HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_HARC_03.22.2012City of Georgetown, Texas
Historic and Architectural Review Commission Meeting
Minutes
Thursday, March 22, 2012, at 6:00 p.m.
City Council and Municipal Court Building, Georgetown, TX 78627
101 E. 7th Street, Georgetown, TX 78626
Members present: Dee Rapp, Chair; Sarah Blankenship, Jennifer Brown, Susan Firth, David
Paul; Tim Urban, and Raymond Wahrenbrock.
Commissioners in Training present: Anna Eby
Members absent: none
Staff present: Robbie Wy1er, Historic District Planner; Elizabeth Cook, Community
Development Director; Valerie Kreger, Principal Planner; April CZtiade., Planning Specialist;
John Hale,Code Enforcement Officer and Karen Frost, Recording Secretary
Regular Session - To begin no earlier than 6:00 p.m -
Chair Rapp opened the meeting at 6:00 p.m_
The Historic and Architectural Review Commission, appointed by the Mayor and the City
Council, is responsible for hearing and taking final action on applications, by issuing
Certificates of Design Compliance based upon the City Council adopted Downtown Design
Guidelines and Unified Development Code.
(Commission may, at any time, recess the Regular Session to convene art Executive Session at
the request of the Chair, a. Commissioner, the Director or legal counsel for any purpose
authorized by the Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code Chapter 551.)
Consent A>wenda:
The Consent Agenda includes non -controversial and routine items that the Commission may
act on with one single vote_ A Commissioner or any member of the public may request that any
item from the Consent Agenda be pulled in order that the Commission discuss and act upon it
individually as part of the Regular Agenda. The Historic and Architectural Review
Commission's approval of an item on the Consent Agenda will be consistent with the staff
recommendation described in the report, unless otherwise noted_
1 _ Review and possible approval of the minutes from the February 23, 2012 Regular HARC
meeting_
Blankenship wanted the item 3, on page 2, last paragraph to be revised to read "Blankenship
agreed that the utilitarian look of the metal canopy was appropriate for the rear facade because
the backs. of the building were designed for utilitarian use, often with less expensive or more
utilitarian looking materials_"
Firth reported a correction to page 3, last paragraph, "including the fact that there wexa-lel-ls.ave
'-- had been so many changes that the removal of this house". The line above has a typo a n
should be an.. And in the 4tt• paragraph of page 3, Virginia Stubbs actually met with the
previous owner, not the current owner.
Historical and Architcckural Commission
Minutes
March 22, 2012
Motion by Blankenship to approve the minutes with proposed changes_ Second by Paul_
Approved 7 - O.
Regular Agenda_
2. Election of officers (Vice -Chair Sa Secretary).
Rapp recommended Sarah Blankenship for Vice -Chair. Wahrenbrock recommended
Firth, who declined. With no other namil lati.ons, Blankenship was approved for Vice -
Chair, 6 - O, Blankenship abstained.
Rapp recommended David Paul for Secretary_ With no other nominations,. Paul was
approved for Secretary, 6 - O, Paul abstained.
3. Consider setting the time and date of the regular meeting of the Historic and Architectural
Review Commission.
Rapp recommended the regular meeting date remain the same, the fourth Thursday of
each month at 6:00 p.m_ Voted 7 - 0 to approve_
4. Election of the Sign Subcommittee members (3).
Rapp explained the role of the Sign Subcommittee. She was on the subcommittee and asked
to be taken off- the subcommittee. Blankenship and Firth were on the subcommittee and
stated they would remain. Tim Urban volunteered to be on the subcommittee also.
Motion by Rapp to approve the Sign Subcommittee as Blankenship, Firth and Urban,
Second by Paul. Approved 7 - O.
5. Consider setting the day and time for the Sign Subcommittee meetings.
Motion by Rapp for the existing day and time of the Sign Subcommittee meetings remain
the same until the three appointees can meet and make the decision if they want to
change it. Second by Paul_ Approved 7 - O.
-6. Election'of the Demolition Subcommittee members (3)_
VVyler explained the requirements of the subcommittee and that there were no set date and
time meetings. This group meets on an as -needed basis_ Susan Firth and David Paul stated
they would like to remain on the subcommittee. Raymond Wahrenbrock volunteered to be
on the subcommittee also. Rapp moves to accept these three volunteersas the demolition
subcommittee. Second by Blankenship_ Approved 7 - O_
Item 9 was discussed next, waiting for the City Attorney. Then Item 10 was opened.
7_ Training from the City's legal department_
Bridget Chapman, the acting City Attorney began an explanation of the Commission's role
in City Government, along with a discussion of the Downtown Master Plan and Design
Guidelines, Unified Development Code and Code of Ordinances.
S. Discussion with the City's legal department regarding regulation of sign content_ This
discussion ended at 7:45 p.m.
9. Discussion regarding the conceptual layout of a proposed project at 405 S. Austin Avenue.
Action[ will not be taken for this item.
Historical and Architectural Commission
Nlinutaa
March 22, 2012
A presentation was made by the owners of Hat Creek Burger, that are proposing a
restaurant with a drive -than at 405 S. Austin Avenue. They projected the drawings that
were included in the HARC packets_
Rapp opened the discussion by Commissioners. She expressed cox -teem about the plan to
mix pedestrians with the parking areas and the drive-thru_ Paul suggested installing a
railing between the sidewalk and the drive-thru, and appreciated the very family -oriented
business and playground. The owner explained the playground was fenced and screened
also for safety reasons_
Firth expressed concern about the access easement and access to that for both the restaurant
and the to -wail -tomes. She asked for an explanation of the situation and the plan to address
the concerns. She asked how the tenants would get in and out of their garages of the drive-
thru backs up. Wyler explained the owner would need to consider the townhouses in the
development of the site. The representative, Bryant Boyd, acting as consulting architect for
this job, spoke tothesituation_ He explained there had been many discussion regarding this
access and that the Fire Department and city staff had asked that the existing access
easement be used with entrance be at one end, not widened and that the egress, exit for the
drive through be through the other end of the easement, creating a one-way situation for the
north end of the easement_ Firth asked if a fire truck could get through there and Boyd
assured her it could. Firth was still concerned about the residentsof the towrtttomes and
their access to their garages. Wahrenbrock expressed concern aboutthe resident in the first
garage having to back into the access easement and incoming traffic.
Blankenship applauded the canopies and materials of downtown. She explained that she
vasconcerned about the lack of pedestrian orientation from the street and parking lot. She
gave Tarr iro Plaza as an example of open storefront at the pedestrian level, right up to the
corner. She suggested having a pedestrian entrance along 60^ Street and/or Austin Avenue,
or extendingthe playground to keep the pedestrian flow along this block. She explained the
Design Guidelines puts the parking areas behind the buildings_ Jay Halley explained that
he was using terracing and that the north end of the block was elevated. 'The
Commissioners expressed concern about pedestrians being able to access the site other than
through the driveway access_ There is a delicate balance between a high traffic area and
pedestrians.
Rapp expressed that she would also like to see this site become more pedestrian friendly.
All Commissionerswerein agreement on enhancing the pedestrian portion of the site.
Firth expressed that she felt the barn look and cupola seem out of character with the
downtown area. Mr. Halley explained that the Austin Avenue side of the project is more.
mercantile and that they needed a signature entryway to the site, hence the red color, and
the cupola was to give the site a more rustic look, and a transition to the residential look,
adding the board and batten as a "nod" to the towrtivantes behind the site. Mr. Halley said
they would save the existing Heritage Tree on the property. Firth and Wahrenbrock both
believe the cupola is out of character. Blankenship suggested changing the shape of the
cupola to make it more consistent with the downtown area.
Although this was not a public hearing, Andrew Soulen, art owner of one of the adjacent
townhounes asked to speak_ I-Ie explained that he appreciates the service of the commission
hlistoricol and Architectural Coramssaury
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Mnrch 22, 2012
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