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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 1 Staff Report w minutesMarch 2, 2023 DEFERRED ITEM NO. ONE FILE NO.: HDC2023-001 ITEM NO.: ONE FILE NO.: HDC2023-001 NAME: Rear & Side Yard Privacy Fence LOCATION: 609 S Rock Street, The Butler House OWNER/AUTHORIZED AGENT: Brandon Lee 609 S Rock Street, Little Rock, AR, 72202 Figure 1. 609 S Rock, Little Rock, AR March 2, 2023 DEFERRED ITEM NO. ONE FILE NO.: HDC2023-001 AREA: 0.32 acres NUMBER OF LOTS : 1 WARD: 1 HISTORIC DISTRICT: MacArthur Park Historic District HISTORIC STATUS: Contributing CURRENT ZONING: UU – Urban Use A. BACKGROUND Location The subject property is located at 609 S Rock Street. The property’s legal description is “Lots 3 and 4, Block 151 Original City of Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas.” Context The subject property has a single- family, one-story Queen Anne home, built c. 1888, that is Contributing to the Macarthur Park Historic District. The most recent National Register survey form, 2007, PU2978, describes the structure: “one story Queen Anne style house exhibits many typical details of this style including textured gable, cutaway bay window with decorative woodwork, turned wood porch supports and decorative spindle work frieze panel below front gable.” Sometime before 1992, the attic was adapted to second story living space. The historic home sits on the northern half of a double lot and has a large side yard. Figure 2. 609 S Rock location in MacArthur Park Historic District. March 2, 2023 DEFERRED ITEM NO. ONE FILE NO.: HDC2023-001 The large side yard was once a the site of a frame, one-story duplex that existed in the district pre-1913 and was demolished sometime before 1939, according to the Sanborn maps. The two lots were consolidated sometime before 1992. Recent/Previous Action In 2015, a COC was issued to Sarah Oliver (aka Sara Braswell) for attic vents. On June 12, 2006, a COA was issued to Dr. Thomas and Sara Braswell to construct a double bay garage, covered walkway, new rear screened porch, new sidewalk, and new fencing along the north property line. On April 10 1998, a COC was issued to Jean Anne Phillips for a 6 foot privacy fence along the rear property line abutting the alley. On January 4, 1996 a COA was issued to Jean Anne Phillips for the restoration of the home as a private residence. On May 11, 1995 the structure was denied a COA for demolition. On March 27, 1992 the structure was deemed unsafe by Housing and Neighborhood Programs Department (then Department of Neighborhoods and Planning). No other actions were found. B. PROPOSAL/REQUEST/APPLICANT’S STATEMENT: The application request to construct a rear and side yard six-foot, wood privacy fence and two new gates. One double gate on the rear of the property and one single gate along the fence facing the street. C. EXISTING CONDITIONS: The property currently has a six-foot wood board privacy fence along the east (rear) and south (side) property lines and the back section of the north property Figure 3. Properties surrounding 609 Rock Street. March 2, 2023 DEFERRED ITEM NO. ONE FILE NO.: HDC2023-001 line. A 36–48-inch wood picket fence exists parallel to the front property line, setback to the southeast corner of the house. See Attachment A- site photos and Figures 2 and 10– fence site plan. Fences to be removed are shown in red. There also exists a small section of 4-foot-tall wood fencing between the northwest corner of the house and the north property line. D. NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS: The time of distribution, there were no comments regarding this application. 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. E. ANALYSIS: Figure 4. Side yard of 609 Rock showing existing fencing. March 2, 2023 DEFERRED ITEM NO. ONE FILE NO.: HDC2023-001 The proposed fence is a six-foot privacy fence made of wood boards, trim, and posts that mimic the existing. It will be stained a natural wood color. The rear fence will be set back 8 feet from the rear property line and will begin at the south elevation of the detached garage and run 58 feet to the south property line. It will then run along the south property line 83 feet. From there it will run 56 feet across the side yard to the south elevation of the house. This section of the fence that will face the street is setback halfway between the front and back walls of the main structure and sits more than 45 feet back from the front property line. Two gates are proposed. One double gate on the rear of the property and one single gate along the fence facing the street. Figure 5. Proposed fencing site plan. March 2, 2023 DEFERRED ITEM NO. ONE FILE NO.: HDC2023-001 There are no historic fences on the subject property. There is a section of a wrought iron historic fence on the adjacent property within the front yard setback. The proposed privacy fence will not physically impact or visually impede views of the adjacent historic fence, nor the adjacent historic structure, a Craftsman apartment built c. 1937. Section VII. A. 3. Fences and Retaining Walls of the Design Guidelines state: “Fencing material should be appropriate to the style and period of the building.” (pg. 58) “Fences in the rear yards and those on side property lines without street frontage may be 72” tall. The privacy fence should be setback from the front façade of the structure at least halfway between the front and back walls of the main structure.” “Wood board privacy fences should be made of flat boards in a single row (not stockade or shadowbox), and of a design compatible with the structure.” Figure 6. Wrought iron fence section at 619 Rock Street. March 2, 2023 DEFERRED ITEM NO. ONE FILE NO.: HDC2023-001 Staff believes the proposed fence meets the Design Guidelines. F. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval, with the following conditions: 1. Obtain a fence permit. 2. Project to be completed within 365 days of obtaining permit. 3. Gates will be a maximum height of 72 inches. G. COMMISSION ACTION February 2, 2023 The Little Rock Historic District Commission February 2, 2023 meeting was cancelled and this item was deferred due to inclement weather. F. COMMISSION ACTION March 2, 2023 Ratzlaff, Staff, made a presentation to the Commission. Chair Jones invited Brandon Lee, applicant, to make a presentation. Mr. Lee said staff had covered the application request and he didn’t have anything to add. Chair Jones opened Commission discussion and said that the application appeared by the book to the Guidelines. Commissioner Fennell made a motion to approve the application with staff recommendations. Commissioner Hinson seconded. The motion passed unanimously with a vote of 4 ayes, 0 noes, and 3 absent (Nunn, Haugen, and Green). February 2, 2023 Figure 7. Application February 2, 2023 ITEM NO.: ONE (Cont.) FILE NO.: HDC2022-001 9 Figure 8. Public Notice & Affidavit February 2, 2023 ITEM NO.: ONE (Cont.) FILE NO.: HDC2022-001 10 Figure 9. Applicant Cover Letter. February 2, 2023 ITEM NO.: ONE (Cont.) FILE NO.: HDC2022-001 11 Figure 10. Applicant submitted privacy fence design example. February 2, 2023 ITEM NO.: ONE (Cont.) FILE NO.: HDC2022-001 12 Figure 11. Applicant submitted site plan. February 2, 2023 ITEM NO.: ONE (Cont.) FILE NO.: HDC2022-001 13 Attachment A Site Photos Figure 12. Front of 609 Rock Street. February 2, 2023 ITEM NO.: ONE (Cont.) FILE NO.: HDC2022-001 14 Figure 13. Side yard of 609 Rock Street. Figure 14. Wrought iron fence section at 619 Rock Street, south neighbor.