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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Landmark Commission - 08/25/2022 MINUTES - REGULAR MEETING LANDMARK COMMISSION CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS - 4:30 pm 1201 LEOPARD STREET AUGUST 25, 2022 STAFF: Nina Nixon-Mendez, Assistant Director & Historic Preservation Officer Gina Trotter, Interim Agenda Coordinator Buck Brice, Assistant City Attorney I. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL The meeting was called to order at 4:30 p.m. and a quorum was established. Commissioners Forrester, De la Garza, Wanzer, Wilson, and Montez were absent. II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: July 28, 2022 A motion was made by Commissioner Fontenot to approve the minutes listed above and seconded by Commissioner Brown. The motion passed. III. APPROVAL OF ABSENCES: None. IV. PUBLIC COMMENT – None. V. BRIEFING: Old Bayview Cemetery – Karen Howden addressed the Commission. Old Bayview Cemetery is the oldest Federal Military cemetery in Texas. It was started in 1845, located on the other side of IH37. Old Bayview Cemetery was started by Zackary Taylor’s troops when they were here in Corpus Christi. Burials include veterans from the War of 1812, Texas Independence War with Mexico, Civil War both Union and Confederate soldiers, and the Indian Campaigns to the Spanish America War. Old Bayview Cemetery is about 4 acres and is not segregated, which is unusual for an 1845 cemetery in Texas. Originally started with burials of Zackary Taylor troops, Mayors, and community members are also interred there. It is the property of the City of Corpus Christi and the Friends of the Old Bayview Cemetery Association. Their goal is working towards restoration, protection, and revitalization. The Association works with the Parks and Recreation Department. This past year they allotted six thousand dollars, and they are working together to spend that money hopefully for a new sign and benches. The association usually holds four events at Old Bayview Cemetery, three of those events are usually workdays, but since Covid-19, getting their volunteers together has been a challenge. On October 22, they are holding a workday and they will go out and reset as many as they can, and they usually get about six of the big markers done. The next cemetery walk, Voices of South Texas: Old Bayview Cemetery Comes Alive will be held November 5th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is a free event that they have been hosting for thirteen years. They are always looking for volunteers to help tell the story. Nina Nixon-Mendez read the update by the Robert Dodd, Director of Parks and Recreation Department. Tyler Florence and Oliver Amaya met with Karen Howden from Friends of Old Bayview Cemetery (FOBC) to discuss the spending of the City allotted $6,000 for the cemetery. Parks & Rec Department (PARD) has accomplished the following: COMMISSIONERS: Armando Mendez - Chairman Dr. Ira Freeman – Vice Chairman Madeleine Fontenot Kathleen de la Garza Wade Williams Matthew Forrester COMMISSIONERS: Roslyn Michelle Wanzer Veronica Wilson Dr. Jen Brown Dr. James Pruitt Albert Montez 1. Requested a quote for design and installation of an Old Bayview Cemetery sign, FOBC was happy with the design. PARD is moving forward with the procurement and installation of sign ($2,400) 2. PARD located and is coordinating the delivery of FOBC headstones that were stored in a Park Ops warehouse. Delivery TBD in October 2023. 3. PARD is working on a quote for purchase and installation of benches. Quantity and type TBD. 4. PARD is researching is installation of water spigot is feasible and within budget 5. PARD is researching how ADA access cam be incorporated into cemetery (If required) 6. PARD is researching headstone to inset historical designation plaque for cemetery 7. PARD is researching if the City will provide insurance for cemetery event on Nov 5th, Voices of South Texas Chairman Mendez asked the Parks and Recreation Department staff how the City determines how much is allotted for Old Bayview Cemetery, Oliver Amaya, Special Project Manager from the Parks and Recreation Department said he would need to go back and get more information, but from his understanding it was requested from the organization, and the funds can be requested for each year. Littles-Martin Home Per Asset Management, ServPro to deliver an update for quote for services needed at home for mold remediation. Oliver said the mold removal quote they received was twenty-one thousand. VI. HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER REPORT: Nina Nixon-Mendez Nina Nixon-Mendez, Assistant Director read the Landmark Committee Report Items discussed: • The Ocean Drive survey was reviewed. Discussion ensued on venues for a possible meeting to educate owners on historic designations – First Baptist Church, First Presbyterian Church, First Christian Church. Committee members do not have any contacts with property owners along Ocean Drive except possibly one house flipper. • Nina reviewed the types of designations – local, state RTHL, National Register listing. • Outreach strategies recommended by the committee: o Brightly colored postcard mailer o “What a Historic Designation Does for You.” o What are the benefits of designation – tax credits, etc. • Other areas that are “neighborhoods” might be better candidates for a historic district: o Del Mar o Morningside – Has an organized neighborhood association. o Furman Avenue o Saxet Heights – Has a neighborhood group. • A tour of homes could feature homes in these neighborhoods– possible partners are the United Chamber of Commerce Corpus Christi, or the Corpus Christi Convention and Visitor Bureau. • A continuing education course for realtors, architects, and engineers would be beneficial, as many realtors are unaware of the current preservation ordinance. San Antonio offers this. Partners could be the AIA Corpus Christi chapter and the Corpus Christi Association of Realtors. Nina Nixon-Mendez discussed the Historic Preservation Officer status with the commission. She said the job description has been approved, next step will be to advertise the position. She went on to the next item and talked about the ArcGIS collector. The Texas Historic Commission has a survey format for resource surveys in the communities in Texas, and they have taken that form and incorporated it into a program that is fillable, and you can do this from your phone, using drop down menus. you can enter locations, photography the building or structure and load it to the program and there is a guide to help with the surveys. Hopefully by September this will be ready to try a demonstration. Lastly, she shared Dr. Brown’s student project to the commission developing a walking tour of Corpus Christi using the geotourist.com. You can download the app on your phone for free and start the tours. VII. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Update on the houses at Heritage Park Update on the Cunningham Water Plant Demolition at Labonte Park Need to advertise more VIII. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned at 5:30 p.m.