Design Review Board

Lonsdale Infill Housing Overlay District

5-C-24-IH

Applicant Request

1. The house is proposed to be set 41' 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 four proposed new houses have proposed front setbacks which vary from 47' to 25'. Front setbacks should be revised to align with each other as much as possible and meet the base zoning.

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 parking should be revised to meet the guidelines. 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 elevated to at least 12" to be compatible with the broader neighborhood. Topography of the site may also affect the house's foundation; the applicant should submit a revised foundation drawing to staff for approval.

5. The application includes a 4'-5" entry stoop. The design should be revised to include a front porch proportional to the block, measuring at least 8' deep.

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. Additional windows are needed on the right and left side elevations to avoid large swaths of siding with no transparency.

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.

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.

Site Info

New primary structure fronting Gap Road. The house is proposed to be set 41' 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. A 4'-5" entry stoop is recessed below the primary roofline, on the right half of the façade. Parking is proposed for a 20' wide concrete driveway 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.