HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_HARC_01.13.2022City of Georgetown, Texas
Historic and Architectural Review Commission
Minutes
January 13, 2022 at 6:00 p.m.
Council and Courts Building
510 West 91h Street Georgetown, TX 78626
Members Present: Michael Walton, Lawrence Romero; Steve Johnston; Pamela Mitchell; Karalei
Nunn; Catherine Morales
Staff present: Mima Garcia, Program Manager; Nat Waggoner, Assistant Director; Sofia Nelson,
Planning Director
Meeting called to order by Chair Walton at 6:00 pm.
Public Wishing to Address the Board
On a subject that is posted on this agenda: Please fill out a speaker registration form which can be
found at the Board meeting. Clearly print your name, the letter of the item on which you wish to
speak, and present it to the Staff Liaison, preferably prior to the start of the meeting. You will be
called forward to speak when the Board considers that item.
On a subject not posted on the agenda: Persons may add an item to a future Board agenda by
filing a written request with the Staff Liaison no later than one week prior to the Board meeting.
The request must include the speaker's name and the specific topic to be addressed with sufficient
information to inform the board and the public. For Board Liaison contact information, please
logon to http://govemxnent.georgetown.org/category/boards-commissions/.
A. At the time of posting, no persons had signed up to address the Board.
Legislative Regular Agenda
B. Public Hearing and Possible Action on a request for a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) for
the demolition of a medium priority historic structure at the property located at 412 E.
Th Street, bearing the legal description Lot 1, Glasscock's Second Addition. (2021-64-COA) —Nat
Waggoner, Asst. Planning Dir. - Long Range
Staff report by Waggoner. Per a deed from April 5,1912, Albert Horton Glasscock, Elizabeth
Jane Glasscock Talbott, and Margaret C. Glasscock Boatner, three of Georgetown founder's
George Washington Glasscock's children, along with their brother Andrew's heirs, sold Lots 3
& 4 in Block No. 30 of Glasscock's Addition to D. F. Draper for $800. The deed described the
property as having improvements. George Glasscock died in 1868, and the historic structure
may have been constructed at some point by the Glasscock family, based on ownership history,
although if so, it was likely a rental property as the Glasscock family were known to have other
residences in Georgetown and in other Texas cities. Per a deed from December 10,1945, the
District Court of Williamson County directed the sale of Lots 3 & 4 in Block 30 of Glasscock's
Addition in the cause of Annie Bell Singleton, et al vs Marjorie Lynn Woods. A. F. Morris and
wife Mary Lessie Morris purchased the property for $1,500 from the court appointed receiver
Historic and Architectural Review Commission Page 1 of 4
Meeting: January 3, 2022
Dor W. Brown. A mechanic's lien from January 30,1946, was payable to the Belford Lumber
Company for the amount of $1,500. The lien release described the improvements as completed
according to the plans and specifications, with a sum of $975.32 remaining due. The lien was
paid off in April 1947, Per an affidavit from 1977, Anderson Fambrue Morris and Mary Leslie
Mitchell Morris were married on December 23,1913, in Winnfield, Louisiana and had nine
children. Mary passed away in 1969 in Williamson County and Anderson passed away in 1977.
Following their parents' deaths, the Morris children sold the property to Thomas & Betty Davis,
and the property passed between they and Timothy Davis until 1988 when it was sold to
Federico & Mary Flores after it was replatted as a single lot rather than half of Lots 3 & 4. Jim
and Amy Miller purchased the property in 2021.
The house at 412 E. 7th Street first appears on the Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps in 1916, four
years after the purchase by D. F. Draper. The 1916 map shows a small, one-story wood frame
structure with a wide front porch and an accessory structure at the rear of the property. The
1925 and 1940 maps do not show a change to the property, but the house does appear in the
corner of an aerial photo from c. 1934 (photo from Southwestern University Special Collections)
with an asymmetrical roof, indicating that the structure either had an asymmetrical roof
originally, or that the rear addition where the kitchen and living space are currently located was
added prior to 1934. By 1964 changes can be seen in the aerial photo from that year, which were
likely the alterations and additions made by the Belford Lumber Company in 1946. A driveway
art carp, o t on the west side of the S li aclure are visible in the 1964 photo. The 1974 photo shows
a similar site layout, with the addition of residential structures on other lots on the block. The
1984 Historic Resource Survey form and photos describe and show a one-story frame dwelling
(which was called an I -House plan, not reflected in the current structure) with asbestos siding, a
stone chimney, wood windows with 4/4 lights and a porch with Doric (round) columns, as well
as an attached carport. The structure today does not reflect historic building materials, which
have all been removed and replaced, excepting the porch columns, which appear to be the same
as those in the 1984 photos. The current exterior materials are low quality and not durable or
contributing to the historic character. The remaining historic materials are the limestone
chimney and framing, and the interior finishes are not historic or conducive to salvage. Rear
and side additions have been constructed after 1984 which are not of quality construction or
materials, and which do not contribute to historic character. At this point the majority of the
historic fabric has been removed, with only the form of the house recognizable as historic from
the exterior. Based on the current condition of the structure, the potential age of the framing and
stone and the form of the house, which is a simple rectangular shape with a steep gable roof
and front porch, the HPO recommends that the request for demolition be approved, but that an
archive document of the property be provided to the City, and that the historic materials be
salvaged to the extent feasible.
The applicant, Jim Miller, addressed the Commission and was available to answer questions.
Chair Walton opened the Public Hearing.
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Meeting: January 1.3, 2022
Tom Paxton, 1302 S College, owns a house similar to the structure proposed for demolition. His
house was in worse shape, but it was fixed. He is opposed to the demolition.
John Lawton commented that there is nothing of meaning except for the structure itself. The
property can be restored but it would take a lot of money.
Liz Weaver,1:221 S Main St., received 3 minutes from Ron Weaver. She is opposed.
Chair Walton closed the Public Hearing.
Motion to deny Item B (2021-64-COA) by Commissioner Romero. Second by Commissioner
Morales.
Commissioner Nunn commented that it will be expensive to put in new materials, and these
materials won't be true to the historic nature. The shape is the only thing that is left that may be
historic. Commissioner Nunn supports demolition.
Motion to deny passes 3-2 with Commissioners Johnston and Nunn opposed.
C. Public Hearing and Possible Action on a request for a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) for
a new fence, railing or wall that is inconsistent with the overlay district's characteristics and
applicable guidelines at the property located at 1307 S. Myrtle Street, bearing the legal
description 0.13-acre in the Clement Stubblefield Survey, Abstract No. 558, also being known as
the southwest part of Block B, Hughes Second Addition, an unrecorded subdivision. (2021-73-
COA) —Nat Waggoner, Asst. Planning Dir. - Long Range
Staff report by Waggoner. The subject property has undergone a reconstruction from the
foundation and framing during a remodel that was approved for additions a garage enclosure
and a new fence in 2020. The low priority historic structure, which had a construction date of
1950 on the 2016 HRS, was shown to have been constructed between 1965 and 1974 based on
aerial photos and deed records, with a likely year of 1965. The applicant is requesting HARC
approval of anew fence design along the E. 14th Street property line. The proposed fence
would be a 6' tall wood privacy fence that would align with the front or southwest corner of the
house and enclose the side street and rear yards. The applicant is requesting the approval of a
privacy fence to provide additional privacy to the master bedroom, bathroom and a secondary
bedroom. In their meeting on May 28th, 2020, HARC approved a 3' tall front yard fence and a
4'-6" tall side street yard fence with the condition that both fence sections be a minimum of 50%
transparent. The proposed fence height and lack of transparency do not comply with the Design
Guidelines effective September 1, 2021, although the proposed wood materials do comply. In
the near vicinity fences are generally lower height and partially transparent, with privacy fences
separating properties. A privacy fence enclosing the side yard is not generally compatible with
the character of the near vicinity. Staff has determined that the proposed project complies with 0
of the 2 applicable Historic District Design Guidelines in Chapter 3 as detailed below in the
Applicable Design Guidelines section below.
Historic and Architectural Review Commission Page 3 of 4
Meeting: January I3, 2022
The applicant, Cory Shaw, addressed the Commission and further explained the request and
was available to answer questions.
Chair Walton asked clarifying questions related to the previous approval and this request.
Shaw explained that there was a lack of privacy for the bathroom and master bedroom at that
area. This would have a horizontal fence as originally planned but made out of wood.
Commissioner Romero asked if the fence would meet the guideline for transparency. Waggoner
explained he does not know the dimensions between the slats but it does not appear to based on
the design.
Commissioner Nunn asked if this will be on the property line. Waggoner explained that it is set
back 6 feet from the property line.
The applicant explained that it is on the property line, and it has 15-foot setback.
Chair Walton commented that he would like to know the actual transparency dimensions.
Chair Walton opened and closed the Public Hearing as no one signed up to speak.
Commissioner Nunn commented that the applicant should provide an accurate representation
of their request for the fence, including transparency figures/dimensions.
Motion to postpone action on Item C (2021-73-COA) to the January 27,2022 meeting by
Commissioner Romero. Second by Commissioner Morales. Approved 5-0.
D. Updates, Commissioner questions, and comments. — Sofia Nelson, Planning Director
Nelson introduced Meredith Johnson, who will be our interim historic planner while the
department fills the position.
Adjournment
Motion to adjourn by Commissioner Romero. Second by Commissioner Morales. Approved 5-0.
Adjourned at 7:46 p.m.
A Z
rov4, Michael Walton, Chair Attest, Terri Asendorf-Hyde, Secretary
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Meeting: January 13, 2022