AGENDA CAPTION:
Title
Hold discussion regarding the Historic Preservation Commission Recommendation Resolution 2023-01RR-HPC, amending Appendix C, Historic District Design Guidelines of the San Marcos Design Manual, to include specific design standards for maintaining the compatibility of historic residential site elements, such as but not limited to walkways, sidewalks, and topography, and provide direction to the City Manager.
Body
Meeting date: September 5, 2023
Department: Requested by HPC added by Mayor Hughson
Amount & Source of Funding
Funds Required: N/A
Account Number: N/A
Funds Available: N/A
Account Name: N/A
Fiscal Note:
Prior Council Action: N/A
City Council Strategic Initiative:
N/A
N/A
N/A
Comprehensive Plan Element (s):
☐ Economic Development
☐ Environment & Resource Protection
☐ Land Use
☐ Neighborhoods & Housing
☐ Parks, Public Spaces & Facilities
☐ Transportation
☐ Core Services
☒ Not Applicable
Master Plan: N/A
Background Information:
The site of a historic building is usually an essential feature in defining its historic character. Accordingly, the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation require that a rehabilitation involve minimal change to the defining characteristics of a building and its site and environment. When applying the Standards for Rehabilitation For example, the Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings stress that site changes such as locating new parking lots adjacent to historic buildings and other landscape changes can impair the defining characteristics of a property. Additionally, if a building is moved onto the site of a historic building, the Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings note that this can create a false historical appearance. Such major changes can result in an overall rehabilitation that fails to meet the Secretary’s Standards even when work on the historic building itself is not in question. Drastic changes to the surrounding grading, landscape features, or incompatible new construction on the site, diminish a historic property’s ability to convey its historic significance.
The existing San Marcos Historic District Design Guidelines (“Design Guidelines”) were originally drafted in 1999; they are now found in Appendix C of the San Marcos Design Manual. There are not specific guidelines that correlate to site-specific elements, such as sidewalks and fencing, within the Design Guidelines, just brief mentions of these elements within other sections of the Design Guidelines. Other municipalities in Texas provide specific design standards within their historic design guidelines which speak to residential site design elements, such as walkways and sidewalks.
The Historic Preservation Commission is interested pursuing an amendment to the Development Code to include specific design standards for maintaining the compatibility of historic residential site elements, such as but not limited to walkways, sidewalks, and topography. Redlines have not been drafted and draft language will continue to be refined through the process should the City Council give direction to move forward with the text amendment. Text amendments to the Development Code as well as the Design Manual first require initial authorization by City Council.
Council Committee, Board/Commission Action:
The Historic Preservation Commission approved Recommendation Resolution 2022-01RR at the July 13, 2023 regular meeting.
Alternatives:
N/A
Recommendation: