[00:00:03]
[CALL TO ORDER]
TO, UH, THE NOVEMBER 6TH MEETING OF THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION.UH, WE ARE MEETING HERE AT COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND, UH, I WILL REVIEW, UH, THE AGENDA AND, UH, DETERMINE EACH OF THE DIFFERENT CASES WE HAVE AND WHAT ACTION WE'LL BE TAKING.
UH, WE'LL ORGANIZE THAT AFTERWARDS WITH VOTES ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AND POSTPONEMENTS.
AND THEN WE'LL GO INTO OUR CASES.
UH, BUT WE'LL START AS WE DO WITH EACH OF OUR MEETINGS, UH, WITH THE, UH, PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
AND AT THIS POINT, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP, UP? WOULD YOU LIKE TAKE ATTENDANCE FIRST? BEG YOUR PARDON? WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE ATTENDANCE? I KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING I MISSED.
SAM, WOULD YOU PLEASE LEAD US THROUGH ATTENDANCE? OF COURSE.
COMMISSIONER WHITT FEATHERSTON IS ABSENT TONIGHT.
COMMISSIONER KEVIN COOK, PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER CARL LA ROCHE IS ABSENT TONIGHT.
COMMISSIONER RAYMOND CASTILLO.
COMMISSIONER RON RAYMOND RUBIO.
COMMISSIONER TYLER DUDLEY PRESENT.
UH, SO IF WE, UM, I KNOW WE HAVE A, A VERY SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT AND CALLEN UH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE SOME INTRODUCTIONS? OH, I WAS JUST GONNA READ THE AGENDA, BUT, OH, OKAY.
SO, UH, MANY OF YOU MAY BE AWARE, BUT WE HAVE A, UH, FILLED POSITION THAT WE'RE VERY THRILLED WITH AND, UH, UH, ALLOW, UH, GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
UH, HELLO, MY NAME IS KIM MCKNIGHT.
UH, I HAVE JUST STARTED MY THIRD DAY, OR WRAPPING UP MY THIRD DAY AS THE NEW DIVISION MANAGER FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
SO I'M EXTREMELY HONORED AND EXCITED TO BE JOINING THE INCREDIBLY TALENTED TEAM.
UM, AND JUST WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU, I'VE BEEN, UH, IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION FOR A LONG TIME.
UM, I'VE BEEN WORKING AT THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT FOR NEARLY 15 YEARS.
UH, AND ACTUALLY WE'LL BE COMING UP TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE FANNIE DAVIS GAZEBO, UH, ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUES THERE.
BUT JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE WARM WELCOME, UH, AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING WITH ALL OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY.
AND, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, KIM.
AND, UH, WE, WE KNOW THERE'S GONNA BE SOME VERY BIG SHOES TO TRY TO FILL OVER IT PART, WE'RE NOT SURE HOW, BUT, UH, WE, WE ARE VERY PLEASED THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO JOIN US.
[Consent Agenda]
LET'S GO AHEAD.UH, CALLEN, WOULD YOU WALK US THROUGH THE AGENDA? UH, YES.
A WARM WELCOME TO KIM, UM, AT HER FIRST HLC MEETING.
UM, FIRST ITEM UP ON THE AGENDA IS THE, UH, APPROVAL OF THE OCTOBER 2ND, 20, 24 MINUTES.
MOVING INTO OUR HISTORIC ZONING APPLICATIONS FOR TONIGHT.
ITEM TWO, PR 20 24 0 2 1 1 4 5 AT 73 0 4 KNOX LANE.
THIS IS A COMMISSION INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING AND IT IS OFFERED FOR DISCUSSION ITEM THREE C 14 H 20 24 0 1 0 2 AT 93 0 7 ROY BUTLER HY BIKE TRAIL.
THIS ITEM IS OFFERED FOR DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER FOUR C 14 H 20 24 0 1 0 3 AT 1308 SPRINGDALE ROAD IS OFFERED FOR AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT ITEM FIVE C 14 H 20 24 0 1 23 AT 43 10 AVENUE H IS OFFERED FOR DISCUSSION.
AND ITEM SIX C 14 H 20 24 0 1 54 AT 1304 GUADALUPE STREET IS OFFERED FOR DISCUSSION.
OUR CERTIFICATES OF APPROPRIATENESS TONIGHT BEGIN WITH ITEM SEVEN, HR 20 24 0 4 0 2 9 1 AT 18 ZERO OR 1 8 0 7 EAST CESAR CHAVEZ STREET.
THIS IS AN APPLICANT REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM EIGHT, HR 20 24 0 9 5 1 4 2 25 0 4 BRIDAL PATH.
THIS IS ALSO AN APPLICANT REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM NINE, HR 20 24 1 2 1 9 8 8 AT TWO GREEN LANES IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT IN OUR NATIONAL REGISTER.
HISTORIC DISTRICT APPLICATIONS.
TONIGHT WE HAVE ITEM 10, HR 20 24, 1 0 6 5 0 3 AT 1106 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD OFFERED FOR CONSENT, 11 SB 20 24, 1 0 4 4 5 1.
AND ITEM 12 SB 20 24 1 4 4 6 4, BOTH AT THREE 12 AND CONGRESS AVENUE ARE OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM 13 DA 20 24 8 9 5 22 AT EIGHT 10 WEST 11TH STREET WILL BE A DISCUSSION POSTPONEMENT.
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ITEM 14, HR 2024.1 2 3 0 6 0 AT 1003 MAL STREET IS AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM 15, HR 20 24 1 3 0 5 6 4 AT 3000.
BRIER DRIVE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
1 3 3 7 0 6 AT 1505 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM 17, HR 2 2 4 1 3 5 8 6 7 AT 1508 WESTOVER ROAD IS OFFERED FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM 18, PR 20 24 1 2 4 1 2 0 AT 1600 PALMA PLAZA IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
AND FINALLY, UNDER DEMOLITIONS AND RELOCATIONS TONIGHT, ITEM 19, PR 2 2 4 0 4 3 0 3 5 AT 1702 EAST MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
BOULEVARD WILL BE AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT ITEM 20, PR 20 24 0 4 3 8 4 4 AT 1704 EAST MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
POSTPONEMENT ITEM 21, PR 20 24 0 9 6 3 4 3 AT 5 53 3 SAMUEL HOUSTON AVENUE IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM 22 PR 20 24 1 2 5 7 4 0 AT 4 0 7 EAST SEVENTH STREET IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
OUR COMMISSION ITEMS TONIGHT, UH, INCLUDE ITEM 23, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF THE 2025 ANNUAL MEETING SCHEDULE OF THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION.
UH, NOW IF ANYONE HAS, UH, A REASON TO WANT TO PULL ONE OF THOSE CONSENT ITEMS, PLEASE GET MY ATTENTION AS I GO THROUGH THE CONSENT AGENDA OR THE CONSENT ITEMS ALL AT ONCE, AND THEN WE'LL VOTE ON THOSE TOGETHER.
IF IT IS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, THEN IT WOULD BE APPROVED, UH, AS PER STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
SO IF YOU WANT A PRESENTATION FOR ANY REASON, UH, OR HAVE ANY OTHER REASON TO, UH, NOT WANT IT TO BE ON CONSENT, PLEASE GET MY ATTENTION AS I READ THROUGH THE CONSENT ITEMS. THE FIRST CONSENT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER ONE, UH, THE MINUTES OF OUR OCTOBER 2ND MEETING.
THE SECOND CONSENT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER NINE, AND THAT IS, UH, TWO GREEN LANES.
UH, THIS IS A REHABILITATION IN ADDITION AND, UH, AGAIN, OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
UH, AND, AND THAT IS IN A, UH, AND THAT THAT IS A, UH, CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS.
UH, THESE OTHER ITEMS NOW ARE NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT PERMIT APPLICATIONS, AND THE FIRST OF THOSE CONSENT ITEMS IS ITEM NUMBER 10 AT 1106 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.
UH, ITEM NUMBER 11 AT THREE 12 AND A HALF CONGRESS AVENUE.
AND THAT IS ALSO PAIRED WITH ITEM 12, 3 12 AND A HALF CONGRESS AVENUE.
THOSE ARE SIGNED RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, OFFERED FOR CONSENT CHAIR.
I'D LIKE TO PULL, I'M NOT SURE WHICH ONE IS NOT THE VERTICAL BLADE FIN SIGN, BUT I'D LIKE TO PULL ONE OF THOSE THREE 12 OR BOTH.
UH, IF YOU, IF YOU KEEP IT TOGETHER, I THINK, I THINK THE TWO OF 'EM ARE REALLY TOGETHER, SO, OKAY.
IF YOU, I'D LIKE TO PULL THOSE.
I'D LIKE THAT CLARIFI CLARIFIED.
WE CAN GO AHEAD AND HAVE THAT FOR DISCUSSION.
UH, ITEM NUMBER 15 IS THE NEXT, UH, CONSENT ITEM.
AND THAT IS AT, UH, 3000 BRIER DRIVE.
UH, THIS IS A NEW CONSTRUCTION AND IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT, ITEM NUMBER 16 15 0 5 TRAVIS HEIGHTS BOULEVARD IN THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS FAIRVIEW PARK NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, AN ADDITION AND A REMODEL, UH, ITEM NUMBER 18 AT, UH, 1600 PALMA PLAZA IN THE OLD WEST AUSTIN, UH, NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, UH, AGAIN, ALL OFFERED FOR CONSENT, UH, AS IT PERTAINS TO OUR DEMOLITION AND RELOCATION PERMIT REQUESTS.
ITEM NUMBER 21, UH, AT 53 0 3 SAMUEL A AVENUE, THIS IS A DEMOLITION REQUEST.
AND ITEM NUMBER 22 AT 4 0 7 EAST SEVENTH STREET.
UH, AGAIN, A DEMOLITION REQUEST.
AND SO THOSE ARE THE CONSENT ITEMS AND, UH, WITH THE TWO OF THEM PULLED, AND I WILL, UH, ENTERTAIN A MOTION MOVE TO PASS THE CONSENT AGENDA AS STATED.
UH, MOTION BY COMMISSIONER COOK, UH, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MWATER CHAIR.
I'D LIKE TO BE SEEN OR SHOWN AS VOTING NO ON ITEM 21 AND 22.
UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IT IS, UH, STILL CAN BE A CONSENT, BUT SO LONG AS EVERYBODY ELSE IS REGISTERED IN FAVOR, WE CAN THEN ALSO REGISTER.
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UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, RUBIO IS BEING, UH, A NO VOTE.UH, I BELIEVE THAT IS ACCEPTABLE.
AND SO DOES THAT MEAN THAT IT IT'S UP FOR DISCUSSION OR NO, THAT IS JUST RECORDED.
UH, SO IN OTHER WORDS, WE STILL HAVE A SUPER MAJORITY IN FAVOR.
IT'S STILL ON CONSENT, BUT THE RECORD WILL STATE THAT COMMISSIONER RUBIO, UH, REGISTERS HIS OBJECTION.
AND THAT IS, UH, INCLUDED IN THE MAKER'S, UH, THE MAKER OF THE, UH, CONSENT MOTION.
SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE CONSENT AGENDA PASSING INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE UNANIMOUS VOTE.
UH, THE NEXT ITEMS, UH, SO BY THE WAY, ANYBODY WHO HAD, UH, AN ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, THE ITEM HAS BEEN PASSED WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION AND YOU'RE FREE TO GO.
UH, THE NEXT ITEMS ARE THOSE THAT ARE, UH, REQUESTED POSTPONEMENTS.
THE FIRST ONE WE HAVE IS ITEM NUMBER FOUR AT 1308 SPRINGDALE ROAD.
UH, THE SECOND ONE IS AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT AT 1807 EAST CESAR CHAVEZ.
NUMBER SEVEN ON OUR AGENDA, UH, THIS IS A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS REQUEST.
THE, UH, NEXT ONE IS NUMBER EIGHT AT 25 0 4 BRIDAL PATH, AGAIN, AN APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT REQUEST.
AND WE HAVE ONE ITEM NUMBER 14 AT, UH, 1003 MILE PHRASE STREET.
UH, AGAIN, APPLICANT REQUESTED POSTPONEMENT.
AND ITEM NUMBER 19 AT 1704 EAST MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
UH, AGAIN, A REQUEST FOR APPLICANT REQUEST FOR POSTPONEMENT AND ALSO AT 1704 EAST MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
SO ALL OF THOSE ITEMS HAVE BEEN REQUESTED FOR A POSTPONEMENT TO OUR DECEMBER MEETING.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION MOVE TO PASS THIS APPLICANT POSTPONEMENT AGENDA.
UH, MOTION BY COMMISSIONER COOK, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER RICK WATERER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATED BY RAISING YOUR HAND, AND ONCE AGAIN, IT IS UNANIMOUS.
[13. DA-2024-089522 – 810 W 11th St. ]
A DISCUSSION POSTPONEMENT IN THAT STAFF HAS, UH, MADE A RECOMMENDATION, UH, ON ITEM NUMBER 13, UH, THAT EIGHT 10 WEST 11TH STREET THAT, UH, THIS ITEM BE POSTPONED TO ALLOW THE APPLICANT, UH, TO HAVE MORE COMMUNITY INPUT UNLESS THE APPLICANT AGREES.IN WHICH CASE, WE CAN JUST ADD THAT TO, UH, OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
WE HAVE POSTED IT AS A DISCUSSION.
POSTPONEMENT IS THE APPLICANT HERE.
AND, AND WILL DO, DO YOU ACCEPT A POSTPONEMENT OR WOULD YOU LIKE US TO DISCUSS THE REASON WHY WE SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT POSTPONE THIS ITEM? UH, GOOD EVENING.
DREW RAEL, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE OWNER.
UH, WE DO NOT AGREE TO A POSTPONEMENT AND, OKAY.
THAT'S ALL WE NEED TO KNOW RIGHT NOW.
DISCUSSION, UH, THE POSTPONEMENT DISCUSSION THAT WE'LL HAVE ON THIS CASE AT THIS POINT IS JUST WHETHER OR NOT TO POSTPONE.
AND THEN WE'LL MAKE A VOTE AND IT WILL EITHER BE POSTPONED OR IT WILL STAY ON THE AGENDA IN ORDER AND BE PART OF THE DISCUSSION.
SO AT THIS POINT, UM, I'M SORRY YOU HAD TO GO BACK TO YOUR SEAT.
PLEASE, UH, THE APPLICANT TO COME AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
AND AGAIN, YOUR COMMENT SHOULD BE STRICTLY TO THE REASON WHY A POSTPONEMENT IS OR IS NOT APPROPRIATE.
UH, THAT WILL TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.
MY NAME IS DREW RAEL ON BEHALF OF THE, UM, HONOR AND APPLICANT.
UM, I'M HERE BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING TO, UH, REQUEST THE RELEASE OF THIS PERMIT, UH, FOR DEMOLITION.
UH, WE DO NOT WISH TO POSTPONE THIS ITEM.
UH, WE, UM, WE'RE HERE LAST MONTH, UM, AND REQUESTED THE SAME.
AND WE REQUEST THAT YOU RESPECTFULLY, UH, RELEASE IT THIS MONTH.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADD REAL QUICK THAT WE HAVE A SPEAKER WHO IS IN FAVOR OF POSTPONEMENT TONIGHT AS WELL.
UM, BUT BEFORE WE DO, IS THERE ANY OTHER WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, UH, IN SUPPORT OF THE APPLICANT'S POSITION? OKAY.
IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE POSTPONEMENT? UH, YOU MAY COME TO THE MICROPHONE, IDENTIFY YOURSELF AND PLEASE STATE YOUR CASE.
AGAIN, PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS ONLY TO THE JUSTIFICATION FOR POSTPONEMENT.
[00:15:01]
GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.I'M HERE, UH, REQUESTING ANOTHER POSTPONEMENT FOR THIS PROPERTY.
UM, I'M SPEAKING FOR THE OLD AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
OUR ASSOCIATION SPONSORED A HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY AT GREAT COST IN 2020.
WE, WE ONLY NEED TO KNOW WHAT IS THE RATIONALE FOR THE POSTPONEMENT.
WE CAN'T GO INTO THE CASE RIGHT NOW.
WELL, I MEAN, THAT'S PART OF THE, UH, THE REASONING IS, UH, THIS IS A HISTORIC RESOURCE CONTRIBUTING TO THE, UH, WEST AUSTIN DOWNTOWN, UH, NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT.
AND, UH, WE, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IS IN NEGOTIATION, UH, WITH THE, THE DEVELOPER AND WE ARE PROPOSING OPTIONS FOR THAT DEVELOPER TO CONSIDER.
AND SO WE WOULD LIKE, UM, ANOTHER POSTPONEMENT AT LEAST A MONTH, IF NOT SIX MONTHS.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE? APPRECIATE THAT.
UH, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK? PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD.
MY NAME IS DONNA CARTER AND I'M WITH CARTER DESIGN ASSOCIATES.
UM, I OFFICE AND I ACTUALLY OWN THE BUILDING ACROSS THE STREET FROM THIS.
AND I HAVE NOT HAD ANY DISCUSSIONS, UM, AND WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME DISCUSSIONS WITH THIS PARTICULAR, UH, DEVELOPER AND HAVE SEEN NO PLANS.
SO I WOULD LIKE A POSTPONEMENT JUST TO ALLOW THAT DISCUSSION TO OCCUR.
UH, MS. CARTER, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING THIS EVENING.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OR AGAINST THE POSTPONEMENT? IF SO, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND GIVE US YOUR NAME AND THE RATIONALE FOR STRICTLY THE REASON FOR POSTPONEMENT OR NOT.
I'M ALSO WITH THE OLD DAWSON NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
AND MY REASON FOR POSTPONEMENT WOULD BE THAT WE WOULD BE, UM, REMOVING A CONTRIBUTING PROPERTY WITHOUT ANY PLANS FOR WHAT WAS GONNA BE DONE IN ITS PLACE.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS WAS A RECOMMENDATION FROM STAFF.
ARE THERE ANY, UH, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM STAFF ABOUT THE POSTPONEMENT? OKAY.
I THINK IT'S PRETTY MUCH IN EVIDENCE WHAT THE MOTIVATION, UH, OF THE RECOMMENDATION WAS.
COMMISSIONERS, UH, THIS IS APPROPRIATE TO DISCUSS STRICTLY THE ISSUE OF POSTPONEMENT IF THERE IS ANY DISCUSSION.
IF NOT, I WILL CALL THE QUESTION.
I'LL MOVE TO POSTPONE THE CASE TO OUR DECEMBER MEETING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF POSTPONING THE CASE TO OUR DECEMBER MEETING, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
I BELIEVE THAT IS, YES, THAT IS UNANIMOUS.
AND WE DO ENCOURAGE THE OWNER AND THE, UH, NEIGHBORS TO MAKE GOOD USE OF THIS TIME.
UH, WE'D LIKE TO HOPEFULLY FEEL SOME, UH, PROGRESS AS MADE WHEN WE SEE YOU NEXT.
ALRIGHT, THAT BRINGS US BACK TO THE SEQUENCE OF OUR REGULAR AGENDA.
AND THE FIRST ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER TWO AND SEVEN.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL (Part 1 of 2)]
UH, AHEAD COMMUNICATIONS? OOPS.OH, DO WE HAVE, WE HAVE A CITIZEN'S COMMUNICATION NOW.
WE ONLY HAVE I MISSED ON THAT.
WE HAVE, UH, TWO PEOPLE SIGNED UP.
UH, FIRST UP WE HAVE MS. MEGAN KING, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE FOR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF.
AGAIN, THIS IS A PART OF OUR AGENDA THAT IS NOT SPECIFIC TO ANY ACTUAL CASE, BUT IS MORE GENERAL IN NATURE.
GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS, MEGAN KING, POLICY AND OUTREACH PLANNER FOR PRESERVATION AUSTIN HERE WITH YOUR MONTHLY UPDATE.
UM, JUST WANTED TO ALERT YOU ALL THAT.
NEXT TUESDAY, UM, NOVEMBER 12TH, WE'RE HAVING OUR 64TH ANNUAL PRESERVATION MERIT AWARDS CELEBRATION.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE SOME OF OUR HONORS HERE WITH US TODAY, INCLUDING MARK WOLF AND DONNA CARTER.
SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO CELEBRATE THEM AMONG OTHERS LIKE SUE SPEARS OF BETHANY CEMETERY, AND FORMER, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER AND PRESERVATION ADVOCATE, CHRIS RILEY.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GREAT WINNERS.
UM, SO WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU ALL AND ANYBODY HERE WHO'S INTERESTED TO JOIN US, YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT@PRESERVATIONAUSTIN.ORG.
UH, AND WE DO HOPE THAT MANY OF YOU'LL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT AND GET TO, UH, CELEBRATE AS WELL AS GET TO KNOW THE ORGANIZATION.
UH, IS THERE ANOTHER SPEAKER, PLEASE? YES, WE HAVE MS. K ORLEY.
MY NAME IS KAY GORLEY AND I'M A REALTOR WITH COOPER SOTHEBY'S.
I AM REPRESENTING THE BERTHA SADDLER MEANS FAMILY THIS EVENING.
AND WE HAVE A HISTORIC HOUSE AT EIGHT 10 EAST 13TH STREET, WHICH WE HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD ON TO PUT IT ON THE MARKET.
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I'VE HAD SEVERAL DEVELOPERS THAT WANT TO COME IN AND TEAR DOWN THE PROPERTY BECAUSE IT SITS ON A HALF AN ACRE.AND I'M HERE TONIGHT TO ASK THE HISTORIC COMMISSION PRESERVATION AUSTIN, UM, TO HELP US SAVE THIS HOUSE.
IT WAS BUILT IN 1876 BY AN IRISH IMMIGRANT.
UM, AND WE HAVE HIS CENSUS AS TO WHEN HE CAME HERE TO THE UNITED STATES, AND ALSO HE WAS A STONE MASON AS TO OTHER, UH, PROPERTIES THAT HE BUILT IN AUSTIN.
UM, AND THE MOST INTERESTING PART ABOUT THIS PROPERTY IS THAT IN 1905, IT WAS PURCHASED BY, UH, MR. JOHN FRASER, WHO WAS A FREE SLAVE, WHO BECAME, UM, PRESIDENT OF HOUSTON TILLISON COLLEGE.
AND THEN THE HOUSE WAS REGISTERED ON THE GREEN BOOK.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT THE GREEN BOOK MEANS, BUT IT WAS A PLACE THAT, UM, IT WAS A REGISTRY FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS WHO WERE TRAVELING THROUGH THE SOUTHERN PARTS OF THE UNITED STATES, WHERE IT WAS A SAFE PLACE FOR THEM TO STAY.
SO THIS HOUSE REPRESENTS A PLACE WHERE THERE WOULD'VE BEEN MATHEMATICIANS, SCIENTISTS, PHILOSOPHERS, MUSICIANS, STUDENTS THAT WOULD'VE STAYED IN THIS HOUSE.
UM, AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE REFERENCE TO THIS.
WE ARE HAVING, UM, AN OPEN HOUSE THIS WEEKEND AND ALSO, UM, I'M HAVING FOR THE, UM, SWEET HILL.
THIS IS LOCATED IN SWEET HILL, UM, THAT WE'RE HAVING, UM, A RECEPTION.
AND I'M JUST HERE TO ASK FOR ANY HELP FROM THE HISTORIC, UM, PRESERVATION BECAUSE, UM, ANY BUYER THAT PURCHASES HIS HOUSE IS GONNA NEED, UM, UH, HELP IN IN, IN GETTING GRANTS TO PRESERVE THIS PROPERTY.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS TO PLEASE COME OUT ON SUNDAY TO VIEW THE HOUSE.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL HOUSE, UM, FROM NOON TO TWO.
UM, IT IS A AUSTIN LANDMARK CURRENTLY NOW, AND IT WAS ALSO PUT ON THE NATIONAL REGISTRY.
AND I THINK IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT AS PART OF AUSTIN HISTORY, THAT IT REMAINS PART OF AUSTIN HISTORY.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN AUSTIN.
MY FATHER WAS A HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COACH AT OLD ANDERSON WHEN IT WAS SEGREGATED.
AND MY MOTHER WAS A LIBRARIAN AT, UM, DELL VALLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
SO I HAD DEEP CONNECTIONS INTO THE EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY BEING, UM, A PERSON FROM WEST AUSTIN THAT WAS ABLE TO EXPERIENCE EAST AUSTIN.
AND I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THE, UM, HELP FROM THE, ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS OR TO PLEASE COME BY AND VIEW THIS HOUSE.
MS. CORLEY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION.
I DO HOPE, UH, MANY PEOPLE WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE AND IT IS, IT IS VERY SIGNIFICANT HOUSE.
AND, UH, WE REALLY DO WHAT WE CAN, I'M SURE TO, UH, SUPPORT, SUPPORT THE FAMILY'S EFFORTS.
I'VE WORKED VERY HARD ON THE LINEAGE OF THIS HOUSE, AND I'D LIKE TO PRESERVE IT IN, UM, AUSTIN HISTORY BOOKS.
AND, UM, THE SUBMISSION AND THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT, UH, APPLICATION IS, IS VERY THOROUGH AND I THINK MAKES A VERY I IMPORTANT CASE FOR THE VALUE OF THIS PROPERTY IN PARTICULAR.
AND, AND, AND, UH, THE FRAZIER CONNECTION, I HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, THIS IS, IS THIS BEING, WELL, I'M ASSUMING IT'S NOT BEING THREATENED BY 35 EXPANSION, BUT, UM, IS THERE ANY CONCERNS WITH, WITH THAT OR IS THAT NOT TOUCHING THE BOUNDARIES? I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT IT CLOSELY, BUT I SEE IT'S OFF OF 35.
SO, SO, UM, FROM TALKING TO, UM, THE SWEET HILL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION FROM, AND ALSO THE INFORMATION THAT I RECEIVED FROM TXDOT, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THAT THERE IS A MEDICAL, AUSTIN'S GONNA CREATE A MEDICAL CENTER, UM, ACROSS, AND THEN THE, UH, THE UPPER LEVEL WILL DROP DOWN AND THE, THAT THERE WILL BE A GREEN SPACE, UM, WITH RESTAURANTS AND SHOPS THAT WILL CONNECT THIS AREA OF SWEET HILL TO THE NEW MEDICAL DISTRICT.
AND MY CONCERN IS THAT I'VE BEEN A REALTOR FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS HERE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, AND WORKED, UM, PRIMARILY IN EAST AUSTIN, IS THAT, UH, I'VE HAD MANY DEVELOPERS THAT HAVE CONTACTED ME AND TOLD ME THAT THIS IS NOT THE BEST USE FOR THIS HOUSE, MEANING TO SAVE IT.
AND, UM, I REALLY WANT TO SAVE THIS HOUSE.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE HISTORY OF AUSTIN AND TO TELL THE STORY OF THE IMMIGRANTS FROM THE IRISH IMMIGRANTS TO, UH, JOHN FRAZIER, TO IT ALSO BEING ON THE GREEN BOOK.
WHAT THEY, WHICH I THINK IS VERY, VERY
[00:25:01]
IMPORTANT, UM, THAT WE TRY AND SAVE THIS HOUSE.AND IT, BECAUSE IT SITS ON A HALF AN ACRE, IT'S VERY, UM, UM, DEVELOPERS ARE LOOKING AT THIS TO POSSIBLY TRY TO, YOU KNOW, TO TEAR DOWN THIS HOUSE OR TO MAKE IT TO WHERE, UM, THE HOUSE, UM, GET ENGINEERS OR ARCHITECTS IN THERE TO SAY, OH, IT'S NOT STABLE.
BUT, UM, I'M CURRENTLY IN THE HOUSE NOW AND I'VE BEEN HOSTING PEOPLE AND I'M GONNA HOST, UM, SOME EVENTS THIS WEEKEND THAT I WOULD LOVE TO INVITE ALL OF YOU TO THE EVENTS.
UM, YOU WILL FIND THE HOUSE ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS AND LOVELY AND SOMETHING THAT AUSTIN NEEDS TO PRESERVE.
I THINK IT'S, UH, IT'S RARE THAT WE GET SOMEONE THAT'S, THAT'S SAYING, HEY, YOU KNOW, HERE'S A WARNING SIGN, RIGHT? CANARY, SO TO SPEAK.
UM, BUT IT'S EVEN MORE FRUSTRATING FOR US THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE SO EMBOLDENED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY CAN PURCHASE A HISTORIC PROPERTY, LET IT SIT BY A DEMOLITION OF NEGLECT AND WAIT RIGHT.
BECAUSE OF THESE PROPERTY RIGHTS, SO TO SPEAK.
UM, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO GET TO THAT PATH.
WE WANT TO, TO FIND THE RIGHT STEWARD, I THINK IS THE POINT.
AND, UM, I'VE REPRESENTED MANY HISTORIC HOUSES AND IT'S, YOU HAVE TO FIND THE RIGHT BUYER.
I DO REPRESENT THE MEANS FAMILY.
THEY'RE A LEGACY HERE IN AUSTIN.
UM, OF COURSE THEY WANT, YOU KNOW, THEY WANNA SELL THE HOUSE AND MOVE ON.
UH, BIRTH OF MEANS, UH, PASSED AWAY ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO.
SHE WAS 102 YEARS OLD AND HER SON NOW, UH, JAMES BE, WHO IS IN HIS EIGHTIES, AND THEY NEED TO MOVE ON WITH THEIR LIVES, AND WE NEED TO SELL THIS PROPERTY.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO FIND THE RIGHT STEWARD.
AND BY ME SPEAKING HERE TONIGHT, WHETHER PRESERVATION AUSTIN HEARS ME, YOU HEAR ME, UH, THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION HEARS ME THAT MAYBE WE CAN FIND THE RIGHT BUYER THAT UNDERSTANDS WHAT PRESERVATION, WHAT, WHAT PRESERVATION OF THIS HOUSE MEANS TO THE HISTORY OF AUSTIN.
AND ALSO BECAUSE THE LOT DOES SIT ON A HALF AN ACRE, IT WOULD ALLOW FOR ADUS, UH, YOU KNOW, ONE, IT WAS ONCE A BOARDING HOUSE, POSSIBLY IT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE INTERESTING INTO MAKING IT BACK INTO A BOUTIQUE HOTEL, WHICH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WOULD, UM, INVITE SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THEY DON'T WANT AN AIRBNB, BUT TO SOMETHING TO MAKE IT INTO MAYBE A MUSEUM OR MAY MAKE IT INTO A HOTEL WHERE, UM, YOU'RE EXHIBITING, UM, THE TWO FAMILIES, THE LIMERICK FAMILY AND THE FRAZIER FAMILY WHO, UM, YOU KNOW, MAY THIS HOUSE PART OF AUSTIN'S HISTORY THAT BEING BORN AND RAISED IN AUSTIN, I, I, I BELIEVE THAT THIS HOUSE NEEDS TO BE PRESERVED FOR THE NEXT A HUNDRED, 200 YEARS.
NOT KNOWING THE HISTORY OF THE BUILDING, IT WAS BUILT IN 1876.
I'M READING ON THE SURVEY, BUT IT, THAT'S ITS ORIGINAL LOCATION, IS THAT CORRECT? OR WAS IT MOVED? NO, THAT IS THE ORIGINAL LOCATION.
AND I, I INVITE YOU TO PLEASE COME AND SEE IT.
IT'S THERE, THERE, THE BACK PART THAT AN EXTENSION DOES NEED SOME FOUNDATION WORK.
SO WHOEVER BUYS A HOUSE AND, AND YOU KNOW, THE KITCHEN'S OUTDATED.
THEY'RE FROM THE 1980S MM-HMM,
BUT, YOU KNOW, I HAVE BEEN IN THE HOUSE, STAYING IN THE HOUSE BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE CONSTANTLY COMING UP, KNOCKING ON THE DOORS.
THEY WANNA SEE THE HOUSE, THEY'RE VERY INTERESTED IN THE HOUSE.
AND I WOULD SAY THAT SOMEBODY COULD ACTUALLY LIVE IN THE HOUSE THE WAY IT IS NOW.
UM, IT DOES NOT HAVE CENTRAL AC BUT IT DOES HAVE A FURNACE SYSTEM THAT GOES THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE.
IT COULD BE EASILY, UM, PUT AN HVAC SYSTEM IN, IN, IN, INTO THAT SPACE WHERE THERE'S DUCKING AND IT ALLOWS FOR THAT.
UM, ACTUALLY AT THIS POINT, SQUARELY, I HAVE TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.
UH, I DO THINK THAT ALSO WITH THE I 35, UH, CAPPING EXPANSION, THIS WOULD BE AN AMAZING RESOURCE RIGHT THERE FOR ALL THE OTHER ACTIVITIES IN THIS WONDERFUL PUBLIC SPACE.
SO THINKING LONG TERM, THE VALUE OF THAT HOUSE AS CELEBRATING AUSTIN, BUT ALSO BEING AN AMENITY, UH, RELATED FACILITY, UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH, UH, YOU AND, AND HOPEFULLY THE FUTURE OWNERS.
MAY I MAKE ONE MORE COMMENT? A QUICK ONE? OKAY.
SO I DO BELIEVE THAT, UM, LEARNING ABOUT JOSEPH LIMERICK'S JOURNEY TO AMERICA AND THEN OF COURSE JOHN FRAZIER AND HIS JOURNEY HERE, THAT IF YOU PUT, YOU KNOW, THE IRISH OPPRESSION AND HOW THEY CAME TO AMERICA AND THEN PUT JOHN FRAZIER, UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND PUTTING THESE TWO FAMILIES TOGETHER, IT MAKES A VERY INTERESTING HISTORY BECAUSE SWEET HILL WAS MOSTLY, UM, BUILT BY GERMANS.
SO IT'S VERY UNIQUE TO HAVE AN IRISHMAN BUILD
[00:30:01]
THIS HOUSE AND THEN TO HAVE, UH, JOHN FRAZIER, WHO WAS A FREE SLAVE WHO BOUGHT THIS HOUSE.SO IT MAKES IT VERY, VERY UNIQUE FOR AUSTIN TO SAVE AND PRESERVE THIS HISTORY.
UM, AT THIS POINT, COMMISSIONERS, UH, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS FOR PUBLIC, UH, CITIZENS COMMUNICATION? ALRIGHT, NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR AGENDA.
AND THE FIRST DISCUSSION ITEM IS
[2. PR-2024-021145 – 7304 Knox Ln.]
ITEM NUMBER TWO, UH, HISTORIC ZONING APPLICATION.AND THIS IS AT 73 0 4 KNOX LANE COMMISSIONERS.
THIS HAS BEEN ON OUR AGENDA, UH, FOR SEVERAL MEETINGS AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PUTTING INTO THIS.
SO, UH, I WILL TURN THIS OVER TO CALLEN.
ITEM NUMBER TWO IS, UH, AN APPLICATION, UM, INITIATED BY THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION BACK IN SEPTEMBER FOR RUNNING ROPE RANCH AT 73 0 4 KNOX LANE.
UM, THIS ITEM HAS COME BEFORE US SEVERAL TIMES, UM, SINCE MAY OF THIS YEAR, AND ALSO IN 2023 UNDER, UM, A DIFFERENT APPLICATION.
AND AT THIS POINT, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION AFTER, UH, LEARNING SOME MORE FROM THE APPLICANT AND THEIR TEAM IS TO NOT RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING FOR THE MAIN HOUSE IF THE APPLICANT IS ABLE TO RELOCATE TWO OF THE HISTORIC AGE OUTBUILDINGS ON SITE AND TO PROTECT THE, THE EXISTING HISTORIC LANDSCAPE FEATURES, INCLUDING THE SPRING FED POOL AND NATIVE AMERICAN BIN SITES, UM, ON THE PROPERTY.
AND, UH, STAFF RECOMMENDS RELEASE OF THE RELOCATION PERMITS UPON RECEIPT OF A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE FOR ALL STRUCTURES, AS WELL AS A PLAN FOR ARCHEOLOGICAL MONITORING IN THE SITE AS REQUESTED BY THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION.
UM, AND THE REASON FOR THIS CHANGE IS THAT UNFORTUNATELY, UH, EIGHTIES AND NINETIES ERAS ERA ADDITIONS AND MODIFICATIONS HAVE PROVEN TO REDUCE THE MAIN BUILDING'S INTEGRITY.
UM, SO STAFF NO LONGER BELIEVES THAT THE MAIN HOUSE RETAINS SUFFICIENT INTEGRITY TO CONVEY ITS TRUE HISTORIC ERA APPEARANCE.
HOWEVER, UM, TWO OUTBUILDINGS ON SITE THAT AREN'T REFERENCED IN, UM, THIS ITEM, WHICH IS PR 2 2 4 0 2 1 1 4 5 DO RETAIN SUFFICIENT INTEGRITY AND THEY INCLUDE ATTACK BARN DATING TO RUNNING ROPE BRANCH AND A MUCH OLDER CEDAR CABIN THAT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN MOVED TO ITS CURRENT LOCATION, UH, POTENTIALLY FROM ELSEWHERE ON THE SITE.
SO THIS OLDEST STRUCTURE ON THE SITE, A LOG CABIN, UM, HAS BEEN ADDED ONTO OVER THE YEARS, BUT IT STILL RETAINS ITS ORIGINAL FORM BENEATH THE NOX AREA, ACCRETIONS, UM, OF A SHED AND A LEAN TO IT'S HUE.
LOG WALLS ARE OF CEDAR AND THOUGH NO FOUNDATION IS PRESENT FLAGS LINE, THE STOOP AND INTERIOR THE BUILDING LIKELY DATES FROM THE LATE 19TH CENTURY WHEN THE ORIGINAL INHABIT INHABITANTS OF THE AREA WERE WORKING TO LAND AS CEDAR SHOPPERS.
THOUGH THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF ITS ORIGINAL LOCATION ON THE SITE, THE TACK BARN WAS CONSTRICTED DURING THE OPERATION OF THE RUNNING ROPE BRANCH AND WAS ORIGINALLY LOCATED AT THE HEAD OF A RIDING TRAIL.
ITS VERTICAL CEDAR SIDING IS INTACT AND ARTICULATED PROJECTIONS FOR HANGING SADDLES AND T ARE STILL EX EXTENT THE BUILDING RETAINS ITS CHARACTER DEFINING FEATURES AS PART OF A WORKING STABLE.
THIS PROPERTY IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE KNOX FAMILY AND RUNNING ROPE BRANCH AND THE FARMSTEAD MAY HAVE AN EARLIER ASSOCIATION WITH THE SPICEWOOD SPRING SETTLEMENT SERVED BY THE ESPERANZA SCHOOL.
THE KNOX PROPERTY WAS IDENTIFIED AS A TEXAS STATE ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE IN 1969, THOUGH IT APPEARS ONLY A CURSORY SURVEY OF TWO MIDDENS WAS COMPLETED AT THAT TIME.
NOTES FROM THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ADJACENT WALTER CARRINGTON SUBDIVISION SUGGEST THAT THE LISTING OF THE PROPERTY WAS DONE TO FOSTER GOODWILL WITH THE NORTHWEST HILLS RESIDENCE AT THE TIME, CONSIDERING THE INACTION OF THE TEXAS ANTIQUITIES CODE.
UM, THIS BUILDING HAS BEEN NOTED IN SEVERAL NORTHWEST AUSTIN CIVIC ASSOCIATION PUBLICATIONS AND BY NEIGHBORS AS A COMMUNITY FIXTURE FOR MANY YEARS, UH, DURING THE KNOX FAMILY'S OCCUPANCY.
AND IT ALSO MAY BE OF VALUE AS, UH, ONE OF THE LAST REMAINING INDICATORS OF THE ORIGINAL SPICEWOOD COMMUNITY SERVED BY THE ESPERANZA SCHOOL.
WHILE SOME OF THE ORIGINAL RANCH HAS BEEN DEVELOPED AND SOME OUTBUILDINGS REMOVED NATURAL SPRINGS IN A SPRING FED SWIMMING POOL REMAIN.
THESE LANDSCAPE ELEMENTS SHOW THE PROGRESSION OF THE SITE AND ITS OCCUPANTS NEEDS AS NATURAL SPRINGS WERE LIKELY USED BY THE SITE'S ORIGINAL NATIVE AMERICAN RESIDENTS.
UM, AND, UH, GIVEN THE INTEGRITY AND ALTERATIONS OF THE MAIN HOUSE THAT YOU SEE ON YOUR SCREEN, UH, WE THINK THAT THIS IS, UH, A GOOD COMPROMISE TO RETAIN THE BUILDINGS THAT DO HAVE INTEGRITY AND ASSOCIATIONS WITH THIS SITE.
UM, AND THAT CONCLUDES THE STAFF PRESENTATION.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY, AND THEN IN THE, IN AS FAR AS THE ACTION TONIGHT, UH, YOU ARE NOT IN THAT REGARD RE REQUESTING THAT OR, OR RECOMMENDING THAT THEY BE ALSO ADDED HISTORIC ZONING? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO THIS APPLICATION, UM, THIS IS THE LAST MEETING AT WHICH WE CAN HEAR THIS PARTICULAR APPLICATION.
SO LOGISTICALLY, UM, WE WOULD NEED TO ACT TONIGHT.
UM, AND GIVEN THAT THE MAIN BUILDING ON THE APPLICATION, UM, DOESN'T INCLUDE THE RELOCATION OF THESE TWO STRUCTURES, UH, WE WOULD NEED TO FORMULATE A MOTION THAT THAT ENCAPSULATED THAT AS WELL.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? I HAVE SOME
[00:35:01]
QUESTIONS.UM, I'M NOT SEEING BACKUP OF THESE OTHER TWO STRUCTURES PHOTOS.
THERE SHOULD BE AN APPLICANT PRESENTATION THAT THEY'LL GO THROUGH, UH, THAT INCLUDES PHOTOS.
I DON'T SEE, I MEAN, I GUESS I'M LOOKING FOR SOMETHING VERY CLEAR OF THIS.
IS THIS BARN, THIS IS THIS LOG STRUCTURE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UM, IS ANYBODY ELSE SEEING THAT? 'CAUSE I'M NOT SEEING THIS IN ANY OF THESE PRESENTATIONS.
MAYBE THEY'LL, THEY'LL SHOW IT IN THE APPLICANT PRESENTATION HERE.
THERE, I DIDN'T SEE IT IN THERE, BUT MAYBE, MAYBE THERE'S MORE.
UM, WHAT ABOUT HISTORIC PHOTOS OF, OF THE HOME? I ONLY SEE LIKE A MAGAZINE ARTICLE WITH THE HOME IN THE BACKGROUND.
I'M ASSUMING THAT'S WHAT THAT IS.
IS WAS THERE ANY HISTORIC PHOTOS OR OF THE, UH, OF THE MAIN HOUSE? MAIN HOUSE THERE ARE IN THE STAFF REPORT.
UM, THE ONES THAT SAM HAD ON THE SCREEN JUST NOW ARE OF THE MAIN HOUSE.
AM I, AM I CRAZY? THESE PHOTOS DON'T REALLY TELL ME ANYTHING.
WELL, WE ONLY WHEN WE HAVE THE, THE PRESENTATION FROM THE APPLICANT, BUT WITH PIECES MISSING, SO I IMAGINE THAT THEY HAVE ADDED TO IT SINCE THEN.
WE, SINCE WE HAVE, UH, BEEN THE ONES INITIATING HISTORIC ZONING, UH, IT'S SORT OF A BACKWARDS, UH, APPLICATION.
UH, WE CAN ASK IF THERE IS ANYBODY IN FAVOR OF HISTORIC ZONING, UH, IF WE FOLLOW OUR PROCEDURE.
SO LET ME FIRST ASK, IS THERE SOMEBODY HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF HISTORIC ZONING FROM THE PUBLIC? WE HAVE SOMEBODY ONLINE WHO IS OPPOSED TO THE PROJECT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT COUNTS.
AND WE ALSO HAVE SOMEBODY WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND SPEAK AND WE DO HAVE, UH, YEAH, ACTUALLY IS IT TWO PEOPLE? NO, ONE PERSON WHO SIGNED UP IN PERSON.
UM, I LIVE ON RUNNING ROPE, UM, ACROSS THE STREET FROM THIS AREA.
UH, I WANTED TO SPEAK ABOUT, UM, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY THE CONTEXT THAT Y'ALL CONSIDER, UH, BUT I WANTED TO SPEAK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE BURN ROCK MIDDENS THAT ARE LOCATED ON THIS PROPERTY.
UH, THERE IS A GENTLEMAN NAMED DR.
EMOT DAVIS, WHO'S NOW PASSED AWAY, WHO IS A HARVARD EDUCATED, UH, ARCHEOLOGY PROFESSOR, WHO IS THE PERSON WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS SITE BEING DEEMED A TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION SITE.
UH, HE LOOKED AT THIS SITE IN 1969.
IT HAS A NUMBER THAT SHOWS UP ON THE SITE ATLAS.
UH, WHAT HE FOUND WERE TWO BURNED ROCK MIDDENS, WHICH ARE A, A FEATURE THAT WAS USED BY NATIVE AMERICANS TO COOK, UM, TYPICALLY NEAR SOURCES OF WATER.
VERY COMMON, UH, ORIGINALLY ALONG THE EDWARDS PLATEAU AROUND SOURCES OF WATER, BUT NOT COMMON AT ALL, UH, IN THEIR, IN OUR AREA OR INSIDE THE AUSTIN CITY LIMITS.
UM, AS FAR AS I'M AWARE, THESE ARE NOT LOCATED ON THE MAPS.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE ON THE PROPERTY.
I DON'T SEE THEM ON THE PLAT, I DON'T SEE THEM IN ANY OF THE PRESENTATIONS.
I HAVE CONCERNS THAT THEY WILL NOT BE PRESERVED, THEY'LL NOT BE PROTECTED.
UH, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF INDICATIONS IN THE PRESENTATION THAT I LOOKED AT THAT SAID THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES, UH, PRESENT ON THIS PROPERTY.
UM, WE HAVE A NOTE IN THE FILE FROM DR. DAVIS.
HE WAS AN EXPERT ON, UH, NATIVE AMERICAN SITES, PALEOLITHIC SITES, UH, VERY WELL REGARDED.
UM, AND HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT HE WAS LOOKING AT.
SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THAT'S NOT CALLED OUT.
ALSO, THERE ARE NOTES THAT SAY THAT THERE MAY BE UP TO SEVEN SPRINGS, UM, THAT ARE ON THE SITE.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THOSE SPRINGS ARE.
I DON'T SEE THEM NOTED ANYWHERE.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE RECHARGE ZONES ARE FOR THOSE SPRINGS.
THERE IS A NOTE ABOUT, UH, THE POTENTIAL PRESENCE OF A ENDANGERED SALAMANDER IN THOSE SPRINGS.
UH, I HAVE NOT SEEN A HYDROLOGICAL STUDY, UH, OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT ADDRESSES THESE CONCERNS.
SO I HAVE A LOT OF CONCERNS THAT WHAT WE HAVE IS A PLAN TO PACK AS MANY HOUSES AS POSSIBLE AND PAVE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE ON A PROPERTY THAT CONTAINS WETLANDS, UH, AND NATIVE AMERICAN SITES.
AND THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN ADEQUATE INVESTIGATION.
THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN ARCHEOLOGICAL INQUIRY AND THERE HAS NOT BEEN A HYDROLOGICAL STUDY.
UH, I THINK THIS IS A PROPERTY OF TREMENDOUS HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE GIVEN ITS LOCATION, GIVEN ITS HISTORY.
UM, AND I FRANKLY, I, I KNOW WE'RE HERE, THIS IS A, WE'RE TALKING A LOT ABOUT ARCHITECTURAL STUFF, BUT I THINK REALLY IT'S A HISTORICAL ISSUE.
UH, AND IT'S A HISTORICAL ISSUE THAT PREDATES WHAT WE CONSIDER ARCHITECTURE, BUT IT'S PROBABLY MORE IMPORTANT AND LESS OR NO.
UH, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION.
UM, ALSO AS A NEIGHBOR, I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL AT MY OFFICE FROM A STAFFER THAT WORKS FOR THE LAW FIRM THAT REPRESENTS THE DEVELOPER, BUT THERE HAS BEEN NO CONVERSATION ABOUT THE DETAILS OF THE PLANS OR THE EFFECTS OF THE PLANS ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD OR ON THIS RESOURCE, UH, WHICH IS A WONDERFUL GREEN SPACE IN AN AREA THAT NEEDS MORE OF IT.
[00:40:01]
THAT IS YOUR TIME, UH, COMMISSION.ANY QUESTION, UH, FROM COMMISSION MEMBERS? YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION.
UH, CAN I'M, I'M WONDERING, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED THE ARCHE ARCHEOLOGY AND, YOU KNOW, SEPARATING IT FROM THE ARCHITECTURE.
I'M CURIOUS TO WHAT THE COMMUNITY AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD FEELS ABOUT THE HOUSE BECAUSE AS OF RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, STAFF IS NOW SUGGESTING THAT THE HOUSE, BECAUSE OF ITS MODIFICATIONS, YOU KNOW, RECENT MODIFICATIONS THAT THAT MIGHT NOT BE ELIGIBLE.
WHAT, WHAT, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON, ON THE HOUSE AND ITS, ITS TIME.
I DUNNO HOW LONG YOU'VE LIVED THERE, BUT I'M CURIOUS TO THE COMMUNITY SENTIMENT ON THAT.
I'M NOT AN ARCHEOLOGICAL OR AN ARCHITECT.
I'M NOT AN EXPERT ON ARCHITECTURE.
UM, IT, IT'S A VERY OLD HOUSE.
YOU CAN SEE THE HOUSE FROM THE STREET.
UH, IT'S A LONG HISTORICAL FEATURE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
MRS. KNOX LIVED THERE, UH, DURING MY TIME.
UH, SHE LIVED, UH, FORTUNATELY WE WERE, WE WERE BLESSED WITH HER PRESENCE FOR A LONG TIME.
SHE LIVED A GOOD LIFE, FULL LIFE.
UH, IT USED TO BE A YOUTH CAMP.
UH, THE AREA IS BELOVED BY THE KIDS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE KIDS CAN GO DOWN AND PLAY AT THE POOL.
MY SON HAS CAUGHT A RATHER LARGE RED EARED SLIDER THERE, WHICH WE DIDN'T LET GO THERE AGAIN.
UM, SO THE AREA IS, IS ONE THAT, THAT'S ENJOYED BY EVERYONE AS TO THE HOUSE.
I'VE NOT BEEN INSIDE THE HOUSE.
I'VE SEEN IT FROM THE OUTSIDE.
UM, IT, TO ME, IT, IT LOOKED FINE UNTIL NOTHING WAS DONE TO IT FOR A COUPLE YEARS.
UH, I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE ONLINE, UH, MR. EDWIN RICHARDS.
UH, MR. RICHARDS, UH, IF YOU WILL, UM, THINK HAVE THE FLOOR, IF WE CAN HAVE YOU SPEAK TO YOUR PHONE OR YOU NEED TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
IS MR. RICHARDS ON THE LINE? WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GET, GET HIM THROUGH.
MR. RICHARDS, IF YOU CAN HEAR US, YOU CAN PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
MR. RICHARDS, IF YOU'RE THERE, YOU MAY BEGIN YOUR, THIS IS ED DISCUSSION.
SO I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS THE RIGHT FORUM.
I, I HAD CONCERNS, UH, AS A NEIGHBOR I LIVE ON AT KNOX AND RUNNING ROPE ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE PROJECT, UH, NAMELY ABOUT THE TRAFFIC AND THE GATED ENTRY.
AND SO THIS MAY BE THE WRONG FORUM, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA HAVE TO YES, UH, HOLD YOU UP ON THAT.
THIS IS THE, AS THE HISTORIC LANDMARKS OVERVIEW, WHICH IS OUR ONLY PURVIEW, UH, WHATEVER IS RELEVANT TO THE HISTORY OF THE PROPERTY AND IT'S POTENTIAL FOR PRESERVATION.
SO, UH, WHAT HAPPENS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD REGARDING OTHER FEATURES OF A NEW DEVELOPMENT REALLY IS NOT GERMANE TO THIS COMMISSION'S PURVIEW.
SO IF YOU COULD LIMIT YOUR REMARKS MORE SPECIFICALLY TO THE PRESERVATION COMPONENTS, THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
WELL, UH, THEN THINKING ON MY FEET HERE A LITTLE BIT, I HAVE BEEN IN THE HOME, UH, UH, I DOUBT YOU WANT MY ANECDOTAL OBSERVATIONS FROM WHEN MRS. KNOX WAS ALIVE.
I THINK SOMETIMES IF YOU DON'T GET AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY RISING UP ABOUT WHAT THIS HOUSE MEANT, IT'S BECAUSE IT WAS ON PRIVATE LAND AND WE DIDN'T HAVE RAMPANT ACCESS TO IT.
UH, SO PEOPLE REALLY SAW IT FROM NOT FLYING.
AND SO THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE DON'T BELIEVE IT'S HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT JUST MEANS WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE READY ACCESS TO IT, OBVIOUSLY.
'CAUSE IT WAS MISS KNOX'S LAND.
AND, UH, AND I, I'VE, YOU, YOU ARE SIGNED UP AS AN, UH, OPPONENT OF THE PROJECT, BUT IN THAT CASE, WOULD YOU BE SUPPORTING THIS CURRENT REQUEST THAT HAS BEEN MADE FROM THE COMMISSION TO CONSIDER HISTORIC ZONING? YEAH, I, I WON'T SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MY NEIGHBORS, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS A WONDERFUL DEVELOPMENT THAT THEY WERE THINKING ABOUT ZONING IT HISTORICALLY.
SO YES, I'D BE, UH, IN FAVOR OF THAT.
AND ANY, ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE, UH, BEFORE YOU RUN OVER TIME OR COMMISSIONERS? ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE OF, UH, MR. RICHARDS? OKAY.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS WHO ARE HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE HISTORIC RECOMMENDATION? UH, THE, THE NOMINATION.
[00:45:01]
ALRIGHT.HEARING NONE, WE WILL HEAR FROM THE OWNERS AND, UH, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE A PRESENTATION, IS THAT CORRECT? YES SIR.
PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND WE'LL BE READY FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
HI, I'M LEAH BOJO WITH RENER GROUP HERE ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT.
ALRIGHT, SO I'LL TRY TO GO EFFICIENTLY.
I KNOW, UM, MS. CONTRERAS COVERED, UM, SOME OF WHAT I WAS HERE TO TALK ABOUT OR PLANNING TO TALK ABOUT, BUT, UM, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT 73 0 4 KNOX LANE, WHICH I KNOW Y'ALL HAVE HEARD ABOUT SEVERAL DIFFERENT TIMES.
OH, CAN WE ADVANCE THIS? THERE WE GO.
UM, SO JUST TO, TO REORIENT EVERYBODY, THIS IS ABOUT A FIVE AND, UH, JUST UNDER SIX ACRE PROPERTY NORTHWEST AUSTIN.
IT INCLUDES THE ONE 1940S ERA HOME, WHICH IS THE SUBJECT OF THIS PERMIT AS WE'VE SORT OF DISCUSSED HERE.
UM, THE HOME IS ABOUT 1600 SQUARE FEET.
UM, AND THEN THERE ARE, UM, THROUGH THE FINDINGS THAT MS. CARTER WILL GO INTO IN JUST A FEW MINUTES, THERE ARE SEVERAL OUTBUILDINGS THAT WE'VE COME ACROSS THAT WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS AS WELL.
UM, HISTORICALLY IT'S BEEN BOTH A PRIVATE RESIDENCE AND THEN THE RUNNING ROPE BRANCH DAY CAMP FOR BOYS FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS, I THINK IN THE FIFTIES.
SORRY, I'M HAVING TROUBLE WITH.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING UP STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION AT THE BEGINNING JUST SO YOU COULD HAVE IT IN MIND AS WE MOVE THROUGH IT.
SO AS, UM, AS CALL DESCRIBED, UM, THE RECOMMENDATION IS AGAINST HISTORIC ZONING FOR THE PRIMARY STRUCTURE.
UM, AND THEN TO ALLOW DEMOLITION OF THAT RESIDENCE, UM, CONDITIONAL UPON THESE THINGS.
OBVIOUSLY THE DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE AND THEN RELOCATING THE TAX SHED AND THE LOG CABIN, WHICH WE DO HAVE SOME PHOTOS OF COMMISSIONER RUBIO AND WE WILL SHOW YOU IN A FEW MINUTES, UM, TO THE PART OF THE SITE THAT ALSO HAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES, WHICH IS WHERE A LOT OF THE SPRINGS ARE AND WHERE A LOT OF THE, UM, NATIVE AMERICAN ACTIVITY HAS BEEN.
SO THERE'S A WHOLE SECTION OF THE, OF THE SITE, WHICH I'LL SHOW YOU IN A SECOND, WHICH IS WHERE WE'RE PROPOSING TO MOVE THOSE THINGS.
UM, WE ARE, IN ADDITION TO STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION, WE'RE SUGGESTING A HISTORICAL, HISTORICAL MARKER OR KIOSK EXPLAINING THE RELEVANCE OF THE SITE OVERALL, ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS OF IT.
UM, AND THEN USING THAT AS A SORT OF A TRAILHEAD OR SOME KIND OF LIKE STARTING POINT FOR A WALKING TRAIL THROUGH THE SITE SO THAT PEOPLE CAN SEE IT.
WHEN YOU SEE THE SHAPE, YOU'LL UNDERSTAND WHY THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD REALLY POTENTIALLY MAKE SENSE.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE ALSO CALLING FOR, UM, SHOVEL TESTS TO HELP ASSESS THE ARCHEOLOGICAL POTENTIAL WHEN WE GET TO THE POINT OF DOING, UM, DEMOLITION WORK.
'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY THAT IS, UM, THAT IS A POSSIBILITY.
UM, SO HERE IS JUST ONE PICTURE OF THE RESIDENCE, JUST SO EVERYONE HA HAS IT IN MIND.
UM, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THE, SORRY, ARE YOU DOING IT OR AM I DOING IT? UH, YOU ARE
UM, SO OBVIOUSLY, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PROPERTY IS 50 YEARS OLD, THE STRUCTURE IS 50 YEARS OLD, BUT AS MS. CALLAN DESCRIBED, AND MS. CARTER WILL DESCRIBE MORE IN A MINUTE, UM, THE, THE INTEGRITY REALLY HAS BEEN COMPROMISED THROUGH A SERIES OF, OF REMODELS AND RENOVATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WHEN WE STARTED OFF ON THIS, THIS, UM, THIS WORK, WE THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA TRY TO FIND KIND OF THE KERNEL OF THE BUILDING SO THAT WE COULD FIGURE OUT WHERE THE IMPORTANT PART WAS AND USE THAT IN SOME KIND OF PUBLIC WAY.
BUT IT TURNS OUT, UM, THAT THERE ISN'T REALLY, UM, AN ORIGINAL KERNEL OF THE BUILDING.
LIKE WE HAD, WE HAD THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE.
UM, SO THIS IS, UM, JUST A, A GENERAL MAP OF THE SITE TO SHOW YOU HOW THAT ENTIRE FLAG IS.
THAT'S, THAT'S ACHED IS, UM, ENVIRONMENTALLY PROTECTED AREA.
SOME OF IT IS A DRAINAGE EASEMENT, SOME OF IT IS CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE.
THAT'S WHERE THE SPRINGS AND THE WETLAND ARE.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE, WE'RE SUGGESTING THAT WE WOULD MOVE THOSE SMALLER BUILDINGS AND PUT THE TRAIL AND THE TRAIL AND THE TRAIL HEAD AND ALL OF THAT KIND OF, UM, STUFF ALL IN THAT AREA WHERE THAT, UM, HISTORY HAS TAKEN PLACE.
AND THIS IS WHERE I'LL HAND IT OVER TO DONNA TO DESCRIBE IN MORE DETAIL.
UM, THE OVERLAY THAT YOU SEE THERE IS THAT, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL AREA THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.
UM, THIS IS THE, BUT THE HOUSE AND THE BUILDINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT ARE VERY MUCH, UH, CONCENTRATED ON THE FAT PART OF THAT FLAG, AND THAT'S WHERE THE, THE, THE, THE, UH, CAMP WAS AND EVERYTHING.
AND WE'RE GONNA SHOW THE E VERY QUICK EVOLUTION OF WHAT WE THINK THE BUILDING WAS.
AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN DARK GRAY, WE THINK WOULD HAVE BEEN THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE.
THERE WOULD'VE BEEN A COVERED PORCH OR A PORCH ENTRY, AND THEN SOME SORT OF COVERED PORCH IN THE BACKGROUND ON THE BACK.
THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS AN ADDITION.
UM, AND WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHEN THAT OCCURRED, BUT IT WAS SOMETIME BETWEEN THE FORTIES, UM, AND THIS 1965, UM, MAP WHERE WE SEE THE ADDITION SHOW UP.
UM, IT, IT'S VERY HARD TO SEE IN THE FIFTIES PHOTOS.
SO WE, WE ARE NOT REALLY SURE ON THAT NEXT SLIDE.
WHEN WE GET TO THE SEVENTIES, WE SEE THAT AGAIN.
AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT, UM, AND WE WOULD
[00:50:01]
HAVE THOUGHT THAT PERHAPS THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE, THAT BEDROOM, THE SORT OF LIVING ROOM PARLOR WITH THE CHIMNEY WITH THE, UM, FIREPLACE WOULD HAVE BEEN INTACT.UM, NEXT SLIDE IN THE EIGHTIES, UM, THEY TALKED ABOUT A GREEN STUCCO, UM, BUILDING.
UM, AND THAT, THAT THAT BUILDING HAD BEEN THERE FOR 75 YEARS.
WHEN WE LOOK AT IT CLOSELY, WE SEE THAT AS THE END OF WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE WITHOUT THE ADDITION TO IT WITH THE ORIGINAL PORCH BEHIND IT NEXT IN THE EIGHTIES.
UM, UH, WE JUST SEE THE ADDITION AGAIN AND THEN WHEN WE GO TO THE NINETIES, WE ACTUALLY HAVE BUILDING PERMITS AND THAT'S WHEN, UM, THE LARGE GABLE, UM, AND MUCH OF THE WORK IS DONE.
THE WINDOWS THAT WE'RE SEEING NOW, THERE'S ONLY ONE ORIGINAL WINDOW.
EVERYTHING ELSE IS BASICALLY HOME DEPOT, UM, CLAMPED ON MUNTONS MADE TO LOOK THAT WAY.
ALL OF THE TURNED WOOD WE SEE IS ACTUALLY MODERN WOOD, PROBABLY CAME FROM FREDERICK'S SCREEN.
UM, IT IS KIND OF VICTORIAN BRICKA BRACK.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THIS, THE BLUE AREA IS REALLY FROM 1990.
SOMEONE MIGHT WANNA SAVE IT, BUT IT DOESN'T REACH THE HISTORIC, UM, TIME PERIOD.
THE ORANGE PART IS ACTUALLY THE ADDITION AND IT'S ONLY THE LITTLE PEAK IN THE MIDDLE THAT WE THINK BELONGED TO THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE.
WHEN WE PEEL BACK THAT INTERIOR, UM, FINISH, I CAN'T FIND THE STUCCO.
WHAT I FIND ARE BOARDS THAT HAVE BEEN STOLEN FROM PLACES AND THEN PUT TO, TO REUSE NEXT SLIDE.
THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN, APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN LIKE A, JUST AN OPEN COVERED, UM, LEAN-TO, IT'S NOW BEEN ENCLOSED, BUT ALL OF THE WINDOWS, ALL OF THE SIDING IS MODERN.
THE BOR AND BATTEN ACTUALLY CAME IN THE NINETIES.
THIS ACTUALLY IS, WOULD'VE BEEN THE ORIGINAL PARLOR ROOM, AND THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE NOW.
IT'S SORT OF WHAT I WOULD'VE CALLED NAUGHTY PINE.
I GUESS IT'S THE SOUTHERN VERSION OF NAUGHTY PINE HAS BEEN PUT IN JUST ABOUT EVERY ROOM.
THERE ARE A FEW ROOMS THAT HAVE ORIGINAL PINE, BUT THEY'VE BEEN RIPPED UP AND THEY'VE JUST BEEN NAILED AS A FINISH IN CERTAIN PLACES.
THAT DOOR IS A LATER DOOR, BUT IT IS, YOU KNOW, IT CONSIDERABLY COULD BE HISTORIC, BUT IT'S NOT THE ORIGINAL DOOR TO THAT SPACE.
AS YOU, THESE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE DID PULL AWAY AND LOOK AT.
AND AGAIN, I'M NOT FINDING THE STUCCO, I'M FINDING BOARDS THAT WOULD'VE BEEN USED AS SHEATHING, UM, AS THE PAINT.
IT'S OBVIOUSLY DISCONTINUOUS, UM, SEVERAL DIFFERENT TYPES.
ALL OF THOSE WINDOWS AGAIN THAT LOOK LIKE THEY'RE DIVIDED LIGHTS, THOSE ARE ALL MODERN, UM, WINDOWS.
THIS IS AN OVERVIEW KIND OF AS YOU'RE LOOKING OUT INTO THAT, UM, INTO THE EMPTY AREA OR THE, THE RANCH PART.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE DOTTING OF THESE, OF THESE OLDER BUILDINGS.
MOST OF THE BUILDINGS, OR SEVERAL OF THE BUILDINGS ARE ACTUALLY ON SKIDS.
YOU CAN ACTUALLY JUST MOVE THEM AROUND.
UM, ONE, UH, PIN BUILDING THAT HAS BEEN, UM, OVERBUILT WITH SHEDS.
UM, WE'RE NOT SURE WHERE IT WAS MOVED FROM, BUT THE SHADOWS THAT WE SEE WITHIN THIS TREE FROM THE FORTIES SEEM TO SAY THAT THIS BUILDING OR SOMETHING THIS SIZE WAS THERE EVEN IN THE, AT THE FORTIES.
THIS IS AN OLDER STRUCTURE, BUT IT IS SQUARE.
THIS IS THE TACK BUILDING, WHICH IS ON SKIDS, AND THEN THE INTERIOR OF THAT TACK BUILDING.
SO, UM, LOOKING MORE CLOSELY AT HOW THE THE LAND IS, IS BEING PARSED OUT, THAT CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE, UM, HOW THAT IS ACCESSED WILL BE A PART OF THE FUTURE PROJECT.
AS YOU SAID, IT COULD BE PART OF A WALKING TRAIL, BUT THAT IS WHERE THE ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES ARE.
AS YOU KNOW, WE CANNOT PUBLICLY PUBLISH THE EXACT LOCATION OF THOSE ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES.
WE DO HAVE THE NUMBER, WE DO KNOW WHERE THEY ARE.
WE ARE PROPOSING THAT AS CONSTRUCTION BEGINS IN THE RANCH, THAT ARCHEOLOGY CONTINUES, THAT NO BELOW SURFACE WOULD HAPPEN WITHOUT SOME KIND OF MONITORING OR KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT MIGHT BE FOUND IN THOSE LOCATIONS.
[00:55:01]
EASEMENT AND THE CRITICAL, THE CEF, WE WOULD NOT HAVE ANY OR VERY LIGHT CONSTRUCTION, AND THAT CONSTRUCTION WOULD HAVE TO BE MONITORED BECAUSE OF THE VERY THINGS THAT MR. FITZ YOU TALKED ABOUT.BUT WE DO HAVE PLACES THAT WE CAN, WE CAN WORK AND KIND OF, UM, HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, UH, AGENCY OVER IN THE DRAINAGE EASEMENT.
AND THAT IT REALLY IS NOT ONLY PART OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT, BUT COULD BE ACCESSIBLE BY, UM, BY THE NEIGHBORS.
IT IS A UNIQUE SITE, BUT AS WE LOOKED INTO IT, AND BELIEVE ME, I WOULD LIKE TO SAVE EVERY BUILDING OUT THERE, BUT I COULD NOT FIND SOMETHING THAT WE COULD REALLY SAY, THIS IS WHAT IT WAS.
THIS IS HOW IT WOULD HAVE LOOKED AS AN ORIGINAL FARMHOUSE BUILDING BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE OTHER ACCOUTREMENT.
IT WAS A VERY CLEAR AESTHETIC THAT THE, THE FAMILY HAD.
SO WE ARE, WE ARE BACK TO THE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE DO FEEL DOCUMENTATION NOT ONLY OF THE BUILDINGS, BUT THE LANDSCAPE WOULD BE AN IMPORTANT, UH, THING TO, FOR THE CITY TO, TO ASK FOR AND FOR THE, FOR US TO DO.
AND IT IS A UNIQUE PROPERTY AND WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS MAKE SURE THE HISTORY OF THE ENTIRE PROPERTY, NOT JUST ONE BUILDING, NOT JUST ARCHITECTURE BE DISCUSSED.
AND, AND WE LET YOU RUN OVER BECAUSE IN MANY WAYS YOU WERE THE PRIMARY SPEAKER.
WE, WE KNEW YOU HAD THE PRESENTATION, SO THANK YOU.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF EITHER THE MS. BOGGIO OR MS. CARTER? YEP, GO AHEAD.
UH, SEVERAL QUESTIONS PROBABLY OF BOTH IN TURN.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT REPORT AND THAT RESEARCH.
THAT'S REALLY, REALLY HELPFUL, ESPECIALLY IN TERMS OF THE MAIN STRUCTURE.
UM, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS FOR RELOCATION ON SITE.
I'D SEEN SOMEWHERE, UM, REQUEST FROM THE OWNER FOR STAFF FOR RELOCATION OFFSITE.
WHAT IS THE OWNER'S POSITION ON THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION, PARTICULARLY FOR RELOCATION ON SITE OF THE TWO OF THE TAC BARN AND THE LOG CABIN? SO WE ARE, UM, I THINK THE REASON THAT IT'S LISTED THAT WAY IS BECAUSE THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL APPLICATION THAT WAS FILED.
WE ARE STILL LOOKING FOR A WAY TO RELOCATE IT OFFSITE.
UM, BUT I, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IF THE ZONING IS NOT INITIATED TONIGHT, THEN WE WOULD HAVE THE AUTHOR, THE ABILITY TO WORK WITH STAFF ON THAT.
UM, AND THEN WE WOULD, UM, IF, IF YOU WANNA INCLUDE IT AS PART OF YOUR MOTION, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THAT, UM, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION WITH OUR COMMITMENTS, UM, THEN WE WOULD RELOCATE THE TECH BUILDING IN THE SHED.
AND, UM, HOW MANY OF THOSE SKID BUILDINGS ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROTECTED ZONE? THE ONES WHERE YOU LOOKED OUT AND YOU SAW A NUMBER OF THEM OR ANY OF THOSE IN THE PROTECTED ZONE? NO, NONE OF THOSE ARE IN THE PROTECTED ZONE.
AND WOULD THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION ALLOW RELOCATION OF THESE? YOU HAD MENTIONED THE TWO, YOU KNOW, IF THEY WERE RELOCATED ON SITE, THEY WOULD BE INTO THAT ENVIRONMENTAL ZONE YOU MENTIONED THERE, THERE ARE AREAS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT COULD BE WE, WE THINK THAT THEY COULD BE ACCOMMODATED WITHIN THE DRAINAGE AND THEN WE WOULD, QUITE FRANKLY, I HAVE NOT HAD ANY DISCUSSIONS, QUITE HONESTLY WITH ANYONE FROM ENVIRONMENTAL ABOUT HOW THAT, WHETHER IT REALLY JUST TRULY NEEDS TO BE PROTECTED BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE FINDING THE ARCHEOLOGY, FINDING ANYTHING OR WHETHER IT CAN HAVE SOME PUBLIC OR AT LEAST COMMUNITY USE.
AND, AND THAT QUITE FRANKLY WOULD BE A SENSITIVE DISCUSSION.
UM, NO MATTER WHAT, WHETHER IT'S HISTORIC OR NOT.
AND, AND AFTER THIS IS RELEASED WITH WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, REQUIREMENTS, WE TACK ONTO IT INSIDE OF OUR HANDS.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION AND THE LEVEL OF INVOLVEMENT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE? YOU KNOW, UN IN TERMS OF DEVELOPMENT, YOU, YOU CAN'T PROBABLY STATE THE EXTENT OF THE SITE.
YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T STATE THE, YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHERE ARTIFACTS HAVE BEEN FOUND FOR, TO PROTECT, IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE SITE.
BUT TO WHAT DEGREE DOES HISTORICAL COMMISSION HAVE BINDING AUTHORITY AND ENSURING THAT THEIR REQUIREMENTS ARE FOLLOWED? THAT MIGHT BE A QUESTION FOR CAL.
I MEAN, I WOULD ASSUME ARCHE WOULD BE A CONDITION UPON OF YOUR, OF YOUR NOT INITIATING IS THAT YOU WOULD BE GIVING THAT DIRECTION AND THEN WE WOULD BE ABLE TO WORK WITH STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT WE EXECUTE IT.
I MEAN, ALL OF THE AREA THAT'S BEING, THAT'S NOT BEING TOUCHED, I WOULD EXPECT TO REMAIN UNTOUCHED.
UH, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T THINK WE WOULD GO DIGGING AROUND OVER THERE, BUT I COULD SEE A PLACE WHERE, WHERE WE'RE NOT SURE WHERE BEFORE WE, UM, START MOVING DIRT, WE WOULD MAKE SURE THAT WE DO SHOVEL TESTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE YEAH.
AND ASSUMING THEY'RE BOTH FROM THE SAME PLACE, I IMAGINE THE JURISDICTIONS KIND OF OVERLAP IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS AND THE ARCHEOLOGICAL, WOULD THEY DO OVERLAP? ABSOLUTELY.
AND, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE QUITE HONESTLY ARE IN SOMEWHAT OF A GRAY AREA RIGHT NOW.
THE WAY IT'S SET UP, THAT'S, THAT'S A CEF AND IT'S KIND OF A LOCKED DOOR.
AND SO THE REAL QUESTION IS, AND I DON'T THINK THE DRAINAGE EASEMENT IS PART OF THAT LOCKED DOOR, RIGHT? SO IF WE RELOCATE WITHIN THE DRAINAGE EASEMENT TECHNICALLY, UM, WE WOULD HAVE TO NOTIFY THC THEY WERE DOING, UH, WORK THERE.
THEY WOULD ADMONISH US AND, AND WE WOULD DO WHATEVER THEY TOLD US TO DO, BUT WE WOULD NOT BE ANTICIPATING EVEN A WALKING TRAIL.
[01:00:01]
IS THERE A WAY TO OPEN SOMETHING UP, OR IS IT REALLY SO SENSITIVE THAT NOTHING CAN BE OPENED UP? UM, AND THEN MAKING SURE THAT OKAY, WE'RE, IF WE'RE IN THE DRAINAGE AREA, WE'RE OKAY.THE THING IS, IT'S A DRAINAGE AREA, SO AGAIN, MY RECOMMENDATION TO THE CLIENT AND SO FAR HAS BEEN ACCEPTED IS THAT WE WOULD STILL HAVE ARCHEOLOGY PRESENT SO THAT IN CASE WE RAN INTO SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT, WE WOULD AT LEAST BE AWARE AND WE COULD KEEP CONSTRUCTION AWAY FROM THAT.
AND THAT PROBABLY SHOULD GO FOR THE REST OF THE SITE AS WELL.
SO MY UNDERSTANDING, AND I'M ASKING A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE WE HAVE OTHER SIGNIFICANT PROPERTIES IN THE CITY THAT KIND OF HAVE THIS LAYER, AND THIS IS A STATE ANTIQUITIES LANDMARK FOR ARCHEOLOGY? NO, IT, IT ALL, IT, IT IS A RECORDED SITE.
IT'S NOT A STATE ANTIQUITIES LANDMARK.
SO IT BASICALLY, ALL IT HAS IS A T NUMBER FROM, UM, AND, AND SO, UH, BASICALLY THE ARCHEOLOGY LAB KNOWS WHERE IT IS.
UM, UM, UH, PROFESSIONALS CAN FIND IT AND THEY CAN USE IT OR AS BACKUP OR SITE FOR THEIR RESEARCH, BUT IT'S NOT AN ACTIVE SITE.
AND, AND GENERALLY ON SITES LIKE THIS, YOU DISCOVER THEM, YOU BURY THEM, AND THAT'S IT.
SO ARE THERE ANY REAL PROTECTIONS AT A STATE LEVEL FOR THE SITE? INTERESTING QUESTION.
IT'S AGAINST THE LAW THAT DON'T DO ANYTHING TO IT, THAT'S FOR SURE.
AND, AND JUST FROM THE CITY'S PERSPECTIVE, I MEAN, JUST BECAUSE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS, LIKE THERE ARE SETBACKS FROM THOSE CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES THAT CANNOT BE TOUCHED EVEN IF THERE WEREN'T, UM, POTENTIAL ARCHEOLOGICAL FINDINGS THERE.
UM, THAT WHOLE AREA IS NOT DEVELOPABLE ANYWAY, UM, WITH THE SPRINGS AND ALL OF THAT.
AND THEN WITH THE DRAINAGE EASEMENT, AS LONG AS, UM, THE DRAINAGE IS NOT IMPEDED, YOU KNOW, WE COULD, WE WOULD'VE TO WORK WITH THE LAW DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN PUT THEM THERE.
BUT, BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, THAT SHOULD BE A PLACE WHERE WE COULD PUT THEM AND IT WOULDN'T BE DISTURBING THE ENVIRONMENTAL PART.
IT'S, IT'S JUST THAT THESE LEVELS OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND STATE AND OUR POTENTIAL PROTECTION, WE DON'T WANT TO GIVE UP, YOU KNOW, ANY AUTHORITY WE MAY HAVE TO PROTECT SOMETHING THAT WE ASSUME IS PROTECTED ON ANOTHER LEVEL AND ISN'T.
UH, AND JUST CURIOUS, UH, SHOVEL TEST, WOULD THAT OCCUR THROUGHOUT THE SITE OR JUST IN THE PROTECTED ZONE? MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THEY OCCUR THROUGHOUT, YOU KNOW, THAT TO BEGIN WITH, WE GET SOME, WE LOOK AT WHAT'S IN THE RANCH AREA AND THEN THAT WOULD DETERMINE WHETHER, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT WOULD BE MONITORING OR WHAT WOULD HAPPEN AS THE REST OF THE CONSTRUCTION HAPPENED.
AND THE SHOVEL TESTS ARE YOUR RECOMMENDATION AND NOT A REQUIREMENT OF WORKING WITHIN A REGISTERED SITE? NO.
JUST LOOKING AT THE THC WEBSITE, IF THIS IS NOT AN SAL OF ANY TYPE, WHICH WE BARELY EVEN HAVE LEGAL PROTECTIONS THERE FROM THE THC AT, AT, AT THIS DAY AND AGE, UM, THE LAWS THAT PROTECT IMPORTANT ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES ARE SPECIFIC TO PUBLIC LANDS.
SO IT SAYS NO LEGAL PROTECTION APPLIES TO ANY PRIVATE PROPERTY UNLESS THE LANDOWNER VOLUNTARILY CHOOSES TO HAVE THAT SPECIFIC SITE DESIGNATED AS AN SAL OR PROTECTED BY A CONSERVATION EASEMENT.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT, 'CAUSE LIKE YOU SAID WE'RE, OUR QUESTION HERE IS PROTECTION.
UM, I, I, I DO ALSO HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS ON THAT DRAINAGE ZONE.
UM, IS THIS, IS, DO YOU HAVE BOUNDARIES FOR THIS WHOLE ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE THAT'S BEEN MARKED? UM, AGAIN, IT'S NOT, NO.
UM, IT'S BEEN NOTED, UH, IF YOU LOOK AT SEVERAL, UM, OF THE CITY DOCUMENTS, YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S BEEN NOTED.
UM, IT IS NOT THE, THOSE AREAS ARE NOT IN THE DRAINAGE ZONE OR IN THE AREA.
SO THE, IF THAT LAST MAP, I HAD THAT LITTLE TINY MM-HMM.
AND WITHIN THAT CHEVRON, THERE ARE SOME HIGH POINTS, AND THAT'S SORT OF THE AREA THAT WE WOULD BE LOOKING.
THESE PHOTOS WEREN'T IN A, ON THE ONLINE PACKET, SO WE MIGHT WANT TO GET THAT UPDATED.
THAT'S COMPLETELY, THAT'S OKAY.
I KNOW WE ALWAYS HAVE BACKUP LATER.
UH, BUT THIS WAS REALLY HELPFUL.
I I, I WAS LEANING MORE TOWARDS ARGUING THE ZONING JUST BECAUSE OF THE OTHER FACTORS, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, IN A SENSE WE ARE, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE STATING AT ALL OF THESE CRITERIA, COMMUNITY VALUE, ARCHEOLOGY, SIGNIFICANT LANDSCAPE FEATURE.
SO YOU COULD GET RID OF ARCHITECTURE, YOU COULD SAY, FORGET THE HOUSE, BUT THIS SITE IS STILL SHOULD BE DESIGNATED HISTORIC.
SO I, I DO LIKE THIS COMPROMISE.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME TO DISCUSS THE SPECIFICS OF IT.
SO FOR THAT REASON, I, I AM, I'M JUST THINKING OUT LOUD ABOUT OKAY, IF WE'RE COMPROMISING, WE STILL AS A COMMISSION WANNA PROTECT SOMETHING THERE.
SO I'M JUST LETTING, I GUESS, EXPRESSING THAT.
AND IF I MAY FOLLOW UP A QUESTION, WHAT, WHAT WOULD THE OWNER'S OPINION BE ON IF IT ALREADY IS PROTECTED ENVIRONMENTAL LEVELS AND AS A DRAINAGE ZONE, IF WE WERE TO RECOMMEND THOSE TWO FLAGGED AREAS AS A HISTORICAL LAND ADD, ADD ANOTHER LEVEL OF PROTECTION, JUST SO WE KNOW
[01:05:01]
WE'RE, WE'RE GOOD ON THE BASIS OF, UM, LANDSCAPE FEATURE AND ARCHEOLOGY, SINCE NOTHING ELSE CAN HAPPEN ON THAT.I'M ASSUMING THE OWNER WOULDN'T HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH THAT.
AND THERE ARE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS THERE AND ALL KINDS OF LEVELS OF PROTECTION.
SO I THINK WE WOULD'VE TO FILE A DIFFERENT APP, ANOTHER APPLICATION TO DO THAT, BECAUSE THIS APPLICATION IS ABOUT THE STRUCTURE, THE HOME.
BUT, UM, WE ARE HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT THAT AND, AND MAYBE WORK THROUGH CALLAN TO LET YOU KNOW.
WELL, WE HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION WITH STAFF ABOUT, I'M ASSUMING THIS WAS FOR THE ENTIRE PROPERTY.
OUR, OUR MOTION TO INITIATE WAS FOR THE ENTIRE SITE, NOT JUST FOR THE BUILDING.
SO IF WE WERE TO LIMIT THE AREA THAT WE WOULD RECOMMEND FOR ZONING, IT SEEMS LIKE THAT WOULD BE WITHIN OUR PURVIEW.
I THINK THE, THE MOTION TO INITIATE WAS TO BEGIN THE RESEARCH.
WE NEVER GOT TO THE POINT OF MAKING A SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATION.
BUT THE MOTION TO INITIATE WAS FOR THE ENTIRE PROPERTY.
THE ENTIRE PROPERTY, NOT JUST FOR THE BUILDING.
I DON'T RECALL THERE WAS ANY DISTINCTION OTHER THAN THAT.
AND I'M, ANYTIME WE LOOK AT A BUILDING AND WE RECOMMEND, IT'S USUALLY THE ENTIRE PARCEL THAT WE PROTECT UNLESS IT'S WHITTLED AWAY OUTTA SOME NEGOTIATIONS.
SO THAT'S MY, THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING TOO THAT WE, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO RECOMMEND WITH, UH, MOVE FORWARD WITH RECOMMENDATION OF PARTIAL COVERAGE, YOU KNOW, OF THE AREA.
SO JUST PUTTING IT OUT THERE AND KIND OF GETTING A FEEL OF HOW, HOW THE OWNER WOULD RESPOND.
I THINK WE DON'T, I I WOULD OBVIOUSLY, I'M NOT TALKING TO HIM RIGHT NOW, BUT I WOULD ASSUME THAT THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE FINE.
MY ONLY CONCERN IS THAT I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THAT LINE IS.
WE WOULD WANNA HAVE MEETS AND BOUNDS DONE TO FIND THE PLACE.
I MEAN, UM, SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD FIGURE OUT AND I CAN, AND TALK TO HIM AND SEE IF HE IS COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
AND I'M, I'M ASSUMING SINCE IT'S PROTECTED AREA, THAT'S GONNA TO BE DONE, I ASSUME THE SAME ANYWAY.
IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT WOULD BE A BIG ISSUE AND NOT KNOWING WHAT THOSE BOUNDARIES ARE.
LOOKING AT THIS DRAINAGE ZONE, THIS BIO DETENTION PLANT POND AREA, I MEAN, I'M THINKING WORST CASE SCENARIO, THIS LOT 12, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE TRYING TO MAXIMIZE THESE THINGS MIND PULLING UP.
UH, BUT LOT 12, AND I GUESS IF NECESSARY BECAUSE OF CONSERVATION OR ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS, LOT 11 OR 12 COULD BE SET ASIDE FOR ZONING LOTS TO PROTECT THAT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE WEST OF LOT 11 IS STILL DEVELOPABLE, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPABLE LAND.
IT'S ACTUALLY PLATTED SO THAT THOSE ARE SEPARATE LOTS.
SO THE DRAINAGE EASEMENT IS A DRAINAGE EASEMENT AND ALL THE LOTS START, UM, I'M GONNA GET MY DIRECTIONS MESSED UP, BUT WEST, WEST OF THAT LOT.
SO YEAH, ACTUALLY IF YOU GO BACK ONE TO THE, TO THIS ONE THAT YOU WERE JUST ON, IF YOU DON'T MIND, UM, ONE MORE FORWARD OR FORWARD.
SO ACTUALLY, I KNOW IT'S REALLY HARD TO SEE ON THIS EXHIBIT, BUT IF YOU, IF YOU SCROLL IN AND I'M HAPPY TO SHARE MY IPAD WITH YOU IF YOU'D LIKE, UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT THEY DID, WHEN THEY WENT THROUGH THE SUBDIVISION PROCESS, THEY PLATTED THAT LOT.
THEY PLOTTED IT IN A WAY THAT, UM, WHERE THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE AND THE DRAINAGE EASEMENT ARE NOT ON LOTS THAT WOULD HAVE HOMES ON THEM.
AND I THINK LOTS 11 AND 12, IF WE CAN'T RELOCATE STRUCTURES IN THAT DRAINAGE EASEMENT, I THINK LOTS 11 AND 12, UM, SHOULD BE UP FOR DISCUSSION.
YOU KNOW, I THINK WE WOULD PROB JUST FOR
YOU KNOW, AND IF WE HAD IT OUR WAY, THE WHOLE SITE WOULD BE PROTECTED.
SO I LIKE THE COMPROMISE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET OF, OF SAVING THESE STRUCTURES.
AND I THINK NOW THAT WE SEE THIS LOG STRUCTURE ARCHITECTURE COMES BACK IN, IN MY OPINION, UM, ON, ON ANY MOTION, I'M ASSUMING THAT THIS PERMIT'S FOR DEMOLITION OF ALL THESE STRUCTURES, UNLESS THAT LOG STRUCTURE WAS GONNA BE DEMOLISHED WITHOUT A PERMIT,
AND, AND BASICALLY THE MOTION NOW OR, OR THE STAFF SUGGESTION AND WE AGREE WITH IT, WE ARE GONNA MOVE DEFINITELY THE LOG, THE LOG STRUCTURE AND MOVE THE TAX STRUCTURE.
THERE ARE SOME OTHER STRUCTURES OUT THERE THAT I THINK SHOULD BE DOCUMENTED.
THEY'RE IN VERY POOR CONDITION.
UH, ONE OF THEM'S A VERY LARGE BARN THAT IS NOT ON SKIDS.
I MEAN, WE'D LITERALLY BE DOING IT, YOU KNOW, 10 BY 10.
UM, BUT I THINK A DOCUMENTATION OF THE REST OF THIS LANDSCAPE, THE WAY IT IS RIGHT NOW, THOUGH IT IS CHANGED FROM THE KNOX'S PERIOD IS PROBABLY IN ORDER.
IF I MAY ASK ONE LAST QUESTION, CAN YOU POINT OUT ON THE MAP, I MAY HAVE MISSED IT, WHERE EXACTLY THE LOG CABIN IS? OH, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
YOU SEE THE ROAD COMING IN AND I DON'T, DO I HAVE A POINTER OR YEAH, YOU DO, OR NO, WHOEVER'S, WHOEVER CAN MOVE A MOUSE.
IT'S IN THE, THE ROUND AREA TO THE LEFT AND IT'S, AND A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THE LEFT NE OH NO.
UM, WHERE THE CIRCLE COMES AROUND AT THE TOP, BUT IT'S MORE TO THE RIGHT THERE.
[01:10:01]
YOU CAN'T SEE IT HERE.IT'S, IT'S THE, IT'S NOT FAR FROM YOUR EASEMENT TO BEGIN WITH.
UM, NO, THAT'S FAR MEAN YOUR DRAINAGE, IT'S NOT FAR FROM YOUR DRAINAGE.
IT'S VERY CLOSE TO THE HOUSE ACTUALLY.
AND IT DEPENDS ENTIRELY ON HOW THEY SET UP THESE PLATS, BUT I SHOULD IMAGINE I CERTAINLY, THE CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE, IF THAT IS THE ENTIRE DESIGNATION, UH, DELINEATION OF THAT, UH, YOU'RE GONNA NEED VARIANCES TO DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN, UH, LEAVING IT.
IF, IF THAT IS THE CASE, THAT SHOULD BE A PROTECTION ALREADY.
BUT, UH, THIS DRAINAGE AREA, UH, DEPENDS ON HOW IT WAS SET UP.
IT SEEMS LIKE A VERY LOGICAL WAY OF DOING BOTH WITH THESE.
UM, WHAT WOULD OTHER, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT HABITABLE STRUCTURES, SO, UH, THEY WOULD BE SERVICEABLE MORE FOR, IN THIS CASE I UNDERSTAND PUBLIC USE.
UM, WELL WE'VE CERTAINLY GONE THROUGH A LOT OF THE MORE FINE GRAINED DETAILS AND WE DO APPRECIATE YOUR EXTRA EFFORT IN DEVELOPING THE, THIS NARRATIVE FOR US.
AND THEN COMING AND EXPLAINING AND ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS.
SO, UH, COMMISSIONERS, DO WE HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE OWNERS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
DO WE HAVE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS PROJECT? ALRIGHT, HEARING NONE, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO, UH, CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND AS UNANIMOUS THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
COMMISSIONERS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
UM, I WOULD, UH, MOVE FORWARD WITH RECOMMENDATION FOR HISTORIC ZONING UNDER THE CRITERIA OF LANDSCAPE FEATURE AND ARCHEOLOGY ONLY IN THE AREAS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ZONE AND DRAINAGE ZONE, AS PLOTTED BY THOSE REQUIREMENTS, UH, ALONG AND ALLOWING DEMOLITION OF THE MAIN HOUSE AND OTHER STRUCTURES.
UM, BUT WITH RELOCATION OF THE LOG CABIN AND T BARN INTO THE, THE, THE DESIGNATED HISTORICAL DESIGNATED ZONE AS ALLOWABLE BY THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION.
UM, AND INCLUDING A FULL CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE FOR THE FULL SITE BEFORE WORK WAS DONE, AS WELL AS SHOVEL TESTS FOR ANY WORK IN THE PROTECTED AREA.
BEFORE WE HAVE A SECOND, I THINK IT NEEDS SOME CLARIFICATION BECAUSE THIS APPLICANT CAME TO US BECAUSE OF THE DEMO PERMIT AND WHAT I SEE.
UH, AND THEN OF COURSE WE DID AN INITIATION.
AND WHAT I SEE IS A REQUEST FOR OR RECOMMENDATION HAVING TO DO WITH THE SITE AREA AS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED.
AND THAT ONE OF THOSE TWO ACTIONS, THE DEMO REQUEST HAS A A TIME SPECIFIC AND THE OTHER ONE PERHAPS DOES NOT.
SO MAYBE WE COULD ASK STAFF TO ADDRESS THAT.
I MEAN, RIGHT NOW THEY'RE BOTH ONE ON TOP OF THE OTHER, BUT THEY REALLY, THEY ARE AT THIS POINT BECOMING TWO SEPARATE, UH, UH, TWO SEPARATE ACTIONS.
UM, SO I THINK WE HAVE, UH, SORT OF TWO OPTIONS.
ONE IS TO PROCEED WITH COMMISSIONER COOK'S MOTION, UM, YOU KNOW, INCLUSIVE OF, UM, RELEASING THE DEMOLITION OF THE MAIN HOUSE.
UM, WE CAN ALSO ASK THE APPLICANT TO AGREE TO A POSTPONEMENT, UH, IF YOU WANT TO DISCUSS THIS FURTHER AND TO HASH OUT, YOU KNOW, THE EXACT AREA THAT WOULD BE ZONED, UM, AND TO HAVE THEM COME BACK AND SEE THAT, UM, OR WITH THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION, YOUR OPTION WOULD BE, UM, TO NOT RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING, RELEASE THE RELOCATION, UM, FOR THAT MAIN HOUSE.
BUT HANG ON TO THAT RELOCATION UNTIL THE APPLICATION FOR THE, UM, TWO OTHER HISTORIC STRUCTURE STRUCTURES AS WELL AS THE DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE.
UM, AN ARCHEOLOGICAL MONITORING PLAN CAME IN, UM, AND THAT WOULD BE WITHOUT ZONING.
SO THE APPLICANT WOULD THEN HAVE TO COME BACK AND REQUEST THAT.
UM, SO TO BE CLEAR, THE RELOCATION OF THE STRUCTURES IS GOING TO REQUIRE A SEPARATE APPLICATION BECAUSE WE, THEY ONLY HAVE ASKED FOR DEMOLITION, NOT FOR RELOCATION.
UM, SO COMMISSIONER COOK CAN FORMULATE HIS MOTION TO REQUEST THAT THOSE BE RELOCATED AS WELL AS WELL.
I GUESS WHAT I'M, WHAT I'M CONCERNED
[01:15:01]
ABOUT IS THAT WE DON'T KNOW A LOT RIGHT NOW ABOUT SOME OF THESE ARCHEOLOGICAL AREAS.AND OF COURSE IT IS OUR PURVIEW, UH, AND WITHIN OUR, UH, ENABLING LEGISLATION TO ALSO BE CONCERNED ABOUT ARCHEOLOGY AS PART OF OUR HISTORIC OVERVIEW, UH, COMPARED TO THE STATE OF TEXAS.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE VERY FEW RESOURCES THAT WE CAN DRAW UPON AND NOT VERY MUCH EXPERTISE IN THIS AREA.
AND SO TO HAVE A SITE THAT HAS, UH, MAYBE TANTALIZING OPPORTUNITIES, UH, BUT FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS IS LESS KNOWN AT THIS POINT.
UH, I'M, I'M COMFORTABLE SAYING THAT WITH THE OWNER'S AGREEMENT THAT WE WOULD PURSUE THIS TOGETHER AND THEN FURTHER DEFINE THIS, I WOULD, I, I WOULD HATE TO FEEL LIKE WE LOCK IN AN AREA AND THEN FIND OUT IT'S NOT THE RIGHT AREA OR TRY TO DO SOMETHING THAT PERTAINS TO SOME PARTS OF THE SITE AND MISS SOMETHING.
AND I THINK THAT IT'S GONNA TAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME AND A LITTLE BIT MORE STUDY.
MEANWHILE, WE HAVE THIS DEMOLITION REQUEST, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE HERE TO BEGIN WITH, WHICH ALSO POTENTIALLY COULD BE TIMED OUT IF WE DON'T TAKE AN ACTION.
ON THIS PARTICULAR REQUEST, UH, THIS IS THE LAST MEETING AT WHICH WE MAY TAKE ANY ACTION, UM, UNLESS THE APPLICANT WILL AGREE TO A POSTPONEMENT, UM, IN WHICH CASE, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU'LL HAVE EXTRA TIME, BUT, UH, THE COMMISSION DOES NOT HAVE ANY MORE TIME ON THE CLOCK FOR THIS REQUEST.
AND THIS, THIS PARTICULAR REQUEST BEING THE INITIATION SLASH RECOMMENDATION OR THE DEMOLITION RECOMMENDATION.
SO THE, SO THE DEMOLITION WOULD BE, WOULD BE HELD UP IF WE GO FORWARD WITH RIGHT.
A, UH, RECOMMENDATION FOR HISTORIC ZONING UNTIL THAT MATTER IS FINALLY RESOLVED UP AT THE COUNCIL LEVEL, THE DEMOLITION OF THE LOG CABIN OF, OF, OF ANY OF THE STRUCTURES AND THE TACK BARN TECHNICALLY BEING A SUC BEING NOT A STRUCTURE, BUT A OBJECT SINCE IT'S ON SKIDS AND NOT ON FOUNDATION, THAT SEEMS TO ME LIKE IT'S THE SAME AS A VEHICLE.
UM, IT'S NOT AFFIXED TO THE LAND AND IT'S INTENDED TO BE MOVED.
SO, UM, THAT SEEMS LIKE AN EASY ASK JUST TO SCOOT THAT OVER INTO THE DRAINAGE AREA.
UM, THE LOG CABIN MIGHT GET A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED, BUT HOWEVER YOU THINK WE MOVE FORWARD, MY INTENT IS TO PROTECT THE AREAS THAT ARE ALREADY GONNA BE PROTECTED JUST TO ADD AN EXTRA LAYER AND TO TRY TO SAVE THESE TWO BUILDINGS ON SITE PER STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S THREE MOTIONS OR IF THAT'S, IF WE CAN EVEN DO THREE MOTIONS ON ONE CASE.
AND WHAT WAS THE DEMO? ORIGINAL DEMOLITION WAS FOR THE MAIN HOUSE ONLY, OR WAS, UH, RIGHT NOW THERE'S NO DEMOLITION REQUEST THAT'S UP AT ALL.
AND THEY'RE ALL FOR RELOCATION.
I'M SORRY, CONVEY IT'S A RELOCATION APPLICATION THAT'S, THEY'RE ALL RELOCATION APPLICATIONS.
WE HAVE ONE RELOCATION APPLICATION FOR THE MAIN HOUSE ON THE SITE.
AND THAT'S THE ONE WE DON'T WANNA SEE.
I, I AGREE WITH, WITH, WITH THE CHAIR, I'M WORRIED ABOUT LOCKING US IN AND NOT KNOWING ENOUGH AND JUST SAYING, YES, JUST THIS DRAINAGE AND THIS OTHER ZONE.
THERE'S SO MUCH, THERE'S SO MUCH WE DON'T KNOW.
AND THAT'S WHY I'M JUST SAYING, HEY, LET'S CONSIDER LOT 11 AND 12 UNTIL WE CAN FIGURE THAT OUT.
AND MAYBE BY THE TIME THIS GOES TO PLANNING COMMISSION, WE'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ON WHAT CAN BE RELOCATED.
'CAUSE I'M WORRIED ABOUT THAT LOG STRUCTURE.
WELL, I'M, I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S A DIFFERENT WAY TO PURSUE IT, WHICH IS TO ALLOW THE RELOCATION REQUEST AND AS A COMPLETELY SEPARATE ACTION BASED ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WETLAND AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS, UH, ARCHEOLOGICALLY.
MM-HMM,
AND THEN WE WORK WITH THE OWNER DEFINING MORE THOROUGHLY WHAT THAT IS.
BUT THIS IS A, ONCE AGAIN, A CITY INITIATED ACTION.
WELL, AT THIS POINT WE'D HAVE ALREADY APPROVED THE RELOCATION AND WE SEPARATE THE TWO.
ANYWAY, UH, MS. BOJO, DO YOU HAVE, CAN I MAKE MIND, DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT? MIND IF I COULD MAKE A PROPOSAL? SO I THINK IT SOUNDS LIKE WE ARE ALL IN AGREEMENT ABOUT THE END RESULT HERE, WHICH IS THAT THE DEVELOPMENT WOULD HAPPEN, THE ARCHEOLOGICAL SURVEY WOULD HAPPEN, THE THE TWO STRUCTURES WOULD MOVE.
LIKE WE, I THINK WE ALL AGREE ON THAT, THAT COMMITMENT.
UM, COULD WE, UM, AGREE TO PUT A PUBLIC RESTRICTIVE COVENANT ON THAT PORTION OF THE SITE THAT LOCKS IN ALL OF THESE CONDITIONS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? I MEAN, IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS A PUBLIC INTEREST.
I KNOW THE LAW DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE TO WEIGH IN ON THAT.
BUT YEAH, WE WOULD AGREE TO THAT TO, I MEAN, WE ALREADY HAVE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS THERE.
YOU KNOW, COULD WE WORK ON AN, ON PLEADING THESE COMMITMENTS THAT WE SEEM TO ALL THINK ARE THE RIGHT IDEA FOR THIS LAND INTO A PUBLIC COVENANT SO THAT YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT, YOU KNOW, THIS BODY'S INTENTION IS, IS RECORDED ON THE LAND, OBVIOUSLY THEN IF IT CHANGES HANDS AND ALL THAT, IT'S, IT'S THERE.
[01:20:01]
WHY WOULD A PUBLIC COVENANT BE PREFERABLE TO HISTORIC ZONING? I'M JUST THINKING OF IT FROM A TIMELINE PERSPECTIVE THAT, THAT SEEMS LIKE, LIKE SOMETHING WE COULD AGREE TO RIGHT NOW AND THEN WE COULD GO FORWARD.BUT IT SOUNDED LIKE YOU WERE SAYING LET THIS GO.
AND THEN REINITIATE ANOTHER THING I'M SUSPECT BE, WELL, IT'D BE ON, ON US TO INITIATE THE HISTORIC ZONING FOR THE SITE AS AN ARCHEOLOGICAL.
AND I SEE, UH, OTHERWISE, UH, RELEVANT SITE TO THE RANCH'S HISTORY AND THAT NOT SPECIFICALLY REFERENCED ANY OF THE STRUCTURES IN DOING SO.
BUT THAT GIVES US A BRAND NEW TIMELINE.
AND YOU KNOW, WE, WE BASICALLY IN RESPONSE TO THE INITIAL REQUEST MM-HMM.
AND SO IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT WOULD SLOW ANYTHING DOWN.
SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IN THIS, IN THIS ACTION? JUST IN THIS ACTION.
'CAUSE MY PRIMARY CONCERN IS THIS CASE IS A HISTORIC ZONING CASE.
IT'S NOT A DEMOLITION CASE, IT'S A COMMISSION INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING FOR THE WHOLE SITE.
AND THAT IF WE DON'T RECOMMEND BASED ON THAT INITIATION NOW MM-HMM.
NO, THAT'S, I THINK, I THINK WE'RE GETTING TO THE SAME RESULT, WHICH I WAS THINKING WE COULD JUST DO IT AT WHATEVER WE CAN DO IN THIS MEETING.
I THINK WE KIND OF, WE KNOW WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO HEAD.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, RESTRICT YOUR COVENANT MAY BE ON THE LOG CABIN AND THE SKID, BUT, UM, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING EVERYBODY COULD AGREE TO.
BUT ACTUALLY THE IMPLEMENTATION, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE, INFORMATION WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE RIGHT NOW.
RIGHT NOW WE, WE'VE, WE'VE INITIATED ZONING AND I WANNA MAKE SURE WE DON'T LET IT SLIP THROUGH OUR HANDS WITHOUT DOING WHAT WE SHOULD.
AND IT SEEMS VERY FAIR TO RECOMMEND ZONING ON THE ALREADY PROTECTED PORTION, WHICH IS WHERE THE, THE SPRINGS ARE AND WHERE THE ABSOLUTELY.
WHERE WE UNDERSTAND THAT PROBABLY THE, UH, SITES ARE YES.
AND I I'M JUST AFRAID IF WE DON'T RECOMMEND IT AS I'M MOVING NOW, I UNDERSTAND.
AND THAT BEING THE PRIMARY MOTION, AND THEN ADD WITH THAT, THE RECOMMENDATION FOR RELOCATION OF THE TWO BUILDINGS.
UH, WE CAN RE RELEASE THE RELOCATION OF THE MAIN HOUSE IF THAT'S THE ACTUAL CASE BEFORE US.
I'M PERSONALLY FOUND IT BEING DEMOLISHED.
I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE YOU CAN STATE IT IF IT'S NOT BEING APPLIED.
UM, BUT I THINK WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.
JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THE MOTION IS, IS CORRECT.
AND LET ME ASK STEPH, PLEASE, UH, BECAUSE I, I'M, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE TIMING BECAUSE ONCE WE HAVE APPROVED A HISTORIC ZONING, IT IS NO LONGER ON OUR PURVIEW.
AND ANY MODIFICATIONS, ANY DISCUSSIONS THAT HAPPEN, GO ON.
UH, BASICALLY THE NEXT STOP IS THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
AND I, I, MY CONCERN IS, IS THAT WE DON'T KNOW ENOUGH OURSELVES.
AND THEN WE'RE BASICALLY TAKING THIS HALF-BAKED THING BEFORE IT'S EVEN CLOSE TO BEING READY AND SENDING IT UP.
UH, THE QUESTION IS, IS AS IT'S ON ITS WAY TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, CAN WE CONTINUE TO REFINE AND WORK ON IT OR ONCE IT LEAVES US, IT'S SORT OF THEIR, THEIR DEAL.
AND THAT WAS WHY I WAS WONDERING IF IN FACT, WE TAKE ACTION ON THE FIRST, WHICH IS TO ESSENTIALLY ALLOW THAT RELOCATION AT THAT AS THE REQUEST WAS MADE AND THEN START A BRAND NEW ACTION COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM WHAT WE DID BEFORE.
NOW AGAIN, LEGAL WOULD HAVE TO SAY IT WAS OKAY, BUT WE, WE HAD ONE THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT WAS HISTORIC AND REQUESTED HISTORIC ZONING, AND NOW WE CAN TAKE THAT AWAY AND SAY, NO, NOW WE HAVE A DIFFERENT REQUEST FOR HISTORIC ZONING AND THEN WE CAN START THE PROCESS AND KEEP IT HERE UNTIL WE'RE READY TO TAKE ACTION.
I, AGAIN, THAT'S, THAT'S SORT OF THE MINDSET THAT I'M TRYING TO SEE.
I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW BEST TO BUY TIME, BUT ALSO BUY EXPERTISE.
COULD A SIMPLE MOTION TO, YOU KNOW, RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING FOR JUST THOSE MINIMUMS, LIKE HE SAID.
BUT IF FUTURE INFORMATION ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES, YOU KNOW, CHANGES THINGS TO INCREASE THAT FURTHER WEST A LOT OR TWO, AND IF THE OWNER AGREES TO JUST THOSE TWO OPTIONS, THEN THIS WILL, THIS WILL PROCEED AND CAN GO THROUGH PLANNING COMMISSION AND CITY COMES A LOT FASTER BECAUSE WE HAVE YOUR SUPPORT ON HISTORIC ZONING ON THAT EAST PART OF THE LAND.
AND THEN YOU SAVE THREE MONTHS.
'CAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE SAYING TIME, RIGHT? SO IF, IF WE COULD COME UP WITH TWO OPTIONS THAT THE OWNER SAYS, OKAY, I WANNA DO THE MINIMUM RIGHT HERE, BUT IF ARCHEOLOGICAL STUFF SAYS I NEED LOT 12, WE NEED LOT 12 TO PUT THOSE STRUCTURES, BUT YOU AT LEAST AGREED TO THAT AND THEY COULD PROCEED FASTER.
ARE THOSE TWO OPTIONS? GO AHEAD.
DO YOU HAVE, DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA? RIGHT.
SO, UM, IN GENERAL, UM, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, AS THE CASE PROCEEDS TO PLANNING COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL STAFF ALWAYS CONTINUES TO WORK WITH AN APPLICANT, UM, AND WITH THOSE BODIES TO, UM, TO FORMULATE A RECOMMENDATION THAT IS, THAT IS BENEFICIAL.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST GONNA GO INTO THE EITHER, UM, NO MATTER WHAT, UM, Y'ALL DECIDE TONIGHT, UM, I'M NOT SURE THAT WE CAN PUT SUCH SPECIFIC CONDITIONS, UM, ON A HYPOTHETICAL SITUATION.
BUT THAT IS THE REASON THAT THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION
[01:25:01]
INCLUDES THAT REQUEST FOR ARCHEOLOGICAL MONITORING.UM, WITH, YOU KNOW, AND I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION, BUT UM, YOU KNOW, JUST WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT IF ANYTHING WERE TO BE FOUND AND MORE INFORMATION WERE TO COME UP, UM, THERE WOULD BE ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED UPON COMMISSIONER COOK, WOULD YOU BE OPEN TO AMENDING YOUR, UM, MOTION TO AT LEAST INCLUDE LOT 12? UM, I'M, I'M, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD GIVE US A BUFFER ZONE FOR THIS LOG STRUCTURES, THESE OTHER TWO STRUCTURES LOOKING AT THIS, I MEAN, I'D HAVE TO GET INTO THE DETAIL OF THE GRADING AND CONTOURS OF THE LAND, BUT LOT 12 WOULD AT LEAST GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF A SAFETY NET FOR, FOR, FOR WORK THERE AND A BUFFER.
'CAUSE WE DON'T WANT THESE NEW GIANT TOWN HOMES NEXT TO THIS LOG STRUCTURE ANYWAY, SO WE NEED THAT BUFFER.
WOULD YOU BE OPEN TO THAT? I DON'T KNOW IF I COULD JUSTIFY THAT WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE THAT THERE'S SOME LANDSCAPE FEATURE OR ARCHEOLOGICAL FEATURE THERE TO BE PROTECTED.
WE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING AND THEY'RE NOT GONNA TELL US, SHOW US SPECIFICS.
AND THAT'S BEEN A KNOWN PROBLEM ABOUT ARCHEOLOGY THAT WE'RE DESTROYING, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S THERE.
AND SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO PROTECT IN THIS CASE.
WE DO KNOW A LARGE AREA OF WHAT'S THERE.
WE CAN ASSUME IT'S AROUND THE SPRINGS.
UM, WE DO KNOW WHAT IS TO BE PROTECTED.
WE COULD HAVE IT TO INCORPORATE ALL THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION IDENTIFIED SITES THAT ONCE THAT'S SEEN OUT OF PUBLIC EYE, THAT THAT'S AT LEAST IS INCORPORATED.
UM, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS TO FALL OUT OF THAT ZONE.
COMMISSIONER COOK, LET ME DO THIS.
UH, I I I'VE BASICALLY INTERRUPTED THE POTENTIAL FOR A SECOND BY ASKING FOR CLARIFICATION.
SO HAVING, HAVING A LOT OF DISCUSSION NOW, WOULD YOU REPEAT YOUR MOTION
SO AGAIN, OUT OF AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION ON TIMING IN PARTICULAR, THIS BEING A HISTORIC ZONING CASE, I WOULD RECOMMEND ONLY THE AREA OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND THE DRAINAGE ZONE, UH, ON THE CRITERIA OF LANDSCAPE FEATURES AND ARCHEOLOGY AS PLANTED PER THOSE REQUIREMENTS.
AND I WOULD ADD ALSO TO INCLUDE ANY KNOWN SITES AS IDENT PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED AND ON RECORD BY THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION.
SO FOR THOSE AREAS TO BE DETERMINED BASED ON RECORDED, UH, EVIDENCE, UH, AND OTHERWISE TO ALLOW OTHER PER OTHER APP APPLIED PERMITS TO PROCEED, WHICH I UNDERSTAND TO BE RELOCATION OF THE MAIN HOUSE, BUT FOR THAT TO PROCEED WITH A CITY OF AUSTIN DOCUMENTATION PACKAGE FOR THE FULL SITES ALONG WITH SHOVEL TESTS FOR ANY NEW WORK WITHIN THE PROTECTED AREA.
AND I COULD ADD ON THE ENTIRE SITE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT MISSING ANYTHING ELSE THERE.
THAT THEY DO SELECT SHOVEL TESTS WITHIN ANY WORK ZONE TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NOTHING ELSE ON THE SITE.
UH, AND UH, TO RECOMMEND RELOCATION OF THE LOG CABIN INTACT BARN INTO THE DRAINAGE ZONE OR THE ENVIRONMENTAL ZONE AS ALLOWABLE BY THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION.
AND LET ME JUST CLARIFY, THAT IS A RECOMMENDATION BASED ON ARCHEOLOGY AND LANDSCAPE FEATURE AND LANDSCAPE FEATURE? MM-HMM,
WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE'S ARCHEOLOGICAL DATA EXISTING THAT'S WEST OF THAT DRAINAGE ZONE COMMISSIONER COOK? THAT GETS COMPLICATED AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE NEVER KNOW ANYWHERE.
WE COULD BE DESTROYING AR ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES LEFT AND RIGHT AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE REC THAT IS ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
THE PENDING, UM, PRESERVATION PLAN THAT WE NEED A CITY ARCHEOLOGIST TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY AND HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD.
AS IT IS, WE DON'T HAVE ONE, WE CAN'T REQUIRE A FULL ARCHEOLOGICAL SURVEY TO DETERMINE THIS.
THERE IS RECORD BY THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION.
THERE IS A SURVEY, THIS AREA IDENTIFYING THOSE SITES THAT ALREADY GIVE US MUCH MORE INFORMATION THAN WE HAVE IN MOST OTHER CASES.
AND IN MY MIND, WE'RE SAVING A LOT MORE IN THIS, WITH THIS MOTION THAN WE WOULD IN EVERY OTHER SITE WE'VE EVER ENCOUNTERED IN THE CITY.
SO YOUR MOTIONS, INCLUDING WHATEVER'S ALREADY DOCUMENTED.
WHAT'S, WHAT'S BEEN DOCUMENTED BY THE HISTORY FOR ZONING COMMISSION ZONING IN ADDITION TO THE LANDSCAPE FEATURES IN ARCHEOLOGY? SO IF THERE IS A PART OF THE SITE BEYOND THAT PROTECTED AREA? MM-HMM,
IF THE STORE COMMISSION HAS RECORD OF ARCHEOLOGICAL FEATURES BEYOND THOSE AREAS, THAT THE ZONED AREA SHOULD INCLUDE THOSE AS WELL.
AND FOR BOTH THE MOTION MAKER AND THE SECONDER, WOULD, IN LIGHT OF ALL THE DISCUSSION WE'RE HAVING FROM THE COMMUNITY, CAN WE ADD COMMUNITY VALUE AND COMMUNITY VALUE? THANK YOU.
COMMUNITY VALUE? PROBABLY THE ONE, THE ONE CASE IN THE CITY THAT WILL HAVE THOSE THREE AND NOT ARCHITECTURE.
UM, WE'VE HAD A MOTION AND IT'S, UH, BY COMMISSIONER COOK.
IT'S BEEN SECONDED BY, UH, COMMISSIONER RUBIO.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? YES.
OUTSIDE, UM, PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN CLOSED AND THEN REOPENED.
I SHOULD INCLUDE IN THAT MOTION.
REOPEN THE, TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND I ASSUME THE SECONDER WOULD SECOND AGREE WITH THAT.
WE'RE NOT TAKING ANY MORE PUBLIC COMMENT RIGHT NOW, RIGHT.
THAN, BUT WE CAN ASK QUESTIONS.
ASK THE QUESTIONS, APPLICANT, I BELIEVE.
[01:30:01]
ASK THE QUESTION, HOW WOULD THE APPLICANT FEEL ABOUT THAT MOTION?UM, SO MY ONLY CONCERN IS IF WE INCLUDE THE DRAIN, THE DRAINAGE FACILITY, EXCUSE ME, IS POTENTIALLY GONNA INCLUDE A BIOFILTRATION POND, THE DRAINAGE EASEMENT.
SO IF WE INCLUDE THE, THE HISTORIC ZONING ON THE EASEMENT PART, IT SEEMS LIKE WE MIGHT HAVE TO GET A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS TO BUILD A BIOFILTRATION POND, WHICH SEEMS NOT RIGHT? NOT WHAT WE'RE INTENDING.
SO WHAT I'M WONDERING IS, UH, IF WE COULD JUST LIMIT THE HISTORIC STRENGTH HISTORIC TO THE, TO THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT AREA AND THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONE WHERE WE KNOW NOTHING WILL BE BEING TOUCHED.
WE CAN DO SHOVEL TESTS ON THE ENTIRE SITE TO MAKE SURE THAT, I MEAN, EVEN IF WE WEREN'T HERE MOTION BEFORE YOU, IF YOU, IF YOU FIND ARCHEOLOGICAL ITEMS, YOU HAVE TO, YEAH.
SO IF I MAY, I'M IN THE MOTION TO EXCLUDE THE DRAINAGE AREA, KNOWING THAT SHOVEL TESTS WILL BE DONE AND THAT ANY HISTORICAL COMMISSION AREA IDENTIFIED ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES WILL BE INCLUDED.
IF THERE ARE ANY IN THE DRAINAGE AREA, THEN THAT WOULD ALLOW THE INCLUSION OF THEM TO THE JURY THAT THERE'S ARCHEOLOGICAL BUT NOT THE ENTIRE DRAINAGE AREA.
IS THAT ACCEPTABLE TO THE SECOND OF THE MOTION? YOU DON'T HAVE TO REPEAT THE WHOLE THING.
GOOD LUCK TO SAY I'M TYPING ALL THIS UP.
I MEAN, WE'RE ASKING FOR MORE AND WE'RE SHRINKING IT.
I MEAN, BRING THE, BRING THE DETENTION POND TO THE CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS.
I, I MEAN, I'M NOT, I I DON'T, I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND
I, I JUST DON'T SEE A POINT IN PROTECTING AN AREA THAT WE'VE ALREADY INSURED ANYTHING THAT HAS KNOWN ARCHEOLOGICAL ARTIFACTS IN IT, FOUND IN IT TO BE PROTECTED.
I DON'T SEE THE BENEFIT OF EXTENDING, EXTENDING BEYOND THAT, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE THE, AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN ASSURED OF ANYTHING, COMMISSIONER OF WHERE THESE THINGS ARE.
THAT'S, UH, HISTORICAL COMMISSION KNOWS WHERE THESE THINGS ARE.
BUT THOSE ROCKS COULD BE MOVED NEXT WEEK.
WELL IT'S MIDDENS AS I UNDERSTAND BURN MOUNDS, WHICH WOULD BE DEEP LAYERED, UM, STRATA.
SO, UM, I JUST, WELL, WE HAVE A MOTION AND IF YOU, UH, AND THE MAKER OF THE MOTION HAS SUGGESTED A CHANGE, IF YOU'D LIKE TO WITHDRAW YOUR SECOND, SOMEONE ELSE COULD MAKE I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE OWNER.
IF WE DO THAT, WILL YOU SUPPORT THIS HISTORIC ZONING AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION? UM, I CAN'T SAY AT THIS POINT BECAUSE I HAVEN'T TALKED TO MY CLIENT HERE, BUT WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT MY UNDERSTANDING WOULD BE THAT WE WOULD, I WOULD BELIEVE THAT WE WOULD, BECAUSE IF WE'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT, IT'S AN AREA THAT'S ALREADY PROTECTED.
I DON'T SEE US OPPOSING IT IF IT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE DRAINAGE EASEMENT AND IT DOESN'T INCLUDE ANY OF THE LOTS.
AND THE REALITY IS IF THERE ARE DISCOVERED ARCHEOLOGICAL ARTIFACTS, THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING ON THAT EITHER.
SO THIS GIVES US, THIS GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY AS MORE DISCOVERIES TAKE PLACE OR AS MORE DOCUMENTATION IS PROVIDED OKAY.
TO BE ABLE TO, TO HANDLE THE VERY THING WE'RE, WE'RE ALL STRUGGLING WITH.
WELL, WHICH IS TO, TO FIND BOUNDARIES THAT ARE ACCEPTABLE.
I, I WOULD APPRECIATE YOU ALL TO SUPPORT THIS AT PLANNING COMMISSION SO THAT THIS CAN BE A SMOOTHER, FASTER PROCESS FOR YOU ALL.
UM, I DON'T THINK WE'RE, I DON'T THINK WE'RE ASKING FOR ENOUGH.
I DON'T THINK THE CITY, I DON'T THINK THE PUBLIC IS GETTING ENOUGH.
I THINK THOSE ROCK WALLS AT THE ENTRYWAY SHOULD STAY.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT MORE ABOUT THIS HOUSE AND THE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS WITH THE KNOX FAMILY.
BUT I UNDERSTAND THE PRESENTATION.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE ASKING FOR ENOUGH, BUT I'LL, UM, I ACCEPT THE CHANGES TO, UM, TO, TO THE MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER COOK.
SO COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE A MOTION AND IT HAS BEEN SECONDED WITH THE ADJUSTMENTS THAT YOU ALL HAVE HEARD AND, UH, WE'RE NOW ABLE TO DISCUSS THIS MOTION.
UH, WHO WOULD LIKE TO SAY WHATEVER THEY NEED TO ABOUT THIS MOTION? COMMISSIONERS.
I, I WOULD LIKE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IF POSSIBLE BY THE TIME THIS GETS TO PLANNING COMMISSION, IF YOU ALL COULD PRO PROVIDE THAT.
I, I KNOW A LOT OF THAT IS PRIVATE, LIKE YOU'RE SAYING 'CAUSE PRIVATE PROPERTY AND, UH, THE THC HAS SOME RECORDS, BUT WE, WE ARE PROBABLY JUST NEED TO KNOW LOCATIONS OF THINGS.
I MEAN, DON'T, DON'T MAKE US GO AND FIGHT THE THC AND GET INFORMATION.
WE, WE CAN GIVE YOU THE, THE TV NUMBERS.
WE HAVE THOSE NUMBERS, BUT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR THAT PERTAINS TO OUR MOTION IS WHERE IS THIS STUFF LOCATED THAT WE KNOW? CORRECT.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT INFORMATION IS NOT PUBLICLY RELEASED IN ORDER TO PREVENT PLUNDERING OF SITES.
AND SO I WHAT WHATEVER YOU CAN PROVIDE TO PLANNING COMMISSION, UM, AGAIN, DON'T, WE DON'T WANT TO GO AND, AND, AND DIG THIS STUFF UP, BUT JUST IF YOU CAN PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION PLANNING COMMISSION AND IF YOU COULD SUPPORT THIS, THAT WOULD MAKE THINGS A LOT SMOOTHER IS ALL I'M SAYING.
I I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE A LOT ON YOUR PLATE, BUT IF ONE OF, I
[01:35:01]
I'M SURE YOU ALL HAVE PROFESSIONAL ACCESS TO THE ATLAS, YOU AS A PROFESSIONAL CAN GO AND FIND EXACTLY.I CAN GO AND FIND, I CAN GET IT.
I HAVE THAT, BUT WITH WHAT I HAVE TO SIGN TO GET INTO THE SITE, I CAN'T PUBLICLY MAKE IT SO THAT IT COULD BE DISCOVERABLE.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE DILEMMA THAT I HAVE AS A PROFESSIONAL.
I GUESS, UM, I THINK AT LEAST MAYBE ONE OR TWO OF US DO HAVE ACCESS TO THAT ARCHEOLOGICAL DATABASE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S THERE, BUT WE'LL LOOK AT THAT AND, YOU KNOW, YEAH, I I I'M NOT HOPEFUL, UH, THAT WE'LL GET ANYTHING, UM, KNOWING, UH, SOME OF THE DATA THERE, BUT, OKAY.
I, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO REITERATE, UH, THANKS TO THE OWNER FOR ENGAGING A SPECIALIST WHO IS GONNA DO A GOOD SOUND.
NOT LIKE THIS IS NOTHING, LET'S ERASE IT AND DID A VERY THOROUGH PROCESS.
THIS MADE OUR JOB MUCH EASIER ON A VERY COMPLICATED PROJECT.
SO, UM, WE, WE DO APPRECIATE THAT.
LET ME, LET ME REINFORCE THAT.
I, I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THAT DOESN'T FIT INTO ANY NEAT CATEGORY.
WE KNOW THERE IS A LOT OF COMMUNITY INTEREST AND VALUE, UH, AND IT DOES FIT INTO SOME INTERESTING CATEGORIES.
THE EXTRA RESEARCH HAS HELPED US IMMENSELY.
AND I, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUED COOPERATIVE COOPERATION WITH THE OWNERS AS THEY CONTINUE.
YEAH, I'M JUST, UH, I GUESS JUST A PUBLIC NOTICE OUT THERE.
I'M, I'M WONDERING WHERE THE REST OF OUR SAVE OUR SPRINGS AND OUR TREE PEOPLE OUT THERE, UH, THEY, THEY'RE SO ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN OR HEARD FROM ANYBODY EXCEPT THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
SO SHAME ON THEM FOR NOT COMING OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UH, MAYBE THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT THIS PROPERTY OR SITE, BUT IT'S BEEN PRETTY WELL PUBLICIZED IN THE MONITOR.
UM, AND WE WOULD LOVE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THEIR SUPPORT, UH, IN PROTECTING THESE ZONES BECAUSE IF WE HAVE THEIR SUPPORT, MAYBE WE COULD, WE COULD GET A LITTLE BIT MORE DONE FOR THE COMMUNITY, BUT, UM, IT'S A, IT'S A COMPROMISE WHERE NOT EVERYBODY'S HAPPY.
WELL, WE, WE DO HAVE A DEFINED AREA THAT IS BASED ON SOMETHING.
OBVIOUSLY PART OF IT IS JUST THE WAY THIS LAYS DOWN ON THE PLAT, BUT A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE SITE IS ALREADY DESIGNATED AS CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURE WITH ALREADY A NUMBER OF CONTROLS.
RIGHT? YEAH, I, I JUST DON'T WANNA LEAVE THIS ASSUMING THAT EVERYTHING'S COVERED BY THE VARIOUS LA LAYERS WHEN WE DON'T UNDERSTAND ALL THE NUANCE.
I JUST THINK WE SHOULD ADD OUR LAYER ON IT WHERE WE CAN, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S NOT GONNA IMPACT THE OWNER AND, AND PROVIDE, UH, AN APPROPRIATE RECOGNITION FOR A VERY IMPORTANT SITE.
SO I ALSO WANT TO, THAT'S WHY I, I AM AT LEAST TAKING A MOMENT TO SAY THAT I'M GONNA BE SUPPORTING THE MOTION
SO AS THIS MOVES TO PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF IS COMFORTABLE WITH, UM, MOVING IT FORWARD IN ACCORDANCE WITH COMMISSIONER COOK'S EXISTING RECOMMENDATION.
ALRIGHT, AGAIN, COMMISSIONERS, ANY FINAL DISCUSSION? IF NOT, I'LL CALL THE QUESTION.
ALL THOSE IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION FOR THE, UH, BALANCE OF THE PROPERTY AS DISCUSSED, UH, DESIGNATED UNDER ARCHEOLOGY LANDSCAPE AND COMMUNITY VALUE, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND IS THERE ANY OPPOSED? THERE IS NONE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANK YOU ALL FOR VERY INTERESTING, UH, DISCUSSION.
ALRIGHT, UH, COMMISSIONERS, THAT GETS US ALL THE WAY UP TO CASE NUMBER THREE.
[3. C14H-2024-0102 – 9307 Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail]
AND THIS IS, UH, ONE THAT'S BEEN ON OUR AGENDA FOR A LITTLE WHILE AND I'M, I'M VERY EXCITED, UH, THAT WE ARE NOW AT THE POINT WHERE WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE, UH, UH, 93 0 7 ANNE AND ROY BUTLER HYKEN BIKE TRAIL, UH, DESIGNATION.ITEM NUMBER THREE, THE FANNIE DAVIS TOWN LAKE GAZEBO.
THIS IS CASE NUMBER C 14 H 20 24 0 1, 0 2.
AND THIS IS A, UH, HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION INITIATED, UM, AND OWNER SUPPORTED, UH, REQUEST FOR HISTORIC ZONING.
UM, THE REQUEST SPECIFICALLY IS FROM, UH, PUBLIC SPACE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, PNP TO HISTORIC, UH, LANDMARK PUBLIC AND NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, COMBINING DISTRICT ZONING ON THE BASIS OF ARCHITECTURE, COMMUNITY VALUE, AND HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS.
UH, THIS GAZEBO IS ALSO, UH, INDIVIDUALLY LISTED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER, UH, BACK IN 2019 AS SO IT MEETS, UM, NOT ONLY THAT, BUT ALSO, UM, THREE ADDITIONAL, UH, REQUIREMENTS FOR HISTORIC LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
THE TOWN LAKE GAZEBO AS A UNIQUE EXAMPLE OF MODERNIST ARCHITECTURE IS AN ICON OF AUSTIN'S COLORADO RIVER WATERFRONT.
SINCE ITS DESIGN IN CONSTRUCTION IN 1969, IT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST RECOGNIZABLE TOWN TOUCHPOINTS AS ONE OF AUSTIN'S ONLY HYPERBOLIC PARABOLOID STRUCTURES AND HAS CHANGED VERY LITTLE SINCE ITS CONSTRUCTION.
COMMISSIONED BY THE AUSTIN CHAPTER OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION IN 1965, THE GAZEBO PROJECT WAS SUPPORTED BY OVER A DOZEN CONSTRUCTION FIRMS WITH DONATIONS OF MATERIALS AND LABOR.
[01:40:02]
IT WAS THE FIRST PUBLIC STRUCTURE BUILT WITH THE EXPRESS PURPOSE OF BEAUTIFYING TOWN LAKE SOUTH SHORE, SPEARHEADED BY THE AUSTIN CHAPTER OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION.THUS, IT REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC PLANNING EFFORT IS ASSOCIATED WITH A UNIQUE AND FORWARD-THINKING WOMEN'S MOVEMENT AND PLAYS A CENTRAL PART IN THE TOWN LAKE BEAUTIFICATION EFFORT INSPIRED BY LADY BIRD JOHNSON'S STATEWIDE AND ENDEAVOR TO ENHANCE AND CELEBRATE TEXAS'S NATURAL VISTAS AS A COMMUNITY LED AND COMMUNITY FUNDED PROJECT.
THE GAZEBO IS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF A PUBLIC PROJECT THAT OVERCAME INITIAL SKEPTICISM AND CONSTRUCTION DIFFICULTIES THROUGH THE HARD WORK OF ITS ORGANIZERS, SUPPORTERS, AND CRAFTSPEOPLE.
THIS WAS THE FIRST OF MANY TOWN LAKE BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS, UM, AND IT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE NATIONAL BEAUTIFICATION INITIATIVE OF LADY BIRD JOHNSON, EVEN THOUGH SHE WASN'T INVOLVED IN THE, UH, INITIAL STAGES OF THE PROJECT.
UM, AND OVER TIME IT BECAME AN INDICATION OF THE GAZEBOS SYMBOLIC CONNECTION TO THE OVERALL PROGRAM FOR BEAUTIFICATION.
DO WE HAVE THE PHOTOGRAPHS? CAN WE BE SEEING THOSE? I KNOW THEY'RE IN THE BACKUP.
UH, STAFF IS SUPPORTIVE OF THIS, UH, COMMISSION INITIATED REQUEST FOR HISTORIC ZONING.
YEAH, IT IS REMARKABLE THAT, UH, IT IS VERY MUCH, UH, INTACT BASED ON THE, UH, HISTORIC PHOTOS, BUT IT, IT, IT'S PRETTY, PRETTY SOLIDLY BUILT AND ISN'T GONNA GO ANYWHERE SOON.
UM, LET US HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT.
UH, WELL, I SHOULD SAY THE APPLICANT LET US HEAR FROM, UH, THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM PART.
YES, MS. KNICK MIGHT WOULD LIKE TO SAY A COUPLE WORDS, PLEASE.
KIM MCKNIGHT WITH HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE CURRENTLY.
BUT, UM, I WORKED ON THIS PROJECT IN MY CAPACITY AT PARD.
I'M JOINED BY, UM, LORI MARTIN.
UH, THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT IS EXTREMELY, UH, EXCITED ABOUT THIS, UH, DESIGNATION.
THIS HAS BEEN LISTED TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
LORI MARTIN WHO JOINED US TODAY, HERE YOU ARE.
SHE WORKED ON THIS WHEN SHE WAS FINISHING HER MASTER'S IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION, UH, AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AS HER NATIONAL REGISTER PROJECT.
AND THEN SHE WENT ON TO COMPLETE THIS DESIGNATION ON BEHALF OF THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION, UM, ON HER OWN TIME.
AND I REALLY WANNA EXPRESS OUR THANKS.
UM, AND I REALLY WANNA THANK THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION FOR ALL THEIR WORK TO RECOGNIZE THESE IMPORTANT, UH, STRUCTURES.
THERE'S A FEW OTHER PEOPLE I WANNA RECOGNIZE.
UM, THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF THE WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION IS A REALLY REMARKABLE ORGANIZATION AND WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL TO A COUPLE OF PEOPLE.
UM, ONE IS THE LATE LORI NIL, WHO WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE CHAPTER WHEN THIS PROJECT GOT UNDERWAY.
HER HUSBAND WAS THE ARCHITECT.
UH, SHE PASSED AWAY JUST WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND, UM, CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THE PROJECT THROUGH SOME FUNDING THAT SHE LEFT FOR THE, THE GAZEBO.
WE'RE WORKING WITH THE TRAIL, UH, THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY.
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE STILL HERE.
I THINK THEY MAY HAVE HAD TO LEAVE, BUT THEY'RE, UM, THEY'RE HELPING COORDINATE SOME VERY IMPORTANT MAINTENANCE WORK TO BOTH THE GAZEBO AND THE POND.
UM, ANOTHER PERSON WHO'S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE CHAMPION WHO I HOPE IS LISTENING IS PAT TURNER, WHO IS WITH FRIENDS OF THE GAZEBO.
UM, I'VE WORKED WITH HER FOR 15 YEARS ON, UM, MAKING SURE THAT THE GAZEBO AND THE POND ARE MAINTAINED.
SHE'S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE CHAMPION ADVOCATE.
UM, WE'RE VERY, VERY GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF HER SUPPORT AND AS ALWAYS, UM, VERY GRATEFUL TO PRESERVATION AUSTIN FOR SUPPORTING THIS.
WE'RE, WE'RE GRATEFUL TO SAW THE LETTER IN THE BACKUP.
SO THANK YOU MEGAN AND PRESERVATION.
AUSTIN, ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO SAY? IT'S JUST AN INCREDIBLE HONOR TO HAVE WORKED ON THIS PROJECT AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING IT FORWARD FOR, UH, HISTORIC ZONING DESIGNATION.
ALRIGHT, KIM AND LORI, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION OF, UH, EITHER OF THE TWO SPEAKERS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.
UH, IS ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? ALL RIGHT.
UH, WE ARE THRILLED TO FINALLY BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS, UH, I KNOW IT WAS SUPPOSED FOR A WHILE AND, UH, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND SECOND TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND NOW I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
I MOVE TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING ON THE BASIS OF ARCHITECTURE, COMMUNITY VALUE, AND HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS.
IT'S BEEN MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RUBIO, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER COOK.
UH, COMMISSIONER RUBIO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? UH, I WON'T SPEND LONG, UH, ON THE, ON THE SIGNIFICANCE
[01:45:01]
OF THE PROPERTIES, BUT I DO WANNA SAY THANK YOU, UH, TO EVERYONE THAT WORKED ON THIS AND HAS BEEN REALLY BEEN STEWARDING AND, AND WATCHING OUT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HOLD THE CITY ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE PAST.YOU KNOW, HOWEVER MANY YEARS WE'VE HAD THIS, UH, THIS STRUCTURE IN OUR PARKS.
SPECIAL THANKS TO PAT TURNER AND THE FRIENDS OF THE GAZEBO FOR NOT GIVING UP, FOR PUSHING US, PUSHING US TO DO OUR JOB AS A CITY AND TO PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS AND TO ACTUALLY PROTECT OUR HISTORIC RESOURCES.
SO THANK YOU PAT TURNER, UH, THANK YOU PARKS AND RECS.
THANKS, UH, KIM FOR WORKING WITH US ON THIS.
AND OF COURSE, UH, LORI MARTIN AND, AND O'CONNOR ARCHITECTURE FOR DOING THIS PRO BONO FOR THE CITY.
UM, I THINK THIS IS, THIS IS BEST CASE SCENARIO OF PROTECTING OUR HISTORIC RESOURCES ON OUR CITY LAND.
COMMISSIONER COOK? YEAH, I THINK COMMISSIONER RUBIO FOR ASKING ME TO GET INVOLVED IN THIS, I WANTED TO CLARIFY.
WE HAD DISCUSSED KIND OF THE ZONE THAT WAS GONNA BE PROTECTED AND IT WAS GONNA INCLUDE THE WATER FEATURE IN FRONT.
NOT, NOT NECESSARILY EVERYTHING AROUND IT, BUT GETTING THE IMAGE OF THE WATER AND THE, THE GAZEBO AND THE, THE LAKE BEYOND.
BUT, UM, THIS IS A FANTASTIC BUILDING, UM, STRUCTURE.
I REMEMBER AS A YOUNGER MAN SEEING IT, UM, AND NOTING IT WAS DEDICATED TO WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION.
AND THERE ARE MANY WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION THAT HAVE BEEN VERY IMPORTANT IN MY LIFE.
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY FOR IT TO BE THAT OLD AND TO HAVE THAT KIND OF HISTORY THAT'S, UM, IT'S JUST A REALLY REMARKABLE STRUCTURE ALL AROUND, IN ADDITION TO BEING A BEAUTIFUL ONE AND WELL SITUATED.
SO I'M VERY, VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS ONE.
COMMISSIONERS IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? WHAT ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? ALL RIGHT.
THERE IS A MOTION TO, UH, APPROVE HISTORIC ZONING, UH, AND, UH, BY COMMISSIONER RUBIO ALL, UH, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER COOK.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
ALRIGHT, AGAIN, IT IS UNANIMOUS.
SO CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK THANK YOU, UH, AGAIN FOR REMARK.
ALRIGHT, THE NEXT ITEM, UH, FOR DISCUSSION IS,
[5. C14H-2024-0123 – 4310 Avenue H]
UH, OWNER INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING AT 43 10 AVENUE H.THIS IS ITEM NUMBER FIVE ON OUR AGENDA.
ITEM FIVE IS AN OWNER INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING APPLICATION FOR THE PROPERTY AT, UH, 43 10 AVENUE H.
UH, THE ZONING CHANGE IS PROPOSED FROM A SF DASH THREE DASH HD DASH NCCD DASH NP TO SF DASH THREE DASH H DASH HG DASH NCCD DASH NP.
UM, ON THE BASIS OF HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS AND COMMUNITY VALUE, THE PROPERTY IS CONNECTION TO DR. FRANCIS LUTHER WHITNEY, WHO MOVED ALONG WITH, MOVED ALONG WITH HIS WIFE, GRACE WHITNEY TO AUSTIN IN 1908 AFTER DEC UH, UH, UH, DECLINING A FACULTY POSITION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN.
INSTEAD, DR. WHITNEY TOOK A PROFESSORSHIP AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS'S, NEWLY FORMED PALEONTOLOGY DEPARTMENT WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGICAL SCIENCES.
HE SERVED IN THIS ROLE FOR THE NEXT 40 YEARS UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT DURING THE 1920S, HE WOULD SERVE AS A CHAIR, UH, AS THE CHAIR OF THE DEPARTMENT.
IN ADDITION TO TEACHING, INCLUDING A CO A COURSE ON MICRO PALEONTOLOGY THAT WAS LIKELY ONE OF THE FIRST IN THE ACADEMIC WORLD.
THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR GEOLOGICAL AND PALEON PALEONTOLOGICAL, UH, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT WERE IMMENSE IN TEXAS DURING THIS TIME.
WHITNEY'S WORK SPAN FROM ACQUIRING COLLECTIONS OF MOLLUS FOSSILS STILL IN THE UNIVERSITY'S POSSESSION, TO DEVELOPING MATHEMATICAL MODELS TO IDENT IDENTIFY STRUCTURES THAT WOULD BE USED DIRECTLY BY THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY TO, TO IDENTIFY DEPOSITS.
WHITNEY'S RESEARCH AND ACADEMIC CURIOSITY ALSO EXTENDED TO THE PROPERTY AT 43 10 AVENUE H, WHERE HE WOULD BUILD HIS OWN CAMERAS AND SETUPS FOR PHOTOGRAPHING, UH, GEOLOGICAL PHENOMENA TO BETTER DOCUMENT AND DISSEMINATE HIS DISCOVERIES.
FOR A TIME THE HOUSE FEATURED A DARK ROOM FOR PHOTO DEVELOPMENT.
HIS ACQUISITION AND INTEREST IN MACHINERY AND TOOLS RELATING TO HIS WORK MAY HAVE ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THE NEED FOR THE FAMILY TO MOVE FROM 43 10 AVENUE H IN 1931 TO A LARGER HOUSE LOCATED ON 20 27 15 WOODRIDGE DRIVE THE HOUSE AT 43 10 AVENUE H IS NOTABLE FOR BEING THE FIRST CONSTRUCTION ON EIGHTH SIDE OF THE BLOCK, PART OF THE LARGER NORTHERN EXPANSION OF THE HYDE PARK NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE WHITNEY'S WERE ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DESIGN OF THE BUNGALOW ARCHITECTURE OF THE RESIDENCE, WHICH NOW FITS WELL AMONGST ITS NEIGHBOR NEIGHBORS, AND MAY WELL HAVE INFLUENCED THE DESIGN STYLE OF THIS ERA OF NEW CONSTRUCTION IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AS MENTIONED IN THE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION'S BASIS FOR RECOMMENDATION, THE LARGER MOVEMENT OF TALENT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS IN THE FIRST DECADES OF THE 20TH CENTURY CONTRIBUTED TO ITS DESIGNATION IN 1929 BY THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN UNI UNIVERSITIES OF BEING A FIRST CLASS RESEARCH UNIVERSITY.
WHITNEY'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY ARE ESPECIALLY NOTABLE DUE TO THEIR CONNECTIONS TO THE RAPIDLY EXPANDING OIL AND GAS INDUSTRIES IN THE REGION AND STATE.
HE WAS ALSO INVOLVED WITH COMMUNITY EFFORTS RELATED TO HIS AREA OF
[01:50:01]
EXPERTISE, SUCH AS ORGANIZING AND CONDUCTING SUMMER GEO GEOLOGY CAMPS, SERVING ON A BUILDING COMMITTEE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, WHERE HE ADVOCATED FOR STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY, CONSTRUCTION AND FOSSIL DISCOVERY AND INTERPRETATION ACROSS THE STATE, PARTICULARLY IN WEST TEXAS.GRACE WHITNEY WAS ALSO HIGHLY INVOLVED WITH COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY WITH THE HYDE PARK READING CLUB, WHICH WAS ORGANIZED IN 1908 AND SERVED SOCIAL, EDUCATIONAL AND ADVOCACY FUNCTIONS FOR NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS AND IN TURN HAD IMPACTS THROUGHOUT THE BROADER AUSTIN COMMUNITY.
SOME OF THESE FUNCTIONS INCLUDING SUPPORTING THE EFFORT DURING WORLD WAR I, BY SEWING CLOTHING AND BANDAGES FOR SERVICE MEMBERS, AS WELL AS ADVOCATING SUPPORT, ADVANCING SUPPORT FOR HIGHER EDUCATE EDUCATOR, UH, SALARIES AND CAMPAIGNING FOR WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE MEETINGS WERE HELD AT HOUSES THROUGHOUT THE HYDE PARK, THROUGHOUT HYDE PARK, INCLUDING AT THE WHITNEY HOUSE.
GRACE WAS ALSO INVOLVED IN WRITING AND ILLUSTRATING CHILDREN'S BOOKS, SEVERAL OF WHICH WERE PUBLISHED AND DISTRIBUTED.
STAFF RECOMMENDS THE PROPOSED ZONING CHANGE, UH, FROM FAMILY RESIDENTS, HISTORIC DISTRICT, COMBINING DISTRICT NEIGHBORHOOD CONSERVATION, COMBINING DISTRICT NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN TO FAMILY RESIDENTS, HISTORIC LANDMARK, HISTORIC DISTRICT, COMBINING DISTRICT NEIGHBORHOOD CONSERVATION, COMBINING DISTRICT NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? UH, JUST CAN STAFF PUT IT ON THE SCREEN FOR, UH, THE PUBLIC AND EVERYONE ON ONLINE.
AND THEN, UM, THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS.
THEN LET'S HEAR FROM THE OWNERS WHO'S, WHO'S HERE REPRESENTING THE OWNERS.
PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AT THE MICROPHONE OR PHONE.
MY NAME IS CHRISTINA COOPER SCHMIDT.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF DULCE DAVIS WHO COMPLETED THE APPLICATION FOR HISTORIC ZONING AND I'M ALSO HERE IN SUPPORT OF HISTORIC ZONING.
UM, AND I AM HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
AND DID, DO YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION? UH, S SEPARATE FROM I DO NOT THE STAFF.
BUT WE DO HAVE YOUR, UH, THE APPLICATION, UH, IN OUR BACKUP.
SO, UM, STAFF IS GOING AHEAD AND SHOWING A COUPLE OF THOSE PICTURES.
UH, I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY THERE'S A HIGH LEVEL OF INTEGRITY.
SO IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE, UH, ZONING, UH, THE HISTORIC ZONING REQUEST? SEEING NONE.
IS THERE ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST? ALRIGHT.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, YOU'VE HEARD THE STAFF PRESENTATION.
DOESN'T LOOK LIKE WE HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS.
UH, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
OKAY, COMMISSIONER, UH, RUBIO, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER COOK.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED? OH, IT'S UNANIMOUS.
ALRIGHT, UM, COMMISSIONERS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
I MOVE TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND RECOMMEND HISTORIC ZONING ON THE BASIS OF WE'VE GOTTEN OUR ZONING CHANGE, HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS AND COMMUNITY VALUE.
CAN I CLARIFY IF ARCHITECTURE IS INCLUDED IN THAT? YES.
IT'S BEEN MOVED, UH, BY COMMISSIONER RUBIO, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER COOK.
UH, COMMISSIONER RUBIO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO THE OWNER FOR DOING THIS.
UH, GREAT ASSOCIATIONS THERE NEXT TO THE UNIVERSITY.
AND AS AN AVID FOSSIL HUNTER, I'M PARTIC PARTICULARLY HAPPY TO SEE THIS.
AND I, I DO HAVE TO SAY THAT, UH, WE HAVE SEVERAL TIMES HAD APPLICATIONS LIKE THIS AND I HAVE TO ASK, WHY ISN'T THIS ALREADY
IT'S IN WONDERFUL SHAPE AND I THINK THE OWNERS, UH, WILL CERTAINLY CONTINUE TO TAKE GOOD CARE OF IT.
UH, I THINK IT VERY MUCH DESERVES THIS RECOGNITION, SO I CERTAINLY WILL VOTE IN FAVOR, UH, ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS? ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? OKAY, HEARING NONE, I WILL CALL THE QUESTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE, UH, MOTION AS DISCUSSED UNDER ARCHITECTURE, HISTORIC ASSOCIATION AND COMMUNITY VALUE.
UH, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND AND THERE ARE UNOPPOSED.
[6. C14H-2024-0154 – 1304 Guadalupe St.]
IS ITEM NUMBER SIX AT 1304 GUADALUPE STREET.UH, AGAIN, AN OWNER INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING.
ALRIGHT, SHALL ONE MORE EASY ONE.
UH, THIS IS A HISTORIC ZONING, UH, INITIATED BY THE OWNER FOR THE ADAMS SCHOOL AT 1304 GUADALUPE STREET.
UM, THIS IS A STAFF RECOMMENDED ZONING CHANGE FROM DOWNTOWN MIXED USE TO DOWNTOWN MIXED USE, HISTORIC LANDMARK, COMBINING DISTRICT ZONING ON THE BASIS OF ARCHITECTURE, COMMUNITY VALUE, AND HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS.
THE ADAM SCHOOL, LET'S, EXCUSE ME,
[01:55:01]
LET'S CATCH UP WITH THE IMAGES AT THIS POINT.YEAH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND HAVE THOSE WHILE WE'RE, WHILE YOU'RE GIVING YOUR PRESENTATION.
GUADALUPE STREET IS A RARE, INTACT EXAMPLE OF EARLY AUSTIN FOLK ARCHITECTURE.
THE BUILDING USES FORMS AND ARCHITECTURAL PATTERNS REFLECTING LONGSTANDING VERNACULAR AND FOLK TRADITIONS, AND IT'S A RARE AND REMARKABLY INTACT 150 5-YEAR-OLD VERNACULAR STRUCTURE.
IT IS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF THE SIMPLICITY OF EARLY ARCHITECTURAL ENDEAVORS BUILT WITH LOCAL MATERIALS AND IT MAINTAINS ITS ORIGINAL FRAME CONSTRUCTION AND ITS ORIGINAL CONFIGURATION EXCEPT FOR A NARROW RUN ALONG THE BACK THOUGHT YOU BUILT, UH, IN THE THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN BUILT IN THE 1920S.
HERE WE SEE IN THE PHOTOS, UH, IT HAS A CENTRAL AREA AND THEN SMALLER ROOMS ON THE NORTH AND SOUTH ENDS OF THE STRUCTURE, WHICH COULD HAVE ACCOMMODATED A GATHERING AREA.
UM, AND TWO SMALL CLASSROOMS. 1304 GUADALUPE AND ITS NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR.
GUADALUPE HAVE BEEN INTERTWINED FOR OVER 140 YEARS.
1306 WAS DESIGNATED, UH, BY THIS COMMISSION IN SEPTEMBER, 2023 AS A HISTORIC LANDMARK.
THIS SMALL FRAME BUILDING AT 1304 WAS CONSTRUCTED AROUND 1877 AND ITS ORIGINAL USE WAS AS A PRIVATE SCHOOL RUN BY THERESA ADAM, DAUGHTER OF GERMAN IMMIGRANT AUGUSTA ADAM.
THE HISTORIC ZONING APPLICATION, UH, BY, UH, APPLICANT.
COLETTE BELL DESCRIBES THIS LOT'S UNIQUE HISTORY.
AUGUSTA ADAM WAS A GERMAN IMMIGRANT WHO REACHED TEXAS BY WAY OF INDIANOLA.
SHE WAS FROM A WEALTHY GERMAN FAMILY, DECIMATED BY ECONOMIC LOSSES AND WAR WITH PRUSSIA.
HER HUSBAND, FATHER, AND BROTHERS WERE KILLED IN THE WAR.
SO SHE JOINED SOME 1 MILLION GERMANS WHO IMMIGRATED TO AMERICA DURING THE 1850S WITH HER WERE HER TWO YOUNG DAUGHTERS, MARY AND THERESA.
BETWEEN 1850 AND 1860, THE POPULATION OF AUSTIN INCREASED FROM 629 TO 33,494.
UM, AND MRS. ADAMS USED A PORTION OF THE PROCEEDS FROM WHAT REMAINED OF HER VALUABLES TO PURCHASE LOT FIVE AND SIX OF THE ORIGINAL CITY OF AUSTIN.
IN SEPTEMBER OF 1876, LOT FIVE WAS SOLD TO THERESA ADAM, UH, WHO WAS AUGUSTA'S UNMARRIED GRANDDAUGHTER.
THE FRAME HOUSE CONSTRUCTED ON THE SOUTH END OF LOT FIVE BECAME ADAM'S SCHOOL, UH, WHERE THERESA ADAM ZILLER TAUGHT FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
UM, AND THIS WAS AN EARLY EXAMPLE OF A WOMAN OWNED AND ESTABLISHED BUSINESS IN AUSTIN, 1304.
GUADALUPE IS PART OF A DUO OF VERNACULAR BUILDINGS FROM THE 1860S AND SEVENTIES.
AND THEIR ENTWINED HISTORIES ARE INEXTRICABLY TIED TO THE ADAM FAMILY.
THIS PORTION OF WOMEN'S HISTORY AND GERMAN HISTORY IN AUSTIN.
THE TWIN STRUCTURES AND THEIR LEGACY OF ENTERPRISING WOMEN HAVE ANCHORED THE CORNER OF GUADALUPE IN 14TH STREETS FOR MORE THAN 140 YEARS.
IT WAS UNUSUAL IN THE MID 19TH CENTURY FOR WOMEN TO IMMIGRATE ALONE AND TO START A NEW LIFE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES.
AND AUGUSTA ADAMS DID JUST THAT.
HER DAUGHTER, THERESA ADAM ZILLER, CARRIED ON HER SPIRIT OF BOLDNESS BY PURCHASING PROPERTY IN HER OWN RIGHT AND STARTING HER OWN BUSINESS, WHICH WAS ANOTHER RARITY FOR WOMEN IN THE 1870S.
THIS BUILDING RETAINS HIGH INTEGRITY.
UH, THE FEW MAJOR EXTERIOR CHANGES OCCURRED WELL WITHIN THE PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE AND DO NOT AFFECT THE MAIN ELEVATION AT ALL.
UM, THUS, STAFF IS HAPPY TO SUPPORT, UH, THIS RECOMMENDATION FOR HISTORIC ZONING.
UM, AS A REMINDER, NO FURTHER APPLICANT PRESENTATION IS REQUIRED FOR OWNER INITIATED HISTORIC ZONING REQUESTS.
UM, BUT NONETHELESS, THE OWNERS ARE HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, UM, ABOUT THIS REMARKABLE STRUCTURE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? ALRIGHT, WELL, LET'S INVITE THE, UH, OWNERS TO COME AND INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND SPEAK ON THEIR BEHALF.
UH, CHAIRMAN HEIM STAFF AND, AND MEMBERS OF THE, UH, HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION.
I'M GONNA MAKE THIS VERY BRIEF.
I KNOW Y'ALL HAVE BEEN THROUGH A LOT ALREADY TONIGHT, AND YOU HAVE A LOT MORE TO GO, BUT I, I JUST WANTED TO SAY HOW THRILLED WE ARE TO FINALLY, UH, BE ASKING FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION OF THIS LITTLE JEWEL THAT IS, SITS JUST A BLOCK FROM THE CAPITOL.
AND, AND FOR THE RECORD, WE'LL JUST HAVE YOU SAY YOUR NAME FOR THE, IN THE MICROPHONE.
MY HUSBAND JIM RAY AND I ACQUIRED THIS BUILDING ABOUT 30 YEARS AGO.
AND, UH, WE HAVE MAINTAINED IT EVER SINCE.
WE SPENT QUITE A BIT OF MONEY INITIALLY TRYING TO PUT IT BACK TO ITS FORMER GLORY.
UH, THEY HAD DONE DROP DOWN ACOUSTICAL TILE CEILINGS WHEN THERE WAS THIS BEAUTIFUL 12 FOOT CEILING THAT HAD HAD, UH, THAT IT HAD 10 TYPE ACROSS IT AND ALL.
IT WAS JUST ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS.
THE FLOOR GUY WHO RESTORED PART OF THE FLOOR FOR US, HE TOOK FLOORING FROM THE CLOSET AREAS AND INTERWOVE IT, UH, IN THE FLOORING WHERE THERE HAD BEEN, UH, A FIRE.
THE RECEPTION AREA DOES NOT HAVE THE ORIGINAL FLOORING, BUT THE REST OF THE BUILDING HAS THE ORIGINAL FLOORING, LITTLE NARROW
[02:00:01]
STRIPS.AND THE FLOOR GUY TOLD ME THERE WERE AT LEAST SIX KINDS OF WOOD THERE.
THERE WAS WHITE OAK, RED OAK, UH, THERE WAS, UH, WALNUT CHERRY.
IT WAS JUST, IT WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.
IT LOOKS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL.
IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, IT LOOKS BLONDE AND, AND LOVELY, BUT IT'S, IT'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF WOOD.
AND, UH, SO THE CEILINGS, THE FLOORS, THE, THE WALL STUDS WERE AMAZING.
WE HAVE PICTURES THAT I STILL HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO LOCATE THEM, BUT WHEN WE TORE IT DOWN TO THE STUDS
SO ONE SIDE WOULD BE SHEARED STRAIGHT WOOD, AND THE OTHER SIDE WOULD HAVE BARK ON IT.
IT WAS JUST, IT WAS SO FASCINATING.
IT WAS REALLY A WONDERFUL THING TO DO.
AND WE, WE WERE ABLE TO PUT AN ANTIQUE BUFFET, UH, INTO THE BATHROOM, THE LITTLE BATHROOM THERE, AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET, UM, THEY HAD PUT HOLLOW CORE DOORS INTO THE OFFICES AND WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE THOSE OUT AND GO TO MY GRANDMOTHER'S FARM OUTSIDE OF ELGIN AND GET SOLID WOOD DOORS THAT WERE FROM THE SAME ERA, THE 18, LATE 18 HUNDREDS.
AND, UH, THE TRANSOMS THAT WENT WITH THOSE DOORS.
AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO PUT SOLID WOOD DOORS AND THE TRANSOMS, UH, ENTERING INTO THE, ALL THE OFFICES.
IT'S JUST A, JUST A REALLY SWEET LITTLE JEWEL SITTING A BLOCK FROM THE CAPITAL.
SO THANK YOU FOR SO MUCH FOR CONSIDERING IT.
AND, UH, WE APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION.
WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE, UH, ALL YOU, YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND HAVE BEEN DOING.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS? OKAY.
UM, ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? ALRIGHT, HEARING NONE.
NOW, I TELL YOU WHAT WE HAVE HAD, UH, VIRTUAL, UH, PARTICIPANTS, AND I KNOW YOU GUYS SOMETIMES GET A LITTLE BIT OF A DELAY.
SO I'M, I'M GOING TO THROW IT BACK TO YOU ALL, UH, AT HOME IF YOU ARE INCLINED TO, UH, CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND POSSIBLY GIVE US A MOTION ON THIS ITEM.
AYE, I'D LIKE TO, I MOVE THAT WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND INITIATE, OR, UM, WELL, LET'S JUST START WITH CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
'CAUSE THEY MAKE US DO THAT FIRST.
UH, IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER GROGAN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SECOND MY SECOND THOUGHT? ALRIGHT.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING FROM, UH, COMMISSIONER DUDLEY, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GROGAN.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
AND, UH, COMMISSIONER DUDLEY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? YES, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE, UM, SORRY, I JUST LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT.
UH, APPROVE HISTORIC ZONING FOR THIS PROPERTY FOR ITS, UM, ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS.
UH, AND, UH, COMMISSIONER GROGAN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SECOND? I WILL SECOND THAT.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, UH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MOTION? UH, NO, THIS IS GREAT.
I MEAN, THE NUMBER OF TIMES I'VE DRIVEN DOWN THIS STRUCTURE AND ITS TWIN AND HAD NO IDEA OF THE HISTORY, AND ITS, ITS NICE TO LEARN ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE BACKGROUND OF THESE LITTLE JEWELS THAT WE HAVE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT.
UM, AND IT, I THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY, UM, TIMELY AND, AND JUST ABOUT TIME THAT THIS PROPERTY ALSO BE DESIGNATED ALONG WITH ITS NEIGHBOR AND I THINK THE CURRENT OWNERS FOR THEIR CARE, UM, AND PRESERVATION OF THIS PARTICULAR STRUCTURE.
AND, AND AGAIN, JUST WANT TO THANK THE OWNERS FOR, UM, BEING SUCH GOOD STEWARDS OF THIS PROPERTY AND, UH, APPLYING FOR THIS OF THE, THIS HISTORICAL ZONING.
UH, JUST REAL QUICK, THANK YOU AGAIN.
UM, I HAVE SAID STEWARD STEWARDSHIP THOUSANDS OF TIMES UP HERE.
SO IT'S PEOPLE LIKE YOU THAT REALLY KEEP AUSTIN, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE PIECE OF THAT HISTORY THERE.
SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR ALL THE HARD WORK, SWEAT EQUITY, YOU KNOW, BLOOD, SWEAT, TEARS, MONEY, EVERYTHING YOU PUT INTO IT TO GET THIS FAR.
UM, AND I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, ALSO REMIND YOU TALK TO YOUR NEIGHBORS.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW THEY'RE, EVERYONE'S SCARED OF HISTORIC ZONING, BUT THERE'S, THERE'S BENEFITS THERE.
UM, EDUCATION IS THE ONLY WAY WITH OWNER SUPPORT THAT WE CAN REALLY SAVE A LOT OF THESE PROPERTIES.
AND, UH, WE'RE ALREADY LOSING THEM.
WE'RE, YOU KNOW, CASE TODAY JUST CAME UP ON WEST 11TH STREET, SO THIS DISTRICT WILL CONTINUE TO, UH, TO GO AWAY AND, UH, YOU KNOW, BE ENDANGERED.
SO THANK YOU FOR STOPPING A LITTLE PIECE OF IT.
UH, BUT YEAH, SHARE IT WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? JUST WANTED TO NOTE, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE ON GUADALUPE,
[02:05:01]
ONE OF OUR MOST HEAVILY TRAFFICKED CORRIDORS.IT'S REALLY, REALLY RARE TO HAVE LANDMARKS ON THESE.
UM, SO IT'S ESPECIALLY NICE AND BEING SO CLOSE TO THE CAPITOL SO YOU CAN GET A SENSE OF, UH, WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD USED TO BE LIKE AROUND THE CAPITOL WHEN IT WAS, WHEN IT RULED THE ROOST.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I'LL JUST HAVE TO ADD MY COMMENT FROM THE LAST ONE AS WELL.
HOW IS IT THAT THIS IS NOT ALREADY THERE?
WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOUR GOOD WORK.
ALRIGHT, UH, COMMISSIONERS, UH, WE HAVE A MOTION, UH, I WILL SAY, I UNDERSTAND IT WAS ALSO, UH, COMMISSIONER DUDLEY TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, UH, TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING.
AND COMMISSIONER GROGAN, I BELIEVE THAT WAS, UH, YOUR INTENT AS WELL.
ALRIGHT, SO WE HAVE YES, MOTION TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING AND APPROVE TO RECOMMEND HISTORIC BROING UH, ZONING BASED UPON THE CRITERIA OF ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORIC ASSOCIATION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, UH, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
ALRIGHT, I SEE ALL HANDS RAISED, SO IT IS UNANIMOUS.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
SORRY, I'D LIKE TO INTERRUPT BEFORE WE GET TOO FAR.
UH, JUST WANTED TO ASK, WE HAVE SOMEBODY HERE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO MISSED OUT ON PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS, WANTED TO ASK IF YOU WANTED TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS FOR A HEARING.
UH, OR IF YOU'D LIKE TO ASK THEM TO RETURN NEXT MONTH FOR, UH, HEARING ABOUT THE, UH, NORWOOD REVIVAL NORWOOD ALLIANCE.
UM, CONSIDERING WHAT WE STILL HAVE COMMISSIONERS, UH, WE CAN REOPEN THE PUBLIC COMMUNICATION AND, UH, TAKE THAT OUT OF ORDER IF YOU ARE SO INCLINED.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, UH, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL (Part 2 of 2)]
THANK YOU FOR COMING.UH, AND OUR SPEAKER, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING THIS EXCEPTION, UH, PARTICULARLY SAM, WE'RE SO HAPPY TO SEE YOUR EMAIL COME THROUGH.
MY NAME IS MARLENE AND I AM A MEMBER OF A REVIVED NORWOOD ALLIANCE.
IF THAT NAME SOUNDS A LITTLE BIT FAMILIAR TO YOU, IT IS BECAUSE WE ARE PART OF A FOUR DECADE FIGHT TO BRING THE NORWOOD ESTATE TO THE CITIZENS, TOURISTS, AND BUSINESSES OF AUSTIN, TEXAS.
THIS COMMITTEE ACTUALLY PLAYED A PRETTY IMPORTANT PART AS RECENTLY AS JUNE OF 2020 IN GRANTING A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS.
THE PROJECT ITSELF, AFTER MORE THAN 40 YEARS OF BEING NEGLECTED, HAD REACHED A POINT WHERE IT WAS SHOVEL READY, PARTIALLY FUNDED, AND FULLY PERMITTED.
AND AT THAT POINT, WE UNFORTUNATELY RAN INTO THE PANDEMIC, UH, DECEMBER, 2022, WE WERE LOOKING AT WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE CENTENNIAL OF THIS BEAUTIFUL PROPERTY THAT'S TRULY JUST A JEWEL OVERLOOKING LADY BIRD LAKE.
BUT ALL CONSTRUCTION CAME TO A HALT.
AS WE'VE CONTINUED TO FIGHT, WE DO APPRECIATE THE RESOURCES AND EFFORTS THAT YOU HAVE LENT TO US THAT ACTUALLY DOES INCLUDE PART.
I AM SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU, KIM
UH, BUT BECAUSE THIS PROJECT IS POTENTIALLY FACING A DEMOLITION, UM, DESPITE THE HIGH POINT THAT WAS BEING SHOVEL READY, WE ARE URGENTLY ASKING FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN EXPLORING ALL POSSIBLE VENUES BEFORE THIS PROJECT.
THIS VENUE IS LOST TO AUSTIN FOR ALL TIME.
I WANTED TO KEEP IT A LITTLE BIT SHORT, BUT WE HAVE SO MUCH MORE INFORMATION TO SHARE.
SO OUR GROUP, THE REVIVE NORWOOD ALLIANCE, HAS PRINTED NOTE CARDS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT WOULD HELP YOU LEARN MORE AND GET IN TOUCH WITH US.
WE WOULD LOVE TO SET ASIDE TIME TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR THIS.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR MAKING USE OF THE PUBLIC COMMUNICATION TO ALERT US AND TO RAISE THE PROFILE OF A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT LANDMARK.
AND ONE THAT HAS FACED A LOT OF MORE CHALLENGES THAN ANYBODY COULD HAVE IMAGINED.
IT CERTAINLY HAS AND, AND MANY, MANY FALL, UH, UH, UH, ALMOST.
BUT FALTERED ATTEMPT TO BRING IT BACK TO ITS, ITS, UH, REALLY WONDERFUL STATUS AS, UM, I'M, I'M NOT THE ONE WHO HAS SAID THIS ORIGINALLY, BUT, UM, IT HAS BEEN MORE THAN ONCE, UH, BEEN INDICATED TO ME THAT THAT IS BY FAR THE
[02:10:01]
PREMIER BUNGALOW IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.I COULD REALLY NERD OUT ABOUT THE BEAUTY OF IT TO SEE THE HISTORICAL IMAGES AND IF WE COULD RESTORE OR RATHER REVIVE IT TO JUST A FRACTION OF WHAT IT HAS BEEN, AUSTIN WOULD BE SO LUCKY WITH SOME OF ITS LANDSCAPE AS WELL.
AND, AND, UH, JUST TO FINISH THE STORY, THE FIRST PERSON WHO TOLD ME THAT WAS, UH, UH, STAFF MEMBER, FORMER STAFF MEMBER FROM MANY YEARS AGO, BETTY BAKER.
UH, WHO KNOCKED ON MY DOOR AS THE NEW OWNER OKAY.
OF WHAT BECAME THE BAILEY HOUSTON HOUSE.
AND TO HER VERY LAST DAYS, BETTY BAKER WOULD'VE TOLD YOU THAT THE BAILEY HOUSTON HOUSE, WHICH MY WIFE AND I PROUDLY OWNED AND RESTORED OVER 20 YEARS.
UH, WE'VE PASSED IT ON SINCE THEN TO MORE DESERVING CRE, VERY DESERVING OWNERS.
BUT, UH, SHE WOULD'VE TOLD YOU THAT THE BAILEY HOUSTON WAS ONLY THE SECOND MOST PREMIER BUNGALOW IN THE CITY.
UH, BUT IT WAS THE FIRST THAT WAS DESIGNATED A HISTORIC LANDMARK.
SO, UH, THE NORWOOD HOUSE HAS BEEN WAITING EVER SINCE.
I AM VERY HAPPY TO KNOW THAT YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THIS.
AND YEAH, WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT DOESN'T FALL FROM THE PUBLIC CONSCIOUSNESS.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US EVEN LAST MINUTE TO TAKE THE TIME TO SPEAK WITH YOU ALL.
WELL, VERY IMPORTANT EFFORT AND WE APPLAUD YOUR EFFORTS.
AND LET'S SEE IF WE CAN DO WHAT FINALLY GET THIS THING OVER THE FINISH LINE.
IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN IN THE, UH, IN THE RED, RED ZONE, UH, FOR, FOR TWO OR THREE TIMES.
IT WAS VERY CLOSE, BUT WE JUST CAN'T QUITE SEEM TO GET IT ACROSS THE GOAL LINE.
SO LET'S SEE IF WE CAN DO IT THIS TIME.
AND MAY I PASS OUT THESE? PLEASE FEEL FREE.
YOU KNOW, THE CITY WEBSITE SAYS THAT THERE'S A PAR REASSESSMENT.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH HAPPENING IN WINTER 24.
SUPPOSEDLY PARD ENGAGE WITH CITY COUNCIL.
WHAT DO WE KNOW? UM, IS ANYTHING HAPPENING? YES.
SO, UM, FOR QUITE SOME TIME, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, IT, IT, YOU DID RECEIVE, UM, A COMMUNICATION FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT BACK IN JANUARY.
WE SORT OF SIGNALED THAT THE PROJECT IS IN, IS IN TROUBLE.
UH, UH, THE, AS THE WEBSITE SAYS, IT'S PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE.
BUT THE SECOND PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE HOUSE, UH, WAS, WAS TERMINATED.
AND SO WE WERE LEFT IN A PRETTY PRECARIOUS POSITION AT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WITHOUT A NONPROFIT PARTNER TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT, WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FULLY FUNDED AND FULLY MANAGED AND FULLY OPERATED BY A NONPROFIT PARTNER.
THERE WAS SOME LIMITED PUBLIC FUNDING THAT, UM, WAS, UH, A MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND, AS WELL AS 2 MILLION FROM THE 2018 GENERAL OBLIGATION FUND.
THOSE FUNDS HAVE BEEN REASSIGNED TO PROJECTS THAT WERE ACTIVE AND IN NEED.
UM, IF YOU'RE WORKING IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR, UM, YOU'LL UNDERSTAND THAT ALMOST ALL OF OUR PROJECTS THAT STARTED BEFORE THE PANDEMIC ARE SEVERELY UNDERFUNDED.
AND WE HAD PROJECTS INCLUDING THE BARTON SPRINGS BATH HOUSE, WHICH IS, UM, A PROJECT THAT, UH, THE, THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND, UH, FUNDING WENT TO, AS WELL AS PROJECTS THAT GIVENS REC CENTER THAT ARE GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND FUNDED.
SO ACTIVE PROJECTS, UNDERFUNDED, READY TO GO.
UM, THIS PROJECT COULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN OFF THE GROUND, UM, AT, WITH A, EVEN WITH THE LIMITED PUBLIC FUNDING THAT EXISTED, UM, BEFORE I LEFT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT LAST WEEK, UM, I'VE LEFT, UH, WHAT I'M EXPECTING IS YOU'LL SEE, UM, A FAIRLY COMPREHENSIVE REPORT THAT WILL BE COMING FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT THAT PROVIDES A FULL BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT, THE HISTORY, THE TIMELINE, AS WELL AS SEVERAL OPTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION.
DEMOLITION IS ONE OF THEM AS IS RECONSTRUCTION.
UM, AND THERE IS, UM, SOME OTHER OPTIONS THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO READ.
I DON'T WANNA SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT BECAUSE I'M NOT THERE, BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT ALL OF THE, THE REPORT PLUS A MEMO IS IN REVIEW.
THE RECOMMENDATION, UM, AND I THINK IT'LL BE SOME VERSION OF THIS, WOULD BE THAT WE WOULD PUBLISH THE REPORT, HOLD A PUBLIC MEETING, LIKE A VIRTUAL MEETING, UM, SO THAT WE COULD SHARE THE FINDINGS WITH THE PUBLIC, INCLUDING THE REVIVE NORWOOD ALLIANCE, THE, THE SOUTH RIVER CITY NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, THE SOUTH RIVER CITY CITIZENS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, ALL OF THE PRESERVATION AND PARK ADVOCACY GROUPS TO, WE REALLY NEED EVERYONE TO HAVE A THOROUGH UNDERSTANDING, NOT JUST OF THE PROJECT, BUT ABOUT THE SERIOUS CONTEXTUAL CHANGES OF THE SITE.
WE'VE GOT MAJOR TRANSIT AND TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS ON TWO SIDES OF THE PROJECT, AS WELL AS EXTREME COST ESCALATIONS.
AND THE REPORT DOES LAY THAT OUT.
UM, IT WOULD BE OUR INTENTION, AT LEAST MY RECOMMENDATION, AND, AND IT'S SOMETHING I, I THINK SHOULD, WILL HAPPEN,
[02:15:01]
IS THAT A BRIEFING WILL COME TO THIS BODY AS WELL AS TO THE PARKS BOARD AND OTHER COMMISSIONS.UM, AT THAT POINT, UM, YOU KNOW, RECOMMENDATION, IT, IT, IT'S ULTIMATELY A POLICY DECISION.
AND SO, UM, THE, THE ONLY THING WE HAVE IS AN AGREEMENT FROM 2013 THAT COUNCIL, UH, SUPPORTED TO PROVIDE FOR A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP COUNCIL SUPPORTED THIS PROJECT ON THE PREMISE THAT IT WOULD BE PRIVATELY FUNDED, PRIVATELY MANAGED, AND PRIVATELY OPERATED.
SO, UM, WE'RE WORKING THROUGH IT AND I THINK WE'VE DONE A GOOD JOB AS A TEAM OF TRYING TO STAY IN COMMUNICATION WITH OUR PARTNERS.
WE'VE GOT A VERY POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ADVOCATES, VERY SYMPATHETIC, UM, BUT ALSO NEED TO JUST COME OUT THERE WITH THE FULL STORY.
AND, UM, MY GOAL IS THAT WE'RE NOT SITTING HERE TALKING ABOUT THIS.
IT'S BEEN 40 YEARS, UM, THAT THAT PROJECT HAS BEEN, UM, SITTING THERE SINCE THE EARLY EIGHTIES.
SO IT'S BEEN A VERY LONG TIME.
AND PARKS DEPARTMENT CAN'T CONTINUE LIKE THIS.
IN DEPTH, UM, INFORMATION, INFORMATION, IT'S, UH, IT'S FRUSTRATING.
IT'S PROJECTS LIKE THESE THAT THE CITIZENS AND COMMUNITY HAVE SUCH A LACK OF DISTRUST AND WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S EVEN MORE FRUSTRATING WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE LOGISTICS OF IT AND THE RELATIONSHIPS.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE SIT HERE AND WE HAVE ALL THESE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THESE NONPROFIT PARTNERS.
UH, THEY ARE MAKING A LOT OF MONEY FROM THESE PROJECTS AND I KNOW THAT THEY'RE WELL UNDER SCRUTINY WITH AUDIT, YOU KNOW, CONCERNS AND ALL THAT.
BUT IT'S FRUSTRATING BECAUSE WE'RE, WHEN WE ASK FOR HELP FROM THOSE PARTNERS AND SAY, HEY, WE'RE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO HELP US DO THIS.
THIS IS OUR SECOND FEASIBILITY STUDY, OR SECOND, YOU KNOW, PLAN THAT WE'RE COMING UP WITH THE COMMUNITY AND NOTHING'S HAPPENING.
AND THEN WE GET TO THE POINT WHERE NOW AS THE OWNER, WE WANT TO SAY, WELL, ACTUALLY WE MIGHT WANNA DEMOLISH THIS BECAUSE OF ITS CONDITION AND OTHER THING, OTHER THINGS.
SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING.
CONCERNING, I WAS WONDERING WHEN THIS WOULD COME BACK TO THE COMMISSION.
UM, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT FULL CONVERSATION WHEN THAT HAPPENS.
'CAUSE THERE'S THE, THE, THE SLOW, THE SLOWNESS OF THIS AND, AND YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE JUST WENT THROUGH GRANTS, RIGHT? UM, WHAT COULD WE HAVE DONE? WHAT SHOULD WE HAVE RECOMMENDED TO CITY COUNCIL INSTEAD? NOW WE'RE A WHOLE NOTHER YEAR PROBABLY OF WAITING BEFORE ANYTHING HAPPENS OR FUNDING GETS APPROVED.
SO, UH, I'M JUST EXPRESSING FRUSTRATIONS.
UM, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND, AND THE COMMUNITY AND KEEPING THEM, YOU KNOW, INFORMED TOO.
OKAY, COMMISSIONERS, THAT WAS, UH, A DEVIATION FROM OUR AGENDA, BUT, UH, AGAIN, I THINK BRINGING UP A VERY IMPORTANT ITEM.
SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT TO OUR ATTENTION.
[Items 11 & 12]
THE NEXT ITEM, ITEM NUMBER 11, UH, AND ITEM NUMBER 12.AND, UH, IF I CAN GET A MOTION, WE CAN HAVE BOTH OF THESE TAKEN UP TOGETHER AND PRESENTED TOGETHER SINCE THEY'RE RELATED.
MOVED AND SECONDED TO TAKE ITEMS NUMBER 1130, UH, THREE 12 AND A HALF CONGRESS AVENUE AND ITEM 12, 3, 10, 12 AND A HALF CONGRESS AVENUE.
THE SIGN, UH, ITEMS IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT TOGETHER, UH, THOSE, UH, AGREE.
PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND I'M SEEING ALL HANDS RAISE IS UNANIMOUS.
THE, UH, PROPOSAL IS TO INSTALL SEVERAL TYPES OF SIGNAGE ON A CONTRIBUTING BUILDING, UH, TO THE CONGRESS AVENUE, UH, HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UH, THESE SIGNAGE INCLUDE A CABINET SIGN, UH, ABOVE THE GROUND FLOOR BETWEEN MEDALLIONS, A BLADE SIGN AT GROUND LEVEL, UH, UH, AT, AT THE GROUND LEVEL, EXCUSE ME, VINYL SIGNAGE ATTACHED TO ALL SECOND FLOOR WINDOWS AND VINYL SIGNAGE ATTACHED TO STOREFRONT AND TRANSOM WINDOWS ON ONE BAY OF THE GROUND FLOOR.
THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN HISTORIC SURVEY CALLS THE BUILDING AT THREE 10 TO THREE 12 CONGRESS AVENUE IN ITALIANATE COMMERCIAL STRUCTURE AND PART OF A TWO PART COMMERCIAL BLOCK.
THE DESIGN IS SIMPLE AND STRAIGHTFORWARD WITH FACADE SPLIT INTO THREE BAYS.
THE MIDDLE BAY SERVES AS A RECESSED ENTRY WITH LARGE GLAZE STOREFRONT WINDOWS ON EITHER SIDE.
AND CAN WE, CAN WE SEE THE, THE IMAGES? MM-HMM.
UM, ABOVE THE SECOND FLOOR FEATURES THREE LARGE FOUR OVER FOUR WINDOWS THAT APPEAR TO BE OPERABLE AND LIKELY EITHER ORIGINAL OR BASED HEAVILY ON AN ORIGINAL DESIGN.
THE CORNICE LINE FEATURES MODEST DENTALS AND, UH, BRICK PATTERNS THAT VARY SLIGHTLY FROM THE, UH, VARY SLIGHTLY, UH, THAT VARY SLIGHTLY PROJECT FROM THE REST OF THE FACADE BELOW BETWEEN THE TWO FLOORS.
METAL MEDALLIONS AND THE SHAPE OF, OF LION'S HEADS ARE PRESENT THAT MAY HAVE PREVIOUSLY ANCHORED AN AWNING OR SIDEWALK COVERING THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SIGNAGE GUIDELINES ARE USED TO EVALUATE PROJECTS WITHIN, UH, THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UM, AND THE PROPERTY, THE PROJECT MEETS SOME OF THE, UH, APPLICABLE STANDARDS.
UH, THE COMMITTEE FEEDBACK FROM THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, UH, CALLED TO ELIMINATE THE WINDOW SIGNAGE AS WELL AS EITHER THE BLADE OR CABINET SIGN.
ALSO FOR THE APPLICANT TO SUBMIT MORE DETAILS CONSIDERING HOW THE SIGN WILL BE ANCHORED INTO THE HISTORIC MASONRY, WHICH IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO BE INSTALLED AT MORTAR JOINTS.
[02:20:01]
RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE AN APPLICATION THAT PROPOSES ONE OF EITHER THE CABINET OR THE BLADE SIGN WITH THE WINDOW SIGNAGE REMOVED FROM THE SCOPE.UH, STRONGLY ENCOURAGE ALSO TO STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THE APPLICANT TO PROVIDE DETAIL SHOWING THE SIGN ANCHORING INTO MORTAR RATHER THAN BRICK.
UH, THIS PROPERTY THREE 12, IS THIS SEPARATE FROM THREE 10 AND THREE 14 OR IS IT, ARE THOSE CONSIDERED PART OF THE PROPERTY AS WELL? HOW IS THIS KIND OF PLANTED? DO YOU KNOW? UH, NOT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
BUT THE APPLICATION IS ONLY FOR THE THREE 12 SIGN, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND THE FIRST AND SECOND FLOOR ARE TO BE OCCUPIED BY THE SAME COMPANY? THE SAME COMPANY.
MY UNDERSTANDING FROM A SEPARATE, UM, APPLICATION FOR, UM, THE INTERIOR FINISH OUT IS THAT THE, UM, PROPOSED, UH, UM, TENANT WOULD ONLY BE ON THE FIRST FLOOR, BUT I WOULD NEED TO CHECK ON THAT AS WELL.
THE REASON WHY I ASK IS BECAUSE THE GUIDELINES SAY THE COMMISSION ALLOWS ONE SIGN PER BUILDING UNLESS THE BUILDING HAS MULTIPLE TENANTS.
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE ALLOWED.
IF, IF THIS IS ONE BUILDING BY ITSELF.
AND I MEAN, REGARDLESS IF IT'S MULTIPLE LOTS, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN SIGNS, YOU KNOW, BUT THIS, THIS APPLICATION IS FOR LIKE FOUR SIGNS, YOU KNOW, SO MM-HMM,
UH, IT'S NOT MY UNDERSTANDING.
THERE IS A UPSTAIRS AND DOWNSTAIRS TENANT AT THIS TIME.
THE, THE MOUNTING DETAILS SHOWN IN BACKUP WAS THAT SINCE OUR LAST MEETING, THAT HAS NOT BEEN ALTERED SINCE THE LAST MEETING.
UM, UM, BECAUSE IT CLEARLY SAYS MOUNT INTO SOLID BRICK AND THE GUIDELINES CLEARLY SAY NOT TO DAMAGE HISTORIC MATERIALS.
SO THAT IS A NO GO, BUT, OKAY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS STEP? ALRIGHT.
UM, IS THE APPLICANT HERE, IS THERE ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS REQUEST? ALRIGHT.
AND I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANYBODY ON LINE ON THIS ONE.
IS THERE ANYBODY HERE SPEAK, UH, IN, IN OPPOSITION? HEARING NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING? UH, IT'S BEEN MOVED.
SECOND, RAISE YOUR HAND AND ANY OPPOSED? I DON'T SEE ANY OPPOSED, UH, COMMISSIONER EVANS, DID YOU HAVE YOUR HANDS RAISED? MM-HMM?
ALRIGHT, UM, COMMISSIONERS, UH, THIS WAS POSTPONED FROM OUR OCTOBER MEETING.
THIS, I BELIEVE DID GO TO THE, UH, A RC, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
BUT THEY DIDN'T SHOW UP TO, YEAH, THEY DIDN'T SHOW UP.
BUT I UNDERSTAND STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO ALLOW ONE OR THE OTHER WITH THE CAVEAT OF SPECIFICALLY WITH DETAILS, UH, SHOWING ANCHORING INTO THE MORTAR RATHER THAN BRICK.
UM, BUT WE ARE READY FOR A MOTION STAFF.
WHAT'S, WHAT'S TIMING ON THIS AND OUR OPTIONS SINCE THIS IS TECHNICALLY NOT A CERTIFICATE OF, OF APPROPRIATENESS THAT WE CAN'T DENY IT, CORRECT? NO, SOMETIMES MY BRAIN GETS JUMBLED PASTS PAST EIGHT O'CLOCK
IT'S NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT APPLICATION.
WELL, ACTUALLY THIS IS A SIGN APPLICATION, WHICH IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
UM, YOU GUYS DO HAVE A PROOF DENY AUTHORITY OVER SIGNS, UM, IN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS, CITY LANDMARKS, AND LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
SO, UM, JUST TO THROW A FURTHER WRENCH IN THERE, UM, THIS ONE IS, IS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT, TOTALLY DIFFERENT.
SO WE COULD DENY THIS, WE COULD DENY SIGNS.
WELL, AND AS FOR THE REVIEW PERIOD, YOU HAVE, UH, ONE MORE COMMISSION, THE DECEMBER COMMISSION TO UH, TO TAKE AN ACTION.
UM, I MEAN, WE'VE ALREADY POSTPONED THIS A RC I'M GONNA MOVE TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND NO, DO I NEED TO RE-UP THE PUBLIC HEARING? I WANNA DENY THIS IF YOU WANNA DENY IT, BUT IF YOU WANNA POSTPONE IT, THEN OKAY.
I MOVE TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND DENY THIS APPLICATION.
UH, THE MOTION IS TO OPEN THE REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND TO, UH, DENY BOTH, UH, APPLICATIONS.
UH, IS THERE A DISCUSSION? YEAH, YOU KNOW THIS, OH WAIT, I'M SORRY.
IS THERE A DISCUSSION? PLEASE? UH, THIS, I MEAN, OUR GUIDELINES ARE PRETTY CLEAR.
I THINK WE'VE BEEN FLEXIBLE IN SOME CASES IN THE PAST.
UH, BUT MY, MY BIG STICKLER, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT EVEN BOTHERED NECESSARILY BY THE, THE WINDOW SIGNS.
AND I, THAT WAS SOMETHING ELSE THAT STAFF SAID, HEY, SHOULD, LET'S, LET'S NEGOTIATE THAT.
RIGHT? BUT THE BLADE SIGN IS ACCEPTABLE.
THE OTHER SIGN THAT'S FACE MOUNTED, I THINK IS HIGHLY INAPPROPRIATE FOR THIS DISTRICT.
UH, I, YOU HAVE TO GO QUITE A FEW BUILDINGS TO GO FIND A HISTORIC BUILDING THAT HAS THAT FLUSH MOUNTED SIGN.
AND I DON'T THINK WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO ALLOW THOSE TO COME IN.
WE WE'RE ALLOWING THE BLADE SIGNS AND WE'RE ALLOWING CANOPY SIGNS TOTALLY APPROPRIATE.
[02:25:01]
THINK, UH, WE, WE SHOULD NOT APPROVE THIS AT ALL.IT, A LOT OF THE NEW CONSTRUCTION DOES HAVE FACE MOUNTED, BUT EVEN SOME NEW CONSTRUCTION, LIKE ON SECOND STREET I DROVE PAST TODAY, THEY HAVE CANOPY SIGNS.
THE, THE OWNER HASN'T BEEN HERE.
THEY DIDN'T COME TO A RC, THAT'S WHY I SAY REJECT.
UM, MR. COOK, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR SECOND? YEAH, THIS IS THE THIRD TIME WE'VE DISCUSSED IT WITHOUT THE APPLICANT HERE.
UH, BASED ON THAT DETAIL, I WOULDN'T WANT THE APPLICANT ANYWHERE NEAR A HISTORIC BUILDING MOUNTING THIS EITHER THE BLADE OR THE CABINET SIGN ONTO THE BUILDING.
I DON'T THINK THERE IS A WAY TO SAFELY MOUNT A BLADE SIGN DIRECTLY TO THAT BRICK IN A WAY THAT WOULDN'T ULTIMATELY DAMAGE ORIGINAL BRICK.
SO, UH, I THINK THEY JUST NEED TO RETHINK THEIR APPROACH AND MAYBE TALK TO SOMEONE WHO'S USED TO WORKING IN HISTORIC DISTRICTS AND HISTORIC BUILDINGS.
SO WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING THOUGH, FROM THE DISCUSSION, AND IF THIS CAN BE CONVEYED TO THE OWNER, UH, THEY WOULD BE REQUIRED, OR WE ARE ASKING THEM, IF WE TURN THIS DOWN, IF THIS MOTION PASSES, IF THEY STILL WANNA SIGN THAT THEY CAN START ALL OVER AGAIN AND THAT FROM THE DISCUSSION, THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO DISCERN THAT THE BLADE SIGN WERE IT INDICATED, UH, AS PROPERLY MOUNTED TO, UH, BE WITHIN THE SPACING, NOT THE ACTUAL, UH, IN, NOT WITHIN THE ACTUAL FABRIC OF THE BRICK.
THAT, UM, ESSENTIALLY A VARIATION OF WHAT THEY'VE APPLIED FOR PREVIOUSLY COULD BE APPROVED.
UH, I'M, I DON'T WANNA PUT WORDS IN ANYBODY'S MOUTH, BUT, UH, I'M WONDERING IF THAT IS THE BASIS OF EMOTION.
'CAUSE THAT'S PRETTY CLOSE TO STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.
I THINK THIS COMMISSION WOULD RATHER SEE RECONSTRUCTED CANOPIES OR AWNING IN, IN THIS AREA LOOKING AT REFERENCING HISTORIC PHOTOS WITH SIGNAGE THAT IS COMPLIMENTARY TO THIS.
THAT THAT'S HOW I FEEL ABOUT NOT CHANGING THE MOTION.
AND I, I QUESTION WHETHER A BLADE SIGN CAN BE MOUNTED IN THIS WAY.
SO MY CONCERN'S PRIMARY IS STRUCTURAL AND THERE'S BEEN THREE DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE APPLICANT TO CALL IN AND DISCUSS THIS AND CHANGE IT.
AND, UH, I, I'M NOT, I DON'T LIKE DEALING WITH SIGN STUFF ANYWAY BECAUSE THE STANDARDS ARE VERY CLEAR AND I DON'T WANT TO WASTE ANY MORE TIME PARSING SOMEONE'S APPLICATION WHEN THEY HAVEN'T BEEN HERE THREE DIFFERENT TIMES.
AND STAFF, UH, I DO HAVE A REQUEST THAT, UM, THAT'S INCLUDED IN THE MOTION.
UM, BECAUSE GENERALLY IF ANY KIND OF SIGN COMES, UM, TO OUR DESKS, UM, THAT COMPLIES WITH THE SIGN GUIDELINES, UM, WE ARE ABLE TO ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVE IT.
SO IF YOU GUYS WANT TO EXCLUDE, UM, THE APPROVAL OF A, UH, A BLADE SIGN OR ANY OTHER SIGN, UM, WITHOUT SPECIFIC CONDITIONS, UM, PLEASE INCLUDE THAT IN THE MOTIONS THAT WE KNOW TO LOOK OUT FOR IT WHEN A NEW APPLICATION COMES IN.
MAKER THE MOTION? I, I THINK, I THINK THEY'VE KIND OF, SOMEBODY WHO APPLIED FOR THIS SEEMS TO HAVE GONE AWOL AND I THINK, UH, IT'S DEFINITELY AN IMPORTANT, UH, IMPORTANT TO HAVE SOME LEVEL OF DIALOGUE WITH THEM.
SO NORMALLY I WOULD SAY THERE MIGHT BE SOME INDICATION THAT IF THIS WAS URGENT, WE COULD HELP AND WE'VE TAKEN TIME OUT OF OUR WORKDAY TO MAKE OURSELVES AVAILABLE TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION OF SOMEONE WHO'S ON THE CLOCK AND THEY DIDN'T SHOW OR CALL.
HIRE AN ARCHITECT, DO THE RESEARCH.
SO I GUESS, UM, WHAT I'M ASKING IS THAT, UH, COULD Y'ALL CLARIFY THAT WITHIN THE BODY OF THE MOTION, UM, TO SUGGEST THAT ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL FOR THIS PARTICULAR BUILDING AND FOR THIS PARTICULAR SIGN TYPE IS NOT GOING TO BE ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED? OH, YEAH.
I THINK, I THINK THE DISCUSSION SHOULD CERTAINLY REFLECT THAT AND WE COULD SEE IT IN OUR NEXT MINUTES IF THIS MOTION PASSES.
AND I'LL JUST NOTE FOR THE, FOR THE TEAM UP HERE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE CAN CLARIFY IN OUR, IN OUR WORKING DOCUMENT ON SIGNED GUIDELINE CHANGES, YOU KNOW, OF WHAT'S APPROPRIATE IN CERTAIN DISTRICTS MIGHT NOT BE APPROPRIATE IN DIFFERENT DISTRICTS.
SO I KNOW IT'S GETTING NITTY GRITTY ON OUR OPERATIONS TEAM, BUT IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING IT.
WE SHOULD LOOK AT THAT WHEN THE TIME COMES.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE MOTION TO DENY THE, UH, REQUESTED APPLICATION? NOT, NOT NECESSARILY TO THE MOTION, BUT JUST KIND OF WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER.
UM, DO WE HAVE, UM, GUIDELINES AS TO WHEN PEOPLE ARE APPLYING FOR THINGS LIKE THIS, IF THEY DO MISS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIMES OF APPLYING OR AT LEAST PLEADING THEIR CASE WHERE IF THEY DON'T SHOW UP IS, I MEAN, IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO OR WE JUST, IT'S ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE OUR, OUR SIGN GUIDELINES ARE, ARE VERY PRESCRIPTIVE AND THEY'RE SPECIFIC TO THE AREAS AS COMMISSIONER RUBY HAS SAID.
[02:30:01]
LOT OF REASON FOR AMBIGUITY.AND OF COURSE OUR ARRANGEMENTS ARE SUCH THAT THE ACTION THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE HAS A CERTAIN TIME ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
IT IS INTERESTING THAT THERE IS NO OBLIGATION OF THE APPLICANT TO DO MORE THAN JUST FILE THE APPLICATION.
UH, IT'S OBVIOUSLY FROM THE CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING, IT'S, IT'S NOT DESIRABLE, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S ANY OTHER RECOURSE.
WELL, YES, AGREE WITH THE, WITH THE COMMISSIONERS.
I THINK THIS ATTACHMENT DETAIL IS INAPPROPRIATE OR INCOMPLETE OR JUST NOT REALLY THOUGHT OUT.
UM, SO I HAVE NO ISSUE WITH JUST A REJECTION AND MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE REJECTED IT EARLIER SO THAT IT WOULD JUST GET DONE RIGHT.
I THINK WHAT I'M, I'M HEARING IS BECAUSE OF THE WAY IT WAS PRESENTED AND THEN NO, NO CLARIFICATION AS FOLLOW UP.
UH, WE ARE, WE'RE REALLY ASKING SOME CONFIDENCE THAT, HEY, THESE ARE HISTORIC BUILDINGS, UH, THERE'S A WAY TO DO THIS RIGHT.
AND PLEASE SHOW US THAT YOU ARE COMMITTED TO DOING IT THAT WAY.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT.
HEARING NONE, I WILL ENTERTAIN, UH, MOTION TO, UH, NO, WE HAD THE MOTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO DENY, UH, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
SORRY, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO REOPEN ANYTHING ANYWHERE.
WHAT ELSE DID, DO, DO WE, JUST TO CLARIFY, UH, COULD WE HAVE THAT AS A MOTION TO DENY AND ALSO TO DIRECT THE APPLICANT TO RETURN TO THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION WITH ANY NEW APPLICATIONS FOR SIGNAGE? MM-HMM.
UM, WE, WE HAVE IT FROM THE STAFF, BUT WE COULD ALSO READ IT IN THE RECORD THAT, UH, THIS IS A DENIAL AND A REQUEST FOR ANY REAPPLICATION TO, UH, CONSULT WITH STAFF AND COME BACK TO THE LANDMARKS COMMISSION.
UH, AND I DID SEE ALL HANDS WERE RAISED, IS THAT CORRECT? SO IT WAS A UNANIMOUS VOTE.
UH, THAT'S ITEMS NUMBER 11 AND 12.
THE NEXT DISCUSSION, UH, IS ITEM NUMBER
[17. HR-2024-135867 – 1508 Westover Rd.]
17 15 0 8 WESTOVER ROAD.UH, THIS IS IN THE OLD WEST AUSTIN NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT AND WE HAVE A REQUEST FOR A CARPORT AND A DEMOLITION WITH NEW CONSTRUCTION.
THIS PROPOSAL IS, UH, A DEMOLITION OF A CARPORT AND CONSTRUCT A SECOND, UH, RESIDENTIAL UNIT IN ITS PLACE.
UM, THE MAIN HOUSE ON THE PROPERTY IS AN ASYMMETRIC COLONIAL REVIVAL RESIDENCE WITH LARGE MOLD WINDOWS THAT DOMINATE THE FRONT ELEVATION.
THE ROOF IS SET AT A MODERATE PITCH AND IS SIDE GABLED IN FORM.
THE FRONT DOOR IS TO ONE SIDE AND FEATURES A COVERED ENTRYWAY, WHICH IS FRAMED BY TWO ORNAMENT ORNAMENTED SQUARE POSTS.
AT ONE SIDE OF THE HOUSE IS AN ENCLOSED PORCH, WHICH FACES FEATURES A, WHICH FACES A SIDE DRIVEWAY THAT LEADS TO THE REAR CARPORT.
THE CARPORT HAS ABOUT 200 SQUARE FEET OF ENCLOSED SPACE LOCATED BEHIND THE COVERED PARKING FOR TWO CARS WITH THE STRUCTURE SUPPORTED BY PLAIN WOOD POSTS BUILT IN 1931.
THE HOUSE AT 1508 WESTOVER ROAD WAS NOTABLY OWNED BY DON AND MURIEL PHILLIPS.
DON PHILLIPS WORKED AT AND LATER BECAME PRESIDENT OF THE NIXON CLAY COMMERCIAL COLLEGE, A SECRETARIAL SCHOOL LOCATED ON WEST EIGHTH STREET ACROSS FROM THE COURTHOUSE, THE COUPLE'S HOUSE WAS NOTED FOR HOSTING SOCIAL EVENTS.
AND IN 1956, DONALD WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE TEXAS AMATEUR SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION.
THE TWO LIVED IN THE HOUSE UNTIL DON'S DEATH IN 1976, AT WHICH POINT IT WAS SOLD.
UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS ARE BASED ON THE SECRETARY OF INTERIOR STANDARDS FOR REHABILITATION AND ARE USED TO EVALUATE PROJECTS IN NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICTS.
UH, THE PROJECT MEETS SOME OF THE, UH, APPLICABLE STANDARDS.
UM, STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO COMMENT ON PLANS AND INVITE THE APPLICANT TO THE NEXT MEETING OF THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER 13TH, 2024.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF FROM COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF? NO.
UH, HEARING NONE THEN WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND, UM, IS THERE ANYBODY, IS THE OWNER HERE, THE APPLICANT HERE? PLEASE COME DOWN AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF, UH, FOR THE RECORD AND IF YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION.
I AM, UH, UH, ARCHITECT AND, UH, BUILDER FOR ACCESSORY DWELLINGS UNLIMITED OR A DU FOR SHORT.
AND, UH, THE PROJECT BEFORE YOU TODAY IS A NEW TWO STORY, A DU IN THE REAR OF THE HOUSE THAT WAS DESCRIBED EARLIER.
AND, UH, IN LOOKING AT THE MATERIALS OF THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE, UM, THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE WAS A BRICK HOUSE.
UM, AND THE, UH, UH, CAR OR THE, UH, SORRY, THE, UH, PATIO NEXT TO IT, UM, WAS CLOSED IN AT SOME POINT.
I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YEAR.
[02:35:01]
NINETIES THERE WAS A, UH, ADDITION ADDED TO THE BACK OF IT.AND THAT ADDITION IS MOSTLY STUCCO, UM, AS WELL AS WHEN THEY ENCLOSED THE, UH, PATIO, THEY USED STUCCO AS WELL.
SO WHEN DISCUSSING MATERIALS AND FORMS WITH THE OWNERS, UM, WE ARRIVED AT STUCCO AS OUR MAIN MATERIAL.
AND THE INTENTION IS TO HAVE THE STRUCTURE KIND OF BLEND, UM, KIND OF SEEM LIKE IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THERE.
UM, WE'RE GONNA USE A LOT OF THE SAME, UH, WINDOW TYPES, DOOR TYPES, SHUTTERS, UH, SIMILAR THINGS YOU SEE ON THE FRONT FACADE.
UM, SO AGAIN, THE INTENTION WAS THAT THIS STRUCTURE WOULD BE, UM, KIND OF SEEMED LIKE IT WAS ALWAYS THERE.
AND SO IT IS ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY REPLACING THE CAR SHED THAT'S CURRENTLY THERE AT THE VERY BACK CORNER OF CORRECT.
AND I DON'T EXACTLY KNOW WHEN THAT WAS ADDED.
THAT WAS, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WAS ORIGINAL.
IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT VERY WELL BUILT.
UM, SO, UM, IT, UH, IT, IT DEFINITELY CAME LATER.
UM, AND SO YEAH, THE INTENTION IS TO BASICALLY BUILD IN ITS PLACE.
YOU BENEFITING FROM, SORRY, GO AHEAD.
YEAH, COMMISSIONER SAID, ANY QUESTIONS OF THE, OF THE, UH, ARE YOU BENEFITING FROM, UM, THE PRESERVATION BONUS WITH HOME? YES, WE ARE USING THAT.
THE, THE ENTIRE MAIN STRUCTURE IS, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT DEMOING ANYTHING ON THE MAIN STRUCTURE, SO IT'S JUST THE CARPORT IN THE BACK.
SO WHAT'S THE FULL SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THIS? A DU? IT'S ABOUT 1100 SQUARE FEET, GIVE OR TAKE.
COULD, COULD YOU GO BIGGER? I'M JUST, I'M WONDERING OH YEAH, YOU COULD.
UM, I'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THE NUMBERS.
I THINK WE COULD, IF WE USED THE, UH, PRESERVATION BONUS, BUT, UM, OR SINCE WE ARE USING IT, BUT THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT LOOKING TO MAKE IT ANY BIGGER.
I WOULD, WOULD YOU OR THE OWN AND THE OWNER ACTUALLY BE OPEN TO COMING TO A RC? I THINK, I THINK ABSOLUTELY.
THIS IS VERY CLOSE TO BEING THERE, I THINK.
THINK WE PROBABLY WOULD JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS ON A RC ABOUT SHUTTERS DOORS AND WINDOWS AND, YOU KNOW, SURE.
YEAH, THAT'S NEXT WEEK, NEXT WEDNESDAY.
AND THEN THE FOLLOWING MONTH YOU'D BE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, OR ACTUALLY IN THIS CASE, CONSIDERING HOW CLOSE THEY ARE, AND THIS IS A NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICT MAKING COMMENTS, UM, SEEMS TO ME THAT IF WE CAN WORK A MOTION THAT THEY COULD, UH, BASICALLY COME TO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS.
NO, BUT, UH,
NO, BUT A RC COULD THEN RELEASE WITH THE ABILITY TO RELEASE THE PERMIT.
SO WE, WE'VE HAVE MADE OUR COMMENTS, INSTEAD OF IT BEING ON CONSENT IN DECEMBER, YOU'RE SAYING MM-HMM,
WHOEVER MAKES THAT I WOULD SUPPORT THAT.
UH, ANY MORE, UH, QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM FOR OR AGAINST? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION COMMISSIONERS TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I MOVED MOVE AND SECONDED TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR AND RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, UH, WE'VE BEEN TALKING AROUND IT, BUT WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO ACTUALLY PUT THAT INTO WORDS AND MAKE A MOTION? IT'S YOUR WORDS,
I SAY ENTER OUR COMMENTS INTO RECORD PENDING THE APPLICANT ATTENDING THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING NEXT WEEK.
UH, AND THAT CAN BE DONE VIRTUALLY TOO.
YOU CAN JUST CALL IN, UH, JUST TO READ IT, TO FINISH OUR FINAL COMMENTS AT THAT POINT.
AND THEN STAFF GET ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED, BUT THEN ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL FROM STAFF.
AND THAT'S BEEN SECONDED BY, UH, COMMISSIONER COOK, UH, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER RUBIO.
AND I GUESS YOU'RE REOPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING AT THE SAME TIME.
ALRIGHT, THIS IS JUST OUR COMMENTS.
UM, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU FOR WORKING WITH US.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
AND ONCE AGAIN, I SEE ALL HANDS RAISED.
ALRIGHT, UH, THE NEXT ITEM, UH, IS ITEM NUMBER, UH, 1600 PALMA PLAZA.
AND THAT IS IN THE OLD WEST AUSTIN, UH, NATIONAL REGISTRY.
NO, I'M SORRY, THAT WAS A CONSENT.
UM, DO WE DO THEM ALL? I THINK SO.
ALRIGHT, UM, COMMISSIONERS, THE
[23. Approve the 2025 annual meeting schedule of the Historic Landmark Commission. ]
NEXT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER 23.WE HAVE, UH, GIVEN YOU ALL A, UH, LIST OF THE ANNUAL MEETING SCHEDULE FOR 2025, AND WE NEED TO ADOPT THAT.
UH, IT HAS ALSO BEEN, UH, GIVEN TO YOU WITH A DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS AND FEES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
[02:40:01]
BELIEVE STAFF, MAYBE YOU COULD CLARIFY, ARE ANY ONE OF THESE HAVING TO BE ADJUSTED BECAUSE OF THE HOLIDAYS LOOKING QUICKLY AND SEE IF THE ONLY ONE WE'VE MOVED WAS JANUARY.WE MOVED IT TO THE FOLLOWING WEDNESDAY.
'CAUSE OTHERWISE WE'D BE PRETTY EARLY IN THE NEW YEAR.
IS ANYONE INTERESTED IN, IN EITHER A JULY OR SEPTEMBER REVIEW? I KNOW LA I DON'T THINK JULY MAYBE IS AS IMPORTANT AS THIS YEAR BECAUSE IT AFFECTED OUR ATTENDANCE IN JULY FOR 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND.
AND THEN I THINK THE LABOR DAY WAS ANOTHER ONE THAT WE JUST NEED TO LOOK AT TO SEE IF THAT IS THE MONDAY BEFORE MAYBE.
NO, MAYBE I, I CAN LOOK UP LABOR DAY REAL QUICK.
YEAH, I THINK I, I THINK THE 4TH OF JULY, UH, IN THAT CASE COMING ON A FRIDAY, I DON'T THINK THAT WEDNESDAY IS GOING TO IMPACT IT AS IT DID AS, AS MUCH AS IT DID PREVIOUSLY.
I THINK LABOR DAY IN 2025 IS MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1ST THAT WE'D HOPEFULLY ALL BE FULLY RECOVERED AND BACK BY THEN.
YEAH, I'M JUST BRINGING IT UP BECAUSE ONE PARTICULAR MONTH DID HURT OUR ATTENDANCE EVEN VIRTUALLY.
I THINK THERE WAS LIKE TWO OF US ON 4TH OF JULY AND THEN LABOR DAY WAS LIGHTER MAYBE.
BUT IF EVERYBODY PROMISES TO BE HERE,
COMMISSIONERS, LET ME, UH, ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO EITHER ADOPT OR NOT.
HOW ABOUT THE QUESTION? THE LIST OF MEETING DATES AND DEADLINES IN THE AGENDA IS 2024.
OH, THE POSTING SAYS 2024 BECAUSE THE BACKUP IS 2025.
SO IF IT, IF IT'S JUST LABELED, IF IT'S LABELED INCORRECTLY, THAT'S NOT A POSTING PROBLEM.
UM, SO LONG AS THE, THE BACKUP IS CONSISTENT.
I THINK JUST THE WRONG ONE WAS ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA THAT I'M LOOKING AT THE STAFF.
OH, THE, UH, ONE AT THE END OF THE AGENDA IS 2024.
THAT'S THE ONE WE'RE CURRENTLY OPERATING ON.
BUT BUT DOES EVERYBODY HAVE THE SCHEDULE IN FRONT OF THEM FOR 2025? AND IF SO, UH, IS THAT ACCEPTABLE? IF SO, WE CAN ADOPT THAT WITH A MOTION TONIGHT.
SECOND COOK AND MR. RUBIO SECONDING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADOPTING THE MEETING SCHEDULE FOR 2025, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALRIGHT, UH, COMMISSIONERS, WE'RE NOW, UH,
[24. Grants Committee – Discussion on scheduling meeting dates for the Grants Committee.]
AT THE POINT OF OUR COMMITTEE UPDATES AND I BELIEVE THE GRANTS COMMITTEE, UH, THERE'S BEEN SOME PROGRESS, UH, STAFF.DO YOU WANNA JUST MENTION ANYTHING ABOUT WHERE THINGS STAND AT THIS POINT? I BELIEVE WE'RE ABOUT READY TO START, UH, HAVING GRANTS COMMITTEES AGAIN.
UH, THEY HAVE APPOINTED A NEW DIRECTOR AS I UNDERSTAND IT.
UH, AND WITH THE, UH, STUFF GOING ON WITH GRANTS AT THE MOMENT, UM, THE, UH, APPLICATION DEADLINE HAS PASSED AND I UNDERSTAND THEY'RE STARTING TO, UH, GET THE BALL ROLLING ON SOME OF THOSE.
SO WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO, UH, DISCUSS THAT REALLY SOON.
[25. Operations Committee – Discussion on scheduling meeting dates for the Operations Committee]
COMMITTEE, UM, UH, COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON, WHO'S BEEN CHAIRING THAT AND AS OUR VICE CHAIR WILL BE, UH, LEAVING THE COMMISSION.AND SO, UH, WE'LL PROBABLY NEED TO BE REORIENTING THAT, THAT COMMITTEE.
SO AT THIS POINT, NOTHING'S POSTED FOR, UH, ANY, UH, MEETING AT THAT OF THAT COMMITTEE, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL BE NEEDING TO DO THAT SHORTLY.
[26. Architectural Review Committee – Updates from the October 9th and October 16th, 2024 meetings. ]
REVIEW COMMITTEE.AND THE HIGHLIGHT OF THAT MEETING WAS A SNEAK PEEK AT, UH, SOME RESTORATION WORK AT DEEP EDDIE, UM, CABARET, WHICH THEY ARE TREATING IT IN ITS CONDITION IN ITS PRIME AS A DIE BAR AND NOT BRINGING IT BACK.
AND IT'S VERY, VERY INTERESTING HOW THEY'RE APPROACHING IT.
IT INVOLVES RESTORATION OF A MURAL, WHICH WILL BE AN INTERESTING PROJECT.
AND THEN WE HAD A SPECIAL CALL COMMITTEE MEETING TO LOOK AT THE OLD NOWS, UH, WHICH WAS INTERESTING AS WELL.
THERE'LL BE A LITTLE MORE DEMOLITION, UM, FOR AN UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE, BUT SAVING KEY AREAS, INCLUDING A MURAL AND, UH, ENOUGH TO RECONSTRUCT SOME STUCCO DETAILS.
BUT, UM, IT WAS, AND THE OWNER'S REPRESENTATIVE THAT WAS THERE TO LOOK AT THE RESTRICTED COVENANT ON PROTECTING THAT BUILDING.
SO, UH, EVERYONE'S HEART IS IN THE RIGHT PLACE, BUT THEY'RE, IT COULD BE HEAVILY DEVELOPED, BUT, UH, YOU SHOULD STILL BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THE NOW'S FACADE UNDER EVERYTHING THEY'RE WORKING THROUGH DETAILS WITH AS WELL.
GANNON, WE APPRECIATE ALL OF THE VOLUNTEER EFFORT OF THE ARCHITECTS ON THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE AND, UH, ALWAYS ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE.
[27. Preservation Plan Committee – Discussion on scheduling meeting dates for the Preservation Plan Committee]
UH, I GUESS RAY, YOU CAN, YEAH, THERE'S, UM, I BELIEVE ONE MORE, UH, WORKING GROUP MEETING TO KIND OF BUTTON UP EVERYTHING.UM, AND THEN, UH, IT'S CONSIDERED BY THE, UH, CITY COUNCIL ON THE 21ST, I BELIEVE.
YEAH, SO WE'RE, WE'RE RIGHT THERE.
[02:45:01]
UH, WE'RE ALREADY IN THE, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN EARLY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION, SO, UH, THE WORK'S NOT OVER, BUT, UH, WE WILL DEFINITELY HAVE MADE AN IMPORTANT, UH, BEACHHEAD HERE AT THAT, AT THAT STAGE.1981 IS WHEN THE LAST ONE WAS DONE IS WHEN THEY GOT THERE.
SO AGAIN, LOTS AND LOTS OF HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF VOLUNTEER WORK AND SOME VERY TALENTED STAFF WHO'VE BEEN WORKING WITH US.
UH, WITH THE WORK AT THE PRESERVATION PLAN COMMITTEE, STARTING UP AGAIN WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION, I HAVE A QUESTION ON THAT.
UM, DOES STAFF KNOW IF, WHAT, WHAT OTHER COMMISSIONS, UH, DID NOT SUPPORT THAT LETTER TO CITY COUNCIL? AND I SAW THAT THE TOURISM, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S WHAT IT IS, BUT THEY, THEY HAD DENIED THAT, UH, SUPPORT.
THEY DIDN'T, THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH VOTES YEAH.
UH, BUT, UH, IT CERTAINLY WASN'T A DENIAL.
WE DIDN'T GET THEIR, GET THEIR, WE DIDN'T GET FULL SUPPORT.
WE DIDN'T GET THEIR SUPPORT SUPPORT, WE DIDN'T GET THEIR FULL SUPPORT.
UM, BUT WERE THERE ANY OTHER COMMISSIONS OR BOARDS THAT, YOU KNOW, EXPRESS SIMILAR SENTIMENT OR, OR DID NOT SUPPORT THAT? I'M JUST CURIOUS.
I BELIEVE THAT WAS THE ONLY ONE, BUT I CAN CLARIFY THAT WITH OUR PROGRAM MANAGER, KARA BERTRAN, TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S CORRECT, BUT OKAY.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE ONE I HEARD ABOUT.
I'VE BEEN TRYING TO KEEP TABS ON THAT AS WELL.
SO THAT'S THE ONLY ONE I'VE HEARD OF.
AND, UH, I THINK REALISTICALLY, UH, WHAT THAT TELLS TELLS ME IS, UH, FROM LONG HISTORY, THERE HAS BEEN AT TIMES, UH, A NEED TO HAVE BETTER COMMUNICATION WITH THE TOURISM COMMITTEE.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT, WHAT THAT TOLD ME.
AND, UM, RAY, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THE PRESERVATION PLAN IS GONNA DEFINITELY WANNA DO IS EXPAND ON OUR COMMUNICATIONS.
AND WE HAVE, WE HAVE A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, KNOCK ON SOMEONE'S DOOR COMING, I'M SURE, I GUESS ON THAT NOTE, WHAT ABOUT DOWNTOWN COMMISSION? 'CAUSE WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANY BRIEFING IN MONTHS, EVER.
I I DID TALK TO, UH, UH, CHUCK AND, UH, COMMISSIONER LAROCHE HAS BEEN ABLE TO, UH, THEY, THERE WERE SOME PAPERWORK THINGS, SO WE MISSED A COUPLE OF THE FIRST MEETINGS.
BUT, UM, HE HAS BEEN ATTENDING AND I OBVIOUSLY, HE'S NOT HERE TONIGHT TO GIVE US AN UPDATE, BUT IS OUR REPRESENTATIVE ABSOLUTELY.
UH, WE PERIODICALLY WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM HIM.
I, I THINK THAT'S IT, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF WE DID IT LAST MONTH.
UM, BUT COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTONE'S NOT HERE ANYMORE, SO MAYBE JUST A, A THANK YOU TO HIM.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS HE'S, HE'S SERVED ON THE COMMISSION WITH US.
UM, HE'S VOLUNTARILY TAKE OR HAS YEAH, HE'S TAKEN, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY IT.
UM, BUT I DON'T THINK, UH, WE SHOULD, IF WE DIDN'T SAY IT LAST MONTH, I THINK HE WAS VIRTUAL, SO HE WASN'T IN PERSON.
BUT I THINK WE SHOULD AT LEAST SAY THANK YOU, UH, TO COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON.
I KNOW, UH, A LOT OF US WILL MISS HIS, HIS WORK AND HIS, HIS EFFORTS AND OPINIONS.
SO I, ESPECIALLY SUSTAINABILITY.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT FROM THE COMMISSIONER.
UH, AND ALSO A PUSH TO COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, TO, UH, FILL THAT VOID.
WE HAVE SOMEONE, WE HAVE A VACANCY.
WE DON'T NEED, UH, THE VACANCY TO STAND VERY LONG.
SO IF THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER COULD PUSH THAT WITH CITY STAFF, THAT'D BE GREAT.
AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF GREAT CANDIDATES WHO I KNOW HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, WE, YES, THANK, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP, UH, GIVING, UH, APPROPRIATE SEND OFF TO COMMISSIONER FEATHERSTON AND LOOKING FORWARD TO HIS REPLACEMENT.
AND THEN, UH, COMMISSIONERS, UH, WE VERY LIKELY ALSO WILL BE POSTING FOR, UH, THE VICE CHAIR POSITION, UH, IN OUR NEXT MEETING.
AND SO WE'LL ABLE TO, UH, DO SOME RECRUITING IN THE INTERIM.
AND IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO ME, THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
UH, BUT, UH, ALL OF THIS CAN WAIT TILL THE NEXT MEETING.
I WILL CALL THIS MEETING ADJOURNED IF, UH, I CAN GET A MOTION TO, UH, SO A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY RAISING YOUR HAND.