Historic Zoning Commission

Ft. Sanders NC-1: Level III

11-C-19-HZ

Applicant Request

Level III. Construction of new primary building

The proposed primary residence is located at 110 13th Street, though the façade will front Forest Avenue. The house is 30' wide by 50' long on the west elevation and 40'-8" long on the east elevation (58' total length with porch). The house features a 27'-9" floor to ceiling height, including a finished attic, and a 33'-2" floor-to-roof-peak height. The house has a front-gable roof with a 10/12 pitch, clad in asphalt shingles, with a lower front-gable roof massing projecting towards the façade, also with a 10/12 pitch.

The house will rest on a brick foundation. The exterior siding will be Hardie Board lap siding with 5/4x6 corner boards and front and rear gable fields will feature Hardie shingle-style siding. An exterior brick chimney is centrally located on the left (west) elevation.

The façade (south) will feature a full-length porch with a double-hipped roof, clad in asphalt shingles, with a 3/12 pitch. The porch is 8' deep and extends 30' wide. Porch supports are four Craftsman-style, tapered wood columns on brick piers. The façade porch features Trex decking with a 36" tall wood picket railing.

A wood deck is located on the rear (north) elevation, measuring 14'-2" long by 14'-10" wide. Rear porch features a 36" wood picket railing and wood steps that extend from the northeast with a handrail and newel post to meet codes.

On the façade, a four-panel Masonite door will be flanked by single-light sidelights and topped by a transom. Front gable fields feature decorative wood brackets with a paired Craftsman-style window in the primary front gable field. Window sizes vary but most are Anderson 200 series, one-over-one, double-hung, vinyl-clad wood windows with 4" Miratec trim.

Per conditions of 11/21/19 HZC meeting, applicant will reconstruct retaining wall with cast stone (concrete) masonry units, plant one native shade tree in front and year yards, and design will match specifications submitted 11/22/19.

Site Info

Vacant lot (previous residence was non-contributing to Historic District and demolished in 2007).

1. The proposed residence is well placed on the lot, with side yard setbacks appropriate for a corner lot and a front yard setback that reflects the average front setbacks of the neighboring houses fronting Forest Avenue.

2. The footprint of the house is slightly larger than the adjacent properties; however, the footprints of neighboring houses vary substantially and the proposed residence is across the street from a larger multi-family development. The two-and-one-half story residence is approximately 30' tall to the roof apex. While on the taller side of houses on the blocks fronting Forest Avenue, the proposed design is not so tall as to detract from the historic streetscape. Multiple two-and-one-half-story residences front the following block of 13th Street. The height, scale, and massing are appropriate for the historic context.

3. The house features a foundation height consistent with the surrounding historic houses and appropriate for the sloped topography of the block.

4. The 8' deep front porch is an appropriate form for the historic context and complements the existing rhythm of the streetscape. The proposed Trex flooring and wood columns on brick piers are appropriate materials for new construction in the neighborhood.

5. The two front-gable roof massings and the hipped-roof porch on the façade are appropriately complex for the historic context.

6. Guidelines recommend that bays, composing up to 50% of the side façade, should extend up to five feet into the side setback on corner lots. The applicant has selected an approximately 6' wide by 3' deep masonry chimney as a method of adding depth to the west elevation. The chimney sufficiently provides visual interest and dimension to the west elevation.

7. The proposed materials, including a brick foundation and chimney, HardiePlank lap and shake siding, and an asphalt shingle roof are appropriate materials within the guidelines. Windows will be one-over-one, wood windows with vinyl cladding and 4" composite trim (Miratec), which are appropriate for the historic context within the NC-1 overlay.

8. On the façade (south) elevation, the proportions and placement of windows reflects the historic neighborhood context. On the highly visible west elevation fronting 13th Street, first and second-story window placement does not reflect historic window symmetry. Second-story windows should be aligned with the first-story windows. The rear (north) elevation features a multi-light accent window on the second story. Guidelines note that accent windows are appropriate with new construction; however, the placement is not reflective of historic window symmetry and should be centered over the first-story windows. On the east elevation, the proportions of the second-story windows exceed those of the first story.

9. Parking access is provided for from the alley and the surface parking is located at the rear of the building. City Engineering staff have verified the 90-degree placement of the five parking stalls is acceptable for a single-family residence.

10. One native shade tree should be planted on the front and rear yards.

11. Guidelines recommend that low, square-cut stone, poured concrete, or brick masonry walls should be used in constructing retaining walls. The grading of the lot to avoid repair or replacement of the existing retaining wall would detract from the overall streetscape and should be avoided. If the existing retaining wall is not salvageable, a new masonry retaining wall should be constructed to reflect the neighborhood context.