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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Landmark Commission - 05/28/2020MINUTES LANDMARK COMMISSION MEETING CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI - City Hall Council Chambers www.cctexas.com/cctv 1201 Leopard Street May 28, 2020 4:30 pm COMMISSIONERS: COMMISSIONERS: Jillian Becquet, Chair Ernest Bert Rucker Craig Thompson, Vice-Chair Dr. Christine Robbins Dr. Ira J. Freeman Randy J. Dees, Sr. Dr. Bryan Stone Myron Grossman Kathleen de la Garza Madeleine Fontenot STAFF: Craig Garrison, Planning Technician Andrew Dimas, Senior City Planner Sandra Velazquez-Mendoza, Recording Secretary Nina Nixon-Mendez, AICP, Assistant Director of Development Services, Historic Preservation Officer Rene Couture, City Traffic Engineer I. Call to Order/Roll Call • Call to order at 4:36 p.m. • A quorum was established at 4:36 p.m. • Members present: Chair Jillian Becquet, Dr. Ira J. Freeman, Dr. Bryan Stone, Kathleen de la Garza, Ernest Rucker, Jr., Dr. Christine Reiser-Robbins, Madeleine Fontenot, Randy J. Dees, Sr., and Myron Grossman • Members absent: Vice-Chair Craig Thompson (recognized attendance at Section V.) • Confirmation made at 4:40 p.m. of no emails received for Public Comment II. Approval of Minutes: • April 23, 2020 Meeting o Motion to approve by Commissioner Randy Dees, Sr., seconded by Commissioner Myron Grossman. Motion passed unanimously via roll call. III. Discussion and Possible Action: • April 23, 2020 Meeting: Consideration of Absence of Commissioners Ernest Rucker and Myron Grossman. o Motion by Chair Jillian Becquet to excuse absences, seconded by Commissioner Christine Reiser-Robbins. Motion passed unanimously via roll call. IV. Public Comment: Comment from the audience on matters not scheduled • None were received via email, checked at 4:40 p.m. V. Proposed Street Renaming (Request by Janet Maxwell to rename Williams Street to Lomax Street) Craig Garrison presented slides, on Renee Couture’s behalf and summarized the renaming process. Commissioner Grossman asked who was Mr. Williams. Craig Garrison shared research of no Mr. Williams found from 1852. Chair Jillian Becquet corrected Williams to William Street and Williams Drive on the South Side; thus, the request is to change the name to reduce confusion. Also confirmed by Chair Jillian Becquet was no Mr. William on the 1850 Census and she has exhausted all local resources on how the street William got its name. Renee Couture was asked to explain the process going forward and she said Council wanted to move forward with remaining process by allowing Landmark Commission to provide comments to the City Traffic Engineer. Commissioner Rucker commented knowing Mr. Lomax and did not agree with renaming the street to Lomax. Commissioner Christine Reiser-Robbins questioned the historical plan of 1852 and if in the past 50-years have been proposed with renaming? Renee Couture stated that the City policy MINUTES LANDMARK COMMISSION MEETING CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI - City Hall Council Chambers www.cctexas.com/cctv 1201 Leopard Street May 28, 2020 4:30 pm prohibits changing street names from the original City Plan; however, the Council unanimously supported the application to continue through the renaming process. An example given of renamed streets from the Original 1852 Plan was John Sartain which was originally known as Laguna. Commissioner Grossman commented that the renaming of a street was accepted if there was a fallen officer. He commented that it seemed since the rule had already been broken one time, it would be natural for it to be broken again. Commissioner Stone asked who Mr. Lomax was and Commissioner Dees, Sr. confirmed he was a property owner downtown. Vice-Chair Thompson commented on a previous name change attempt of Winnebago was declined because of the 1852 Plan and strongly opposed renaming William Street to Lomax. Commissioner Grossman, Commissioner Reiser-Robbins and Commissioner Stone also supported Vice-Chair’s logic of the opposition and the preservation of the existing plan for the past 170 years. Renee Couture stated the basis for the request was mainly due to a similar street name, Williams Drive on the opposite side of town, and the confusion made by tenants/businesses due to packages not being delivered appropriately. Commissioner Dees, Sr. commented to rename the street after a living property owner is criminal and it is opposed for current renaming. Commissioner Grossman commented we should stick to historical rules as to sacred grounds and should not be altered. Craig Garrison clarified the policy is asking for no action to be taken, but comments were requested to be submitted by each Landmark Commissioner. Chair Jillian Becquet commented on the historical nature of William Street and the probable controversy with naming a street after somebody who still lives currently, and their history has yet to be written. It would be different circumstances had the applicant chosen a historical Corpus Christi figure, maybe we could have been convinced. Commissioner Stone suggested another method of distinguishing between the two similar street names instead of renaming, like maybe call one of them street Old William Street to allow the post office to deliver correctly while maintaining the original historical name. Commissioner Grossman recommended reporting to Council the number of those in favor and those in opposition and Chair Jillian Becquet said she would rather offer a reason, based on our organization, as to why we made our decision. To summarize, a letter would be composed with all the Commissioners’ comments mentioned at the meeting and presented to Renee Couture to inform City Council. Chair Jillian Becquet also mentioned that Commissioners could have an opportunity to review the composition prior to her signature. VI. Revisit Revisions to Unified Development Code (UDC) • Craig Garrison reported that the UDC amendments to be presented to Technical Advisory Group were drafted and available for the June 8, 2020 meeting and Chair Jillian Becquet asked he forward a copy to all of Landmark Commission members. Craig Garrison agreed to do so. VII. Items to be scheduled on the next agenda • Chair Jillian Becquet asked if the recipients for the Preservation Awards had already been notified and Craig Garrison confirmed they had been, but there has not been a date/time/location determined yet for personal presentations. VIII. Adjournment at 5:13 p.m. • Motion to adjourn by Chair Jillian Becquet, seconded by Commissioner Dees, Sr. Meeting was adjourned. Jillian Becquet, Chairperson Landmark Commission