HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_HARC_12.08.2016City of Georgetown, Texas
Historic and Architectural Review Commission
Minutes
Thursday, December 8, 2016 at 6:00 p.m.
Council and Courts Building
101 E. Th Street Georeetown, TX 78626
Members present: Lee Bain, Chair; Nancy Knight, Vice -Chair; Justin Bohls; Patty Eason; Shawn Hood,
Richard Mee and Lawrence Romero.
Commissioners in Training present: Lynn Williams
Commissioners absent: CIT Michael Friends and CIT Jan Daum
Staff present: Matt Synatschk, Historic District Planner; Sofia Nelson, Planning Director; and Karen
Frost, Recording Secretary.
Call to Order by Chair Bain at 6:00 p.m. with the reading of the meeting procedures.
Regular Session
A. Welcome and Meeting Procedures
Legislative Regular Agenda
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meeting.
Motion by Knight to approve the minutes as submitted. Second by Bohls. Approved 7 - 0.
C. Public Hearing and possible action on a request for a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) for
removal of a historic structure for the property located at 15 East 7th Street, bearing the legal
description of Shell Addition, Resub of Blk 21, Lot 1.
Synatschk presented the staff report. The applicant is requesting approval to remove the medium
priority historic structure from its current location. Originally constructed ca. 1890, the structure
has been significantly altered over time, including the removal of historic windows, installation of
vinyl siding, and a complete renovation of the interior of the structure. Although the structure
retains its original footprint, no other historically significant components remain intact. The HARC
Demolition Subcommittee met on October 27, 2016 and agreed that the structure has no historic
significance and recommended approval of the request.
Mee asked if the applicant could move the building instead of demolishing it. Synatschk responded
that the applicant is asking for that option, but approval of the COA would allow him to do that
also.
Chair Bain opened the Public Hearing and with no speakers coming forth, closed the hearing.
Motion by Knight to approve the application for demolition as submitted. Second by Eason.
Approved 7 — 0.
D. Public Hearing and possible action on a request for a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) for an
addition to a residential structure for the property located at 403 East 41h Street, bearing the legal
description of Outlot Division C, Block 24 (PT) 0.472 acres.
Synatschk presented the staff report. The applicant is proposing the construction of a 962 square
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Meeting: December 8, 2016
foot addition to the northeast corner of the High Priority structure. The existing structure is 1,476
square feet, making the new addition approximately 65% of the current size. The Downtown and
Old Town Design Guidelines recommend that additions be small in scale, to minimize the impact
on the historic structure. The Guidelines also recommend locating an addition at the rear of the
building, or setting it back from the primary fagade of the existing structure. The addition consists
of a master suite and a screen porch. The proposed addition attaches to the rear corner of the
structure, achieving the necessary setback to differentiate the addition from the historic structure.
Overall, the massing, placement and materials of the addition make it subordinate to the primary
structure, minimizing the visual impact to the existing historic home and limiting the impact
upon its historic significance. The proposed project complies with the Downtown and Old Town
Design Guidelines and staff recommends approval.
There were no questions or comments by commissioners. Chair Bain opened the Public Hearing
and with no speakers coming forth, closed the hearing.
Motion by Romero to approve the application as submitted. Second by Bohls. Approved 7 - 0.
E. Public Hearing and possible action on a request for a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) for
infill construction for the property located at 808 South Ash Street bearing the legal description of
Glasscock Addition, Block 28, Lot 3 (N/PT) 0.10 acres.
Synatschk presented the staff report. The applicant is requesting a Certificate of Appropriateness
to reduce the required 2nd floor setback for a proposed infill project. The current structure,
identified as a Low Priority structure on the 2007 survey, is deemed a dangerous structure under
the City of Georgetown's Dangerous Building ordinance and does not require demolition review
by the Historic and Architectural review Commission.
Residential and Two family infill projects in the Old Town Overlay District are exempt from the
Certificate of Appropriateness review when the project complies with the base zoning district site
requirements. The applicant is seeking approval to reduce the second floor setback from 10 to 6
feet for a second floor hallway measuring 16 feet in length.
Overall, the proposed design maximizes the buildable area, while preserving a heritage tree and
eliminating existing encroachments. Reducing the second floor setback to 6 feet does not create a
significant impact on the surrounding residential properties and allows for the construction of the
new residence. The proposed structure is compatible in massing, materials and scale, creating a
comprehensive streetscape while differentiating the new construction from the historic structures
in the district. Staff recommends approval of the application.
There were no questions or comments by commissioners. Chair Bain opened the Public Hearing
and with no speakers coming forth, closed the hearing.
Motion by Bohls to approve the application as submitted. Second by Romero. Approved 7 — 0.
F. Public Hearing and possible action on a request for a Certificate of Appropriateness for an
addition to a residential structure for the property located at 208 South Austin Avenue, bearing
the legal description of City of Georgetown, Block 9, Lot 4
Synatschk presented the staff report. The applicant is requesting a Certificate of Appropriateness
for an addition to the High Priority historic structure located at 208 South Austin Avenue. The
structure is listed in the National Register of Historic Places for its architectural integrity. The
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Meeting: December 8, 2016
1984 Historic Resource Survey form describes the structure as "a good example of a late 19th
Century vernacular dwelling with some Victorian detailing." The rear addition, constructed
between 1890 and 1916, was deemed dangerous by the Chief Building Official and removed from
the stricture in 2015.
The applicant wishes to construct a new addition at the rear of the structure, creating additional
space inside the building for residential use. The existing historic structure is 779 square feet and
the addition is 706 square feet. The Design Guidelines allow for larger additions to historic
structures if the addition is set back from the primary facade and subordinate to the overall
design of the project. The proposed addition is set back from the fagade and placed at the rear of
the structure, helping create the required differentiation for the site. The grade change of the
property creates a small challenge for the view from the west (Rock Street) but material
differentiation and simplified design still create the required differentiation. Staff recommends
approval of the application.
There were no questions or comments by commissioners. Chair Ban opened the Public Hearing
and with no speakers coming forth, closed the hearing.
Motion by Eason to approve the application as submitted. Second by Mee. Approved 7 - 0.
G. Public Hearing and possible action on a request for an amended Certificate of Appropriateness
(COA) for infill construction for the property located at 501 South Austin Avenue, bearing the
legal description of City of Georgetown, Block 27, Lot 1- 8, 1.3104 acres.
The approved design for the project include one level of surface parking, with a single level of
structured parking, interior to the proposed structure. After further review, the applicant has
determined that there is an additional demand for parking, and is proposing to increase the
parking structure to one level of surface parking and three levels of structured parking. In
addition, the parking structure will be extended to the north, and visible from Main Street, Austin
Avenue and 5th Street.
The proposed size of the parking garage creates a larger emphasis on the garage by increasing the
height and visibility of the structure. The previously approved railing partially obscures the
vehicles in the garage, but does not completely mitigate the overall impact of the parking
structure on the site and surrounding sites. A solid wall would further reduce the visibility of the
vehicles and the impact on the site.
Chapter 8 of the Downtown and Old Town Design Guidelines specify that surface parking lots
and multi -floored parking structures must be obscured from view. These requirements can be
met in several ways, included landscape buffering, fences or other walls, and wrapping the
parking area within the proposed building. The proposed expansion of the parking structure
creates additional street frontage for the structure, beyond the commercial and residential
structures. In doing so, it expands the facade and creates a visible edge to the structure,
emphasizing the vehicles within the garage. The street edge of infill construction and structured
parking should create a visually attractive and active street edge. The curvature of the exposed
portion of the garage helps mitigate the impact, but the open railing still emphasizes the
automotive use of the structure.
Based upon the review of the Design Guidelines, staff recommends constructing a solid wall on
each floor of the parking structure, utilizing the material finish for each corresponding floor. The
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Meeting: December 8, 2016
solid wall will obscure the vehicles from the street, reducing the impact of the parking garage on
the surrounding properties and the Downtown Overlay District.
Chair Bain opened the Public Hearing and with no speakers coming forth, closed the Hearing,
Motion by Mee to approve the extended parking garage with the condition that a solid wall be
used on the east, west and north sides to screen the parking vehicles from the street views.
Second by Eason.
Commissioners discussed options. Hood prefers the more organic solution, possibly plantings to
screen the vehicles, or perhaps to have a solid wall on the second floor and have a more open
solution on the 3rd and 40, floors. Knight argued the mass of the building is incompatible with the
surrounding area. Jeff Parker, speaking for the applicant suggested the railing matches the
existing building railings and the cars will be set back from the railings and not visible from the
street.
Motion by Hood to amend the original motion by approving the application with the railings
as shown on the 2nd, 3rd and 41h floors, facing the east, west and north facades. Second by Bohls.
Approved 6—1(Knight opposed).
Vote on original motion as amended, 6—1(Knight opposed).
H. Comments or Questions by Commissioner -in -Training. Lynn Williams asked what weight
comments given by citizens carry with the commission and how iiiose comments were received.
Synatschk explained that comments are received by staff and presented to the commissioners in
the staff report if received in time for posting. Otherwise comments are presented to the
commission during the meeting and are considered. Knight and Bohls responded that they
consider all the comments given and sometimes seek comments by neighbors for a case. Eason
stated she weighs the comments given on a case-by-case basis.
I. Updates on downtown Projects and Events
• Historic Resource Survey: work is ongoing by the consultants. They are working on the
forms and the GIS map. Staff is expecting a draft report by the end of December. There
will be notifications of public meetings and a comment period for homeowners to meet
with the consultants and/or staff.
• The next HARC meeting will be Thursday, January 261h, 2017.
• The next Breakfast Bites meeting will be held January 18th.
Knight asked for the COA project updates list be added to the agenda for public discussion.
Synatshck stated he would check with the city legal department to see if that was allowed since the
list covers items that had past actions by the commission and those items were no longer open for
discussion.
Adjournment
Motion by Hood, second by Romero to adjourn at 6:51 p.m. Approved 7 — 0.
Approved, Lee Bain Chair
Historic and Architectural Review Commission
Meeting: December 8, 2016
Attest, Lawrence Romero, Secretary
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