH, BUT THE END RESULT IS WE ARE NOW ASKED TO APPROVE A DEMOLITION PERMIT ON A PROPERTY WHERE THERE HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF HISTORY INDICATING TO THIS OWNER THAT THERE HAS BEEN VALUE, UH, FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS, UH, BOTH COMMUNITY AND HISTORIC REASONS.
UH, AND SO IT IS, I THINK MAYBE WE CAN BE MORE DIPLOMATIC, BUT THERE ARE CERTAINLY LOTS OF WAYS TO EXPRESS OUR FRUSTRATION THAT WE WOULD THEN, INSTEAD OF HAVING A PROGRAM TO RESTORE, MAINTAIN, UH, OR FURTHER, UH, THE LIFE OF THIS BUILDING AS A RESOURCE FOR THE COMMUNITY, WE ARE INSTEAD BEING GIVEN, UH, A
[03:10:01]
APPLICATION FOR DEMOLITION.SO, UM, THAT IS, THAT IS, I THINK, APPROPRIATE TO PUT IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS MOTION.
BUT, UH, I THINK LET US MAINTAIN OUR CONVERSATION ON THE MERITS OF THE CASE WHERE WE HAVE A BUILDING WITH A CERTAIN LINEAGE, AND, UH, WE ARE BEING ASKED, UH, WITH THIS MOTION IF IT, IT IS PASSED TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING.
SO I, I'D LIKE TO HAVE OUR CONVERSATION, UH, FOCUS ON, ON THE MERITS OF THAT, UH, MOTION, UH, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON.
THANKS FOR HELPING ME UNDERSTAND.
SORRY, WAS THAT DIRECTED AT ME? I'M SORRY.
I, NO, I WAS RESPONDING TO THE CHAIR'S COMMENT TO ME.
WE, WE, WE'VE CLOSED, YES, WE'VE CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO, UH, I THINK THIS IS, AGAIN, WE'RE JUST FOR THE RECORD, UH, EXPRESSING WHAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT BASED ON THE NEED TO DISCUSS THIS MOTION.
UH, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON, GO AHEAD.
I WAS JUST SAYING THAT YEAH, I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS CHAIR, AND TO BRING IT BACK IN FOCUS TO THE ITEM AT HAND, I WILL BE SUPPORTING THE MOTION.
UH, ARE THERE OTHER DISCUSSION, UH, ANY COMMISSION, UH, DISCUSSION? ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS LIKE TO DISCUSS THIS MOTION? I, I DON'T WANNA BEAT THIS, BUT I THINK IT'S WORTH NOTING.
COMMISSIONER GROGAN MENTIONED THIS EARLIER WITH THE QUESTIONING ON, ON FOR THE ENGINEER.
I'VE NEVER SEEN A CIVIL ENGINEER COME FORWARD AND SAY, THIS BUILDING CAN'T BE HABITABLE.
UM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF CERTAIN THINGS.
UM, I MEAN, I'M, I'M EXPECTING A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER'S REPORT THAT SAYS, THIS BUILDING'S DANGEROUS, IT'S FALLING DOWN.
AND, AND LIKE COMMISSIONER, UH, GROGAN ALLUDED TO, THERE'S WORKAROUNDS HERE FOR MEP AND CIVIL QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS.
SO THE FACT THAT THAT'S EVEN AN ARGUMENT, I MEAN, THAT IS JUST, AGAIN, CRAZY TO ME THAT WE, NOT EVEN THIS, I'D LIKE THE CHANCE TO RESPOND TO THAT.
THERE'S, THERE'S NO QUESTION HERE, SIR.
UM, SO THE FACT THAT WE'RE EVEN, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THEIR BEST FOOT FORWARD FROM, FROM THE OWNER.
AGAIN, NOT EVEN NOT EVEN UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS AND, AND WHAT THEY NEED TO DO AS AN OWNER AND THEIR DUE DILIGENCE.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? OKAY.
THE MOTION IS TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING THAT IS NOT THE ACTUAL ACTION TO PUT FORWARD OF THE CASE.
THAT WILL REQUIRE IF AN OWNER OBJECTS, UH, A SUPER MAJORITY OF THIS COMMISSION AS WELL AS THE CITY COUNCIL.
UH, BUT THERE WILL BE FURTHER RESEARCH IF THIS MOTION PASSES AND THIS WILL BE BACK ON OUR AGENDA.
SO LONG AS WE HAVE NOT TIMED OUT, DO WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME? THIS IS, THIS IS OUR FIRST TIME ACTUALLY TO HAVE HEARD THIS CASE.
IS THAT CORRECT? SO WILL THERE BE SUFFICIENT TIME IF THIS MOTION PASSES FOR US TO CONSIDER HISTORIC, UH, ZONING AT THE AUGUST MEETING, OR WOULD WE ALSO BE ALLOWED AT THE SEPTEMBER MEETING? DEPENDING ON HOW LONG IT TAKES, YOU HAVE 75 DAYS FROM THIS HEARING.
UH, SO PRESUMABLY THAT WOULD BE, UH, NEXT MONTH IN SEPTEMBER.
UM, I CAN GET THE EXACT DATE, BUT IF THIS WERE TO BE INITIATED THIS MONTH, UH, IT WOULD COME BACK FOR RECOMMENDATION NEXT MONTH, AT WHICH POINT IT WOULD REQUIRE A SUPER MAJORITY TO MOVE FORWARD TO PLANNING COMMISSION COUNCIL.
AND WE SHOULD REMIND THE COMMISSIONERS THE SUPER MAJORITY OF OUR COMMISSION, NOT OF THE MEMBERS PRESENT.
SO THAT WOULD BE BASICALLY NINE OF THE 11 MEMBERS WOULD HAVE TO BE IN FAVOR.
UH, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? UH, WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER DUDLEY, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER RUBIO TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING ON THIS PROPERTY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
SO, UH, WE WILL PROCEED ACCORDINGLY.
[28. PR-2024-065928 – 3310 Bowman Ave.]
BRINGS US TO OUR FINAL DISCUSSION ITEM, ITEM NUMBER 28, UH, 33 10 BOWMAN AVENUE.THIS IS A PARTIAL DEMOLITION REQUEST.
THE FINAL RECOMMENDATION COULD BE AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER IF WE NEED TO POSTPONE.
ITEM 28 AT 33 10 BOWMAN AVENUE IS A PROPOSAL TO DEMOLISH A CIRCA 1951 HOUSE.
UH, THIS IS A ONE AND A HALF STORY ECLECTIC REVIVAL HOUSE WITH, UH, MANSARD AND FLAT ROOF LINES, SIX OVER SIX SYMMETRICAL WINDOWS AT THE MAIN ELEVATION, AND A SIDE ENTRY GARAGE AT THE BASEMENT LEVEL.
THE HOUSE IS CLOUD AND PAINTED STONE VENEER AND SHINGLE SIDING WITH THE MONOLITHIC CHIMNEY AND DECORATIVE SHUTTERS AT THE WINDOWS AND DOORS.
THE HOUSE WAS DESIGNED AND BUILT BY DEVELOPER BOB BOWMAN, ADVERTISED AS A MODERN FRENCH PROVINCIAL RESIDENCE IN THE NEWLY PLOTTED TANGLEWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD.
BY 1955, THE HOME HAD BEEN PURCHASED BY MADELINE AND TRAVIS LARUE LRU,
[03:15:01]
WHO OWNED A LAUNDRY AND DRY CLEANING BUSINESS WITH HIS BROTHER, FOLLOWED IN HIS POLITICALLY MINDED FATHER'S FOOTSTEP.AFTER SERVING THREE TERMS ON THE CITY COUNCIL FROM 1963 TO 1969, UE WAS ELECTED MAYOR OF AUSTIN IN 1969, SERVING ONE TERM.
HIS TENURE AS MAYOR AND COUNCILMAN COINCIDED WITH ONE OF THE MOST TURBULENT AND TRANSFORMATIVE PERIODS IN THE 20TH CENTURY.
HE MADE HEADLINES AS A COUNCIL MEMBER BY OPPOSING A CITY VOTE FOR AN IMPROVED FAIR HOUSING ORDINANCE, REFERRING A LONGER PUBLIC PROCESS THAT INCLUDED REALTY AND DEVELOPMENT GROUPS IN THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROCESS LIKE SAN ANTONIO'S SIMILAR ORDINANCE.
LA RU'S REQUEST FOR DELAYING DECISIONS ON CODIFICATION OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND PUSH FOR VOLUNTARY INTEGRATION WERE CRITICIZED BY CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS.
LA WON THE RACE, WON THE RACE FOR MAYOR IN A LANDSLIDE IN 1969 AS MAYOR, HE PLEDGED TO LOWER TAXES AND RUN THE CITY MORE LIKE A BUSINESS WITH EFFICIENCY AND ECONOMY AT THE FOREFRONT.
HE SUPPORTED STUDENT PROTESTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AFTER THE KENT STATE SHOOTINGS IN 1970 AND VOWED TO END WATER POLLUTION IN THE CITY AFTER HIS BUSINESS WAS CITED FOR RELEASING DRY CLEANING EFFLUENCE INTO WALLER CREEK.
DESPITE HIS TWO TO ONE VICTORY AGAINST INCUMBENT HARRY AIKEN.
IN 1969, LARUE LOST THE MAYOR'S RACE IN 1971 TO SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT AND CAR DEALERSHIP.
OWNER ROY BUTLER PROPERTIES MUST MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
AND STAFF HAS EVALUATED THE PROPERTY AND DETERMINED THAT IT MAY MEET TWO CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION AS THE BUILDING IS AN ECLECTIC EXAMPLE OF A MODEST SUBURBAN HOME WITH FRENCH PREVENTAL INFLUENCES AND IS ASSOCIATED WITH DEVELOPER BOB BOWMAN AND AUSTIN BUSINESSMAN, COUNCIL MEMBER AND MAYOR TRAVIS LARUE.
HOWEVER, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONSIDER WHETHER TRAVIS LARUE, AUSTIN'S 46TH MAYOR, HAD SUFFICIENT IMPACT TO MEET THE BAR FOR HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS CAREFULLY WEIGHING HIS OVERALL CONTRIBUTIONS AS A POLITICIAN AND BUSINESS OWNER WITH HIS DETORY RESPONSES TO CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUES IN AUSTIN.
IF SO, CONSIDER INITIATION OF HISTORIC ZONING.
OTHERWISE, RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT ONLY UPON COMPLETION OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UH, I WELL, ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? UM, IS THIS A PARTIAL DEMOLITION OR FULL DEMOLITION? THIS IS A TOTAL DEMOLITION.
AND IS, UH, I WILL INITIATE THE, UH, OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IS THE APPLICANT HERE TO DISCUSS THIS ITEM? YOU ARE.
SHOULD YOU PLEASE COME FORWARD? CAN Y'ALL HEAR IN, IN THE ROOM? OH, IS YOUR MICROPHONE ON? I'M SURE.
I DON'T THINK EVERYBODY CAN HEAR YOU.
OH, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? SORRY ABOUT THAT.
I'M REPRESENTING THE BUILDER AND ALSO THE OWNER, UM, HIM AND HIS WIFE, OUR HOPING TO BUILD A MODEST SINGLE FAMILY HOME.
UM, THEY DO UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, THE SITUATION AND WHY WE'RE HERE, BUT, UM, LIKE I SAID, I'M REPRESENTING HIM.
HE'S THE GC AND OWNER, AND WE'RE JUST HOPING TO KIND OF GET AN UNDERSTANDING ON HOW TO GET OUR DEMO PERMIT PASSED.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTION OF THE APPLICANT? YEAH.
HOW LONG HAS THE OWNER OWNED THIS PROPERTY? UM, I BELIEVE APPROXIMATELY ABOUT, LET'S SEE, I JUST PULLED IT UP ON TCAD, UH, ABOUT A YEAR OR SO.
HE, UM, HI HIM, HIS WIFE HAS SOME, UH, MEDICAL ISSUES.
SO THERE, THERE WERE SOME DELAYS IN PURCHASING IT, BUT, UM, I DIDN'T HAVE MUCH INFORMATION ON TCAD, BUT IT WAS PURCHASED IN 2023.
HAVE THERE BEEN ANY STRUCTURAL, UH, ENGINEER REPORTS OR ANYTHING? UH, NO, WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN THAT FAR.
I MEAN, WE DIDN'T FEEL LIKE WE NEEDED A STRUCTURAL REPORT ON IT, UM, REQUESTING TO DEMOLISH IT.
SO, UM, THE HOUSE IS IN DECENT CONDITION.
THERE ARE SOME STRUCTURAL QUESTIONS TO IT AND, UM, SOME ISSUES TO IT AS BEING A 75-YEAR-OLD HOME.
UM, BUT IT'S NOT AN HISTORICAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
THERE'S NO, UH, THE, THE, THE SIGNIFICANCE IS OF THE MAYOR, MR. LARUE, MAYOR LRU, I SHOULD SAY.
BUT, UM, WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T REALLY KNOW ABOUT THAT UNTIL, UNTIL WE'RE HERE TODAY, I MEAN LAST WEEK.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? OKAY.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? EITHER FOR OR AGAINST?
[03:20:03]
ALRIGHT, WELL THEN I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.UH, THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
AND AM I SEEING ALL HANDS RAISED? YES, ALL HANDS RAISED IS UNANIMOUS.
ALRIGHT, UH, COMMISSIONERS, THIS IS, UH, OPEN FOR DISCUSSION.
UH, I KNOW STAFF, THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE BASED ON THE ASSOCIATION.
UH, AND WE'RE ALSO SEEING THE HOUSE ITSELF, AND IT'S NOT SO MUCH ITS CONDITION, BUT JUST THE DESIGN ITSELF AND WHAT IT REPRESENTS.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, SO COMMISSIONERS, I'LL ENTERTAIN WHATEVER MOTION YOU WOULD LIKE, AND ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS NOT IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT.
SO WE EITHER INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING, WE POSTPONE, UH, FOR SOME PARTICULAR, UH, OUTCOME, OR, UM, WE WOULD RELEASE THE REQUEST FOR DEMOLITION WITH A, UH, DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE, A MOVE TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND POSTPONE TO NEXT MONTH'S, UH, OOF THAT BRAIN.
NEXT MONTH'S, UH, HLC MEETING WITH AN INVITATION, UH, WITH, FOR THE OWNER TO COME TO A RC.
UH, BEFORE, LET ME SEE IF THERE'S A SECOND BEFORE I ASK YOU ABOUT THAT MOTION.
IS THERE A SECOND? SEE A SECOND TO THE MOTION TO POSTPONE.
SO, UH, COMMISSIONERS ARE OTHER TWO OPTIONS.
WE INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING OR WE RELEASE THE PERMIT.
DON'T SEE A RUSH OF HANDS RIGHT NOW TO MAKE A MOTION.
UH, I'LL, I'LL SECOND THE FIRST MOTION.
WE HAVE A SECOND TO, FOR THE MOTION TO POSTPONE UNTIL THE AUGUST MEETING.
UH, COMMISSIONER RUBIO, BEFORE YOU DISCUSS YOUR MOTION, I WILL ASK IF THERE IS A PARTICULAR OBJECTIVE.
UH, THIS IS NOT IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT, SO WHAT THEY REPLACED THE BUILDING WITH IS REALLY NOT PART OF OUR JURISDICTION.
UH, BUT IF THERE WAS SOME ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THEM TO KEEP THE HOUSE IN SOME FASHION, PERHAPS THAT IS YOUR OBJECTIVE.
SO LEMME JUST GET THAT CLARIFICATION.
UH, I MEAN, I, I'M THIS ONE, I'M, I'M NOT READY TO JUMP THE GUN ON HISTORIC ZONING.
I THINK THERE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE RESEARCH THERE, ESPECIALLY WITH SOME MAYBE CONTROVERSIAL HISTORY FOR THIS FORMER MAYOR.
UM, I DON'T THINK THAT PRECLUDES THIS BUILDING FROM, OR PREVENTS IT FROM BEING ZONED HISTORIC.
UM, WHEN THIS CAME UP, I THINK LAST MONTH, IMMEDIATELY I SAW THE HOUSE.
AND AGAIN, IN MY HEAD, THAT'S A LANDMARK.
IT'S A NO BRAINER, BUT I KNOW WHAT THERE ARE CRITERIA, IT'S NOT JUST ARCHITECTURAL.
SO, UM, I THINK POSTPONING WOULD AT LEAST GIVE US ANOTHER CHANCE TO LOOK AT THIS RESEARCH, UNDERSTAND MAYBE THIS MAYOR'S, YOU KNOW, QUESTIONS, SEE IF THERE'S COMMUNITY SUPPORT.
DOES THE COMMUNITY NOT SUPPORT THIS? ARE THEY OKAY WITH IT DEMOLISHING? AND, AND JUST GIVE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME.
GROGAN? UM, YEAH, I THINK WITH ITS COMPLICATED HISTORY, UM, I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS POSTPONED.
SO MAYBE WE CAN HAVE MORE COMMISSIONERS ON THE DIOCESE TO TALK AND DISCUSS THIS AND PERHAPS HAVE A LITTLE MORE TIME TO, MAYBE THERE'S A LITTLE MORE RESEARCH, UM, ON THE MAYOR OR POSSIBLY AS AS, UM, AS HE STATED, WHAT DOES THE COMMUNITY FEEL ABOUT, UH, THE HISTORY ON THIS IF, IF WE COULD HEAR FROM, FROM THE COMMUNITY.
SO THAT'S REALLY MY REASON, UM, FOR SECONDING THE MOTION.
I DON'T KNOW HOW, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT AS BIG A FAN AS THE A RC DISCUSSION, BUT JUST MORE POSTPONING IT SO WE CAN GET MORE VOICES.
UH, ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO DISCUSS THE MOTION? WE HAVE A MOTION TO POSTPONE TO OUR AUGUST MEETING.
I, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF IT, ONLY IN THAT, UM, I TOOK A LOOK AT THE PICTURES AND I KNOW FROM AN STRICTLY THE ARCHITECTURAL POINT OF VIEW, THIS IS A VERY AVERAGE, IF NOT INFERIOR BUILDING, NOT PARTICULARLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE WOULD WANNA CELEBRATE FROM THIS ERA.
UH, IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE MAYOR'S ASSOCIATION, UH, I THINK IT WOULD BE AN EASY RELEASE OF STAFF, UH, IN MY OPINION.
UM, AND THEN THAT'S REINFORCED WHEN YOU LOOK AROUND THE BACK, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE MADE SOME APPROACH, NOT PARTICULARLY WELL WORKED OUT AT FORMALITY IN THE FRONT, AND THEN THEY REALLY PETERED OUT AROUND THE BACK.
[03:25:01]
ARE MANY, MANY BUILDINGS OF THIS ERA THAT ARE WORTH SAVING WAY BEFORE THIS ONE DOES AND REPRESENT ARCHITECTURAL STYLISTIC MOVES APPROPRIATELY.SO THEN IT REALLY HAS TO DO WITH THIS MAYOR AND WHETHER IT'S IT'S WORTHY.
AND AGAIN, I KIND OF, I'VE MADE UP MY MIND, BUT, UM, THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT FURTHER RESEARCH, I MIGHT, I MIGHT BE CONSIDERED WORTH IT, BUT, UH, I, I, I THINK I DON'T NEED THAT IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT DECISION TONIGHT.
BUT, UH, AGAIN, I DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, I DON'T FEEL STRONGLY THAT EXTRA TIME MIGHT NOT STILL BE BENEFICIAL, BUT I, I WON'T SUPPORT THE MOTION.
SO, SO, UH, UNLESS THERE MORE CON MORE DISCUSSION, I, I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT THIS IS 1950S AND SIXTIES AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THAT TIME PERIOD, COMMISSIONER CHAIR.
THE FACT THAT THIS STRAYS FROM THAT IS, IS SOMETHING WORTH LOOKING AT, RIGHT? AND, AND YOU MENTIONED THE STYLE AND ALL THAT, BUT WHAT WERE WE DOING IN THE FIFTIES AND SIXTIES? WE JUST APPROVED A DEMO EARLIER ON A 50 STYLE BUILDING.
WE DON'T EVEN KNOW THE ARCHITECT, RIGHT? SO WE'RE LETTING THOSE GO.
AND THEN THIS ONE IS A, IS A DIFFERENT, RIGHT? THE CONTRACTOR WAS DOING SOMETHING FRENCH MODERN RIGHT? NOW THAT MIGHT NOT BE WHAT WE WANT, BUT THIS IS PART OF THAT HISTORY AND THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND THAT STORY.
I MEAN, I MEAN, THE FACT THAT IT GOES AGAINST THOSE TRENDS, THAT IS ANOTHER REASON TO LOOK AT IT.
IT'S NOT JUST A STANDARD MID-CENTURY MODERN THAT WE'RE LETTING GO BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HAVE A FAMOUS ARCHITECT NAME.
SO
I DON'T AGREE WITH THE, I DON'T MEAN I HAVE NO, NO CHOICE WITH TO PUT MY DESIGNER HAT ON OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IF THIS WAS, WE PROBABLY WOULD'VE APPROVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S SENSITIVE, IT'S LOW, IT'S A RANCH STYLE, MODERN FIFTIES BUILDING.
I MEAN, THE FACT THAT THIS ARCHITECT OR CONTRACTOR DID SOMETHING DIFFERENT, IT'S UNIQUE.
IT'S NOT LIKE ANYTHING ELSE WE HAVE.
SO IT'S NOT A HISTORIC DISTRICT EITHER.
THE, I'M JUST QUALIFYING ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORIC ASSOCIATIONS.
BUT I, AND, BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ARCHITECTURE, WE TALK ABOUT ARCHITECTURE MERIT.
OH, SO WE, WE HAVE YOU AND I'LL HAVE SOME LONG CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ARCHITECTURAL MERIT FROM THIS ERA.
BUT, UH, ANYWAY, BE THAT AS IT MAY, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME CONVERSATION IF THIS MOTION PASSES.
YEAH, I, UH, COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ, YES, I, UH, I, I I DON'T THINK I'LL SUPPORT THE MOTION FOR SIMILAR REASONS.
I JUST DON'T FEEL THAT IT RISES UP TO THE, UH, ARCHITECTURAL CRITERIA OF A, OF A LANDMARK.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE WE CALL THE QUESTION? ALRIGHT.
THE MOTION AS IT STANDS, IS TO POSTPONE UNTIL THE AUGUST MEETING.
AND, UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
AND SO THAT IS NOT A MAJORITY, SO THE MOTION DOES NOT PASS.
UH, SO, UM, BUT IS THAT RIGHT? I COUNT RIGHT.
WAIT, SO WE HAD THREE IN FAVOR AND FOUR OPPOSED.
SO I'LL ENTERTAIN ANOTHER MOTION.
DO WE NEED A, A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS PRESENT TO PASS ANY MOTION.
WE NEED TO HAVE A QUORUM OF SIX TO PASS ANY MOTION.
BUT A MAJORITY OF THE QUORUM, WE NEED AT LEAST SIX CAPACITY.
IF, IF WE, IF THEY TAKE THIS VOTE AND IT'S THE OPPOSITE WAY.
IF IT'S AGAIN, IF WE, WELL, LET'S, LET'S, LET'S TRY ANOTHER MOTION.
I MOVE TO RELEASE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT UPON COMPLETION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
IS THERE A SECOND? UH, COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ SECOND.
COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTONE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO DISCUSS YOUR MOTION? NOT PARTICULARLY.
COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ, WOULD YOU LIKE TO DISCUSS YOUR SECOND? UH, NOTHING ELSE TO ADD.
UH, I THINK I ALREADY MENTIONED, UH, GIVE MY 2 CENTS.
ANY MORE DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? I JUST ENCOURAGE COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON TO CONSIDER THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THIS, UH, HOUSE AND REUSING IT
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, UH, I THINK WE ARE READY TO CALL THE QUESTION.
UH, WE HAVE A MOTION TO RELEASE THE PERMIT AND, UH, UPON THE, UH, UH, CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
OKAY, WE HAVE 1, 2, 3, 4 IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED?
[03:30:01]
ALRIGHT, SO WE DO NOT HAVE A QUORUM VOTE.AND SO WHAT ARE OUR OPTIONS? STAFF? SIX PEOPLE NEED TO AGREE.
SO WE JUST STATE ON SOMETHING.
IS THIS LIKE A HUNG JURY? WE HAVE TO STAY HERE UNTIL WE GET SIX PEOPLE TO AGREE ON SOMETHING.
I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT IT STATES IN OUR BYLAWS.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE, UH, I WILL SUGGEST THAT IF WE CAN'T GET THE MOTION TO RELEASE THAT WE MIGHT RECONSIDER THE, UH, MOTION TO POSTPONE.
UH, THAT MOTION TO RECONSIDER, UH, HAS TO BE MADE BY SOMEBODY WHO I WOULD SUPPORT A MOTION.
YEAH, SO WE CAN HAVE A MOTION TO RECONSIDER AND THAT BASICALLY HAS TO BE MADE BY THE LOSING SIDE.
SO, UH, THOSE OF US WHO VOTED AGAINST THE POSTPONEMENT NOW CAN SAY, WE WISH TO RECONSIDER THAT MOTION.
YEAH, I MOVE TO RECONSIDER THE VOTE FOR POSTPONEMENT.
SO, UH, BOTH OF US WERE IN OPPOSITION PREVIOUSLY, SO WE ARE ASKING IT TO BE RECONSIDERED SO THAT I'LL, I'LL SUPPORT THE MOTION WITH, IF WE CAN AMEND IT TO ASK THE APPLICANT TO EXPLORE, UM, ALTERNATIVES TO DEMOLITION, UH, SUCH AS REUSING BUILDING MATERIALS.
UM, ANYTHING ELSE THEY CAN GIVE US ON THOSE FRONT.
THANK YOU FOR COMMISSIONER RUBIO FOR PLANTING THAT BUG WITH ME.
ANY MORE DISCUSSION? AT THIS POINT? WE HAVE A MOTION TO RECONSIDER THE, UH, THE MOTION TO, UH, POSTPONE.
UH, IN ESSENCE, IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, IF THE MOTION PASSES, THEN WE WILL HAVE ENOUGH VOTES TO POSTPONE, OR DO WE NEED ANOTHER VOTE AFTER THAT? YOU NEED SIX OF SEVEN VOTES IN FAVOR OF POSTPONEMENT.
OKAY, LET'S DO THE MOTION TO RECONSIDER.
'CAUSE WE CAN'T TAKE UP POSTPONEMENT TWICE.
WE HAVE TO HAVE A MOTION TO, BUT WE ALREADY HAD A MOTION THAT FAILED, SO WE HAVE TO RECONSIDER IT FIRST.
SO LET US HAVE A MOTION TO RECONSIDER.
IF THAT PASSES, THEN THE MOTION WOULD BE ON THE TABLE AND THAT WOULD STILL NEED TO BE PASSED.
SO THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING OF ROBERT'S RULES.
I THINK THERE'S A WAY YOU CAN DO THEM IN ONE MOTION, BUT IF YOU PREFER TO DO TWO, THAT'S DEFINITELY FINE.
SO FIRST LET'S HAVE A MOTION TO RECONSIDER.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
SO, UH, NO, THAT'S A UNANIMOUS.
SO THEREFORE THE, THE MOTION TO, UH, POSTPONE IS ON THE TABLE AND WE CAN TAKE A VOTE ON THE MOTION TO POSTPONE.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND ONCE AGAIN, THAT IS NOW UNANIMOUS.
AND SO THE MOTION IS CARRIED AND THIS ITEM IS POSTPONED UNTIL OUR AUGUST MEETING AND APPLICANT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR STAYING LATE WITH US AND WALKING US THROUGH ALL THESE PIECES.
CERTAINLY, UH, BUT WE WILL CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO ADDITIONAL CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU.
ALRIGHT, UM, THAT BRINGS US TO ITEM
[29. 9307 Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail]
NUMBER 29.UH, THESE ARE COMMISSIONED AND, UH, INITIATED, UH, ITEMS. AND, UH, THE FIRST ONE IS, UH, 93 0 7 ANN AND ROY BUTLER, HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL, WHICH IS THE FANNIE DAVIS TOWN LAKE GAZEBO.
UH, THERE IS A PROPOSAL TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING AND STAFF.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO, UH, MAKE A DISCUSSION OR I GUESS WE HAVE, WE HAVE A REQUEST.
SO IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION THAT WE NEED OR ANY OTHER PRESENTATION THAT YOU HAVE FOR US? UH, NO.
COMMISSIONER, THESE NEXT TWO ITEMS ARE ITEMS FROM COMMISSION, SO THERE'S NO STAFF PRESENTATION.
UH, SO THIS IS FROM COMMISSIONER RUBIO AND COMMISSIONER COOK AND COMMISSIONER RUBIO.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO DISCUSS THIS? YEAH.
UM, I HOPE YOU ALL READ THE LETTER AND THE LETTERS OF SUPPORT.
I WAS REALLY HAPPY THAT WE'VE GOT AT LEASE, I THINK THREE OR THREE, IF NOT FOUR LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR, UH, THIS REQUEST TO CONSIDER INITIATION OF HISTORIC ZONING FOR THE FANNIE DAVIS TOWN LAKE GAZEBO, ALSO KNOWN AS THE WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION GAZEBO.
THIS IS OWNED, UM, BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
IT'S MANAGED BY THE PARKS AND RECS DEPARTMENT.
UH, THEY ARE IN FULL SUPPORT OF THIS REQUEST.
THEY JUST SENT A LETTER FOR, UH, LATE BACKUP THIS MORNING.
THEY WERE HOPING TO BE HERE IN PERSON.
UM, BUT WE, UM, WE MEANING MYSELF AND COMMISSIONER COOK, UH, REQUESTED THIS BE ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
UM, BECAUSE I THINK THE CITY, UH, SHOULD BE LOOKING INWARD AT ITS HISTORIC RESOURCES AND, UH, PREEMPTIVELY, PROACTIVELY, UH, IS OR GIVING THEM HISTORIC ZONING EVEN THOUGH THERE'S
[03:35:01]
NOT NECESSARILY ANY BENEFIT TO THE CITY.UM, THESE ARE MANAGED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
HOWEVER, I THINK WE SHOULD BE SETTING THAT EXAMPLE FOR PROPERTIES THAT ARE ELIGIBLE, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE A NATIONAL REGISTER LISTED PROPERTIES, THAT THEY ALSO HAVE THE PROTECTION LONG TERM FOR FUTURE AUSTINITES, UH, AS CITY OF AUSTIN LANDMARKS.
AND SO, UM, THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION, UM, BECAUSE OF A LOT OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT, UM, DEVELOPMENT THAT'S GONNA BE HAPPENING.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD AGAIN, BE MORE PROACTIVE IN OUR RESOURCES.
THERE'S NOT A LOT OF HISTORIC RESOURCES SURROUNDING THE AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN SITE, UH, BUT THIS IS ONE THAT AT LEAST THE CITY OWNS THAT WE CAN GO AHEAD AND OFFICIALLY LAND MARKET.
AND A BIG THANKS TO ALL THOSE THAT PUT TOGETHER THE NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATION DRAFT FOR THIS.
A LOT OF THAT WILL BE USED FOR THIS CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, DESIGNATION, ESPECIALLY KIM MCKNIGHT AND HER DEPARTMENT AND STAFF, AS WELL AS LORI MARTIN I THINK, WHO, UM, WROTE A LOT OF THAT.
SO, UH, BIG THANKS TO THEM AND, UM, I HOPE WE CAN SUPPORT THAT VERY MUCH.
AND, UH, WITH TWO MEMBERS ALREADY HAVING, UH, MADE THE REQUEST, UH, I THINK WE DON'T NEED, DO WE NEED ANY OFFICIAL MOTION OR DOES THAT BECOME THE MOTION? UH, YOU'LL NEED TO VOTE TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING.
SO COMMISSIONER RUBIO, THEN I WILL, UH, ASK YOU TO MAKE YOUR REQUEST IN A FORMAL MOTION.
I MOVE TO INITIATE, DO I HAVE TO OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING? IS IT JUST IN CASE I MOVED TO, UH, OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING FOR THE FANNIE DAVIS TOWN LAKE GAZEBO, UH, BASED ON ITS ARCHITECTURE AND COMMUNITY VALUE.
IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COMMISSIONER RUBIO, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER WARD.
UH, THANK YOU BY THE WAY, FOR YOUR INITIATION OF THIS.
UH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? UH, IT LOOKS LIKE THE LETTER ALSO INCLUDES HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION, SO I'LL JUST ADD THAT.
COMMISSIONER MC MORTER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO DISCUSS YOUR SECOND? ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? ALL, I'LL CALL THE QUESTION, THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING, UH, INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
ALRIGHT, I SEE ALL HANDS RAISED.
[30. 1300 Springdale Rd.]
A SIMILAR REQUEST.THIS IS AGAIN, AN INITIATION OF HISTORIC ZONING.
THIS IS FROM COMMISSIONER RUBIO, AND I KNOW WE HAD A, UH, COMMISSIONER EVANS, UH, WITH ALSO A LETTER OF SUPPORT.
SO WE HAVE TWO, UH, IN SUPPORT OF THIS ONE.
SO SIMILARLY, UM, WELL, MYSELF AND COMMISSIONER COOK AND COMMISSIONER EVANS, UH, HAVE REQUESTED A CONSIDER INITIATION OF HISTORIC ZONING FOR BETHANY CEMETERY.
THIS PROPERTY FIRST CAME TO MY ATTENTION THROUGH PRESERVATION AUSTIN, UM, THROUGH THE GREAT STEWARDSHIP OF SUE SPEARS.
UM, WHAT SHE'S BEEN DOING WITH THE BE BETHANY CEMETERY, UH, ASSOCIATION IS, IS, IS JUST INCREDIBLE.
I MEAN, THE FACT THAT SHE HAS BEEN PUTTING HER BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS AND MONEY INTO THIS RESOURCE, UM, THAT DOWN THE STREET WE HAVE A CITY OF OWNED AUSTIN PROPERTY THAT'S A CEMETERY THAT GETS, YOU KNOW, ATTENTION AND LOVE.
UM, BUT NOT EVERY HISTORIC RESOURCE GETS THAT.
AND SO, UM, WHEN WE, WHEN I FIRST BECAME AWARE OF SUE SPEARS, UH, THERE WASN'T MUCH WE COULD DO.
IT WASN'T MUCH WE COULD OFFER HER.
HOWEVER, IN DISCUSSIONS WITH HER, SHE FEARED FOR THIS, UH, THIS CEMETERY'S LIFE IN A SENSE, UH, WITH THE DEVELOPMENT THAT WAS HAPPENING NEXT DOOR, SHE HAD, SHE'S VERY WELL AWARE OF PLANNING COMMISSION AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S HAPPENING IN THE DEVELOPMENT.
AND SHE'S CONCERNED THAT THIS PROPERTY WILL NOT BE SPARED OR SAVED.
AND SO IF THE ONE THING WE CAN DO IS TO DESIGNATE THIS AS HISTORIC PROPERTY SO THAT IT'S PROTECTED, UH, I THINK THAT JUST HONORS, UH, HONORS THE PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERNED THERE HONORS THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, SELFLESSLY, UH, TAKEN CARE OF, OF THIS PROPERTY FOR DECADES AND DECADES.
SO A LOT OF GREAT DEEP HISTORY IN THERE.
UH, SO I GUESS I SHOULD MOVE RIGHT AT THIS POINT.
UH, TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING IF THAT'S, I MOVE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND IN INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING FOR BETHANY CEMETERY UNDER THEIR CRITERIA FOR COMMUNITY VALUE, HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS, ARCHEOLOGY, AND LANDSCAPE FEATURES.
IS THERE A SECOND? I SEE COMMISSIONER DUDLEY, UH, SECOND THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER RUB.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK ADDITIONALLY TO YOUR MOTION? UH, NO.
I JUST LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH, UH, SUE SPEARS, UM, AND OTHER, OTHER, UM, RE RESEARCHERS ON THIS PROPERTY.
THE FACT THAT THERE'S SEVERAL CATEGORIES, UH, INCLUDING LANDSCAPE AND ARCHEOLOGY WAS REALLY INTERESTING TO ME.
AND I HOPE THAT YOU ALL READ THE LETTERS OF SUPPORT FROM
[03:40:01]
COMMUNAL ROYAL AND OTHERS, UH, THAT REALLY, UM, REALLY SEE THE BENEFIT OF, OF, UH, DESIGNATING THIS HISTORIC ZONING.SO, THANK YOU, UH, COMMISSIONER DUDLEY.
YEAH, I'D LIKE TO THANK, UH, COMMISSIONER RUBIO AND EVANS FOR SPEARHEAD HEADING THIS EFFORT.
UM, AND CERTAINLY THE GRASSROOTS AND COMMUNITY EFFORTS OF MS. SPEARS AND OTHERS HAVE BEEN ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL.
UM, AND SO I THINK IT'LL JUST BE REALLY WONDERFUL TO MOVE TOWARDS HAVING BETHANY CEMETERY DESIGNATED AS A CITY LANDMARK, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE HAVE ALL OF THESE AREAS IN WHICH THE CEMETERY HAS SIGNIFICANCE AND SPEAKS TO THE LARGER HISTORIC CONTEXT OF AFRICAN AMERICAN, UM, HISTORY IN AUSTIN.
UH, SO I THINK IT'LL SPEAK FOR ITSELF.
UH, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL THE QUESTION, UH, THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE INITIATING HISTORIC ZONING FOR 1300 SPRINGDALE ROAD, THE BETHANY CEMETERY.
SO THERE'S NO, NO ONE IN A OPPOSE.
UH, AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANK THE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS WHO'VE MADE IT POSSIBLE.
UH, ITEM 31 WAS ALREADY POSTPONED.
[32. 2024 Officer elections. ]
32.UH, WE HAVE TWO, UH, POSITIONS, OFFICER POSITIONS THAT NEED TO BE, UH, FILLED EACH YEAR, AND I'M VERY HAPPY TO, UM, OPEN NOMINATIONS, UH, FOR OUR VICE CHAIR.
AND I WOULD, UH, LIKE TO PUT IN THE NAME OF, UH, OUR CURRENT VICE CHAIR, UH, WHIT FEATHERSTON, WHO HAS DONE A WONDERFUL JOB HELPING, UH, IN SUPPORTING AND ACTUALLY RUNNING A MEETING WHEN I COULDN'T BE HERE.
AND I UNDERSTAND, UH, RAN IT QUICKER THAN I DID.
SO, UH, WE, WE, YOU KNOW, I'LL STILL SHOW UP OCCASIONALLY WIT, BUT, UH, ANYWAY, I, I WOULD NOMINATE, UH, I'LL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR NOMINATIONS, BUT I'D ALSO LIKE TO PUT WIT'S NAME AND, UH, IN FOR NOMINATION.
ARE THERE OTHER NOMINEES? OKAY.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE, UH, THE FLOOR FOR NOMINATIONS.
IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND TO CLOSE THE NOMINATIONS FOR VICE CHAIR.
THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
AND, UH, IT ALL PASSED WITH, I TAKE IT, UH, UM, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON WITH, UH, ABSTAINING, BUT THAT STILL PASSES.
AND, UH, CONSIDERING WE HAVE ONE NOMINEE, I THINK IT IS APPROPRIATE FOR US TO, UH, BY ACCLIMATION EXCEPT, UH, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON AS OUR VICE CHAIR.
AND AS VICE CHAIR, ONE OF THE JOBS THAT HE HAS IS TO BE CHAIR WHEN I CAN'T BE.
AND SO I'M GONNA TURN THIS OVER TO, UH, WITT FOR, UH, ENTERTAINING THE NOMINATIONS FOR CHAIR.
WELL, AS IS THE CASE, WHEN I ACT AS CHAIR FOR AN ENTIRE MEETING, I JUST COPY WHAT COMMISSIONER HEIM SETH DOES.
AND, UM, I GET LUCKY SOMETIMES AND IT GOES FASTER.
I NOMINATE, UH, COMMISSIONER BEN HEIM, SETH TO ANOTHER TERM AS OUR CHAIR.
UM, DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS THAT THEY'D LIKE TO MAKE FOR THAT POSITION? IT'S TOTALLY DESERVED THAT HE GETS TO DO THIS FOR ONE MORE YEAR.
HE IS DONE A GREAT JOB SO FAR, AND, UH, HIS DEDICATION TO IT AND HIS GUIDANCE ON SO MANY ISSUES HAS BEEN INVALUABLE.
UM, I MOVED TO CLOSE THE NOMINATIONS FOR THE CHAIR POSITION.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER MCCARTER.
AND, UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE NOMINATIONS FOR THE CHAIR POSITION.
AND THAT'S UNANIMOUS EXCEPT FOR COMMISSIONER HEIM ABSTAINING, I ASSUME.
UM, AND SINCE WE ONLY HAVE ONE, UH, NOMINATION AND THE NOMINATIONS ARE CLOSED, WE'LL, UH, REAPPOINT YOU CHAIR BY ACCLIMATION.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, UH, ON INTO THE FUTURE COMMISSIONERS.
I GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR SUPPORT AND, UH, AND BACKING AND, AND TRY TO DO OUR BEST OVER ANOTHER THE NEXT YEAR.
UM, THAT BRINGS US ON THE, UH, COMMITTEE UPDATES.
AND, UH, WE, I DON'T BELIEVE HAVE A REPORT FROM THE GRANTS COMMITTEE.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
WE ARE WAITING ON A NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FROM OKAY.
HOPEFULLY THAT WILL BE COMING SHORTLY.
[34. Operations Committee ]
WOULD YOU LIKE TO REPORT ON THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE? I BELIEVE WE REALLY DO HAVE A SCHEDULED MEETING COMING UP ON JULY 22ND.[03:45:01]
UM, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S FOR THE MEMBERS THAT ARE APPOINTED TO THAT COMMITTEE.UH, AND I THINK WE WOULD HAVE AN INVITATION TO OTHER COMMISSION MEMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO JOIN AS LONG AS WE DON'T REACH A QUORUM.
UM, AND SAM SOLICITED FROM ME TOPICS THAT I'D LIKE DISCUSSED AND I TRIED TO REMEMBER ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'VE PUT FORTH IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS THAT SHOULD BE TOPICS.
AND, UH, SAM, DO YOU WANNA RUN THROUGH QUICKLY WHAT I PROPOSE OR SHOULD I GET STARTED AND YOU TELL ME WHAT I MISS? UM, OBVIOUSLY DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT AND SORT OF REVIEWING WHAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE CITY STAFF PRESENTED LAST MONTH AND, AND SORT OF DIGGING INTO IT AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND BETTER HOW WE COULD CHANGE THE WAYS THAT THAT OPERATES, THAT IT WOULD BETTER, UM, WORK TOWARDS OUR ENDS, UH, AS HISTORIC PRESERVATIONISTS.
UM, YEAH, I MEAN, I, AGAIN, I THINK THAT'S SUCH A BIG COMPLICATED ISSUE AND WE'VE COME AT IT IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
UM, I THINK A CASE STUDY BEING THE IQ HURDLE HOUSE AND THE 1500 EAST 12 THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THIS EVENING.
UM, THERE ARE ONGOING ISSUES AND HOW CAN WE DO THOSE BETTER? BUT I DO WANNA HEAR FROM THE COMMISSION ON, UM, JUST IDEAS OF HOW WE SHOULD APPROACH THAT AND THEN WE'LL TAKE IT TO THE COMMITTEE AND DIG IN DEEPER.
UM, SO I GUESS, YEAH, I'LL TAKE A MOMENT IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT.
SAM, DO WE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE ON THE AGENDA? WE DO.
WE ALSO HAVE HISTORIC SIGN GUIDELINES.
DEMO VERSUS RELOCATION PERMIT PROCESSES.
THAT'LL BE A VERY INTERESTING MEETING.
I'LL HAVE TO ATTEND REMOTELY, BUT I'LL SEE IF I CAN ATTEND AS WELL.
JUST BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED THAT NOT MEETING QUORUM, I I'M ALSO INTERESTED IN ATTENDING THAT VIRTUALLY POSSIBLY.
IS THAT RIGHT? ONE? I THINK, I THINK IT'LL MAKE IT.
[35. Architectural Review Committee]
THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE MEMBERS HERE, AND REALLY THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HEAVY LIFTING YOU DO HONEST AT THIS POINT IN THE NIGHT.I CAN'T REALLY REMEMBER SPECIFIC CASES,
AND I'VE BEEN VERY IMPRESSED, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE ALL NOTICED, BUT THERE'S BEEN A LOT THAT'S GONE THROUGH A RC AND IS ON CONSENT AND, UM, I'M REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
'CAUSE I THINK
I THINK, UH, IT, IT, IT, IT, SOME OF THESE PROJECTS ARE NIGHT AND DAY FROM WHEN THEY FIRST PRESENT TO WHEN WE FINALLY, UM, APPROVE THEM HERE.
SO ANYWAY, THAT, THAT'S GONNA BE MY REPORT.
'CAUSE I REALLY CAN'T REMEMBER THE SPECIFICS AT THIS POINT.
AND I, AGAIN, I, I, I REIN ABSOLUTELY SEE THE CASES AS THEY COME BACK.
I KNOW THE EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF TIME AND EFFORT THAT IT TAKES, UH, AND THE PROFESSIONAL, UH, VALUE THAT YOU CAN BRING TO A PROJECT.
UH, SO, UH, BETWEEN THE, THE, THE THREE OF YOU, 'CAUSE KEVIN'S NOT HERE, UH, I, AGAIN, WE JUST REALLY HAVE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
IT MAKES OUR JOB A LOT EASIER.
[36. Preservation Plan Committee]
A REPORT FROM THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE, UH, COMMITTEE, UH, SESSION, UH, WITH, FROM STAFF.BUT, UH, SUFFICE TO SAY THAT IN, UH, THE LAST MEETING WE HAD ON MONDAY, UH, THERE WAS A LOT OF GREAT DISTILLATION OF SOME OF THESE KEY POINTS THAT WE'RE MAKING.
AND AS I MENTIONED, I DO SEE, UH, NOT ONLY SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OUR CHANGES IN THE ORDINANCES AND SOME OF THE TOOLS THAT I MENTIONED, BUT I ALSO SEE SOME OF OUR PROCEDURES, UH, BEING ABLE TO BE MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE.
SO I, I ENCOURAGE ALL OF THE COMMISSIONERS, IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, I HAVE MY BOUND COPY HERE.
YOU KNOW, UH, TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT WE HAVE ONLINE.
IT MAKES SOME VERY INTERESTING READING.
I KNOW IT HAS BEEN, SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE TOLD ME THAT IT'S A VERY ASPIRATIONAL DOCUMENT, BUT I THINK THAT IT, UH, REPRESENTS SOME MASSIVE AMOUNT OF WORK.
AND I SEE IT NOW TURNING INTO SOME GREAT ACTION.
UM, I THINK WE'VE MADE IT THROUGH THE ENTIRE AGENDA BEFORE 10 O'CLOCK.
UNLESS THERE IS ANYTHING ELSE, COMMISSIONERS YOU WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
[03:50:01]
THAT WE ADJOURN THIS MEETING.THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
SO I DECLARE THIS MEETING ADJOURNED.