Design Review Board

Lonsdale Infill Housing Overlay District

10-C-21-IH

Applicant Request

1. The new house is proposed to be set 20' from the front property line at the closest point. The average front setback of the block is 30'; however, that average does not incorporate the adjacent, newly-built infill houses at 1534 and 1536 Minnesota Ave. 1534 and 1536 Minnesota are set 25' from the front property line, with 8' deep front porches encroaching (19' to the front property line). The proposed house will be in line with the front setback pattern of the street. The site plan includes a walkway from the front door to the street.

2. The block is characterized by modified Queen Anne cottages and contemporary infill construction adjacent and across the street. The proposed house is proportionate to the narrow dimensions of the block and the other houses on the street. The house is set to the left side of the lot, with a proposed 10' left side setback and a 26' right side setback. The house should be moved slightly towards the center of the lot to create a consistent side setback pattern and meet the 12' corner side setback requirement of the RN-2 zoning.

3. Parking meets Infill Housing design guidelines and City Engineering standards. Any modifications to the site plan in permitting should reflect City Engineering standards.

4. The one-story, three-bay façade is similar in scale and width to the block. The proposed foundation height, at 8", is lower than the historic context or the adjacent infill houses, and should be elevated. The design incorporates a projecting bay on the façade for additional complexity.

5. The design incorporates a 10' deep front porch, with a column and railing appropriate for the design.

6. Windows and doors are compatible with the neighborhood context, and side elevations feature a sufficient number of windows.

7. The roof pitch is sufficiently steep for the neighborhood context. The projecting bay adds complexity and differentiates the new house from the adjacent infill construction.

8. Roof cladding, siding, and foundation materials meet the design guidelines. The proposed vinyl siding should use an overlap instead of Dutch lap or flush panels.

9. The site plan incorporates a new tree in the front yard and notes that mature trees not impacted by construction will remain.

Site Info

Proposed new residence fronting Minnesota Avenue. One-story residence features a front-gable roof (7/12 pitch, clad in asphalt shingles), an exterior of vinyl lap siding, and a split-face CMU foundation. The house is proposed to be set 20' from the façade to the front property line. Parking is a 20' wide by 24' deep concrete pad accessible from the alley, to the rear of the property line, with a 36" wide concrete sidewalk connecting the rear access and the parking.

The façade (north) features a smaller front-gable roof massing projecting from the left half, adjacent to a recessed corner porch on the right half. The porch is supported by an 8" square vinyl column and a picket railing, and accessible by concrete steps. Paired six-over-six, double-hung windows flank a half-light door on the façade. A wood deck extends from a secondary entryway on the rear, accessible by a pressure-treated wood ramp.