HomeMy WebLinkAbout6-8-20 HLC Minutes
* M I N U T E S *
HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION
June 8, 2020
Virtual Zoom Meeting…
A Regular Meeting of the Historic Landmark Commission was held on June 8, 2020 and called
to order at 3:34 p.m. with the following members present:
Chairman Paula Blazek
Vice-Chairman Dohn LaBiche
Commissioner Marty Craig
Commissioner Theresa Goodness
Commissioner Terry Hallemann
Commissioner Lynda Kay Makin
Commissioner Janelle Templeton
Commission Members absent : Commissioner Hester Bell
Commissioner Marie Broussard
Commissioner Thomas Sigee
Councilmembers present: None
Also present: Chris Boone, Director of Planning & Community
Development
Adina Josey, Senior Planner
Elayna Luckey, Historic Code Enforcement Officer
Catherine Allen, Recording Secretary
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Commissioner Craig moved to approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting held on
March 9, 2020. Commissioner Makin seconded the motion. A roll call vote was
taken. Chairman Blazek-Aye, Vice-Chairman LaBiche-Aye, Commissioner Craig-Aye,
Commissioner Goodness-Aye, Commissioner Hallemann-Aye, Commissioner Makin-Aye,
Commissioner Templeton-Aye. The motion to approve carried 7:0.
REGULAR MEETING
1) CA-3187: Request for a Certificate of Appropriateness to remove a tile roof to replace
with a shingle roof.
Applicant: Jesus Cardona
Location: 2262 Liberty Avenue
Historic Landmark Commission
June 8, 2020
Mrs. Josey presented the staff report. Jesus Cardona requests permission to replace the roof
located at 2262 Liberty Avenue with a shingle roof. Mr. Cardona has removed the entire tile
roof without the benefit of either a Certificate of Appropriateness or necessary permits required
by Building Codes. As a result, Inspector Luckey posted a stop work order on April 16,
2020. At the time of the stop work order, all of the eaves, ridges and finials appeared to be
present on the property per Inspector Luckey’s investigative pictures. Mr. Cardona was
informed he would need to seek permission from the Historic Landmark Commission to continue
replacement of the roof with shingles at the time of the stop work order.
With permission, Mr. Cardona will replace the roof with lifetime architectural shingles. The
shingles will be the color of Slate Gray and final outcome of the roof will not include any of the
original eaves, ridges or finial pieces. Mr. Cardona states that all of the tiles, including the
decorative pieces, are gone.
The house is in the 1991 SPARE Beaumont Survey. SPARE states that the house was built in
1925. The house is representative of the local combination two popular styles and is typical of
middle class homes built in Beaumont during the 1920s.
Staff recommended denial of the request.
Slides were shown of the subject property.
Discussion followed concerning the details of plans for the roof and the history of previous
similar cases.
The applicant, Giovanni Escobar, on behalf of Gobar Management LLC, 14415 Spanish River
Lane, Cypress TX, addressed the commission. He explained that his business is out of the
Cypress, TX area and therefore he was not familiar with the Historic District requirements in the
City of Beaumont. He stated that the old roof was in need of replacement and that he is just
trying to do his best to fix the property. He added that the workers got rid of the decorative
pieces because they did not know they had to be kept. He apologized for being unaware of the
requirements before, but stated that he understands them now.
Officer Luckey added that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, at the time that the roof was replaced,
the City was not issuing roofing permits.
Discussion followed about the availability of replacement decorative pieces, the circumstances of
the purchase of the home and the discrepancy of the age of the home in the appraisal district
record. Commissioners explained that if a home was built before the 1960’s, that the appraisal
district will list it as being built in the 1960’s, even though it is inaccurate.
Commissioner Goodness moved to approve the request for a Certificate of Appropriateness to
remove a tile roof to replace with a shingle roof, with the stipulation that the decorative corner
pieces be replaced with pieces that are similar in design to the ones that were removed.
Commissioner Makin seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken. Chairman Blazek-Aye,
Vice-Chairman LaBiche-Aye, Commissioner Craig-Aye, Commissioner Goodness-Aye,
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Historic Landmark Commission
June 8, 2020
Commissioner Hallemann-Aye, Commissioner Makin-Aye, Commissioner Templeton-Aye. The
motion to approve carried 7:0.
2) CA-3190: Request for a Certificate of Appropriateness to replace front door, remove
dormers and replace roof with shingles.
Applicant: Gerardo Loza
Location: 2255 North Street
Mrs. Josey presented the staff report. Gerardo Loza requests permission to replace the front
door, remove dormers and replace the roof with shingles to his home located at 2255 North
Street. Mr. Loza plans to paint the front door SW6942 Splashy. The proposed front door has an
oval-shaped, patterned glass pane window in the door. He has provided a picture of the door he
proposes to install, pending the Commission’s approval.
Additionally, Mr. Loza seeks permission to remove the two dormers located on the front of the
roof visible from the street right of way. That area will be replaced with a roof matching the
pitch of the existing roof line and covered with architectural shingles. The architectural shingles
will be black in color to match existing. Drawings were provided as a frame of reference for the
appearance of the final outcome.
This home is categorized as a Neocolonial style house. Mr. Loza’s proposed door, which
includes a large oval-shaped glass pane, seems inappropriate for a Neocolonial style house
(McAlester et al., pg. 489). Dormers appear to be a prominent architectural feature for a
Neocolonial style home (McAlester et al., pg. 489). Therefore the removal of those dormers
would hinder the historic preservation of this structure.
The house is not listed in the SPARE survey.
Staff recommended denial of the request.
Slides were shown of the subject property.
The applicant, Gerardo Loza, 2255 North Street, addressed the commission. He stated that the
dormers are only decorative, add extra weight, cause the home to be off level and have led to
leaking. He added that they are unnecessary because there are no living quarters behind them
and that the structure is bending the frame.
Discussion followed from the Commission on their role in maintaining appropriate architectural
style in the District. It was also clarified that while the dormers may not be structurally required,
they are needed to match the appropriate architectural style of the home.
Holly Loza, 2255 North Street, addressed the Commission. She stated that other homes in the
area have similar doors to the one they are requesting. She shared pictures of some of the homes
she referenced.
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Historic Landmark Commission
June 8, 2020
Discussion followed concerning the pictures and the other homes. It was noted that these homes
had different styles and may have replaced doors at different time frames.
Further discussion followed concerning the proposed paint color for the door.
Commissioner Hallemann moved to deny the request for a Certificate of Appropriateness to
replace front door, remove dormers and replace roof with shingles. Vice-Chairman LaBiche
seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken. Chairman Blazek-Aye, Vice-Chairman
LaBiche-Aye, Commissioner Craig-Aye, Commissioner Goodness-Aye, Commissioner
Hallemann-Aye, Commissioner Makin-Aye, Commissioner Templeton-Aye. The motion to
deny carried 7:0.
3) CA-3192: Request for a Certificate of Appropriateness to paint a house.
Applicant: Jeff Allen
Location: 2230 Hazel
Mrs. Josey presented the staff report. Jeff Allen, property owner, is asking permission to paint
the exterior of the structure at 2230 Hazel Avenue. Mr. Allen initially filed a Certificate of
Appropriateness for the paint color SW7606 Blue Cruise which was approved by staff.
However, Sherwin Williams shipped the wrong paint to Mr. Allen and that paint color is
SW7607 Santorini Blue instead of the Blue Cruise he had originally ordered.
The owner proceeded to paint the house unaware of the incorrect paint color. As a result, a stop
work order was posted by Inspector Luckey on April 27, 2020. Mr. Allen is now seeking
permission to keep his paint color because he does like the variation in color from his original
request.
The house is in the 1990 SPARE Beaumont Survey. SPARE states that the house was built in
1928. The house is a good example of middle class housing built in Beaumont after the second
Spindletop boom.
Staff recommended denial of Mr. Allen’s paint choice as submitted.
Slides were shown of the subject property.
Discussion followed about the mistake by Sherwin Williams and the applicant’s preference to
keep the incorrect color. Further discussion followed about color variety in the District and the
approved color palette.
Mr. Boone noted that there was a complaint from a neighbor about the color.
The applicant, Jeff Allen, 2564 Liberty Street, addressed the Commission. He stated that the
neighbors he has spoken with liked the color. He also stated that he would comply with
whatever decision the Commission reached.
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Historic Landmark Commission
June 8, 2020
Mrs. Josey suggested that a change of trim color to white may help it to better fit into the
District. Chariman Blazek asked the applicant if he would be willing to use a white trim and he
answered that he would be willing if necessary.
Brief discussion followed about the color of the door and the effect of this decision on the
approved palette.
Commissioner Makin moved to approve the request for a Certificate of Appropriateness to paint
a house Santorini Blue, if white trim is used. Commissioner Craig seconded the motion. A roll
call vote was taken. Chairman Blazek-Aye, Vice-Chairman LaBiche-Aye, Commissioner Craig-
Aye, Commissioner Goodness-Aye, Commissioner Hallemann-Aye, Commissioner Makin-Aye,
Commissioner Templeton-Aye. The motion to approve carried 7:0.
4) CA-3193: Request for a Certificate of Demolition to demolish a garage apartment.
Applicant: Marvin Lindow
Location: 2455 North Street
Mrs. Josey presented the staff report. Marvin Lindow, property owner, requests a Certificate of
Demolition for the garage apartment located at 2455 North Street. Inspector Luckey states the
garage is noticeable from the street right of way. The entire structure is collapsing and there are
holes in the roof which would need to be replaced. There are ample amounts of rotten siding
along the exterior of the garage apartment.
Mr. Lindow would like to demolish the garage apartment to reveal the concrete slab. The slab
that already exists underneath the structure would provide parking for the residents and this
would eliminate cars currently parked in front of the house.
The house is in the 1991 SPARE Beaumont Survey. SPARE states that the house was built
c.1935. The house is an example of 1930’s housing built in Beaumont.
Staff recommended approval of the request.
Commissioner Goodness moved to approve the request for a Certificate of Demolition to
demolish a garage apartment. Commissioner Craig seconded the motion. A roll call vote was
taken. Chairman Blazek-Aye, Vice-Chairman LaBiche-Aye, Commissioner Craig-Aye,
Commissioner Goodness-Aye, Commissioner Hallemann-Aye, Commissioner Makin-Aye,
Commissioner Templeton-Aye. The motion to approve carried 7:0.
5) Historic District Code Enforcement Report
Officer Luckey presented the Historic District Code Enforcement Report for the month of May.
She stated that since the Commission had not met since March, she has emailed reports for the
months of March and April. She presented information about court charges, Certificates of
Appropriateness, grass cutting, violations and inspections in the month of May.
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Historic Landmark Commission
June 8, 2020
Commissioner Craig asked about a truck being parked on Evalon Avenue. Without knowing the
address of the home, Officer Luckey was not able to answer specifics about that case but
explained parking regulation policies in the District.
OTHER BUSINESS
None.
THERE BEING NO OTHER BUSINESS, THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT 4:28
P.M.
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