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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03062003 BSC Agenda Item 5It 0 • Cit f West UnUniversity Place Building & Standards Commission L. Recycled Paper Municipal Building,Bill Watson Conference Room 3800 UNIVERSITY BOULEVARD Meeting Minutes V 1: February 6th, 2003 MEMBERS PRESENT: James McDaniel, David Kehn, Les Albin, Patrick O'Donnell, Darryl Friday,Jorge Jimenez-Marcos, Muddy McDaniel(arrived late at 6:10 p.m.) MEMBERS ABSENT: James T. Collier,Bryant Slimp COUNCIL LIASION: Danny Jackson, absent STAFF PRESENT: Dennis Mack,Annette Arriaga,Daniel Paripovich 1. Call to Order. With a quorum,present James McDaniel called the meeting to order at 6:05 p.m. 2. Citizens who wish to be heard. None. 3. Citizens who wish to address agenda items. None. 4. Designation of voting members. James McDaniel stated per the alternate voting schedule that Jorge Jimenez-Marcos and Muddy McDaniel are the voting members for the meeting. 5. Meeting Minutes. David Kehn made a motion to approve meeting minutes as written from the January 16, 2003 BSC meeting. David Kehn motioned first to approve. Jorge Jimenez-Marcos second the motion. AYES: James McDaniel, David Kehn, Les Albin, Jorge Jimenez-Marcos. NOES: None. ABSTAIN: Motion passed.Minutes approved. 6. Emergency Authorization. Daniel Paripovich, the code enforcement officer for the City of West University Place stated that he has tried numerous times to contact the owner of the property located at 6428 Community Drive but was unsuccessful. Mr. Leonard C. Harris's name appears on documentation but after several numerous attempts, Daniel Paripovich still had not established contact with the owner of the property. Daniel Paripovich provided BSC with several photos, showing several examples of the house in an unsafe and hazardous condition. The roof is caving in and the windows are open to any animals or curious children. Sheet rock, and installation are shown all over the inside of the house. Debris from the ceiling and the walls is found through out the house in the middle of the all the rooms. This structure poses as an accident waiting to happen. Daniel Paripovich would like to request that the house be boarded up temporarily until the City has time to take care of all the initial paper work and go through all the proper legal channels. Les Albin asked if the City had looked up old utilities bills to try and find the owner and to see how long the house has been unoccupied. Daniel Paripovich stated that he has tried looking up the documentation and found that the account had been un-active since 1995. Daniel Paripovich and Dennis Mack feel that the house posses a risk since it is in such poor condition. They don't see any other alternative and recommend that the house boarded up as soon as possible. David Kehn suggested putting up a fence to keep the area closed in. Dennis Mack stated that the house still needs to be boarded up for safety purposes. Les Albin moved to board the house up. David Kehn second the motioned. AYES: Les Albin, David Kehn, James McDaniel, Jorge Jimenez-Marcos. NOES: None.ABSTAIN: Motion passed. Request granted. 3800 University Boulevard•Houston,Texas 77005• 713/668-4441 Building and Standards Commission• Minutes I February 6`h,2003 Page 2 of 4 7. Fences. James McDaniel indicated that fences will be discussed and to some point they will have to come to a halt and will pick up where they left off at the next BSC meeting. Jorge Jimenez- Marcos passed out a handout on his revised summary handout of Subchapter I. Fences. Jorge Jimenez-Marcos started off with Section.6.5 81.Maximum height limits. Dennis Mack added tha\t ZPC would address 3/7's setbacks. Dennis.Mack suggested that a maximum fence height be set between buildings. Dennis Mack made another suggestion and added that no fences should be in the side yards period. Jorge Jimenez-Marcos said that no fences should higher than 4 feet. Dennis Mack indicated that ZPC is looking into fence is because there have been several problems in the past. James McDaniel added that Residential V's Commercial or Institutional Buildings,that there are cases with side yards.Les Albin asked what the maximum height of a commercial fence is?Dennis Mack added that 8 foot is the maximum height for a commercial fence. Dennis Mack indicated that for safety reasons, to allow a new resident to put up an 8-foot fence now, still we are putting up a fence that is unsafe. If the owner sells it, that is offers a potential hazard. James McDaniel added that the only way, would be to regulate it. That fences between properties can be taken down. For example the fire department can take down normal cast iron, cedar, brick fences can be taken down with normal tools. David Kehn mentioned that it is the time it takes the fire department to have to take down the fence and having to get to the fire. That is would just take too much time. David Kehn mentioned that what if the fire department had access through the driveway. Patrick O'Donnell also questioned if the fire department could have access through the neighbors driveway. Dennis Mack added that if residences want a fence in the side yard that they can put up an 8-foot fence but they will also have to add a sprinkler system. Dennis Mack added that there must be an aggregate between structures. It is a fire issue at this point, 3 1/2 to 4 feet if less than an 8 foot aggregate.You must allow light,air and ventilation. Dennis Mack also added that there are a lot of reasons why they should not allow fences in the side yards and how they cause all other types of problems.Not to mention safety. Muddy McDaniel wondered if ZPC was contemplating recommendation of eliminating fences in side yards completely, considering the amount of feet per structures. David Kehn stated that there would have to be a consensus. Fence heights for new construction, Dennis Mack added they we measure prior to construction. David Kehn agreed. David Kehn added that just by changing out a few boards that you can have different problems. It can be too high or too low. James McDaniel indicated that for new construction and a fence may not be uniform, it will be different. Dennis Mack stated that you give an existing elevation and you follow the contour of the existing grade. New construction goes off the existing elevations of the property line before they match existing. (Adding flowerbeds, back fill,pools.) Les Albin demonstrated a few examples on the white-board referring to lots that were in question and double lots that referred to fence and drainage elevations. David Kehn stated that you can never get correct elevations. Dennis Mack stated that we would measure prior to construction. David Kehn agreed. David Kehn also added that even if you change out a few boards, you may have different problems. It could be too high or too low. James McDaniel stated that during new construction if the builder builds a fence, it might not be in uniform. It would be different. Buildin g and Standards Commission• Minutes • February 6t',2003 Page 3 of 4 Dennis Mack indicated that there would be height limitations. Dennis Mack also stated that they would have to provide us with an existing elevation or come up with an elevation.They would have to follow the contour of the existing grade. New construction: Fence height will go off the existing elevations of the property before flower- beds,fill or a pool are added. Dennis Mack stated that the city would require a survey before the builders disturb the soil. Dennis Mack stated that the City can word this in our ordinances in such a way that it will lock in the existing elevations. The City is currently scanning all documents and base certifications documentations. We can look back at these for the last five years. We can lock it to that property address and set the time and date. So,that know one could come in and change it. Jorge Jimenez-Marcos added that we do in fact need to require a survey of the property before a fence is to be constructed. Dennis Mack added that requiring a survey just for a fence that the cost would be add at least 200 plus dollars. Jorge Jimenez-Marcos added that this would save you a dispute from your neighbors. James McDaniel asked that Sec.6.581. to be edited and modified with the suggested changes for review at the next meeting. A draft is to be presented to show the current agreed changes of Subchapter I. Fences. BSC will continue discussion of this item on next month's meeting. Jorge Jimenez-Marcos moved that we adopt the proposed changes now. AYES: Les Albin, Jorge Jimenez-Marcos. NOES: James McDaniel,David Kehn,Muddy McDaniel. Subchapter I.Fences Sec.6.581. Maximum height limits. (a) Eight foot limit. No fence higher than eight feet may be constructed improved or structurally altered on any private property. (b) Six-foot limit. No fence higher than six foot may be constructed: (1) Closer than six feet from a wall of an existing principal building used as a single-family residence on any adjacent building site. (2) Between buildings on separate buildings sites where the eaves are less than two feet apart. (c)Height Measurements. Between buildings on separate building sites where the eaves are less than two feet apart. Fence heights will be measured off the existing elevations of the building site. (Maximum of four feet) • • Building and Standards Commission Minutes February 6`h,2003 Page 4 of 4 8. Foundation Design.David Kehn mentioned that the foundation design criteria documentation that Dennis Mack had previously provided looked great. It addressed the specific concerns and it indicated good calculation and engineering. Les Albin questioned how we could get this information over to the engineers and how could it be regulated? Dennis Mack response that it would be in our City Ordinances and it would be up to the engineers to read, abide by and comply. Eventually, plans that have been rejected numerous times, contractors will have to re-pay plan checking fees, as a penalty. This will get the builders attention. Les Albin indicated that builders would not like to take on the additional responsibility. Dennis Mack indicated that, engineers would have to do real engineering. We would make sure that the calculations match the design. If for any reason we are in doubt we would have the engineers come in and talk to us and if we had any further questions we would contact the state. James McDaniel wondered how long it would take to implement this, if the foundation design criteria passed. Dennis Mack stated that it would probably take two months and we would give the builders at least a sixty-day grace period and make sure the builders were updated with the information. Les Albin did indicate that most engineers do not look or observe the pour and very few other engineers will stay until the truck goes away. Dennis Mack stated that the engineers have the option to verify the pour themselves or hire someone who is a qualified delegate to confirm that everything was correct. Les Albin did indicate that this would be a great improvement. Dennis Mack will work with Jim Dougherty to make necessary corrections and bring back to BSC on the next scheduled meeting date,Thursday, March 6,2003.No action was taken on this item. 9. Staff Comments and Status Reports. None. 10. Commission Member Comments. • James McDaniel stated that BSC would formally discuss and determine when BSC will meet in the month of July since it is a holiday week. It will be taken in advisement. • Les Albin requested that Dennis Mack find some information on rock resistance and bring to the next BSC meeting. • David Kehn handed out a handout to all BSC members on Fire Resistance Ratings-ANSI/UL 263. The information was a guide for fire resistance ratings. Showing design information and a numbering system for fire rated assemblies. BSC members looked at the information and David Kehn discussed briefly on the information and just wanted to point how this information is helpful. • Darryl Friday updated BSC on the Ace DuraFlow seminar and explained how it helps older homes with old pipes. The solution stresses the old pipes and it will blow out the old pipe. It will determine where the pipes are weak. They dry it out over night and then they put a cleaner in it and then they put a heavy solution that seals the inner lining of the pipes. This new technology with Ace Dura Flow provides a cleaner and safer technique to homes that have older pipes and who cannot afford to have the old pipes replaced. 11. Adjournment. David Kehn moved to adjourn Les Albin seconded the motion. AYES: David Kehn, Les Albin, James McDaniel, Jorge Jimenez-Marcos. NOES: None. Motion passed meeting adjourned at 8:11 P.M. Building and Standards Commission Minutes ti February 6th,2003 Page 5 of 4 PASSED THIS DAY OF , 2003. James McDaniel, Chairman ATTEST: Ms. Annette R. Arriaga Development Services Secretary