3-A-25-IH

Level III: New Primary Structure

Approve Subject To Conditions

APPROVE Certificate 3-A-25-IH, subject to the following conditions: 1) final site plan to meet City Engineering standards, with major changes to the site plan to return to the DRB; 2) front setback to be revised to align with the front setback pattern of the blockface; 3) incorporation of additional design elements to meet Middle Housing standards, with minor revisions to be approved by staff; 4) the final site plan to include a walkway from the porches to the street; 5) the final site plan to include the existing mature tree in the front yard and a new native or naturalized shade tree in the rear yard; 6) revision to side elevation window placement; 7) the siding to be lap siding with an overlap instead of Dutch lap or flush panel; 8) meeting all relevant standards of Article 4.6. and Article 9.3.J; 9) color or material of end gables be varied and cedar strips be removed, subject to staff approval.

Case File

Recommendation

Staff recommends approval of Certificate 3-A-25-IH, subject to the following conditions: 1) final site plan to meet City Engineering standards, with major changes to the site plan to return to the DRB; 2) front setback to be revised to align with the front setback pattern of the blockface; 3) incorporation of additional design elements to meet Middle Housing standards, with minor revisions to be approved by staff; 4) the final site plan to include a walkway from the porches to the street; 5) the final site plan to include the existing mature tree in the front yard and a new native or naturalized shade tree in the rear yard; 6) revision to side elevation window placement; 7) the siding to be lap siding with an overlap instead of Dutch lap or flush panel; 8) meeting all relevant standards of Article 4.6. and Article 9.3.J.

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 house is proposed to be set 54.9' from the front property line. The average of the blockface is 18.4', with the adjacent houses at 20' and 22'. The house should be moved to be aligned with the front setback pattern of the block, to meet Infill guidelines and Middle Housing standards. The final site plan should include a walkway from the front porches to the street.
- 3. The guidelines for multi-unit housing recommend that "new multi-family buildings be designed in scale and context with the early architectural features of the neighborhood." The block to receive new construction is characterized by Craftsman bungalows, modified Queen Anne cottages, and infill construction. Almost all houses on the block are one or one-and-a-half story, except for a six-unit apartment complex at the intersection with McMillan St. The duplex is proportionate to the dimensions of the lot and to other houses on the block. It does not incorporate any details which align with the architectural context. Additional design elements are also required by the Middle Housing standards.
- 4. Parking is two adjacent 18' wide by 35' deep concrete pads and is accessed via the rear alley, which meets the design guidelines.
- 5. The 35'-4" wide duplex is compatible in façade width with original houses in the neighborhood and meets the maximum building width requirements in Article 4.6, Middle Housing standards, for a side-by-side duplex. The side elevations are large in scale but attempt to break up the massing with a bay window on each side and trim separating each story. The building is within the maximum depth for a side-by-side duplex in the Middle Housing Standards. Guidelines also recommend that multi-unit housing be similar in height to original houses on the street. The two-story building is taller than the surrounding context, as the block only features one and one-and-a-half story houses, except for the two-story, six unit apartment complex at the intersection with McMillan Street. The Board should discuss the height of the duplex. The duplex also features a 2' tall foundation, which increases the building's overall height.
- 6. While the proposed entry stoops are not 8' deep per the guidelines, similarly-designed entry stoops have been approved for multi-unit buildings in the Infill Housing overlay. The entry stoops are relatively small in scale.
- 7. At least a 6/12 roof pitch is required in the Middle Housing standards to fill the "steep" category of roofline; 6/12 is also the minimum pitch approved by the Infill Housing guidelines. The large building may also benefit from additional variations in roofline, particularly on the larger side elevations.
- 8. Guidelines recommend window and door styles be similar to historic houses on the block, with similar placement and ratio of solid to void. While all four elevations feature sufficient transparency for the historic context, some revisions may be necessary to better align the buildings with the historic context (including the irregular placement of windows on the side elevations).
- 9. The elevation drawings feature horizontal siding (no materials provided) and a stucco-clad CMU foundation. The siding should feature a horizontal overlap similar to wood siding instead of Dutch lap or flush panes.
- 10. Guidelines state that there should be a native or naturalized shade tree in the front and rear yards, and they also state that "Healthy trees that are outside the building footprint should be preserved. The root area should be marked and protected during construction." There was a mature oak tree in the back yard that was recently cut down. The remaining mature maple tree in the front yard should be retained and a new native or naturalized shade tree should be added to the rear yard. Both trees should be indicated on the revised site plan.

Property Notes / Work to be Completed

- New primary structure (duplex) fronting East Morelia Avenue. Two-story building features a side-gable roof (6/12 pitch), an exterior of lap siding with corner boards and cedar-texture accent boards at the top of each story, and a block foundation clad in stucco. The duplex is 34-5' wide by 50' deep (two adjacent units of 17' wide by 50' deep) and will be set 54.9' from the front lot line. Each unit features a 6'-9" wide by 4'-5" deep front porch at the edge of the façade, and the porches are recessed under a front-gable roof supported two square posts. Parking is two adjacent 18' wide by 35' deep concrete pads and is accessed via the rear alley.
- The façade (south) features four bays, and the two central bays contain a two-story, paired front-gable massing that projects 4'-5" from the façade, with two windows on each story. The left and right bays each feature a porch with a paneled door and a window on the second story. All windows on the duplex are 1/1 and double-hung. The left and right elevations each feature three windows on the first story, one of which is a box bay window that projects 1'-6" from the main massing with a half-hipped roof, and there are two windows on the second story. Side elevations feature large swaths of "cedar texture architectural ascent board" as trim between the first and second stories. The rear elevation features two windows and a secondary entrance for each unit on the first story, and the second story features four windows.

Applicable Guidelines

Heart of Knoxville Infill Housing Design Guidelines

- 10. Multi-Unit Housing
  - Multi-unit housing (where permitted by zoning) should have similar front yard space to that of the traditional single-family houses along the street.
  - In zoning districts where multi-unit housing is permitted, the height of the new housing should be similar to the original houses along the street.
  - Multi-unit housing should be designed to continue the architectural rhythm of the block. In addition to the same build-to line, porches, bays and breaks in the front façade should be created to mimic the look of older homes when looking down the block. This should be done by dividing
    the building into separate sections that are proportionally similar to original houses on the block.
  - Parking should be provided behind apartments with access from the alley.
  - Landscaping, including shade trees, should be planted in both front and back yards.
- 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