[Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission on February 27, 2025.]
[00:00:16]
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH, 2025.
TODAY'S MEETING OF THE HOUSTON ARCHEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL COMMISSION.
I'M COMMISSIONED CHAIR DAVID EK TO VERIFY WE HAVE A QUORUM.
I WILL CALL THE ROLE THE CHAIR IS PRESENT.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT VICE CHAIR, UH, AUER JACKSON WILL BE ARRIVING SHORTLY.
COMMISSIONER BLAKELY IS ABSENT.
UH, COMMISSIONER S SEPULVEDA IS NOT HERE.
COMMISSIONER COSGROVE PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER MCNEIL IS NOT HERE.
COMMISSIONER COUCH PRESIDENT AND PLANNING DIRECTOR VON TRAN PRESENT.
UM, UM, I'D LIKE TO START OFF, UH, MY CHAIR'S REPORT TODAY, UM, WITH, IT'S A BIT MORE SAD NEWS TODAY AND, UM, UM, FOR THOSE, UM, WHO KNOW OR DON'T KNOW, BUT I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO HONOR, UM, THE MEMORY OF TANYA DEBO, WHO WAS A COMMISSIONER HERE IN OUR COMMISSION, UM, WHO PASSED AWAY ON JANUARY 30TH.
UM, TANYA, TANYA WAS AN INFLUENTIAL AND DEDICATED COMMUNITY LEADER WHO SERVED ON BOTH THE HOUSTON ARCHEOLOGICAL HISTORICAL COMMISSION AND THE CITY'S HISTORIC PRESERVATION APPEALS BOARD.
AMONG HER MANY COMMUNITY ACCOLADES, SHE WAS A RECIPIENT OF THE MAYOR'S HISTORIC PRESERVATION AWARD IN 2021.
ADDITIONALLY, IF YOU SPENT TIME WITH TANYA, I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, PRESERVATION, BUT ALSO JUST NEIGHBORHOOD COMMITTEE, UH, COMMUNITIES, UM, WHO WERE VERY INVOLVED WORKING WITH HER.
TANYA WAS A, A STALWART MEMBER OF THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY, DEFENDER OF THE UNDERSERVED, A CHAMPION OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AND A PROUD RESIDENT OF THE HOUSTON INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD.
SHE WAS A FOURTH GENERATION RESIDENT OF THE INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS COMMUNITY AND AN ARDENT ADVOCATE FOR HER NEIGHBORHOOD.
SHE WORKED TIRELESSLY TO PROTECT ITS CHARACTER AND CULTURAL HERITAGE.
SHE FOUNDED THE PRE PRESERVING COMMUNITIES OF COLOR INITIATIVE, FOCUSING ON PRESERVING HISTORIC COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND HELPING TO CREATE VIBRANT COMMUNITIES AND CULTURAL DESTINATIONS.
SHE INITIATED AND CHAIRED THE HARRIS COUNTY AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORICAL COMMISSION.
UH, SERVED AS THE EXECUTIVE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS REDEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, AND WAS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE JUNETEENTH HOUSTON BOARD.
TANYA LED A THREE YEAR COMMUNITY INITIATIVE THAT RESULTED IN THE INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS FIRST WRITTEN COMMUNITY PLAN.
SHE ALSO LED THE EFFORT TO HAVE THE STARK WEATHER DISTRICT WITH INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS DESIGNATED AS A CITY HISTORIC DISTRICT, AND PARTNERED WITH NUMEROUS ORGANIZATIONS, CHURCHES AND COMMUNITY GROUPS ACROSS THE CITY TO HELP FURTHER NEIGHBORHOOD PRIDE AND ENHANCEMENT.
AND, UH, IF ANY, YOU, UH, WERE THERE, UM, AT HER, UM, AT HER FUNERAL CEREMONY, WHICH WAS, UM, UM, UH, QUITE, UM, QUITE, QUITE SPECIAL.
UM, I NEVER REALLY UNDERSTOOD UNTIL THAT DAY YELLOW WAS HER FAVORITE COLOR.
AND SO EVERY, EVERY, I THINK EVERYONE IN THE WHOLE ROOM HAD WAS WEARING SOME TYPE OF YELLOW.
BUT, UM, SHE WILL BE VERY MUCH MISSED.
UM, AND WE WERE HAPPY TO HAVE HER SERVE ON THIS BOARD THE TIME THAT SHE COULD.
AND WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO, UH, MOVE ON TO THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR AND HISTORIC COMMISSION MEMBERS.
I AM VAUGHN TRAN, SECRETARY OF THIS COMMISSION AND DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT.
WE WILL FOREVER BE GRATEFUL TO TANYA AND HER ADVOCACY AND SERVICE TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
SHE WILL BE GREATLY MISSED AND FONDLY REMEMBERED BY ALL OF US HERE.
I DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO REPORT THIS MONTH, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION THAT THERE IS ANOTHER MEETING AT EIGHT OR AT 6:00 PM IN THIS ROOM FOR THE AIRPORT ZONING BOARD AND ADJUSTMENT.
PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT WE WILL NEED TO CLEAR THIS ROOM BY FIVE 30 OR 5 45 AT THE LATEST AS WE PROCEED WITH OUR MEETING.
IN CLOSING, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, YOU CAN CALL THE HU HOUSTON OFFICE OF PRESERVATION HOTLINE AT 8 3 2 3 9 3 6 5 5 6
[00:05:01]
OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE@HOUSTONPLANNING.COM.THIS CONCLUDES MY DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
AND, UM, AT THIS TIME, I'M JUST GONNA READ THE SPEAKER, SPEAKER RULES FOR THIS MEETING.
THE MEETING CAN BE VIEWED ON HTV, ALTHOUGH VIRTUAL PAR PARTICIPATION OPTIONS ARE NOT AVAILABLE.
UM, IF YOU WISH TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION ON AN ITEM, PLEASE FILL OUT THE SPEAKER'S FORM, UM, BEFORE THE ITEM IS CALLED AND TURN IT INTO THE STAFF NEAR THE FRONT DOOR.
THE SPEAKER RULES ARE POSTED ON THE AGENDA AND ARE, ARE AT MY DISCRETION AT THIS MEETING.
APPLICANTS MAY OPEN AND SPEAK FOR THREE MINUTES.
YOU MAY ALSO BE RECOGNIZED TO CLOSE WITH AN ADDITIONAL TWO MINUTES.
I'M, I MAY CALL ON YOU FOR ADDITIONAL TIME TO ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSION MEMBERS.
OTHER PUBLIC SPEAKERS MAY SPEAK ONE TIME UP TO TWO MINUTES WHEN I RECOGNIZE YOU TO SPEAK.
PLEASE NOTE, UH, FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION OF CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS AFTER STAFF'S INITIAL PRESENTATION, I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND JUST ASK, FIND OUT IF ANY OF YOU ARE HERE TO SPEAK ON ANY OF THOSE ITEMS ON CONSENT.
IF YOU ARE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF STAFF'S, UH, RECOMMENDATION, THEN, THEN, UM, IF YOU SAY NOTHING, THEN IT'S, THAT WILL PASS LIKELY.
UM, BUT IF YOU, UM, DISAGREE WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION AND WOULD LIKE THE PROJECT TO BE PULLED AND CONSIDERED INDIVIDUALLY, UM, AT THAT TIME, YOU'LL, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO, UM, ANNOUNCE THOSE PROJECTS.
UM, WE DO NOT HAVE A MAYOR'S LIAISON REPORT TODAY, BUT, UM, SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM ON, ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS THE CONSIDERATION OF THE DECEMBER 12TH, 2024 AND THE JANUARY 16TH, 2025 HAHC MEETING MINUTES COMMISSION MEMBERS.
HAVE YOU HAD A MOMENT TO REVIEW OF THAT INFORMATION? ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? IF NOT, IS THERE A MOTION TO ACCEPT MR. CHAIR? UH, I WAS PRESENT FOR DECEMBER, BUT WAS ABSENT FOR JANUARY.
SO DO WE NEED TO TAKE THESE TWO SEPARATELY OR, I, I DON'T, AND I EVEN VOTE THEN I, I DON'T THINK SO.
I THINK IF YOU ANNOUNCED THAT YOU WOULD ABSTAIN FROM ONE, IT'S, THAT CAN BE DULY NOTED.
UM, IT, IT'S NOT REQUIRED, UM, THAT YOU ABSTAIN FROM MINUTES THAT YOU WERE NOT AT A MEETING AT.
IF THE REST OF THE COMMISSION BELIEVES THAT THEY'RE ACCURATE AND YOU BELIEVE THAT DECISION, YOU KNOW, BA THEIR OPINION OF THAT DECISION, UM, OR YOU CAN, AS THE CHAIR HAS SUGGESTED, UM, RECUSE YOURSELF FROM ONE OF THEM, THAT'S FINE, BUT MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE A A, A MOTION FOR BOTH.
SO I HAVE A MOTION FROM COSGROVE.
IS THERE A SECOND? TURN SECONDS.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? OKAY.
UM, THE NEXT ITEM IS, WILL BE THE, UM, ITEM, A CONSIDERATION OF AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS APPLICATIONS FOR CONSENT AGENDA.
ROMAN, I KNOW WE HAVE A LONG LIST TO GO THROUGH TODAY, BUT I'M HOPING THAT MANY OF THESE ARE GONNA PASS ON CONSENT.
SO THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS FOR BEING HERE THIS AFTERNOON.
I'M ROMAN MACALLAN, THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I'M GONNA READ THROUGH THE LISTS.
UH, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT ALL ITEMS ON SECTION A ON YOUR AGENDA TODAY BE CONSIDERED PER STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS IN ONE MOTION EXCEPT FOR ITEMS A 22, A 27 AND A 28.
AND I'LL ELABORATE ON THOSE IN A MINUTE.
SO THAT IS THAT STAFF IS RECOMMENDING ITEM A ONE AT 5 0 1.
SO ROSS STREET, NEW CONSTRUCTION IN FIRST MONTROSE COMMONS FOR APPROVAL.
SO ROSS STREET ALTERATION ADDITIONAL ADDITION IN FIRST MONTROSE COMMONS FOR APPROVAL.
ITEM A 3 5 0 7 WEST MAIN NEW CONSTRUCTION ACCESSORY BUILDING IN FIRST MONTROSE COMMONS FOR APPROVAL.
ITEM A 4 5 0 7 WEST MAIN STREET ALTERATION PORCH BALCONY.
FIRST MONTROSE COMMONS FOR APPROVAL.
ITEM A 5 7 0 7 ARLINGTON ALTERATION EDITION.
HOUSTON HEIGHTS SOUTH APPROVAL WITH THE CONDITION THAT THE SECOND LEVEL ADDITION BE REDUCED BY 13 SQUARE FEET TO MEET FAR AND THE APPLICANT AGREES WITH THAT.
THEY JUST NEED TO CORRECT THE DRAWINGS.
ITEM A 6 13 17 RUTLAND STREET, ALTERATION OTHER AND HEIGHTS WEST FOR APPROVAL.
ITEM 13 12 10 COURTLAND STREET ALTERATION EDITION IN HOUSTON HEIGHTS EAST FOR APPROVAL.
[00:10:01]
A 8 12 0 8 COURTLAND STREET EDITION.HOUSTON HEIGHTS EAST APPROVAL ITEM A 9 12 0 8 COURTLAND STREET, NEW CONSTRUCTION GARAGE, HOUSTON HEIGHTS EAST APPROVAL WITH THE CONDITION THAT THE SIDE SETBACK MEET LEGAL REQUIREMENTS.
ITEM A 10 13 14 ALSTON ALTERATION EDITION HOUSTON HEIGHTS WEST FOR APPROVAL.
ITEM A 11 13 14 AUSTIN AND ACCOMPANYING NEW GARAGE IN HOUSTON HEIGHTS WEST FOR APPROVAL.
ITEM A 12 7 0 7 EAST FIVE AND HALF STREET ALTERATION EDITION IN FREELAND.
THIS IS A RECONSIDERATION FOR APPROVAL ITEM A 13 7 9 5 4 GLEN VISTA ALTERATION DOORS AND WINDOWS IN GLENBROOK VALLEY.
THIS IS DENIAL AND AN ISSUANCE OF A CERTIFICATE OF REMEDIATION FOR THE WORK PROPOSED.
Y'ALL WILL REMEMBER THAT ITEM.
IF YOU LOOK IN YOUR IPADS, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE PROPOSED WORK, UM, THAT YOU'LL SEE WHY WE RECOMMEND APPROVAL, UH, I'M SORRY, WHY WE RECOMMEND THE ISSUANCE OF A COR FOR THAT WORK AS PROPOSED.
ITEM A 14 5 0 2 MAIN STREET, NEW CONSTRUCTION, COMMERCIAL BUILDING IN MAIN STREET MARKET SQUARE FOR APPROVAL.
ITEM A 15 5 3 0 7 NORTH MAIN ALTERATION SIGN, NOT ALTERATION EDITION, JUST A SIGN AT 5 3 0 7 NORTH MAIN FOR APPROVAL.
ITEM A 16 8 3 2 ARLINGTON STREET ALTERATION EDITION, HOUSTON HEIGHTS SOUTH FOR APPROVAL.
ITEM A 17 8 32 ARLINGTON STREET.
ALSO AN ACCOMPANYING NEW CONSTRUCTION GARAGE IN HOUSTON HEIGHTS SOUTH FOR APPROVAL.
ITEM A 18 1 0 1 1 WEST COTTAGE, DEMOLITION OF A GARAGE IN NOR HILL FOR APPROVAL.
ITEM A 19 100 0 5 HEIGHTS BOULEVARD, ALTERATION EDITION HOUSTON HEIGHTS SOUTH FOR APPROVAL.
A 27 21 COLUMBIA STREET ALTERATION, SIDING ONLY, UH, THIS HAS A C OF A ON IT, BUT THEY SEATED, UH, SOMETHING AND SO WE'RE ASKING FOR SIDING ONLY AND WE'RE DENYING IT.
AND THEN ISSUING ASKING FOR A C OF R THAT THAT SIDING BE, UH, REPLACED.
REMOVE SIDING PER ORIGINAL MATERIAL.
SPECS WITH 1 1 17 WOOD SIDING, THAT IS BACK PRIMED PRIOR TO INSTALLATION.
AND THE SIDING SHOULD BE INSTALLED ON TOP OF VERTICAL FURRING STRIPS OF AT LEAST ONE EIGHTH TO ALLOW FOR AIR GAPS TO EXIST BEHIND NEW SIDING.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE YOU APPROVED BEFORE.
A 21 34 17 WHITE OAK ALTERATION DOORS AND WINDOWS HOUSTON HEIGHTS SOUTH FOR APPROVAL.
AND THEN SKIPPING TO A 23 10 40 WEST COTTAGE ALTERATION EDITION IN NOR HILL FOR APPROVAL.
ITEM A 24 3 10 EUCLID ALTERATION EDITION IN WOODLAND HEIGHTS SOUTH, I'M SORRY, IN WOODLAND HEIGHTS FOR APPROVAL.
ITEM A 25 3 0 1 MAIN STREET ALTERATION EDITION MAIN STREET MARCUS SQUARE FOR APPROVAL.
ITEM A 26 25 14 BRENTWOOD DRIVE ALTERATION, ADDITION TO THE LANDMARK BUILDING, THE MAURICE OR THE LANDMARK HOUSE, MAURICE AND VIRGINIA BROWN LEY HOUSE FOR APPROVAL.
AND ITEM A 29 19 12 CANE STREET ALTERATION OF THE PORCH IN OLD SIX WARD FOR APPROVAL.
THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS A 14 IS AN ALTERATION FOR A SIGN ALTER.
A A 14 FOR POINT OF CLARIFICATION HERE, A 14 5 2 MAIN STREET IS ACTUALLY ONLY A SIGN THAT IS A SIGN, IT'S A FLAG SIGN ON THAT, UH, BUILDING IN MARKET SQUARE.
SO THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS THE PREVIOUS ITEMS BE TAKEN UNDER ONE MOTION.
AND WE'RE HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU ROMAN COMMISSION MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY PROJECTS YOU'D LIKE TO PULL OFF CONSENT FOR? I NEED TO RECUSE MYSELF FROM ITEM SEVEN, EIGHT, AND NINE.
WELL, I BELIEVE YOU CAN VOTE ON THE REMAINING ITEMS, UH, UP OR DOWN AND, UH, MAKE IT BE NOTED THAT COMMISSIONER COSGROVE WILL BE RE WILL BE ABSTAINING FROM THOSE NUMBERS.
UM, MR. CHAIR, I DO HAVE A QUESTION, PLEASE.
UM, UH, ROMAN, I WAS ABSENT FOR THE INITIAL, UH, COA SUBMISSION FOR 7 0 7 FIFTH AND A HALF STREET OF FREELAND.
IT WAS WITH CONDITIONS, BUT TODAY IT IS AN APPROVAL.
SO HAS THE, UH, ITEM BEEN TAKEN CARE IN, IN SATISFACTION TO YOU RIGHT NOW? WHEN THAT ITEM WAS APPROVED, WE HAD A CONDITION THAT THE, UH, THAT A PREVIOUSLY APPROVED GARAGE APARTMENT AT THE REAR OF THE LOT BE REDUCED IN WIDTH BY TWO FEET.
AND UPON RECONSIDERATION OF THE PROJECT AND SPEAKING WITH THE OWNER AND THE OVERALL CHANGES THAT THEY DID, UH,
[00:15:01]
AGREE TO MAKE IN ORDER TO GET, UH, TO BRING, THEY AGREED TO A LOT OF CHANGES TO THAT TWO STORY REAR GARAGE APARTMENT THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED IN THAT OVERALL PLAN.AND WE FELT THAT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO HAVE THAT ITEM APPROVED AS IS.
SO WE'RE BRINGING IT BACK BEFORE WHEN WE RECOMMENDED, WE DID RECOMMEND REDUCING THAT WITH BY TWO FEET.
TODAY WE'RE RECOMMENDING IT JUST BE APPROVED AS APPLIED FOR.
THE REASON WHY I'M ASKING IS BECAUSE, UH, WHEN I LOOK AT IT ON THE, UH, WEBSITE, THERE IS NO DRAWINGS.
THAT'S A, THAT, THAT'S WHY I'M BRINGING THIS UP RIGHT NOW BY THIS.
PARTIALLY, WE HAVE THE FULL DRAWINGS ON THERE.
THAT WAS JUST A QUESTION, MR. CHAIR.
SO ARE THERE ANY, UH, PROJECTS THAT COMMISSION WOULD LIKE TO PULL OFF THE CONSENT LIST? AND I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, NOTE THAT COMMISSIONER BLAKELY IS HERE WITH, WITH US NOT HEARING ANYONE ELSE.
I'M GOING TO OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS TIME.
UM, WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF PROJECTS, UH, PUT ON CONSENT IF YOU ARE HERE, UM, TO SPEAK ON ONE OF THESE ITEMS. AND YOU ARE, YOU SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATION AS, AS IS PUBLISHED.
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SAY ANYTHING.
IF YOU, UM, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO, IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE OPPOSING, UH, THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ONE OF THESE PROJECTS PULLED FOR INDIVIDUAL, UM, UH, PRE UH, PRESENTATION, PLEASE ANNOUNCE AT THIS TIME THAT PROJECT NUMBER OR, OR ADDRESS OKAY.
I'M GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, SO WHAT I HAVE ON THE CONSENT THEN, UM, IS ITEM 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, AND 29, UM, COMMISSION MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO ACCE TO ACCEPT THE, THE, UM, PROPOSED CONSENT LIST AND THE RECOMME AND THE, AND THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS? CURRY? SO MOVES, I HAVE A MOTION.
I'M GONNA GIVE IT TO COSGROVE.
AND, UM, ALL IN FAVOR? I'M SORRY.
UM, COMMISSIONER STAAVA WILL GO TO COMMISSIONER SAVA.
UM, UH, ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION? AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? THANK YOU.
JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION THAT, UM, FOR THE RECORD AS STATED BEFORE, COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER, UM, COSGROVE, WHICH WAS ON MY MIND, UH,
SO, UH, FOR THE RECORD, SORRY, THERE IT'LL BE IN A MINUTE.
THEREFORE, THEREFORE THE MOTION THAT JUST PASSED, UH, THE MOTION WAS MADE BY ME AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER STA.
COMMISSIONER STAAVA, CORRECT? YEAH.
JUST, I DIDN'T THINK I NEEDED TO BE INVOLVED IN NO.
SO BY MY COUNT, WE HAVE THREE PROJECTS LEFT, LARGELY TWO.
SO THANK YOU TERRANCE TO AUGUST.
WE'LL, WE WILL NOW PROCEED WITH ITEM 22.
YOU KNOW, Y'ALL ALMOST GOT AWAY WITHOUT SEEING ME TODAY.
ALMOST GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRPERSON
[00:20:01]
AND MEMBERS OF THE HHC.THIS IS STAFF PERSON TERRENCE JACKSON.
AND TODAY I SUBMIT TO YOU ITEM A 22 AT 7 0 4 MARSHALL STREET, A CONTRIBUTING HOME LOCATED IN UBON PLACE, HISTORIC DISTRICT BUILT CIRCA 1915.
THE PROPERTY INCLUDES A 1,984 SQUARE FOOT, TWO STORY WOOD FRAME, SINGLE FAMILY STUCCO RESIDENCE ON A 6,000 SQUARE FOOT INTERIOR LOT.
THE APPLICANT PROPOSES TO REMOVE AND REPLACE 21 EXISTING WOOD WINDOWS 20 ORIGINAL, ONE NON-ORIGINAL DOUBLE HUNG WINDOWS AT WHICH ARE IN SET IN RECESS.
THE EXISTING WIN WINDOWS ARE IN SET IN RECESS, AS I I STATED, THERE WILL BE NO CHANGE TO THE SIZE AND PLACEMENT OF THE NEW WINDOWS.
THE APPLICANT IS ALSO PROPOSING TO REPAIR AND REPLACE THE STUCCO WITH A DASH FINISH TO MATCH THE STUCCO HOMES IN THE CONTEXT AREA.
THE REASON FOR THE STUCCO, UH, REPLACEMENT IS THE PREVIOUS OWNERS APPLIED A PLASTER, UM, ON THE OUTSIDE THAT WAS NOT MEANT FOR EXTERNAL USE, CAUSING WATER INTRUSION AROUND THE WHOLE STRUCTURE.
STAFF RECOMMENDS DENIAL OF A COA AND ISSUANCE OF A COR TO COMPLETE THE STUCCO WITH A DASH FINISH MOCKUP TO BE APPROVED BY STAFF PRIOR TO THE INSTALLATION OF THE INSTALLATION ON THE STRUCTURE.
UM, STAFF WOULD ALSO LIKE TO MAKE A MODIFICATION TO THE, UM, WHAT WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST A MODIFICATION TO THE DENIAL OF THE REPLACEMENT 20 ORIGINAL WINDOWS.
UM, IT, IT HAS BECOME AWARE, BEEN KNOWN STAFF THAT AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE RESIDENTS, THAT UM, THERE SEEMED TO BE SOME SORT OF MISCOMMUNICATION AS FAR AS STAFF GOING OUT TO INSPECT THE WINDOWS IN PERSON.
SO STAFF WOULD LIKE FOR THIS COMMISSION TO GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT AND INSPECT THE WINDOWS AND ALLOW STAFF TO MAKE A DETERMINATION.
UM, THE APPLICANT AND HER HUSBAND ARE AVAILABLE TO SPEAK, UH, TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
AND THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
UM, SO, BUT BASED ON WHAT YOU'VE SAID TODAY, YOU STILL HAVE NO STAFF MEMBERS HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE EXISTING WINDOWS AT THIS TIME? NO, SIR.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF STAFF ON THIS ITEM? NOT HEARING ANY.
I'M GONNA OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM.
UM, IF YOU'LL GIVE ME A MOMENT, UM, I DO HAVE A SPEAKER, UM, TWO SPEAKERS SIGNED UP, UH, BRIAN FALK AND ELLEN BACH.
AND IF YOU, UH, YOU, YOU CAN EACH SPEAK AND IF YOU COULD RESTATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND ADDRESS THE COMMISSION.
UM, I GUESS FIRST WOULD JUST ACKNOWLEDGE AND APPRECIATE TERRANCE'S WORK HERE ON, ON A LITTLE BIT OF SHORT NOTICE, HOPEFULLY GETTING TO A, A CONTINUING RESOLUTION, I THINK IN THE APPROVAL CRITERIA.
DISAGREEING WITH THE RESULT OF CRITERIA ONE, EIGHT AND NINE, UM, ONE AROUND THE HISTORIC, UH, CHARACTER OF THE HOUSE.
UH, A LOT OF PAIN AND DETAIL WAS PAID BY, BY MY WIFE ELLEN.
WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO REPLACE THEM WITH THE EXACT DIMENSIONS, THE SAME STYLE AND THE RECESS DESIGN, THE ONE BY ONE DOUBLE HUNG DESIGN OF THE WINDOW AND USING THE SAME MATERIALS ALL WOOD.
THE, UM, NUMBER EIGHT AROUND THE, THE STUCCO, I THINK KIND OF COME TO AN AGREEMENT THERE.
WE BOUGHT THE HOUSE, UH, IT HAD A STUCCO FINISH.
WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO, UH, REPAIR, UH, A MISTAKE BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER.
UM, AND IT'S BEEN A STUCCO FINISH FOR, FOR MANY DECADES AS THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE IN 2020 FOR AN INITIAL RENOVATION.
I THINK WE, WE ALL ESTABLISHED AND, AND APPRECIATE YOUR GUYS' EFFORTS AT THAT TIME.
CRITERIA NUMBER NINE, UM, THE DESTRUCTION OF HISTORIC MATERIAL.
I THINK HOPEFULLY ALL THE, THE PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE TO BE CONFIRMED ON SITE LATER BY STAFF, UM, MOST OF IT IS PROBABLY ALREADY DESTROYED OR, OR, OR IRREPARABLY HARMED IS HOW WE WOULD DESCRIBE IT.
THERE'S A LOT OF ROT, UM, BROKEN WINDOWS GAPS, UM, AND IT'S CAUSING A LOT OF, UH, KINDA WATER DAMAGE IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE HOUSE.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, PART OF THE, THE, THE REASON FOR TRYING TO ACCELERATE THINGS AND MOVE VERY QUICKLY, THERE'S
[00:25:01]
MILDEW, UM, AND SOME DIFFERENT MOLDS FORMING IN OUR CHILDREN'S ROOMS, UH, IN THE, IN THE SECOND FLOOR IN THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE.UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF WHY WE'RE TRYING TO, TO MOVE QUICKLY TO, TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE.
SO, UM, APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S CONSIDERATION.
TERRANCE HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL TODAY.
HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET TO A CONTINUING RESOLUTION.
I DUNNO IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD.
I THINK HE COVERED IT, MAINLY JUST HOPING TO, UM, NOT HAVE IT RAINING IN OUR HOUSE PRIMARILY.
UM, UH, COMMISSION MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE, THE TWO APPLICANTS? COMMISSIONER STAAVA HAS A QUESTION.
SO I HAVE A QUESTION OF A LITTLE, A LITTLE BIT KIND OF OFF THE POINT.
HOWEVER, I NOTICED ON THE FRONT PORCH ON THE THIRD, UH, COLUMN THERE IN THE MIDDLE, IT'S, IT'S A DETACHED FROM, IT'S A DETACHED A BIT.
UM, SO IS THAT NOT ORIGINAL? WAS IT ALREADY THERE WHEN YOU BOUGHT THE HOUSE? THAT MIDDLE COLUMN? YES.
YEAH, WE DIDN'T ADD IT IN HERE.
THE PREVIOUS, YEAH, THAT'S REALLY ALL THAT, THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO KNOW.
I DON'T HAVE ANYONE ELSE SIGNED TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, BUT IF YOU ARE HERE IN THE ROOM IN THE PUBLIC AND WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS ITEM, PLEASE ANNOUNCE YOURSELF AT THIS TIME, NOT HEARING ANYONE.
I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS TIME.
TERRANCE HAS ASKED IF WE COULD DEFER THIS PROJECT SO THAT STAFF COULD LOOK AT THE EXISTING CONDITIONS, UM, IF, I'M SORRY, UH, STAFF MEMBER TERRANCE JACKSON.
UM, SO STAFF WOULD REALLY PREFER NOT TO GO TO DEFERMENT BECAUSE THIS HOUSE HAS BEEN LIKE EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS FOR MONTHS NOW.
AND WE'RE REALLY LOOKING TO TRY TO COME WITH THE RESOLUTION BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THESE, WHAT HAPPENS WITH THESE WINDOWS BEFORE THE STUCCO GOES ON.
AND, UM, DEFERMENT WOULD, WOULD REALLY DERAIL THEIR PROCESS BEING THAT WE DON'T HAVE A COMMISSION IN MARCH AND WE CAN'T COME BACK TILL APRIL.
AND THAT'S WHY STAFF IS ASKING THAT.
UM, IF YOU COULD ALLOW A CONDITION TO BE IN THE COR THAT STAFF REVIEW THE WINDOWS AND MAKE A DETERMINATION ON WHAT THE WINDOWS SHOULD BE.
WELL TERRENCE, COULD I, COULD I HAVE YOU JUST STATE THIS RECOMMENDATION, UM, BECAUSE IT'S DIFFERENT THAN WHAT'S WRITTEN DOWN YES.
SO THEN WE CAN FIND OUT IF THERE'S A COMMISSIONER THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION FOR THAT.
BUT IF YOU COULD CLEARLY STATE WHAT YOUR MOTION IS.
I, I AGREE THAT IF WE HAVE HAD MILDEW ISSUES, IT'D BE NICE TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE RIGHT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
SO, UM, DENIAL AND ISSUANCE OF A COR TO COMPLETE THE STUCCO DASH FINISH MOCKUP TO BE APPROVED BY STAFF PRIOR TO INSTALLATION OF THE STRUCTURE STAFF.
UH, LET'S SEE, WHAT COULD IT BE? WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE HHC TO ALLOW STAFF TO REVIEW THE ORIGINAL 21 WINDOWS AND HAVE STAFF MAKE A DETERMINATION AS TO IF THE WINDOWS CAN BE REPLACED OR REPAIRED.
'CAUSE I JUST DO SOMETHING AGAINST THE WALL TO SEE WHAT STEP.
MR. COUCHER, CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THESE PICTURES OF THE HOUSE THAT SHOW? IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOT PLYWOOD WRAPPING AROUND THE COLUMNS AND THERE'S PLASTIC ON THE WALLS.
LIKE WHAT, WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING RIGHT NOW? OKAY, SO WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED IS THERE, SO THEY WERE REPLACING THE STUCCO.
AND SO THE INSPECTORS WENT OUT AND I BELIEVE THERE'VE BEEN TWO RED TAGS.
SO WHAT YOU SEE NOW IS THAT THEY WERE PREPPING FOR THE STUCCO WORK.
SO THEY STARTED TAKING THE STUCCO OFF WITHOUT GETTING A CA.
BUT THAT'S WHY THEY'RE HERE NOW AND THEY'RE WILLING TO APPROVE IT.
WAS THERE YOUR CURRY FROM, WAS THERE ALWAYS A PLAN TO REPLACE THE WINDOWS FROM, FROM WHAT YOU UNDERSTAND? UH, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, I, I ACTUALLY AM NOT AWARE OF THAT.
UM, AND STAFF HAS NOT YET BEEN TO SITE TO SEE THIS? NO, SIR.
AND ARE THE WINDOWS ON SITE? DO WE KNOW? THANK YOU SIR.
WE'VE BEEN AT THE SITE ACTUALLY SEVERAL TIMES FROM PROBABLY, I THINK THERE'S BEEN AT LEAST FOUR OR FIVE SITE VISITS.
BUT IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT THE WAY IT'S WRAPPED AND THERE WASN'T ANY HOME ONE THERE, WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO REALLY, UH, GET CLOSE TO THE WINDOWS AND SEE THEM.
AND YOU HAVEN'T BEEN INSIDE THE HOME TO SEE FROM THE INSIDE AS WELL THAT EITHER, EVEN, EVEN FROM THE OUTSIDE.
UM, IT'S BEHIND A FENCE THERE AND, AND IT'S WRAPPED, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE PROTECTING THE BUILDING WITH PLASTIC,
[00:30:01]
UH, THE STUCCO COLUMNS TO THE OTHER QUESTION.I WONDER ABOUT THE, WHETHER THOSE ORIGINAL, IN FACT, I THINK WE DO HAVE THAT OLD PHOTO THAT SHOWS THAT THE HOUSE HAD A DIFFERENT FRONT.
SO, UH, I'M, UH, MR. CHAIR, I, I'M STILL CONFUSED RIGHT NOW.
SO BEHIND ALL THAT HIDDEN, UH, POSSIBLY TYVEK WRAP, ARE THE ORIGINAL WINDOWS STILL IN PLACE OR HAVE THEY BEEN REMOVED? THEY, THEY'RE STILL IN PLACE AS YOU SEE IN THE PHOTOS.
IF YOU, THIS IS A VERY LONG REPORT, I APOLOGIZE.
BUT IF YOU GO STARTING TO PAGE 17, YOU'LL SEE THAT, UM, THERE ARE ABOUT 60 OR 70 PHOTOS OF WINDOWS THAT ARE STILL INSTALLED.
SOME OF THEM, SOME COVERED WITH, UH, CARDBOARD, SOME OF THEM COVERED WITH PLYWOOD BECAUSE OF BROKEN GLASS AND, AND WATER.
IF WE COULD START AT, UH, 16, THE PAGE BEFORE, 'CAUSE THAT'S THE FRONT ELEVATION THAT'S PRIMARY TO THE STREET.
WELL, THERE'S MORE THAN FOUR, BUT ON THE SECOND FLOOR, THERE'S FOUR WINDOWS SHOWN ONE THROUGH FOUR.
UH, THOSE ARE THE ORIGINAL WINDOWS FOR THE HOUSE.
THE LOCK MECHANISMS ON THE WINDOWS DON'T APPEAR TO BE CONSISTENT WITH, WITH LIKE OLDER WINDOWS.
ARE THEY LIKE UPDATED AT SOME POINT OR ARE THESE POSSIBLY THAT THE SASHES WERE REPLACED ALONG THE WAY? THAT'S THE REASON WE'RE GONNA VISIT.
SO THAT, AND THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WHY WE'D LIKE TO VISIT TO, I MEAN, BECAUSE THAT WOULD GIVE US THE ABILITY TO ALLOW THEM TO REPLACE NON-ORIGINAL WINDOWS.
BUT AS FAR AS WE KNOW, FROM WHAT WE CAN SEE FROM SOME OF THE PICTURES ON THE INSIDE, A LOT OF THE WINDOWS DO LOOK LIKE THEY ARE THE ORIGINAL WINDOWS.
AND COMMISSIONER STAVE SAYING, UH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE LOCKS.
UH, I HAVE THE ORIGINAL LOCKS AT MY HOUSE.
UH, SO MY HOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1911.
SO, SO IF I, IF I WERE TO UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, THIS, UH, JOB OR WHAT'S GOING ON HAS NOT BEEN WITH A COA.
AND IF THERE WAS NO COA, WHAT YOU ARE SAYING IS A DENIAL OF THE REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDOW.
WE HAVEN'T EVEN CROSSED THAT BRIDGE YET, BASICALLY.
SO AGAIN, FOR POINT OF CLARITY, THERE, THERE, THEY STARTED THE WORK FOR THE, FOR THE STUCCO.
AND THEN ONCE THEY CONTACTED STAFF IN OUR OFFICE, THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE WINDOWS CAME UP.
SO ONCE THEY SUBMITTED THE CCOA, THEN THAT BECAME A PART OF THE STUCCO AND WINDOW.
SO IN THEIR COA, IF I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IT, DID THEY ASK FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF WINDOWS, SIR? ALL OF THEM, YES SIR.
SO, UH, AND YOUR RECOMMENDATION IS THAT IT'S, IT'S REPLACED SUBJECT TO YOUR APPROVAL? YES, SIR.
THAT WE GO WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.
IS THERE A SECOND COSGROVE SECONDS? CAN I CLARIFY, IS THAT AS A, AS STAFF HAS AMENDED IT NOT AS IT WAS WRITTEN ON THE SCREEN? YEAH.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? WELL, UH, BEFORE WE VOTE, DOES, DOES TERRANCE NEED TO COME BACK HERE TO GET STAFF, UH, PERMISSION APPROVAL FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF WINDOWS OR, I DON'T THINK SO.
I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE ALLOWING STAFF DISCRETION AND MAKE THIS CALL AND BEAR IN MIND, WE'RE NOT MEETING NEXT MONTH.
AND SO, UM, THEY, SO WE'RE, WE'RE PUTTING, WE'RE PUTTING THIS IN IN THEIR, IN STAFF'S HANDS TO MAKE THAT DETERMINATION ON SITE.
JUST BLAME ROMAN, BUT YEAH, YEAH, NO PRESSURE THERE.
AND, AND I HAVE A, I HAVE A QUESTION.
IF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IS DENIED, UH, FOR THE WINDOWS REPLACEMENT, WHY BOTHER, UH, HAVING LOOK AT THE WINDOWS? I'M A LITTLE, I GUESS I'M A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED, SO, SO I CAN EXPLAIN THAT.
SO WHAT A REPAIR OPTION HAS NOT BEEN SOUGHT OUT.
SO WHAT WE, IF, IF WE DON'T ALLOW THEM TO REPLACE THE WINDOWS, THAT OUR RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO REPAIR THE WINDOWS.
BUT I DON'T THINK SINCE STAFF HAS NOT BEEN BEEN ABLE TO SEE THE WINDOWS, IT'S REALLY HARD TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING OTHER THAN THE PHOTOGRAPHS WERE SUBMITTED BY THE APPLICANT, WHICH ARE IN OUR, OUR APPLICATION PACKAGE.
AND MY, UM, MY QUESTION IS FOR THE LANGUAGE HAD BEEN PROPOSED AS DENIAL OF IS IS DENIAL A REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDOWS, WHETHER OR NOT, UH, THE STAFFS ARE LOOKING AT THE WINDOWS.
SO THAT'S WHY I WAS, THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING THAT QUESTION.
[00:35:01]
WITHOUT GOING INTO A LOT OF DETAIL, UM, SO THE STAFF MEMBER THAT HAD BEEN WORKING WITH THE, UH, THE APPLICANTS IS NO LONGER, WELL IT'S NOT, IS, IS ON VACATION.SO I HAD TO STEP IN AND PRESENT THE REPORT.
AND SO IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THE OWNERS THIS WEEK, UM, I FELT THAT THAT RECOMMENDATION NEEDED TO BE CHANGED AT THE LAST MINUTE.
MR. CHAIR, PLEASE LET ME ASK A QUESTION IF I CAN, TO CLARIFY A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE WHAT I, I UNDERSTAND THE MOTION AND SECOND TO BE IS THAT THE, UM, THE STAFF IS BEING DELEGATED THE AUTHORITY TO REVIEW THE WINDOWS AND RECOMMEND RE AND REQUIRE OF THE OWNER REPAIR OR APPROVE REPLACEMENT.
IS THAT WHAT'S INTENDED IN THIS MOTION? THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT, THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE MOTION.
SO IF SOME MIGHT GET REPAIRED, SOME GET MAYBE I MIS REPLACED IS MIGHT STANDING.
IT'S NOT WHAT WAS WRITTEN IN THE, ON THE, ON OUR FORM, BUT IT WAS THAT'S CORRECT.
IT WAS AMENDED VERBALLY WITHOUT ANY OTHER DISCUSSION.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION? AYE.
ALL OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? THE MOTION PASSES.
SHOULD WE TAKE THOSE TOGETHER? 27 AND 28.
LET ME ASK KIM, IF WE CAN TAKE 27 28, CAN WE PRESENT THEM TOGETHER? UH, YES.
AND THEN WE COULD TAKE ACTION AND THEN YOU CAN TAKE ACTION SEPARATELY.
AFTERNOON CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
MY NAME IS STAFF PERSON JASON LOWENTHAL.
TODAY I PRESENT TO YOU ITEM 8 27 11 MONT GLEN COURT IN GLENBROOK VALLEY.
THIS APPLICATION IS GONNA BE THE FIRST OF TWO.
THIS IS FOR THE DEMOLITION OF A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL.
SO WHAT THIS IS, IS THIS IS GONNA BE AN UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCE.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS THE HOMEOWNERS, THEY'RE RETIRED, THEY HAVE A FIXED INCOME, AND THEY RECEIVED DAMAGE FROM HURRICANE HARVEY IN AUGUST, 2017.
SO THEY HAVE ASKED THROUGH FEMA FOR ASSISTANCE TO GO AHEAD AND REHABILITATE THEIR HOUSE AS THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THE GLO PROCESS.
IT WAS FOUND THROUGH A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER REPORT THAT THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE THAT HAS BEEN DONE EXCEEDS THE $200,000 CAP FOR HISTORIC STRUCTURES.
AND SO ONCE IT GOES OVER THAT $200,000 CAP, IT IS NOW, UH, TRANSITIONS FROM BEING REHABILITATED OVER TO NEW CONSTRUCTION.
BRINGING THIS FORWARD TO YOU, I WILL ADD THAT PETE STOCKTON HAS BEEN ABLE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS REPORT, LOOKING AT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE FOUNDATION, WHAT'S HAPPENING UP IN THE ROOF RAFTERS.
HE GOES, THEY, YES, THEY HAVE SOME SERIOUS ISSUES GOING ON WITH THIS.
SO, UM, I'LL KEEP IT SHORT AND I'LL SAY THAT THE RECOMMENDATION IS APPROVAL FOR THE DEMOLITION OF THE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL.
UM, I JUST REITERATE THAT AGAIN, THEY ARE ASKING FOR ASSISTANCE FROM THE GOVERNMENT AS THOUSANDS HAVE OF HOUSTONIANS TO HAVE, UH, WORK DONE THROUGH FEMA BECAUSE OF THAT DEVASTATING HURRICANE BACK IN AUGUST, 2017.
UM, THERE ARE, THE HOMEOWNERS IS HERE AND PRESENT IF YOU WANNA SPEAK WITH THEM AS WELL AS REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE GLO.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
CAN JASON, CAN WE ALSO, UH, PRESENT THE NEXT, THE PROPOSAL FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION? AND I JUST WANNA MENTION MY UNDERSTANDING FROM REVIEWING THIS DOCUMENT AND, UM, IS THAT THE, THE ENGINEER IN QUESTION IS THE, UH, IS THE PERSON SANCTIONED BY THE GENERAL ED OFFICE TO MAKE THESE DETERMINATIONS? UM, UM, AND THAT HIS FINDINGS ARE BASICALLY THAT THIS, THIS HOME IS STRUCTURALLY NOT SOUND GIVEN THE, THE AMOUNT OF, UM, OF, UH, DAMAGE THAT IS HERE IF, UH, THIS PROGRAM IS SUNSET IS MY UNDERSTANDING.
AND SO THE GENERAL LAND LAND OFFICE IS TRYING TO CLOSE UP THESE, THESE PROJECTS.
I BELIEVE THE APPLICANTS HAVE BEEN LIVING IN THIS HOME SINCE HARVEY.
WHICH, WHICH HAS BEEN COMPROMISED.
AND THIS IS THEIR OPPORTUNITY ALSO TO, TO HAVE A BETTER, UM, A BETTER OUTCOME IN TERMS OF THEIR LIVING CONDITIONS USING THIS, THIS FEDERAL PROGRAM.
THIS IS A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER PROCURED BY THE JLO PROGRAM.
UM, HAS DONE ASSESSMENTS FOR MANY PROPERTIES THAT HAVE BEEN DAMAGED BY THE HURRICANE THROUGHOUT HOUSTON.
UM, BUT, SO IF YOU COULD PROCEED WITH THE NEXT ITEM JUST
[00:40:01]
ON WHAT THE REPLACEMENT IS.SO NOW WE HAVE ITEM 8 28 11 LIN COURT.
THIS IS NEW CONSTRUCTION FOR A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL.
I WILL SAY THAT THIS IS GONNA BE, IF YOU COULD GO BACK TO CRITERIA PLEASE.
AND SO WHERE I HAVE HIGHLIGHTED HERE IS BECAUSE OF THEIR PROXIMITY TO SIMS BAYOU, ACCORDING TO THE FEMA FLOODPLAIN MAP, THIS WOULD BE IN THE 500 YEAR PLANE.
SO BECAUSE OF THAT, BECAUSE OF FEMA STANDARDS THAT THIS NEW CONSTRUCTION WILL NEED TO BE ELEVATED AND IT WILL HAVE TO BE, UH, IT'S GONNA BE ABOUT THREE FEET ABOVE DFE.
SO ONE OF THE SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES THAT IS HERE ON ITEMS 1, 2, 3, 4 IS THAT THE HEIGHTS ARE GONNA BE, UM, HIGHER THAN THE CONTRIBUTING HOMES IN THE CONTEXT AREA BECAUSE OF THIS RAISED ELEVATION.
NOW, I WILL SAY WE COULD GO TO THE FRONT ELEVATION NOW THAT WE HAVE WORKED WITH GLO AND THEY HAVE BROUGHT BACK DRAWINGS TO WHERE WE'VE WORKED TO KIND OF MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPATIBLE IN THE AREA.
WE HAVE ASKED THAT IF YOU LOOK THERE ON THE FRONT ELEVATION, THERE'S TWO PAIR OF WINDOWS ON THE LEFT GABLE, A SECOND WINDOW WAS ADDED.
THAT SECOND ONE IS ON THE RIGHT AND THAT IS IN THE LAUNDRY ROOM.
AND THAT IS CLOSE TO WHAT IS IN THE CONTEXT AREA, EITHER MON LIN COURT OR LIN DRIVE, WHERE YOU HAVE A LOT OF PAIR OF WINDOWS IN THE AREA.
THE OTHER THING TOO IS WE HAVE ASKED THEM, AND THEY HAVE, UM, AGREED WITH US TO LOWER THE RIDGE HEIGHT OF THE GARAGE DOWN TO A TYPICAL RIDGE HEIGHT THAT IS FOR GARAGES IN THE AREA AS WELL AS THE PLATE HEIGHT OF THE GARAGE.
SO WE HAD SOMETHING THAT WAS DIFFERENT.
THEY HAVE LOWERED IT TO MAKE IT MORE COMPATIBLE WHAT THE GARAGES ARE IN THE AREA.
ALSO TOO, WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS, IF YOU LOOK WHERE THE FINISHED FLOOR HEIGHT IS, WE HAVE ASKED FOR DIFFERENTIATION IN THE MASONRY.
SO THAT WAY WE WILL BE ABLE TO LOOK AT AND SEE WHERE THE FINISHED FLOOR ELEVATION WOULD BE BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE A BRICK SKIRTING BETWEEN THE PIERS SO IT CAN LOOK MORE, MORE LIKE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S THE RIGHT WORD, BUT IT'S NOT GONNA LOOK LIKE A TRADITIONAL RANCH, BUT IT'S NOT GONNA BE SOMETHING YOU SEES COMPLETELY STRAIGHT THROUGH IT.
SO I WOULD SAY THAT THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THIS ITEM 8 28 IS APPROVAL.
AND AGAIN, THE HOMEOWNERS AND THE JLO REPRESENTATIVES ARE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I THINK AT THIS TIME I'M GONNA, FIRST, WE DO HAVE A FEW SPEAKERS SIGNED UP AND I'M GONNA OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, UH, SO WE CAN GATHER MORE INFORMATION.
AND I'M GOING TO LET ME STATE WHO HAS SIGNED UP AND UM, I'LL LET THE, THE APPLICANT, THE APPLICANTS TO DECIDE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FIRST.
BUT I HAVE CHARLOTTE, WASHINGTON, RAYMOND RICHARDSON, AND LORI COCHRAN.
SO I BE BELIEVE LORI COCHRAN WILL SPEAK FIRST AND SHE IS A REPRESENTATIVE FOR GLO.
UM, I THINK JASON ACTUALLY COVERED, UH, MOST OF THE, THE DETAILS ABOUT THIS PROGRAM, UM, AND, UH, WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING FOR 11 MONT GLEN COURT.
UM, AS HE MENTIONED, UM, OUR PROGRAM IS PART OF THE FEDERALLY FUNDED DISASTER RECOVERY, UH, FROM HURRICANE HARVEY.
UM, WITH THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE SUBJECT TO FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW, INCLUDING SECTION 1 0 6.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH, WITH JASON AND MEMBERS OF STAFF ON MANY PROJECTS THROUGHOUT HOUSTON.
AS PART OF THAT PROCESS, WE ALSO DO HAVE COST REASONABLENESS REQUIREMENTS AND THAT'S REALLY ANOTHER COMPONENT TO OUR RECOMMENDATION FOR RECONSTRUCTION OF THIS RESOURCE.
UM, PARTICULARLY WITH THE STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS ASSESSMENT AND RECOMMENDATION THAT IT IS NOT FEASIBLE TO REHABILITATE THIS STRUCTURE.
UM, WE ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO PUT FEDERAL FUNDS TO A REHABILITATION.
SO OUR FUNDING IS CONSTRAINED TO RECONSTRUCTION AT THIS TIME.
UM, ON THE, THE NEW CONSTRUCTION DESIGN, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, JASON REALLY SPOKE TO THE, WHERE WE HAVE COME TO WITH THE DESIGN AND, YOU KNOW, COMMENTS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM THE COMMITTEE AND HAVE BEEN ABLE TO INCORPORATE INTO THE PROPOSED DESIGN.
UM, HE DID NOT MENTION THE, THE WINDOWS.
UM, WE DO PLAN TO INCLUDE ALUMINUM TWO OVER TWO INSET RECESSED WINDOWS.
UM, WE HAVE ALSO HAD A REQUEST FROM THE CIVIC CLUB
[00:45:01]
TO EXPLORE A MID-CENTURY MODERN DOOR.UM, AND WE ARE LOOKING TO SOURCE ONE, UM, THIS, UH, PROPERTY IN ADDITION TO BEING IN THE 500 YEAR FLOODPLAIN IS ALSO IN THE, UH, THE TIER TWO HOBBY AIRPORT SOUND ATTENUATION ZONE.
SO ALL WINDOWS AND DOORS DO HAVE TO MEET THE SDC 40 RATING.
AND SO THAT IS WHAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING FOR WITH THAT MID-CENTURY MODERN DOOR IS TO, TO ALSO HAVE THE SOUND ATTENUATION RATING WITH THE WINDOWS.
WE, WE'VE ALREADY SOURCED THAT MOTION TO CONTINUE.
YOU CAN PROCEED IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.
UH, BUT THERE MAY BE QUESTIONS, UH, FROM COMMISSION MEMBERS BEFORE YOU LEAVE.
I DID HAVE A QUESTION OR JUST, UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT YOU ALL HAVE ALSO BEEN COORDINATING WITH THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION FOR THIS PROJECT AMONG MANY OTHER PROJECTS IN THIS PROGRAM.
AND SO YES, THEY HAVE BEEN PART OF THE, THE, UH, THE CONVERSATION FOR THIS APPLICATION AS WELL.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF THIS APPLICANT? UH, I HAVE A QUESTION, PLEASE, CURRY.
WE HAVE A LETTER THAT THE CIVIC CLUB OPPOSES THIS, UH, PROPOSED NEW CONSTRUCTION.
HAS THERE BEEN SOME DIALOGUE WITH THEM ABOUT THAT? YES, WE DID RECEIVE THAT, UH, COMMUNICATION FROM THEM THIS TUESDAY.
UM, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT THAT POSITION IS RELATED TO THE, THE DEVIATION FROM A STANDARD RANCH AS A RESULT OF THE ELEVATION.
UM, SO WE DO NEED TO CONTINUE THAT DIALOGUE WITH THE CIVIC CLUB AROUND THE, THE ELEVATION REQUIREMENT, THE SKIRTING, THE ALTERNATION OF THE, THE MASONRY.
UM, BUT WE DO HAVE THAT COMMENT AND WE DO NEED TO RESOLVE IT WITH THEM.
UM, I ABOUT THE HEIGHT OF THE ROOF RIDGE, LIKE THE MAIN ROOF RIDGE, HAS A LOWER ROOF RIDGE BEEN EXPLORED IN TERMS OF A LOWER PITCH OF THE ROOF? YEAH, WELL THAT WOULD LOWER THE TOP OF THAT VERY HIGHEST RIDGE.
UM, WHICH SEEMS OUT OF CHARACTER WITH A RANCH, WHICH WOULD TEND TO HAVE A SHALLOWER PITCH OR A LOWER ROOF RIDGE.
UM, SO O ONE ASPECT OF OUR PROGRAM, WE DO HAVE STANDARD FLOOR PLANS AND STANDARD HOME ELEVATIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE EMPLOY ACROSS THE, THE THOUSANDS OF HOMES THAT WE'VE BUILT IN HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY AND, AND STATEWIDE.
UM, AND SO THIS IS THAT, THAT STANDARD DESIGN.
UM, THERE ARE ALSO REQUIREMENTS IN TERMS OF THE ATTIC VENTING THAT WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE BUILDER AND THE ENGINEER TEAM COULD EXPLORE SOME ALTERATIONS TO THAT.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE ALSO TIME LIMITED WITH, WITH THE REMAINING AVAILABILITY OF OUR FUNDING, BUT WE CAN, WE CAN DO SOME INVESTIGATION OF ALTERING THAT PITCH.
SO I HAVE A QUESTION, UH, ANOTHER QUESTION FROM COMMISSIONER JACKSON AND THEN FOLLOWED BY COMMISSIONER YAP.
THANKS FOR COMING TODAY AND I'M JUST, BECAUSE I'M NEW TO PROJECTS WITH GLO, WONDERING IF THE ENGINEER THAT THAT, UH, YOU EMPLOYED, EMPLOYED HERE WAS, UM, HAS EXPERIENCE WITH HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
SO HE HAS WORKED ON NUMER THOUSANDS OF, UM, PROPERTIES THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY HURRICANE HARVEY AND, AND WE HAVE HAD NUMEROUS HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS OUR FIRST ONE WE'VE HAD TO COME BEFORE THE COMMITTEE.
UM, BUT WITH THE, THE SECTION 1 0 6 PROJECT PROCESS, WE'VE HAD, YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS WITH HIS REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO COMMENT ON THAT COMMISSIONER CURRY STARTED, COMMISSIONER BLAKELY ADDED TO IS, IS THE DESIGN.
AND I UNDERSTAND THE, THE CONSTRAINTS THAT ARE ON YOUR OFFICE AND THE PROGRAM, UM, BUT BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST ONE THAT YOU'VE HAD TO COME BEFORE THE, THE COMMISSION WITH, UM, IT, IT APPEARS TO BE AN OUTLIER.
AND SO I DO THINK IF THE ARCHITECT, THE ENGINEER, UH, DOESN'T HAVE TO TAKE MONTHS TO DO SO, UH, BUT I I EVEN THE FLOOR PLAN OF THIS IS OFFENSIVE WITHIN THE CONTEXT.
UM, I I JUST THINK THE LOWER ROOF PITCH, BUT ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, A MORE LINEAR, THE, THE TWO, UM, PARTS COMING OUT IN THE FRONT.
I JUST THINK WITH A LITTLE TWEAKING, THIS COULD BE MUCH MORE COMPATIBLE AND SYMPATHETIC, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE'RE LOSING A RESOURCE.
SO I, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO, TO EXPLORE THAT.
YOU HAD A QUESTION FOR THE SPEAKER? YES.
UM, MY QUESTION IS ACTUALLY FOLLOWING UP WITH THE DISCUSSION ON DIALOGUE WITH THE CIVIC, UH, ASSOCIATION MM-HMM
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, WAS THERE CONCERN JUST ONLY THE ELEVATED LOOK OF THE HOUSE, THE NEW CONSTRUCTION, OR WAS IT ACTUALLY THE AESTHETIC OF THE ENTIRE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN OF THE HOUSE AS OPPOSED TO IT BEING TOTALLY DIFFERENT IN
[00:50:01]
LOOK, UH, COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE GLENBROOK VALLEY HOMES? SO THE, THE RESPONSE THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM THEM THIS WEEK WA WAS NOT DETAILED TO THAT DEGREE, UM, TO BE ABLE TO FULLY ANSWER THAT QUESTION, UM, TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, EXACTLY YEAH.TO TO WHAT DEGREE THE, THEIR, UH, OBJECTION WAS THEIR, THEIR OBJECTION WAS THAT IT IS NOT A MODERN RANCH.
WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT IS, IT IS NOT A MODERN RANCH, BUT THEY DID NOT ELABORATE BEYOND THAT.
I HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION, PLEASE.
SO HOW OPEN ARE YOU TO, UH, GO BACK TO YOUR, UH, DEPARTMENT OR THE PEOPLE THAT YOU DEAL WITH IN TERMS OF COMING UP WITH A DESIGN THAT MATCHES, UH, NOT WITHSTANDING THE, YOU YOU ARE OFF THE GROUND TO, OR MAYBE THREE FEET, BUT THAT YOU COME UP WITH A DESIGN THAT IS ACTUALLY, UH, UH, I WOULD SAY, UH, CONGRUENT WITH THE HOUSES AROUND THIS HOUSE, THIS PROPERTY, A FULLY CUSTOM DESIGN, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE A DEPARTURE, UH, FOR THIS PROGRAM.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DELIVER THIS PROGRAM BOTH IN, IN HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY AND, AND AGAIN ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS IN, IN OTHER DISASTERS WITH STANDARD FLOOR PLANS.
AND WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, COORDINATE WITH, UM, LOCAL HISTORIC ENTITIES AND, AND THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE CAN CERTAINLY HAVE ADDITIONAL CONVERSATIONS.
UM, BUT TO THIS POINT WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN, IN FINDING COMPROMISE WITH OUR STANDARD PLANS.
CERTAINLY, I KNOW YOU, THERE ARE LIMITATIONS WITH THESE STANDARD PLANS IN, IN ORDER TO SERVE THE PEOPLE, UH, THROUGHOUT, THROUGHOUT THE NEED.
UM, I THINK THE COMMENT FROM COMMISSIONER JACKSON IS JUST WHAT WE SEE IN THE COMMISSION IS WHEN WE HAVE A HOME THAT'S MUCH TALLER THAN OTHER HOMES, THE SPATIAL PROPORTIONS OF IT ARE VERY NOTICEABLE.
AND, UM, WE SOMETIMES SEE THAT WHEN FOLKS ARE TRYING TO GET A REALLY HIGH FLOOR TO CEILING, UH, HEIGHT, THAT MAY BE MUCH HIGHER THAN WHAT WAS HISTORICALLY ON THAT NEIGHBORHOOD OR THAT BLOCK FACE.
SO TO THE EXTENT THAT THE ROOF SLOPE COULD BE AMENDED, JUST SO THAT THERE'S A LITTLE BIT LESS PRESSURE VER VERTICALLY, I THINK THAT'S JUST MAY MAYBE A COMMENT, BUT, UM, BUT THAT'S THE ONLY QUESTIONS I HAVE.
AND I DO THINK, YOU KNOW, THE EXPLORING THE ROOF SLOPE IS AN EASIER PROPOSITION THAN A, A COMPLETE, YOU KNOW, REPROGRAMMING OF THE FLOOR PLAN.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE CERTAINLY CAN LOOK INTO THAT ROOF ROOF'S, ROOF SLOPE AND, AND WHAT, UM, YOU KNOW, MODERATION OF IT CAN BE ACHIEVABLE.
BUT IF WE WERE TO GO BACK AND, AND REPROGRAM THIS, THIS HOUSE FROM SCRATCH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE, UM, REALLY DIFFICULT FOR, FOR BOTH US TO ACHIEVE WITHIN OUR REMAINING TIME AND, AND TO JUSTIFY IN THE CONTEXT OF, AGAIN, THE, THE THOUSANDS OF OTHER INDIVIDUALS ASSISTED VIA THESE PROGRAMS IN TEXAS.
AGAIN, I'M JUST TRYING TO LEARN, UM, AS MUCH AS I CAN HERE.
UM, SO IT'S 2025, YOU, THE GLO HAS HELPED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY THROUGH, THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.
IS THERE A SPECIFIC REASON WHY THIS IS COMING TO US SEVEN YEARS LATER? IS THIS JUST WHERE THEY RANKED IN THE, IN, IN, YES.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHERE THEY RANKED IN, IN THE PROCESSING OF THIS FILE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ALSO SEEN THAT, UM, TAKING THE NECESSARY DUE DILIGENCE, UM, WITH HISTORIC PROPERTIES HAS, HAS CAUSED THEM TO STRETCH OUT IN TIME BECAUSE WE DO FULLY EXPLORE CAN WE REHABILITATE? UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, THIS PROJECT, AS WITH OTHER HISTORIC PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE GONE THROUGH A COMPLETE EVALUATION OF THE FEASIBILITY OF REHABILITATION, UM, WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT THAT WOULD BE THE EVENTUAL AWARD.
AND THEN, UM, WHEN THAT BECAME, WHEN WE RECEIVED THE DETERMINATION THAT, UM, THAT WAS NOT FEASIBLE THEN, YOU KNOW, REALLY NEEDED TO RESTART WITH A, A NEW ASSESSMENT OF THE, THE DEED RESTRICTIONS OF THE, THE CODE REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE HOMEOWNERS WERE SELECTED, A FLOOR PLAN, YOU KNOW, SO THERE WERE VARIOUS STEPS THAT THAT HAD TO OCCUR EVEN FROM THAT ENGINEER'S DETERMINATION TO GET TO THE POINT THAT WE'RE AT TODAY WITH A PROPOSED DESIGN.
MR. CHAIR, I HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY DIRECTED, UH, TO OUR LEGAL
[00:55:01]
DEPARTMENT.AND, UH, YOU, YOU CAN ASK HIM AND THEN WE DO HAVE TWO MORE SPEAKERS SIGNED UP, SO YEAH, BUT, BUT, BUT PLEASE ASK YOUR QUESTION.
SO THE, THE THING IS, UH, THIS, THIS IS A TWO STEP PROCESS.
NUMBER ONE, WE HAVE TO AGREE TO THE DEMOLITION OF THE EXISTING HOME.
AND NUMBER TWO, UH, IS ALSO COME TO AN AGREEMENT ABOUT THE, UH, ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN OF THE HOME, UH, ROOF PITCH ASIDE.
SO IF, IF I WERE TO AGREE TO THE SECOND THAT THEY HAVE A DESIGN THAT ITS AS AND NOT EXACTLY TO A MODERN RANGE, DOES THAT MEAN THERE ARE THEN NOW NO MORE ELIGIBLE FOR TAX EXEMPTION BECAUSE IT'S A NEW CONSTRUCTION? I SUSPECT THAT IS THE CASE.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU CONFIRM AS OPPOSED TO SUSPECTING IT? UM, I CAN CERTAINLY SEND AN EMAIL UP TO OUR GENERAL COUNSEL SECTION, BUT I MAY NOT GET A RESPONSE TODAY.
BUT I THINK THE HOME WILL BECOME NON-CONTRIBUTING AT THAT, THAT POINT IT BECOMES NONT HOME DRIVING IS SUPPOSED TO BE A NON CONTRIBUTING, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THE REST OF THE OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD HOMES.
THEN, THEN THEY SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN TAX EXEMPTION.
I, AND THAT'S A SEPARATE PROCESS OUTSIDE OF THIS COMMISSION THAT IS GOVERNED BY STATE LAW AND, AND GOES TO CITY COUNCIL FOR THAT DETERMINATION.
SO THEY HAVE TO MEET THE STANDARDS IN STATE LAW FOR THAT.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS STILL OPEN AND I DO HAVE TWO MORE SPEAKERS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP, UH, CHARLOTTE, WASHINGTON AND RAYMOND RICHARDSON.
IF YOU COULD RESTATE YOUR NAME, UH, IN THE MICROPHONE AND, UH, MY NAME IS RAY RICHARDSON.
UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
AND THIS IS SHORT WASHINGTON, WHO IS THE RECIPIENT OF THE PROGRAM.
AND I'M A PASTOR AND I'VE KNOWN HER FOR 40 YEARS NOW, HER AND MS. DAVIS.
AND I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE HOME.
I KNOW, AND I UNDERSTAND IT'S A LITTLE BIT OFF FROM WHAT THE, THE TYPICAL NEIGHBORHOOD LOOKS LIKE, BUT I'VE MET WITH THE GLO, I'VE SAT DOWN WITH THE BUILDER, WENT THROUGH THE HOME, THE DESIGN AND ALL OF THAT.
AND I'M HERE TO PETITION YOU, YOU KNOW, TO APPROVE THIS FOR THESE LADIES.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF 'EM IS A RETIRED PERSON FROM EXXON, THE OTHER WAS A SURGICAL TECHNICIAN, YOU KNOW, WITH METHODIST HOSPITAL.
YOU KNOW, THEY'VE GIVEN BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITIES, YOU KNOW, WE WORK IN THE COMMUNITY, WE HELP PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, AND I'M HERE TO FIGHT FOR THEM.
SO I, I'M HERE JUST TO PETITION ON THEIR BEHALF THAT YOU WOULD REALLY CONSIDER THIS, THIS, THIS, THIS EVENT, YOU KNOW, AND NOT TURN IT DOWN.
I'M KIND OF LOST FOR WORDS HERE, BUT I JUST ASKED YOU ALL IF YOU WOULD PLEASE HELP US OUT HERE.
IT'S IS, UM, WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO DO WHAT'S NEEDED IN THE HOME.
EVERY TIME IT RAINS, UM, WE HAVE A REAL STRONG RAIN.
WE HAVE PAINT COMING DOWN EVEN SINCE THEY'VE TAKEN THE PICTURES, UH, IN THE KITCHEN, UM, WHEN IT RAINS, IT RAINS THERE.
AND, AND ONE OF OUR BATHROOMS IN THE, THE HALF BATH, WE HAVE A PIPE OR SOMETHING UNDER THE HOUSE.
IF YOU COME IN THERE RIGHT NOW, IT SMELLS LIKE SEWER.
UM, I HAVE TO POUR CLOROX IN THERE TO, YOU KNOW, TO STOP THE SMELL.
WE HAVE A, UM, IT'S A HOT TUB IN THE BACK, UH, AND IT'S ALL CORRODED.
YOU DIDN'T SEE THE PICTURES, BUT THE WA THE WOOD IS ALL ROTTED AND THEN WE HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE ANIMALS COMING IN AND OUT SOMETIMES AT HUMS. UH, I'VE HAD, OH GUESS ABOUT THREE TIMES WE'VE HAD PEOPLE TO COME AND FIX OUR ELECTRICAL, YOU KNOW, UM, FLIP A SWITCH AND THEY GO, YOU KNOW, THAT SORT OF THING.
AND ANOTHER US A PORTION OF THE HOUSE, THEY'VE COME TO FIX THAT AND THEY SAID, MA'AM, YOUR WHOLE HOUSE NEED TO BE REWIRED.
YOU KNOW, WE CAN KEEP COMING, BUT THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS KIND OF DANGEROUS.
WE'VE HAD, UH, ANOTHER PERSON WHO CAME AND, UH, SOME OF THE CRACKS IN THE WALL, THIS CRACK IS GOING LIKE THIS, MA'AM, THAT'S STRUCTURAL DAMAGE THERE.
THAT'S NOT, 'CAUSE WE DO NEED TO HAVE THE FOUNDATION DONE.
ALSO, AGAIN, SAID, THIS IS NOT FOUNDATION.
THIS IS STRUCTURAL ISSUES HERE.
AND, UH, IN OUR BATHROOM, UH, IN ONE OF THE BATHROOMS IN THE CORNER, IT BEGAN TO OPEN UP, UM, THE WALL.
SO IT'S, IT'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE AND WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO DO IT.
[01:00:01]
TO CONTINUE.IS THERE A SECOND? UH, COSMO SECOND.
YOU CAN, YOU CAN SPEAK A LITTLE BIT LONGER IF YOU WOULD LIKE.
AND WE'RE JUST ASKING YOU ALL TO PLEASE LET THIS BE DONE.
AND WE ASKED HIM, YOU KNOW, FOR Y'ALL TO, TO HELP US OUT.
WE HAD THE MONEY, WE WOULD DO IT, BUT IT'S JUST TOO MUCH.
WE'RE RETIRED AND WE'RE ON FIXED INCOME.
UH, MR. CHAIR, I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, THIS IS JUST FOR, FOR MY, UH, BENEFIT MM-HMM
DURING HARVEY AT THE HEIGHT OF THE FLOOD.
HOW HIGH DID THE WATER GET INTO YOUR HOUSE? NO, IT CAME UP TO THE PORCH.
IT CAME UP TO OUR PORCH AND IT DIDN'T GET IN THE HOUSE, BUT IT DRIPPED.
WE HAD WATER DRIPPING, HAD TO PUT, UH, A BUCKET IN, UH, ONE OF THE BATHROOM.
I MEAN, I, UH, THE BEDROOM I ONE IN THE HALL WHERE IT WAS DRIPPING, YOU KNOW, DOWN THROUGH THE HALL WHERE THE, YOU KNOW, THE BEDROOMS GO.
WE HAVE ANOTHER ROOM IN THE BACK WHERE IT DRI YOU KNOW, YOU CAN, IT DIDN'T SHOW YOU COULDN'T SEE IT THAT WELL IN THE PICTURES, BUT IF YOU WALK THROUGH THE HOUSE, YOU SEE ALL THESE DARK AREAS.
AND ALSO, UM, UH, I DIDN'T TELL YOU THIS.
IN THREE ROOMS, THE FLOOR IS CRACKING.
UH, I DON'T THINK THEY HAD PICTURES OF THAT, BUT IN OUR FAMILY ROOM THAT CRACKS IN THE FLOOR WHERE IT'S JUST A JAGGED CRACK.
AND THEN IN THE, UH, THE LITTLE WHERE WE EAT, WHERE THE DINING AREA IS, THEY'RE FLAT.
THERE ARE CRACKS IN THE FLOOR.
YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, HAPPENING.
IT'S MORE AND MORE, MORE AND MORE CRACKS.
AND I'LL JUST MENTION THANK YOU.
AND I'LL JUST MENTION, UM, THEY, AS YOU SEE IN THE REPORT, THE FOUNDATION HAS BEEN REPAIRED IN THE PAST.
YOU CAN SEE WHERE PIERS HAVE BEEN PUT IN IN THE PAST.
AND THE HOUSE HAS MOVED AGAIN, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WHILE THE WATER DID COME UP, IT DIDN'T COME ABOVE FINISHED FLOOR.
IT MAY HAVE, BUT IT MAY HAVE ALSO EX UH, MADE THE FOUNDATION ISSUES, AFFECTED THE SUBGRADE ISSUES.
BUT THERE WA THERE WAS, UM, ISSUES LIKE YOU SAW WITH THE FRAMING PULLING APART AT THE, IN THE ATTIC, ALONG THE RIDGE BEAM, WHICH ALLOWED A LOT OF WATER TO COME IN THE HOUSE.
AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING AS PART OF THIS PROGRAM, IT'S A REHABILITATION PROGRAM, THIS GRANT.
AND SO BY FEDERAL, UH, REQUIREMENTS, THEY LOOK AT ALL THESE THINGS WHEN THEY'RE, WHEN THEY'RE DOING THIS REMEDIATION.
AND SO, UM, THIS IS DIFFERENT THAN A NORMAL APPLICATION THAT COMES BEFORE US BECAUSE THIS IS A CERTAIN FEDERAL PROGRAM.
THEY HAVE FEDERAL STANDARDS AND CERTAIN THINGS THEY'RE LOOKING AT, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT BE THE AESTHETIC THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT EXACTLY.
BUT I THINK, UM, BUT, BUT THEY HAVE A LONG LIST OF CHECKLISTS OF THINGS THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH TO GET TO, EVEN TO GET TO THIS POINT.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE TRYING TO THE CLOSE OUT THE, THE, THE PROJECT, UH, FOR THE REMAINING PROJECTS FOR THIS.
AND, UM, IN ORDER FOR THE APPLICANTS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS, UM, THIS, THIS IS THE PATH FORWARD FOR THEM.
MS. WASHINGTON, I HAD THAT ON MS. WASHINGTON.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK UP TO THE, TO THE DAY, BUT HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN THE HOME? 2008.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE COMMISSION.
I GUESS, UM, IT SEEMS LIKE I, I GUESS MY QUESTION WOULD BE IS IS THERE A, LIKE A PROCEDURE FOR WHEN A CASE LIKE THIS COMES BEFORE THE COMMISSION? BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE SEEING IT AT A VERY LATE STAGE, AND IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS REALLY AN ISSUE BETWEEN THE HAHC AND THE GLC.
UH, AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, THAT, HOW DOES THAT DIALOGUE HAPPEN? THAT, UM, YEAH, ROMAN MAY BE ABLE TO ANSWER.
I KNOW THAT, UH, THE PRESERVATION OFFICE HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE ON MANY, UH, RESIDENTIAL REPAIR PROJECTS.
UM, SOME OF WHICH ARE NOT IN HISTORIC DISTRICTS, BUT THEY, UH, AS PART OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW THAT TAKES A WHILE TO DO.
MANY OF THEM AS MY UNDERSTANDING, WERE DETERMINED TO BE IN AREAS THAT WERE ELIGIBLE TO BE NATIONAL REGISTRY DISTRICTS AND THEREFORE WERE, THEY WERE AFFORDED, UH, HISTORIC STATUS.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS IF YOU'RE NOT CONSIDERED HISTORIC BY A GOVERNMENTAL REVIEW OR ELIGIBLE, THEN THE AMOUNT OF REHABILITATION FUNDS IS VERY LIMITED.
AND IF IT IS DETERMINED TO BE HISTORIC OR ELIGIBLE TO BE HISTORIC FOR NATIONAL REGISTRY, THEN THAT MONEY, THAT THAT AMOUNT OF FUNDING TO
[01:05:01]
REHABILITATE IS GREATLY ENHANCED.BUT THE THRESHOLD IS STILL $200,000 IS MY UNDERSTANDING.
SO THAT PROCESS HAS BEEN GOING ON AND ON.
MY UNDERSTANDING IN THIS CASE, THE INITIALLY WAS GONNA BE LOOKING AT REHABBING THE STRUCTURE.
I THINK PART OF THIS APPLICATION HAS, BECAUSE THE FOUNDATION HAS FAILED AND IS WOULD COST SO MUCH TO MAKE IT WHOLE ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER SYSTEMS. UM, WHAT WAS DESCRIBED ABOUT THE SEWER GAS LIKELY IS AS A CRACK, YOU KNOW, PIPE, IT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THE FOUNDATION THAT HAS, THAT HAS GONE BAD.
SO I THINK, UM, IF THEY WERE JUST REPAIRING THE HOUSE, IT WOULDN'T COME BACK TO US.
IT, IT WOULD'VE JUST BEEN ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL.
WE, WE WOULDN'T BE, WE'RE DISCUSSING IT, BUT THE, THIS IS A DEMOLITION THAT'S BEFORE US, UM, FROM THIS FEDERAL PROGRAM.
IT HAS THE, THIS, THE SANCTION STRUCTURAL INSPECTOR THAT DOES ALL OF THESE EVALUATIONS.
UM, AND THEY DO IT IN A CERTAIN CRITERIA, IN A CERTAIN FORMAT.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, IN A MOMENT, I'LL, I'LL ASK, YOU KNOW, A RECOMMENDATION OR REC, YOU KNOW, FOR THE DEMOLITION, IF THAT IS SUCCESSFUL, THEN I'LL ASK FOR APPROVAL FOR THE REPLACEMENT.
AND AGAIN, IT'S, UM, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I MEAN, I'M AWARE OF THESE PROGRAMS, BUT THE, THE, THE TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR THIS, THIS APPLICANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.
IF THEY DON'T, IF THEY DON'T PARTICIPATE IN THIS, UH, PROGRAM, THEY'LL STILL BE LIVING IN THIS HOME THAT'S LEAKING WHENEVER IT'S RAINING.
AND SO THAT'S THE, THAT'S REALLY WHAT, THIS IS REALLY AN, UM, RIGHT.
BUT I GUESS MAY, MAYBE I MISSED, MAYBE I MISSED THE QUESTION, BUT, SORRY.
GENERALLY I THINK WE SHOULD DO WHAT WE CAN TO HELP THE, UH, APPLICANT.
BUT ORDINARILY IF, IF WE SEPARATE THE TWO CASES, IF THIS WAS JUST A QUESTION OF DESIGN REVIEW, WE WOULD HAVE SOME WIGGLE ROOM TO GO BACK AND FORTH WITH THE ARCHITECT, UH, CARRYING OUT OUR RES RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DISTRICT.
UM, SO IT SEEMS AS THOUGH WE DON'T HAVE THAT MUCH SCOPE FOR BACK AND FORTH IN THIS CASE.
UH, AND MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE REMEDIATED IN THE FUTURE IN TERMS OF YES, WORKING OUT HOW CASES LIKE THIS COULD BE DONE IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS FOR A DESIGN REVIEW.
WITHOUT PUNISHING ANY, MR. JACKSON, IF I HEARD MRS. COCHRANE CORRECTLY, MS. COCHRANE, EXCUSE ME.
UM, THERE IS SOME WILLINGNESS, UNDERSTANDING THE PARAMETERS FOR, TO CONSIDER THE DESIGN.
I I WISH IT HAD BEEN EARLIER IN THE PROCESS SO WE COULD, UM, I MEAN, THE FACT, AS YOU STATED THAT THIS IS THE ONLY INSTANCE OF THE, I ASSUME THOUSANDS OF EXAMPLES IN HOUSTON IN THE LAST SEVEN YEARS.
UM, I THINK WARRANTS AND JUST A LITTLE EXTRA EFFORT IN THE TIME THAT WE HAVE LEFT TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THE HOMEOWNER'S, UM, CONCERN AND CHALLENGES RIGHT NOW.
BUT I, I HEARD WILLINGNESS TO GO BACK TO THE DESIGN TEAM AND MAYBE SPEND A LITTLE EXTRA TIME ON THIS SINCE IT IS AN OUTLIER.
I, I LIKE TO MAKE A STATEMENT ALSO, UM, A LITTLE BIT IN ADDRESSING, UM, WHAT HAS COME UP, UH, WITH REGARDS TO THE TIMELINE AND ALL OF THAT TOO.
UM, JUST REMEMBER THAT ON ONE HAND, UM, WHAT Y'ALL ARE ASKING IS THAT IF THERE WERE MORE TIME FOR US TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION, AND THAT COULD HAPPEN.
BUT ULTIMATELY THIS PROGRAM IS VERY NARROW.
AND SO ALL OF THE REQUESTS AND ALL OF THE ASKS THAT YOU'RE GONNA DO WILL PROBABLY ULTIMATELY NOT BE FEASIBLE.
AND SO THEREFORE, UM, IT'S PROBABLY NOT GONNA MOVE FORWARD.
SO REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THIS CONVERSATION HAPPENED TODAY OR LAST YEAR, AND IF ALL OF THE DEMANDS THAT ARE BEING ASKED, AND IT IS NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO BE MET BECAUSE THIS PROGRAM IS NOT ABOUT A, UH, THEY HAVE A SET A PLAN, ELEVATIONS, THERE'S A CONSTRAINT BUDGET.
IF IT DOESN'T MEET THOSE CRITERIA, GLO IS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO APPROVE THAT.
SO WE CAN ASK ALL THE THINGS THAT WE WANT, AND THEY MAY AGREE THEY WILL TRY TO DO THEIR BEST, BUT IF IT DOESN'T MEET THOSE CRITERIA, IT WILL NOT PASS.
AND THAT'S WHAT I HEARD FROM YOU, MS. COCHRANE, IS THAT THERE BE AN ATTEMPT AT THAT WITHIN THE TIMEFRAME THAT IS LEFT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT WE TRY AND AT LEAST UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS OF THE PROPERTY OWNER ASSOCIATION OR THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, UM, AND, AND JUST SEE IF WE CAN'T GET A LITTLE CLOSER WITHIN THE CONSTRAINTS OF YOUR PROGRAM.
AND PARTICULARLY, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T, WE'RE ALREADY SOURCING A MID CAN, CAN WE GET THIS ON THE MIC PLEASE? SORRY.
[01:10:01]
IT, IT HELPS TO BE FOR THE RECORDING TO BE IN THE MICROPHONE.UM, PROVIDED THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK AGAIN AND, AND WAIT UNTIL APRIL.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, WE'RE ALREADY IN THE PROCESS OF SOURCING A DOOR, UH, PER REQUEST FROM THE CIVIC CLUB.
UM, AND WE CAN CERTAINLY EXPLORE, YOU KNOW, WHAT MODIFICATION TO THE, THE ROOF PITCH, UH, TO LOWER THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHERE I THINK WE WOULD HAVE A REALLY DIFFICULT TIME ACCOMMODATING WOULD BE A, A REDESIGN OF THE FLOOR PLAN.
BUT IF WE ARE, ARE MAKING ADJUSTMENTS TO THE, THE EXTERIOR LOOK, UM, WE ARE ABSOLUTELY INTERESTED IN, IN BEING PARTNERS AND FINDING A SOLUTION.
AND I, I CAN ATTEST TO THE COMMISSION MEMBERS AS I REVIEWED THIS PROJECT A WEEK AGO.
AND SINCE THAT TIME, A STAFF HAD A NUMBER, NOT A NUMBER, BUT THEY HAD BASICALLY TWO SUGGESTIONS WHICH WERE, UH, TAKEN.
AND WHAT YOU SEE TODAY IS ACTUALLY BEEN REVISED SINCE, FROM WHAT I INITIALLY SAW.
SO THERE'S ALREADY BEEN A WILLINGNESS TO MAKE, TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS WHERE THEY COULD BE MADE IN A VERY TIMELY FASHION.
SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT.
WE TALK ABOUT CONSISTENCY AS BEING A GOAL THAT WE TRY TO ACHIEVE IN OUR DECISIONS.
AND WE RECENTLY HAD A PROJECT LAST MEETING, OR THE MEETING BEFORE THAT WAS IN MUCH WORSE CONDITION, AND WE DENIED THE PERMISSION TO DEMOLISH IT.
AND WE DID THAT AGAIN WITH ANOTHER PROJECT LAST YEAR.
SO IT'S, IT'S TOUGH ON THIS PROJECT BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE'RE KIND OF BEING BOXED INTO A CORNER BY THIS GROUP THAT IS MOVING VERY QUICKLY, BUT NOT TELLING US WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND NOT TELLING WHAT THE CIVIC ASSOCIATION, WHAT THEY'RE DOING, AND THEN ASSUMING THAT WE'RE GOING TO AGREE WITH IT.
SO I, I JUST, I, I FIND THAT WE'VE BEEN PUT INTO A DIFFICULT PLACE RIGHT NOW, BUT I ALSO FIND THAT THIS IS THE ONLY CASE WHERE WE ACTUALLY HAVE ECONOMIC HARDSHIP AND SOME MONEY ON THE LINE TO ACTUALLY DO THE PROJECT AND VERY CLEAR PARAMETERS OF WHY THIS MONEY CANNOT BE APPLIED TO, TO RESTORING THE HOUSE.
RIGHT? I THINK IN OTHER CASES WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT THAT LINE BE MET, THAT CRITERIA BE MET.
UM, MR. CHAIR, UH, I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU AS WELL, COMMISSIONER.
UH, TRYING TO DOVETAIL WHAT YOU MENTIONED, YOUR, YOUR, UH, EXPLANATION AND ALSO COMMISSIONER COUCH'S COMMENTS.
UH, I, I'M LOOKING AT IT AT A HIGHER LEVEL RIGHT NOW, AND HOW DO I PREVENT BAD ACTORS? IT'S NOT SO MUCH ABOUT THIS PROJECT, BUT, UH, WE HAVE HISTORIC DISTRICTS THAT ARE IN THE 500 YEAR FLOODPLAIN AND, UM, AND HOW DO WE MITIGATE THE PANDORA'S BOX? BECAUSE THEN ANY BAD ACTOR, ESPECIALLY BUILDERS FLY BY NIGHT, BUILDERS WILL COME AND SAID, OKAY, THIS IS, UH, IRREPARABLE AND I WANT TO DEMOLISH THIS THING BECAUSE THEY WANNA BUILD A MILLION DOLLAR HOME.
SO HOW DO WE MITIGATE THAT? HELP ME, PLEASE.
LET ME JUST SAY THIS IN TERMS OF, YOU MENTIONED FLOODPLAIN.
I MEAN, IT, IT'S BEEN A LONGSTANDING UNDERSTANDING SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THIS COMMISSION, AT LEAST SINCE HARVEY, UM, THAT IF A SUBJECT PROPERTY IS LOWER THAN THE FLOODPLAIN AND THEY'RE STORY THAT THEY, THEY, THEY CAN BE ALLOWED TO RAISE, TO RAISE THAT PROPERTY UP WITHOUT ANY, UM, QUESTION.
AND, UM, IN THIS CASE, THIS SLAB IS NOT VIABLE WHERE IT IS AT THE LOWER ELEVATION, AND IT WOULD NOT BE VIABLE TO RAISE EITHER.
SO IT'S, UM, I'M SOMEWHAT FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROGRAM.
SO, I MEAN, THERE ARE A LOT OF ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS AND SECTION 1 0 6, AND THAT'S WHY THE TEXAS SOAR COMMISSION IS HEAVILY INVOLVED.
UM, I'M NOT, I'M NOT WILD ABOUT THE DESIGN THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S BEING PROPOSED, BUT I UNDERSTAND THE, THE, THE TYPE FRAMEWORK FOR THAT, THAT ALLOWS THIS PROGRAM TO, TO OCCUR AND TO SERVE MANY, MANY PEOPLE, UH, BECAUSE OF THESE, UM, CONSTRAINTS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS PUT ON THE PROGRAM.
SO PART PART OF THIS IS, BUT THAT'S ON MY QUESTION.
MY QUESTION IS, IF IN, IN, IN ANOTHER HOUSE IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, NOT ANYTHING TO DO WITH GLO, SURE.
INSTEAD OF, UH, YOU KNOW, IT IS ONLY A FOOT OFF THE GROUND AND THEY FLOODED, LET'S SAY, AND, BUT INSTEAD OF RAISING THE HOUSE, WHICH WAY WE WOULD LIKE TO, FOR THEM TO DO, THEY WOULD COME AND SAY, I WANT TO DEMOLISH THE WHOLE THING.
SO WHAT'S STOPPING THEM? BECAUSE NOW THEY HAVE GIVEN, BEEN GIVEN AN EXAMPLE THAT WE CAN DEMOLISH HOMES, RIGHT? SO IT'S ABOUT THE DEMOLITION OF A HOME VERSUS RAISING THE HOUSE TWO EXTRA FEET, AND THEY DON'T WANT TO DO THAT, THE BUILDERS.
SO WHAT CAN WE PUT IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS NOT, DOES NOT BECOME A, UH, EXAMPLE USED BY AN APPLICANT, FUTURE APPLICANT? CERTAINLY.
WELL, I THINK IF IT, I'M, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA, I, I ALWAYS WANNA
[01:15:01]
ASK KIM, BECAUSE, UM, WHEN WE MAKE A DECISION, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE INDIVIDUAL CASES BASED ON INDIVIDUAL PROPERTIES AND CIRCUMSTANCES, AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M SEEING HERE.I'M NOT SEEING A PRECEDENT SETTING CASE.
UM, BUT THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THIS, THEY'RE BEING OFFERED THIS PROGRAM.
AND, UM, I, I AGREE, UM, WITH COMMISSIONER JONES ABOUT THEIR HARDSHIP AS WE WE'VE SEEN IN THIS CASE, UM, WE HAVE A SANCTIONS STRUCTURAL ENGINEER WHO HAS DONE, YOU KNOW, UH, HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF THESE REVIEWS USING THESE FEDERAL GUIDELINES.
SO IT'S, IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, I, I HAVE TO TAKE THAT WITH SOME WEIGHT BECAUSE THAT, THAT IS, UM, AND THEY HAVE A PROCESS THAT THEY, THEY WORK THROUGH THAT.
UM, I THINK THE MISSION NEEDS TO MAKE THEIR, YOU KNOW, COME TO THEIR OWN CONSENSUS ON THIS.
BUT I DON'T THINK THIS IS LIKE ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE'VE SEEN.
UM, AND WE HAVE HAD SOME HOMES BE RAISED.
I MEAN, EVEN MARLENE HAS RAISED HOMES THAT WEREN'T IN HISTORIC DISTRICT, BUT THEIR FOUNDATIONS WERE, WERE GOOD ENOUGH THAT THEY COULD BE RAISED.
AND, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH NEW THINGS BELOW IT, UM, WITH THIS PROJECT THAT'S NOT, THAT WOULD NOT EVEN BE AN, UH, AN OPTION.
AND MY EXPERIENCE, WHEN THE JLO WILL ENTERTAIN A PROJECT OR REHABILITATION LIKE THIS, AND THEY FIND A HOME UNDER THE FLOODPLAIN, THEY'RE, THEY'RE REALLY TO USE FEDERAL MONEY.
THEY, THEY'VE GOTTA IMPROVE THAT HOME FROM A, UM, UM, RESILIENCY STANDPOINT SO THAT THE, THE APPLICANTS DON'T SUFFER AGAIN FROM ABOVE OR BELOW.
SO IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK I WANTED TO REVIEW THESE AT, AT ONE TIME.
WE, WE WILL, WE WILL, UH, VOTE INDIVIDUALLY ON EACH ITEM, THE DEMOLITION FIRST TO SEE WHAT, WHAT THAT WILL BE.
YES, MR. JACKSON? I HAVE SOME COMMENTS, BUT I DON'T WANT TO GO AHEAD.
WELL, ONE MORE QUESTION AND THEN OKAY.
DO, DO WE STILL HAVE PEOPLE WAITING TO SPEAK? NO.
MR. CHAIR? NO, NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF.
UM, OH, I CAN ASK IF THERE'S ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN THE AUDIENCE.
I ONLY HAD THREE SPEAKERS SIGNED UP.
AND IF, AND IF I NEED TO, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS TIME AND WE CAN CONTINUE OUR DELIBERATIONS.
UM, EXCEPT I HAVE A QUESTION, I THINK OF MS. COCHRAN.
UM, I, I JUST WAS AGAIN, TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IN THE FIRST APPLICATION NUMBER 27 APPLICATION FOR DEMOLITION, UM, CAN YOU WALK ME THROUGH THE ECR, LIKE THE FINAL NUMBER? I THINK IT'S ON PAGE 47.
SO WHAT, WHAT IS THE, ACCORDING TO, I ASSUME THE ENGINEER MADE HIS DETERMINATION, AND THEN YOU HAVE ESTIMATORS OR GL EXCUSE ME, AS ESTIMATORS THAT COME IN AND ESTIMATE THIS WORK.
WHAT IS THE FINAL TO REPAIR THIS HISTORIC RESOURCE? SO INCLUDED IN THE APPLICATION, UM, IS A, A PRELIMINARY BID PREPARED BY A DUCKY RECOVERY, WHICH IS THE, THE BUILDER FOR THIS CASE.
UM, THEY DID NOT TAKE IT ALL THE WAY TO BEING A FINAL BID BECAUSE OF THE CONCERNS ABOUT VIABILITY BROUGHT BY THE ENGINEER, BUT THEIR, THEIR PRELIMINARY BID ESTIMATE IS 207,000.
SO, AND AT THAT POINT, PRE IT WAS OVER THE THRESHOLD, AND THEREFORE THEY STOPPED, THEY STOPPED COUNTING.
YOU ALSO HAD 50, AND THE, THE ENGINEER HAD HAD, YOU KNOW, VOICED, YOU KNOW, FEASIBILITY SUITABILITY CONCERNS, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WITH, WITH OUR FEDERAL FUNDING RESTRICTIONS, WE HAVE TO BE, UH, PARTICULARLY CAUTIOUS IN THOSE EVALUATIONS.
AND, UM, YOU REALLY WOULD NOT BE ABLE, EVEN IF THE PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE WAS UNDER 200,000 TO JUSTIFY GOING AGAINST A, A LICENSED ENGINEER AND THEIR RECOMMENDATION.
SO IT'S LESS ABOUT THE DOLLAR FIGURE.
I MEAN, TO ME, THIS IS ONLY $7,000 EVERY STATEMENT, BUT THAT'S NOT THE, THE, IT'S THE ENGINEER'S DETERMINATION THAT SUPERSEDES CORRECT, CORRECT.
UM, BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, THE LEVEL OF RISK, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT IT, YOU KNOW, GOD FORBID WE GO AHEAD AND WE ATTEMPT TO REHABILITATE AND, AND WE OVERLOOK SOME, YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURAL DEFICIENCY.
AND, AND NOW THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS ESSENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, UH, ATTESTED TO THESE HOMEOWNERS.
YOU HAVE A REPAIRED HOME AND IT STILL HAS A, A MAJOR DEFICIENCY.
AND SO THAT IS, IS SORT OF THE UNDERPINNING THAT, YOU KNOW, THE ENGINEER HAS SAID THAT THIS IS NOT A, A SUITABLE USE, UH, UH, OR A SUITABLE ACTIVITY.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THE, THERE'S THE FUNDING ISSUE FROM THE FEDERAL PERSPECTIVE.
AND DO Y'ALL, THIS IS A BIG ASK.
[01:20:02]
DO ANY OUTREACH OR ANY SUPPORT RESOURCES WITH HOMEOWNERS TO FIND MATCHING OR, OR COMPLIMENTARY FUNDING THAT COULD SUPPLEMENT THE FEDERAL AWARD? SO THE, THE PROGRAMS OF, OF THIS NATURE, UM, WE'RE ACTUALLY DEALING WITH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT MM-HMMDISASTER RECOVERY FUNDING HERE.
AND IT IS INTENDED TO BE THAT FUNDING OF LAST RESORT, THAT STOP GAP AFTER YOU HAVE EXHAUSTED ALL OTHER PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SOURCES OF FUNDING.
UM, THERE WAS AN EARLIER QUESTION ABOUT THE, THE FLOODING INCURRED IN THIS HOUSE.
THIS HOUSE ACTUALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, HAD RAIN INTRUSION FROM THE HIGH WINDS.
UM, THEY DID SUBMIT A CLAIM ON THEIR HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE, UM, RECEIVED A MODERATE AMOUNT OF MONEY FROM THEIR HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE FOR THAT WIND-DRIVEN RAIN.
UM, AND SO OUR PROGRAM AT, AT THIS POINT COMES IN AND PROVIDES THE BALANCE, AGAIN, TO DELIVER A, A MORE RESILIENT, UM, AND, AND A, A CODE COMPLIANT, UH, WE HAVE TO ADHERE TO THE HUD HOUSING QUALITY STANDARDS.
UM, SO WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO SIMPLY, YOU KNOW, PATCH UP THE, THE STORM DAMAGE, BUT TO DELIVER SOMETHING WITH FEDERAL DOLLARS, THAT IS A REASONABLE USE OF THOSE FUNDS.
MR. BLAKELY, YOU HAD A QUESTION THAT YOU SAID.
I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT, SPEAKING TO COMMISSIONER Y'S POINT, UH, THAT, UM, THERE CLEAR INDICATIONS THAT THIS IS NOT A SORT OF SOMEONE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF, LIKE A SORT OF OPPORTUNISTIC DEMOLITION.
I THINK ONE CRITERION THAT COULD BE POINTED TO WOULD BE THE INVOLVEMENT OF A GOVERNMENT AGENCY, BUT ALSO IT'S, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THE THE PROPOSED HOUSE IS ACTUALLY SMALLER IN SQUARE FOOTAGE THAN THAT.
SO IT JUST SEEMS CLEARLY THAT WE'RE OPERATING IN A DIFFERENT, A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FRAMEWORK THAN THE OPPORTUNISTIC BUILDER.
SO AGAIN, I'M GONNA CLOSE A PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, ROMAN, YOU, I JUST WANT TO ADD TO THIS, I JUST HAVE TWO POINTS, AND THEN I'M GONNA ASK THAT MAYBE WE AMEND OUR RECOMMENDATION ON THE NEW CONSTRUCTION.
SO THE TWO POINTS, UH, I WANT TO GO TO ARE, UH, FOR CHANTEL BLAKELY, COMMISSIONER BLAKELY, THE, UM, QUESTIONS YOU RAISED EARLIER ARE QUESTIONS THAT ABOUT, UH, HOW DID WE GET HERE? KIND OF WHAT, WHAT, WHAT I JUST FEEL A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
AND, UH, WHEN THESE STARTED TO HIT OUR OFFICE ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, WE HAD THE SAME, UM, QUESTIONS, BUT I HAD 'EM IN MY MIND WITH RESPECT TO, YOU KNOW, PRESERVATION LAW 1 0 1 AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS WHERE THE, THE, WHAT'S GOING ON IS YOU HAVE A FEDERAL MONEY BEING SPENT, SO YOU GOTTA COMPLY WITH SECTION 1 0 6.
AND WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION IS THAT THEY ENTER INTO PROGRAMMATIC AGREEMENTS WITH THE PEOPLE SPENDING THE MONEY.
IN THIS CASE, THERE'S A PROGRAMMATIC AGREEMENT WITH THE GLO.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, AS FAR AS I CAN TELL, THERE WAS VERY LIMITED COMMUNITY INPUT OR THERE NO INPUT FROM THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT OR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, OR THE PRESERVATION DEPARTMENT THAT I KNOW OF IN THAT PART OF IT.
AND SO WHAT HAPPENS IS THEN THAT PROGRAMMATIC AGREEMENT SETS SOME PARAMETERS, LIKE THE ENGINEERS MAKE A DECISION ABOUT WHETHER THE HOUSE CAN BE REBUILT OR NOT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE COME WITH VERY LIMITED OPTIONS, LIMITED BY THAT PROGRAMMATIC AGREEMENT.
THAT'S WHY IT FEELS DIFFERENTLY, IF THAT HELPS.
I CAN ELABORATE MORE ABOUT THOSE, BUT, AND THEN ON THE QUESTION OF, UH, COMMISSIONER COUCH, YOU SAID ABOUT THE OTHER BUILDING, YOU KNOW, THE, THE OLD ONE UP THAT WE ADDRESSED RECENT DEMOLITION ON, I MEAN, IT'S A REALLY DIFFERENT STRUCTURE, RIGHT? IT'S A PIER AND BEAM WOODEN BOX, WHICH WE KNOW ARE KIND OF INFINITELY REPAIRABLE.
AND WE HAVE THIS CRUMBLED A SLAB ON, ON AT A DIFFERENT PERIOD.
SO IT'S A DIFFERENT STRUCTURE.
AND, UH, THE QUESTION OF THE, UM, ON THE CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL'S MEANS, UH, TO BE ABLE TO TAKE, TO TAKE ON THE ENDEAVOR IS DIFFERENT.
SO IT'S A REALLY DIFFERENT ONE FROM FROM THAT ONE.
AND FINALLY, I'LL JUST SAY WE, WE ARE RECOMMENDING APPROVAL FOR THE DEMOLITION, BUT BASED ON THE CONVERSATION THAT COMMISSIONER AUER JACKSON HAD AND JUST THE OVERALL CONVERSATION, IF YOU COULD JUST GRANT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD ASK FOR MOVE FOR APPROVAL WITH THE CONDITION THAT STAFF WORK ON THE FINAL, UM, ELEMENTS OF DESIGN, IF THEY'RE ABLE TO BE AMENDED.
AND THAT WAY WE, WE DON'T NEED TO COME BACK BEFORE YOU AND WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
AND I'LL JUST, UM, I, I'LL, IF I HAVE TIME, I'VE GOT AN EVENING APPOINTMENT, BUT I WANNA SPEAK TO JUST HOW HARD STAFF HAS WORKED ON THE, LITERALLY, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S OVER A HUNDRED YET, BUT WE'VE DONE SO MANY OF THESE 200, 200 OF PROPERTIES THAT ARE IN NATIONAL REGISTERED ELIGIBLE AREAS, AND WE'VE DONE OUR BEST KNOWING.
I, I HAVE FRIENDS AND ALLIES AT THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION WHO
[01:25:01]
HAVE TOLD ME THAT THE, THE, THE LIMIT, THE PAR THE, THE CONSTRAINTS OF THE PROGRAMMIC AGREEMENT ARE THE ISSUE THAT I THINK YOU'RE FEELING.THANK YOU, ROMAN, WITHOUT ANY OTHER DISCUSSION, IS THERE A MOTION ON, ON ITEM 27, UH, REGARDING THE DEMOLITION? I'LL MOVE TO ACCEPT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION BLAKELY SECONDS.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? WELL, UH, ARE WE ADDING THE LAST BITS OF WHAT ROMAN? THIS IS JUST, THIS IS JUST FOR THE DEMO.
ALL, ANY ABSTENTIONS MOTION PASSES.
AND NOW, UH, THE REMAINING ITEM IS ITEM 28 FOR THE NEW CONSTRUCTION.
UH, THERE WAS A REVISED RECOMMENDATION FROM ROMAN ON THE, ON THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE, UH, APPROVE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION WITH THE CONDITION THAT THEY WORK WITH THE APPLICANT TO ON SOME OF THE DESIGN ELEMENTS.
BUT IF IT IS NOT POSSIBLE WITHIN THE PROGRAM THAT, THAT THE PROPOSED DRAWINGS THAT WE SEE TODAY WILL BE BUILT.
IS THERE A SECOND? JONES WILL SECOND.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION? AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? MOTION PASSES WITH THAT, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE, I BELIEVE TO ITEM B END END OF YEAR 2024 C OF A REPORT.
SO FOR THE 2024 END OF YEAR COA REPORT, UM, I'LL JUST RUN THROUGH THE NUMBERS.
SO, UM, LAST YEAR STAFF, UH, SAW AND ACTED ON, OR YOU COMBINED, YOU, YOU GUYS AND STAFF, UH, SAW AN 331 TOTAL COAS THAT WERE ACTED ON.
UM, 158 OF THOSE COAS WENT, CAME IN FRONT OF YOU GUYS.
UM, 113 COAS WERE APPROVED BY THE HHC 21 COAS WERE DENIED.
UM, 24 COAS WERE WITHDRAWAL DRAWN.
99 OF THEM WERE OF COAS WERE APPROVED BY AA.
63 WERE COMPLETED PRE-APPLICATION DESIGN REVIEWS, FIVE WERE APPROVED PROTECTED LANDMARKS, FOUR WERE APPROVED LANDMARKS AND TWO WERE CHANGE OF DESIGNATIONS.
UH, THERE'S ALSO A, UH, BEAUTIFUL PIE CHART THAT YOU GUYS CAN TAKE A GANDER AT.
AND, UH, YEAH, SO GOOD WORK TEAM.
AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO ITEM C, COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC, NOT HEARING ANY, UH, SPEAKERS.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE HAHC COMMISSIONERS? OKAY.
I'M GONNA TURN THIS OVER TO ITEM E, UH, HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER'S REPORT.
I ACTUALLY DIDN'T PREPARE ANYTHING, UM, TO THIS EVENING BECAUSE I THOUGHT THIS MEETING WOULD GO A LOT LONGER, AND I KNEW I NEEDED TO LEAVE EARLY.
WELL, IT WORKED OUT THAT I'M STILL HERE.
AND SO, UH, UM, I WANTED TO, I WANTED TO GO BACK TO THE 1 0 6, UM, ISSUE.
JUST BE FRANK ABOUT A COUPLE OF POINTS.
SO I LOOKED INTO THIS SO HEAVILY.
OUR OFFICE WAS INUNDATED WITH REQUESTS TO DEMOLISH INCREDIBLE HOUSES IN ELIGIBLES, IN IN NEIGHBORHOODS ELIGIBLE FOR LISTING ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER, RIVERSIDE TERRACE, FIFTH WARD, CHOCOLATE INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS, CHOCOLATE BAYOU ESTATES, ALL OVER THE PLACE.
WELL, WE FIGURED THAT OUT THAT WE HAD THESE ELIGIBLE AREAS, OKAY? AND THAT IS THE TESTAMENT, REALLY, TO PEOPLE AT THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION, AS WELL AS STAFF WHO REACHED OUT TO US AND SAID, WE GOT A LOT OF THESE COMING GUYS.
WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT AREAS COULD BE, COULD BE
[01:30:01]
ELIGIBLE.AND THEN, UM, AND THEN IT STARTED TO GET INTO THIS ORIGINAL LIMIT.
THE ORIGINAL LIMIT WAS 65,000 FOR A REPAIR PERIOD.
NO ONE KNOCKED, NO ONE TALKED ABOUT ANYTHING.
REMEMBER THAT? IT WAS $65,000.
SO THEN I'M LOOKING AT A FOUR BEDROOM, UH, HOME IN RIVERSIDE TERRACE THAT HAS, UM, YOU KNOW, A RESTATED STONE FACADE SYSTEM.
AND YOU'RE THINKING TO MYSELF, OKAY, THERE'S NO CONSIDERATION HERE.
AND THIS SEEMS LIKE A BLATANT VIOLATION OF SPENDING FEDERAL MONEY TO DEMOLISH HISTORIC RESOURCES IN THE COUNTRY.
HOW, WHAT'S WRONG HERE? SO THAT'S WHEN WE STARTED TO LOOK AND INQUIRE.
AND THEN, OKAY, THERE'S A PROGRAMMATIC AGREEMENT, OKAY? AND I GOT A COPY OF THAT.
I HAVEN'T SEEN IT FOR A LONG TIME.
I COULDN'T FIND IT WHEN JASON, WHEN JASON AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT IT.
BUT WHAT I DISCOVERED IS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S YOUR LIMITATION.
THAT'S WHERE THE STATEMENT WE DO FULLY EXPLORE ALL THE, THERE WAS A STATEMENT JUST A LITTLE EARLIER.
WE DO FULLY EXPLORE, WELL, WE FULLY EXPLORE WITHIN THE LIMITED OPTIONS OF THE PROGRAMMATIC AGREEMENT, RIGHT? THAT'S THE CHALLENGE.
SO THAT'S HOW THAT, NOW HERE'S THE THING ABOUT IT.
AND THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR HOUSTON, CITY OF HOUSTON GOING FORWARD, OUR OPPORTUNITY, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, GOING FORWARD WITH THE NEW DIRECTOR AND JUST THINKING, KEEPING OUR HEAD UP.
I JUST WAS AT A LUNCHEON TODAY, UH, NOT A LUNCHEON, SORRY, I WAS WITH DAVID PITCHER FOR, AT A, THEY WERE CONSIDERING SOMEONE TO RUN A NEW PRESERVATION PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON.
AND HE WAS SPEAKING AND HE HAD A, A, UH, A BAR CHART SHOWING ALL THE STORMS THAT HAVE HIT THE TEXAS GULF COAST SINCE LIKE THE LATE 18 HUNDREDS, RIGHT? COMMISSIONER CURRY WAS THERE AS WELL.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL THOSE STORMS, YOU COULD JUST MIRROR THAT AND FLIP IT, AND THEY'RE GONNA KEEP ON COMING.
NOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD BE LEFT IN THE FEDERAL COFFERS FOR HELPING PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY, BUT ASSUMING THAT WE GET THROUGH THIS HURDLE WE'RE IN NOW, THEN THEY'LL BE FUNDING AND THEY'LL STILL HAVE THESE LAWS.
AND SO WHAT WOULD'VE BEEN USEFUL FOR US AS STAFF AND FOR THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION IS GREATER SURVEYING OF HISTORIC RESOURCES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES A FEW YEARS AGO, COMPLETED A COMPLETE CITYWIDE SURVEY OF HISTORIC RESOURCES, UH, COM.
COMMISSIONER JONES WORKS ON THAT TOPIC, UH, THAT LINE OF WORK.
SO IF WE KNEW AND WE COULD POINT 'EM ON A MAP, THEN WHEN THESE, THEN YOU HAND THAT MAP OVER IN A GIS DATABASE TO THE PEOPLE RECEIVING THE APPLICATIONS, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU SEE WHERE THINGS CAN, YOU KNOW, BEGIN TO MATCH UP, AND YOU CAN BE MORE CAREFUL WITH THAT.
UM, BUT WHAT I SAY ABOUT THE CITY'S POTENTIAL THING IS THAT TO ENTER INTO A PROGRAMMATIC AGREEMENT BY FEDERAL LAW, IT SAYS THAT THE COMMUNITY INPUT, THE LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT, THE LEVEL OF COMMUNITY INPUT AND ENGAGEMENT THAT'S SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN IS SUPPOSED TO BE ON PAR WITH THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF THE PROGRAM.
THIS PROGRAM AFFECT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF HOMES, I PRESUME.
SEE, AND AND I, I WASN'T IN HOUSTON UNTIL 2019.
THIS, THIS AGREEMENT HAPPENED BEFORE I GOT HERE.
BUT DID ANY OF Y'ALL KNOW THAT THEY WERE GONNA HAVE THIS AND THEY WERE REQUIRED TO DO THIS? AND DID THEY CHECK WITH THE PRESERVATION OFFICE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS GOING ON? BECAUSE THEY WERE ABOUT TO HAVE THIS MASSIVE IMPACT.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE, I, I THINK I'LL JUST SAY, I THINK UNLESS THE TECH STORE COMMISSION REACHES OUT, WHICH THAT SOMETIMES THEY DO, IT'S, I GUESS THE WAY THIS WORKS IS YOU'D HAVE TO KNOW AND SPEAK UP AND SAY, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WE WOULD LIKE TO BE, UM, YES.
AND THAT'S OUR OPPORTUNITY CONSIDERED A, WELL, ONE OF THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT HAS INPUT ON THE, THAT'S MOU OR MOA, THAT'S TO, AND WE NEED TO BE READY NEXT TIME.
AND THAT'S MY ONLY POINT OF MAKING IT.
THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE, BY THE WAY, I'LL ADD WHO CHOSE NOT TO HAVE THEIR HOME DEMOLISHED.
OKAY? THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WALKED AWAY FROM THIS WHEN THEY WERE TOLD, WE'RE GONNA DEMOLISH YOUR HOME AND BUILD YOU ONE, AND HERE, AND HERE ARE THE THREE OPTIONS YOU CAN CHOOSE FROM.
PEOPLE JUST SAID, I'LL TAKE MY LEAKY ROOF, I'LL TAKE MY BROKEN SLAB, AND I DON'T, I'M NOT GOOD WITH THAT.
AND WE HAD, WE KNOW THAT THAT HAPPENED A LOT.
AND I JUST SAY ABOUT THE WHOLE VIABILITY, WHOEVER BROUGHT THE QUESTION OF THE, THE ENGINEER'S REPORTS, IT WAS ONLY THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS THAT WE FIRST HEARD THE TERM ABOUT THE VIABILITY.
AND, UH, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE A, IT, FRANKLY, TO US, IT SEEMED LIKE A SLIDE OF HAND.
AND WHEN I RAISED THE QUESTION, WHEN I RAISED THE QUESTION OF WHERE IN THE PROGRAM PROGRAMMATIC AGREEMENT DO YOU, ARE YOU ALLOWED TO HAVE AN ENGINEER MAKE A REPORT ABOUT THE VIABILITY OF THE RESOURCE RIGHT AWAY? THE LANGUAGE CHANGED.
THEY CAME BACK AND SAID, OH, NO, NO, IT'S THE BUDGET.
SO THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WE GET AHEAD OF IT ON THE NEXT STORM, AND WE'D BE PREPARED TO, TO ASK TO BE AT THE TABLE, UH, NOT JUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION, BUT FOR ALL OF THE IMPACT THAT IT COULD HAVE ON THE CITY.
I, AND I'LL JUST SHARE, UM, I THINK I'VE SEEN A FEW HOMES THAT HAVE
[01:35:01]
REPLACED HOMES THAT WERE, THAT WERE, UH, FLOODED TERRIBLY AND, UH, COULDN'T BE REHAB REHABBED.UM, THERE, I KNOW THEY WORK FROM A SMALL NUMBER OF PLANS.
UM, I WASN'T WILD ABOUT THIS PLAN.
IT, IT, I MEAN, IT DOESN'T HAVE A GREAT HORIZONTALITY THAT MANY OF GLENBROOK VALLEY'S HOMES HAVE, BUT WHAT THEY DID PROPOSE WAS ACTUALLY MORE CUSTOMIZED THAN ANYTHING I'VE SEEN IN THE PAST, IN OTHER AREAS OF THE STATE.
UM, I'VE SEEN THINGS THAT WERE MUCH MORE ODD THAN, THAN THIS.
SO, I MEAN, I, I HAVE TO SAY IT, IT IT, THIS WAS DIFFERENT THAN SOME OF THE OTHER EXPERIENCES THAT I'VE, THAT I'VE BEEN, THAT I'VE SEEN.
SO, UM, THERE, THERE WAS WORKING THERE, I, I MEAN, I'M A, I AM, THESE TWO APPLICANTS HAVE BEEN LIVING IN THIS HOME THIS ENTIRE TIME.
AND YOU GET, IMAGINE WHAT THAT IS LIKE.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS, THESE PROGRAMS AREN'T ALWAYS, LIKE, EVERYTHING CAN'T ALWAYS BE GOOD.
I MEAN, IT, IT'S LIKE YOU'RE, YOU'RE KINDA WAY A DECISION.
UM, IT MAY NOT BE THE SAME REVIEW, UM, BUT I THINK IT WAS AT LEAST CLOSE TO COMPLIANCE WITH OUR GUIDELINES ON NEW CONSTRUCTION.
I THINK THE RAISING IT UP IS WHAT MADE, MADE MAKES IT DIFFICULT IN
IF WE GO TO THE HEIGHTS, WHICH WAS BUILT ON HIGHER GROUND, SO IT DOESN'T REALLY FLOOD.
EVEN IF YOU ARE NEXT TO THE BAYOU AND YOU'RE APPEAR IN BEAM, YOU'RE NOT AS HORIZONTAL WHEN YOU RAISE YOUR HOME.
YEAH, I'VE SEEN HOMES THAT ARE 24 INCHES, THREE FEET, FOUR FEET OFF THE GROUND, THEY LOOK FINE.
SO IT'S REALLY LIKE IN MAR LAND, WHERE, WHERE PEOPLE HAVE RAISED THEIR HOME, SOMETIMES THEY LOOK VERY DIFFERENT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT VERTICAL, THEY'RE HORIZONTAL.
BUT I, I DO THINK THIS WAS A PRETTY GOOD CASE, UM, BEFORE US.
NOT A PERFECT CASE, BUT THAT, THAT'S JUST FROM, FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN.
I'M, I'M GONNA PREACH TO THE CHOIR HERE FOR JUST A MINUTE.
'CAUSE UM, THOSE OF US WHO ARE LEFT IN THE ROOM, BUT FOR SECTION 1 0 6, WE WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN THIS.
IT IS, IT IS, UH, UNDER ATTACK RIGHT NOW.
SO IF ANY AND ALL OF US CARE ABOUT THIS WORK, THEN WE NEED TO BE VOCAL AND WE NEED TO BE ALLOWED ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT NEPA AND SECTION 1 0 6 AND SECTION FOUR F AND ALL OF THESE PROTECTIONS ARE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
UH, MR. CHAIR, JUST TAPPING IN ON YOUR EXPLANATION AS WELL AS I WANT TO ENGAGE YOU AND, UH, COMMISSIONER COUCH, IT'S ARCHITECTS.
I WAS ACTUALLY IN, UH, NOT IN FAVOR OF LOWERING THE PITCH OF THE ROOF BECAUSE I FELT THAT YOU RAISE THE HOUSE AND YOU LOWER THE PITCH OF THE ROOF THAT MAKES THE HOUSE LOOKS UGLY AND WEIRD.
SO IF I WERE TO RAISE THE HOUSE TWO FOOT, AND THEN THE PITCH OF THE HOUSE IS CONGRUENT WITH THE REST OF THE OTHER HOUSES, AND THEY GET THE SAME PITCH, I'M OKAY WITH THAT BECAUSE THEN THEY LOOK LIKE A RANCH HOUSE.
UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON, ON THAT? BECAUSE ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU ARE RAISING AND THEN YOU'RE LOWERING AT THE SAME TIME.
NOW IT BECOMES A STUBBY THING.
WELL, I MEAN, THERE ARE MANY, UM, HOMES IN GLENBROOK VALLEY AND OTHER MID-CENTURY MODERN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT THEY HAVE A BLEND OF MODERN TO MORE TRADITIONAL LIKE THIS, THIS DESIGN WAS MORE OF A TRADITIONAL DESIGN, I WOULD SAY.
AND SO THEY RANGE FROM ONE IN 12 FOR A LOT OF THE MID-CENTURY MODERN HOMES HAD A MINIMUM SLIP OF ONE IN 12 UP TO WHAT WAS BEING PRESENTED.
REMEMBER RECENTLY WE HAD THIS PROJECT THAT WAS APPROVED, I THINK IT WAS IN FREELAND, WHERE THE HOME WAS PUT INTO THE REALLY LARGE FLOOR TO CEILING HEIGHT.
AND ONCE IT WAS BUILT, IT, IT DWARFED OVER ITS NEIGHBOR BECAUSE IT WAS SO LOW.
I THINK THE COMMENT IS, I TAKE IT ABOUT THE ROOF, WAS SIMPLY TRYING NOT TO DWARF THE NEIGHBOR'S LEFT AND RIGHT OF THIS HOME.
BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY THE IMPACT TO THE STREET FACE IS HOW THIS AS A BIG BALLOON, YOU KNOW, HOW BIG THIS MASS RISES UP.
AND, AND AS I SAID, I, THEY MADE SOME CHANGES WITHIN ONE WEEK OF, OF THE, FROM THE TIME I REVIEWED THE PROJECT AND MY PRELIMINARY REVIEW, JUST TO BE AWARE OF WHAT WAS COMING UP BEFORE COMMISSION.
AND SO, UM, AND THAT I, YOU ALL DIDN'T SEE THE OTHER DESIGN IN THAT REGARD, BUT, BUT IT, IT DID GET BETTER.
WHO ON STAFF WORKED ON THAT SPECIFICALLY? WHO MADE IT BETTER? I THINK THAT WAS JASON.
I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND THANK YOU.
'CAUSE I, UH, FROM, UH, CHAIR HICK'S DESCRIPTION, I COULD SEE, UH, I COULD SEE, UH, IN MY MIND'S EYE, I COULD SEE WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE BEFORE WE SAW IT TODAY, UH, OR SOME ASPECT OF IT.
AND SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS AND, AND I WOULD SAY TO COMMISSIONER YAP, THAT WE'RE, WE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BASIC DESIGN ISSUES AND IT'S, IT'S IN A CONTEXT THAT
[01:40:01]
ISN'T ABLE TO CONSIDER THESE BASIC DESIGN ISSUES.I THINK YOUR POINT'S WELL TAKEN.
YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING THAT'S TALL, NECESSARILY RAISED, AND YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING WITH, WITH, UH, POTENTIALLY WITH A LOWER SLOPED ROOF INSTEAD OF THE SIX 12, MAYBE IT'S TWO AND A HALF AND 12, OR THREE AND 12 OR MORE STANDARD RANCH SLOPE.
AND, AND THEN THE INCONGRUITY OF THE HEIGHT IS EXACERBATED MAYBE.
BUT THEN IT BECOMES ABOUT MAYBE THE SOFFIT, UH, DIMENSION.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF IT WERE A WIDER OVERHANG, A GREATER, UH, CANTILEVER, IT, IT MIGHT HELP WITH THE OVERALL PROPORTIONS.
BUT AGAIN, THESE ARE BASIC DESIGN ISSUES, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY AREN'T APPLICABLE UNDER THIS SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, I MEAN, I'M ALREADY GETTING ULCER BECAUSE IT'S NOT A RANCH HOME.
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, IT MAKES IT LOOK LIKE AN UGLIER BOX BECAUSE YOU ARE RAISING IT AND THEN LOWERING THE PITCH OF THE ROOF.
WELL, IT'S NOT, IT'S, IT'S NOT DESIGNED FOR THAT SITE.
IF YOU WANNA START WITH DESIGN BASICS, YOU KNOW, YOU DESIGN FOR THE SITE AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT SOMEBODY TOOK FROM A FLAT FILE SOMEWHERE I KNOW AND SLAPPED ON THAT SITE.
BECAUSE WELL, LET'S HOPE IN OUR NEXT HURRICANE THAT THERE'LL BE A NEW PLAN FOR BASED ON GLENBROOK VALLEY OR, OR MEYERLAND OR, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE MISS ENTRIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
AND SO IT, TO ME, IT SHOULDN'T BE ALSO TOO HARD TO BE THINKING ABOUT A STOCK PLAN THAT IS, THAT MEETS THAT, BUT IT, THE VER THE VERTICALITY IS A CHALLENGE.
AND THE HOME THAT WAS PROPOSED WAS NOT AS LARGE IN PLAN IN SQUARE FOOTAGE AS WHAT WAS BEING DEMOLISHED.
IRONICALLY, WHEN'S THE LAST TIME WE SAW THAT
AND WE ARE THANK YOU AHEAD OF THE NEXT MEETING BY MY COUNT, OFF THE RECORD.
BUT ON THE RECORD, I WANTED TO THANK THE TEAM, UH, ESPECIALLY JASON AND TARA WHO WORKED ON THIS.
I KNOW THIS WAS A VERY DIFFICULT CASE AND, UM, IT WASN'T JUST THIS ONE HOME THAT THEY'VE WORKED ON.
YOU'VE ALL HEARD THAT WAS 200 HOMES, UH, IN THIS PROGRAM.
AND AGAIN, I WANTED TO THANK OUR TEAM.
UM, I'M REALLY GRATEFUL TO YOU.
UH, I KNOW IT WASN'T EASY FOR ALL OF US.
AND THANK YOU TO THE COMMISSIONS FOR YOUR WORK HERE TODAY.
I, I, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE WITNESSED, UM, THE OWNER AND, YOU KNOW, UM, IT WASN'T RIGHT THAT THEY'VE BEEN LIVING IN THIS HOME, IN THAT CONDITION FOR THAT LONG.
I THINK WE SHOULD THANK THE ENTIRE STAFF FOR BEING ABLE TO BRING, WHAT, 30 PROJECTS IN ONE MONTH COMPARED TO THE, YOU KNOW, 12 AND THREE.
THEY HAVE WORKED OVERTIME ON TOP OF OVERTIME.
IF I COULD JUST SAY GRATITUDE TOWARDS THE PRESERVATION TEAM.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON JLL PROJECTS SINCE 2021.
WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR FOUR YEARS.
WE LOOK AT THESE PLANS, WE TURN AROUND, GIVE COMMENTS BACK.
AND ALSO TOO, I WANNA DO ONE THING TO KARA QUIGLEY.
SHE HAS BEEN HELPING ME EVER SINCE SHE CAME ON BOARD.
OTHERS HAVE BEEN THERE IN THE PAST, BUT I'VE REALLY, SHE'S BEEN STEPPED UP AND HAS HELPED ME IMMENSELY FOR THE LAST, ALMOST TWO YEARS NOW.
SO WHEN WE SAY IT'S NOT A ONE PERSON EFFORT, IT'S A TEAM.
AND THAT'S WHY I WANNA SAY, SO THANK YOU TO KARA QUIGLEY AND THE PRESERVATION TEAM.