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Design Review Board

Lonsdale Infill Housing Overlay District

8-C-21-IH

Staff Recommendation

Staff recommends approval of Certificate 8-C-21-IH, with the following conditions:
1) Revise site plan to include a 20' setback from the house's main massing to the front property line and a walkway from the front door to the sidewalk or street;
2) Parking should be revised to meet Infill Housing design guidelines and City Engineering standards;
3) Include a square picket railing on the front porch and any additional detail elements recommended by the Board;
4) Include an additional window on the right elevation;
5) Use lap siding with an exposure and overlap comparable to historic siding patterns, and window trim;
6) Incorporate a new native or naturalized shade tree in the front yard.

Location
1520 Ohio Ave. 37921
Owner
Connor Connor Georgopoulous
Applicant Request
New Primary Structure
1. The house is proposed to be located 25' from the front property line. There are no other houses on the block of Ohio Avenue from which to draw context for a consistent front setback pattern. The RN-2 zoning prescribes a 20' minimum front setback (or the average of the blockface, whichever is less). The house should be moved slightly towards the front property line (to 20') to begin a consistent front setback pattern on the block, that is also in keeping with the base zoning. The final site plan should include a walkway from the street to the front door.

2. There are no other houses on this block from which to draw context. The nearby 3300 block of Thomas Street features a significant amount of contemporary infill construction, along with some modified Craftsman houses. The adjacent blocks of Ohio Avenue also feature an inconsistent array of architectural styles and forms.

3. The proposed parking does not meet the Infill Housing design guidelines or City Engineering standards (front-yard parking is prohibited in the IH overlay; parking pads must have a max width of 18'). The site plan should be revised to place parking on the side of the lot or behind the house (at least 20' behind the front façade of the house with access limited to one lane between the street and front façade). Parking could also possibly extend off the alley, depending on the constraints of the buffer zone. Final site plan should meet City Engineering standards.

4. Infill Housing guidelines do not preclude the construction of "tiny houses," especially on blocks where no historic houses exist from which to derive context. The façade is very narrow and the design does not include extensions or bays. Building code (IRC 304.2) requires habitable rooms to be no less than 7 feet in any direction; the bedroom is noted as 6 feet deep. The floor plan has been resubmitted to meet this note but the site plan may need to be updated in response to increased length. The foundation height should be 1' to 1.5' tall to be consistent with the broader neighborhood.

5. The proposed porch is only 4' deep. The porch design should incorporate a railing to add a small amount of detail to the stark façade. The Board should discuss the necessity of a deeper front porch and any additional detail which may contribute to the modest house.

6. The proposed windows and door are limited in size and placement due to the small size of the house. An additional window on the right elevation (even a smaller, transom type rectangular window) would add some detail to a blank elevation with no transparency.

7. The 6/12 front-gable roof is generally the lowest pitch recommended by the guidelines. The house has a very simple roof form.

8. Proposed materials are in keeping with the guidelines. The selected fiber cement siding should feature an overlap and exposure (~4-5") comparable to historic houses. While not directly included in the guidelines, window trim would contribute some detail to the modest house form.

9. The site plan includes one existing tree in the rear. A second native or naturalized tree should be included in the front yard to meet guidelines.
Staff Comments
New primary residence fronting Ohio Avenue. One-story, front-gable roof residence measuring 11' wide by 30' long, with a 4' deep front porch extending the full length of the façade, recessed under the primary roofline. The house is proposed to be set approximately 25' from the front property line. The proposed parking is a 20' wide concrete pad, proposed to be located immediately in front of the house.

The house features a 6/12 front gable roof, clad in asphalt shingles, with an exterior of fiber cement siding, and a CMU foundation clad in stucco. The 4' deep, front-gable roof porch is supported by square posts. The façade features a door on the left side, followed by a 1/1 double-hung vinyl window on the right side. There are two 1/1 windows on the left side and none on the right.
Applicant

Connor Connor Georgopoulous

Planning Staff
Lindsay Lanois
Phone: 865-215-3795
Email: lindsay.lanois@knoxplanning.org
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Case History