Loading...
HDC_10 10 20111 LITTLE ROCK HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION MINUTES Monday, October 10, 2011 5:00 p.m. City Board Room, City Hall I. Roll Call Quorum was present being five (5) in number. Members Present: Marshall Peters Julie Wiedower Randy Ripley Chris Vanlandingham BJ Bowen Members Absent: Loretta Hendrix Toni Johnson City Attorney: Debra Weldon Staff Present: Tony Bozynski Citizens Present: Tim Heiple David Glasgow John Schibner Notice requirements were met on all applications to be heard tonight. Chairman Marshall Peters stated that he would recuse on the item associated with 523 East Eighth and that Commissioner Wiedower would recuse on item associated with 503 East Sixth which would leave only four eligible commissioners to vote on each item. He noted that each item would require 4 positive votes on each item. A discussion was held on whether part of the discussion could be held before a deferral could be requested. The Vice Chair, Loretta Hendrix, was not in attendance at the hearing. The bylaws confirmed that the commissioner with the most tenure would act as the chair in those circumstances. Commissioner Wiedower will be acting as Chair for this first item. DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT 723 West Markham Street Little Rock, Arkansas 72201-1334 Phone: (501) 371-4790 Fax: (501) 399-3435 2 STAFF REPORT ITEM NO. One. DATE: October 10, 2011 APPLICANT: Jeanne R. Bonar ADDRESS: 523 East Eighth Street COA REQUEST: Relocation of raised frame shed PROJECT BACKGROUND AND DESCRIPTION: The subject property is located at 523 East Eighth Street. The property’s legal description is “The north 82’-3” of Lots 11 and 12, Block 5, Johnson’s Addition to the City of Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas." This multifamily building was built ca. 1880. The 2006 survey form states: “This wood framed, 2 story Queen Anne Style structure exhibits decorative brackets at the cutaway corner, decoration at porch gable, brackets supporting overhang gable and simple arch topped windows normally seen in this style.” It is considered a "Contributing Structure" to the MacArthur Park Historic District. This application is to relocate a raised frame shed (circa 1936) to the rear side yard behind the driveways. The wood frame building will be used as storage shed. PREVIOUS ACTIONS ON THIS SITE: On June 30, 2009, a COA was approved and issued Sara Cosey for the addition of a shed for the storage for a motorcycle. PROPOSAL: This application is to relocate a raised frame shed (circa 1936) to the rear side yard behind the driveways. The wood frame building will be used as storage shed. This building was built ca. 1936. It is currently at the Pine Bluff Historical Museum, but is proposed to be moved to 523 East Eighth Street to be used as a storage building for the owners. It is roughly 10’6” b y 15’-6” long and 11’6’ tall at the ridgeline. It is proposed to be placed in the rear yard southwest of the main house. DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT 723 West Markham Street Little Rock, Arkansas 72201-1334 Phone: (501) 371-4790 Fax: (501) 399-3435 Location of Project 3 WRITTEN ANALYSIS OF THE APPLICATION BASED OFF OF INTENT AND GUIDELINES: The guidelines on page 63 under New Construction of Primary and Secondary buildings states: New construction of primary and secondary buildings should maintain, not disrupt, the existing pattern of surrounding historic buildings in the neighborhood. Although they should blend with adjacent buildings, they should not be too imitative of historic styles so that they may be distinguished from historic buildings. (Note: A new building becomes too imitative through application of historic architectural decoration, such as gingerbread, vergeboards, dentils, fish-scale shingles, etc. These kinds of details are rarely successful on a new building. They fail to be accurate, usually too small and disproportionate versions of authentic ones, and should be avoided.) New construction of secondary structures, such as garages or other outbuildings, should be smaller in scale than the primary building; should be simple in design but reflect the general character of the primary building; should be located as traditional for the neighborhood (near the alley instead of close to or attached to the primary structure); and should be compatible in design, form, materials, and roof shape. 1. Building Orientation: The façade of the new building should be aligned with the established setbacks of the area. Side and rear setbacks common to the neighborhood should be upheld. 2. Building Mass and Scale: New buildings should appear similar in mass and scale with historic structures in the area. This includes height and width. 3. Building Form Basic building forms and roof shapes, including pitch, which match those used historically in the area should be used. Location and proportions of entrances, windows, divisional bays, and porches are important. Also consider heights (foundation, floor-to-ceiling, porch height and depth.) View to west from Sherman Street View to south from Eighth Street 4 4. Building Materials Building materials that are similar to those used historically for major surfaces in the area should be used. Materials for roofs should be similar in appearance to those used historically. New materials may be used if their appearances are similar to those of the historic building materials. Examples of acceptable new building materials are cement fiber board, which has the crisp dimensions of wood and can be painted, and standing seam metal roofs, preferably finished with a red or dark color. Finishes similar to others in the district should be used. If brick, closely match mortar and brick colors. If frame, match lap dimensions with wood or composite materials, not vinyl or aluminum siding. Details and textures should be similar to those in the neighborhood (trim around doors, windows and eaves; watercourses; corner boards; eave depths, etc.) This proposed outbuilding conforms to the guidelines. The trim and glazing will be repaired and the building will be painted to match the existing house. The building will also be rewired to meet code, remove security bars off windows, and provide a concrete footing for the building with adequate strap ties to anchor the building. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS AND REACTION: At the time of distribution, there were no comments regarding this application. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Approval with the following conditions: 1. Obtaining a building permit. Front and side view of shed Rear view of shed 5 COMMISSION ACTION: October 10, 2011 Tony Bozynski, Staff for the commission, made a brief presentation to the commission. He stated that the commission was provided with a letter of opposition from a neighbor. David Glasgow, agent for the applicant, stated that the building was built by his grandfather in 1936. He stated that the building would be renovated and that the building was structurally sound. He commented on the letter of opposition was partially concerning the condition of the house. His mother has discharged the rental agent that was taking care of the house and is trying to get work done. He spoke of the repairs to be done on the house. Commissioner Randy Ripley asked about work done on the existing house. Commissioner Wiedower asked if that work had received a COC. Mr. Glasgow said that he had worked with Brian Minyard on that work. Commissioner Ripley reiterated to work with Staff on those items. Commissioner Ripley asked about the foundation of the outbuilding to be moved onto the property. Mr. Glasgow said that the area was paved and that the desire was to place the building on the pyramidal piers as they are now and the building would be strapped down to a new foundation. The pyramidal piers are the original foundation. They continued to discuss setbacks for that zoning category. The building is proposed to be located according to setbacks. Mr. Glasgow said that the broken glass will be replaced in the windows and that the security bars would be removed. All bars would be removed from the doors. There will not be a porch or a stop. Commissioner Vanlandingham asked about the gooseneck light. Mr. Glasgow stated that they wanted to have the fixture rewired and keep the light on the structure. The foundation was discussed. Commissioner Vanlandingham stated that the pyramidal foundation made the building look temporary. Commissioner Ripley agreed. Mr. Glasgow stated that the foundation could be revisited. Commissioner Ripley suggested some screening, wall, masonry, etc. Commissioner Wiedower stated that a lot of the outbuildings in the district are not visible from the street. She asked if the tenants were able to drive around the building and exit onto the other street. He stated that the tenants are not able to do that. She stated that it would be visible from the streets. It was discussed and discovered that most of the outbuilding would be blocked from view from Sherman Street but would be visible from Eighth Street. Commissioner Ripley asked if all of the area was paved. Mr. Glasgow stated that it was, but in various pours and levels. Commissioner Ripley asked where the property was located associated with the letter of opposition. It is the property to the south. Commissioner Vanlandingham stated that an open foundation on the building could lead to unwanted people being under the outbuilding. Mr. Glasgow commented that lattice could be used to keep that area secure. Debra Weldon clarified with the applicant that he was g oing to enclose the foundation with lattice. He stated that he was an architect and that the details could be worked out to place the lattice screening in the foundation. 6 Commissioner Ripley made a motion to approve the application with the conditions of square masonry piers with some sort of screening between them, either lattice, louvered venting, etc. and including staff recommendation. Mr. Bozynski stated that the applicant is to work with Brian Minyard on the details of the foundation. Commissioner Vanlandingham seconded. The motion passed with 4 ayes, 1 recusal (Peters), and 2 absent. 7 STAFF REPORT ITEM NO. Two. DATE: October 10, 2011 APPLICANT: Tim Heiple, HMF, LLC ADDRESS: 503 East Sixth Street COA REQUEST: Fencing, gates, signage, AC unit screens, removing shutters from main house and tuckpointing masonry PROJECT BACKGROUND AND DESCRIPTION: The subject property is located at 503 East Sixth Street. The property’s legal description is “ Lots 1&2, fowler Block, Stevenson’s Addition to the City of Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas." The main building was built ca. 1840 in the late Federal Style. The 2006 survey form states: “A national Register property of the Federal Style, two story with hipped roof subset. The shallow sloped roof, fan light over entry door, multi-paned windows and balusters at porch and main roof are typical details of this style. Conversion of building into apartments alters the back of the building. Listed June 4, 1973.” It is considered a "Contributing Structure" to the MacArthur Park Historic District. This application is for fencing, gates, signage, AC unit screens, removing shutters from main house and tuckpointing masonry. This is part of an overall project to bring the property up to code and do maintenance work on the project with the new local owners. this item will be req uired to go to the board of adjustment on the height of the desired fences. They are scheduled to be heard at the October 31, 2011 hearing. PREVIOUS ACTIONS ON THIS SITE: On April 1, 2011, a COC was issued to Tim Heiple / HMF LLC for a temporary construction fence along Sixth Street. On September 27, 2011, a COC was issued to Tim Heiple / HMF LLC for maintenance items on the main building. PROPOSAL: The project is broken into six parts as described below. DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT 723 West Markham Street Little Rock, Arkansas 72201-1334 Phone: (501) 371-4790 Fax: (501) 399-3435 Location of Project 8 The fencing and gates along Sixth Street will only occur where there are breaks in the historic fencing. The fence will be a 6’ tall fence matching the fence across Sixth Street at Rainwater Flats. The fence will be offset from the historic fence and be set back 3’- 5’. This will occur at the eastern and western most points where there is a sidewalk and a break in the fence. The historic iron fence will be straightened, repaired, and painted. Only one pedestrian gate and one vehicular gate will remain along the Sixth Street side. The pedestrian gate will be on the center axis of the house in the median of the parking lot. The vehicular gate will be at the western entry to the parking lot. There will be a keypad for gate control along the street in front of the pedestrian gate. The fencing on Seventh Street will match the six-foot fence on Sixth. It will be continuous for the east to the west property line and have one vehicular and one pedestrian g ate. The new fencing will be a s far behind the existing fence as possible, but in front of the stairs exiting the buildings. The historic fencing will remain where it is. The historic iron fence will be straightened, repaired, and painted and landscaping will be installed between the two fences. The vehicular gate will be installed at the existing driveway along Seventh and the pedestrian gate will be to the west of it between it and the adjacent building. The Gracie Mansion sign will be a ground-mounted sign placed in the existing vehicular opening along Sixth Street. It will be a metal sign with cut out text “Gracie FENCING AND GATES ALONG SIXTH STREET Proposed fence FENCING AND GATES ALONG SEVENTH STREET SIGNAGE Proposed sign 9 Mansion.” The light inside will illuminate out from the interior of the sign. The text “The Residences at” will be applied letters to the front of the sign. The metal will be 12 gauge metal with a sage/green paint applied to the sign. The metal portion of the sign will be 6’ x 2’ for a total of 12 square feet. There will be a brick base of 16” to match the red brick buildings. Wooden screens are proposed to surround the banks of ac units. The are 3’ tall and as long as needed to surround the units. The proposal is to remove the shutters from the house to “give a new identity to the property” to reflect the new ownership. The shutters on the house have been modified to fit the space and some shutters are not wide enough to cover the windows. Some are pinned open because they cannot lie flat against the house because of pilasters on the front porch. TUCKPOINTING MASONRY Masonry on the chimneys is to be tuckpointed as needed and repainted. WRITTEN ANALYSIS OF THE APPLICATION BASED OFF OF INTENT AND GUIDELINES: FENCING AND GATES The guidelines on Page 66 under Fencing and Retaining Walls state: Iron, wood, stone, or brick fences or walls that are original to the property (at least 50 years old) should be preserved. If missing, they may be reconstructed based on physical or pictorial evidence. Sometimes a low stone or brick wall supports an iron or wooden fence. Fencing material should be appropriate to the style and period of the house. Cast iron fences were common through the Victorian period and should be retained and maintained. Wrought iron and bent wire fences are also historic. Proposed ac screen AC UNIT SCREENS REMOVING SHUTTERS FROM MAIN HOUSE Proposed house without shutters and new paint color Historic photo from the southeast (prior to 1897 based on Sanborn map research) 10 The design of the proposed fence is to be the same as the fence that is installed at the Rainwater Flats across Sixth Street. It is to be a six-foot tall steel fence and is to be offset from the historic fence along Sixth Street. This proposed fence will be placed 3-5’ behind the existing fence. The setback, in addition to the style and height, will distinguish this as a new infill fence. There will be plantings behind the existing fence to help dissuade trespassers. As shown in the photo to the right, the bulk of the fence is measured at 49”. The fence then curves upward and the final measures just below 6’ tall. The proposed fence would be at the height of the top of the finial if installed at 6’ tall. The fence along Seventh will be continuous along the street and return to the north on the east and west sides to connect with the wood fences. There will be room for plantings between the two fences. SIGNAGE The guidelines on Page 71 under Signs state: Signs should be subordinate to the architecture and overall character throughout the district. Historic signs should be preserved, including “ghost” signs on the sides of buildings. 1. Attached to Building: Signs attached to a building should not cover or obscure architectural features. Signs may be painted on windows, doors, or small panels at entrances or on awnings. Small signs may be flush-mounted on a building wall; may be hung on porches between posts; or may project from the structure. A sign on a masonry wall should be mounted in the mortar, not the masonry. 2. Free-Standing: Free-standing signs should be low, small, and constructed of wood or a non- shiny finish. The recommended size should not exceed six square feet in area. These signs should be located in landscaped areas. All ground mounted (free standing) signs in the UU zoning district must be approved by the Board of Adjustment in addition to the Historic District Commission. Examples of appropriate signs are illustrated to the right. For signs in the R4-A district, please consult Staff for further information. 3. Materials for signs: Materials used for signs should be traditional, such as finished wood, glass, copper, or bronze, not plywood, plastic, unfinished wood, neon or other internally lighted materials, or flashing lights. Materials should be compatible with the building materials. 4. Design of signs: Fence at Sixth Street entrance 11 The design of the signs should be appropriate to the building, in size, lettering, and style. Business logos or symbols are desirable. If several businesses share a building, coordinate the signs. Flashing, rotating, moveable, or portable signs should not be used. 5. Lighting of signs: Lighting of signs should be from remote sources, preferably for the ground aimed directly at the sign and shielded from street view. Lighting should not use visible bulbs, internal sources or luminous paint. The sign conforms to the guidelines with the following exceptions: It is 12 square feet in size versus 6 square feet as the ordinance states ant he internal illumination will only be visible for the lettering “Gracie Mansion.” These would will be cut out of the metal with the lighting coming through it. This is not a typical backlit plastic sign. AC UNIT SCREENS The guidelines on Page 70 under Heating, Air Conditioning units and Ceiling Fans state: HVAC units should be located where not readily visible from the street and should be screened with shrubbery or fencing. Window air-conditioners should be located in windows on the rear or side façades and should not result in the removal or replacement of the original window sash or surround. Ceiling fans on porches should be mounted high enough so that they cannot be seen from the street. These screens conform to the guidelines. Some of the screens will be visible from the street, but some will not. This application is for screens on banks of ac units, typically two banks per building. REMOVING SHUTTERS FROM MAIN HOUSE The guidelines are silent on the issue of removing shutters from structures. In the style section on page 24, it states that shutters are a indicator of the Federal style. However, the shutters are not the defining element of this style. Pictorial evidence shown in the postcard above, shows that the house at one tie did not have shutters. Based on the footprints of the buildings in the postcard and the Sanborn maps, this photo is before 1897. This view is from the southeast. TUCKPOINTING MASONRY Masonry on the chimneys is to be tuckpointed as needed and repainted. Any tuckpointing on the building or chimneys needs to be done with type N mortar or a custom lime based mortar to match the existing mortar. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS AND REACTION: At the time of distribution, there were no comments regarding this application. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Approval with the following conditions: 2. Obtaining a building permit. COMMISSION ACTION: October 10, 2011 Tony Bozynski made a brief presentation to the commission concerning the particulars of the application. 12 Tim Heiple, and owner and architect for the project, stated that the owners had hoped that the vandalism would stop. It has not and the reason that the application is before you today. He discussed the fence along Sixth Street and Seventh Streets. He introduced a criminal report for the property and felt that the owners did not have a choice but to fence the property. A discussion was held on whether or not the items could be voted on separately. Debra Weldon, of the city attorney’s office stated that since it was one application, that only one vote could be taken on the application. Topics could be discussed separately. Commissioner Randy Ripley asked about the height and material of the fence. The top of the finial will be about six feet and is made of steel. Commissioner Chris Vanlandingham asked if this fence was to be permanent. The answer was yes. The chain link along 7th street is temporary. Commissioner BJ Bowen asked if the vehicular gate was keypad controlled. Mr. Heiple stated yes. Mr. Heiple stated that he had approval to install a wood fence on the western edge of the property, abutting DDF, but has not done that yet. Commissioner Vanlandingham asked if it was considered installing a continuous fence behind the historic fence on Sixth Street. Mr. Heiple stated that they had considered that, but a fence behind a fence might look a bit off. Mr. Heiple discussed the particulars of the proposed signage. Mr. Gracie owned the house immediately after the Fowlers, hence the name Gracie Mansion. Chairman Peters asked if the actual color of the sign had been specified. Mr. Heiple gave Staff a paint chip for the sign. Chairman Peters asked about the durability of the sign in reference to the vandalism in the area. Mr. Heiple stated it was 1/4 inch steel plate and should be fairly vandal resistant. Commissioner Bowen asked if vandalism was the reason for the lighting ion the interior of the sign. Mr. Heiple said yes. Mr. Heiple commented about the removal of shutters. He did have photo documentation of the house without shutters. He commented that some of the shutters are not of a functional size. He commented on the COC that was issued to them for maintenance. Commissioner Bowen asked if removing the shutters was purely an aesthetic reason and if they were not concerned about taking away the characteristics of the time period. It is to give a different look to the house and correct some architectural mistakes. Mr. Heiple commented on the ac unit screens. They are partially a visual screen and partially vandal proofing. He proposed that they would paint the one by the fowler house white to make it blend with the building. Chairman Peters commented that his objection to the screens was that they stood out so much. Mr. Heiple stated that some of them could not have shrubs planted in front of them but some could. Mr. Heiple stated that Brian Minyard, Staff, has asked if the shutters cold be stored in the attic in case later, they could be re-hung. He commented that they would do that. Mr. Heiple mentioned the letter from DNA in support of the application. There was also a phone call in response to removing the shutters. 13 Commissioner Ripley made a motion to approve the application at 503 East 6th Street as submitted. He continued that he looks for the day that the connectedness of the community could alleviate the need for all of the fencing. The applicant stated that he would store the shutters in the attic. Commissioner Vanlandingham seconded and the motion passed with a vote of 4 ayes, one recusal (Wiedower) and two absent (Johnson and Hendrix). Otter Matters: Enforcement issues: Staff has not heard form Housing and Neighborhood programs concerning 909 Cumberland. Certificated of Compliance: Gracie Mansion for main house repairs. Dunbar Survey: Dunbar survey almost finished. Chairman Peters asked about 1401 Scott Street. Mr. Bozynski stated that the owner had filed against Capitol zoning. The City has been trying to serve the owner with a citation for exceeding the height of the fence approved. Citizen Communication: Rhea Roberts invited the commission to the annual QQA meeting on November 3rd. VI. Adjournment There was a motion to adjourn and the meeting ended at 6:10 p.m. Attest: Chair b�4-�b4lej Secretary/Staff 14 Date Date