Historic Zoning Commission

Ft. Sanders NC: Level III

1-B-23-HZ

Applicant Request

New primary structure fronting Forest Avenue. The two-story roof house is proposed to be set 15'-5" from the front property line at the closest point. The house features a hipped roof with gables extending to the front, rear, and sides, clad in asphalt shingles, an exterior of lap siding (material not specified), and a brick-clad foundation. Gable fields show a diamond-pattern siding. Parking is located behind the house, accessed from the alley.

The facade (south) features a two-story projecting gable-roof massing on the right side featuring, a decorative bay window, with a centrally located door followed by one window. A two-story, partial-width, shed-roof porch supported by square posts projects from left side of the façade. There are large, three-story gable-roof massings on both side elevations, with three stories of fenestrations on the rear elevation. The rear elevation features a two-bay garage door on the basement level.

Conditions of approval per 3/16/2023 HZC meeting: 1) clarification of proposed front setback and confirmation it aligns with the block's streetscape pattern; 2) final site plan to meet City Engineering standards and requirements of the base zoning; 3) front porch to be consistent in size and design with context.

Site Info

Vacant lot.

1. 1315 Forest Ave was a contributing structure to the Fort Sanders National Register Historic District and local NC overlay. The recently demolished house was a highly modified Folk Victorian house with an enclosed front porch, a side addition, and a basement level accessible via the side and rear elevation. At the January 2023 meeting, the Commission determined that a compatible but new design is preferable to a full reconstruction of the previous house.

2. The house is proposed to be set 15'-5" from the front property line at the closest point. The average front setback of the block is 23'-8", or 19'-6" without the adjacent outlier at 1309 Forest Avenue. The applicant's application to the BZA, approved 2/28/23, notes the front setback as 13'. The applicant should clarify the proposed front setback and possibly recess the house slightly further towards the rear property line to align the house with the overall streetscape.

3. The proposed parking meets the Fort Sanders design guidelines as it's located at the rear, accessible from the alley. Revisions to the site plan may be necessary to meet City Engineering standards and the requirements of the base zoning.

4. The proposed house is taller than many of the 1- to 1.5-story houses on the block; however, it is compatible in height with the two-story houses across the street and acts as a transition to the non-historic two-story building to the right. The 34'-5.5" façade will be compatible with most houses on the block. The foundation height will be consistent with the block, where the site slopes to the north and foundation heights are taller at the rear.

5. The roof pitch meets the design guidelines for pitch, complexity, and materials.

6. Guidelines recommend porches to be between 6'-10' deep; no measurement is provided on the drawings. The porch should be confirmed to meet this guideline and use at least 8" by 8" posts to remain proportional to the porch's scale.

7. The lap siding meets the design guidelines, though no material specs are provided. Any siding should be smooth-finished, with an exposure comparable to the context, and use appropriately-sized cornerboards and window trim.

8. The front, side, and rear elevations demonstrate sufficient transparency and "proportions and symmetry similar to historic styles in the neighborhood." The half-light door indicated on the first story meets the design guidelines.