Historic Zoning Commission

Old North Knoxville H: Level III

4-C-23-HZ

Applicant Request

New house fronting Leonard Place. House measures 30' wide by 55'-4" long, and will be set 29' from the front property line (with an 8' deep front porch set 21' from the front property line). The house features a 8/12 pitch, front-gable roof clad in asphalt shingles, an exterior of fiber cement lap siding (smooth-finished, 4-5" in exposure, per drawings), and a 24" tall foundation clad in brick veneer. The roofline features exposed rafter tails and a 1'-4" eave overhang. Parking (a 20' wide by 24.4' deep concrete pad) is located in the rear of the house, accessed by the alley. Windows are proposed as aluminum-clad wood.

The façade (south) features a partial-width, front-gable porch on the left half of the elevation. The porch features a 6/12 pitch roof and three 10 by 10 square posts on piers clad in siding. The three-bay façade features a centrally located door flanked by two one-over-one windows. The full light door is flanked by two full-light sidelights. The front gables feature triangular wood louvered vents.

The left (west) elevation features five bays of one-over-one windows. The rear elevation features a secondary access door and an 8' by 10' concrete patio. The right (east) elevation features five bays of one-over-one windows, with a rectangular chimney between the first and second bays. The chimney is approximately as tall as the roof peak and proposed to be clad in brick to match the foundation.

APPROVED 5.18.23, subject to the following conditions: 1) final site plan to meet City Engineering standards; 2) front setback to be revised to measure between 18'-20' from the front property line; 3) fiber cement siding to be smooth-finished, 4-5" in exposure, and be accompanied by appropriately-sized cornerboards; 4) use historically appropriate window trim and sills, with a profile to be submitted to staff for approval; 5) final door selection toe bapproved by staff; 6) front gable fields to feature shingles in gable; 7) frontmost vent on façade to reflect size and design of rear vent.

Site Info

Vacant lot.

1. The house is proposed to be set 29' from the front property line, with the front porch at 21' from the front property line. The average front setback of the block is 18', with the adjacent new construction at 123 Leonard Place revised to be 20' from the front property line at the main massing. The house should be moved towards the front property line to align with the front setback pattern of the block. The house has even side yard setbacks and will maintain the consistent rhythm of the streetscape.

2. Locating the parking at the rear of the property and accessed from the alley will preserve the existing streetscape along Leonard Place, avoiding a new curb cut or front yard parking. The final site plan should meet City Engineering standards.

3. An interpretation of a Craftsman-style house is appropriate for the context. The proposed interpretation is simple in design and detailing.

4. The 1-story house is proposed for a block characterized by 1- and 1.5-story houses. The overall scale of the house is consistent with the dimensions of the lot and the houses on the block.

5. The design guidelines recommend "break[ing] up uninteresting box-like forms into smaller varied massings by use of bays, extended porches, and roof shapes." While the house design incorporates a front porch, there is no additional variation in massings or roof shapes, and the house and roofline include no additional bays. Guidelines also recommend a "mix of wall areas with window and door elements in the façade like those found on existing buildings." The windows and doors have been revised to be centered on the façade, and sidelights flanking the door provide additional transparency. The façade arrangement is comparable to nearby 122 Leonard Place.

6. The proposed roof has been revised to 8/12 in pitch. While the guidelines specify a 12/12 pitch, some Craftsman houses have roofs less steep than a 12/12 pitch. The revised design has incorporated a revised pitch and incorporated additional Craftsman-style roof details such as triangular brackets and louvered attic vents.

7. The elevation drawings indicate a 24" tall brick-clad foundation. The foundation height is appropriate for the historic context. Guidelines also recommend that "belt courses or other suggestions of divisions between stories" should be incorporated on buildings more than one story; many front-gable roof Craftsman-style houses incorporate a band of horizontal trim between the first story and the gable field.

8. Guidelines recommend that materials for new buildings be consistent with materials on the street. Fiber cement lap siding has been approved for new construction or additions in the ONK overlay; the lap siding should be smooth-finished and 4-5" in exposure to be compatible with original lap siding on the street. Appropriately sized cornerboards should also be provided. The chimney has been revised to be clad in brick to match the foundation.

9. The façade has been revised to incorporate additional detail and symmetry, including 10 by 10 posts resting on piers, a centered front entry flanked by sidelights, and louvered vents.

10. Overall, the side elevations demonstrate a sufficient amount of transparency in terms of window proportion and placement. The rear elevation has been revised to include a window. The applicant has proposed aluminum-clad wood windows, which are appropriate for new construction. The windows should incorporate trim and sills compatible with historic windows in profile and depth, with a profile to be submitted for approval.

11. The applicant will install a wood Craftsman-style door; the front door is proposed to match the rear door, though the drawings show a full-light door. A simple Craftsman-style door is appropriate for the selected style of the house.