HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes HARC 03.11.2021II City of Georgetown, Texas II
Historic and Architectural Review Commission
Minutes
II March 11, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. II
Teleconference Meetiniz: httn://bit.ly/3rzSv48
The regular meeting convened at 6:OOPM on March 11, 2021 via teleconference at:
http://bit.ly/3rzSv48. Webinar ID: 941-7668-5787. To participate by phone: Call in number: (346)
248-7799 or Toll -Free: 888-475-4499. Password: 638030. Public Comment was allowed via the
conference call number or the "ask a question" function on the video conference option; no in -
person input was allowed.
Members present: Amanda Parr, Chair; Steve Johnston; Karalei Nunn; Faustine Curry; Terry
Asendorf-Hyde; Pam Mitchell; Michael Walton
Staff present: Britin Bostick, Historic Planner; Mirna Garcia, Management Analyst; Nat Waggoner,
Long Range Planning Manager
Call to order by Commissioner Parr at 6:00 pm.
Regular Session
(This Regular Session may, at any time, be recessed to convene an Executive Session for any
purpose authorized by the Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Cade 551.)
A. Discussion on how the Historic and Architectural Review Commission virtual conference will
be conducted, to include options for public comments and how the public may address the
Commission. — Sofia Nelson, Planning Director
B. The Historic and Architectural Review Commission, appointed by the Mayor and the City
Council, is responsible for hearing and taking final action on applications, by issuing
Certificates of Appropriateness based upon the City Council adopted Downtown Design
Guidelines and Unified Development Code.
Welcome and Meeting Procedures:
- Staff Presentation
- Applicant Presentation (Limited to ten minutes unless stated otherwise by the Commission.)
- Questions from Commission to Staff and Applicant
- Comments from Citizens*
- Applicant Response
- Commission Deliberative Process
- Commission Action
*Once staff and the applicant have addressed questions from the Commissioners, the Chair of the
Commission will open the public hearing. If a member of the public would like to provide
comments on the agenda item under discussion, the chair will ask if anyone would like to speak. To
speak, please identify yourself by either entering your name, address and item
number on the Q/A chat on your screen. When your name is called you will have up to 3
minutes. A speaker may allot their time to another speaker for a maximum of 6 minutes. if a
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Meeting: March 11, 2021
member of the public wished to allot their time to another speaker, they may do so when their
name is called by the Chair. Please remember that all comments and questions must be addressed
to the Commission, and please be patient while we organize the speakers during the public hearing
portion. After everyone who has asked to speak has spoken, the Chair will close the public hearing
and provide a few minutes of rebuttal time to the applicant if they so choose.
On a subject not posted on the agenda: Persons may add an item to a future Board agenda by filing
a written request with the Staff Liaison no later than one week prior to the Board meeting. The
request must include the speaker's name and the specific topic to be addressed with sufficient
information to inform the board and the public. For Board Liaison contact information, please logon
to http://government.georgetown.org/categorylboards-commissions/.
Public Wishing to Address the Board
C. At the time of posting, no persons had signed up to address the Board.
Legislative Regular Agenda
D. Consideration and possible action to approve the minutes from the February 11, 2021 regular
meeting of the Historic and Architectural Review Commission. - Mirna Garcia, Management
Analyst
Motion to approve Item D by Commissioner Johnston. Second by Commissioner Curry.
Approved (5-0).
E. Consideration and possible action to approve the minutes from the February 25, 2021 regular
meeting of the Historic and Architectural Review Commission. - Mirna Garcia, Management
Analyst
Motion to approve Item E by Commissioner Hyde. Second by Commissioner Curry.
Approved (5-0).
F. Public Hearing and possible action on a request for a Historic Landmark Designation for the
site and building located on approximately 0.1899 acres situated in the Barney C. Low Survey,
Abstract No. 385, for the property generally located at 1208 Westinghouse Road (2020-1-HL).
Britin Bostick, Downtown & Historic Planner
Staff report by Bostick. The applicant is requesting approval of a Historic Landmark
Designation for the Johnson House, which is estimated to have been constructed c.1868 by the
J. J. Johnson family, Swedish immigrants who settled in Texas in the 1850s and began farming
their own homestead in Williamson County in 1866, with the stone two-story farmhouse located
close to what is now Westinghouse Road. The subject property is located on the south side of
Westinghouse Road, at the intersection of Westinghouse Road and Blue Ridge Drive. The house
proposed for Historic Landmark Designation is the historic f. J. Johnson House, the two-story
limestone farmhouse constructed by the Johnson family in the late 1860s. Although the historic
house has been vacant for several years, the property is still occupied as a primary residence
and farmed by the fourth generation of the J. J. Johnson family. The most prominent site feature
is the two-story limestone farmhouse facing toward the southeast. The historic house is situated
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Meeting: March 11, 2021
within the 0.1899-acre subject property, part of a larger agricultural tract that slopes downward
toward the south and which has been planted for crops since at least the late 1860s. The City of
Georgetown recognizes that as a matter of public policy the protection, enhancement, and
perpetuation of landmarks and districts of historical and cultural importance and significance is
necessary to promote the economic, cultural, educational, and general welfare of the public.
Historic overlay districts are created to: • Protect and enhance the landmarks and districts
which represent distinctive elements of Georgetown's historic, architectural, and cultural
heritage; • Foster civic pride in the accomplishments of the past; • Protect and enhance
Georgetown's attractiveness to visitors and the support and stimulus to the economy thereby
provided; • Insure the harmonious, orderly, and efficient growth and development of the city
that is sensitive to its historic resources; • Promote economic prosperity and welfare of the
community by encouraging the most appropriate use of historic properties within the city; and
o Encourage stabilization, restoration, and improvements of such properties and their values by
offering incentives for rehabilitation and preservation. Historic Landmark Designation is a type
of zoning overlay that is applied in addition to the base zoning of the property. The purpose of
the historic landmark designation is to protect, preserve and enhance buildings or structures of
historical, architectural or cultural importance or value to the City of Georgetown. Accordingly,
exterior modifications to designated Historic Landmarks require approval of a Certificate of
Appropriateness in accordance with UDC Sec. 3.13, similar to the existing Downtown and Old
Town Historic Overlay District, however in the case of a Historic Landmark the base zoning for
the property provides development standards and use restrictions for that property. As the
subject property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, a rehabilitation or adaptive
reuse of the property that is found to meet the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for
Rehabilitation would qualify to apply for state and federal historic preservation tax credits as
long as the property is income -producing. Although the local historic landmark designation
does not affect the owner's ability to apply for the tax credits, and owner -occupied residential
properties do not qualify for the tax credits, the zoning and use of the property as a commercial
or income -producing property would potentially position a future project for the tax credits
while the local landmark designation would provide the zoning protections to maintain the
required standards for the exterior modifications to the structure during and after any proposed
rehabilitation or adaptive reuse.
Charles Johnson, the applicant, addressed the Commission and was available to answer
questions.
Logan Walters, the developer, also addressed the Commission.
Chair Parr opened and closed the Public Hearing as no one signed up to speak.
Motion to approve Item F (2020-1-HL) by Commissioner Nunn. Second by Commissioner
Hyde. Approved (5-0).
G. Presentation and discussion of Historic Overlay Zoning District Designation.
Staff report by Bostick. Bostick presented the process to designate, the criteria to designate,
review requirements for changes to the property for a Historic Overlay District as well as
standards specific to the Down and Old town Historic Overlay Districts.
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Meeting: March 11, 2021
H. Updates, Commissioner questions, and comments. — Sofia Nelson, Planning Director
Bostick explained that a Historic intern was hired.
Adjournment
Motion to adjourn by Commissioner Hyde. Second by Commissioner Nunn. Approved (5-0).
Meeting adjourned at 7:06pm
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Approved, Amanda Parr, Chair Attest, yde, Secretary
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Meeting: March 11, 2021