HPC Meeting — 2018-07-25
Present: Sean Shope (Chairman), Vick Cox (Vice Chairman), Eric Gilliland, Margaret Telford, Chuck Voelker, Paula Wilbanks (Commissioner Alternate) Absent: Ashley Anderson, Jason Parker Liaisons: Paul Slechta (City Council Liaison), Monica Hotelling (Planning & Zoning Liaison) Staff: Paul W. McCallum (Executive Director, Grapevine Convention), Paula Newman (Managing Director of Administration & Op), Matthew Boyle (City Attorney), David Klempin (Historic Preservation Officer), Mary Bush (Historic Preservation Secretary)
Public hearing items
CA18-71 — 307 East College Street ⭐College St
Work: Renovate the 1915 Mary Lipscomb Wiggins House (Prairie style by Fort Worth architect Frank Singleton): new rear bedroom/bath addition and east porch; demolish the non-contributing 1960s one-car garage; build a new detached 700 sq ft two-car garage with storage and covered walkway (variance required). Type: addition, porch, demolition, garage_outbuilding Staff rec: approval with conditions (variance unanimously endorsed by Klempin, Williams and McCallum) Discussion: Staff noted the house 'is in near original 1915 condition' but needs updated electrical, plumbing and HVAC, and the 412 sq ft addition brings living area exactly to the 3,400 sq ft cap. Mr. Wright said the family 'had fond memories of growing up in this area, playing on this porch'; Cox confirmed the existing outbuilding would be handled under a separate CA. Outcome: approved with conditions (6-0) — moved Margaret Telford, second Eric Gilliland Conditions: Variance granted for construction of the new 700 sq ft garage with storage and outdoor covered walkway; All exterior materials including roofing, siding and trim, doors and door hardware, windows and light fixtures staff approved under separate Certificate(s) of Appropriateness; Building permit obtained from the Building Department
CA18-72 — 426 East Texas Street
Work: Renovate the 1948 Rawls House, a 'Cameron Home' built from Cameron Lumber Yard plans: demolish the deteriorated 1950s garage; new detached 595 sq ft garage for boat storage (variance); one-story master bedroom/bath addition; kitchen, family room and attached two-car garage addition at the rear. Type: addition, demolition, garage_outbuilding Staff rec: approval with conditions Discussion: Staff praised it as 'a very good one-story home use of space without building up,' with total living area of 3,399 sq ft just under the 3,400 cap. Telford confirmed the asbestos siding would be replaced with new #105 wood siding; Voelker asked about minimizing the north-elevation addition, and Bock explained it sits 20-25 feet behind the front 'allowing the original structure to remain visually prominent'; Cox 'was astounded at how much of the original house was being retained.' Outcome: approved with conditions (6-0) — moved Vick Cox, second Margaret Telford Conditions: Variance granted (595 sq ft garage combining the 500 sq ft garage and part of the 200 sq ft storage allowance); Permit obtained from the Building Department; All exterior materials, finishes, paint colors, doors and door hardware, and exterior light fixtures approved on separate Certificate(s) of Appropriateness
CA18-73 — 852 East Texas Street
Work: Construct a new 1,275 sq ft one-story rear addition (hallway, two bedrooms, one bath) and attached two-car garage at the 1950 Joe and Cecelia Box House, purchased for an HGTV restoration pilot; the original garage/breezeway had been removed after foundation failure. Type: addition, garage_outbuilding Staff rec: approval with conditions Discussion: Huffman explained the home was bought 'for an HGTV home restoration pilot' but the foundation lift was 'a total fail,' and a four-bedroom configuration is needed to sell and 'retrieve their money from the property.' Voelker thanked him 'for not changing the original exterior appearance of the Joe Box House'; Shope called it 'another good plan.' Outcome: approved with conditions (6-0) — moved Chuck Voelker, second Vick Cox Conditions: Permit obtained from the Building Department; All exterior materials, finishes, paint colors, doors and door hardware, and exterior light fixtures approved on separate Certificate(s) of Appropriateness
HL18-02 — 314 East Franklin Street
Work: Historic Landmark Subdistrict overlay for the 1940 Yancey-Stark House property, including the contributing Robert Stark radio outbuilding from which Stark broadcast to the Pitcairn Islands for over two decades. Type: designation Staff rec: approval Discussion: The designation met eight of twelve categories of historic significance; Chairman Shope 'did not remember a case with this many fulfilled qualifications, perhaps two to three but not eight.' Outcome: approved (6-0) — moved Margaret Telford, second Paula Wilbanks
CA18-74 — 314 East Franklin Street
Work: Demolish the 1940 Yancey-Stark House and the contributing Stark radio outbuilding (National Register contributing structure) and construct a replica one-story house plus new garage/shop outbuilding. Type: demolition, new_construction, garage_outbuilding Staff rec: denial Discussion: Staff recommended denial; citizens Melva Stanfield and Dr. Curtis Ratliff opposed, asking 'why replace the real thing with a replica?' and warning the ordinance 'is not being enforced.' Archer argued the structures were 'not salvageable' - mold, failed sill plates, rotted foundations - and that 'the only thing he had left to preserve was the look of the house'; Telford asked 'to explore other options and table this case,' Paxton requested an onsite inspection, and the City Attorney advised revisiting on August 22. Outcome: tabled (6-0) — moved Margaret Telford, second Eric Gilliland Conditions: Tabled to the August 22, 2018 meeting to give the property owner the opportunity to consider other options
Staff-approved CAs (13)
CA18-28 520 South Main Street, Suite #204; CA18-36 520 South Main Street, Suite #313; CA18-58 404 South Main Street; CA18-63 313 West Wall Street, Suite #200; CA18-64 629 West College Street; CA18-65 404 East Wall Street; CA18-66 807 East Texas Street; CA18-67 812 South Main Street; CA18-68 208 East Hudgins Street; CA18-70 520 South Main Street, Suite #206; CA18-75 129 South Main Street, Suite #140; CA18-76 404 East Wall Street; CA18-77 322 East College Street
Other business: Oath of Office administered to reappointed Commissioners Telford and Voelker and new Commissioner Alternate Paula Wilbanks (Anderson and Parker absent, sworn in August). Election of officers: Sean Shope re-elected Chairman and Vick Cox elected Vice Chairman by unanimous vote. June 27 minutes approved 6-0.
New alternate Paula Wilbanks introduced (widow of Mayor Pro Tem and former HPC Council Liaison C. Shane Wilbanks). The Stark House demolition (CA18-74) drew organized citizen opposition and was tabled after a nearly two-and-a-quarter-hour meeting.
📄 Full verbatim minutes: Transcript HPC 2018-07-25
Source: Source Index §Minutes-corpus — WebLink HPC minutes 2018-07-25.