Design Review Board
Lonsdale Infill Housing Overlay District
12-B-24-IH
Staff Recommendation
Staff recommends approval of Certificate 12-B-24-IH, subject to the following conditions: 1) front setback to be revised to align with adjacent houses; 2) final site plan be revised to avoid front yard parking, with approval by staff; 3) final site plan to include a walkway from the front door to the street; 4) porch depth to be revised to 8'; 5) final site plan to meet City Engineering standards; 6) final site plan to include one tree in front and rear yards.
OwnerMiguel de Santiago
Applicant Request
New Primary Structure1. The house is proposed to be set 32' from the front property line, with a 6' deep front porch at 26' from the front property line. The average front setback of the block is 24.1'. The adjacent houses are 19' and 25' from the front property line, and the subject property line is recessed approximately 6' behind those of the adjacent houses. The front setback should be revised to align with the adjacent houses. The final site plan should include a walkway from the front door to the street.
2. The block to receive new construction is characterized by Minimal Traditionals, modified Queen Anne cottages, and infill construction, which are mostly small one-story, rectangular plan houses. The three-bay façade is proportionate to the dimensions of the lot, and the house has side setbacks consistent with similarly sized lots on the block.
3. Infill Housing design guidelines recommend that on lots without alleys, new driveways should be at least 20' behind the front façade of the infill house with access limited to one lane between the street and the front façade. Parking is currently proposed for the front yard and should be revised to meet guidelines. The final site plan should meet City Engineering standards.
4. The façade is similar in scale and height to the neighborhood context.
5. The design guidelines recommend that front porches extend "about 8-12 feet toward the street." The house incorporates a 6' deep, full-length front porch. The Board should discuss the depth of the porch.
6. Guidelines recommend window and door styles be similar to historic houses on the block, with similar placement and ratio of solid to void. All elevations feature sufficient transparency for the neighborhood context, and the windows benefit from the trim and sills.
7. The 8/12 roof pitch meets the neighborhood context, and the 1'-4" eave overhangs and rake end trim benefit the overall design of the house.
8. The asphalt shingles, vinyl "traditional" lap siding, and stucco clad foundation meet the design guidelines.
9. The final site plan should incorporate one native or naturalized shade tree in the front and rear yards.
Staff Comments
New primary structure fronting Midway Street. One-story residence features a front-gable roof (8/12 pitch) clad in asphalt shingles , an exterior of vinyl lap siding , and a slab foundation clad in stucco . The house features a 6' deep , full-length front porch with a front-gable roof projecting below the main roofline supported by four 10" framed columns. The building measures 24' wide by 56' deep and is to be set 26' from the front property line. Parking is a 12' wide concrete pad located in front of the house and accessed from Midway Street.
The façade (west) is three bays wide, featuring single-hung windows flanking a centered quarter-lite door. The left elevation features three single-hung windows, one of which is smaller than the others. The right elevation features two single-hung windows and a secondary entrance with a full-lite door and 4' by 4' stoop. The rear elevation features one single-hung window. All windows and doors feature PVC trim.