PRESENTER
Katie Totman, HPO
SUBJECT:
HLC Case HST24-389: Discuss and consider a Certificate of Alteration to add an addition and extend the front porch at the property at 309 W Jahn.
HISTORIC DISTRICT/LANDMARK NAME: Sophienburg Hill historic district
APPLICABLE CITATIONS:
Code of Ordinances, Chapter 66 - Historic Preservation
Sec. 66-57. Alteration certificates for alteration or new construction affecting landmarks or historic districts.
No person shall carry out any exterior alteration, restoration, reconstruction, new construction, removal or relocation of any city designated historic landmark or on any property within a city designated historic district which may affect the appearance and cohesiveness of any historic landmark or any property within a historic district without first obtaining an alteration certification authorizing the change.
Sec. 66-58. Criteria for approval of an alteration certificate.
In considering an application for an alteration certificate, the commission shall be guided by any adopted design guidelines, and where applicable, the following from the secretary of the interior's standards for the rehabilitation of historic buildings. Any adopted design guidelines and secretary of the interior's standards shall be made available to the property owners of historic landmarks or within historic districts.
(1) Every reasonable effort shall be made to adapt the property in a manner which requires minimal alteration of the building, structure, object, or site and its environment.
(2) The distinguishing original qualities or character of a building, structure, object, or site and its environment shall not be destroyed when possible. The removal or alteration of any historic material or distinctive architectural features should be avoided when possible.
(3) All buildings, structures, objects, and sites shall be recognized as products of their own time. Alterations that have no historical basis and which seek to create an earlier appearance shall be discouraged.
(4) Changes which may have taken place in the course of time are evidence of the history and development of a building, structure, object, or site and its environment. These changes may have acquired significance in their own right, and this significance shall be recognized and respected.
(5) Distinctive stylistic features or examples of skilled craftsmanship which characterize a building, structure, object, or site shall be kept where possible.
(6) Deteriorated architectural features shall be repaired rather than replaced, wherever possible. In the event replacement is necessary, the new material shall reflect the material being replaced in composition, design, color, texture, and other visual qualities. Repair or replacement of missing architectural features should be based on accurate duplications of features, substantiated by historical, physical, or pictorial evidence rather than on conjectural designs or the availability of different architectural elements from other buildings or structures.
(7) The surface cleaning of structures shall be undertaken with the gentlest means possible. Sandblasting and other cleaning methods that will damage the historic building materials shall not be undertaken.
(8) Every reasonable effort shall be made to protect and preserve archeological resources affected by, or adjacent to, any project.
(9) Contemporary design for alterations and additions to existing properties shall not be discouraged when such alterations and additions do not destroy significant historical, architectural, or cultural material, and such design is compatible with the size, scale, color, material, and character of the property, neighborhood, or environment.
(10) Wherever possible, new additions or alterations to buildings, structures, objects, or sites shall be done in such a manner that if such additions or alterations were to be removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the building, structure, object, or site would be unimpaired.
FINDINGS:
a. The building located at 390 W Jahn is a Folk Victorian home with a full front porch and an irregularly shaped footprint. It is in the Sophienburg Hill historic district.
b. ADDITION - The applicant is requesting to construct a new addition at the rear and on the side of the house. As the house is on a corner lot, the proposed addition will be at the back and side of the house and feature a metal roof and siding/trim to match and otherwise complement the historic house. The height of the addition will be in line with and set back from the side of the historic house. Per criteria 9 and 10, contemporary design for additions to existing properties shall not be discouraged when such additions do not destroy significant historical, architectural, or cultural material, and such design is compatible with the size, scale, material, and character of the property, neighborhood, or environment. Wherever possible, new additions to buildings shall be done in such a manner that if such additions were to be removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the building, structure, object, or site would be unimpaired. Staff finds that the addition is consistent with criteria 9 and 10.
c. PORCH EXTENSION - The applicant is requesting to extend the existing front porch to create a wraparound appearance. Per criteria 3, alterations that have no historical basis shall be discouraged. There is no evidence that can be located that shows the building historically had a wraparound or extended front porch. Staff finds that the introduction of a wraparound porch on the historic structure is not consistent with the criteria for approval.
d. SIDE DOOR ALTERATION - The applicant is requesting to add a small overhang on the north elevation and revert an existing door into a window. Per criteria 1, every reasonable effort shall be made to adapt the property in a manner which requires minimal alteration of the building, structure, object, or site and its environment. The existing door appears to not be an original feature of the house and is located on a secondary façade away from the front of the house, not easily visible from the immediate right of way. Additionally, the proposed porch overhang is set back from the primary façade and located on the secondary façade. Staff finds that this is generally in line with the criteria for approval.
e. CARPORT - The applicant is requesting to build a carport in the rear yard. The carport is subordinate to the historic structure and will feature complimentary materials. Per criteria 9 and 10, contemporary design for additions to existing properties shall not be discouraged when such additions do not destroy significant historical, architectural, or cultural material, and such design is compatible with the size, scale, material, and character of the property, neighborhood, or environment. Wherever possible, new additions to buildings shall be done in such a manner that if such additions were to be removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the building, structure, object, or site would be unimpaired. Staff finds that the addition is consistent with criteria 9 and 10.
STAFF ANALYSIS:
Staff finds that the addition, carport, side door/porch overhang meet the criteria for approval based on finding b, d, and e.
Staff finds that the porch extension does not meet the criteria for approval based on finding c.