6.A.1 25P-021 (11123 Stewart Road) Request for a minor plat to reconfigure one lot into two. Property is legally described as Part of Lots 443 and 460 (443- 13), Trimble & Lindsey Section 1, in the City and County of Galveston, Texas. Applicant: Tricon Land Surveying Property Owner: Rosemarie Hernandez

[6.A.1 25P-021 (11123 Stewart Road) Request for a minor plat to reconfigure one lot into two. Property is legally described as Part of Lots 443 and 460 (443- 13), Trimble & Lindsey Section 1, in the City and County of Galveston, Texas. Applicant: Tricon Land Surveying Property Owner: Rosemarie Hernandez]

THIS IS 11123 STEWART ROAD. IT'S A MINOR PLAT.

THERE WERE 13. NO, I'M SORRY, 19 NOTICES SENT, NO OBJECTIONS FROM CITY DEPARTMENTS OR PRIVATE UTILITIES.

THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A MINOR PLAT IN ORDER TO SUBDIVIDE ONE PARCEL INTO TWO IN A RESIDENTIAL, SINGLE FAMILY R-1 ZONING DISTRICT, TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE REQUIRES A PUBLIC HEARING FOR MINOR PLATS, INCREASING LOT DENSITY IN SINGLE FAMILY ZONING.

THE EXISTING PARCEL CONSISTS OF A 0.502 ACRE TRACT LOCATED SOUTH OF STEWART AND NORTH OF 3005 WITH FRONTAGE ON STEWART, AND IT CONTAINS A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE AND GARAGE.

THE EXISTING PARCEL HAS A LOT WIDTH OF 170.74FT, AND A LOT DEPTH OF 130FT.

THE PROPOSED TWO NEW LOTS BOTH EXCEED THE EXIST THE CITY MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR THE R-1 ZONING DISTRICT.

THE CASE WILL BE APPROVED WITH THE CONDITIONS LISTED FOR YOU IN YOUR STAFF REPORT.

AGAIN, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. NO ACTION IS NEEDED BY THE COMMISSION.

HERE IS THE PLAT SHOWING THE NEW CONFIGURATION OF THE TWO LOTS AND AN AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH, AND THAT CONCLUDES STAFF'S REPORT.

ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? SEEING NONE, WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT REGARDING THIS PLAT, PLEASE COME FORWARD.

ANYBODY HERE LIKE TO DO THAT? SEEING NONE, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

AND THAT PLAT WOULD BE APPROVED. AND JUST, I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING.

WE WERE JUST HAVING A CONVERSATION, FOR THOSE THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST, THOUGH, THESE ARE CONSIDERED MINOR PLATS OR ADMINISTRATIVE PLATS, THAT COMMISSION DOES MAKE THE EFFORT TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING IN LIEU OF THE SURROUNDING PROPERTY OWNERS BEING NOTIFIED AFTER THE FACT, SO THAT THERE'S NO ACTION OR VOTE BY THE COMMISSION, THAT'S WHY WE DO THAT.

SO IT'S AN EFFORT BY THE CITY TO BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON, SO I JUST THOUGHT I'D SHARE THAT.

ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON. ITEM NUMBER SEVEN . OLD BUSINESS 25P-015.

[7.A.2 25P-015 (Adjacent to 303 31st Street) Request for an Abandonment of approximately 12,790 square feet of street and alley right-of-way. Adjacent property is legally described as: M. B. Menard Survey; Lots 6, 7, and North 18.7 feet of Lot 8, Block 571, in the City and County Galveston, Texas. Applicant: Christopher Lankford and Marc Hill Adjacent Property Owner: CHL & RAL Holdings, LLC Easement Holder: City of Galveston]

THIS IS ADJACENT TO 303 31ST STREET. IT'S A REQUEST FOR AN ABANDONMENT.

NINE PUBLIC NOTICES WERE SENT, ONE RETURNED. THAT ONE IN FAVOR.

NO OBJECTION, WELL, I'M SORRY, THAT'S NOT. IT'S INCORRECT.

FROM THE CITY DEPARTMENTS, THE MAJORITY HAD NO OBJECTION.

THERE WAS AN OBJECTION FROM THE FIRE MARSHAL .

ABANDONMENT OF THE MECHANIC IN 303 31ST STREET RIGHTS OF WAY WOULD CREATE A DEAD END ACCESS WITHOUT A TURNAROUND, AS REQUIRED BY APPENDIX D OF THE FIRE CODE. THERE WAS ALSO A COMMENT FROM PUBLIC WORKS REGARDING UTILITIES AND ON STREET PARKING.

NO OBJECTION FROM PRIVATE UTILITIES. THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING AN ABANDONMENT OF THREE PORTIONS OF RIGHT OF WAY ADJACENT TO 303 331ST STREET, AND THAT'S TRACT ONE, WHICH IS 6650FT² OF MECHANIC.

TRACT TWO, WHICH IS 4910FT² OF 31ST STREET. AND TRACT THREE, 1230FT² OF THE ALLEY.

AS THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNER IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE APPLICATION, THE REQUEST IS FOR HALF OF THE RIGHT OF WAY AND NOT THE FULL WIDTH.

STAFF FINDS THE ABANDONMENT WILL HAVE AN ADVERSE IMPACT ON THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.

THE FIRE MARSHAL HAS INDICATED THAT THE CREATION OF A DEAD END ROADWAY IS A VIOLATION OF APPENDIX D OF THE FIRE CODE, AND THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT HAS EXPRESSED CONCERNS THAT REMOVAL OF ON-STREET PARKING WILL INCREASE CONGESTION IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA.

PLEASE NOTE IMPACT ON PUBLIC UTILITIES AND SERVICES AND CRITERIA FOR STREET CLOSURE IN YOUR STAFF REPORT CONFORMANCE.

STAFF FINDS THE REQUEST DOES NOT CONFORM TO THE ABOVE STATED CRITERIA.

THE FIRE MARSHAL HAS INDICATED THAT IT WOULD BE A NEGATIVE IMPACT TO PUBLIC SAFETY BY CREATING A DEAD END ROADWAY WITHOUT A TURNAROUND, WHICH IS A VIOLATION OF THE FIRE CODE. ADDITIONALLY, THE CRITERIA STATES THAT AN ABANDONMENT MAY BE CONSIDERED WHEN IT WILL PROVIDE A HIGH

[00:05:01]

QUALITY DEVELOPMENT THAT CONTRIBUTES POSITIVELY TO THE OVERALL NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER AND PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION PATTERN.

ACCORDING TO THE APPLICANT SUBMITTAL, THE PROPOSED USE IS FOR A COMMERCIAL PARKING LOT. THE LAND USE OF PARKING LOT COMMERCIAL SURFACE PARKING AREA IS NOT PERMITTED IN THE COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICT. THE LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS REFLECT A CLEAR POLICY DIRECTION THAT NEW COMMERCIAL SURFACE PARKING LOTS SHOULD BE LIMITED IN SCOPE AND CAREFULLY INTEGRATED INTO THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT.

OTHER HEARING CITY COUNCIL 'S FINAL DECISION REGARDING REQUESTS FOR ABANDONMENT, AND WE'LL HEAR THIS REQUEST ON JUNE 26TH.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION. DUE TO THE OBJECTION OF THE FIRE MARSHAL AND NONCONFORMANCE WITH THE CRITERIA FOR PERMANENT STREET CLOSURES, STAFF RECOMMENDS THE CASE BE DENIED. IF THE PLANNING COMMISSION FINDS THE REQUEST DOES CONFORM TO THE CRITERIA FOR PERMANENT STREET CLOSURES, THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS MAY BE APPROPRIATE AND THEN SPECIFIC CONDITION ONE AND STANDARD CONDITIONS TWO THROUGH SIX ARE LISTED FOR YOU IN YOUR STAFF REPORT AND WE HAVE SOME PICTURES.

THIS IS THE SUBJECT PROPERTY AND AERIAL IN THE CORNER.

AND THEN THIS IS THE SURVEY SHOWING THE REQUESTS FOR ABANDONMENTS.

THOSE THREE TRACTS. TRACT ONE, WHICH IS A PORTION OF MECHANIC, TRACT TWO, WHICH IS A PORTION OF 31ST STREET, AND THEN TRACT THREE, WHICH IS A PORTION OF THE NORTHWEST ALLEY.

AND THEN ON THE NEXT SLIDE, WE HAVE SOME PHOTOGRAPHS OF THOSE AREAS.

SO A PICTURE OF 31ST STREET LOOKING NORTH, MECHANIC STREET LOOKING WEST, THE ALLEY LOOKING SOUTH, AND THEN ACROSS THE APPLICANT'S PROPERTY FROM 31ST STREET LOOKING TOWARDS THE ALLEY AND MECHANIC.

AND THEN WE HAVE SOME PICTURES OF SURROUNDING PROPERTY TO THE NORTH, EAST AND SOUTH.

AND THAT CONCLUDES STAFF'S REPORT. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, CATHERINE. ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? YES, SIR.

YEAH, I'VE GOT A FEW QUESTIONS, I THINK, HERE.

SO IN THE STAFF REPORT, WE TALK ABOUT HOW YOU KNOW, THIS DOESN'T CONFORM WITH, YOU KNOW, THE LDRS AND SOME RECOMMENDATIONS, I SUPPOSE, FOR THOSE SORTS OF THINGS TRAFFIC AND WHATNOT.

BUT MECHANIC STREET´S CLOSED THERE, AND HALF OF IT'S ALREADY CREWS PARKING.

SO WHEN WAS THAT DONE VERSUS WHEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE CHANGED FOR THE LDRS? THERE'S A LONG AND COMPLICATED HISTORY OF COURT LAND SWAPS AND AGREEMENTS WITH THE PORT THAT INVOLVED SOME CHANGES OF PROPERTY THAT THE CURRENT FENCING OF MECHANIC STREET IS NOT PERMITTED AND SHOULD BE REMOVED BY THE PORT. OKAY, YEAH. BECAUSE I WAS LOOKING AT THIS AND IT LOOKS LIKE IN NOVEMBER 2015, AT LEAST ACCORDING TO LIKE TO GOOGLE AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY IS WHEN YOU CAN START TO SEE THE, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE FENCED IT AND CREATED, YOU KNOW, CREWS PARKING AND THAT SORT OF THING. SO YEAH, I'M JUST WONDERING HOW WE GOT THAT, BUT THEN WE'VE GOT LIKE HALF A STREET THAT IS, I GUESS STILL A STREET TECHNICALLY, RIGHT? SO. YEAH, ALL OF THESE ARE TECHNICALLY STILL RIGHTS OF WAY.

AND THEN IF YOU GO OUT THERE, I WENT OUT THERE AND WALKED THE PROPERTY AND, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE SOMEBODY HAS CUT A FENCE AND MOVED IT OFF OF, YOU KNOW, THIS THE APPLICANT'S PROPERTY OFF THE, YOU KNOW, THE PROPERTY LINE.

SO I'M KIND OF LIKE THIS LOOKS KIND OF STRANGE, YOU KNOW, SO I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON THERE.

AND THEN I GUESS THE LAND WENT TO THE PORT? IS THAT THE? M AKING ALL SORTS OF FUNNY NOISES.

SO TO MAKE A VERY LONG STORY SHORT THERE WAS A MISTAKEN DEED, A DEED THAT WAS FILED THAT HAD INCORRECT INFORMATION IN IT.

IT TOOK A MINUTE FOR IT TO BE CORRECTED. THE CORRECTED DEED WAS FILED THIS YEAR IN MARCH.

WITH THAT BEING SAID, THERE THREE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT WERE AFFECTED BY THE INCORRECT INFORMATION. AND THEY'VE ALL BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE CORRECTION NOW, HENCE WHY YOU MAY BE SEEING ONE OF THE CASES PRESENT TODAY. THE PORT, OF COURSE, IS ALSO AWARE OF THE CORRECTION, HAD TO AGREE TO THE CORRECTED DEED BECAUSE IT WAS A MATERIAL CORRECTION THAT WAS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO STATE LAW.

AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WE'RE STILL IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE PORT FOR THE REMOVAL OF THE UNPERMITTED, AND AT THIS POINT, THAT FENCE THAT THE PORT HAS ERECTED THERE CANNOT BE THERE.

AND IT WILL NEED TO BE REMOVED EITHER BY THE CITY OR THROUGH SOME OTHER MEANS.

[00:10:07]

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT WHOEVER CUT THAT FENCE. I KNOW IT WASN'T ME, BUT.

I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING, GIVEN THE, YOU KNOW. YEAH, I'M NOT SAYING WHO CUT IT, BUT IT WILL NEED TO BE REMOVED.

OKAY, AND YEAH. OKAY. BUT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THE THE UNFENCED PART.

SO THE PORT OWNS THE FENCED PART. THEY JUST CAN'T PUT A FENCE THERE BECAUSE.

THE PORT DOES, WELL, LET'S BE SPECIFIC ABOUT WHERE WE'RE TALKING, BECAUSE THERE IS A PORTION THAT THE PORT HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO REQUEST AN ABANDONMENT OF, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THEY HAVE DONE SO TO DATE.

I WILL SAY THAT EVEN IF THE PORT AND THE APPLICANT WANTED TO REQUEST AN ABANDONMENT OF, I'M TRYING TO. MAYBE IT'S THE UPPER PART OF TRACT TWO.

I THINK THE FIRE MARSHAL WOULD STILL HAVE AN ISSUE WITH IT, BECAUSE IT STILL WOULDN'T ALLOW A TURNAROUND.

SO THE PORT OWNS ALL THE ADJACENT PROPERTIES TO THIS ABANDONMENT REQUEST, AND THEY ARE ENTITLED TO SUBMIT THEIR OWN ABANDONMENT FOR THE OTHER HALVES THAT ARE NOT BEING SOUGHT BY MR. LANGFORD. OKAY, I GOT YOU.

BUT THE CITY STILL OWNS THE FENCE TABS? YES, THEY DO.

NOW LET ME NOTE FOR THE RECORD THAT CHRIS HARRISON, THE FIRE MARSHAL , HAS JOINED US, AND HE'S AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.

AND THEN I GUESS SO WHEN WE FILED THIS DEED, I MEAN, THE WAY THESE DEALS WORK, RIGHT? LIKE THEY BUY THE LAND FROM THE CITY, RIGHT? SO WHAT THE CITY FILED WAS A CORRECTED DEED, SO THERE WASN'T ANY BUYING OR SELLING.

IT WAS CORRECTING A MISTAKE THAT HAPPENED. BUT THE ORIGINAL ONE, THE MISTAKEN DEED THAT WAS FILED WAY BACK WHENEVER.

YES, SO THE MISTAKE IN DEED WAS REFERENCING WHAT CATHERINE HAD TALKED ABOUT WAS ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED BACK LITERALLY IN 2010, 2012. A SERIES OF LAND SWAP OPPORTUNITIES BETWEEN THE PORT AND THE CITY FOR DIFFERENT OTHER AREAS, HARBORSIDE, DIFFERENT LAND AREAS. AND THIS PORTION OF THE PROPERTY JUST SOMEHOW GOT SWEPT UP IN THERE.

AND SO THEY DIDN'T PAY US FOR THIS PORTION OF THE PROPERTY, THERE WAS A LIKE FOR LIKE LAND SWAP? IT WAS A LIKE FOR LIKE LAND SWAP, BUT DID NOT INCLUDE ANY OF THE PROPERTIES THAT WERE IN THAT DEED THAT WAS SENT IN.

AND NO ONE CAUGHT THE PROPERTIES THAT WERE LISTED IN THERE OR THE AREAS THAT WERE LISTED IN THERE.

OKAY, WELL, THAT TAKES CARE OF IT. THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? SO TO FOLLOW UP ON THE COMMISSIONER'S QUESTION, IS ALL OF MECHANIC STREET CURRENTLY OPEN OR IS IT PART OF IT ALREADY BEING OCCUPIED BY THE PORT OF GALVESTON? THE RIGHT OF WAY. SO IT IS LEGALLY OPEN. THE RIGHT OF WAY IS OPEN, THE FULL WIDTH OF THE STREET? LEGALLY, HOWEVER, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, I BELIEVE THE PORT HAS SOME FENCING IN THERE SHOULD NOT BE IN THERE. OKAY. AM I CORRECT ON THAT? YES, YES. BUT THERE'S STILL VEHICULAR ACCESS FROM 31ST AND MECHANIC TO THE WEST? TO THE WEST. WELL, THERE IS SOME, AS WE'VE NOTED, THIS ILLEGAL FENCING.

BUT THERE IS VEHICULAR ACCESS BETWEEN 31ST AND 33RD STREET ON MECHANIC.

ON MECHANIC. TO THE EAST, THERE IS NOT. TO THE EAST, THERE IS NOT.

RIGHT, RIGHT. THAT'S WHAT I WAS LOOKING AT THAT ON THE MAP. SO THEN WITH REGARD TO THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST, THE CURRENT ZONING WOULD NOT ALLOW A COMMERCIAL PARKING LOT? YES, AND THE OWNER IS AWARE OF THAT. AND YOU CAN SEE IN HIS NARRATIVE THAT HE NOTES THAT HE IS AWARE THAT SOME OTHER CHANGE WILL HAVE TO TAKE PLACE IN ORDER TO DO THE COMMERCIAL PARKING. SO I GUESS THE FIRE MARSHAL 'S CONCERN IS THAT EVEN WITH HALF OF THE RIGHT OF WAY BEING ABANDONED, IT'S TOO SMALL? CAN WE HEAR FROM HIM? SURE. IF MR. HARRISON DOESN'T MIND COMING FORWARD. THERE HE IS.

YOU CAN SIT IF YOU WANT. I'LL STAND HERE, IT'S FINE. CHRIS HARRISON, FIRE MARSHAL . OUR CONCERN IS IN 2022, WHEN THIS PROPERTY WAS SUBJECT TO A FIRE, WE HAD ACCESS ALL THE WAY AROUND IT, OR AT LEAST ON THREE SIDES.

UNDER THIS, THE WAY IT SITS TODAY, WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO IT.

AND IF WE WERE TO ABANDON HALF OF THAT PROPERTY, IT WOULD CREATE A GREATER THAN 150 FOOT LONG DEAD END, AND IT'S KIND OF HARD TO TURN A FIRETRUCK AROUND WITHOUT A TURNAROUND. SO THE CODE ACTUALLY ADDRESSES THAT BY REQUIRING TURNAROUNDS. WE CAN MAKE IT WORK WITH MECHANIC STREET BEING THE RIGHT OF WAY, OPEN NOW, ESSENTIALLY AN ALLEY.

BUT IF IT'S CLOSED OFF AND THERE'S A LOT OF FENCING THAT I DON'T THINK IS RECORDED ANYWHERE THAT'S CURRENTLY UP THERE,

[00:15:03]

BUT IT WOULD BE HARD FOR US TO ACCESS THAT WITH WHATEVER IT WAS DONE WITH THE PROPERTY.

AND EVEN IF IT WAS A PARKING LOT, WE WOULD STILL ASK, EVEN FOR INTERNAL ACCESS TO FIGHT FIRES.

IN THE PARKING LOT? ALSO THERE'S STILL, I BELIEVE A SMALL COMMERCIAL BUSINESS IS OPERATING IN THERE AS WELL.

SO WE WOULD NEED TO RETAIN ACCESS TO BE ABLE TO PROTECT THAT PROPERLY.

OKAY, AND SO THIS OTHER SIDE HERE THAT SAYS AN ALLEY.

IS THAT A NORTH SOUTH ALLEY? IS THAT 32ND STREET? THAT'S A NORTH SOUTH ALLEY. SO BETWEEN 31ST AND 32ND, THERE'S A NORTH SOUTH ALLEY.

AND IS THAT CURRENTLY ACCESSIBLE? THEORETICALLY, IT'S ACCESSIBLE FROM THE NORTH TO THE SOUTH.

OKAY. BUT NOT ALL THE WAY THROUGH. OKAY. SO, COMMISSIONER, DO YOU SEE ANY WAY THAT IF PART OF THIS ABANDONMENT WAS GRANTED, THAT YOU COULD STILL DO WHAT YOU NEEDED TO DO IF THERE WAS AN EMERGENCY? BECAUSE I THINK ALL THREE SIDES, IT'S LIKE NOT FEASIBLE, BUT IS THERE A WAY, 1 OR 2 SIDES? IF WE HAD ACCESS TO THE NORTH SIDE OR WHAT IS THE MECHANIC RIGHT OF WAY, WE COULD STRETCH HOSE LINES INTO THAT ALLEYWAY AND STILL BE ABLE TO INGRESS OR EGRESS BACKWARDS OR FORWARDS THROUGH THE MECHANIC STREET RIGHT OF WAY.

GOTCHA. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO HOW LONG THESE UNDER THE TABLE FENCE HAS BEEN AROUND? I COULDN'T THINK OF A BETTER WAY TO SAY IT. CHRIS, I STILL HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET OFF THAT EASY. YEAH I TRIED.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. YES. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING.

SO WE HAVE THAT ALLEY TO THE WEST, OKAY? THE NORTH SOUTH ALLEY? YEAH, THE NORTH SOUTH ALLEY. SO IN THEORY, IF YOU GUYS WERE TO COME DOWN TO MECHANIC, COULD YOU TURN YOUR APPARATUS AROUND BY UTILIZING THAT ALLEYWAY AS A TURNAROUND? KIND OF NOT IDEAL, BUT.

PROBABLY NOT, I MEAN, I'M NOT GOING TO SAY THAT FIREMEN CAN'T DO ANYTHING BECAUSE WE CAN MAKE IT WORK.

I LIKE IT. BUT IT WOULD BE A WHOLE LOT EASIER IF WE HAD THE FULL ACCESS OF THE RIGHT OF WAYS THAT ARE CURRENTLY.

ON MECHANIC? T HROUGH MECHANIC, THERE'S, I THINK, A QUESTION OF WHETHER OR NOT 32ND STREET HAS BEEN ABANDONED AS WELL? THERE'S A FENCE ACROSS 32ND STREET AT MARKET.

32ND STREET WAS ABANDONED SOME YEARS AGO. BUT THE MECHANIC STREET RIGHT OF WAY IS.

OH, OKAY, PART OF IT? I'M NOT SURE WITH THE WAY IT WAS CUT UP, WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE IN THE END, I MEAN, I'LL SAY WE'LL MAKE IT WORK, BUT IT WOULD BE IDEAL IF WE HAD ACCESS TO THE.

SO YOUR CONCERN IS MORE WITH THE STUFF ON THE ACCESS ALONG MECHANIC IN LIEU OF OVER ON 31ST STREET.

WELL 31ST STREET, AND THEN USING MECHANIC AS PART OF THE TURNAROUND THAT WE WOULD NEED IF WE WERE TO.

I THINK IT'S OVER 300FT FROM MARKET TO THE MECHANIC AREA, AND ANYTHING OVER 150 FOOT ON A DEAD END, WHICH WOULD ESSENTIALLY BE CREATED HERE IF BOTH THE PORT AND THE OWNER OR THE APPLICANT WERE TO HAVE THEIR WAY, WOULD CREATE A DEAD END WHERE WE'D HAVE TO BACK THE FIRE TRUCK UP FOR LONGER THAN THE CODE WANTS US TO.

WE'RE JUST ESSENTIALLY INVITING AN ISSUE. LARGE TRUCKS, POOR VISIBILITY.

NOT SAYING THAT WE CAN'T DO IT, BUT I'D SURE LIKE THEM NOT TO HAVE TO.

RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT. AND WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET AT IS, YOU KNOW, IS THERE SOME PORTION OF THIS THAT YOU GUYS COULD LIVE WITHOUT VERSUS IT'S JUST ALL A BAD IDEA IN GENERAL? SO THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING THE QUESTION OF, YOU KNOW, HEY, IS THE STUFF ON 31ST STREET WORKABLE FOR THESE GUYS? IF MAYBE THEY PROVIDED SOME SORT OF TURNAROUND IN THERE FOR YOU? I DON'T KNOW HOW ANY OF THAT STUFF WORKS OR EVEN IF IT WORKS FOR THE APPLICANT, I 'M JUST LOOKING AT THIS GOING, HEY, IS THERE I MEAN, THERE'S NOTHING THERE NOW.

I CAN SEE IF, YOU KNOW, CARS CATCH ON FIRE IN A PARKING LOT, WHICH THAT CAN HAPPEN.

WE WOULD NEED ACCESS TO THE PARKING LOT. AND THEN WITH THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE STILL LEFT THAT ARE CLOSER TO MARKET STREET ON 31ST STREET.

THAT'S YOUR CONCERN, BEING ABLE TO COME FIGHT THE FIRES FOR BEING ABLE TO THAT.

BEING ABLE TO PULL UP TO THEM, WHETHER IT BE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY OR A FIRE CALL, AND THEN BEING ABLE TO TURN THOSE APPARATUS AROUND AND EGRESS THE AREA SAFELY, ESPECIALLY THAT IT'S A HIGH DENSITY PARKING AREA.

YES, SIR. CITY BUILDINGS AND OTHER BUSINESSES THAT ARE THERE.

OKAY. ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR THE FIRE MARSHAL ? HEY, THANK YOU, CHRIS. OH, GO AHEAD, I'M SORRY. SORRY.

THANK YOU CHRIS, APPRECIATE IT. A FIREFIGHTER WITH A GUN.

[00:20:03]

YOU KNOW, THAT'S NEXT LEVEL STUFF THERE. I LIKE IT, DIFFERENT.

A SQUIRT GUN. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? GO AHEAD. TOM. SO, I MEAN, GIVEN THAT IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A PRETTY COMPLICATED SITUATION.

SO I GUESS I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS. O NE, IF WE WANTED, COULD WE KIND OF CARVE THIS UP AND SAY WE'LL ABANDON THIS BIT, BUT NOT THAT BIT? IS THAT? YES, YOU COULD DO THAT.

OKAY. AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION IS GIVEN, THERE'S CLEARLY SOME STUFF GOING ON HERE.

ARE WE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS? I ASSUME SINCE IT'S ON THE AGENDA, RIGHT? BUT. YES, THE APPLICANT HAS SUBMITTED A VALID APPLICATION.

THEY HAVE THEIR DUE PROCESS RIGHTS TO MOVE FORWARD. OKAY, AND THEN SORRY, I GUESS ONE MORE QUESTION.

SO THEN LIKE GOING EAST ON MECHANIC IS THAT'S STILL A CITY RIGHT OF WAY? LIKE SOMEBODY COULD DRIVE A CAR THROUGH THERE, EXCEPT THAT THERE'S A FENCE THERE OR? GOING EAST? NO, GOING WEST? YES. OKAY. EAST IS ALL PARKING LOT.

EAST IS ALL PARKING LOT THAT IS UNDER THE PORT'S AUTHORITY.

OKAY, BUT THEN GOING WEST IS ALSO PARKING LOT.

BUT THAT IS MORE QUESTIONABLE? THERE IS SOME QUESTIONABLE FENCING TO THE WEST.

OKAY, GOTCHA. OKAY, THANK YOU. DISCUSSIONS WITH THE PORT, AND WE'VE BEEN TAKING STEPS TO TO RECTIFY IT.

AWESOME. THANK YOU. JUST QUICKLY, CATHERINE, ON THIS DIAGRAM YOU HAVE HERE WHERE YOU'VE GOT THE BLOCK ON THE TOP OF THE PICTURE FOR THE ABANDONMENT PORTION. HOW CLOSE IS THE ILLEGAL FENCE TO THAT? IS IT LIKE SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE? I'M NOT SURE IF I KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.

I THINK DANIEL WAS OUT THERE TODAY. OKAY. MAYBE.

IS THAT IT? ON MECHANIC STREET, LOOKING WEST? YES, SO ON THE. YEAH, THESE ARE MY PHOTOS FROM THIS MORNING.

ON THE UPPER RIGHT HAND PHOTO, THAT FENCE IS RUNNING KIND OF LATERALLY ALONG THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE PHOTO.

THAT'S THE FENCE IN QUESTION. BUT I CAN'T TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT THAT DISTANCE IS.

I COULD EYEBALL IT MAYBE 20FT? INTO THE RIGHT OF WAY? YEAH, I MEAN, IT'S KIND OF DIFFICULT FROM THIS PHOTO TO SHOW WHERE THE APPLICANT'S CURRENT PROPERTY LINE ACTUALLY IS.

OKAY, SO THAT'S THE STREET PART, THEN. THAT'S NOT THE FULL MECHANIC WIDTH? NO. T HAT FENCE IS ON PART OF MECHANIC STREET.

I THINK THOSE RIGHT OF WAYS ARE 60 TO 80FT. YEAH.

OKAY. THANK YOU. AND I DO WANT TO REMIND THE COMMISSIONERS THAT THIS WOULD BE A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL .

SO IF IT'S A RECOMMENDATION THAT MODIFIES WHAT THE APPLICANT WANTS, THAT RECOMMENDATION WOULD ALSO GO TO CITY COUNCIL AS THIS IS THE MODIFICATION FROM CITY FROM SORRY, FROM PLANNING COMMISSION TO CITY COUNCIL AS WELL.

I HAVE A QUESTION, I'M SORRY.

LTUS, IF I KNOW WE'VE DONE LTUS FOR ADJACENT FOR, YOU KNOW, THE APPLICANT COULD REQUEST AN LTU FOR THIS STUFF AND LEAVE JUST PURCHASING MOST LIKELY.

I THINK WE'D RUN INTO THE SAME ISSUES. STAFF WOULD LIKELY NOT SUPPORT SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

OKAY, BECAUSE WHAT MY REAL QUESTION IS, AND I'M JUST REALLY KIND OF CURIOUS BECAUSE I KNOW WE DID AN LTU FOR A PARKING LOT, NOT VERY LONG AGO. I THINK STAFF RECOMMENDED AGAINST THAT.

YES, AND THE DIVIDING LINE WAS KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ABANDONED STREET AND IT WAS A LTU.

MY QUESTION IS, IS COULD YOU GRANT AN LTU TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET AS WELL, IF THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNER AGREED TO IT? I MEAN, SURE, ANY ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNER CAN REQUEST AN LTU.

BUT I DON'T KNOW I DON'T THINK SO. YEAH. I MEAN, THAT'S NOT THE INTENT OF AN LTU.

YOU KNOW, THE INTENT OF AN LTU IS TO PLACE AN ITEM LIKE WE'RE GOING TO SEE AN ADA RAMP.

R IGHT. IT'S THE PLACEMENT OF A PHYSICAL OBJECT IN THE CITY RIGHT OF WAY, AND TYPICALLY NOT FOR THE USE OF THE RIGHT OF WAY, EVEN THOUGH IT'S CALLED A LICENSE TO USE, IT'S REALLY FOR A PERMANENT STRUCTURE.

OKAY. OR TEMPORARY? YEAH. IT'S STILL RIGHT. YEAH.

THEY STILL HAVE THIS OTHER COMPLETELY SEPARATE ISSUE.

OKAY, OKAY. FOR USE OF THE ONE THAT THEY WANT TO DO.

ALL RIGHT. I'M JUST BRAINSTORMING, I'M SORRY I'M JUST LOOKING AT THIS TRYING TO.

OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? ALL RIGHT THEN WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

IS THE APPLICANT PRESENT? YES, SIR. PLEASE COME FORWARD, STATE YOUR NAME, SIGN IN AND TELL US WHAT YOU GOT GOING ON.

[00:25:03]

YES, SIR. I'M MARK HILL AND I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF REPRESENTING THE LANDOWNER.

I´LL PRINT MY NAME HERE. I LIVE IN GALVESTON REPRESENTING THE APPLICANT, I UNDERSTAND I'M NOT ON THE THREE MINUTE TIME CLOCK.

IF I AM, THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING.

WELL, GET READY. BUT I'M NOT GOING TO HOLD THE FILIBUSTER.

I DON'T HAVE MY DIAPER ON. WE'VE GOT TRACK LAND HERE THAT THE CLIENT OWNS.

MISS KATHERINE, WOULD YOU MIND PUTTING THAT SURVEY MAP THAT YOU HAD? OH, THERE IT IS. OKAY. DO YOU MIND IF I APPROACH IT OVER HERE? MAY I APPROACH? WELL, FOR THE RECORDING, YOU HAVE TO CONTINUE TO SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE.

ALL RIGHT. LET ME ASK MY LAW CLERK IF SHE WILL WILL YOU STEP UP TO THE SUMMER CLERK'S DAY TWO? ALRIGHT. FROM BRYAN, TEXAS, AND WENT TO UT SO SHE CAN DO ANYTHING.

GO UP TO TRACT ONE, PLEASE, AND POINT TO IT. TRACT ONE RIGHT AT THE VERY TOP.

KEEP GOING ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP. RIGHT THERE.

TRACT ONE. YOU CAN SEE COMMISSIONERS, THE THE DOTS THAT ARE THERE, AND I THINK MR. EASTERWOOD COULD TESTIFY THAT WHEN YOU SEE DRAWINGS LIKE THAT, THAT MEANS THAT YOU'VE GOT CONCRETE OR SOMETHING ON THE GROUND, RIGHT UNDER TRACT ONE. COULD YOU POINT TO THAT, PLEASE, MISS KENDALL? THANK YOU. THOSE DOTS, THAT'S GOING TO BE CONCRETE ON THE GROUND.

AND THEN THE CIRCLES THAT YOU SEE, AS I APPRECIATE IT, I HAVE NOT READ THIS ENTIRE PARTICULAR SURVEY, BUT THOSE WOULD INDICATE TO ME THAT THAT'S WHERE THE FENCE IS, THAT IT'S APPROXIMATELY SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THOSE DOTS, AND AS YOU GO OUT TO THE MIDDLE OF THE RIGHT OF WAY.

AS YOU KEEP GOING NORTH, IT'S MECHANIC AVENUE C, 70 FOOT RIGHT OF WAY.

AND WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS HALF WOULD BE 35FT. MISS KENDALL, WOULD YOU PLEASE GO BACK UP TO TRACT ONE? GO BACK UP TO TRACT ONE, NOW GO TO YOUR RIGHT.

KEEP GOING, RIGHT THERE. YOU SEE 35 JUST ABOVE IT? THAT WOULD BE 35FT. SO THAT WOULD BE THE 35FT THAT ARE ADJACENT AND ABUTTING THE LANDOWNER, THE APPLICANT. THAT WOULD BE HIS 35FT. WHAT WE HAVE AND I'VE WORKED WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY, AND SHE'S BEEN VERY PROFESSIONAL AND VERY NICE TO WORK WITH BECAUSE WE HAD TO.

WELL, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE HAVING AN OPEN FACE SPINNING REEL. YOU TOOK YOUR THUMB OFF AND YOU GOT A BACKLASH, AND IT'S A FUR BALL. AND THAT'S WHAT WE WERE FACED WITH.

WE HAD TO UNDO THE BACKLASH. AND SHE GOT A NEW DEED.

WE'VE GOT IT CLEANED UP. BUT RIGHT NOW AS WE LOOK AT IT TODAY, YOU SEE 31ST HERE TO THE RIGHT OF THE DARK COLORS.

AND AS YOU GO TO THE LEFT, THAT'S GOING TO BE 32ND AS I APPRECIATE IT, UNLESS I'M LOOKING IT UPSIDE DOWN.

32ND, 33RD IF WE'RE BOOTS ON THE GROUND TODAY, THE MECHANIC STREET IS CLOSED BETWEEN 29TH AND 33RD. SO WE WENT BACK AND PULLED WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY THE PERSON THAT GOT STARTED ON PULLING THE OLD PROBLEMS, COMMISSIONER, AND WE PULLED ALL THOSE ISSUES.

WE WORKED WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY AND ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY, AND THE NEW DEED HAS BEEN RECORDED.

BUT WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS, IF YOU LOOK AT THE COLORFUL MAP OVER HERE AND YOU LOOK AT THE CARS IN THE PURPLE ON THE RIGHT, AND THEN IF YOU'LL POINT TO THOSE, PLEASE, AND THEN GO TO THE LITTLE TRIANGLE OF PURPLE UP ON THE LEFT, RIGHT THERE. THOSE CARS, IN MY APPRECIATION OF READING THE SURVEYS AND BOOTS ON THE GROUND, ARE BEING PARKED BY THE PORT ON CITY PROPERTY, AND THERE IS A STATUTE THAT SAYS THE GOVERNMENT CANNOT GIVE AWAY PROPERTY.

AND SO TO ME, IT'S A RED ALERT AS A TAXPAYER.

WELL, I GOT TO PAY FOR THE PORT AND PAY FOR THE CITY, BUT IT'S STILL A RED ALERT BECAUSE I KNOW HOW BUDGETS GO.

AND SO THE PORT IS USING THAT. SO OUR IDEA WAS, WELL, IF THE PORT'S USING THAT AND IF MECHANIC IS ALREADY BLOCKED BETWEEN 29TH AND 33RD, WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOLDEN WHEN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WAS KIND ENOUGH TO STRAIGHTEN OUT THE FUR BALL.

WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOLDEN. THE PORT TAKES THE NORTH.

WE TAKE THE SOUTH AGAIN. YES, WE'RE BACK UP ON THIS ONE AGAIN.

GOING TO TRACT NUMBER ONE, PLEASE, MISS KENDALL, TO TRACT NUMBER ONE.

THE PORT TAKES THE NORTH OF THERE, NOT NORTH OF THE CIRCULAR LINES, BUT THE.

IN SURVEYING THAT DARK LINE WITH THE DOUBLE DASHES THAT'S GOING TO BE THE BOUNDARY LINE, BUT SO IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE SOUTH OF THAT DARK LINE WOULD GO TO THIS LANDOWNER. AND AGAIN, IF TWO LANDOWNERS ARE ADJACENT AND BOTH LANDOWNERS, YOU KNOW, AND THE CITY'S GOING TO ABANDON EACH LANDOWNER WOULD TAKE IT TO THE MIDDLE.

WELL, RIGHT NOW THE PORT'S JUST TAKEN IT AND THEY'VE BLOCKED THE OTHER END AND WE SAW THE CHAIN LINK FENCES.

I DON'T HAVE MY KNIFE WITH ME, AND I DIDN'T CUT A CHAIN LINK FENCE WITH A LITTLE POCKET KNIFE, BUT THAT CHAIN LINK FENCE THAT'S OUT THERE IS BLOCKING WHAT THE FIRE MARSHAL WOULD SAY A RIGHT OF WAY.

[00:30:07]

NOW, I'VE WORKED ON ENOUGH PLATS. YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE ROOM.

AND I AGREE WITH THEM. FIREFIGHTERS CAN GET A LOT DONE WITH VERY LITTLE.

BUT YOU STILL NEED A GOOD AREA TO TURN AROUND.

SO WE SAID THAT WHEN WE WERE WORKING ON IT, SINCE IT'S ALREADY BLOCKED, THERE ARE OTHER POINTS OF ACCESS.

IF WE HAD A BIGGER MAP HERE TODAY, YOU KNOW, ONE THAT COVERED MORE AREA.

THERE ARE OTHER POINTS OF ACCESS THAT YOU COULD COME THROUGH.

SO IT SEEMS TO ME THERE ARE TWO QUESTIONS ON THE TABLE.

ONE, CAN WE SEND THE WHOLE SHOOTING MATCH TO COUNCIL WITH AN APPROVAL, OR TWO, CAN WE PIECEMEAL IT? OF COURSE, AS THE APPLICANT, WE WOULD PREFER WE SENT THE WHOLE SHOOTING MATCH.

I THINK THAT THE FIRE MARSHAL AND THE COUNCIL PARDON ME, THE COMMISSIONERS AND THE STAFF HAVE LOOKED AT TRACTS TWO.

IF YOU'LL POINT TO TWO FOR ME, PLEASE? TRACT TWO AND THEN DOWN HERE, THAT BABY TRACT THREE.

KEEP GOING, KEEP GOING. RIGHT THERE TO TRACT THREE, TRACT TWO AND THREE COULD BE PARSED AWAY FROM ONE.

AND AT LEAST SOMETHING'S BETTER THAN NOTHING, WE GET GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT TRACT ONE HELPS FLUSH IT OUT.

AND I THINK THAT I CAN TALK TO THE FIRE MARSHAL BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, AND EXPLAIN TO HIM HOW THE REST OF IT'S BLOCKED.

BUT RIGHT NOW, MISS KATHERINE, COULD YOU PULL UP THE, OR WHOEVER'S DOING THE PULLING? COULD YOU PULL UP THE ONE? YEAH. SHOWING US THE FENCE RIGHT THERE.

AND THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE. YOU SEE HOW THE FENCE BLOCKS THE STREET AND THEN GO TO THE NEXT PHOTO, IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE. THERE YOU GO. THERE YOU GO.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE PARKING ON THE OTHER SIDE.

ALL RIGHT. LET'S GO BACK TO THE SURVEY, IF WE COULD, PLEASE.

THANK YOU. AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO.

I APPRECIATE WHAT THE MARSHAL SAID BECAUSE REMEMBERING THAT MECHANIC IS BLOCKED FROM 29TH TO 33RD, YOU CAN'T DRIVE IT RIGHT NOW. THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO GET THERE.

BUT I LIKE WHAT MARSHAL SAID, IS THAT HE COULD STILL, IF MECHANIC WERE OPEN, HE COULD COME DOWN AND USE THE REST OF OUR PROPERTY, SO TWO AND THREE WORKED. BUT I'M GOING TO SUGGEST THAT WITH THE PORT IN THE CONDITION IT'S IN.

AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, MISS GORMAN AND I TALKED ABOUT IT AHEAD OF TIME.

AND THE CITY ATTORNEY AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT IT MANY TIMES AND HELP GET THE THING GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

I THINK THAT RIGHT NOW THAT THE PORT IS USING CITY RESOURCES, BUT THE PORT SHOULD THEN MOVE TO ABANDON, AND THAT'S ONE THING MRS. GORMAN SAID, THE PORT COULD ALSO ASK TO ABANDON, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S QUICKER TO DEAL WITH UNION PACIFIC SOMETIMES.

THANK YOU. THAT'S ALRIGHT. THAT'S GOOD, I NEED A LITTLE LIGHTING UP.

I'M STARTING TO GET INTO. I'M STARTING TO DO WHAT I SAID I WASN'T GOING TO DO.

BUT Y'ALL SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? I STAND READY FOR QUESTIONS, BUT I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE RECOMMENDED.

THE LANDOWNER WOULD LIKE IT TO BE RECOMMENDED TO THE COUNCIL TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND SEE IF THEY CAN'T VOTE IT UP.

AND AT THE VERY LEAST, IF YOU CAN'T VOTE FOR THE WHOLE SHOOTING MATCH, THEN I'D SUGGEST THAT WE VOTE IN ONE, AND PARDON ME, TWO AND THREE. THAT WOULD BE MY SPEECH ON MARK HILL.

AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE LANDOWNER, AND I WANT TO THANK THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR THE WORK THEY DID WITH US, BECAUSE WHEN IT WAS STILL A TITLE ISSUE, IT WAS REALLY A BOOGER BEAR.

BUT NOW WE GOT IT DOWN TO AT LEAST THEY'RE THERE, WE'RE HERE, LET'S DO IT.

AND IF THE MARSHAL AND I CAN GET TOGETHER AND THERE'S ANOTHER WAY AROUND, I THINK THERE WOULD BE.

DO I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? JUDGES, OR COMMISSIONERS? OH, A QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU. YES, SIR. E XCLUDING TRACTS ONE, TWO AND THREE.

YES, SIR. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WOULD PRECLUDE YOUR CLIENT FROM BEING IN THE PARKING LOT BUSINESS OTHER THAN ZONING? YES, SIR. RIGHT NOW? WITHOUT THOSE TRACTS. NO, SIR.

COULD YOUR CLIENT BE IN THE PARKING LOT BUSINESS? WE'VE GOT CONCRETE ON THE GROUND. YOU CAN SEE IN THE PLACE THERE'S A DOT'S ALREADY CONCRETE, AND THERE'S BLACKTOP OUT THERE TOO. SO YES. HE COULD OPERATE HIS BUSINESS ON HIS PROPERTY WITHOUT THOSE TRACTS. HE COULD THEORETICALLY. BUT WHEN THE PARCEL´S NEXT TO YOU, YOU'VE GOT.

WELL, YOU KNOW, EVERY SPOT IS WORTH SOMETHING.

EVERY SPOT. BECAUSE I REPRESENT THE RETIRED HOUSTON POLICE OFFICER DOWN ON THE EAST END THERE AT 14TH STREET.

AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE PARKING SPOTS, WE HAD TO DO A LEASE.

WE GAVE THE PORT A LEASE FOR OUR PROPERTY DOWN ON 14TH, AND SOME OF Y'ALL WERE ON THE COMMISSION WHEN WE DID THE ABANDONMENT DOWN THERE, SO EACH PARTICULAR SQUARE FOOT OF LAND IS IMPORTANT TO US, ESPECIALLY WITH THESE NEW SHIPS COMING IN.

SO YES, SIR, WE COULD. BUT SINCE IF WE LOOK AT IT, GO TO THE PURPLE AGAIN, HERE.

SINCE WE LOOK AT IT IN THEIR PARKING RIGHT UP TO US.

WELL, WE'D LIKE TO DO THAT ALSO, WE'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO GET IN THE GAME.

BUT THERE'S NOTHING THAT, IF YOUR CLIENT WAS NOT ABLE TO ACQUIRE THESE RIGHTS OF WAY.

[00:35:07]

YES, SIR. H E'D STILL BE ABLE TO OPERATE HIS BUSINESS.

HE COULD, BUT NOT TO THE SAME EFFECT. OKAY. YOU'VE GOT TO REMEMBER, THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF RIGHT OF WAY.

THERE ARE THOSE IN, AND BRAX COULD ADDRESS THIS, BUT THERE ARE THOSE THAT ARE PLATTED BUT NOT OPEN ON THE GROUND AND THOSE THAT ARE PLATTED AND OPEN ON THE GROUND. AND HERE WE'VE GOT RIGHTS OF WAY THAT ARE NOT BEING USED.

BUT YOU CAN'T JUST ABANDON BY SAYING, OH, SHUCKS, I WALKED OFF.

YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE FORMAL PROCESS AND WE WOULD HAVE TO THEN, THERE WOULD BE AN APPRAISAL.

THE APPRAISAL WOULD SAY IT'S WORTH $50,000 OR WHATEVER.

THE NUMBER WAS $50,000, $5,000, AND THEN WE HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.

YOU DON'T GIVE PROPERTY AWAY. AND RIGHT NOW THAT'S A CONUNDRUM THAT THE CITY HAS, IS THAT THE CITY PROPERTY IS BEING USED BY ANOTHER BRANCH OF THE GOVERNMENT FOR THEIR PURPOSES, AND NOT FOR CITY PURPOSES.

I DON'T MEAN TO STEP ON YOUR TOES, MADAM CITY ATTORNEY, BUT I'M JUST CALLING THE FACTS LIKE I SEE THEM.

AND IF WE WERE TO BUILD A BUILDING, LET'S SAY THE IMMEDIATE PLAN WAS FOR ONE THING.

BUT YOU CAN BUILD BUILDINGS OVER THERE. YOU DO SOMETHING ELSE AGAIN, YOUR PARKING FOR YOUR BUILDING IS MANDATED.

YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE SO MANY SPOTS FOR SO MANY SQUARE FEET.

SO COMMISSIONER WALLA, THERE'S A LOT TO BE SAID FOR THIS SPACE, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THE PEOPLE ADJACENT AND ABUTTING US ARE DOING THE SAME THING.

YEAH. AND I WOULD TELL YOU, MR. HILL, I UNDERSTAND THERE'S SOME MOVING PARTS IN THIS.

YES, SIR. HERE'S JUST TO BE VERY CANDID. WHAT I SEE IS, YOUR CLIENT CAN BE IN THE PARKING LOT BUSINESS TODAY IF, WELL, EXCLUDING ANY ZONING ISSUES. YES, SIR. WITH WHAT THEY HAVE, IF THEY WERE TO GO GET THIS STUFF ABANDONED, THEY GO PURCHASE IT. YOU KNOW.

I MEAN, YOU'RE COMPARING THE PORT AND THE CITY, BUT AS A TAXPAYER, THEY'RE BOTH THE SAME TO ME. I MEAN, BOTH OF THAT MONEY IS COMING OUT OF MY POCKET.

JUST PICK WHICH ONE IT IS. IT'S EITHER MY RIGHT POCKET OR MY LEFT POCKET.

BUT THOSE ARE BOTH ENTITIES THAT TAXPAYERS OWN AND CONTRIBUTE TAXES TO.

YES, SIR, BUT THE NICE THAT. YOU TELL ME WHEN, I'LL BE QUIET.

NO, NO, GO AHEAD. BUT THE NICETY THERE IS, THE GOVERNMENT CANNOT GIVE ANYTHING AWAY.

AND RIGHT NOW WE HAVEN'T GIVEN. THEY'VE TAKEN.

AND IT IS THAT THE PORT IS TAKING THE RIGHT OF WAY THAT'S OWNED BY THE CITY, AND USING IT TO THEIR BENEFIT.

THE PORT OWES US A BUCKET LOAD OF MONEY, AND I'VE BEEN READING THE NEWSPAPER, AND I KNOW THERE ARE OTHER ENTITIES THAT HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WHO GETS WHAT MONEY, BUT RIGHT NOW YOU'VE GOT THAT THE PORT SHOULD BUY IT, PAY THE CITY FOR IT, BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER WAYS AROUND BETWEEN 29 AND 33RD AND THEN ALLOW US TO CLOSE OFF BECAUSE WE'RE EFFECTIVELY LOCKED OUT RIGHT NOW FROM WHAT WE CAN DO ANYHOW.

THERE'S A CHAIN LINK FENCE AND AND I'M A GOOD FRIEND TO SELF-HELP, BUT NOT WHEN IT COMES TO THIS.

RIGHT. YOU KNOW. AND I THINK FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD IS THAT THE CITY HAS ACKNOWLEDGED, HEY, THE PORT'S GOT A PROBLEM, AND THEY NEED TO FIX THAT.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY'S NOT SAYING THAT.

YES, SIR. HOWEVER, HERE'S HOW I SEE THIS IS WE ABANDONED THIS TO YOU.

YOU GO BY IT. YOU GO PUT YOUR PARKING LOT THERE, AND THEN YOU GO SELL IT TO THE PORT.

WELL, NOW YOU'RE JUST AS A TAXPAYER. THE BENEFIT IS ALL TO THE PROPERTY OWNER, NOT TO THE TAXPAYER.

AND IF WHETHER IT'S TAXES TO THE PORT OR TAX TO THE CITY, AND I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE ENTITIES.

YES, SIR. BUT AS A TAXPAYER IT'S ALL GOING, IN MY WORLD, IT'S COMING OUT OF MY HIP POCKET.

NOW, WHOSE POCKET IT GOES INTO? OVER HERE AT CITY HALL THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER STORY, BUT JUST MY PERSONAL PROBLEM WITH THIS IS BECAUSE YOUR LAST DEAL YOU CAME, BROUGHT US, MADE PERFECT SENSE.

THAT WAS A WIN-WIN FOR EVERYBODY. YES, SIR. YOU KNOW, IT WAS AN ABANDONMENT.

THE PORT GOT IT. THAT WAS A GREAT FIT. YES, SIR.

AND I HAD NO ISSUE WITH THAT ONE. THIS ONE'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

AND IT HAS ITS OWN PROBLEMS. I MEAN.

IT'S A TAR BABY. I MEAN, DON'T PUT YOUR HANDS AROUND IT BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO GET SOME ON YOU, BUT.

NO, I JUST YOU KNOW, AND TO COMPLICATE MATTERS, YOU GOT THE CITY MARSHAL TELLING YOU, HEY YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET AROUND THAT, WHICH YOU CAN DO. THERE'S UTILITIES THAT ARE IN THOSE RIGHTS OF WAY.

[00:40:05]

THE ALLEY DEAL, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE'RE ALREADY FIGHTING AN ALLEY PROBLEM.

IF WE GIVE YOU HALF THAT ALLEY, THAT ALLEY IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT AN ALLEY ANYMORE.

I MEAN, IT'S TEN FEET WIDE. IT'S NOT RIGHT NOW.

I MEAN, THERE'S THERE'S REALLY NOTHING YOU CAN DO ON IT.

WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST, COMMISSIONER, IS LET'S LOOK AT IT FROM A TAX POINT OF VIEW, THEN LET'S LOOK OKAY. MISS KENDALL, WILL YOU POINT TO TRACT ONE, PLEASE? AGAIN, RIGHT NOW, TRACT ONE IS GENERATING NO INCOME FOR THE CITY.

YOU SELL IT TO A PRIVATE LANDOWNER BECAUSE OUR DEAL THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE WIN-WIN.

WE DID THAT UNDER LEASE, SO WE'RE STILL PAYING AD VALOREM TAXES.

MY CLIENT IS PAYING, AND IT'S NOT THIS CLIENT.

THAT GOES ON THE GALVESTON COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT AND WE PAY TAXES.

IT ALSO GOES ON THE SALES TAX ROLL. AND THE PARKING TAX.

AND THE PARKING TAX. AND IT JUST GETS BETTER AND BETTER IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S AN ENHANCEMENT, NOT A DETRIMENT TO THE CITY. IT'S AN ABSOLUTE ENHANCEMENT.

MEANWHILE, AND WE'RE NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF DEVELOPING AND SELLING.

IT'S MUCH BETTER. HE'S A YOUNG MAN. HE LIVES DOWN HERE AND WORKS FOR THE SULLIVANS.

HE'S A NAVAL ACADEMY GRAD, BUT HE'S A YOUNG MAN, AND IT'S MUCH BETTER FOR HIM TO LEASE IT OR BUILD ANOTHER BUILDING ON IT.

AT WHICH IF WE BUILD ANOTHER BUILDING IN THE FUTURE, WHICH AREA´S GROWING THAT WAY, WE BUILD ANOTHER BUILDING ON IT BECAUSE ESPECIALLY WITH THE SHIPS, YOU BUILD ANOTHER BUILDING ON IT, THEN THAT'S EVEN MORE REVENUE FOR THE CITY.

SO I CERTAINLY AGREE WITH YOU, COMMISSIONER WALLA.

WE COULD SAY MOVE IT FROM THE LEFT POCKET TO THE RIGHT.

BUT THERE'S NO POCKET NOW. THERE'S NOBODY THAT'S GETTING PAID, AND IT'S COSTING US MONEY.

SO UNTIL, AND IN FACT, I APPRECIATE THE FIRE MARSHAL BRINGING IT UP BECAUSE UNTIL THAT HAPPENED, I THOUGHT I HAD MY DEAL ALL WORKED OUT. BUT THAT CAME UP, AND I SAID, YEAH, THAT MAKES SENSE, BECAUSE I'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH PLATS BEFORE, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE HANDLED, IT'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE HANDLED.

AND WHEN YOU'VE GOT THE MAN LANDLOCKED ALL THE WAY AROUND, ALLOW HIM TO GO TO THE MIDDLE OF THE ALLEY OR STREET AND WE'RE DONE.

THAT'S WHAT WE REQUEST. ACCESS TO HIS PROPERTY.

YES, SIR. BUT. NOW, GRANTED, HE DOESN'T HAVE ACCESS TO HIS PROPERTY VIA MECHANIC STREET.

MECHANIC STREET? YEAH. MECHANIC STREET. AND I UNDERSTAND.

YES, SIR. AND WHEN I SAY LANDLOCKED, I DON'T MEAN LIKE HE'S FROZEN OUT.

I MEAN, JUST IF WE LOOK AT IT. WELL, YOU KNOW HOW I WAS USING THE TERM.

I MEAN, THAT HE'S JAMMED. OKAY. AND WITH THE FENCE RIGHT NOW, BUT THAT'S GOING TO TAKE CARE OF ITSELF.

YES, SIR. THAT'S GOING TO COME DOWN OKAY. AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR COMMENTS.

YES, SIR. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? ALL RIGHT, MR. HILL, WHY DON'T WE HEAR FROM SOME OF THESE OTHER FOLKS THAT THEY'D LIKE TO SPEAK? AND IF WE HAVE SOME OTHER QUESTIONS, WE'LL CERTAINLY INVITE YOU BACK. THANK YOU, JUDGE.

I MEAN, COMMISSIONER, CERTAINLY. JUDGE. JUDGE, I LIKE THAT.

HEY, I THINK THE JUDGE GETS PAID.

ALL RIGHT. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE HERE WHO'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE, WE WILL. CERTAINLY. I WANT TO ASK THE FIRE MARSHAL ONE QUESTION, PLEASE.

SO, WITH REGARD TO ACCESS, WITH YOUR FIRE TRUCKS ON TRACT TWO, IF THAT PORTION WERE GRANTED, WOULD THE 40 FOOT THAT'S REMAINING BE BIG ENOUGH FOR YOU, AND NOT ABANDONING MECHANIC, JUST TRACT TWO.

IS IT THE WESTERN HALF OF TRACT TWO THAT. YEAH.

THAT'S THEN THE BALL DOTS. WOULD THAT 40FT BE ENOUGH AND THE MECHANIC STAYS OPEN FOR YOU TO DO? IS THERE STILL A. I THINK IT WAS A WELDING SHOP BEFORE THAT WAS DIRECTLY TO THE SOUTH OF THE WAREHOUSE.

THE LITTLE BLUE BUILDING? YES. THE BUILDING TO THE SOUTH OF THIS REQUEST IS DOUG MCLEAN'S SHOP.

SO IF HE ABANDON. WE DON'T HAVE FIRE THERE. THE WEST SIDE OF TRACT TWO.

OKAY. WOULD THAT NOT LANDLOCK? THAT. IT WOULDN'T LANDLOCK MR. MCLEAN'S PROPERTY. IF YOU CAN GO BACK TO THE SURVEY.

I'D BE OKAY WITH EVERYTHING EXCEPT FOR THE SOUTHERN HALF OF TRACT TWO.

FROM MARKET TO THE PROPERTY LINE. I'D BE OKAY WITH ABANDONMENT TO ALL THAT.

[00:45:01]

THAT WOULD GIVE US APPROXIMATELY 150 FOOT OF ACCESS INTO THE WELDING SHOP THAT'S THERE, AS WELL AS THE EAST SIDE OF THE CURRENT STRIP CENTER THAT FRONT'S. I´M GOING TO HAVE TO ASK YOU TO POINT TO THAT FOR ME. I KNOW THE MICROPHONE, BUT COULD YOU POINT TO THAT FOR ME OF TRACT TWO? THANK YOU. IT'S 122FT LONG. SO THANK YOU.

SPEAKERS]. YEAH, ABOUT HALFWAY ACROSS TRACT TWO TO WHERE YOU COULD STILL ACCESS THAT PRIVATE THAT.

SO THIS DOESN'T GO ALL THE WAY TO MARKET. THIS IS JUST TO HIS PROPERTY LINE? PROPERTY LINE. GOTCHA. SO YOU'RE SAYING IF YOU TOOK TRACT TWO AND BASICALLY CUT IT IN HALF? NO, I MEAN. WITH ACCESS TO THE REST OF THE PARKING LOTS.

WITH ACCESS TO MECHANICAL. I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT IF WE WERE TO ABANDON TRACT TWO.

IF THE PORT WAS TO DO THEIR ABANDONMENT PART, THEN I'D BE OKAY WITH THE PORT.

THE PORT IS LIKE THEY'RE NOT A TEAM PLAYER. SO IN MY VIEW, IT'S MY OWN PERSONAL OPINION.

I WAS VIEWING THIS SURVEY AS IT GOING ALL THE WAY TO MARKET.

GOTCHA. SO. RIGHT, RIGHT. I GET THAT BECAUSE NOT THIS. RIGHT, RIGHT. OR THIS. AND THIS. YEAH, I CAN LIVE WITH THAT.

OR EVEN IF THE OTHER PORTIONS, THE PORT´S PORTIONS ARE ALSO ABANDONED, AND WE ONLY HAVE ACCESS FROM THE INTERNAL TO THEIR PARKING LOTS, AS LONG AS WE HAVE THE ACCESS HERE.

AND THAT WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY 150FT, I BELIEVE, FROM MARKET TO THIS PROPERTY LINE, THEN I WOULD BE OKAY WITH THIS.

UNDERSTANDING NOW WHAT THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING.

BUT, I MEAN, I CAN'T SAY A CONTINGENCY ON IT, BUT I WOULD SAY THAT THE OTHER PART WOULD ALSO NEED TO BE ABANDONED AND ALL FENCED PROPERLY SO THAT THERE'S NO WAY FOR US TO DRIVE A FIRE TRUCK IN THERE AND END UP GETTING IT STUCK.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? ON THE SMALL MAP. THIS ONE ON THE BOTTOM? OKAY.

SO YOU SEE THE WHITE RECTANGULAR BUILDING THAT FRONTS MARKET STREET? YES. THAT'S A STRIP CENTER. DIRECTLY BEHIND THAT IS A WELDING SHOP.

RIGHT. AS LONG AS I HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE TWO BUILDINGS ALONG 31ST STREET, I'D BE OKAY WITH THE ABANDONMENT.

AS LONG AS THE PORT DOES THEIR PART PURPLE PARTS THAT STICK HALFWAY OUT INTO 31ST STREET AND HALFWAY INTO MECHANIC, AS LONG AS THOSE ARE ABANDONED CORRECTLY, AND THE FENCING IS ALL.

BUT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT MECHANIC STREET. IF BOTH ABANDONED PROPERLY AND IT'S FENCED CORRECTLY AND WE CAN'T DRIVE DOWN THERE BECAUSE IF I GIVE THEM AN AVENUE TO DRIVE DOWN THERE, OKAY. RIGHT. OR EVEN ACCEPT IT. AND HOW DO YOU.

THANK YOU, CHRIS. HOW DO YOU TO ALL OF THIS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT? WELL, THE PORT HAS NOT PARTICIPATED IN THIS APPLICATION, SO THE PORT COULD AND WE'VE RECOMMENDED TO THEM THAT THEY APPLY FOR THE HALVES.

THE OTHER HALVES OF THE RIGHT OF WAY, BUT WE CAN'T FORCE THEM TO MAKE THAT APPLICATION.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF CONTINGENCIES ON MAKING THIS WORK THE WAY IT'S PRESENTED.

IT WOULD BE BEST IF IT WAS HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME.

OKAY.

IF WE WERE TO GRANT THIS AS IS, WE WOULD END UP LEAVING A BUNCH OF HALVES OF STREETS AND HALF OF AN ALLEY OPEN TO JUST. I MEAN, IF I WANTED TO DRIVE MY CAR DOWN THERE, I COULD DRIVE DOWN A VERY, VERY NARROW STREET? YES. OKAY. YEAH, AND, I MEAN, THAT'S TOUGH. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

THE ONLY THING THAT I WOULD SAY HERE IS SOMETIMES YOU GOT TO PRIME THE PUMP.

AND TO ME, THAT WOULD PRIME THE PUMP. THE PORT MOVED VERY SLOWLY.

[00:50:05]

I'M NOT GOING TO SAY EVEN DELIBERATELY, BUT THEY MOVED SLOWLY WHEN THE CITY ATTORNEY AND I WERE DOING OUR WORK ON IT.

AND THIS WOULD PRIME THE PUMP, BECAUSE THEY'RE EITHER GOING TO HAVE TO PAY THE CITY A LOT OF PARKING TAXES THEY HAVEN'T PAID OR GET IT ABANDONED, SO THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A CHOICE. SO IF WE'RE THERE AND WE'VE BEEN ABANDONED, WE'VE GOT OURS.

THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE. THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY, COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME COME BACK UP. I'M SORRY.

I HAD ONE MORE QUESTION. SO MY UNDERSTANDING, I'M SORRY, STAFF.

SORRY. MY UNDERSTANDING IS MECHANIC´S NOT OPENING BACK UP ON EITHER SIDE OF HERE, RIGHT? I MEAN, WE'VE GOT THE FENCE TO THE NORTH, THAT'S THE ONE THAT'S IMPROPER, BUT THE ONES ON EAST AND WEST ARE.

MECHANIC´S CLOSED, RIGHT? MECHANIC IS THEORETICALLY OPEN TO THE WEST.

WE HAVE THE FENCING ISSUE THAT WE'RE ALL AWARE OF AND TRYING TO WORK WITH THE PORT TO RESOLVE.

BUT TO THE EAST. OKAY. THAT'S CLOSED AND USED FOR PARKING.

OKAY. OKAY, I'M SORRY. MY HEAD'S HURTING. ALL RIGHT, YEAH.

SO WE'RE GOING TO BRING THIS BACK TO. YES, SIR.

WELL, I GUESS THE POINT OF. OKAY, SO WE WISH, IF WE SO DECIDE TO TEND AN AMENDMENT TO THEIR TRACT TWO, WE COULD TEND AN AMENDMENT STIPULATING.

MODIFIED. MODIFY THE TRACT TWO AREA WE'RE WISHING TO AGREE TO HAVE ABANDON.

WE COULD DO THAT. YOU CAN MODIFY WHAT YOU'RE GRANTING.

ROGER. OKAY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT, SO WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND WE'RE GOING TO BRING THIS BACK TO COMMISSION FOR ACTION.

AND I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION FOR DISCUSSION. SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, AND SOME DISCUSSION.

SO THIS IS COMPLICATED. THANK YOU, MARK.

NO, NO. YEAH. SO. I LOOK AT THIS. HERE'S ONE THING I DO LIKE ABOUT THIS. I WOULD MUCH RATHER SEE BECAUSE WE'RE SEEING THIS PARKING STUFF BLOSSOM. NO QUESTION ABOUT IT. I WOULD MUCH RATHER SEE THIS TYPE OF STUFF GOING ON ON 31ST STREET RATHER THAN GOING ON ON 12TH STREET. SO. I DON'T KNOW HOW WE HELP THESE GUYS.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT SOME PORTION OF THIS WOULD BE PALATABLE TO THE FIRE MARSHAL .

AND KEEP IN MIND, WE'RE MAKING A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL .

SO I KNOW WE HAVE A MOTION TO DENY. AND THAT ALSO BEING SAID, YOU KNOW, THE FIRE MARSHAL 'S HAS HIS COMMENTS. WE HAVE, PUBLIC WORKS HAS THEIR COMMENTS AS WELL.

SO I'M GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT IS I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM EVERYBODY ELSE, BUT I'M JUST THROWING OUT THERE WHAT I SEE WITH THIS.

SO I'M GOING TO OPEN THIS UP FOR SOME DISCUSSION.

WELL, THE THING THAT I FIND THAT WOULD BE BECAUSE INITIALLY, WHEN THE MARSHAL SAYS HE'S GOT A PROBLEM, THAT PRETTY MUCH FLAGS ME AS LIKE, WELL, WE SHOULDN'T CAUSE A PROBLEM.

NOT FOR THOSE GUYS. BUT IF WE'RE LOOKING AT TRACT TWO BEING KIND OF SPLIT, AS IT WERE, SO THAT THERE'S ACCESSIBILITY FOR THEIR ENGINES ON THAT PORTION, THAT MAKES ME LEAN TOWARD LETTING THEM DO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.

IF THEY CAN SHOW IT. THE JUSTIFICATION FOR TRACT ONE WOULD BE AN ISSUE THERE, AND MAYBE THEY, MR. HILL, COULD GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE. HE THINKS HE HAS A PLAN THAT COULD MAKE THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE ACCESSIBLE.

BUT SPLITTING TRACT TWO, GIVE THEM THE NORTHERN PORTION OF TRACT TWO, EVEN IF THAT'S THE ONLY THING WE GIVE THEM AT THIS TIME WOULD AT LEAST START THE BALL ROLLING LIKE THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT, AND MAYBE WE CAN GET SOME TRACTION, AS IT WERE, FOR SOME ABANDONMENT REQUESTS FROM THE WHARVES, AND THEN WE COULD MAYBE LOOK AT TRACT ONE.

WHAT DO Y'ALL THINK? TOM HAS A COMMENT. SO I WENT OUT THERE.

I'VE BEEN OUT THERE A COUPLE TIMES BECAUSE THIS WAS A REALLY INTERESTING CASE TO ME. AND I DON'T PARTICULARLY LIKE ABANDONING RIGHT OF WAYS,

[00:55:06]

JUST AS A KIND OF A GENERAL RULE. BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT THESE AND IT'S KIND OF LIKE, OKAY, I GET IT. YOU KNOW, TO ME, TRACT THREE OVER THERE, THE ALLEYWAY IS THE ONE THAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE.

I DON'T KNOW WHO ELSE HAS BEEN OUT THERE, BUT UNLESS YOU GOT A MACHETE AND A FOUR WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE, YOU'RE NOT GETTING DOWN THAT ALLEY. I MEAN, IT'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S IT'S OVERGROWN, FULL OF BUSHES.

I MEAN, THERE'S NOTHING. AND SO TO ME, THAT'S THE ONE THAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE, YOU KNOW, WITH 31ST STREET THERE. YOU KNOW, THAT'S TOUGH.

THAT'S A FULL STREET. AND THEN YOU END UP WITH JUST THIS LITTLE KIND OF FRACTION OF A STREET, WHICH, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE THE PORT MIGHT WANT, BUT THEY HAVEN'T INDICATED THAT.

SO WE CAN'T REALLY ASSUME THAT. AND THEN LIKEWISE WITH MECHANIC STREET UP THERE.

YOU KNOW, I GUESS MY CONCERN WOULD BE THE CITY DOES THEIR PROCESS MOVES THAT FENCE, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT THIS WEIRD, YOU KNOW, PIECE OF A STREET THAT'S COMPLETELY LANDLOCKED BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE APPLICANT PRESUMABLY HAS THIS, YOU KNOW, MOST OF IT OR HALF OF IT NOW AND THEN A BIG PIECE AT 31ST.

SO. WELL, TOM, ALONG THOSE LINES, THAT POINT, IF YOU LOOKED, THAT'S TRACT THREE.

THAT'S 1200 AND 20FT². YEAH. IT'S NOT NOT ANYTHING TOO SUBSTANTIAL FOR HIM, SO.

BUT I THINK IT'S A FAMOUS GRAY HAIRED COUNCILMAN THAT SAID, WAYS BACK, A FAMOUS GRAY HAIRED COUNCIL WITH A LITTLE BEARD, SAID SOMETHING ABOUT WE DON'T TAKE ABANDONMENT OF STREETS LIGHTLY.

AND THAT RINGS IN MY. YOU THINK YOU SAY THINGS THAT I DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO, BUT I DO.

AND THAT THAT WAS ONE. IT'S LIKE WE DON'T TAKE ABANDONMENT OF STREETS LIGHTLY.

SO THAT GIVES ME PROBLEMS THERE. ONCE WE ABANDON THEM, YOU CAN'T GO GET THEM BACK.

NO. YOU'RE DONE. YEAH. MY THOUGHTS ON THIS ARE.

LOOK, WE'RE MAKING A RECOMMENDATION. REMEMBER, OUR VOTE IS NOT AN APPROVAL OR DENIAL.

THERE'S ANOTHER STEP FOR THESE GUYS. I ASK THAT I WAS TRYING TO FIND.

MAYBE THERE'S ANOTHER WAY THAT THESE GUYS COULD APPROACH THIS.

WHAT I REALLY LIKE IS, IS WE'VE OPENED UP A DIALOG BETWEEN THE THE LANDOWNER AND THE CITY MARSHAL, AND WHAT I THINK NEEDS TO HAPPEN IS THESE GUYS HAVE A LITTLE TIME TO GO WORK THEIR MAGIC WHEN THEY GO SEE THE FOLKS AT CITY COUNCIL THAT POSSIBLY THEY COME UP WITH SOMETHING. I UNDERSTAND MR. HILL'S POINT OF THERE'S GOT TO BE SOME CATALYST IN THIS.

IF NOTHING IS DONE, NOTHING WILL HAPPEN. SO, I'M GOING TO, I MEAN, I HAVE ONE VOTE. I DON'T LIKE SAYING HOW I'M VOTING, BUT YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE CITY MARSHAL SAYS, HEY, I GOT A PROBLEM. WE GOT PUBLIC WORKS, SAYS, HEY, I GOT A PROBLEM.

WE GOT A LANDOWNER SAYS, HEY, I GOT A PROBLEM.

MAYBE THESE GUYS CAN FIGURE IT OUT BY THE TIME THEY GET TO CITY COUNCIL AND LET THE CHIEFS MAKE THAT DECISION.

BUT THAT'S THE DIRECTION THAT I'M LEANING. NO, THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR, MARK.

BUT THIS ONE'S GOT SOME HAIR ON IT, SO. ALL RIGHT.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? YEAH. I'LL JUST MAKE A COMMENT.

YOU KNOW, I'M NOT. YEAH, I'M NOT NECESSARILY OPPOSED.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE WAY IT IS, IT'S GOT SOME HAIR ON IT, SO IT'S A TOUGH ONE FOR ME.

YEP. ALL RIGHT, THEN, IF THERE'S NO MORE DISCUSSION, LET'S TAKE THE VOTE.

SO THE MOTION IS TO DENY THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST.

AND OUR RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL WOULD BE TO, YOU KNOW, CONSIDER SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT THE FIRE MARSHAL HAS PRESENTED TO US TODAY WITH THEIR DECISION.

AND WOULD THAT BE A FAIR STATEMENT? OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

LET'S TAKE THE VOTE. THOSE IN FAVOR OF DENIAL.

YES, MA'AM. AND, CATHERINE, I KNOW THAT WHEN WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT DENIALS GOING UP TO CITY COUNCIL AND CITY COUNCIL WANTING TO KNOW WHAT PLANNING COMMISSION 'S THOUGHTS WERE, DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE ENOUGH TO EXPRESS TO CITY COUNCIL WHAT PLANNING COMMISSION 'S THOUGHTS WERE IN THE STAFF REPORT? YEAH? SURE, SO THE MOTION WAS TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL AS RECOMMENDED BY STAFF, SO WE HAVE THAT BACKGROUND.

AND THEN THIS ADDITIONAL COMMENT FROM COMMISSIONER WALLA ABOUT THE APPLICANT IN THE FIRE MARSHAL CONTINUING TO WORK TOWARDS A SOLUTION.

THE MOTION IS FOR DENIAL. FOR DENIAL? YES. OKAY.

YOU SAID DID I SAY APPROVAL? WELL, I DID NOT MEAN THAT.

NO. WE KNOW YOU DIDN'T MEAN IT, BUT. I DID NOT.

[01:00:01]

ALL RIGHT. SO LET'S TAKE THE VOTE. THOSE IN FAVOR OF DENIAL? ALL RIGHT. THOSE ARE. THOSE . OPPOSED. SO THE MOTION PASSES.

ALL RIGHT. GOOD LUCK, MARK, I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO GET THIS FIGURED OUT.

SORRY WE COULDN'T BE OF MORE HELP TO YOU.

YES, SIR. THANK YOU SIR. THANK YOU. MAY I BE EXCUSED? YES, SIR. ARE YOU ASKING THE JUDGE? YEAH. YES.

AND MAKE SURE YOU GET. MAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR PLATE AND YOUR DISHES AND PUT THEM IN THE SINK.

OKAY. MAY I BE EXCUSED? HAVE A GOOD DAY. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. MOVING ON. NEW BUSINESS 25P-020.

[8.A.3. 25P-020 (1211 21st Street) Request for designation as a Galveston Landmark. The property is legally described Abstract 128, M.B. Menard Survey, Lots 1 Through 14 & Adjacent Alley & Adjacent East One-Half of 22nd Street, Block 21, in the City and County of Galveston, Texas. Applicant: Mona Purgeson, Galveston Housing Authority Property Owner: Galveston Housing Authority]

ALRIGHTY. SO THIS IS 1211 21ST STREET. THE GULF BREEZE APARTMENTS.

THIS IS ACTUALLY A REQUEST FOR A DESIGNATION AS A GALVESTON LANDMARK.

THERE ARE 33 PUBLIC NOTICES SENT AND ONE OF THOSE RETURNED IN FAVOR.

SO ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS A LANDMARK DESIGNATION REQUEST FOR THE GULF BREEZE APARTMENTS.

IT'S A BIT OF AN UNUSUAL ONE BECAUSE THIS IS A MORE MODERNIST BUILDING, ALTHOUGH IT STILL QUALIFIES FOR LANDMARK STATUS.

AND WE TYPICALLY SEE, YOU KNOW, LOW RISE SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES.

NOT SOMETHING TO THIS EXTENT. BUT THIS WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1969 BY THE GALVESTON HOUSING AUTHORITY AS 11 STORIES, 200 UNIT PUBLIC HOUSING STRUCTURE. MARKS A PIVOTAL MOMENT IN THE CITY'S APPROACH TO PUBLIC HOUSING.

BELIEVED TO BE INSPIRED BY SAN ANTONIO'S VICTORIA PLAZA.

THE APARTMENTS WERE DESIGNED BY ARCHITECT RAYMOND RAPP JR.

HE WAS BORN IN 1920. BEFORE HIS FAMILY HERE MOVED TO GALVESTON.

HIS FATHER WAS ALSO AN ARCHITECT. HE JOINED HIS FATHER'S FIRM IN 1947.

AND THEN IN 1959, ON HIS FATHER'S DEATH, HE BECAME THE PRINCIPAL.

AND IN 1960, HE BECAME AN ARCHITECT HIMSELF. IN ADDITION TO DESIGNING THIS BUILDING IN HIS OWN HOME AT 1009 HARBOR VIEW, BY 1982, HE WAS INVOLVED IN OVER A THOUSAND PROJECTS ACROSS THE HOUSTON AREA.

HE PASSED AWAY IN 2004 AT THE AGE OF 84. SO QUITE A PROLIFIC ARCHITECT.

HE DESIGNED PRIMARILY IN POSTWAR MODERNIST STYLE, WHICH THE GULF BREEZE APARTMENTS DEFINITELY ARE.

A CONTEMPORARY RANCH IN BRUTALISM LATER IN HIS CAREER.

THE GULF BREEZE APARTMENTS TAKE DESIGN CUES NOT ONLY FROM POSTWAR MODERN STYLES, BUT ALSO FROM, ONCE AGAIN, THE VICTORIA PLAZA APARTMENTS IN SAN ANTONIO, AND THESE STRUCTURES MARKED A DEPARTURE FROM PREVIOUS LOW RISE HOUSING PROJECTS BY GOING MORE VERTICAL AND, IN THE CASE OF THE GULF BREEZE APARTMENTS, WAS DELIVERY ORIENTED AT A 90 DEGREE ANGLE SO THAT ALL APARTMENTS HAD ACCESS TO NATURAL LIGHT, VENTILATION AND VIEWS OF THE CITY. THE PROPERTY IS NOT LOCATED IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT AND IS ELIGIBLE FOR FINANCIAL INCENTIVES FOR HISTORIC PROPERTIES FOR NEW LANDMARKS. HOWEVER, THE GALVESTON HOUSING AUTHORITY IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, DOES NOT PAY PROPERTY TAXES, AND SO CANNOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT PROGRAM.

LANDMARK COMMISSION HEARD THE REQUEST AND RECOMMENDED APPROVAL AT THE JUNE 2ND, 2025 MEETING.

CORK CITY COUNCIL HAS THE FINAL DECISION REGARDING THIS REQUEST AND THE REQUEST WILL BE HEARD AT THEIR MEETING OF JUNE 26TH, 2025. AND OF COURSE, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL WITH STANDARD CONDITION ONE IN THE STAFF REPORT.

WE HAVE A FEW PHOTOS HERE. THIS IS A SUBJECT PROPERTY BASICALLY LOOKING SOUTH.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND THEN WE HAVE SOME PHOTOS OF THE SURROUNDING AREA TO THE NORTH.

TO THE EAST, TO THE SOUTH, TO THE WEST. AND THIS CONCLUDES STAFF'S REPORT.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU DANIEL. ANY QUESTIONS? DANIEL, I HAVE A QUESTION.

WE RECEIVED ONE OF THE COMMENTS THAT SAYS THIS PERSON WAS IN FAVOR, BUT THEY SAID NO RESTRICTIONS TO MY PROPERTY AS A RESIDENT.

DOES THIS PUT ANY RESTRICTIONS TO SURROUNDING PROPERTIES? IT DOES NOT. IT ONLY APPLIES TO THE. YEAH. I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT.

AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT A DESIGNATION MEANS. BUT IN THIS CASE, YEAH, IT'S ONLY PROPERTY. RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. ALL RIGHT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? YES. SO THE WAY IT'S CURRENTLY ZONED MULTIFAMILY.

ANY EXTERIOR ALTERATIONS ARE ALREADY COMING UNDER LANDMARK? SO GENERALLY SPEAKING.

SO A LANDMARK DESIGNATION IS BASICALLY A HISTORIC DISTRICT OF ITS OWN.

IT'S LIKE A LITTLE MINIATURE HISTORIC DISTRICT THAT APPLIES TO THAT PROPERTY. SO YEAH, THE DESIGN STANDARDS WOULD APPLY TO THE EXTERIOR ONLY.

INTERIOR CHANGES WE TYPICALLY DON'T REVIEW. AND OF COURSE, WE WOULD YOU KNOW, REVIEW AND MAKE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS TO LANDMARK COMMISSION BASED ON, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST IT BEING A HISTORIC DISTRICT BECAUSE THERE'S HISTORIC PROPERTY, BECAUSE THIS IS A MUCH DIFFERENT LOOKING THING THAN, SAY, A VICTORIAN MANSION. SO WE TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION, WE MAKE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.

BUT YEAH, IT WOULD, BASICALLY THERE WOULD BE SOME RESTRICTIONS ON THE EXTERIOR, WHAT COULD BE DONE.

[01:05:07]

BUT AS IT CURRENTLY IS WITHOUT A LANDMARK DESIGNATION, ARE THERE PROHIBITIONS THAT WOULD COME INTO PLAY? NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF. JUST THE BASE ZONING AND LAND USES THAT WOULD BE ALLOWED THERE.

I'M SORRY, SAY AGAIN? SO, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THE BASE ZONING WOULD APPLY, OTHERWISE THERE WOULD BE NO RESTRICTIONS.

SO THEY COULD MAKE EXTERIOR ALTERATIONS NOW WITHOUT HAVING TO GO TO LANDMARK? CORRECT. OKAY. I THINK THAT'S MY BIGGEST CONCERN WITH THIS.

IS THAT THE RESTRICTIONS THAT IT PUTS ON THE BUILDING.

IT'S AN OLD BUILDING, IT'S A BIG CONCRETE BLOCK.

SO, YEAH, I'VE GOT SOME OTHER QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL SAVE THEM.

SO THE LANDMARK DESIGNATION WOULD PROHIBIT OR RESTRICT EXTERIOR ALTERATIONS, AND THAT'S IT? IT WOULD RESTRICT INCOMPATIBLE ALTERATIONS TO THE STRUCTURE OR THE SITE, BUT THAT WOULD INCLUDE POTENTIALLY DEMOLITION.

TYPICALLY, DEMOLITION OF A LANDMARK STRUCTURE HAS A HIGHER DEGREE OF REVIEW THAN YOU KNOW, ELSEWHERE. OKAY. I SENT DANIEL SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE.

IT'S NOT A QUOTE UNQUOTE, HISTORIC STRUCTURE IN THE NORMAL SENSE OF THE WORD WHERE GIVEN ITS LOCATION.

AND I GUESS WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS WHEN WE MAKE A MOTION.

BUT THERE ARE OTHER CONCERNS I HAVE ABOUT ABOUT WHAT THAT ONE DESIGNATION WOULD RESTRICT ON THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY.

AND SO MY QUESTION FOR KATHERINE, HOW MANY OTHER PUBLIC PROPERTIES OR GHA PROPERTIES CURRENTLY HAVE A LANDMARK DESIGNATION? THERE ARE NO OTHER GHA PROPERTIES THAT ARE DESIGNATED.

THEY DON'T OWN ANY OTHER PROPERTIES THAT ARE ELIGIBLE.

SO, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THEIR PROPERTIES WERE DESTROYED AFTER HURRICANE IKE.

SO MOST OF WHAT THEY OWN IS NEW CONSTRUCTION.

THE ONLY OTHER PROPERTY THAT HAS SOME AGE TO IT IS HOLLAND HOUSE ON 61ST STREET.

I WOULDN'T SAY THAT THAT'S A PARTICULARLY ARCHITECTURAL.

SO THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHER PUBLICLY OWNED PROPERTIES THAT ARE DESIGNATED.

CITY HALL IS DESIGNATED. THEY'RE NOT HOUSING, RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.

WELL, THE DESIGNATION DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH WITH THE USE.

LIKE DANIEL WAS SAYING, THE USE IS GOVERNED BY YOUR BASE ZONE, SO THE DESIGNATION IS ONLY ABOUT EXTERIOR MODIFICATIONS AND PROTECTION FROM DEMOLITION.

OKAY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. YES, MA'AM. SO, CATHERINE, THE APPLICANT, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY THAT'S MADE THIS REQUEST FOR A LANDMARK DESIGNATION IS FULLY AWARE OF WHAT THE RESTRICTIONS WILL BE? YES, THEY DISCUSSED IT AT SEVERAL OF THEIR MEETINGS. BRAX EASTERWOOD, WHO IS ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS, IS HERE. THEY INVITED ME TO AT LEAST TWO MEETINGS WHERE THEY ASKED QUESTIONS.

AND THEN AT ANOTHER MEETING, THEY MADE A MOTION AND ADOPTED A RESOLUTION.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? ALL RIGHT, THEN WE WILL OPEN THIS UP FOR PUBLIC HEARING.

IS THE APPLICANT PRESENT? I'M BRAX EASTERWOOD, 123 25TH STREET. AND AS WAS SAID, I AM A GHA BOARD COMMISSIONER.

AND IT'S A GREAT BOARD TO BE ON, BUT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS A FEW TIMES IN THE PAST.

AND MOST RECENTLY, WE DECIDED TO PASS A RESOLUTION AND BRING IT FORWARD TO YOU ALL.

AND IT WAS A UNANIMOUS VOTE ON THAT RESOLUTION FOR THE BOARD.

AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY, A FEW GOOD REASONS TO PROTECT THE BUILDING.

ONE IS IT'S A GOOD BUILDING. I KNOW YOU SEE IT AS A BIG PIECE OF CONCRETE, BUT IT HAS ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE.

IT'S IN THE GALVESTON ARCHITECTURAL GUIDEBOOK.

SO IT'S NOT JUST GHA THAT'S PROUD OF IT, BUT OTHER FOLKS HAVE IDENTIFIED IT AS A SIGNIFICANT BUILDING AS WELL.

AND LIKE CATHERINE SAID, IT'S THE ONLY HISTORIC BUILDING THAT THE GALVESTON HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS.

SO WE'RE LOOKING TO CELEBRATE IT, OR AT LEAST PROTECT IT IN SOME WAYS BY GIVING ANOTHER BOARD SOME OVERSIGHT INTO WHAT COULD HAPPEN THERE.

AND SO THAT'S, THE PRIMARY REASON IS TO PROTECT IT.

THERE ARE OTHER REASONS THOUGH, TOO. IT'S A COMMUNITY THING.

BECAUSE IT'S THE ONLY OR ONE OF THE FEW HOUSING AUTHORITY PROPERTIES THAT SURVIVED HURRICANE IKE.

IT'S ALSO A SYMBOL OF RESILIENCE IN THAT WAY.

THESE PEOPLE WEREN'T DISPLACED THE WAY THAT THAT OTHER FOLKS ACROSS OUR PROPERTIES WERE.

[01:10:05]

AND SO I THINK THAT IT'S REALLY KIND OF A SYMBOL TO THAT.

IT'S ALSO A PLACE WHERE THE COMMUNITY HAS COME TOGETHER IN THE PAST.

SO THERE USED TO BE QUITE A FEW COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT WOULD HAPPEN THERE FROM AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

IT USED TO BE A POLLING STATION, SO PEOPLE WOULD VOTE THERE.

SO AND IT'S REALLY JUST KIND OF IT'S OBVIOUS.

SO PEOPLE HAVE COME TO IDENTIFY WITH IT AS PART OF THE CONTEXT OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, EVEN THOUGH IT'S LARGER IN SCALE.

SO, IT REALLY IS, KIND OF A COMMUNITY. I DON'T WANT TO SAY ICON, BUT A MEMORY OF SOME KIND.

BUT IT ALSO IS A GOOD BUILDING, LIKE I SAID. NOT JUST FOR ITS RESILIENCE, BUT FOR ALL THE THINGS THAT DANIEL HAS ALREADY SAID.

I DON'T NEED TO GO THROUGH ALL THE HISTORY OF THE BUILDING. 1960 MODERNIST BUILDING.

THE VERY LARGE BUILDING. I DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD BE THE LARGEST LANDMARK, MAYBE IN GALVESTON IF IT WERE TO BE APPROVED.

AND THEN JUST FINALLY, I GUESS TO REITERATE SOMETHING THAT BETTY MASSIE SAID YESTERDAY BEFORE A LANDMARK COMMISSION, AND THEY VOTED UNANIMOUS APPROVAL AS WELL. IT'S ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE.

SO IT'S ONE THING TO RESPECT THE BUILDING. BUT HER POINT WAS, I THINK REALLY WELL MADE.

ALSO RESPECT THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE LIVED THERE AND DO LIVE THERE.

SO TO SAY THAT, OH, THE PLACE THAT YOU LIVE IS SPECIAL, YOU KNOW, MEANS SOMETHING.

IT MEANS SOMETHING TO THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE. AND SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT GHA, BEING IN THE HOUSING BUSINESS NEEDS, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO PROMOTE OUR PEOPLE AS MUCH AS WE DO OUR PROPERTIES.

AND SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS AN INTERESTING POINT.

BUT HAPPY TO ADDRESS ANY OTHER QUESTIONS YOU HAVE, ANTHONY.

I THINK MY BIG CONCERN IS THE RESTRICTIONS THAT WOULD BE PLACED ON IT WITH THIS LANDMARK DESIGNATION REGARDING ANY KIND OF EXTERIOR ALTERATIONS THAT COULD BE MADE TO THIS BUILDING.

I KNOW IT'S BEEN RENOVATED A COUPLE OF TIMES SINCE 2008.

INTERIOR, YES. INTERIOR, AND THE EXTERIOR. YOU KNOW, IT'S.

I DON'T LOOK AT IT THE WAY YOU LOOK AT IT. YOU'RE AN ARCHITECT, AND YOU HAVE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT VIEW OF THE HISTORY OF THE BUILDING.

RAYMOND RAPP WAS HIS. I USED TO LIVE NEXT DOOR TO HIS HOUSE IN FISH VILLAGE, I'M FAMILIAR WITH THOSE STRUCTURES.

BUT I GUESS MY JUST BIG CONCERN IS THE RESTRICTIONS THAT IT WOULD PUT ON ON THE CITY.

IT'S THE CITY BOXING ITSELF IN WITH ANY TYPE OF ALTERATIONS THAT MIGHT NEED TO BE MADE IN THE FUTURE OF THIS BUILDING.

AND I'VE BEEN INSIDE THE APARTMENTS. I KNOW WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF DOWN THE ROAD, IF I WERE EVER COMPELLED TO SELL IT AND MOVE SENIORS TO A MORE MODERN FACILITY, THAT WAS EASIER TO ACCESS FOR PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF 80.

THAT KIND OF THING. AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF RESIDENTS THERE. I DON'T KNOW, I JUST NOT SOLD ON THE IDEA OF LANDMARK DESIGNATION FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY.

AND IT SEEMS LIKE A MINOR RESTRICTION OF THE EXTERIOR ALTERATIONS, BUT TO ME, IT'S A BIG DEAL.

IT'S LIKE IF THE CITY WERE AT A POINT WHERE IT HAD TO SELL THIS BUILDING, WOULD THE FUTURE OWNER BE RESTRICTED OR CONSTRAINED BY THIS LANDMARK DESIGNATION ON THIS PROPERTY? THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO BEFORE LANDMARK COMMISSION TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

BUT ONE OF THE NICE THINGS, JUST TO ARGUE THAT POINT, ONE OF THE NICE THINGS ABOUT THIS BUILDING, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, IS THAT IT HAS NOT BEEN SCREWED UP YET AFTER AFTER 55 YEARS, IT'S STILL TRUE TO ITSELF. AND SO I ACTUALLY THINK THAT'S A THAT'S A GOOD THING, RATHER THAN SAYING YOU CAN'T COME MUCK IT UP, YOU KNOW, NOW BUT IF YOU WANTED TO TEAR IT DOWN, AT LEAST YOU'D HAVE TO GO THROUGH LANDMARK TO DO THAT.

AND SEE, THAT'S A RESTRICTION I THINK WOULD BE UNFAIR ON THE FUTURE PROPERTY OWNER, GIVEN THE LIMITED SPACE THAT WE HAVE ON THIS ISLAND.

WHAT'S THE URGENCY NOW FOR GHA? IT'S JUST BEEN A TOPIC OF CONVERSATION REALLY, FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, REALLY.

THEY GET A COOL PLAQUE. THEY GET A COOL PLAQUE? AND YOU KNOW, IS IT. I DON'T KNOW, IT'S DIFFERENT.

GRANTED, WHERE IT IS IN THE COMMUNITY, IT'S PROBABLY NOT A GOOD FIT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS DONE MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.

[01:15:04]

BUT YOU KNOW, SO OFTEN AND TO ANTHONY'S POINT.

YOU KNOW, IT USUALLY HAPPENS, THESE BUILDINGS, AS THEY GET BULLDOZED DOWN AND THEY PUT THE LATEST AND GREATEST THING BACK IN THEIR PLACE.

AND I GUESS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS, IF GHA WERE TO COME BEFORE LANDMARK AND SAID, HEY, LOOK, THIS BUILDING HAS SERVED ITS PURPOSE. IT'S BEYOND ITS USEFUL LIFE.

WE NEED TO DEMOLISH IT AND PUT UP THE LATEST AND GREATEST THING, WHICH PROBABLY IT'S.

WHO KNOWS? I MEAN, IT'S NOT A 100 YEAR OLD VICTORIAN.

NO, NO, IT'S A HOME. SO THOSE THINGS HAPPEN. BUT IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE THERE IS AN AVENUE FOR GHA TO TAKE IN THE EVENT THAT HAPPENS.

CERTAINLY, GO AHEAD. DOES THAT ADD A LEVEL OF PROTECTION FOR THE RESIDENTS FROM THE BUILDING BEING SOLD OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THEM? THAT'S A GOOD IDEA. NO, IT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH.

BUT IT DOES PUT RESTRICTIONS ON SOMEONE WHO WOULD WANT TO BUY IT, WHICH MIGHT INFER A LEVEL OF PROTECTION FOR THE PEOPLE.

NOT THAT THAT'S A BAD THING, I'M THINKING THAT'S A GOOD THING. WELL, THERE'S NO CONNECTION BETWEEN LANDMARK DESIGNATION AND USE. OKAY. THERE ISN'T.

IT'S ONLY EXTERIOR MODIFICATIONS AND PROTECTION FROM DEMOLITION.

SO I JUST HAD A QUICK QUESTION, BRAX, IF YOU DON'T MIND. AND MAYBE YOU KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS. MAYBE YOU DON'T. MAYBE I NEED TO DO SOME RESEARCH, BUT I ASSUME THAT WAS BUILT WITH HUD FUNDING, AT LEAST IN PART? I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT, BUT I WOULD ASSUME IT WAS.

YEAH. BECAUSE IT WAS BUILT AS PUBLIC HOUSING.

RIGHT. AND I GUESS, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN JUST SELL SOMETHING THAT WAS BUILT WITH FEDERAL DOLLARS.

AT THIS POINT, I, WE PROBABLY COULD. I THINK PROBABLY TIMED OUT.

THINK I'M TALKING LOUD ENOUGH, I GO BACK TO LISTEN AND I CAN'T HEAR A WORD OF WHAT I'M SAYING.

YEAH, I DON'T. FEDERAL FUNDING HAS IS NOT AN ISSUE WITH, WITH THIS PROPERTY AND OR GHA.

AND I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU COULD EVEN SELL A PROPERTY LIKE THIS JUST ON THE MARKET, YOU KNOW.

AND HONESTLY, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO, SELLING THE PROPERTY IS NOT NECESSARILY, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE REQUEST. THAT'S REALLY, I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING A RESTRICTIVE IS, THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING. DESIGNATION ON THE PROPERTY OF HOW IT WOULD SELL IN THE FUTURE.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING, BUT. THANK YOU.

AND DESPITE WHAT COULD HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE, THERE'S NO PLAN TO SELL.

THE CURRENT BOARD IS NOT INTERESTED. WE HAVE TWO BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE RESIDENTS.

THAT'S COOL. ALL RIGHT. SO JUST, GO AHEAD. SO IF YOU WERE GOING TO DO SOME EXTERIOR ALTERATIONS TO THE BREEZEWAYS, WHAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD FIT INTO THE HISTORICAL NATURE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD? NO, NO. IT WOULD BE AN ELEMENT TO THAT PROPERTY, NOT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

I UNDERSTAND, BUT GIVEN WHERE IT'S LOCATED. I'M JUST SAYING, IF YOU WERE GOING TO CLOSE BREEZEWAYS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU'D HAVE TO GO TO LANDMARK AS OPPOSED TO JUST DOING IT.

YES. WITHOUT. YES. THIS DESIGNATION. YES. I GUESS THAT'S WHERE I'M COMING FROM.

BECAUSE I JUST THINK YOU'RE BOXING YOURSELF IN.

THE GHA IS BOXING ITSELF IN. IF YOU WANTED TO DO SOMETHING THAT WAS REQUIRED, A MORE MODERNIZATION OF THE BUILDING'S EXTERIOR WITHOUT HAVING TO GO TO ANOTHER GROUP OF CITIZEN VOLUNTEERS. THAT WAY, WE ENSURE THAT SOMETHING THAT'S DONE THAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE BUILDING, THOUGH, AND THAT'S THE POINT. PART OF THE POINT OF THE DESIGNATION IS TO HAVE SOME OVERSIGHT AND MAKE SURE SOMEONE LIKE ME DOESN'T COME IN AND PUT SOMETHING THAT'S TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE. I DON'T WANT FLASHING LIGHTS THAT LIGHT UP AT NIGHT AND ALL THAT FUN STUFF.

OKAY. THAT'S A FAIRLY SIMPLE, FAIRLY SIMPLE, BANAL BUILDING.

YOU KNOW, IT'S SORT OF ARCHITECTURE OF THE EVERYDAY.

AS ARE THE APARTMENTS. PRETTY FAIRLY SIMPLE. THEY DON'T, YOU GOT ONE WINDOW? STRAIGHTFORWARD. IT'S LIKE THAT'S WHY WHEN I LOOK AT LIKE PUBLIC HOUSING AND SENIOR HOUSING, I WOULD LIKE TO LIVE IN A PLACE THAT HAS AT LEAST 3 OR 4 WINDOWS WITH SOME MORE LIGHT.

I'VE GOT PLANS. I'VE GOT PLANS. WELL, NO. THAT'S FINE.

WITH SOME LIGHT AND SOME WINDOWS AND SOME MORE GREEN SPACE, ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.

BUT THIS IS 1964, SO I GET IT. YEAH. AND, KARINA, IF YOU WOULD FLIP TO THE NEXT PICTURE, I'LL JUST SHOW YOU WHY THAT DOESN'T REALLY HOLD UP,

[01:20:01]

BECAUSE THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE BREEZEWAYS. YEAH, AND THE RESIDENTS LOVE THAT ABOUT THIS PLACE.

YOU KNOW, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THAT VIEW, BUT SO ANYWAY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER. THANK YOU BRAX. NO PROBLEM.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? ALL RIGHT.

IS ANYBODY ELSE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND BRING THIS BACK TO COMMISSION FOR ACTION.

I MAKE A MOTION WE APPROVE 25P-020. I'LL SECOND THAT.

SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE. 25P-020 AS PRESENTED.

ANY DISCUSSION? COMMENT. I JUST, I LOVE THIS.

I THINK THAT THIS IS A WONDERFUL YOU KNOW, EXAMPLE OF THE DIVERSITY OF GALVESTON'S ARCHITECTURE.

AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS EXACTLY THE SORT OF THING WE OUGHT TO BE HONORING. YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE A LOT OF VICTORIAN ARCHITECTURE. WE HAVE SOME CRAFTSMAN. THAT'S ALL WONDERFUL. YOU KNOW, BUT I THINK THAT WE'VE GOT A LOT OF STUFF THAT KIND OF FLIES UNDER THE RADAR.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, I'VE ADMIRED THIS BUILDING FOR A LONG TIME, AND I APPRECIATE THAT Y'ALL ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS.

SO I THINK IT REALLY IS A LANDMARK. ALL RIGHT.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YES, SIR. WELL, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, SOME COMMENT WAS MADE CONSIDER THE PEOPLE THERE THAT, YOU KNOW, WERE SURVIVED HURRICANE IKE AND HAVE KEPT THEIR HOUSE, BASICALLY THEIR RESIDENTS.

AND I THINK IT WOULD BE A WONDERFUL THING FOR THEM TO HAVE TO SAY, YEAH, WE MADE IT THROUGH AND WE WERE RIGHT HERE.

AND THAT'S WHY THIS IS LIKE THIS. THAT'S THE, I THINK THAT'D BE SIGNIFICANT.

ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY ELSE? ALL RIGHT. WE'LL TAKE THE VOTE.

THOSE IN FAVOR? THAT'S UNANIMOUS. SO, 25P-020.

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND EFFORT, BRAX.

ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON. 25P-022. ALL RIGHT. THIS IS ADJACENT TO 2402 MARKET.

[8.B.4. 25P-022 (Adjacent to 2402 Market / Avenue D) Request for a License to Use to place an ADA ramp in the City of Galveston right-of-way. Adjacent property is legally described as M.B. Menard Survey, Lot 8, Block 564, in the City and County of Galveston, Texas. Applicant: Katherine S. Hughes Adjacent Property Owners: CNMC Property Holdings Easement Holder: City of Galveston]

IT'S A REQUEST FOR A LICENSE TO USE FOR AN ADA RAMP.

61 NOTICES WERE SENT, ZERO RETURNED. NO OBJECTION FROM CITY DEPARTMENTS OR FROM THE PRIVATE UTILITIES.

THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A PERMANENT LICENSE TO USE THE CITY RIGHT OF WAY IN ORDER TO PLACE AN ADA ACCESSIBLE RAMP IN THE 24TH STREET SIDEWALK RIGHT OF WAY ADJACENT TO THE SUBJECT ADDRESS. THE BUILDING HOUSE IS A COMMERCIAL SPACE.

THE APPLICANT IS SEEKING TO GAIN CONFORMANCE WITH ADA ACCESSIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.

THE PROPOSED RAMP WILL EXTEND FIVE FEET INTO THE RIGHT OF WAY, AND RUN APPROXIMATELY 18 LINEAR FEET ALONG THE NORTH SIDE OF THE BUILDING.

THE BUILDING IS A TYPICAL DOWNTOWN COMMERCIAL STRUCTURE THAT IS CONSTRUCTED AT THE PROPERTY LINE. THE APPLICANT SUBMITTAL INCLUDED THE DESIGN DETAILS AND SPECIFICATIONS.

STAFF IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL WITH SPECIFIC CONDITIONS ONE THROUGH FOUR AND STANDARD CONDITIONS FIVE THROUGH TEN, AND WE HAVE SOME PHOTOGRAPHS. THIS IS THE SUBJECT PROPERTY.

THIS IS AN AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH WHERE YOU CAN SEE THAT THE PROPERTY LINES AND THE AERIAL ARE SKEWED A LITTLE BIT OFF OF EACH OTHER.

SO IN YOUR MIND, SHIFT THOSE BLUE LINES OVER AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THE BUILDING TAKES UP THE ENTIRETY OF THE LOT.

THERE IS NO OTHER OPTION FOR THIS ADA RAMP. NEXT SLIDE.

IT DOESN'T SHOW UP VERY WELL ON THE SCREEN, BUT SHOWS THE PLACEMENT. THERE'S STILL SUFFICIENT PEDESTRIAN ACCESS TO BE HAD BETWEEN THE ADA RAMP AND THE CURB.

NEXT SLIDE. THIS IS A PICTURE OF THE SIDEWALK AREA LOOKING NORTH.