Historic Zoning Commission

Ft. Sanders NC-1: Level III

12-F-19-HZ

Applicant Request

Level III. Construction of new primary building

UPDATED for February 20, 2020 meeting:

Construction of a new residence at 1610 Forest Avenue. Proposed house is approximately 64' long and 25' wide, with an 9'-8" deep by 11'-2" wide porch projecting slightly from the northeast corner of the house (façade). The one-and-one-half-story house will feature a hipped roof with gable-roof massings toward the sides and rear.

The house will rest on a concrete masonry unit, clad in stucco. Exterior siding will be HardiePlank siding. The roof will be clad in asphalt shingles. Side gable fields will be clad in diamond-shaped Hardie shingle siding.

A hipped-roof porch will project from the northeast corner of the house. The porch will be supported by turned wood posts and feature wood tongue-and-groove porch flooring and a stained wood porch ceiling. The rear door will be accessed by a single wood step up to the back door.

First floor windows will be 36" wide by 72" long, one-over-one, double-hung vinyl windows. Egress windows on the south, east, and west elevation gable fields will be 36" by 42" casement windows. A 24" by 24" casement window is proposed for the front (north) gable field.

New house to meet measurements and details in site plan and elevation drawings approved at 2/20/2020 HZC meeting.

Site Info

N/A

1. As the house on this property was demolished, any pre-existing nonconformities that were previously associated with the house have been lost and the applicant will be required to conform to the side setback and lot coverage requirements of the base zoning, or request the necessary variances.

2. The house's front setback is appropriate for the historic streetscape of Forest Avenue.

3. The house's overall footprint, one-and-one-half-story height, and rectangular massing reflect the historic context of the block and neighborhood.

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

5. The 9'-8" deep front porch is an appropriate form for the historic context and complements the existing rhythm of the streetscape. The proposed wood tongue-and-groove flooring and turned wood posts are appropriate materials.

6. The hip-and-gable roofline is appropriately complex for the context. Proportions and placement of the windows on the north, west, and south elevations are appropriate and provide transparency that reflects the historic context of the neighborhood. Based on recommendations in the December 2019 staff report, applicant has added one additional window on the rear section of the east elevation to provide additional transparency and better reflect historic proportions.

7. The proposed materials of a brick-clad porch foundation, HardiePlank lap siding, and an asphalt shingle roof are appropriate materials within the guidelines.

8. Per the guidelines, new construction should be complemented by one native shade tree per fifty feet of lot width in the front and rear yards. Two existing trees are located in the front yard and should be retained. One native shade tree should be planted in the rear yard.