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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_HARC_05.24.2007Historic and Architectural Review Commission Page 1 of 3 Meeting May 24, 2007 City of Georgetown, Texas Historic and Architectural Review Commission Meeting Minutes Thursday, May 24, 2007 at 6:00 p.m. City Council Chambers 101 E. 7th Street Georgetown, Texas 78626 Members Present: Rick O’Donnell, Chair; Tommy Gonzalez, Vice-chair (in at 6:20); Chris Damon, J.C. Johnson, Nancy Knight, and Linda McCalla. Members Absent: John Chapman Staff Present: Elizabeth Cook, Principal Planner; Barbara Quirk, Acting City Attorney, and Karen Frost, Recording Secretary The meeting was called to order at 6:05 p.m. by Chair O’Donnell. The Historic and Architectural Review Commission is responsible for hearing and taking final action on applications, by issuing Certificates of Design Compliance based upon the City Council adopted Downtown Design Guidelines. This is a regular scheduled meeting of the Historic and Architectural Review Commission, for consideration and possible action on the following: 1. Review and possible approval of the minutes from the April 26, 2007 meeting. Motion by McCalla to approve the minutes. Second by Knight. Motion passes by 4 - 0. Chair says he will abstain from voting unless necessary to break a tie. 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. 2. CDC-2007-014 – Certificate of Design Compliance for signage at Lost Addition, Block 64, a 0.1148 acre portion located at 212 West 10th Street. Motion by Knight to approve. Second by Damon. Motion passes 4 – 0. Regular Agenda: 3. Consideration and Possible Action on the creation of a standing committee to review sign applications per revisions to Section 3.13.020 of the Unified Development Code (UDC) pertaining to Administrative and Subcommittee Review authority. Cook presented the staff report. The City Council has directed HARC to form a standing Sign Subcommittee to review sign applications more frequently than the current once a month schedule. The Subcommittee may decide to refer to HARC if necessary or issue a CDC more expeditiously. It is up to the Commission to determine how this will be carried out. Historic and Architectural Review Commission Page 2 of 3 Meeting May 24, 2007 The Commission discussed the logistics and issues associated with the directive. They decided they can not have four members serve on the subcommittee because that would cause a possible tie vote and it would represent a full quorum of the HARC and therefore have to be posted as a full meeting, which defeats the direction of the Council. The Commission discussed the appeals process and how items would be referred to the entire HARC. They decided that items sent to the subcommittee would require a unanimous vote, 3 of 3, or the item would be sent to the entire commission. Damon wants staff to be able to separate those items that are easily compliant with the Guidelines and feels the new process is not efficient. Knight wants the process streamlined but still have citizen oversight. Quirk stated that if the HARC does not like the process it should be taken back to the City Council for further discussion and action. This is a possible agenda item on the next HARC agenda. Motion by Gonzalez that HARC creates a standing subcommittee to review sign applications per revisions to Section 3.13.020 of the Unified Development Code (UDC) with a total of three members, to meet twice per month, except that no meeting will be required if no applications are filed in time to be heard at the meeting and that in order for the subcommittee to approve or deny a permit, a unanimous vote of the members present shall be required, and said subcommittee shall refer any item to the HARC on which such unanimous vote has not been made. Second by Knight. Motion passed 5 – 0. 4. Consideration and possible action on the selection of HARC members to serve on standing committee to review sign applications. Tommy Gonzalez, J.C. Johnson and Nancy Knight volunteered for this service. Motion by Gonzalez to accept these volunteers. Second by McCalla. Approved 5 – 0. The meeting time and date of the subcommittee meetings was discussed. The Commission decided that items that are unanimously denied at the subcommittee meeting would not go forward to the next HARC meeting. A unanimous decision to grant a CDC could be granted by the subcommittee. Any item that was not a unanimous decision of the subcommittee would automatically be submitted to the entire Commission at its next regularly scheduled meeting. Motion by Gonzalez that the Sign Subcommittee will meet the 2nd Thursday of each month at 9:00 a.m. in the Georgetown Municipal Complex, if applications have been submitted ahead of time to meet the posting requirements, and the Subcommittee will meet the 4th Thursday of each month at 5:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers, before the regular HARC meeting at 6:00 p.m., and any items that are on the agenda at 5:00 p.m. will also be on the 6:00 p.m. regular meeting agenda in case any of those items need to be referred to the entire commission. Second by Johnson. Approved 5 – 0. 5. Comments, questions and general discussion from Commission and/or staff and reminder of the next meeting of the Commission on June 28, 2007. Historic and Architectural Review Commission Page 3 of 3 Meeting May 24, 2007 Cook reported that the city is advertising to fill the Historic Planner’s position. O’Donnell wanted to go on record as saying Rowe served the commission very professionally and will be missed. Knight stated she was a great resource for the commission. Motion by Johnson to adjourn at 7:06 p.m. __________________________________ _________________________________ Approved, Chair, Rick O’Donnell Attest, Secretary, Nancy Knight