HDC_04 07 2022LITTLE ROCK HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
723 West Markham Street
Little Rock, Arkansas 72201-1334
Phone: (501) 371-4790 Fax:(501) 399-3435
www.Iittlerock.gov
LITTLE ROCK HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION
AGENDA
Thursday, April 7, 2022 4:00 p.m.
Board Chambers, 2nd Floor City Hall, 500 West Markham
& Virtual Meeting
I. Roll Call
II. Finding a Quorum
Quorum was present being five (5) in number.
Members Present: Chair Ted Holder
Vice Chair Amber Jones
Robert Hodge
Jonathan Nunn
Tom Fennell
Members Absent: Mark Hinson
Christina Aleman
City Attorney: Sherri Latimer
Staff Present: Hannah Ratzlaff
Walter Malone
Jamie Collins
Citizens Present: Doug Melkovitz
Patricia Blick
III. Minutes
A. March 3, 2022
Commissioner Holder approved the March 3, 2022 minutes as submitted.
IV. National Register Nominations
None
V. Deferred Certificates of Appropriateness
1. HDC2022-005 New Fencing
1410 S. Rock St.
April 7, 2022
ITEM NO.: ONE FILE NO.: HDC2022-005
NAME: Front Yard Fence
LOCATION: 1410 Rock Street, The Allen-Hegarty House
OWNER/AUTHORIZED AGENT:
Doug Melkovitz
1410 Rock Street
Little Rock, AR
72206
Figure 1 1410 Rock Street
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April 7, 2022
AREA: 0.32 acres NUMBER OF LOTS: 2, Lot 10 and 11 WARD: 1
HISTORIC DISTRICT: MacArthur Park Historic District
HISTORIC STATUS: Lot 10 Contributing (PU3023), Lot 11 Non -Contributing
CURRENT ZONING: MacArthur Park Local Ordinance District and R4-A
BACKGROUND:
Location
The subject property is located at 1410
Rock Street. The property's legal
description is "Lots 10 and 11, Block 49
of the Original City of Little Rock, Pulaski
County, AR." This application deals
primarily with Lot 10.
Context
The dwelling on Lot 10 was constructed
in c. 1904 as a one and one-half story
single-family dwelling. The 2007 survey
form states: "This one story hipped with
cross gable Queen Anne house has
cutaway bay windows, tall narrow
windows with large panes and detailed
brickwork on the chimney. A Palladian
window has been rebuilt in the front
gable and the porch has Colonial
Revival influences."
Taking the Queen Anne subtypes into
examination, this home presents more specifically as a Free Classic Queen Anne. This
subtype was more common after 1890 and has similarities to earlier, asymmetrical
Colonial Revival styles. The home displays delicate decorative detailing in some features
and classical detailing in others. The structure is clad with weatherboard siding and the
dormer is clad with square wood shingles. Distinctive Victorian features are found in the
gables that are adorned with hexagonal wood shingles, as well as the gable projection
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April 7, 2022
beyond the cutaway bay on the north
elevation. Classical features are
expressed in the dentil molding across
the front porch fascia, the Palladian
windows on the upper story gable, the
classic Doric columns and pilasters on
the porch, and the shallow rectangular
window over the main window on the
cross -gable elevation.
This structure is considered
Contributing to the MacArthur Park
Historic District. Since its construction,
the footprint of the structure and site is
relatively unchanged with exceptions
of the addition of an open porch on the
southern elevation between 1939 and
1950, as well as the expansion of the
detached rear ancillary structure
between 1913 and 1939.
Recent Action
On November 4, 2021 a COA was approved and issued to Doug Melkovitz for the
installation of solar panels.
On September 13, 2021 a COC was approved and issued to Doug Melkovitz for window
repairs and replacement.
On November 13, 2019 a COC was approved and issued to Tim Hankins for the
construction of a 6' tall fence in the rear yard, following setbacks specific to Lot 11.
On August 7, 2019 a COC was approved and issued to Tim Hankins for the construction
of a new accessory building in the rear yard.
On July 12, 2018 a COC was approved and issued to Tim Hankins for exterior renovations
including repairs to: the foundation, existing fence, porch, roof, soffit and fascia, siding
and heating and air system. A handicap ramp had been constructed in the 2000s at the
front and was here removed.
Other actions were found but are more than 10 years ago and no longer relevant.
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April 7, 2022
A. PROPOSAUREQUEST/APPLICANT'S STATEMENT:
The applicant requests to construct a front yard wood picket fence on Lot 10.
B. EXISTING CONDITIONS:
The property currently has a rear yard 6' tall fence on Lots 10 & 11 at the
appropriate setbacks.
There are no other front yard fences on this block face or street. However, there
are three (3) vacant lots across the street and three (3) infill construction dwellings
to the south that are contemporary in style. The only other historic structure on this
block with a front fagade facing Rock Street is to the north. This being said, district -
wide, wood picket fences are commonly seen in front yards of Victorian era homes.
C. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS:
All owners of properties located within 200 feet of the site and all neighborhood
associations registered with The City of Little Rock that surround the site were
notified of the public hearing.
D. ANALYSIS:
The fence proposed is a wood picket fence with straight, 36" tall pickets, that are
1" wide with a regular point at the top. The pickets are set W apart. The proposed
fence has a walking gate at the top step of the front sidewalk, 36" tall measured
from the grade plane, and a gate on the south boundary of the front yard for access
to the parking pad. The gates are proposed as 36" W and 36" H. The fence is set
back 24" from the sidewalk and will be painted to match the house trim. The
proposed fence will follow the property line of Lot 10, meeting the 6' fence on the
north property line, following parallel to the sidewalk on the east and meeting the
southeast corner of the house, parallel to the parking pad.
Section VII. A. 3. Fences and Retaining Walls of the Guidelines state:
"Fencing material should be appropriate to the style and period of the building."
"Fences with street frontage should be no taller than three feet (36') tall. On wood
fences, pickets should be no wider than four inches (4') and set no farther apart
than three inches (3'). The design should be compatible with and proportionate to
the building."
The proposed fence meets the expectations of the Guidelines in dimension, scale,
material, and style. Both wrought iron and wood picket fences were common site
the Free Classic Queen Anne style. The proposed picket design is compatible with
the style of the home and the surrounding district.
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April 7, 2022
E. STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the application with the following conditions:
1. Obtaining a building permit.
2. Project to be completed within 365 days of obtaining permit.
F. COMMISSION ACTION: March 3, 2022
Commissioner Robert Hodge made a motion to defer the application to the next
public hearing on April 7th, 2022. Commissioner Amber Jones seconded. The
motion passed with a voice vote of 7 ayes, 0 noes, and 0 absent.
COMMISSIONACTION: April 7, 2022
Staff, Hannah Ratzlaff, made presentation to the Commission. Doug Melkovitz,
applicant, welcomed questions from the Commission concerning the proposed
fencing. Chair Holder opened Commission discussion. Commissioner Nunn
made a motion to approve the application with staffs recommendations.
Commissioner Jones seconded. The motion passed with a vote of 5 ayes, 0
noes, and 2 absent (Aleman and Hinson).
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April 7, 2022
VI. New Certificates of Appropriateness
1. None
VII. Other Matters
A. Draft Update: MacArthur Park Guidelines
Chair Holder shared with the Commission that the Design Guidelines Review
Committee —including Vice Chair Jones, Tom Fennell, and himself —had
reviewed the guidelines with staff over several committee meetings and
proposed changes are a result of these meetings. Chair Holder shared that
the committee and staff believed that the guidelines were due for a complete
review and which would be accomplished best through the hiring of a
consultant.
Staff, Hannah Ratzlaff, gave a presentation to the Commission delineating
each major change. Chair Holder opened the Commission to discussion.
Chair Holder shared that he appreciates the further distinction within the paint
section that the application of paint onto unpainted material is regulated and
paint color is not regulated, but recommendations are offered according to
architectural style. Chair Holder also shared he appreciates that the section
on Alterations and Additions will be amended to better reflect the Secretary of
Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation by moving the sub -section on
Alterations to be encompassed by the Rehabilitation section and the
Additions section will stand alone.
Commissioner Nunn asked staff how artificial siding would be review for
application of new construction in light of the changes to the artificial siding
policy in the Rehabilitation section. Staff explained that artificial siding
materials for new construction, such as fiber cement siding, would be
reviewed in the section specific to new construction and that this type of
siding would not be seen favorably within a rehabilitation project as a
replacement of the original siding. Vice Chair Jones supported Nunn's
question and stated that is a good question because many preservation
principles and practices are not universally known —such as the principle to
not paint unpainted masonry. She shared the guidelines should be accessible
for preservation professionals as well as people who are interacting with
historic structures for the first time. Vice Chair Jones felt that the proposed
language for the artificial siding policy and the painting of historic materials
achieved this clarity.
Chair Holder commented that the artificial siding policy was written in way that
remained flexible and still laid -out the basic guideline clearly. City Attorney,
Sherri Latimer, asked if the Commission would like to make a motion.
Chair Holder opened discussion to public comment. Patricia Blick, Executive
Director of the Quapaw Quarter Association, shared her support of the
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April 7, 2022
proposed changes and the plan to address the guidelines holistically with a
consultant in the future.
Vice Chair Jones made a motion to approve the proposed changes to the
guidelines as presented by staff. Commissioner Hodge seconded. The motion
passed with a vote of 5 ayes, 0 noes, and 2 absent (Aleman and Hinson).
Commissioner Fennell shared that he felt in the future when staff notices
small inconsistencies or need corrections, or would like to present a specific
proposed, that they be able to do so without having to re -address the
guidelines in their entirety.
B. Enforcement issues
Staff reported 1323 Cumberland for a previous owner's installation of a rear yard
fence without a permit and the enclosure of the side porch with board fencing.
Staff shared that they were working with the current owners to devise a solution
for the side porch that would support the owner's security concerns. Staff
presented two possible solutions to Commission after removal of the boarding.
They both hinged on the reroute the fence around the porch to avoid additional
materials to the side porch. Commissioner Fennell suggested leaving the fence
as -is and utilizing latticing to enclose the porch up to standing height. Staff liked
this suggestion, as did the other Commissioners. Staff said that they would move
forward to working with the current owner as this solution and that they expect an
application to be filed soon.
C. Certificates of Compliance
HDC2022-012 1003 Scott Street — reroof from corrugated tin to galvalume
HDC2022-013 901 Cumberland — solar panels
D. Citizen Communication
Patricia Blick shared the reminder that the Tour of Homes is May 7-8t" in the
Governor's Mansion Historic District and invited participation.
VIll. Adjournment
Staff shared that there were no filings for the May public hearing and asked if the
Commission had any items they would like to discuss in May.
There was a motion to adjourn, and the meeting ended at 4:45pm.
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April 7, 2022
Attest:
Chair Date
Staff Date
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