Design Review Board

Oakwood/Lincoln Park Infill Housing Overlay District

12-G-24-IH

Staff Recommendation

Staff recommends approval of Certificate 12-G-24-IH, subject to the following conditions: 1) concrete parking pad to be reduced in size to avoid tree, with final site plan meeting City Engineering standards; 2) meeting all applicable requirements in the City Zoning code, including Article 4.6 and principal use standards of 9.3.J, 3) introducing differentiation between 301 E. Woodland Ave and 305 E. Woodland Ave, with approval by staff.


Owner
Spencer Stanley S&S Ventures Group, LLC

Applicant Request
New Primary Structure
1. The applicant intends to use Section 4.6 of the zoning code, the Middle Housing standards, which are "intended to promote the development of neighborhood-scale housing forms which are compatible with existing housing in the surrounding area," and "may allow more flexible development of land than is possible under the base district zoning regulations," subject to additional dimensional, design, and parking standards. Middle Housing review occurs separately through Planning staff; the DRB review focuses on how the project meets the Infill Housing design guidelines. However, some elements of Middle Housing review may trigger site plan and building elevation revisions, which would require additional review by the DRB.

2. The building is proposed to be set 23' from the front property line, with one porch extending to 15' at the closest point. The average front setback of the blockface is 24.2'. Middle Housing standards require a front setback to be the average of the blockface, plus or minus five feet. The site plan includes a walkway from the house to the street for each unit.

3. The block to receive new construction is characterized by modified Queen Anne cottages, Minimal Traditionals, and infill construction. The two story, four-bay façade is proportional to the dimensions of the lot and the context of the block, and consistent with a duplex form.

4. The proposed parking meets the design guidelines, as it is located to the rear of the property. The parking uses an existing curb cut off Cornelia Street instead of being accessed from the alley, with the intent of preserving a large, mature oak tree adjacent to the alley. The concrete pad should be reduced in size to be located as far away from the oak tree as possible, and reduce the visual impact of the currently large pad. Final site plans may be necessary to meet City Engineering standards.

5. The duplex's façade, at 32' wide, is comparable in scale and width to the other houses on the street; especially as it combines two units in one structure. Most of the houses on the street are one-story, but a two-story, 41' wide single-family house was approved by the DRB across the street in December 2022. The two-story duplex reduces its visual scale by incorporating only one front-gable massing and by using corner boards and trim to divide the façade into separate sections, per guideline recommendations for multi-unit housing.

6. The duplex incorporates an 8' deep by 11' wide front porch supported by two 6" square posts for each unit, which meets the design guidelines.

7. Guidelines recommend window and door styles be similar to historic houses on the block, with similar placement and ratio of solid to void. The 6/6 single-hung windows are appropriate for the context, and there is a sufficient ratio of solid to void on the façade, left elevation, and rear elevation. The right elevation, which would be less visible from the right-of-way features a paired single-hung window on the first story and two small transom windows on the second story. The Board should discuss the window placement on the right elevation.

8. The proposed front-gable roof has a 6/12 pitch, which is the minimum typically approved for infill housing. While most of the houses on the street have steeper rooflines, this pitch reduces the visual scale of the two-story duplex. The design benefits from the complexity of the front-gable roof with partial cornice returns, and the two projecting front-gable massings on the façade and rear elevation.

9. The asphalt dimensional shingles, stuccoed block foundation, and straight lap siding meet the design guidelines.

10. The site plan incorporates a tree in the front and rear yards.

11. 301 E. Woodland Ave (12-G-24-IH) is identical to the proposed new construction at 305 E. Woodland Avenue (12-H-24-IH). The two buildings should be differentiated from each other, which could be achieved by flipping the plans or other tactics. The site plans indicate the buildings are flipped but the elevation drawings do not.

Staff Comments
New primary structure (duplex) fronting E. Woodland Avenue. Two-story building measures 32' wide by 35' deep (two adjacent units of 16' wide by 35' deep) and will be set 23' from the front property line. The 8' deep by 11' front porch will be 15' from the front property line. The duplex features a front-gable roof (6/12 pitch) with a partial cornice return. One unit is located within a two-story front-gable roof massing projecting from the left side of the façade. Each unit features an 8' by 11' shed roof porch, supported by two 6" square wood posts. The building features an asphalt dimensional shingle clad roof, an exterior of straight lap siding (material unspecified), and a block foundation clad in stucco. Parking is a 45' by 44' concrete pad located in the rear and accessed via Cornelia Street.

The façade (south) features two units, each having two bays. The left unit features paired single-hung windows and an entry below the shed roof porch and grouped single-hung windows on the second story. The right unit features a single-hung window and an entry below the shed roof porch and two single-hung windows on the second story. The left elevation features two sets of paired single-hung windows on the first story, and there are two single-hung windows and two transom windows on the second story. The right elevation features paired single-hung windows on the first story and two transom windows on the second story. The rear elevation features a secondary entrance for each unit and two sets of paired single-hung windows on the second story
Applicant

Spencer Stanley S&S Ventures Group, LLC


Planning Staff
Lindsay Crockett
Phone: 865-215-3795
Email: lindsay.crockett@knoxplanning.org

Case History