Design Review Board

Oakwood/Lincoln Park Infill Housing Overlay District

11-A-21-IH

Staff Recommendation

Staff recommends approval of Certificate 11-A-21-IH, subject to the following conditions:
1) Incorporate a walkway from the front porch to the sidewalk or street;
2) Parking to meet Infill Housing guidelines and City Engineering standards, and be located at the rear of the property off the alley;
3) Incorporate brick-clad bases on the porch columns;
4) Use consistent window designs on all elevations and omit non-operable shutters;
5) Use vinyl siding with an overlap instead of Dutch lap or flush panel siding;
6) Incorporate one native or naturalized shade tree in front and rear yards.


Location
438 Hiawassee Ave. 37917

Owner
Gary Gary Koontz

Applicant Request
New Primary Structure
1. The house is proposed to be set 34.7' from the front property line, with the partial-width front porch at 26.7' from the front property line. The average front setback of the block is 26.2'. Along with the adjacent new house at 442 Hiawassee Ave, the new house will maintain consistent front yard space with the block. The final site plan should incorporate a walkway from the front porch to the street.

2. The block to receive new construction is characterized by Craftsman bungalows and Queen Anne cottages. The proposed house is proportionate to the context and the dimensions of the lot. The proposed side setbacks are consistent with the block.

3. To meet Infill Housing guidelines and City Engineering standards, the proposed parking should extend off the alley and be located to the rear of the property instead of in the front yard. City Engineering has also noted the necessity of raising the house's finished floor elevation to provide positive drainage and improve the drainage swale at the street.

4. Overall, the one-story, three-bay façade is compatible with the historic houses on the block. Due to the requirement to elevate the finished floor elevation, the foundation will be comparable in heights with historic houses on the block.

5. The proposed front-gable roof porch, including the Craftsman-style detailing, meets the design guidelines for size and placement. Infill Housing design guidelines discourage the use of stone veneer; brick should be used as cladding for column piers instead.

6. The proposed window and doors are compatible with historic elements on the block. There is sufficient transparency on side elevations. The applicant should select consistent window patterns on all elevations (either all 1/1s or 3/1s) and omit non-operable shutters.

7. The proposed 7/12 pitch roof meets the design guidelines, and the cornice returns and front-gable roof porch contribute additional complexity.

8. Overall materials are appropriate within the design guidelines. The vinyl siding should be lap siding with an overlap instead of Dutch lap or flush panel siding.

9. The final site plan should incorporate one native or naturalized shade tree in the front and rear yards.

Staff Comments
New primary residence fronting Hiawassee Avenue. Front-gable roof residence measures 30' wide by 44' long, with an 8' deep, partial-width porch projecting from the left half of the façade. The house is proposed to be set 34.7' from the front property line, with the porch at 26.7' from the front property line.

The 7/12 pitch, front-gable roof is clad in architectural shingles, the house is clad in horizontal vinyl siding, and the house rests on a stucco-clad foundation. The gable fields feature vinyl board-and-batten and vinyl shingle siding. The front-gable roof porch is supported by tapered Craftsman-style posts on stone veneer-clad piers. The three-bay façade features paired double-hung windows flanking a half-light door. There are two windows on the left side elevation and three on the right. A 12' by 10' wood deck is accessed by a secondary entry on the rear elevation.

Case History