Old Town, Georgetown Texas

By Rick Williamson

I know from being at the HARC meetings on the Romeo’s Restaurant sign applications a couple of years ago, how intricate and often tedious it can be for everyone concerned. And the HARC folks usually get all the flack for it while the applicants get all the sympathy for being “victimized” and city staff gets a mere slap on the wrist, if even that, for misinterpreting the applicable UDC laws.

But as is well known by followers of HARC hearings, and after looking at these signage issues from multiple viewpoints over multiple years, the HARC body is almost always the steady hand of reasoned conclusions in these matters.  They deserve all the credit we can heap upon them for the commendable job they do (without pay), the confounding criticism they endure (without relenting), and the frustrating extra work they often must do to straighten out predicaments caused by other’s ignorance or laziness (without complaint). more…

By Ross Hunter

Monday’s HARC hearing regarding the proposed sign for a new restaurant on the Square resulted in a denial of a Certificate of Design Compliance for the applicant. However, this is a complicated matter, and raises an area of unsettled law.

What happens next I don’t know, but I can guess that I’ll be sending out another alert on this matter soon.

Details follow, and be warned it’s a lot to read. more…

By Ross Hunter

There’s a HARC extended meeting happening today, this afternoon at 4:30. That’s about 4 hours from now, I don’t expect people to be able to attend, but if you can come down to show support please do.

The meeting is an extension of last Thursday’s meeting. Note that it’s NOT in Council Chambers. It’s in the Georgetown Municipal Complex located at 300-1 Industrial Ave, in the Williamson Conference Room.

The Staff Report on the issue is available below.

SUMMARY

Briefly, a new restaurant on the Square to replace the Loading Dock space wants a V-shaped sign sticking out from the wall. This is quite acceptable, but the applicant has misunderstood the design requirements in computing the square footage of the sign. The owner uses the width of one of the two sides as the total width, when code calls for using both sides. The result is that the owner is applying for a Certificate of Design Compliance from HARC with a sign that is actually twice the size allowed. more…

By Ross Hunter

In a landmark test for Georgetown, following a hearing before the Zoning Board of Adjustment on Tuesday, December 15th, the historic Leavell House at 803 College Street will not now encroach upon its property line setbacks, thus avoiding the “McMansion” effect feared by neighbors.

The 130-year old mansion can be seen from the Square at the eastern visible end of Eighth Street. Todd Cox, its new owner, on city staff’s advice applied to the Board for a special exception to the UDC allowing a proposed addition to encroach on setbacks along two neighboring property lines. At the hearing, in response to neighborhood opposition, Mr. Cox graciously elected to withdraw his request.

The neighborhood came out in force in a show against McMansion-style redevelopment. I would guess that close to 20 people signed up to speak. After about a dozen residents had spoken against the plan, and with several more waiting their turn, Mr Cox took the floor to say that he had not intended to make all his neighbors angry. He formally withdrew his request and said he would go back to the drawing board to devise a conforming plan. more…

By Ross Hunter

Tomorrow evening’s meeting of the Zoning Board of Adjustment has on its agenda the fate of the historic Leavell House, 803 College Street, at the corner of Eighth and College. The house is 130 years old with a magnificent aspect, visible from the square looking down the length of Eighth Street to the east.

Its new owner now wants to build a 3-story addition to the house that will encroach into the setbacks from the property lines required by code, and he’s requesting the Board to grant a Special Exception to the Unified Development Code to allow this.

Staff is recommending in its report that the Board should grant the request. There is no appeal from this decision except in court. What the Board decides on Tuesday night will tend to settle the matter. more…

By Ross Hunter

The council voted down the proposed amendment to the UDC on Tuesday night. So electronic signs are dead for the moment. The city is safe – until the next business asks its next favor from the council.

Dale Ross and Keith Brainard were the two suprises in the vote, ripping apart the measure with a forcefulness that speaks of agendas I won’t even guess at. more…