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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHDC2011-006 Email From Kay Tatum To Brian Minyard 04/22/2011Pagel of 2 Minyard, Brian From: Kay Tatum [kay.tatum@yahoo.com] Sent: Friday, April 22, 2011 3:26 PM To: Minyard, Brian Subject: Little Rock Historic District Commission agenda 04-25-2011 Brian, I have reviewed the agenda for the April 25th meeting of the Historic District Commission. I am very disappointed to see the plans for the new construction at 1414 Rock and 1418 Rock. While, I support new construction in the neighborhood, these plans, once again are not appropriate. It's very disheartening to see what is being approved by the Historic District Commission with little regard to the existing homes, neighbors and the future of the neighborhood. There has to be a stopping place for such bad designs. WHO on the Historic District Commission will step forward and say "enough?" There are some wonderful examples of new construction that are not only aesthetically pleasing, but also represent the inte ri of the neijzhborhood. The row of Craftsman cottages on 15th Street, the new townhouses on Cumberland and the cottage at 16th and Gaines are only a few examples of wonderful in -fill construction in the immediate area of these proposed plans. Capital Zoning has made equally bad judgment with approvals. People are trading their lots at Mount Holly Cemetery because they don't want to look at the house that was recently built at I3th and Arch. Several people have inquired as to "why" a barn was built on the lot and I'm left to explain to them that it's a residence. As a former member of the Historic District Commission, I'm sad to say that the reputation of the Historic District Commission is certainly less than favorable throughout the neighborhood. I urge the Historic District Commission to carefully and thoughtfully review these applications and to equally consider their recommendations before approving these proposed plans. We own (2) properties in the MacArthur Park Historic District. One property is on Rock Street. I would hate to see these homes, (as currently proposed and without serious revisions), to be built on Rock Street. 4/25/2011 Page 2 of 2 Thank you Brian for all you do --you have a tough job! Kay Tatum 1010 So. Scott Street 624 So. Rock Street 501-375-5197 4/25/2011 Page 1 of 1 Minyard, Brian From: Kathy Wells [katwells@earthlink.net] Sent: Friday, April 22, 2011 11:59 PM To: Minyard, Brian Subject: please observe in permits the policies of Downtown Neighborhoods Plan for the Future, 2006 Dear LR Historic Dist. Commission members, As the LR Historic Dist. Commission considers new construction in its field, please take into account the thoughtful policies from citizens in the city planning process, which resulted in the Downtown Neighborhoods Plan for the Future, 2006, adopted by the LR Board of Directors to guide redevelopment -Neighborhoods this blighted area of our city. Historic Preservation is considered a critical element; new construction is to be compatible with existing structures. Details are in the chapter on Land Use and Zoning, where the policies applied in the River Market are cited with approval. Any waivers aught to be very carefully considered before any approval is given. Yours Truly, Kathy Wells owner of 1015 S. Scott resident of 2121 S. Gaines St. 960-6918 4/25/2011 LAND USE AND ZONING Objective: Establish a sustainable growth plan for the city, which will benefit these neighborhoods. • City directors should pass a sustainable growth plan ordinance. Objective: Develop regulations modified for the special needs of older areas that have long been developed. • Repeat language of the River Market Design Guidelines in ordinance 17,240: "Guidelines and strategies must be in place to protect the Downtown Neighborhoods from the negative impact of poorly planned or incompatible projects. Incompatible development has the potential to destroy the attributes that will attract people to the Downtown Neighborhoods. Buildings, signs, street furnishings and landscaping should all be designed to complement and encourage pedestrian use during the day and night. Careful planning is necessary to insure the proper placement of such items to avoid visual clutter." • Review and remove spot zoning areas of unsuitable use, such as a block of C-3 commercial property that in fact has residences on the land, and which is surrounded by other residences zoned residential, on East 21 st Street. ■ Incorporate Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) in the design of new structures, modified as necessary to fit character of the neighborhood. (See draft city ordinance.) • Allow garages and storage buildings on lot lines (reduced setbacks). • Encourage home -based occupations, a lower level of activity than a home business, without the traffic or noise concerns of a home business. • Encourage mixed -use (both residential and business) activity in small commercial structures in residential blocks, but do not lift restrictions to protect homeowners from traffic and noise. • Review sign ordinances and consider changing sizes for commercial structures that are out of character with the neighborhoods. For example, provide for no signs on poles; for no backlit signs, favoring a directional light on the sign instead; and for no spillover, favoring shaded lights instead that focus light where desirable, and avoid light undesirable to neighbors. Many commercial firms are close, or even next door, to residences in our neighborhoods, and these provisions would remove some problems. • Establish and enforce standards for minimum repair and appearance on commercial structures. ■ Support expanded application of design guidelines for new development. Model Design Overlay Concept The Downtown Neighborhoods are unique historic areas. Collectively, they represent some of the most important phases in Little Rock's history, from the boom era of the post -Civil War years to the tumultuous school integration period of the late 1950s. 23 All of this history is embodied in the neighborhoods' buildings, many of which already are recognized landmarks. Dunbar Junior High School, the Villa Marre, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, the Hotze and Hornibrook Houses, and the Governor's Mansion are just a few of the scores of significant structures in the Downtown Neighborhoods. In recognition of the importance of preserving the historical and architectural character of neighborhoods that are among the city's oldest, two sections of the Downtown Neighborhoods presently receive some protection from harmful development. A small portion of the MacArthur Park Historic District extends south of I-630, into the Downtown Neighborhoods, and the Capitol Zoning Mansion Area encompasses about 90 square blocks surrounding the Governor's Mansion. In both of these special districts, review procedures help to ensure that new development enhances the neighborhoods' unique character rather than destroying it. Very detailed architectural guidelines such as those followed in the MacArthur Park Historic District and the Mansion Area probably are not warranted in most other sections of the Downtown Neighborhoods. However, some level of protection is needed to prevent, or at least to provide an opportunity to modify, new development of the type that recently occurred at 15th and Rock Streets, a project which clearly does not "fit" the neighborhood and was strenuously opposed by neighbors -- but was allowed by city zoning. A "design overlay" for the Downtown neighborhoods would enable residents to monitor development proposals and participate in their review. Design standards would concentrate on the major features of new construction --siting, height and width, roofline, materials, placement and proportions of windows and doors, parking --rather than on the smaller details that sometimes consume time in the MacArthur Park Historic District and the Mansion Area. The object would not be to stop new development but to make sure new development strengthens and enhances the Downtown Neighborhoods. Siting New buildings should be positioned on their sites in a manner similar to nearby existing buildings. In a residential area, this means having the same front- and sideyard setbacks as surrounding houses; in a commercial district, it may mean having no setbacks at all. Height and Width (Proportion) In order to fit into an established neighborhood, the height/width ratios, or proportions, of new buildings should mimic those of existing buildings. In the Downtown Neighborhoods, this generally will mean that new buildings that are wide and low should be discouraged because the majority of existing late- 19th and early-20th century buildings are more vertical in proportion than horizontal. Roofline Shape The shape of the roof of a new building should be similar to roofs of existing buildings. Gabled and hipped roofs predominate on houses in the Downtown neighborhoods; roofs of other shapes (flat, mansard, etc.) Should be discouraged on new houses. Pitch 24 The pitch, or degree of slope, of a roof is a critical element in the design of houses and other buildings that will be located in a residential setting. Existing houses in the Downtown Neighborhoods generally have steeply -pitched roofs; lower rooflines should be discouraged in new construction. Materials Wood is the predominant building material in the Downtown Neighborhoods, with the majority of existing houses being sheathed in clapboard siding. A number of brick houses and commercial also are present. New construction generally should employ these materials --wood and/or brick -- and avoid other types of materials that have not traditionally been used in the Downtown Neighborhoods (stucco or Dryvit; stone; concrete block; aluminum, vinyl, and steel siding, etc.) Windows and Doors Fenestration --the arrangement, proportions and design of windows and doors --is an important design element that often is given little consideration in new construction. The fenestration of new buildings should be similar to that of existing buildings in the Downtown Neighborhoods. Generally, this will mean generously -sized window and door openings that are taller than they are wide; placing several door and/or window openings in all facades (i.e., no blank walls); and having a front door that faces the street and clearly says "this is the main entrance to this house/building." (Note: New buildings sometimes have their main entrances off a parking lot rather than facing the street. This arrangement definitely should be discouraged in the Downtown Neighborhoods.) Parking The Downtown Neighborhoods developed before automobiles became the primary mode of transportation for most people, so driveways, garages and parking lots are not part of the historic development pattern of the neighborhoods. In order to .accommodate cars without destroying the historic character of the Downtown Neighborhoods, parking behind buildings should be encouraged. Alley access to rear parking should be promoted. Front -yard parking should not be allowed in either residential or commercial development. 25