Historic Zoning Commission
Ft. Sanders NC: Level III
1-B-23-HZ
Staff Recommendation
Staff recommends approval of Certificate 1-B-23-HZ, subject to the following conditions: 1) clarification of proposed front setback and confirmation it aligns with the block's streetscape pattern; 2) final site plan to meet City Engineering standards and requirements of the base zoning; 3) front porch to be consistent in size and design with context.
Location Knoxville
1315 Forest Ave. 37916
OwnerJohn John Holmes
Applicant Request
Other: Demolition; new primary structureNew primary structure fronting Forest Avenue. The two-story roof house is proposed to be set 15'-5" from the front property line at the closest point. The house features a hipped roof with gables extending to the front, rear, and sides, clad in asphalt shingles, an exterior of lap siding (material not specified), and a brick-clad foundation. Gable fields show a diamond-pattern siding. Parking is located behind the house, accessed from the alley.
The facade (south) features a two-story projecting gable-roof massing on the right side featuring, a decorative bay window, with a centrally located door followed by one window. A two-story, partial-width, shed-roof porch supported by square posts projects from left side of the façade. There are large, three-story gable-roof massings on both side elevations, with three stories of fenestrations on the rear elevation. The rear elevation features a two-bay garage door on the basement level.
Conditions of approval per 3/16/2023 HZC meeting: 1) clarification of proposed front setback and confirmation it aligns with the block's streetscape pattern; 2) final site plan to meet City Engineering standards and requirements of the base zoning; 3) front porch to be consistent in size and design with context.
Staff Comments
N/A
A. Height, Scale, & Massing
1. Foundation heights should be consistent with other pre-1940 buildings in the neighborhood.
2. Single-family detached infill housing should be proportional to other pre-1940 houses in terms of height and width.
B. Roofs
1. Select a roof pitch that is in keeping with other pre-1940 houses of the neighborhood, not being less than an 8/12 pitch.
2. Use variations in the form of the roof above the second story such as gables at different angles, hipped roofs and dormers.
3. Use roofing materials that are in keeping with the historic development styles. Asphalt shingle, tile, pressed metal, and slate were used.
4. Darker shades of shingles were historically used and should be selected in new construction.
C. Porches
1. Provide porches with proportions and materials that complement pre-1940 housing. For clapboard type construction, wood is the most appropriate primary material. Brick or cut stone are appropriate as foundations or in column supports.
2. Porches should be no less than 6 feet deep and no more than 10 feet deep. They may be recessed behind the main setback line or alternatively can extend 10 feet into the front setback line.
D. Wall Materials
2. Clapboard (or clapboard-like materials such as aluminum or vinyl), shingle (or shingle-like material), or brick should be used.
4. Quarried, square cut stone can be used on porches or other accents. Such stone should be used in constructing retaining walls.
E. Windows and Entrances
1. Window proportions and symmetry should be similar to the pre-1940 styles in the neighborhood.
2. Windows should be double-hung sash windows. Vinyl or metal-clad windows may be used in place of wood frame windows.
3. Accent windows are appropriate with new construction.
4. Double-hung sash windows are recommended for two to three-story new construction.
5. Variations of double-hung windows should be considered in relation to the design of new buildings. Inserts are acceptable to mimic traditional window forms.
6. The proportions of upper level windows should not exceed the proportion of the first level.
7. Upper level windows should be provided and aligned with doors.
9. Entrances to the building should be provided from the street, using doors that have similar proportions and features to pre-1940 architecture.
10. When parking areas are provided behind buildings, rear entrances are also allowed.
F. Parking
1. In new building construction, the front yard space shall not be used for parking.
2. Provide parking access off the alley or off a side street.
3. Plant one native shade tree for every fifty feet of lot width, adjacent to or as islands within the parking area.
4. In constructing residential parking, 8.5-foot stall widths and 24-foot lane widths may be used for 90-degree angled parking lots.
7. Surface parking area shall always be to the rear of the building.
G. Landscaping, Fencing, & Retaining Walls
1. Plant one native shade tree (e.g. oak or maple) and one ornamental tree (e.g. dogwood) in both the front and rear yards or every 50 feet of lot width.
2. Plant shrubs near new buildings to complement the foundation height, windows, and entries.
5. Keeping with tradition, low, square cut stone, poured concrete, or brick walls should be used in constructing retaining walls.
I. Placement on the Lot: Traditional Lot Development
1. The front yard setback should be the same distance as the majority of pre-1940 houses on the block.
3. Porches should extend 8 to 10 feet into the front yard setback. Steps needed to reach the front of a porch may also extend into the front yard.
4. Bays, composing up to 50% of the side façade, should extend 5 feet into side yard setbacks on corner lots.
5. Bays, composing up to 60% of the front façade, should extend up to 8 feet beyond the predominant portion of the structure or alternatively a porch should extend along the front façade.
6. Site distances should be considered when designing new buildings near intersections. Porches, bays, and steps on corner buildings may have to be stepped back to provide adequate visibility.
J. Demolition
Property owners may demolish structures in the NC District that the HZC finds to be non-contributing to the district. A report, dated July/August 2000, establishes the location of non-contributing structures at the time that the NC district as under consideration. In the future, the HZC shall take the following into account in making their determination about whether or not a building may be demolished.
1. Physical Condition: the HZC may allow demolition if a building has been condemned by the City of Knoxville for structural reasons, or if the HZC finds that structural problems and associated costs to address the problems warrant demolition; the decision shall be based on an assessment by a licensed structural engineer or architect.
2. Architectural Integrity: the HZC may allow demolition if the original design is so compromised that historic architectural integrity is lost and cannot, in the Commission's view, be reasonably re-established.
