HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_HARC_07.23.2009Historic and Architectural Review Commission Page 1 of 3
July 23, 2009
City of Georgetown, Texas
Historic and Architectural Review Commission Meeting
Minutes
Thursday, July 23, 2009, at 6:00 p.m.
City Council and Courts Building 101 E. 7th Street, Georgetown, Texas 78626
Members Present: West Short, Chair; Susan Firth; J.C. Johnson; Will Moore; Larry Moseley; Ron
Pergl; and Dee Rapp
Members Absent: none
Staff Present: Robbie Wyler, Historic District Planner; Elizabeth Cook, Acting Director of
Community Development; Valerie Kreger, Principal Planner; and Karen Frost, Recording
Secretary
Chair Short called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
Regular Session: To begin no earlier than 6:00 p.m.
Consent Agenda:
The Consent Agenda includes non-controversial and routine items that the Commission may act
on with one single vote. A Commissioner or any member of the public may request that any
item from the Consent Agenda be pulled in order that the Commission discuss and act upon it
individually as part of the Regular Agenda. The Historic and Architectural Review
Commission's approval of an item on the Consent Agenda will be consistent with the staff
recommendation described in the report, unless otherwise noted.
1. Review and possible approval of the minutes from the June 25, 2009 regular meeting.
Motion by Moore to approve the minutes as written. Second by Pergl. Approved 7 – 0.
Regular Agenda:
2. Certificate of Design Compliance for facade modifications at City of Georgetown, Block 51,
lot 5 (pt), also known as the Firehouse Bays, located at 816 S. Main Street. (CDC-2009-023)
Firth recused herself from the dais based on a Conflict of Interest and filed the Affidavit with
the recording secretary.
Wyler presented the staff report. The applicant is seeking approval of a CDC for the
renovation to the exterior of the old fire station bays. The bays, constructed in the 1960’s, are
not original to the two-story historic main building, and are currently being used for storage.
To better utilize the building and to promote retail along Main Street, the City would like to
update both the interior and the exterior to better accommodate a retail-oriented business.
The applicant proposes updating the architectural character to better serve and market the
building. The brick will be removed and replaced with eight-inch thick coursed Texas
Limestone facade. This type of limestone can be seen on other downtown buildings. New
wood windows, transoms, and doors will replace three existing bay doors. The fourth door
will be converted to wooden carriage-style doors to allow for deliveries. Staff recommends
approval of this application based on its compliance with Guidelines 4.1, 5.1, 5.5, 6.3, 6.12,
8.13, 8.14, and 10.2.
Bryant Boyd, the project Architect was available for questions from the Commissioners. He
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July 23, 2009
explained the rock limestone would be a veneer and not structural. He showed samples to
the commissioners of the limestone facade, the mahogany wood doors and the aluminum
awnings. He stated the stone would be all one color, not variegated as one of the pictures
shown. The awnings will extend approximately eight feet over the sidewalk. He confirmed
any sidewalk renovations or additions would come back before HARC for review.
Commissioner Johnson questioned whether the doors would be recessed. Boyd says they are
already recessed about one and a half feet and he felt anymore recession would be cutting
into the interior space. He also explained the pivoting windows in the front that would
allow a use like those seen on 6th Street in Austin. Moore questioned the use of real
mahogany doors and perhaps using a less expensive and less rare wood. Boyd said the
mahogany was requested. Johnson questioned the location of the downspouts and the
dumping of rainwater onto the sidewalks and street. Wyler explained this would be
reviewed more closely at the Site Plan Review. Rapp questioned the luminosity of the
galvanized metal material that is to be used on the awnings and whether they would be too
shiny. Boyd said they would be the same as used on the Makemson Steele Building and that
those had dulled quickly and were not a problem.
Motion by Moseley to approve the Certificate of Design as presented. Second by Moore.
Approved 6 – 0. (Firth recused.)
Firth was brought back on the dais.
3. Certificate of Design Compliance for the relocation of a structure at City of Georgetown,
Block 14, Lots 6, 7 (s/pt), located at 305 S. Rock Street. (CDC-2009-025)
Wyler presented the staff report. The applicant seeks approval to relocate a house. Built in
the 1970’s, the house is not an historic structure in the 1984 Historic Resources Survey and is
in good enough condition to be relocated. According to the applicant, poor exterior
conditions and the location of the property are not ideal for a residential property. The non-
historic house will be relocated to a property in Leon County. At this time there are no plans
for the vacant property.
The applicant, Matt Clark, was available for questions or comments. He stated he would like
to move the house to Leon County and turn it into a hunting lodge. He also stated his intent
in buying it was to keep the other bail bondsmen around the courthouse annex and county
jail from purchasing the property for another bond company. He suggested he might build
an office building in the future.
Motion by Pergl to approve the application as presented. Second by Moseley. Approved 7 –
0.
4. Certificate of Design Compliance for the demolition of a structure at City of Georgetown,
Block 14, Lots 7 (n/pt) and 8 (w/pt), located at 214 W. 3rd Street. (CDC-2009-026)
Wyler presented the staff report. This applicant is the same as item number 3 above. The
applicant seeks approval to demolish a house. According to the 1984 Historic Resources
Survey, the house is listed as a Low-Priority historic structure. The applicant states that is in
poor condition, making it difficult to relocate or reuse, and demolition of the structure is best
for the property. There are no proposed plans for the property. Staff recommends
demolition of the structure based on Guideline 7.13.
Moore questioned the zoning district. Wyler stated it is MU-DT which means any new
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July 23, 2009
development would have to apply for a CDC through HARC. Matt Clark was questioned
about the outbuildings. He stated they are falling down. It is estimated the main structure
was built around 1935. The Commissioners discussed the condition of the house. Mr. Clark
stated he had not been inside the home but he thought the outside was bad enough.
Motion by Johnson to denied the application for demolition because the house was an
historic structure and he felt a better attempt should be made to save it. Second by Rapp.
More discussion was held by the Commissioners in how to best preserve the house. Short
suggested deferring the item until more information could be gathered.
The original motion was called and passed 4 – 3. Short, Firth and Moseley opposed.
5. Discussion and possible action on an updated Agenda format.
This item was opened by Cook. She explained Chair Short requested an item to discuss the
length of time that a person could make a presentation to the Commission. In the past, some
presentations have been several minutes long. Cook proposed changing the agendas to
indicate the same amount of presentation time that is allowed at other Commissions, i.e.
Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council.
Motion by Johnson to table this item until the new proposed agenda was given and then the
commission could review that format. Second by Short. Approved 7 – 0.
6. Reminder that the next regular HARC meeting will take place on August 27, 2009.
7. Adjournment
Chair Short adjourned the meeting at 6:43 p.m.
__________________________________ _________________________________
Approved, West Short, Chair Attest, Will Moore, Secretary