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Meeting December 13, 2007
City of Georgetown, Texas
Historic and Architectural Review Commission Meeting
Minutes
Thursday, December 13, 2007 at 6:00 p.m.
City Council Chambers, located at 101 E. 7th St.
Georgetown, TX 78626
Members Present: Rick O’Donnell, Chair Tommy Gonzalez, Vice-chair; John Chapman, Chris
Damon, J.C. Johnson, Nancy Knight and Linda McCalla.
Members Absent: none
Staff Present: Elizabeth Cook, Principal Planner; Robbie Wyler, Historic District Planner; and
Karen Frost, Recording Secretary
The meeting was called to order at 6:04 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:
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 25, 2007 regular meeting.
2. Consideration and possible action on a request for a Certificate of Design Compliance for
signage at Lost Addition, Block 64 (pt), 0.778 acres located at 206 W. 10th Street, if referred by
the HARC Sign Subcommittee. (CDC-2007-034)
Motion by Gonzalez to approve the Consent Agenda. Second by Chapman. Approved 4 – 0.
Chair did not vote and Damon was not present at this time.
Regular Agenda:
3. Consideration and possible action on a request for Certificates of Design Compliance for
change in use from residential to office; building renovation; paint color and site design
changes; demolition of a garage; and signage for Lost Addition, Block 63(pt), ±0.14 acres
located at 1006 Rock Street. (CDC-2007-022, CDC-2007-033 & CDC-2007-036)
Robbie Wyler presented the application. The owner of the property is seeking approval to
change the use of the existing house to allow for offices, demolish the existing garage to
allow for the construction of a parking lot behind the house and to expand the driveway to
allow for it to loop back out to the street. In addition, the owner wants to make some minor
exterior changes to the house, plant two trees, replace rotten wood as needed, replace the AC
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Meeting December 13, 2007
with more efficient unit, and place a freestanding low-profile sign in the front of the
property. The rezoning was approved on Sept 11, 2007 to Mixed Use Downtown, allowing
for the office use.
The applicant was available for comment or questions. Gonzalez stated he would like to see
the handicap ramp on the side of the structure instead of the front. Johnson does not believe
the garage should be demolished for convenience sake. Wyler reported the subject property
is identified as a Low Priority structure in the 1984 City of Georgetown Historic Resource
Survey and a Medium Priority structure in the draft of the 2007 Resource Survey update.
The outbuildings are not noted in the 1984 Survey.
Motion by Gonzalez to approve the Certificates of Design as requested and based on
compliance with the applicable Design Guidelines as described in the staff report. Second
by Chapman. Approved 5 – 0.
4. Consideration and possible action on a request for Certificates of Design Compliance for
change in use from residential to office; building renovation; paint color and site design
changes; demolition of a garage/carport; and signage for Lost Addition, Block 64(pt), ±0.149
acres located at 1005 Rock Street. (CDC-2007-023, CDC-2007-032 & CDC-2007-035)
Robbie Wyler presented the application. The owner of the property is seeking approval to
change the use of the existing house to allow for offices, and as part of that redevelopment
would like to demolish the existing carport and shed to allow for the construction of a
parking lot. He would also like to make some minor exterior changes to the house and place
a freestanding low-profile sign in the front of the property. (same as application for 1006
Rock Street listed above.)
On December 13, 2005, the City Council approved a rezoning of this property to Mixed Use-
Downtown. The subject property is identified as a Low Priority structure in the 1984 City of
Georgetown Historic Resource Survey and a Medium Priority structure in the draft of the
2007 Resource Survey update. The outbuildings are noted in the 1984 Survey.
On September 27, 2007, HARC postponed action on a CDC for the demolition to allow the
applicant time to submit the request to redevelop the property. The applicant was present
for questions and stated that he still wants to demolish the garage and has no intent to add
lighting to the sign at this time. Johnson stated he still does not want the garages demolished
but feels this is the only way to get the property improved.
Motion by Johnson to approve the application as submitted and recommended by staff, with
exceptions as noted in the staff report. Second by Gonzalez. Approved 5 -0.
5. Consideration and possible action on a request for Certificates of Design Compliance for
facade alterations; an alternative landscape plan; and signage for City of Georgetown Block
14, Lot 5, located at 307 Rock Street, Building 2. (CDC-2007-028 & CDC-2007-038)
Knight exc uses herself from the dais with a Conflict of Interest Affidavit filed.
Wyler presented the application. The applicant wants to renovate an existing garage and
change the use to office space. The metal structure will be converted to stucco and stone and
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Meeting December 13, 2007
will be styled to match the existing structure. The garage door will be replaced with a
window and half glass entry door. The double doors facing Rock Street will be replaced with
glass panel French doors. A white picket fence will be installed to screen the concrete slab on
the building and the AC unit. Signage and awnings are also proposed. Staff recommends
approval.
No comments were made. Motion by Gonzalez to approve the Certificate of Design
Compliance for the proposed façade renovations as submitted by the applicant, which will
replace the metal with a more appealing stucco and stone siding. The doors, windows,
fencing, and awning will be constructed as shown in the renderings and photographs
provided by the applicant. Also, approval of the Certificate of Design Compliance for the
proposed signs as submitted by the applicant, which includes adding a flush-mounted sign
to each of the two primary façades and with the understanding that both will be designed as
shown in the application. Second by Johnson. Approved 4 – 0.
Knight took her seat on the dais.
6. Consideration and possible action on a request for a Certificate of Design Compliance for
facade alternations for City of Georgetown Block 40, Lot 3, .0505 acres located at 707 Main
Street. (CDC-2007-029)
Wyler presented the application. The owner of the property is seeking a CDC to replace the
existing front door so it would be similar in appearance with an adjacent door and to make
the building more energy efficient. Shifting has occurred and the adjacent door is not
actually a door but a renovation that was made to look like a door, and is part of another
building space. Wyler recommend approval of the CDC but to replace the door in the same
style as the original and not altered to look like the adjacent.
The owner, Donna Josey, was present for discussion. She stated she researched the history of
the building and could not find a historical picture for a match. The Commission discussed
different option of replacing the door. Ms. Josey’s contractor was present and this item was
put on hold until they could consult about the feasibility of changing the design.
7. Consideration and possible action on a request for a Certificate of Design Compliance for
awning, paint color, and signage changes for City of Georgetown, Block 52 (s/pt), 0.0707
acres located at 809 Main Street. (CDC-2007-037)
Wyler presented the application. The applicant /tenant is proposing an update to the
existing facade features by replacing the awnings on both buildings, adding lettering on the
doors to each entrance, repainting the window trim and placing new flush-mounted signs on
both storefronts. The color of red has been changed from the original application to be a
“jockey red”. They are also requesting to use the logo on the awnings.
The owner presented two options for signs and opened discussion of which one the
commission preferred. The commission determined that they prefer the boot logo and that it
could be placed between the bands of the architectural design on the front of the building,
and on the awnings if the total sign calculations do not exceed the amount of signage
allowed for this space.
Motion by Knight to approve the Certificates of Design Compliance for the proposed facade
changes which includes the replacement of the existing awnings as shown on the
application , the addition of signage on the door, the addition of two wall signs that will use
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Meeting December 13, 2007
the “boot logo”, the painting of the window trim to match the colors presented and signage
on the awnings after staff has calculated the total amount of signage to be used and the extra
signage on the awnings meets the design guidelines. Second by Gonzalez. Approved 5 – 0.
At this time, item number 6 was revisited. Ms. Josey stated that after consultation with Mr.
Dimilio, the contractor, they have a proposal. Mr. Demilion explained that they would like
to extend the gray framing member that is above the brown door across to the second door,
extending the board across the top of both doors at the same level. To place four pieces of
glass above the doors to give the appearance of a transom, and put in a new door on the left,
painting it gray and having it match the color and height of the existing faux door. The
Commission liked the idea.
Motion by Gonzalez to approve the Certificate of Design Compliance for 707 Main Street to
replace the door as described by Mr. Dimilio. Second by Chapman. Approved 5 – 0.
8. Receive an update on the building renovations to 702 South Austin Avenue – Steve Quenan.
Robbie Wyler brought an update of the building construction located at 702 South Austin
Ave. The owners were not present as requested to answer questions. Wyler mentioned
items that from observation were not built according to prior approvals. Those included
keystones above the window being omitted, awnings over the windows were lowered to
hide the missing keystone detail, no shutters or keystones were placed on the 7th Street side
of the building, the upper windows were installed with 4 panes instead of 8 as shown –
missing muntins, and the number of windows on the back of the building were different
than the approved plans.
O’Donnell expressed concern about the lack of details and lack of brick on the front of the
building. The Commission discussed setting precedents of allowing buildings to be
constructed without constant oversight of the process. There was discussion of monitoring
bigger projects and how to move forward after this mistake. The general concensus of the
Commission was that they wanted the owner to fix everything on the building that could be
fixed and to come back to the Commission and discuss those items that cannot be changed.
Wyler agreed to contact the Quenans and ask for a special meeting between them and the
Commission to discuss the owner’s options and for the Quenans to explain the reasons for
the changes from the approved CDCs. There will not be any action taken at this meeting,
only discussion.
9. Comments, questions and general discussion from Commission and/or staff and reminder of
the next meeting of the Commission on January 24, 2008.
Gonzalez made a motion that the Sign Subcommittee meetings, scheduled on the second
Thursday of each month, be changed from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. These meetings will still be
located in the Williamson Conference Room of the Georgetown Municipal Complex unless
otherwise notified. Second by Knight. Approved 5 – 0.
Elizabeth Cook announced that the CLG Grant that was received by the City to recover a
portion of the cost of the Historic Survey update, was increased by $18,000. She is proposing
to use that extra money to update the Design Guidelines. The Commission was in
agreement.
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Meeting December 13, 2007
Motion by Chapman to adjourn. The meeting was adjourned at 8:20 p.m.
__________________________________ _________________________________
Approved, Chair, Rick O’Donnell Attest, Secretary, Nancy Knight