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October 22, 2009
City of Georgetown, Texas
Historic and Architectural Review Commission Meeting
Minutes
Thursday, December 10, 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, Community
Development Director; Valerie Kreger, Principal Planner and Karen Frost, Recording Secretary
Regular Session - To begin no earlier than 6:00 p.m.
Chair Short called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m.
This is a regular scheduled meeting of the Historic and Architectural Review Commission for
consideration and possible action on the following:
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 October 22, 2009 regular meeting.
Moore stated the Sign Subcommittee approved the sign for the Landmark Tavern (item 2) at
it’s meeting at 5:30 p.m. Motion by Moore to approve the minutes as presented. Second by
Johnson. Approved 7 – 0.
2. Consideration and possible action on a request for a Certificate of Design Compliance for
signage at City of Georgetown, Block 40, Lot 2 (n/pt), also known as Landmark Tavern,
located at 701 Main Street, Suites 200 and 210. (CDC-2009-042)
Regular Agenda:
3. Certificate of Design Compliance for the removal of a house at Glasscock Addition, Block 4,
Lot 3, located at 910 Rock Street. (CDC-2009-037)
Wyler presented the staff report. The applicant is proposing to remove and relocate the
house to Thorndale, Texas where he has purchased a lot. He intends to renovate the house
for rental use. The house is currently deteriorating rapidly and surrounded on both sides by
parking lots. The owner would like to relocate the house before any further deterioration
can occur.
Guideline 7.13 is used to support the staff recommendation of approval for this CDC.
Mr. Hill, the owner of the house and applicant, was available for comment. Johnson
commented that this was not an old, old house and that the area was fast becoming
commercial so this was a good opportunity for the house to be saved.
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Motion by Johnson to approve the CDC for removal of this house. Second by Moseley.
Approved 7 – 0.
Firth recused herself from the room for the following item filing an Affidavit of Conflict of
Interest for the property.
4. Certificate of Design Compliance for the demolition of a detached garage at Eubank
Addition, Block 4, Lot 3, located at 1806 Eubank Street. (CDC-2009-038)
Wyler presented the staff report. The applicant is requesting demolition of the garage to
allow for an expansion to the main house. The applicant has stated the detached garage is
not original to the 1946 main house. The UDC allows for administrative approval of
demolition of any non-historic structures in the Old Town Overlay. However, staff brought
this to the Commission due to the uncertainty of the structure’s age. The Commission had
the opportunity to see the garage on Tuesday to determine any possible value. Staff
recommends approval of the demolition permit.
Moore commented on the walk-through, stating the age of the garage could not be
determined, it was not in good shape and appeared to not have been built structurally sound
to begin with. He didn’t think the garage was worth saving.
Motion by Johnson to approve the CDC for demolition of the garage. Second by Moore.
Approved 6 – 0.
Rapp recuses herself for the next item due to a possible conflict of interest from being an
existing bed and breakfast owner, and filing an Affidavit of Conflict of Interest. Firth came
back into the room and took her seat on the dais.
5. Certificate of Design Compliance for signage and site/exterior review related to a residential
structure changing to a non-residential structure in the Old Town Historic Overlay, at
Hughes Addition, Block 3 (pt), to be called the McIntosh Snyder House Bed & Breakfast,
located at 514 and 516 East University Avenue. (CDC-2009-041)
Wyler presented the staff report. The applicant/owner, Lee McIntosh, is requesting approval
for the site layout. As detailed in the provided conceptual site and landscape plan, the
property has pre-existing rear parking spaces that are screened from both University and
College Streets as well as existing landscaping. The applicant has stated the residential feel
of the property will be maintained and that no changes, outside of some minor landscaping,
should occur. Currently, the two structures are separated by a bricked central driveway that
provides access off University Avenue to a rear parking area. Some of the parking spaces
will be located inside a garage and doors on the garages will maintain screening from
University Avenue as required by the UDC. The remainder spaces are hidden from either a
stucco wall or the structures themselves. The applicant will be required to stripe all spaces
prior to opening the B&B establishment. Upon approval of the conceptual site layout from
HARC, the applicant will be submitting an official site and landscape plan to Staff for
approval.
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Secondly, the applicant proposes placing a freestanding sign along University Avenue that
will advertise the B&B. The sign, to measure 3.5 feet tall by 5 feet wide, will be located just
west of the central driveway and will read “McIntosh Snyder House, All Suite Bed and
Breakfast” with “Est. 1880” below in addition to a hanging plate with a contact number
below that measures 6 inches tall by 3.5 feet wide. The sign will stand at a height of 4.5 feet
and will be constructed with two exterior grade six-inch by six-inch treated posts and marine
grade fir plywood for the sign face. The poles and verbiage will be forest green, to match the
gates and other details on the building. The sign face will be pale yellow, matching the color
of the two structures. It will have off-white accents and tone on the background and will be
lit by two in-ground lighting fixtures positioned at the base of the sign. Staff recommends
approval of the new freestanding sign, as well as the existing site layout based on Guidelines
7.11, 8.19, 8.21, 8.22, 8.24, 8.25, 9.2, 9.3, 9.15, and 9.17.
Mr. McIntosh said he no additional comments at this time. Commissioners asked clarifying
questions. There will be one sign for the two buildings. Johnson spoke regarding the
naming of the house. He stated there is not a law on a double name house, but tradition has
the name of the builder as the first name given, and the second name is that of an owner that
makes a significant architectural change to the structure(s). Snyder was the original owner
of the house and the house was split after his ownership. Johnson questions whether the
historical naming tradition should be followed. He also questioned the “Established in 1880”
wording since this was actually constructed in 1880 and not a bed and breakfast
establishment at that point.
Mr. McIntosh spoke to those points. He stated he had always referred to the houses as the
Dudley-Snyder House and it is not his intent to mislead anyone by inferring that McIntosh
built the home. His marketing team wanted McIntosh, objecting to Snyder for the way it
sounds. And the previous owners were the Steenkens, and they did not like that either.
McIntosh agreed to change the signage to state the building was constructed in 1880, not
established. He also agreed to work on the naming. Johnson stated that Georgetown as a
whole values these houses and appreciates the work being done by McIntosh to revive them.
Moore questioned the comment by staff that additional landscaping might be added. Wyler
responded that they were leaving options open for the commission. The addressing of the
properties was questioned. This will remain two different addresses unless replatted as one
lot. The number of parking spaces was discussed and it was determined that 10 spaces was
enough. Moseley stated he appreciated Johnson’s comments and research and is concerned
about the wording of “established” also. He appreciates the work that is being done to make
this a quality bed and breakfast.
Pergl questioned the request for not requiring a sidewalk on College Street. McIntosh stated
he made the request to save the large pecan trees along the side of the property. Cook stood
up and stated that the commission has the ability to modify the site plan requirements of a
sidewalk, in order to protect the heritage trees. The trees in question are 14” heritage trees.
And the change of use of these properties actually triggered the requirement of a site plan
with sidewalks. The Commission can give direction to staff to work with Mr. McIntosh,
referring to Guideline 8.19, to maintain the street trees.
Motion by Moore to approve the CDC for the requested sign and site layout, strongly
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recommending the exemption of the sidewalk requirement on College Street with regards
to saving the trees. Second by Short. Approved 6 – 0.
Firth requests that color renderings be submitted with all future sign requests.
McIntosh voiced his thanks to the commission for their comments and stated he would be
attempting to open the business in February or March.
6. Reminder that the next regular HARC meeting will take place on January 28, 2010.
7. Adjournment
Chair Short adjourned the meeting at 6:48 p.m.
__________________________________ _________________________________
Approved, West Short, Chair Attest, Susan Firth, Secretary