04-24-2014 MinutesMINUTES
SCHERTZ HISTORICAL PRESERVATION COMMITTEE
MEETING OF April 24,2014, at 6:30 P.M.
CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Weirtz called the meeting to order at 6:30 with a quorum present.
Voting Members present: Barbara Hall, Pete Perez, Stefani Warshaw, Diana Webb, Jim Webb,
Gail Hyatt, Dean Weirtz.
City Representative: Brian James
Presentations Presentation — "Mid- Century Modern Architecture" — Elizabeth Porterfield, Senior
Management Analyst- Architectural Historian, Office of Historic Preservation, City of San Antonio.
Discussion and /or Action Items
1. Minutes: Consideration and /or action regarding the approval the regular meeting
of January 23, 2014. A motion to approve the minutes was made by Jim Webb and
seconded by Pete Perez. The motion carried unanimously.
2. Fund Expenditures: Consideration and /or action regarding the submission of
member's expense vouchers and proposed fund expenditures.
Jim Webb, Committee Treasure reported that Chairman Weirtz had
submitted an expense voucher in the amount of $67.37 for consideration.
Treasure Webb reported that Chairman Weirtz has requested permission
to make an approximate $350.00 expenditure for the cost of manufacturing a
historical marker, having it sandblasted, painted, and mounted. The plaque
will be placed at the site of the Comal Settlement "Royal Road" or "Kings
Highway' Monument. The monument structure features a culvert headwall
artifact (date stamped "1915 "). A motion to approve the expense voucher was
made by Gail Hyatt and seconded by Diana Webb. The motion passed
unanimously. A second motion to approve the expenditure for the historic
marker was made by Stefani Warshaw and seconded by Barbara Hall.
The motion passed unanimously.
3. Treasurer's Report: Consideration and /or action regarding book
sales activity during the calendar quarter and other fiscal matters. Treasure
Webb reported the sale of one book and a deposit of $18.49 for that sale. Per
committee instructions at the January committee meeting Chairman Weirtz
distributed six books to local elementary, middle, and high schools in the area. No
action required.
4. Newsletter and Remembrance Special Edition Articles: Consideration and /or
action regarding the publication of the Spring 2014 Newsletter and
REMEMBRANCE Special Edition Articles 2014 -2 & 2014 -3. A motion was made by
Jim Webb and seconded by Pete Perez to approve the publication of the
newsletter and REMEMBRANCE newsletters. The motion passed by unanimous
vote.
5. Saint Joseph's Chapel Application for National Registry Listing of Historic Places:
Consideration and /or action regarding the application for listing of Saint Joseph's
Chapel on the National Registry of Historic Places. Chairman Weirtz reported that
the Texas Historical Commission has scheduled the application for consideration
by its application board in mid -May. If the application is approved by the state
board, it will then be sent to the Department of the Interior in Washington D.C. for
final consideration by its selection board.
6. Schertz Historic Preservation and Landmark Designation Program - UDC
Amendment: Consideration and /or actions regarding the Schertz historic
preservation and landmark designation program and UDC amendment proposal.
Chairman Weirtz reported that no action had been taken by the Committee
regarding the topic since the last committee meeting. He recommended that the
Committee either commit to foregoing pursuit of amending the UDC or make an
amended proposal for UDC revision consideration. As background, the Chairman
advised that the original ordinance proposal had previously been considered and
approved (April 25, 2013) by the committee for submission to City Council
amending the Code of Ordinances, Unified Development Code (UDC) Sections
21.4.9, 21.5.9, 21.5.12, and Article 16 (Definitions). Chairman Weirtz indicated that
the City Council had considered the ordinance and the proposed language of the
above sections of the UDC amendment at a June 11, 2013 workshop and voiced
opposition to the amendment based upon the inclusion of section 21.5.12 (Historic
Overlay District). The Council based its opposition to the 51% resident approval
provision which they thought would invite possible residential /business
complaints and /or legal entanglements due to unhappy property owners within an
Overlay Historic District. Another objection of the Council was the perceived
absence of needed expertise on both the Committee and city staff to administer
the Historic Overlay District requirements. Chairman Weirtz offered a simple one
word /item change to the Committee's originally approved UDC amendment
proposal that he believed might mitigate the first of the City Council's objections
to the ordinance. That change would replace the number "51 %" in Section 21.5.12
subparagraph "61" of the amendment language to read "66 % ". Chairman Weirtz
expressed the opinion that the Council's second objection could be resolved by
giving the Council some insight into what is entailed in applying the Secretary of
the Interiors Guidelines for the Treatment of Historic Properties, particularly the
"Standards for Preservation ". The application of the standards to the only
prospective "historic district" in the City (500 block of Main Street) has already
been applied by the Committee's subcommittee in its report to City staff of
January 2013.
A motion was made by Pete Perez and seconded by Jim Webb make the
recommendation for change to the UDC. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
7. Meeting Date for July Committee Meeting— Consideration and /or action
regarding the date for the July quarterly committee meeting. Due to the Chairman
being out of town from mid -July until early September, it was proposed that the
next Committee meeting be held on the second Thursday of July 2014 (July 10`h)
rather than the usually scheduled fourth Thursday of the month. A motion was
made by Gail Hyatt and seconded by Jim Webb to change the meeting date to July
10, 2014 at 6:30 a.m. The motion passed unanimously.
■ Subcommittee Reports — Discussion only
- Cemetery: No report
- Historian: No report
- Aviation Heights Project — No progress reported.
-Youth Outreach: The Committee is working with Brenda Dennis to set up meetings with
the Superintendent to get information regarding local history into the grade school curriculums.
- Outreach:
Chairman Weirtz has notified prior owners of certain Committee artifacts (quilt,
bedspreads (2 ea.) and Samuel Clements Letter Jacket) and arranged for their return to
those former owners.
Chairman Weirtz has communicated Easter greetings and news updates to the
Riedisheim Historical Society members.
Chairman Weirtz participated in the Comal Settlement Adopt -A- Highway in their "Don't
Mess With Texas Trash Off" weekend cleanup effort a few weeks earlier. He also
continues maintaining the landscaped area at the entrance to the Schertz Heritage
Neighborhood (corner First St. and Lee St.).
Chairman Weirtz has been coordinating efforts to establish a landscape area
surrounding the newly placed State of Texas historic marker at Comal Settlement.
Barbara Hall and Chairman Weirtz participated in the City of Schertz Volunteer Open
House event held at the Civic Center on April 10`t'
Jim Webb and Chairman Weirtz have met with Chuck McCullough, editor of the Schertz
Magazine with a proposal to enhance the committee's exposure on the City web site
and to include a "Looking Back" feature in the Schertz Magazine.
Chairman Weirtz attended the Comal County Commissioners Meeting on April 17, 2014
where it was announced that the El Camino Real de los Tejas National Trail Association
has made a proposal to place national trail signage along FM 482. The County
Commissioners voted to contribute funds to assist with the signage costs.
Requests and Announcements
8. Requests by Committee Members that items be placed on a future agenda.
9. Requests by Committee Members to City Manager and Staff for information
10. Announcements by Committee Members
ADJOURNME T
00
Dean Weirtz, C 1 man /Acting Secretary