Exterior rehabilitation to two-story, shed-roof massing on the rear elevation. The existing shed-roof section included a small upper-story porch, enclosed by a vinyl-sided railing and supported by square wood posts, with a small projecting shed roof with exposed rafter tails below, and an enclosed porch section on the first story which projects out over a basement access on the primary house massing. The first story was enclosed with vinyl siding and featured four windows on the rear elevation. A fire escape extends from the first story to the ground level.

Revised drawings provided for the September meeting show the shed roof over the first story extending the full length of the rear elevation. The first story will feature two double-hung, one-over-one windows (re-used from existing). On the second story, a shed-roof porch will project over the left half of the rear elevation. Foundation, fire escape stairs, and access doors will remain.

Scope of work also includes removal of rear roof cladding, removal existing wood fascia and soffit and replacement with new wood soffits, and the installation of new fiber cement siding with a smooth-finished, 4" exposure. The applicant also proposes to reconstruct the railing on the façade second-story porch, restoring the railing to measure 36" tall.

APPROVE Certificate 6-I-24-HZ, subject to the following conditions: 1) wood lap siding to be installed instead of fiber cement lap siding; 2) a railing detail be submitted to staff for approval prior to replacement of the front elevation balustrade.

1. 916 Luttrell Street is a contributing resource to the Fourth & Gill National Register Historic District and local overlay.

2. The project was initiated without permits or a COA and postponed by the HZC in June 2024 to allow the applicant to provide clear drawings of all exterior work to be completed.

3. The multi-story porch/fire escape access/interior space on the rear elevation is not entirely an original element of the house. However, a two-story rear massing with a one-story porch and an exterior stair is visible on the 1950 Sanborn Fire Insurance map. The rear elevation is highly modified and the original configuration is not evident from any visual evidence.

4. Fiber cement siding has not typically been approved as a replacement material on original houses, only approved for new additions, new construction, or new secondary structures. Wood lap siding with a 4-5" exposure pattern should be used as the siding material instead of the fiber cement as shown.

5. As the windows proposed for enclosure on the first story are not original elements and not visible from the street, enclosure is appropriate within the design guidelines. The two windows located towards the right side will be re-installed from the existing windows.

6. While restoring a railing to meet building code requirements can be appropriate within the guidelines, especially when the railing may not be original to the structure, a railing detail drawing should be provided to staff for review. The railing should feature balusters set into the top and bottom rails.