[00:00:05]
[9:00 AM – Call to Order]
EVERYONE.I'M CALLING THE MEETING TO ORDER FOR.
GO AHEAD AND DO ROLL CALL DAVIS PRESENT, FLORES GARCIA ARD SPILLER PRESENT, SETZER PRESENT, FULLERTON P*****K.
HERE, VASQUEZ PRESENT AND SEPULVEDA PRESENT.
WE HAVE A QUORUM TRANSLATION SERVICES.
THE COMPLIANCE AND TECHNICAL ADVISORY BOARD IS AN ADVISORY BOARD APPOINTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
I AM JUANITA SEPULVEDA CHAIRWOMAN AND THE VICE CHAIR IS JASON VASQUEZ.
IT IS THE FUNCTION OF THE BOARD TO ADVISE THE CITY MANAGER IN ALL RELEVANT CITY DEPARTMENTS CONCERNING CERTAIN APPLICATIONS FOR PERMITS FOR PROPERTIES IN HISTORIC DISTRICTS AND LANDMARKS.
IN CONSIDERING WHETHER TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL OF AN APPLICATION FOR CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS, THE BOARD SHALL BE GUIDED BY THE CITY'S UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE AND DESIGN GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS THAT HAVE BEEN ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
AN APPEAL OF A DECISION BY AN ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICIAL CAN BE FILED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CITY'S UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE.
IF ANYONE PRESENT WISHES TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OR IN OPPOSITION IN ANY ITEM ON TODAY'S AGENDA, PLEASE SIGN UP ON THE PUBLIC COMMENT SHEET.
IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO SIGN UP.
IF YOU ARE THE OWNER OR REPRESENTATIVE FOR A PROJECT ON THE AGENDA, YOU'LL BE CALLED ON AS THE CASE IS CALLED.
CASE REPRESENTATIVES WILL BE GIVEN NO MORE THAN 15 MINUTES TO PRESENT THEIR CASE WITH AN ADDITIONAL TWO MINUTES TO RESPOND TO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
SPEAKERS FOR AN OPPOSED TO A CASE WILL BE LIMITED TO TWO MINUTES.
EACH SPEAKERS CAN ALSO SIGN UP TO YIELD THEIR TWO MINUTES TO ANOTHER SPEAKER WHO HAS SIGNED UP.
ANYONE WHO IS YIELDING THEIR TIME MUST BE PRESENT AT THE TIME THE SPEAKER IS CALLED UPON.
SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED UPON IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY ARE SIGNED UP FOLLOWING PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
ANY COMMISSIONER MAY CALL UPON ANY SPEAKER TO RESPOND TO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
APPROVAL BY THE BOARD DOES NOT TAKE THE PLACE OF ANY TYPE OF PERMIT.
PERMITS MUST BE OBTAINED FOR ALL WORK.
CERTIFICATES OF APPROPRIATENESS FOR WORK APPROVED BY THE BOARD WILL BE EMAILED TO YOU WITHIN 10 DAYS.
NO WORK OF ANY TYPE IS TO BE STARTED WITHOUT OBTAINING THE, UH, THE APPROPRIATE CITY PERMITS AFTER CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS HAS BEEN ISSUED BY THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
AT THIS TIME, PLEASE SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONES AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
UH, MADAM CHAIR, WE NEED ACTION ON MEETING MINUTES FROM JULY 18TH.
MADAM CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MEETING MINUTES FROM JULY 18TH, 2025.
THERE'S A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES I DISTRIBUTED FROM JULY 18TH, 2025.
[CONSENT AGENDA Items are placed on the consent agenda when staff recommends approval or recommends approval with stipulations that the applicant agrees to. Any member of the public desiring to speak on a consent agenda item may sign up and be heard prior to voting on the consent agenda. Commissioners may request to remove any item from the consent agenda and have it placed on the individual consideration agenda. All items on the consent agenda will be considered for approval by one motion adopting the items with staff findings and recommendations.]
YOU.UM, AT THIS POINT WE COULD TAKE A LOOK AT OUR AGENDA ON THE SCREEN, UM, LIGHT AGENDA TODAY.
UM, WE ACTUALLY WILL JUST HAVE ONE ITEM ON TODAY'S CONSENT AGENDA.
ITEM TWO WILL BE HEARD INDIVIDUALLY, UM, AT THE REQUEST OF THE APPLICANT.
UM, WE HAVE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ITEM ONE.
AND SO AT THIS TIME WE CAN CONSIDER THE CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH IS JUST ITEM ONE.
MADAM CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, UH, CONSENT AGENDA ITEM ONE.
CURRENTLY THERE'S A MOTION TO, FOR A CONSENT TO AGENDA ON ITEM ONE.
WE'LL TAKE ROLL CALL VOTE PLEASE.
1 33 WEST CRAIG, YOUR CASE, EXCUSE ME FOR THE RECORD, CAN WE TAKE, UM, MAKE NOTE FOR OUR MS. GARCIA ATTENDANCE PLEASE? YES, GO AHEAD.
1 33 WEST CRAIG, YOUR CASE HAS BEEN APPROVED AND YOU DO NOT NEED TO STAY FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS HEARING.
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PLEASE CONTACT YOUR CASE MANAGER.YOUR CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS WILL BE PREPARED AND EMAILED TO YOU WITHIN 10 DAYS.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM TWO, CT A CASE.
UM, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO C TTAB CASE NUMBER 2025 DASH 1 97 12 13 EAST CROCKETT STREET.
THE APPLICANT'S REQUESTING A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FOR APPROVAL TO REPLACE THE EXISTING COMPOSITION SHINGLE ROOF WITH A STAINING SEAM METAL ROOF.
UM, AND THIS SAYS CITYSCAPE GRAY.
THE APPLICANT HAS NOW AMENDED THEIR REQUEST TO REQUEST CHARCOAL GRAY.
UM, STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE INSTALLATION OF THE CITYSCAPE COLOR BASED ON FINDINGS A AND B WITH THE FOLLOWING STIPULATION THAT THE APPLICANT INSTALL A STAINING SEA METAL ROOF FEATURING, UM, A METAL ROOF THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE HISTORIC DESIGN GUIDELINES IS LISTED THERE.
UM, THE APPLICANT, TATIANA IS HERE VIRTUALLY.
UM, TATIANA, IF YOU CAN INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND, UM, WALK THE COMMISSIONERS THROUGH YOUR REQUEST.
THERE IS ONE LETTER, UH, COMMISSIONERS IN YOUR FILE.
UH, I'M TATIANA WITH SUSTAINABLE ROOFING AND SOLAR.
UM, SO I DID SEND THESE PHOTOS, UM, TO THE CASE MANAGER AND I WENT ACTUALLY TO THE STREET OVER AND THE CUSTOMER REALLY RE REALLY IS PLANNING TO STAY, UH, WITH HAVING WHITE SIDING FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
I TOLD HER, YOU KNOW, DO YOU PLAN ON CHANGING YOUR COLOR, UM, ANYTIME SOON? SHE SAID, NO.
UH, SHE REALLY, REALLY WANTS A CHARCOAL GRAY, UH, WHICH IS A LITTLE DARKER.
UM, SHE REALLY DOES NOT WANT GAL BLOOM.
UH, I SHOWED HER A PICTURE OF THE ZINC GRAY, THE MIDDLE ONE THAT'S BEING PRESENTED RIGHT THERE.
AND I WENT OUT AND HELD OUT THE SAMPLES.
WE, UH, LOOKED AT IT AND WE THINK THAT THE CHARCOAL GRAY WOULD BE A GOOD CONTRAST.
UM, YOU KNOW, GOING WITH THE WHITE SIDING, YOU KIND OF WANT THOSE ACCENTS, BUT I DO KNOW, YOU KNOW, YOU WANNA TRY AND KEEP PRESERVE EVERYTHING AS AS, UM, UH, AS IS.
YOU KNOW, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT SHE'S HAPPY, UH, WITH WHAT SHE GETS.
'CAUSE IT'S GONNA BE ON HER ROOF FOR A LONG TIME.
SO, UH, ANOTHER THING IS SOME OF THE HOUSES AROUND THE AREA, AND I DID PRESENT THAT TO THAT HOUSE, ACTUALLY, THE ONE WITH THE SOLAR PANELS AS WELL.
THAT ONE IS RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO HER.
UM, IF YOU GO LIKE IN HER BACKYARD, THAT, THAT HOUSE IS TO THE LEFT, AND THAT'S LIKE, I WANNA SAY THAT'S KIND OF A BRONZE COLOR FROM WHAT I'M FAMILIAR WITH.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE SHE'S HAPPY.
UM, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO FOLLOW YOUR STIPULATION.
SO WHATEVER YOU SAY, WE CAN, YOU KNOW, UM, ALL THE GUIDELINES I'LL HAVE, IT'S JUST THE COLOR.
UM, MADAM CHAIR, CAN I OFFER A LITTLE BIT OF CLARIFICATION ABOUT THE ISSUE? YES, PLEASE.
UM, SO OUR, OUR GUIDELINES FOR ROOFING MATERIALS, UM, SO THIS IS AN APPROPRIATE REPLACEMENT TO CONVERT TO METAL.
UM, BUT THERE ARE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COLOR OF THAT METAL ROOF.
UM, MANUFACTURERS MAKE THE MATERIALS IN A NUMBER OF COLORS.
UM, SO WHAT IS RECOMMENDED NORMALLY IS THE STANDARD GLOOM FINISH, WHICH IS JUST LIKE A METALLIC, UH, KIND OF NATURAL FINISH.
UM, BUT OVER THE YEARS THE COMMISSION HAS APPROVED KIND OF VARIATIONS OF THAT, UM, LIGHTER COLORS IN GENERAL THAT CAN MIMIC THE APPEARANCE OF JUST LIKE A NATURAL KIND OF LIGHT COLORED METAL.
UM, AND SO IN REVIEWING THIS, THAT'S WHY WE FOUND THE, THE CITYSCAPE COLOR TO COMPLY WITH THE GUIDELINES.
UM, AND SO WE ARE NOT RECOMMENDING, UM, THE DARKER CHARCOAL GRAY JUST BECAUSE MANUFACTURER COLORS ARE NORMALLY NOT RECOMMENDED BY THE GUIDELINES.
UM, HOWEVER YOU'RE FREE TO CONSIDER THAT, UM, AS AN OPTION PRESENTED TODAY.
COREY, THIS WAS, THIS WAS ALSO A, UM, THEY WOULD, BRIAN, YOU'RE THE CASE MANAGER.
THIS WAS, UM, TAKEN BACK TO THE HISTORIC SOCIETY, IS THAT CORRECT? A REVIEW OR THE NEIGHBORHOODS ASSOCIATION, UM, AND WHAT WAS APPROVED? SO, UH, IT, IT WASN'T LIKE AN APPROVAL PROCESS.
SO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION DID PROVIDE A LETTER THAT'S IN YOUR PACKETS.
THEY ARE RECOMMENDING APPROVAL WITH, UM, STAFF STIPULATIONS AND WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE COLOR WOULD BE CITYSCAPE.
[00:10:01]
WE'VE REACHED OUT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND ASKED FOR FEEDBACK REGARDING THE UPDATED REQUEST FOR CHARCOAL GRAY, AND THEY'VE INDICATED THAT, UH, THEIR REQUEST STANDS OR THEIR RECOMMENDATION FOR APPROVAL STANDS WITH CITYSCAPE COLOR.AND YOU HAVE THAT LETTER IN YOUR PACKETS FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
I AM SORRY, WERE THEY ASK, WERE Y'ALL ASKING ME OR, OR NO, MA'AM.
UH, I WAS ASKING THE STAFF BECAUSE, OH, WHAT WAS, WHAT WAS SUBMITTED PER YOUR CLIENT, IF, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING IS CITYSCAPE WAS SUBMITTED AND IT WAS ALSO SHARED WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND IN COMPLIANCE AND NOW YOU'RE COMING BACK AND RE AND REQUESTING IT A DIFFERENT COLOR.
IS THAT CORRECT? UM, WELL, SHE INITIALLY WANTED, I'M SORRY, WHICH IS WHAT I, MA'AM HAD WHAT WAS SUBMITTED WITH THE APPLICATION.
THE APPLICATION INITIALLY WAS FOR CHARCOAL GRAY, BUT THEN SHE ENDED UP, UH, WANTING, UH, A ACTUALLY IT SAID IT WAS TOO DARK THAT IF WE WANTED TO, TO TRY FOR THE CHARCOAL GRAY, WE WOULD HAVE TO WAIT TILL THIS DATE FOR THE HEARING.
SO, UM, WE WERE JUST LOOKING AT DIFFERENT OPTIONS WITHIN THAT GRAY.
UH, AND SHE WAS OPEN TO CITYSCAPE AND ZINC GRAY, BUT SHE REALLY WANTED THE CHARCOAL GRAY.
'CAUSE WHEN YOU TAKE IT UP IN PERSON, IT'S, IT DOESN'T LOOK AS DARK AS IT LOOKS ON THE LINK.
BUT, UM, YEAH, SHE ENDED UP WANTING TO STICK WITH CHARCOAL GRAY.
SO THAT'S WHEN I REACHED OUT AND ASKED IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO, THAT WAS THE INITIAL THANK YOU APPLICATION WAS FOR THE CHARCOAL GRAY.
BRIAN, WHEN THEY SUBMITTED THE APPLICATION, WAS CITYSCAPE OR CHARCOAL GRAY IN THE APPLICATION? WHEN THE APPLICATION WAS INITIALLY SUBMITTED? UH, THEY INDICATED CHARCOAL GRAY.
UM, AND, AND I CAN ADD SOME CLARITY.
SO AFTER A CONVERSATION WITH THE APPLICANT AND WITH THE, UH, OR WITH THE CONTRACTOR, UM, STAFF HAD LET HER KNOW THAT OF THE HISTORIC DESIGN GUIDELINES, UH, GENERAL STIPULATION THAT THE ROOF SHOULD FEATURE A STANDARD GAL AND FINISH, UM, WE HAD DISCUSSIONS, UH, SAYING THAT THE CITYSCAPE WOULD BE CLOSER TO THAT COLOR AND WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD RECOMMEND APPROVAL FOR.
UM, AT THAT TIME, THE, UH, CONVERSATION THEN TURNED TO CITYSCAPE.
THAT WAS WHAT THE RECOMMENDATION WAS WRITTEN, UM, IN MIND.
UM, THE AGENDA WAS POSTED AND THEN, UM, AFTER MORE CONVERSATION, UH, THE COLOR WAS THEN REVERTED BACK TO THE CHARCOAL GRAY TO OBTAIN APPROVAL FROM THIS BOARD.
AT THIS TIME, IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES AND ONLINE, NO.
ANY COMMENTS FROM THAT? NO, I'M HERE.
I WAS JUST SAYING NO QUESTIONS HERE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSIONS, QUESTIONS, CLARIFICATIONS? IF I HEAR NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
I'D LIKE, I I DID HAVE, I'M SORRY, I, I DID HAVE, SO, UM, CONSIDERING THAT LIKE THE NEIGHBOR HAS THE BRONZE, LIKE I JUST WANT THAT TO BE CONSIDERED.
UM, I DO HAVE A BETTER PICTURE OR ACTUALLY I HAD A DIFFERENT PICTURE FROM THE FRONT AND I, I HAVE THE ADDRESS ACTUALLY.
TIANA, THIS APPLICATION WAS SUBMITTED AND IT WAS DISCUSSED, CORRECT? YE UM, YES.
IT WAS ON, IT WAS ON THE DOCUMENTS ATTACHED IN THE APPLICATION.
AND YOU WERE PROVIDED WITH THE COMPLIANCE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS? YES, THIS WAS, YEAH, BUT THAT WAS AFTER, THIS WAS AGAIN AFTER, UM, WE HAD ASKED ABOUT THE CITYSCAPE.
WE WERE JUST ASKING IF WE COULD TRY FOR CHARCOAL.
SO THAT SPECIFIC ONE THAT Y'ALL ARE LOOKING AT, THAT WE'VE DONE THAT, THAT ONE RIGHT THERE.
THE 1 0 2 5 1, THAT'S ACTUALLY THE ZINC GRAY.
BUT DUE TO THE LIGHTING AND STUFF, YOU GET LIKE DIFFERENT ANGLES.
UM, IF YOU SCROLL UP OR DOWN ON THAT, I THINK YOU CAN SEE AN AERIAL AND IT LOOKS A LOT LIGHTER FROM THE TOP, BUT IT IS A LITTLE, UM, DARKER, BUT YOU CAN'T REALLY GET LIKE THE PERFECT, YOU KNOW, COLOR WHEN IT'S A PHOTO.
UM, I WAS JUST, THAT WAS JUST AN OPTION.
I APPRECIATE THAT WAS GIVEN TO HER.
MR. SORRY, I APPRECIATE THE CLARIFICATIONS AND THE EXAMPLES.
[00:15:02]
UM, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE FROM ME? JUST I, I JUST WANT THE CUSTOMER TO BE HAPPY WITH WHAT SHE GETS, THE CHARCOAL GRAY AND I THINK IT WOULD LOOK GOOD.I UNDERSTAND THAT MR. AND IT WOULD STILL, I'M ASKING MM-HMM
ARE YOU PROVIDING ANY OTHER DOCUMENTATIONS OR CLARIFICATIONS? WAS THE DISCUSSION MADE, WERE YOU PROVIDED WITH COMPLIANCE? YES.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU'D LIKE TO PROVIDE? UM, NOT AT THIS TIME.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, CLARIFICATIONS OR ADDITIONAL MATERIAL THAT YOU NEED? NOTHING THEN I'D LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, UH, THAT WE SUPPORT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION, UM, WHICH IS APPROVAL OF THE REQUEST BASED ON FINDINGS A AND B WITH THE FOLLOWING STIPULATIONS AS STATED.
THERE'S CURRENTLY A MOTION ON THE FLOOR WITH THE SECOND TO APPROVE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, ON FINDINGS A AND BS AND THE FOLLOWING STIPULATIONS.
I'LL TAKE A ROLL CALL VOTE PLEASE.
MR. IGN, YOU'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE STAFF PLEASE.
THAT WAY YOU CAN FOLLOW UP WITH THEM.
[INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION]
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS CTAP, CASE NUMBER 2025, UH, DASH 180 8 FOR 3 26 WEST ATCH AVENUE.THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FOR APPROVAL TO PAINT THE EXTERIOR BRICK MASONRY OF THE PRIMARY STRUCTURE IN AN OFF-WHITE COLOR.
AND OUR RECOMMENDATION IS THAT STAFF DOES NOT RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE REQUEST BASED ON THE FINDINGS.
STAFF RECOMMENDS THE BRICK REMAIN UNPAINTED AND REPAIRED AND KIND AS NECESSARY.
AND THE APPLICANT, DAVID CURRY, IS HERE IN PERSON.
UH, DAVID, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP TO THE PODIUM, UM, YOU WILL HAVE 15 MINUTES TO PRESENT TO THE COMMISSION YOUR REQUEST.
HOW Y'ALL DOING? UM, THE, UM, SMALL APARTMENT BUILDING ON 3 26 WEST ATCH, JUST 14 UNITS.
UM, WE ARE A SMALL FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS.
UH, MY DAD, MY WIFE AND I, WE'VE OWNED THESE APARTMENTS FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS AND, UH, DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB TAKING CARE OF THEM.
UH, MOSTLY WE HAVE LOW INCOME FOLKS THAT ARE LIVING THERE.
UH, THEY'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, WEALTHY PEOPLE, UH, JUST REGULAR FOLKS.
UH, WE'VE HAD VETERANS, UH, RETIREES, THAT SORT OF THING.
UM, WE DID, UH, PUT SOME EFFORT AND MONEY INTO PUTTING A NEW ROOF ON IT, UH, A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
SO CAN THE ROOF LOOKS REALLY NICE.
UM, BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE BRICK, UM,
UM, THE, UH, SO WE THOUGHT, WELL, THE BEST THING TO DO WOULD BE TO KIND OF REFRESH IT WITH A NEUTRAL WHITE PAINT AND, UM, JUST MAKE IT LOOK GOOD.
UH, ONE VERY GOOD REASON TO PAINT IT, HE MAY, MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SEE IN SOME OF THESE PHOTOS IS THAT WE DID GET HIT WITH SOME GRAFFITI A WHILE BACK.
UM, TWO OF THE WALLS HAVE GRAFFITI.
WE DID, UH, GET A COMPANY TO, TO PRESSURE WASH IT AND ATTEMPT TO REMOVE IT.
THAT MAY BE ONE OF THEM RIGHT THERE.
UH, IT IS PRETTY MUCH IMPOSSIBLE TO REMOVE THE, THE VERY POROUS CLAY BRICKS.
YOU JUST CAN'T GET IT OUT OF THERE.
AND, UH, IT JUST DOESN'T LOOK GOOD.
UM, AND, UH, SO THE FIRST THING I DID WAS TALK TO MONTE VISTA, UH, HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION.
I SPOKE, UH, WELL, I CORRESPONDED WITH RYAN REED AND HE SAID IT WOULD NOT BE ANY PROBLEM WITH THEM, UH, IF WE WENT AHEAD AND PAINTED THE, UH, PROPERTY.
I THINK, UH, THE MAIN THRUST OF HIS, HIS VIEW WAS THAT THIS IS NOT A HISTORICAL PROPERTY.
IT WAS BUILT IN 77 AND FINISHED IN 78, UH, RIGHT ABOUT THE TIME ELVIS DIED, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S JUST NOT A, IT'S NOT A HISTORICAL BUILDING.
UM, SO RYAN REED WITH THE MONTE VISTA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION, SO WE HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH IT.
HE SAID, OF COURSE, YOU'LL HAVE TO CHECK WITH THE CITY.
[00:20:01]
COURSE WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY.UM, SO IT, IT IS OBVIOUSLY VERY CONTEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION.
UM, AND, UM, SO, UH, NOW WHAT I, WHAT I DID DO, UH, TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BACKGROUND IS I WENT JUST TO THE IMMEDIATE BLOCKS NEARBY AND TOOK PHOTOS OF ABOUT 20 PROPERTIES.
AND THIS JUST, YOU Y'ALL WANNA CIRCULATE THESE? ARE THEY THE SAME? YEAH, I WROTE THE ADDRESS ON THE BACK TOO, SO YOU CAN LOOK AT THEM.
UH, EACH ONE OF THESE PROPERTIES HAS PAINTED BRICK.
AND BRIAN JUST PASSED, JUST NOTICEABLE ABOUT IT TOO, IS IT KIND OF RUNS THE GAMUT OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF PROPERTIES.
YOU'VE GOT RESIDENTIAL, SINGLE FAMILY, MULTIFAMILY, COMMERCIAL, A GAS STATION.
THEY'VE ALL GOT PAINTED BRICK.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THEIR BRICK WAS AS UGLY AS OURS IS, BUT IT PROBABLY DIDN'T LOOK TOO HOT.
AND I THINK IN EVERY ONE OF THOSE EXAMPLES, THEY LOOK REALLY NICE.
UM, AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, IS JUST MAKE THE PROPERTY LOOK GOOD.
AND, UH, I THINK THAT, UH, A LOT OF THE TENANTS WILL FEEL BETTER ABOUT WHERE THEY LIVE AND, UH, FEEL BETTER ABOUT PAYING THE RENT AND, AND TELLING PEOPLE WHERE THEY LIVE.
IF THE PLACE LOOKS NICE, THEN THEY CAN FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT.
AND WE HAVE SOME OTHER RENTAL PROPERTIES IN DIFFERENT PLACES, AND THAT'S BEEN OUR EXPERIENCE.
WHEN PEOPLE FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE PLACE THEY LIVE, THAT'S A POSITIVE THING FOR THE, FOR THE BUSINESS AND FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND AS I SAID, I'LL REITERATE THESE, THESE ARE NOT FOLKS WITH A LOT OF MONEY, UM, BUT THEY ALL PAY THEIR OWN RENT.
AND, UH, I THINK THEY DESERVE TO HAVE A BETTER LOOKING PLACE.
UM, I THINK THAT MOSTLY COVERS WHAT I WOULD WANTED TO, UH, MENTION TO EVERYBODY THIS MORNING.
UM, I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO LOOK AT WHAT I BROUGHT AND, AND CONSIDER WHAT I'M SAYING.
UM, I THINK, I THINK AS, AS THE LANDLORD, WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO TRY TO MAKE THE PLACE LOOK AS NICE AS POSSIBLE.
WE ALSO NEED TO MAINTAIN THE PROPERTY VALUE.
UH, WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY A FINANCIAL OBLIGATION TO PAY OUR PROPERTY TAXES
AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE NEED TO KEEP THIS BUILDING FULL, OR AT LEAST AS CLOSE TO FULL AS POSSIBLE.
AND WHEN A PROSPECTIVE TENANT APPROACHES A BUILDING AND SEES THAT, IT JUST DOESN'T LOOK THAT GREAT.
THEY'RE NOT GONNA RENT A SPACE, UH, THEY'RE NOT GONNA RENT A, AN APARTMENT.
AND THEN THAT MAKES IT HARDER FOR, FOR ME TO PAY THE PROPERTY TAX TO THE COUNTY.
AND, UH, THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT SUPPORTS THE SCHOOLS.
AND YOU, I DON'T, I DON'T NEED TO TELL ANYBODY HERE HOW ALL THAT WORKS.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE TO MAKE IT LOOK BETTER, DO OUR PART.
IT'S GONNA MAKE THE NEIGHBORHOOD LOOK BETTER TO, TO WORK IT OVER AND, AND MAKE IT LOOK NICE.
AND, UH, THAT'S IT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
BUT IF YOU'VE GOT ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL DO MY BEST TO ANSWER.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, SIR.
ADRIAN, CAN WE TOUCH BASES ON YOUR, ON, ON YOUR FINDINGS AND WHY THERE WERE RECOMMENDATIONS? SURE.
AND SO, I MEAN, JUST TO CLARIFY, I MEAN, STAFF ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THIS IS NOT HISTORIC BRICK.
UM, THE, THE PRIMARY REASON THAT PAINTING MASONRY IS DISCOURAGED IS A TECHNICAL ISSUE.
UM, AND SO OVER TIME, LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT BE GOOD FOR EVEN 10, 20 YEARS, BUT THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL MAINTENANCE REQUIRED TO UPKEEP THAT, THAT PAINT.
UM, BUT THEN THERE ARE ALSO POTENTIAL FOR MOISTURE ISSUES WITH THE PAINT RETAINING MOISTURE IN THE BRICK, AND THEN THAT CAN LEAD TO ADVANCED DETERIORATION OF THE MASONRY.
I MEAN, WE, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NOT A HISTORIC STRUCTURE, UM, BUT THAT TECHNICAL GUIDANCE IS IN THE GUIDELINES FOR A REASON.
AND SO WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS CLEAR IN THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
SO THERE'S ACTUALLY NO GUIDELINES RIGHT NOW.
SO THE PAIN, THE IMAGES THAT YOU PROVIDED, IS THAT ALSO IN THE MULTI MULTI MONTE VISTA? MONTE VISTA? UH, THE, THE IMAGES THAT YOU PROVIDED, THE, THE, YOU TALK ABOUT THAT PICTURE.
PICTURE, THE PICTURES, THE PICTURES THAT, THAT YOU PROVIDED.
THEY'RE ALSO, EVERY, EVERY ONE OF THOSE PICTURES FROM THE IMMEDIATE BLOCKS SURROUNDING OUR PROPERTY, UM, AND ON THE BACK I PUT THE ADDRESSES OF EACH ONE.
UM, YEAH, IT'S NOT HARD TO FIND.
[00:25:01]
THE NEXT TWO BLOCKS OVER IN EACH CASE.AT THIS TIME I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE FLOOR TO, TO MY RIGHT FOR QUESTIONS, PLEASE.
SIR, YOU REALIZE, UH, RYAN REED'S SITTING RIGHT IN BACK OF YOU, RIGHT? I'M SORRY.
YOU REALIZE RYAN RITA SITTING RIGHT IN BACK OF YOU.
AND THEN, UH, THE MONTE VISTA.
I DID NOT, I'VE NEVER MET HIM IN PERSON OF CORRESPONDENCE.
WELL, THE MONTE VISTA HISTORIC ASSOCIATION, UH, CITED WITH, UH, O P'S FINDINGS, WHICH FINDS IT INAPPROPRIATE TO PAINT THE BRICK, UH, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU CONSIDER IT HISTORIC OR NOT, AND WHETHER IT WAS BUILT IN 1920 OR 1975, IT SITS WITHIN THE MON VISTA HISTORIC DISTRICT.
I I DO HAVE AN EMAIL, UH, FROM RYAN REED THAT SAID THEY, THEY WERE OKAY WITH IT.
YES, WE, WE DID EXCHANGE EMAILS.
I, YEAH, I THINK MY WORDS WERE, I'M OKAY WITH IT.
THE COMMITTEE SURE DID, BUT I WAS SPEAKING FOR MYSELF.
I WOULD NEVER MISREPRESENT ANYTHING TO ANYBODY HERE,
THAT WOULDN'T BE TOO SMART FOR ME.
UH, WELL THEN I'M NOT SURE WHAT, WHAT DOES THIS LETTER WRITE THAT, OR MAYBE THIS WAS A WHILE BACK AND I THINK I SAID PERSONALLY I DON'T HAVE A CONCERN WITH IT.
UM, BUT THAT WAS SPEAKING FOR ME, NOT THE COMMITTEE AS A WHOLE.
UH, COMMITTEE AS A WHOLE DOES TEND TO BE OPPOSED TO PAIN.
I'M SORRY, MR. REE, COULD YOU COME UP TO THE MIC, PLEASE? SURE.
I WASN'T SIGNED SPEAK, SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF I DID.
AND AGAIN, THE REASON WE'RE CLARIFYING THIS IS BECAUSE THE QUESTION ISN'T IN WHETHER OR NOT IT'S A HISTORICAL DISTRICT AND THE VICE CHAIR IS THE CLARIFICATION OF THE LETTER THAT WE RECEIVED SURE.
SO THE EMAIL WE PLACED IN THE LETTER FILED.
SO THE EMAIL THAT I SENT THIS WEEK, UM, WAS THAT WE SUPPORT STAFF RECOMMENDATION, UH, MR. CURRY AND I DID EXCHANGE EMAIL, UH, QUITE A WHILE AGO.
UM, AND I SAID, I PERSONALLY DON'T HAVE A CONCERN WITH IT.
UM, THAT WAS SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, BUT THE, THE COMMITTEE, YES, THE COMMITTEE IN GENERAL DOES NOT SUPPORT PAINTING, UM, EXPOSED BRICK.
AND THAT'S A CONVERSATION I HAD AFTER THE FACT WITH, UM, THE COMMITTEE AS A WHOLE.
UM, WHICH IS WHY I SENT THE EMAIL TO, SO I, I UNDERSTAND IT'S NOT HISTORIC.
UM, IT'S, WE DO TRY TO DISCOURAGE PEOPLE FROM PAINTING EXPOSED MASONRY BECAUSE OF MAINTENANCE ISSUES AND, UH, AMONGST OTHER THINGS.
UM, SO OKAY, I'LL, I'LL STEP BACK AT THAT.
SO, UH, BUT THE NEIGHBOR, ANOTHER ONE, THE THE ASSOCIATION SAY, SUPPORTS THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION, RECOMMENDATIONS NOT TO PAY.
AND I, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THE THANK YOU, UH, CONFUSION.
JUST A MOMENT RIGHT NOW WE'RE ALL HAVE THE FLOOR OPEN FOR THIS, FOR THE HER COLLEAGUES.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS? CLARIFICATIONS? UH, I ACTUALLY HAVE A QUESTION FOR STAFF.
UM, THIS BUILDING IS 50 YEARS OLD, GIVE OR TAKE, RIGHT? SEVENTIES, I GUESS.
SO IT WAS CONSTRUCTED AROUND 1975 FROM WHAT WE CAN TELL.
SO, UM, TECHNICALLY IT WOULD BE ELIGIBLE TO BE CONSIDERED HISTORIC, CORRECT? IT SEEMS TO, I MEAN, YOU RAISED A GOOD POINT.
DO YOU WANT ME TO KEEP NO, GO AHEAD.
UM, THERE'S NO RULE THAT SAYS ONCE SOMETHING BECOMES 50 YEARS OR OLDER, IT'S AUTOMATICALLY CONSIDERED CONTRIBUTING.
UM, WE LOOK AT THAT ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
SO AT SOME POINT, SOMETHING THAT'S BUILT IN THE NINETIES WOULD ALSO BE CONSIDERED CONTRIBUTING, UM, WITH THAT ROLLING DATE IN MIND.
UM, SO WE WEREN'T SPECIFICALLY ASKED TO EVALUATE CONTRIBUTING STATUS HERE.
WE NORMALLY DON'T DO THAT UNLESS IT'S A DEMOLITION PROPOSAL.
UM, AND SO WE JUST, WE LOOK FOR THE PROPERTY FOR WHAT IT IS.
WE LOOK AT THE MATERIALS AND WE APPLY THE GUIDELINES AS BEST, UM, CAN BE APPLIED.
AND I THINK MY POINT HERE WOULD BE THAT, UM, THAT IF WE LOOK AT IT, TAKING THE FACT OF WHETHER IT'S HISTORIC OR NOT OUT OF THE MIX, THEN IT CAN'T REALLY BE USED AS A REASON FOR WHY IT SHOULD BE PAINTED EITHER, RIGHT? IF I, IF WE CAN'T SAY YES, IT'S HISTORIC BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW.
WE CAN'T SAY IT'S NOT HISTORIC EITHER, BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW.
I MEAN, I LOOK AT THIS BUILDING AS AN ARCHITECT AND I SEE WHAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE A PROTOTYPE OF A CERTAIN STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE AT THAT TIME, RIGHT? AND THEN IT COMES DOWN TO ANALYSIS.
BUT THAT ASIDE, IF WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT THAT AS AN ISSUE, I WOULD STILL SAY FROM A TECHNICAL STANDPOINT, THAT PAINTING ANY BRICK REGARDLESS OF, UM, WHETHER OR NOT YOU SEE OTHER EXAMPLES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, DOESN'T MEAN IT'S OKAY.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS PARTICULAR BRICK IS NOT NECESSARILY ATTRACTIVE AT THIS TIME.
[00:30:01]
RIGHT.UM, BUT IT LOOKS TO BE FAIRLY POROUS TO ME FROM THE PICTURES I'VE SEEN AND TO PAINT IT WHAT CAUGHT WOULD CAUSE FURTHER DAMAGE AND, UM, DOWN THE ROAD THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO DEAL WITH AT THAT POINT.
AND THAT TOO COULD CAUSE SOMETHING THAT DOES NOT LOOK ATTRACTIVE AND COST YOU A LOT OF MONEY.
AND IF YOU DON'T MIND, ARE THERE ANY OTHER NO, I'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE QUESTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES TO THE LEFT, PLEASE.
AND I'M ACTUALLY JUST KIND OF COMING, UH, OFF OF MY COLLEAGUE'S COMMENT, BUT, UM, THAT WAS PART OF MY QUESTION.
I GET THE VISUAL AESTHETIC, KIND OF LIKE THE RIGHT OF WAY.
IT'S, IT'S KIND OF SHINY AND NEW, BUT THERE ARE SOME, UM, POINTS BEING BROUGHT UP ABOUT FUTURE PROBLEMS WITH THE BRICK OR IF YOU PUT UP PAINT THAT THEN IT RETAINS MOISTURE OR CAUSES ACCELERATED DETERIORATION OF THE BRICK OR ANY OF THESE THINGS.
HAVE YOU INVESTIGATED ANY OF THOSE? AM I ALLOWED TO? OKAY.
UM, SO I HAVE ABOUT 30 YEARS OF CONSTRUCTION EXPERIENCE.
I'VE BEEN BUILDING, UH, SOME COMMERCIAL, BUT ALSO RESIDENTIAL IN AND AROUND LAVERNE AREA.
UH, FOR, UH, SINCE 1993 I'VE BEEN DOING CONSTRUCTION.
UH, THE TYPE OF PAINT WE WOULD USE ON THIS WOULD BE A MASONRY PAINT.
THAT'S AN ELASTOMERIC COATING.
UM, WE WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY STUPID TO NOT MAINTAIN THAT PAINT COATING ONCE IT'S ON THERE.
UH, THIS IS A VALUABLE BUILDING.
IT IS, IT'S A REVENUE PRODUCING BUILDING AS LONG AS WE TAKE CARE OF IT AND WE KEEP IT LOOKING GOOD.
AND, UH, SO TO, UH, SUGGEST THAT I WOULD NOT, AND WE WOULD NOT TAKE CARE OF IT TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY.
UH, WE JUST PUT A LOT OF MONEY RECENTLY IN, IN THE ROOF.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT WAS NOT A CHEAP THING, BUT IT'S A SMART THING AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TODAY.
UM, BUT, UH, YEAH, IT'S, THAT'S NOT AN ISSUE AS FAR AS WE'RE CONCERNED.
AND WHENEVER IT NEEDS, UH, ANY MORE ATTENTION, YOU KNOW, WE'LL DO IT.
UH, BUT TODAY IT JUST DOESN'T LOOK GOOD.
I THINK THE PROPERTY IS VERY CONTEMPORARY.
THERE'S NOTHING INTERESTING OR APPEALING ABOUT ITS APPEARANCE.
IT HAS, IT HAS NO, UH, NOTHING ABOUT THE IMAGE OF THAT BUILDING SAYS SAN ANTONIO TO ME.
IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST A SMALL APARTMENT BUILDING.
AND IF IT DOESN'T LOOK NICE, PEOPLE WON'T RENT IT.
IF PEOPLE DON'T HAVE AN AFFORDABLE PLACE TO STAY, THEN THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR THEM OR THE ECONOMY.
AND IF I CAN'T RENT THE BUILDING, I CAN'T PAY THE TAXES.
AND THAT'S ESSENTIAL TO THE FUNCTIONING OF EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON HERE.
UM, IF IT WAS A HISTORICAL BUILDING AND IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT, AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TOO.
UM, PART OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DECIDE HERE TODAY, I GUESS IS, IS WHAT'S CORRECT.
WHAT'S IN LINE WITH YOUR POLICY? WELL, YOU HAVE TO JUDGE IT BASED ON, ON WHAT THE STATUS IS TODAY, NOT A SPECULATIVE STATUS 10 YEARS FROM NOW, OR 20 YEARS FROM NOW, OR FIVE YEARS AGO.
IF IT'S NOT HISTORICAL TODAY, THAT'S THE DECISION THAT HAS TO BE MADE TODAY.
IT'S NOT HISTORICAL, IT'S CONTEMPORARY.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A BORING LOOKING BUILDING AND IT'LL LOOK A LOT NICER AND IT'LL MAKE THE NEIGHBORHOOD LOOK NICER.
AND THE PEOPLE THAT STAY THERE WILL BE HAPPIER WITH THE PLACE THEY LIVE.
THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO DO THAT AND, AND KEEP IT VIABLE, AND WE CAN CONTINUE TO PAY OUR TAXES ON IT.
I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DISCONNECTED FROM THE REST OF THIS DISCUSSION.
UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE RELY ON THOSE TAXES.
THE SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW, THEY RELY ON THOSE TAXES.
30,000 A YEAR, AT LEAST AS FAR AS I CAN RECALL.
IT'S A LOT OF MONEY, YOU KNOW, ANNUALIZE THAT IN 10 YEARS, THAT'S $300,000.
HOW MANY, SORRY? IN THE 20 YEARS WE'VE HAD IT, THAT'S 600,000.
HOW MANY UNITS ARE IN THAT BUILDING? JUST 14.
AND HOW MANY ARE CURRENTLY RENTED? I BELIEVE WE MAY HAVE ONE VACANCY ON THAT ONE TODAY.
SO IT, IT STAYS FAIRLY FULL, BUT WE HAVE TO SPEND QUITE A BIT OF MONEY ON EACH UNIT INSIDE.
WHEN PEOPLE LEAVE, SOMETIMES THEY TEAR 'EM UP A BIT, BUT YOU'RE NOT EXPERIENCING LIKE A FINANCIAL HARDSHIP BECAUSE YOU CAN'T RENT IT BECAUSE YOU'RE SAYING THE OUTSIDE LOOKS SO BAD.
NOT EXPERIENCING ANY FINANCIAL HARDSHIP.
WE'VE HAD VERY GOOD EXPERIENCE WITH THIS PROPERTY, BUT WHEN YOU'RE A SMALL COMPANY LIKE US, IF YOU DON'T LOOK AHEAD AND FIGURE OUT WHAT'S COMING AROUND THE CORNER AND PREPARE FOR IT TODAY AND, AND, AND DO THE RIGHT THING AND EVEN, YOU KNOW, PARTICIPATE IN SOMETHING LIKE THIS WHEN YOU NEED TO, YOU WILL FAIL AND YOU WON'T BE IN BUSINESS.
WE'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR 40 YEARS, SO, YOU KNOW.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS TO MY LEFT? GO AHEAD, SIR.
[00:35:01]
I FIRST WANNA COMMEND YOU FOR, UH, YOUR CAREFUL STEWARDSHIP FOR 20 YEARS FOR TAKING CARE OF THIS PROPERTY.AND FOR MEETING A, A REALLY IMPORTANT, UH, PART OF THE NIG OF, OF THE CITY'S, UH, DEMOGRAPHIC DEMOGRAPHICS.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS WE ALL KNOW AND WE SEE IN THE NEWS ALL THE TIME, AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS IN SHORT SUPPLY AROUND HERE.
AND TO HAVE IT IN A RELATIVELY CENTRAL LOCATION DOWNTOWN, ALL THE BETTER.
UM, I, I STRUGGLE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AS THIS COMMITTEE WAS SET UP, WE ARE HERE TO REVIEW, UH, BASED ON GUIDELINES THAT HAVE BEEN SET, SET UP FOR EACH SPECIFIC HISTORIC DISTRICT, INCLUDING MONTE VISTA.
AND IT'S A SEPARATE DISTRICT, UM, WITH, WITH ITS OWN RULES.
IT'S BEEN HIGHLIGHTED BECAUSE INITIALLY IT WAS SET UP FROM THE 1890S TO THE 1920S, AND IT, AS YOUR PHOTOS SHOWED EARLIER, IT HAS A REMARKABLE COLLECTION OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, SINGLE FAMILIES THAT HAVE BEEN CONVERTED TO MULTIFAMILY.
MULTIFAMILY, LIKE I THINK IT'S THE MARYLAND ACROSS THE STREET FROM YOU FROM MAYBE THE TWENTIES OR THIRTIES.
IT LOOKS LIKE THE, THE REALLY COOL ART MODERNA, A FORMER GAS STATION ON THE CORNER NEXT DOOR TO YOU.
UM, AND I WAS LOOKING BACK ON GOOGLE MAPS, YOU CAN SEE HOW THAT THAT GAS STATION HAD FALLEN ON HARD TIMES ABOUT 15, 20 YEARS AGO.
AND MAYBE 10 YEARS AGO SOMEONE DECIDED TO, TO, UH, TAKE CARE OF IT AND WITH A GOOD COAT OF PAINT AND, AND SOME TLC, IT'S TURN TURNING THE CORNER LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY,
UM, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IN DEALING WITH CONSTRUCTION AND, AND MASONRY IN PARTICULAR.
UM, PART OF OUR CHALLENGE HERE IS, YOU KNOW, WE HOPE THAT YOU AND YOUR COMPANY CONTINUES TO MAINTAIN IT FOR ANOTHER 20 YEARS OR, OR LONGER.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, AS WE ALL KNOW, YOU KNOW, RECESSIONS HAPPEN, SUCCESSION PLANNING HAPPENS AND SOMETIMES IT MAKES GOOD BUSINESS SENSE TO INVEST SOMEWHERE ELSE, AND THE NEXT OWNER MIGHT NOT BE AS IMPORTANT AND, UH, MIGHT NOT RAISE STEWARDSHIP AS IMPORTANTLY AS YOU DO.
SO I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO BALANCE, YOU KNOW, THE CONCERNS OF THE PRESENT RIGHT NOW WITH THE LARGER MANDATE OF THE COMMITTEE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN, UM, MAKE SURE THAT THIS BUILDING AS CONTEMPORARY AS IT SEEMS, CONTINUES TO FEED INTO THAT STORY OF CHANGE OVER TIME.
AND MONTE VISTA, AS WE'VE SEEN FROM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THE, THE STYLE OF THIS BUILDING IS DIFFERENT FROM THE STYLE OF THE MARYLAND ACROSS THE STREET.
AND THERE ARE SOME THAT WERE CONTEMPORANEOUS WITH MARYLAND THAT WERE BRICK AND WERE PAINTED, AND I THINK MARYLAND IS UNPAINTED.
SO I, THERE THERE'S AN INTERESTING, A COMPLEX STORY HERE AND, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR UNDERSTANDING AS WE TRY TO WORK OUR WAY THROUGH IT.
MAY I RESPOND JUST BRIEFLY? I I THINK THERE, IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF SAFEGUARDS TO, UM, ADDRESS THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT AND THEY'RE GOOD CONCERNS.
UM, THE FIRST IS THAT, YOU KNOW, AS LONG AS WE OWN THE PROPERTY, WE'D BE FOOLISH NOT TO TAKE CARE OF IT AND KEEP IT UP TO SNUFF 100%.
UH, IF WE PAINT IT, WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN IT.
WE KNOW THAT
IF THE PROPERTY LOOKS NICE AND WE SHOULD DECIDE TO SELL IT, WHICH WE HAVE NO PLANS OF DOING, 'CAUSE IT TOOK US OVER 20 YEARS TO PAY OFF THE MORTGAGE, UM, THEN WE'RE GONNA SELL IT AT SUCH A PRICE THAT WHOEVER BUYS IT, WHETHER THEY PAY CASH OR THEY BORROW TO BUY IT, THEY'RE GONNA KEEP IT UP TOO BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT OF MONEY IN IT AND THEY CAN'T JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, SPEND, I DON'T KNOW, I GUESS IF THE, IF THE PROPERTY LOOKED BETTER, MAYBE YOU COULD GET, YOU KNOW, 1.2 OR ONE.
I DON'T KNOW THE MARKET AND I DON'T EVEN INTEND TO SELL IT, BUT IF SOMEBODY PAYS THAT MUCH FOR IT, THEY'RE NOT GONNA PAY THAT MUCH AND THEN JUST NOT TAKE CARE OF IT.
YOU KNOW, WE PAID FAR LESS THAN THAT WHEN WE BOUGHT IT IN 2000 AND WE'VE DONE A PRETTY DOGGONE GOOD JOB OF TAKING CARE OF IT.
UM, IF THEY HAVE TO PAY EVEN MORE FOR IT THAN WE DID, BELIEVE ME, THEY'RE GONNA TAKE CARE OF IT.
THEY WOULD BE INCREDIBLY FOOLISH NOT TO.
SO THERE ARE SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE FOR THEM TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
UH, THERE'S EVERY ECONOMIC REASON, EVERY, EVERY PRUDENT SORRY, BUSINESS REASON FOR THEM TO TAKE CARE OF IT AND ABSOLUTELY NO REASON FOR THEM NOT TO.
AND IF THEY CAN AFFORD TO BUY IT, AND LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE NO INTENTION OF SELLING IT.
NOTHING ON THE HORIZON LIKE THAT, BUT IF THEY CAN AFFORD TO BUY IT, THEY'RE, THEY'RE SMART ENOUGH TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT THAT AND I DON'T THINK THIS BOARD SHOULD BE EITHER, REALLY.
THANK YOU MR. CURRY? YES, MA'AM.
IS THERE ANYONE ONLINE NO COMMENTS FOR ONLINE? NO.
[00:40:01]
THE ANSWER, BUT JUST MAKING SURE.THIS IS WITHIN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, MONTE VISTA, HISTORIC DISTRICT AND IT IS CONSIDERED CONTRIBUTING, CORRECT? IT'S IN THE DISTRICT AND WE HAVE NOT MADE A DETERMINATION REGARDING CONTRIBUTING STATUS, BUT ANYTHING THE GUIDELINES SAY ANYTHING WITHIN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT IS CONSIDERED CONTRIBUTING.
UM, ANYTHING WITHIN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT IS CONSIDERED HISTORIC AND REQUIRING A COA, UM, CONTRIBUTING STATUS IS DETERMINED UPON REQUESTS AND WE WOULD DO PROPERTY RESEARCH AND MAKE A DETERMINATION, BUT SIMPLY BEING 50 YEARS OLD DOESN'T MAKE IT AUTOMATICALLY CONTRIBUTING.
I WOULD CALL THIS NON-CONTRIBUTING IF I WAS ASKED TODAY, BUT THAT'S NOT REALLY THE ISSUE HERE.
I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA GET CONFUSED ABOUT THE STATUS OF THAT.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.
UM, ADRIAN, I HEAR MR. CURRY'S CONCERNS AND, AND THEIR JUSTIFICATION FOR IMPROVEMENTS.
HOWEVER, WHERE DOES IT, IT FALLS WITHIN THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES BECAUSE AGAIN, THE CONCERN WITH THE 28 PLUS YEARS THAT MR. CURRY'S INFORMING US OF HIS SKILLSET, THAT THE PAINT WOULD NOT WITHOUT MAINTENANCE, WOULD CAUSE ANY TROUBLE ACCORDING TO DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
WHAT'S THEIR GUIDELINES? OR HAVE WE EVEN INCURRED, INQUIRED TO THEM? THEY DON'T HAVE ANY.
THERE'S, THERE'S NO PERMIT REQUIREMENT TO, TO PAINT.
SO BASICALLY THIS IS JUST MOVING FORWARD AND THOUGH I'M, I'M IN AGREEANCE ON, ON DEVELOPMENT, MY CONCERN WOULD BE THE STATEMENT THAT YOU MADE, MR. CURRY, THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE TODAY SHOULD NOT AFFECT THE THINGS THAT WE DO IN 10 YEARS.
BUT THEN YOU REVERTED TO SAY, THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE TODAY IS A CONCERN, HOW IT'S AFFECTED IN 10 YEARS.
AND WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE SAYING THAT YOU'VE OWNED THIS PROPERTY FOR 20 PLUS YEARS YES, MA'AM.
WITH 20 PLUS 28 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.
AND YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU HAVE NO INTENT OF PAINTING, OF SELLING A PROPERTY? NO.
AND THOUGH I AM VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT OF THE FACT THAT YOU PROVIDED TO A, A DEMOGRAPHIC OF POPULATION OF LOW INCOME.
THE OTHER THING TOO IS WITH THE GREAT PRIDE THAT YOU GIVE US WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE, SHOULDN'T IT ALSO BE WITH THE GREAT PRIDE IN, IN MAINTAINING THE CONTEMPORARY OF HOW WE LOOK TODAY FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS? I, UH, I THINK, UH, A NEUTRAL OFFWHITE APPEARANCE WOULD, IT WOULD STILL APPEAR CONTEMPORARY.
UH, I THINK IT WOULD JUST LOOK BETTER, A LOT BETTER.
UM, I DON'T THINK THERE'S MUCH ABOUT THAT BRICK THAT IS APPEALING, AND WITH THE GRAFFITI THAT WE GOT HIT WITH, WE CANNOT REALLY MAKE IT LOOK ANY BETTER.
UM, AND THEN BACK TO THE, THE ISSUE OF MOISTURE AND EVERYTHING.
WELL, THE, THE BRICK IS ENTIRELY POROUS RIGHT NOW.
BASICALLY WHEN WATER HITS THE BRICK, IT PENETRATES TO A CERTAIN POINT AND THEN IT STOPS, AND THEN IT WAITS FOR THE SUN AND THE AIR AND THE DRY AIR.
IF WE EVER HAVE DRY AIR, WHICH SOMETIMES WE DON'T HERE TO DRY OUT, UH, WHEN, WHEN WE PUT, UH, AN ELASTOMERIC COATING ON IT, THAT REPELS WATER, THE WATER REALLY DOESN'T PENETRATE INTO THE, UH, THE BRICK VENEER AT ALL, YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S IT.
SO AS LONG AS THAT COATING IS, IS IS MAINTAINED PROPERLY, IT'S ACTUALLY MORE EFFECTIVE AT KEEPING MOISTURE OUTTA THE BUILDING IF THAT'S A CONCERN.
I'M, I'M JUST, IS THERE A CLEAR, IS IT A, WHAT ADRIAN, IS THERE A SUCH THING AS A CLEAR COATING TO PREVENT IT SO THAT WE DON'T ALTER IT? UM, WE REALLY WOULDN'T, WOULDN'T ACCOMPLISH MUCH, UH, JUST CLEAR CODING IT, BECAUSE WE'D STILL BE STUCK WITH THE APPEARANCE, WHICH IS NOT A, A, A GOOD APPEARANCE IN TERMS OF PROSPECTS COMING UP TO RENT APARTMENTS.
AND, AND FRANKLY, THERE'VE BEEN COMPLAINTS FROM THE PEOPLE THERE THAT JUST, THE PLACE JUST DOESN'T LOOK THAT GOOD.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GET THAT FROM PEOPLE, YOU'RE KIND OF THINK, WELL, YOU KNOW, ARE THEY GONNA MOVE OUT? YOU KNOW, YOU GET A LOT OF THAT.
AND, UM, IT'S, IT'S, I THINK IT'S A FEELING OF PRIDE WHEN, WHEN PEOPLE, UH, STAY IN A PLACE THAT THEY THINK IS KIND OF UP TO PAR WITH PLACES WHERE THEIR FRIENDS AND RELATIVES STAY AND THEY CAN FEEL A LITTLE MORE PROUD HAVING TO COME OVER FOR A DRINK OR WHATEVER BECAUSE THE PLACE LOOKS GOOD.
BUT I DON'T, I DON'T THINK A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT STAY THERE RIGHT NOW WOULD FEEL ALL THAT EXCITED ABOUT HAVING THEIR FRIENDS OR RELATIVES COME VISIT THEM BECAUSE IT JUST DOESN'T LOOK THAT GREAT.
I THINK WE COULD GIVE THEM A PLACE THAT LOOKS THAT GOOD JUST WITH A LITTLE WORK.
I, I GET WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM, BUT THERE'S NO MATERIAL ISSUE.
BUT MR. CURRY, THAT OTHER STUFF YES, MA'AM.
THE QUESTION WAS, IS THERE A CLEAR COAT THAT CAN BE USED TO REPEL THE WATER AND BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF THAT POROUS BRICK THAT'S CURRENTLY THERE? WELL, THE, UM, YOU COULD PUT A CLEAR COAT ON IT, BUT THERE'S, BUT THE PROCESS
[00:45:01]
OF THE BRICK GETTING WET AND DRYING IS, IS A COMMON, UH, THING THAT GOES ON EVERY DAY EVERYWHERE.SO THAT'S, THAT'S NOT REALLY AN ISSUE THAT WE EVEN NEED TO ADDRESS TODAY.
BECAUSE IT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT REALLY A PROBLEM.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.
UM, IS THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE EXTERIOR WALL, IS THAT JUST BRICK ON TOP OF WOOD CONSTRUCTION STUD WALL? UH, WELL, I, I DIDN'T ACTUALLY BUILD THIS PLACE.
UM, I WAS 10 YEARS OLD
UM, BUT MY, MY GUESS WOULD BE, AND IT'S BEEN A REALLY GOOD BUILDING, WE'VE NEVER HAD TO OPEN UP THE WALL AND LOOK AT IT.
UH, BUT MY GUESS WOULD BE THAT IT'S, IT'S STUD WALL CONSTRUCTION AND THERE'S PROBABLY SOME SORT OF A TAR FELT PAPER WRAP ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE STUDS SHEET ROCKING THE INSIDE, OBVIOUSLY, UH, AROUND THAT TIME PERIOD IT SHOULD BE INSULATED WITH FIBERGLASS BATTING.
UM, SO YOU'VE GOT TAR PAPER AND THEN YOU'VE JUST GOT PROBABLY A GAP.
IT'S PROBABLY A FIVE AND A HALF INCH LUG AROUND THE BASE OF THE FOUNDATION.
UM, THESE ARE, I THINK WHAT THEY CALL KING SIZE BRICKS.
UM, THEY'RE CLAY TOO, SO THEY CRACK MORE EASILY THAN A LIMESTONE BRICK WOULD CRACK.
UH, SO I, AND BACK WHEN I WAS DOING BRICK ON HOUSES, I DIDN'T DO CLAY BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST NOT RELIABLE.
THEY'RE A SOFTER BRICK THAT CRACKED MORE EASILY.
UM, SO YEAH, IT'S JUST, IT'S A BRICK VENEER, PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT OF AIR GAP THEN YOUR FELT, THEN YOUR STUD WALL BEHIND IT.
IS THAT, DID THAT ANSWER, IS THAT YES, THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTION.
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I WOULD THINK, UH, THE CONSTRUCTION PROBABLY IS FOR BUILDING OF THIS TIME PERIOD.
UH, WHICH THEN LEADS ME TO JUST MAKE THE COMMENT THAT, UM, YOU'RE STILL POTENTIALLY GONNA HAVE A MOISTURE ISSUE BECAUSE THROUGH THAT AIR GAP BETWEEN THE STUD AND THE BRICK, YOU'RE STILL GONNA HAVE MOISTURE.
AND WHAT STARTS TO HAPPEN IF YOU SEAL ONE SIDE AND NOT THE OTHER, AND THERE'S NO WAY TO DO THAT, UM, THAT THE MOISTURE TRAVELS THROUGH BECAUSE THERE'S STILL CONDENSATE, UH, FROM HUMIDITY, UH, EQUIPMENT IN THE BUILDING, PEOPLE IN THE BUILDING, ET CETERA.
AND THAT'S WHAT STARTS TO TRAP THAT MOISTURE IN THE BRICK AND CAUSE DETERIORATION.
AND I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, YEAH, JUST PAINTING IT IS NOT GONNA SOLVE RIGHT.
OR POTENTIALLY SOLVE THAT ISSUE.
AND THERE'S MOISTURE TODAY IN, IN WALLS EVERYWHERE.
I MEAN THAT'S JUST, JUST THE WAY IT'S RIGHT.
IT'S, IT'S, IN FACT, A LOT OF CONTRACTORS THAT I'VE SPOKEN WITH IN RECENT YEARS HAVE COMPLAINED THAT MAYBE HOUSES ARE BEING BUILT TOO TIGHT AND THAT MAYBE MOISTURE NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO ESCAPE BECAUSE IT DOES, LIKE YOU SAID, ACCUMULATE WHEN YOU HAVE, UH, AN INTERFACE BETWEEN A REALLY COLD INSIDE WHERE PEOPLE KEEP THEIR APARTMENTS, YOU KNOW, 69, 70 DEGREES AND YOU'VE GOT 110 DEGREES OUTSIDE, YOU'RE ALWAYS GONNA HAVE ISSUES LIKE THAT.
UM, BUT UH, NO, I WOULD SAY IF THE OTHER, THEY'RE PROBABLY A HUNDRED PEOPLE THAT HAVE PAINTED HOMES IN MONTE VISTA, AND IF THEY'RE HAPPY WITH THE RESULTS, THEN I'M, I'M QUITE SURE WE WILL BE TOO.
AND I DON'T ANTICIPATE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THAT.
DID YOU, MOST OF THE WATER PENETRATION ISSUES, EXCUSE ME, ARE THE SOFFIT AND ROOF AREAS GENERALLY, DID YOU GET YOUR ANSWER? YES.
ADRIAN, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU NEED TO PROVIDE TO ME OR TO US? NO.
SO IT WOULD JUST BE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE FINDINGS HERE AS WE HAVE THEM, AGAIN POINTING TO THE MAINTENANCE ISSUE ABOVE ALL ELSE.
YOU KNOW, THE OTHER THING WOULD JUST BE, UM, YOU KNOW, AS WE KIND OF DISCUSSED BRIEFLY, WOULD BE THE PRECEDENT, ADRIAN, WHEN Y'ALL WENT TO GO VIEW IT, WERE THERE ANY KIND OF EXTERIOR DAMAGES TO THE BUILDING YET? NONE THAT I COULD SEE.
UH, MADAM CHAIR, UM, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T DO, UM, YOU KNOW, A VERY THOROUGH SITE VISIT, UM, TO BE CLEAR.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, AS, AS THE APPLICANT HAS SAID, THE PROPERTY DOES LOOK TO BE VERY WELL MAINTAINED.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T SEE ANY ISSUES WHEN I WENT.
I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
MADAM CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, UH, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
THERE'S CURRENTLY A MOTION ON THE FLOOR AND A SECOND TO ACCEPT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
I'LL TAKE A ROLL CALL VOTE PLEASE.
MR. KERRY, IF YOU THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY, AND IF YOU WOULD PLEASE GO BACK TO THE STAFF TO SEE IF WE CAN DISCUSS FURTHER AND COME UP WITH ANOTHER SOLUTION.
[00:50:28]
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR CTA CASE NUMBER 2025 DASH 25 5 0 7 EAST E SATCH AVENUE.THE APPLICANT'S REQUESTING A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FOR APPROVAL TO ONE CONSTRUCTED THREE FOOT TALL, STONEWALL PARALLEL TO THE PUBLIC SIDEWALK AND ALONG THE PROPERTY LINE FEATURING A STONE CAP.
INSTALL A 40 INCH TALL BLACK METAL PEDESTRIAN GATE AT THE FRONT WALKWAY.
INSTALL A 40 INCH BLACK METAL VEHICLE GATE ACROSS THE FRONT WALKWAY OR DRIVEWAY.
STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF ITEM ONE, THE INSTALLATION OF A LOW ROCK WALL BASED ON FINDING C TWO STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF ITEM TWO, THE INSTALLATION OF A PEDESTRIAN GATE BASED ON FINDING D THREE.
THE STAFF DOES NOT RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF ITEM THREE, THE INSTALLATION OF A SLIDING DRIVEWAY GATE AS NOTED IN FINDING E STAFF DOES NOT FIND THE SLIDING DRIVEWAY GATE TO BE APPROPRIATE.
THE APP APPLICANT, NIKKI HENDRICKS, IS HERE IN PERSON.
THERE IS ONE LETTER AND ONE VOICEMAIL FOR COMMISSIONER REVIEW AND THERE'S ONE IN PERSON, SPEAKER.
AND, UM, NIKKI, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP AND JUST INTRODUCE YOURSELF, UM, AND PRESENT YOUR CASE, I'LL PULL UP YOUR PRESENTATION AND YOU'LL HAVE 15 MINUTES.
HI EVERYBODY, I'M NIKKI HENDRICKS.
UH, I AM THE HOMEOWNER AT 5 0 7 EAST ATCH, WHERE I LIVE WITH MY THREE CHILDREN AND THE REST OF MY FAMILY.
SO, UM, QUICK PRESENTATION OF WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO.
UM, I LIVE AT 5 0 7 EAST ATCH, WHICH IS MONTE VISTA HISTORIC DISTRICT DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM TOBIN HILL.
UM, IT'S A CONTRIBUTING CRAFTSMAN ERA HOME WITH HISTORIC FEATURES, UH, ELEVATED FROM THE STREET, UM, THE EXISTING CONDITIONS.
SO THE CURRENT FRONTAGE IS COMPLETELY OPEN TO THE STREET.
UM, IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE CHILDREN AND THE DOGS.
UH, I ALSO HAVE AN ADMINISTRATIVELY, UM, UM, APPROVED KOI POND THAT I HAVE CONSTRUCTED, AND I WOULD LIKE TO PROTECT IT BOTH FROM THE PUBLIC AND PROTECT THE PUBLIC FROM IT.
UM, AND ALSO, UM, THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF FOOT TRAFFIC THAT'S A LITTLE UNDESIRABLE COMBINED WITH AT TIMES HEAVY VEHICULAR TRAFFIC.
SO ALL THAT'S A BIT OF A CONCERN FOR ME.
UM, THE GOAL WAS TO DO A MODEST, HISTORICALLY COMPATIBLE BARRIER THAT PRESERVES THE VISIBILITY OF THE HOUSE.
SO THAT'S HOW I STARTED LOOKING INTO THIS PROJECT.
UM, THE PROPOSED DESIGN IS A STONEWALL, IT'S A THREE FOOT TALL, LOCALLY SOURCED STONEWALL WITH STONE CAP.
UM, THE MATERIAL COLOR AND TEXTURE CONSISTENT WITH THE CRAFTSMAN ERA CONTEXT.
UM, THE HEIGHT, THE HOUSE IS ELEVATED SO YOU CAN STILL SEE THE ENTIRE FACADE DESPITE THE HEIGHT.
UM, AND IT'S ACTUALLY PRETTY SIMILAR TO OTHER EXAMPLES IN MONTE VISTA AND QUITE A FEW IN TOBIN HILL.
UM, THE PEDESTRIAN GATE IS 40 INCHES.
IT'S A BLACK ROD, IRON GATE AT THE FRONT WALKWAY.
THE VEHICULAR GATE IS A SIMILAR 40 INCH BLACK BROAD IRON SIGHT SLIDING GATE ACROSS THE DRIVEWAY.
UM, I ORIGINALLY WANTED TO DO A SWINGING GATE, BUT OUR DRIVEWAY IS UNUSUALLY SMALL AND THE FRONT YARD IS ALSO A BIT SMALL, AND SO WHEN YOU OPEN THE SWINGING GATE, IT IS NOT, UM, DOESN'T GIVE YOU A LOT TO WORK WITH.
SO THAT IS WHY WE CHOSE THE SLIDING GATE.
AND THERE ARE ALSO A LOT OF EXAMPLES, BUT THEY ARE PRIMARILY IN TOBIN HILL, NOT MONTE VISTA.
UM, I WANNA SHOW YOU GUYS WHAT MY STREET ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE BECAUSE BOTH STAFF AND THE MONTE VISTA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION TALKED TO ME ABOUT OPEN FRONT LAWNS.
UM, IN THAT VIEW ARE FOUR HOUSES WITH ENCLOSED FRONT YARD FENCES, UH, THAT GO ACROSS THE GATE IN OR GO ACROSS THE DRIVEWAY IN TWO CASES.
AND IN ONE CASE OR TWO CASES, THEY ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE DRIVEWAYS.
UH, DIRECTLY ACROSS THE WAY IS AN, IS A LOW STONE RETAINING WALL AS WELL.
SO THIS IS PRETTY COMPATIBLE WITH WHAT YOU SEE WHEN YOU LOOK OUT FROM MY HOUSE.
UM, THERE ARE ALSO SOME OTHER PRECEDENTS.
THE ONE ON THE RIGHT HERE IS ACTUALLY VISIBLE FROM MY FRONT PORCH.
UH, THIS OTHER ONE IS ABOUT TWO BLOCKS UP ON, UH, EAST ATCH.
UM, SO AT THIS POINT I HAVE TALKED TO THE HDRC STAFF, WHICH HAVE ALREADY, UM, SUMMARIZED THEIR OPINIONS, UH, AND THEIR TAKINGS.
UH, MONTE VISTA HAS VALUES IN THE OPEN YARDS.
UH, THEY DON'T OBJECT TO THE VEHICULAR GATE, BUT THEY, UH, WOULD LIKE TO TALK MITIGATION, EITHER A MORE OPEN DESIGN OR SOME
[00:55:01]
GREENERY OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE TO MITIGATE THE APPEARANCE OF THE WALL.UM, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THAT NECESSARILY.
UM, THE CONSERVATION SOCIETY, UM, HAS OPPOSED THE WALL IN THE GATES QUESTION, POND SAFETY, WHICH IS ALREADY INSTALLED.
UM, THEIR ARGUMENT IS A BROADER ARGUMENT THAT I WILL ADDRESS WHEN WE GET TO THAT PART.
UM, SO THERE ARE MULTIPLE VISIBLE FRONT YARD FENCES AND WALLS.
THE DESIGN IS HISTORICALLY APPROPRIATE AND THERE ARE OTHER EXAMPLES OF IT.
UM, AND FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE, IT REALLY WOULD.
I MEAN, WE NEED AN ENCLOSURE OF SOME SORT, SO IT'S A, YOU KNOW, UM, A CHALLENGE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT IN A WAY THAT'S REALLY HISTORICALLY APPROPRIATE.
AND, UM, ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, PRACTICAL, UM, THE WALL HEIGHT IS WITHIN THE FOREFOOT GUIDELINE.
THE MATERIALS ARE HISTORICALLY CONSISTENT.
THE SCALE AND RHYTHM IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE BLOCK.
UH, IT BALANCES PRESERVATION GOALS WITH MODERN SAFETY NEEDS.
SO I WOULD SAY THIS IS A MODEST, APPROPRIATE, RESPECTFUL PROJECT.
IT ATTEMPTS TO PRESERVE HISTORIC CHARACTER WHILE ENHANCING SAFETY.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT YOU ALL APPROVE THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION OR ACTUALLY THE COA FOR ALL OF IT.
UM, YOU SAID WE HAD A VOICEMAIL? YES, MADAM.
WE HAVE A VOICEMAIL AND AN IN-PERSON SPEAKER AND I CAN PLAY THE VOICEMAIL NOW.
UH, THIS IS BETTY
THE CONSERVATION SOCIETY IS SAN ANTONIO OPPOSES THE INSTALLATION OF A STONE WALL IN METAL GATE IN THE FRONT YARD OF 5 0 7 EAST
THESE FEATURES DO NOT APPEAR TO MEET THE HISTORIC DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR NEW FENCES AND WALLS, WHICH STATE THE DESIGN OF FENCE SHOULD RESPOND TO THE DESIGN MATERIAL OF THE HOUSE AND AVOID SELLING A FENCE, A WALL IN A LOCATION WHERE ONE DID NOT HISTORICALLY EXIST, PARTICULARLY WITHIN THE FRONT YARD.
UH, IN TERMS OF MATERIALS, WE KNOW THAT THE CASE EXAMPLES SHOW A STONE FENCE CONFRONTING UP FRONTING A STONE HOUSE AND A WOOD PICKET FENCE FRONTING A ONE STORY FRAME HOUSE SUCH AS THIS ONE.
HOWEVER, IT REMAINS UNCLEAR WHY IT IS APPROPRIATE TO CONSTRUCT A NEW WALL OR FENCE OF ANY TYPE IN THIS FRONT YARD BASED ON THE DOCUMENTATION SUBMITTED.
ADDITIONALLY, WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT WHETHER THE ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED FRONT YARD POND AT THE EDGE OF THE SIDEWALK MEETS THE REQUIRED CODE TO KEEP NEIGHBORHOOD CHILDREN.
AND OUR IN-PERSON SPEAKER IS RYAN REED.
I LIVE AT 2 4 2 WEST LINWOOD AVENUE IN MONTE VISTA, AND I AM THE CHAIR OF THE MONTE VISTA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION'S ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
SO, UH, I SIGNED UP TO SUPPORT THIS APPLICATION, BUT I DO HAVE SOME SUGGESTIONS.
AND I DID SPEAK WITH MS. HENDRICKS LAST WEEK AND I SHARED A LOT OF THESE, UM, SUGGESTIONS WITH HER.
AND I SINCE SPOKE WITH THE COMMITTEE, UM, AND ADDED A FEW MORE SUGGESTIONS.
BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE IN LINE WITH WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN STATED.
UM, WE DID HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT MONTE VISTA TRADITIONALLY DOES NOT HAVE FRONT FENCES, AND THAT IS, UM, STATED AS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN OUR, UM, CHARTER WITH A NATIONAL REGISTRY OF HISTORIC PLACES.
UM, I DO RECOGNIZE THERE ARE SOME ACCENTUATING, UH, CIRCUMSTANCES HERE, SAFETY RELATED FOR HER FAMILY, UM, UH, AND SOME RELATED TO THIS POND, WHICH IS RIGHT OFF THE SIDEWALK.
SO WITH THAT IN MIND, UM, I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT THE ROCK PORTION OF THE WALL BE LOWERED FROM THREE FEET DOWN TO ONE, UM, AND ABOVE THAT BE AN IRON PICKET, UH, TO PROMOTE MORE TRANSPARENCY.
UM, TRADITIONALLY WHERE FENCES ARE ALLOWED IN MONTE VISTA, IT TENDS TO BE FOR, UH, VERY SPECIFIC SAFETY CONCERNS, BUT WE DO ASK THAT THEY BE PICKET SO THAT, UM, THERE'RE AS LEAST VISIBLE AS POSSIBLE.
UM, SINCE A MAJORITY OF THE HOMES ON THIS BLOCK DO NOT HAVE FENCES, UM, AND IT IS UNIQUE IN THAT IT FACES TOBIN HILL AND MANY OF THOSE HOMES DO HAVE FENCES.
SO THIS IS THE ONE BLOCK WHERE IT'S KIND OF 50 51 SIDE'S, MONTE VISTA, ONE SIDE'S TOBIN HILL.
UM, THE ONLY OTHER SUGGESTION I HAD IS FOR THE
[01:00:01]
DRIVE GATE.UH, I'M PERSONALLY NOT OPPOSED TO THE SLIDING GATE, HOWEVER, I DO THINK IT NEEDS TO BE BACKED UP TO THE FACADE OF THE HOME SO THAT A FULL CAR LENGTH IS AVAILABLE AS YOU WAIT FOR THAT, UM, GATE TO OPEN.
SO THAT ROAD DOES GET SOME HEAVY TRAFFIC AT TIMES, ESPECIALLY RUSH HOUR.
AND I, I THINK IF YOU HAVE TO STOP AND WAIT FOR THAT GATE, UM, TO OPEN, YOU MAY IMPEDE TRAFFIC AND THE PEOPLE PARK ON BOTH SIDES OF THAT STREET.
ANY ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? NOT AT THE MOMENT.
UM, BRIAN, THIS IS ALREADY IN PLACE? CORRECT.
AND WAS THERE A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS REQUESTED FOR THIS? SO A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE QUAY POND TO THE LEFT OF THE PROPERTY THERE.
UM, AS FAR AS THE GATE AND THE REMAINDER OF THE WALLS OR THE WALL AND THE REMAINDER OF THE GATES, UM, THE, THE WORK WAS DONE WITHOUT A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS.
UM, WE'RE HERE TO, OR THE APPLICANT IS HERE TO REQUEST APPROVAL FOR THE PROJECT, UM, AND WORK IS APPROXIMATELY 50% COMPLETE.
AT THIS TIME I'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AND I'LL START TO MY LEFT THIS TIME PLEASE.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP TO MY RIGHT, MADAM CHAIR.
UM, I'VE GOT A FEW QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT.
SO I'M LOOKING AT SLIDE EIGHT.
HOW DEEP IS THAT? UH, TWO FEET.
TWO FEET BELOW GRADE, TWO FEET ABOVE IS THE ENCLOSURE.
AND THAT IS, LET'S SEE, AND THEN GO BACK TO THE PICTURE OF IT WITH THE, SO THAT'S TWO FEET BELOW AND TWO FEET ABOVE THE POND IS A FOOT SHORTER THAN THE PROPOSED WALL.
AND THEN YOU MENTIONED, UH, THIS POND AS A SAFETY FEATURE.
UH, IT, NO, ONLY IN THE SENSE THAT I'M WORRIED ABOUT IT BEING A LIABILITY PROBLEM BECAUSE THERE ARE CASES WHERE PEOPLE WANDER ONTO PEOPLE'S PROPERTY AND FALL INTO THEIR POOLS OR THEIR PONDS OR WHATEVER.
AND, UH, GENERALLY SPEAKING, IT'S, I'M A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS ABOUT HAVING IT THERE WITHOUT SOME KIND OF AN ENCLOSURE FOR THAT REASON.
SO YOU WANNA PUT THE, THE ROD IRON FENCE IN FRONT OF THAT STONE TOO, UH, IN FRONT OF THE POND STONE? NO.
UH, THE, THE ONLY BROAD IRON IS WHAT YOU SEE IN PLACE THERE ALREADY.
'CAUSE I WOULD CONSIDER THAT MORE OF A LIABILITY IF THE POND IS WIDE OPEN TO, UH, TO THE PUBLIC.
WOULDN'T YOU BE CONCERNED? UH, ANIMALS, UH, TRANSIENT, OTHER KINDS OF, I KNOW, UH, GOLDEN RETRIEVERS LOVE TO JUMP INTO
THEY DO INTO ANY AVAILABLE WATER DURING THE SUMMER.
UM, I, I WOULD CONSIDER THAT TOO.
WELL, WHEN THE, WHEN THE WALL IS COMPLETED, IT WOULD BE THREE FEET TALL, WHICH I THINK IS SUFFICIENT TO KEEP THE MAJORITY OF THESE THINGS OUT.
UM, I ALSO HAVE ESCAPE ROUTES FOR MAMMALS THAT FALL IN, UH, BUT NOT GOLDEN RETRIEVERS.
AND THEN, UH, THIS QUESTION WAS FOR, LET'S SEE, FOR RYAN.
UH, SO Y'ALL WERE OKAY WITH THE ARCHITECTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE, WAS HOPING IT WOULD COME DOWN TO ONE FOOT VERSUS THE THREE FOOT.
THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S THE COMPROMISE THAT I HAD SUGGESTED.
AND I, AND I DID DISCUSS IT WITH COMMITTEE MEMBERS, AND THEY WERE OKAY WITH THAT SUGGESTION.
YOU KNOW, IT, GIVEN THE CHOICE AN OPEN FRONT YARD WOULD BE PREFERABLE.
BUT SINCE THE POND IS THERE, UM, AND I, AND I DO, UH, RECOGNIZE THAT THE APPLICANT HAS CHILDREN, AND AS YOU MENTIONED, THE LOCATION DOES GET A, A TRANSIENT POPULATION.
UM, I, I CAN SEE AN EXCEPTION HERE TO ALLOW THE FENCE.
WE WOULD JUST LIKE IT TO BE MORE TRANSPARENT.
UH, SO LOWERING IT DOWN, LOWERING THE, THE ROCK PORTION THREE TO ONE FOOT.
AND I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, AS ABOVE THAT, HAVE THE METAL PICKET SIMILAR TO WHAT'S SHOWN.
JUST AS LONG AS THAT'S NO HIGHER THAN THAN FOUR.
UH, THAT, THAT WOULD BE OUR SUGGESTION.
IS THAT SOMETHING YOU'D BE OPEN TO? I, AGAIN, I'D MENTIONED, UH, I'D
[01:05:01]
CONSIDER IT MORE OF A LIABILITY THAN, THAN A CURRENTUM, WELL THE HEIGHT IT IS NOW IS NOT, ITS COMPLETED HEIGHT.
CURRENTLY IT'S LIKE TWO AND A HALF.
'CAUSE IT DOESN'T HAVE THE CAP ON IT.
UM, IT, IT, THE GATE, THE GATES DON'T SORT OF POP OUT AS MUCH AS THEY APPEAR TO IN THIS, BECAUSE THE WALL IS NOT FULLY CONSTRUCTED.
SO THE WALL WILL BE ABOUT THREE FEET HIGH, AND THEN THE GATE IS ABOUT 40 INCHES HIGH.
SO IT'S FOUR INCHES ABOVE THAT.
UM, I, I DO THINK THAT'S TYPICALLY SUFFICIENT TO KEEP NUISANCE TRAFFIC OUT OF IT.
THANK AND THEN, UH, GO AHEAD RYAN.
UM, AND I WILL SAY WHEN WE SPOKE, I, I HAD NOT SEEN THE POND.
RYAN, MAKE SURE YOU USE THE MIC PLEASE.
WHEN WE SPOKE, I HAD NOT SEEN THE POND COMPLETED.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M THINKING OUT LOUD HERE, BUT IT, A ONE FOOT WALL MAY LOOK A LITTLE ODD HAVING THAT TALL OF A POND THERE, SO I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT SHOULD MATCH THAT HEIGHT.
UM, BUT AGAIN, TRADITIONALLY WE ARE AGAINST A SOLID WALL.
UM, SOMETHING MORE TRANSPARENT BE PREFERABLE.
YEAH, THAT'S ASSUMING THAT THAT POND IS COMPLETED.
SO I DON'T THINK WE CAN CHANGE THAT AT THIS POINT.
AND THEN, UH, CORY, WHAT IS THE, WHAT DID YOU FIND OUT FROM DEVELOPMENT SERVICES ABOUT WHAT IS CONSIDERED A POOL VERSUS WHAT IS CONSIDERED A POND? BECAUSE FROM WHAT I'VE READ, IT'S, IF IT'S MORE THAN 48 INCHES DEEP, THAT IS CONSIDERED A POOL AND THAT WOULD NEED TO BE A FULLY GATED.
SO TO CLARIFY, SO THIS IS THE, THE RESPONSE FROM DSD.
IT SAYS, GOOD AFTERNOON, THIS WAS YESTERDAY.
NONE OF OUR CURRENT ADOPTED CODES ADDRESS POND FENCING ON A RESIDENTIAL LOT FENCING STANDARDS CAN BE FOUND IN OUR ADOPTED UDC.
UH, AND THOSE CAN RELATE TO THE SWIMMING POOL AND SPA CODE.
UM, JASON, YESTERDAY YOU HAD SHARED A LINK TO THE SA PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE.
AND SO IN THAT, UH, ORDINANCE, THERE'S REQUIREMENTS FOR FENCING OF POOLS AND SPAS AND POOLS AND SPAS ARE DEFINED IN THAT CODE.
UM, AND THERE IS LANGUAGE THAT SAYS IF EXCEEDING 24 INCHES, THEN IT WOULD HAVE TO BE FENCED.
HOWEVER, DS D'S INTERPRETATION IS THAT BECAUSE OF HOW SPECIFICALLY POOLS AND SPAS ARE DEFINED AS, YOU KNOW, THE RECREATIONAL USE THAT A POND, WHICH THIS IS, WOULD NOT FALL UNDER THAT CATEGORY.
SO THERE IS, JUST TO SUMMARIZE, THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT TO HAVE THEM FENCE ANY PARTICULAR WAY.
SO THEY WERE FINE WITH CONSIDERING A POOL VERSUS, I'M SORRY, A POND VERSUS A POOL.
IF THIS WAS A HOT TUB, THEN IT'D BE A DIFFERENT STORY.
UH, I REALIZED I DIDN'T FULLY ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
I AM AMENABLE TO MITIGATION, INCLUDING POSSIBLY CHANGING THE DESIGN.
OBVIOUSLY, ANYTHING THAT WE WOULD CHANGE WOULD COME WITH A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FINANCIAL HARDSHIP.
AND I DO APPRECIATE, I MEAN, I, WE CHOSE THIS DESIGN BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY THINK IT, IT DOESN'T OBSCURE THE FRONT.
YOU CAN KIND OF SEE HOW HIGH IT IS, UH, AND THAT IT IS APPROPRIATE AND WE'D BE OPEN TO SOMETHING LIKE GROWING GREENERY ON IT OR SOMETHING ELSE TO MITIGATE IT.
UM, SO THAT WOULD NOT BE MY FIRST CHOICE TO CHANGE THE KIND OF ARRANGEMENT OF THE STONE AND THE IRON, BUT I'M NOT OPPOSED.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS OR CLARIFICATIONS? UM, I WILL MAKE THE COMMENT THAT I THINK THAT PUTTING ANY KIND OF WALL IN THIS FRONT YARD IS PROBLEMATIC FROM THE STANDPOINT OF, UM, WHAT IS KIND OF, UM, APPROPRIATE TO A HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD.
RIGHT? UM, BUT THE POINT IS MADE THAT THIS IS A STREET WHERE IT'S MONTE VISTA ON ONE SIDE, TOBIN HILL ON THE OTHER, AND THEY HAVE FENCES.
YOU CAN SEE THEM FROM YOUR, YOUR YARD.
UM, SO I CAN UNDERSTAND YOUR DESIRE.
UM, I THINK THAT MR. REED'S SUGGESTIONS ON HOW THAT DESIGN FOR THE FENCE MIGHT BE, MIGHT BE MODIFIED, AS WELL AS THE DESIGN AND PLACEMENT OF THE GATE, UH, FOR THE DRIVEWAY, PUSHING IT BACK, UM, I THINK WOULD BE MORE AGREEABLE THAN HAVING IT ON THE STREET FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, BOTH AESTHETIC AND POTENTIALLY, UH, FROM A VEHICULAR SAFETY STANDPOINT.
UM, SO I THINK THAT THERE ARE OPTIONS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IN
[01:10:01]
ITS CURRENT KIND OF ITERATION, IT JUST SEEMS TO BE PROBLEMATIC.AM MY CONCERN IS STILL FOR THAT, THAT POOL.
I'D ALMOST LIKE TO SEE, UM, IRON FENCING ON TOP OF WHAT YOU HAVE THERE, BECAUSE IT'S STILL LOW ENOUGH THAT KIDS ARE GONNA WANT TO GO THERE AND PLAY IN THAT POOL AND, OR EVEN GROWNUPS, I DON'T KNOW,
UM, SO I WOULD, I WOULD HAVE SOME CONCERN ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
IN TERMS OF IT, OF ITS CURRENT, UM, SITUATION, NOT SO MUCH THE LOCATION.
I KNOW IT GOT APPROVAL FROM OHP, SO THAT'S ALL GOOD.
BUT, UH, JUST IN TERMS OF SAFETY, NOT JUST FOR, UM, THE RESIDENTS HERE, BUT ALSO FOR PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE TEMPTED TO COME AND TRY AND PLAY IN YOUR POOL POND.
SO, UH, CAN I RESPOND AT ALL? I JUST, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE VEHICULAR GATE OR A JUST A MOMENT COMMENT.
SO WE'RE GONNA ADDRESS WHAT'S ACTUALLY ON HERE.
SO LET'S GO BACK TO WHAT WE'RE, WHY WE'RE REALLY HERE, WE'RE REALLY HERE IS BECAUSE THE RECOMMENDATIONS ON YOUR APPLICATION.
WE ALREADY HAVE ONE VIOLATION AND WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE STAFFING CAME AND OBSERVED.
THE RECOMMENDATIONS IS TO GIVE YOU WHAT WAS RECOMMENDED ALREADY BY THIS COMMITTEE.
RIGHT? THE OTHER THING TOO IS THIS IS NOT THE PLACE TO NEGOTIATE.
THIS IS A PLACE TO ADDRESS THE APPLICATION THAT WAS SUBMITTED AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS.
SO AT THIS TIME, ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS, ANY OTHER CLARIFICATIONS? WE'VE REVIEWED EXTENSIVELY SOME OF THE AREAS, BUT WE'RE HERE TO ADDRESS WHAT WOULD THE RECOMMENDATION, WHAT THE APPLICATION IS ACTUALLY REQUESTING? IF THERE ARE NONE.
CHAIR, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
MADAM CHAIR, BEFORE WE MAKE A MOTION, I WANTED TO ASK THE APPLICANT IF THEY'D BE WILLING TO WORK WITH THE, IF WE CAN DELAY THIS A MONTH, WOULD THAT HELP? AND, UH, IN WORKING WITH, AGAIN, CHAIR, WHAT VICE CHAIR, WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS ADDRESSING WHAT IS ON THE APPLICATION.
THIS IS NOT A TIME TO NEGOTIATE.
ONCE WE PASS THE MOTION AND MAKE THAT OBSERVATION, WE CAN THEN MOVE IT FORWARD TO HAVE A DISCUSSION.
CORY, CAN WE POSTPONE OR ALREADY, BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN INTO THE DISCUSSIONS ALREADY.
I MEAN, FOR COA REQUESTS, THERE IS A SIX 60 DAY MAXIMUM, UH, REVIEW PERIOD.
UM, AND SO YEAH, PUT THAT DATE ON US.
SO WE DO HAVE AT LEAST ONE POSTPONEMENT THAT THE COMMISSION COULD DO AND NOT EXCEED THAT TIMELINE.
UM, AT ANY POINT THE APPLICANT COULD ALSO, UM, UH, AGREE TO A POSTPONEMENT, WHICH WOULD EXTEND THE TIME AT THEIR REQUEST.
UM, BUT I ALSO WOULD WANNA KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE INTENT WOULD BE.
WOULD THAT BE FOR ADDITIONAL TIME FOR THE APPLICANT TO COME UP WITH A REVISED PROPOSAL BASED ON THE DISCUSSION? I SEE NODDING.
WOULD THAT HELP IF WE GAVE YOU THE ALLOWED, UH, TIME THAT IS ACTUALLY ALLOWABLE WITHIN THE CODE? UH, I NEED A CLARIFYING QUESTION.
SO THERE ARE THREE SEPARATE ITEMS IN THE COA UHHUH
OH, SO WHAT WE'RE ADDRESSING RIGHT NOW IS THE APPLICATION.
THIS IS NOT THE PLACE TO NEGOTIATE WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GOING TO CONSIDER ONE PART OR THE OTHER.
WHAT YOU'VE PUT ON THE FLOOR IS WHETHER WE POSTPONE FOR YOU TO RESUBMIT A NEW, NEW DESIGN FOR RECONSIDERATION TO WORK WITH THE STAFF, OR ARE WE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS APPLICATION SO WE CAN MOVE EITHER WITH OR WITHOUT THE RECOMMENDATION ON WHAT WAS PRESENTED.
ARE YOU ENTERTAINING TO WITHDRAW YOUR APPLICATION FOR RECONSIDERATION? ARE YOU WANTING TO, ARE WE LOOKING TO POSTPONE SO THAT WE HAVE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO REDESIGN QUESTION? YEAH, THAT WAS HER QUESTION.
AND THAT IS MY RETURN QUESTION TO YOU, MS. HENDRICKS.
IS THAT AT WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING TO HAVE IT POSTPONED FOR RECONSIDERATION AND REDESIGN? OR ARE YOU WITHDRAWING TO START ALL OVER AGAIN? I'M SORRY.
UM, SO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ASK IS, IF I DON'T POSTPONE, YOU WILL TAKE A VOTE AND THAT VOTE IS ON THE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS WHAT WE'RE ABOUT TO DETERMINE THAT.
UM, I SUPPOSE I'M OPEN TO A POSTPONEMENT.
[01:15:01]
THANK YOU.IT, IT WILL BE A FINANCIAL HARDSHIP, BUT I WILL DO IT IF THAT'S WHAT I MUST DO.
SO AT THIS TIME, COREY, MOVING FORWARD, OR BRIAN, WHAT DO WE DO? WE WOULD NEED AN ACTION TO POSTPONE, UM, TO, UH, TO THE NEXT AVAILABLE HEARING DATE, WHICH WOULD BE OKAY.
SEPTEMBER SOMETHING I'LL DETERMINE MOTION PLEASE.
MADAM CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, POSTPONE, UH, THIS APPLICATION UNTIL THE SEPTEMBER 19TH, SEPTEMBER 19TH, UH, MEETING DATE TO ALLOW THE HOMEOWNER, UH, TO WORK ON THIS, UH, BOTH WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND END OHP.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND, SECOND.
THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO POSTPONE TO SEPTEMBER 17TH FOR RECONSIDERATION WITH THE HOME WITH THE HISTORIC SOCIETY AND SEPTEMBER 17TH.
AND, AND WHAT WAS IT? THE DEPARTMENT IN A SECOND.
CAN I GO AHEAD AND HAVE A ROLL CALL BILL, PLEASE? DAVIS.
MS. HENDRICKS, IF YOU'LL PLEASE GO BACK TO THE STAFF SO THAT WE CAN BETTER SUPPORT YOU.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE, CTAP CASE NUMBER 2025 DASH 1 9 5 3 23 DIVINE STREET.
THE APPLICANT'S REQUESTING A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FOR APPROVAL TO INSTALL A FIVE FOOT TALL BLACK WROUGHT IRON FENCE AT THE FRONT AND SIDE OF THE PROPERTY.
STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE REQUEST BASED ON FINDINGS A THROUGH C WITH THE FOLLOWING STIPULATION, ONE THAT THE FENCE NOT EXCEED FOUR FEET IN HEIGHT FROM THE WINDOW BAY FRONTING LABOR STREET THROUGH TO THE SOUTH IN THE LINE PARALLEL TO DIVINE STREET.
THE APPLICANT CRAIG HUTCHINSON, IS HERE IN PERSON ALONG WITH HIS CONTRACTOR TEAM.
UM, THERE ARE ADDITIONAL PHOTOS IN YOUR LATE FOLDER.
THERE IS ONE LETTER AND ONE VOICEMAIL FOR COMMISSIONER REVIEW.
MR. HUTCHINSON, IF YOU CAN COME UP AND PRESENT YOUR CASE, YOU'LL HAVE 15 MINUTES.
HELLO, I'M, UH, CRAIG HUTCHSON, THE OWNER OF THE, UH, PROPERTY.
UH, WE'VE OWNED THE PROPERTY IN MAY, UH, TOOK POSSESSION IN ON THE SEVENTH.
THE BIG CONCERN FOR THIS FENCE WAS FOR SAFETY.
UH, THERE'S THREE COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF LABOR STREET.
THE THIRD NIGHT WE STAYED IN THE HOUSE.
UH, WE WERE AWAKENED BY POUNDING ON OUR FRONT DOOR AND A FLOWER POT THROWN AT OUR DOOR.
THANKFULLY THE ALARM SYSTEM WENT OFF.
BY THE TIME I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE FRONT DOOR, OF COURSE, THE PERSON WAS GONE.
THE POLICE DID COME TO LOOK AROUND, MADE SURE THE CARS WERE NOT BROKE INTO OR ANYTHING, BUT THAT WAS NUMBER ONE.
DAY THREE, WE HAD THAT SITUATION HAPPEN.
UM, THERE'S A RESTAURANT AT THE END, COMMERCIAL PROPERTY.
THERE'S A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY RIGHT BESIDE US OFF THE LABOR STREET.
NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.
AND THEN THERE'S A CONVENIENCE STORE, UH, A LOT OF SHADY TYPE OF ACTIVITY GOING UP AND DOWN THE STREET.
WE HAVE FOUND, UH, DRUG PARAPHERNALIA IN OUR YARD.
UH, WE HAVE FOUND A DEAD SQUIRREL THROWN UP ON OUR FRONT PORCH.
LEASHES, UH, MEMBERS OF THE, UH, COMMUNITY SEEM TO THINK OUR YARD IS A MEETING SPOT WHEN THEY ARE OUT WALKING THEIR DOGS.
UH, THERE'S A BUS STOP RIGHT ON THE CORNER, VERY LOUD.
WE'VE ENCOUNTERED SEVERAL LOUD ALTERCATIONS, UH, AT THAT BUS STOP.
SO FOR PERSONAL SAFETY, THAT IS A REASON WE WANTED TO GO WITH A FIVE FOOT FENCE AROUND THE FRONT OF OUR PROPERTY.
THE FIVE FOOT FENCE IS WHEN YOU'RE STANDING ON THE SIDEWALK, LOOKING AT OUR HOUSE IS ALMOST LEVEL, PERFECTLY LEVEL WITH OUR HAND RAILING ON OUR, UH, SURROUND PORCH.
UH, SO THAT IS THE REASON WE WERE REQUESTING THE FENCE.
AND I HAVE MY, UH, CONTRACTOR HERE IF, UH, HE MAY BE ABLE
[01:20:01]
TO ANSWER ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.THANK YOU, SIR, FOR BEING HERE AT THIS TIME.
BRIAN, CAN YOU GO OVER SOME OF THE THINGS SO THAT WAY WE CAN ADDRESS AND THEN WE'LL MOVE OVER.
DO WE HAVE ANYTHING OTHER THAN A LETTER OR VOICEMAIL? YES.
SO WE DO HAVE A VOICEMAIL AND I CAN PLAY THAT NOW FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION PLEASE.
MSS MORRIS AL ON BEHALF OF THE LAVACCA NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, CALLING FOR THE CTA AUGUST 22ND REGARDING ITEM FIVE, UH, ADDRESS 3, 2, 3 DIVINE STREET.
THE LAVACCA NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION SUPPORTS STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION THAT THE FENCE NOT EXCEED FOUR FEET AND HEIGHT FOR THE SPECIFICATIONS IN THE RECOMMENDATION.
THE CASE MATERIAL SHOW THAT THE FENCE INSTALLATION WAS COMPLETED AFTER THE STOP WORK ORDER WAS ISSUED.
ACCORDING TO THE TIMING OF THE STOP WORK ORDER AND THE STATUS OF THE FENCE INSTALLATION ON JULY 16TH, 2025, THERE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE MODIFICATIONS OR TO GET PROPER APPROVAL FOR A VARIANCE.
WE ENCOURAGE PROPERTY OWNERS TO FOLLOW HISTORIC DESIGN GUIDELINES AND TO FOLLOW THE PROCESS TO APPLY FOR A VARIANCE IF THAT IS NEEDED OR, OR DESIRED.
AND WE'RE HAPPY TO ASSIST, UH, WITH ANY GUIDANCE WE CAN, UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT APPROVAL IS GAINED.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
DO WE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? I SEE THE LETTER.
THE STOP ORDER WORK WAS, WAS PRESENTED WHEN, ONE MORE TIME.
SO, UM, WE HAD INITIALLY RECEIVED A REPORT, UM, IT'S LISTED IN FINDING B.
SO YES, ON JULY 16TH, 2025, THE OHP STAFF RECEIVED A REPORT OF FENCE INSTALLATION WITHOUT A COA AT 3 23 DIVINE STREET.
UM, WE COORDINATED WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TO DEPARTMENT TO ISSUE A STOP WORK ORDER, UM, AND FOR THE PROPERTY OWNERS SUBMIT A COA APPLICATION TO US.
SO ON JULY 21ST, 2025, ON JULY 25TH, UM, THE DSD CODE OFFICER WHO HAD INITIALLY SUBMIT OR INITIALLY, UM, ISSUED THE STOP WORK ORDER FOR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, INFORMED OHP STAFF THAT THE WORK ON THE FENCE HAD BEEN COMPLETED.
UM, YES, AND, AND I CAN, UH, AND JUST TO ADD A LITTLE BIT OF CLARIFICATION, SO, UH, WE DO WORK WITH DSD, UM, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, UH, TO COORDINATE STOP WORK ORDERS.
IF THE WORK THAT'S DONE ON SITE ALSO REQUIRES A PERMIT AS WELL.
SO, UM, SO THERE WAS TWO STOP ORDERS ISSUED AT THIS ADDRESS.
WAS THERE A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FOR THE FENCE FOR THE, FOR THE INITIAL INSTALLATION? NO, MADAM CHAIR.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR QUESTIONS AND I'LL START WITH ONLINE PLEASE.
A POINT OF INFORMATION, MAYBE THIS IS FOR STAFF.
IT LOOKS LIKE, UM, THE PROPERTY ACROSS THE STREET AT SEVEN 11 DIVINE HAS A FENCE.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY SENSE FOR WHETHER OR NOT THAT, UH, MEETS THE FOUR FOOT, UM, STANDARD? IT APPEARS TO BE SHORTER.
UM, IF, IF YOU CAN GIMME JUST ONE MOMENT, UM, TO PULL UP AND SEE IF I CAN SEARCH FOR THAT ON GOOGLE STREET VIEW.
UM, WHILE BRIAN DOES THAT, I'M GONNA PROVIDE ONE MORE TIDBIT.
UM, UP UNTIL A FEW YEARS AGO, THE CITYWIDE CODE FOR FRONT YARD FENCES, UH, RE TOPS OUT THE MAXIMUM FENCE HEIGHT AT FOUR FEET FOR THE FRONT YARD THAT WAS UPDATED, UM, I GUESS ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO TO BE FIVE FEET.
UM, THAT WAS BASED, THAT AMENDMENT WAS BASED ON THE NUMBER OF, UH, BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT VARIANCES FOR FRONT YARD FENCES THAT WERE BEING APPROVED.
UM, AND SO OUR, OUR HISTORIC GUIDELINES THAT SAY IT NEEDS TO BE FOUR FEET HAVE STAYED THE SAME.
IT USED TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE CITY CODE.
NOW THE CITY CODE ALLOWS A LITTLE BIT MORE.
AND SO IF THIS WAS NOT IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT, FIVE FEET WOULD BE ALLOWED.
UM, AND SO HE WOULDN'T HAVE TO GET A VARIANCE IF THIS WAS APPROVED TODAY.
UM, BUT OUR HISTORIC DESIGN GUIDELINES STILL APPLY.
AND SO FOUR FEET IS WHAT IS TYPICALLY RECOMMENDED IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT.
[01:25:01]
OKAY, SO LET ME MAKE SURE I, I UNDERSTAND.HISTORICAL DISTRICT IS FOUR FEET.
HE WOULD HAVE TO GET A VARIANCE FOR FIVE FEET, BUT IT DOES NOT APPLY BECAUSE OF THE HISTORICAL DISTRICT OPPOSITE ACTUALLY.
UM, SO, UH, IF THIS WAS NOT IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT, HE COULD HAVE FIVE FEET.
UM, SO YOU CAN APPROVE UP TO FIVE FEET TODAY WITHOUT REQUIRING A VARIANCE, BUT OUR GUIDELINES STILL SAY FOUR FEET IS MOST APPROPRIATE.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, SIR, FOR CLARIFICATION? THAT HELPS.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? I'LL OPEN UP THE FLOOR TO THE, MY RIGHT, JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
UM, SO THIS, THIS FENCE IS FIVE FEET HIGH AND IT'S COMPLETELY INSTALLED ALREADY.
IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT, YES.
AND, UM, CAN I JUST ASK WHAT THE REASONING WAS FOR IGNORING TO STOP WORK ORDERS? THE, THE REASON IT WAS, SO, THE REASON THAT MR. HUTCHINSON CONTINUED AND WE CONTINUED WITH THE INSTALLATION WAS THE SAFETY.
UH, THERE WAS PEOPLE THAT WERE LOITERING.
THERE WAS PARAPHERNALIA ON THE, UH, FRONT PORCH AND IF YOU NOTICE, THERE IS A BUS STOP RIGHT AT THE CORNER.
SO HE HAD THE OPTION, UH, AND THERE'S NO CLARIFICATION, BUT I THINK WE HAVE SOMEBODY FROM DSD, HE COULD HAVE INSTALLED A SIX FOOT HIGH TEMPORARY FENCE, WHICH IS MODULAR THAT WE INSTALL ALL OVER, UH, THE CITY.
AND ALSO FYI, WE ARE ALSO THE OFFICIAL CITY CONTRACTOR FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
SO HE COULD HAVE INSTALLED SOMETHING THAT LOOKS OUT OF THE NORM AND PUT A SIX FOOT HIGH TALL CHAIN LINK TEMPORARY FENCE.
MEANWHILE, UM, WITH THE INTENTIONS, THE INTENTIONS WERE GOOD, UM, BUT HE DIDN'T WANT IT TO LOOK LIKE A CONSTRUCTION SITE, ALTHOUGH HE HAS THE MEANS AND THE RIGHTS TO DO SO.
UH, PUTTING UP A TEMPORARY FENCE.
SO HE SAID, LET'S, LET'S SEE WHAT WE CAN WORK OUT.
AND THAT'S THE REASON THAT WE, WE CONTINUE WITH THE PROCESS OF THE INSTALLATION.
ANY OTHER? SO SIR, WHAT'S YOUR NAME? LARRY SAAS.
CAN YOU COME UP TO THE MIC? SURE.
FOR BEING AN OFFICIAL CONTRACTOR FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND YOU MOVED FORWARD IGNORING THE STOP LOSS, THE STOP ORDER, KNOWING THAT IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
ISN'T THAT SUCH A CONTRADICTION, SIR? IT'S NOT A CONTRADICTION IN THE SENSE OF THE SAFETY OUTWEIGHING THE SAFETY OF, UH, MR. HUTCHINSON AND, AND HIS WIFE.
UH, AGAIN, WE COULD HAVE PUT THE TEMPORARY FENCE AND IT WAS, IT WAS HIS, HIS DOING FOLLOWING HIS INSTRUCTION.
SO THAT'S THE REASON THAT WE, THAT WE DID THAT.
I MEAN, WE, WE, HE'S THE HOMEOWNER OF THE PROPERTY AND THAT BEING SAID, AGAIN, HE HAD THE OPTION TO CONTINUE WITH THE 10 FENCE OR FINISH IT OUT AND OUT OF SAFETY AND IT NOT LOOKING OUT OF THE NORM AND AT LEAST SOMETHING THAT LOOKS PRODUCTIVE AND CONDUCIVE TO THE PROPERTY IS THAT'S WHY HE CONTINUED WITH THE, THE WR IRON VENTS.
SO THAT KIND OF GIVES ME A LITTLE BIT OF CONCERN, SIR, SEEING THAT YOU'RE THE CITY OFFICIAL CONTRACTOR AND I KNOW YOU'RE DOING FOR SAFETY.
I, SO I GUESS I'D LIKE TO BE AT THIS AREA.
BRIAN, GO AHEAD AND HAVE A SEAT, SIR.
SO BRIAN, AT THIS POINT, WHAT WAS THEIR END RESULTS WITH WHAT WAS DONE? HOW CAN WE ACTUALLY MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS? SURE.
SO THERE, THERE'S A FEW OPTIONS.
SO STAFF IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL, UM, FOR THE FENCE, JUST THAT IT'D BE LOWER TO FOUR FEET AND HEIGHT.
SO THERE'S NOTHING INHERENT ABOUT THE DESIGN, UM, OR THE MATERIALS USED THAT IS, UH, THAT DOES NOT CONFORM TO HISTORIC DESIGN GUIDELINES.
SO WE ARE FINE WITH THE MATERIAL.
THE, THE STYLE, UM, AT ISSUE THOUGH IS THE HEIGHT OF THE FIVE FEET.
SO THE HISTORIC DESIGN GUIDELINES LIST FOUR FEET AS BEING APPROPRIATE WITHIN FRONT YARDS.
UM, AND SO THAT WOULD BE OUR RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THAT THE, POTENTIALLY THAT THE, UH, CONTRACTOR REDUCE THE HEIGHT.
UM, ADDITIONALLY THE CTAP COULD DENY, OUTRIGHT DENY THE REQUEST.
UM, BUT AGAIN, THE OHP STAFF WE'RE, WE'RE FINE WITH THE FENCE.
IT'S JUST THE HEIGHT THAT'S THE, THE CONTENTIOUS ISSUE.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION AT THIS TIME.
MADAM CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE WITH STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS.
THERE IS CURRENTLY A MOTIONAL ON THE FLOOR WITH A SECOND TO ACCEPT STAFF'S
[01:30:01]
RECOMMENDATION.THANK YOU SIR, IF YOU'LL PLEASE GO BACK TO AND WORK WITH THE STAFF.
WE HAVE NO MORE ITEMS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AT THIS TIME, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN AT 10 31.