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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/19/1993 - Regular Minutes - Construction Board of Adjustments MINUTES Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals Thursday, August 19, 1993 4:00 P.M. Council Chambers MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Dan Sears, Wick McKean, Tom Wilson, Jim Holster, Danny Sustaire and Paul Swoboda. MEMBERS ABSENT: Pat Boyett STAFF PRESENT: Building Official Perry, Housing Coordinator Andy Gullies, Planning Technician Thomas and Development Coordinator Volk. AGENDA ITEM NO. 1: Call meeting to order. Chairman Sears called the meeting to order. AGENDATEM NO.2: Hear visitors. There were no visitors present to address the Board. AGENDA ITEM NO. 3: Public hearing for the consideration of a variance request to the 1991 Standard Building Code Table 1104 requiring a 20' maximum dead end corridor length and Table 700 requiring 20 minute rated doors in all exit access corridor openings. Owners and applicants of the property are Dr. Tom Walton and Mary Lu Walton Epps. Building Official Perry presented the staff report for a variance to allow the continued use of the building at 903 Texas Avenue in its original design. The Standard Building Code sets forth standards for travel distance and fire resistive protection based on fire load of the occupancy and fire resistive standards that will provide the greatest fire protection to the occupants of the building. In an emergency, the requirement for a maximum dead end corridor prevents an individual from having to wander around a smoke filled building trying to find an exit. Actual travel in a dead end corridor is forty feet as if an individual proceeds down a dead end corridor to its end, they must proceed up the corridor to their original location expending valuable time in the process. The requirement for twenty minute rated doors in exit access corridors provides protection for the corridor. The rating of the door combined with the one hour rated walls provides a minimal amount time for an individual to escape in an emergency. The Community Development department of the City is wanting to lease the building for additional office space. The owners have applied to the Texas Historical Commission for state historical designation. Building Official Perry stated that normally a building permit is pending on a variance request; however, in this case, the applicant approached the Building Department to inspect the building for compliance with local codes and ordinances. Upon inspection, the two violations were found for which variances are being requested were found. Until these violations are taken care of, the City will not allow utilities to be turned on for the building. Chairman Sears opened the public hearing. Applicant and owner Mary Lu Walton Epps approached the Board and thanked the members and staff for their time in considering the two variance requests. Ms. Epps informed the Board that the subject office building was the first private medical facility built in College Station constructed in 1940. The owners ❑f the building have agreed to comply with the list of current building code requirements provided by the City Building Department including the requirements in the American Disabilities Act, with the exception of the two requested variances. Ms. Epps stated that requiring an additional exit to be built in the building in order to meet the code requirements would necessitate using present office space, thereby reducing the amount of square footage available for office use. The additional exit would also change the historical integrity of the design of the building. The following items have been determined by the Texas Historical Commission to be detrimental to a good restoration project and are not recommended by the State Marker Committee: -- unsympathetic replacement of mortar on brick or stone buildings; -- sandblasting; -- removal of architectural features; -- major additions to the building that detract from the primary facade or that are made to appear as part of the original plan; and, -- alterations of steps, skirting or porch foundations. Ms. Epps stated that requiring an additional rear exit would affect the historical integrity, identity and value of the building as the first medical facility of its kind in College Station. An alternative to the variance could be the installation ❑f an automatic door closure fixture added to the doors along with the use ❑f a 20 minute glass to replace the existing glass in the doors. Ms. Epps presented a letter from the Texas Historical Commission addressing the historical character of the building and recommending that the two requested variances be granted. Ms. Epps concluded that the College Station Medical Center should be kept in tact as a monument to the past and as part of the foundation for the future growth of the community in an effort to provide a sense of history in College Station. Architect David Woodcock of 1511 Wolf Run approached the Board and stated that he is advising the family on the future use ❑f the building. The proposed tenant is one tenant, the Community Development Department, who plans on facilitating ten staff persons and approximately five to ten visitors. The dead end corridor mentioned in the variance request is 70" wide where the building code only requires 44". Mr. Woodcock informed the Board that if the two variance requests are not granted, substantial changes must be made to the building including altering the entire air conditioning system. The ceiling would have to be dropped to provide a return air vent. Chairman Sears closed the public hearing and requested that a representative from the Community Development Department inform the Board of the proposed use of the building. Housing Coordinator Andy Gillies approached the Board and stated that the City is currently negotiating a Iease with the owners of the building; however, a final agreement has not been reached. If a lease is obtained, the department will relocate their existing offices and be the sole tenant of the building. Community Development currently has a staff of eight with plans to hire an additional two within the next year. Chairman Sears expressed concern with applying the current standards of the building code to historical structures. There should be special provisions to deal with historical buildings that do not require full compliance with modern requirements. With respect to the two variance requests, since the building will be _ used for office space, there will not be a large amount of visitors. Staff who work in the building everyday will GBA Minutes August 19, 1993 Page 2 know where the exits are. Chairman Sears stated that if the building was not a historical structure, the requested variances may not be reasonable. The building has existed for fifty-two years without the variances. Mr. Holster stated that the applicant cannot maintain the historical integrity of the building if the Board denies the variance requests. If the variances are not granted, the building cannot be used. Mr. Wilson stated that the original materials of the building are important in the case. The Board is dealing with a steel frame building with concrete construction, plaster, asbestos, tile, etc. and not a modern wood frame building. Mr. Holster moved to authorize the two variance requests from the terms of this ordinance for the following reasons: it would not be contrary to the public interest; a literal enforcement of the ordinance would result in unnecessary hardship and manifest injustice to this applicant. Further, granting this variance would observe and accomplish substantial justice. Mr. Wilson seconded the motion which passed unopposed (6 - 0). .AGENDA ITEM NO. 4: Other business. There was no other business. AGENDA ITEM NO. 5: Adjourn. Mr. Wilson moved to adjourn the meeting of the Construction Board of Adjustment and Appeals. Mr. Swohoda seconded the motion which passed unopposed (6 - 0). APPR D: Chairman, an Sears ATTEST: d ()C16 Buildf � ng rect+�nician, ''usan Cole CBA Minutes August 19, 1993 Page 3