heightslurker

It's really a shame someone took George's post down on Nextdoor....that ridiculous statement of his should be up there forever for all to see....

I wonder if Brie can go back to the HAHC and request new windows if she can't find anyone to repair them..

for anyone interested in following this...

at the March HAHC meeting, a homeowner wanted to replace their old windows with new, identical looking, wood windows and were denied.  They wanted energy efficient windows so that the money they were spending on the new Hvac wasn't literally seeping out the old windows. I think most of us thought in the early days of the ordinance (or maybe it was just me) that you could replace your old windows with identical LOOKING wood windows (that were operable and energy efficient, etc) and that would be fine, within the ordinance.  

It's my understanding that the HAHC granted window replacement with identical looking wood windows before the 90-day waiver period was abolished.  Now you have to jump through all sorts of hoops to prove your windows are damaged.  (i'm not saying they never let people replace windows now...they allow a few here and there....but I personally feel like they have never seen an old window they don't think is un repairable...and technically, there aren't any...you could patch and fill and rebuild until the cows come home...that's not the point.) Never mind the argument you want modern functioning, energy efficient windows.  They are seriously suggesting people put up storm windows to help with that? So you now have to decide if you want energy efficient windows or the ability to open them on a day like today?  Oh, wait......let me take off my storm window, put up my screen...wiggle this stubborn window open......give me a break.

Maybe I should go buy a home in Katy instead...obviously I don't deserve my old house.

Anyway, this homeowner appealed to the planning commission (April 11th meeting) and there was some good discussion.  The matter has been deferred for two weeks so the homeowner can show pictures of how the new windows will be identical and if her windows are operable.  I really think the decision the planning commission makes is going to be important.  Important because the HAHC is expecting people to live in the past and that's ridiculous.

regarding the "official" guidelines they are working on, I simply can't WAIT to see what they come up with now that the 90 day waiver period was taken out of the ordinance.  In the March meeting, one of the board members actually admits that their decisions, prior to the 90 day waiver period being axed, are different from the ones they make now.

Yes, beyond the usual insanity that occurs at the HAHC meetings, I was happy to see Sue Lovell (former city council member) stand up multiple times at the March meeting to support the homeowners in front of the board.  It's worth a watch.  I am not sure who contacted her and coordinated this effort but ......thank you whoever you are!  She was one of the few sane voices there and had many good points to make.

Ah..ok...good catch....

Where I'm going is simply the idea that these people lost money or profit because they "bought at the height of the real estate bubble" and "sold at the bottom of the bust" as described here by s3mh...

...is bogus. These people inherited a home, thought they could do something with, ended up having to sell it off and they feel that the city's actions regarding the ordinance caused them damages. There is no "profit" here, or timing the bubble involved.

i think you're right..there is some probate activity on the former owner, around the same time that the Sostak's took possession..

so......where are you going with this...

marksmu:

what about foam insulation under the house in our pier in beam? our builder is proposing some closed cell stuff.... I've heard because the open cell is porous, it could wick water to the wood floor, rotting it...of course, i guess closed cell could trap water and do the same..

so is it best not to insulate the crawl space? does it make a big difference?

The lawsuit has been filed. Check it out here:

http://www.hcdistric...lic/Search.aspx

do you have a cause # ?

Redscare, I hope you're right as i worry what it's doing to younger generations who feel they need to validate their existence through it...

and damn, it's so impersonal, why can't people send old fashioned e'mails....the kids these days..!

ofcourse, if Facebook dies, something else will surely take it's place? google plus?

Someone on twitter is reporting a car accident involving a police car.....?

Another Heights- thanks for that! I knew it must be somewhere out there.....

so, just for future record, here....and for anyone curious..

we have a contributing property, with original 117 siding....

we wanted hardi to replace our (from outside appearances) non rotted, partially original, 117 siding...

at first hearing, HAHC deferred us (for a month until the next hearing) so they could send out an inspector to see how much was rotted (their condition for letting us replace the siding they considered historic and precious)

hahc found little rot and led us to believe that they would not approve of any siding replacement (except for the few rotted ones) with new 117, hardi or otherwise....

in an effort to move the hell on and not have possible months more of appeals...we just cried uncle on the whole deal and agreed to keep the original siding...and on that note, we finally got a COA to do the rest of the stuff we want...addition, etc...

ofcourse, we never pushed them to actually deny us (were they bluffing? i guess i'll never know)

For all the cases i've heard where people get hardi? have not mirrored my case at all.....

everyone has a unique set of circumstances and you therefore get a unique answer from the HAHC......(i guess)

Ok, I won't say they never approve of Hardi. I'm just saying it's not a case of a homeowner saying, "i would like to put hardi on my house" and the HAHC saying "ok, go ahead". Definitely not the case for our house.

I would love to know what their formula for giving the green light on Hardi, is. Does there need to be a certain percentage of house with rotten wood boards? Does it make a difference if the house is contributing, partially contributing or non contributing? (on the video I posted, they did appear to make different decision based on Partially contributing and contributing properties). Do they take into account style of existing siding?

It's clear as mud, as far as I'm concerned....

At the planning meetings that I attended Marlene Gaffrick SPECIFICALLY said that because of public comment during the comment period "cementitious siding" would be approved in the historic districts. If the commission is now no longer approving it I would either show them the transcripts or video from the public meetings.

Cheers

James

Or if you have 117 siding (tear drop), then you have no chance of being able to use Hardi.......

If he lives in the Norhill HD, window materials have always been a very real concern (if they are visible from the street). Our addition has vinyl windows but the rest of the house has wood windows. In Norhill, only wood or vinyl clad wood have been approved for the 8 years I have lived here. I don't know about the other, newer HDs but this is the case in our HD. Hardiplank has been approved on a case by case basis but it has always had to mimic the sizing of the original wood, meaning not the big, wide boards you see on new construction.

Anyone else go? I love the concept...I love the message...Did it pick up in the evening? I found it a bit quiet in the afternoon...

I guess it had competition with the Art Car Parade..

I had hoped there would be more store fronts transformed...

Yes, I spelled that right. Hou-storic. Get it?! Anyway, forgive me if this is already posted somewhere...I couldn't find it...

Edit: Benjamin A. Shepherd founded one of the first independent banks in Texas in 1854- Houston Savings Bank. In 1886; F.A. Rice - President; B.A. Botts, Vice-President.

A website I just discovered:

http://houstoricproject.com/

Redscare- true, true...

Urbannomad- thanks...i hadn't gotten so far as to figure out what 50% (or 100%) would even do to my overall taxes...the bottom-line...that was my next step..(of course, now i'm realizing that should have been my first step)

Anyone have any first hand experience applying for and receiving the city's "historic site tax exemption":

http://www.houstontx...v/historic.html

The work performed must be at a cost of at least 50% of the assessed taxable value of the historic structure or improvements (not land value). The owner shall demonstrate to the Finance Department Director that qualifying expenditures were made for R&P purposes.

There are so many variables in the equation. There is so much interpretation as to what counts as money spent towards Restoration and Preservation (as i've found out with dealing with the HAHC).

Guess what? the city has no guidelines. I've asked. Each property is evaluated individually. So, there is no way to tell ahead of time if spending all the money on your house will get you this exemption. Which I can't even tell if it's worth it or just something that sounds nice when people ask, "historic district? what's in it for me?"

Is it worth it? What work on your house did they consider Restoration or Preservation?

just discovered this video of a january 2012 meeting of the HAHC for anyone interested (haven't found if they are all online or just this one):

http://houstontx.city.swagit.com/play/02012012-101/0/

heights yankee, thanks for that...interesting read..

redscare, yes, a denial (technically not officially...yet), yes there were suggestions. i hate to go into too many details because it's still an open matter. our plan is fine but we are getting into issues with materials and age (or lack there of) of the materials, etc...

there is an appeal process available, first to the planning commission (and then later to city council). When i reviewed the agenda and minutes (planning commission) on those meetings (back to about 2009) i was surprised at how FEW appeals there actually where. Why? Are there more behind the scenes negotiations going on? are people just giving up? I dug up one anecdote of a family just moving out of the historic district after their denial...or maybe there aren't that many denials from the hahc to begin with....(probably some things are hashed out) Anyway, few official appeals (like a few a year at most?) and a lot of them resulted in reversing the HAHC ruling...so that's good news, at least.....a more sensible bunch of people it seems...

Is it even worth doing a major home renovation/addition in the heights anymore? Is it too early to tell what the historic districts will do to our home values? We'd like to move forward with a renovation but we are already hitting an HAHC road block.....it's like they want us to live in the 1930's while our neighbors a few feet away are enjoying luxuries like proper insulation, double insulated windows, or god forbid...low maintenance siding...

Is it just me or has anyone else wondered about this property? The one across 12th street from the HHA firehouse?

It has recently gone up "for sale by owner". Looks like the perfect artists' studio...I've always wondered if anyone lives there?

I too, have seen the Bulbuls...but in the 11th / Yale vicinity. It was driving me crazy trying to identify it since it wasn't in any book of birds for our area. I kept thinking i was imaging seeing a black crested bird with a red butt..

I've never been able to identify the Hawk that hunts in this area. Anyone? He/She is always so quick.....even when it snatched a dove practically in front of me, it was still a blur.

Can anyone recommend a certified Lead Inspector or Risk Assessor for a residential inspection?

I can't seem to find any listings for people who do this in a residential setting....

Should i look towards general inspectors and see if they are also certified in Lead Inspection?

Thanks!

HaHa

I love the comment, "how the hell am i supposed to get to my yogurt" and then everyone else walking by like nothing is going on....and trying not to make eye contact...awesome!