HomeMy WebLinkAboutHDC1998-020 Letter From Cy Carney, City Manager To Mayor And Board Of Directors 10/19/2000TO: MAYOR AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS
FROM: CY CARNEY, CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT: LITTLE ROCK HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION AND
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FOR 1000 ROCK
DATE: OCTOBER 19, 2000
The Little Rock Historic District Commission (LRHDC) was created by City Ordinance, Article
VI, Secs 23-96--23-133, in 1977. The LRHDC consists of five members with specified
qualifications (architect, resident, property owner, etc.) and is assisted by city staff, Historic
Preservation Administrator; this position was designated in the mid 1990s. The LRHDC reviews
applications for Certificate of Appropriateness (COA), as specified by the city ordinance. In
1999, thirty-four (34) applications were reviewed by the LRHDC; in 1998, eighteen (18)
applications and in 1997, ten (10) applications.
The LRHDC has the authority to approved applications for exterior changes; "no building or
structure, including stone walls, fences, light fixtures, steps and paving or other appurtenant
fixtures shall be erected, altered, restored, moved or demolished within the historic district.... until
after an application .... has been submitted to and approved by the historic district commission."
The LRHDC's authority was upheld in the court of law. Because there is the LRHDC, the City
has received an estimated $300,000 in federal funds for projects such as architectural surveys of
Central High, Hillcrest and Capitol View, funds for Kramer's stabilization and purchase of
historic structures such as Mosaic Templars and YMCA.
Regarding 1000 Rock: the applicant purchased the property in the summer of 1998; she was
given a copy of the historic district's design guidelines by both the realtor and city preservation
administrator. At the September 1998 meeting, the applicant appeared before the LRHDC for a
COA to rehabilitate the historic structure; there were'several items on the project listing, and
among them were window repairs, install storm windows and to "take the front porch back to its
original state .....and return the house to the original appearance." The application was approved
conditionally; with staff recommendations of : 1) that a building permit be obtained and all work
meet city code and regulations; 2) repair rather than replacement be the preferred approach to
particular aspects of the rehabilitation (according to the Secretary of Interior's guidelines); 3) if
new material is used, it will be sympathetic to the structure's architecture, i.e., Bragg Cottage on
Scott for windows; 4) storm windows will be baked aluminum; 5) should the scope of work
change, other than what is submitted, staff and the LRHDC will be notified, consulted and
appropriate actions taken.
In the fall of 1999, city staff received complaints about the work being done on the structure; it
1.
was discovered that the installed windows were not according to what the LRHDC approved.
Also, the structure did not have a permit for the work being done; a previous permit had expired.
A letter was sent to the applicant, requesting her appearance before the LRHDC at their
November meeting. The applicant appeared at the January 2000 LRHDC meeting, along with
three other property owners who had not followed district guidelines. At the January meeting, the
applicant for 1000 Rock was given_a six-month period in which. to comply with the city
ordinance and the district's design guidelines. Four letters were written to the applicant; the
applicant addressed one letter to the LRHDC in July. Several phone calls were made to the
applicant, asking for resolution and compromise.
In August, the LRHDC voted for staff to initiate an affidavit for the applicant to appear before
the city's environmental court. An unsuccessful attempt was made to serve the warrant on Friday,
September 29; as she was absent, but notified of the attempt, she called the district's code
enforcement officer who instructed her over the phone of the reasons and possible action for her
to take.
At a LRHDC meeting on October 5, the applicant was in attendance in support of another
applicant; the attending city legal representative, asked her identify and if she owned 1000 Rock;
she responded positively. The legal representative left the meeting; subsequently, a warrants
officer appeared and after waiting outside the meeting room, asked if she would step away from
the meeting. She was escorted to the police station a block away and signed the warrant for an
appearance before municipal environmental court.
A packet of information was prepared with a chronology of events related to 1000 Rock; the
attached packet contains the correspondence, application, etc. for the subject property.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please call.
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