PRESENTER: Presenter
Katie Totman, HPO
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SUBJECT: Title
HLC Case HST24-093: Discuss and consider a Certificate of Alteration to add a new sign and replace the front facing windows at the building located at 399 W San Antonio, located in the Downtown Historic District.
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DEPARTMENT: Planning & Development Services
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COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: 5
APPLICABLE CITATIONS:
Code of Ordinances, Chapter 66 - Historic Preservation
Sec. 66-57. Alteration certificates for alteration or new construction affecting landmarks or historic districts.
No person shall carry out any exterior alteration, restoration, reconstruction, new construction, removal or relocation of any city designated historic landmark or on any property within a city designated historic district which may affect the appearance and cohesiveness of any historic landmark or any property within a historic district without first obtaining an alteration certification authorizing the change.
Sec. 66-58. Criteria for approval of an alteration certificate.
In considering an application for an alteration certificate, the commission shall be guided by any adopted design guidelines, and where applicable, the following from the secretary of the interior's standards for the rehabilitation of historic buildings. Any adopted design guidelines and secretary of the interior's standards shall be made available to the property owners of historic landmarks or within historic districts.
(1) Every reasonable effort shall be made to adapt the property in a manner which requires minimal alteration of the building, structure, object, or site and its environment.
(2) The distinguishing original qualities or character of a building, structure, object, or site and its environment shall not be destroyed when possible. The removal or alteration of any historic material or distinctive architectural features should be avoided when possible.
(3) All buildings, structures, objects, and sites shall be recognized as products of their own time. Alterations that have no historical basis and which seek to create an earlier appearance shall be discouraged.
(4) Changes which may have taken place in the course of time are evidence of the history and development of a building, structure, object, or site and its environment. These changes may have acquired significance in their own right, and this significance shall be recognized and respected.
(5) Distinctive stylistic features or examples of skilled craftsmanship which characterize a building, structure, object, or site shall be kept where possible.
(6) Deteriorated architectural features shall be repaired rather than replaced, wherever possible. In the event replacement is necessary, the new material shall reflect the material being replaced in composition, design, color, texture, and other visual qualities. Repair or replacement of missing architectural features should be based on accurate duplications of features, substantiated by historical, physical, or pictorial evidence rather than on conjectural designs or the availability of different architectural elements from other buildings or structures.
(7) The surface cleaning of structures shall be undertaken with the gentlest means possible. Sandblasting and other cleaning methods that will damage the historic building materials shall not be undertaken.
(8) Every reasonable effort shall be made to protect and preserve archeological resources affected by, or adjacent to, any project.
(9) Contemporary design for alterations and additions to existing properties shall not be discouraged when such alterations and additions do not destroy significant historical, architectural, or cultural material, and such design is compatible with the size, scale, color, material, and character of the property, neighborhood, or environment.
(10) Wherever possible, new additions or alterations to buildings, structures, objects, or sites shall be done in such a manner that if such additions or alterations were to be removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the building, structure, object, or site would be unimpaired.
FINDINGS:
a. The building located at 399 W San Antonio is a one-story commercial structure with a modified storefront at the street level. Historically the building was a filling station that has been modified over the years. It is in the Downtown Historic District.
b. WINDOW REPLACEMENT - The applicant is requesting to replace the existing grid windows at the front of the building with single lite windows. The new windows will be approximately 5’x8’ with a black frame, similar to the windows currently on the Downtown Social building across the street. Per Criteria 1, every reasonable effort shall be made to adapt the property in a manner which requires minimal alteration. Generally, staff finds the window replacement consistent with the criteria for approval given that the existing windows are not original to the building and their removal will not necessarily negatively impact the integrity of the building or the district as a whole.
c. SIGNAGE - The applicant is requesting to install a small hanging sign onto an existing pole located at the NW corner of the property. Per Criteria 9 and 10, contemporary design for alterations to existing properties shall not be discouraged when they do not destroy significant historical, architectural, or cultural material, and is compatible with the size, scale, and character of the property, neighborhood, or environment. The sign will not impact the structure in any way and the design fits in with similar signs in the Downtown district. Staff finds that the proposed sign is consistent with the criteria for approval.
Recommendation
STAFF ANALYSIS:
Staff recommends approval of the proposed changes based on findings b and c.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. GIS Location Map
2. Pictures
3. Sign mockup
4. Renderings