Design Review Board

Edgewood Park Infill Housing Overlay District

9-C-24-IH

Staff Recommendation

Staff recommends approval of Certificate 9-C-24-IH, subject to the following conditions: 1) site plan to be revised to avoid front yard parking; 2) final site plan to meet City Engineering standards; 3) front porch piers to be revised to be clad in brick veneer or stucco; 4) final site plan to include one tree in both the front and the rear yards.


Owner
Real Estate Investing Solutions

Applicant Request
New Primary Structure
1. The house is proposed to be set approximately 46'-7" from the east side property line. Due to the flag lot, the house will be set behind 2418 Seymour Ave and face the side street, Derieux Dr. The house will be set well behind the existing blockface on Derieux Drive, as it's set behind the rear yard of 2426 Seymour Ave. Based on the setback requirements and the unique nature of the property, the proposed setbacks are sufficient. Due to the location and layout of the property, a walkaway to the street would not be possible.

2. The blocks to receive new construction are characterized by Ranch houses along Derieux Drive and Craftsmans and Minimal Traditionals along Seymour Ave. The proposed new house is proportionate to the dimensions of the lot and the other houses on the block.

3. The proposed parking is also complicated by the shape of the lot. Access off Seymour Ave is required, but the gravel parking area should be reduced in size to be limited to one lane adjacent to the house and eliminate the section of gravel parking area in front of the house. If a turnaround is needed, the house could be moved up towards the east property line and a turnaround could be located behind the house. The final site plan should meet City Engineering standards.

4. The façade is similar in scale and width to other houses along the street and in the broader context. Drawings indicate a slab foundation; the surrounding houses also have relatively low foundations.

5. The house incorporates a 6' deep, front-gable roof porch on the right half of the façade. The porch incorporates Craftsman-style details which contribute to the overall design, including triangular brackets in the gable field and tapered posts on piers. The design guidelines discourage stone veneer, which typically lacks precedent in Knoxville's historic neighborhoods; the piers could be clad in brick veneer or stucco.

6. Guidelines recommend window and door styles be similar to historic houses on the block, with similar placement and ratio of solid to void. All elevations feature sufficient transparency for the historic context, and the windows benefit from the trim and sills.

7. The 6/12 pitch roof meets the design guidelines and the house benefits from additional roofline complexity with the front porch and the side-gable massings projecting to the sides.

8. Overall, the asphalt shingle roofing, horizontal lap siding, and gable field shingles meet the design guidelines for materials.

9. The final site plan should incorporate one native or naturalized shade tree in the front and rear yards.

Staff Comments
New primary structure on a flag lot. Access will extend from Seymour Avenue, and house will face Derieux Dr. One-story residence features a front-gable roof, with a side-gable roof massing projecting towards the left elevation. The façade (east) features a partial-width, front-gable porch supported by tapered wood piers on bases clad in light-weight simulated stone veneer. The house will be clad in 8" textured lap siding with cedar shake shingles in the gable fields, and feature decorative triangular brackets in the gable fields. Parking is proposed as a 15' wide gravel drive extending south from Seymour Avenue, leading to a 28' wide gravel parking area in front of the house (towards Derieux Dr) and extending to the rear of the house.

The façade (east) features paired double-hung windows flanking a central door. There are three bays of doors on the right side elevation and three on the left, with a secondary access door on the left side elevation.
Applicant

Aaron Nichols The Nichols Company LLC


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

Case History