Historic Design Review Commission Meeting - July 2, 2025
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Historic Design Review Commission Meeting - July 2, 2025
The Historic and Design Review Commission (HDRC) met on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, with Chairman J. Maurice Gibbs presiding. The commission addressed five agenda items, including a consent calendar, public comments, and two contested cases requiring site visits or continuances.
Consent Calendar
- Three items were approved unanimously: 9800 Airport Boulevard, 228 Lavaca, and 717 Burrlison Street. A voicemail from the Conservation Society of San Antonio regarding the 9800 Airport Boulevard item was played but did not result in any item being pulled from consent.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Betty Boucher (via voicemail, on behalf of the Conservation Society of San Antonio): Expressed concern about the San Antonio Airport Badge and ID Building 1322, urging the city to retain the mid-century modern structure with its wave-like folded plate roof. The speaker noted the building was excluded from the current application but asked for creative solutions through the Section 106 review.
- Barbara Whithow (in-person, representing River Road Historic District): Submitted a letter supporting the Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) staff recommendations for the 838 East Magnolia Avenue case.
Discussion Items
838 East Magnolia Avenue (Item 4): Applicant Ivan Solis and homeowner Michael Salazar proposed a 605-square-foot one-story rear addition, replacement of all wood windows with one-over-one aluminum windows, and infill of one front door. OHP staff recommended reducing the addition's ridge height to be subordinate, using wood or fiber cement siding with a vertical trim piece to distinguish the addition, retaining historic wood windows (which staff found to be in good condition after a June 24 site visit), and preserving the two-door front configuration. The applicant argued for a seamless addition, energy-efficient windows, and infilling the door they believed was a later addition. The commission voted to send the case to a site visit (DRC) to further evaluate the front door, window replacement options, and ridge height visibility.
293 Levera Boulevard (Item 5): Applicant Hassan proposed infilling two side doors with stone, replacing the roof with standing seam metal (withdrawn during the meeting—applicant will install composition shingle in kind), and installing a four-foot-tall black metal fence with gates. OHP staff recommended only infilling the middle door (based on historic maps showing both doors as original) and preserving the furthest door or replacing it with a window; the fence was recommended for approval contingent on a site plan. The commission approved the motion to: (1) approve as staff recommended (middle door infill allowed, furthest door preserved or replaced with a window meeting standards), (2) note the roof request was withdrawn, and (3) continue the fence request for 90 days until a site plan is submitted.
Key Outcomes
- Consent agenda approved unanimously (9-0).
- 838 East Magnolia Avenue: Motion to send to a site visit (DRC) carried unanimously (9-0).
- 293 Levera Boulevard: Motion to approve item 1 as staff recommended, item 2 withdrawn, and item 3 continued for 90 days for a fence site plan, carried unanimously (9-0).
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon, everyone. Today is Wednesday, July 2nd, 2025. I'd like to call the order of the historic design review commission. Uh may I have a roll call, please. Mammon Savino here. Velasquez. Um Galloway. Here. Mazuka. Here. Givata. Here. Group? Here. Cervantes Holland? Here. Fetzer? Here. And Gibbs. Here. We have a quorum. Thank you. May you have translation services, please. Good afternoon. When estate, see one personal espanol. Favor de Passara Cabina al Fondo La Sala para que se lentre su equipo. Gracias. Thank you. The historic and design review commission is an advisory board appointed by the city council. I am J. Maurice Gibbs, Chairman, and the Vice Chair is Jeffrey Fetzer. It is a function of the Commission to advise the city manager and all relevant city departments concerning all applications for permits for properties and historic districts for landmarks on city property and a river improvement overlay and for demolitions. And considering whether to recommend approval or disapproval of an application for certificate of appropriateness, the commission shall be guided by the city's unified development code and design guidelines and standards that have been adopted by city council. An appeal of a decision by 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 to 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 of or representative for a project on the agenda. You will 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 or opposed to a case will be limited to two minutes each. Speakers may 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 commission does not take the place of any type of permit. Permits must be attained for all work. Certificates of appropriateness for work approved by the commission will be emailed to you within 10 days. No work of any type is to be started without obtaining the appropriate city permits after a certificate of appropriateness has been issued by the Office of Historic Preservation. At this time, please silence your cell phones. Thank you, and good afternoon, commissioners. Second.
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