Historic and Design Review Commission Compliance and Technical Advisory Board Meeting - October 17, 2025
Historic and Design Review Commission Compliance and Technical Advisory Board Meeting - October 17, 2025
The Historic and Design Review Commission Compliance and Technical Advisory Board met on Friday, October 17, 2025, to discuss and vote on several certificates of appropriateness for properties in historic districts. The board approved minutes from the September 19, 2025 meeting, a consent agenda item, and addressed four contested cases involving fence heights, siding materials, masonry painting, and window shutters. All contested items were voted in line with staff recommendations.
Consent Calendar
- 814 Mason Street: Approved without objection. The property owner was not required to stay for the remainder of the hearing.
Public Comments & Testimony
- 1008 North Mesquite (Gaitan): A voicemail from Vivian Windsor, representing the Garden Laborhood Review Committee, expressed opposition to the use of cement fiber board siding and supported the Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) recommendation to use matching wood siding.
- 455 Donaldson Avenue (Ritz): Pam Carpenter, speaking on behalf of Bianca Maldonado and the Monticello Park Neighborhood Association, opposed painting the historic masonry and installing shutters, citing character-defining features and precedent concerns. She supported OHP's recommendation to remove the paint.
- 1306 East Pyrene Avenue (Cortez): A voicemail from Ceciliana Cabral opposed the five-foot fence. In-person speaker Jesse Casios also opposed, stating neighbors unanimously opposed the height.
- 332 Florida Street (Manfred): No public comments were noted during the hearing, though a late letter from the Lavaca Neighborhood Association was received but not read into the record.
Discussion Items
- Approval of Minutes: The board unanimously approved the September 19, 2025 meeting minutes.
- 332 Florida Street (CTAP 2025-255): Applicant Nathan Manfred requested permission to replace an existing four-foot chain-link fence with a five-foot wrought iron fence at the front and along the western property line to prevent dogs from escaping. Staff recommended limiting the fence to four feet where the existing fence was four feet. After discussion, the board voted to approve staff's recommendation with stipulations.
- 1008 North Mesquite (CTAP 2025-270): Applicants Frank and Margaret Gaitan requested approval for cement fiber board siding with a textured finish, citing the poor condition of original wood siding and financial hardship. Staff recommended using wood siding with a historic profile or, if cement board were approved, turning it over to a smooth finish with a five-inch reveal. A voicemail from the Garden Laborhood Review Committee supported OHP's recommendation. The board voted to approve the use of cement fiber board siding with a smooth finish and five-inch reveal, consistent with staff's alternative recommendation.
- 455 Donaldson Avenue (CTAP 2025-266): Angie Ritz, representing her elderly parents, requested approval to paint previously unpainted historic masonry white and install window shutters. Staff opposed both requests, recommending paint removal and denying shutters. Public testimony from the Monticello Park Neighborhood Association opposed the painting. The board voted to support staff's recommendation, requiring paint removal and denying the shutters.
- 1306 East Pyrene Avenue (CTAP 2025-277): Owner Janie Cortez requested a five-foot wooden frame and cattle panel fence for security reasons, citing recent incidents of gunfire and theft. Staff recommended a four-foot height. Neighbors opposed the five-foot height. The board voted to approve the staff recommendation for a four-foot fence and gate.
Key Outcomes
- Minutes: Approved unanimously (7-0).
- 814 Mason Street (Consent): Approved unanimously (7-0).
- 332 Florida Street: Motion to approve staff recommendation (four-foot wrought iron fence) carried unanimously (7-0). Applicant to work with OHP on next steps.
- 1008 North Mesquite: Motion to approve cement fiber board siding with smooth finish and five-inch reveal (per staff alternative) carried unanimously (7-0). Applicant to work with OHP on next steps.
- 455 Donaldson Avenue: Motion to support staff recommendation (remove paint, deny shutters) carried unanimously (7-0). Applicant to work with OHP on next steps.
- 1306 East Pyrene Avenue: Motion to approve staff recommendation (four-foot fence) carried unanimously (7-0). Applicant to work with OHP on next steps.
The meeting adjourned after all cases were addressed.
Meeting Transcript
I'd like to call the meeting of the Historic and Design Review Commission compliance and technical advisory board for Friday, October 17, 2025. Can I have a roll call, please? Davis Flores. Here. Garcia Bergard. Bergard here. Spiller. Here. Here. Setzer Fullerton. Polleg? Here. Vasquez? Here. And Supulveda. Here. We have a quorum. Thank you. Translation Service. Good morning, everyone. When you see us at all. Thank you. Thank you. The compliance and technical advisory board is an advisory board appointed by the city council. I am Jason Vosque is vice chair and Juanita Sipulveda is the chair. It is a function of the board to advise the city manager and all relevant city departments concerning certain applications for permits for properties in historic districts and landmarks. In considering whether to recommend approval or disapproval of an application for a certificate of appropriateness, the board 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 an 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 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 board does not take the place of any type of permit. Permits must be obtained for all work. Certificates of appropriateness for work approved by the board 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 Preservations. At this time, please silence your cell phones. And good morning, everyone. First item is just approval of meeting minutes from last month's meeting, uh September 19th. Thank you. Can I have a motion for approval of the meeting minutes from September 19, 2025? I make a motion to approve the minutes. Sir second. Second. Thank you.
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