HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_HARC_12.10.2015Historic and Architectural Review Commission Page 1 of 3
Meeting: December 10, 2015
City of Georgetown, Texas
Historic and Architectural Review Commission
Minutes
Thursday, December 10, 2015 at 6:00 p.m.
Council and Courts Building
101 E. 7th Street, Georgetown, TX 78626
Members present: Lee Bain, Chair; Nancy Knight, Vice-Chair; Justin Bohls; Patty Eason; and Richard
Mee.
Commissioners in Training present: Lawrence Romero and Jan Daum
Commissioners absent: Jennifer Brown and Shawn Hood
Staff present: Matt Synatschk, Historic Planner; and Karen Frost, Recording Secretary.
A. Call to Order by Chair Bain at 6:00 p.m. with the reading of the order of business to be conducted.
Legislative Regular Agenda
B. Review and possible approval of the minutes of the October 22, 2015 regular meeting.
Motion by Eason, second by Knight to approve the minutes as presented. Approved 5 – 0..
C. Public Hearing and possible action on a request for a Certificate of Design Compliance (CDC) for
exterior alterations and a porch addition for the property located at 1511 South Ash Street, bearing
the legal description of Hughes Addition, Block 12 (SW/CTR), 0.26 acres.
Synatschk presented the staff report. The applicant is requesting to construct a porch addition to
the medium priority structure. The porch will extend across the street facing façade and wrap
around the side of the structure. The proposed design will not result in the loss of any character
defining features for the structure.
The applicant has submitted the two designs for the porch. The initial design matches the existing
roofline of the structure. After consultation with staff, the applicant also agreed to submit the
alternate design, lowering the roofline of the proposed porch. The preferred design blends the
porch into the existing roofline, failing to achieve the differentiation requirements outlined in
Design Guideline 14.13. The lowered roofline proposed in the alternate design creates the required
differentiation, complying with the Downtown and Old Town Design Guidelines. Staff
recommends approval of the proposed alternate design for the project.
The applicant, Gary Wang spoke and asked the commission to consider his first choice, matching
the roofline of the existing structure. He and his wife do not want an appendage, they want it to
look like the porch belongs on the house. He stated they could not find pictures or reference to a
porch on this house that was built in 1940.
Chair Bain opened the public hearing and with no speakers coming forth closed it.
The Commissioners discussed the difference of the two options and stated that the house had been
altered so many times in the past, and this addition would not have an adverse effect on the
historical value.
Motion by Knight to approve the application as originally proposed, second by Bohls.
Approved 5 – 0.
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Meeting: December 10, 2015
D. Public Hearing and possible action on a request for a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) for
exterior alterations and an addition for the property located at 1507 South College Street, bearing
the legal description of Dimmit Addition, Block 98 (PT), 0.296 acres.
Synatschk presented the staff report. The applicant is requesting to construct a garage and
mudroom addition to the medium priority structure. The addition will replace an existing carport.
The proposed design complies with the design guidelines by setting the addition back from the
primary façade, utilizing a connector to set the addition apart from the existing historic structure
and breaking up the roofline. Staff recommends approval.
There were no questions by the Commissioners.
Chair Bain opened the public hearing and with no speakers coming forth closed it.
Motion by Eason to approve the application as presented and recommended by staff. Second by
Mee. Approved 5 – 0.
E. Public Hearing and possible action on a request for a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) for
exterior alterations and an addition for the property located at 407 East 5th Street, bearing the legal
description of Glasscock Addition, Block 32, Lot 3-4, 0.33 acres.
Synatschk presented the staff report. The applicant is requesting to construct a 668 square foot
addition to the medium priority structure. The additions are being made to the north and west
facades and will be visible from East 5th Street, as well as the unimproved city street to the east.
The western portion of the addition is setback from the primary façade, creating the required
differentiation to the project. The north addition does not include a setback but will be
differentiated through materials.
The structure is identified as a Minimal Traditional structure and the additions maintain most of
the architectural characteristics of the style. However, the proposed south elevation incorporates
Craftsman style porch columns, adding a false sense of historical development to the property, in
conflict with the UDC requirements and the Downtown and Old Town Design Guidelines.
Therefore, staff recommends approval of the proposed project with the condition that the porch
columns are changed to reflect the architectural style as currently utilized on the structure.
Bryant Boyd, the architect, stated that the column style matches the era of the structure and
that the current posts are not original and should therefore be allowed to change.
Chair Bain opened the public hearing and with no speakers coming forth closed it.
Motion by Mee to approve the application as submitted by the applicant with the Craftsman
style porch columns. Second by Knight. Approved 5 – 0.
F. Public Hearing and possible action on a request for a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) for
exterior alterations and an addition for the property located at 1611 George Street, bearing the legal
description of Logan Addition, Block 4, Lot 6, 7 (S/PT), 0.25 acres.
Knight recused herself from this item.
Synatschk presented the staff report. The applicant requests to add an attached garage and a
master suite to the historic structure located at 1611 George Street. The addition includes a new
porch, two car garage and bedroom and bathroom. The project also includes the construction of a
carport, which does not require a COA.
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Meeting: December 10, 2015
The proposed design complies with the design guidelines by setting the addition back from the
primary façade, utilizing a connector to set the addition apart from the existing historic structure
and breaking up the roofline. The materials for the project are compatible with the existing
structure and create the required differentiation. The materials for the addition are hardi-siding,
utilizing a mix of designs for the addition. Staff recommends approval of the proposed project.
Bryant Boyd, architect, explained that there is a concern about the structural issues related
to the house and possible sinking of the structure. They will be doing some work to level
the house and shore it up. This is a small house on the side of a large lot, similar to many
lots in Old Town.
Chair Bain opened the public hearing and with no speakers coming forth closed it.
Motion by Mee to approve the application as submitted. Second by Bohls. Approved 5 – 0.
G. Questions and comments from Commissioners in Training. No comments.
H. Staff updates and reminder of upcoming meetings related to HARC.
3rd Monday Main Street Lunch - Monday, January 18
HARC Meeting - Thursday, January 28
Planning Department Move - January 4 (406 W. 8th Street)
Commission Applications – Brown’s two terms are up, Romero and Daum can reapply. All others
are continuing their terms.
I. Adjournment
Motion by Mee to adjourn, second by Eason. The meeting was adjourned at 6:49 p.m.
________________________________ _______________________________
Approved, Lee Bain, Chair Attest, Richard Mee