Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Historic Preservation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Historic preservation board approves conditioned window replacement at 303 Williams Street
Summary
The Rockwall Historic Preservation Advisory Board approved a Certificate of Appropriateness for a window alteration at 303 Williams Street, conditioning approval on a horizontal simulated grid so the new sliding vinyl window visually matches surrounding windows; the vote was 4–1, with Miller dissenting.
The Rockwall Historic Preservation Advisory Board voted 4–1 to approve a Certificate of Appropriateness allowing a single white vinyl sliding window to replace a side-by-side double-hung window at 303 Williams Street, provided the replacement include a horizontal simulated grid to match neighboring windows.
Staff told the board the property is a medium-contributing single-family house in the Old Town Rockwall Historic District built in 1950 and that the window change was prompted by a building-permit review. Staff said a short-term rental permit application revealed an unpermitted garage conversion and that building-code ingress and egress requirements dictated an opening large enough to qualify the room as a bedroom. Staff also said 22 property-owner notifications were mailed to neighbors; one written response was in favor.
Alex Barakat, who identified himself during the hearing as the applicant’s representative and resident, said the existing street-facing window is already mixed—one side original wood and the other previously replaced with vinyl—and that the family wants a single sliding window to satisfy the permit without undertaking interior masonry or carpentry to enlarge the opening. He said the proposed double-pane sliding unit could include an internal grid to match the home’s other window proportions.
Board members who opposed an unmodified slider said allowing a window without a horizontal bar would create a visible mismatch and set a precedent for future requests. One member moved to amend the approval to require a horizontally oriented simulated grid in the new unit; the amendment was accepted by the motion maker and seconder and incorporated into the motion before the final vote. The board chair explained the requirement as a way to retain the street-facing rhythm and visual consistency of windows in the historic district.
The motion carried 4–1; the transcript records Miller as the lone dissent. The board did not specify individual yes votes in the record. Following the vote, the chair asked the historic preservation officer, Miller, for any updates on other projects; Miller said he had none. The meeting adjourned at approximately 6:20 p.m.
The staff report cited the Unified Development Code (UDC) and the board’s discretionary authority to grant Certificates of Appropriateness for alterations that do not adversely affect the district’s character. The board’s amended approval requires the applicant to install the slider with the horizontal grid as a condition of the COA.
