2-J-25-IH

Level III: New Primary Structure

Approve Subject To Conditions

APPROVE Certificate 2-J-25-IH, subject to the following conditions: 1) the final site plan to meet City Engineering standards; 2) the final site plan to include the existing tree in the rear yard, if possible, and a new native or naturalized shade tree in the front yard.

Case File

Recommendation

Staff recommends approval of Certificate 2-J-25-IH, subject to the following conditions: 1) the final site plan to meet City Engineering standards; 2) an additional window to be added to the left elevation, with details to be approved by staff; 3) the final site plan to include the existing tree in the rear yard, if possible, and a new native or naturalized shade tree in the front yard.

Applicant Request

New primary structure.

- 1. The house is proposed to be set 29' from the front property line. The average front setback of the blockface is 29', with the adjacent house at 30'. The site plan includes a walkway from the porch to the street.
- 2. The block to receive new construction is characterized by Minimal Traditionals and infill construction. The 28' wide by 40' deep house is proportionate to other houses on the block and the dimensions of the lot.
- 3. Parking is an 11' wide by 25' deep diagonal concrete pad that is accessed from the rear alley, which meets design guidelines. The final site plan should meet City Engineering standards.
- 4. The two-story, three-bay façade is similar in scale and height to the context.
- 5. The house features a full-length 8' deep porch recessed under a shed roof and supported by four 6" square columns made from pressure-treated wood with a horizontal header, which meets design guidelines.
- 6. Guidelines recommend that window and door styles be similar to the context and that all elevations feature a sufficient ratio of solid to void. All elevations feature sufficient transparency except for the left elevation, where one additional window should be added. The 1/1 single hung windows and quarter-lite paneled doors match the context.
- 7. The 9/12 pitch roof matches the neighborhood context, and the design benefits from the shed dormer, overhanging eaves, and trim.
- 8. The asphalt shingles, vinyl lap siding, and stucco coated block foundation all meet the design guidelines.
- 9. The site plan includes the existing tree in the back yard. The final site plan should also include one new native or naturalized shade tree in the front yard.

Property Notes / Work to be Completed

- New primary structure fronting East Churchwell Avenue. Two story residence features a side-gable roof (9/12 pitch) clad in asphalt shingles, an exterior of horizontal vinyl lap siding with trim, and a block foundation clad in stucco. The house is 28' wide by 40' deep and is proposed to be set 39' from the front lot line. It features a full-length 8' deep porch recessed under a shed roof and supported by four 6" square columns made from pressure-treated wood with a horizontal header; the porch is accessed via steps, as the foundation is raised 3.5' above grade. Parking is a 22' wide by 25' deep concrete pad at the rear of the property and is accessed via the alley. The site plan includes a walkway from the porch to the street and an existing tree in the rear yard.
- The façade (south) features three bays, with paired 1/1 single-hung windows in the left and right bays and a quarter-lite door in the central bay. The second story features a shed roof dormer with three grouped 1/1 single-hung windows that projects from the primary roofline. The left elevation features one 1/1 single-hung window on the first story and two windows on the second story. The right elevation features two 1/1 single hung windows on the first story and one transom window on the second story. The rear elevation features a secondary entrance with a quarter-lite paneled door recessed under the primary roofline with a rear deck and one 1/1 single-hung window.

Applicable Guidelines

Heart of Knoxville Infill Housing Design Guidelines

- 1. Front Yards
  - Consistent front yard space should be created along the street with the setback of a new house matching the older houses on the block.
  - A walkway should be provided from the sidewalk or street to the front door. Along grid streets, the walk should be perpendicular to the street.
  - Healthy trees that are outside the building footprint should be preserved. The root area should be marked and protected during construction.
- 2. Housing Orientation
  - New housing should be proportional to the dimensions of the lot and other houses on the block.
  - On corner lots, side yard setbacks should be handled traditionally (that is, closer to the side street). The zoning requirement to treat corner lots as having two frontages should not apply in Heart of Knoxville neighborhoods.
  - Side yard setbacks should be similar to older houses on the block, keeping the rhythm of spacing between houses consistent.
- 3. Alleys, Parking, and Services
  - Parking should not be in front yards.
  - Alley access should be used for garage or parking pad locations. On level ground, pea gravel or similar material may be used as a parking pad off alleys.
  - On streets without alleys, garages or parking pads should be at least 20 feet behind the front façade of the infill house with access limited to one lane between the street and the front façade.
  - Garages which are perpendicular to the alley should be about 18 feet from the center line of the alley pavement, allowing a comfortable turning radius for a driver to enter a garage.
  - Alley-oriented parking pads, garbage collection points, and utility boxes should be screened with a combination of landscaping and fencing.
  - On those streets which have alleys, driveways should not be permitted from the front of the house.
  - On corner lots, a driveway to the garage may be provided off the side street.
- 4. Scale, Mass, and Foundation Height
  - The front elevation should be designed to be similar in scale to other houses along the street.
  - The front façade of new houses should be about the same width as original houses on the block.
  - New foundations should be about the same height as the original houses in the neighborhood.
  - If greater height is to be created (with new construction or an addition), that portion of the house should be located toward the side or rear of the property.
- 5. Porches and Stoops
  - Porches should be part of the housing design in those neighborhoods where porches were commonplace.
  - Porches should be proportional to original porches on the block, extending about 8-12 feet toward the street from the habitable portion of the house.
  - Porches should extend into the front yard setback, if necessary, to maintain consistency with similarly sited porches along the street.
  - Porch posts and railings should be like those used in the historic era of the neighborhood's development. Wrought iron columns and other materials that were not used in the early 1900's should not be used.
  - Small stoops centered on entry and no more than 5 feet deep are appropriate on blocks where porches were not traditional.
- 6. Windows and Doors
  - When constructing new houses, the window and door styles should be similar to the original or historic houses on the block.
  - To respect the privacy of adjacent properties, consider the placement of side windows and doors.
  - The windows and doors on the front facade of an infill house should be located in similar proportion and position as the original houses on the block.
  - Attention should be paid to window placement and the ratio of solid (the wall) to void (the window and door openings).
  - Contemporary windows such as "picture windows" should not be used in pre-World War II neighborhoods.
- 7. Roof Shapes and Materials
  - New roofs should be designed to have a similar pitch to original housing on the block
  - More complex roofs, such as hipped roofs and dormers, should be part of new housing designs when such forms were historically used on the block.
  - Darker shades of shingle were often used and should be chosen in roofing houses in Heart of Knoxville neighborhoods.
- 8. Siding Material
  - Clapboard-like materials (such as cement fiberboard) should be used in constructing new housing where painted wood siding was traditionally used.
  - Brick, wood shingle, and other less common material may be appropriate in some older neighborhoods, particularly those with a mix of architectural styles.
  - Faced stone, vertical siding, and other non-historic materials should not be used in building new houses. In 1930-1950 era neighborhoods, faced stone may be appropriate (see Section 12).
- 11. Landscape and Other Considerations
  - One native or naturalized shade tree should be planted in the front and rear yards of in fill lots with 25 feet or more in depth to front of house