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April 22, 2010
City of Georgetown, Texas
Historic and Architectural Review Commission Meeting
Minutes
Thursday, April 22. 2010 at 6:00 p.m.
City Council and Courts Building 101 E. 7th Street, Georgetown, Texas 78626
Members Present: Will Moore, Chair; Susan Firth; Greg Herriott; J.C. Johnson; 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; John Hale, Code Enforcement Officer;
Julie McCartney, Chief Code Enforcement Officer and Karen Frost, Recording Secretary
Regular Session - To begin no earlier than 6:00 p.m.
Chair Moore called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
(Commission may, at any time, recess the Regular Session to convene an Executive Session at the
request of the Chair, a Commissioner, the Director or legal counsel for any purpose authorized
by the Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code Chapter 551.)
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 th e 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 regular meeting of March 25, 2010.
Motion by Johnson to approve the minutes as presented. Second by Rapp. Approved 5 – 0.
Regular Agenda:
2 Certificate of Design Compliance for the relocation of an accessory structure in the Old Town
Overlay District, for Lost Addition, Block 75, located at 1256 S. Austin Avenue. (CDC-2010-
008)
Wyler presented the staff report. The applicant seeks approval to relocate an accessory
structure to a neighboring property that is owned by the same person, making way for a new
driveway that will lead to a new accessory structure. The owner has provided pictures of the
garage that was constructed in 1954 and has shown that the building is in poor condition but
movable. Staff recommends approval based on compliance with Design Guideline 7.13.
Commissioners made comments and asked questions. Rapp confirmed that the new UDC
changes being discussed at the City Council level would not affect this property. There was
discussion of the exact proposed location of the garage. It is to be moved approximately 130
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April 22, 2010
feet directly west, to the adjacent property. Johnson confirmed that the new location would
still comply with rear and side setbacks. Wyler confirmed.
Pergl arrived on the dais.
Motion by Johnson to approve the CDC as presented. Second by Rapp.
Moore asked the applicant if he had any comments. He stated he did not.
Motion approved by 6 – 0 vote.
3. Certificate of Design Compliance for the demolition of an accessory structure in the Old
Town Historic Overlay District, for Clamp’s Addition Revised, Block B (sw/pt), located at 601
E. 8th Street. (CDC-2010-009)
Wyler presented the staff report. The applicant is requesting approval for the demolition of a
detached garage that is no longer standing and has been partially rebuilt. In early February,
2010, the agent came into the Permitting and Planning offices and discussed procedures for
either demolishing or renovating a detached garage in Old Town that was in extremely poor
condition. Pictures were provided of the structure. Soon after, the applicant obtained a
roofing permit and proceeded with remodeling the structure and stated that due to
inclement weather and poor structural conditions, the structure collapsed. Concerned with
the deteriorated materials blocking an alley driveway, the owner and agent proceeded with
removing the materials and reconstructing the structure with as much of the original
material as possible. The agent stated that due to poor conditions, not much of the original
materials could be reused on the new structure.
A few days after the collapse, Code Enforcement put a stop work order on the project stating
all required permits and approvals were not obtained prior to commencing work. By the
time Code Enforcement noticed the demolition and reconstruction, the new detached carport
was nearly finished. Code Enforcement and Planning allowed the carport to be completed to
a point where it would not be affected by weather and for safety reasons. The applicant was
directed to receive approval from the Historic and Architectural Review Commission
(HARC) for the demolition of the original structure, approval from the Zoning Board of
Adjustment (ZBA) for the reconstruction of the structure on the property line, and to obtain
all required permits, before the project could recommence to ensure full compliance with
City regulations.
As mentioned, the applicant requires approval from both HARC and ZBA before work can
be completed on the carport. CDC approval from HARC is required for the demolition of the
original detached garage since it is located in the Old Town Historic Overlay. ZBA approval
for a Special Exception for Setback Modification is required because the new carport was
reconstructed in the same location as the original garage, which sat on the property line and
within the required setback. The applicant went to go to ZBA on Tuesday, April 20th, 2010
and they tabled any action until HARC could make a decision.
Moseley arrived on the dais during the staff report.
Commissioners began asking questions. Patti White, agent for the Property Manager, Tom
Pilgrim, was present to answer the questions. White explained she was brought onto the
project by being asked to prepare an estimate for reconstruction of the structure and then
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April 22, 2010
was hired to provide reconstruction. Firth questioned when Code Enforcement was
involved. John Hale reported that he first visited the residence in November 2009 for
maintenance issues and gave them 90 days to make repairs on the structure. He stated he
also gave them an extension on this timeframe because they were waiting for an insurance
claim. He did not know when the roof collapsed. The roof collapse was reported by a City
Fire Inspector. A roof permit was pulled to replace the roof and eaves. Roof repairs to the
garage started in February.
Firth questioned what the structure was used for. Ms. White responded that the out-of-state
owners of the property used it for storage, that it was not big enough for a car. Firth
questioned why Ms. White did not pull a permit before rebuilding the entire structure. Ms.
White stated they were trying to get the fallen mate rials off the neighbor’s driveway but that
she should have stopped work and come to the city first.
There was further discussion of the process and possible repercussions of the applicant’s
actions and the options HARC had. It was explained by Cook that an approval of the
demolition permit by HARC was the first step of two steps in removing the existent stop
work order. Disapproval by HARC would mean that the applicant would have to wait for
175 days from the public hearing for any subsequent action, but then come back to the next
HARC agenda for Final Action, or approval. If ZBA denies a Special Exception for this new
structure to be on the property line, the structure will have to come down. New permits will
be needed and it will not be allowed to be rebuilt in the setbacks.
Firth stated she had a problem with the lack of maintenance of the property in the first place
and that they did not follow the proper steps in the process to remedy the situation. Moore
stated as a community member he does not approve of “demolition by neglect”.
Motion by Johnson for the denial of a CDC for a demolition. No second was forthcoming.
Motion by Pergl to accept the CDC for demolition of the garage that no longer exists.
Second by Herriott. Approved 4 – 2. (Firth and Rapp opposed.)
4. Reminder that the next regular HARC meeting will take place on May 27, 2010.
5. Adjournment. Moore adjourned the meeting at 6:57 p.m.
__________________________________ _________________________________
Approved, Will Moore, Chair Attest, Susan Firth, Secretary