News

Preservation Texas recognizes deserving award winners

• Concordia Heritage Association and the West Texas Community Supervision and Correctors Department Community Restitution Program, El Paso
• Martha, Bebe and Mary Fenstermaker, Bexar County

• Bexar Land Trust, Inc., San Antonio

• The Joule Hotel, originally the Dallas National Bank, Dallas
• Roanoke Visitor Center and Museum, 114 North Oak Street, Roanoke

• Bosque County Courthouse, Meridian
• Lawrence House and Barn, Mesquite
• Nix House, 434 King William, San Antonio
• Oak Court, Dallas
• Wharton County Courthouse, Wharton

• City of Marshall Historic Landmark Preservation Board, Marshall

• Lawrence Francell, Director, Museum of the Big Bend, Alpine

Houston continues to struggle with balancing development and preservation. “Chipping away at builders’ access; City has been toughening rules on industry not used to it here.” 

The following article appeared in the Houston Chronicle on December 10, 2007.
http://www.chron.com/apps/pluck/login.mpl?url=http%3A//www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5364615.html 

“LED billboards will ruin our roadways.”
Karen Huber, Local Contributor
Monday, November 26, 2007, Austin American Statesman 

Picture this: You're going 65 mph in traffic when suddenly, ahead on the right, there's a huge billboard lighting up the night sky. What's this? The image is changing . It's a new message ... for a different product. What's it saying now ... ? Distracted? 

Yet right now, at a time when driving while talking on a cell phone is a major threat to public safety, the Texas Transportation Commission has proposed a rule that could allow a far greater distraction: giant, brightly lit, shifting-image light-emitting diode billboards along Texas highways. 

Each LED sign would be like a little bit of Las Vegas plunked down in the middle of our tranquil Texas landscape. 

What would Lady Bird Johnson think? I think she'd say, "What happens in Vegas should stay in Vegas." 

For the complete article, please the link to the Austin American Statesman: 
http://www.statesman.com/search/content/editorial/stories/11/26/1126huber_edit.html

National Trust for Historic Preservation Accepting Nominations for the 2008 America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places List 

The National Trust for Historic Preservation is accepting nominations until Friday, January 4, 2008 for its 2008 America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places list. The 2008 list will be announced in May. Since its founding, the endangered list has been one of the nation’s most successful tools in the fight to save America's irreplaceable architectural, cultural and natural heritage.

Among the many sites that have been listed are Historic Neighborhoods of New Orleans; Ellis Island in New York Harbor; the Kennecott Copper Mines in Alaska; Bethlehem Steel Plant in Bethlehem, Pa.; the World Trade Center Vesey Street Survivors’ Staircase; and "The Journey Through Hallowed Ground" Corridor in Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. Each represents preservation challenges facing thousands of communities. Visit the National Trust’s website, http://www.nationaltrust.org/11most/list.asp, to view all the 11 Most Endangered listings.
To ensure that the most threatened sites are chosen, the National Trust uses three primary criteria to determine the 11 finalists: significance, urgency and potential solutions. Complete nominations, letters of support and high resolution photographs must be received by Friday, January 4, 2008. If you have questio

One of sixteen conditional amendments proposed to voters on the November 6 ballot, Proposition 4 would authorize $1 billion in bonds to pay for maintenance, improvement, repair, and construction projects for nine state agencies including the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program. $48 million would go to Texas historic sites and the courthouse program for the years 2008-2009. This includes $17 million to help fund needed repairs at 20 historic sites and $31 million to continue Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program matching grants for cities and towns statewide. For more information please visit www.proposition4.org .

The executive committee of Preservation Texas announces the retirement of Julianne Fletcher, who has faithfully and diligently served PT as its executive director for three years. "It is Julianne's decision to step down and take a well-deserved rest and spend more time with her family," said PT president Libby Buuck. "We thank her for the energy and professionalism she has brought to her role during her tenure with Preservation Texas." Julianne joined Preservation Texas in 2004, having previously served as the executive director of the New Mexico Preservation Alliance. Following her appointment as executive director of PT, Julianne and her husband Joe moved from Santa Fe to Lakeway, Texas. The Fletchers have two children and one granddaughter. "I intend to give that grandbaby all the attention she deserves," said Julianne. "I have enjoyed my time with Preservation Texas especially having the opportunity to get to know so many wonderful Texans.  I want to thank all of those who have helped and continue to help Preservation Texas move forward." A search committee has been formed to seek Julianne's successor.

In the interim, Krista Schreiner Gebbia is serving as the Executive Director. Krista recently moved to Austin from Washington, D.C. where she worked as an architectural historian with the consulting firm, EHT Traceries, Inc., and volunteered with the D.C. Preservation League. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Preservation Action. Krista obtained a Master’s of Fine Arts from Savannah College of Art and Design and a Bachelor’s of Arts in Art History and Archaeology from the University of Maryland.

Since March, Krista has spent time in the PT office assisting Julianne with various tasks which has made the transition easier. Julianne continues to be active with PT.

From the 2007 Legislative Session 

HB 12 (Hilderbran) 
Transfer of funding, powers and duties of the Parks & Wildlife to the Texas Historical Commission

Passed the House on 5/3/07
Senate received it on 5/4/07
Signed by the Governor 

HB 1732 (Kuempel) 
Provides a zoning regulation that affects floor-to area ratio, impervious cover or the vertical setback of a previously platted lot. 

HB 1736 (Kuempel) 
Would prohibit a city from regulating more than one of the following: the percentage of the lot that may be occupied, the amount of impervious cover allowed on a lot, or the limits of the floor-to-area ratio of the lot. 
Both of these bills did not make it. 

HB 252 (Mowery) 
Relates to the authority of the governing body of a municipality to change previously adopted zoning regulations. 
Did not go beyond committee 

Capitol View Corridors, named to Preservation Texas’ Most Endangered List 

The Heritage Society of Austin submitted to the City of Austin a carefully researched analysis of the CVC corridors in response to the Downtown Commission’s public comment draft. The Austin American Statesman reported: “Some 141 House members, including House Speaker Tom Craddick, R-Midland, signed a letter to the City of Austin Thursday expressing concern at a proposal envisioning elimination of various Capitol view corridors in Austin.” 

As reported, of the 30 city views of the Capitol evaluated by an Austin City Council advisory board, a dozen are being recommended for change. "Because of the importance of the view corridors to us and to our constituents, we collectively urge you to ensure the continued protection of the existing Capitol view corridors," the letter closes.  

UPDATE: June 20, 2007. The Downtown Commission formally adopted their report on CVCs . They made some minor changes, but it remains essentially as initially proposed, recommending the elimination or modification of 12 view corridors. "The Heritage Society is very disappointed in the Downtown Commission's actions this evening," said Julian Read, President-elect of HSA. "The view corridors are cherished by the citizens of Austin and of Texas -- evidenced by the outpouring of opposition heard by the Commission. It is our understanding that throughout this process, no one has offered testimony in favor of these recommendations, nor has any member of Council publicly asked for this review" said Read. "We'll continue to work to protect the views of the Capitol." Preservation Texas supports the Heritage Society of Austin. Be on the alert: the CVCs are truly endangered. 

Bill 1444 was attached to SB Bill 190 and passed the House.

Bill 1444 Background information:  
The City of Forth Worth sought to change Chapter 214 of the Local Government Code to enable the timely acquisition, rehabilitation and sale of historic property that is substandard and placed in receivership so that it can be returned to productive use. Fort Worth supporters said the local government code should be amended to reduce the time period that the receiver would have to stay under the receivership to one year. The code also should be amended to allow the statute to extend to all historic properties, to provide for a 10% receivership fee, to provide for a lien for the receiver’s expenses, costs and fee, and to allow the receiver to use its lien as a credit at the receivership property’s foreclosure sale. 

The Problem: 
Occasionally, historic properties are abandoned and fall into disrepair. The properties, although still possessing great potential, present a nuisance to their neighbors and the public. This is especially unfortunate during periods of revitalization where absentee owner properties can stand in the way of a neighborhood coming to life and discouraging crime. Years ago, a receivership law was put in the statute to address this problem. Unfortunately, the statute did not work. In its previous form, the statute failed to attract the agents necessary to bring the property up to code. The state law required a 3-year recovery period before the receiver could initiate a process to recover what it spent on rehabilitating the historic property through a sale. Receivers waited too long to recover their investments in the property. This discouraged potential receivers. The City, meanwhile, continues to be involved with the property through its code enforcement efforts. 

The Solution: 
Bill 1444 was re-written and the proviso added that the non-profit receiver has an economic incentive of 10% of the total cost of the rehab. This means if the property is sold or bought back by the owner at the end of the one year receivership period, 10% of the sales price goes to the non-profit receiver. Should the non-profit receiver end up buying the property, it would already have 10% equity in the property. With this improvement in the statute, communities should see an increase in the number of receivers interested in taking on risky rehab projects and the city should realize a faster end to its code enforcement efforts against the property. Crime should be abated through removal of nuisance, and on a citywide basis, the city should see a decrease in city-funded demolition of substandard historic properties, and an increase in the number of renovated historic properties.

Transportation Enhancement Funding Halted In Texas

In response to the Federal Highway Administration’s latest rescissions of un-obligated highway funds to states, the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDoT) is halting the transportation enhancements program. Transportation enhancements funding federal transportation dollars set aside for local projects has been a powerful tool for communities to fund projects that enhance historic places.  Hundreds of communities have utilized the enhancement program for downtown streetscape projects, visitor centers, historic preservation projects and hike and bike trails. Texas is the only state thus far to “raid” such funds and the results would negatively affect historic preservation efforts across the state. 

ACT NOW!   If you are a Texas resident, please urge Governor Perry and the Transportation Commissioners  to reinstate the Transportation Enhancement funding immediately.  If you know someone who is a Texas resident, please ask them to take action.   Learn more about how transportation enhancements help communities. 

Make your comments known as well by attending the TXDOT hearing in Austin on February 28, 9 a.m. at the Dewitt Greer Building, 125 East 11th Street, Austin, Texas 78701-2483

 If you cannot attend and wish to email us a letter with your name and return address, we will take the letter to the hearing tomorrow for you. 

Julianne Fletcher
Executive Director
Preservation Texas
PO Box 12832
Austin, TX  78711
512.472.0102

jfletcher@preservationtexas.org

 Trans Texas

How will it impact your farm or ranch?

How will it impact historic, cultural and archaeological sites?

Information from Corridor Watch  on The Trans-Texas Corridor:

 “It turns private land into State land. More than one-half million acres will become government property used not only for transportation, but also as State owned rental property in direct competition with private development. It takes well in excess of what is required to accomplish the goal of providing transportation and utilities.” 

 “State owned TTC land will be removed from county and school district tax rolls. County and district taxpayers will shoulder the burden of making up the losses.”

 “Dividing the State.  Corridors will divide rural Texas making it more difficult to get from one place to another.  The economic factors that impact the incentive to provide crossings will limit access across the corridor. Longer travel distances will result in loss of community cohesion, increase travel cost (fuel), increased vehicle generated pollution, and increased emergency response and transport lines.  Corridors will create barriers to the natural environment and migration of wildlife.”

Circuit Writer Program

Preservation Texas Introduces Circuit Writer Program
Education provided by Preservation Texas comes in a variety of forms. Each year we offer Building Industry Council Seminars and workshops, preservation advocacy training, the quarterly Preservation Texas Reporter, and informational emails. We have events across the State for folks to socialize with others who care about Texas heritage while learning about historic resources in their own region. Yet, in a survey taken at BIC seminars earlier this year, we learned that many people have questions about a number of preservation-related issues—and those topics are not always the ones covered at the seminars or events. Plus, work-shops and seminars, while a good way for Preservation Texas to provide education, often require travel and an overnight stay. Read the whole article.

Stan Graves and Wesley Reeves discuss the Courthouse Preservation Program in the July 2007 Circuit Writer. All current Preservation Texas members will receive a copy of the newest Circuit Writer in the mail.

This project has been funded in part by a grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Fondren Endowed Preservation Services Fund for Texas.

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