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[Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission on August 3, 2023]
UH, IT IS, UM, 2:31 PM THURSDAY, AUGUST 3RD, 2023.TODAY'S MEETING OF THE HOUSTON ARCHEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL COMMISSION.
I'M COMMISSIONED CHAIR DAVID EK, UH, TO VERIFY WE HAVE A QUORUM.
I WILL CALL THE ROLE, UH, THE CHAIR IS PRESENT.
UM, VICE CHAIR WEAVER JACKSON.
I DO NOT HEAR HER, BUT I BELIEVE SHE WILL BE.
UM, JOINING THE MEETING VIRTUALLY.
DO NOT SEE COMMISSIONER DUBOSE AT THIS TIME? COMMISSIONER SEPULVEDA? OKAY.
COMMISSIONER COSGROVE PRESENT.
AND, UH, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OSLAN PRESENT.
UH, WE'LL BEGIN WITH THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
I'M JENNIFER OLAND, ACTING SECRETARY OF THE COMMISSION AND DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSTON PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
ON MONDAY, JULY 31ST, THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION APPEALS BOARD MET AND CONSIDERED A REQUEST FOR APPEAL OF HH C'S DECISION TO DEMOLISH THE HOUSE LOCATED AT 1113 TO LANE STREET.
THE PROPERTY IS IN THE HOUSTON HEIGHTS HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THE BOARD DETERMINED THAT THE APPLICATION FOR A C OF A WAS INCOMPLETE.
THEREFORE, UH, THE COMMISSION DID NOT HAVE ALL THE RELEVANT INFORMATION TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION.
SO THE BOARD HAS REFERRED THE REQUEST BACK TO THE COMMISSION, SO MORE COMPLETE INFORMATION CAN BE CONSIDERED.
UH, WE EXPECT THIS ITEM TO BE ON YOUR, UH, SEPTEMBER 14TH AGENDA LAST MONTH, THE BOARD REFERRED ONE APPEAL BACK TO HHC AT THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST.
THAT ONE WILL ALSO BE ON THE SEPTEMBER 14TH AGENDA.
STAFF WILL PRESENT ORDERS OF DECISIONS FOR ALL OF THESE, UM, APPEALS BOARD OUTCOMES AT YOUR NEXT MEETING.
UM, IF YOU'RE, IF YOU WANNA KNOW MORE BEFORE THEN, THEY ARE, UM, HTV DID RECORD THEM, AND SO THEY'RE AVAILABLE ON THE CITY WEBS PAGE.
UH, CITY COUNCIL HELD A PUBLIC HEARING, UH, FOR 16 LANDMARKS AND PROTECTED LANDMARKS YESTERDAY, WHICH WAS WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1ST.
WE EXPECT COUNSEL TO TAKE ACTION ON THOSE ITEMS IN A FEW WEEKS.
AND, UM, HERE'S FOR A SNAPSHOT OF SOME OF THE WORK WE'VE BEEN UP TO, UM, THAT, UH, NOT ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
UH, STAFF RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 208 APPLICATIONS THROUGH THE END OF JUNE, 2023.
WE RECEIVED 37 NEW APPLICATIONS IN JUNE.
THE COMMISSION TOOK ACTION ON 15 OF THESE FOR A TOTAL OF 50, UM, APPLICATIONS CONSIDERED BY THE COMMISSION SINCE THE START OF 2023.
STAFF REVIEWED EIGHT ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED ITEMS IN JUNE, AND THE YEAR TO DATE TOTAL FOR THOSE IS 80 STAFF ALSO RECEIVED REQUESTS FOR THREE PRE-APPLICATION DESIGN REVIEWS IN JUNE WITH A TOTAL OF 23, UH, TO DATE FOR, UH, 2023.
AND LOOKING AHEAD, SEPTEMBER 14TH IS THE NEXT COMMISSION MEETING.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THESE THINGS OR WHAT'S ON TODAY'S AGENDA, YOU CAN CALL THE HOUSTON OFFICE OF PRESERVATION HOTLINE AT 8 3 2 3 9 3 6 5 5 6, OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE@HOUSTONPLANNING.COM.
THAT CONCLUDES MY DIRECTOR'S REPORT, AND I WOULD LIKE, I KNOW CITY ATTORNEY, UM, ASSISTANT ATTORNEY KIM MICKELSON HAS, WOULD LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING.
I WANTED TO TAKE JUST A MOMENT, UM, TO INTRODUCE YOLANDA WOODS, WHO'S COME FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES SECTION TO WORK WITH THE REAL ESTATE SECTION ON THE PLANNING SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE.
AND, UM, SHE'S WORKING A LOT WITH PLANNING COMMISSION, UM, ON DEED RESTRICTION MATTERS, BUT I'M ALSO CROSS TRAINING HER TO FOLLOW ME
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AND, UM, PROVIDE BACKUP, UM, IN OTHER MEETINGS.SO, UM, PLEASE BE NICE AND DON'T SCARE HER OFF
NEXT, MR. CHAIR DID NOTICE ANOTHER COMMISSIONER HAS JOINED THE MEETING, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE COMMISSIONER SEPULVEDA.
COMMISSIONER RHONDA SEPULVEDA PRESENT.
IS THERE A MAYOR'S LIAISON REPORT? MARK CORN.
WE DID HAVE THE HEARING, UH, ON THE PROTECTED THE LANDMARK AND PROTECTED LANDMARK DESIGNATIONS YESTERDAY AT COUNCIL.
UM, WE WILL BEGIN TO SEE THOSE PROBABLY IN TWO OR THREE GROUPINGS BEGINNING ON AUGUST 23RD.
UM, WE HAVE A, A BREAK WEEK THERE, SO THERE'S MY AGENDA FOR NEXT WEEK IS FULL, AND THEN WE HAVE A BREAK WEEK, SO THEY'LL APPEAR THE NEXT WEEK.
UM, I'M BRINGING THAT UP BECAUSE WE ALSO HAVE REAPPOINTMENTS TO THIS BODY, UM, THAT ARE PENDING.
AND THERE WAS A PLAN ORIGINALLY TO PUT THOSE ON THE NINTH, BUT WE, BECAUSE OF THE SAME SCHEDULING ISSUES, THOSE ARE BEING PUSHED TO THE 23RD ALSO, UM, WOULD LOVE TO WELCOME YOU ALL OVER TO THE COUNCIL CHAMBER FOR YOUR APPOINTMENTS OR REAPPOINTMENT.
SO FEEL FREE TO LET ME KNOW IF YOU PLAN TO BE THERE, UM, THAT WHEN THAT, UH, WEDNESDAY MORNING, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU.
CHAIR, QUESTION PLEASE, PLEASE.
YOU MENTIONED THAT THE, UM, LANDMARK AND PROTECTED LANDMARK DESIGNATIONS WOULD, WOULD, UM, MOVE FORWARD IN GROUPS TWO OR THREE.
IS IT, IS THAT A MATTER OF SCHEDULING VERSUS BEING ABLE TO HAVE THEM ALL MOVE FORWARD SIMULTANEOUSLY? UH, IT'S REALLY JUST A MATTER OF NUMBERS.
MY AGENDA FOR NEXT WEEK RIGHT NOW IS ABOUT 56 ITEMS, UM, WHICH IS WHY WE MOVED OFF SEVERAL OF THE APPOINTMENTS.
SO IF I HAVE A SUPER LIGHT AGENDA, I'LL TRY AND PUT AS MANY AS I CAN ON, I DON'T THINK I'LL BE ABLE TO GET ALL 16 ON ONE AGENDA THOUGH.
THE MAYOR WILL TEND TO LOOK AT THEM AND I GET THROUGH, YOU KNOW, HALF AND HE'LL GO, OKAY, THAT'S ENOUGH
UM, THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE CONSIDERATION OF THE JUNE 29TH, 2023 HAHC MEETING MINUTES COMMISSION MEMBERS HAVE, UM, HAVE YOU ALL REVIEWED THE MINUTES? ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS ABOUT THE MINUTES? AND IF NOT, IS THERE A MOTION TO ACCEPT, UH, YEP.
UH, PROPOSES A, A MOTION TO ACCEPT AS WRITTEN.
MR. CHAIR, WHO DID YOU RECOGNIZE FOR THE SECOND PLEASE? I, COMMISSIONER STAVO.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? OKAY.
THAT MOTION PASSES AND WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM A GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
THIS IS STAFF PERSON CHARLES SADLER.
I SUBMIT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION OF AGENDA ITEM A, WHICH IS THE NOMINATION TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES OF THE UH AND LILLIAN LIGHTFOOT HOUSE, WHICH IS LOCATED AT 37 0 2 AUDUBON PLACE IN MONTROSE, WHICH IS WITHIN THE AUDUBON PLACE HISTORIC DISTRICT, THE 1923 EUR H AND LILLIAN LIGHTFOOT HOUSE NAMED FOR THE ORIGINAL OWNERS WHO DESIGNED, DESIGNED, IT IS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF A CRAFTSMAN BUNGALOW REFLECTING SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ARCHITECTS GREEN AND GREEN, THEIR INFLUENCE ON NORTH AMERICAN RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE.
YOU AT H LIGHTFOOT LIVED FROM 1886 TO 1950.
HE WAS AN ENTREPRENEUR AND INVENTOR.
HE MOVED HIS FAMILY TO HOUSTON IN THE 1920S WHEN HE BEGAN EMPLOYMENT WITH THE BUILDER, GEORGE T. BROWN.
HE BUILT A ONE STORY BUNGALOW ON AUDUBON PLACE IN THE MONTROSE EDITION.
THEN HOUSTON'S LARGEST RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT COMPLETED A 1923 WITH A 1925 QUOTE POPUP THAT YOU CAN SEE IN THE PICTURE AIRPLANE EDITION.
IT'S WHAT IT'S CALLED, THE POPUP, THE LIGHTFOOT HOUSE EX EXHIBITED ARCHITECTURAL DETAIL AND CRAFTSMANSHIP, INSPIRED BY GREEN AND GREENS, PASADENA, CALIFORNIA HOMES, THE ROUGH STUCCO AND SHINGLED RESIDENCE, FEATURED EXAGGERATED BATTERED COLUMNS, WIDE EAVES, PROMINENT COBBLESTONE, CHIMNEY, AND TRELLIS PORCHES WITH
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A CLASSIC EIGHT ROOM BUNGALOW.LIGHTFOOT ALSO INCORPORATED HIS PATENTED INNOVATIONS, AUTOMATIC WINDOWS, DOOR LOCKS, AND MAILBOX ALARM IN THE DESIGN ONLY REMNANTS OF WHICH REMAIN TODAY.
IT IS NOMINATED TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES UNDER CRITERION C IN THE AREA OF ARCHITECTURE AT THE LO LOCAL LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE.
THE PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE IS 1923 TO 1925.
THE DATE OF ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION THROUGH THE COMPLETION OF THE SECOND FLOOR EDITION STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE HOUSTON ARCHEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL COMMISSION SUPPORT THE NOMINATION OF THE YOUR H IN LILLIAN LIGHTFOOT HOUSE TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES UNDER CRITERION C AT THE LOCAL LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION? OKAY, NOT HEARING ANY.
I'M GOING TO OPEN UP THE, UH, THE PUBLIC, UM, HEARING ON THIS, THIS ITEM.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANYONE SIGN UP TO SPEAK ON THIS, ON THE SPEAKER'S LIST, BUT IF THERE'S ANYONE IN THE ROOM OR ATTENDING VIRTUALLY THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE ANNOUNCE YOURSELF.
I'M GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM, UH, COMMISSION MEMBERS.
IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS, IS THERE A MOTION? I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION.
IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER SEPULVEDA SECOND.
I'M, I'M GONNA GIVE IT TO, TO COMMISSIONER OLA, BUT, UM, I THINK COMMISSIONER STAAVA WAS FIRST OR, OR SECOND.
COULD I ASK A POINT OF CLARIFICATION PLEASE? UM, COMMISSIONER SEPULVEDA NEEDS TO BE VISIBLE DURING THE MEETING TO BE COUNTED AS ATTENDING AND PART OF THE QUORUM, SO, OKAY.
I DON'T KNOW IF SHE STEPPED AWAY OR NOT, BUT, YEAH, NO, THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
I'M, I'VE, MY LAPTOP IS RUNNING REALLY SLOW, SO I'M GONNA BE SWITCHING FROM MY PHONE TO MY LAPTOP.
I'LL BE, I'LL BE EXITING FOR MY PHONE AND THEN JOINING FROM MY LAPTOP NOW.
WELL, I CAN SEE HER FROM HERE, SO AT THIS TIME ANYHOW, BUT, UM, THANK YOU.
ARE THERE ANY OPPOSED TO THE MOTION? ARE THERE ANY ABSTENTIONS? OKAY.
GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR PERSON AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
THIS IS STAFF PERSON KARA QUIGLEY.
I SUBMIT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION OF AGENDA ITEM B, WHICH IS THE NOMINATION TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES OF THE HOUSTON LIGHT GUARD ARMORY, NOW KNOWN AS THE BUFFALO SOLDIER MUSEUM, LOCATED AT 38 20 CAROLINE STREET IN MIDTOWN.
THE HOUSTON LIGHT GUARD ARMORY IS A REINFORCED CONCRETE TWO AND A HALF STORY BUILDING WITH A T PLAN FOOTPRINT, AND IS CLAD AND BRICK WITH CASTSTONE ORNAMENTATION AND DETAILING.
THE BUILDING WAS COMPLETED IN 1925 FOR THE HOUSTON LIGHT GUARDS, A VOLUNTEER UNIT OF THE NATIONAL GUARD.
THE ARMORY WAS THE SECOND HOME TO THE HOUSTON LIGHT GUARDS, WHICH WAS ORGANIZED IN 1873 AS A STATE-SPONSORED MILITIA.
THE BUILDING NEAR DOWNTOWN HOUSTON WAS BOTH AN ARMORY AND SOCIAL CENTER FOR THE COMPANY AND WAS OCCUPIED BY THE NATIONAL GUARD UNTIL THE 1990S.
IN 2007, THE BUFFALO SOLDIERS NATIONAL MUSEUM ACQUIRED AND REHABILITATED THE BUILDING.
THE REHABILITATION MET THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR STANDARDS FOR THE TREATMENT OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
PRESERVING THE ARMORY'S ARCHITECTURAL INTEGRITY.
THE BUILDING DERIVES SIGNIFICANCE FROM ITS ASSOCIATION WITH MILITARY HISTORY AND THE ORGANIZATIONAL EVOLUTION OF THE HOUSTON LIGHT GUARDS AND THE NATIONAL GUARD, AND IS NOMINATED UNDER CRITERION A IN THE AREA OF MILITARY HISTORY.
THE BUILDING IS ALSO NOMINATED UNDER CRITERION C IN THE AREA OF ARCHITECTURE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, AS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF A DISTINCT BUILDING TYPE A PRE-WORLD WAR II ARMORY.
AND AS AN EX, ANN, AS AN EXCELLENT IMPORTANT EXAMPLE OF WORK OF HOUSTON ARCHITECT ALFRED C FINN.
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NEOGOTHIC PHIS IS HIS ONLY ARMORY PROJECT AND A RARE GOTHIC INSPIRED DESIGN INFANT'S EXTENSIVE CATALOG.THE PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE ARMORY BEGINS IN 1925 AND EXTENDS TO 1973.
PER NATIONAL REGISTERED GUIDANCE STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE HOUSTON ARCHEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL COMMISSION SUPPORT THE NOMINATION OF THE HOUSTON LIGHT GUARD ARMORY TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES UNDER CRITERION A AND CRITERION C AT THE LOCAL LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF ON THIS? THIS ITEM NOT HEARING? I'M GOING TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM.
I DON'T HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, BUT IF THERE'S ANYONE IN THE ROOM OR ATTENDING VIRTUALLY THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS PROJECT, UH, PLEASE ANNOUNCE YOURSELF AND STATE YOUR NAME.
I'M GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, UH, COMMISSION MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION ON THIS ITEM? I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.
IS THERE A SECOND? COSGROVE SECOND.
ARE THERE ANY OPPOSED? ARE THERE ANY ABSTENTIONS? OKAY.
THAT MOTION PASSES AND WE'LL NOW BE MOVING TO ITEM C.
WE WILL BE, UM, PRESENTING ITEM C AND D TOGETHER, BUT WE WILL BE VOTING, UM, ON EACH ITEM SEPARATELY AS, UM, LEGAL HAS ADVISED GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
THIS IS STAFF PERSON YASMIN ARSLAN.
I, I SUBMIT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
AGENDA ITEM C AND D AND APPLICATION FOR THE PROTECTED LANDMARK DESIGNATION OF THE, UM, AND SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURE OF THE UMBLE EXXON BUILDING AT 800 BELL AND 1616 MILAM STRAIT, THE UMBLE EXXON BUILDING, ALSO KNOWN AS UMBEL BUILDING.
AN EXXONMOBIL BUILDING AND GARAGE ARE EXCELLENT EXAMPLES OF HOUSTON'S MID-TWENTIETH CENTURY CORPORATE MODERN ARCHITECTURE.
IN THE INTERNATIONAL STYLE, THE PROPERTY WAS CONCEPTUALIZED BY WELTON BECKETT AND, AND ASSOCIATES EMPLOYING THE PRINCIPLE OF TOTAL DESIGN.
THE PRIMARY BUILDING IS A DISTINCTIVE PART OF HOUSTON SKYLINE AND WAS THE TALLEST BUILDING WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI.
FROM 1962 TO APPROXIMATELY 1965, THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK TOWER IN DALLAS BECAME THE TALLEST.
AT THIS TIME, THE BUILDING AT 800 BELL STREET WAS THE TALLEST BUILDING IN HOUSTON UNTIL IT WAS ECLIPSED BY ONE SHELL PLAZA IN THE EARLY 1970S.
THE PROPERTY IS NOW APPROXIMATELY 60 YEARS OF AGE AND RETAIN A HIGH DEGREE OF INTEGRITY IN LOCATION DESIGN, SETTINGS, SETTING MATERIALS, WORKMANSHIP FEELING, AND ASSOCIATION AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
THE HUMBLE EXXON BUILDING AND GARAGE ARE SIGNIFICANT FOR COMMERCE IN RELATION TO UMBLE AND EXXON OIL OPERATIONS, HOUSTON PETROLEUM CLUB, AND THE ARCHITECTURE OF WELTON BECKETT AND ASSOCIATES WITH GOLDMAN AND RO AND PIERCE AND PIERCE ASSOCIATES.
THE PROPOSED PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE IS 1962 TO 1973, BASED ON THE CONSTRUCTION DATE AND THE 50 YEAR MARK FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION.
THE PROPERTY IS NAMED THE HUMBLE EXXON BUILDING AND GARAGE.
BECAUSE THE HUMBLE COMPANY AND STANDARD OIL BECAME EXXON IN 1972, WITHIN THE PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE, THE HUMBLE EXXON BUILDING AND GARAGE ARE RECOMMENDED FOR A PROTECTED LANDMARK DESIGNATION UNDER SECTION 33 DASH TWO TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY FOUR.
CRITERION ONE AS A VISUAL REMINDER OF DEVELOPMENT CRITERION THREE FOR ITS ASSOCIATION WITH THE ARCHITECT AND OCCUPANTS CRITER CRITERION FOUR AND CRITERIA FOUR AND FIVE, AS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF THE STYLE AND BUILDING TYPE IMPORTANT TO THE CITY.
CRITERION SIX, AS THE WORK OF A PERSON OR GROUP WHOSE WORK HAS INFLUENCED THE HERITAGE OF THE CITY AND CRITERION EIGHT AS A SYMBOL OF PUBLIC PRIDE.
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THESE CRITERIA FULFILL SECTION 33 DASH 229 FOR A PROTECTED LANDMARK 224 0 229.STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE HOUSTON ARCHEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL COMMISSION RECOMMEND TO THE CITY COUNCIL THE PROTECTED LANDMARK DESIGNATION OF THE HUMBLE EXXON BUILDING AT 800 BELL AND 1616 MILAM STREET.
DO I NEED TO ALSO, UM, SAY, TALK ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURE AND WHAT SAYS OKAY.
IT SATISFIES CRITERIA ONE, THREE, AND FOUR.
THESE CRITERIA FULFILL SECTION SECTION 44 DASH 29 FOR TAX RELIEF FOR SIGNIFICANT HISTORIC STRUCTURES.
THIS CONCLUDES, UH, STAFF'S RECOMMEND, UH, STAFF'S, UM, PRESENTATION.
AND WE HAVE AMANDA COLEMAN FROM RYAN WHO PREPARED THIS REPORT AND IS HERE TO SPEAK AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE COMMISSIONERS MIGHT HAVE.
AND WE ALSO HAVE BILL FRANKS, WHO'S THE OWNER'S CONSULTANT AND WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AND SUPPORT.
UH, SEE THIS ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
I REMEMBER ONLY A FEW YEARS AGO THIS BUILDING WAS GOING TO BE, UM, UH, THE OUTSIDE WAS GONNA BE TOTALLY CHANGED TO LOOK LIKE A DIFFERENT BUILDING.
AND, UM, AND THE MEMORY OF THIS BUILDING WOULD BE ERASED ENTIRELY.
SO WE'RE GLAD TO SEE IT'S A PROTECTED LANDMARK APPLICATION.
I RECALL FROM THE HISTORY, UH, VISITORS COULD GO TO THE OBSERVATION TOWER AND THERE'S A LITTLE LIKE MACHINE UP THERE.
YOU COULD PUT A FEW COINS IN AND IT WOULD PRINT A LITTLE PLASTIC TOY, UH, MODEL OF THE TOWER ITSELF, WHICH WAS, UH, UM, ANYWAY, MAYBE WE CAN FIND THAT MACHINE AGAIN AND MAKE IT WORK.
SO, UM, COMMISSION MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF FOR THE APPLICATION OF THIS ITEM? UH, YAP HAS A QUESTION.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, UH, UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT BETTER, UH, THE MEANING OF SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURED DESIGNATION.
WHAT DOES THAT ENTAIL? THANK YOU, UH, STAFF OR LEGAL CAN, CAN RESPOND TO THAT, AT LEAST IT WON'T BE LEGAL, I DON'T THINK.
BUT, UH, THE, THE, IF I'M INCORRECT, SHE'LL CORRECT MEAM, BUT WHILE SHE'S LOOKING THAT UP, IT'S, IT'S PRIMARILY FOR TAX CREDITS SO THAT IT'S, IT'S AN ADDITIONAL DESIGNATION FOR FEDERAL TAX CREDITS.
AND I'M TRYING TO FIND THE ACTUAL CRITERIA TO READ IT, UM, TO YOU.
THERE ARE FOUR CRITERIA, UM, SO IF I MAY READ THAT.
SO THE CITY COUNCIL MAY BY ORDINANCE GRANT TAX RELIEF IN THE FORM OF AN EXEMPTION FROM AT VALIUM TAX, TAX TAXATION TO ANY SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURE.
THAT ONE IS AT LEAST 50 YEARS OLD, TWO IF A RESIDENCE, THE STRUCTURE A WAS ORIGINALLY BUILT AND USED FOR NON-RESIDENTIAL PURPOSES, AND B NOW CONTAINS MORE THAN FOUR RESIDENTIAL UNITS.
THREE HAS RECEIVED A CITY PROTECTED LANDMARK DESIGNATION UNDER CHAPTER 33 OF THIS, CODE FOUR HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS A RECORDED TEXAS HISTORICAL LANDMARK, OR IS INDIVIDUALLY LISTED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES, OR HAS BEEN MENTIONED AS HAVING HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE IN AN AUTHOR SURVEY CONDUCTED BY A NONPROFIT OR GOVERNMENT AGENCY.
SO THEY SUBMITTED THOSE AS PART OF THEIR DESIGNATION.
AT THIS TIME, I'M GONNA OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THE FIRST SPEAKER SIGNED UP ON THIS ITEM TO SPEAK, UM, AS MENTIONED IS AMANDA COLEMAN.
MY NAME IS AMANDA COLEMAN ON BEHALF OF THE OWNER'S BELL BUSINESS INVESTMENTS AND RYAN AS THE HISTORIC CONSULTANTS, WE ARE IN VERY MUCH SUPPORT OF THIS APPLICATION FOR BOTH ITEMS, AND WE HOPE THAT YOU'LL SEE, UM, THE REPORT AND AGREE.
I, UM, AM HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT THE REHABILITATION OR CHANGES IN THE BUILDING AS WELL AS THE THC OR NPS STATUS.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW, I, I MEAN, WHAT ARE THE PLANS FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT? I, UM, IT WOULD BE BEST IF, UM, MR. FRANKS SPOKE ON THAT, BUT IT IS INTENDED TO BE POTENTIALLY MIXED USE AND COMMERCIAL.
WITH THAT, UM, MR. BILL FRANKS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION?
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JUST HAVE TO TURN IT ONUM, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, ANNOUNCE SUPPORT OF THIS PROJECT.
I THINK IT'S A VERY WORTHY PROJECT.
IT IS A BIG PROJECT, UM, BUT I THINK THAT IF THERE IS ONE, ONE ITEM IN HOUSTON THAT THREADS THROUGH THE POPULATION, IT IS THIS BUILDING.
AND, UH, SINCE, UH, I THINK WE STARTED WORKING ON IT IN OCTOBER, SINCE THAT TIME, EVERYBODY THAT HAS BEEN MADE AWARE OF WHAT WE WERE PLANNING TO DO HAS TOLD A STORY ABOUT THEIR CONNECTION TO THIS BUILDING.
SO I THINK IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND I AM VERY PLEASED TO BE A PART OF THE PROJECT.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE SPEAKER? ARE YOU ABLE TO SHARE ANY, UH, CURRENT PLANS, UH, AS WAS INTIMATED JUST NOW ABOUT THE USE OF THE BUILDING GOING FORWARD? WELL, AND AS I MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, UH, AND ACTUALLY, UH, CLOSED RIGHT AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
SO WE ARE WORKING ON MIXED USE.
WE THINK IT MAKES THE MOST SENSE.
UM, IT IS, UM, A VERY LARGE BUILDING, 1 MILLION, 200,000 PLUS SQUARE FEET, UH, VERY LARGE PARKING STRUCTURE.
SO, UH, THE NORMAL WAY, UH, LIKE I'VE DONE IN THE PAST OF REDEVELOPING HISTORIC BUILDINGS, UH, YOU, YOU HAVE TO DO MORE THAN ONE THING IN THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION.
SO WE THINK IT'LL BE A RESIDENTIAL COMPONENT.
THERE WILL BE A COMMERCIAL COMPONENT, UM, RETAIL, UM, YOU KNOW, THINGS OF THAT NATURE ON THE LOWER, UH, CONCOURSE AREA, FIRST FLOOR, MEZZANINE AREA.
THERE COULD BE SOME COWORKING.
UH, THERE COULD ALSO BE SOMETHING LIKE A HOTEL THERE.
BUT WE'RE STILL EXPLORING ALL THOSE OPTIONS.
AND THEN YOU TAKE ON OTHER, UH, YOU KNOW, ASPECTS WITH THIS TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT.
BUT THE BUILDING'S A SOUND BUILDING.
IT'S AN ICONIC BUILDING, MID-CENTURY MODERN, UH, I THINK IT'S RIGHT OUT OF THE TV SHOW MAD MEN.
UH, I THINK THEY COULD BE WALKING OUTTA THAT DOOR ANY SECOND.
BUT, UH, YEAH, I, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE GREAT ONCE IT'S FINISHED.
I ASSUME YOU'D SPENT TIME IN THE PETROLEUM CLUB IN THE PAST, AT THE TOP THERE.
I WISH YOU WOULDN'T HAVE ASKED.
UM, BUT, UH, 1966 SENIOR GIRLS FORMAL SPRING BRANCH HIGH SCHOOL, I WAS THERE.
MY, IN FACT, MY TUX, MY JACKET LOOKED LIKE THIS.
AND DAVID, TO YOUR POINT, UM, WE USED TO GO THERE, PUT 50 CENTS IN A MACHINE, AND THE LITTLE, THE LITTLE MODEL WOULD POP OUT AND YOU'D GIVE IT TO YOUR DATE BECAUSE THE OBSERVATION DECK WAS SOMEPLACE THAT EVERYBODY WANTED TO BE.
UM, THIS BUILDING, UM, ACTUALLY THERE'S A BRIEF PRESENTATION MADE FOR THIS PROJECT AT THE NATIONAL, UH, SYMPOSIUM FOR DOOMO US IN NEW HAVEN, JUST BACK IN JUNE.
AND EVEN MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE HISTORY.
BUT AGAIN, IN A HOT, HUMID ENVIRONMENT, IT'S ONLY GETTING HOTTER HERE, AS WE KNOW.
BUT HAVING THE, ALL THE, UH, HORIZONTAL AND, AND THE SHADING ELEMENTS ON THE BUILDING ON THE OUTSIDE, UM, ARE A BIG PLUS AND WILL ALWAYS BE A PLUS.
UH, WE CAN'T BUILD BUILDINGS LIKE THAT NEW BECAUSE THEY TEND TO BE VERY EXPENSIVE.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S, AND IT WAS ALSO MENTIONED HOW SUPER LARGE THE BUILDING IS AND HOW IT MADE A CHALLENGE ON HOW TO REPURPOSE SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
UM, ALSO JUST SEEING THE BUILDING WHEN IT WAS BUILT, IT WAS NOTHING AROUND THE BUILDING HARDLY.
I MEAN, IT WAS, IT WAS SO FAR OUT OF TOWN WHEN IT WAS BUILT THAT, UM, YOU WERE REALLY, YOU KNOW, JUST, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMED LIKE A MILE AWAY FROM DOWNTOWN LOOKING AT IMAGES OF IT.
SO I, I THINK IT'S, UM, IT'S VERY EXCITING AND IT'S SUCH A LARGE PROJECT, IT'S GONNA REALLY CHANGE THAT, THAT PART OF DOWNTOWN IMMENSELY FOR THE POSITIVE.
WELL, AS WE'VE SEEN IN OTHER LITTLE ITEMS THAT I'VE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE A PART OF SOME OF THOSE, THEY'RE LIKE PLANTING SEEDS.
AND IF YOU HAVE ONE SUCCESSFUL PROJECT, ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU LOOK AROUND AND PARKING LOTS BECOME OTHER SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS.
SO, UM, I I THINK IT, IT'S, IT'S TIME FOR THIS AREA TO COME BACK TO LIFE.
WE BEING HERE TODAY, APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT.
YEAH, I THINK USE OF MIND, WE HAD OUR, WE HAD THE LAST RECEPTION IN THE PETROLEUM CLUB, I BELIEVE, 2014.
I THINK THE, UH, THE NATIONAL, UH, DOOMO US SYMPOSIUM WAS THERE, AND WE, UM, WERE ABLE TO, UH, SHOW OFF THE BUILDING AND, AND THE PETROLEUM CLUB.
AND, UH, SO PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY SAW IT AND, AND OOD AND, AND ADMIRED IT.
AND IT WAS, UH, HARD FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND SHORTLY THEREAFTER THAT, UH, THAT THINGS HAD CHANGED AND IT, IT, UH, ITS FUTURE WAS IN DOUBT.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS GONNA BE WONDERFUL NEWS NATIONALLY AS, AS WELL AS REGIONALLY AND LOCALLY.
SO, UH, WHILE PUBLIC HEARING'S STILL OPEN, ARE THERE ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO HAVE NOT SIGNED UP VIRTUAL OR WE'RE IN THE MEETING, WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS ITEM? CHAIR, THIS IS ROMAN.
[00:30:01]
LIKE TO ADDRESS ON MY OWN IN THIS ITEM, PLEASE PROCEED.SO I JUST WANT MY RECOLLECTION OF IT.
UM, WHEN I WAS 15 AND 16 AND 17 AND 18 IN HOUSTON, I WORKED FOR A COMPANY CALLED AAV W AUDIO VISUAL, AND WE SUPPLIED ALL THE AUDIO VISUAL EQUIPMENT TO MAJOR CONFERENCES AND HOTELS.
AND, UM, I JUST CAN RECALL VERY WELL DELIVERING EQUIPMENT UP TO THE PETROLEUM CLUB.
I WOULD TAKE THE SERVICE ELEVATOR AND THE FIRST TIME AS A KID REALLY COMING INTO THAT CLUB, I, I CAN STILL, I STILL HAVE A VISCERAL REACTION TO, I CAN'T THINK OF THE WORD FOR IT, BUT MAYBE OTHER THAN JUST SORT OF THE GRAVITAS OF THE SPACE, PLACE, CULTURE TIME, THE WHOLE THING, UH, IT WAS, IT WAS, IT WAS JUST SEEMED SO UNIQUE.
AND NOW THAT I KNOW WHAT I KNOW, YOU KNOW, AS THE HEADQUARTERS OF ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PETROLEUM COMPANIES IN THE WORLD, YOU REALIZE WHY IT HAD THAT FEELING UP THERE.
AND SO, I, I JUST WANTED TO TELL THAT MY PERSONAL RECOLLECTION OF IT.
OKAY, WELL, THA I'M GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, IS THERE A MOTION ON THIS ITEM? AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THERE'S GONNA BE A MOTION ON ITEM C AND D INDIVIDUALLY? YES, PLEASE.
I THINK THESE WILL BE TWO ORDINANCES GOING TO COUNCIL, BECAUSE THEY'RE GOVERNED BY TWO DIFFERENT CHAPTERS OF THE CODE.
SO, UH, REGARDING ITEM C, IS THERE A MOTION I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.
COMMISSIONER COUCH, YOU, YOU SECOND COS GRAB SECONDS.
ARE THERE ANY OPPOSED? THANK YOU, MA'AM.
ARE THERE ANY ABSTENTIONS THAT MOTION PASSES AND NOW I HAVE A, I NEED A MOTION FOR ITEM D.
COUNCIL GRAB, MOVE TO ACCEPT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.
IS THERE A SECOND? CURRY SECONDS.
ARE THERE ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? THAT MOTION PASSES AS WELL.
AND WITH THAT, WE'RE GONNA BE MOVING ON AND I BELIEVE ROMAN WILL BE PRESENTING THE CONSENT AGENDA REMOTELY.
CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME OKAY? YES, SIR.
WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR WORK TODAY.
UH, ONE OTHER COMMON CASE, YOU'RE WONDERING, MY TIME IN THE EXXON BUILDING WAS ABOUT NINE EARLY 1980S.
SO IT WAS, UH, BEFORE THE LATE EIGHTIES CRASH, AND IT WAS A GOOD TIME UP THERE, I'M SURE.
SO STAFF NEEDS TO RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING ITEMS FOR, UH, PER STAFF RECOMMENDATION TO YOU NOW IN ONE MOTION.
AND THOSE ITEMS, WHICH I HAVE SHARED WITH THE COMMISSIONERS VIA EMAIL, BUT ARE ITEM 3, 4, 0 0 5 ME, SHOW AN ALTERATION ADDITION IN NOR HILL FOR APPROVAL.
ITEM 4 40 30 PINE RIDGE, A PORCH IN NOR HILL FOR DEFERRAL PER APPLICANT'S REQUEST.
ITEM 5 2 6 0 8 STANFORD AN ALTERATION WINDOWS IN AVONDALE WEST, DENIAL AND ISSUANCE OF A CERTIFICATE OF REMEDIATION.
ITEM 6 4 1 2 HAWTHORNE ALTERATION ADDITION.
THAT'S ACTUALLY AN ALTERATION SIDING, LET ME JUST STATE THAT.
UH, AND FRAMING IN WESTMORELAND, THAT'S DENIAL AND ISSUANCE OF A CERTIFICATE OF REMEDIATION.
ITEM EIGHT, NUMBER SIX, WEST 11TH PLACE FOR APPROVAL.
THAT'S AN ALTERATION TO, UH, AN AUXILIARY BUILDING TOWARDS THE REAR OF THE LOT.
ITEM NUMBER 9 7 0 7 ARLINGTON STREET.
NEW CONSTRUCTION OF A GARAGE IN HOUSTON HEIGHTS SOUTH FOR APPROVAL.
ITEM NUMBER TEN ONE NINE TWO ZERO CANE STREET, ALTERATION OF A ROOF THAT IS JUST A SIMPLE ROOF MATERIAL CHANGE IN OLD SIX WARD.
ALSO A PROTECTED LANDMARK OF THE OPEN SHAW HUTTON HOUSE FOR APPROVAL.
ITEM NUMBER 11 5 50 HEIGHTS BOULEVARD.
ALTERATION SIGN OF A NON-CONTRIBUTING COMMERCIAL BUILDING IN HOUSTON HEIGHTS SOUTH FOR APPROVAL.
ITEM NUMBER 12 15 10 OVID ALTERATION.
ADDITION, UH, THE LANDMARK HOUSE AT THIS ADDRESS FOR APPROVAL.
[00:35:01]
COLUMBIA STREET ALTERATION EDITION IN HOUSTON HEIGHTS SOUTH FOR APPROVAL.AND ITEM 15, 16 38 ARLINGTON STREET.
THIS IS AN ADDITION IN HOUSTON HEIGHTS EAST FOR APPROVAL.
THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT REQUESTS APPROVAL OF ALL STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THESE PRECEDING ITEMS. UH, JUST FOR CLARITY, THAT MEANS THAT AT THIS TIME WHAT WE WERE ASKING FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION THEN WOULD BE ITEM ITEMS ONE AND TWO AND SEVEN AND 13.
UH, STARTING WITH COMMISSIONERS, UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS LIST? WOULD ANY COMMISSIONER'S REQUEST TO IN INDIVIDUALLY DISCUSS ONE OF THESE OR SOME OF THESE ITEMS ON THE LIST OR, OR DO YOU SUPPORT THE LIST AS, UM, PRESENTED? UH, YAP HAS A QUESTION FOR CLARIFICATION.
UH, ROMAN, UH, ONLINE, WHEN I REVIEWED ITEM NUMBER FOUR, THERE WERE INSUFFICIENT DATA.
SO, UH, YOU HAVE CONFIRMED THAT THIS IS NOW BEING DEFERRED.
COMMISSIONER, I MEAN, I'M SORRY, JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND.
UH, THEY, THERE WAS SOME WORK DONE ON THAT PROPERTY REMOVAL OF A COUPLE OF WINDOWS.
THE APPLICANT IS ACTUALLY JUST GONNA RESTORE THOSE WINDOWS IN PLACE, BUT THEY ALSO, SO THAT'S NOT AN ISSUE, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE ASKING TO, TO DO SOME ALTERATION TO THE FRONT PORCH.
THEY'RE NOT PREPARED TO, UH, FOR, WITH, UH, UH, UH, THEY'RE NOT PREPARED.
THEY'RE IN COMPLETENESS WITH THEIR PLANS, SO THEY HAVE ASKED TO DEFER.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
OKAY, AT THIS TIME I'M GOING TO, UH, OPEN PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM AND JUST ASK, I HAVE, UH, TWO OF THE PROJECTS HAVE FOLKS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON, ON, ON TWO OF THESE ITEMS. UH, BUT THEY ARE IN SUPPORT OF THE ITEMS AND IF, IF THEY REMAIN ON CONSENT, ARE LIKELY TO PASS, UH, WITHOUT BEING INDIVIDUALLY DISCUSSED.
BUT IF A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THIS PROJECT INDIVIDUALLY DISCUSSED AND PRESENTED, PLEASE ANNOUNCE YOURSELF BY NAME AND WHAT PROJECT THAT WOULD BE.
PLEASE, SIR, COULD, COULD YOU COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE JUST SO YOU COULD BE RECORDED AND IT'S NOT ON CONSENT, IT'S PULLED ANYWAY.
SORT OF NEW TO THIS, BUT, UH, WELL, I'M JUST, I'M JUST ASKING, WHAT, WHAT PROJECT ARE YOU DISCUSSING? EIGHT 17 COLORADO STREET, WHICH IS NUMBER ONE, HAD ONE.
SO WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT AT THAT POINT YET.
SO WE'RE, THIS IS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, SO THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT ON THE CONSENT.
YOU'LL BE ABLE, ABLE TO SPEAK OUT.
SO, OKAY, SO, UH, NOT HEARING ANYONE, UM, CAN I GET A MOTION ON APPROVING THE CONSENT AGENDA AND APPROVING THE RECOMMENDATIONS BY STAFF? FOR THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, COMMISSIONER COSGROVE MOVES TO ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED BY STAFF AND TWO, AND THE ACTIONS REFERRED BY STAFF.
ARE THERE ANY OPPOSED? ARE THERE ANY ABSTENTIONS? OKAY, THOSE, THE CONSENT AGENDA PASSES AS RECOMMENDED BY STAFF.
AND NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO AN INDIVIDUAL, UH, ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION.
AND I BELIEVE WE WILL, WE WILL BE STARTING, STAFF WILL BE PRESENTING, UH, ITEM E ONE.
ALL RIGHT, CHAIRPERSON OF AND, UM, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, THIS IS STAFF PERSON YASMINE ARSLAN, I SUBMIT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
AGENDA ITEM E ONE AT 8 1 8 17 COLORADO STREET IN OLD SIX WARD.
THE PROPERTY INCLUDES A HISTORIC 2016, UM, SQUARE FOOT, THE TWO STORY WHICH FRAME SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE ON A 5,000 CORNER LOT.
THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS A CONTRIBUTING TWO STORY ALTERED FOLK VICTORIAN RESIDENCE CONSTRUCTED CIRCA 1895.
THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING TO MODIFY THE NON HISTORIC TWO STORY PORCH THAT WE BELIEVE WAS BUILT TO IN 2000 TO CREATE A MORE ACCURATE, UH, DEPICTION OF
[00:40:01]
WHAT COULD HAVE EXISTED AT THE TIME OF THE RESIDENCE.THE PROPOSED DETAILS ARE BASED ON OTHER OLD SIX WARD STRUCTURES OF THE CORRECT AGE, LAYOUT AND STYLE.
IN AN EFFORT TO RETURN THE STRUCTURE TO A CLOSER VERSION OF ITS ORIGINAL FORM THAT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE OVERALL HISTORIC CONTEXT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE APPLICANT PROPOSES TO INSTALL AND AL TO ALTER THE CURRENT PORCH POST TO CHAMFORD SIX BY SIX AND INSTALL A EIGHT INCH FREEZE BOARD ON THE LOWER PORCH AND BRACKET TREE ON UPPER AND LOWER PORCH.
THE APPLICANT ALSO PROPOSES TO REPLACE BALLISTERS WITH DOUBLE BEADED TWO BY TWO.
THIS PROPOSAL HAS THE SUPPORT OF OLD SIX WARD.
HISTORIC COMMITTEE STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS TO REMOVE THE BRACKET DETAILING ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE PORCH STAFF IS AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
AND WE HAVE THE OWNER SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AS HE WOULD LIKE A FULL APPROVAL.
COMMISSION MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF ON THIS ITEM? UM, I SEE THE DRAWING OF THE SECOND FLOOR BRACKET DETAIL AND WHY STAFF IS OBJECTING TO IT.
UM, SO WE BELIEVE THAT LOOKING AT THE SANBORN SOMETIME FROM 1907 TILL 1924, THERE HAS BEEN AN ALTERATION.
UM, WE DO BELIEVE THAT THE, THE, THE DETAILING IS WILL BE AS HOW IT WAS ORIGINALLY IN THE LATE 18 HUNDREDS ON THE FRONT, ON THE FIRST, UH, PORT FIRST, UH, FLOOR OF THE PORCH.
BUT THEN AS THE SECOND STORY WAS ADDED ON LATER, SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN 1907 AND 1924, IT WOULDN'T, THAT, THAT DETAILING WOULDN'T BE ACCURATE.
OKAY, COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER CO.
YOU HAD A QUESTION? UH, GO AHEAD.
YEAH, I'M, I, I'M MIXED UP TODAY, SO GO AHEAD.
I'M JUST, I'M ALWAYS TRYING TO RECONCILE CATEGORY THREE WITH THESE KINDS OF THINGS WHERE WE SAY WE'RE NOT TRYING TO REPLICATE EARLIER OR LATER APPEARANCE AND TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE SOMETHING THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THERE WITHOUT ANY ACTUAL PROOF.
SEEMS LIKE IT CONTRADICTS THAT CRITERIA PRETTY DEF DEFINITIVELY TO ME.
SO I I AGREE IT PROBABLY LOOKED NICER, BUT THE RULE IS A RULE AND I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN JUSTIFY GOING AROUND THAT RULE PICTURE.
UH, ACTUALLY I WOULD LIKE TO REITERATE THAT POINT.
UM, FOR THE PAST YEARS WHERE I WAS AN APPLICANT MYSELF, UH, AND NOW IN THE COMMISSION THAT, UH, WHENEVER THERE IS A, UH, UH, NON-CONTRIBUTING OR A LATER BILL, NEW BILL, IT WAS TOLD TO ME THAT THE GOAL WAS ALWAYS TO SIMPLIFY AND NOT TRY TO, UH, HAVE A WHOLESALE COPY OF MAKING SOMETHING LOOK VERY ORNATE WHEN WE CANNOT PROVE BACK IN ITS HEYDAY THAT THIS THING WAS ACTUALLY REMOVED, UH, BECAUSE IT WAS ROTTED.
SO, UH, THE GOAL IS HERE NOT TO MAKE THIS BUILDING MORE THAN IT WAS NOT BASICALLY.
AND I THINK THAT RULE SHOULD STAND.
SO I AM ACTUALLY IN FAVOR OF NOT JUST REMOVING THE THING FROM THE FIRST SECOND FLOOR, BUT REMOVING IT FROM THE FIRST FLOOR AS WELL IF IT WASN'T THERE.
DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR A STATEMENT? YOU DID NOT.
WELL, AT THIS TIME I'M GONNA OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING BECAUSE WE DO HAVE, UH, UH, THE APPLICANT HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
AND THANK YOU TO THE COMMISSION.
UM, COULD YOU RESTATE YOUR NAME PLEASE FOR THE RECORD? MY NAME IS DAVID HILL.
I'M THE OWNER OF EIGHT 17 COLORADO STREET IN THE OLD SIXTH WARD.
AND, UH, IN RECREATING, UH, THE PORCH, UH, THE PORCH WAS ADDED IN, UH, THE YEAR 2000 ISH.
AND IT'S MORE LIKE IT WAS BUILT OUT OF LIKE DECK MATERIAL.
IT WAS, IT WASN'T INTENDED TO BE HISTORICALLY ACCURATE, BUT IT IS A HISTORIC, UH, FOOTPRINT OF, OF WHAT WAS THERE.
[00:45:01]
HOUSE, UH, WAS BUILT, THE DOWNSTAIRS HOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1878, AND IT WAS ORIGINALLY A ONE STORY HOUSE.SO THE ORNAMENTATION THAT I'VE SUGGESTED FOR THE DOWNSTAIRS IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE STRUCTURE, APPROPRIATE FOR THE MASS OF THE HOUSE AND IS REPEATED THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, WHAT MY THINKING WAS IN, UH, RECREATING THE PORCH WAS THAT THE UPSTAIRS, WHICH WAS ADDED IN 1913, UH, WOULD'VE HAD SOME SORT OF ORNAMENTATION.
I JUST, I JUST LEARNED OF THIS OBJECTION TODAY.
SO FORGIVE ME IF EVERYTHING'S IN BLACK AND WHITE AND A LITTLE GRAINY, BUT, UH, YOU CAN BURN THE CAMERA HERE.
SO IN, I'M GONNA ELIMINATE THAT.
UM, SO THROUGH MY RESEARCH, I'VE DETERMINED THAT THE HOUSE WAS ADDED ONTO IN 1913.
AS I SAY, UH, WE HAVE HOUSES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT DO HAVE SUCH ORNAMENTATION THAT WERE BUILT LATER.
THIS IS 2210 CANE AND IT WAS BUILT IN 1911.
AND IT HAS ORIGINAL ORNAMENTATION.
THIS IS A CURRENT, THIS IS THE PICTURE FROM THE 1973 TAX RECORDS.
HERE'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF 2217 DECATUR THAT WAS BUILT IN 1906 THAT HAS ORNAMENTATION.
THIS IS, UH, 2206 LUBBOCK BUILT IN 1905.
THIS IS NINE, UH, CHAIR, I'M SORRY.
I NEED, UH, SORRY TO INTERRUPT Y'ALL.
I JUST NEED TO MAKE A POINT OF ORDER FOR THE, MAYBE IT'S FOR HTV PEOPLE, BUT, UM, FOR THE HTV FOLKS, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT DOCUMENT CAMERA THAT I BELIEVE YOU'RE SEEING ON THE MONITORS IN THE CHAMBERS COULD BE SHARED IN THE TEAMS MEETING? 'CAUSE 'CAUSE IT'S NOT THERE AND I, I DON'T WANT TO BREAK OUR STREAM, BUT IF NOT, THAT'S FINE.
I JUST WANNA NOTE THAT WE'RE NOT SEEING THOSE IMAGES HE'S SHARING.
IS ANYBODY ABLE TO FIX THAT OR, OKAY.
UH, THE LAST ONE IS 900 SABINE, AND I'LL ADD THAT THIS IS ON MY BLOCK.
UH, THIS WAS BUILT IN 1913, THE SAME YEAR MY HOUSE WAS, UH, ADDED ON TO, IS THERE A MOTION TO GIVE THE SPEAKER INITIAL FIVE MINUTES OF TIME? DEFENSE WILL MAKE THE MOTION.
IS THERE A SECOND? COSGROVE SECOND.
AND, AND I JUST HAVE TWO MORE PICTURES.
AND THESE ARE PICTURES I TOOK TODAY TO SHOW THAT, UH, THAT THERE WAS THERE, THAT THERE IS SURVIVING VICTORIAN ELEMENTS IN THE UPSTAIRS THAT WAS BUILT IN 19 13 4 PANEL DOORS WITH IM MORTIS LOCKS, UM, TRANS, SOME WINDOWS WITH FLUTED TRIM AND BULLSEYE THROUGHOUT.
IF THE STAFF HAS A RECOMMENDATION, UH, UH, FOR MAYBE ALTERING THE BRACKETS, I'M OPEN TO THAT.
UH, AS FAR AS JUST REMOVING THEM FROM THE TOP, I KIND OF THINK THE HOUSE WOULD LOOK SILLY.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT FROM, FROM COMMISSIONERS? UH, YEAH, UH, I HAVE A QUESTION, PLEASE.
UH, SO, UH, SO MR. HILL, UH, YOU HAVE SHOWN US A NUMBER OF EXAMPLES OF, UH, YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSES.
UH, DO YOU HAVE ONE OF THIS HOUSE, THE THE HOUSING IN 8 1 7 COLORADO PICTURES OF THAT HOUSE THAT HAS SHOW THE FRONT PORCH HAS THIS BRACKET? I DO NOT.
I THINK THE INVENTORY PICTURE THAT WE SAW, THE PORCH WAS NOT THERE.
IT WAS JUST, THERE WAS A SUPPORT FROM WHAT I CAN RECALL IN THE APPLICATION HOLDING OUT THE ROOF.
BUT IT WASN'T, BUT IT WAS, UH,
[00:50:01]
MISSING.BUT OF THE OTHER QUESTIONS OF COMMISSIONER MEMBERS OF OF THE APPLICANT.
SO THE PICTURE FROM 1972 IS THE OLDEST PHOTO WE HAVE OF THE HOUSE.
IT'S IMAGE THAT WE NOW SEE ON THE SCREEN, I BELIEVE IS THE OLDEST IMAGE THAT WE KNOW OF.
THE, UH, THE PORCH FLOORS ARE GONE, THE ROOF IS, IS INTACT AND IT'S THE SAME ROOF THAT'S THAT'S THERE NOW.
AND THERE'S, UH, DIAGONAL TWO BY SIXES HOLDING UP THAT ROOF.
AND I REMEMBER THERE WERE TWO BY SIXES, EXPENSIVE HOUSES LIKE THIS WHEN I MOVED TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE THIS, LIKE THIS, LIKE THIS PHOTO.
ABOUT THE FIRST TIME I NOTICED THIS, IT WAS ABOUT 1995.
AND IT WAS, IT LOOKED JUST LIKE THIS.
AND WHAT, WHAT DO THE SANBORN MAPS, THEY ALWAYS SHOW A PORCH IN THE SAME PLACE.
I'M SORRY, THE SANBORN MAPS, THEY ALWAYS SHOW A PORCH IN THE SAME PLACE.
HOW MANY TIMES DOES THIS HOUSE APPEAR IN THE SANBORN MAPS? UH, FIRST TIME.
18 90 18, 96, 19 0 7, 19 24, AND 1950.
IN 1913, THEY JUST BUILT A SECOND FLOOR ON TOP OF IT? YES.
AND APPARENTLY BUILT A SECOND FLOOR PORCH BECAUSE THE ROOF, THE ROOF, THE ROOF WAS SURVIVING IN THE INVENTORY IMAGE AND THE, THE FOOTPRINT OF THE PORCH, THE TWO STORY PORCH, IS THE SAME FOOTPRINT OF THE ORIGINAL ONE STORY PORCH.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT COMMISSIONER COUCH? THAT IS CAN, THAT CAN BE SEEN ON PAGE EIGHT OF 22.
THE UPPER PICTURE OF 1907 SHOWS A ONE STORY PORCH AND THEN A LOWER PICTURE.
1924 SHOWS THE SAME SIZE PORCH, BUT TWO X TWO, TWO STORIES, TWO STORIES.
THEY, THEY ALSO CHANGED THE, THEY CHANGED THE PLAN OF THE HOUSE.
THEY MADE IT LIKE A RECTANGLE INSTEAD OF A U-SHAPE.
THEY CONNECTED, UH, TWO ROOMS. UH, ON THE SOUTH SIDE THERE'S AN INSET FOR A SERVICE PORCH AND THEY JUST ELIMINATED THAT.
AND THAT'S REFLECTED IN THE, IN THE DOWNSTAIRS.
UH, THERE'S DIFFERENT FLOORING THERE.
SO THEY JUST TOOK THAT SAME HOUSE AND PUT A WALL OVER THAT TURNED INTO AN INTERIOR SPACE.
UM, I'LL JUST ASK IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC VIRTUALLY OR IN THE MEETING THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE SIDE.
AND PLEASE ANNOUNCE YOURSELF AND STATE YOUR NAME.
NOT HEARING, I'M GONNA CLOSE PUBLIC.
UH, THE, I'M GONNA NOT HEARING ANYONE.
I'M GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING COMMISSION MEMBERS.
ARE THERE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OF STAFF OR IS THERE A MOTION OR A RECOMMENDATION? UH, CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT.
PLEASE PROCEED ROMAN, UH, IN REGARDING THE STAFF'S, UH, REASONING HERE, UM, AND LOOKING AT CRITERIA THREE, AND ALSO CRITERIA SEVEN KIND OF HAS THE SAME LANGUAGE AND LIKE THREE IS THAT THEY, IT MUST, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT TRYING TO SEEK TO CREATE AN EARLIER OR LATER APPEARANCE.
TO ME, THAT LANGUAGE WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE IN THIS CASE.
IN THIS CASE, WE KNOW THAT THE PORCH DESIGN ON THE FIRST LEVEL, AT LEAST THAT THAT IS PROPOSED, IS MATCHING WHAT WE KNOW TO BE THIS BUILDING'S PERIOD.
IT, IT'S NOT A BUILDING THAT IT WAS BUILT IN 1950 AND SOMEONE'S TRYING TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE IT WAS BUILT IN, UH, THE 1880S OR IN 78 IN THIS CASE.
I MEAN, THAT IS A, AS WE KNOW FROM PERIOD EXAMPLES WITHIN THE CONTEXT AREA OF THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, THAT IS VERY, VERY LIKELY WOULD BE THE CASE, WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN ON THAT PORCH DETAILING.
UM, SO THAT'S WHY, AND IT, THAT SAME CRITERIA REPEATS ON SEVEN, UM, AT STEP SEVEN ASKS FOR HISTORICAL, IT SAYS AVAILABLE HISTORICAL, PHYSICAL, OR PICTORIAL EVIDENCE.
SO AGAIN, IT'S THE AVAILABLE HISTORICAL EVIDENCE, THE MAPS, THE NEIGHBORHOOD, EX 10 BUILDINGS, EX 10 PORCHES.
THAT IS THE REASON OUR, WE RECOMMENDED APPROVAL, UH, WITH THE CONDITION.
AND THAT CONDITION WAS POINTED
[00:55:01]
OUT TO US THAT THE SECOND LEVEL, SINCE IT WAS BUILT LATER, I BELIEVE WE THINK 1913, IF I PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THAT THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT.SO WE OFFERED, UH, KIND OF A MIDDLE POINT BETWEEN THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST, WHICH WAS TO REMOVE THE BRACKETS, UM, BECAUSE PERHAPS BY THAT PERIOD IN TIME THERE WOULD'VE BEEN A DIFFERENT, UH, DETAILING USED ON A COLUMN.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT WE WERE THINKING.
I MEAN, IF, IF YOU READ THE LAST SENTENCE OR CLAUSE AND CATEGORY SEVEN, IT SAYS, RATHER THAN ON CONJECTURAL DESIGNS OR THE AVAILABILITY OF DIFFERENT ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS FROM OTHER STRUCTURES.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE CROSSING OUT THE ABILITY TO LOOK AT OTHER BUILDINGS RATHER THAN THIS EXACT ONE.
IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY EVIDENCE, AND I DON'T THINK WE KNOW WHAT IT WOULD'VE BEEN.
I MEAN, WE HAVE IDEA, BUT WE DON'T HAVE DEFINITIVE PROOF THAT IT HAD THIS PARTICULAR KIND OF DECORATION ON THE FRONT OF IT.
AND SO I JUST ALSO WANT TO SAY WE'RE IN 2023.
WE'RE NOT IN 1913 OR SOMETHING.
WE CAN'T RECREATE THE PAST IN 2023.
IT'LL BE SOMETHING THAT'S AN IMITATION OF SOMETHING HISTORIC.
SO WHAT'S YOUR, MR. CURRY, WHAT'S YOUR THANK YOU CHAIR.
WHAT'S YOUR OPINION OF THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCE? I PERSONALLY THINK THAT THIS IS, WE, WE HAVE THIS, PEOPLE TRYING TO MAKE THINGS LOOK LIKE THE HOUSE WAS OLDER.
THERE WAS THAT ONE WITH THE PORT CHE THING WHERE THEY WERE TRYING TO TAKE IT OFF.
AND I, I JUST ALWAYS DISAGREE WITH THAT.
'CAUSE I THINK THE RULES ARE, ARE PRETTY CLEAR HERE ON CATEGORY THREE AND SEVEN.
AND SO LOOKING AT THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION, APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS, CONDITION BEING THE RE REMOVE THE BRACKET DETAILING ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE PORCH, WHICH, WHICH IS NOT THE APPLICANT'S PREFERENCE AS WE HEARD, BUT IT'S, IT'S STILL TRYING TO MAKE IT LOOK OLDER THAN IT IS THE BRACKET ON THE SECOND FLOOR.
THE, THE WHOLE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE PORCH.
NO, THE, THE HOUSE IS, THE HOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1878, THE FIRST FLOOR AND THE SECOND FLOOR ADDED IN 1913, SECOND FLOOR PORCH.
THERE'S A PORCH FROM 2000 THAT'S 23 YEARS OLD NOW.
AND WE WANNA REBUILD THAT TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE SOMETHING THAT'S OLDER THAN SOMETHING FROM 2000.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE SOMETHING THAT WAS, THAT WOULD'VE BEEN ON THE HOUSE.
AND THE PORCH THAT IS THERE NOW IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WOULD'VE BEEN ON THE HOUSE.
SO THAT GOES AGAINST CRITERIA THREE AND SEVEN TO RECREATE THE APPEARANCE OF AN EARLIER ERA.
I, I, I'M JUST, I'M READING OFF OF, OF WHAT THE CRITERIA ARE.
I DON'T WANT TO
BUT I THINK PART PART OF THAT IS ABOUT EARLIER ERROR TO SOMETHING, TO WHAT THE SOMETHING IS.
I MEAN, IT WAS OF AN EARLIER ERA, THE HOUSE, I MEAN, MY EXPERIENCE AT TEXAS STORE COMMISSION IS WHEN YOU HAVE A ITEM LIKE THIS, I'VE SEEN IN SOME CASES THEY ALLOW SOME ELEMENTS, BUT THEY WERE, THEY REQUIRED TO BE ABSTRACTED.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, IT, IT DOESN'T ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE IT'S, YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY VICTORIAN.
BUT IT'S, BUT IT'S, WELL, SO THE 2000 PORCH LOOKS LIKE IT'S A SIMPLIFIED VERSION.
IT DOESN'T HAVE THE, THE VICTORIAN DECOR AND STUFF.
SO TO ME, THAT'S THE APPROPRIATE PORCH TO BE ON THE HOUSE NOW.
AND IT MAYBE IT COULD EVEN BE MORE SIMPLIFIED OR SOMETHING, BUT DEFINITELY NOT THE OTHER DIRECTION.
I, I JUST, I DON'T THINK THAT SATISFIES CATEGORY THREE OR SEVEN.
I HAVE A COMMENT OR A QUESTION ACTUALLY FOR THE APPLICANT.
IS THAT OKAY? WILL WE HAVE TO REOPEN PUBLIC COMMENT? NO, THIS IS, THIS COMMISSIONER STAAVA HAS A QUESTION.
CAN I ASK THE APPLICANT A QUESTION OR I GUESS LEGAL, THE QUESTION IS, DO WE HAVE TO REOPEN UP, UH, THE PUBLIC HEARING TO ASK A QUESTION OF THE APPLICANT? NO.
BY THE TIME YOU ALL ARE CONSIDERING THE ITEM, YOU MAY STILL ASK QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT AND STAFF.
SO COMMISSIONER STAAVA, YOU CAN, YOU CAN ADDRESS YOUR QUESTION TO THE APPLICANT.
DO YOU HAVE ANY EVIDENCE OF THE BRACKETS OF THE, UM, GHOST OUTLINE OF THE BRACKETS IN THE SIDING? IS THERE ANY EVIDENCE OF THAT WHATSOEVER? THERE IS EVIDENCE ON THE, THE BOARD, FORGIVE ME FOR NOT RE REC REALLY, UH, THE BOARD THAT THE COLUMNS SIT UNDERNEATH ON THE TOP PORCH.
THERE ARE, THERE'S SOME SHADOWING THERE, BUT IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE VAGUE, BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING THERE.
[01:00:03]
WHAT ABOUT ON THE FIRST FLOOR, UH, BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND, UH, IT SEEMS LIKE THE SIDING ON THE FIRST FLOOR MAY BE ORIGINAL.IS THAT RIGHT? SOME OF IT IS ORIGINAL, BUT AT SOME POINT THE HOUSE HAD PAIRED WINDOWS AND AT SOME POINT SOMEBODY MADE A SINGLE WINDOW AND REDID THE SIDING THAT WOULD'VE BEEN ON EITHER SIDE OF THE TWO EXISTING WINDOWS.
UM, THE REASON I'M ASKING IS BECAUSE, UH, RECENTLY, JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, I HAD A C OF A, IT WAS A BRAND NEW PORCH AND THAT HADN'T BEEN THERE, THE PAINTING DONE, BUT THERE WAS ARCHITECTURAL EVIDENCE, I THINK FROM 2006 DECATUR.
SO WE HAD TO JUST BASE BASE IT ON THAT TYPE OF EVIDENCE.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WAS WONDERING ABOUT.
AND FOR THE PUBLIC COMMISSIONER, STAAVA BASICALLY IS ASKING THE QUESTION, IS THERE, IS THERE GHOSTING EVIDENT ON THE ORIGINAL SIGHTING OR THE ORIGINAL SOFFIT, UH, SORT SORT OF THE, THE, THE BOTTOM SIDE OF THE PERIMETER SUPPORT BEAM OF THE PORCH, WHICH IS WHICH DATES TO THE APPEARS TO DATE TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SECOND FLOOR? YES.
IF THERE, IF YOU, IF YOU, IF YOU'VE EVER NOTICED, IF YOU PAINT A HOUSE MANY TIMES AND THEN YOU REMOVE AN ITEM YES, AND THEN YOU PAINT IT ANOTHER TIME OR A FEW TIMES, THE PAINT IS MUCH THICKER WHERE, AROUND WHERE SOMETHING USED TO EXIST.
AND WHEN YOU CAN SEE THAT IMPRINT, IT'S SOMETIMES CALLED GHOST GHOSTING.
RIGHT? SO, BUT IT IS A WAY TO, UM, ACKNOWLEDGE A PRESENCE THAT SOMETHING DID EXIST.
UM, COMMISSIONER JONES, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR JUST, JUST POINT OF ORDER.
SO COMMISSIONER YAPP, YOU STILL HAD A QUESTION? YES.
UM, I GUESS THAT, THAT DISCUSSION IS OVER.
SO I ACTUALLY HAVE, UH, A QUESTION, UH, FOR COMMISSIONER COUCH ON, ON THE RECOMMENDATION.
UH, IF WE GO BACK TO THE COA PAGE ONE OF 22, UM, WE WERE COMING BACK TO THE POINT OF MAKING SOMETHING, LOOK AT ITS APPROPRIATE TIME, WHICH IS TODAY OR 20 YEARS FROM NOW, WHATEVER THE TIME THIS IS, IS BUILT.
SO I I AM PERSONALLY, UH, IN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION, I'M OKAY TO, UH, ITEM INSTALLING PORCH POST IN AND REPLACING THE BASTER WITH, UH, TWO OVER TWO WITH, UH, WITH 10 ONES BECAUSE THEY ARE, IT'S STILL BEING, UH, UH, SOLD IN HOME DEPOT, RIGHT? THAT'S TODAY.
UH, I AM TAKING EXCEPTION TO THE ORNATENESS OF THE GINGERBREAD BECAUSE THOSE THINGS ARE NOT REPRODUCED AS OF TODAY OR 20 YEARS AGO.
UH, SO FOR ME, THE POINT OF SIMPLIFICATION IS TO SAY, OKAY, LET'S BUILD THINGS THAT YOU CAN BUY OFF TYPICALLY, UH, UH, THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY INSTALL TODAY.
AND NOT SPECIALLY MILL SOMETHING VERY ORNATE BACK TO HIS HARKING BACK TO HIS VICTORIAN TIMES.
SO I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH COMMISSIONER COUCH ON THIS MATTER.
UM, AND IN THAT SENSE, THE, THE RECOMMENDATION COULD BE JUST REMOVE THE BRACKETS FROM BOTH FIRST FLOOR AND SECOND FLOOR.
O ONLY IF THERE'S A QUESTION FROM THE COMMISSION, UM, YEAH.
THAT, THAT WILL BE ANSWERING A QUESTION COMING FROM, UH, A COMMISSIONER CORY AS WELL.
WHAT, WHAT WOULD WE HAVE TAUGHT? RIGHT? SO I'M JUST TELLING YOU WHAT IT WOULD'VE, WHAT I WOULD APPROVE, LIKE SAY YES, IS THAT TO REMOVE ALL THE GINGERBREAD COMPLETELY.
AND I GUESS ALL, ALL I'M OFFERING IN MY EXPERIENCE, LIKE WITH TECH STORE COMMISSION ON A TAX CREDIT PROJECT OR HIGH LEVEL PROJECT, LIKE A COREDO REVIEW, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF REVIEW, IF YOU, IF ONE CAN PROVE THE EXISTENCE OF AN ITEM, SAY BY GHOSTING, SO YOU KNOW IT, SOMETHING EXISTED, BUT YOU DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT IS, THEY HAVE ALLOWED SOMETHING TO GO BACK THAT'S SOMEWHAT DECORATIVE, BUT IT'S HIGHLY ABSTRACTED SO THAT IT'S ALSO VERY CLEAR.
LET'S, LET'S, IN THIS CASE, LET'S SAY, SO I HAVE, IT'S, I HAVE SEEN THEM AT LEAST ALLOW A, A, A CONSTRUCTION OF SOMETHING THAT IF YOU CAN PROVE THAT YOU, IT WAS THERE BY SOME, SOME MEANS LIKE GHOSTING.
UM, THEY, THEY, BUT THEY WOULDN'T, I GUESS TO YOUR POINT, THEY WOULD NOT, WOULDN'T NECESSARILY ALLOW YOU TO USE A VICTORIAN PATTERN UNLESS YOU COULD PROVE WHAT IT IS.
SO YOU GO WITH SOMETHING VERY GENERIC, AND SO THAT MIGHT, FROM A, YOU KNOW, HALF A MILE AWAY MIGHT LOOK LIKE IT, BUT ON CLOSE INSPECTION YOU LOOK AT IT AND YOU REALIZE THAT'S NEW, YOU KNOW, YOU.
SO THAT, THAT'S FOR ME, THAT'S JUST A NUANCE IN THIS CONVERSATION.
BUT I WOULD JUST SAY, UM, COMMISSION MEMBERS, IF BRING A MOTION, I MEAN,
[01:05:01]
PLEASE BRING A MOTION AND STATE YOUR MOTION AND SEE IF THE COMMISSION MEMBERS, UH, SUPPORT COMMISSIONER HICK.UM, WE HAVE TWO COMMISSIONERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
COMMISSIONER MCNEIL AND COMMISSIONER, UH, UH, VERA.
UM, WE'LL START WITH COMMISSIONER MCNEIL FIRST, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT.
ARE YOU HAVING ANYTHING CUSTOM MILLED TO RECREATE THIS PORCH? OR IS EVERYTHING A STOCK ITEM THAT YOU'RE BUYING OFF A SHELF? EVERYTHING WILL BE CUSTOM MILLED.
THERE WILL BE NOTHING THAT IS PREFABRICATED AND AS IN THE APPLICATION, EVERYTHING WILL BE MADE OUT OF, UH, PRESSURE TREATED PINE AND CUSTOM MILLED.
AND THE, WE HAD ONE MORE SPEAK, ONE MORE COMMISSIONER WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION.
IF THERE WAS A, IF THERE WAS AN ARTISAN THAT HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED AND WHAT THE MATERIAL WOULD BE MADE FOR MR. CURRY.
UH, UH, ANOTHER QUESTION, UH, MR. HILL, JUST FOR CLARITY, YOUR APPLICATION IS, IS ABOUT, UH, PURELY AESTHETIC, THESE AESTHETIC ISSUES THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING.
IS THERE ANYTHING STRUCTURAL THAT'S, UH, THAT'S AN ISSUE HERE FOR YOU? THE ONLY THING STRUCTURAL THAT IS AN ISSUE ARE THE, UH, THE COLUMNS ARE INAPPROPRIATE AND THEY'RE, THE DIMENSIONS OF THE COLUMNS ARE NOT SOMETHING AESTHETICALLY AND I, AND I WOULD AGREE RIGHT, BY THE WAY.
BUT, BUT, BUT THEN THERE'S, WE, WE, YOU'RE NOT, NOT HERE BECAUSE OF STRUCTURAL FAILURE.
I THAT BECAUSE OF THE SEVERE CONDITION THAT WE SAW PREVIOUSLY.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S SOLID FROM A STRUCTURAL STANDPOINT.
YOU, YOUR ISSUES ARE AESTHETIC.
AND, AND THEN, AND THEN, UM, SECONDLY, I'D INVITE YOU TO RESPOND TO, UH, COMMISSIONER YAP, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO.
I THINK YOU ASKED ABOUT THAT, RIGHT? I WAS, IT, IT, IT WAS SORT OF ANSWERED WITH, UH, THE OTHER TWO QUESTIONS.
IT'S, NOTHING IS GOING TO BE FROM HOME DEPOT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I'M A PRETTY DARN GOOD CARPENTER, AND I'VE, UH, I'VE MADE BRACKETS IN THE PAST AND, AND RECREATED A, UH, A PORCH BEFORE THE HISTORIC DISTRICT WAS EVEN IN PLACE.
AND, UM, SO IT WILL, IT WILL BE APPROPRIATE IN MASS, IN SCALE AND IN DESIGN.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE HEARD HERE IS THE IDEA THAT, UM, IF, IF, UH, ORNAMENTATION WERE ADDED, THAT IT WOULD BE DISTINCTIVE FROM, UH, SIMPLY A REPLICATION OF, OF WHAT WOULD'VE BEEN PERIOD ORIGINALLY, UH, INVITING YOU TO RESPOND TO THAT IF YOU'D LIKE.
I WOULD LIKE TO REFER TO AN EXAMPLE, CARRIED FORTH VERY WELL OF WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO.
AND THAT IS 2006 DECATUR, WHICH HAD NO PORCH WHATSOEVER AND HAS A VERY, HAS A, A VERY HISTORIC LOOKING PORCH.
IT WAS CREATED OUT OF NOTHING.
AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL AND IT'S AN ASSET TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER MEMBERS.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? DO YOU KNOW WHAT COMMISSIONER I KNOW IN 2006, DECATUR PORCH WAS BUILT? I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER, COULD YOU RESTATE THE QUESTION ONE MORE TIME? I HEARD A, A QUESTION BILL.
HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE PORCH IN REFERENCE.
THE 2000 SOMETHING DECATUR, 2006 DECATUR, UH, DID NOT HAVE A PORCH AT ALL.
IT'S A, IT'S AN HISTORIC HOME.
FEW YEARS OLDER THAN MINE, IT WAS TURNED SIDEWAYS AND THE, THE OWNER AND THE DESIGNER, UH, TURNED IT TO THE WAY IT ORIGINALLY WAS AND THEN CREATED THIS PORCH.
THE COMMISSIONER MC MCNEIL'S QUESTION WAS, IF, YOU KNOW WHEN THAT PORCH WAS ADDED TO THAT HOUSE, THIS, UH, WITHIN THE PAST FIVE YEARS, VERY RECENTLY, AND ROMAN, DID THAT PORCH COME BEFORE THIS COMMISSION? I, I WOULD HAVE TO RESEARCH THAT.
I'M, I'M NOT SURE WHEN THAT PORCH, UH, AND SOUNDS LIKE FROM THE DATE, WHERE DO WE KNOW THAT DATE? I'M SORRY.
SAYING I WAS ONE OF THE DESIGNERS, UH, OF THAT PORCH AND I, BASED ON THE ARCHITECTURAL EVIDENCE.
SO, UM, WE SEE IT, WE SEE IT, UM, THE FREEZE, THE FREEZE FREEZE LINES.
WE SEE THE LINE IN THE PAINTING, IN THE PAINT WITH, UH, WITH THE BRACKETS.
IT'S THE ONLY DIFFERENCES, UH, IS THE RAILING.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN IT USED TO BE.
SO BASED ON, UH, JUST TO BASE IT ON CODE.
SO TO ANSWER THE OTHER QUESTION, IT DID COME BEFORE IT DID HAVE A C OF A, THAT, THAT, THAT PROJECT DID COME BEFORE THE COMMISSION, SO, SO CAN I GET SOME CLARITY PLEASE? SO WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A, A HOUSE IN THE OLD SIXTH WARD THAT DID NOT HAVE A PORCH, AND THEY WERE ALLOWED TO REBUILD A BRAND NEW FRONT
[01:10:01]
PORCH IN A HISTORIC LOOK THAT MATCHED THE ORIGINAL AGE OF THE HOUSE USING NEW MATERIALS.IS THAT CORRECT? BASED ON GHOSTING FOUND ON THE, ON THE ORIGINAL HOUSE, ON SIDING AND, AND WOOD.
THAT WAS ORIGINAL MS. MR. CHAIR? YES.
UH, IF I COULD, WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THE APPLICATION AT HAND, PLEASE.
AND NOT GO BACK IF YOU ALL WANT AN UPDATE OR REPORT BACK FROM MR. MCALLEN ABOUT THIS PROPERTY.
TAKE WE'LL, WE'LL DO THAT SEPARATELY.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO BACK UP JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CRITERIA.
UM, YOU KNOW, IN A LITTLE HISTORY, WHICH YOU ALL KNOW, AND I, I I HATE TO, TO, TO, UH, BE PEDANTIC, BUT THE, THE CRITERIA IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, CODE OF ORDINANCES, LIKE THE CRITERIA ACROSS MOST OF THE CITIES IN TEXAS CAME FROM, OR WAS BASED UPON SOME LOOKING BACK AT THE UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF INTERIOR STANDARDS FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, I, I WANNA LOOK AT THAT CRITERIA NUMBER SEVEN.
AND YOU CAN SEE, I WANNA SHOW YOU IF, LET'S LOOK AT SEVEN AND THEN I WANNA SHOW YOU CLEARLY WHERE IT CAME FROM.
AND THERE'S A SLIGHT DIFFERENCE IN THE WORDING, WHICH I THINK, UM, GETS TO THE CHAIR'S POINT ABOUT, UM, ABSTRACTED ELEMENTS AND SUCH.
SO, SEVEN SAYS THE PROPOSED REPLACEMENT OF EXTERIOR FEATURES, IF ANY, SHOULD BE BASED ON AN ACCURATE DUPLICATION OF FEATURES, SUBSTANTIATED BY, OR SUBSTANTIATED BY AVAILABLE PICTORIAL, PHYSICAL, OR PICTORIAL EVIDENCE WHERE THAT EVIDENCE IS AVAILABLE RATHER THAN ON CONTEXTUAL DESIGNS OR THE AVAILABILITY OF DIFFERENT ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS FROM OTHER STRUCTURES.
AND IF, IF IT'S OKAY, I THINK THIS WILL WORK IF I CAN SHARE SCREEN, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK STAFF CAN GET TO IT QUICKLY ENOUGH.
I HAVE ON MY OTHER SCREEN HERE, WHICH SHOULD PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF I'M SHARING PUBLICLY HERE.
SO HERE'S FROM THE PARK SERVICES WEBSITE WHERE I BELIEVE THIS LANGUAGE IS FROM.
AND IF I READ IT, IT'S IN THE BLACK WITH WHITE LETTERS.
YOU NOTICE A SLIGHT VARIANCE AND THAT VARIANCE MAY BE CAUSING THE CONFUSION.
EACH PROPERTY WILL BE RECOGNIZED AS A PHYSICAL RECORD OF ITS OWN TIME PLACE, AND USE CHANGES THAT CREATE A FALSE SENSE OF HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT, SUCH AS ADDING CON CONTEXTUAL FEATURES OR ELEMENTS FROM OTHER HISTORIC PROPERTIES WILL NOT BE UNDERTAKEN.
THIS LANGUAGE, TO ME IS CLEAR MORE CLEARLY INDICATING THAT THE PROBLEM IS THAT WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO PUT ON ELEMENTS THAT ARE NOT P PART OF THE PERIOD OF DEVELOPMENT OF THAT STRUCTURE, IN THIS CASE, WELL IN THIS CASE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THEY'RE NOT HERE, THEY'RE SAYING SUCH AS ADDING CONJECTURAL FEATURES FROM OTHER PROPERTIES.
I THINK THE INTENTION IS THAT YOU DON'T TRY TO TAKE ELEMENTS FROM A PROPERTY, WHETHER IT'S 20 OR 30 OR 40 YEARS LATER, AND BRINGING THEM IN.
AS WE OFTEN SEE IN THE HOUSTON HEIGHTS, WHEN WE SEE A VERY TYPICAL CRAFTSMAN BUNGALOW WHERE THE FRONT PORCH HAS TURNED COLUMNS OFTEN FROM A BIG BOX STORE, UH, OR SOME OTHER, AND SOME, SOMETIMES EVEN MORE, UH, ORNAMENTAL.
AND WE KNOW THAT THAT WHOLE PORCH WAS, YOU KNOW, PURCHASED AND PUT ON THAT PROPERTY, BUT IT, IT CONFUSES IT.
SO I THINK I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT I DON'T THINK, I MEAN THAT THIS, THAT THIS, AT LEAST ON THE FIRST LEVEL, I'LL REPEAT THAT IT APPEARED TO US THAT WE THOUGHT HE WASN'T TRYING TO CREATE A FALSE SENSE OF TIME OF WHEN THAT BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED.
AND I JUST PLEASE, I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU, I THINK THOSE TWO, UM, SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT WORDED.
THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S CRITERIA WERE TAKEN FROM A DRAFT TEMPLATE FROM THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION MANY YEARS AGO.
AND THAT WOULD'VE EVOLVED FROM THIS, BUT SOMETIMES JUST MISSING A WORD OR TWO, OR MAYBE TRYING TO OWN IT WHEN IT WAS DRAFTED AS AN ORDINANCE, IT MIGHT HAVE CREATED A POSSIBILITY THERE.
UH, AND BUT WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO MY, UH, TO THE HONORABLE COMMISSIONER COUCH, I, I, UH, AND MY FRIEND, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND.
I JUST THINK THAT I'M NOT SEEING WHERE THIS IS COMPLETELY THAT FAR OFF THE MARK, UM, IN THIS CASE.
I THINK TO, TO THE COMMISSIONER'S POINT ABOUT THE TEXAS COURTHOUSE PROGRAM, IF THE APPLICANT'S WILLING TO DO AN ABSTRACTED DECORATIONS THAT DON'T LOOK LIKE THEY'RE LITERALLY TRACED FROM ONE OF THE HOUSES AROUND THE CORNER,
[01:15:01]
THAT MIGHT BE MORE ACCEPTABLE.BUT TO TRY TO RECREATE VERY LITERALLY THE TRIM FROM ANOTHER HOUSE, I JUST DON'T THINK IS, IS GONNA MEET THE REQUIREMENTS IN MY MIND.
ARE YOU PREPARED TO MAKE A MOTION? YES, BUT I'M, I'M TRYING TO FEEL OUT IF ANYONE ELSE AGREES WITH ME.
IF NOT, THEN I'LL LET SOMEONE ELSE MAKE A MOTION.
BUT I MEAN, YOU CAN MAKE THE MOTION.
IT, IT, IT MAY, IT WILL OR WON'T BE SECONDED AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL FIND THAT OUT.
SO, OKAY, THEN I'LL, I'LL MAKE A, I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT THE PORCH CAN BE REBUILT, BUT THE DECORATION NEEDS TO BE CLEARLY ABSTRACTED AND NOT A LITTLE RECREATION OF ANY KIND OF VICTORIAN ELEMENTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SECONDS WOULD QUESTION DISCUSSION COS MR. COSGROVE, WOULD THAT BE SUBJECT TO THE STAFF'S APPROVAL OR WOULD THEY NEED TO COME BACK TO THE COMMISSION? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? I DON'T KNOW, MR. CHAIR.
I WOULD OFFER A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT THAT IT'S WITH STAFF APPROVAL.
WELL, I DON'T, STAFF ALREADY AGREED TO DO SOMETHING THAT I DON'T THINK IS RIGHT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT IN THIS CASE, I WOULD FEEL TOTALLY COMFORTABLE WITH THEM APPROVING IT.
I MEAN, IN THAT CASE THEN WE SHOULD JUST DEFER IT AND ALLOW THE APPLICANT TO DESIGN SOMETHING AND BRING IT BACK.
I DON'T SEE THE POINT OF, OF PASSING SOMETHING THAT THEN STILL REQUIRES THE APPLICANT TO RETURN IN FRONT OF THE COMMISSION.
I I, IF WE WANNA DEFER IT, I CAN CHANGE MY MOTION TO DEFER IT AND COME BACK WITH A DESIGN THAT MEETS WHAT I'VE REQUESTED.
AND KIM, IS THAT YOUR, IS THAT YOUR, I WAS GONNA RAISE THE SAME QUESTION.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? UM, DOES IT COME BACK OR IS IT ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL? AND I WOULD AGREE IF YOU ALL WANT IT TO COME BACK, THEN PLEASE DEFER.
IF UM, YOU JUST WANT TO DENY IT, THEN JUST DENY IT.
ONE OF THE CONCERNS AT THE HPAB MEETING THIS PAST MONDAY WAS THAT YOU DIDN'T GIVE, YOU DIDN'T ADDRESS THE SITUATION THAT THE APPLICANT HAD ASKED FOR.
YOU KIND OF, YOU KNOW, CHANGED THE, THE REQUEST SO THEY DIDN'T FEEL THEY HAD A CLEAN UP AND DOWN, UM, CASE TO REVIEW.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO DESIGN IT AND ALL OF THAT CREATES THAT PROBLEM FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD.
SO YES, I'D ASK THAT YOU EITHER DEFER IT, DENY IT, FIGURE OUT IF THE APPLICANT'S OKAY.
WITH STAFF RECOMMENDATION, ASSUMING SINCE HE'S HERE, HE'S PROBABLY NOT, BUT, UM, YEAH, WORKING FORWARD WITH THAT IN MIND.
WELL, SCOTT, IT'S YOUR FIRST OUTTA OF THE GATE, SO YOU WANT TO, YOU WANNA CHANGE YOUR MOTION? SURE.
I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO DEFER THIS APPLICATION.
IS THERE A SECOND? UH, CAN I ASK A QUESTION BEFORE THE, THE SECOND ONE? USUALLY IT'S, THE QUESTION COMES AFTER THE SECOND, I BELIEVE, BUT OKAY, THEN I SECOND AND THEN ASK THE QUESTION PLEASE.
UM, I THINK WHAT, WHAT IS IMPORTANT WHEN, WHEN THE, UH, WHEN THIS ITEM COMES BEFORE THE COMMISSION? AGAIN, I THINK THERE SHOULD BE, UH, HIGHLY ACCURATE DRAWINGS.
UH, BECAUSE WE, THIS IS, UH, IN SOME WAYS IS A HIGHLY SENSITIVE ITEM THAT WE WANT TO RESOLVE.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, UH, MR. HILL'S REPRESENTATION ON IT ON PAGE 17 OF 22, IT'S NOT, I THINK, UH, GOOD ENOUGH IF YOU'RE GONNA DEFER IT AND THEN COME BACK FOR A VOTE THAT I DON'T THINK MAKES THE CUT, BASICALLY, UH, I WILL NEED TO SEE THE DIMENSIONS OF THE BRACKETS OR WHATEVER THAT'S BEEN DRAWN OR THE, UH, OR THE BASTER, HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE TURNED, IF IT'S TURNED, UH, TO, UH, TO BE ABLE TO VOTE ON IT ON THE NEXT TIME.
AND I'LL JUST ADD, I THINK IF, IF THIS IS DEFERRED, I WOULD ASK STAFF AS WE ARE A MEMBER CERTIFIED GOVERNMENT, TO PERHAPS HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE TEXAS STORE COMMISSION WHO IS WORKING IN TANDEM WITH THE PARK SERVICE AND ASK THIS VERY QUESTION
AND SO I THINK IT'D BE NICE TO FORMALLY GET WHAT, WHAT THE POSITION WOULD BE, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR A FEDERAL PROJECT SO THAT WE'D AT LEAST HAVE THAT CLARITY IN THE NEXT PRESENTATION.
WITH THAT SAID, UM, ALL IN FAVOR OF THE DEFERRAL, AYE AYE AYE.
ARE THERE ANY OPPOSED, ANY ABSTENTIONS? OKAY, SO THE MOTIONS DEFERRED.
THIS IS THE MOST LIVELY DISCUSSION ABOUT A PORCH IN MY TIME ON THIS COMMISSION, WHICH IS A LONG TIME
BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO RESOLUTION ON, ON, ON WHAT THE ANSWER IS, AND I THINK WE CAN GET SOME MORE CLARIFICATION,
[01:20:01]
UH, FROM THE, FROM THE STORE COMMISSION.FORTUNATELY, WE HAVE A VERY SHORT LIST OF ITEMS INDIVIDUALLY LISTED.
SO WE, UH, BUT WE WILL BE MOVING ON TO ITEM TWO, CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
UM, THIS IS STAFF PERSON, YAME AND ARSLAN, I SUBMIT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
AGENDA ITEM E TWO AT 7 0 7 E FIFTH AND A HALF STREET IN F FREELAND HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THE PROPERTY INCLUDES A HISTORIC 1,293 SQUARE FOOT, ONE STORY WOOD FRAME, SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE AND DETACHED GARAGE, SITUATED ON A SIX 6,250 SQUARE FOOT INTERIOR LOT.
THE PROPERTY INCLUDES A CONTRIBUTING BUNGALOW RESIDENCE CONSTRUCTED CIRCA 1935 AND A NON-CONTRIBUTING DETACHED GARAGE.
THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING TO BUILD A TWO STORY GARAGE AND GARAGE APARTMENT TO REPLACE THE EXISTING NON-CONTRIBUTING GARAGE.
THE PROPOSAL WILL HAVE GARAGE DOORS THAT ARE ALLEY FACING, FRONT NORTH, FRONT ELEVATION TO ACCOMMODATE, UM, VEHICLES.
A SPIRAL STAIRCASE ON THE REAR ELEVATION LEADS UP TO A FULL END REAR DECK, OH, I'M SORRY, ACCESS TO THE SECOND STORY.
12 FEET CEILINGS IN BOTH FIRST AND SECOND FLOORS TO ACCOMMODATE A CAR LIFT IN THE GARAGE WORKSHOP.
THE NEW CONSTRUCTION, UH, HEIGHT WILL BE 29 FEET.
STAFF RECOMMENDS DENIAL AS IT DOES NOT SATISFY CRITERIA TWO, THREE, AND FOUR.
THE APPLICANT, THE OWNER HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AGAINST THE RECOMMENDATION.
COMMISSIONER MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF ON THE ITEM NOT HEARING ANY QUESTIONS? I'M GONNA OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING, UM, AND I DO HAVE ONE SPEAKER WHO HAS SIGNED UP, UM, WHICH IS CONNOR, UH, NO NAD COULD YOU, UH, ANNOUNCE YOURSELF AND REST IS RESTATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD? YES SIR.
I'M THE OWNER OF 7 0 7 EAST FIFTH AND A HALF STREET.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME COMMISSION.
HOPEFULLY THIS WILL BE A LITTLE BIT QUICKER.
UH, I DON'T EXPECT MUCH OF YOUR TIME TODAY, BUT, UH, I DID JUST WANNA EXPRESS THAT I AM OPEN TO ANY, MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT AND PRESENTING AT THE NEXT MEETING.
IF YOU'RE WILLING TO APPROVE THIS DRAWING FOR THIS WEEK'S COMMISSION, THAT'D BE GREAT AT THIS MONTH'S COMMISSION.
BUT I AM OPEN TO, UH, WORKING WITH THE HISTORIC DISTRICT AND, UH, CREATING SOMETHING THAT DOES FIT MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, I DON'T WANNA BE A SORE THUMB, UH, OR SORE.
I, BUT, UH, DEFINITELY WANT TO, UH, TO WORK WITH THE COMMISSION TO GET SOMETHING THAT FITS.
SPEAKING TO THAT, I DID INITIALLY PRESENT MY, UH, PRED OR PRE-DESIGN REVIEW ON 3 31 OF 23, AND THEN SUBMITTED MY FINAL DRAWINGS, UH, FOR THIS COMMISSION MEETING ON SEVEN THREE.
DURING THAT THREE MONTH PERIOD APPROXIMATELY, I SENT 10 EMAIL REQUESTS TO, UH, REVIEW DESIGNS THAT I HAD CREATED.
THEN UNFORTUNATELY, I WAS ONLY ABLE TO HAVE TWO MEETINGS THE SECOND BEING ON 6 16 23.
SO UNFORTUNATELY I DIDN'T GET THE TIME THAT I WAS HOPING FORWARD TO REVIEW MY DRAWINGS.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, SOME OF THESE ARE FAIRLY BASIC.
I HAD THREE DESIGN CRITERIA THAT I WAS LOOKING FOR THE FOOTPRINT TO HAVE A GARAGE WORKSHOP, UH, ENOUGH SPACE ON THE SECOND FLOOR TO ACCOMMODATE AN APARTMENT AND HAVE FRIENDS AND FAMILY COME VISIT FROM OUT OF TOWN.
I'M, I'M FROM MICHIGAN, BUT I'VE LIVED IN, IN HOUSTON FOR SEVEN AND A HALF YEARS NOW.
UH, SO LOVE TO HAVE SOME ROOM FOR THEM.
MY 1300 SQUARE FOOT HOME JUST DOESN'T HAVE THE SPACE UNFORTUNATELY.
AND THE THIRD DESIGN CRITERIA THAT I WAS LOOKING FOR WAS A TALLER STRUCTURE THAT I COULD GET A GREAT VIEW OF DOWNTOWN HOUSTON SKYLINE.
I THINK IT'S A BEAUTIFUL SKYLINE FROM WHERE I'M AT, AND I WOULD LOVE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
SO THOSE WERE THE THREE CRITERIA THAT I WAS REALLY HOPING TO DESIGN AROUND.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE THAT THE, THE PICTURES THAT ARE SCROLLING THROUGH DO HAVE A COUPLE DIFFERENT, UM, ITERATIONS OF WHAT I HAD.
UM, BUT THE WHITE DESIGN STRUCTURE IS, IS THE LAST ONE I CAN ACTUALLY SHARE JUST TO, UM, TO GIVE YOU A QUICK GLIMPSE INTO WHAT I HAD.
IS THAT OKAY IF I SHARE MY SCREEN? I'LL ASK STAFF, I BELIEVE, YEAH, THAT, THAT PICTURE THERE IS AN OLD STRUCTURE.
SO THAT WAS THE ONE OF THE FIRST DESIGNS, IF YOU CAN SEE MY SCREEN.
UM, IT'S A QUESTION FROM STAFF, I THINK ARE THESE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT'S IN OUR PACKET? I, I DID INCLUDE, UM, THE FIRST DESIGN THAT HE HAD
[01:25:01]
AS A, AS BACKUP IF NEEDED.AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE ONE I HAVE.
THIS LOOKS LIKE WHAT'S IN THE PACKET THAT I SEE HERE ON THE TV SCREEN.
THIS IS SIMILAR TO WHAT'S IN THE PACKET.
SO ARE WE ALLOWED TO, I I DON'T THINK HE CAN SHARE, BUT I WILL ASK LEGAL ABOUT THAT.
YEAH, I, I THINK THAT'S A QUESTION FOR HITS, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE DON'T ALLOW SHARING FROM OUTSIDE BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENED DURING COVID AND SOME OF THE ZOOM AND TEAMS MEETINGS, NO OFFENSE, BUT I THINK THAT'S JUST THAT, THAT'S JUST A CITY POLICY TO YEAH.
WELL, WE LET THAT OTHER GUY SHOW THE PICTURES ON THE PROJECTOR THING.
HE HAS PICTURES HERE IN THE ROOM.
THE, THE PROJECTOR IS HOOKED UP TO OUR SYSTEM.
SO, BUT IT'S JUST, IT'S INFORMATION COMING FROM OUTSIDE.
WELL I GUESS WE SHOULD TURN THE SCREEN OFF THEN.
I'LL STOP SHARING IF THAT'S HELPFUL.
SO THAT DESIGN RIGHT THERE IS, IS AN OLD DESIGN THAT'S NO LONGER WHAT WAS ACTUALLY IN MY PROPOSAL THERE.
I JUST DON'T HAVE ANY CONFUSION.
NO, I'M NO LONGER SHARING MY SCREEN, BUT I CAN'T VIEW THAT IF YOU WISH.
THAT RIGHT THERE IS THE LATEST DESIGN THAT I, I DID SUBMIT IN MY APPLICATION.
SO WHAT WE SEE ON THE SCREEN NOW IS WHAT WAS SUBMITTED, UH, AT, AT THE, UM, ON THE, ON THE DUE DATE WHEN THE APPLICATION WAS, WAS, UM, WHY DOES IT HAVE A FLAT ROOF? SO THE FLAT ROOF WAS, I WAS HOPING TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE FLAT ROOF AGAIN TO GET, UM, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE, THE SKYLINE VIEW TO HAVE A, A ROOFTOP TERRACE, UM, WAS THE MAIN REQUEST THAT I HAD IN THE PRE-DESIGN REVIEW STAGE.
UM, THAT WAS QUESTIONED, BUT IT WAS NEVER REALLY MADE A, A BIG DEAL.
UM, AGAIN, I I REALLY WANTED TO HAVE AN OPEN MIND AND, AND FIT SOMETHING OR DESIGN SOMETHING THAT FIT INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT THE COMMISSION, UH, AND THE HISTORIC BOARD, YOU KNOW, APPROVED THAT I WANTED THEIR BLESSING, THEIR APPROVAL.
UNFORTUNATELY, I DID NOT GET THAT AND WAS SOMEWHAT DISAPPOINTED IN THE, THE THREE REASONS THAT I WAS GIVEN, UM, JUST WEREN'T REALLY BROUGHT UP.
AND THEN TWO PRE-DESIGNED REVIEW MEETINGS THAT I HAD.
SO, UM, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION THERE, THE FLAT ROOF IS FOR A ROOFTOP TERRACE, AGAIN, FOR A, AN OUTDOOR PATIO ROOFTOP TERRACE AREA.
SO I HAVE A QUESTION FOR STAFF.
DID WHAT, WHAT, FROM YOUR POINT OF VIEW, WHAT WAS THE DISCUSSION THAT YOU HAD WITH THIS APPLICANT? RIGHT.
AND, UM, THE FIRST, UM, DESIGN THAT WE SAW, HIS MAIN THING WAS HE WANTED A, A TALLER BUILDING BECAUSE HE WANTED THAT SKYLINE AND HE ALSO WANTED THAT ACCESS TO THE ROOF IN THAT WAY, SO HE CAN ALSO HAVE THAT.
SO IT WAS, UM, HE, HE, HE DID TRY, THE INITIAL DESIGN WAS AT 34 FEET AND HE HAD KIND OF THREE STORY.
SO HE DID GO DOWN TO TWO STORY AT 29 FEET, BUT HE STILL WANTED THE ACCESS TO THE, TO THE ROOF FOR THE SKYLINE AND FOR THE SEA TO THE, FOR THE BUILDING TO BE KIND OF TALL.
AGAIN, THERE'S, IN DESIGN REVIEWS, THERE'S NO RECOMMENDATION.
THERE'S WHAT WE SUGGEST AND THINK CAN GET APPROVED, BUT AGAIN, WE CAN'T, UH, FORCE THE APPLICANT.
UM, SO THAT, SO I, I TRIED, UM, AND WORKED WITH HIM AS MUCH AS I CAN, AND 29 FEET WAS, UM, AS, AS LOW AS HE WANTED.
AND I, AND I ALWAYS TELL THE APPLICANTS THAT YOU ARE FREE TO TAKE IT TO COMMISSION AND, AND TRY.
UM, AND SO THAT THIS WAS, THIS WAS THE CASE.
SO NOW I BELIEVE NOW IT'S AT TWO STORY INSTEAD OF THREE, AND IT WENT FROM 34 FEET TILL 29.
BUT BECAUSE OF THAT, BECAUSE HE WANTED ACCESS, I, I GUESS IT HAD TO BE FLAT.
I MEAN, I DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND BASED ON THESE PLANS, HOW YOU WOULD GET TO THE ROOF, BECAUSE I DON'T SEE ANY STAIRS OR ANYTHING.
SO INITIALLY, MY FIRST RUN, I DID HAVE A SPIRAL STAIRCASE GOING TO THE TOP OF THE ROOF ON THE LATEST DRAWINGS THAT I HAVE.
I WAS GONNA HAVE AN INTERNAL STAIRCASE ON THE SECOND FLOOR, UM, WITH A, A ROOFTOP HATCH ESSENTIALLY THAT YOU CAN LIFT UP.
IT'S ALMOST KINDA LIKE A STORM DOOR, UM, TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE ROOF.
I FIGURED HAVING A, UH, AGAIN, THAT, THAT PICTURE, THERE IS AN OLDER PICTURE, UM, SHOWING THAT STAIRCASE TO THE TOP, UM, THAT I, AGAIN MOVED INTERNALLY INSTEAD OF HAVING THE EXTERIOR OF THE HOUSE OR THE, THE STRUCTURE, MR. CUR, YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT, BUT, BUT TO ACCOMPLISH THAT, THIS WOULD BE VERY DIFFERENT IN APPEARANCE.
[01:30:01]
YOU'D HAVE RAILING, YOU'D HAVE A, YOU'D HAVE A, UH, A, A, A THIRD, A THREE, UH, SOME STRUCTURE OF THREE STORIES IN HIDE IN ORDER TO, UH, UH, ACCESS THAT ROOF.THESE DRAWINGS, WE CAN'T, SO THE DRAWINGS DON'T MATCH YOUR PROGRAM, REMOVE THESE DRAWINGS DESCRIPTION.
AND SO THERE'S, WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS, WE SEE TWO STORY STRUCTURE OCCUPIED SPACE THAT YOU'VE DESCRIBED PROGRAMMATICALLY OVER A GARAGE, BUT THAT DOESN'T ACCOUNT FOR EITHER A, THE A FLAT ROOF OR, OR, OR THE ADDITIONAL HEIGHT.
SO, UM, THAT'S, YEAH, I'M SORRY.
AND I'VE NEVER HAD IT AT A THREE STORY.
AGAIN, THE 34 FEET WAS ESSENTIALLY ACCOUNTING FOR A FOUR FOOT RAILING.
THE STRUCTURE, THE HEIGHT OF THE STRUCTURE WAS AT 30 FEET WITH A A FOUR FOOT RAILING MADE, MAKING THE TOTAL STRUCTURE AT 34 FEET.
I DID COME DOWN TO 29 FEET WITH A SIMILAR DESIGN.
THE ONLY THING THAT REALLY CHANGED WAS THE, UH, THE STAIRCASE, UM, TO THE, TO THE ROOFTOP INTERNAL INSTEAD OF ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE STRUCTURE.
AND, UH, THAT, THAT STRUCTURE, AS YOU SEE IT, THERE IS 29 FEET TO THE PEAK OF, OF ANY PIECE, WHETHER IT BE THE, THE ARM RAIL OR THE RAILING.
UM, BUT THERE IS ALSO A STRUCTURE RIGHT ACROSS THE ALLEYWAY.
IT'S RESERVE STREET, AN ALLEY RIGHT BEHIND ME.
A STRUCTURE WAS APPROVED, I THINK, UH, TWO COMMISSION MEETINGS AGO, UM, FOR A 27 FOOT SEVEN INCH STRUCTURE.
SO I'M ONLY ONE FOOT FIVE INCHES HEIGHT DIFFERENCE FROM ONE THAT HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY APPROVED.
LITERALLY, UM, YOU COULD UNDERHAND TOSS A SOFTBALL AND HIT THE OTHER STRUCTURE FROM WHERE THAT WILL BE BUILT.
SO I, I'M FINE WITH COMING DOWN A LITTLE BIT MORE.
YOU KNOW, I'D ASK, UH, IN THE TWO MEETINGS THAT I HAD, WHAT IS THE NUMBER I, I CAN, I SHOULD BE SHOOTING FOR? IT WAS JUST SAID, YOU'RE TOO TALL.
SO I DID COME DOWN FROM 34 FEET ON MY FIRST MEETING TO 30 FEET IN MY SECOND MEETING.
AND THEN WHAT I, WHAT I PROPOSED IN MY, UH, APPLICATION WAS 29 FEET TO THE PEAK.
AGAIN, A A MIRROR, ONE FOOT, FIVE INCHES DIFFERENCE FROM ACROSS THE STREET.
I, I THINK YOU NEED TO DEFER THIS BECAUSE THESE DRAWINGS ARE SO INCOMPLETE.
YOU, YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT'S GONNA BE THE FINAL PROJECT.
I'M NOT SURE WHY ALL THESE OTHER DRAWINGS ARE, ARE IN THE MIX.
UH, THESE WERE JUST PART OF THE PRE-DESIGN REVIEW.
UM, JUST THE WHITE STRUCTURE ARE IN THE, UH, DESIGNS THAT I WANTED TO PROPOSE AT TODAY'S MEETING.
I'M GOING, BEFORE I CLOSE PUBLIC, UM, COMMENT, I'M GONNA ASK IF THERE'S ANYONE ELSE IN THE ROOM OR ATTENDING VIRTUALLY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
I HAVE A QUESTION OR SUGGESTION COLUMN.
WHY DON'T WE DEFER THIS AND HE CAN COME BACK WITH PLANS OF WHAT THE ROOFTOP IS GONNA LOOK LIKE, HOW HE'S GONNA ACCESS, ACCESS THE ROOF AND ALL OF THOSE STUFF, RATHER THAN JUST HAVING ALL THIS CONJECTURE, CONJECTURE AND, UH, CHANGE IT AROUND.
UH, AND IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS, UH, I'VE GOT A MOTION.
YEAH, UH, UH, YAP HAS A QUESTION FOR STAFF.
UH, NUMBER ONE, UH, ONE THING THAT I SEE THAT THIS PROJECT IS ACTUALLY IN NOR HILL, AND I'M A BIT CONCERNED THAT THE, THE NOR HILL CIVIC ASSOCIATION, UH, HAS NOT, UH, GIVEN US A COMMENT, ESPECIALLY THEY WERE VERY VOCAL ON THE LAST MEETING.
IT'S IN FREELAND AND NOT NOR HILL.
AND, BUT THE SECOND ITEM THAT, UH, I HAVE IS THAT THE APPLICATION TELLS ME THAT I'M LOOKING AT A GARAGE.
AND, AND THIS THING LOOKS MORE LIKE A DWELLING, UH, A SEPARATE DWELLING WITH A, WITH A ROOFTOP PORCH THAN A GARAGE.
SO I'M NOT SURE WHETHER THE MEM UH, THE RESIDENCE OF THIS AREA, ESPECIALLY AROUND THE BLOCK, ACTUALLY AGREES TO HAVING A TWO STORY BUILDING WHEN THERE'S ALL THIS ONE STORY BUILDING RIGHT.
CAN YOU CONFIRM WHETHER THERE ARE ANY TWO STORY GARAGES IN THIS, IN THIS LITTLE BLOCK OR NEIGHBORHOOD? UM, UM, I AM SHOWING THE CONTEXT AREA THERE.
THERE MIGHT BE, UM, TWO I BELIEVE, BUT THEY ARE NOT AS TALL.
AND THEN, YES, FREELAND IS A HISTORIC DISTRICT THAT HA DOESN'T HAVE A LOT OF TWO STORY.
MOST OF IT IS ONE STORY, AND THAT IS WHY, UM, WE, WE, WE ARE DENYING IT BECAUSE IT
[01:35:01]
WAS, UM, TOO TALL.AGAIN, WE'RE NOT SAYING, UM, MY STAFF'S APPROACH WASN'T THAT YOU CAN'T HAVE A TWO STORY, IT WAS JUST THAT IT'S, UM, TOO TALL AND IT, IT, IN HIS CASE, HIS INTERIOR LOT IS AN INTERIOR LOT, BUT THEN THAT STREET KIND OF GOES AROUND, SO IT'S VERY VISIBLE.
UM, AND THAT IS WHY WE RECOMMENDED DENIAL.
WELL, MY CONCERN IS THAT IT'S OKAY THAT WE FEEL THAT, UH, HE'S GIVEN THE RIGHT TO HAVE A RED, BEAUTIFUL VIEW OF DOWNTOWN, BUT THEN HE'S BLOCKING SOME OTHER PEOPLE'S VIEW FROM THE NEXT HOUSE.
MY QUESTION FOR STAFF ON THIS ITEM IS ON THE FLAT ROOF.
UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER FLAT ROOFS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WERE BUILT WITHIN THE PERIOD OF, OF THE PERIOD OF CONTEXT? I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY.
SO DID STAFF HAVE A POSITION ON USING A FLAT ROOF AS OPPOSED TO SOME OTHER TYPE OF ROOF? UM, NO.
AND, AND AGAIN, IN, IN THE DESIGN REVIEWS, IT'S, WE SUGGEST, I OUR OPINION, UM, AND IT'S, IT'S NOT FINAL BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE FINAL DESIGN.
UM, I, I CAN'T MAKE HIM, I CAN SUGGEST, BUT AGAIN, HE, HE WANTED THAT ACCESS FOR THE SKYLINE AND IT'S HIS RIGHT TO COME AND SUBMIT THE WAY HE WANTS.
AND THEN, UM, SEE IF, BECAUSE WE AS STAFF, WE ONLY RECOMMEND THE FINAL ACTION IS GIVEN BY THE COMMISSION.
UM, AND THAT IS WHY, UM, I THOUGHT HE SHOULD BE GIVEN THAT CHANCE.
BUT, UH, IN TERMS OF THE ORDINANCE, UM, WE CANNOT, WE YES.
BE BECAUSE OF THE CONTEXT AREA NOT HAVING SIMILAR ROOFS, UM, WE FELT THAT WE CAN'T, UH, APPROVE IT.
BUT THAT BASED ON THE ORDINANCE, A GIVEN ROOF THAT BE, WOULD BE PROPOSED WOULD BE SOMETHING FOUND IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITHIN THE PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE WOULD BE A REQUIREMENT? YES, SIR.
IN THE FORM OF THE ROOF WOULD BE, YES.
SO I DO HAVE A MOTION TO DEFER.
DO YOU HAVE A QUICK COMMENT IF YOU DON'T MIND? YOU CAN ONLY SPEAK IF YOU'RE ASKED A QUESTION.
UH, THE PUBLIC COMMENT HAS BEEN CLOSED.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO YOUR POINT THAT, UH, WHETHER THERE ARE ALSO TWO STORY GARAGES RIGHT NOW IN THAT AREA OF CONTEXT, UH, BEFORE IT'S BROUGHT BACK TO THE COMMISSION.
I DON'T HAVE A SECOND TO DEFER, SO I, I'D LIKE TO SECOND GOT SECONDS.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE WE CALL THE VOTE? I WOULD JUST SAY ONE THING TO THE APPLICANT THAT AN ACCESSORY STRUCTURE IS SUPPOSED TO BE VERY SIMPLE AND SUBSERVIENT TO THE MAIN STRUCTURE.
AND IF IT IS REDESIGNED THAT HE SHOULD TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION THAT BUILDING SOMETHING THAT IS OUT OF SCALE AND MASS WITH THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE IS, IS A PROBLEM, AT LEAST FOR ME.
SO JUST AS SOME FRIENDLY ADVICE TO COMMISSIONER CURRY CHAIR, MAY I ASK A QUESTION OF THE APPLICANT? YES, YOU MAY.
UM, DID YOU WANT TO, UH, ADD TO THIS DISCUSSION BEFORE WE, UH, VOTE? UH, IS THAT, I WOULD, THERE WAS ONE JUST COMMENT I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS.
UH, THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT STRUCTURE SURROUNDING STRUCTURES.
THERE ARE, UH, APPROXIMATELY 34, UH, PLOTS OR PROPERTIES, EXISTING HOMES ON, IN THE FREELAND HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UH, 27 OF THOSE STRUCTURES DO HAVE A, A GARAGE OF, OF SOME SORT.
IT COULD BE ANYTHING FROM A 10 BY 10 SHED, UM, TO A, UH, TWO STORY GARAGE.
THERE ARE CURRENTLY EIGHT STRUCTURES THAT HAVE A TWO STORY GARAGE APARTMENT, UM, ON THEIR PROPERTY.
THERE'S ALSO TWO, AND EXCUSE ME, ONE OF THOSE EIGHT IS, UM, FINALIZING CONSTRUCTION.
UH, THERE ARE TWO ALSO APPROVED GARAGE, UH, APARTMENT STRUCTURES IN THE FREELAND HISTORIC DISTRICT, WHICH WOULD BRING THE TOTAL TO 10, UM, TWO STORY GARAGE STRUCTURES OUT OF THE, THE 27 THAT GARAGES THAT EXIST.
I JUST, THERE ARE OTHERS THAT, THAT EXIST IN THE, IN THE FREELANCE HISTORIC YEAH.
I JUST TO CLARIFY FOR YOU, GOING FORWARD, UM, THE QUESTION HERE IS NOT ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT TWO, UH, STORY STRUCTURE IS, UM, APPROPRIATE, BUT, BUT, UM, ONE OF ITS FORM IS APPROPRIATE IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS.
AND I AGREE, AND, AND I I WAS NEVER OPPOSED TO NOT HAVING A FLAT ROOF.
I I WAS JUST TOLD THAT THIS, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT GONNA DENY IT, BUT YOU CAN TRY AND APPROVE IT.
UH, AND SO THAT'S WHY I WENT FORWARD WITH THAT.
I, I HAD NO, UH, SUPER STRONG FEELINGS TO ONE OR THE OTHER.
I, AGAIN, I'VE ALWAYS HAD AN OPEN MIND TO MAKING SURE THAT WHATEVER I PROPOSE,
[01:40:01]
UM, HAS AN APPROVAL.UNFORTUNATELY, I DIDN'T GET THAT APPROVAL AND I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS A FEW OF MY CONCERNS TODAY.
SO I DO APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S TIME THOUGH TODAY.
I'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND, UH, WITHOUT FURTHER DISCUSSION.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO DEFER.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? OKAY.
MOTION PASSES TO DEFER AND I BELIEVE WE'RE NOW MOVING TO E SEVEN, IF I'M CORRECT.
I NEED TO RECUSE MYSELF FROM ITEM SEVEN.
DO I NEED TO LEAVE THE ROOM OR, UM, YOU COULD AT THIS POINT, YEAH, FOR THE WHOLE DISCUSSION.
YOU DON'T TECHNICALLY NEED TO LEAVE THE ROOM, BUT
GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR PERSON AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
THIS IS STAFF PERSON TAYLOR VALLEY.
I SUBMIT ITEM E SEVEN AT 1208 CORTLAND IN THE HOUSTON HEIGHTS EAST HISTORIC DISTRICT, THE APPLICANT PROPOSES TO DEMOLISH AN EXISTING NON-ORIGINAL, NON-ORIGINAL METAL ACCESSORY STRUCTURE AND CONSTRUCT A NEW TWO STORY ALLEY LOADING GARAGE IN THE REAR OF THE PROPERTY.
THE GARAGE FOOTPRINT WILL BE 34 BY 24 WITH 816 SQUARE FEET ON EACH FLOOR.
THERE WILL BE SMOOTH CEMENTITIOUS SIDING WITH TWO OVER TWO WOOD WINDOWS THAT ARE TO BE INSET AND RECESSED WITH EXTERNAL S.
THE ROOF WILL BE STANDING SEAM METAL STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
THE OWNER IS AVAILABLE AND SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF SIDE SETBACKS THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO BE ADJUSTED.
OUR OFFICE TYPICALLY DOES NOT ALLOW SIDE SETBACKS CLOSER THAN FIVE FEET FOR TWO STORY STRUCTURES.
HOWEVER, THE APPLICANT BELIEVES THERE IS JUSTIFICATION, WHICH HE WILL BE SPEAKING ON.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF ON THIS ITEM? NOT HEARING ANY QUESTIONS.
I'M GONNA OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND I DO HAVE TWO SPEAKERS SIGNED UP.
THE FIRST SPEAKER SIGNED UP IS SAMUEL RANDALL.
CAN YOU PLEASE RESTATE YOUR NAME AND, AND YOU CAN SURE.
THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS.
UH, MY NAME IS SAMUEL RANDALL.
I'M THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY AT 1208 PORTLAND.
UM, I'VE BEEN LIVING HERE IN THIS PROPERTY FOR ABOUT A YEAR, AND, UH, VERY EXCITED TO BE LIVING IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT.
I COME FROM A LINE OF ARCHITECTS IN MY FAMILY, SO I'M, I'M DELIGHTED THAT WE'RE PROTECTING, UH, GOOD ARCHITECTURE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UM, MY, UH, I WILL BE BRIEF IN MY COMMENTS.
I DID HAVE A, A DOCUMENT THAT I BELIEVE ROD FRIGO, WHO IS MY AGENT, UH, SHOULD HAVE THERE TO SUBMIT IN PERSON.
UM, IS THAT DOCUMENT AVAILABLE? YES, IT'S IN THE ROOM.
UM, AND SO I, MY COMMENTS WILL BE IN RELATION TO THAT DOCUMENT.
UM, FIRST I WOULD JUST LIKE TO, UH, NOTE THE HISTORIC CLAUSE THAT'S LISTED ON ALL OF OUR APPLICATIONS AND THAT, UM, THE VERY FIRST COMMENT, THANK YOU FOR, UM, THE NEW CONSTRUCTION AND HISTORIC DISTRICT IS THAT THE DISTANCE FROM THE PROPERTY LINE OF THE SIDEWALLS PORCHES AND EXTERIOR FEATURES MUST BE COMPATIBLE WITH THE DISTANCE FROM THE PROPERTY LINE OF SIMILAR ELEMENTS IN OF EXISTING CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES IN THE CONTEXT AREA.
UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT ALSO FROM, UH, THE HEIGHTS, UH, PRESERVATION DOCUMENT, UM, THAT HAS THE MEASURABLE STANDARDS ON PAGE FIVE DASH 11, UM, DOES STATE THAT IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THREE FOOT SIDE BACKS ARE THE ACCEPTED, UH, SIDE SETBACK.
UM, BUT IN SOME CASES IF THERE IS A, UM, MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT WITH A NEIGHBORING LOT THAT THOSE SETBACKS CAN BE LESS, UH, THAN THREE FEET.
UM, AND THEN IT GOES ON TO SAY HERE, UM, IN THE, I BELIEVE IT'S A SECOND PARAGRAPH, UM, THAT IN CITY P IT FOR THE HISTORIC COMMISSION, UH, OUR SIDE SETBACKS ARE FIVE.
UM, IN MY OPINION, IT, IT DOES NOT DOCUMENT, UM, WHETHER OR NOT, UH, WE WOULD ALLOW FOR MAINTENANCE AGREEMENTS NOR NEGATE MAINTENANCE AGREEMENTS, UM, FROM, FROM THE CITY'S PERSPECTIVE.
SO I JUST WOULD LIKE TO POINT THAT OUT.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, I, I DON'T, I DIDN'T SUBMIT A PHOTOGRAPH OF THIS, BUT I THINK THERE IS ONE SLIDE THAT HAS THE SANBORN FROM 1919.
UM, I DID JUST DO A QUICK COUNT OF ALL OF THE PROPERTIES FROM THE SANBORN MAP ON MY, UM, ON MY BLOCK.
UM, THEY'RE NOT ALL SHOWN IN THIS IMAGE, BUT LIKE THE LOT, JUST DIRECTLY NORTH OF ME, IT'S PLACED ON THE REAR WALL AND DIRECTLY ON THE SIDE OF THE PROPERTY, YOU CAN SEE THERE IS A THREE FOOT SIDE SETBACK FROM THE L-SHAPED QUEEN ANN IN 1208.
[01:45:01]
UM, AND SO THAT IS THE ORIGINAL LOCATION OF THE PROPERTY.SO, UM, THE ON THE BLOCK ITSELF, THERE ARE 10, UM, STRUCTURES FROM THE SANBORN 1919 MAP, UH, ON THE 1200 BLOCK OF PORTLAND STREET THAT DO SHOW EITHER DIRECTLY ON THE SIDE OF THE PROPERTY OR DIRECTLY ON THE REAR, UM, ON THE PROPERTY LINE.
UM, IF, IF I TAKE THESE, THESE DRAWINGS TO BE, UM, ACCURATE IN SCALE.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, UH, IN THE DOCUMENT THAT I SUBMITTED, UM, THAT SHOULD BE LISTED THERE, THAT WE HAVE ON THE PROJECTOR.
UM, THE, THE FIRST IS THE SITE PLAN, WHICH YOU ALREADY HAVE, AND THEN THE SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH, FIFTH, SIXTH AND SEVENTH, UM, ARE A QUICK SURVEY OF THE PROPERTIES THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED WITHIN THE HISTORIC HEIGHTS, UH, DISTRICT COMMISSION MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO EXTEND THE SPEAKER'S TIME BY FIVE MINUTES? GORY MOTIONS? IS THERE A SECOND? JONES WILL SECOND.
UM, SO, UH, ITEMS TWO THROUGH SEVEN HISTORIC HEIGHTS EAST AND SOUTH.
I DID NOT ASSESS HISTORIC HEIGHTS WEST.
UM, BUT THIS WAS A CURSORY VIEW OF SIX DIFFERENT PROPERTIES THAT HAVE HAD GARAGE APARTMENTS THAT HAVE SIDE SETBACKS OF THREE FEET OR LESS THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.
UM, IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION, UM, THAT ONE OF THESE PROPERTIES WAS A ONE STORY GARAGE APARTMENT, AND I UNDERSTAND IT IS ACCEPTABLE FOR THOSE TO BE THREE FOOT SETBACK.
UM, BUT OF NOTE, I WOULD PARTICULARLY POINT OUT ITEM FIVE AND YOU COULD ALSO MOVE TO, I BELIEVE IT'S PAGE SIX OF THAT DOCUMENT WHERE IT DOES SHOW, THIS IS A TWO STORY GARAGE APARTMENT, UM, TWO BLOCKS AWAY FROM MY CURRENT RESIDENCE THAT WAS APPROVED, UH, I BELIEVE THIS LAST YEAR.
UM, AND THAT IS, UM, A TWO STORY GARAGE APARTMENT THAT HAS A THREE FOOT SIDE SETBACK.
THAT WAS A NEW, UH, CONSTRUCTION.
UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO MENTION THAT THE CURRENT BUILDING DOES HAVE A ONE FOOT SIDE SETBACK, UH, FROM THE PROPERTY SOUTH FACE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S A VERY LARGE BUILDING, 50 FEET LONG BY 25 FEET WIDE AND 17 FEET TALL.
UM, NON-CONTRIBUTING, UH, I'M VERY INTERESTED IN PUTTING SOMETHING MORE APPROPRIATE ON THE LOT.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE SIDE SETBACK OF THE NORTH SIDE OF THREE FOOT HONORED, UM, INSTEAD OF FIVE, UM, IN ORDER TO, UH, ALLOW FOR A PARKING PAD.
I UNDERSTAND THE CITY DOES REQUIRE, UM, ADDITIONAL SPACE TO PLACE A CAR OR GARAGE APARTMENTS.
AND SO IT WOULD BE CONVENIENT TO NOT HAVE THE STRUCTURE PLACED DIRECTLY IN THE CENTER OF THE PROPERTY, BUT TO BE SHIFTED SLIGHTLY TOWARDS ONE SIDE TO ACCOMMODATE THAT CAR TO RELIEVE SOME OF THE BURDEN OFF OF THE PUBLIC, UH, ACCESS WAY.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT THOSE ARE ALL OF MY COMMENTS IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS AND I, UH, WILL YIELD MY TIME BACK TO THE CHAIR.
UM, COMMISSIONER MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS FOR THE APPLICANT, BUT ON PAGE 13 OF 18, I CAN'T READ THE SITE PLAN.
I, I CAN'T TELL WHAT THE SETBACKS ARE ON IT.
AND SO THAT I ZOOM IN AND IT JUST, IT'S ALL SMUDGY LOOKING.
I CAN ANSWER THAT IT'S FIVE ON ONE SIDE, EIGHT ON THE OTHER.
SO HE WANTS A FIVE FOOT SETBACK.
WE ARE GOING FOR APPROVAL FOR THE FIVE FOOT SETBACK, BUT HE'S ASKING TO ADJUST IT TO THREE, UM, WHICH IS WHAT HE ORIGINALLY HAD.
IF IT'S A, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT THE A GARAGE, WHY DO YOU NEED A PARKING PAD TO THE SIDE? UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS, UM, BECAUSE UH, IT DOES HAVE THE GARAGE APARTMENT PORTION ABOVE THE GARAGE THAT, UM, IT WOULD, UH, BE REQUESTED TO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL PARKING SPACE TO ACCOMMODATE IF THAT WAS SAY, A TENANT WHO LIVED THERE AS A, AS A RENTAL PROPERTY.
QUICK CORRECTION, UM, IT'S FIVE ON ONE SIDE, SIX ON THE OTHER.
THIS, UH, QUESTION FOR STAFF FUTURE YEAH.
BUT SO THIS BUILDING THE, OR THE ORIGINAL GARAGE IS GONNA BE COMPLETELY DEMOLISHED AND A NEW ONE BUILT IN LIEU OF IT, RIGHT? YES.
THAT'S UM, A NON-ORIGINAL ACCESSORY STRUCTURE.
IT'S A BIG A METAL BUILDING THAT THEY ARE GONNA DEMOLISH.
SO THEY'RE GONNA BUILD, HE'S GONNA BUILD A TOTALLY NEW BUILDING.
SO, UH, IT'S, HE NOT THE, THE HHC OR THE, UH, ORDINANCE IS ASKING FOR A FIVE FEET SETBACK, BUT SO DOES THE IRC 2016 AS WELL IN TERMS OF FIRE RATING.
BUT YOU CAN DO LESS IF YOU DO A FIRE RATED WALL.
SO IF, IF HE WANTS A THREE FOOT,
[01:50:01]
I GUESS HE UNDERSTOOD THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE A FIRE RAID WALL TOO.SO THIS IS MATTERS JUST THEN IT'S A MATTER OF THE, THE HISTORICAL SETBACK THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT? YES, CORRECT.
AND WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO, I DO HAVE ONE MORE SPEAKER SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM.
UM, AND THAT IS, UM, ROD FRIGO.
ARE, ARE YOU HERE FOR QUESTIONS? OKAY.
SO IF YOU'RE GONNA SPEAK THOUGH, WE NEED YOU TO COME FORWARD AND ANNOUNCE YOUR NAME AND JUST YOU COULD ADDRESS THE COMMISSION AND THERE MAY BE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
I'M ROD FRIGO AND I'M THE AGENT FOR SAM RANDALL AT 1208.
UH, COURTLAND, FIRST OF ALL, ON THAT THIRD PARKING, THAT'S A CITY ORDINANCE.
IF YOU HAVE A GARAGE APARTMENT, YOU CAN'T HAVE TANDEM PARKING.
YOU HAVE TO PROVE TWO PARKING SPOTS FOR THE RESIDENCE AND ONE FOR THE TENANT.
NOW WHAT, WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED TO KNOW? UM, YOU HAVE THE ADDRESSES.
HE PRETTY MUCH DID HIS OWN INVESTIGATION.
I THOUGHT HE COULD HAVE A MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW, UH, HOUSTON HEIGHTS DIDN'T ALLOW 'EM.
THEY ALLOW, THEY ALLOW 'EM EVERYWHERE ELSE.
I DO 'EM ALL THE TIME AND I BUILT A LOT OF GARAGES IN THE HEIGHTS.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL ANSWER 'EM.
COMMISSION MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE SPEAKER? WELL, IS THERE, LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A DRIVEWAY AT THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE.
COULDN'T THAT COUNT FOR THE EXTRA PARKING SPACE? WELL, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO, BUT THE DRIVEWAY IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE, YOU'D HAVE TO GO RIGHT THROUGH HIS YARD.
WELL, HE IS ONLY ASKING FOR A A THREE, BUT YOU KNOW, HE COULD FIREWALL IT TOO.
AND YOU COULD FIREWALL THE OVERHANGS, WHICH IS VERY SIMPLE TO DO WITH FIVE EIGHT SHEET ROCK.
AND UH, WE DO, WE DO FIRE FIREWALL'S VERY COMMON NOW IN GARAGES.
JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING WE BUILD IS FIREWALLED, ESPECIALLY ON THE SIDES AND ARREARS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS AS OF THE SPEAKER? OKAY, THANK YOU SIR.
WHY DON'T WE, TO SHUT THIS OFF.
AND SO BEFORE I CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING, IS THERE ANY OTHER MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC ATTENDING IN EITHER THE ROOM OR VIRTUALLY THEY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM HEARING? I'M GONNA CLOSE PUBLIC, UM, THE PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS TIME, COMMISSION MEMBERS, THERE'S THERE ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS ON THIS APP, THIS APPLICATION.
IS THERE A MOTION? WELL, I GUESS I HAVE A QUESTION.
SO HE MENTIONED THERE WAS ANOTHER GARAGE, A TWO STORY GARAGE THAT GOT APPROVED TO HAVE A THREE FOOT SETBACK.
IS THAT, THAT WAS HIS STATEMENT.
CAN CAN THE STAFF SPEAK TO THAT? YEAH, SO I CAN, UM, WE RESEARCHED THE SIX PROPERTIES THAT WERE PROVIDED TO US.
UM, ONE IS STILL BEING RESEARCHED, WHICH IS, UM, 1 0 9 EAST 12TH THAT PLANNER, UM, IS NO LONGER WORKING FOR OUR OFFICE.
UM, BUT WE UM, BELIEVED THAT IT WAS LIKELY DUE TO INTERPRET THE INTERPRETATION OF THAT PLANNER AT THE TIME.
UM, ROMAN ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO HIM ABOUT THAT AND WE BELIEVE THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT MAY BE, HAVE, HAVE BEEN TO THE INTERPRETATION OF THAT PLANNER AND MAY HAVE SLIPPED.
BUT, UM, 1809 COLUMBIA IS A TWO STORY GARAGE THAT ACTUALLY HAS APPROVED SIDE SETBACKS OF FIVE AND 23 11 18 COURTLAND AND 7 31 ARLINGTON ARE EACH ONE STORY GARAGES AND PER THE MEASURABLE STANDARDS.
UM, AND SECTION FIVE 11, IT READS ONE STORY GARAGES WITH THE FRONT WALL SETBACK, NO MORE THAN 33 FEET FROM THE BACK OF THE LOT MAY HAVE A THREE FOOT SETBACK.
SO THOSE ARE WHY THOSE WERE APPROVED.
UM, 3 0 9 EAST 11TH, SIX, I MEAN EAST 16TH IS A ONE STORY GARAGE AS WELL.
AND THE SIDE OF THE SETBACK, UM, THAT IS IN QUESTION HAS AN ALLEY NEXT TO IT.
SO THAT'S AN EXTRA 15 FEET, WHICH IS WHY THAT WAS APPROVED.
AND UM, IT'S ALSO NOT BUILT DIRECTLY ON THAT PROPERTY, PROPERTY LINE ANYWAY.
AND THEN 1329 HARVARD HAS AN EXISTING, HAD AN EXISTING GARAGE THAT WAS ALREADY AT THE THREE FEET SETBACK.
SO, UM, IT WAS BEING PARTIALLY REDESIGNED AND THEREFORE IT WAS BASICALLY GRANDFATHERED IN.
SO IS THIS GARAGE FACING THE ALLEY OR THE STREET? THE ALLEY, YES.
I, I CANNOT READ IT SO I CAN'T TELL WHAT I'M LOOKING AT.
SO THIS THE, HOW FAR IS THE GARAGE? IS IT ON THE BACK PROPERTY LINE?
[01:55:02]
SO IT'S, UM, THREE FEET TO THE ALLEY AND THEN THE ALLEY IS 15, SO IT'S 18.AND THAT'S ALLOWED, 'CAUSE I THOUGHT THEY WANTED 20 OR 24 FEET.
USUALLY THAT'S IF THERE'S A GARAGE OR A BUILDING ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE.
THERE IS A, UM, GARAGE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE, BUT THE GARAGE IS ALLEY LOADING SIDEWAYS.
IT'S NOT OPPOSING THE, UM, GARAGE DOOR OF THE OTHER GARAGE ACROSS.
SO THAT'S WORKED OUT THAT THREE FEET WORKS.
HMM, I'M SORRY THAT THREE FEET ON THE BACK WORKS YES.
AND HE WANTS THREE FEET ON ONE SIDE SO HE CAN HAVE A PARKING SPACE NEXT TO IT, INTO THE BACKYARD SO HE CAN HAVE THE PARKING SPACE ON THE OTHER SIDE.
UH, WHICH WOULD ALLOW EIGHT FEET ON THE OTHER SIDE BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S AT FIVE AND SIX.
IF HE HAD THREE ON ONE SIDE, HE WOULD HAVE EIGHT ON THE OTHER.
AND THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO GIVE HIM THAT EXTRA PARKING THAT HE WANTED.
I DUNNO, I'M INCLINED TO LET HIM DO IT.
'CAUSE IT'S PRETTY MODEST GARAGE COMPARED TO THAT LAST ONE.
AND IT'S PRETTY FAR BACK FROM THE STREET.
I THINK THE ISSUE IS THE MEASUREABLE STANDARDS.
I MEAN IT, THAT'S, THAT'S THE, I KNOW THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE ISSUE IS, UM, AS THOSE, THOSE STANDARDS WERE REVISED, UM, BASED ON TWO STORY, THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING.
WELL, I GUESS I'D WANNA KNOW MORE ABOUT THAT GARAGE THAT DID GET APPROVED FOR THREE FEET.
WOULD, WAS IT AFTER THE MEASURABLE STANDARDS WERE INSTITUTED? LIKE IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE WE KNOW EXACTLY.
IT WAS, I DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW.
THE ONLY, THE ONLY THING I I THINK I, I HEARD WAS THAT THE ONLY PROJECT THAT MAY BE QUESTIONABLE? THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A, SOMETHING MAY HAVE NOT BEEN INTERPRETED CORRECTLY BY STAFF FOR THAT ONE PROJECT.
THE ONLY ONE THAT'S STILL QUESTIONABLE IS 1 0 9 EAST 12TH.
UM, AGAIN, THAT WAS DONE BEFORE I WAS EMPLOYED HERE, UM, WITH A DIFFERENT PLANNER.
UM, IF ROMAN WANTS TO CHIME IN ON THAT ONE BECAUSE HE DID REACH OUT ABOUT IN REGARDS TO THAT.
AND MY QUESTION FOR STAFF WAS JUST I COULDN'T QUITE TELL ON THE PLAN HOW WIDE THIS GARAGE WAS.
LIKE CAN THE GARAGE ALSO BE REDUCED IN OVERALL IN THE WIDTH, YOU KNOW, TO ALLOW THE EXTRA PARKING AND STILL MAINTAIN THE FIVE FOOT? I MEAN, I, I JUST, WHEN I LOOK AT THIS PLANE, I SEE A BUNCH OF RED, BUT I CAN'T QUITE SEE EVERYTHING DEFINED OTHER THAN TWO SWINGING DOORS.
SO IF, I MEAN, CAN, CAN IT BE, CAN THEY MAINTAIN THE FIVE FEET MEET MEASURABLE STANDARDS, SHRINK THE GARAGE SLIGHTLY, STILL GET THE EXTRA SPACE? THAT, THAT'S SORT OF MY QUESTION I GUESS FOR STAFF.
I BELIEVE THEY CAN, AND WE DID SUGGEST THAT, BUT UM, HE STILL, HE WANTED TO SPEAK ON BEHALF AND HAVE IT HOW HE WANTED TO HAVE IT.
WELL THEN IT SEEMS LIKE IF THEY CAN SQUEEZE IT TWO FEET, THEN THAT WOULD BE BETTER IF WE DON'T HAVE TO VIOLATE THE STANDARDS AND IT'S GOT CORRECT.
AND MAYBE THE PORCH COULD BE CHANGED OR SOMETHING.
CHAIR
DID YOU WANNA SPEAK TO THAT? YES, I JUST WANTED A MOMENT TO RESPOND.
UH, AGAIN, FOR THE HOME THAT HAS BEEN HERE FOR 108 YEARS, IT ALSO HAS A THREE FOOT SETBACK.
AND BECAUSE IT IS AT VERY REAR OF THE BUILDING, I GUESS POINT NUMBER ONE, EVEN ASIDE FROM THE PARKING SPACE THAT IT WOULD, UH, ACCOMMODATE, IT WOULD BE IN LINE WITH THE ORIGINAL HISTORIC STRUCTURE, WHICH THERE'S PRECEDENT FOR ON MY INDIVIDUAL LOT AS WELL AS, UH, IN THE, UH, CONTRIBUTING AREA OF THIS BLOCK.
10 STRUCTURES FROM 1919 WERE DIRECTLY ON THE PROPERTY LINE.
UM, MY ADDITIONAL COMMENT IS TO A POINT THAT, UM, TAYLOR HAD MADE ABOUT, UH, A SINGLE STORY OR A THREE, A TWO STORY PROPERTY THAT WAS GRANDFATHERED.
THAT ONE WAS THREE FEET ON, BUT IT WAS TOTALLY DEMOLISHED AND REBUILT.
AND I CURRENTLY HAVE A 50 FOOT STRUCTURE THAT'S ONE FOOT OFF.
SO I'M JUST REQUESTING THAT A THREE FOOT OFF ALLOWANCE BE MADE FOR REBUILDING OF THE GARAGE APARTMENT.
AT THIS, I'M GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND, AND I GUESS COMMISSIONERS, ARE THERE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, DISCUSSIONS? UH, JUST THE QUESTION IS POINT OF CLARITY.
THE STAFF IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL AS SUBMITTED ESTIMATED WITH THE FIVE FEET IS MY UNDERSTANDING? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
MAY I COMMENT? UH, CHAIR PLEASE, ROMAN.
UM, YOU DID ASK A QUESTION AGAIN ABOUT 1 0 9 EAST 12TH, AND I DID TALK TO, UH, FORMER STAFF MEMBER JACKSON, WHO WORKED ON THAT.
AND HE SAID IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THAT PROPERTY, IT WAS 45 FEET WIDE, UH, IT COULD HAVE CAUGHT HIM IN THAT, THAT IF A PROPERTY IS 35 FOOT WIDE OR NARROWER OR NARROWER THAN 35 FOOT WIDE, I SHOULD SAY, THEN IT CAN BE, UH, THEN YOU HAVE A THREE FOOT SETBACK OPTION THAT WAY.
BUT REGARDLESS, IT SOUNDED, IT'S, IT LOOKED AND I COULDN'T BE A DEVELOPER ON THAT PROJECT OR CONTRACTORS OUT OF TOWN.
[02:00:01]
I COULDN'T, I WANTED IT.I'M SURELY THAT DEVELOPER WOULD KNOW, YOU KNOW, IF HE HAD EXPECTED THAT TO GO THROUGH IT THAT WAY.
UM, THERE'S THAT, AND I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT, I I LIKE TO BE FULLY TRANSPARENT IN THAT WE DISCUSSED THIS ROBUSTLY, ESPECIALLY THE LANGUAGE THAT'S ON PAGE FIVE 11 AS A STAFF.
I ALSO TALKED TO MR. STOCKTON, WE TALKED ABOUT THE FIREWALL AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT I THINK A LOT OF THINGS RELY, A LOT OF THIS MIGHT RELY ON THE LANGUAGE IN PARAGRAPH TWO AND THREE ON PAGE FIVE 11, AS THE, UH, APPLICANT POINTED OUT, THE SECOND PARAGRAPH, UM, SEEMS TO INDICATE THAT A, A SETBACK SMALLER THAN THREE FOOT IS ALLOWED WHEN IN CERTAIN, WHEN CASE WITH, WITH, IN THE CASE OF A MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT.
THE THIRD PARAGRAPH OPENS UP BY SAYING THAT IN THE HOUSTON HEIGHTS THERE IS A, A MINIMUM SIDE SETBACK REQUIREMENT OF FIVE FEET, WHICH WE NOW KNOW IS CITYWIDE.
UM, THAT PARAGRAPH THEN IN THE SECOND SENTENCE SAYS THIS STANDARD WAS ESTABLISHED TO REINFORCE TRADITIONAL DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS.
FIRST, RIGHT THERE, AS THE APPLICANT ACCURATELY POINTED OUT, THE DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS WERE TO SET BUILDINGS ON THE LINE ON TOP OF THE LINE AND ALL OVER.
AND THAT IS CERTAINLY A TRADITIONAL DEVELOPMENT PATTERN.
SO THEN THAT SENTENCE KIND OF LENDS ITSELF TOWARDS DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
AND THEN, UH, IT THEN IT JUST BECOMES A QUESTION BETWEEN PARAGRAPH TWO AND THREE.
AND, AND FOR THOSE OF YOU COMMISSIONERS WHO WERE HERE AT THE ADOPTION OF THIS LANGUAGE, IF YOU COULD THINK BACK, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER, I JUST WONDER WHAT WAS INTENDED, BECAUSE FOR ME, UH, THE INTENTIONS TENSION, DIDN'T IT TEND OF, THIS PAGE SEEMED TO ME TO BE INTENDED TO MEAN, UH, R BE REFERRING TO THE MAIN HOUSE, UM, THE, THE MAIN HOUSE.
AND, AND, AND THERE'S EVEN ALSO WHEN YOU LOOK AT PAGE FIVE 14, WE TALK ABOUT SIDEWALL LENGTHS AND INSETS, THE DIAGRAM THERE IS CLEARLY REFERRING TO A MAIN STRUCTURE.
SO I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT, THAT, THAT, UH, I, THAT WE HAD IT AT ROBUST DISCUSSION.
WE ENDED UP HERE WITH OUR RECOMMENDATION BECAUSE THE APPLICANT DID FINALLY SAY, WELL LOOK, IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES, I'LL, I'LL GO WITH THAT BECAUSE I NEED TO GET GOING.
I WANNA BUILD THIS STRUCTURE, HE WANTS TO LIVE IN THIS STRUCTURE AND THEN COME BACK TO US WITH A REHABILITATION OF THE MAIN HOUSE, WHICH IS GONNA BE A TERRIFIC ASSET FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, WHICH IS IN NEED OF, OF A VERY SUBSTANTIVE AMOUNT OF RESTORATIVE WORK.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU ALL THAT BACKGROUND.
AND, UH, ALL I CAN RECALL, UM, I CAN'T QUITE REMEMBER ABOUT THE MAIN HOUSE VERSUS THE GARAGE.
I JUST REMEMBER THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT IF IT'S ONE STORY, THREE FEET WAS OKAY, IF IT'S TWO STORIES, YOU KNOW, FIVE FEET WAS PUT IN TO KIND OF REDUCE THE PRESSURE ON THE SIDE NEIGHBORS BASICALLY, AND THAT MM-HMM
WAS SORT OF THE, THE OVERARCHING COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC AT THE TIME WHEN, WHEN THESE THINGS HAPPENED.
SO THAT'S WHAT I RECALL IN TERMS OF WHY, THAT'S WHY IT ALLOWS THREE FEET IF IT'S ONLY ONE STORY BECAUSE THE PRESSURE, THERE'S NOT THAT MUCH PRESSURE ALONG YOUR NEIGHBOR'S FENCE LINE.
YOU KNOW, NEIGHBORS WHO WANT A GARDEN, YOU KNOW, THEY, AND THEY WANT SOME NATURAL LIGHT TO, YOU KNOW, HIT THE PLANTS AND GROW, YOU KNOW, TOMATOES.
I MEAN, AND IT IS ALL PART, THOSE, THOSE ARE DISCUSSIONS THAT I RECALL THAT HOW WE GOT HERE WITH THE CURRENT STANDARDS.
BUT, UH, COM RICHARD YEAH, PLEASE CHAIR BUTCHER.
I DO HAVE ACTUALLY A QUESTION FOR YOU.
UM, THE POINT HAS COME ACROSS THAT, UH, THE APPLICANT WANTED TO MIMIC THE THREE'S FOOT SIDE SETBACK BECAUSE IT MATCHES THE, UH, HISTORIC HOUSE.
BUT IN THE FUTURE, HE WAS SAYING, I JUST HEARD THAT HE WANTED TO THEN, UH, REHAB OR RESTORE HIS, OR MAYBE BULL OUT HIS ORIGINAL HOUSE.
HE'S STILL IN NEED OF A FIVE FOOT SETBACK IN THE ADDITION ANYWAY.
SO TO ME IT'S LIKE THAT IT WOULD BE EVEN WEIRDER.
HE HAS A THREE FOOT ORIGINAL FIVE FOOT ADDITION AND THEN GO BACK TO A THREE FOOT GARAGE, WHICH I THINK IT'S NOT THE SPIRIT HERE.
SO I, I GUESS MY, MY BEST EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN ON A HOME, UH, PRIMARY HOME THAT'S THREE FEET OFF THE PROPERTY LINE.
WHEN YOU BUILD A REAR ADDITION, IT'S FIVE FEET.
YOU CREATE AN OFFSET, WHICH OFFSETS ACTUALLY ARE ALSO RECOMMENDED FOR ADDITIONS, BUT THEY, THEY ARE FIVE FEET.
UM, WELL THEN THE GARAGE WOULD BE FIVE FEET THEN TO MATCH THAT LINE, UH, UH, FROM FRONT TO BACK.
WELL, I, I, FOR ME, I LOOK JUST LIKE AT THE MENAL STANDARDS IN TERMS OF THE GARAGE AND WHAT THE, YOU KNOW, IT FITS IF I GUESS THE, THE WAY THIS IS WRITTEN, THINGS DON'T HAVE TO MATCH OR MATCHING ISN'T PART OF LIKE HISTORIC BUILDINGS.
I MEAN, A LOT OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS HAVE
[02:05:01]
DO WEIRD THINGS.SO, UM, WHAT I JUST LOOK AT IS IT SAYS IF IT'S ONE STORY, THREE FEET, IF IT'S TWO STORIES, IT'S FIVE FEET.
AND, AND THAT'S, NO, I'M A, I'M IN AGREEMENT.
I WAS JUST, I'M SAYING I DON'T GET HUNG UP WHETHER THAT MATCHES WHAT'S IN THE FRONT, BUT I'M JUST, I'M JUST LOOKING AT WHAT THE REAR REQUIREMENT FOR THIS APPLICATION FOR, FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR THIS, FOR THIS PROJECT.
I'M JUST LOOKING AT THAT 'CAUSE AND I JUST RECALL COMMENTS FROM FOLKS IN HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WANTED QUALITY OF LIFE IN THEIR BACKYARD AND SOME ACCESS TO SUNLIGHT AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
AND IT, IT ALL COMES DOWN TO TREES AND WHICH WAY YOUR LOTS FACE AND, YOU KNOW, SUN ANGLES.
BUT THAT'S WHERE THE FIVE FEET CAME FROM FOR TWO STORY STRUCTURES.
AND WHY THREE FEET WAS ALLOWED, IF THERE WERE ONLY ONE STORY TALL THAT, THAT'S FROM, FROM THE PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT, THAT I RECALL.
THAT'S, THAT'S MY ONLY STATEMENT ON THAT.
IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OR IS THERE A MOTION OR IS THERE A DEFERRAL? Y MAKES A MOTION TO ACCEPT STAFF'S APPROVAL.
IS THERE A SECOND COMMISSIONER STAFF? A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSIONS BEFORE I CALL THE VOTE? OKAY.
FOR THE MOTION THAT'S BEEN MADE.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? OKAY.
MR. CHAIR FOR THE TRANSCRIPTION PLEASE.
WHO DID YOU RECOGNIZE FOR THE SECOND COMMISSIONER STAAVA.
UH, IS COMMISSIONER COSGROVE IN THE ROOM? WE MIGHT NEED TO RETRIEVE HIM.
YEAH, WE MIGHT NEED, I NEEDED HIM A WHILE AGO TO ASK HIM ABOUT THESE SIDE SETBACKS.
HE'S AN ACE ON THAT SUBJECT AS WELL.
BUT
OKAY, WE'RE MOVING ON TO OUR, UH, ITEM, I BELIEVE OUR FINAL ITEM, UH, E 13.
CHAIRPERSON MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
THIS IS STAFF PERSON JASON LILIENTHAL.
STU WOOD IN NOR HILL FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
THIS SITE RECEIVED A COA FOR A VE TWO STORY EDITION OCTOBER, 2019 TO A DIFFERENT PREVIOUS OWNER.
ACCORDING TO HAR, THIS WAS PURCHASED IN SEPTEMBER 19TH, 2020, BEGINNING OCTOBER 20TH, 2020.
THIS BEGAN RECEIVING RED TAGS FROM THE BUILDING INSPECTOR FOR UNPERMITTED WORK FOR A TOTAL OF 22 RED TAGS WITH MANY FOLLOW-UP VISITATIONS OVER THE PAST ALMOST THREE YEARS.
STAFF RECOMMENDS DENIAL OF THE COA ISSUANCE OF HIS COR TO REMOVE THE BRICK SKIRTING ON THE FRONT ELEVATION OF BOTH SIDES OF THE BRICK PORCH.
HAVE THE SLIDER WINDOWS ON THE FRONT ELEVATION ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE BE INSET, RECESSED AND HAVE WINDOW TRIM MATCHING THE HISTORIC WINDOWS TRIM.
REPLACE THE PORCH DECK BOARDS WITH A ONE BY FOUR TONGUE AND GROOVE LAID FRONT TO BACK.
CONVERT THE EXISTING FRONT PORCH COLUMN INTO A TAPER COLUMN, EXCUSE ME, AND REORIENT THE RAMP APPROACH FROM THE REAR OF THE LOT.
THE OTHER CHANGES WE ARE SAYING THAT WE CAN REMAIN AS COMPLETED.
THE PORSCHE PEDESTALS, THE REPLACEMENT OF THE FRONT DOOR, THE REMOVAL OF THE AWNING ON THE FRONT ELEVATION, THE PLACEMENT OF THE DOOR ON THE RIGHT ELEVATION, AND THE CHANGE OF THE GARAGE DOOR TO REMAIN AS COMPLETED CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, THE OWNER, EDDIE SAVALA, IS ONLINE VIRTUALLY.
THERE ARE TWO NOR HILL RESIDENTS ALSO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK VIRGINIA, KELSEY AND LAWRENCE FIBO.
I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
UH, COMMISSION MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF ON THIS ITEM? I I HAVE A QUESTION FOR, UH, JASON, PLEASE.
COMMISSIONER MCNEIL, PLEASE PROCEED.
WERE THERE A FULL SET OF PERMIT, A FULL SET OF PLANS PRESENTED TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND PERMITS GOTTEN OTHERS? IS THIS ALL THIS WORK? UNPERMITTED ONLY THE FULL SET OF PLANS FOR THE OCTOBER, 2019, TWO STORY REAR EDITION.
EVERYTHING ELSE WAS UNPERMITTED WORK.
THAT WOULD BE THE CHANGE OF THE BRICK STEPS, THE RAMP, UH, THE REMOVAL OF THE AWNING, REPLACEMENT OF THE FRONT DOOR, THOSE BRICK SKIRTING, UH, THE WINDOW TRIM AROUND THAT, UH, SLIDER WINDOW ON THE FRONT ELEVATION.
[02:10:01]
COMMENT TO THE PUBLIC HEARING.UM, AND THE FIRST, UH, UH, FIRST TO SIGN UP TO SPEAK AS MENTIONED WAS MR. EDDIE ZAVALA.
MR. MR. ZAVALA, CAN YOU RESTATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS THE COMMISSION? UNMUTE HIM.
WE'RE GONNA TRY TO UNMUTE YOU AND THEN HAVE YOU PROCEED AGAIN.
EDDIE SAVALA, THIS IS JASON LENTAL.
IF YOU'RE USING YOUR LAPTOP, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF.
IF YOU'RE ON A PHONE, IT'S STAR SIX.
ANOTHER OPTION FOR SOUND, SIR, IS TO CALL IN ON THE PHONE LINE AND SPEAK BY PHONE.
WE ARE SEEING YOU ON THE CAMERA, BUT WE DO NOT HEAR YOU.
I KNOW THERE'S A SETTING ON YOUR COMPUTER THAT SOMETIMES IN TERMS OF YOUR MICROPHONE AND SPEAKER AND YOU HAVE TO SET THAT CORRECTLY.
AND SOMETIMES MY CELL PHONE MERGES WITH MY COMPUTER AND THEN I CAN'T HEAR OR SPEAK.
SO I DON'T, I'M NOT, I'M NOT SURE, BUT I HAVE I HAVE ISSUES WITH TEAMS ALL THE TIME, SO I'M A ZOOM PERSON.
CAN YOU, DO YOU NEED THAT ALL? I APOLOGIZE FOR THIS, FOR THIS MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
WE'RE
UM, I'M GONNA PUT YOU ON SPEAKER PHONE HERE WITH, WITH EDDIE ZAVALA.
I APOLOGIZE FOR THE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE ZOOM.
UH, CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME WELL THIS TIME? YES, SIR.
UM, I, I WAS, UH, SPEAKING AT THE, THE BEGINNING JUST SAYING THAT I'M A FIRST TIME HOME BUYER.
I PURCHASED A PROPERTY, UH, IN STU WOOD, UH, BACK IN SEPTEMBER OF 2020.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, UNBEKNOWNST TO ME, I, YOU KNOW, HIRED A, A LOCAL CONTRACTOR TO ASSIST ME WITH SOME MINOR REMODELING, UH, THAT I THOUGHT WAS MINOR, UH, ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE HOUSE, PARTLY DUE TO, UM, SOME, UM, UH, MOISTURE ISSUES THAT WERE OCCURRING WITHIN THE HOUSE THAT I FOUND OUT ABOUT AFTER PURCHASING IT.
AND SO NOT UNDERSTANDING THE, THE PROPER, UM, DIRECTION OF, YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING THAT THIS WAS A NON HOA HOUSE.
I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THERE WERE, YOU KNOW, MANY, MANY RULES AND REGULATIONS I NEEDED TO FOLLOW.
BUT NONETHELESS, MY, UM, MY INTENTION WAS TO IMPROVE THE LOOK OF THE HOUSE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE STAIR COLUMN, THE BRICK STAIR COLUMN HAD CRACKS AND, UM, AND IT WAS, UH, DANGEROUS AND THERE WAS ALSO MOISTURE GETTING THROUGH.
AND SO, UH, THE CONTRACTOR I WORKED WITH, UM, ASSURED ME IT WOULD BE BEST TO ADD THE BRICK SKIRTING TO HELP CONTROL THE MOISTURE AND FIX THE, FIX THE PAINTED BLACK, UM, BRICK, WHICH I DIDN'T THINK WAS PARTICULARLY ATTRACTIVE.
AND COULD IT BE REPLICATED THE SAME WAY? UM, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE OF THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAD, UH, WE HAD NEEDS FOR THE RAMP, UH, FOR, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY
[02:15:01]
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE BRICK, THE, THE AWNING CAME OFF AND THAT EXPOSED ANOTHER GAP.AND SO THE, UM, THE VINYL THAT WAS ADDED AROUND THE SMALL WINDOW THAT WAS REFERENCED WAS ADDED TO COVER THAT AND PREVENT FURTHER MOISTURE.
BUT THERE WAS NO TAMPERING OR CHANGES DONE TO THE DOOR, FRONT DOOR THAT IS, OR THE WINDOW ITSELF.
UM, AND, UH, FURTHERMORE, I'M TRYING TO THINK WHAT ELSE WAS, UM, BROUGHT UP TO TEND TO, AS FAR AS THE WOOD GOES, UM, I THINK THAT WAS PART OF THE, YOU KNOW, OVERALL PROJECT TO BRING ST STURDINESS TO THE HOUSE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK I, I'D BE WILLING TO COMPROMISE ON TO, YOU KNOW, CHANGE THE WOOD BOARDS AND, UH, BRING IT UP TO HISTORICAL, YOU KNOW, REFERENCE.
I APOLOGIZE, I DON'T KNOW THE PROPER WORDING FOR ALL THIS SINCE I'M NOT A CONTRACTOR, BUT, UM, I'D LOVE TO WORK WITH YOU GUYS TO, YOU KNOW, COMPROMISING AND GET THIS, UH, PROPERTY, YOU KNOW, TO A PLACE WHERE WE FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT.
I, I THINK I'VE PUT A LOT OF LOVE INTO THE PROPERTY AND, AND A LOT OF INVESTMENT, UM, IN HOPES OF BRINGING VALUE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THE, THE BRICK SKIRTING IS, IS ONE THING I'D LIKE TO, I'D LIKE TO CHALLENGE ON OR PUSH BACK ON, UM, JUST BECAUSE THAT WAS DONE FOR THE, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE HOME ITSELF TO ADDRESS A ISSUE THAT HAD ARISEN SINCE I PURCHASED IT.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE STAIRS ARE IN COMPLIANCE.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK ADDING A GAP AND HAVING VINYL PUT BACK ON WOULD PROBABLY LEAD TO FURTHER ISSUES.
UM, I'M GOING TO, UM, LET ME FIRST PROCEED WITH, UH, TWO MORE SPEAKERS.
SIGN UP ON THIS ITEM AND THEN, UM, THERE MAY, BUT THERE MAY BE QUESTIONS IF YOU CAN HOLD ON FROM STAFF MEMBERS.
WELL, LEMME JUST ASK THE QUESTION NOW.
ARE THERE ANY STAFF? ARE ARE ANY COMMISSIONERS THAT HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT ON THE INFORMATION HE PRESENTED? I HAVE A QUESTION COLUMN.
WHAT DID, WHAT DID, WHAT DID HE THINK THE RED TAGS WERE? HE'S BOUND TO HAVE SEEN THE RED TAGS ON HIS HOUSE, BUT YET HE KEPT GOING.
I THINK THE WORK WAS COMPLETED PRETTY QUICKLY.
SO RED TAGS, YOU KNOW, KEPT OCCURRING.
AND I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THE MUNICIPAL COURTS NOW FOR A WHILE AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD ENGINEERS, I'VE HAD TO GO THROUGH TWO, THREE DIFFERENT ENGINEERS, UM, JUST TO, UM, COMPLY WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S, UM, PROCEDURES.
AND, UH, I THINK THE SMALL COSMETIC CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M HERE IN FRONT OF THE COMMISSION TODAY TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, FIND A WORKING RESOLUTION MOVING FORWARD.
UM, I DO HAVE TWO MORE SPEAKERS SIGNED UP ON THIS ITEM.
UM, THE NEXT PERSON SIGNED UP IS VIRGINIA KELSEY, GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'M ALSO ON THE BOARD OF NOR HILL.
NOR HILL IS COMMITTED TO MAINTAINING ITS HISTORIC CHARACTER OF 1920S BUNGALOWS WITH FRONT YARDS.
THE DEED RESTRICTION STATE, THE PARKING OR STANDING IN MOTOR VEHICLES ON ANY LOT IN FRONT OF A RESIDENCE OTHER THAN IN THE DRIVEWAYS IS LIKEWISE PROHIBITED.
THE CONCRETE PARKING PADS OCCUPYING THE ENTIRE FRONT YARD MUST BE REMOVED.
THERE IS A SOLID FENCE EXTENDING OUT TO THE STREET ON THE NORTH SIDE.
SOLID FENCES IN FRONT OF THE FRONT SETBACK LINE WOULD NOT BE APPROVED BY NOR HILL.
THE DEED RESTRICTION STATE, EXCEPT FOR SPECIFIC LOTS, NO LOTS SHALL BE USED FOR ANY TYPE OF BUSINESS OR COMMERCIAL PURPOSE.
IT IS OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT UNTIL RECENTLY OR PERHAPS CURRENTLY THE HOUSE WAS OPERATED AS A BUSINESS, IF THE RAMP WAS INSTALLED AS PART OF A BUSINESS AND NOT FOR THE USE OF A HOMEOWNER LIVING IN THE PROPERTY, IT SHOULD BE REMOVED.
BRICK SKIRTS WERE ADDED WITHOUT APPROVAL.
BRICK SKIRTS ARE NOT FOUND IN ANY NOR HILL BUNGALOWS.
IT APPEARS THAT THE VINYL SLIDER WINDOW WAS ADDED OR REPLACED, OUTBOARD OF THE BUILDING FACE AND IT SHOULD BE SET IN THE WINDOWS.
AND THE ORIGINAL HOUSE DIDN'T HAVE ANY TRIM AROUND THEM.
AS IS TYPICAL WITH THE OTHER HOUSES, WE ARE SUGGESTING THAT TRIM MIGHT BE ADDED TO FURTHER BRING THE HOUSE INTO COMPLIANCE WITH OTHER HOUSES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
[02:20:01]
AND AGAIN, I REINFORCE THE IDEA OF ADDING A TAPERED TRIM AT THE FRONT COLUMN WOULD POST, BECAUSE THAT WOULD AGAIN, BRING IT MORE INTO COMPLIANCE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.THE MODIFICATIONS SUCH AS THESE WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO BRINGING THE RESIDENTS INTO COMPATIBILITY WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THE NEXT SPEAKER SIGNED UP IS LAWRENCE FIBO.
UH, SO I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND I WISH I DIDN'T HAVE TO BE HERE TODAY.
I'M SURE YOU'RE GETTING TIRED OF SEEING ME, BUT THIS IS, UM, ANOTHER INSTANCE WHERE THE PROPERTY OWNER BEGAN AND COMPLETED WORK WITHOUT ASKING FOR OUR PERMISSION, UM, TO GAIN APPROVAL AS IS REQUIRED BY THE DEED RESTRICTIONS.
UM, I WANTED TO INSTANTLY STATE THAT WE DID RECEIVE A LETTER OF COMPLAINT FROM A NEIGHBOR ABOUT THE FENCE BEING TOO, UH, CLOSE TO THE BUILDING LINE 'CAUSE THEY CAN'T SEE WHEN THEY, UM, PULL OUT OF THEIR DRIVEWAY.
SO WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT THIS, UM, CERTIFICATE OF REMEDIATION.
UM, AS I STATED, THEY DIDN'T, UH, SUBMIT FOR APPROVAL.
THERE HAVE BEEN, UH, SO MANY 3 1 1 COMPLAINTS IN THE PAST, SOME OF WHICH HAVE BEEN BY THE BOARD, OTHERS HAVE BEEN BY PRIVATE CITIZENS.
UM, UNTIL A MONTH AGO, THE TEAMWORK FINANCIAL GROUP OPERATED A BUSINESS OUT OF THE HOME, WHICH IS PROHIBITED BY ARTICLE TWO, SECTION THREE.
UM, THE HOME SHOULD BE USED AS A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE AS IT HAS BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE HARRIS COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT.
UM, THE CONCRETE PADS THAT ARE IN THE FRONT YARD, UH, UH, CHANGE THE CONFORMING LOOK TO WHAT WAS THERE BEFORE.
MOST, UH, SINGLE RESIDENTS, UH, HOMES DO HAVE A YARD IN THE FRONT.
THEY'VE PUT IN CONCRETE PADS FOR EXTRA PARKING, WHICH YOU WOULD WANT FOR, UH, RUNNING A BUSINESS.
UH, THE CONCRETE PAVERS SHOULD BE, UH, REMOVED, UM, TO, UM, SUPPORT THE RESIDENTIAL CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND IF THE HOMEOWNER WOULD LIKE TO BRING VALUE TO THE, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY WOULD START BY COMPLYING WITH OUR DEED RESTRICTIONS.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ATTENDING THIS MEETING IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY THEY WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS ITEM? IF SO, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, NOT HEARING.
I'M GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT, UM, ON THIS ITEM AND ASK COMMISSIONERS IF THERE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OF, I HAVE A QUESTION.
MR. COUCH, HAS ANYONE CALCULATED THE IMPERVIOUS COVERAGE? BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S PROBABLY OVER THE 65% THRESHOLD AND IF THAT'S GONNA TRIGGER A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER STUFF.
HA HAS, HAS THE CITY TALKED ABOUT THAT TO HIM? THAT WAS ONE OF THE RED TAGS, YES.
THAT HE HAD EXCEEDED IMPERVIOUS COVER.
I GUESS I, I I'LL SAY, COULD STAFF JUST RESTATE THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU HAVE? UM, FOR THE CORRECTIVE WORK STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS DENIAL OF THE COA, THE ISSUANCE OF A COR TO REMOVE THE BRICK SKIRTING ON THE FRONT ELEVATION OF BOTH SIDES OF THE BRICK PORCH.
STEPS TO HAVE THE SLIDER WINDOWS ON THE FRONT ELEVATION ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE BE INSIDE AND RECESSED WITH WINDOW TRIM MATCHING HISTORIC WINDOWS TRIM.
REPLACE THE PORCH DECK BOARDS WITH A ONE BY FOUR TONGUE AND GROOVE LATE FRONT TO BACK.
CONVERT THE EXISTING FRONT PORCH COLUMN, WHICH IS SQUARE AT THIS TIME INTO A TAPERED COLUMN AND REORIENT THE RAMP APPROACH TO COME FROM THE REAR OF THE LOT, THE PORSCHE PEDESTALS FRONT DOOR REMOVAL OF AWNING ON FRONT ELEVATION, THE PLACEMENT OF DOOR ON THE RIGHT ELEVATION AND GARAGE DOOR TO REMAIN AS COMPLETED.
SO DID STAFF HAVE A COMMENT NOW, THE PARKING PAD, RIGHT.
THE, THE, MY QUESTION, AND COMMISSIONER COLLINS WAS ON THE CONCRETE PLACED IN THE FRONT YARD OF THE HOME FOR THE CONCRETE PADS.
WE DON'T OVERSEE THAT, SO THAT'S WHY IT'S NOT IN THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
THAT HAS MORE OF A, UH, HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS PERMITTING CENTER ISSUE.
I GUESS MY QUESTION FOR STAFF IS, UM, WE DON'T REGULATE LANDSCAPING OR WALLS UNLESS THE WALLS ARE CONNECTED TO THE STRUCTURE, BUT, UM, BUT IN TERMS OF THE CHARACTER OF THE FRONT SETBACK AND YARD, UM, I'M STILL WONDERING, UH, I MEAN, WHAT SOMEONE PUTS IN THEIR FRONT YARD DOES AFFECT THE, THE CHARACTER OF THE HISTORIC STRUCTURE BE, YOU KNOW, BEHIND THAT INTERVENTION.
SO I'M JUST WONDERING HOW THAT ON LEGAL, IF, IF KIM, YOU HAVE A, UM, I MEAN THE, THE WAY THIS WORKS IS YOU, WHEN YOU DO THE PERMIT, YOU HAVE IN PREVIOUS COVER,
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AND THERE THERE'S SOME ASPECTS LIKE THAT YOU HAVE TO SIGN THAT YOU DID AB ABIDE BY THE DEED RESTRICTIONS.AGAIN, THAT'S OUTSIDE OUR PURVIEW.
BUT YOU, SOMEONE, YOU HAVE TO DO THAT AND BY LEGALLY SAY THAT YOU, YOU DID, YOU DID THAT, BUT, BUT, BUT PLACING A LOT OF CONCRETE IN FRONT OF A HISTORIC HOME ALSO IMPACTS, IT'S AN ADVERSE EFFECT TO THE, THE FRONT.
LIKE IF A FRONT YARD IS GRASS AND YOU PLACE CONCRETE THERE, THAT IS AN ADVERSE EFFECT.
SO I'M WONDERING HOW, IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS ABOUT THAT ASPECT? WELL, NOT, NOT AS A LANDSCAPE ELEMENT, BUT AS A, AT AN ADVERSE EFFECT IN FRONT OF THE, THE HISTORIC STRUCTURE.
I, AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED WITH ANY PROSECUTION UNDER THE, THE RED TAGS FOR THE IMPERVIOUS COVER.
I WOULD THINK HE WOULD'VE BEEN REQUIRED TO HAVE REMOVED THAT AS PART OF THE, THE RESOLUTION OF THAT.
I WOULD NEED TIME TO LOOK INTO THAT.
I JUST CAN'T RECALL ANYONE PUTTING CONCRETE IN FRONT OF THE HISTORIC HOME THAT I CAN RECALL.
I'VE NOT SEEN THIS OCCURRING IN, IN HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
SO THAT'S MY, I GUESS MY QUESTION, UH, CHAIR BIC, UH, MAYBE I CAN SHARE THIS AS WELL.
UH, THE IMPERVIOUS COVER CAN BE MITIGATED BY, YOU KNOW, THE, THEIR, THE PERMITTING DEPARTMENT.
YOU CAN LEAVE THE CONCRETE THERE.
I MEAN, NOT US IN THIS COMMISSION, BUT THEY CAN LEAVE THE CONCRETE THERE AND DO THE MITIGATION WORK.
BUT THE ISSUE IS THEN STILL THE CONCRETE IS THERE IS I THINK WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ADDRESS HERE, NOT, NOT THE MITIGATION WORK OF THE IMPERVIOUS COVER.
UM, IN, IN, IN ITEMS THAT I'VE SEEN IN THE APPROVAL CRITERIA, I THINK EVERY, NEARLY EVERY ONE OF THEM IS VIOLATED BECAUSE I'VE NEVER SEEN A HISTORIC HOUSE WITH ABOUT EIGHT CONCRETE PADS IN FRONT OF, ITS, ITS, UH, ITS FRONT YARD.
SO TO ME THAT'S AN ISSUE, UH, AS WELL, JUST LIKE YOU WERE SAYING, NOT ABOUT IMPERVIOUS COVER MITIGATION, I GUESS WHAT, WHERE MY QUESTION IS A LEGAL QUESTION, BUT PART OF THE ORDINANCE HAS TO DO WITH THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND DEFINING AGREED IN TERMS OF NOT JUST THE STRUCTURE, BUT ALSO THE ENVIRONMENTS OF THE STRUCTURE.
AND SO LANDSCAPE ASIDE, AND THERE'S, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT PLANTS HERE.
IT'S JUST A MATTER THAT THIS IS A CHANGE TO HOW THIS NEIGHBORHOOD WAS DEVELOPED.
AND, AND THAT'S WHY, THAT'S WHERE I'M JUST LOOKING FOR CLARIFICATION AND I KNOW WE WON'T MAYBE HAVE IT TODAY, BUT WELL, AND I, I, I WOULD TELL YOU THAT, YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY WHEN WE THINK OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION, WE THINK OF IT AS BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES.
AND SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT A LANDMARK OR A PROTECTED LANDMARK, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PROTECTING WITHIN A DISTRICT.
YOU INCLUDE WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES ALL OF THE LOT.
SO I THINK THAT, THAT, THAT DOES GIVE THE COMMISSION SOME JURISDICTION OVER THAT.
THAT'S WHAT I, THAT'S, AND THAT, THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.
UM, COMMISSION MEMBERS, ARE THERE OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? SO I HAVE A QUESTION, COMMISSIONER MCNEIL? YEP.
MY, MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THE PLEASE, MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THE TWO SPEAKERS IS THEY'RE IN VIOLATION OF THE DEED RESTRICTIONS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH THE FENCE, THE FRONT CONCRETE PADS AND THE RAMP, UNLESS A DISABLED PERSON LIVES IN THAT HOUSE.
AND IF I WERE TO MOVE THAT, THOSE ITEMS BE, UH, ADDRESSED OR, OR, OR REMOVED, I IS THAT UNDER OUR PURVIEW CAM? WE'RE NOT HERE TO ENFORCE THE DEED RESTRICTIONS THERE, THERE'S A DEED RESTRICTION ENFORCEMENT PROCESS TO THE EXTENT THAT NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES CAN ASSIST IN THAT WITH THESE MATTERS.
UM, I'M NOT SURE THAT THESE THREE ITEMS, EXCUSE ME, WOULD BE, BUT THAT'S, AGAIN, IT'S A DIFFERENT SECTION IN THE, IN, IN THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT AND THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, OR THROUGH THEIR OWN DEED RESTRICTION ENFORCEMENT PROCESS.
MY QUESTION IS, IT SOUNDED LIKE THOUGH STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS ARE VERY CLOSE TO WHAT THE, THE LAST TWO SPEAKERS WERE SUGGESTING.
THE ONLY THING I WOULD QUESTION FOR THIS COMMISSION IS THE RAMP BECAUSE WE DON'T REGULATE RAMPS AND CORRECT.
AND WE, UM, THIS CITY WILL BEND OVER BACKWARD TO ALLOW ACCESSIBILITY TO OCCUR.
AND THE QUESTION IS HOW TO MAKE THAT OCCUR IN A WAY THAT IS, DOES NOT UNDERMINE THE STORAGE STRUCTURE, BUT DOES ACCOMMODATE THE ACCOMMODATION AND THAT.
SO I THINK, UM, BUT AGAIN, I THINK SO, SO THAT'S, I I'M NOT SURE HOW TO, HOW TO, HOW WE ADDRESS THAT ISSUE.
I, I PERSONALLY THINK THE CONCRETE THOUGH IS AN ISSUE BASED, BASED ON THE ENVIRONMENTS OF OUR, OUR, OUR DISTRICT.
THAT'S NOT A FEATURE THAT CAN BE FOUND IN THE, IN, IN THE PEER SIGNIFICANCE.
AND SO I DO QUESTION THAT AND WHETHER, WONDER WHETHER THAT SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE C OF R.
UM, BUT I GUESS I, SO THEN I'D MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT STAT'S RECOMMENDATION WITH THE ADDITION OF REMOVAL OF THE CONCRETE PADS IN THE FRONT YARD.
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A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? YEP.IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION BEFORE WE CALL THE VOTE? OKAY, HEARING NONE.
I'M GONNA CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT BECAUSE I CAN'T RECALL IF I DID, BUT, UM, ALL IN FAVOR OF THAT MOTION.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? THAT MOTION PASSES.
WE ARE GONNA MOVE ON NOW TO, UM, ITEM F COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.
IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC EITHER IN PERSON OR ATTENDING VIRTUALLY WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION.
NOT HEARING ANY, I'M GONNA CLOSE THE, THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND ASK IF THERE ARE ANY COMMISSION MEMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION.
FEEL LIKE I'VE ASKED THIS SEVERAL TIMES, BUT IS THERE ANY UPDATES ON THE FINES AND PENALTIES FOR NON-COMPLIANCE? I'M SORRY, COULD YOU ASK THAT AGAIN? ANY UPDATES ON THE STATUS OF FINES OR PENALTY FOR NON-COMPLIANCE? FOR THE HISTORIC REQUIREMENTS NOT BEING MET? FINES AND NON-COMPLIANCE ARE ALREADY IN THE ORDINANCE.
IT'S A QUESTION OF HAVING ENFORCEMENT DONE AND ADEQUATE ENFORCEMENT STAFF.
I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S BEEN ANY CHANGE, UM, IN HPW FROM THAT END.
WELL, AND WE HAD DISCUSS DISCUSSION I GUESS IN OUR LAST MEETING OR SECOND TO LAST MEETING.
I THINK WHAT WAS DISCUSSED WAS, UM, THE ONLY THING THAT AT LEAST WE HAVE PURVIEW HERE AT THIS COMMISSION IS LIKE IN THE C OF R PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT THINGS GET CORRECTED THAT NEED TO BE CORRECTED IN ORDER TO RIGHT OR WRONG, IF YOU WILL.
AND THAT'S NOT, IS THAT, IS THAT FAIR? I MEAN, WE, WE CAN'T ASSIGN, WE CAN'T ASSIGN FINES AND WE CAN'T AS WE, THAT'S ALL, THESE ARE CERTAIN THINGS ARE SET BY LAW IS MY UNDERSTANDING.
AND SO THEY'RE, THEY ARE OUTSIDE OUR PURVIEW, BUT WHAT WE CAN DO IS THROUGH THE C OF R PROCESS ENSURE THAT THE HISTORIC STRUCTURES ARE HEALED.
IS THAT FAIR? IT, I I I THINK THAT'S ABSOLUTELY FAIR.
AND, AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE CORRECT IN THAT THIS GROUP AND STAFF HISTORIC PRESERVATION STAFF DOES NOT HAVE AUTHORITY TO, TO, UH, GO OUT AND ISSUE CITATIONS.
ONLY THE COURT CAN ISSUE THE FINES.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A, AN ENFORCEMENT PROCESS THAT TAKES THAT THROUGH IN THAT REGARD.
TO YOUR POINT, IF, IF I MAY, I THINK, UM, WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT IS, IS ESTABLISHING SOME TIMEFRAME AT WHICH POINT STAFF WILL GO LOOK AND ENGAGE THE INSPECTORS AND THE AFFECTION TEAM IF NECESSARY.
SO RIGHT NOW IT'S NOT CLEAR WHEN THAT WOULD BE OR WHAT TIME WOULD BE REASONABLE.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING WE'RE LOOKING AT SO THAT AT LEAST ON OUR END, WE THERE WILL BE MORE FOLLOW UP AND WE WILL, YOU KNOW, HAVE SOME WAY TO AT LEAST I'VE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION I THINK SEVEN YEARS NOW, STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN AN ANSWER.
WELL, YEAH, ENFORCEMENT'S IT, IT DIFFICULT, IT IS AN ENFORCEMENT TYPE OF ISSUE AND ENFORCEMENT IS ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, SPORADIC COMPLAINT DRIVEN AND SO FORTH.
UM, WE ARE, AS, AS MS. OSLAN POINTS OUT, SPEAKING WITH STAFF, ROMAN AND I SPOKE TODAY ABOUT ESTABLISHING SOME SORT OF TIME PERIOD FOR C OF R COMPLIANCE SO THAT THAT WOULD GIVE THEM AN ADDITIONAL, UM, ENFORCEMENT TOOL IF YOU WOULD, OR SOME SORT OF DEADLINE FOR PEOPLE TO, TO ACT UNDER.
IT WOULD TAKE AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO DO THAT, I BELIEVE.
AND WHAT HAPPENS WITH A C OF R IF IT'S NOT CORRECTED? I MEAN, AGAIN, HOW DO THEY CLOSE A PERMIT IF THEY EVER, THEY'RE RED TAGGED, THEY HAVE A C OF R THAT WILL HELP HEAL THE PROJECT, BUT THEY DON'T DO IT.
IS A PERMIT CLOSED? I MEAN, IT, IT, UM, NO, IT, IT CAN HANG OPEN THERE.
AND SO WE DON'T HAVE A WAY, I MEAN, WE WOULD NOT ISSUE A NEW PERMIT.
WE WOULD NOT FINAL PERMIT, BUT THEY'RE ALREADY DOING STUFF WITHOUT A PERMIT THAT THEY DON'T CARE.
A LOT OF THEM THE ONES THAT ARE LIKE THE REALLY BAD VIOLATORS.
SO THE PERMIT OR NOT THAT MA LIKE THIS GUY GOT 22 PERMIT VIOLATIONS AND HE KEPT GOING.
I MEAN, IS THERE A WAY TO DO SOMETHING LIKE TURN THE UTILITIES OFF OR SOMETHING? NO, THEY, WE, THE LAW PREVENTS US FROM DOING THAT.
WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SHUT ANYBODY DOWN.
THE, UH, STATE LAW PREVENTS THAT.
WATER AND ELECTRICITY AND GAS ARE DEEMED IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE.
I MEAN THIS IS, IT'S A, IT'S A HEALTH SAFETY ISSUE.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE STRUGGLE WITH AT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT WITH COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS TOO.
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THAT'S WHAT CODES THE BUILDING CODES PROTECT NEIGHBORS FROM EACH OTHER.THE BUILDING CODES ARE PROTECTING NEIGHBORS FROM EACH OTHER.
IF NOT, UH, UH, LIFE SAFETY ISSUES, THE BUILDING CODES.
WELL, WE'RE NOT BUILDING CODES, BUT WE'RE STILL IMPORTANT.
WELL, THE REGULATIONS THAT, UM, YEAH.
THAT APPLY TO THE REASONS FOR PEOPLE GETTING RED TAGS.
NOT, WE'RE NOT CODE OFFICIALS.
BUT IF, UH, IF SOMEONE THEN SOLD THE PROPERTY TO A NEW COUPLE MM-HMM
AND THEN, OR, OR, OR, OR INDIVIDUAL AND THEY WANNA PULL A PERMIT TO MAKE A RENOVATION, THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE, AND THE AND THE PREVIOUS ONE WAS STILL NOT RESOLVED, THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO PULL IT.
THE, YOU KNOW, C OF ASS C OF R THEY TRAVEL WITH THE LAND.
THEY'RE ATTACHED TO THE PROPERTY.
SO IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S A NEW PROPERTY OWNER, THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S PART OF DUE DILIGENCE AND BUYING THE PROPERTY THAT'S LIKE BACK TAXES OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, MAGICALLY NOT HAVE TO PAY THEM.
WHEN THEY DO THESE MASSIVE REMODELS, DON'T THEY HAVE TO HAVE A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY TO MOVE BACK INTO THE HOUSE? NO, THE CITY OF HOUSTON DOESN'T ISSUE CER CERTIFICATES OF OCCUPANCY FOR RESIDENTIAL USES.
IF YOU NOTED THIS WAS ALSO ONE OF THE RED TAGS ON THIS LAST PROPERTY, WAS THAT IT WAS, THEY DIDN'T HAVE A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY TO CONVERT TO A BUSINESS USE.
DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YEAH, IT'S A CHANGING LANES SEPARATE TOPIC.
UH, ANY UPDATES FROM THE POWERS TO BE ON CAMP OR WHEN ARE WE GOING TO HAVE THAT? UH, UH, I GUESS THAT, UH, TRAINING, THAT TRAINING AND SEMINAR.
I THINK LAST I HEARD THERE WAS A GRANT APPLICATION HAVE BEEN MADE AND I HADN'T, I WASN'T SURE WHETHER WE WERE SUCCESSFUL OR WHETHER THE TIME HAS COME TO FIND OUT I'M GONNA DEFER TO ROMAN.
DO YOU HAVE ANY UPDATE ON THAT? WE, UM, UH, STAFF APPLIED FOR A GRANT THAT WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE VICE CHAIR.
UH, AND THAT WENT IN, I THINK IN APRIL.
UH, STAFF MEMBER VALLEY KNOWS, BUT THE, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT DEPENDENT UPON THAT.
UM, IF WE COULD, WE COULD BASICALLY LOOK INTO SCHEDULING THAT AHEAD OF THE GRANT, MAYBE I COULD LOOK AT THAT GRANT AND SEE IF, UM, IF IT ALLOWS FOR US TO, BECAUSE WE HAVE THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND AND IT SEEMS OF COURSE, LIKE AN APPROPRIATE EXPENSE TO SCHEDULE IT.
BUT WE, WE ANTICIPATE HEARING BACK ON THAT, UH, POSSIBLY HAVING ALL OR PART OF THAT COVERED BY THAT NATIONAL PARK SERVICE GRANT.
UM, ROMAN, UH, I GUESS YOU'RE NEXT ON THE AGENDA WITH THE, UH, HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER'S REPORT.
I, I DON'T WANT TO, UH, I DON'T HAVE A REPORT TO YOU.
I WORK IN FRONT OF THE OFFICE BECAUSE I HAD A LITTLE BIT OF COVID, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW.
AND IT'S, THAT WAS SEVERAL DAYS AGO.
BUT I WANTED TO, UH, UH, BE EXTRA CAREFUL.
AND, UM, JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR WORK.
I, WE HAVE SOME EXCITING THINGS COMING DOWN THE PIKE.
WE'VE GOTTEN STAFFED UP, UH, TO A GOOD EXTENT.
SO THINGS ARE, THINGS ARE LOOKING M MUCH IMPROVED IN, IN OUR ABILITY TO, UM, ADDRESS ALL THE ISSUES WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.
YOU KNOW, WITH REGARD TO ENFORCEMENT.
I'LL REITERATE THAT IF YOU WERE HERE ON A WEEK TO WEEK BASIS, YOU'D KNOW, YOU'D FIND OUT THAT WE DO, WE ARE PRETTY SUCCESSFUL IN PREVENTING A LOT OF THINGS FROM EVEN GETTING TO THE COMMISSION.
UM, GETTING PEOPLE TO PUT THINGS BACK THE WAY THEY WERE IS ONE ALTERNATIVE THAT KEEPS THEM OUT OF OUR PAPER, YOU KNOW, OUT OF TRACKER AND OUT THE WHOLE SYSTEM.
UM, AND THEN THE PROCESS THAT THE CITY HAS WORKS IN THE SENSE, AND WE TALKED, Y'ALL HEARD ABOUT PERMITTING, THE, UM, WHEN ONCE WE KNOW THERE'S AN OPEN PERMIT, WE CAN, WE EVEN CAN REPLACE ADDITIONAL HOLES, WHICH, UM, INSPECTORS WILL TELL US TO DO ON A, ON A PERMIT.
SO WE CAN ASSURE THAT IT, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T, UH, THAT THEY DON'T GET A FINAL INSPECTION OR THEY DON'T GET THE NEXT INSPECTION.
SO THE ONLY TIME IT CAN BE KIND OF PROBLEMATIC WILL BE IF, UH, THERE'S, THERE'S NOTHING LIKE THAT.
THE, THE PERSON'S IN THE HOUSE, FOR EXAMPLE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, SITUATIONS LIKE THAT.
I MEAN, IT'S KIND OF, IT IS INTERESTING.
GLENBROOK VALLEY, I KNOW COMMISSIONER COLUM, I, IF I WERE TO OPEN HOUSTON ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS WEBSITE RIGHT NOW AND SHOP FOR HOUSES IN GLENBROOK VALLEY, I BET I'LL FIND
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ONE OR TWO HOUSES FOR SALE THAT DON'T LOOK LIKE THEY LOOK IN THE MOST RECENT PICTURE OF GOOGLE STREET VIEW AND DID NOT GET A C OF A.THAT HAS HAPPENED A NUMBER OF TIMES.
WE'VE GOT, I'VE GOT ONE I JUST TURNED INTO Y'ALL.
AND ALL, ALL OF THE STUFF FROM THE HOUSE IS ON THE CURB FOR HEAVY TRASH, WHICH IS MORE THAN THE CITY WILL PICK UP.
BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, I'M JUST GONNA SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, IT ISN'T, UH, AS IT'S NOT AS TERRIFICALLY BAD THOUGH, LET ME TELL YOU,
AND THIS WEEK WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THEM, UH, STAFF'S BEEN VERY BUSY.
WE HAD THE APPEALS BOARD THIS WEEK.
WE HAD THE ITEMS THAT COMMISSION.
UM, SO JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU AND EVERYTHING'S LOOKING UP, UH, IN TERMS OF, WE JUST KEEP MOVING FORWARD.
WE'VE GOT THE DESIGN LINES COMING, DESIGN GUIDELINES COMING.
UH, THIS IS EXTRAORDINARILY DIFFICULT.
I GREW UP IN THE CITY AND I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE THIS, UH, LEVEL OF HEAT.
BUT ANYWAY, THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH.
AND WITH THAT, WE WILL ADJOURN.