OKAY. I WANT TO WELCOME EVERYBODY TO THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE LANDMARK COMMISSION.
[Landmark Commission on March 6, 2023.]
[00:00:05]
TODAY IS MONDAY, MARCH 6TH, YEAR 2023, AND THE TIME IS 4:00.CAN WE START WITH A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? COMMISSIONER ALBERSTADT. PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER BOURGEOIS. PRESENT.
PRESENT. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON IS ABSENT.
PRESENT. COMMISSIONER STETZEL-THOMPSON.
PRESENT. COMMISSIONER SWANSON.
PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER COLLINS.
COMMENT TERRY JOHNSON AND HIS WIFE ATTEND AN EVENT.
THEY ACTUALLY HELP ORGANIZE AN EVENT IN COLORADO FOR SOME CANCER CHILDREN CANCER STRICKEN CHILDREN.
THE SUNSHINE KIDS. AND THAT'S WHERE HE'S.
THAT'S WHERE HE'S BEEN THIS TIME.
AND SO I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW HE'S NOT JUST SHIRKING HIS DUTY.
HE IS HARDWORKING IN THE SNOW UP THERE.
I KNEW THE FOUNDER OF THE SUNSHINE KIDS.
SUNSHINE KIDS. THANK YOU. I COULDN'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF IT.
OKAY. DOES ANYBODY HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST WITH ANY OF OUR CASES? NO. OKAY. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
HAS EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO READ THROUGH THE MINUTES? ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE? NO, NO, JULIE, NONE? NO. OKAY. THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
ALL RIGHT. SO NEXT, WE ARE GOING TO GO FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? NO PUBLIC COMMENT RECEIVED.
OKAY. SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO ON TO NEW BUSINESS AND ASSOCIATED PUBLIC HEARINGS.
I BELIEVE THIS IS A RENEWING AN EXISTING LICENSE TO USE PERMIT.
CORRECT. JUST RENEWING IT? THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY.
SO YEAH, THIS IS AT ADJACENT TO 2102 MECHANIC AND THIS IS A LICENSE USED FOR CONSTRUCTION FENCING.
THERE WERE 22 PUBLIC NOTICES SENT, SIX RETURNED.
AND LANDMARK COMMISSION DOESN'T SEE JUST A TON OF THESE.
BUT TYPICALLY, IF A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT EXCEEDS ITS TEMPORARY LICENSE TO USE ALLOTMENT, IT COMES TO PLANNING COMMISSION FOR THEIR DETERMINATION. AND WHEN IT'S IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT OR A LANDMARK, IT WILL COME TO LANDMARK COMMISSION FIRST TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THEM.
AND YOU'LL SEE A COUPLE MORE ACTION IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
SO THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A LICENSE TO USE A CITY OF RIGHT AWAY TO RETAIN CONSTRUCTION FENCING IN THE RIGHT OF WAY ASSOCIATED WITH ONGOING RENOVATIONS TO THE BUILDING, A TEMPORARY LICENSE TO USE AT THE PROPERTY.
THE COTTON EXCHANGE BUILDING IS EXPIRED BECAUSE NO ADDITIONAL EXTENSIONS CAN BE ISSUED AT THE STAFF LEVEL PLANNING COMMISSION REVIEW IS REQUIRED AND OF COURSE LANDMARK COMMISSION WILL BE MAKING A RECOMMENDATION TO THEM.
THE CONSTRUCTION, FENCING AND THE RIGHT OF WAY IS INSTALLED ALONG THE 21ST STREET, ROUGHLY PARALLEL TO THE PROPERTY'S EAST PROPERTY LINE AND ALONG MECHANIC, ROUGHLY PARALLEL TO THE SOUTH PROPERTY LINE.
SO BASICALLY ON TWO SIDES OF THE BUILDING, AS YOU'LL SEE IN THE PHOTOS, IT'S BASED ON THE SCOPE OF WORK, WHICH PRIMARILY CONSISTS OF FAÇADE IMPROVEMENTS AND I BELIEVE SOME CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS STAGING.
A LOT OF TIMES THESE BUILDINGS DOWNTOWN HAVE NO ROOM ON THEIR PREMISES FOR THAT STUFF.
AND SO THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING THAT THE CONSTRUCTION, FENCING AND SCAFFOLDING REMAIN LONG ENOUGH FOR THE PROJECT TO BE COMPLETED, WHICH THE APPLICANT ESTIMATES WILL BE AROUND JUNE 14TH OF THIS YEAR.
AND WE DO HAVE SOME PHOTOS HERE.
SO HERE WE CAN SEE THE KIND OF THE CONSTRUCTION FENCING LOOKING NORTH UP 21ST STREET AND THEN LOOKING EAST ALONG THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING ALONG MECHANIC. AND IT DOES WRAP AROUND A LITTLE BIT TO THE SIDE, BUT THAT'S GOING TO BE PRIVATE PROPERTY AT A POINT.
IT'S MOSTLY IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
AND HERE WE HAVE THE PROPERTIES TO THE EAST, TO THE WEST AND TO THE SOUTH.
AND THIS CONCLUDES STAFF'S REPORT.
OKAY. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF ABOUT THIS? NO. OKAY. I'M GOING TO OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ASK IF IS IT MELISSA KAWANO? THE APPLICANT. A REPRESENTATIVE OF THIS IS PRESENT.
IS THERE ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THIS PROJECT? NO. OKAY.
[00:05:02]
23LC-003. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO RECOMMEND A MOTION THAT WE RECOMMEND? OKAY. NANCY HAS MADE A MOTION.SHARON HAS MADE A SECOND MOTION.
DO WE HAVE ANY CONVERSATION? ANY COMMENTS? NOT, NANCY. SORRY.
GETTING [INAUDIBLE]. ALL RIGHT.
OKAY. COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION? NO. OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
ALL READY TO TAKE A VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR. RAISE YOUR HAND.
OKAY. MOVING ON. WE'RE GOING TO GO TO CASE 23 LC-003.
THIS IS CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FOUR.
CORRECT. THIS IS 1210 BROADWAY AVENUE J.
THERE WERE EIGHT PUBLIC NOTICES SENT.
BACKGROUND TO THIS CASE, THE WINDOW MODIFICATIONS SHOWN IN EXHIBIT A OF THE STAFF REPORT WERE DONE WITHOUT A PERMIT OR LANDMARK COMMISSION REVIEW AND A RED TAG WAS ISSUED. THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS IN ORDER TO RETAIN THE MODIFICATIONS MADE TO THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE, INCLUDING REMOVAL OF THE HISTORIC WINDOWS. PHOTOS OF THE HOUSE PRIOR TO THE WORK ARE PROVIDED IN EXHIBIT A, WINDOWS WERE REMOVED ON THE FIRST AND SECOND FLOORS AND THE OPENING ENLARGED.
THE APPLICANT PROPOSED TO REPLACE THE WINDOWS WITH FRENCH DOORS.
CONFORMANCE WITH THE DESIGN STANDARDS.
STAFF FINDS THAT THE REQUEST DOES NOT CONFORM TO THE DESIGN STANDARDS.
CAN YOU GO BACK ONE? THIS IS THE SUBJECT PROPERTY.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THIS IS A SUBJECT PROPERTY IN 2015 WITHOUT THE WINDOWS BEING BOARDED UP.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THIS IS WHAT THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THIS IS THE PROPERTY TO THE EAST.
AND THAT CONCLUDES STAFF REPORT.
OKAY. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? I HAVE ONE.
WERE THOSE ALSO REMOVED OR ARE THEY OR AM I JUST NOT SEEING THEM IN THE PHOTO? DO YOU KNOW? LET'S SEE HERE.
IT MIGHT BE A GOOD QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT.
OKAY. I SEE WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THE APPLICANT OKAY. WE'LL BRING YOU UP IN JUST A SECOND AND LET YOU AND WE GOT QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
SO WE'LL COVER IT THEN. THANK YOU.
OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? OKAY. I'M GOING TO OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ASK IF THE PROPERTY OWNER OR REPRESENTATIVE, MR. ALVARADO, PLEASE COME ON UP AND TELL US ABOUT YOUR PROPERTY AND THIS PROJECT.
COULD YOU SIGN IN, PLEASE? THERE SHOULD BE A SIGN IN SHEET UP THERE.
WHAT'S THE CASE NUMBER? 23LC-004. GOT IT RIGHT THIS TIME.
[00:10:05]
OKAY. SO THE WINDOW, THE SMALL WINDOW IS NOT REMOVED.YOU CAN'T SEE IT BECAUSE OF THE ANGLE.
YEAH, WE CANNOT SEE IT BECAUSE OF THE ANGLE.
AND THAT'S GOING TO REMAIN AS IT IS.
THE OTHER ONES WE MODIFY JUST A LITTLE BIT JUST TO FIT STANDARD FRENCH DOORS.
IT'S JUST IT'S A DOOR INSTEAD OF WINDOW.
BUT THE WINDOWS, I MEAN, IT'S A LITTLE BIT WIDER AND HIGHER.
I MEAN, NOT THE WINDOW IS SHORTER.
THE DOOR IS HIGHER BECAUSE IT GOES TO THE GROUND.
WELL, IT DOESN'T LOOK THE SAME.
IT LOOKS SIMILAR. AND YOU CAN SEE THE DRAWING OVER THERE, THE WINDOWS ON THE SIDE, THEY LOOK I MEAN, IT'S NOT ENCLOSED ON THE ON THE RED CLOUD, ON THE RED RECTANGULAR THAT I MADE.
AND IT'S NOT ON SCOPE OF WORK.
BUT I'M ASSUMING THAT THESE WINDOWS WERE WALK THROUGH WINDOWS, IS THAT CORRECT? UPPER AND LOWER SASHES THAT YOU WALK THROUGH? NO, I DON'T REMEMBER.
THEY WERE JUST LONG. AND THOSE ARE GONE IN THE TRASH.
IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND STAYING UP BECAUSE OTHERS MAY HAVE QUESTIONS.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR HIM? DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, FOR MR. ALVARADO? NO. OKAY.
YOU WANT TO SIGN IN AND TELL US YOUR NAME AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT.
WE CAN TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS.
I'VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE, SO.
OKAY. AND YOU'RE THE PROPERTY OWNER? NO, I'M HIS SISTER.
OKAY. AND WHEN WE GOT TO THIS HOUSE AND HE BOUGHT IT AND STUFF, EVERYTHING'S ALL THE SAME INSIDE AND OUT EXCEPT FOR THE THREE WINDOWS.
OKAY. BUT EVERYTHING IS THE SAME.
AND THE FRENCH DOORS KIND OF LOOK LIKE A WINDOW, YOU KNOW, WITH THERE.
RIGHT. SO I KNOW BY RESEARCH THAT THIS HOUSE WAS BURNT DOWN IN 1957. AND IT WAS ACTUALLY BUILT IN 1958.
OKAY. SO HE DID NOT KNOW THAT THIS WAS ACTUALLY ON A HISTORIC SITE.
SO I JUST WISH Y'ALL WOULD SAY YES.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT REPRESENTATIVES? NO. OKAY.
IS THERE ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS CASE? LAURA, COME AND SIGN IN.
LAURA BOURGEOIS, DIRECTOR OF PRESERVATION FOR GALVESTON HISTORICAL FOUNDATION.
WE ARE OPPOSED TO THE MODIFICATIONS.
NOT ONLY ARE THESE THREE PROMINENT FEATURES IN THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE, ARCHITECTURALLY IT DOES LOOK DIFFERENT A WINDOW VERSUS A DOOR.
THEY LOOK LIKE THEY WERE WALK THROUGH WINDOWS, WHICH GIVES YOU ACCESS TO THOSE PORCHES.
IS THERE SOMETHING RELEVANT YOU WANT TO ADD TO THIS? YES. THOSE THREE WINDOWS NO LONGER EXIST.
THAT'S NOT. THAT'S NOT HERE, NOR THERE RIGHT NOW.
[LAUGHTER] THANK YOU. QUESTIONS? NO, THANKS, LAURA. APPRECIATE IT.
WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION ON THIS CASE? NANCY. JULIE? JULIE. SORRY. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE DENY THIS REQUEST DUE TO NON CONFORMING.
DUE TO NON CONFORMANCE WITH ALL OF THE DESIGN GUIDELINES.
NO, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE COMMENT.
I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND YOUR WISHES AND WANTING TO DO THIS.
[00:15:06]
AND THE BROADWAY BEAUTIES ARE DISAPPEARING RIGHT AND LEFT.AND THAT IS CERTAINLY A BROADWAY BEAUTY.
SO, OKAY, ONE OTHER THING AS WELL.
YES, MA'AM. BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL HOME.
TO YOUR COMMENT THAT YOU THOUGHT IT WAS BURNED DOWN AND BUILT IN 1957, THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE SOME INCORRECT INFORMATION THAT RESIDES AT THE CITY ARCHIVES, PROBABLY EVEN THE TAX RECORDS SHOW 1957, THAT WOULD BE WHEN IT WAS SIGNIFICANTLY PERHAPS REMODELED OR REBUILT TO REMOVE THE DAMAGE.
IT'S PROBABLY 1890 SOMETHING, 1880.
AND THE THING IS THAT WE'VE GONE EVERYWHERE AND I CAN'T FIND THEM.
AND I MEAN, THE ONLY THING THAT COULD BE DONE IS TO MAKE THEM.
YOU CAN THERE ARE THERE ARE SOME ARCHITECTURAL WAREHOUSES HERE IN TOWN THAT YOU CAN CHECK WITH.
THERE'S ALSO SOURCES THAT WILL MAKE THEM FOR YOU.
I JUST WANT TO REMIND THE COMMISSION THAT THERE'S AN ACTIVE MOTION AND IT HASN'T BEEN VOTED ON YET.
I DO THINK, THOUGH, THAT THOSE FRENCH DOORS WOULD MAKE IT OKAY. WE'VE ALREADY CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING.
OKAY. IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY, WE'LL GO TO A VOTE.
ARE WE READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR. RAISE YOUR HAND.
I WISH WE COULD HAVE HELPED YOU THERE.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING THEY WOULD LIKE TO PUT ON THE AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION AT OUR NEXT MEETING? NO. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FOLLOWING MEETING, WHEN BOTH YOU AND CATHERINE ARE HERE, THAT WE OKAY. WILL YOU REMIND SARAH, BECAUSE SHE'LL BE LEADING THE NEXT MEETING.
I'LL BE OUT OF TOWN AT THE NEXT.
WOULDN'T YOU LIKE TO WAIT TILL YOU'RE BACK? RIGHT. SO REMIND SARAH TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA FOR THE FOLLOWING.
OKAY. OKAY. WHAT'S THAT? BUT WHAT ON THE AGENDA? WELL, YOU'LL FIND OUT AT THE NEXT MEETING.
YOU BETTER BE HERE. [LAUGHTER] YOU'LL FIND OUT AT THE NEXT MEETING.
OKAY. IF NOBODY ELSE HAS ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY.
NONE. THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.