[Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission on April 21, 2022.]
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UH, TODAY'S MEETING OF THE HOUSTON ARCHEOLOGICAL HISTORICAL COMMISSION, HAHC, IS CALLED TO ORDER.I'M COMMISSIONED VICE CHAIR DAVID EK.
UM, I'M GOING TO CONFIRM THAT WE HAVE QUORUM BY CALLING THE ROLE.
I'D LIKE TO FIRST, UM, AND WHILE I DO THIS, ALSO WELCOME THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE, THE, THE COMMISSION, UH, COMMISSIONER TONYA DEBO, UM, WHO IS COMING TO US FROM THE APPEALS BOARD.
UM, COMMISSIONER DEBO, ARE YOU PRESENT? I AM.
UH, I'M HERE IN THE BUILDING, WALKING TOWARDS YOU.
UM, IS COMMISSIONER, UM, SWEENEY BOSSON.
PRESENT? PRESENT VIRTUALLY IS COMMISSIONER VEDA PRESENT.
UH, COMMISSIONER WIER AUER JACKSON PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER COSGROVE PRESENT VIRTUALLY.
COMMISSIONER CURRY CURRY PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER STAAVA PRESENT VIRTUALLY.
COMMISSIONER COUCH? PROBABLY ABSENT.
UH, THE FIRST, UM, ITEM OF BUSINESS IS TO ELECT A NEW CHAIR FOR THE COMMISSION.
AND AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO OPEN, UH, THE FLOOR, UH, FOR A NOMINATION OR NOMINATIONS FOR THE CHAIR.
UH, MR. VICE CHAIR, I'D MAKE A MOTION, UM, TO ELECT YOU AS THE CHAIR GOING FORWARD FOR THE NEXT, UH, ITERATION OF THE HAHC.
IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSIONS OR ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS, BUT BEFORE WE, WE'LL, WE'LL ATTEST THIS MOTION.
UM, UH, COMMISSIONERS THOSE IN SUPPORT OF THE NOMINATION, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
IS THERE ANY COMMISSIONERS VOTING AGAINST JUST YOU
UM, WE WILL NOW, UM, UM, WE'LL NOW PROCEED, UM, WITH THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT AND, UH, TODAY, UH, MR. CHAIR? YES.
UH, CAN I POSE A QUESTION TO, UH, KIM? CAN WE ALSO, UH, TO SAVE TIME, ELECT THE VICE CHAIR AT THIS POINT, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA? IT, I BELIEVE IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA.
IT WILL BE HAPPENING NEXT, NEXT MONTH.
YEAH, WE, WE, WE SHOULD HAVE POSTED IT ON THE, ON THIS AGENDA.
SO WITH THAT, UM, I'D LIKE TO, THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
AND WE HAVE WITH US, UH, DEPUTY DIRECTOR JENNIFER, JENNIFER OLAN, AND SHE WILL BE JOINING US, UH, GOING FORWARD, UM, ON THE COMMISSION.
AND, AND SHE HAS A LONG HISTORY HERE IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
AND SO I'M GONNA LET YOU OPEN IT WITH YOUR REPORT.
UM, MR. CHAIR EK, UH, CONGRATULATIONS.
UM, I'M JENNIFER OSLAN, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE THE PLANNING DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
AND AS THE CHAIR SAID, I WILL BE TAKING OVER A SECRETARY OF THE COMMISSION GOING FORWARD.
UH, DIRECTOR WALLACE BROWN IS STILL, UM, PARTICIPATES BEHIND THE SCENES AND IS AVAILABLE TO ALL THE COMMISSIONERS, UM, AS NEEDED.
UM, SO, BUT I'M HAPPY TO, TO BE HERE.
UM, AS, AS YOU JUST HEARD, UH, WE WILL, UM, PUT ON THE AGENDA AT, UH, NEXT MONTH'S MEETING.
ELECTION OF THE VICE CHAIR FOR THIS.
UH, LOTS HAPPENED SINCE YOU MET LAST, UM, I WANNA CONGRATULATE COMMISSIONERS WHO HAVE BEEN REAPPOINTED, UH, RECENTLY, YESTERDAY.
UM, AND ALSO, UH, A NEW CHAIR.
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TANYA DEBO, WHO'S, UH, SERVING IN POSITION TWO.UH, MS. DE BOSE, UM, HAS BEEN SERVING ON THE APPEALS BOARD, UM, AND ALSO LAST YEAR SHE WAS, UH, NAMED AS PRESERVATIONIST OF THE YEAR BY MAYOR TURNER.
UH, THERE SHE IS SERVING ON THE COMMISSION.
AND ALSO, UH, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER SUPULVEDA, COMMISSIONER WIDA R JACKSON AND COMMISSIONER MCNEIL WERE REAPPOINTED YESTERDAY.
OTHERS, IT, SINCE IT'S ROTATING, OTHERS WILL BE REAPPOINTED AS YOUR TERMS EXPIRE.
SO WE WILL KEEP YOU POSTED ON THAT.
UH, SINCE, UH, ON APPEALS, THE APPEALS BOARD MET LAST, UH, IN FEBRUARY, FEBRUARY 28TH AT 9:00 AM THE BOARD PARTIALLY UPHELD THE DECISION OF THE HOUSTON ARCHEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL COMMISSION FOR A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FOR 7 5 4 2 CATON STREET IN GLENBROOK VALLEY HISTORIC DISTRICT WITH A CONDITION OF ALLOWING AN ARCHITECTURAL STANDING SEAM METAL ROOF AS PROPOSED COVERING A CENTRAL COURTYARD.
UM, WE, UH, THERE ARE EIGHT NEW PROTECTED AND TWO REGULAR LANDMARKS APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL YESTERDAY.
SO THE STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING HARD.
UM, JUST REAL QUICK, UH, THE CAMPBELL MORENO HOUSE AT 1914 GAU STREET IS NOW A LANDMARK.
THE MR. AND MRS. RALPH M. HENDERSON HOUSE AT 1419 KIRBY STREET IS A LANDMARK.
THE ELDORADO BALLROOM AT 2310 ELGIN STREET IS A PROTECTED LANDMARK.
NOW, THE MARSHALL CALLAWAY BUILDING AT 53 0 3 LYONS AVENUE IS A PROTECTED LANDMARK.
THE MILLER HOUSE AT 5 0 1 ROUSE STREET IS A PROTECTED LANDMARK.
THE JF KESSLER BUILDING AT 1714 HOUSTON AVENUE IS A PROTECTED LANDMARK.
THE SMITH MAXI HOUSE AT 1428 EAST 34TH STREET IS A PROTECTED LANDMARK.
THE ZHANG ALVARADO HOUSE AT 2011 JOHNSON STREET IS A PROTECTED LANDMARK.
THE CARSON LUCIA HOUSE AT 39 0 4 FRANCE STREET IS A PROTECTED LANDMARK.
THE BOYTON CHAPEL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH AT 28 12 MILBY STREET IS A PROTECTED LANDMARK.
AND SO THE STAFF, UM, WANNA THANK THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS FOR TAKING THAT IMPORTANT STEP TO PRESERVE THEIR, UH, STRUCTURES.
AND I WANNA THANK THE STAFF FOR ALL THE WORK THEY DID TO, UM, HELP TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
IN ADDITION TO ITEMS FOR YOUR DECISION TODAY, STAFF COMPLETED NINE ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVALS, UM, AND ANOTHER 11 ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVALS.
SINCE YOUR LAST MEETING WITH 31 IS THE OVERALL YEAR TO DATE, STAFF ALSO RECEIVED REQUESTS FOR SIX PRE-APPLICATION DESIGN REVIEWS IN MARCH AND SEVEN IN APRIL, WITH A TOTAL OF 18 TO DATE FOR 2022.
IF ANYONE HAS QUESTIONS, YOU CAN CALL THE HOUSTON PRESERVATION OFFICE HOTLINE AT 8 3 2 3 9 3 6 5 6 6, OR VISIT OUR WEB WEBSITE@HOUSTONPLANNING.COM.
UH, IS THERE A REPORT FROM THE MAYOR'S LIAISON? UH, GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR.
UM, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR RECENT ELEVATION TO CHAIR OF THE, OF THE BODY.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT IT WAS, UM, IT WAS A PLEASURE FOR ME TO BE AT THE COUNCIL MEETING TWO WEEKS AGO FOR THE REAPPOINTMENT AND THE APPOINTMENT OF OUR, OUR NEW COMMISSIONER, MS. DUBOSE, UH, AS WELL AS TO BE AT THE MEETING YESTERDAY, TO HEAR MR. MCALLEN DO A WONDERFUL JOB LAYING OUT FOR COUNSEL AND, AND SHOWING WONDERFUL PHOTOGRAPHS, UM, TO COUNSEL OF THE VARIOUS HOMES THAT RECEIVED PROTECTED LANDMARK OR LANDMARK STATUS YESTERDAY.
UM, HAVING SAT THROUGH MANY OF THOSE MEETINGS, IT WAS REALLY A DELIGHT TO BE THERE WHEN THEY VOTED TO APPROVE ALL OF THOSE.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL WORK THAT STAFF AND THE COMMISSION DID TO MOVE THOSE FORWARD TO THE COUNCIL AGENDA.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR MY REPORT.
OUR NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS, UH, IS TO APPROVE, UM, MINUTES, UH, FROM OUR MARCH 2ND, 2022 MEETING, AND ALSO, UH, MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 24TH, 2022 MEETING, UM, FOR THE HAHC, WHICH WERE POSTED WITH THE AGENDA.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS OR IF NO COMMENTS ARE THERE, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE, UH, THE MINUTES CURRY? SO MOVES, UH, FOR BOTH SETS OF MINUTES, IF WE MAY.
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WE NOW ARE JACKSON SECONDS.ANY, ANY ONCE AGAINST ABSTAINING MCNEIL FOR THE
WITH THAT, WE WILL MOVE TO ITEM A ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON PROPOSED ON THE PROPOSED FIRST RIVERSIDE TERRACE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIRPERSON, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
THIS IS STAFF PERSON JASON LILIENTHAL.
I SUBMIT ITEM A FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF AN APPLICATION FOR A PROPOSED HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THE PROPOSED DISTRICT IS TO BE NAMED FIRST RIVERSIDE TERRACE AS PROPOSED BOUNDARY INCLUDES TRACKS LOCATED ON THE TWENTY FOUR HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE HUNDRED BLOCK OF ROSEDALE STREET BETWEEN EMANCIPATION AVENUE AND LIVE OAK STREET.
ONE TRACKED AT 2,600 ROSEDALE STREET AND THREE TRACKS ON WICHITA STREET BETWEEN EMANCIPATION AND LIVE.
OAK RIVERSIDE TERRACE RECEIVED ITS NAME BECAUSE IT'S STRETCHED ALONGSIDE BOTH SIDES OF BRAISED BAYOU.
TODAY, THE AREA INCLUDES LAND FROM ALAMEDA TO COLON IN BETWEEN ELGIN AND OLD SPANISH TRAIL.
THE AREA ALSO CONNECTS TWO CITY PARKS, MCGREGOR PARK, AND HERMAN PARK, CONNECTED BY CYNIC DRIVES.
ALENE NAMED NORTH MCGREGOR AND SOUTH MCGREGOR WAY.
HENRY MCGREGOR HAD PURCHASED LAND IN THE AREA AROUND 1900.
MCGREGOR'S EXECUTOR SOLD THE LAND TO RIVERSIDE LAND COMPANY AFTER HIS DEATH.
CLARENCE M MALONE, ALONG WITH HIS BROTHER CLAYTON E MALONE, DEVELOPED RIVERSIDE TERRACE.
THESE TWO BROTHERS ALSO SERVED AS OFFICERS IN THE GUARDIAN TRUST COMPANY THAT WAS AT SALES AGENTS OR SALES AGENT.
THE SUBDIVISION WAS PROMOTED FOR ITS CLOSE PROXIMITY TO SOUTH MAINS CULTURAL, MEDICAL, EDUCATIONAL, AND SOCIAL FACILITIES.
MR. CLAYTON ONCE SAID, WITH THE OPENING OF MCGREGOR WAY AND THE COMPLETION OF THE PARK SYSTEM SURROUNDING RIVERSIDE TERRACE, NO OTHER ADDITION.
THE CITY WILL HAVE THE SAME SURROUNDINGS AS DO PARKS, SCHOOLS, AND CHURCHES THAT RIVERSIDE TERRACE WILL HAVE.
RIVERSIDE TERRACE WAS ONCE HOME TO A LARGE NUMBER OF JEWISH FAMILIES, INCLUDING SUCH PROMINENT NAMES AS WE GARDEN, FINGER SAKOWITZ, SCHLUMBERGER, AND BATTLE STEAM, WHO HAD BEEN EXCLUDED FROM RIVER OAKS FROM THE 1930S UNTIL THE POST-WAR ERA.
THE AREA WAS UNOFFICIALLY KNOWN AS THE JEWISH RIVER OAKS, BEGINNING IN 1952 WITH JACK CAESAR'S FAMILY.
HAVING MOVED THERE, MANY WEALTHY AND PROFESSIONAL AFRICAN-AMERICANS MOVED INTO RIVERSIDE TERRACE.
THEY SAW THE BENEFITS OF LIVING NEAR TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, RIVERSIDE HOSPITAL, AND THE MEDICAL CENTER.
NOTABLE NAMES INCLUDE REVEREND WILLIAM LAWSON, MRS. MADDIE HILLIARD, DR.
CATHERINE ROIT REED, WHOSE HOME IS A PROTECTED LANDMARK IN THE DISTRICT.
DR. ANDREW ALLEN AND FAMED POET VIVIAN IERS.
PARENTS OF ACTRESSES DEBBIE ALLEN AND FELICIA RASHAD.
EDITH IRBY JONES, TEXAS STATE REPRESENTATIVE SEAN THI, TEXAS STATE REPRESENTATIVE GARNET COLEMAN ARCHITECT JOHN CHASE, JR.
US REPRESENTATIVE SHEILA JACKSON LEE AND MATTHEW KNOWLES, FATHER OF BEYONCE.
THE PROPOSED HISTORIC DISTRICT IS COMPRISED MAINLY OF ECLECTIC REVIVAL, ARCHITECTURAL STYLES.
OTHER STYLES INCLUDE TRADITIONAL RANCH, AMERICAN VERNACULAR, MEDITERRANEAN.
MOST OF THE CONTRIBUTING HOMES ARE TWO STORY, AND MOST HAVE A BRICK VENEER.
ONLY ONE STRUCTURE IS CLAD IN STONE.
MANY OF THE ECLECTIC REVIVAL STYLED HOMES FEATURE COLONIAL FRENCH AND TUDOR CHARACTERISTICS.
SEVERAL OF THE STRUCTURES HAVE COINS, MOST HAVE CHIMNEYS AND PORCHES.
THE DISTRICT'S STRUCTURES ARE EVIDENCED TO THE FORM, STYLE AND C CRAFTSMANSHIP OF HOMES CONSTRUCTED 70 YEARS AGO OR MORE, AND ARE VALUABLE HISTORIC RESOURCES.
THE PROPOSED HISTORIC DISTRICT IS SIGNIFICANT TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON BECAUSE OF ITS HISTORICAL ORIGINS, GROWTH, PEOPLE, AND ARCHITECTURE.
FOR THESE REASONS, THE DISTRICT MEETS THE CRITERIA 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
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AND EIGHT.STAFF RECOMMEND RECOMMENDATION IS TO THE COMMISSION THAT THEY RECOMMEND TO CITY COUNCIL, THE HISTORIC DISTRICT DESIGNATION OF THE FIRST RIVERSIDE TERRACE, HISTORIC DISTRICT CHAIRPERSON.
I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
THERE ARE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGNUP TO SPEAK.
STAFF HAS RECEIVED A PUBLIC COMMENT THIS MORNING FROM TOMORROW, BELL AND I HAVE RIGHT HERE.
THIS CONCLUDES THE STAFF PRESENTATION OF THE PROPOSED HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UH, BEFORE WE OPEN THIS UP TO PUBLIC COMMENT, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF FROM COMMISSIONERS? THE, UH, THE NOTICE FROM THE PUBLIC THAT WAS JUST ENTERED INTO THE PUBLIC RECORD, IS THAT AFFIRMATIVE OR IN FAVOR OF THE HISTORIC DISTRICT? THAT IS OPPOSED.
UM, I AM, I'VE GOT A LIST OF SPEAKERS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP, UH, ONLINE, AND WE'RE GONNA START WITH THE FOLKS, UH, WHO DID SIGNED UP ONLINE FIRST.
AND THEN I HAVE A LIST OF FOLKS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP, UH, IN THE MORE RECENT PAST.
SO EVERYONE WHO HAS SIGNED UP WILL BE ABLE TO SPEAK AND ANYONE THAT'S ALSO PRESENT, UM, AT THE END OF THIS, UM, LIST WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE, UM, TO SPEAK AS WELL.
UM, I JUST WANNA CONFIRM THE SPEAKING TIME, UH, FOR THE SPEAKERS.
WE'LL BE TIMING TWO MINUTES FOR EACH SPEAKER.
THE OPENING APPLICANT HAS THREE MINUTES AND WOULD ALSO BE ALLOWED A CLOSING TWO MINUTES.
THE APPLICANT ONLY TWO MINUTES FOR MOST PEOPLE.
AND, AND COULD YOU PLEASE OPEN THIS AS THE PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND THE FIRST, UM, SPEAKER ON THE AGENDA, UH, ON MY LIST IS, UM, ASIF UD.
MR. MAHMUD, IF YOU'D EITHER CROSS PODIUM, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND PROCEED.
UH, CAN EVERYONE, UH, HEAR ME ALL RIGHT.
FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSTON ARCHEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL COMMISSION, AND AS WELL AS THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, UH, DEPARTMENT, WHO HAVE WORKED DILIGENTLY WITH US FOR GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU AS JASON JUST COVERED.
UH, THIRD WARD AND RIVERSIDE TERRACE ARE UNIQUE NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THEY REALLY ARE A MICROCOSM OF AMERICA'S 20TH CENTURY AND EARLY 21ST CENTURY HISTORY.
THEY REPRESENT A RICH AND COMPLEX TAPESTRY OF PAST AND CURRENT RESIDENTS OF VARIOUS ETHNICITIES AND RELIGIOUS FAITH.
I BELIEVE THAT THIS HISTORY IS A GIFT THAT WE HAVE INHERITED, AND I BELIEVE THAT IT IS INCUMBENT UPON US TO BE GOOD CUSTODIANS OF THAT GIFT AND TO HONOR IT BY PRESERVING IT THIS WAY.
WE GIFT THIS FORWARD TO FUTURE GENERATIONS, AND WHO I HOPE WILL DO THE SAME WITH THE SUCCESSIVE GENERATIONS.
WHEN WE PRESERVE NEIGHBORHOODS, WE ARE ALSO PRESERVING AND PERPETUATING THE STORIES AND THE LEGACIES OF PAST RESIDENTS.
IT IS NOT SIMPLY A PRESERVATION OF STRUCTURES.
TODAY, THE ECONOMIC FORCES DRIVING GENTRIFICATION ARE CONSUMING AND ERASING THIRD WARDS IN RIVERSIDE TERRACES HISTORY.
EVERY DAY, HIDEOUS STRUCTURES ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION THAT ARE COMPLETELY INCONGRUENT IN ARCHITECTURE AND IN THEIR SCALE.
WITH THE CHARACTER OF OUR BEAUTIFUL NEIGHBORHOOD, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE.
WE ONLY NEED TO LOOK AT THE MUSEUM DISTRICT, MONTROSE, WESTVIEW, AND PARTS OF THE HEIGHTS TO SEE THE EFFECTS OF THE FAILURE TO PRESERVE NEIGHBORHOODS TIME.
THESE AREAS THAT I'VE MENTIONED TODAY, THEY BEAR LITTLE RESEMBLANCE TO THE ORIGINAL CHARACTER.
THANK YOU FOR SERVING BY ESTABLISHING THE FIRST RIVERSIDE TERRACE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
WE TAKE A CRITICAL FIRST STEP IN WHICH HOPEFULLY INSPIRES OTHERS TO INITIATE ESTABLISHING MORE HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
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THANK YOU.YOU'RE GOOD IN CLOSING? I RE THE TIME IS UP.
UM, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS CHARLENE DRAPER.
CAN I GO AHEAD AND ANNOUNCE THAT I'M PRESENT BEFORE WE HAVE THE SPEAKER? SO, ASHLEY JONES, I JUST JOINED, SO NOTED.
IS CHARLENE DRAPER PRESENT OR VIRTUALLY PRESENT? I'M GONNA MOVE ON.
UM, IS JOHN MAY PRESENT? HELLO? I HAVE SOME, I WAS TOLD THAT SOME PHOTOGRAPHS COULD BE SHOWN ON A PROJECTOR.
AND IF YOU COULD JUST, UH, GO THROUGH THOSE AT RANDOM, UH, EVERY FIVE SECONDS OR SO WOULD BE FINE.
OVERHEAD PROJECTOR, DOCUMENT CAMERA, PLEASE.
MR. HILL, THE BLOCK OF ROSEDALE BETWEEN EMANCIPATION AND LIVE OAK.
OUR BLOCK IS A BEAUTIFUL CITY NEIGHBORHOOD.
MY WIFE AND I FIRST NOTICED IT WHILE WALKING OUR DOG IN 92, AND WE GOT OUR PIECE OF THIS PRIZE IN 98, AND WE'VE LIVED THERE HAPPILY EVER AFTER.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PUBLIC SPACE WITH MANY TREES.
FOLKS STROLL HERE WITH THEIR DOGS LOOKING AROUND AND JUST ENJOYING CITY LIFE.
OUR BLOCK HAS BEEN PRESERVED BY A COMBINATION OF LUCK AND MANY INDIVIDUAL DECISIONS.
FAMILIES LIKE THE WHITES AND THE HANNAHS CHOSE TO LIVE HERE AND STAYED UNTIL THE END OF THEIR DAYS.
THE BLOCK WAS JUST FAR ENOUGH FROM THE DISRUPTION OF 2 88.
THESE THINGS COMBINED TO KEEP THE BLOCK MUCH THE WAY IT WAS IN THE 1960S.
THE BLOCK HAS NOT BEEN PRESERVED IN AMBER.
EVERY HOUSE ON THE BLOCK HAS CHANGED HANDS SINCE WE MOVED IN.
AND EACH NEW OWNER HAS MADE CHANGES THAT SUITED THEM STILL.
EVEN THOUGH THE PICTURES I'M SHOWING HERE ARE FROM 1993, YOU CAN RECOGNIZE EVERY HOUSE OVER THE YEARS, OUR NEIGHBORS.
AND WE HAVE USED THE TOOLS MADE AVAILABLE BY THE CITY, INCLUDING MINIMUM LOT SIZE AND MINIMUM BUILDING LINE, AND WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
HOWEVER, OUR EXPERIENCE MAY BE UNAVAILABLE TO FUTURE OWNERS.
THERE IS CURRENTLY A VACANT LOT, WHICH COULD BE BUILT ON IN ANY FASHION, SAY A FOUR STORY STUCCO WITH DOWNTOWN VIEWS AND A MORE DISTANT POSSIBILITY IS THAT SOMETHING LIKE THE, UH, MUSEUM DISTRICT WILL OCCUR IN OUR AREA.
FOLKS WILL SCRAPE HOUSES AND REPLACE THEM ENTIRELY.
CHANGES LIKE THIS, THEY'RE NOT INTRINSICALLY BAD, BUT IT'S NOT WHAT I WANT FOR MY BLOCK.
SO I HOPE WILL BE GRANTED THIS HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND, AND IF ANYBODY EVER WANTS A TOUR, I'M READY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CATHERINE RESERVE.
IS CATHERINE AVAILABLE IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY? I GUESS I'LL JUST ASK STAFF IF YOU CAN SEE THE SPEAKER ONLINE OR NOT.
UH, WE SEE NO INDICATION ONLINE FOR, UH, CATHERINE REER.
I THINK THAT'S WHO YOU'VE JUST CALLED.
I AM A 32 YEAR RESIDENT OF RIVERSIDE TERRACE.
UH, OUR HOMES WERE PLACED INTO A PROPOSED HISTORIC DISTRICT, THE 24 AND 2,500 BLOCKS OF WICHITA WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF PUBLIC OR COMMUNITY MEETING.
WE WERE NEVER CONTACTED BY THE HISTORICAL TEAM OR THE ORIGINAL APPLICANTS.
WE NEVER RECEIVED ANY TYPE OF INFORMATION UNTIL AFTER OUR BLOCKS WERE PLACED IN THE PROPOSED DISTRICT.
AND THAT SHOULD NEVER BE THE CASE.
I DID RESTRICTED PARKING FOR MY BLOCKS SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
THERE ARE 18 HOMES IN MY BLOCK.
I HAD TO KNOCK AT 18 DOORS, PROVIDE INFORMATION
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TO 18 HOMEOWNERS AND GET THEIR SIGNATURES, YES OR NO.WHEN IT COMES TO MY HOME, I WOULD THINK THAT VALUE IS EVEN HIGHER THAN RESTRICTING MY PARKING.
A LETTER WAS MAILED OUT TO US AND A MAP WAS PRESENTED.
AFTER THAT, A VIRTUAL CALL WAS HELD.
A WEEK LATER, WE RECEIVED ANOTHER LETTER IN THE MAIL REQUIRING OUR VOTE.
BUT ON THAT LETTER WAS A DIFFERENT MAP THAN WE FIRST DISCUSSED ON THE VIRTUAL CALL.
WE NEVER RECEIVED ANY NOTIFICATION PROVIDING US THE RESULTS OF OUR ORIGINAL VOTE.
I CALLED THE OFFICE AND I WAS ADVISED THAT THE ORDINANCE DOESN'T REQUIRE THEM TO RELAY THE VOTE TO US.
IT'S DEFINITELY THE RIGHT THING TO DO WHEN YOU ASK PEOPLE TO VOTE TO TELL THEM WHAT THE RESULTS OF THE VOTE ARE.
THE REASON WE DIDN'T WAS BECAUSE THE 67% REQUIRED WASN'T MET.
THE MAP WE VOTED ON WAS MODIFIED.
IT WAS MODIFIED TO OBTAIN THE GOAL OF 67 PLUS PERCENT AFTER WE VOTED.
AND I JUST DON'T THINK THAT'S RIGHT.
IF WE VOTE ON A MAP, THAT'S THE MAP THAT SHOULD BE IN PLACE.
WHERE IS THE FAIRNESS TO THE RESIDENTS WHO DON'T WANNA BE INCLUDED IN THE HISTORICAL DISTRICT WHO VOTED? NO.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BIANCA OD.
I'M A HOMEOWNER WITHIN THE PROPOSED DISTRICT, AND I STRONGLY SUPPORT THE CREATION OF THIS HISTORIC DISTRICT.
I THINK IT WILL PUT IMPORTANT PROTECTIONS IN PLACE FOR OUR HOMES, BUT IT'S ALSO SYMBOLICALLY IMPORTANT.
AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVING THE NEIGHBORHOOD, I THINK I JUST HAVE TO LOOK A BLOCK DOWN THE STREET TO 2 88, UM, TO SEE THE FREEWAY WAVE THAT WAS INTENTIONALLY ROUTED THROUGH JACK CAESAR'S HOME TO OBLITERATE THE ORIGINS OF THE BLACK HISTORY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND SOME OF THE DEVELOPMENT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT'S COMING IN IS NOT QUITE AS DRASTIC, BUT IT'S NEVERTHELESS ERASING THE HISTORY IN THE SAME WAY.
I HAVE A PHOTO OF JACK CAESAR HANGING IN MY HOME, AND I ALSO HAVE A PHOTO OF A YOUNG ARETHA FRANKLIN, UM, THAT WAS SHARED WITH ME BY ONE OF MY NEIGHBORS, UM, TAKEN INSIDE OF MY HOME WITH HER AND ONE OF THE FORMER OWNERS.
AND SO I THINK IT'S REALLY ESSENTIAL FOR US TO PRESERVE THIS BUILT ENVIRONMENT, NOT JUST FOR THE STRUCTURES AND THE ARCHITECTURE, BUT BECAUSE IT'S A CARRIER OF THE ENERGY AND THE LEGACY OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIVED THERE AND POURED THEIR LOVE AND TIME INTO THOSE SPACES.
UM, SO I WOULD JUST, UM, URGE THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, TO PLEASE APPROVE THE PROPOSED MAP, UH, WHICH I AM INCLUDED IN MY HOME.
AND I KNOW THAT OTHER HOMEOWNERS, UH, WHO ARE ALSO INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED DISTRICT STAND STRONGLY IN SUPPORT OF IT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JUDAH BONY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LYNCH LOPEZ.
HI PANELS AND EVERYBODY'S INVOLVED AGAINST OR FOR, UM, DURING THE PROCESS WERE VERY DIFFICULT.
THIS IS MY FIRST TIME DOING IT AND I CAN ASSURE YOU NOBODY LOOKING AT IT BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A DIFFICULT PROCESS.
AND I FOUND OUT THAT, UM, THE MAP, THE ORIGINAL MEETING WAS 51 PROPERTIES AND THERE'S NO LIMITATIONS OF THE CRITERIA.
THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND THE STAFF HAVE A RIGHT TO MODIFY THE MAP HOWEVER THEY LIKE I HAVE EVIDENCE HERE, A MAP WITHDRAW, WHICH I CONSIDER GERRYMANDERING THE MAP BOUNDARY TO, TO ACHIEVE 67% VOTE.
AND, UM, MR. ASIF MAHU MAMOU, HE, HIS FAMILY OWNED FIVE LOTS.
AND, UM, WHERE IS OUR RIGHT AT? PEOPLE THAT DON'T WANT TO ENFORCE THIS ON, UH, OUR, OUR LOT BECAUSE I BELIEVE TO LEAVE THE LAND FOR FREE FOR FUTURE TO USE SUCH THAT RIVER OAK WHERE YOU IS MIXED, MIXED HOMES.
NOW THE OLD AND THE NEW BLENDED IS BEAUTIFUL, YOU KNOW, SO I AM NOT GONNA BE RESTRICT MY LAND JUST FOR THE SAKE OF, FOR THOSE THAT WISH TO HAVE THAT, UM, TO KEEP THAT, UH, THOSE HOUSE AS OLD AS IT IS THROUGH TWO, 300 YEARS FROM NOW.
IT'S JUST AS DIRT, YOU KNOW, LANDMARK, THE HOUSE IS PERFECTLY FINE TO ME, BUT
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I AM NOT, UH, FOR, FOR IT.AND, UM, I BELIEVE THE, UH, THE, UH, ORDINANCE NEEDS TO BE AMENDED TO HAVE A ACCURATE THRESHOLD LIMITATION CRITERIA TO BE FAIR FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED.
SO PRO, UH, FOR NOW, THE PROCESS EXCLUDE EVERYBODY.
AND I HAVE A MAP DRAWN HERE FROM THE PLAN DEPARTMENT, UH, EMPLOYEE, UH, FROM THE BOSS AND ATTORNEY AND EVERYBODY WORK FOR THEM, GET PAID TO DO THE JOB.
I DON'T GET PAID TO DO THE JOB.
AND I SPEND LESS ENDLESS HOUR EDUCATE MYSELF ON THIS PARTICULAR SUBJECT.
MY LOT ARE BEING SO RIGHT NOW AND I'M ON, I'M 24 18.
AND, UM, I BELIEVE PEOPLE DO WHAT THEY WANNA DO.
YOU KNOW, TIME I BE, I BELIEVE ON THAT.
NEXT SPEAKER IS MARTHA FAILING.
YOU CAN LEARN THAT IF YOU WANT.
I'VE LIVED ON THAT BLOCK NOW FOR ABOUT SIX YEARS.
IT IS FORMALLY, UH, VERY PRIM, KEPT UP, UPPER MIDDLE CLASS NEIGHBORHOOD.
ALL OF THE HOUSES ARE BRICK AS THE INITIAL BUILDERS AND DEVELOPERS REQUIRED TWO STORY.
IT'S NOT CHANGED EXCEPT FOR A LOT WHERE HOUSE HAS BEEN DEMOLISHED.
YOU, YOU HEARD FROM, UH, MS. LOPEZ WHO BOUGHT THE, UH, DEMOLISHED, WHO BOUGHT THE LOT WHERE THE HOUSE WAS.
SHE'S NOW CLEARED IT, UM, DOES NOT LIVE ON ON THE BLOCK.
AND I THINK AS AN INVESTOR, UH, THOSE OF US WHO D WHO LIVE THERE LIKE OLD HOUSES ARE WILLING TO KEEP THE HOUSES IN THE CONDITION THAT THEY HAVE ARRIVED AT AFTER ALMOST A HUNDRED YEARS.
AND WE THINK THAT THIS IS A LOT.
THIS IS A STREET THAT DESERVES PRESERVATION BECAUSE SO MANY OF THE PLACES THAT WERE LIKE THAT HAVE BEEN MODERNIZED, DESTROYED FOR WHATEVER YOUR CHOICE OF WORDS IS.
BUT THIS SHOWS HOW PEOPLE LIVED ALMOST A HUNDRED YEARS AGO IN HOUSTON.
NEXT SPEAKER WHO SIGNED UP IS CYNTHIA CHISHOLM.
HELLO, UH, MY NAME IS CYNTHIA CHISHOLM AND I LIVE IN, UH, 24 0 2 ROSEDALE STREET.
AND I BOUGHT THE HOUSE IN 2016 AND I JUST RECENTLY REHABBED THE WHOLE HOUSE.
AND IT'S, I TRY TO REHAB IT AND RESTORE IT TO WHAT IT WOULD'VE LOOKED LIKE IN, UH, 1930.
AND, UM, WHEN I SAW THAT HOUSE, IT WAS SOLD AS A TEAR DOWN.
BUT I THOUGHT AT THE TIME THAT HOUSE IS TOO BEAUTIFUL TO BE SOLD AS A TEAR DOWN AND SOMEONE NEEDS TO BUY IT AND PRESERVE THE HISTORY OF IT.
AND I WOULD HATE TO SEE A LOT OF THE HOUSES IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, GET TORN DOWN JUST BECAUSE IT'S, SOMEBODY THINKS IT'S OLD AND THEN YOU PUT UP SOME MONSTROSITY THAT IS, THAT NO ONE EVEN CARES ABOUT.
AND I'VE SEEN MODERN HOUSES BE PUT IN THE MIDDLE OF SMACK DAB INTO STREETS THAT ARE BEAUTIFULLY MAINTAINED.
AND THEN YOU'VE GOT SOME, A MODERN HOUSE THAT DOESN'T EVEN FIT THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND YOU GO TO, YOU GO TO NEW YORK, YOU GO TO CHICAGO AND YOU SEE BEAUTIFUL NEIGHBORHOODS WITH BEAUTIFUL OLD HOUSES AND KEPT UP.
AND IT'S LIKE, WHY CAN'T HOUSTON DO THE SAME THING? AND HOUSTON SEEMS TO WANNA GET RID OF EVERYTHING THAT'S OLD SHAMROCK HOTEL, THE ASHE.
I MEAN, WE, WE DON'T KEEP ANYTHING IN THIS CITY.
BUT WE LOSE OUR HISTORY WHENEVER WE GET RID OF OLD STRUCTURES.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOUNG PEOPLE WANT TO SEE THAT AND LIKE TO SEE THAT.
AND THEY WISH THAT WE HAD MORE OF IT.
SO I WOULD HATE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN TO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD 'CAUSE IT'S A BEAUTIFUL HISTORICAL NEIGHBORHOOD AND IT SHOULD REFLECT THAT TIME.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS ELIZABETH SMITH.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
UM, HELLO TO EVERYONE ON THE BOARD.
I'M A SIXTH GENERATION TEXAN, A THIRD GENERATION HOUSTON HOUSTONIAN.
[00:35:02]
I LIVE AT 24 15 ROSEDALE.UM, THE PROCESS BY WHICH THIS OCCURRED, UM, IT'S KIND OF LIKE FORCING IT DOWN OUR THROATS.
UM, WE WERE NOT ASKED AS INDIVIDUALS, UH, AS BEEN, AS HAS BEEN STATED EARLIER, MR. MAHMOOD DOES HOLD A VAST NUMBER OF PROPERTIES IN THE AREA.
UM, HE IS AN ARCHITECT, UM, BY PASSION.
I UNDERSTAND WHY HE WANTS TO DO IT.
BUT AS A NATIVE TEXAN, THIS SEEMS TO BE TAKING AWAY MY RIGHTS ON MY HOMESTEAD WITHOUT BEING ASKED.
UM, HE DID TRY AND INFLUENCE MY DECISIONS ON MY PROPERTY AND I KINDLY RE RE UH, REFUSED.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MAINTAIN, UM, THE RIGHT TO MANAGE MY PROPERTY IN THE MANNER THAT I LIKE TO.
AND BECAUSE I'M A TAX PAYING INDIVIDUAL, UM, I DON'T SEE ANY REASON WHY THOSE HOUSES WHO WOULD LIKE TO BE HISTORIC CAN'T BE NAMED THAT WAY.
BUT I AS A, AS A PROPERTY OWNER AND A HOUSTONIAN WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JOSHUA BULLARD.
I, UM, I ACTUALLY DON'T, I DON'T LIVE IN THE, IN THE DISTRICT.
I LIVE CLOSE TO THE DISTRICT, BUT NOT IN THE DISTRICT BECAUSE I DON'T LIVE IN THIS PROPOSED DISTRICT.
UH, I WILL NOT BE, I WILL ABSTAIN FROM, UM, SUPPORTING OR ADVOCATING AGAINST.
AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE MESSAGE I WANTED TO GIVE IS THAT, UH, I DON'T LIVE IN THE DISTRICT, SO I HAVE, UH, I'M NOT GONNA ADVOCATE EITHER WAY FOR IT.
SO WHEN YOU HAVE A CONCENTRATED EFFORT THIS SMALL, THAT'S, UM, I THINK THAT JOB IS FOR THIS BODY TO MAKE THAT DETERMINATION.
SO THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT THE COMMENT IS THINKING.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS OLA MORRIS.
EXCUSE ME, I'M NOT OLA MORRIS.
I'M HER DAUGHTER, SHANNON SHAVERS.
MY MOTHER'S RIGHT HERE, UM, EXCUSE ME, WENT TO THE WRONG BUILDING.
SO I HAD SURGERY YESTERDAY, SO WE ARE A LITTLE TIRED.
UM, THIS ALL STARTED BECAUSE MY MOTHER HAD WATER DAMAGE.
MY MOTHER'S RETIRED FROM GENERAL MOTORS FROM MICHIGAN.
SHE RAISED, SHE'S FROM TEXAS, UM, EAST TEXAS.
SHE WENT TO PRAIRIE VIEW AND I LOOKED AT MY MOTHER AFTER HAVING THREE WATER DAMAGES FROM HER MAIN BATHROOM UPSTAIRS, SAID, I'M GONNA FIND YOU SOME MONEY TO FIX YOUR HOME.
AND SO I WENT TO THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE.
I WASN'T HAPPY THAT THEY WERE GONNA KNOCK DOWN A 3000 SQUARE FOOT HOME WITH A GARAGE, BIG BACKYARD.
OUR LOT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST LOTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THEY WERE GONNA GIVE US A 2000 SQUARE FOOT HOME WITH NO GARAGE.
AND THEN THAT'S WHEN ONE OF MY GIRLFRIEND WHO LIVES IN FIFTH WARD GOT OUR HOUSE TURNED HISTORICAL AND SHE ASKED ME TO GO TO THE HISTORICAL DISTRICT.
UM, THERE WAS ONLY SUPPOSED TO BE A FEW HOUSES.
I WENT TO MR. SEF, UM, BECAUSE HE HAD OTHER HOMES AND HE SAID THIS COULD POSSIBLY HAPPEN.
HE'S THE GENTLEMAN WITH THE FIVE SEVEN HOMES THAT HE JUST MOVED INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD NOT TOO LONG AGO.
AND, UM, NO OFFENSE TO ANYONE ELSE.
PROPERTIES, I'M A LITTLE SHORT ON THE PROCESS OF THE ADDITIONAL HOMES THAT WERE ADDED.
SO ANY APOLOGIES OF MISINFORMATION, PAPERWORK, UM, ACCUSATIONS OF ANY ADDITIONAL HOUSES? UM, I WOULD SAY I, I CAN APOLOGIZE FOR THAT 'CAUSE I WASN'T AWARE.
SO ANY OTHER HOMEOWNERS, YOU KNOW, THE, NO OFFENSE TO MY MOTHER AND MY MYSELF OF ANYTHING ELSE IS GOING ON, IF YOU OPPOSE IT OR NOT.
SO THAT'S WHY I GOT UP AND SPOKE.
'CAUSE AT OUR LAST MEETING, THEY, I SPOKE LAST BECAUSE EVERYBODY IN THE MEETING ON THE ZOOM WANTED TO KNOW HOW THIS GOT STARTED.
[00:40:01]
NORMALLY MY MOTHER COULD AFFORD TO GET HER HOUSE REFIXED.SHE USED TO MAKE GOOD MONEY, BUT NOW THAT SHE'S RETIRED, SHE'S ON A FIXED INCOME.
IT'S MY MISSION AS HER MOTHER, AS HER POWER ATTORNEY, SINCE SHE'S BEEN SICK, TO MAKE SURE SHE LIVES IN A DECENT HOME.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I'M HERE STANDING HERE AND LETTING YOU KNOW WHY THIS CAME ABOUT TIME.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU JUST, UH, STATE, UH, YOUR, FOR YOUR MOTHER WHETHER SHE SUPPORTS OR IS AGAINST SHE? OH, SUPPORTS.
AND I THINK THERE'S ONE MORE QUESTION, I THINK FROM COMMISSIONER.
OH, I WAS JUST GONNA ASK THE SAME QUESTION.
YOUR MOTHER SUPPORTS THIS DISTRICT AS IT'S DRAWN.
SHE SUPPORTS THE HISTORICAL DISTRICT.
CHAIR CHU, ONE MORE QUESTION, PLEASE.
MAY, MAY I ASK WHAT, UH, IS YOUR MOTHER IN THIS, UH, IS HER HOME IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT? YES, SHE'S HERE.
I BELIEVE THAT IS THE, UH, THE END OF THE FOLKS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP IN ONE, UH, MANNER OR ANOTHER.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE ON THE PUBLIC PRESENT, IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AS PART OF THE PUBLIC RECORD? UH, YES, I WOULD.
COULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME, PLEASE? YES, YES.
MY NAME IS RHONDA HICKS, AND I ALSO LIVE IN THE 2,400 BLOCK OF WICHITA I'M AT.
AND, UH, I'VE BEEN IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD FOR A VERY LONG TIME WITH MY HUSBAND TOMMY HICKS.
AND WE'VE BEEN HERE FOR OVER FOUR DECADES.
AND FORTUNATELY I'VE BEEN ABLE TO ALSO SERVE THE REAL ESTATE COMMUNITY IN RELOCATING PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE RIVERSIDE TERRACE AREA FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS.
SO I KNOW THE AREA VERY WELL, AND I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO ALL THE COMMENTS.
AND I HAVE SOMETHING, UH, REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE NEED TO ADD INTO THIS FRAMEWORK BECAUSE ALL OF US WHO ARE RESIDENTS OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, WHO HAVE INVESTED OUR TIME AND MONEY OVER THE YEARS, WE LOVE THE AREA, OF COURSE, AND WE ALL RECOGNIZE THE HISTORIC VALUE OF IT.
AND AS I HAVE BEEN SELLING PROPERTY IN THIS AREA FOR MANY YEARS, I KNOW THAT MANY PEOPLE COME INTO THE AREA FOR SO MANY VARIOUS REASONS.
AND ALL OF US, EVEN THOSE WHO ARE MAKING APPLICATION FOR THIS PARTICULAR, UM, UH, HISTORIC, UH, DISTRICT, HAVE BEEN RENOVATING THEIR PROPERTIES.
SO IT'S VERY UNLIKELY THAT THEY WILL REMAIN AS THEY DO FROM THE VERY BEGINNING AS PEOPLE LIVED A HUNDRED YEARS AGO, OR EVEN 50 YEARS AGO, BECAUSE THEY BECOME ANTIQUATED.
TO THAT END, WE KNOW THAT, UH, UH, HOUSTON ADOPTED THIS ORDINANCE IN 1995, ALLOWING THE CITY TO ESTABLISH HISTORIC DIFF DISTRICTS AND REQUIRING OWNERS TO GET APPROVAL TO MODIFY, DEVELOP, OR EVEN RAISE THE PROPERTIES.
AND IF A CITY BOARD DECLINED A PROPERTY OWNER'S APPLICATION, THE OWNER HAD TO WAIT 90 DAYS TO GET A WAIVER TO PROCEED.
BUT IN NI, IN, UH, 2010 UNDER, UH, THEN MAYOR ANISE PARKER, UH, SHE ENDED THE WAIVERS AND MADE THE REGULATIONS MORE ENFORCEABLE.
SO IT ALLOWS FOR ONLY MODIFICATIONS THAT ARE COMPATIBLE WITH THE AREA'S ARCHITECTURE AS DEFINED BY THE HOUSTON ARCHEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL COMMISSION.
UH, SOME BACKERS WOULD ARGUE THAT THIS ORDINANCE, UH, MAY NOT, UH, UNIFORMLY APPLY ITS RULES.
AND FOR THAT REASON, I'M STRONGLY OPPOSED TO IT.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE RIVERSIDE TERRACE HERE, WHICH WAS CREATED FOR A DISENFRANCHISED GROUP OF PEOPLE RESTRICTED FROM OWNERSHIP IN RIVER OAKS.
AND AT THIS TIME, WE LOOK AT THE ENTIRE, UH, UH, ENERGY AND SYNERGY OF THE HOUSTON MARKET.
THE MOST EXPENSIVE LUXURY PROPERTY, UH, LAND VALUES IN TEXAS ARE IN RIVER OAKS.
AND THEY DO NOT HAVE A HISTORICAL DISTRICT IN THAT AREA.
AND THUS WE DON'T FIND IT NECESSARY HERE.
THANK, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
UM, I BELIEVE THERE WAS ANOTHER COMMENT, IS THERE ADDITIONAL PERSON IN THE REAR OF THE ROOM THAT HAS WANTS TO SPEAK? RIGHT.
I THINK, I THINK THE SPEAKER'S ALREADY SPOKEN.
UM, SO I'M, WE'RE LOOKING FOR ANY, ANY ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS WHO HAVE NOT SPOKEN, UH, THUS FAR DURING THE MEETING.
WITH THAT, I'M GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC SESSION AND I'M GONNA OPEN UP DISCUSSIONS WITHIN THE COMMISSION.
AND I THINK I'M GOING TO START WITH, UM, MR. CHAIR, UH, WITH YOUR QUESTIONS FROM COMMITTEE.
I THINK THINK WE NEED TO CONFIRM WHETHER THE APPLICANT WOULD LIKE HIS TWO MINUTES AT THE END, BECAUSE I THINK HE'S GIVEN THAT RIGHT AS WELL.
UM, WOULD MR. MAHMUD, UM, YES, THANK YOU.
SO, UM, THERE HAS BEEN CONCERN EXPRESSED
[00:45:01]
BY SOME PEOPLE THAT THIS IS GOING TO, THE DISTRICT ESTABLISHMENT WILL ADVERSELY AFFECT, UH, PERHAPS THEIR PROPERTY VALUES.AND I THINK THERE'S, UH, A SENSE THAT, UH, UH, PEOPLE CAN'T UPDATE THEIR HOMES.
UH, THAT IS NOT THE CASE, OBVIOUSLY, IT IS THE EXTERIORS THAT WE WANT TO MAINTAIN.
AND I BELIEVE, UH, BECAUSE OF THE VESTED INTEREST I HAVE IN THIS DISTRICT, I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A GOOD WAY TO, TO PRESERVE VALUES.
I THINK STUDIES AND EXPERIENCE SHOWS THAT PROPERTIES IN HISTORIC DISTRICTS MAINTAIN AND, AND IN FACT, UH, APPRECIATE THEIR VALUES.
SO I THINK THIS MAKES SENSE EVEN FROM AN INVESTMENT STANDPOINT.
BUT THE THING THAT IS DRIVING THIS FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, AND FOR THOSE THAT SUPPORT IT, IS TO PRESERVE THE HISTORY AND THE LEGACY.
IT'S NOT JUST A PRESERVATION OF THE PHYSICAL, BUT IT IS, IT, IT ALSO PERPETUATES THE LEGACIES OF THOSE THAT HAVE LIVED BEFORE US.
SIR, COULD YOU CONFIRM HOW MANY HOUSES YOU OWN IN THE PROPOSED HISTORIC DISTRICT? UH, I, UH, OWN THREE PROPERTIES IN THIS DISTRICT, AND I HAVE A PARTIAL INTEREST IN A FOURTH ONE.
SO AT THIS TIME I'M GONNA CLOSE PUBLIC, UM, THE PUBLIC PART OF THIS, UH, DISCOURSE AND TURN TO COMMISSION TO SEE IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION MEMBERS, UH, OF STAFF OR WHAT WE'VE HEARD.
THANK, UH, COMMISSIONER OR JACKSON.
UM, I WOULD JUST ASK STAFF TO RUN THROUGH VERY BRIEFLY, UM, THE PROCESS.
WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE PROCESS, UM, AND, AND SO THAT THE COMMISSIONERS HERE HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF, IT SOUNDS LIKE A DISTRICT WAS DRAWN, THERE WAS OPPOSITION, THE DISTRICT WAS REDRAWN.
UM, CAN YOU JUST GIVE US A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THAT, ROMAN? UM, IF I WOULD ASK A STAFF MEMBER IN THE OFFICE WITH THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION TO GO FORWARD IN THAT PRESENTATION, THERE SHOULD BE A A A LIST OF PRETTY DETAILED.
WE DON'T, I DON'T WANNA TAKE TOO MUCH TIME, SO LET US KNOW IF IT'S TOO MUCH.
BUT IF SHE COULD GO FORWARD IN THE PRESENTATION, UH, AND THEN, UH, I CAN, AND I'M JUST HERE.
HOW ABOUT RIGHT THERE, RIGHT? BEF AND ONE, ONE BACK.
UH, THIS KIND OF SUMMARIZES IT IN WRITING AND LET ME SEE IF I CAN JUST QUICKLY LOOK AT 'EM.
YOU HAVE A, YOU HAVE THAT 10% OF THE OWNERS, UH, IN THE TRACKS APPLIED FOR THE DISTRICT, THAT, THAT DID OCCUR.
THEN YOU HAVE, UH, TWO, UH, NOW WE RESUMED IN A LITTLE TOO CLOSE.
WE THEN THE APPLICATION WAS DEEMED COMPLETE AND THEN NOTICE WAS SENT TO EVERYONE IN THE DISTRICT.
AND AS WAS COMMENTED BY ONE OF THE COMMENTERS, THE EVERYONE IN THE DISTRICT RECEIVES THE, THE NOTICE THAT THERE IS AN APPLICATION FOR AN HISTORIC DISTRICT AND THAT THERE'LL BE A PUBLIC MEETING FOR THAT.
AND SO WE HELD A PUBLIC MEETING VIRTUALLY FOR THAT.
AND WE HAD VERY GOOD ATTENDANCE AND WE HEARD ESSENTIALLY A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE WEST SIDE OF EMANCIPATION WERE, WE WERE, WERE AT THAT TIME, INCLUDING THE WEST SIDE.
UH, WAS IT WICHITA AND ROSEDALE OR JUST ROSEDALE? IT WAS WEST SIDE PASS EMANCIPATION ON ROSEDALE? YEAH, ON ROSEDALE ONLY.
SO THEN WHAT, WHAT WE HEARD PRETTY CLEARLY IN THAT MEETING WAS THAT THE, THAT THE MAP BOUNDARY NEEDED TO BE RETRACTED, UM, REDUCED AS IT, THE ORDINANCE ALLOWS, THE ORDINANCE STATES THAT THE, UH, THE BOUNDARIES MAY BE WE REDRAWN BASED ON THE VOTING THAT COMES IN.
SO BASED ON THAT VOTING, WE REDREW THE MAP, UH, AND THEN THAT IT MOUNTED 68% FOR A PARTICULAR AREA.
THEN THE SHAPE OF THIS BOUNDARY OF THIS MAP IS JUST, IT'S CLEAR, A FULL BLOCK FACE, UH, ON BOTH BETWEEN LIVE OAK AND ROSEDALE IS A NICE DISTRICT.
THE THREE HOUSES ON WICHITA THAT ARE INCLUDED, UH, THEY ARE CONTIGUOUS TO THE PROPERTIES.
AND THAT'S WHAT THAT IS, IS WE'VE THIS SEEN BEFORE, LIKE IN HIGH FIRST WARD AND IN OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE WE, UH, WE HAVE THAT BOUNDARY HERE AS YOU SEE IN THIS, IN THIS DRAWING.
I WANT TO COMMENT TOO ABOUT WHY WE WERE PARTICULARLY ABOUT WANTING TO GET A WHOLE BLOCK.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTICE THAT LEWIS WHITE HOUSE, THE LEWIS WHITE HOUSE IS AT THE CORNER OF ROSEDALE AND LIVE OAK AND IS A PROTECTED LANDMARK.
SO THIS DISTRICT IS NICE IN THAT IT SORT OF GIVES A, GIVES SHAPE AND FORM AN AREA AROUND THAT, THAT LANDMARK THAT WILL ALWAYS BE RECOGNIZED.
SO GOING BACK TO, TO HOW THAT GOES FORWARD, WE HAVE A NEW MAP
[00:50:01]
BOUNDARY.AND I BELIEVE AT THAT POINT, AND JASON, MAYBE YOU CAN DO, YOU NEED TO STEP IN HERE AND GET WHERE WE GET TO THIS FROM THAT NEW MAP BOUNDARY.
WE DO LEGALLY HAVE TO MAIL OUT NOTICE TO EVERY PROPERTY OWNER WITHIN 200 FEET OF THAT NEW PROPOSED DISTRICT AND LET THEM KNOW, UH, ABOUT THIS MEETING, THIS HEARING.
THAT'S WHY YOU'RE HEARING FROM A FEW PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE PROPERTIES IN THE DISTRICT.
THEY'VE RECEIVED NOTICE AND THEY KNEW THEY CAN JOIN THE MEETING.
BUT I MAY HAVE LEFT OUT, JASON, HAVE I LEFT OUT ANY KEY POINTS? UH, A STAFF MEMBER, LILLIAN THAW WAS REALLY, UH, KEEPING THE DETAILS GOING ON THIS APPLICATION.
SO TO FOLLOW UP TO WHAT ROMAN MACON WAS SAYING, 'CAUSE OF CHAPTER TWO 11, WHICH GOVERNS HISTORIC PRESERVATION NOTICES WERE MAILED OUT TO THOSE WITHIN TWO INCH FEET OF THE PROPOSED DISTRICT PER CITY ORDINANCE.
WE ALSO MAILED OUT HEARING NOTICES FOR THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE PROPOSED DISTRICT.
WE DID POST IN THE NEWSPAPER LOCAL PUBLICATION, AND WE DID SEND OUT A IMPACT STATEMENT.
THOSE REQUIREMENTS WERE MET AND FOUR SIGNS MINIMUM WERE POSTED IN THE PROPOSED HISTORIC DISTRICT.
SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT A HISTORIC DISTRICT WAS PROPOSED, LETTERS WERE SENT OUT, A PUBLIC MEETING WAS HELD, AND THERE WAS NOT A TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY THAT AGREED WITH THE DISTRICT.
SO Y'ALL REDREW THE DISTRICT WAS THERE, THEN LETTERS SENT OUT TO THE SAME, I GUESS AT THAT POINT YOU'RE JUST SENDING OUT LETTERS TO A SMALLER SUBSET OF PEOPLE.
AND THEN DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING ON THAT SECOND MAP? NO, THIS IS IT.
IF I COULD ANSWER THAT, MR. CHAIR.
SO THE ORDINANCE DOES NOT REQUIRE A SECOND PUBLIC MEETING WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IF A MAP IS REDRAWN.
SO, SO NO, THERE WAS NOT A SECOND PUBLIC MEETING.
UNDERSTAND THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN A PUBLIC HEARING, WHICH WE'RE HAVING HERE.
UM, WHICH IS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW.
AND, AND, UM, MR. LILL LANDTHAL IS CORRECT IN THE, IN THE NOTICES THAT WERE MADE AND SENT OUT, I EDITED THEM ALL.
UM, SO YES, THEY ALL WENT OUT TIMELY AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH LOCAL ORDINANCE AND STATE LAW AT ALL, AT ALL STEPS.
SO THIS IS, OH, SORRY, GO AHEAD.
A FOLLOW UP QUESTION FOR STAFF, I THINK PERHAPS FOR JASON TO FO TO SEE IF WE'RE FOLLOW, IF I'M FOLLOWING ALONG, UH, THEN THE SUBSET, THE RESIDENTS, OWNERS OF THE PROPOSED DISTRICT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT NOW RECEIVED TWO NOTICES.
THEY RECEIVED THE INITIAL NOTICE AND THEN ON THE REDRAW TO ACHIEVE THE MINIMUM, UH, UH, CONSENSUS THEY RECEIVED THE SECOND NOTICE.
IF I UNDERSTAND YOU CORRECTLY, ONCE THE MAP BOUNDARY WAS MODIFIED AFTER THE BALLOTS HAD BEEN RETURNED, THOSE WHO VOTED YES AND NO, THEN IT WAS WITH THE MODIFIED MAP BOUNDARIES WHERE WE MET THE MINIMUM OF 67%.
THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN THE NEWLY DRAWN PROPOSED DISTRICT RECEIVED A PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE OF THIS COMMISSION AND THE OFFICER RECEIVED A IMPACT STATEMENT.
THOSE ARE THE TWO NOTICES THEY RECEIVED.
AND THAT WOULD'VE BEEN THEIR SECOND ROUND OF NOTICES.
THEY WOULD'VE RECEIVED THE FIRST ONE AS PART OF THE LARGER INITIAL, UH, PROS PROPOSED DISTRICT.
AND THEN THE SECOND ONE ON THE REDRAW? THAT WOULD BE CORRECT? YES, CORRECT.
IT, IT'S AN, IT'S AN INITIAL NOTICE FOR THE PUBLIC MEETING THAT WAS HELD VIA ZOOM OR TEAMS, HOWEVER THAT WAS HELD.
AND THEN THE SECOND PUBLIC NOTICE IS FOR THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
AND, AND YOU'RE CORRECT, IT'S A SMALLER SUBSET PRO, ACTUALLY PROBABLY A LOT OF THE SAME PEOPLE GOT BOTH NOTICES BECAUSE AT THIS STAGE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING, AS MR. LILL LANDTHAL NOTED, THE NOTICE GOES OUT TO PEOPLE WITHIN 200 FEET OF THAT PROPOSED B REVISED BOUNDARY.
THOSE LETTERS, BY THE WAY, DID INDICATE THAT THEY WERE NOT BEING INCLUDED IN THE DISTRICT.
WE, WE MADE CLEAR THAT THEY WERE GETTING THIS TO COMPLY WITH STATE LAW AND THAT IT WOULD HAVE, IT WOULD NOT IMPACT THEIR PROPERTY, UH, PERSONALLY.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA REITERATE AND AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S CLEAR ON THOSE PEOPLE WHO OPTED OUT THEIR PROPERTIES ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS.
AM I CORRECT? NOT EVERYBODY? MM-HMM
THERE ARE THOSE WHO, THERE'S A MIX OF THOSE WHO DID VOTE NO AND THOSE WHO DID NOT RETURN ANY BALLOTS.
SO THERE IS A MIX OF THOSE TWO GROUPS.
YOU ARE NOW WITHIN THIS PROPOSED HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND AT THIS POINT, AFTER THIS POINT, UM, DEPENDING ON WHAT OUR VOTERS COMMISSIONS ARE TODAY, UM, THERE IS NO OPPORTUNITY TO OPT OUT.
AND SO THEY WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE INCLUDED IN THE DISTRICT.
AM I CORRECT? I WILL DEFER TO LEGAL ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.
[00:55:01]
THIS IS NOT A DISTRICT THAT HAS 100% AGREEMENT FOR OPTING IN, AS YOU'VE HEARD.SO THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO OWN PROPERTY WITHIN THIS DISTRICT WHO DID RETURN NOTICES VOTING NO.
THOSE WERE IN, THOSE WERE COUNTED AS NO VOTES.
UH, WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY THOUGHT.
UM, BUT NO, UNLESS IT GOES FORWARD TO COUNCIL WITH REVISED BOUNDARIES OR COUNCIL WERE TO REVISE THE BOUNDARIES, THEN NO, THEY WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE DISTRICT.
SO I'M LOOKING AT, UH, 24 50, 24 15 ROSEDALE 24 17 WITH 24 19 INCLUDED.
AND IN 24 18, THEY BOTH HAVE, ALL THREE OF THOSE HAVE NO ON THEM.
AND SO WHAT I'M SEEING IS DAVE WILL BE INCLUDED IN THIS DISTRICT IF VOTED.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
I I THINK THOSE ARE NON-CONTRIBUTING.
CLARIFICATION SAYS CONTRIBUTING 24.
SO, SO WE DON'T KNOW THAT THEY VOTED YES OR NO, BUT THEY'RE NON-CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES, WHICH MEANS THE CRITERIA IS DIFFERENT FOR OUR REVIEW.
BUT TO BE CLEAR, THAT, TO ANSWER, I WANNA ANSWER YOUR QUESTION AS I UNDERSTAND IT CLEARLY FOR EVERYONE, THEY ARE IN THE DISTRICT, THEY ARE NON-CONTRIBUTING PROPERTIES, BUT THEY WITHIN THE DISTRICT.
SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONTRIBUTING AND NON-CONTRIBUTING.
BUT THEY, IF THE QUESTION IS, ARE THOSE PROPERTIES YOU JUST ASKED ABOUT IN THE DISTRICT AS PROPOSED? THE ANSWER IS YES.
UH, COMMISSIONER CURRY, I, I, I DO, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS PROCESS SEVERAL TIMES AND USUALLY IN NEIGHBORHOODS, ESPECIALLY COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, UM, THESE ARE THE ONLY TOOLS THAT WE HAVE, UM, TO REALLY WORK TOWARD COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN DISENFRANCHISED OR LEFT OUT.
AND SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT AS COMMISSIONERS, WE ARE, UM, MOVING FORWARD A PROCESS THAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE.
AND SO THERE IS ROOM, UM, FOR SOME, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME CHANGES IN THE, IN, IN THIS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT REFLECTS THAT.
BUT I ALSO WOULD, UM, LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SEE IN OUR, IT'S PROBABLY IN OUR PACKETS AND I OVERLOOKED IT.
UM, THOSE THAT VOTED YES, AND THOSE THAT VOTED NO.
I HEARD SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE INVESTORS, UM, WHO SPOKE ABOUT THIS.
I HEARD SOME PEOPLE WHO OWNED MULTIPLE LOTS, UM, WHO SPOKE ABOUT THIS.
AND I HEARD THE, THE, UH, LADY WHO THIS WHOLE PROCESS, UM, GOT INITIATED AND WHY IT WAS INITIATED TO ME.
UM, ALL OF THOSE FACTORS PLAY A, A, A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT ROLE IN OUR DECISION AND WHAT WE, WHAT THE DECISION THAT WE MAKE TODAY.
UM, AND SO I, UM, I, I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT CLEAR TO THIS AUDIENCE, UM, THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ALL OF THOSE FACTORS, UM, THAT ARE BEFORE THIS.
BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE PROPERTY RIGHTS, YOUR PROPERTY RIGHTS ALSO, UH, HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON THE PUBLIC.
AND SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE DECISIONS IN A, UH, IN A JUST WAY, UM, REGARDING THESE TYPES OF SITUATIONS.
AND SO THAT IS JUST MY COMMENT.
UM, I'LL JUST ADD TOO, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY THIS, THE CITY, WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF HISTORIC DISTRICTS, UH, TO DATE.
AND, UH, INCREASINGLY WE'RE NOT TEARING EVERYTHING DOWN, UM, AS WAS ONCE A MANTRA THAT WAS, I THINK, SYNONYMOUS WITH HOUSTON, BUT IT'S ALSO, I BELIEVE LEGAL CAN ALSO, UM, SHED SOME LIGHT ON THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS OF THESE DISTRICTS BEING CREATED, UM, THROUGH CITY COUNCIL, THE PERCENTAGE OF SUPPORTIVE APPLICANTS HAS, HAS BEEN, THAT BAR HAS BEEN RAISED HIGHER OVER, OVER THE YEARS IN ORDER TO, UM, RECOGNIZING THAT THAT DISTRICTS WILL NOT NECESSARILY BE A HUNDRED PERCENT OF PEOPLE AFFIRMING THESE DISTRICTS.
BUT THE BAR HAS BEEN RAISED AND RAISED IN ORDER TO, UH, REACH A SUPER MAJORITY, I BELIEVE IS MY UNDERSTANDING FROM CITY COUNCIL.
THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING AS WELL.
I THINK THAT CHANGE PREDATED ME.
UM, IT'S BEEN 67% SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE AT THE CITY.
BUT THE IDEA WAS THAT YOU COULD ESTABLISH IT'S AN OPT-IN PROCESS AND YOU HAVE A SUPER MAJORITY OF RESIDENTS WHO SUPPORT THE, THE DISTRICT.
ARE THERE DISTRICT QUESTIONS APPROPRIATE? I HAVE A QUESTION FOR STAFF.
SO WHEN THIS IDEA ORIGINALLY WAS RAISED AS A HISTORIC DISTRICT FOR, UH, RIVERSIDE TERRACE, DID YOU EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY OF INCLUDING THE ENTIRETY OF RIVERSIDE TERRACE? 'CAUSE THERE'S A HUGE CHUNK OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S LEFT OUT, AND THERE'S A LARGE NUMBER OF HOUSES, A HISTORIC IN NATURE THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS.
AND I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHY WE'RE HERE, INCLUDING SUCH A SMALL SUBSET OF HOUSES INSTEAD OF RIVERSIDE TERRACE.
I MEAN, I CERTAINLY LIKE ALL OF RIVERSIDE AND KNOW, YOU KNOW, KNOW IT REALLY WELL.
THE, UH, WHAT WE'RE LIMITED BY HERE IS THAT BECAUSE WE DO NEED AN INITIATION
[01:00:01]
FROM THE PUBLIC.AND SO WE HAD, IN THIS CASE, A PERSON COME FORWARD AND AS WAS MENTIONED INITIALLY, A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE IMPLICATIONS ON FEDERAL MONEY WHEN FEDERAL SOMEBODY WAS GONNA GET SOME FEDERAL AID.
UM, YOU CAN'T, UH, I I SEE COMMISSIONER DEBOS NOT YOUR HEAD.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T DESTROY HISTORIC RESOURCES WITH FEDERAL DOLLARS WITHOUT DOING AN OFFSET OR DOING SOMETHING.
SO THAT KIND OF BEING PART OF THE CONVERSATION THOUGH, ESSENTIALLY COMMISSIONER MCNEIL WITH A, IT, IT IS, IT WOULD'VE BEEN A DAUNTING TASK TO TRY TO PUT TOGETHER A, A DISTRICT THE SIZE IF WE COULD GO TO THAT OTHER MAP.
BUT YOU SAW THE, YOU KNOW, WHERE, I MEAN, FROM SCOTT STREET ALL THE WAY TO ALAMEDA.
UH, SO WE FRANKLY TAKE WHAT WE CAN EASILY DO WITH THE STAFF THAT WE HAVE, RIGHT? WE WOULD TAKE AN ARMY TO NOTIFY ALL OF THE RIVERSIDE.
WHAT I'M REALLY APPRECIATE IS THE APPLICANT HERE KNEW TO THAT SUGGESTED THE NAME BE THE FIRST PROPOSED, THE FIRST RIVERSIDE TERRACE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND HE SAID TO ME, BECAUSE HE LOOKED FORWARD TO A SECOND AND A THIRD.
AND I THINK, UM, GOING FORWARD, THAT'S JUST WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
UH, WE, THERE ARE OTHER PARTS OF HOUSTON WHERE WE, WE WANNA SAVE JUST SOME OF THESE AREAS, UH, THAT, THAT ARE SIGNIFICANT.
UM, SEVERAL OF THE PEOPLE WHO SPOKE DIDN'T MENTION, DIDN'T MENTION, OR A LITTLE BIT WAS MENTIONED, BUT THERE ARE MINIMUM LOT SIZE, UH, ORDINANCE THROUGHOUT THIS PART OF RIVERSIDE THAT ARE PROTECTING THEM FROM THE SUBDIVISION OF PROPERTY INTO TOWN HOMES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, SO THOSE PROTECTIONS ARE THERE, BUT AS I'VE EXPLAINED ALL ALONG, IN THIS CASE, THIS IS ABOUT ACTUALLY SAVING THE ARCHITECTURAL, UH, INTEGRITY OF THE STREET.
SO YES, WE WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT.
WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO, TO, TO STRETCH OURSELVES THAT FAR.
ARE THERE CHAIR
I'D LIKE TO THANK, UH, MR. MCALLEN FOR POINTING OUT THAT THIS PROCESS INITIATES WITH THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY.
THE CITY DOESN'T ARBITRARILY DECIDE WHERE A DISTRICT WOULD BE.
ARE THERE ANY MOTIONS? UH, YEP.
UH, YAP MAKES A MOTION TO ACCEPT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.
I'D LIKE DISCUSSION BEFORE VOTE, PLEASE.
SO I AM NOTICING THE, UM, INCONGRUITY IN SOME OF PEOPLE'S EXPERIENCES IN THE PROCESS.
AND I WILL VOTE NO AGAINST THE DISTRICT, UH, BECAUSE THE APPLICANT OWNS 23.5% OF THE PROPERTIES IN THE DISTRICT.
THAT REALLY CONCERNS ME THAT ONE PROPERTY OWNER WHO'S DRIVING THIS APPLICATION OWNS SO MUCH PROPERTY.
AND I UNDERSTAND OTHER PEOPLE MAY BENEFIT, BUT THERE'S ALSO OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE, HAVE THEIR OWN OPINIONS ABOUT BENEFIT.
AND I WOULD, I, I USED TO LIVE THREE OR FOUR BLOCKS FROM HERE.
I'VE WALKED ALL THESE STREETS WITH MY DOGS.
I KNOW ALL THESE HOUSES IN MY HEAD WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THESE ADDRESSES.
AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE RIVERSIDE TERRACE PROTECTED, BUT I ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE MAJORITY OF RESIDENTS IN RIVERSIDE TERRACE WANT TO HAVE THIS PROTECTION IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND SO, AGAIN, I'LL VOTE NO, JUST SPEAKING UP, UH, FROM MY POSITION, I'M, I'M REALLY CONCERNED THAT ONE APPLICANT OWNS SO MUCH PROPERTY IN THE DISTRICT, AND I JUDGE THAT THAT'S THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND IT.
AND OTHER PEOPLE HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED, UH, IN THE PROCESS.
I, I, I'M CONCERNED THAT THERE, I GET THAT THE STATE LAW SAYS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO CALL A SECOND PUBLIC MEETING, BUT THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A SECOND PUBLIC MEETING CALLED, BECAUSE ALL THOSE PEOPLE VOTED AGAINST IT THE FIRST TIME, AND THEN THEY DON'T KNOW THE SECOND TIME THAT IT'S COMING AROUND.
UH, I I DON'T THINK IT'S A CLEAN PROCESS.
YOU, UH, THIS IS COMMISSIONER JONES.
I'D LIKE TO ALSO MAKE A COMMENT, PLEASE.
UM, I THINK THAT THE LESSON COMING FROM THIS HISTORIC DISTRICT IS DEFINITELY THAT WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB REACHING OUT TO THE PUBLIC AND SEEKING PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, I ALSO THINK THAT SOME OF THE, UM, UH, AMBIGUITY IN THE PROCESS COULD HAVE BEEN HANDLED A LITTLE BETTER BY, BY TALKING TO THE PUBLIC.
AND WE MAY ACTUALLY SEE MORE HOUSES ADDED TO THE HISTORIC DISTRICT IF SOMETHINGS HAD BEEN DONE IN A, IN A DIFFERENT MANNER.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR MORE HOUSES TO BE ADDED TO THIS DISTRICT.
AND I'LL JUST ADD TO THAT THE REASON I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE MOTION, UM, YES, ONE PROPERTY OWNER MAINTAINS 23%, UM, BUT WE'RE AT 67%.
AND I THINK THAT, WELL, I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER JONES AND OTHERS THAT, THAT THE PROCESS, UM, GOING
[01:05:01]
FORWARD, THAT WE'LL LEARN FROM THIS PROCESS AND, AND COMMUNICATE BETTER, UH, EVEN THOUGH IT APPEARS THAT THE RULES WERE FOLLOWED.BUT I, I THINK THAT THE PROCESS WORKED IN THAT THE RESPONSE TO THE INITIAL DISTRICT WAS, WAS AN WA WAS, UH, THE MAJORITY DID NOT, UH, APPROVE OF THAT.
AND SO THE DISTRICT WAS ALTERED AND IT WAS REDUCED TO THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS, 67% OF THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS WHO ARE IN SUPPORT OF THE DISTRICT.
AND I THINK THAT THIS, I'D LOVE TO SEE A MUCH LARGER FOOTPRINT, UM, BUT I THINK THAT, UH, THAT THIS IS A GOOD START.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSIONS? I DO WANT TO, UM, GO ON RECORD.
UM, WE ARE SEEING, UM, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO OWN MULTIPLE PROPERTIES IN A COMMUNITY.
UM, THIS THING WILL PLAY OUT IN, IN SEVERAL COMMITTEES AND COMMISSIONS ACROSS THIS CITY.
UM, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF ONE RIGHT NOW IN ANOTHER, UH, COMMITTEE WHERE THEY'RE FIGHTING BECAUSE THEY WANT, THEY OWN MULTIPLE PROPERTIES AND THEY WANT A VOTE.
AND IN THIS ONE, WE WANNA DENY SOMEBODY WHO OWNS MULTIPLE PROPERTIES, THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE, THEY OWN THE PROPERTIES.
I AGREE THAT THE PROCESS HAS BEEN FOLLOWED.
AS COMMISSIONERS, WHAT WE SHOULD DO IS WE SHOULD LOOK AT THE PROCESS AND WE SHOULD MAKE OUR DETERMINATIONS BASED ON THAT.
IF FOR THAT REASON, I WOULD VOTE YES TOO.
WELL, I'M GONNA CALL FOR THE VOTE OF THOSE COMMISSIONERS IN FAVOR, AYE.
AND THOSE COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE VOTING AGAINST, AGAINST, SO, UH, AND DOES ANYONE ABSTAIN? SEVEN, MR. CHAIR, DO WE HAVE THE, THE, SO WE HAVE QUORUM? YES.
SO I, I, SO I BELIEVE THE MOTION HAS PASSED AND THAT THE COMMISSION MEMBERS THAT ARE PARTICIPATING VIRTUALLY HAVE VOTED.
UM, I JUST WANNA CONFIRM, I GUESS COMMISSIONER STAAVA WAS ALSO YES, MR. SAVA VOTED, UH, FOR, OKAY.
SO THE MOTION PASSES AND I'LL JUST SAY, UM, I'M ALSO A FORMER RESIDENT RIVERSIDE TERRACE.
IT'S A WONDERFUL NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, FORTUNATELY THE MID-CENTURY MODERN HOUSE THAT I LIVED IN HAS BEEN TORN DOWN AND, UH, IS CAN, IS NO NO LONGER THERE.
BUT, UM, BUT IT, IT IS A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IS EXTREMELY SPECIAL IN OUR CITY.
IT'S ONE OF THE ONLY NEIGHBORHOODS IN OUR CITY THAT HAS TOPOGRAPHY, UM, WHICH IS ON A FLAT PRAIRIE.
UM, IT'S, IT'S A QUITE BEAUTIFUL NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, AND HAS A GREAT HISTORY THAT'S BEEN EVOLVING AND THE STORY CONTINUES TO GROW.
IF I MAY, I'D ALSO LIKE TO ADD, UH, FOR ANYONE WHO, WHO MAY NOT KNOW THE PROPERTY AT 25 20, UM, ROSEDALE, I'D ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK IT UP.
IT WAS RECENTLY, UH, DESIGNATED PROTECTED LANDMARK STATUS, I THINK LAST OCTOBER.
IT, AND IT HAS A, UM, IT HAS A REMARKABLE HISTORY, BOTH IN ITS ORIGINAL AND SUBSEQUENT OWNERSHIP AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE, TO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE COMMUNITY.
AND AS, UH, MR. MCALLEN ALSO SAID, UH, I THINK IT'S DELIGHT DELIGHTFUL THAT IT'S, UH, SURROUNDED.
NOW, NOT ONLY IS IT A PROTECTED LANDMARK, BUT IT'S IN A DISTRICT WHICH, UM, UH, WHICH IS A, SO I THINK IT'S A VERY GREAT THING FOR THE CITY.
UM, WITH THAT, WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM AGENDA B, PUBLIC HEARING IN CONSIDERATION OF AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON A LANDMARK DESIGNATION APPLICATION FOR THE RYER FRAGA HOUSE AT 15 TIC STREET, HOUSTON, TEXAS 7 7 0 11.
I'M THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, YASMINE ARSLAN WAS GONNA PRESENT THIS, BUT WHEN I WALKED IN AND SAW THE FRAGA FAMILY HERE IN, IN FORCE BEHIND ME ON THE LEFT, UM, I WAS REMINDED THAT MY FATHER ATTENDED LAW SCHOOL WITH THE LATE ANGEL FRAGA.
SO IT'S GREAT TO SEE THIS HOUSE COME FOR US FOR A LISTING.
THESE ARE THE ONE OF HIS CHILDREN HERE.
SO WE HAVE THE FRAGA HOUSE AT 15 AL UH, ALTECH STREET.
THE FRAGER FARAGA HOUSE IS A ONE FRAME CRAFTSMAN STYLE BUNGALOW BUILT BETWEEN 1924 AND 25 IN THE FULLERTON PLACE.
SUBDIVISION FULLERTON PLACE LIES EAST OF DOWNTOWN IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL.
THE SUBDIVISION IS LOCATED BETWEEN TWO MAJOR THOROUGHFARES NAVIGATION BOULEVARD AND HARRISBURG BOULEVARD.
THE HOUSE SITS ON A PIER AND BEAM FOUNDATION, WHICH IS COVERED BY BRICK VENEER AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE HOUSE.
THE EXTERIOR EXTERIOR BRICK CHIMNEY IS ON THE RIGHT SLOPE OF THE ROOF.
THE HOUSE HAS A LOW PITCHED HIP ROOF WITH A FRONT FACING PROJECTING GABLE AND OPEN EAVES.
[01:10:01]
STYLE DECORATIVE BRACKETS ARE PLACED SYMMETRICALLY UNDER THE FRONT FACING GABLE ROOF.CENTERED IN THE GABLE IS A SINGLE PANE CASEMENT WINDOW WITH AN EIGHT LIGHT PATTERN.
IT HAS A WOODEN FRAME AND SURROUND WITH A TRIANGULAR HOOD.
THE FRA A HOUSE MEETS CRITERIA NUMBER 1, 4, 5, AND EIGHT FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
AND STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THIS COMMISSION DESIGNATED, UH, DESIGNATE THE FRAGA HOUSE AT 15 ALTA STREET.
THIS REPORT WAS PREPARED BY PRESERVATION HOUSTON, AND WE THANK THEM FOR THAT.
WE HAVE LUPE LUCY FRAGA FISHER WHO PREPARED THIS REPORT TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE COMMISSION MIGHT HAVE.
BEFORE I OPEN UP REPUBLIC COMMENT, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSION OF STAFF? NO.
UM, I DON'T HAVE A, I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION, BUT I DO HAVE A COMMENT.
I'M, I'M VERY PLEASED TO SEE, UM, THIS HOUSE COME BEFORE THE COMMISSION.
UM, WE NEED TO SEE MORE HOMES THAT TELL A FULL AND MORE COMPLETE STORY OF THE DIVERSITY OF HOUSTON.
AND SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ JUST THE, THE, THE STORIES IN THESE, IN THIS DESIGNATION IS QUITE REMARKABLE.
UH, I WAS JUST LOOKING AT, UH, THE NOMINATION AND IS THERE ANY REASON WHY IT DIDN'T GO FOR A PROTECTED LANDMARK STATUS? OR IS, UH, I, I DON'T KNOW, BUT WE, THAT WAS JUST A CHOICE, BUT WE, I KNOW THAT THERE'S A SPEAKER, UM, WHO WE, WE CAN, OKAY.
WE CAN FIND OUT FROM THE SPEAKER ALSO THAT QUESTION.
UM, I, I'M GONNA, SO JUST, I'M GONNA OPEN UP THE PUB, THE PUBLIC, UH, THE, FOR THE PUBLIC, UH, UH, INPUT.
SO, UM, MS. LUCY GR FISHER CAME
YOU, I, I'VE OPENED UP THE PUBLIC, UH, DISCOURSE.
YOU WERE ASKING WHY IS A NOT A LANDMARK, THAT, THAT WASN'T A QUESTION FROM ONE OF OUR COMMISSIONERS.
WE JUST DID THE, WE WEREN'T SURE TO BE HONEST.
UH, WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST? SO WE DID THE FIRST ONE.
UM, 'CAUSE FROM THE OTHER ONE, I UNDERSTAND IT CANNOT BE TORN DOWN AT ALL.
AND WE WOULD LIKE THAT, BUT I ALSO WORRY WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS WITH JUST, I OWN THE HOUSE WITH MY, MY, UH, NIECE AND MY HUSBAND AND MY BROTHER.
AND, UH, I JUST WASN'T SURE WHAT THE FUTURE WAS.
WE WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT, BUT I JUST WASN'T, I'LL BE REALLY UPFRONT.
I DIDN'T KNOW IT WOULD BE BEST TO DO, COULD WE? BUT I WAS TOLD WE COULD, IF WE CHANGE OUR MIND, WE COULD GO FORWARD AND DO THAT.
THERE ACTUALLY ARE MANY HOMES THAT ARE LANDMARKS THAT ALSO BECOME LATER PROTECTED LANDMARKS.
AND, UM, AND SO IT'S, IT'S ALSO AS STATED ALSO EARLIER IN THE FORMER DISCUSSIONS, UM, STUDIES THAT HAVE BEEN DONE SINCE THESE, THESE DIFFERENT DISTRICTS AND LANDMARKS HAVE OCCURRED, UM, HAVE SHOWN THAT THE VALUE AND THE DESIRABILITY OF THESE PROPERTIES ARE INCREASED WHEN THEY ARE IN DISTRICTS OR BECOME LANDMARKS AND ARE, HAVE GREAT VALUE ECONOMICALLY, UM, CAN BE MODIFIED.
BUT, UM, IT'S, IT'S A GREAT STORY THAT THIS, THIS HOME, IT, IT'S A GREAT HOUSE.
IT'S A, IT'S A WONDERFUL HOUSE AND IT'S BUILT IN 1925, AS YOU ALL KNOW.
AND IT'S ONLY BEEN TWO OWNERS, THE ORIGINAL, THE RYERS AND THEN MY FAMILY, MY PARENTS, JOE AND LU FROG IN 1961.
AND ALL FIVE OF US WAS RAISED IN THIS TWO BEDROOM, ONE BATH HOUSE, UH, WITH NO CENTRAL AIR AND HEAT.
BUT WE JUST BOUGHT IT AFTER MY MOTHER, UH, DEATH.
AND SO, UM, MY BROTHER, WE ALL PITCHED IN AND FIXED IT UP TO THE WAY MY MOTHER ALWAYS DREAMED.
AND IT'S THE HOUSE THAT I THINK REPRESENTS HOUSTON.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL HOUSE WITH PEOPLE WHO REALLY WORK HARD BECAUSE HOUSTON GIVES YOU AN OPPORTUNITY.
AND THEM TOO, HAVING NOTHING BEYOND AN EDUCATION OF AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROVIDED FIVE KIDS TO GO TO COLLEGE.
AND THAT'S REALLY BEEN HER DREAM WAS AN $8,000 HOUSE.
TO ME, IT'S A MILLION DOLLARS 'CAUSE IT'S WONDERFUL MEMORIES.
BUT I THINK IT'S A GREAT ASSET TO THE EAST END, AS YOU ALL KNOW, IS NOW CALLED IDO, BUT IT'S EAST END TO ME, AND I THINK IT REPRESENTS HOUSTON AND THE, THAT PART OF HOUSTON AND IT'S COMING BACK.
WOULD YOU, I GUESS I'VE GOT A QUESTION FOR, FOR OUR LEGAL STAFF AND THE, THE APPLICANT, IS IT POSSIBLE TO, TO UPGRADE TO PROTECTED LANDMARK ON THE SPOT HERE? NO, IT WOULD NEED TO BE AN APPLICATION ITSELF.
IT'S A POSTING PROBLEM UNDER THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
I THINK WE COULD GO THE OTHER DIRECTION FROM IF SOMEBODY CAME IN AND CHANGED THEIR MIND FROM A PROTECTED LANDMARK TO A LANDMARK, YOU GO TO THE LESS INTENSE, BUT NOT VICE VERSA.
WELL, KUDOS TO YOU FOR WELL, THANK YOU.
AND I DO SINCERELY HOPE THAT YOU'LL CONSIDER PROTECTED LANDMARK STATUS SOON.
[01:15:01]
MY BROTHERS WILL NOT ALL OF US AGREE TO THAT IN THE NEAR FUTURE.ARE THERE ANY OTHER THANK YOU, AUSTIN.
ONE MORE QUESTION PLEASE, COMMISSIONER? UH, YES.
UH, I DUNNO WHO CAN HELP ME ANSWER THIS QUESTION, BUT IN THE RESTORATION HISTORY, IT'S, UH, WRITTEN, UH, THE CURRENT OWNERS REPLACED THE ROOF AND THE WINDOWS.
I JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHEN THE WINDOWS AND THE ROOF WAS REPLACED, IF IS THERE A DATE AVAILABLE? WE, WE RE WE JUST REPLACED THE WINDOWS.
BUT WE HAD TO REPLACE 'EM BECAUSE OF, UM, THE PERMITTING AND THE HEATING CENTRAL AIR THAT THANK YOU.
BUT EVERYTHING ELSE IS ORIGINAL.
WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING BEYOND THAT.
AND ADDING CENTRAL AIR AND HEAT, I'M SORRY.
MR. CHAIR, CAN I, UH, CAN I PLEASE, UH, ADD SOMETHING PLEASE? UH, SORRY.
I THINK THE, THE HOUSE, UH, GOING FORWARD AS A LANDMARK IS, UH, DESIGNATED AS THE RYER FRAGA HOUSE.
AND I'M A VERY, UH, PASSIONATE PROPONENT OF PROTECTED LANDMARK BECAUSE IN THE FUTURE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE HOUSE NAME AND THE HOUSE AND NOT JUST IN NAME ONLY.
SO IF YOU CAN, UH, I WILL STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO THINK ABOUT PROTECTING LANDMARKS SO THEN IN THE FUTURE, GENERATIONS CAN SEE THE FROGGER HOUSE, NOT JUST THE FROG.
I HOPE TO DO THAT IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS SIGNED UP FOR THIS, UM, ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS IN PRESENT OR VIRTUALLY PRESENT WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS AGENDA ITEM? I HAVE NONE OF MY BROTHERS.
LEMME JUST INTRODUCE MY FAMILY, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
JOE FROG AND MY SISTER-IN-LAW, MARIA DAVID FROG, AND MY SISTER-IN-LAW NELDA, MY HUSBAND GREG, AND MY NIECE EMILY CHAMBERS.
I JUST APPRECIATE THEM ALL COMING DOWN, DOWN TO MEET Y'ALL AND GIVE US THIS OPPORTUNITY.
WITH THAT I'LL CLOSE, UH, PUBLIC DISCUSSION.
1 1, 1 PERSON WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN ADDITION, PLEASE.
I AM THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF THE HOUSE.
THAT, AND I'M ALSO ONE OF THE OWNERS.
UM, BUT I JUST WAS TO YOUR COMMENT, SORRY.
I KNOW, UM, THE ONLY REASON I THINK WE WERE REALLY HESITANT ABOUT THIS, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT, WHO MANAGES THE FUNDS FOR THIS, BUT IF YOU HAVE A PROTECTED HOUSE, AND LET'S SAY IT'S A HUNDRED YEARS OLD.
'CAUSE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF MY FAMILY, I, UM, MY FAMILY ORIGINALLY LIVED IN THAT HOME.
THAT'S, UH, THE, THE BLUE HOUSE THAT'S OFF OF, UH, IS IT HAMILTON? MM-HMM
THAT'S JUST ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD RIGHT NOW.
'CAUSE IT'S A, IT'S A FEDERAL HISTORICAL LANDMARK HOME HOUSE.
SO MY FAMILY ON THE OTHER SIDE, LIONS LIVED IN THAT HOME AND SADLY, THERE REALLY ISN'T FUNDING, RIGHT? UNLESS YOU HAVE A FAMILY LIKE US WHO HAVE DESCENDANTS WHO REALLY PUSH TO KEEP THESE HOMES WHERE THEY ARE OR HAVE FUNDING FOR THAT THEY GET JUST KIND OF LEFT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THEN WE REALLY DON'T HAVE A WAY OF KEEPING THEM IN THEIR PLACE OR JUST FUNDING FOR PEOPLE TO EVEN BE ABLE TO USE IT.
UM, SO THAT WAS JUST ONE CONCERN.
AND I DON'T KNOW, I JUST, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
I WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT WITH THIS HOUSE.
BUT THAT IS ONE MAJOR, I KIND OF JUST QUESTION FOR THE FUTURE.
HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY ACCESS THE HOUSE OR THAT IT STAYS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO ANYWAYS, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WITH THAT, I'LL CLOSE, UM, THE PUBLIC, UH, DISCOURSE AND, UH, ASK THE COMMISSION IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR IS ANYONE PREPARED TO MAKE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, ACCEPT STEPH'S, UH, PROPOSAL TO, UH, LANDMARK.
THIS IS, I THINK COMMISSIONER MCNEIL IS, UH, BEAT, BEAT OUT THE, UM, ALL IN FAVOR, AYE.
ARE THERE ANY OPPOSED? ARE THERE ANY ABSTENTIONS? OKAY, THAT IS UNANIMOUS.
MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER C, PUBLIC HEARING IN CONSIDERATION OF IMPOSSIBLE ACTION ON A LANDMARK DESIGNATION APPLICATION FOR THE MR. AND MRS. RONALD ELLSWORTH LEE HOUSE AT 2153 PHAM DRIVE, HOUSTON, TEXAS 7 7 0 1 9.
[01:20:01]
AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.STAFF SUBMITS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
AGENDA ITEM C, AN APPLICATION FOR THE LANDMARK DESIGNATION FOR MR. AND MRS. RONALD ELLSWORTH LEE HOUSE AT 2153 PELLUM DRIVE.
THIS HOUSE IS A TWO STORY BRICK COLONIAL REVIVAL STYLE HOUSE CONSTRUCTED IN 1938 BY PROLIFIC HOUSTON BUILDER RUSSELL BROWN.
RONALD LEE WAS PARTNER AND VICE PRESIDENT OF LEE BROTHERS OIL COMPANY.
HE AND HIS WIFE CATHERINE, LIVED AT 2153 PELHAM FROM 1939 UNTIL 1942.
THE MR. AND MRS. RONALD ELLSWORTH LEE HOUSE IS A TWO STORY BRICK VENEER HOUSE WITH A SIDE GABLE ROOF.
THE HOUSE IS CONSTRUCTED ON A APPEARING BEAM FOUNDATION AND INCLUDES DESIGN ELEMENTS THAT ARE TYPICAL OF COLONIAL REVIVAL STYLE ARCHITECTURE.
ONE OF THE 20TH CENTURY'S MOST POPULAR TYPES OF RESIDENTIAL DESIGN.
THE HOUSE IS FOUR BAYS WIDE AND HAS A MEDIUM PITCHED SIDE GABLE ROOF WITH BLACK ASPHALT SHINGLES AND COPPER GUTTERS.
AN INTERIOR CHIMNEY PROJECTS ABOVE THE ROOF LINE BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND BASE.
THE HOUSE IS UNCHANGED SINCE THE TIME OF ITS CONSTRUCTION AND RETAINS A HIGH DEGREE OF INTEGRITY.
MR. AND MRS. RONALD ELLSWORTH LEE HOUSE AT 2153 PUM DRIVE MEETS CRITERIA 1 3, 4, 5, AND SIX FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE HOUSTON ARCHEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL COMMISSION RECOMMEND TO CITY COUNCIL THE LANDMARK DESIGNATION OF MR. AND MRS. RONALD ELLSWORTH LEE HOUSE AT 2153 PELHAM DRIVE.
THIS REPORT WAS PREPARED BY PRESERVATION HOUSTON AND WE THANK THEM FOR THAT.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF ABOUT THIS APPLICATION? IF NOT, UH, I'M GONNA OPEN THIS UP TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
I DO HAVE A, A SPEAKER SIGNED UP.
I THINK KATHLEEN IS FROM PRESERVATION HOUSTON AND SHE, SHE'S, I I BELIEVE SHE'S ON STANDBY IN CASE THERE ARE QUESTIONS, BUT IF NOT, I, I DON'T THINK SHE WANTED TO SPEAK.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC PRESENT VIRTUALLY OR PRESENT IN PERSON THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? IF NOT, I'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND OPEN TO DISCUSSION FROM THE COMMISSION OR FOR A MOTION.
IS THERE A SECOND? Y SECONDS? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ARE THERE ANY ABSTAINING THAT MOTION C CARRIES? WE'LL NOW MOVE TO ITEM D, UM, CONSIDERATION OF AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS, APPLICATIONS FOR CONSENT AGENDA.
UM, ROMAN, WILL YOU PRESENT THE CONSENT RECOMMENDATIONS? GOOD AFTERNOON AGAIN, UH, PRESENT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION THE FOLLOWING ITEMS FOR ACTION PER STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS IN ONE MOTION.
UH, ITEM D 2 8 0 2 WEST ALABAMA, WHICH IS AN ALTERATION, REHABILITATION AND AUDUBON PLACE FOR APPROVAL.
ITEM D 3 6 3 0 2 LYONS AVENUE, REHABILITATION OF A PROTECTED LANDMARK FIRE STATION NUMBER 27 FOR APPROVAL.
ITEM D 5 20 10 STATE STREET, NEW CONSTRUCTION GARAGE, APARTMENT OH SIX WARD FOR APPROVAL.
ITEM D 6 14 10 STUDEWOOD STREET ALTERATION, RESTORATION OF THE FACADE IN AN ADDITION IN NOR HILL FOR APPROVAL.
ALSO 1410 STUDER WOOD, NEW CONSTRUCTION OF A GARAGE IN NOR HILL FOR APPROVAL.
ITEM D 8 415 WEST 15TH STREET, AN ALTERATION EDITION IN HOUSTON HEIGHTS WEST FOR APPROVAL.
ITEM D NINE FOUR WEST 11TH STREET, ALTERATION, REHABILITATION, REMODEL, A LANDMARK IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT IN WEST 11TH.
PLACE THERE, UH, FOR APPROVAL, D 10 ITEM D TEN FOUR ONE THREE WEST 13TH STREET.
THIS IS AN ALTERATION FOR PREVIOUSLY DEFERRED ITEM IN HOUSTON HEIGHTS WEST FOR, UH, SOME WINDOWS.
[01:25:01]
THAT'S DENIAL AND ISSUANCE OF A CERTIFICATE OF A REMEDIATION ITEM D 11 9 1 7 HEIGHTS BOULEVARD, NEW CONSTRUCTION OF A CARPORT IN HOUSTON HEIGHTS SOUTH FOR APPROVAL.AND ITEM D 13 18 0 9 COLUMBIA STREET, AN ALTERATION EDITION IN HOUSTON HEIGHTS EAST FOR APPROVAL.
AND ITEM D 17, 8 31 HARVARD STREET, AN ALTERATION EDITION IN HOUSTON HEIGHTS SOUTH FOR APPROVAL.
AT THESE ARE THE PLAINTIFF DEPARTMENT REQUEST APPROVAL OF ALL STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THESE ITEMS. OKAY, SO, UH, WE HAVE ITEMS NUMBER 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, AND 17.
UH, ARE THERE ANY COMMISSIONERS WHO WOULD WISH TO HAVE ANY OF THESE PULLED FOR AN INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION? MR. YAP, I WOULD LIKE TO PULL OUT ITEM NINE AND ITEM, UH, 13.
IF, IF THAT WAS, IF I HEARD IT CORRECTLY.
WITH THAT, LET ME ASK, UH, FROM THE PUBLIC, UM, IF YOU ARE HERE, IF YOU HAD SIGNED UP, THERE ARE SPEAKERS SIGNED UP, UM, FOR SOME OF THESE PROJECTS, UM, IF THESE PROJECTS ARE APPROVED ON CONSENT, THEY WILL BE APPROVED.
SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW IS IF, UM, IF THERE ARE ANY SPEAKERS FOR ITEMS 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, OR 17 THAT WANT TO, THAT, UM, THAT DO THAT ARE HERE TO SPEAK AND NOT TO NOT SUPPORT APPROVAL, CAN YOU MAKE YOURSELF KNOWN TO PULL THESE PROJECTS FOR CONSIDERATION INDIVIDUALLY? 2010 STATE STREET WILL BE REVIEWED INDIVIDUALLY.
SO, UM, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF SPEAKERS FOR THAT.
CHAIR HICK, UH, THERE'S TWO ITEMS FOR 2010 STATE STREET.
ONE IS, UM, PROPOSED TO BE CONSENT ITEM.
THE OTHER'S NOT, JUST TO BE CLEAR.
SO THE, THE ONE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA IS THE NEW CONSTRUCTION FOR THE GARAGE APARTMENT.
SO IF THERE, IF ANYONE'S SPEAKING AGAINST THE GARAGE APARTMENT AT 2010 STRAIGHT STREET, PLEASE MAKE YOURSELF KNOWN OTHERWISE IS LIKELY TO BE APPROVED IN A MOMENT.
UM, HEARING NO OTHER SPEAKERS, IS THERE A MOTION, UM, FROM THE COMMISSION TO ACCEPT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION FOR THIS CONSENT AGENDA? THIS IS, UH, COMMISSIONER SWEN? YES, I'D LIKE TO PULL ITEM, UH, ITEM 13.
IT, IT, IT, IT HAS BEEN PULLED ALREADY.
AND COM IS ITEM FIVE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA OR IS, HAS THAT BEEN PULLED OUT? IT IS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, CURRENTLY FIVE.
AND TO THE COMMISSIONER SPEAKING THAT TRINI BOSON, THAT WAS THE ONE THAT'S, IT'S ONLY THE GARAGE APARTMENT AT 2010 ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THE MAIN RESIDENCE IS NOT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
OKAY, THEN I'M NOT PULLING THAT OUT.
SO I THINK WE HAVE A MOTION, UH, WITH THE, WITH FOR ITEMS 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11.
COMMISSIONER, WE JACKSON MOVES THAT THE ITEMS, UH, AS NOTED BY THE CHAIR BE CONSIDERED, UH, AS CONSENT.
IS THERE A SECOND 10? COMMISSIONER STA A SECOND.
ARE THERE ANY OPPOSED? ARE THERE ANY ABSTENTIONS? MOTION CARRIES.
WE WILL NOW, UH, MOVE TO INDIVIDUAL.
[01:30:01]
MR. CHAIR.I'M, WE NEED, WE NEED TO APPROVE THOSE.
SO, COMMISSIONER WEEDER JACKSON MAKES A MOTION TO APPROVE A STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
THE ITEMS CONSIDERED FOR CONSENT.
UH, WELL, I, I GUESS I'M, COULD, I THINK WE'VE, UM, STREAMLINED THIS.
OH, DID WE STREAMLINE THAT? IT'S ONE VOTE FOR BOTH THE, THE LIST AND FOR THE APPROVAL, BUT I'LL DEFER TO LEGAL TO HEAR THEM TOGETHER AND THEN TO APPROVE THEM.
I'LL BE HONEST, I'M BLANKING ON HOW WE'VE DONE IT IN THE PAST, BUT, OKAY.
SO YOU'VE DONE, IN THE PAST, YOU HAVE TAKEN SEPARATE VOTES, ONE TO CONSIDER THEM.
AND THEN SECOND TO ACCEPT STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
I BELIEVE I HEARD MR. CHAIR ASK FOR TO ACCEPT ALL STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO IT WOULD BE JUST ONE VOTE STREAMLINED.
AND THAT'S, I THINK THE, THAT'S, THAT'S OUR, MY UNDERSTANDING IS GOING FORWARD, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO HAVE ONE VOTE AND NOT TWO FOR THE SAME.
SO THE, THE MOTION TO ACCEPT STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD BE TO PULL OUT THE ONES THAT HAVE THAT STAFF RECOMMENDS, PLUS WHAT COMMISSIONERS RECOMMEND, AND THEN VOTE ON THE REMAINDER.
SO THE ONES YOU'VE ASKED FOR, COMMISSIONER APP WILL BE PULLED AND CONSIDERED, I THINK.
SO WITH THAT, WE WILL START IN, UM, INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION STARTING WITH ITEM D ONE.
HELLO, THIS IS STAFF ME MEMBER COLEMAN.
I PRESENT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION ITEM D 1-802-COMMERCE STREET.
IT IS CURRENTLY A NON-CONTRIBUTING VACANT LOT LOCATED ON IN THE MAIN STREET MARKET SQUARE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
IT IS LOCATED AND SHARES THE PROPERTY LINE WITH CONTRIBUTING HISTORIC BUILDINGS AT 800 COMMERCE BUILT IN 1894 AND CIRCA 1906.
THE PROPOSAL IS A NEW CONSTRUCTION, WHICH WAS DEFERRED IN OUR PREVIOUS, UM, FEBRUARY COMMISSION MEETING.
THE CURRENT PROPOSAL IS REVISED AND ADDS MORE MASONRY AT THE CONNECTION TO 800 COMMERCE.
AND THE CORNER, WHICH REDUCES GLAZING OVERALL FIRST FLOOR CORNER, HAS BEEN UPDATED TO A CHAMFORD DOOR CONFIGURATION WITH MATERIALS TO MATCH SIDE ELEVATIONS ON THE FIRST FLOOR.
IT IS A FOUR STORY BRICK MASONRY REBUILDING OF 1200 OR 12,500 SQUARE FEET WITH A FOOTPRINT OF 4,606 SQUARE FEET FOR A TOTAL OF 96% LOCK COVERAGE.
AT THE END OF THE REPORT, YOU CAN SEE THE PROGRESSION OF THE DESIGN FROM THE PAST YEAR AND ALTERNATIVES TO THE CURRENT PROPOSED, UM, PROPOSED, UM, DRAWING SET AND RENDERINGS STAFF, UM, AGAIN, RECOMMENDS APPROVAL ON THIS ITEM.
AND THIS CONCLUDES STAFF'S REPORT, THE, UM, ARCHITECT THOMAS DEROY AND THE OWNER REPRESENTATIVE BENNY AUGUSTO JR.
THE MANAGING PARTNER AT ABRAHAM WATKINS, ARE HERE ON HAND TO ANSWER ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS.
UM, COMMISSION MEMBERS AREN'T ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF ON THIS APPLICATION, WHICH WAS DEFERRED IN OUR LAST MEETING.
UH, WITHOUT QUESTIONS, I WILL OPENS UP TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
I KNOW WE HAVE A SPEAKER, UH, SIGNED UP.
I DID SIGN UP, UH, BUT I AM HERE.
VERY QUICKLY, UH, COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO SPEAK BRIEFLY.
AND MR. CHAIRMAN, CONGRATULATIONS TODAY, UH, FOR YOU AS WELL.
AND BEFORE I START, THE RAGGA FAMILY IS VERY IMPORTANT IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND AS THE PAST PRESIDENT OF THE HOUSTON BAR ASSOCIATION, THE LAWYERS OF HOUSTON, I HAVE BEEN VERY, UH, CLOSE TO THEM ALL THESE YEARS.
WELL, OUR BUILDING, WE'RE THE OLDEST LAW FIRM THAT'S A PLAINTIFF'S FIRM IN TEXAS, THE OLDEST IN HOUSTON OVER 70 YEARS.
MY PREDECESSORS BOUGHT THE BUILDING IN 1972 AND BUILT IT INSIDE WITH OLD TEXAS ARCHITECTURE TO LOOK THE WAY IT LOOKS TODAY.
THE OUTSIDE, AS YOU'VE HEARD, HAS BEEN FIXED TO LOOK AS ONE BUILDING.
AND I FOUND A PICTURE FROM 1935.
THERE WAS A FLOOD BACK THEN TOO, THAT SHOWED THERE WERE MORE BUILDINGS ON BOTH SIDES.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE OLD DRAWINGS, IT WAS MANY MORE BUILDINGS.
WHAT WE WANT TO DO, BECAUSE WE HAVE FLOODED NOW SO MANY TIMES, UH, IN FACT, WHEN HARVEY HIT, IT WAS OUR THIRD STRAIGHT YEAR OF FLOODING.
AND FOR A FEW MINUTES, WE, THE PARTNERS AND OWNERS SAT THERE AND THOUGHT, WE NEED TO SELL THIS BUILDING.
WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO? IT FLOODS EVERY YEAR.
UH, BUT AFTER THAT ONE MINUTE OF FRUSTRATION, WE SAID, NO, WE JUST NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
[01:35:01]
'CAUSE THIS IS HISTORY IN HOUSTON AND IT'S OUR FIRM, AND WE'RE PROUD TO BE PART OF HOUSTON AND THE LOCATION THAT WE'RE AT, WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING, AND THE ARCHITECT IS HERE, I THINK THE QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED BEFORE, IS TO, BECAUSE WE CAN'T USE THE FIRST FLOOR ANYMORE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE IT EMPTY, AND WE'VE GOTTEN CITY APPROVAL AND WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT TO MAKE IT PARKING ONLY.SO WE'VE PACKED EVERYBODY IN OUR FIRM IS 25 LAWYERS, PLUS TOTAL OF 85 STAFF.
AND SO WE DECIDED WITH THE ARCHITECTS, LET'S SEE HOW WE CAN BUILD ON OUR PROPERTY THAT'S NOW A PARKING LOT TO CONNECT IT.
OF COURSE, THE CHALLENGE IS HOW DO WE MAKE IT LOOK COOL AND NICE AND HISTORIC WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA MAKE IT MODERN, BUT NOT MAKE IT TOO CRAZY.
I THINK THE COMMENTS THAT CAME BACK FROM THE ARCHITECTS AND THE THE FOLKS HERE WAS TONE IT DOWN.
AND I'M NOT THE ARCHITECT, THE ARCHITECT CAN ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS, BUT OUR GOAL WAS TO GET IT WHERE IT LOOKED HISTORIC, BUT ALSO A SHINING, YOU KNOW, BEAUTIFUL, PROUD, UH, PART OF OUR CITY AND THAT BLOCK.
SO WE'RE HERE TO SAY THAT WE'RE PROUD TO BE PART OF THE HISTORY OF HOUSTON, OUR FIRM.
REMEMBER WE STARTED BY JOHN HILL IN 1951, UH, ATTORNEY GENERAL AND SUPREME COURT, JUSTICE OF TEXAS.
AND WE CONTINUE THE HISTORY OF OUR FIRM.
AND WE'RE HERE, OF COURSE, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS, BUT WE WANT TO BE PART OF HOUSTON, NOT JUST FOR THE 71 YEARS WE'VE BEEN HERE, BUT FOR MANY, MANY MORE.
AND THE LAST COMMENT IS THAT I LIKE THE THOUGHT OF HAVING A BEAUTIFUL PART OF OUR BUILDING TO HELP MAKE IT PRETTY WHEN YOU GET INTO HOUSTON ON 45, BECAUSE REMEMBER, BEHIND US WE HAVE THAT PARKING GARAGE THAT KINDA, UH, I'LL BE FRANK, KIND OF IRRITATES ME A LITTLE BIT, BUT WE DON'T, I, I TRY NOT TO LOOK THAT WAY, BUT BY HAVING OUR PRETTY BUILDING THERE, THAT MAKES US FULL OF OUR PROPERTY AND MAKES IT POSITIVE FOR THE WORK THAT WE DO IN OUR CITY, FOR SE OVER 70 YEARS.
UH, WE ALSO WANNA FOLLOW Y'ALL'S ADVICE AND CONSENT, AND THAT'S WHY WE ASK FOR YOUR APPROVAL TIME.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? JUST, ARE THERE ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE, OH, WELL, I GUESS ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS? I JUST WANNA SEE IF THERE'S ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WANTED TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER AS WELL.
IF YOU'RE NOT SIGNED UP, OUR ARCHITECT THOMAS DE FROY WITH IDENTITY ARCHITECT.
UM, I JUST WANNA BRIEFLY SAY THANK YOU FOR THE PROCESS, SIR.
I'M SORRY, WOULD YOU SPELL YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD? YES.
YEAH, THAT'S NOT A TYPICAL ONE.
THOMAS, T-H-O-M-A-S, DEROY, D-E-F-R-O-Y.
UH, JUST BRIEFLY PLEASE PROCEED.
I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THE PROCESS.
UM, ARCHITECTS OFTEN KIND OF FALL IN LOVE WITH THEIR FIRST DESIGN, BUT GOING THROUGH THIS, I REALLY DO BELIEVE, UH, WITH OWNERSHIP THAT WE CAME TO A REALLY GOOD CONCLUSION WITH HOW THIS LOOKS.
AND I BELIEVE IT INTEGRATES VERY WELL WITH, UH, THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE INPUT, UH, YOURSELF AND A COUPLE OTHER COMMISSIONERS AS WELL INCLUDED.
THANK YOU WITH IT THAT I'LL END THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND OPEN, UH, CHAIR CHECK QUESTIONS.
I'D JUST LIKE TO THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE AND PRESENTING TODAY.
YEAH, I KNOW THE, THE, I THINK THE OVERWHELMING SUGGESTION FROM THE C THE, THE, THE COMMISSION WAS TO ADD MORE BRICK, SO I KNOW THERE'S A LOT MORE BRICK ON THE PROJECT TODAY AND LESS GLASS.
UM, SO, UM, I THINK OTHER DISCUSSION POINTS FROM THE COMMISSION, UH, MR. CHAIR, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK, UM, MR. THOMAS DERE.
I THINK YOU'VE BEEN VERY PROACTIVE WITH US WORKING WITH A FEW OF THE COMMISSIONERS DURING YOUR REVIEW WITH, UH, STAFF AS WELL.
UH, AMANDA HAS PLAYED A PIVOTAL ROLE HERE AS WELL.
AND I WOULD LASTLY WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO, UH, MS. MINETTE BASIL.
I THINK SHE WAS ACTUALLY INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING YOU ALL TO CHANGE THE, UH, USAGE OF THE ENTRY DOOR AND, AND USE THE MAIN SITE ENTRANCE AND MAKE THAT A VERY, A PROMINENT FEATURE AS YOU DRIVE UP I 45.
SHOUT OUT TO MINETTE FOR THAT.
SHE WAS VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT IT.
BUT OVERALL, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING PROACTIVE AND IN KEEPING IN LINE WITH BOTH HISTORY AND MODERNIZING IT.
A MOTION TO, UH, ACCEPT STOPS, UH, UH, PROPOSAL.
IS THERE A SECOND JONES? COPY FOR STOP.
[01:40:03]
ARE THERE ANY ABSTENTIONS? MOTION IS UNANIMOUS.THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING AND FOR, FOR WORKING WITH THE COMMISSION.
MR. CHAIR, WHO DID YOU RECOGNIZE FOR THE SECOND? UH, COMMISSIONER AVA.
NOW WE WILL MOVE TO ITEM, UH, D FOUR.
I THANK YOU MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION STAFF SUBMITS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
THE PROPERTY AT 2010 STATE STREET IS A NEW CONSTRUCTION ON A VACANT LOCK IN OLD SIXTH WARD HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THE APPLICANT PROPOSES TO CONSTRUCT A 3,896 SQUARE FEET, TWO STORY STRUCTURE WITH AN EVE HEIGHT OF 27 FEET AND A RIDGE HEIGHT OF 36 FEET AND FIVE INCHES.
THE PROPOSED STRUCTURE WOULD BE FIVE FEET ABOVE GRADE.
THE CITY REQUIRES STRUCTURES BEING BUILT IN THE 500 YEAR FLOODPLAIN TO BE BUILT TWO FEET HIGHER THAN THE PLANE GRADE AT THIS ADDRESS IS THREE FEET BELOW THE 500 YEAR PLANE, HENCE THE PROPOSED STRUCTURES.
FIRST FLOOR HEIGHT, PLEASE SEE ATTACHMENT A FOR THE ELEVATION CERTIFICATE PROVIDED BY THE APPLICANT.
THE FRONT SETBACK IS 15 FEET, WHICH IS THE APPROXIMATE AVERAGE SETBACK FOR THE STRUCTURE SURROUNDING THE LOT.
THE PROPOSED STRUCTURE WOULD HAVE A COMPOSITE SHINGLE EIGHT OVER 12 GABLE ROOF.
IT WILL BE CLAD IN EIGHT POINT 25 INCHES.
SMOOTH HARDY PLANK SIDING, ALL WINDOWS WILL BE INSET AND RECESSED.
THIS PROJECT HAS GONE THROUGH MULTIPLE DESIGN REVIEWS WITH STAFF, AND FINALLY WITH ONE COMMISSIONER WHO WE THANK FOR HIS VALUABLE TIME.
STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS, THE ROOF ON THE MAIN STRUCTURE TO HAVE A SIX OVER 12 PITCH INSTEAD OF A EIGHT OVER 12.
TO CHANGE THE ROOF ON THE PORT COHA TO A SHED ROOF, REMOVE THE DORMER ON THE WEST SIDE ELEVATION AND THE FIRST DORMER ON THE EAST SIDE ELEVATION.
PUSH THE PORT CASHIER TO THE FIVE FOOT SIDE SETBACK ON THE EAST SIDE.
I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO MENTION THAT THIS, UM, APPLICATION HAS RECEIVED, UM, TWO LETTERS OF OPPOSITIONS THAT WERE INCLUDED IN THE FINAL REPORT.
AND, UM, TODAY, THIS MORNING WE GOT ONE, UH, MORE LETTER OF OPPOSITION, UM, THAT WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE REPORT BECAUSE OF THE 24 HOUR, BUT IT IS HERE AND IT CAN BE PUT ON RECORD.
AND, UM, I BELIEVE, AND WE GOT RESPONSE FROM, UM, THE APPLICANT TO THESE, UM, UH, LETTERS OF OPPOSITIONS THAT WAS ALSO SUBMITTED AFTER THE 24 HOURS.
SO THEY WEREN'T INCLUDED IN THE REPORT, BUT, BUT THEY CAN ALL BE GIVEN, UM, FOR THE RECORD.
AND I BELIEVE, UM, WE HAVE ONE, WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE WHO SIGNED UP FOR TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
BEFORE WE OPEN TO PUBLIC COMMENT, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF COMMISSION MEMBERS, STAFF? I HAVE QUESTION.
DID THE OLD SIX WARD WEIGH IN ON THE PROJECT? SO WHAT I UNDERSTOOD FROM THE APPLICANT, THERE'S A BACK AND FORTH, BUT WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY OFFICIAL, UM, YES OR NO FROM THE OLD SIX WORDS, AVIC ASSOCIATION.
AND I UNDERSTAND THE, THIS HOUSE IS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN NORMAL HOMES IN, IN THE IN OH SIX WARD.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IT'S BASED ON THE CITY REQUIREMENT TO BE TWO FEET ABOVE A 500 YEAR FLOODPLAIN IS WHAT'S, WHAT THE, THE CERTIFICATE WAS.
THE, THE FLOOD, THE BASE ELEVATION CERTIFICATE WAS INCLUDED.
IT'S ON THE SCREEN CURRENTLY, BUT THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING IS WHAT'S DRIVING THE FINISHED FLOOR HEIGHT OF THE STRUCTURE, WHICH IS A LITTLE HIGHER THAN NORMALLY WE SEE IN THE DISTRICT.
WITHOUT THE FIVE, UH, FOOT RAISING OF THIS, UM, HOUSE, THIS STRUCTURE WOULD HAVE BEEN AT 31 FEET, BUT WITH IT, IT PUSHES IT TO 36.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IS OPPOSITION GENERALLY ON THE HEIGHT OF THE HOUSE, WHICH THEY HAVE TO BUILD IT AT THAT HEIGHT BECAUSE OF THE FLOODPLAIN, OR IS OPPOSITION FOR SOME OTHER REASON? IF I MAY SUMMARIZE THE OPPOSITION, I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN.
UM, THERE ARE MULTIPLE REASONS FOR THE OPPOSITION.
UM, SOME OF THEM ARE RELATED TO CITY OF HOUSTON CODE WHERE WE AS A HISTORIC PRESERVATION
[01:45:01]
STAFF CAN'T.UM, OF COURSE, I I WANNA SAY ALL OF THEM TALK ABOUT THE STRUCTURE BEING BIG AND THE STRUCTURE BEING HIGH AND, UM, THE LOT COVERAGE, UM, THAT THEY ARE, THE, THE SITE PLAN IS KIND OF COVERING THE LOT.
UM, ONE TALKED ABOUT, UM, THERE'S A DISPUTE ABOUT THE PROPERTY LINE BETWEEN, UM, THE NEIGHBORS.
WE HAVE, UM, A STAMPED AND SIGNED SURVEY FOR THE, FOR THIS PROPERTY THAT WE WENT BY.
UM, ANOTHER ONE TALKED ABOUT AC UNITS, WHERE THEY ARE LOCATED AND IF THEY CAN BE PUSHED TO THE BACK.
SO THAT KIND OF SUMMARIZED THERE ARE MULTIPLE REASONS WHY THEY ARE OPPOSING IT.
SIZE IS ONE OF THEM, BUT ALSO, UM, A LOT OF THEM WERE LIKE CITY OF HOUSTON CODE AND, AND THEY ALL AGREE THAT IT'S, UM, IT'S TOO HIGH.
UM, AND SO WITH THE CONDITIONS THAT WE, UH, ARE PROPOSING, WE THOUGHT THAT, UM, IT WILL KIND OF MAKE IT MUCH SMALLER.
IT WILL HAVE A LESS OF AN IMPACT BECAUSE SWITCHING THAT PORT SHARE ROOF TO A SHED ROOF WILL MAKE IT LESS.
AND THEN REMOVING THE D DORMERS, WHICH MAKE IT LOOK LIKE A HOUSE THAT IS THREE STORY OR TWO STORY AND A HALF, IT WILL LOOK MORE LIKE A TWO STORY HOME WITH A DORMER THAT IS, UM, BRINGING LIGHT INTO THE ATTIC SPACE IF THEY WANT, IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO USE IT.
UM, WE MADE SURE THEM, APRIL 4TH WAS THE FIRST DAY WHERE, UH, CITY OF HOUSTON STARTED.
UM, THE, THE, THE SIDE SETBACK IS NOT THREE FEET ANYMORE, IT'S FIVE FEET OR HE NEEDS TO FIRE.
UM, WE MADE SURE THAT HE MET IT.
AND ON ONE SIDE WHERE THE PORT KHARE IS, THE COLUMNS WERE WITHIN THE FIVE FEET.
SO WE PUT A CONDITION TO KIND OF MOVE IT, MAKE IT SMALLER.
SO HE RESPECTS THE FIGHT, UH, FIVE FOOT SIDE HEAD BACK.
UM, YEAH, I, I BELIEVE THOSE ARE TO KIND OF SUMMARIZE.
I HOPE THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION, SIR.
WHILE, WHILE YOU'RE SUMMARIZING, IF I, I'M APOLOGIZE, MAY I ASK YOU AGAIN WHILE WE'RE LOOKING AT BOTH, I THINK MAJOR ELEVATIONS, WHAT, WHAT ARE THE MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS YOU'RE MAKING TO WHAT WE SEE HERE? AGAIN, I REALIZE I'M ASKING YOU TO REPEAT YOUR NO, SURE.
SO THE WEST SIDE ELEVATION, IF YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S A DORMER ON THE ROOF.
IT, IT'S, IT'S NOT IN THE MIDDLE.
SO WE ASKED HIM TO REMOVE THAT DORMER TO SIT, SIMPLY ELIMINATE IT.
TO JUST REMOVE IT AND THEN SEE THAT PORTAGE SHARE THE ROOF ON IT.
WE'RE ASKING IT TO, ASKING THEM TO BE, TO MAKE IT A, UM, A SHED ROOF.
AND THEN IF YOU MAY SCROLL DOWN PLEASE TO THE EAST SIDE ELEVATION.
WE'RE ALSO ASKING HIM TO REMOVE IT MM-HMM
JUST SIMPLIFY THE, UM, FORM AND REDUCE IT TO SOME EXTENT.
NOT, NOT IN HEIGHT, BUT IN, UH, IN COMPLEXITY.
BUT SHE'S RECOMMENDED TO GO FROM AN EIGHT ON 12 TO SIX ON 12, WHICH DOES REDUCE THE HEIGHT, WHICH DOES REDUCE HEIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR THE MAIN STRUCTURE.
THE SHED ROOF FOR THE PORT KOHA, UM, BEGAN AT THE BASE OF THE PRIMARY ROOF TO BRING THE HEIGHT DOWN.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THE OWNER IS HERE, UM, IN, IN CA HE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK UP ANY ADDRESS IF WE OPEN THE SPEAKER SIGNED UP FOR THE SIDE.
UH, SO I HAVE A QUESTION ACTUALLY ON THE SITE PLAN.
UH, I THINK PAGE 13 IS THE, IS THE BEGINNING OF THE PORT CO SHARE, UH, ACTUALLY 50 FEET BEHIND THE PROPERTY LINE AT THE 15 FOOT SETBACK AS PROPOSED.
DO YOU, DO YOU FOLLOW MY QUESTION? SO THE PORTUGAL SHARE IS, I THINK ALMOST AT THE 50% OF THE ACTUAL RESIDENCE IS, IS THAT YOUR QUESTION? NO, THE, WITH THE CURRENT PROPOSED SETBACK OF 15 FOOT RIGHT.
FOR THE FRONT SETBACK, WHAT IS THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE FRONT PROPERTY LINE TO THE BEGINNING OF THE PORTICO SHARE? BECAUSE I WOULD, MY POINT IS THAT IT SHOULD BE 50 IN THE BACK, 50 FEET OF THE PROPERTY, NOT IN THE FRONT 50 FEET OF THE PROPERTY.
UM, I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER, BUT I THINK THE OWNER DOES.
UM, THIS PORT SHARE WAS BIGGER AND PUSHED TO THE FRONT, AND WHILE WE DID THE DESIGN REVIEWS, UH, WE, HE WAS ASKED TO PUSH TO MAKE IT SMALLER
[01:50:01]
AND PUSH IT TO THE BACK.UM, I, THAT NUMBER IS NOT SHOWN HERE.
UM, I THINK ANTHONY, THE OWNER SHOULD HAVE THAT NUMBER.
WELL, LET'S, LET'S OPEN TO PUBLIC COMMENT AND MAYBE WE GET SOME ANSWERS TO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS AS WELL.
UM, I'M GONNA START WITH FIRST SPEAKER SIGNED UP IS, UM, ANTHONY ROMANOWSKI.
CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME? I'M ON THE VIDEO CALL.
UM, YOU KNOW, THANKS TO YASMINE AND THE STAFF AS WELL AS COMMISSIONER TO LOOK AT OUR PROJECT, YOU KNOW, WE KIND OF LIVE IN THE FIRST WARD RIGHT NOW.
I COMMUTE THROUGH THE SIXTH WARD EVERY SINGLE DAY.
UM, AND SO IT'S ONE OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE'VE REALLY BEEN WANTING TO MOVE IN.
AND WHEN WE FOUND THIS LOT, WE KIND OF JUMPED OUT TO THE OPPORTUNITY.
UM, I THINK THE, THE HOUSE THAT YOU SEE NOW WAS THROUGH A SERIES OF, UM, BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN US AND THE STAFF TO REALLY TRY TO CONFORM TO THE, THE GUIDELINES OF THE SIXTH WARD AND BE RESPECTFUL OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THE CONDITIONS THAT YASMINE HAS PUT IN INTO PLACE, WE'RE NO MORE THAN WILLING AND HAPPY TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS AND THOSE CONDITIONS GOING FORWARD.
IF, IF, UM, THAT'S WHAT THE STAFF RECOMMENDS.
UM, AND I'LL JUST SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE WANNA BE PART OF THE COMMUNITY, WE PLAN ON LIVING IN THIS HOUSE, IT'S GOING TO BE OUR PRIMARY RESIDENCE.
I KNOW THERE WAS SOME CONCERN ABOUT IT POTENTIALLY BEING RENTED OUT WITH A GARAGE APARTMENT.
UM, THERE ARE SOME TREES ON THE, THE LOT THAT WE WANT TO PRESERVE AS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
AND WE REALLY WANT TO TAKE THIS LOT THAT HAS KIND OF BEEN NEGLECTED FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS AND REALLY PUT A NICE, BEAUTIFUL HOME ON IT.
UH, WE WANNA RAISE A FAMILY IN IT.
AND SO THAT'S WHY IT MIGHT SEEM LIKE IT'S SLIGHTLY LARGER THAN SOME OF THE OFFSETS.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE FORCED TO PUT IT FIVE FEET ABOVE THE GROUND BASED ON THE CITY OF HOUSTON GUIDELINES.
IT'S NOT IDEAL, BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'RE FORCED TO DO.
UM, AND I THINK WE WERE TRYING TO BE COGNIZANT OF, YOU KNOW, JUST ALL THE POTENTIAL GUIDELINES OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND BE RESPECTFUL OF, UH, OF SORT OF OUR NEIGHBORS GOING FORWARD.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE LOOKED AT MANY HOMES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT THE TALLEST HOUSE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WE'RE NOT THE BIGGEST HOUSE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE FITTING WITH ALL THE SORT OF CONTINUING STRUCTURES AND WE KIND OF REALLY SLIPPED AND, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU TO THE STAFF TO HELP US REALLY SIMPLIFY OUR, OUR DESIGN AND GET IT TO THE POINT THAT WE'RE AT TODAY.
IF THERE ARE NOT ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION, I'LL MOVE TO THE NEXT SPEAKER.
UH, ANTHONY HARDIN, SHOULD I START OVER? PLEASE.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME A CHANCE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MY FRIEND BRIAN PORTMAN.
HE LIVES AT, UH, 2014 STATE STREET, WHICH IS DIRECTLY WEST OF THE PROPOSED, UH, STRUCTURE.
I'M SIR, WOULD YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AS WELL? WELL, MY NAME IS ANTHONY HARDIN.
HE'S CONCERNED THAT, UH, AT 4,228 SQUARE FEET THAT, UH, THIS PROPERTY WOULD BE GROSSLY OVERSIZED, UH, FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND SPEC SPECIFICALLY FOR HIS BLOCK.
UH, THE, ALL OF THE HOUSES WEST OF THE PROPERTY RANGE FROM A THOUSAND SQUARE FEET TO 1200 SQUARE FEET.
ALSO, UH, THE FINISHED FLOOR BEING BY WHAT WE CALCULATED SOMEWHERE AROUND FIVE FEET, EIGHT INCHES.
UH, THE OTHER HOUSE IS ON THAT BLOCK RANGE FROM 28 INCHES.
I THINK THE HIGHEST ONE IS 34.
UH, ALSO, UH, JUST THE, UM, KIND OF THE, THE SIDE SETBACKS BECAUSE THE PROPERTY'S 44 OVER 44 FEET WIDE ON A LOT THAT'S AROUND 52 FEET.
UH, WE, UH, WE BELIEVE THAT IN IT ENCROACHES ON THE FIVE FOOT SIDE SETBACK, WHICH FORCES THEM TO BUILD A FIREWALL.
UH, AND THIS HOUSE WOULD JUST BE TOWERING OVER, UH, HIS HOUSE.
HE'S LIVED THERE FOR 30 YEARS.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, HE'S IN LOVE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND, AND VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THESE THINGS.
BUT LASTLY, HE'S CONCERNED THAT THE FOLLOWING, THAT ALLOWING A STRUCTURE THAT IS SO VASTLY OUTTA SCALE WITH OTHER HOUSES ON THE BLOCK WOULD SET A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT.
ALLOWING THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN OS OVERSIZED HOUSE HOUSES THAT ARE FAR TOO BIG FOR THEIR LOTS WOULD ALTER THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HE FELL IN LOVE WITH SO LONG AGO.
[01:55:01]
THANK YOU.UM, IT WASN'T CLEAR HOW THE LAST NAME WAS SPELLED, UM, WHEN IT WAS APPLICATION WAS MADE, BUT IT'S WILLIAM, IS IT POLITO? PTO.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
I'M HERE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF KAREN WILLIS, WHO I BELIEVE IS THE NEIGHBOR ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LOT.
UM, SHE SAYS, I HAVE LIVED AT 2008 STATE STREET AND HAVE OWNED THIS PROPERTY SINCE 2007.
FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE LETTER WRITTEN BY BRIAN PORTMAN, WHICH YOU JUST HEARD.
UM, BRIAN AND I HAVE OWNED THE ADJOINING PROPERTIES TO 2010 STATE AND SHARE SEVERAL CONCERNS REGARDING THE SUBMITTED PLANS.
UM, I APPRECIATE HIS RESEARCH, UH, RESEARCH AND CONCISE STATEMENT FOR THOSE ISSUES.
FOR THE COMMITTEE, I SUPPORT EACH ARGUMENT HE PRESENTS AND SEE, UH, NO NEED TO DUPLICATE HIS WORDS.
HERE ARE OTHER CONCERNS TO PLEASE ADD THE DESIGN FOR SUCH A LARGE STRUCTURE AND INTERIOR LAYOUT OF EQUAL BATHROOM AND BEDROOM COUNTS AND LIVING SPACE ABOVE THE GARAGE.
BEGS THE QUESTION WHETHER THIS WILL STRICTLY BE AN OWNER-OCCUPIED RESIDENCE.
THERE ARE OPTIONS HERE WHICH COULD OPEN THE POSSIBILITY OF COMMERCIAL VENTURES SUCH AS RUNNING A BED AND BREAKFAST OR AN AIRBNB BUSINESS ON THE SITE.
IF SO, THIS INTENT SHOULD BE CERTAINLY STATED PUBLICLY.
IF THOSE IDEAS WERE ACTUALIZED, THIS WOULD CHANGE THE QUIET NATURE OF THE STREET AND ARE LOW DENSITY TRAFFIC OFFERING LARGE SPECIAL EVENTS.
AND INCREASED DEMAND FOR PARKING ARE TWO OF MY MAIN CONCERNS.
THE CURRENT GRADE LEVEL OF THE 2010 PROPERTY IS SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN OURS.
UH, OF THAT OF 2008 BECAUSE 2010 HAS BEEN AN OPEN NATURAL TERRAIN, DRAINAGE HAS NEVER BEEN AN ISSUE EXCEPT OBVIOUSLY TORRENTIAL RAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.
I HAVE AN INSTALLED A FRENCH DRAIN AND BRICKED A V TROUT AROUND MY STRUCTURE TO HELP MANAGE ANY ISSUES.
MY CONCERN NOW IS WITH THE PROPOSED MAIN STRUCTURE EXTENDED DRIVEWAY IN OUTBUILDINGS, THERE IS A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF HARDSCAPE IN RELATION TO GREENS, UH, GREENSCAPE AND PERHAPS A HIGHER GRADE ELEVATION BEING DISCUSSED.
I WOULD LIKE INSURANCES THAT ALL DRAINAGE CONCERNS WHICH IMPACTS SURROUNDING PROPERTIES ARE BEING CONSIDERED TO THE FULL EXTENT DIRECTLY RELATED TO MY PROPERTY.
THE EAST SIDE OF THE DRIVEWAY IS CERTAINLY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A SHORTER, UH, SHORT BARRIER CURB TO HELP MITIGATE, UH, MITIGATE ANY FUTURE PROBLEMS. I HOPE I AM WRONG IN MY ASSUMPTION, BUT AFTER LOOKING AT THE SITE PLANS, I SEE IT.
SEE, IT SEEMS MOST, IF NOT ALL EXISTING TREES WILL NEED TO BE REMOVED TO MAKE WAY FOR THE STRUCTURE.
AS I UNDERSTAND NEW CONSTRUCTION ORDINANCES OF THE PAST OWNERS NEED TO PLANT NEW OAK TREES IN THE CITY PARKWAY RELATED TO ANY SIZABLE NEW CONSTRUCTION.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS STILL A REQUIREMENT.
IF SO, IT SEEMS IRONY AT IRONY AT ITS BEST.
AESTHETICALLY SPEAKING, I TRULY REGRET THE CHOICE OF NOT RETAINING THE OLD GROWTH OAK TREES OF THE PROPERTY.
PRACTICALLY SPEAKING, IT WILL ELIMINATE ALL OF THE WESTERN SIDE TREE COVER AND ALSO THE DIRECT ENERGY SAVINGS.
I ENJOY FROM HAVING THE BARRIER OF TREES ALONG THE FENCE.
SIR, WHAT IS YOUR FIRST NAME, PLEASE? UH, WILLIAM.
THAT WAS THE LAST PERSON I HAD WRITTEN TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, EITHER IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? UH, THIS IS ANTHONY AGAIN.
AM I ALLOWED TO RESPOND TO SOME OF THOSE COMMENTS OR IS THAT FOR LATER? UH, I BELIEVE YOU, I BELIEVE YOU HAVE A REBUTTAL.
UM, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE, APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS.
I'LL KIND OF GO IN REVERSE ORDER.
STARTING, UM, WITH THE LAST COMMENTS.
I THINK I ALREADY REDRESSED THE FACT THAT THIS IS GONNA BE OUR PRIMARY RESIDENCE.
THIS, UM, WE PLAN ON RAISING A FAMILY IN IT.
UM, THE SECOND POINT ABOUT THE GRADE, UM, WE'RE NOT CHANGING ANYTHING WITH THE GRADE, SO WE'RE NOT PUTTING ANY MORE DIRT TO RAISE OUR ELEVATION.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO BUILD UP FIVE FEET, UM, MORE THAN HAPPY TO EXPLORE THE OPTION OF PUTTING A CURB ON OUR, ON OUR DRIVEWAY TO MAKE SURE TO MITIGATE ANY POTENTIAL FUTURE ISSUES.
AND OBVIOUSLY VERY CONCERNED ABOUT DRAINAGE BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE 500 YEAR FLOODPLAIN.
UM, THE, THE THE THIRD POINT, UH, WAS TALKING ABOUT THE TREES.
A LOT OF THOSE TREES ARE KIND OF IN THE CENTER OF THE LOT.
AND THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY OLD GROWTH TREES.
THESE ARE JUST TREES THAT HAVE SPROUTED BECAUSE NOTHING HAS HAPPENED WITH THIS LOT AND, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF DECADES.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND THEY JUST, ANY HOUSE THAT'S BEING BUILT IN THIS AREA THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO REMOVE A LOT OF
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THESE TREES.UM, AND WE DO WANT TO KEEP THE BIGGER TREES THAT ARE ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE PROPERTY.
UM, SO WE DEFINITELY AND, AND WILL COMPLY WITH ANY CITY OF HOUSTON, YOU KNOW, PLANTING RECOMMENDATIONS.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE LANDSCAPING, SO I'M GONNA HAVE A, A NICE LANDSCAPE FRONT YARD.
AND THEN, UM, THE LAST POINT WAS TALKING ABOUT THE SETBACK.
SO, YOU KNOW, OUR DESIGNS FIT WITH ALL THE SETBACKS THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND THEN WITH THE FIRST COUPLE OF POINTS, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT THE MASSING.
YOU KNOW, I WILL SAY THAT, THAT THE HOUSE THAT IS NEXT TO US THAT'S NON-CONTRIBUTING IS A, IS A TWO STORY HOUSE.
UM, IT'S A 1200 SQUARE FOOT HOUSE ON A 1400 SQUARE FOOT LOT.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S AN EXAMPLE WHERE THERE'S, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF MASS JUST ON OUR NEIGHBOR, ON OUR BLOCK IN AND OF ITSELF.
BUT THERE'S ALSO A, YOU KNOW, A NUMBER OF EXAMPLES OF HOUSES THAT ARE, UM, LARGER IN SIZE PER LOT SQUARE FOOT THAN THE WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING.
UM, I THINK ESPECIALLY IF YOU TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT, UM, IT WILL RE BE REDUCED TO A 3,200 AND SOME CHANGE SQUARE FOOT HOUSE ONCE YOU TAKE IN THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.
SO THE MASSING IS GREATLY REDUCED BASED ON, UM, THOSE PROPOSED RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY WE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT THE FI THE, THE FIVE FEET THAT'S, I, I WOULDN'T WANNA BUILD IT FIVE FEET HIGH, BUT WE ARE FORCED TO BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THERE'S NOT BEEN A SINGLE HOUSE BUILT IN THIS AREA IN THE FLOOD PLAIN SINCE THOSE, UM, RULES HAVE BEEN PROPOSED.
AND THEN SETBACKS, WE'RE ALWAYS GONNA MEET THESE SETBACKS JUST HAPPENED THIS MONTH.
SO WE'RE KIND OF DOING THIS REAL TIME AND HAPPY TO, UM, GO WITH STAFF RECOMMENDATION ON MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE FITTING IN WITH THOSE FIVE FOOT SETBACKS ACROSS THE BOARD.
UM, AND THEN I THINK THE, UM, YEAH, I THINK THE ONLY OTHER THING IS JUST, YOU KNOW, W WE, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FIT WITHIN THE GUIDELINES.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO BE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE, WE'RE PU WE PUSH THE COR RICOCHET BACK, SO IT'S NOT GONNA BE AS IMPOSING.
IT'S IN THE BACK HALF OF, OF THE HOUSE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, OUR OUR ACTUAL FOOTPRINT IS MUCH SMALLER THAN WHAT'S BEING SAID.
AND OBVIOUSLY WE'RE SQUEEZING THE HOUSE BASED ON ALL THESE NEW GUIDELINES THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS IMPOSING UPON US.
WITH THAT, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM AND, UH, ASK THE COMMISSION MEMBERS IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSIONS.
MR. CHAIR, I HAVE, UH, TWO QUESTIONS FOR BOTH, UH, THE APPLICANT AND ALSO MAYBE STAFF CAN PITCH IN.
UH, THE FIRST ONE IS, UH, I'M TRYING TO ADDRESS ONE CONCERN THAT WAS BROUGHT UP BY, UH, THE MR. MR. BRIAN THAT HE, HE SEEMS LIKE HE'S MEASURED THE, UH, FRONT SETBACK OF THE VARIOUS HOUSES ALONG YOUR FA UH, FACE.
AND THEY ARE ALL DEEPER THAN, UH, 15 FEET.
IN FACT, THEY GO 16 FEET TO 18 FEET.
SO, UH, CAN YOU ENLIGHTEN ME HOW THE 15 FEET CAME ABOUT AS AN AVERAGE? THAT'S QUESTION NUMBER ONE.
AND NUM, I THINK QUESTION NUMBER TWO WAS, I THINK, UH, WE, UH, UH, ROUGHLY GUESSTIMATE THAT, THAT THE, UH, THE, UH, PORTICO SHARE STARTS ABOUT 45 TO 46 FEET BEHIND THE PROPERTY LINE, TYPICALLY, UH, UH, FOR A NEW CONSTRUCTION.
SUPPOSED TO BE BACK 50 FEET BACK, UH, UH, AS WELL.
YEAH, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL SPEAK FIRST.
YASMINE, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
I THINK ON THE, THE SLIDE NINE OF THE PROPOSAL, YOU ACTUALLY SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, I THINK OUR ONE NEIGHBOR THAT 2014 IS ACTUALLY AT THAT 16 FEET THAT HE TALKS ABOUT.
BUT THE, THE 2008 IS ACTUALLY SLIGHTLY BEFORE THAT.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, I THINK HE'S REFERENCING A SORT OF OLDER SURVEY BACK FROM THE NINETIES.
BUT THERE'S BEEN AN, UH, FOR SORT OF FRONT PORCH EDITION ADDED ONTO THAT.
AND SO IT'S ACTUALLY AT THE SORT OF 50 FEET OR SLIGHTLY BEFORE THAT.
AND THEN THE, THE HOUSE ON 6 0 5, UM, STREET 6 0 5 I THINK IS, UM, WHITE STREET, UM, IS ACTUALLY ALSO, SO THIS IS, WE'RE KIND OF AT THE SORT OF MIDPOINT OF, OF THE, THE FOUR HOUSES THAT ARE ON THE BLOCK.
AND THEN IF YOU JUST GO TO THE STREET NEXT TO THAT, HOUSES ARE EVEN CLOSER.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE CLOSER TO SORT OF 10 OR 11 FEET.
UM, AND THEN THIS, THE PO RICOCHET, I, I THINK, I THINK WE WERE GOING UNDER THE WHOLE, YOU KNOW, BACK HALF OF THE HOUSE.
UM, SO, AND MAYBE WE'RE A COUPLE FEET OFF FROM THE BACK HALF OF THE LOT.
AND SO I THINK WE KIND OF CONFORMED BY PUSHING THE BACK TO THAT BACK HALF OF THE LOT.
UM, BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY LOOK INTO THAT BECAUSE I THINK IT WAS UNCLEAR IN THE GUIDELINES WHETHER IT WAS THE BACK HALF OF THE HOUSE OR THE BACK HALF OF THE LOT SIX WARD.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER, UH, DISCUSSIONS WITH COMMISSION MEMBERS? COMMISSIONER MCNEIL? UM, COMMISSIONER SAW HAS A, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR STAFF COMMISSIONER SEZ, PLEASE PROCEED.
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MAY I PROCEED? UM, YES.SO THE DESIGN OF THE OLD SIX WARD DESIGN GUIDELINES HAVE BEEN THAT IT SAYS THAT THE GARAGE, UH, CARPORT MUST BE 50%, UH, 50, UH, A BACK OF THE LOT.
AND THE PORT RICOCHET CONSIDERED IS ALMOST AS IF IT WAS OUR CARPORT.
AND SO THEREFORE, UH, I AGREE WITH THE COMMISSION WITH COMMISSIONER YAP, THAT IT SHOULD BE 50 FEET.
AND I'M ASKING THE STAFF WHY WAS, WHY WOULD THAT DECI WHY WAS THE DECISION MADE TO BE OKAY, UH, LESS THAN 50, UH, 50 UH, PERCENT BACK.
UM, WE WERE, WE WERE LOOKING, AGAIN, THIS WAS MUCH CLOSER TO THE FRONT.
WE TRIED TO MAKE IT SMALLER AND PUSH IT TOWARDS THE HALF REAR OF THE HOUSE.
UM, WE DID NOT STICK TO THAT NUMBER AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
BUT THE APPROACH WAS TO PUSH IT BACK AS, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND AS MUCH AS THE, UM, APPLICANT WAS, UH, WILLING TO ALSO PUSH IT IN THE BACK.
AND I, AND I BELIEVE THE, THE APPLICANT WAS SAYING THAT HE'S, IF THIS IS A CONDITION HE CAN, UM, HE CAN DO THAT, UM, A LOT OF THESE CONDITIONS HE WAS WILLING TO DO.
BUT, UM, I THINK, I BELIEVE HIS ARCHITECT OR DESIGNER WAS OUT FOR, UM, EASTER WEEK AND THAT'S WHY THESE WERE WEREN'T ADDRESSED.
AND, UM, WE HAD THEM AS CONDITIONS, UM, TO BE FOR THE FINAL ACTION BY YOU IF YOU APPROVE.
AND I, I'LL JUST, I JUST WANNA ADD, UH, SO THE COMMISSION AS LONG ENOUGH, REMEMBER THERE WERE SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS IN THE PAST, UH, FOR CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE, UH, CARPORTS AND THE PORTER IN THE BACK.
THEY ALWAYS, ALWAYS HAS TO BE 50% BACK.
SO I THINK THIS PROJECT SHOULD COMPLY WITH, UH, OUR PREVIOUS, UH, CONSIDERATIONS.
JUST WANTED TO, UM, COMMENT ON COMMISSIONER YAPP, UM, SETBACK COMMENT.
AND SO I'M LOOKING AT THE BLOCK FACE AND, AND THERE'S LITERALLY ONLY ONE OTHER HOUSE THAT, THAT YOU CAN GAUGE SETBACK BY, WHICH IS THE, UH, 20, UH, 2016, 2020S, A VACANT LOT.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 20, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, 2014 AND THEN THAT THEN THE PROPERTY TO THE RIGHT OF THE VACANT LOT IS A TOWNHOUSE THAT WAS BUILT IN THE SEVENTIES OR EIGHTIES.
AND THEN THE CORNER HOUSE IS ACTUALLY ON, UM, WHITE STREET.
IT DOESN'T FRONT ON STATE STREET.
SO IT, IT, IT'S A VERY VALID CONVERSATION, BUT I WAS JUST KIND OF, UH, SUPER SURPRISED AT HOW LIMITED THE, THE LIMITED THE, THE DEMOGRAPHIC THAT WE HAVE TO CHOOSE FROM.
'CAUSE ACROSS THE STREET ARE PARKING LOTS.
SO I AGREE A HUNDRED PERCENT THAT THE SETBACK ON THE FRONT SHOULD BE COMMISERATE WITH THE REST OF THE HOUSES.
AND THEN, UH, TO COMMISSIONER AVA'S POINT, IF THE, UM, SIXTH WARD RESTRICTIONS ARE, ARE 50 FEET BACK, THEN OBVIOUSLY I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED A MOTION TO DEFER TO, TO, TO REDESIGN THE HOUSE WHERE THAT PORTICO SHARES 50 FEET BACK.
OR IF THE OWNERS, YOU KNOW, AND THE STAFF CAN DECIDE THAT THAT IS A GUARANTEE, THEN MAYBE WE CAN VOTE ON IT TODAY.
I'LL DEFER TO THE REST OF THE COMMISSION.
UH, IF I CAN MAKE A RESPOND TO THAT.
I THINK WHAT I, WHAT I WAS TRYING TO DO IS, IF YOU LOOK AT THE LETTER FROM BRIAN PORTMAN, UH, HE MADE NUMEROUS, UM, HE TOOK THE TIME TO MAKE NUMEROUS MEASUREMENTS.
NOW I CANNOT, I CANNOT, UH, VOUCH THAT HE MADE ALL THE RIGHT MEASUREMENTS, BUT THERE WERE NUMEROUS MEASUREMENTS THAT WERE MENTIONED THAT WERE DEEPER THAN 15 FEET.
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO GET CLARIFICATION TO MAKE SURE THAT CONCERN IS ADDRESSED NOW.
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FRONT SETBACK ON THE COURT, UH, PORTICO SHARE SETBACK.
UM, IF THE APPLICANT IS OKAY AND STAFF IS OKAY, THEN WE CAN JUST AMEND THE RECOMMENDATION TO ADD ONE MORE LINE TO SAY THAT PORTICO SHARE SHOULD START 50 FEET TO THE BACK OF, OF THE, UH, PROPERTY LINE.
UH, I'M ACCEPTABLE TO THAT AS WELL IF THE APPLICANT IS ACCEPTABLE TO THAT.
CAN, CAN STAFF COMMENT ABOUT THE SETBACK? UM, YES.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK? YEAH, YOU GO AHEAD.
UM, SO HOW WE ADDRESS THE FRONT SETBACK IS THROUGH COMPARING IT WITH THE LOTS BEHI BE BESIDE IT, AND, UM, RELYING ON THE GOOGLE MAP, WE DID NOT PERSONALLY MEASURE THE LOT AND, UM, HOW
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FAR EVERY LOT IS FROM, UM, EVERY STRUCTURE IS FROM THE FRONT PROPERTY LINE.WE ARE RELYING ON THE GOOGLE IMAGE.
AND I KNOW, UM, LATER ON IN THE PROCESS, I WANNA SAY FIVE DAYS AGO, WE WERE AWARE OF THE PROPERTY LINE ISSUE AND THAT, UM, THEY'RE NOT AGREEING ON THE SURVEY.
SO THIS WAS BASED ON SURVEY AND GOOGLE MAP.
SO, UM, AGAIN, WE DID NOT PERSONALLY MEASURE THE STRUCTURES TO THE PROPERLY LINE THIS, UM, THIS LOT IS AT THE EDGE OF OLD SIX WARD, SO EVEN THE CONTEXT IS NOT VERY BIG HERE ON THIS STREET BECAUSE THIS IS AT THE EDGE.
SO WHEN WE, THIS IS A TWO STORY NEW CONSTRUCTION.
CONSTRUCTION, WE COMPARED IT WITH OTHER NEW CONSTRUCTION IN THE WIDE OLD SIX WARD, NOT ON THIS SPECIFIC STREET.
AND I BELIEVE THE ORDINANCE ALLOWS THAT BECAUSE THIS IS AT THE EDGE AND THERE'S NOT A LOT OF, UM, CONTRIBUTING CONTEXT ON THIS STREET.
AND THAT'S WHY WE BROADENED, UM, THE CONTEXT AREA.
AND I, AND I'LL JUST QUICKLY COMMENT, YEAH, WE'RE MORE THAN HAPPY TO MEET THE SETBACKS FOR THE PORTIER, IF THAT'S A LINE.
WE, ROMAN, DO YOU HAVE MORE TO ADD? WELL, THIS WAS, UM, HANDED TO ME BY ONE OF THE SPEAKERS, BUT I JUST WENT ON GOOGLE EARTH AND CONFIRMED IT AND I THINK IT'S ACCURATE.
I THINK THERE'S A LITTLE MORE COMMISSIONER MCNEIL, UH, THE SETBACKS 2014 AND 16.
HE, HE'S GOT 'EM AT 16 FOOT 10 THAT'S PLAUSIBLE FROM, FROM THE SKETCH THERE.
AND THEN, UH, HE'S GOT 2008 AT 17 FEET.
ACTUALLY THAT'S, THAT'S A TWO STORY CAMERA BUILT IN THE EIGHTIES.
YEAH, THEN THAT, THAT'S RIGHT.
NON-CONTRIBUTING, NON-CONTRIBUTING, CONTRIBUTING, NON-CONTRIBUTING.
SO I JUST, THERE ARE A COUPLE THERE AND, AND AGAIN, KEEPING IN LINE WITH MOVING IT FORWARD, IF, IF THE APPLICANTS ARE WILLING, IF WE NEED TO COME BACK TO 16, UH, 16 AND A HALF 17 SOMETHING, WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO TRY AS WE ALWAYS DO TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND SO THESE SEEMS LIKE NOT INSURMOUNTABLE HURDLES THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY HANDLE ON THE STAFF LEVEL IF IN GENERAL THE DESIGN IS ACCEPTABLE.
AM I MISREADING SOMETHING OR THE FRONT SETBACKS ALREADY 15 FEET? YES IT IS, RIGHT.
SO THE FRONT SETBACK IS WITHIN THE STANDARDS AND SO I THINK THE TOPIC OF CONVERSATION IS REALLY THE SETBACK OF THE PORT CLICHE AT THIS POINT.
UH, MAYBE I CAN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION PLEASE TO AMEND STAFFS, UH, RECOMMENDATION.
UH, I PROPOSE TO ADD ONE MORE SENTENCE TO THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION TO SAY PORTICO SHARE, TO BE, UH, TO BEGIN AT THE BACK 50 FEET OF THE LOT OR THE LANGUAGE EQUIVALENT TO THAT WITH THE OTHERS ALL INCLUDED AS WELL.
IS THERE A SECOND OR MORE DISCUSSION RESPECTFULLY, MAYBE THE WORD WITHIN RATHER THAN BEGIN ACCEPT.
IS THERE COMMISSIONER SABA SECONDS.
ARE THERE ANY THAT OPPOSE? ARE THERE ANY THAT ABSTAIN? THE MOTION CARRIES.
MOVING ON NOW TO ITEM NUMBER D NINE POINT OF SPECIAL PRIVILEGE.
UM, PLEASE POINT OF SPECIAL PRIVILEGE.
I WILL, UH, I HAVE TO LEAVE SO I WILL JOIN VIRTUALLY.
HI, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION STAFF SUBMITS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
ITEM D NINE AT FOUR WEST 11TH PLACE.
THE PROPERTY AT FOUR WEST 11TH PLACE IS AN AMERICAN COLONIAL STYLE AND IS A LANDMARK AT NINE THAT WAS BUILT AT 1920, LOCATED IN THE WEST 11TH PLACE.
HISTORIC DISTRICT, THE APPLICANT PROPOSES THE FOLLOWING, THE REMOVAL OF TWO ADDITIONS, THE SOLARIUM AND OFFICE CIRCA MID 1970S AT THE REAR OF THE PROPERTY, REPLACING ARCH WINDOWS, SINGLE PANE THAT WERE PAINTED BLACK WITH A MULTI PANE FRENCH DOOR STYLE WINDOWS CONSISTENT WITH WINDOWS THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE.
INSTALLATION OF METAL PORTICO BAN SURFERS SAFETY ON THE SECOND FLOOR, RAISING THE ROOF LINE
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OF THE NORTH AND SOUTH WING SETBACKS, HEAD BOX ROOF LINES WILL MATCH EXISTING GABLE COMPOSE IT SHINGLE.NEW BRICK VENEER WILL BE INSTALLED TO MATCH EXISTING.
THEY ARE ALSO PROPOSING THE ADDITION OF WOOD CLOSED SHUTTERS TO EXISTING PAINTED BLOCKED OFF ON THE INTERIOR WINDOWS TO IMPROVE THE LOOK ON THE ELEVATION AND KEEP, UM, THE WINDOWS PROTECTED.
THEY ALSO, UM, ARE PROPOSING TO ADD ONE SIX OVER SIX WOOD WINDOW TO MATCH EXISTING ORIGINAL WINDOWS ON SECOND LEVEL.
AND IN ADDITION OF ONE FOUR OVER FOUR WOOD WINDOW PROPOSED ON SOUTH SIDE OF MUDROOM CONNECTING GARAGE TO HOUSE STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL AND IS AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
AND WE HAVE BOTH OWNERS HERE, UM, TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? UH, I, YEAH.
SO I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR REFERENCE.
UH, IF WE CAN REFER TO THE NORTH SIDE AND SOUTH SIDE ELEVATIONS, UH, ON THE EXISTING, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO CONFIRM THAT THE, UH, QUOTE UNQUOTE UNIQUE ROOF LINE ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS HOUSE WAS MEANT TO BE LIKE THAT, THAT IT WAS ACTUALLY FOLLOWING THE, UH, THE UNEVEN AND THEY ACTUALLY FOLLOWED THE, UH, THE PITCH OF THE, UH, THE GABLE THAT WAS OF THE, OR OF THE ORIGINAL HOUSE.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW I THINK THE OWNERS ARE PROPOSING TO CHANGE THE ROOF LINE COMPLETELY TO ACTUALLY CREATE GABLES OUT OF THIS.
AND I MAY HAVE TO DRAW EXPERIENCE FROM ARCHITECTS WHETHER THIS WAS ACTUALLY A DELIBERATE DESIGN OR THIS WAS SOMEBODY SCREW UP IN THE EIGHTIES.
SORRY, THAT'S MY BEST LANGUAGE THERE.
THEY LISTED REASONS FOR WHY THEY'RE DOING THIS.
IF YOU, IF I MAY READ IT OR IF I MAY LET THE OWNERS ANSWER THAT, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE ME? UH, ANYWAY, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE, THE ORIGINAL HOUSE, THE ARCHITECTURE WAS EXACTLY LIKE HOW IT'S DRAWN HERE RIGHT NOW.
SO I'LL OPEN TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
I HAVE, UH, CURRENTLY I HAVE DAVID HAYES SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
THANK YOU LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE COMMISSION.
UH, MY WIFE CYNTHIA AND I ARE THE, THE BRAND NEW STEWARDS OF, UM, FOR WEST 11TH PLACE.
UM, THANK YOU TO YASMIN AND ROMAN FOR THEIR HELPING GETTING US TO A PLACE WHERE WE WERE TRYING TO MAKE CHANGES THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO AGE IN PLACE.
THERE ARE SOME, UH, FLOOR CHALLENGES ON THE UPPER LEVEL, UM, REQUIRING RAISING OF THE ROOF TO LEVEL THE FLOOR AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT THE, THE AC IS ACTUALLY COMING IN FROM THE CEILING AS OPPOSED TO THE ADJOINING WALL.
UM, WE, WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE CHANGES THAT WON'T OFFEND THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE OF THE BUILDING.
UM, WE REALLY LOVE THE PLACE, SO JUST TRYING TO BE AS GENTLE AS WE CAN.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT, MR. MCNEIL? HAS THERE BEEN ANY, IS THE HOUSE FULLY SHEET ROCKED? HAS THERE BEEN ANY DEMOLITION THAT WOULD PROVIDE YOU ANY CLUES OF WHAT'S ORIGINAL AND WHAT MIGHT MIGHT'VE BEEN A MODIFICATION IN THE EIGHTIES BY, SO IF, IF IT'S KIND OF HARD TO SEE ON THE DRAWING, BUT IF YOU SEE THAT THE WAY THE ROOF SLOPES OUT TO THE VERY REAR MM-HMM
UH, THAT IS A, A NEW STAIRCASE THAT WAS ADDED TO THE EXISTING BUILDING SO THAT THE STAIRCASE USED TO RUN OR, OR SAY THE MAIN BODY OF THE HOUSE WAS A SYMMETRICAL GABLE AND THEY BLEW OUT THE BACK AND ADDED A STAIRCASE, WHICH IS WHAT'S EXTENDED OUT THAT ROOF LINE AS FAR AS IT GOES.
AND THAT WAS PROBABLY SOMETIME IN THE SEVENTIES.
UM, THE SAME WITH THE PAINTED BLACK ONE-WAY MIRROR, SINGLE PANE NON-SAFETY GLASS ON THE, UM, ON THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE THERE.
WE'VE SEEN A LOT IN THE COMMISSION.
IT LOOKS LIKE ONE OF THE HOMES IN THE, IN THE HERITAGE SOCIETY, AN OLD HOME THAT HAD A REAR ADDITION BUILT LATER ON IN ITS LIFE.
AND IT SORT OF LOOKS AS THAT KIND OF A, UH, BARN TYPE, YOU KNOW, EARLY TYPOLOGY OF HOME DEVELOPMENT IN THE FRONTIER.
BUT, UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT OR FOR STAFF? I'M, I'M STILL A LITTLE BIT CONF CONCERNED.
[02:20:01]
CONFUSED, UH, MAYBE I CAN POINT, UH, IF YOU CAN GO BACK TO THE, UH, EITHER THE, THE NORTH OR THE, UH, NORTH AND SOUTH ELEVATION.SO IS THIS, IS THIS PARTICULAR, UH, I GUESS ROOF WAS ORIGINAL TO THE HOUSE WHEN IT WAS BUILT? IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, CAN YOU PULL PAGE 22 PLEASE? A SECOND TO THE LAST PAGE.
SORRY AMANDA, CAN YOU PLEASE GO TO PAGE 22? IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT THAT LOW SLOPE ROOF IN THE REAR WITH AN ADD-ON IN THE SEVENTIES, CLOSE IN THE HOUSE ADDED BACK, WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE LITTLE PHOTOGRAPH AT THE TOP 22 PAGE.
IF YOU CAN GO BACK A PAGE AND THEN ZOOM IN ON THOSE SMALL BLACK AND WHITE PHOTO.
AND WE ZOOM IN ON THAT PHOTO PLEASE.
SO COMMISSIONER CURRY AND I ARE ASSUMING BASED ON THAT, THAT THE WINGS WERE ADDED EVEN BEFORE THE, EVEN BEFORE THAT LOVELY EDITION SEVENTIES THAT DOMINIQUE LOVED
IF I MAY SOME SAY SOMETHING, THE SANBORN WE HAVE IS NINETEEN TWENTY FOUR, NINETEEN TWENTY FIVE, AND THIS HOUSE WAS BUILT IN THE 1920.
SO, UM, IT MIGHT LIKE, THOSE TWO MIGHT BE ADDITIONS, BUT LIKE IN THE SANBORN IT SHOWS THEM.
UM, SO, AND THIS CAN GO BOTH WAY WHERE IT'S ORIGINALLY, ORIGINALLY IT DID NOT HAVE THOSE TWO WINGS, BUT FOR US THAT LIKE THE SANBORN HAD THOSE WINGS AND HOW WE LOOKED AT IT IS THIS IS, UM, KIND OF A PRIVATE NEIGHBORHOOD AND IT'S NOT, IT'S, UM, THOSE WERE A BIT PUSHED TO THE BACK.
SO TECHNICALLY FROM THE RIGHT OF WAY YOU CAN'T SEE IT.
UH, THAT'S WHERE I, WE WERE, UH, LENIENT WITH, UM, WITH THE RAISING OF THE ROOF LINE AND BECAUSE, UM, IT ALLOWS CONTEMPORARY ACCESS BECAUSE, UM, THEY'RE, THEY HAVE ELDERLY PEOPLE THAT WANT WILL LIVE THERE AND THEY NEED, UH, PROPER A DA ACCESS AND LEVELING.
I MEAN, JUST, JUST TO CONFIRM, IT'S A, IT IS A GATED PRIVATE STREET WITH NO PUBLIC ACCESS AND YOU CAN ONLY SEE, UH, THE EAST, SORRY, THE NORTH AND SOUTH ELEVATIONS FROM OUR NEIGHBORING MIDWAY ON OUR NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES PROPERTY.
SO YOU CAN'T REALLY SEE IT FROM THE, THE STREET.
AND I WILL SAY JUST VERY PERSONALLY, MY FATHER WAS IN TOWN, UH, THESE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.
WE HAD ONE TRIP, THANKFULLY, NOT EXTENSIVE, BUT, UM, FOR MY WIFE AND I.
I WILL SAY THIS, THIS PHOTOGRAPH IS INTERESTING 'CAUSE THERE DOES APPEAR TO BE A PAD, YOU KNOW, EITHER A, A PATIO OR SOMETHING POURED THERE ON THE, UM, ON THE NORTH SIDE.
SO WITHOUT A DATE ON THIS BLACK AND WHITE PHOTO, IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT TO TELL WHERE IT WAS.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU, UH, MR. CHAIR, HAVE YOU SEEN A, A BUILDING, UH, IN YOUR EXPERIENCE THAT'S DESIGNED WITH THE TWO WINGS, HAVING A ROOF THAT IS LIKE BUILT TO, TO MATCH THE PITCH OF THE ORIGINAL HOUSE? SO WELL, UH, IS THIS UNIQUE TO YOU AS WELL? OR WAS THIS ACTUALLY, UH, SOMETHING THAT I THINK IF IT IS REALLY UNIQUE AND IT'S REALLY ORIGINAL TO THE HOUSE, I THINK IT SHOULD BE PRESERVED.
IT'S TO BE SUPPOSED TO BE TALKED ABOUT.
NOT SOMETHING THAT WE, UH, NOT THE 1970 OR AN EIGHTIES THING THAT WE WANT TO DEMOLISH OR, OR RECREATE.
THAT'S A QUESTIONS ACTUALLY FOR YOU, MR. WELL, I THINK THE, I WAS TRYING TO SAY IT EARLIER.
I, I'VE NOT QUITE SEEN IN ADDITION, LIKE IT'S BEEN PRESENTED, IT REMINDS ME OF A EARLY TYPOLOGY OF A FRONTIER HOME.
I MEAN, THERE ARE HOMES IN THE HERITAGE SOCIETY, YOU KNOW, JUST ACROSS THE STREET FROM US RIGHT NOW THAT HAVE THIS, UM, HAVE THIS PROPORTION.
YOU KNOW, THEY BASICALLY, IT'S TYPICALLY A REAR ADDITION THAT'S BUILT, UH, AT ANOTHER ROOM.
THEY'RE OFTEN, YOU KNOW, LIKE A CENTER HALL WITH TWO ROOMS EITHER SIDE AND YOU HAVE A LITTLE ADDITION ON THE BACK.
OFTEN BARNS HAVE, THIS IS SIMILAR AS WELL TYPOLOGY.
UM, BUT IT'S, I GUESS IT SOUNDS LIKE TYPICALLY THE ADDITIONS THAT ARE MADE IN THESE HOMES WERE SYMMETRICAL.
THAT'S SMALLER THE WAY THAT, UM, SO, BUT, BUT I, AT LEAST WHAT I UNDERSTOOD FROM THE APPLICANT AND FROM STAFF IS THAT IT APPEARS THAT THAT REAR PORTION OR THERE, THERE'S A FOOTPRINT THERE ON THE SANBORN, BUT THE WAY THAT IT'S BUILT LOOKS LIKE IT'S, IT'S SEVENTIES ON THE REAR PORTION OF THE SIDE EDITIONS APPEAR TO BE SEVENTIES.
SO IT'S UNCLEAR WHAT MODIFICATIONS HAVE HAP HAS HAP HAVE HAPPENED.
THE, THE, DEFINITELY THE PROPORTIONS OF
[02:25:01]
BOTH SIDES ARE VERY DIFFERENT AND THE ROOF LINES ARE VERY DIFFERENT.TYPICALLY, I'VE, I'VE SEEN SMALLER ADDITIONS THAT ARE JUST A PURE GABLE SYMMETRICAL ON THE ENDS OF THESE KIND OF RECTANGULAR HOMES, TYPICALLY.
AND I, I TAKE IT, THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH THE, WITH THE FLOOR LEVELS AS WELL, WITH THROUGH THESE A ADJOINING, SO TO THE, LET ME GET MY DIRECTIONS RIGHT TO THE NORTH ELEVATION, THERE'S AN EIGHT FOOT, SORRY, AN EIGHT FOOT, AN EIGHT INCH OR EIGHT AND A HALF INCH DROP FROM THE MAIN HOUSE INTO THE, INTO THE ADDITION.
UM, AND ON THE SOUTH ELEVATION IS ABOUT THREE AND A HALF INCHES.
SO THE FLOOR IS, YEAH, NOT TO MENTION THAT THE STAIRS ARE NOT TO CODE AS WELL, UM, IN ANY, ON ANY PART OF THEM.
BUT IF I LOOK AT THE SANDBORN MAP, IT'S ALREADY BEEN THERE SINCE 1925.
IF I'M READING IT RIGHT ON THE FOOTPRINT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A PORCH, BUT NOT THE ORIGINAL, NOT THE TWO, NOT THE WINGS ON THE NORTH AND SOUTH SIDE.
BUT, UH, THE WINGS HAVE OBVIOUSLY BEEN THERE FOR SOME PERIOD OF TIME.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG
GIVEN THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE AN EIGHT INCH DROP FROM THE FLOOR LEVEL OF THE, IN THE SECOND FLOOR DOWN TO THAT JUST, IT'S UNSAFE.
I MEAN, YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T KEEP IT AND GET A PERMIT AND, AND STILL KEEP IT TO CODE.
EVEN, EVEN THEY WON'T GRANDFATHER THAT IN 'CAUSE IT'S, IT'S, IT'S LIFE SAFETY ISSUE.
ARE THERE OTHER DISCUSSIONS FROM THE COMMISSION? WOULD ANYONE OFFER TO MAKE A MOTION? I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.
I STILL THINK THE FEATURE IS QUITE UNIQUE.
ARE THERE ANY ABSTENTIONS? OKAY, THE MOTION CARRIES.
WE'RE NOW MOVING ON TO ITEM D 12, I BELIEVE ITEM D 12 IS 1810 CANE STREET IN OLD SIX WARD, THE APPLICANT'S MR. CHAIR, BEFORE HE CONTINUES, I THINK I NEED TO ABSTAIN OR I NEED TO CLEAR THE ROOM FOR THIS BECAUSE I WAS INVOLVED WITH THIS PROJECT.
I THINK YOU'RE, I LIKE TO LEGAL COUNSEL TO WHETHER YOU LEAVE THE ROOM OR NOT, BUT IT'S, NO, THAT'S IT.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY REQUIRED BY LAW OR ANY BASE FOR, FOR HIM TO LEAVE.
HE COULD STEP OUT THOUGH IF HE, IF HE LIKES SINCE HE'S HALFWAY UP.
1810 CAN STREET IS A, UH, 2050 SQUARE FOOT ONE STORY FRAME, SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE.
UM, I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE THE ACCURATE NUMBER.
THERE WAS ACTUALLY A, AN ADDITION TO THE REAR OF THIS STRUCTURE, WHICH YOU SEE HERE BEFORE.
YOU ARE A, UH, A PHOTO IN OUR CITY FILES ON THE TOP.
UH, AND THEN, UH, A CUR, UH, THE PHOTO BELOW WAS FROM A PREVIOUS STAFF REPORT.
THIS HOME WAS RESTORED BETWEEN THOSE TWO PERIODS.
UH, LET'S GO TO THE NEXT PAGE.
THIS IS ALWAYS GOOD TO USE WHAT WE GOT HERE.
OKAY, THESE ARE SOME PHOTOS DURING THE RESTORATION OF THIS PROJECT FOR ABOUT 2015 OF THIS HOUSE, I'M SORRY, ABOUT 2015.
AND YOU SEE AT ISSUE HERE ARE THESE TWO OVER TWO ORIGINAL WINDOWS THAT WERE IN THE STRUCTURE AND THEY WERE IN THAT STRUCTURE AND STILL ARE FOR THE MAJORITY, UH, OF THE, UH, FOR THE MORE MAJORITY OF THE CASE.
BUT THIS APPLICANT WAS WORKING WITHOUT A PERMIT.
AND ON PAGE EIGHT OF THIS DOCUMENT, YOU SEE A CURRENT ELEVATION SUPPLIED HERE BY THE APPLICANT.
AND IN THIS IMAGE, THE LEFT TWO WINDOWS IN THE FRONT GABLE ARE STILL THERE.
AND ORIGINAL, THE EAST FACING WINDOW, UH, DIAGONALLY FROM THE FRONT DOOR IS ORIGINAL.
THE TWO THAT ARE ON THE PORCH ARE, ARE NOT.
UM, JUST A LITTLE AFTER I STOPPED BY TO TELL 'EM THEY NEEDED TO GET A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS AND A
[02:30:01]
PERMIT.SO GOING FORWARD IN YOUR, IN YOUR DIAGRAM, THE APPLICANT PROVIDE PROVIDED A PICTURE OF WINDOWS NUMBER TWO AND THREE EXISTING.
THOSE ARE ORIGINAL WINDOWS, AND THEN HE SAYS WINDOWS FIVE AND SIX.
I THINK THE APPLICANT HAS SHARED THESE WITH TRYING TO SHARE THAT THE WINDOWS THAT THEY'VE PUT IN, IF WE WERE GOING TO APPROVE THE REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDOWS WOULD BE THE TYPE OF WINDOWS THAT WE WOULD, UM, APPROVE, UH, QUALITY.
UH, YOU CAN LOOK ON PAGE 12 OF YOUR REPORT.
IT SAYS WOOD DOUBLE HUNG, UM, EURO LAST, YOUR LAST PINE, UH, EXTERIOR WINDOW.
SO THEY'RE QUALITY WINDOWS THAT HAVE BEEN PURCHASED.
AND THEN ON PAGE 14 IS ACTUALLY A CO OF PHOTOS OF A COUPLE OF THOSE WINDOWS.
AND THERE'S A LETTER IN YOUR REPORT FROM THE APPLICANT EXPLAINING, AND I BELIEVE THE, UH, APPLICANT WOULD BE AVAILABLE HERE TODAY.
UH, IF NOT IN THE AUDIENCE RIGHT HERE BEHIND ME.
MR. SCHWARTZ IS RIGHT BEHIND ME.
WE, THIS IS A CASE WHERE IT'S, IT'S KIND OF CUT AND FOR DRY FOR US.
THE WINDOWS ARE RESTORABLE AND THEY'RE ORIGINAL AND, UM, WE WOULD RECOMMEND DENIAL AND ISSUANCE OF A CERTIFICATE OF REMEDIATION TO REINSTALL THE TWO WINDOWS APPROPRIATELY TO THE FRONT PORCH.
COMMISSION MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF COMMISSIONER MCNEIL PROCEED.
MR. MCAL, YOU, YOU'RE RECOMMENDING THAT THE TWO WINDOWS I SEE ON THE FRONT PORCH, WHICH ARE THE, UH, GENTLEMAN OR LAST WINDOWS BE REMOVED AND THE ORIGINAL WINDOWS BE PUT BACK IN THOSE HOLES? YES.
AND THEY HAVE, WE, YOU, THE OWNER HAS THOSE TWO WINDOWS.
I'M GOING TO GUESS THAT THEY DO BECAUSE THEY WERE ACTUALLY IN THERE WHEN I STOPPED BY.
SO I THINK THAT THEY MAY CONTRACTOR MAY JUST WANTED PUT ONE, HAD PUT THOSE IN.
I'M FAIRLY CERTAIN HE WOULDN'T HAVE RUN OFF WITH IT.
UH, MR. MCCALL, DID YOU SAY THE OWNER IS HERE? YES, SIR.
THIS TIME I'LL OPEN UP TO PELVIC COMMENT AND, UM, MR. CHUCK SCHWARTZ SIGNED TO SPEAK.
I RETIRED IN, UH, JULY OF LAST YEAR AND IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I'VE SAT FOR TWO AND A HALF HOURS, SO I'M A LITTLE OUT OF PRACTICE.
UM, LOOK, UM, I'VE, UM, APPRECIATE THE TIME HERE THIS AFTERNOON.
WE DIDN'T REALIZE WE NEEDED TO APPLY FOR A COA ON THIS PARTICULAR CASE.
WE PURCHASED THIS HOME IN 2017.
DESPITE THE NICE PHOTOS THAT YOU SAW, THE HOUSE WAS IN PRETTY POOR CONDITION.
DOMINIC RECUSED HIMSELF, BUT WE HAD DOMINIC DO A FAIRLY MAJOR RENOVATION AND EXPANSION OF THE HOME IN 2018.
UM, THE HOME WAS MORE THAN EIGHT INCHES OUT OF LEVEL, FRONT TO BACK, LEFT TO RIGHT.
UH, WE HAD ALL SORTS OF ISSUES THAT YOU RUN INTO WITH A HOME THAT WAS BUILT IN THE 1870S.
UH, WE WENT AHEAD AND VERY THOUGHTFULLY WITH APPROVAL OF COMMISSION, UH, STORED THE EXISTING STRUCTURE AND PUT A, A MODEST EXPANSION ON THE BACK, ADDING A BEDROOM AND BATHROOM.
UH, AS PART OF THAT EX RENOVATION, WE TOOK THE TIME TO RESTORE ALL THE EXISTING TWO OVER TWO WINDOWS.
UM, ALL IN, WE PROBABLY HAVE SIX OR $7,000.
AND THE RESTORATION OF THOSE EXISTING WINDOWS, WHICH WERE INOPERABLE AT THE TIME OF THE RESTORATION, UM, BY MID 2020, THE WINDOWS ARE NO LONGER OPERABLE.
UM, THESE HOUSES MOVE, IT'S APPEARING BEAMS STRUCTURE, THE HOUSE SHIFTS, IT MOVES.
UH, IN MID 2000, LATE TWO THOU 2020, MY DAUGHTER WAS TRYING TO OPEN ONE OF THE WINDOWS.
SHE GOT HER HAND THROUGH THE WIND, YOU KNOW, SINGLE PANE GLASS.
WE HAD A BUNCH OF STITCHES THAT RAISED SOME QUESTIONS TO US REGARDING THE SAFETY OF HOW SHE COULD EXIT THE BUILDING IF HEAVEN FORBID THERE WAS EVER A FIRE.
UM, IN THE FREEZE OF 2021, WE HAD SOME, OBVIOUSLY ISSUES WITH HEATING THE HOME, UH, AS A LOT OF PEOPLE DID.
AND THEN OVER THE COURSE OF THE DI DIFFERENT SUMMERS, WE'VE HAD PROBLEMS WITH AIR CONDITIONING UNITS IN THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE FREEZING BECAUSE THERE'S ENOUGH DRAFT COMING THROUGH THESE OLD WINDOWS.
SO WE MADE THE DECISION, UH, WITHOUT PERMISSION TO GO AHEAD AND ORDER NEW REPLACEMENT WINDOWS AS AN ITEM OF MAINTENANCE, NOT REALIZE THINKING IT'S NON-STRUCTURAL, NOT REALIZING THAT WE NEEDED TO HAVE THE FULL COA HERE.
SO WE'VE GONE AHEAD, WE WENT AHEAD IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR.
WE'VE PAID FOR THE WINDOWS, AS RO SAID, WE HAD A CONTRACTOR INSTALLED TWO, AND WE REALIZED THAT, UM, WE NEEDED THE PERMISSION.
WE'VE INCLUDED PICTURES IN THE PACKAGE TO SHOW THAT WE'VE TAKEN AS MUCH EFFORT AS WE CAN TO FIND HISTORICALLY CORRECT.
I CAN'T SAY THEY'RE IDENTICAL.
I'M AN OLD ENGINEER, SO THEY'RE NOT EXACTLY IDENTICAL.
THEY'RE DOUBLE PANE VERSUS SINGLE.
BUT THERE IS HISTORICALLY ACCURATE AS WE CAN GET THE WINDOWS.
SO WHAT WE'VE ATTEMPTED OR ATTEMPTING TO DO IN THIS PROJECT IS TO STRIKE THIS FINE BALANCE OF,
[02:35:01]
OF MAINTAINING THE INTEGRITY OF THE HOUSE WHILE STILL MAKING IT A LIVABLE HOME.SO JUST LIKE WE'VE HAD IN THE RENOVATION WHERE WE REPLACED THE ROOF IN THE FRONT, WE HAD A CONCRETE PORCH THAT WE DEMOED AND REPLACED WITH A PERIOD SPECIFIC WOODEN ROOF.
WE HAD COLUMNS THAT WERE ROTTED, THAT WE REPLACED WITH NEW COLUMNS, IDENTICAL.
WE HAD GINGERBREAD WHERE WE FORTUNATELY HAD A COUPLE PIECES THAT WE CREATED WITH NEW WOOD, BUT THEY'RE IDENTICAL TO THE OLD.
WE FELT THAT THE WINDOWS ARE IN THE SAME SPIRIT OF YES, THEY'RE NEW, UM, BUT THEY, THEY MAINTAIN, UH, THE LIVABILITY OF THE HOME AS YOU KNOW, FROM AN OWNER PERSPECTIVE.
SO WE REQUEST YOUR PERMISSION TO, UH, I ASK YOUR CONSIDERATION TO OVERTURN THE RECOMMENDATION OF STAFF AND LET US PROCEED WITH THIS PROJECT.
WHY, WHY ARE YOU SO DO, IS IT, IS IT A FACT THAT YOU'VE STILL GOT THE ORIGINAL WINDOWS? UH, OUR CONTRACTOR HAS 'EM IN HIS STORAGE LOCKER OUT.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THE CONDITION OF THEM.
I MEAN, HE WAS CAREFUL WHEN HE TOOK THEM OUT, BUT I ASSUME THEY COULD BE REINSTALLED IF THAT'S THE DIRECTION WE HAVE TO GO.
AND PERHAPS REGLAZED, UH, IF IT'S A MATTER OF SAFETY, THEY, THEY'VE BEEN REGLAZED THE ISSUE IS JUST HOW THEY, THEY FUNCTION WITHIN THE FRAME.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THEY SWELL, THEY, YOU KNOW, THE HOUSE SHIFTS, THEY STICK, THEY BIND.
SO IT'S MORE THAN JUST REGLAZING.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR APPLICANT OR FOR STAFF? THIS COMMISSIONER SABA, I HAVE A, UH, A QUESTION FOR STAFF.
PLEASE GO AHEAD AND ASK, PLEASE PROCEED.
THE DESIGN OR THE ALL SIX WARD DESIGN GUIDELINES SAID THAT, UH, THE WINDOWS, EACH PANE, UH, HAS TO BE DIVIDED.
UH, THE, SO THE PICTURE DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THE WINDOWS ARE DIVIDED.
IT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE DIVIDED GLASS.
SO I HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING THAT.
THE WINDOWS TRUE DIVIDED LIGHT, OR THEY SIMULATED DIVIDED LIGHT.
I'LL HAVE TO CHECK THE, UH, THE SPEC SHEET.
I, I THINK THEY'RE ACTUALLY TRUE.
DIVIDED IT, IT WOULD APPEAR IN, WHAT IS TYPICAL IN TODAY'S STANDARD IS THEY APPLY A WOOD GRILL ON TOP OF THE DOUBLE PANE GLASS SO THAT THERE'S ACTUALLY TWO PIECES OF GLASS WITH THE APPEARANCE OF FOUR, FOUR DIVISIONS.
SO, SO, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW OF A MANUFACTURER THAT YOU CAN GO TO LIKE JEL WIND OR PELLA OR ANDERSON OR MARVIN, THAT WOULD ACTUALLY MAKE A TRUE DIVIDED LIGHT.
I DO SEE SDL WELL, JIM, WELL, UH, HAS THE DIVIDED, HAS THE DIVIDED, UH, LIGHT WINDOWS AND IT'S A LOCAL COMPANY.
SAY AGAIN? COULD YOU REPEAT THAT ONE MORE TIME? YES.
UH, JEN, JEN WELD, THAT'S THE NAME OF THE COMPANY THAT, UH, MAKES, UH, THE DIVIDED PLAIN, UH, GLASS.
AND THEY'RE, AND THEY'RE LOCAL.
IF YOU'RE, YEAH, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT JEL WIND, JEL, THESE ARE JEL WIND WINDOWS.
AND JEL WIND IS NOT A HOUSTON COMPANY.
THO THOSE ARE J WELL, UH, IT'S RIGHT THERE.
AND YOU CAN W YEAH, THEY ARE J WIND.
AND THEY ARE S DLS SIMULATED DIVIDED LIGHT.
THERE'S A PIECE OF WOOD THAT IS GLUED TO THE FACE OF THE GLASS, BUT YOU KNOW, TECHNICALLY THEY'RE NOT DIVIDED, BUT YES, I SEE THAT.
BUT THEY DO OFFER, UH, THAT DIVIDED OPTION.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSION? IS THERE A MOTION? THIS IS, UH, I, I, I MOVE THAT WE FOLLOW STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS TO DENY, UH, THE C OF A.
OKAY, THAT'S COMMISSIONER STAAVA.
IS THERE A SECOND? UH, THIS IS, I HAVE A QUESTION.
UH, SO THE REPORT SAYS NINE WINDOWS WERE REMOVED AND REPLACED.
[02:40:01]
THEY ON THE SIDE ELEVATIONS.BUT THE COR IS ONLY REQUESTING TWO WINDOWS BE REMOVED AND REINSTALLED WITH ORIGINAL.
SO I, IT SAYS ONE WAS ON THE REAR FACE, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER WINDOWS? COMMISSIONER RINNI CHEN, THEY WOULD LIKE TO REPLACE A TOTAL OF NINE.
THEY WOULD LIKE TO REPLACE A TOTAL OF NINE.
SO THE REQUEST ON THE FRONT PAGE IS TO, AND THEN IDEALLY MR. SCHWARTZ WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS TO INSTALL THE OTHER, UH, SEVEN, UH, WINDOWS.
AND WE DO WHAT, WHAT WE DO IS ONE OF THESE WINDOWS IS ON THE REAR ELEVATION, SO WE RECOMMEND A APPROVAL FOR THAT ONE REAR ELEVATION.
BUT TO REINSTALL THE TWO ON THE FRONT PORCH AND TO MR. SWARTZ'S TOPIC, IT'S A TOUGH TOPIC IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION, BUT IT'S REALLY INGRAINED IN THE MANTRA OF PRESERVATION THAT THE HISTORIC WOODEN WINDOWS MATTER.
AND GENERALLY IT'S JUST A RULE THAT PRESERVATION, UH, PROFESSIONALS DON'T TYPICALLY ALLOW THOSE REPLACEMENTS.
AND IT IS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE ARE ALSO IN A INTERNATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICT HERE, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
UH, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THAT A HUNDRED PERCENT.
YEAH, I'M JUST, I DON'T WANT TO CUT OFF COMMISSIONER VO IF SHE HAS SOMETHING ELSE TO SAY OR IF SOMEONE ELSE OR MR. STAAVA IS GONNA SPEAK.
I'M RECALLING A CONVERSATION WE HAD ABOUT A NATIONAL STANDARD THAT ALLOWS WINDOW REPLACEMENT IN HISTORIC BUILDINGS.
AM I CRAZY? I MEAN, I KNOW I'M CRAZY, BUT AM I MIS RECOLLECTING? WELL, THAT'S BEEN, COME, THAT TOPIC HAS COME UP WITH RESPECT TO MID-CENTURY, UH, PROPERTIES AND, WELL, WE'RE, WE'RE THE, UH, COMMISSIONER STANDS TO PRESERVE THE HISTORICAL MATERIALS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE, UH, NATIONAL STANDARD.
AND I BELIEVE AS FAR AS OUR STANDARD, IT'S ABOUT WHETHER THE EXISTING HISTORIC WINDOWS COULD ARE REPAIRABLE OR WHETHER THEY'RE SORT OF BEYOND REPAIR.
TYPICALLY, OFTEN PETE STOCKTON, OUR STAFF, WOULD GO AND ASSESS WINDOWS TO MAKE A DETERMINATION OF THAT, YOU KNOW, OF, OF THAT FINDING.
I MEAN, IN THAT, AND EVEN NOW, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER STAFF OR PETE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE, UH, SURVIVING WINDOWS THE OTHER SEVEN, OR AT AT LEAST THE ONES THAT ARE ON THE SIDE TO SEE WHAT CONDITION THEY'RE IN.
CAN YOU REPORT ON THAT? I, I HAVEN'T ACTUALLY GONE TO THE, ON THE, I'VE BEEN TO THE STRUCTURE.
I'VE BEEN TO THE HOUSE, BEEN IN FRONT OF IT, BEEN WITHIN A FEW FEET OF IT, BUT I ACTUALLY HAVEN'T STOOD IN FRONT OF EACH WINDOW AND DOUBLE CHECKED IT.
LOOKING AT THE, UH, RELIED A LITTLE BIT HERE ON MY EXPERIENCE AND SEEING THESE WINDOWS AND, AND SEEING THE RESTORATION PICTURES FROM THE EARLIER PERIOD.
I'M HAPPY TO GO IF MAYBE YOU WANT, UH, IF, IF DEFERRAL, WHATEVER THE, WHATEVER Y'ALL RECOMMEND, I'M HAPPY TO GO LOOK AT IT A LITTLE CLOSER WITH, WITH, UH, MR. STOCKTON.
ALTHOUGH MR. STOCKTON ON THE WINDOW TOPIC GOING BACK TO, HAS SAID TO ME A FEW TIMES, I'M TIRED OF LOOKING AT WINDOWS.
ROMAN, YOU LOOK, GO DEAL WINDOWS.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T SPEAK, I DO COME AT THIS ACTUALLY, MR. SO IS A LITTLE MORE, UH, UH, LIBERAL WITH HOW HE LOOKS AT THE WINDOWS.
I'VE PERSONALLY RESTORED A FEW DOZEN, UM, HISTORIC WOOD WINDOWS LIKE THESE.
SO I TEND TO, I TEND TO THINK THEY'RE REPAIRABLE.
UM, AND OF COURSE WE'VE TALKED TO A NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON WHO SPECIALIZE IN RESTORING THESE WINDOWS.
AND THIS IS COMMISSIONER STAAVA.
I'M, UH, I'M WITHDRAWING, UH, MY MOTION AND FOR, AND, AND, UH, PROPOSING OF REFERRAL, UH, FOR AN INSPECTION OF THE WINDOWS.
IS THERE A SECOND FOR A REFERRAL? COMMISSIONER JONES WILL SECOND DISCUSSION.
I, I, I WOULD STILL, I'M HAPPY TO VOTE FOR A DEFERRAL IF THAT'S THE WAY WE GO.
AND I WOULD LIKE THE COMMISSION TO CONSIDER PERHAPS REPLACEMENT OF, UH, WINDOWS 1, 4, 7, 8, AND NINE AND LEAVE THE FOREFRONT WAY FRONT THE FOREFRONT FACING WINDOWS THAT FACE THE STREET ORIGINAL, WHICH MEANS HE WOULD STILL HAVE TO SWAP, BUT AT LEAST GIVES HIM NEW WINDOWS IN BEDROOM, AT LEAST ONE NEW WINDOW IN EACH BEDROOM THAT OPERATES SMOOTHLY.
THAT MIGHT HELP WITH LIFE SAFETY ISSUES.
AND THAT WOULD JUST BE SOMETHING I'M ASKING COMMISSION TO CONSIDER, WHICH WOULD MEAN KEEP FOUR ORIGINAL WINDOWS AND REPLACE THE NON-ST.
STREETT FACING WINDOWS WITH THE WINDOWS HE'S ALREADY BOUGHT.
WELL, CURRENT MOTION IS A DEFERRAL FIRST, SO I THINK WE NEED TO VOTE ON THE DEFERRAL.
AND THEN, UM, AND I THINK IF THAT DEFERRAL IS APPROVED, PERHAPS STAFF CAN LOOK AT THE SITUATION, REPORT BACK TO COMMISSION.
ALL THOSE WHO ARE OPPOSED? AYE.
[02:45:04]
ALL THOSE WHO ABSTAIN AND I'LL JUST SAY COMMISSIONER.SO NOW WE WILL MOVE, I BELIEVE TO ITEM D 13.
GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIRPERSON, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
I SUBMIT ITEM D 13 AT 1809 COLUMBIA STREET IN THE HOUSTON HEIGHTS EAST HISTORIC DISTRICT.
FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, APPLICANT PROPOSES TO CONSTRUCT A TWO STORY REAR ADDITION.
PROPOSE FIRST FLOOR IS 525 SQUARE FEET, PROPOSED SECOND FLOOR 1005 SQUARE FEET PROPOSED TO ALLOW EXISTING STRUCTURES.
RIDGE LINE DROP THREE FEET BEFORE EXTENDING STRAIGHT BACK TO REAR ADDITION.
WE'LL DEMOL SIDEWALLS OF NON HISTORIC REAR ADDITION AND INSERT TWO FEET ON NORTH SIDE AFTER A SIX FOOT INSET LENGTH.
COMES OUT ONE FOOT AND EXTENDS TO THE REAR ON THE SOUTH SIDE AFTER A SIX FOOT INSET LENGTH.
COMES OUT SEVEN FEET AND EXTENDS TO THE REAR.
THE REAR ADDITION RIDGE HEIGHT WILL BE 29 FEET, 10 INCHES WITH A SIX OVER 12 ROOF PITCH AND COMPOSITION SHINGLES.
THE ROOF PITCH OVER THE SECOND FLOOR MASTER BEDROOM WILL BE FOUR OVER 12.
THERE WILL BE DOUBLE HUNG, ONE OVER ONE INSET AND RECESSED WOOD WINDOWS.
THE REMAINING SEVEN FEET, FOUR AND A HALF INCHES OF REAR ADDITION ON THE NORTH SIDE WILL INSET ONE FOOT.
THE NORTH SIDE FROM THE PREVIOUS PROPOSAL WILL BE SHORTENED BY SIX FEET, EIGHT AND A HALF INCHES, WHICH MEANS IT GOES FROM 44 FEET, THREE AND A HALF INCHES TO 37 FEET, FIVE INCHES.
AND ON THE SOUTH SIDE, ON THE SECOND FLOOR, IT WILL BE LENGTHENED BY ONE FOOT.
STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, THE OWNER MARK GATEWOOD, AS AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
I MYSELF AM AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION.
THIS CONCLUDES MY STAFF PRESENTATION COMMISSION MEMBERS.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? UH, MR. CHAIR, I PULLED THIS OUT.
UH, JASON, ON THE, UH, FAR THAT WAS CALCULATED, UM, THERE WERE TWO LINE ITEMS. THERE WAS A PROPOSED FAR THAT IS WITHOUT THE, UM, WITHOUT THE RARE PORCH AND WITH THE RARE PORCH, BUT WITH THE RARE PORCH, I THINK IT HAS EXCEEDED THE FAR, AM I RIGHT IN THAT ASSUMPTION? TO CLARIFY YOUR QUESTION, YOU'RE SAYING WITHOUT THE REAR PORCH? WITH THE REAR PORCH, THAT IS CORRECT.
SO IF WE FACTOR IN THE REAR PORCH SQUARE FOOTAGE, IT'LL EXCEED THE FAR BY UP THERE BY 70, BECAUSE YOU SAID REMAINING AMOUNT, 70 OR 70, THE BUT IT'S EXCEEDED BY 76 FEET.
BUT UNDER CURRENT DESIGN GUIDELINES, WE DON'T CONSIDER OPEN PORCH.
AND SO IT DOES MEET FAR WITHOUT, YEAH, I SEE THAT.
I THINK WHAT I UNDERSTAND IS IT'S AROUND 70 FEET.
UH, IF YOU WERE TO INCLUDE THAT IN YOUR CALCULATION, AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT, THAT THE CITY, UM, DEPUTY DIRECTOR WILL GO ADD TO THAT.
BUT THAT MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE, THAT THAT STAFF IS GOING TO BE COMING TO THE COMMISSION WITH A RECOMMENDATION ABOUT THIS MATTER IN THE NEXT, UM, MONTH OR TWO.
BUT I'M NOT SURE QUITE ON THE DATE, BUT I GUESS UNTIL THAT, THAT POSITION IS STATED, UH, THAT, THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING FROM JASON HAS MENTIONED IS THAT IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT IN EFFECT YET WHAT'S NOT IN EFFECT YET.
AND IT, IT, AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE, IT WAS GREATLY OVER THE FAR, WHEN WE LAST REVIEWED IT, THEY HAVE REDUCED THIS MASS, UH, A A NUM A LOT.
AND THEY'VE ALSO PUSHED THE MASS INSET THE REAR MASS SO THAT IT'S ALSO NOT VISIBLE FROM THE RIGHT OF WAY.
SO IT'S HIDDEN BY THE, THE PRIMARY EDITION.
SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE REVIEWING TODAY IS MY UNDERSTANDING.
AND I WAS ON A CALL WITH THE APPLICANT, UM, I WAS OFFERING THAT IN INSIGHT.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA OPEN UP A PUBLIC COMMENT UNLESS THERE'S MORE QUESTIONS.
WELL, UH, WE HAVE AN APPLICANT.
UH, SHOULD THE APPLICANT WANNA SPEAK, UM, MARK GATEWOOD HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, UNLESS IT'S ONLY FOR QUESTIONS.
THE OWNER IS AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS HE DID NOT SIGN UP TO SPEAK.
MAKE, MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.
IS THERE A SECOND? CURRY SECONDS.
[02:50:01]
ANY OPPOSED? ARE THERE ANY, UH, ABSTAINING? MOTION CARRIES.MOVING NOW I THINK TO ITEM D 14.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
THIS IS JASON LOWENTHAL, ONCE AGAIN COMING TO YOU LIVE.
I SUBMIT ITEM D 14 AT 76 0 3 GLEN VISTA STREET IN GLENBROOK VALLEY HISTORIC DISTRICT.
FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, THE APPLICANT PROPOSES TO REPLACE THE ORIGINAL ALUMINUM WINDOWS WITH RENEWAL BY ANDERSON FIBERS.
WINDOWS THREE WINDOWS NUMBERS 1 0 1, 1 0 2 1 0 6 WILL BE DOUBLE HUNG RECESSED WITH A ONE OVER ONE LIGHT PATTERN.
WINDOW NUMBER 1 0 4 WILL BE A PICTURE WINDOW RECESSED WITH NO LIGHT PATTERN.
WINDOW 1 0 5 WILL BE A GLIDING WINDOW RECESSED WITH A ONE OVER ONE LIGHT PATTERN.
ALL WINDOWS WILL BE SANDSTONE AND COLOR.
THE EXISTING WINDOWS CURRENTLY HAVE BROKEN GLASS, AIR LEAKAGE, CONDENSATION AND CELL ROT STAFF RECOMMENDS DENIAL DOES NOT MEET CRITERIA ONE B.
THE PROPOSED WINDOWS DO NOT MATCH THE CHARACTER OF THE WINDOWS IN EITHER THE EXISTING NON-CONTRIBUTING OR THE CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES IN THE DISTRICT.
MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, THE OWNER KAREN BENTON, IS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
I MYSELF AM AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
THIS CONCLUDES MY STAFF PRESENTATION.
COMMISSION MEMBERS AREN'T ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF, PLEASE PROCEED.
HAS, UH, STAFF REVIEWED THE WINDOWS AND AGREED THAT THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED? AMANDA, IF YOU, AND THEY CANNOT BE RESTORED.
AMANDA, WOULD YOU GO TO THE PICTURES, PLEASE? OF THE WINDOWS? NOW THERE IS SOME PICTURES THAT YOU CAN SEE HAS TAPED OVER.
THERE IS A PICTURE, I THINK IN NUMBER 1 0 1 OR 1 0 2 WHERE THERE IS A, UH, CRACK IN THE PANE OF GLASS.
NOW, PER YOUR QUESTION, COMMISSIONER SWEENEY VASAN, THERE IS SOME, UH, UH, REGLAZING THERE THAT COULD BE DONE.
YEAH, YOU COULD SEE THAT THEY'RE IN THE EDGE, DY AND YEAH, THE GLASS CAN BE REPLACED.
YOU CAN HAVE FRESH A NEW GLASS PARTY O THERE.
COMMISSIONER VO AND I, YOU ASKED, I BELIEVE WHETHER WE HAD BEEN TO, I I HAVE BEEN AND CAREFULLY INSPECTED THESE WINDOWS SEVERAL MONTHS AGO.
AND YOU RECOMMEND AND, UM, WE DID TALK TO THE OWNERS AND IT RECOMMENDED THAT THEY HAVE A JUST A GLASS COMPANY TO COME OUT AND MAYBE GIVE THEM AN ESTIMATE ON REPAIRING THE WINDOWS.
AND THEY'VE NEVER BEEN REGLAZED.
UM, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, REALLY NEED REGLAZING BADLY.
BUT IN THIS CASE TOO, I, THE, THESE ARE THE DIFFICULT, THIS IS WHERE COMMISSIONER MCNEIL YOU GET TO, IT WAS STATED TO ME ONCE BY SOME OF THE TEXAS HISTORIC COMMISSION THAT IN MID-CENTURY NATIONAL REGISTERED DISTRICTS, THEY WEREN'T SO CONCERNED WITH THE WINDOWS AS LONG AS YOU KEPT THE OPENINGS THE SAME.
BUT IN THIS CASE TOO, WE HAVE A PRODUCT BEING THAT'S BEEN THE APPLICANT, THE WINDOW THEY'VE, UH, PROPOSED WE IS NOT A WINDOW THAT E EVEN IF WE WERE GONNA SAY, WELL, THESE ARE, IT'S OKAY TO REPAIR 'EM.
THIS COMMISSION HAS, UH, HAS ISSUED A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FOR ALUMINUM WINDOWS, WHICH MATCH THE LIGHT PATTERN.
AND SO WE ARE HERE TO ADD A RECOMMENDATION OF NOTE.
AND I SEE, UH, I THINK WE HAVE A QUESTION.
SO THIS IS TOUGH, AND I'M GONNA LOOK TO COMMISSIONER MCNEIL, UM, OR ANY OF THE EXPERTS
THESE ARE MY WINDOWS IN MY HOUSE AND I'VE BEEN DOING QUITE A BIT OF, OF WORK.
UM, IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS THE SIMILAR, UM, PUTTY, THE STEEL WINDOWS, UM, OF THIS ERA AND EARLIER WERE OFTEN PAINTED.
AND SO THE PUTTY, UH, WAS ALSO PAINTED THESE ALUMINUM WINDOWS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW, I HAVEN'T SEEN IT, BUT I THINK THIS PUTTY IS PROBABLY ASBESTOS CONTAINS ASBESTOS AND NO ONE'S OPERATING IN THIS, UM, IN, IN THIS REALM RIGHT NOW.
AND, UH, IN MY RESEARCH AND CONVERSATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, UM, WITH HISTORIC MID-CENTURY WINDOW REPAIR, UH, THERE IS NOT AN, A PUTTY THAT IS COMPARABLE TO THIS THAT CAN BE APPLIED AND NOT PAINTED.
AND THAT'S PART OF THE BEAUTY OF THESE ALUMINUM WINDOWS, IS THAT THEY ARE NOT, UH, THAT, THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO KEEP THEM, UH, UH, KEEP REPAINTING THEM.
SO I, THIS IS TOUGH FOR ME 'CAUSE
[02:55:01]
I LOVE THESE WINDOWS, BUT I REGLAZING THEM IS AN ISSUE.UM, THERE'S NO ONE IN HOUSTON RIGHT NOW THAT DOES THIS.
THERE'S NO ONE NATIONALLY THAT DOES THIS.
AND SO HOW WE, UM, ASK A HOMEOWNER TO REPAIR THESE IS A LITTLE BIT OF A CONUNDRUM FOR ME.
AND I'D LIKE TO GET ANY INFORMATION
SO, IF THE COMMISSIONERS WILL ALLOW ME, I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS KIND OF THAT QUESTION THERE.
SO ROMAN AND I WENT UP THERE ON FEBRUARY 2ND.
WE LOOKED AT THESE WINDOWS, UH, TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO WE HAD WINDOWS IN C GLENBROOK VALLEY RESTORED.
AND THE JOING DID IT TO USE A, A DUAL GLAZING.
AND HE ALSO USED A ZINC OXIDE TO COMBAT THE, UH, BACTERIAL GROWTH THAT HAPPENS.
SO THIS GENTLEMAN DOES RESTORE ALUMINUM WINDOWS, AND HE WAS PART OF THAT WINDOW WORKSHOP.
AND WHEN WE MADE THAT SITE VISIT, I DID TELL THE HOMEOWNER, PLEASE GO TO THAT SITE.
TAKE A LOOK AT THE WINDOWS, PLEASE TALK TO THE HOMEOWNER.
AND THAT'S THEIR OPINION OF HOW THEY, LIKE, HOW THEIR WINDOWS WERE RESTORED THROUGH ORDINARY MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR.
WELL, I I'LL BE ANXIOUS TO FOLLOW THAT AND FOLLOW UP WITH YOU BECAUSE I, I, FROM, FROM MY RESEARCH, UM, THERE IS NOT A PUTTY THAT WILL STAND THE TEST OF TIME, UM, AGAINST THE MOLD AND, AND THE MILDEW AND THE BACTERIA THAT GROWS.
SO I'LL BE ANXIOUS TO VISIT WITH Y'ALL.
ALL THOSE PUTTIES ARE OIL BASED.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE KIND OF MILDEW.
I DON'T KNOW, HOW ARE YOU PUTTING ALUMINUM, UH, WHATEVER PRIMER ON THE METAL ITSELF, BUT HOW DO YOU PROHIBIT THE MILDEW FROM GETTING INTO THE OIL-BASED PUTTY? UH, THE SOLUTION THAT, THAT, UH, THE GENTLEMAN, THE PROFE, THE GUY FROM, FROM, UH, YES, I REMEMBER JASON.
THE, IT, IT'S THE ZINC OXIDE WAS PUT INTO THE, UM, UM, I'M GOING, I HAD ALL THE WORDS GL THE GLAZING MATERIAL AND MIXED IN WITH THE GLAZING MATERIAL MM-HMM
BUT HE IS ACTUALLY PLANNING TO COME BACK TO THAT RESIDENCE AND PAINT THAT, UM, THAT GLAZING.
SO HE'S GONNA PAINT THE, HE IS GONNA PAINT OVER IT.
AND THAT WAS THE ONLY SOLUTION AGAIN, AND THAT, THAT I WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE WAS THAT YOU PAINT THE PUTTY YEAH.
AND I'VE SEEN THAT DONE FOR THAT REASON.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN PAINT IT IN A UN UN UH, OBTRUSIVE, UH, UH, COLOR THAT EITHER MATCHES THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE JUST PAINT SILVER, HUH? YEAH.
WELL, WITH THAT, I'M GONNA OPEN UP A PUBLIC, UH, COMMENT.
WE DO HAVE A SPEAKER SIGNED UP.
KAREN BENTON, STAR SIX TO UNMUTE BY PHONE.
WE DO YOU BELIEVE SHE WAS THERE EARLIER THAT, BECAUSE WE DON'T SEE HER ONLINE NOW.
YOU KNOW, WITH THE LENGTH OF THIS MEETING, I SURE.
IF A DEFERRAL MIGHT BE CONSIDERED JUST IT, UH, WHAT DO YOU THINK, JASON? I LEAVE IT UP TO THE COMMISSION.
IT'S UP TO THE COMMISSION OR, OR, OR, OR WHATEVER, UH, ACTION YOU'D TAKE, UH, IF SHE WERE HERE.
I THINK THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR A WHILE.
AND WHAT IS THE, I'M JUST, I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW WHAT IS THE CONDITION OF THE LETTING GLASS? UM, IT'S ACTUALLY MORE IN PLAIN THAN I'VE SEEN.
AND YOU KNOW, OFTEN YOU SEE IT OUT OF PLAIN THERE, BUT THERE ARE SOME BROKEN PIECES OF GLASS.
UM, AND, AND, BUT OTHERWISE IT LOOKED PRETTY INTACT.
YOU KNOW HOW IT'LL BO BUT WHAT MONTH IS THIS? WE'RE HEADING INTO HURRICANE SEASON, SO WE DON'T KNOW HOW EASY THAT COULD GET PUSHED IN.
UM, LOOK, I'M SYMPATHETIC TO, THIS IS A DIFFICULT CHALLENGE, I WILL SAY AS A, AS A, AS STAFF AND WITH, WITH WHAT NOW WE'RE DOWN, WE'VE LOST, UH, THE GREAT TERRANCE JACKSON WHO'S BEEN WATCHING THIS MEETING, AND WE ARE WORKING ON THAT, THAT WINDOW DESIGN, UH, GUIDELINES THAT HOPEFULLY WILL HELP US, UH, TO REALLY E AS EQUITABLY AS POSSIBLE AND IN A WAY THAT PRESERVES THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
BUT WHAT IF WE COULD, WHILE WE'RE FOCUSED ON THE, THE PATTERN, THE, UM, DIAMOND PATTERN, IT'S ACTUALLY CALLED A HARLEAN PATTERN THAT, THAT, UM, EXTENDED DIAMOND SHAPE.
DO YOU KNOW FROM, I'M LOOKING AT THE PHOTO, BUT IT, IT, IT'S HARD TO TELL THAT DETAIL.
IS THAT, IS THAT LITERALLY LEADED WHAT'S CALLED CAMMING BETWEEN PIECES OF GLASS? OR IS IT A, A METAL EXT ALUMINUM EXTRUSION THAT'S SPECIAL TO THAT WINDOW? I, I'M NOT SURE.
EITHER WAY, I THINK IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO REPLACE, UH, VERY DIFFICULT TO REPLICATE.
UH, IN OTHER WORDS, NO ONE MAKES THAT ANYMORE
[03:00:01]
THAT I KNOW OF.BUT WE MIGHT CONSIDER THE SAME CONFIGURATION OF, OF SINGLE PANES VERSUS THE MINI PANES THAT WE SEE THERE.
AND WE COULD STILL GET THIS THE SAME SORT OF, UH, UNIT IN THE SAME MATERIAL MINUS THAT PARTICULAR DETAIL.
I THINK I HAD THE SAME THOUGHT.
BUT WHEN THAT'S NOT, BUT THE PROPOSAL'S NOT THAT.
AND THE, AND THE, AND JUST, BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT WILL MAKE, UH, OR NEW CANING BECAUSE IT OFTEN THE CANING, UH, GETS WARPED AND IT CAN'T BE REPAIRED, SO YOU HAVE TO REMAKE IT.
SO YOU, IT'S A, IT'S A NEW A SHEET OF YEAH.
BLAZING MADE OF MULTIPLE PIECES THAT ARE PUT TOGETHER WITH NEW RETAINING.
UM, SO I GUESS IS THERE A, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO DEFER AND GIVE STAFF THE OPPORTUNITY TO HOPEFULLY GET WITH THE OWNER AND SEE IF THEY WILL, AS WE HAVE APPROVED, APPROVED OTHER HOUSES IN GLENBURG VALLEY TO REPLACE WINDOWS WITH OTHER ALUMINUM, UM, WINDOWS OF THE SAME CONFIGURATION, SAME SIZE, SAME LIGHT PATTERN.
AND THAT I, I, IF SHE WERE TO SAY, HEY, YEAH, INSTEAD OF ANDERSON FX ALL PUT IN ALL ALUMINUM MILL FINISH WINDOWS, I WOULD APPROVE THAT OR GIVE STAFF THE, UH, AUTHORITY TO APPROVE THAT.
UM, SHORT OF TRYING TO REPAIR EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE, UH, WITH THE LEADED, THE HARLEQUIN PATTERN, UH, WINDOWS ON THE FRONT SEEMED REALLY CHALLENGING TO TRY TO REPAIR.
SO I WOULD, I WOULD JUST, THAT, THAT WOULD BE MY, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A MO IT'S A MOTION TO DEFER WITH THE, WITH THE HOPE THAT SHE'LL REPLACE WITH ALUMINUM WINDOWS.
ARE THERE ANY OPPOSED, ANY ABSTENTIONS?
WE'RE MOVING ON TO ITEM D 15, BUT BE BEFORE WE MOVE ON.
UH, ME NOT BEING A, A MID-CENTURY MODERN WINDOW EXPERT, UH, JUST WANNA ASK THE EXPERTS HERE ACTUALLY, CAN IT BE REPAIRED TO THE POINT THAT WE ARE SATISFIED BECAUSE IT'S, WE WANT TO GIVE THE, THE, THE, UM, THE, UH, APPLICANT NOT ONLY THIS PARTICULAR APPLICANT, BUT THE ENTIRE GLENBROOK VALLEY BECAUSE THIS, THIS, THIS, UH, THIS HISTORIC DISTRICT COMES UP ALL THE TIME AND WINDOW PROBLEMS ALL THE TIME.
AND HOPEFULLY WE WOULD'VE GOTTEN ENOUGH EXPERTISE PLUS THE WINDOW CLASS EXPERT AND ALL THAT TO BE, TO BE GIVING A SHEET THAT, A CHEAT SHEET THAT THEY CAN SOLVE, UH, THIS MID-CENTURY ENTRY WINDOW, MID-CENTURY MODERN WINDOW DILEMMA THAT THEY ALL ARE FACING.
WE SPENT AMPLE TIME AS A SUBCOMMITTEE TRYING TO RESOLVE THAT ISSUE.
AND APPARENTLY THERE'S, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST ONE PERSON IN HOUSTON THAT WILL REPAIR WINDOWS.
I THINK YOU STILL HAVE THE, I MEAN, SOME OF THOSE WINDOWS ARE PUTTY GLAZED, SOME ARE NOT.
SOME OF THEM ARE PLASTIC GLAZING, WHICH IS REALLY HARD TO REPAIR.
AND THEN OF COURSE YOU HAVE NO WEATHER STRIPPING.
AND SO I THINK, YEAH, YOU CAN RESOLVE IT TO THE SATISFACTION OF THE HISTORIC COMMISSION.
AND WE DON'T LIVE THERE AND WE DON'T EXPERIENCE THE WIND COMING THROUGH A, A STEEL CASEMENT WINDOW WITH NO GLAZING AND, UM, NO WEATHER STRIPPING.
SO I, I THINK AS THE STAFF HAS DONE WITH THE WINDOW WORKSHOP AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THAT THE MORE RIGHT THAT WE'RE MOVING IN A REALLY GOOD DIRECTION AND STAFF HAS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR, UH, WINDOWS AS DEVELOPED BY THE SUBCOMMITTEE THAT I KNOW ARE AVAILABLE TO ALL THOSE RESIDENTS.
ALRIGHT, I SUBMIT ITEM D 15 AT 78 15 SAN STREET IN GLENBROOK VALLEY HISTORIC DISTRICT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
THIS ITEM WAS ALSO DEFERRED FROM THE PREVIOUS COMMISSION MEETING.
THE APPLICANT PROPOSES TO REPLACE THE ORIGINAL DOOR AND THE ORIGINAL ALUMINUM WINDOWS WITH ALUMINUM WINDOWS BY DON YOUNG.
THE REASON BEING TO REPLACE THE WINDOWS IS THAT THEY ARE 66 YEARS OLD OR SINGLE PANE AND NOT VERY ENERGY EFFICIENT.
THE INSTALLATION OF DON YOUNG ALUMINUM WINDOWS WILL COME WITH A BRONZE FINISH, DOUBLE PANE, LOW E AND A MATCHING LIGHT PATTERN.
THE INSTALLATION OF A NEW DOOR AND SIDE LIGHT THAT WILL MATCH WITH THE EXISTING SIDE LIGHT AND REMOVAL OF THE EXISTING DOOR IN ITS INSTALLATION OF A MID-CENTURY MODERN DOOR WITH SIDELIGHT MATCHING GLASS AND NEW DOOR STAFF RECOMMENDS DENIAL
[03:05:01]
DOES NOT MEET CRITERIA FIVE AND SIX.THE EXISTING HISTORICAL ALUMINUM WINDOWS ARE IN GOOD CONDITION.
THESE CAN BE RESTORED THROUGH ORDINARY MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR AS WELL AS THE SCALE OF THE DON YOUNG WINDOWS DOES NOT MATCH THAT OF THE EXISTING WINDOWS.
AND THE PROPOSED DOOR IS NOT VISUALLY COMPATIBLE TO THE TYPE OF HOME.
AS A REMINDER FROM THE PREVIOUS COMMISSION, COMMISSION ASKED FOR THE JUSTIFICATION, WHICH I HAD JUST STATED, 66 YEARS OLD, SINGLE PANE, NOT VERY ENERGY EFFICIENT.
AND A SITE VISIT, ROMAN MCCALL AND I HAVE DONE A SITE VISIT AND YOU CAN SEE IN THE PHOTOS THERE WHAT WE LOOKED AT MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
THE OWNER ROGER NICHOLSON IS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
I AM AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
THIS CONCLUDES MY STAFF PRESENTATION.
COMMISSION MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? YES, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR STAFF.
ARE WE EXPLORING IN THESE CONVERSATIONS? UM, AS COMMISSIONER YAP SAID, THIS IS COMING UP OVER AND OVER AGAIN IN GLENBURG VALLEY.
UM, IT'S HARD, IT'S HARD TO PAY THE BILLS WHEN YOU'RE HEATING AND COOLING A HOUSE THAT HAS THESE SINGLE PANE WINDOWS.
ARE WE, UH, SHARING ANY INFORMATION ABOUT INSERTS WITH THESE HOMEOWNERS? ENDO? THERE ARE A COUPLE OUT THERE ON THE MARKET THAT CAN HELP TO INSULATE WINDOWS WHILE REPAIRING AND MAINTAINING THE ORIGINAL.
I WISH WE WERE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE, WE JUST HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
UM, 'CAUSE I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT MAY BE A VIABLE OPTION, ESPECIALLY FOR GLENBROOK VALLEY.
AND AS OUR HOUSING STOCK CONTINUES TO AGE, THIS IS ONLY GONNA COME UP MORE AND MORE AND THERE'S SOME GOOD PRODUCTS ON THE MARKET NOW THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO KEEP THOSE WINDOWS, BUT CAN PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT INSULATION AND, AND COST SAVINGS FROM AN ENERGY PERSPECTIVE.
UM, HELLO, THIS IS STAFF MEMBER COLEMAN.
UM, WITHIN OUR WINDOW, UM, TASK FORCE, WE DID LOOK INTO THE INDO WINDOW, BUT THEY WERE VERY, VERY EXPENSIVE.
SO THEY WERE ALMOST THE SAME PRICE AS THE WINDOW ITSELF.
UM, SO I MEAN, IF YOU'RE GONNA REPLACE THE WINDOW, I, I KNOW, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M WITH YOU, RIGHT.
UH, STAFF MEMBER COLEMAN, THEY, THEY ARE NOT, THEY'RE COMING DOWN.
BUT, UM, I MEAN IF THE REQUIREMENT IS THAT YOU, WE WANT TO MAINTAIN, OR IF OUR INTENT IS TO MAINTAIN THE FABRIC, UM, THE HISTORIC FABRIC, UM, HOMEOWNERS CAN EITHER GO TO THE EXPENSE OF REPLACING IN THE WINDOWS OR THEY CAN GO TO THE EXPENSE OF ADDING INSERTS THAT ALLOW US TO KEEP THE HISTORIC MATERIALS AND BETTER, UM, YOU KNOW, ADDRESS THE ISSUES THAT ARE CAUSING THE NEED FOR REPLACEMENT.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO, THAT WAS ONE OF OUR RESERVATIONS IN, UM, IN THE BEGINNING OF RECOMMENDING IT, BUT THANK YOU.
I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT.
A FOLLOW UP QUESTION, UM, STAFF MEMBER COLEMAN, THERE WERE OTHER, UM, SIMILAR PRODUCTS ALSO CONSIDERED, UH, IN, IN OUR RESEARCH.
UH, DID YOU, WERE YOU ABLE TO FIND OUT, ARE THOSE ALSO SIMILARLY, UM, EXPENSIVE AS YOU SAY, OR, OR ARE THEY MORE COMPETITIVE? MAYBE THIS, UH, THE INDO WINDOW WE LOOKED INTO JUST THAT ONE AND I DON'T BELIEVE THE SOLAR FILM AND THAT WAS DEFINITELY MORE ECONOMICAL.
THERE, THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS BESIDES INDO.
I DON'T HAVE THE, DON'T HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF ME NOW, BUT I KNOW THERE WAS AT LEAST ONE OTHER ONE.
MAGNETITE IS ONE, BUT YEAH, THAT MIGHT BE THE ONE I'M THINKING OF.
I'LL PUT IT ON OUR LIST TO LOOK INTO.
WITH THAT I'M GONNA OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, AND AGAIN, AS MENTIONED, UH, THE OWNER, ROGER NICHOLSON IS HERE TO SPEAK OR PERHAPS HE'S ONLINE? NO, IT APPEARS THAT THE OWNER IS NO LONGER.
UH, YAP PROPOSES TO ACCEPT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS SINCE THEY'VE GONE OUT TO VISIT AND HAS MENTIONED THAT THE WINDOWS ARE IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE.
IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER SALVA SECOND.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTION? MOTION CARRIES.
GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR AND COMMISSION.
THIS IS STAFF MEMBER MADELINE MAHAN.
ITEM D 16 IS 2 1 5 HAWTHORNE STREET AND IT IS A CONTRIBUTING AND RESIDENCE CONSTRUCTED CIRCA 1905 LOCATED IN WESTMORELAND
[03:10:01]
HISTORIC DISTRICT.APPLICANT HAS DONE THE FOLLOWING WORK WITHOUT A C OF A PAINTED UN PAINTED ORIGINAL UNPAINTED MASONRY ON THE FOUNDATION PORTION OF THE RESIDENCE AND THE FRONT STEPS OF THE RESIDENCE.
AND THEY HAVE ADDED DECORATIVE SCALLOP SIDING TO THE FRONT GABLE ABOVE THE FRONT ENTRYWAY.
STAFF RECOMMENDS DENIAL AND AN ISSUANCE OF A CERTIFICATE REMEDIATION FOR THE REMOVAL OF THE PAINT ON MASONRY SURFACES AND THE REMOVAL OF THE DECORATIVE SIDING ON THE FRONT GABLE.
STAFF CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND I BELIEVE THE HOMEOWNERS ARE, UM, AVAILABLE ONLINE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AS WELL.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? SORRY, I CAN'T REALLY SEE.
WAS IT JUST, UM, IT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS JUST A SIDING IN THE ORIGINAL GABLE OVER THE FRONT PORCH.
I BELIEVE IT WAS HORIZONTAL SIDING ORIGINALLY HORIZONTAL SIDING.
UM, ACTUALLY THERE WAS NO SIDING THERE, SO IT WAS, I MEAN, I GUESS IT WAS JUST LIKE BLANK WOOD THERE AND THEN THEY ADDED THAT DECORATIVE SCALLOPED SIDING TO IT.
WITH THAT, I'M GONNA OPEN UP TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, I HAVE THE HOMEOWNER, UM, JOSE GARZA SIGN UP TO SPEAK.
I'M ONE OF THE HOMEOWNERS, UM, JOSE'S JOSE COULDN'T MAKE IT, BUT, UH, YES, WE, UH, WE DID, UM, ADD THE DECORATIVE, I GUESS SCALLOP ABOVE THE FRONT PORCH.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE ORIGINAL BLUEPRINTS FOR THE HOME THAT WERE GIVEN TO US BY THE PREVIOUS HOMEOWNER.
AND WHILE THERE WAS THERE, IT WASN'T JUST BLANK, UH, THERE WAS, THERE WAS DECORATION THERE, IT JUST WASN'T SCALLOPED.
UM, WE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE DID THAT BECAUSE IT MATCHED THE OTHER GABLES, UH, AROUND THE HOUSE.
UM, SO THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T REALLY REALIZE THAT WE HAD TO HAVE, UM, APPROVAL FOR JUST, YOU KNOW, SAME WITH THE BRICK.
UM, THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THIS RENOVATION, YOU KNOW, WE SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF, UH, TIME PLANNING AND OF COURSE MONEY ON THIS.
AND WHEN WE GOT TO THE END OF THE RENOVATION, UM, WHEN WE, AND, AND WHEN WE PURCHASED THE HOUSE, A LOT OF THE BRICK HAD ALREADY BEEN REPAIRED.
AND THEN WHEN WE LEVELED, THE FOUNDATION HAD TO DO MORE BRICK REPAIR.
SO FROM PREVIOUS OWNER AND FROM SOME OF THE BRICK REPAIR WE DID, THERE WAS RED MORTAR AND WHITE MORTAR AND IT LOOKED VERY PATCHY AND UNKEPT.
UH, AND YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST REALLY, UH, KIND OF A, UM, UNFORTUNATELY WE DIDN'T KNOW A DECISION THAT WE HAD TO GET CLEARED THROUGH HISTORIC TO PAINT.
UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE REALLY FELT THAT THE WAY THAT THE BRICK LOOKED AND HOW IT WAS UNEVEN AND, AND NOT, UM, CONSISTENT, REALLY KIND OF NEGATIVELY AFFECTED THE PROPERTY VALUE OF THE HOUSE.
UM, SO THAT WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT UNFORTUNATELY, AGAIN, APOLOGIES.
DIDN'T KNOW THAT SOMETHING THAT WE HAD TO, TO CLEAR ON PROBABLY THE, UM, THE BAD ADVICE FROM OUR CONTRACTOR AT THE TIME.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? IS, DO YOU KNOW IF THIS, UM, HOUSE HAS DESIGNATIONS, UM, BEYOND THE HISTORIC DISTRICT? IT DOES NOT.
HAVE YOU GIVEN A COPY OF THE PLANS TO STAFF OF THE, FOR THE RENOVATION? YES, SIR.
YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU HAD A COPY OF THE ORIGINAL PLANS GIVEN TO YOU BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER.
I WOULD JUST LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE FRONT FACADE.
I'M JUST CURIOUS IF YOU'VE GIVEN A COPY TO STAFF.
SHE GAVE ME ACTUALLY A BANKER'S BOX.
I COULD ACTUALLY BRING THEM DOWN.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE ON, YOU KNOW, THEIR, THEIR ACTUAL BLUEPRINTS AND THEY'RE KIND OF FRAGILE.
UM, BUT I HAVE THAT AND I THINK I, THE ORIGINAL DEED AND THEN DEEDS TO OTHER HOMES IT LOOKS LIKE ON THE STREET BECAUSE SOME OF THEM AREN'T OURS.
UM, SO YEAH, NO, I HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
PHOTOGRAPH OF THE FRONT PORCH WOULD BE VALUABLE TO ME BECAUSE IF IT DID SHOW A SIDING DETAIL THERE VERSUS THE FLAT THAT I SEE IN THE PHOTOGRAPH, THE STOCK PHOTOGRAPH WHEN THE HOUSE WAS MORE, UM, UM, OF VARIOUS COLORS, UM, THAT I'M LOOKING AT THAT AND I SEE A FLAT PIECE OF WOOD.
SO THAT SAYS TO ME, I NEED TO, I NEED FOR YOU TO GO BACK TO A FLAT PIECE OF WOOD.
BUT IF YOU CAN SAY, OH NO, HERE'S THE PLANS WITH SCALLOP SIDING ON THAT FRONT G, THEN I COULD THEN SAY, WELL, YEAH, HE'S TAKING IT BACK TO THE ORIGINAL, SO THEN IT, THEN IT, THEN I CAN APPROVE THAT, UM, THAT, THAT, THAT MODIFICATION.
YEAH, NO, UNFORTUNATELY IT ISN'T SCALLOPED.
I, I DO KNOW THAT, THAT, THAT IT'S NOT, IT'S, IT'S A WREATH.
[03:15:01]
IT LOOKS LIKE A WREATH WITH KIND OF LIKE WINGS ON THE SIDE AND I COULD OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, TAKE A PICTURE AND SEND THAT IN.YEAH, I, I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL TO YOU AS WELL, SINCE YOU ARE, UH, GETTING A VERY UNIQUE HOUSE WITH A VERY UNIQUE SET OF PLANTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY, UH, VERY RARE.
AND IF YOU CAN SUBMIT THAT TO THE STAFF, THEN AT LEAST WE CAN, UH, LOOK AND SEE HOW WE CAN RESTORE THAT FRONT FACADE OR THE GABLE FACADE OF THAT FRONT PORCH.
I GUESS I'M JUST WONDERING IF WE'RE GONNA BE ASKING FOR SOME INFORMATION WE DON'T HAVE, IF WE COULD MAYBE CONSIDER A DEFERRAL TO TAKE INTO A FULL ACCOUNT.
YEAH, SO, UM, THEY NEVER TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD THE ORIGINAL BLUEPRINTS.
SO THE ONLY REASON WE WANTED THE REMOVAL OF THE SCALP SIDING IS BECAUSE WE TECHNICALLY HAD NO HISTORICAL EVIDENCE THAT ANYTHING WAS THERE, BUT WE ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO DEFER IT SO THEY CAN PROVIDE THAT EVIDENCE AND THEN WE CAN FIGURE OUT SOLUTION FROM THERE.
IF THERE ARE NO OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS, SO THERE'S NO ONE ELSE SIGN UP TO SPEAK, I'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND IF THERE'S A MOTION, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO DEFER, UM, THIS PROJECT.
IS THERE A SECOND MCNEIL SECONDS WITH THE DISCUSSION THAT FOR ME, THE DEFERRAL IS ABOUT THE FRONT GABLE END ON THE PORCH, NOT THE MASONRY.
I WOULD SUSPECT THAT MY, UH, UM, VOTE ON THAT WILL BE THAT WE HAVE TO REMOVE THE PAINTED MASONRY.
SO JUST TO BE CLEAR ON THE APPLICANT, WELL, I THINK IF THAT'S THE CASE, WE MAY HAVE TO SEPARATE THE TWO LINE, TWO LINE ITEMS BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT THE MASONRY SHOULD BE, UH, STRIPPED.
UH, THE PAINTING SHOULD BE STRIPPED.
BUT, UH, SO HOW DO WE WANNA APPROACH THIS IF WE WANNA SEPARATE THEM OUT, MR. CHAIR? OKAY, SO LEGAL'S ADVISING, WE SEPARATE THE TWO VOTES, SO IF WE WANNA HAVE MOTIONS FOR THE BRICK IN, IN A DEFERRAL FOR THE, THE FRONT.
SO DO WE NEED TO MAKE A MOTION NUMBER ONE TO SEPARATE THE TWO SUB SUBJECT? NO, YOU MAY JUST MAKE, SOMEONE MAY MAKE A MOTION JUST ON ONE PART OF IT AND THEN VOTE ON THAT.
AND THEN ANOTHER PART, ANOTHER MOTION ON THE REMAINDER.
THEN I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, ACCEPT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION OF, UH, REMOVING PAINT ON THE, UH, PAINTED MASONRY AND DEFERRING THE, UM, UH, THE SIDING ON THE, UH, PORCH GABLE, UH, PORCH GABLE.
BASICALLY SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION WITH REGARDS TO THE MASONRY.
UM, IS IT, WOULD IT BE, WOULD IT BE PRUDENT, UH, FOR ME TO RES I GET, COULD I RESUBMIT WITH PAINTING THE MASONRY, THE COLOR OF THE BRICK AS OPPOSED TO THE COLOR OF THE HOUSE? BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, IT'S NOT UNIFORM AT ALL AND DOES NOT LOOK GOOD.
UM, JARED, I CAN SPEAK WITH YOU AFTER THE COMMISSION MEETING TOMORROW AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT YOU CAN DO.
I, I I WOULD JUST, UM, NOT, NOT TO, UH, UH, I THINK THAT THE WORLD STAFF ON THAT ISSUE IS, IS CORRECT, BUT I WOULD, I WOULD JUST ADD THAT FROM WHAT WE CAN SEE IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE MAY BE ACTUAL, SOME NEED TO DO SOME REPOINTING.
THERE'S LOOKS LIKE THAT PAINT IS COVERING WHERE, WHAT, WHERE MORTAR IS ACTUALLY MISSING.
SO MOTOR THE MORTAR CAN BE MATCHED.
SO, UM, IF, IF YOU CAN SEE YOUR WAY TO, UH, RE EXPOSING THE ORIGINAL MASONRY MATERIAL, YOU, YOU MIGHT ACTUALLY END UP, UH, NEEDING TO REPOINT AND THEY, AND THEREFORE HAVE A BETTER FINAL RESULT, THEN MORE PAINT, JUST A COMMENT DEFERRING TO STAFF FOR THE RESOLUTION OF THAT.
MOVING ON, I JUST WANNA ASK ARE THERE ANYONE OPPOSED TO THE MOTION? ARE THERE ANY ABSTENTIONS? I SO THE MOTION PASSES FOR THE RECORD AND FOR CAPTIONING.
THE SPEAKER WAS JARED BON, J-A-R-E-D-B-O-N-A-S-E-R-A.
[03:20:02]
THANK YOU.UM, THIS IS STAFF MEMBER MADELINE AGAIN.
UM, DI ITEM D 18 IS 1616 CORTLAND STREET AND IT IS A CONTRIBUTING QUEEN ANNE HOME BUILT IN 1913 LOCATED IN HOUSTON HEIGHTS, HISTORIC EAST HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THE APPLICANT PROPOSES TO BUILD A 2000 THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY ONE TWO STORY REAR EDITION.
UH, THE PROPOSED EDITION MEETS BOTH FAR AND LOT COVERAGE WITH THE MEASURABLE STANDARDS.
UM, AT THIS TIME I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND BOTH THE AGENTS AND THE HOMEOWNERS ARE HERE IN PERSON TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE FOR THEM AS WELL.
DOES THE COMMISSION HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? UH, YEP.
ACTUALLY HAS A QUESTION FOR KIM.
UM, THIS IS ONE OF THE, UH, SPECIAL OCCASIONS WHERE THE EXISTING LOT SIZE IS HUGE.
IT'S 18,000 SQUARE FEET AND OBVIOUSLY, UH, MEETING MEANING THE, UH, MEETING THE LOT COVERAGE AND FAR, UH, IS NOT DIFFICULT TO DO.
MY CONCERN IS THAT BECAUSE OF THE SIZE OF THE LOT IS SO BIG AND THE HOUSE IS ONLY, UH, ON ONE SIDE, WHAT HAPPENS IF THE FUTURE OWNER OR THE OWNER DECIDE TO, IN THE FUTURE, DECIDES TO REPLANT IN THE TWO LOTS AND THEREFORE IT DOESN'T MEET THAT FAR AND THAT LOT'S COVERAGE ANYMORE.
IS THERE ANY CONTROL? IT DEPENDS RIGHT NOW ON WHETHER OR NOT THAT PROPERTY HAS BEEN REPLANTED INTO ONE LOT OR IF IT IS TWO OR MORE LOTS IN ITS CURRENT STATE.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF, I DON'T KNOW THAT INFORMATION, I DON'T KNOW IF STAFF DOES.
UM, FROM SANBORN RESEARCH IN THE TWENTIES IT WAS TWO DIFFERENT LOTS.
AND THEN SOMEWHERE IN THE THIRTIES IT BECAME ONE BIG LOT.
SO IT'S BEEN A PRETTY LARGE LOT.
IT'S BEEN THE, THAT DOUBLE LOT FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
WELL, THAT, THAT WAS MY ONLY CONCERN, THAT THIS IS, THAT THIS COULD EASILY BE REPLANTED INTO TWO LOTS AND THEREFORE YOU, YOU, YOU NOW HAVE A, A GIANT HOUSE ON A SMALLER LOT KIND OF A SITUATION.
IS THERE ANY LEGAL RECOURSE AT THAT TIME? I, I WOULD NOT ADVISE THAT YOU PUT A RESTRICTION ON IT THAT IT CAN'T EVER BE SUBDIVIDED.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE RESTRICT THAT KIND OF AN ACTION CONCEIVABLY IF IT WERE EVER SUBDIVIDED.
I DON'T REMEMBER COURTLAND, PART OF CORTLAND IS IN A MINIMUM LOT SIZE BLOCK.
'CAUSE I'M WORKING ON ANOTHER CASE ON ANOTHER LARGE PIECE OF PROPERTY ON CORTLAND CORTLAND STREET OR THIS IS IN THE HEIGHTS EAST, CORRECT? YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
I WILL SAY THOUGH, UM, LIKE SO HOUSES THAT ARE BUILT NOT WITHIN THE MEASURABLE STANDARDS, BEFORE THE DISTRICT AND BEFORE THE ME MEASURABLE STANDARDS WERE ADOPTED, WE TEND TO NOT NECESSARILY GRANDFATHER THOSE IN, BUT IF THEY EVER NEEDED TO EXCEED THE FAR TO ACCOMMODATE, YOU KNOW, ACCESSIBILITY OR THAT OR WHATNOT, WE DO ALLOW FOR THEM TO GO OVER THAT FAR BECAUSE IT, THE HOUSE WAS BUILT BEFORE THE MEASURABLE STANDARDS.
SO THERE ARE VERY RARE CASES THAT WE, WE DO GRANDFATHER THEM IN, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, IF A HOUSE WAS BUILT BEFORE THE MEASURABLE STANDARDS, YOU CAN'T HAVE AN ADDITION AND IT JUST, WE LET THEM HAVE THE HOUSE STAY LIKE THAT.
IF THAT HELPS ANSWER YOUR QUESTION A LITTLE BIT.
WELL, NOT REALLY, BECAUSE NOW YOU ARE ALLOWING FOR APPROVAL DURING THE MEASURABLE STANDARDS HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED.
BUT IT'S FOR A VERY LARGE LOT.
I MEAN THAT, THAT'S A BIG CAN OF WORMS. THEY WERE OPENING THERE.
I MEAN THAT'S WHAT THAT WHAT I MEAN THAT COULD APPLY ANYWHERE.
IF, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE WITH, WITH LOT LINES AND PROPERTY AND, AND I WAS TRYING TO REMEMBER THE MINIMUM LOT SIZE IF AND IF THIS LOT IS PART OF IT.
UM, JUST IN IT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT SUBDIVISION, BECAUSE THEN I I I'M NOT GONNA TRY AND DO THE MATH, BUT IF YOU HAVE THE LARGE LOT AND THEY SUBDIVIDE NOT IN HALF, BUT IN, YOU KNOW, TO A SMALLER LOT VERSUS TWO THIRDS OR MADDIE'S GOT THE ANSWER.
UM, ACTUALLY THE HOMEOWNER IS HERE AND SHE CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IF THIS IS ACTUALLY PART OF THAT MINIMUM LOT SIZE.
I BELIEVE THAT IT'S, IT'S, YOU CAN, YOU CAN COME UP, YEAH.
SO I'LL OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE SO LATE.
I KNOW THIS IS LONG MEETING AND MY FIRST EVER OF THIS TYPE OF MEETING.
[03:25:01]
MY NAME IS GABRIEL WAGNER AND I AM VERY HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND SHARE MY OWN PERSPECTIVE ON THIS.IN REGARD TO THE ONE ISSUE THAT'S CURRENTLY BEEN RAISED, UM, I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO SORT OF CARVE OUT THE MINIMUM LOT SIZE FROM ONE SIDE OF IT, LEAVING ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE THE FAR, BUT THE NUMBERS ARE ALL OF MY ARCHITECT AND HE CAN CONFIRM THAT.
BUT THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING IN THE CURRENT SITUATION.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE MINIMUM LOT SIZE IS FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD? I BELIEVE IT IS 6,000.
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I, THAT'S WHAT I'M RECALLING AS WELL.
AND CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT THE TWO PARCELS HAVE BEEN REPLANTED INTO ONE, CORRECT.
SO, I, I I GUESS TO MY THOUGHT COMMISSIONER YAP IS IF THEY COULD CARVE OUT 6,000 SQUARE FEET OFF OF ONE SIDE AND THAT WOULD LEAVE 12,000, THAT'S STILL A LARGE LOT.
AND I AGAIN, WILL DEFER TO SOMEONE WHO DOES MATH, UM, BETTER THAN I TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THAT THEN WOULD MEET OR EXCEED THE FAR WHERE THAT WOULD PUT US.
BUT I, I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY COULD.
AND GRANTED YES, THEY COULD GO INSTEAD OF CARVING OFF 6,000, MAYBE THEY COULD CARVE OFF EIGHT.
I I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE BREAKDOWN WOULD BE, BUT I WILL ALSO ADD THAT AT THIS, UM, SIZE OF A LOT.
I KNOW THEY HAVE TO, UM, UNDERTAKE MORE DETENTION AND DRAINAGE, UH, THAN THEY WOULD IF THESE WERE SMALLER LOTS.
SO THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION.
I THINK THAT I'M SURE THEY'RE WRESTLING WITH.
IT'S CURRENTLY, IT'S CURRENTLY AT A MINIMUM, UH, APPLIES TO LOT SIZE TO A MINIMUM OF 15,000 SQUARE FEET.
AND IF THERE ARE NO MORE QUESTIONS, UM, I ALSO HAVE CLINT JOHNSON SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AND MY HUSBAND IS DIALED IN.
I BELIEVE HE'S IN A BUSINESS TRIP RIGHT NOW.
IF WE NEED ANY MORE WHILE HE'S BRINGING HIS THINGS DOWN, I'LL JUST THROW IN THAT I'M JUST GRATEFUL FOR THE CONSIDERATION AND THAT WE LOVE THE HEIGHTS.
WE'VE BEEN THERE FOR 20 YEARS NOW AND WE'VE RAISED OUR THREE CHILDREN.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING GRANDCHILDREN COME VISIT AND WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE THE HOUSE COMFORTABLE FOR MODERN FAMILY, GROWING FAMILY, AGING FAMILY.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO, TO SOME GOOD NEWS.
THANK YOU MR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND THERE'S SOME QUESTIONS REGARDING THE FAR, UM, THE STAFF HAS SUBMITTED RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL.
SO I DO WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
I, I, I HAD A QUESTION, UM, MYSELF.
UM, PART OF THE, UH, PROPOSAL IS TO REMOVE THE EXISTING DORMERS ON THE HOUSE, WHICH ARE GABLES AND TO PUT, UM, LARGER, BUT, UH, BUT DIFFERENTLY SHAPED, UH, SHED DORMERS.
THE IDEA OF DORMERS, UH, ARE OFTEN PROMOTED IS A WAY TO OCCUPY PART OF THE HOUSE, UH, UNDER THE ROOF WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, ADDING MORE MASSING, UH, YOU KNOW, FROM THE STREET.
SO IT'S A WAY TO HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE SMALLER ADDITIONS IN, IN THE REAR BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA HABITAT PART OF WHAT'S UNDER ROOF.
UM, FOR ME THE ISSUE IS, UH, FROM WHAT I SAW WAS, WAS THAT PART OF THE REAR ADDITION PHYSICALLY CONNECTS TO THE DORMERS AND THEREFORE THE DORMER IS PART OF THE REAR ADDITION BY MASS, WHICH IS, WHICH IS ATYPICAL OF A DORMER, WHICH IS TYPICALLY A, AN INDEPENDENT, UH, ITEM.
YOU KNOW, SO ONE, THE, THE PROPOSAL LIKE IN THIS ELEVATION HERE, THE LOWER ELEVATION MM-HMM
THE, THE, THE DORMER, THE, THE PROPOSAL IS TO MAKE A NEW DORMER THAT MAKES THAT ATTIC SPACE MORE VIABLE AS A, AS FOR HABITATION, WHICH IS SOMETHING THE COMMISSION PRO PROMOTES.
UM, THERE'S THE REAR EDITION, WHICH IS, WHICH IS HIS OWN, UH, ITEM.
BUT THEN THERE'S THIS CONNECTING PIECE THAT CONNECTS THE DORMER TO THE ADDITION, WHICH SEEMS TO SUGGEST THAT THE ADDITION IS NOW FORWARD, YOU KNOW, ALL THE WAY HALFWAY, YOU KNOW, OVER THE EXISTING HOME, WHICH IS SORT OF SOMETHING THAT THE COMMISSION HAS NOT ALLOWED, UM, FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
SO THAT, THAT, THAT, MY ONLY QUE QUESTION WAS THAT SORT OF THAT LITTLE EXTENSION BETWEEN THE REAR ADDITION AND THE DORMER THAT BECAME ONE.
SO, UM, YEAH, SO IN, IN LOOKING AT THIS, THE DORMER THAT WE ARE PROPOSING, UH, WITH THE TWO WINDOWS IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE DID TALK WITH STAFF ABOUT.
AND THAT, UH, OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE SHED DORMER
[03:30:01]
WAS MORE APPROPRIATE AND AND APPROVED.'CAUSE THE DORMERS THAT ARE THERE ARE NOT ORIGINAL DORMERS.
THEY HAVE ALUMINUM WINDOWS IN THEM, UM, AS WELL.
SO WE WANTED TO REPLACE THOSE AS FAR AS THE EXTERIOR REAR SECOND FLOOR ADDITION AND CONNECTING TO THAT, UM, SPACE.
THERE, WE ARE TRYING TO, YES, GET SOME SQUARE FOOTAGE OF AREAS BELOW THAT.
UH, THAT WALL THERE OF THAT CONNECTION IS SEVEN FEET BACK FROM THE SIDE SIDEWALL OF THE ORIGINAL HOUSE, AND IT'S THREE AND A HALF FEET BACK FROM THOSE DORMERS AS WELL.
SO THOSE AREAS, UM, THERE ARE NOT, THEY'RE COMPLETELY SECONDARY TO ALL THE OTHER ELEMENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING THERE.
UH, WE EVEN, WE DID WORK ON, UH, OVER THE LAST COUPLE DAYS 'CAUSE THEY LET US KNOW, UH, DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY THAT IT WAS GONNA BE PULLED OUT, UH, TO DISCUSS.
UM, SO I DO HAVE SOME NEW RENDERINGS THAT SHOW FROM AN AREA THAT'S MORE IN LINE WITH THE PROPERTY LINES WHERE THAT AREA IS IS NOT EVEN SEEN BECAUSE OF THE DORMER.
THE, IF WE WERE TO GO AT 75% BACK FROM THE FRONT WALL, UM, IN THAT AREA, WE'RE, WE'RE ONLY ABOUT SIX FEET BEHIND THOSE DORMERS.
THERE'S NOT A LOT OF SPACE BETWEEN THERE.
SO IN TRYING TO WORK ON A SOLUTION WHERE WE HAD A FRONT WALL THERE AND THAT AREA, WE END UP WITH A LITTLE VALLEY WITH A LOT OF AREAS WHERE POTENTIAL FOR WATER INTRUSION AND, AND AREAS LIKE THAT.
AND THIS JUST CLEANED UP THIS ELEVATION INSTEAD OF LOOKING LIKE A DORMER AND THEN A REAR ADDITION, UH, SO NEAR BEHIND IT.
UM, AND AS WELL AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE IS A PORTION OF THE, I'M TRYING TO POINT THIS IS COMMISSIONER STAAVA WHERE THE MAIN ROOF IS GOING BE ABOVE IT, AND THAT'S THE ORIGINAL ROOF AREA THERE.
YEAH, I THINK WE HAVE A GOOD QUESTION FROM COMMISSIONER STAAVA.
YEAH, SO HERE WITH THIS OVERLAY, SO THIS IS, THIS.HERE REPRESENTS THE CORNER OF OUR PROPERTY, THE FRONT AND AND INSIDE PROPERTY.
SO THIS LINE RIGHT HERE REPRESENTS WHERE A CORNER WOULD BE IF WE WERE TO TURN AND SEPARATE THE, THE, THE MOST PORTION OF THIS FROM THE DORMER.
SO THERE'S A, A LOT OF THIS THAT WE'RE NOT EVEN GOING TO SEE FROM THE STREET.
AND WHEN WE KEEP GOING FURTHER ON DOWN THE HOUSE, NEXT DOOR, UH, DEALS THIS AS WELL AS THE VEGETATION THAT'S THERE.
THERE'S QUITE A FEW MATURE TREES THAT ARE THERE IN THE FRONT OF BOTH HOUSES.
WE CAN'T TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION VEGETATION.
WELL, THERE OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION.
UH, THE APPLICANT IS, UM, I'M, I'M UNCOMFORTABLE BY THE FACT THAT WE ALLOW THIS TWO WINGS TO COME OUT BECAUSE THEN, UH, I FEEL THAT WE ARE LETTING THE GENIE OUT OF THE BOTTLE.
UH, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IN THE FUTURE SOMEBODY COULD COME AND SAY, OKAY, I WANT TO HAVE IT ALL THE WAY DOWN FOR DOWN AND SETTING A PRECEDENT THAT THAT ACTUALLY, UM, SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN TRYING VERY HARD TO, UM, PRESERVE.
YEAH, I, I FEEL THAT, UM, IF YOU CAN DESIGN IN SUCH A WAY THAT, UH, IF THE DORMERS ARE NOT ORIGINAL, IT DOESN'T MATTER TO ME ON THE EXISTING, BUT I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE TO HAVE THAT ADDITION COME OUT THE WAY OUT TO THE FRONT.
WELL, I'M, I'M GONNA CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, UH, IS THERE A MOTION THAT COMMISSION WOULD ENTERTAIN? YEAH, I, SO I, I DO AGAIN, KIND OF HAVE SOME OVERLAY SKETCHES THAT I CAN SHOW OF THE SIDE ELEVATIONS.
AGAIN, I'M PULLING THOSE THROUGH BACK.
UM, WELL WE, YOU'RE, I MEAN, I WOULD WELCOME YOU TO, IF WE, IF YOU HAVE THE DRAWINGS THAT YOU BROUGHT AND WE CAN PROOF THEM ON THE SCREEN, WE CAN ALLOW SEEING THAT WHAT YOU, YOU HAVE SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE IMAGE
[03:35:01]
THAT'S UP CURRENTLY? YES, THAT WOULD, SO THIS IS AGAIN, THAT SAME HERE IS THAT OUR LOOKING AT THE DESIGN GUIDELINES ONLINE AND THE ILLUSTRATIONS, YOU KNOW, OUR PROJECT IS, IS UNIQUE IN THE SENSE THAT WE HAVE SUCH A PITCH, A HIGH PITCH OF THE ROOF.SO YOU CAN SEE THAT OUR REAR ADDITION IS ACTUALLY EIGHT LOW, THE EXISTING RIDGE OF THE MAIN ROOF.
SO WE'VE CHANGED FROM THE EIGHT ON 12 PITCH OF THE MAIN ORIGINAL HOUSE DOWN TO A FOUR ON 12 PITCH.
AND THESE AREAS TO TRY TO KEEP THAT DOWN, TO KEEP THIS ADDITION THAT'S HAPPENING IN THE BACK, VERY SECONDARY.
I FEEL LIKE ONCE WE'VE ADDED THIS CORNER AND DO THIS, WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO BRING MORE ATTENTION TO THIS EXTERIOR WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE RETURNING BACK INTO THE HOUSE AND STILL HAVING THE REAR PORTION OF THE, BUT IF THIS IS WHAT GETS US TO A POINT WHERE WE CAN MOVE FORWARD, THEN, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S OUR GOAL.
I KNOW EVERYBODY'S GOAL HERE IS TO HAVE A PROJECT THAT GET APPROVED AND UH, AND GET BUILT.
CERTAINLY, AND I THINK, UM, THE COMMISSION HAS APPROVED ADDITIONS, REAR ADDITIONS THAT WERE SOMEWHAT ON TOP OF THE ORIGINAL HOME.
UM, AND THEY HAVE APPROVED DORMERS.
UM, THEY'VE JUST ALWAYS BEEN TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
THEY, THEY HAVE, THEY'VE HAD A SEPARATION, SORT OF LIKE YOUR, LIKE YOUR SKETCH IS SHOWING, BUT AGAIN, IT'S UP TO THE COMMISSION.
UM, UH, JUST A POINT OF CURIOSITY, KIM, CAN WE ACCEPT RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON SKETCHES LIKE THIS ACTUALLY, IS THAT ACCEPTABLE? NO.
NO, IT, IT'S UP TO THE COMMISSION IF YOU WANT TO DEFER TO SEE FINAL PLANS, THAT'S A DIFFERENT QUESTION.
BUT IF YOU FEEL LIKE THE SKETCHES THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED ARE SUFFICIENT IN DETAIL FOR YOU ALL TO MAKE A DECISION, I THINK YOU CAN ACCEPT THEM.
JUST BASE A MOTION ON THE FACT THAT THESE ARE THE SKETCHES THAT WERE SHOWN AT THE MEETING.
WELL, I'M, I'M MORE ONTO OPEN DATA.
OPEN OPEN KNOWLEDGE BECAUSE WE, THERE WAS SOME LETTERS OF, UH, PEOPLE WHO WROTE IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS AND THEY WERE NOT PART OF THE DOCKET.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT JUST IS HOT OFF THE PRESS SO THE PUBLIC HAS NOT SEEN IT AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
IS THAT A CONCERN? I THINK I, I, I'M SORRY.
SO JUST A POINT ORDER, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THIS PROJECT THAT CAME IN LATE.
YOU MIGHT BE MIXING THAT UP WITH, UH, NO, I THINK COMMENTS NOW IS NO, THINK YOU REFERRING TO THE EARLIER, TO THE, TO THE COMMENTS THAT WERE RECEIVED 20 LESS THAN 24 HOURS BEFORE THE MEETING ON, ON THE DISTRICT.
IT WAS DISCUSSED RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING.
SO, SO YOU MAY NOT HAVE HAD THEM IN YOUR PACKET, BUT THEY WERE INCLUDED AS PART OF THE RECORD AND, AND TO, TO THE ITEM THAT, THAT MS. ARSLAN BROUGHT UP, YOU KNOW, SHE SUMMARIZED THOSE AND READ THAT IN, DIDN'T READ THE ENTIRE THINGS, BUT BUT MADE THAT SUMMARY A PART OF THE RECORD AS WELL.
SO THEY ARE PART OF THE RECORD AND THESE COULD BECOME PART OF THE, THE RECORD ALONG, ALONG THE SAME, UH, VEIN.
I THINK IT'S UP TO THE COMMISSION TO DECIDE IF THIS TYPE OF INFORMATION PRESENTED AT THIS TIME IS SUFFICIENT OR IF YOU WOULD LIKE IT PRESENTED IN A MORE PERMANENT FASHION AT A MINIMUM NUMBER OF DAYS BEFORE YOUR NEXT MEETING.
PERSONALLY FOR ME, I LIKE TO DEFER AND I LIKE TO SEE THE ENTIRE THING, NOT JUST ONE PAGE, ONE SKETCH, BUT THAT'S ME.
IS IS IT POSSIBLE TO TURN THIS TO STAFF TO, TO HAVE THEM PROXY FOR US? I HATE TO DEFER, UH, JUST MY OPINION.
I'M NOT GONNA AGREE WITH THE MOTION TO DEFER.
I, UH, I HONESTLY WOULD VOTE TO APPROVE TO GO WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION, BUT IF THE MAJORITY OF MY COMPATRIOTS
[03:40:01]
ARE NOT WITH ME, THEN I WOULD ALLOW THEM TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS MODIFICATION SO THAT THEY CAN FINALIZE THEIR PLANS AND START BUILDING ANOTHER 30 DAYS DOES NOT HELP ANYBODY.PLEASE, JUST BRIEFLY TO ADD THAT THIS IS THE SECOND DESIGN THAT WE'VE PROPOSED THAT STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING TREMENDOUSLY HARD WITH US TO GET IT TO A PLACE THAT THEY CAN APPROVE AND WE DO RECOGNIZE THEY HAVE APPROVED IT AND WE HOPE THAT THAT WILL BE MEANINGFUL HERE.
WELL, I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO, TO ACCEPT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL.
IS THERE A SECOND? CURRY SECONDS.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION? AYE.
SO, UH, ON VIRTUALLY IS, WAS THERE ONE? AYE.
OKAY, SO ALL THOSE OPPOSED? YEP.
ARE THERE ANY ABSTENTIONS? SO THE, THE, THE MOTION PASSES.
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS, UH, ITEM E, CHANGE OF DESIGNATION 1420 COLUMBIA STREET AND HOUSTON HEIGHTS EAST HISTORIC DISTRICT.
WE'RE ALMOST TO THE, WELL THIS IS THE LAST ITEM.
UM, THIS IS ABOUT 1429 COLUMBIA STREET, AND THIS IS A REQUEST TO RE THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO RECLASSIFY A BUILDING AT THE BACK OF, OF A LOT, TRYING TO FIND WHICH CAMERA I WANNA LOOK AT HERE AT 1429.
AND THERE'S THE STRUCTURE THERE IN THE CURRENT IMAGE.
THIS WAS AS, AS, AS HAPPENS, THIS WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION BY, UH, THE, THE APPLICANT OR REPRESENTATIVE OF THE APPLICANT.
AND THE, UM, REQUEST WAS FOR US TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT AS STAFFED, WHETHER IT COULD BE CONSIDERED FOR A RECLASSIFICATION.
SO WE MET WITH THE DIRECTOR OF OF PLANNING AND WE REVIEWED IT.
AND WHEN, FRANKLY, WHEN WE PRICE THIS ON THE AGENDA, IT WAS DONE WITH THE USE FOLLOWING THE ORDINANCE, WHICH STATES THAT THE DIRECTOR MAY PUT AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA FOR HHC CONSIDERATION TO RECLASSIFY A PROPERTY IF, IF IT'S FELT THAT THE PROPERTY WAS INCORRECTLY CLASSIFIED AT THE TIME, THE DESIGN, THE HISTORIC DISTRICT WAS CREATED.
OKAY? SO THAT'S WHY IT'S ON YOUR AGENDA NOW WE IN THAT.
AND FURTHERMORE, AT THAT TIME IT WAS UNDERSTOOD KIND OF IN MY TWO AND A HALF YEARS HERE, THE STATEMENT THAT WAS PUT INTO OUR MINDS A LOT IS THAT GARAGES IN THE HEIGHTS WERE NOT CONSIDERED CONTRIBUTING, UH, THAT THEY WERE NOT OFTEN CONSIDERED CONTRIBUTING.
BUT I'VE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH AND, AND IN FACT, IN HEIGHTS EAST, THERE ARE ABOUT 10 GARAGES THAT ARE LISTED AS CONTRIBUTING IN THE OFFICIAL INVENTORY THAT WAS PASSED BY CITY COUNCIL.
UM, UN UNFORTUNATELY THAT'S KIND OF A MORE RECENT DISCOVERY IN THE RESEARCH FOR THIS, UM, FOR THIS ITEM.
UH, SO WE'VE HAD TO MOVE FORWARD.
WE FELT WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH A RECON, UH, A RECOMMENDATION OF RECLASSIFICATION OF THIS STRUCTURE.
THE SANDBORN MAP YOU'RE LOOKING AT KIND OF GIVES YOU A LITTLE BIT OF THE HISTORY ON THE LEFT, UPPER LEFT, UH, IN THAT LARGER LOT, WHICH IS LIKE A DOUBLE LOT AT 1431, YOU, THERE'S NO STRUCTURE IN THE LOWER LEFT CORNER.
BUT IN THE LATER STAND BORN, WHICH GOES FROM ABOUT 24, YOU KNOW, INTO THE FIFTIES, I THINK THERE WE'RE STILL, THERE'S THE STRUCTURE.
WE BELIEVE THAT'S THE STRUCTURE TODAY.
IT HAS AN ADDITION ON THE REAR AND THE STRUCTURE.
THAT'S THE MAIN HOUSE THERE, WE BELIEVE WAS SHIFTED NORTH.
UM, AND THEN YOU HAVE A SAND, UH, GOOGLE EARTH IMAGE HERE, AND NO STRUCTURE APPEARS TO EVER BEEN BUILT IN FRONT OF THE GARAGE.
SO THEN THE GARAGE, WHEN IT WAS IN THE DISTRICT WAS CREATED, IT WAS CLASSIFIED AS A COLONIAL REVIVAL BUILDING.
AND I THINK THAT COMES FROM THE DETAILING, UH, OF THE, OF THE PORTICO.
AS YOU ENTER THE STRUCTURE, IT HAS THAT KIND OF DETAILING ON IT.
UM, THESE ARE SOME IMAGES SUPPLIED BY THE, UH, APPLICANT'S.
[03:45:01]
IT WAS A, AT LEAST HALF OF THE LOWER PORTION THEN WAS A GARAGE.UM, I'VE BEEN THROUGH THE STRUCTURE AND REGRETTABLY DIDN'T SNAP PICTURES, BUT THE SECOND FLOOR YOU DO FIND, WHAT I WOULD FIND IS A TYPICAL 1930, UH, TWO PANEL DOOR WITH GLASS DOORKNOBS AND, UH, UH, THE SCONCES OR, UH, THE PLATE OF THE DOORKNOB KNOB PLATE THERE.
SO THERE'S, AND LET'S SEE WHAT OTHER PICTURES WE HAVE.
AGAIN, HERE'S AN IMAGE IN THE LOWER ONE, YOU CLEARLY SEE THE ALUMINUM OR THE METAL DOOR, UH, FOR THE GARAGE DOOR ENTRY.
AND WHEN YOU ENTER THIS BUILDING, IT'S PRETTY AWKWARD, RIGHT? THERE'S STEPS DOWN AND UP AND KINDA ALL AROUND AS SOMEONE, UH, COMPLETED THE INTERIOR, ALTERED THAT INTERIOR SO THAT THAT FIRST LEVEL COULD BE A SPACE.
UM, SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE WITH IT.
AGAIN, IT'S BEEN OUR UNDERSTANDING OR OUR PRACTICE TO TREAT GARAGES IN THE HEIGHTS AS NON-CONTRIBUTING.
SO WE BROUGHT THIS BEFORE YOU AND, UH, AND WE'RE RECOMMENDING A CHANGE IN DESIGNATION TO THE COMMISSION FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
ARE THERE QUESTIONS FROM STAFF? I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYONE SIGN UP TO SPEAK ON THIS, ON THIS ITEM THAT I'M AWARE OF.
WELL, I'LL OPEN UP A PUBLIC COMMENT.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU ANNOUNCE YOUR NAME? I'M THE, UH, HI.
I AM THE DESIGNEE FOR THE, UM, OWNER OF THE PROPERTY, UM, AND AM READY TO SPEAK ON HER BEHALF.
I AM A RESIDENT ON THIS 1400 BLOCK OF COLUMBIA IN THE HOUSTON HEIGHTS HISTORIC EAST DISTRICT.
UH, I HAVE BEEN DESIGNATED AS THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE NIECE OF THE HOMER HOMEOWNER OF THIS HOUSE, UH, DINA BO REGARD.
UH, I MOVED INTO THIS BLOCK IN 1991 AND MET THE OWNER OF THE HOME AT THAT TIME, MAX BEAUREGARD, WHO IS NOW DECEASED.
HE VERBALLY COM UH, CONVEYED TO ME AND MY WIFE THAT HIS HOME WAS ORIGINALLY A CARRIAGE HOUSE OR GARAGE BUILT AT THE BACK OF A DOUBLE LOT ADJOINING THE HOUSE NEXT DOOR, WHICH WAS 1431 COLUMBIA.
UM, HE ADDED AN ADDITION OF A DINING ROOM, LAUNDRY KITCHEN, AND POWDER ROOM AT THE REAR OF THE STRUCTURE YOU'RE SEEING IN THE EIGHTIES.
I HAVE SEEN HIS PHOTOGRAPHS, WHICH YOU HAVE SEEN SOME OF ON THE POWERPOINT HERE, WHICH OBVIOUSLY SHOW WHERE THE DOUBLE WINDOWS AT.
THE LOWER RIGHT OF THE DOWNSTAIRS WAS ONCE A GARAGE, UH, WIN MAX RENOVATED THIS HOUSE.
IT WAS NOT PURE AND BEAM, IT WAS LOWER THAN THE REST OF THE STRUCTURE, WHICH WE BELIEVE AT THE TIME WAS A GARAGE APARTMENT.
AND OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST 30 YEARS, THE HOUSE HAS FLOODED IN ALL MAJOR RAINS, UH, AT WHICH TIME MAX HAD TO USE A SUMP PLUMP TO GET THE WATER OUT OF THE HOUSE.
UM, OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FIVE YEARS, MAX ACTUALLY PROBABLY LONGER THAN THAT, THE HOUSE HAS NOT BEEN WELL MAINTAINED.
UM, THE WINDOWS, AS YOU CAN SEE ARE BROKEN IN THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE.
THE CEILINGS INSIDE ARE FALLING IN.
THERE'S OBVIOUS TERMITE ACTIVITY.
THERE IS A STORAGE ROOM AT THE BACK OF THE HOUSE FOR WHICH THE FLOOR HAS COMPLETELY SUNK AND CAVED INTO WHAT WE BELIEVE IS A SINKHOLE IN ADDITION TO SINK HOLES, WHICH ARE QUITE HUGE IN THE BACKYARD, UH, WHICH I WON'T VEN VENTURE BACK INTO.
UM, I HAVE LIVED IN THE HEIGHTS FOR 30 YEARS.
I AM HIGHLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
I'M IN A PROUD OWNER OF A HOME, TWO HOUSES DOWN, WHICH IS, UH, IN THIS HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UM, I JUST REALLY DON'T SEE ANY VALUE IN SAVING THIS HOUSE.
IT IS UNSOUND AND I CANNOT IMAGINE THAT IT CAN BE REHABBED.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY IT IS NOT BEEN WELL MAINTAINED.
IT IS A SUBDIVIDED PROPERTY FROM A LARGER LOT AND MOVING FORWARD, I I REALLY, UM, DON'T SEE ANY OPTIONS IN REHABBING THIS PROPERTY, UH, FOR FOLKS THAT MIGHT WANNA PURCHASE IT IN THE FUTURE.
TODD, SO THANK YOU VERY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
[03:50:01]
CONSIDERATION.UM, THERE ARE NO OTHER SPEAKERS.
DOES THE COMMISSION HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF OR IS SOMEONE, WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, MOTION TO ACCEPT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION TO CHANGE THE STATUS OF THE PROPERTY? IS THERE A SECOND? WE'D HOUR.
IS THERE ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTAINING? MOTION CARRIES.
MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER F COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.
ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS REMAINING MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT ARE STILL HERE?
UM,
UM, ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? OTHER COMMENTS? I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR ACCEPTING THE MANTLE, UH, OF CHAIRMAN, UH, LEADERSHIP IS OFTEN, UH, NOT APPRECIATED.
SO I, I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW HOW MUCH I DO APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO STEP FORWARD AND, AND I THINK YOU DO A GREAT JOB ON THE COMMISSION.
I ALWAYS APPRECIATE YOUR INSIGHT AND WISDOM.
YOU CANNOT STEP DOWN
ITEM H, HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER REPORT.
ROMAN, DO YOU HAVE, UH, ANY PARTING WORDS, COUNSEL? NO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IF HE'S NOT, IF HE'S NOT GONNA SAY ANYTHING, I'LL JUMP IN AND TAKE HIS TWO MINUTES OR, OR A PART OF HIS TWO MINUTES TO SAY THAT NEXT THURSDAY EVENING WHEN WE'VE ALL RECOVERED FROM THIS MEETING.
MR. MCALLEN IS SPEAKING AT THE, UH, A I A HOUSTON OFFICE, UH, NEARBY.
UH, I THINK, UH, WILL HE'LL TELL US WHAT TIME? SIX O'CLOCK I THINK.
AND HE'S GONNA TALK ABOUT ALL THINGS, UH, WELL, ALL THE THINGS THAT HE KNOWS AND WANTS TO TALK ABOUT.
UH, MR. MCNEIL SPOKE, UH, RECENTLY AT THIS, UH, AT THE, DURING THE SAME SERIES.
AND IT WAS A VERY, IT WAS A VERY GOOD, UH, PRESENTATION.
AND IF ANYBODY CAN BE THERE NEXT THURSDAY AT SIX, I'M SURE THEY'LL BE GLAD THEY WERE.
ROMAN, CAN YOU SEND OUT AN EMAIL WITH THAT REGARD? WHAT IS YOUR TOPIC OF SPEECH AND SO ON AND SO FORTH? I CAN, I CAN SEND IT OUT.
CAN I SEND IT OUT TO ALL? YEAH, I CAN DO THAT.
I, I'D HAVE SOMEONE FROM A I A SEND IT OUT IN THAT CAPACITY OR HAVE STAFF CAN SEND IT OUT TO THE COMMISSION E EITHER WAY, BUT YEAH.
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO JUST UNDERSTAND THE PROPER WAY TO DO IT.
BUT I'LL PROBABLY FORWARD IT TO THE STAFF SO THAT THEY CAN SEND IT OUT.
AND FOR THE RECORD, SHE'S A OFFICIAL SEND HER OUT OR FOR THE IA BECAUSE IT'S HER.
I FIGURED SHE WAS VOLUNTEERING IN AN IT'S C CAPACITY.
AND YEAH, THANKS FOR BRINGING IT UP, COMMISSIONER.
SO I'M SUPER INTERESTED IN, IN THIS.