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STAFF REPORT CONCERNING APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS Date: July 8, 2009 Application Number: Property Location: Architectural Style/Date: Property Owner: District Designation: Rating: 2009-0706B 847 Forest Avenue Free Classic/1896 Joanie Downs Chapin Park Contributing DESCRIPTION OF STRUCTURE/ SITE The Gelz House is a rectangular plan Free Classic style home built in 1896 on Lot 35 of Chapin Place. The wide aluminum siding has recently been removed to expose the original clapboard siding, and the shadow of a belt course dividing the first and second floors on the exterior. Windows are 1 over 1 double hung. A projecting cornice line sits just below the asphalt shingled roof. A front and side porch are covered by hip roofs on gabled wood supports, also shingled with asphalt shingles. The home was modified in 1942 into four apartments, and the above mentioned front porch was added in 1951, replacing a much more elaborate original porch. ALTERATIONS: Circa 1951 the original front porch was replaced with the existing front porch. When aluminum sided, the belt course was removed to more uniformly apply the siding. The date of the siding application is unknown. An addition was made to the back of the house, date unknown, but possibly when modified into apartments in 1942. Our survey card, created in 2005, lists the home simply as "Altered". The original siding was repaired, replaced and painted in July -August 2009. The kitchen windows retained their modified size to accommodate modern -kitchen counters. APPLICATION ITEMS: I would like to move the exiting chain link fence to allow a car to enter the garage from the alley. DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED PROJECT: The.current four foot high chain link fence is placed in such a way that there is no vehicular access to the one car garage behind the house. The owner requests permission to remove a portion of the current chain link fence (please see diagram of site plan) and place a chain link fence in a new position allowing for access to the garage from the alley between Forest and Leland Avenues. Originally there was a spur alley off of Forest to the immediate south of the house; but it has since been vacated and access to the garage is now restricted to the remaining rear alley which is currently blocked by the fence. STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES: B. BUILDING SITE, LANDSCAPING & ACCESSORIES This section focuses on individual properties and amenities. Building sites tend to be irregularly shaped, of varying topography and with different setbacks with regard to plots. Alleys are generally behind houses. Landscape accessories like fences are unique to each structure. Chapin Place presents a unique situation within the district. Applications from properties that have property lines on Chapin Place will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Required Fencing, walkways, outbuildings, private yard lights, signs (i.e. house numbers) and benches (visible from the street) as well as trees located in a yard or tree lawn which reflect the property's history and development shall be retained. A tree located in such areas shall only be removed if the removal is .required due to storm damage, disease, threatened damage to a structure or for such other reason —acceptable to the Historic Preservation Commission. Storm damaged or diseased trees should then be —replaced with an approved species at the same or approximate location wherever possible. Fencing visible from the street in front of the structure shall be open (meaning spaces between the pickets) and consistent with the historic character of a structure enclosed.