Historic Preservation Commission Meeting

Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes A regular meeting of the City of Dripping Springs Historic Preservation Commission was held Monday, April 6, 2015, beginning at 5:30 PM in the City Hall, 511 Mercer Street, Dripping Springs, Texas. I. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL COMMISSION: Ted Lehr - Chair Kristi Graham John Holdridge John McIntosh - Vice Chair Charlie Haydon Karl Seelbach Kathryn Chandler STAFF: Michelle Fischer, City Administrator Jon Thompson, Planning Director Kerri Craig, City Secretary Keenan Smith, Exterior Design, Architectural & Land Planning Consultant Commission Chair Ted Lehr calls the meeting to order at 5:38pm. All present except Commissioner John McIntosh, Commissioner Kristi Graham, and Commissioner Karl Seelbach. Also present is Eugene Foster, Roark-Foster Consulting. II. PRESENTATION BY CITIZENS Floor open to discussion on any subject. No action may be taken by law. Citizens wishing to speak shall do so after being recognized by the Chair. The Chair may establish a time limit on each citizen wishing to speak. – Dennis Dement – The First Thursday event was a tremendous success and I would like to thank the City staff and others who were involved in organizing that event. III. CONSENT ITEMS Discussion and possible action regarding: A. Approval of Regular Meeting Minutes, March 2, 2015 – Commission Chair Ted Lehr motions to approve the minutes. Commissioner John Holdridge seconds. VOTE: 2-0 in favor, Commissioner Charlie Haydon and Commissioner Kathryn Chandler abstain due to their absence at the March 2, 2015 meeting, motion passes. IV. BUSINESS Discussion and possible action regarding: A. Viewing of the Film A Founding Family: The Pounds, Ashley Bruno – Due to technical difficulties, this item was tabled and will be shown at the next Historic Preservation Commission meeting on May 4, 2015. B. Application for a Certificate of Appropriateness for Signage at 300 Mercer Street, Denbow Company, Inc., Jacob Dotson, Executive Sign Austin, LLC 1. Presentation - None 2. Staff Report – City Administrator Michelle Fischer, report on file. Staff recommends approval. 3. Public Hearing – No one speaks. 4. Certificate of Appropriateness - - Commissioner John Holdridge motions to approve the Certificate of Appropriateness for Signage. Commissioner Kathryn Chandler seconds. 1  VOTE: 4-0 in favor, motion passes. C. Application for a Certificate of Appropriateness for New Construction at 455 Hays Street, Jim Polkinghorn 1. Presentation – Applicant is available for questions. 2. Staff Report – Keenan Smith, Exterior Design, Architectural & Land Planning Consultant, report on file. City Administrator Michelle Fischer, report on file. Staff recommends approval. 3. Public Hearing – No one speaks. 4. Certificate of Appropriateness – Commissioner Charlie Haydon motions to approve the Certificate of Appropriateness for New Construction. Commissioner John Holdridge seconds. VOTE: 4-0 in favor, motion passes. D. Application for a Certificate of Appropriateness for a Demolition Permit for a House at 275 Old Fitzhugh Road, Dennis D. Dement, Applicant and Burt Dement, Agent 1. Presentation – Dennis D. Dement, Applicant. 2. Staff Report – Eugene Foster, Roark-Foster Consulting, report on file. City Administrator Michelle Fischer, report on file. Staff recommends approval of the application with the condition that the City be allowed to enter the property for the purposes of: 1) assessing whether unknown buildings or landscape features of historical significance to the Old Fitzhugh Road Historic District are present; and 2) gathering photographic documentation and field notes of those buildings and landscape features that are discovered. If buildings or features of historical importance are discovered, the City and the Applicant should consult further in an effort to avoid destruction and loss of those historic components of the property. 3. Public Hearing – No one speaks. 4. Certificate of Appropriateness - Commissioner Charlie Haydon motions to approve the Certificate of Appropriateness for a Demolition Permit for a House per staff’s recommendation. Commissioner Kathryn Chandler seconds. VOTE: 4-0 in favor, motion passes. E. Application for a Certificate of Appropriateness for a Demolition Permit for a Mobile Home at 310 Old Fitzhugh Road, Tasha Nikora and Alysia Ferrer, Applicants 1. Presentation – Tasha Nikora, Applicant. 2. Staff Report – City Administrator Michelle Fischer, report on file. Staff recommends approval of the application with the condition that no trees be removed until City Staff has inspected them and concurred that they are dead or diseased. 3. Public Hearing – No one speaks. 4. Certificate of Appropriateness - Commissioner John Holdridge motions to approve the Certificate of Appropriateness for a Demolition Permit per staff’s recommendation. Commissioner Kathryn Chandler seconds. VOTE: 4-0 in favor, motion passes. F. Application for a Certificate of Appropriateness for a Demolition Permit for a House at 310 Old Fitzhugh Road, Tasha Nikora and Alysia Ferrer, Applicants 1. Presentation – Tasha Nikora, Applicant. 2. Staff Report - Eugene Foster, Roark-Foster Consulting, report on file. Keenan Smith, Exterior Design, Architectural & Land Planning Consultant, report on file. City Administrator Michelle Fischer, report on file. Staff has decided that a determination of 2  the merits of demolition versus rehabilitation can’t be made without a professional and thorough assessment. Staff recommends: 1) the Commission postpone taking action on the application in order for the City to make an adequate assessment of the conditions (interior, foundation, structural) of the structure; 2) that the applicant stabilize further deterioration of the structure; and 3) that the applicant be encouraged to pursue at least a "Partial Adaptive Re-Use” strategy for the property. The application or a revised application can be considered at the next commission meeting. City Staff and our consultants will then be able to make a better informed recommendation. 3. Public Hearing – No one speaks. 4. Certificate of Appropriateness - Commissioner Charlie Haydon motions to table the item per staff’s recommendation. Commissioner Kathryn Chandler makes a friendly amendment to the motion to table the item per staff’s recommendation and to invite the applicant to participate in the assessment, which Commissioner Haydon accepts. Commissioner Chandler seconds. VOTE: 4-0 in favor, motion passes. G. Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Schedule – Commission Chair Ted Lehr motions to approve the revised 2015 meeting schedule so that the meetings on September 14th, October 5th, November 2nd, and December 7, 2015 will begin at 7:00pm instead of 5:30pm. Commissioner Charlie Haydon seconds. VOTE: 4-0 in favor, motion passes. H. Mercer Street Community Giving Tree Wall Construction Contracts, Budget, and Landscape Plan – Commissioner Kathryn Chandler and City Administrator Michelle Fischer report on the status of the Mercer Street Community Giving Tree Wall. I. Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Request Regarding Historic Preservation Projects – Commissioner Kathryn Chandler motions to request $27,000 for the Mercer Street Community Giving Tree Wall from City Council at their next meeting on April 14, 2015. Commissioner Charlie Haydon seconds. VOTE: 4-0 in favor, motion passes. V. ANNOUNCEMENTS A. Regular City Council Meeting, April 14, 2015 at 7:00pm B. Regular Historic Preservation Commission Meeting, May 4, 2015 at 6:30pm VI. ADJOURN - Commissioner John Holdridge motions to adjourn the meeting. Commissioner Kathryn Chandler seconds. VOTE: 4-0 in favor, motion passes. Meeting adjourns at 7:22pm. 3