9-F-25-IH

Level II: Revisions To 8-G-23-IH And Plat

Approve Subject To Conditions

Recommendation

The Board should discuss the front porch design within the historic context and the "intermediate gravel drive and parking" lot.

Along with any necessary revisions or conditions, staff recommends approval of Certificate 9-F-25-IH, subject to the following conditions:
1) the final site plan, parking areas, and elevation drawings to meet the standards of the I-MU zone, Article 9.3.I, and any applicable standards of the zoning code and building codes;
2) City Engineering approval of the "intermediate gravel drive and parking" lot, its driveway access, and proposed sidewalks;
3) the "proposed future parking" lot be approved as part of a future application;
4) the final plat to meet the Subdivision Regulations, with major changes to return to the Board;
5) the final site plan to incorporate walkways from the porches to the street or sidewalk required landscaping in the "intermediate" parking area and all elevations, including native or naturalized ornamental or shade trees along Oswald Street, with final selection and placement to meet any applicable standards, including Article 12, and be sent to staff for approval;
6) the brick detailing on the parapets, windows, and foundation to be retained;
7) final material specifications to be sent to staff for approval, with cladding on the concrete block foundation as necessary.

Property Notes / Work to be Completed

- Overview: New plat and revisions to 8-G-23-IH, new multi-family building that is part of a multi-phase 8-acre mixed-use development.
- Plat: New plat creates two lots by subdividing 1.04 acres of the 8.01-acre existing parcel. Plat reflects the irregular, "C" shape of the site plan for this phase of the project. The property is approximately 300' wide by 175' deep, wrapping around and excluding the three existing house lots along Oswald Street. New easements for pedestrian access, no-construction restriction zone, vehicular access, parking, and stormwater are added.
- Site plan: Parking lot access location in relation to the Rider Avenue is now shown as being offset with the intersection, and as a result, exiting vehicles may be restricted to right-turns only. Parking is now provided via an "intermediate gravel drive and parking" area located to the rear (west) of the proposed buildings that is accessed via Oswald Street at the same location as the "proposed future parking." Porches along Oswald Street are flush with the building, with a front setback that varies from 1'-10" to 6'-4" due to curved lot line, and their steps and walkways connect with the street . Sidewalk is shown within Oswald Street right-of-way, but the applicant has indicated that this may not be installed. This this has not been indicated other than removing the note "proposed sidewalks" on the revised plans.
- Left (south) building massing: Removal of third-story paneled massing. Increase height of main façade from 26'-7" to 28'-8" and 10" increase in foundation height. Private patios along Oswald Street revised to porches flush with the main massing with a simple metal handrailing and steps projecting to the street on the right side of each unit, screened by a brick knee wall. Removed second-story balconies from Oswald Street elevation. Revised courtyard form and materials, with the addition of a gate, and removal of some windows. Minor modifications to window and door placement and sizes. Conversion of some casement windows to fixed. Removal of one balcony on the west elevation and revisions to balcony structure. Minor modifications to massing pattern and awnings on south elevation. Additional brick detailing on the parapet and on the foundation along Oswald Street.
- Central (west) connector massing: Revised form, pattern, height, and parapets of modules, with different materials and placement on east and west elevations. Removal of two street-facing pedestrian entrances, and reduced size and visibility of two remaining openings. Removal of glass block and addition of full-lite walls. Revised window, door, and balcony placement.
- Right (north) building massing: Increase height from 27' to 29'-2". Conversion of some windows to paired windows. Conversion of some casement windows to fixed. Minor changes to window and door sizes and placement. Additional brick detailing on the parapet and foundation. Private patio of Oswald Street unit has been converted into a front porch similar to on the left (south) massing, with the steps on the left side and three simple supports.

Applicable Guidelines

Heart of Knoxville Infill Housing Design Guidelines

- 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.
- 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.