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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_HARC_05.22.2008Historic and Architectural Review Commission Page 1 of 4 Meeting May 22, 2008 City of Georgetown, Texas Historic and Architectural Review Commission Meeting Minutes Thursday, May 22, 2008 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; J.C. Johnson, Nancy Knight, Linda McCalla, West Short and Will Moore. Members Absent: none Staff Present: Robbie Wyler, Historic District Planner; Elizabeth Cook, Planning Director; Trish Carls, City Attorney; and Karen Frost, Recording Secretary Regular Session: To begin no earlier than 6:00 p.m. The meeting was called to order at 6:05 p.m. by Chair O’Donnell. 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 April 24, 2008 regular meeting. Moore noted on page 4, paragraph 2 of the minutes that a statement needed to be reworded and corrected. In regards to a Special Use Permit, the question was raised whether a Permit could be issued without a Certificate of Design Compliance. Minutes stated that Wyler confirmed this. It should state that a Special Use Permit and a Certificate of Design Compliance can be issued independently of each other, but the applicant must receive both to move forward with the proposed use. Wyler confirmed that. Motion by Gonzalez to approve the minutes of the April 24, 2008 meeting with the amendments as stated. Second by McCalla. Approved 5 – 0 with 1 abstention. West Short abstained due to not being at the April 24th meeting. Regular Agenda: 2. Consideration and possible action on a request for a Certificate of Design Compliance for facade updates at Lost Addition, Block 14, 0.165 acres, located at 1100 South Main Street. (CDC-2008-018) Wyler presented the staff report. The applicant is proposing an update to the Main Street Baptist Church Youth Center facade by changing the retail look of the structure and taking down existing awnings. The new look will be similar to that of the Ministry Center located on 10th Street. Wyler read the Guidelines that were applied to this application. Commissioners asked questions for clarification of the details. Jim Cummins of Steger & Bizzell spoke for the applicant. He spoke to the exterior materials, stating they were trying Historic and Architectural Review Commission Page 2 of 4 Meeting May 22, 2008 to make it look like the Ministry Center building across the street and using stucco instead of glass, and painting over the brick or adding stucco material over it where necessary. David Voelter also represented the applicant and explained that the brick would be resurfaced, not replaced, to match the stucco. Knight asked about the delineation of the brick showing through. Voelter said that even with the stucco material put over the bricks, the delineation will still show through. McCalla stated she felt that leaving some of the glazing on the south side would be better. Cummins said the doors to the building would be on both the east and the south side. Motion by Johnson to approve the Certificate of Design Compliance for 1100 South Main Street based on compliance with the applicable Design Guidelines. Second by Moore. Knight moves to amend the original motion to indicate that if the color or texture changes from looking like brick, the item must come back to the Commission for additional review. Second by Moore. Approved 6 – 0. Original motion voted on, approved 6 – 0. 3. Consideration and possible action on a request for a Certificate of Design Compliance for signage and facade updates at Morrow Addition, Block O, located at 1205 South Austin Avenue. (CDC-2008-019) Wyler presented the staff report. The applicant is seeking a CDC to update the gutters on the structure, add an ADA compliant ramp to the rear of the structure and to install a pole sign to the front yard. He read the Guidelines that were used to review this property. Questions were raised by the Commissioners. Knight asked about the signage type that was requested versus putting the sign on the structure as in other applications. Wyler explained that it was based on different zoning classifications allowing different types of signs. There was discussion about the materials and colors of the sign. The Commission was in agreement that the requested shiny gold seems out of character with the area. Motion by Knight to approve the facade updates as requested with the condition that the sign CDC application comes back to the Sign Subcommittee for further review and discussion. Second by McCalla. Approved 6 – 0. Moore commented that the applicant went to great lengths to maintain the residential character of the structure. He suggests eliminating pole signs in the downtown overlay district. Short suggests telling the applicant to change the font size and type and to make the sign more legible. 4. Consideration and possible action on a request for a Certificate of Design Compliance for awnings at City of Georgetown Block 39, Lots 1-4 (PTS), located at 107 East 7th Street. (CDC- 2008-021) Wyler presented the staff report. The applicant is seeking a CDC to add two small awnings to the building’s 7th Street facade. Wyler read the Guidelines that were applied. The Commission questioned the location of the awnings in comparison to the neighboring awnings. They discussed options. The Commission as a whole stepped outside the Council Chambers to look at this building and the adjacent buildings. Then the Commission stepped back on the dais. Motion by McCalla to approve the CDC for two awnings at the front of the 7th Street facade Historic and Architectural Review Commission Page 3 of 4 Meeting May 22, 2008 with the stipulation that the awnings be made using the striped material as shown and that they be made to match the form and detail of the adjacent buildings. Second by Short. Approved 6 – 0. 5. Consideration and possible action on a request for a Certificate of Design Compliance for a new door and sidewalk railing at City of Georgetown Block 40, Lots 1 and 4 (PTS), located at 114 East 7th Street. (CDC-2008-022) Wyler presented the staff report. The applicant is seeking a CDC to add an additional door to the 7th Street facade of the building for future tenant use and to add removable iron railings at the edge of the sidewalk in front of the busi nesses. Staff recommends denial of both the door and the railing. The applicant was not present for questions or comments. Commissioners discussed the trough planter concept and the doors not fitting correctly without replacing the windows too. Motion by Knight to deny the CDC for the door replacement with the recommendation that the applicant reapply for a CDC with double doors that will match the existing doors on the building. Second by Gonzalez. Approved 6 – 0. Motion by McCalla to deny the CDC for awnings, sidewalk railings and site design based on noncompliance with Guidelines 10.1, 10.3, 8.2, 8.3, 8.6, 8.7, and 10.4. Second by Nancy. Approved 6 – 0. 6. Discussion of offsite parking agreements for the Downtown Overlay District. Wyler presented the parking plan that was in effect before this meeting. Knight requested that a discussion of this plan be added to the next agenda. Gonzalez asked that a similar map be made and a discussion held for sandwich board sidewalk signs, troughs and umbrellas in the sidewalk ROW. 7. Consideration and possible action regarding a response to the appeal to the City Council of the HARC's April 24, 2008 decision pertaining to the Certificate of Design Compliance for 1903 South Austin Avenue (Montgomery Addition, Block 1, Lots 10 and 11) This item was postponed until after the Executive Session. Chair O’Donnell announced that the Commission would be going into Executive Session at 7:34 p.m. in compliance with the Open Meetings Act, Chapter 551, Government Code, Vernon’s Texas Codes, Annotated, for consultation with the Attorney, Section 551.071. Chair O’Donnell announced the Regular Session would resume at 8:00 p.m. Short did not return to the dais. 8. Comments from the Director and reminder of the next meeting on June 26, 2008. Wyler reported that 1201 Church Street height and elevation was found to be out of compliance. He explained the owners may come back to the Commission and work out an agreeable compromise, or they will not receive a Certificate of Occupancy at the end of their project. The Commission discussed the process that city staff uses to stop construction or halt progress when a project changes from the original CDC application and approval. Cook explained the inspections process and stated the Planning and Inspections Departments were working with one another to determine inconsistencies in approved plans and field inspections. Historic and Architectural Review Commission Page 4 of 4 Meeting May 22, 2008 Executive Session In compliance with the Open Meetings Act, Chapter 551, Government Code, Vernon's Texas Codes, Annotated, the items listed below will be discussed in closed session and are subject to action in the regular session that follows. 9. Consultation with attorney – Tex. Gov’t Code § 551.071 - Advice from attorney about pending or contemplated litigation and other matters on which the attorney has a duty to advise the Commission, including agenda items. Minutes from the Executive Session were taken, transcribed and sealed on June 20, 2008. Regular Session 10. Action from Executive Session. Item 7 was discussed. Knight stated she had records that indicate the house in question has 6 rooms instead of the reported 4, which should change the amount of required parking spaces. She read sections of a letter that she would like to take to City Council, explaining the Commissions denial of this application. She discussed removing the UDC references. Motion by Gonzalez to ratify and approve a letter to City Council as stated in Executive Session and discussed for 1903 South Austin Avenue, and that any member of the Commission may present the letter and represent HARC at the City council meeting. Second by Johnson. Approved 5 – 0. Commissioners discussed who would be available for the next City Council meeting, June 10, 2008. 11. Adjournment. Motion by Knight to adjourn. Second by Gonzalez. Meeting adjourned at 8:15 p.m. __________________________________ _________________________________ Approved, Chair, Rick O’Donnell Attest, Secretary, Nancy Knight