Historic Zoning Commission

Ft. Sanders NC-1: Level III

12-F-19-HZ

Staff Recommendation

Staff recommends approval of the work as proposed, with the conditions that 1) one native shade tree be planted in the rear yard and 2) parking to meet requirements delineated in the City zoning ordinance.


Location Knoxville
1610 Forest Ave. 37916

Owner
John John Holmes

Applicant Request
Level III. Construction of new primary building
Other: New construction
UPDATED for February 20, 2020 meeting:

Construction of a new residence at 1610 Forest Avenue. Proposed house is approximately 64' long and 25' wide, with an 9'-8" deep by 11'-2" wide porch projecting slightly from the northeast corner of the house (façade). The one-and-one-half-story house will feature a hipped roof with gable-roof massings toward the sides and rear.

The house will rest on a concrete masonry unit, clad in stucco. Exterior siding will be HardiePlank siding. The roof will be clad in asphalt shingles. Side gable fields will be clad in diamond-shaped Hardie shingle siding.

A hipped-roof porch will project from the northeast corner of the house. The porch will be supported by turned wood posts and feature wood tongue-and-groove porch flooring and a stained wood porch ceiling. The rear door will be accessed by a single wood step up to the back door.

First floor windows will be 36" wide by 72" long, one-over-one, double-hung vinyl windows. Egress windows on the south, east, and west elevation gable fields will be 36" by 42" casement windows. A 24" by 24" casement window is proposed for the front (north) gable field.

New house to meet measurements and details in site plan and elevation drawings approved at 2/20/2020 HZC meeting.

Staff Comments
N/A
    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.

Case History