August 3, 2020 — Meeting Minutes
CITY PLAN COMMISSION/ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD VIRTUAL ZOOM MEETING MONDAY, AUGUST 03, 2020 17:30 (05:30 PM)
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Acting Chair Carolyn Gaidis at 17:30.
ROLL CALL
Acting Chair Carolyn Gaidis, City Manager David Gipson, Aldermanic Representative Richard Lintz, Robert Denlow, George Hettich, and Helen DiFate answered roll call.
Absent: Chairman Steve Lichtenfeld
ALSO IN ATTENDANCE
Stephanie Karr, City Attorney Susan M. Istenes, AICP, Planning Director
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
CAROLYN GAIDIS – MOVE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
RICHARD LINTZ – SECOND
BOARD UNANIMOUSLY APPROVES JULY 20, 2020, MEETING MINUTES. 6-0
2 NEW BUSINESS
7821 DAVIS DRIVE – PLAN COMMISSION – VACATION OF RIGHT-OF-WAY
Director Susan M. Istenes summarizes the following staff report: “The subject property is located south of 7827 Davis Drive (Lot 17 of the Davis Place Subdivision) and is a strip of undeveloped and unused right-of-way. It has a zoning designation of R-2, Single Family Dwelling District. The applicant is requesting that the City vacate the right-of-way interest and reserve a utility easement. The property’s dimensions are +/- 33 feet x 95 feet, for a total area of +/-3,135 square feet.
In accordance with state statute, the Plan Commission must make a recommendation on this vacation. A public hearing is not required in front of the Plan Commission, however this Commission’s recommendation will be carried forward to the Board of Aldermen, where a public hearing will take place along with an ordinance.
In its current configuration, the property is not developable. It the vacation is approved by the Board of Aldermen; the applicant will then file a boundary adjustment plat to include the property with Lot 17.
The Public Works Department does not have an objection to this vacation.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE REQUESTED VACATION OF RIGHT-OF-WAY TO THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN.”
THOMAS GUIGNON (TG) – OWNER EMILY GUIGNON (EG) – OWNER MEADE GREENBERG (MG) – OWNER’S DAUGHTER
TG – Addresses the Board but has nothing to add to the staff report.
ACTING CHAIR CAROLYN GAIDIS – No comments
RICHARD LINTZ – I’m curious how this happened. I have no objection just curious.
TG – We’ve lived here for 40 years, maintaining the driveway as if it were ours, we knew about the trolly that was talked about but nothing ever happened with it.
ROBERT DENLOW – I’m in favor of it. Who owns the land?
MG – It is in between the greenway and the median. The City owns the property.
ROBERT DENLOW – I only bring this up because usually when property is vacated, the property gets split in two with the adjacent owner.
RICHARD LINTZ – MOTION TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
GEORGE HETTICH – SECOND.
3 BOARD UNANIMOUSLY VOTES TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL TO THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN. 6-0
801 SEMINARY PLACE – ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD – EXTERIOR ALTERATION/RENOVATION
Director Susan M. Istenes summarizes the following staff report: “The 68.8-acre property is located east of Big Bend Boulevard and west of DeMun Avenue and has a zoning designation of R-2 Single Family Dwelling District. The Chapel building is located internal to the site north of the intersection of San Bonita Avenue and Seminary Place. The applicant proposes to install a stained-glass window in a new steel frame in the archway at the east entrance to the chapel just above the entry doors. The window will be back lit.
The existing gothic arched stone surround is inset with a hammered brass paneling that is brown in color and not opaque. The window will be installed about midway between the existing paneling and the outer edge of the stone surround with back lighting to be installed between the paneling and the window. The purpose of the lighting is simply to illuminate the window so that the details in the stained glass are visible. Historically, gothic stained- glass windows conveyed biblical stories in colorful, visual form during a time when not all were able to read. They were an important means of getting religious ideologies across to members of the church. Colors used in the window include variations of blues, yellows, reds and greens.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS APPROVE AS SUBMITTED.”
SCOTT FEHL (SF) – NOVA GROUP – APPLICANT
SF– Addresses the Board, has nothing to add to the staff report.
HELEN DIFATE – Will the glass be visible from the inside and will there be anything to protect the stain glass from landscaping, elements, etc.?
SF – No, behind it is the pipe organ. Yes it will be behind a tempered glass to protect it from everything.
RICHARD LINTZ – MOTION TO APPROVE AS SUBMITTED.
GEORGE HETTICH – SECOND.
BOARD UNANIMOUSLY VOTES TO APPROVE AS SUBMITTED. 6-0
8145 PERSHING AVENUE – ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD – ADDITION
Director Susan M. Istenes summarizes the following staff report: “The +/- 6,000-square-foot property is an interior lot located on the north side of Pershing Avenue, just east of the intersection of Forsyth Avenue and Pershing Avenue. The property has a zoning designation of R-2, Single Family Dwelling District. It is located in the Clayton Gardens Urban Design District, and the surrounding properties contain single-family residences. The property is developed with an existing single-family structure and a 17-foot by 20-foot (outside dimensions) side entry garage. The applicant is constructing a new second story 1,043 square foot addition over the existing side-entry garage.
4 The overall height of the addition will be 2 stories, 23 feet 3 inches, which is 1 foot 5 inches shorter than the existing 2 story structure which is 24 feet 8 inches in height. The second story addition will be constructed on top of an existing single-story garage, extending north from the rear of the house. The applicant received a 5-foot variance in 2019 to allow the addition to encroach 5 feet into the rear yard setback requirement of 30 feet. The applicant also received a variance to bring the existing garage structure into conformance as it was built encroaching 3 inches into the 5-foot side yard setback requirement on the east side.
The addition will be constructed with brick to match the existing brick on the home. On the north, east and west elevations, the upper portions of the addition will be clad with smooth cement board panels and 1 x 2 battens, Iron Grey in color. The existing lap siding on the east façade will be replaced with the proposed cement board siding to match the new addition. The roof material will be architectural shingles, dual black in color, to match the existing. New windows will be installed on the north, east and west elevations and will be aluminum clad casement style, black in color; brick sills will be incorporated to match the existing. A new black steel garage door will also be installed.
The Clayton Gardens Urban Design district allows for accent materials such as wood lap siding but does not allow these secondary materials to exceed more than 25 percent of any wall elevation. The cement board panels on the second story of the rear, left and right elevations are 25 percent, 20 percent and 22 percent, respectively, therefore the use of secondary material type and amount follows the design district standards.
An additional 61 square feet of driveway area will be removed in order to compensate for the additional increase in impervious area that results from the addition. Currently, the site is non-conforming with respect to impervious area at 53 percent, versus the code maximum of 50 percent. Removing the 61 square feet of drive area will retain the current impervious area of 53 percent and will not increase the impervious area on site.
Two air conditioning units will be relocated from the rear of the property to the east side. They will be screened with a 5-foot-high wood fence.
The neighborhood has similarly styled, single-family dwelling structures which are two stories high, constructed with brick and use secondary materials such as stone, siding and stucco. The proposed addition is in the rear and the materials proposed are compatible with the existing materials on the home, the roof and window casement colors, and the proposed materials meet the requirements of the Clayton Gardens Urban Design District standards
STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS APPROVE AS SUBMITTED.”
BLAIR KWESKIN (BK) – OWNER SASHA KWESKIN (SK) – OWNER TOM MCGRAW (TM) – ARCHITECT
BK – Addresses the Board and gives background on variances received to get to this Board and a presentation explaining the project.
ACTING CHAIR CAROLYN GAIDIS – Are you adding any limestone?
BK – No it’s only on the front of our home so we are sticking with that.
RICHARD LINTZ – Your neighbors understand you are moving your AC units and they are ok with it?
5
BK – Yes, and it will be consistent with the neighborhood. There is also a driveway separating it as well.
RICHARD LINTZ – MOTION TO APPROVE AS SUBMITTED WITH THE CONDITION THAT THE OWNERS WORK WITH STAFF TO DETERMINE THE BEST LOCATION FOR THE HVAC UNITS.
GEORGE HETTICH – SECOND.
BOARD UNANIMOUSLY VOTES TO APPROVE AS SUBMITTED. 6-0
328 CENTRAL AVENUE – ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD – EXTERIOR ALTERATION/RENOVATION
Director Susan M. Istenes summarizes the following staff report: “The +/- 7,400-square-foot property is an interior lot located on the east side of the street, three lots south of the north City boundary on Central Avenue. The property has a zoning designation of R-3, One and Two Family Dwelling District. The property is developed with an existing single-family structure with a front entry garage. The applicant is changing the appearance of the house by painting the brick, improving the side entrance and front master bedroom deck, replacing siding and replacing a retaining wall.
There are no proposed changes to the paving area, landscaping, or drainage; nor will the home be enlarged. The applicant will be painting the red brick on the house, with Benjamin Moore HC 168, Chelsea Gray. There is existing vinyl siding located on the front and rear bay windows and the gables located in the rear of the house. The vinyl siding will be replaced with Hardie board siding, timber bark color.
On the front façade, the brick columns that flank the garage door will be extended in height by 2 feet 6 inches in order to support a new deck, to replace the existing. The existing deck is 5 feet wide by 16 feet 6 inches long; those dimensions will remain that same, but the deck will be covered with a 3/12 pitch roof, clad with standing seam copper metal that will be allowed to weather to a blue/green color. The roof will be supported on the deck with four, 8 inch by 8 inch Fypon non-tapered square columns. The exposed beams and fascia will be clad with painted metal, the color of which will match the existing trim which is light gray. The railing will be steel, painted black. The deck surface will be lpe wood, allowed to weather to a light gray. The existing front facing garage doors will be replaced with painted, steel, insulated doors; Clopay, Coachman Collection Design with rectangular windows, painted Benjamin Moore, E-74, Cliffside Gray.
On the south side of the house (where the main entrance is located), a new covered entry porch will be constructed, and the existing entrance stoops will be expanded. The roof structure will provide weather protection and improve entrance visibility from the street. The roof will be approximately 12 feet high from the finished ground elevation and it will be supported by two 10 inch by 10 inch Fypon non-tapered square columns. The roofing material will be copper standing seam metal, allowed to weather to a natural blue/green color. The steps will be removed and relocated, and the stoop will be enlarged. A portion of the walkway leading to the steps will be removed and relocated so it jogs to the south in order to meet the steps and new stoop directly in front of the existing entry door. The replacement concrete on the relocated portion of the walkway will match the remaining walkway concrete.
There is an existing railroad tie retaining wall which is located on the north side of the house, approximately 24 inches high and 75 feet in length. It will be replaced with a decorative modular block, Versa-Lok Mosaic, Timberwood blend color.
6 The proposed improvements, materials and colors are compatible with the existing structure and with neighboring structures. The proposed color palette is comprised of neutral colors which will tie in well and give the home a more distinctive character.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITION:
1. THE REPLACEMENT RETAINING WALL SHALL CONTAIN THREE DIFFERENT BLOCK SIZES, A VARYING COLOR PATTERN, AND TUMBLED OR ROLLED EDGES.
JAY SPARKS (JS) - APPLICANT
JS – Addresses the Board but has nothing to add to the staff report.
RICHARD LINTZ – MOTION TO APPROVE WITH THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
GEORGE HETTICH – SECOND.
BOARD UNANIMOUSLY VOTES TO APPROVE WITH THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION. 6-0
HAVING NO FURTHER BUSINESS BEFORE THE COMMISSION, THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT 18:30.
_______________________________ Recording Secretary