Design Review Board

Lonsdale Infill Housing Overlay District

5-D-24-IH

Staff Recommendation

Staff recommends approval of Certificate 5-D-24-IH, subject to the following conditions:
1) final site plan to meet City Engineering standards, omitting front yard turnaround if possible;
2) foundation to be elevated at least 12 inches to reflect historic houses in the neighborhood, with a site-specific foundation profile submitted to staff;
3) revised front porch design to measure at least 8 feet deep;
4) siding to be horizontal lap siding instead of board-and-batten;
5) design be revised to differentiate from other adjacent new construction on Gap Road, with approval by staff


Applicant Request
New Primary Structure
1. The house is proposed to be set 25' from the front property line. The block to receive new construction is relatively undeveloped; however, the existing houses on the block are set 15' and 18' from the front property line. The revised proposal has been aligned to align the four new houses on the block.

2. The block to receive new construction is characterized by modified Craftsman bungalows and is primarily vacant. The proposed one-story residence is proportional to the dimensions of the lot and the other houses on the block. The site plan features large side setbacks.

3. The application proposes a concrete driveway in the front of the house. Infill Housing guidelines recommend that on streets without alleys, parking areas should be at least 20' behind the front façade of the house with access limited to one lane between the street and the front façade. The turnaround may be required based on the site's topography and the conditions of Gap Road, but should be omitted if possible. Final site plans should meet City Engineering standards.

4. Overall, the one-story, three-bay façade is similar in scale and width to the context. The house is proposed for a concrete slab foundation; the foundation should be at least 12" tall to be compatible with the broader neighborhood. Topography of the site may also affect the house's foundation; the drawings depict a concrete slab.

5. The revised application includes a 4'-5" deep entry stoop on the site plan and an 8' deep front porch on the floor plans. While an 8' deep porch meets the guidelines, the final site plan should include an accurate porch measurement.

6. Guidelines recommend window and door styles be similar, with similar proportions and ratio of solid to void, to historic houses on the block and in the neighborhood. The revised application includes two windows on the left elevation and three on the right elevation.

7. The proposed roof pitch (7/12) meets the design guidelines.

8. The application does not include information on siding materials. Guidelines recommend that clapboard-like materials be used in new houses and discourages vertical siding; the houses should feature horizontal lap siding instead of board-and-batten. Final drawings should accurately show the siding to be installed.

9. Final site plans should include one native or naturalized shade tree in the front and rear yards. The lots currently feature a substantial amount of trees and other vegetation; existing trees should be retained if at all possible.

10. The proposed new construction should be differentiated in design from the three other new houses proposed on Gap Road at the same time. Design tactics can include roofline modifications, different porch designs, or other methods. In response to the previous staff report and DRB decision (which was to postpone to allow the applicant to present revised drawings), the applicant has stated they will vary the houses via siding color and porch railings. The porch details are not shown on the drawings.

Staff Comments
New primary structure fronting Gap Road. The house is proposed to be set 25' from the front property line. One-story residence features a front-gable roof (7/12 pitch), an exterior of board-and-batten siding (no material specified), and a slab foundation. A lower front-gable massing projects from the left side of the façade. An entry stoop (4'-5" on site plans, 8' on floor plans) is recessed below the primary roofline, on the right half of the façade. Parking is proposed for a concrete driveway with a turnaround in front of the house.

The façade (west) features paired double-hung windows on the projecting front-gable massing, with a door and another bay of paired windows recessed under the stoop. A fixed window is located in the gable field. The right side (south) elevation features two bays of windows, with one window on the left (north) elevation. A secondary entry and three windows are located on the rear elevation.
Applicant

Dawn Irion Beit Development LLC


Planning Staff
Lindsay Crockett
Phone: 865-215-3795
Email: lindsay.crockett@knoxplanning.org
Location
3442 Gap Rd.

Owner
Dawn Irion Beit Development LLC

Case History