Russellville Historic District Commission

RUSSELLVILLE HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION MINUTES Council Chamber City Hall – Monday, August 8, 2022 6:00PM Commissioners Present: Betsy McGuire, Chair Leo Cantu, Vice-Chair Judy Galloway, Secretary Suzanne Alford Polly Hardin Steve Newby Beverly Hooten Commissioners Absent: Greg Barborek, Nathan George City Council Liaison Absent: Rick Harrell Staff Present: Victoria Marchant - Historic Preservation Officer and Planner 1 Advisors Present: Sara Jondahl - City Planner, Danielle Housenick - MSR Director Liaisons Absent: Trey Smith - City Attorney, T. Kirt Sloan - Fire Chief, Richard Setian - Deputy Building Official Call to Order, Roll Call & Welcome The April 28, 2022 meeting was called to order at 6:00pm, the role was called and a quorum was established. Approval of Minutes: Ms. McGuire asked if everyone had read the minutes of the May 24, 2022 meeting. Ms. Alford made the motion to accept the minutes as written and Mr. Newby made the second. The minutes were approved by a voice vote. Agenda: First item on the agenda was review if a COA application for 321 West "B" Street (The Delux Hotel) for frosted vinyl centered with a Lighthouse Realty logo and installed across a portion of the existing windows to allow for some client privacy by T.J. Posey. The sign has already been installed, along with door lettering and a hanging sign over the door without COA approval and without a sign permit. The business was having an open house and was in a rush to have everything completed. The office of Planning and Development was aware of the deficiencies. HPO Marchant recommended approval of the application after finding that the applicant had met all of the applicable guidelines in Section 10.27 of the Russellville Downtown Historic District Guidelines regarding signage. The proposed signage is (A) sized in proportion to the building, (B) appropriately styled, (C) colored in harmony with the façade of the building, meets the intent of the guidelines and is not covering the majority of the windows, (D) will not cover any ornamental detail or interfere with pedestrian traffic, (E) is not illuminated, (F) is not scrolling or flashing and (G) is located appropriately and attached to the inside of the windows. A sign permit has been applied for but not yet approved. Mr. Newby made the motion to approve based on the HPO's recommendation and Mr. Cantu made the second. Ms. Galloway pointed out that she thought a COA needed to be completed regarding the hanging sign and the sign on the front door so that the record would be complete and did not think it would be necessary for the applicant to return to the commission. Ms. Jondahl concurred that would be possible. A vote was taken and the motion passed with a voice vote. RUSSELLVILLE HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION Meeting August 8, 2022 Page 2 The second item was for review of a COA application for approval for 111 S. Boulder Avenue for a logo for Honeymoon Esthetics painted on the façade of the building by Katie Singleur. HPO Marchant reported that the sign met all of the applicable guidelines under Section 10.27 Signage of the design guidelines, A thru G, and per 10.27 (D)2 Painted signs or murals may be appropriate, and recommended the application be approved with the condition that the applicant obtains a sign permit from the City of Russellville. Mr. Newby made the motion to approve with the condition and Ms. Hardin made the second. The motion passed by a voice vote. The next agenda item was discussion and vote on the letter to stakeholders. There was one addition to the first line regarding information "to owners or renters who are stakeholders" by Ms. Hooten. She made the motion to approve with the correction and Mr. Cantu made the second. The letter was approved by a voice vote. The next item was discussion and vote on the revised brochure completed today by Mr. Newby and Ms. McGuire. A copy was provided to each commission member for corrections. Commissioners read the brochure and one word was added and one typo corrected. Ms. Alford moved that the brochure be approved with corrections and Mr. Newby made the second. The motion passed with a voice vote. Item five is a staff request to allow signage, recovering of awnings and graffiti abatement on painted stucco structures to become staff approval items with staff providing a consent agenda to the commission at the next meeting after approval. Mr. Newby asked why staff approval would be necessary. The commission is trying to ease the work required in order to get these items approved without the applicant having to follow the required steps and come before the commission. Mr. George had asked about this possibility at the last HDC meeting. Ms. Alford made the motion to approve the request and Mr. Newby made the second. The motion passed with a voice vote. The last agenda item was review of updated ordinance No. 2021. Ms. Galloway asked that the word "certified" be added to Section 6 C (ii) regarding mail to adjacent property owners. No other additions or corrections were mentioned by commissioners. Mr. Newby said he had not had time to read the ordinance and wanted to postpone until the next meeting a vote on the matter. He made the motion to vote at the next meeting. Mr. Cantu made the second and the motion passed with one dissenting vote by Ms. Galloway who said that Mr. Newby had had a week to read the update and made a motion to reconsider the motion with the correction and vote at this meeting. Ms. Hooten made the second. Motion passed by a voice vote with Mr. Newby dissenting. Unfinished Business: Ms. Alford gave an update on Phase I of the Latimore Tourist Home. She said that they hoped to have the work done and steps to be taken to move the house and complete the moving by September 2022 or at least by the end of the year. Mr. Newby asked for more information. Ms. McGuire explained that initially the house would be moved to James School Park since New Prospect Missionary Baptist Church needed the property to expand their ministry. It turned out that the park was a land grant park and it would require a land swap in order to site the house there. The Bridge Church contacted FOTLTH and indicated that they had a lot across S. Houston that they would be willing to donate to the project. The adjacent two lots to the north of this lot on the same side of the street became available and FOTLTH decided to purchase them for expansion. Ms. McGuire expanded on all of the possibilities for the house once it is moved and restored. For now FOTLTH is concentrating on completion of Phase I. Ms. Alford also reported on the meeting held at 8am on July 9th at her house in the Old Town Neighborhood. About 25 people in the area that was surveyed for a historic district were in attendance. Sarah Jondahl and Victoria Marchant from Planning and Development and Betsy McGuire from the Russellville Historic District Commission were there to answer questions. The difference in a National Register Historic District and a Local Ordinance Historic District was explained as well as the advantages to the property owners. More meetings are planned for a future date. RUSSELLVILLE HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION Meeting August 8, 2022 Page 3 New Business: None Adjournment: Ms. Hooten made the motion to adjourn at 7PM and Mr. Newby made the second. The motion was approved by a voice vote. Betsy McGuire - Chair Date