PRESENTER: Presenter
Katie Totman, HPO
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SUBJECT: Title
HLC Case HST23-446: Discuss and consider a Certificate of Alteration to repair the front porch, install new columns, and add railings to the main house at 367 S Academy, located in the Sophienburg Hill historic district.
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DEPARTMENT: Planning & Development Services
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COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: 5
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 structure located at 367 S Academy is a single-story Craftsman style home located in the Sophienburg Hill historic district.
b. WORK WITHOUT APPROVAL - Staff observed work taking place to the front porch during a routine site visit on Friday, October 13, 2023. It was determined that a Certificate of Alteration had not been obtained and staff spoke with the property owner on site and explained the next steps to bring the property into compliance.
c. PORCH REPAIRS - The applicant is requesting to replace the porch floor boards with new boards, replace the porch columns with new columns with top and bottom trim, and paint the new wood elements. The proposed new columns are 6x6 whereas the replaced columns were 4x4. Per Criteria 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. While the new columns are thicker in appearance, this is a common column style found on Craftsman style homes.
d. COLUMN INSTALLATION - The applicant is requesting to add two (2) additional columns to the front porch. 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. Architecturally the proposed installation of the two columns is consistent with what is commonly seen on Craftsman style homes and the alteration is generally minimal in respect to the historic district as a whole.
e. PORCH RAILING INSTALLATION - The applicant is requesting to replace an existing porch railing on the west side of the porch and add new railing to the remainder of the porch. The porch railing will be approximately 36 inches tall with 3-3/4” spacing between the balusters. 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. There is evidence of a railing on the front porch and continuing the railing is generally consistent with the Craftsman style of the house.
f. EXTERIOR VENTS - The applicant is requesting to install foundation vents around the exterior of the house. 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 vents will be located on the sides of the house and can be painted to match the siding where needed to help minimize visibility. Overall, the vents will not negatively impact the structure or the overall design.
Recommendation
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the proposed repairs and alterations based on findings c through f.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. GIS Location Map
2. Property pictures
3. Drawings of proposed work