Staff recommends approval of the work with the following conditions: 1) submit final dimensions of porch columns and balustrade for approval by staff; 2) incorporation of additional elements connecting the shed with the original house, with approval by staff; and 3) if the applicant does not receive the necessary variances at the 3/16/21 BZA meeting, a revised site plan showing placement and dimensions of the shed should be submitted.
Removal of non-historic prefabricated accessory structure in rear.
New secondary structure to be recessed behind primary structure; measuring 8' wide by 12' long. Pending variance approvals from the Board of Zoning Appeals, secondary structure will be located 1'-4" from interior (left side) property line and 3'-6" from the rear property line. The shed features a low-slope (1/12) metal roof with parapet, wood board-and-batten siding, and a post and beam foundation. The shed features a wood double door on the north elevation, and a single-light wood picture window on the east elevation.
Removal of existing wrought iron columns and railing and installation of turned wood posts with a square picket railing. On the front gable field, applicant proposes new square cedar shingles with a square wood attic vent to match original.
Revision to previously approved rear addition; previous approval included single-light wood casement windows with wood transoms. Applicant now proposes windows in the same design and placement, but aluminum-clad wood material instead of wood.
Application includes a new curb cut for a driveway extension. The driveway includes two strips of permeable pavers, measuring 35' long by approximately 10' wide. The driveway is proposed for the left (south) side of the house's façade, extending off Eleanor Street.
One-story residence with a hipped roof with lower projecting gables, clad in asphalt shingles, an exterior of aluminum siding, and a brick foundation. A hipped-roof porch extends two-thirds of the façade (east) supported by metal posts. A portion of the front porch has been enclosed. Replacement windows.
1. 1111 Eleanor Street is a contributing resource to the Fourth and Gill Historic District and local overlay.
2. The accessory building proposed for demolition is not a historic outbuilding and does not contribute to the integrity of the overall property or surrounding blocks; it is a pre-fabricated metal shed with no unique architectural features. Removal of the existing shed is appropriate.
3. The proposed outbuilding will be recessed behind the primary residence and an existing wood fence. The shed is proposed to be set 1'-4" from the interior (left side) property line and 3'-6" from the rear property line; base zoning requires a minimum of 5' from property lines. The proposal is scheduled for review by the Board of Zoning Appeals on 3/16/21. If the necessary variances for setbacks and building coverage are denied, a revised site plan will need to be submitted.
4. The new shed is minimal in size and massing, and will use a wood board-and-batten siding to reflect wood siding on the original house. Due to the lot's topography, the top of the flat-roof shed will be visible above the existing wood fence, though recessed towards the rear of the lot. Guidelines encourage relating new outbuildings to the design and construction of the primary house. Past new sheds have integrated a pitched roof (including a shed roof, placed such that it resembles a gable roof when viewed behind a fence/the main house), siding materials, or minor decorative details to further connect the outbuilding with the primary house.
5. Removal of the non-historic wrought iron columns and railing meets the design guidelines. The proposed turned wood columns and square wood pickets are compatible with the historic house and similar designs in design and material. Final specifications should be submitted to staff with dimensions of turned wood columns and balustrade. The turned wood columns should reflect the originals in size and scale (visible in paint ghosts on the porch beam). Balusters should be set into the top and bottom rails of the guardrail.
6. The new attic vent is based on documentation of the original detail and meets the design guidelines. The Commission should discuss the installation of cedar shingles in the front gable field without documentation of the originals; however, the currently-visible asphalt shingles may have been installed to replace original wood shingles. The new cedar shingles are proposed for a small section of the front gable field, are not overly elaborate or detailed, and similar in size and placement to comparable houses in the district.
7. The application includes the revision of previously-approved wood windows on the addition to aluminum-clad wood. In staff's opinion, the use of aluminum-clad wood windows on the new addition is appropriate, as they are proposed for rear/recessed elevations of a new construction addition which will not be visible from the public right-of-way.
8. The application does include a new cub cut, which guidelines note "should be kept to a minimum," especially when the addition of curb cuts "results in removing historic sidewalks, curbs, or retaining walls." The proposed parking would continue an existing pattern; there are at least five existing curb cuts off the 1100 "block" of the west side of Eleanor Street. There is an operable alley behind the house, though topographic and lot constraints may not make rear yard parking possible. The installation of a new curb cut would not require the removal of historic sidewalk, curb, or retaining wall materials. The proposed two strips of permeable pavers will not have a detrimental effect on the house or the block's historic context.
Home | contact@knoxplanning.org | (865) 215-2500
Knoxville-Knox County Planning
City-County Building | Suite 403 | 400 Main Street | Knoxville, Tennessee 37902
