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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Historic Preservation Commission Meeting: November 19, 2025

City Council & Boards — Wednesday, November 19, 2025

BodyWeatherford, Texas

SessionCity Council & Boards

DateWednesday, November 19, 2025

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 30:08

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:03

And that's approval of the minutes.

0:05

Did everyone get a copy of the minutes from last meeting?

0:10

Okay.

0:11

Except for Miss Jamie.

0:14

We're welcome.

0:15

Do we hear a motion to accept the minutes?

0:18

Any corrections?

0:19

I move to it to accept.

0:21

Okay.

0:22

Um motion by Terry Hubbard.

0:24

We have a second.

0:27

I'll second it.

0:28

Okay, Prenda, we'll vote.

0:40

Yeah.

0:43

Okay.

0:44

How does it register that we know?

0:45

Okay.

0:46

Okay, we uh the minutes were approved.

0:48

Okay, all right.

0:49

Next item.

0:50

It passed.

0:51

Our next item let's see this.

0:53

Is the work is the work session?

0:55

Yes, the work session.

0:56

Um I was real pleased this week.

0:58

Monica and I had a visit, and I appreciate what you put a lot of work into.

1:03

And we I think all of us had expressed the um idea that we want to get to know more about what our duties are, what our responsibilities, and um so will you take it from here and give the idea about the sessions?

1:14

Yes, of course.

1:15

Thank you.

1:15

So um the purpose of today is to go over for our goals for next year and also to come up with some ideas for our our next agenda.

1:22

So in front of you, you have I've kind of made a template for y'all.

1:27

Um, and I'm open to ideas, new suggestions.

1:30

So I'm just gonna go down the list.

1:32

So what I have for our goals for next year is for me to complete the website, um, and is to create standardized local historic landmark plaques and installation guidelines, and we will have a HPC annual report, and that is for accomplishments anything that y'all want to do an annual report.

1:52

Can you stop right here?

1:53

Uh, for our new member, what the HPC.

1:56

Oh, HPC means historic preservation commission.

1:59

Okay, okay, thank you.

2:00

Acronyms, and then I will create a map of all of our historic sites, and that will be made public.

2:06

Okay, clarification.

2:08

Historic sites that we know, or is it ones that have landmarks at this point?

2:11

It'll be local historic landmarks, um, state landmarks and national register.

2:17

Yes.

2:18

Okay, great.

2:19

And do y'all have thoughts, goals for next year?

2:23

Any ideas?

2:24

I know I've brought this up before, but I still want to figure out you know, I've talked to people about putting their list in their homes, you know, like the Mary Martin house that Jeff and the Gail live in now, but it it feels like there's this resistance to to do it.

2:42

And no matter how you explain it, and I'm just wondering, is there some way we just kind of look at this how we go about doing it, and you know, maybe we go more back more to a you know, go out and canvas the the potential ones and and then have some meeting somewhere where people can come and just in an open forum be able to talk about it, what their concerns are and see if we can get some people interested in signing up.

3:08

You know, there I mean there's amazing houses around this area.

3:12

Can I interject?

3:14

Uh we have done that, and we also have a brochure, I believe, or we did have a brochure.

3:20

This one here.

3:22

Uh yes, about applying for a local historic landmark.

3:27

Uh and there's also an application on the website to do so.

3:33

But we have sent letters in the past to residents that have a home that could be deemed historic.

3:43

And um we haven't gotten a lot of response, but you know, there's it never hurts to try keep trying.

3:50

And so go ahead.

3:52

And I think to add on to that, whenever we get our website up with the page for the local historic landmarks and everything like that, we can probably start doing social media posts maybe on how I would have to talk with the person who does that.

4:06

But once we get our website up, I think that would definitely help as well.

4:09

Well, I can interject this.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Historic Preservation█████████████████████████████████████████████80%

Public Engagement████7%

Budget Equity Analysis████7%

Procedural██3%

Parks and Recreation██3%

Summary of Proceedings

Historic Preservation Commission Meeting: November 19, 2025

The Weatherford Historic Preservation Commission held its regular session on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at 5:30 PM in City Hall Council Chambers. The meeting focused on setting goals for 2026, planning future agendas, and hearing public input. Key actions included approval of the previous meeting's minutes and extensive discussion on increasing historic landmark designations, community outreach, and staff guidance.

Consent Calendar

Minutes Approval: The commission unanimously approved the minutes of the October 29, 2025 meeting. Motion by Teri Hubbard, seconded by Brenda McClurkin. All members present voted in favor.

Public Comments & Testimony

Bill Warren (resident of 605 South Waco, Weatherford) made two requests:
- That the Santa Fe Depot (currently vacated by the Chamber of Commerce) receive a city historic designation, noting it is a city-owned property and already has a state marker.
- That the commission consider updating the inventory of historic homes and buildings in Weatherford, last updated in 1985, as part of the city's general plan, to aid in identifying potential historic districts.

Discussion Items

Work Session on 2026 Goals and Mandatory Trainings:
- Senior Planner Monica Barron presented a template of proposed goals for 2026: completing a historic preservation website, creating standardized local historic landmark plaques and installation guidelines, producing an HPC annual report, and making a public map of all historic sites (local, state, and national register).
- Commission members discussed the challenge of low homeowner interest in landmark designation despite past outreach (brochures, letters). They proposed hosting an informational workshop for homeowners at City Hall to address misconceptions about property control and costs.
- Members suggested contacting other cities (Nacogdoches, Gonzales, Fredericksburg) for examples of successful marker programs. Chair Jamie Bodiford-Brinkley tasked Brenda McClurkin with gathering examples.
- Commissioner Brenda McClurkin raised the possibility of creating historic overlay districts in neighborhoods beyond the existing downtown district. Staff agreed to research the process.
- Discussion on downtown historic buildings: member asked if the planning department offers advice on historic tax credits to property owners. Scott McDonald, Director of Development Services, noted that only local historic landmarks have incentives; staff will explore providing guidance.
Future Agenda Items:
- Monica Barron listed potential future agenda topics: review of HPC rules and responsibilities, update on historic preservation website, Texas Historical Commission (THC) training (last held about a year ago), walking tours (suggested spring on York Avenue), and an Open Meetings Act refresher by City Secretary Andrea McDonald.
- Commissioners ranked priorities: Rules and responsibilities first, THC training second, walking tours in spring, and website updates as a recurring item. They also expressed desire to meet monthly and produce actionable outcomes.
Real Places Conference:
- Monica Barron mentioned the upcoming Real Places conference in Austin (April 8–10, 2026), hosted by THC and Friends of THC. Terry Hubbard explained the conference (workshops, awards, networking) and noted early bird registration by December 5, 2025, costs $495.
- Scott McDonald confirmed there is no current budget for conference attendance but the city's budget process begins in February/March; they may budget for one or two members to attend.

Key Outcomes

Minutes approved unanimously.
Staff directed to:
- Research historic overlay district process.
- Contact Nacogdoches, Gonzales, and Fredericksburg for marker program examples.
- Schedule a THC training (Monica Barron will reach out).
- Plan an informational homeowner workshop on local historic landmarks (proposed for winter, possibly February or March 2026).
- Add a recurring "items of community interest" agenda item to allow brief updates.
Future meeting priorities established: Rules and responsibilities (next meeting), website updates (ongoing), THC training, walking tours (spring 2026), and open meetings refresher (early 2026).
No formal votes were taken beyond minutes approval.

Meeting Transcript

And that's approval of the minutes. Did everyone get a copy of the minutes from last meeting? Okay. Except for Miss Jamie. We're welcome. Do we hear a motion to accept the minutes? Any corrections? I move to it to accept. Okay. Um motion by Terry Hubbard. We have a second. I'll second it. Okay, Prenda, we'll vote. Yeah. Okay. How does it register that we know? Okay. Okay, we uh the minutes were approved. Okay, all right. Next item. It passed. Our next item let's see this. Is the work is the work session? Yes, the work session. Um I was real pleased this week. Monica and I had a visit, and I appreciate what you put a lot of work into. And we I think all of us had expressed the um idea that we want to get to know more about what our duties are, what our responsibilities, and um so will you take it from here and give the idea about the sessions? Yes, of course. Thank you. So um the purpose of today is to go over for our goals for next year and also to come up with some ideas for our our next agenda. So in front of you, you have I've kind of made a template for y'all. Um, and I'm open to ideas, new suggestions. So I'm just gonna go down the list. So what I have for our goals for next year is for me to complete the website, um, and is to create standardized local historic landmark plaques and installation guidelines, and we will have a HPC annual report, and that is for accomplishments anything that y'all want to do an annual report. Can you stop right here? Uh, for our new member, what the HPC. Oh, HPC means historic preservation commission. Okay, okay, thank you. Acronyms, and then I will create a map of all of our historic sites, and that will be made public. Okay, clarification. Historic sites that we know, or is it ones that have landmarks at this point? It'll be local historic landmarks, um, state landmarks and national register. Yes. Okay, great. And do y'all have thoughts, goals for next year? Any ideas? I know I've brought this up before, but I still want to figure out you know, I've talked to people about putting their list in their homes, you know, like the Mary Martin house that Jeff and the Gail live in now, but it it feels like there's this resistance to to do it. And no matter how you explain it, and I'm just wondering, is there some way we just kind of look at this how we go about doing it, and you know, maybe we go more back more to a you know, go out and canvas the the potential ones and and then have some meeting somewhere where people can come and just in an open forum be able to talk about it, what their concerns are and see if we can get some people interested in signing up. You know, there I mean there's amazing houses around this area. Can I interject?

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