Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-26-15 HLC Minutes * M I N U T E S * HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION October 26, 2015 City Hall, 801 Main Street, Beaumont, Texas A Special Meeting of the Historic Landmark Commission was held on October 26, 2015 and called to order at 3:55 p.m. with the following members present: Chairman Paula Blazek Commissioner Judy Linsley Commissioner Marty Craig Commissioner Ramona Hutchinson Commissioner Jason Cansler Commissioner B. Eliot New Commissioner Marie Broussard Commission Members absent: Commissioner Dohn LaBiche Commissioner Thomas Sigee Commissioner LinMarie Garsee Councilmembers present: Councilmember Mike Getz Councilmembers absent: Councilmember-at-Large Gethrel Wright Councilman Claude F. Guidroz Also present: Adina Ward, Planner II; Raymond Rowzee, Planner I; Fran Malvo, Recording Secretary; Anna Varela, Oaks Historic District Code Enforcement Officer APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Craig made a motion to approve the minutes of the Special Meeting held on September 2, 2015 with the correction that Commissioner B. Eliot New was listed as present and absent but he was actually present. Commissioner Linsley seconded the motion with the correction. Motion to approve carried 7:0. REGULAR MEETING 1) CA-2493: Request for a Certificate of Appropriateness for fabricated stone to be applied to the bottom portion of existing porch posts, in the gable over the front porch and around front 3 windows. th Location: 1088 6 Street Applicant: Juan A. Morales and Ariana Morales Ms. Ward presented the staff report. This item was before the Commission in June, and Mr. Morales was asked to present examples of his intentions to add stone to the front of th his home located at 1088 N. 6 Street. This house was a FEMA rebuild after Hurricanes Ike & Rita. Craftsman style elements were added to the original house in an attempt to help it blend into the Oaks Historic District. Although stone bases were typical of Craftsman style houses, the stone gable without an entire wall being stone, and stone shutters, were not typical of Craftsman style homes in the area. The photos Mr. Morales has submitted are not of structures in the Oaks Historic District nor of historic designations. The property is not listed in SPARE. Staff recommended approval with the following conditions 1. Stone be applied to the base of the columns only, not to the gable or around the windows. Slides of the subject property were shown. th Applicant, Juan and Ariana Morales at 1088 6 Street were present. The Morales’ addressed the Commissioners. Discussion followed. Mr. Morales stated that he initially wanted to apply the stone to most of the siding on the front of the house and the columns. The Commissioners expressed concerns about the weight of the stone and the affect it would have applying it to the gables. Mr. Morales stated that the stone is premade stone and it is not heavy. Commissioner Craig stated that the premade stone looks too heavy for the size of the house. Commissioner Broussard made a motion to approve the request for a Certificate of Appropriateness for fabricated stone to be applied to the bottom portion of existing porch posts, in the gable over the front porch and around the front 3 windows as requested in CA-2493 with the following conditions: 1. The stone be applied to the lower part of the columns and around the door and the window underneath the porch. Commissioner Craig seconded the motion. Motion to approve carried 7:0. 2) CA-2548: Request for a Certificate of Appropriateness to install 2 driveways using the existing aprons. Location: 2105 & 2127 Laurel Avenue Applicant: David Bradley Ms. Ward presented the staff report. David Bradley, on behalf of John Reckart, is requesting 2 new concrete driveways for the duplex located at 2127 Laurel Street. The existing driveways on the property are rock and shale, extending from concrete aprons. The aprons were poured when Laurel was improved nearly 20 years ago. These driveways would provide paved off-street parking for the two units. The property is not listed in SPARE. Staff recommended approval of the request. Slides were shown. Ms. Ward stated that the aprons are single drive aprons. The applicant, David Bradley was not present. Mrs. Varela stated that the tenant continuously parks on the grass and that she would not file charges pending on the outcome of the case. Discussion followed. Commissioner Cansler questioned what are the city’s regulations on driveways. Ms. Ward stated that the regulations state that the driveway can be up to 20 feet wide. Commissioner Linsley made a motion to approve the request for a Certificate of Appropriateness to install 2 driveways using the existing aprons as requested in CA-2548 with the following conditions: 1. The driveway extends a minimum of 20 feet beyond the front of the house and does not exceed 12 feet wide. Commissioner Craig seconded the motion. Motion to approve carried 7:0. 3) CA-2552: Request for a Certificate of Appropriateness to replace the steps and handrails to the existing front porch. Location: 2005 Long Avenue Applicant: Rhonda Heartfield Ms. Ward presented the staff report. Rhonda Heartfield would like to replace the front steps to her property at 2005 Long Avenue. The existing concrete steps were broken and, according to Ms. Heartfield, dangerous. Ms. Heartfield has installed wooden stairs and an accompanying wooden handrail. The house is listed in the 1990 SPARE Beaumont Survey. SPARE states that the house was built c. 1925. The house is listed as typical of middle class housing built in Beaumont in the 1920’s and 1930’s Beaumont. Staff recommended approval of the request. Slides were shown. Ms. Ward stated that the applicant’s insurance company stated that the issue needed to be addressed. Ms. Ward also stated that the applicant installed the handrails because the steps were not as sturdy. Applicant, Rhonda Heartfield at 2005 Long Avenue was present. Discussion followed. Chairman Blazek made a motion to approve the request for a Certificate of Appropriateness to replace the steps and handrails to the existing front porch as requested in CA-2552 with the following conditions: 1. The existing wooden steps must be faced with facing board for each step and painted an appropriate color; 2. The handrails and existing porch rails be painted to match the white trim of the home 3. If in any event the homeowner is not willing to face the wooden steps, the steps must be removed and replaced with concrete steps that go from inside one brick planter to the inside of the opposite brick planter. Commissioner New seconded the motion. Motion to approve carried 7:0. 4) CA-2556: Request for a Certificate of Appropriateness to brick in all of the existing windows on the east side of the house. Location: 2454 Ashley Avenue Applicant: Kevin Wilson Ms. Ward presented the staff report. Kevin Wilson would like to remove 10 windows from the east side of his house located at 2454 Ashley Avenue. He has bricked the opening and plans to fill the joints so as to match the surrounding wall once painted. Mr. Wilson states that the house had too many windows, with at least 4 windows in every bedroom. The property is not listed in SPARE. Slides were shown. Staff recommended approval of the request. The applicant, Kevin Wilson at 2454 Ashley Avenue was not present. Discussion followed. Mrs. Varela stated that the property is rental property the owner, Mr. Wilson resides in Silsbee. Mrs. Varela also stated that the property is being rented out to two individual families. Discussion followed regarding the board’s wish that the windows had not been removed as it changes the character of the house. Several members stated the windows should be reinstalled. Ms. Ward questioned the Commissioners whether or not they wanted the windows to remain the same and the Commissioners stated that they would like the windows to remain 6 over 6. Commissioner New made a motion to approve the request for a Certificate of Appropriateness to brick in windows on the east side of the house as requested in CA- 2556 with the following conditions: 1. Only the 2 windows facing Ashley Avenue, on the east side of the house can be removed; 2. The bricking is removed and the other 8 windows are to be replaced with the same windows that are in the front of the house along with window seals to match the original. Commissioner Cansler seconded the motion. Motion to approve carried 7:0. 5) CA-2560: A request for a Certificate of Appropriateness to approve a designated palette of paint samples for the officially adopted acceptable color range. Applicant: City Planning Division Staff presented copies of the newest Sherwin Williams’, “America’s Heritage/exterior historic colors,” pallet to the Commission at the September meeting. In order to better serve the public and ease the load on the Commission, the Planning staff would like to add this pallet to the officially adopted acceptable color range. This pallet would be kept at the front counter for the public to choose from. The director would be given the option to approve new combinations of the colors, as long as colors labeled as body are always used as the body, trim colors are always used for trim and accents remain accents only. Chairman Blazek made a motion to approve CA-2560 and adopt Sherwin Williams’ America’s Heritage /exterior historic colors as an officially adopted, acceptable color ranges with the following conditions: 1. The colors labeled body are always used for body 2. The colors used as trim are always used for trim 3. The accents used as accents are always used as accents Motion to approve carried 7:0. DIRECTOR’S REPORT Mrs. Varela distributed the report. Discussion followed. OTHER BUSINESS None. THERE BEING NO OTHER BUSINESS, THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT 5:02 P.M.